A Nutcracker Christmas Page #6

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When help eludes you,

call on love

Oh oh well

Above the road

Hold me aloft

Yeah

Ah! Ah!

Argh! Cramp, cramp,

cramp, cramp. Cramp.

Ugh! Argh!

(Mark exhaling forcefully)

Just keep the energy

under your arms.

- There you go. Nice.

- Thank you.

(indistinct chatter)

- Hey.

- Hey.

- How did it go?

- Went well, thanks.

So, is that just something

you don't talk about?

I can give you my rank,

name and serial number.

Anything more, you'll have

to buy me a drink.

(snigger)

Well, Sadie is going

to the movies

with the other girls, so...

(smooth jazz version

of Silent Night)

...I guess I could do that.

(indistinct chatter)

When you left New York,

I was hurting.

I needed change.

I wasn't sure

what to do.

My family's

military history,

knowing what was

going on overseas;

enlisting just felt

like the right thing for me.

That was a big change.

Yeah. It was rough.

I lost some friends.

And that's why

I don't talk about it.

So sorry.

Must have been hard

coming home.

Felt disconnected.

For the first time,

I began to regret

I had lost my chance to dance.

So how did you

end up here?

Dance is really

the only thing I know.

But you're not dancing.

Yeah.

Directing just sort of

came naturally.

I guess I got used to bossing

people around in the service.

So what were you?

Like an officer

- or something?

- I was a gunnery sergeant.

Oh!

Well, Gunnery Sergeant Anders...

...how would you like

to come over to our place

for Christmas dinner

after the show?

I mean, since we're across

the hall and all.

I'll be there.

Deck the halls

with boughs of holly

Falalala lala lala

- What?

- What's going on with you?

Nothing. What?

I'm just feeling good.

OK.

I had a good night's sleep.

Just a good night's

sleep? Really?

- Uh-huh.

- Nothing else going on?

Nothing else with a guy

who maybe you knew

- a long time ago and had a-- ?

- OK,

knock it off,

wise guy.

I'll see you

after rehearsal.

- Bye.

- (chuckling):
Bye.

- (woman):
Hi.

- (Sadie):
Hi.

- Hi there.

- Hi.

Look. Maybe it

was wishful thinking

that I could keep my

relationship with Mark a secret,

But this idea that Sadie got

the role of Clara

because of that relationship

is just hurtful.

Especially to Sadie.

I'm sorry.

I hope so. Because it

really needs to s--

(siren wailing)

Uh-oh.

You're kidding, right?

I don't have

anyone else, Lily.

I can't just step into a lead role cold.

You know it doesn't work that way.

If you don't dance

the Sugar Plum, there's no show.

I don't want to embarrass

myself. Or the company.

- I'll work with you.

- That's great, but you're not

putting on pointe shoes for

the first time in eight years.

You can do this. I wouldn't ask you

if I didn't know you could do it.

OK. I love that you're

so sure, but if I'm going

to be up on that stage,

it's important that I'm sure.

What's going on?

Mark's asking me to dance

the Sugar Plum Fairy.

- (giggling)

- Oh. Wait. This is for real?

Yeah! It's for real.

What?

If you don't do it, you'll

never know what might have been.

Yes!

It's beautiful.

We have it all to ourselves

until opening night.

(she sighs)

Feel free to embarrass yourself.

I haven't felt butterflies

like this in a long time.

It's magical in here,

isn't it?

I miss the feeling.

Well. Wanna mark

through the pas?

Let's do it.

Well, this is awkward.

Why? It's only been

eight years.

- Shall we start from the top?

- Yeah.

OK.

(tender piano music)

(makes whooshing noise)

And a million pirouettes.

Nice.

Ow! Ow!

- Did I hit you?!

- Yeah.

- Are you OK?

- Oh, it's fine.

I'm totally fired.

It wasn't your fault.

Umm... Let's try

the diagonal.

(gentle music speeds up

and orchestra comes in)

(emotional music)

If I didn't know any better,

I'd think you've been dancing

alone every night

in the gym around 11.

- (scoffing)

- And if I didn't know

any better, I'd think

you'd been spying on me!

You know, there are dancers

who would pay a lot of money

- to have you coach them.

- Yeah. I don't think

any of them live

in Marietta, Georgia.

I'm not saying you should

do it in Georgia.

- Oh. Tennessee?

- Hmmm. A little further north.

- Kentucky?

- Higher.

- Oh, I know. Maryland.

- Uh-huh.

I can't even think

about that right now.

I just need to get through

Saturday night and...

What's wrong?

I mean, it's one thing

to rehearse Sugar Plum...

It's a whole other thing

to perform in front of

an actual live audience.

That's...

a little scary.

- Hold that thought.

- Where are you going?

Hey. Can you guys

turn it up a little bit?

- What are you doing?

- Come on! What do you say?

- (Latin music)

- No!

- Come on. Come join me.

- Right here?

- Yeah!

- Oh... OK...

Get those hips working.

Now we're talking.

That's not so bad.

(crowd exclaiming)

You're a natural!

Yeah!

(crowd clapping and cheering)

Stage fright, huh?

Let's go

from the dvelopp.

Alright.

Not like that.

Mark's the director, Darren.

Make sure you're far enough

from him that you can get

that nice bend

in your back. Last time.

- Is that what you're gonna do?

- Well, if you're gonna hold me

- like that, I think I have to.

- Alright.

Let's leave this for now,

move on to the next section.

This production is

falling apart.

I'm going to speak to the board

about having him replaced

- after it's over.

- Hold on a second. No,

the production is not falling

apart. And Mark is actually

the only one who's

keeping this thing going.

First, her niece gets

the role of Clara,

and now Lily

as the Sugar Plum Fairy?

I'm sorry.

I'm not buying it!

I know! I'm pinching myself

that Sadie and I get to dance...

on the same stage together.

- And Mark?

- [He's changed, Mom.]

And yet, he hasn't changed

at all. You know what I mean?

Well, it sounds like maybe

you've changed a little, too.

Maybe. It's been

the strangest few days.

But in a good way.

Sounds great.

Now, aren't you glad

you listened to your wise old

mother for a change?

- Yes, Momma.

- [So,]

[when are you seeing Mark next?]

I asked him to Christmas

dinner to our place.

I was thinking I'd make

my holiday shepherd's pie.

Only if you're trying

to get rid of him.

What's going on?

- No one told you?

- Told me what?

I forgave Mark for his

temporary lack of judgement,

- and came back to do the show.

- You forgave Mark.

You didn't really think

Mark would choose you over me

as Sugar Plum?

Hey! Where are you going?

I can't believe you did this

to me again.

- What are you talking about?

- I trusted you.

Lily, wait!

What happened?

Juliette?!

Hey Mark! I called Juliette last night--

- Hold on. What are you doing here?

- You were right. I overreacted.

- But the good news is, I'm back!

- No. You don't get to walk out

on everybody then stroll back in

the day before the show.

You need to leave. Now.

- Hold on, Mark--

- Not now, Darren.

You quit the company,

and you've been replaced.

Wait a second--

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