1915 Page #2

home for a couple hours.

I always take a meditation bath

before show time, so...

Hold on, Tony,

don't go yet. Sit down.

Let's have a bite.

You're close with Simon, right?

He's my brother.

Technically second cousin,

but...

Right, so you could

tell me what's...

what's going on...

Oh, you mean Angela...

well, she hasn't really

been herself lately.

Why hasn't she acted

in seven years?

Well, it's not that simple,

James.

Maybe you're just

pretending up there.

Angela... she's actually

living 1915.

So this is just...

method-acting thing?

Well, it's Simon's own method.

It's kind of like hypnotism.

Hypnotism?

It is night. One hour

before the big premiere.

The secret... You're

supposed to be in your room.

Is in the memory.

But I can't find you.

The point is you have to find

your own connection to the past.

So you build a bridge between your

memory and your character's memory.

And then, very carefully,

you cross the bridge.

You're at the top of the stairs.

You're walking down the stairs,

Angela. Do you remember?

You're entering the past.

You are becoming Ani.

You actually become

your character!

So that's what Angela's doing.

She's crossing the bridge.

What if the bridge collapses?

Recognition, Reparations, Restitution.

Today

is the day of our redemption!

Today Turkey faces the truth!

Recognition, reparations, restitution!

The cries for

justice continue here in Los Angeles...

as tens of thousands of Armenians march

from the Turkish Consulate to City Hall.

Where will they go next?

Hello?

You are

a traitor to your race, Simon.

You will lose everything!

This is Jeffrey Laufton

from the Los Angeles... what?

Protests? You can't protest

the Los Angeles Theatre!

What the... do you know

who... hung up.

Who was that?

I don't know. Turks, Armenians, I

can't tell the difference anymore.

They're all boycotting

my theater!

I mean, why on earth are the Armenians

against us, I thought they love you?

Do you know what these are?

They're death threats,

death threats, Simon.

Free speech.

Yeah, free speech... let me tell

you something about free speech.

Right-left, Turks-Armenians...

Navajo-Apache, you name it.

These so called...

Please be careful with that,

that's a family heirloom.

These so-called "communities," they

only care about free speech...

when it's speech

that they agree with. Hm?

Which is why I'm suggesting that

we turn the tables on them.

What do you mean?

I mean that we cancel the show.

Wait, wait, hear me out.

We call a nice press

conference...

we talk a little

Armenian genocide...

a little Turkish denial,

some death threats.

We spin this the right way, you can

still come out of it as a hero.

And then... and then we can

do our comedies.

I mean, we could bring back

Dolma the Musical...

and pick up right where we

left off seven years ago.

Does genocide mean

nothing to you?

Oh, come on,

genocide schmen-ocide!

You are putting on a stage

play for one night only...

with the proceeds going

to a goddamn charity!

This is my theater, too.

I've made sacrifices in this theater.

My family has made sacrifices.

I know. I know you have, but this

has become such a controversy...

the Times is sending

in a reporter.

One night, Jeffrey,

and then I'm gone.

One night and this

is all history.

On the other side of this night, there is

only death for you and damnation for me.

Come, Ani.

On the other side of this night,

there is only damnation...

death for you

and damnation for me.

I'm so excited to be working here

with talented actors like you.

We put on plays at our home.

Oh, yeah?

Do you like living there?

It's all right, but I've always

wanted to do a real play.

Take this to props.

Okay.

This is a nice touch, Simon. It's

much better than the last one.

It's the new death notice.

It gave me goose bumps.

What the hell!

Mr. West? Mr. West,

are you all right?

What happened?

He's in shock. Look at his hand.

Oh, my lord.

I'm fine, I'm fine.

James?

Accidents happen. Come... come,

James, let's wash it off.

I thought I saw something up there.

Come here, sweetie.

I'm sorry, James, the Los Angeles

is feeling its age, I guess.

It's no big deal.

These old theaters have

a life of their own.

You know, I got my start in the

theater, believe it or not.

It's good to have you back.

Everyone's so excited.

Angela most of all. You should have

seen her smile when I told her.

Really?

Hey, I've been meaning to ask

you something... about Tony.

Was he really supposed to play

the Colonel? I feel bad.

Never mind Tony. Tony

is suffering for attention.

Anyway, I didn't want

to say this out there,

but the truth is, there

are some bad vibes.

The sandbags and Tony

rehearsing my lines.

But most of all,

it's your wife.

Your wife, I think she's

in trouble, Simon.

I am taking your wife, Simon.

Angela is mine.

You must be strong, Colonel.

The wound has to sting

before it can heal.

You reporters only care

about controversy.

Why don't you ask me

about this theater, Ms. Lopez?

You know that Charlie Chaplin

was one of its founders?

Such a historic theater,

Mr. Laufton.

But why hasn't there been

a show here for seven years?

Ah, well, I'm not quite sure

why you're asking me that?

I mean, you should ask them...

mankind, humanity, whatever you

want to call them. "America."

Yes, for some reason they've decided

that theater isn't important anymore.

All I can bank on these days is the

occasional hipster bar mitzvah.

Oh, and the Immigrant Awards.

Yes, they rent the place

for six weeks every year.

Takes them forever to set up here,

speaking all those languages.

But then I suppose...

Erica?

Erica? Oh, there you are.

I thought I lost you

for a minute.

Such a creepy place.

Yes, I... I've got an idea.

Why don't I set up an interview

with James West for you.

I'm sure that's why you're here.

What's down there?

Down there? Oh, that's, um,

an old nursery...

where the actors would leave their

kids during the performance.

Really?

Yes. That was before the days that

baby-sitting became so cheap.

Oh, we... we don't really

go down there anymore now.

It's... just an old storage room.

Why don't I show you the balcony? It's

absolutely exquisitely decorated.

She knows, Simon.

I don't know how,

but she knows.

What are you talking about?

She kept asking all about

"seven years ago."

And even wanted to go

down the stairs.

If Lopez writes her story, it's over.

This theater is finished.

If you want to be a coward, if that's

the role you chose for tonight...

fine, go back to your room

and call the police.

I'll be forced to sell

this place.

Whoever buys it

will tear it down.

Perfect.

Maybe they'll finally build something

that really matters to people.

A place without memories.

You know the plan, Jeffrey.

Is something wrong?

No, no. Just...

Just right now we have to be

careful. No more accidents.

What can I do?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes