Fame

I worry maybe people aren't

gonna like me when I go to a party.

Isn't that crazy?

Do you ever get kind of a sick feeling in

your stomach when you dread things?

I wouldn't wanna miss a party,

but every time I go to one...

...I keep feeling like

the whole world's against me.

See, I've spent my whole life

in military academies.

My mother doesn't have a place for me

where she lives...

...and she doesn't know

what else to do with me.

You mustn't misunderstand about

my mother. She's really a lovely person.

I guess every boy thinks his mother

is beautiful, but my mother really is.

She tells me in every letter how sorry

she is that we're not together more...

...but she has to think of her work.

One time we were together, though.

She met me in San Francisco once...

...and we were together for two whole

days, just like we were sweethearts.

It was the most wonderful time

I ever had.

Then I had to go back

to the military academy.

Every time I walk into that barracks,

I get a kind of...

A kind of a...

I'm sorry.

Kind of a depressed feeling.

It's got hard, stone walls.

You know what I mean?

I guess I've bored you enough,

telling you about myself.

Thank you.

Sorry about that. I goofed up the last

couple of lines. I guess I'm nervous.

That's okay. You did very well.

I'm sorry.

Thank you. You play very well.

Now Mrs. Tossoff's gonna play notes

for you. Sing them back to us. Like so:

La, la, la, la, la, la, la

- It's too low for me.

- You're a tenor? You want to start here?

La, la, la, la, la, la, la

Louder, please.

I'm so nervous.

- I'm not singing.

- But you have to.

- But I came to dance.

- You have to sing too.

- And act, and play an instrument.

- All three?

It says "performing arts. "

- You don't have to do everything.

- Sure as sh*t helps, baby.

- Thank you. Next group, please. Hurry.

Oh, I like your nose ring.

- I'm into culture.

- Does that hurt, or is that ethnic?

Music, please, Mrs. Snell.

Please pay attention.

We have a lot to do today.

- I hate my legs.

Yeah. Me too.

- I've tried every diet in the whole world.

- Really? Me too.

But you can't help your glands.

I'm sorry! I'm just so nervous.

Relax! Come on, use your body.

- Careful. That's 7000 worth of machine.

Dollars or pounds?

- Don't touch the rotary pots.

- What pots?

I got it set on sawtooth.

Why can't he play piccolo? Something

sensible. Or the accordion, like Papa did.

Same reason you drive a checker and

not a Roman chariot. It's progress.

My son's head is into the future.

And Papa could never play the accordion.

- Do you think you're talented?

- You swine! You coward! You cad!

You dare judge me in my misfortitude?

You dare to ask me the question

who is the father of my child?

- You! You! I point to you, Nigel!

Next, please.

The next group of musicians can

go to the fifth floor now, please.

- Name?

- Excuse me, miss.

You don't need his name. He's not here

for the audition. He's my partner.

- What school's he from?

- He ain't into school.

He's just helping me out with my

dancing. But it's me who's auditioning.

Mulholland, Shirley. I'm all fixed up.

I filled in all your papers and all.

He doesn't go upstairs

without filling in his name.

Leroy's his name, but I'm auditioning.

Shirley Mulholland. That's two I's.

- And don't ask him to do no writing.

- Doesn't he talk, even?

He ain't into conversation

until you get to know him.

- Leroy what?

- Leroy Johnson. Can we go up now?

He's not going up

until he checks his knife.

We ain't staying long enough for

no trouble. He's just helping a friend.

He's not helping out anyone

unless he checks his knife.

This is the High School for Performing

Arts. We don't cut each other up here.

- You want it?

- I want it.

- You sure you want it?

- Yeah, I'm sure.

- Promise you won't steal it, now?

- I promise.

Thanks, ma'am.

Name?

Don't worry, baby. I got lots of knives.

What are you going to do?

- I was gonna sing.

- You don't have to sing, honey.

- We know our rights.

- You can't refuse her an audition.

- She's not supposed to sing her audition.

Please, excuse me, if you don't mind.

Honey, you don't have to sing for us...

...because this is the drama department.

- When she sings, it is drama.

- What's your name, honey?

Finsecker.

Doris Finsecker.

- Hi.

- How do you do?

- What's your name?

- Ralph Garci.

- Who was your teacher?

- Well, my father taught me.

He's doing work for the government.

I'm not supposed to talk about it...

...but my father played some of the

most beautiful symphonies...

...in the whole world once.

- What did he play?

Trombones.

And French horns.

English horns.

- Saxophones.

- Anything else?

Yeah.

- Bongos, maracas, that sort of stuff.

- What did he teach you?

Why don't you

try the dance department?

- Why do you want to go to school here?

- Should I tell him?

Yeah, tell him.

We can't afford a professional

children's school.

Okay. If you want to sing, go ahead.

Then we'll look at your acting.

I'm a little nervous.

Don't be shy, Sheila. Come over here.

What are you going to do?

- I'm doing The Towering Inferno.

- What?

- You know, the movie?

- Oh.

All right, I'm playing O. J. Simpson.

I'm in this building.

There's fire all around, right?

So I go to the elevator.

- Think of it as a concentration exercise.

- Concentrate.

Just sing to Michael...

...and don't worry about anybody else.

- I don't think I can. I can't just stare.

He won't mind.

- Waiting for the elevator.

Press the button, Doris.

Her brother Harvey.

Memories

Like the corners of my mind

Misty water-colored memories

Doesn't come, so now I'm getting mad.

Of the way we were

Scattered pictures

Of the smiles we left behind

Smiles we gave to one another

Of the way we were

Can it be that it was all so simple then?

Or has time rewritten every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again

Finally it comes, so I get in.

Okay, and there's people all around.

And they're looking right at me.

Memories

May be beautiful and yet

What's too painful to remember

We simply choose to forget

So it's the laughter

We will remember

Whenever we remember

The way we were

The way we were

Yeah, my father taught me. I'm not

supposed to talk about him right now.

He's doing a little bit of work

for the government, but...

My father is very, very famous.

He danced with the Rockettes.

Sure. Would you begin, please?

- I'll be doing "Swanee River" for you.

- Okay.

And...

Hon? "Swanee River," please.

Hit it.

Doris, what would you do

if you don't make it?

We'll make it.

Next, please.

But I that am not shaped

for sportive tricks...

...nor made to court

an amorous looking glass...

...I that am- Cheated of-

Oh, I'm sorry.

Why don't you try

the drama department?

If again "it was not well cut,"

he'd answer, I spake not true:

This is called the Reply Churlish.

Nobody talks about it,

but there's a quota system.

Your chances are better if you're black,

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