Leap! Page #4

---

And you'll see

how radiant you are...

- It's incredible!

- (RUDI LAUGHS)

They'll never

bring you down...

(SCREAMS)

'Cause you're unstoppable...

Last time we met,

I was so very rude.

(SPEAKS RUSSIAN)

Let me introduce myself.

I am Rudolph Dimitriev

Stanislaw Artiem Rankovsky...

(SPEAKS RUSSIAN)..the Third.

Big choice of names there.

Don't worry.

Everyone finds it hard at first.

But you and I are unique,

and we do not

follow silly rules, yes?

(LAUGHS) How is that pick-up line

working out for you?

It is no line.

I say it only to you, Camille.

Just to you.

(GASPS)

- Et hop!

- (YELPS)

- (SCREAMS)

- Minoushka!

(SCREAMS)

Uh, are you alright, Camille?

Yep! I'm OK!

There's this boy, Rudolph,

who, it turns out,

is a real Russian prince

with a castle and peacocks

and cheekbones!

And he took me

on the roof of the Opera,

and he was looking at me

like this.

Then like this.

And then once like this.

Wait! Uh, a boy?

What type of boy?

Peacocks?

What type of cheekbones?

- And Rudolph?

- He's a friend.

He says I'm gonna be

everything I wanna be.

I say that too!

But he's deep as well.

Deep? (LAUGHS)

Yeah, well, I have these.

Ta-da!

Whoo-hoo. Doors.

Yes, the doors to the atelier

of my new boss,

engineer, genius.

If you saw what was

behind these doors,

I would have to kill you.

Ahh!

Looks like you're gonna

have to kill me, then!

(LAUGHS)

Oh la la!

What's that?

The Statue of Puberty,

soon to go to America!

But it is a super secret,

so you did not see it, OK?

OK.

So, here's my office,

the home of big ideas

and genius.

For example,

here we see the plans

for chicken wings version 3.

Oh! Aaah! Ahem!

At the moment, my boss and I

are working on several,

uh, important...

(CHUCKLES)..inventions.

He, uh, he... (GRUNTS)

He calls me his ideas man.

Do you know how

to use all this stuff?

Uh, not yet,

but I... I have a chair!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

Ha!

- Oh, hey, Victor!

- He's the cleaner.

(WHISPERS) He's two sandwiches

short of a picnic.

(GRUNTS) So the pencils

all need sharpening,

and the boss wants us to polish

his boots for tomorrow.

(VICTOR CHUCKLES)

So, your big boss calls you

his ideas man, huh?

Well, uh,

he... he has the ideas,

and I think they're great.

But it's a start!

Hey, Victor,

you were right for once.

Dreams can come true!

Oh! Oh! Oh no!

(YELPS)

(LAUGHS AND GROANS)

First position, second,

third, fourth, fifth.

These five positions form

the basis of everything.

First position, second,

third, fourth, fifth.

Now you jump.

First position, second,

third, fourth, fifth.

And pose and smile!

(WHIMPERS)

It's when you're tired

that you start to progress.

(PANTS)

You were a dancer, weren't you?

- (CHUCKLES)

- No more questions.

- (SCREAMS)

- Again!

(WHIMPERS)

Oh, to reach, you might need

to stand on your pointes.

Feel the balance. Oh!

Your toes must be

as flexible as willow

and hard as a rock.

(SNORES SOFTLY)

- (GRUNTS)

- (YELPS)

First position!

Uh-uh-uh!

No hands allowed.

What?

- Try this way.

- Oh! Stop! Stop!

Oh!

(RASPS) You were a dancer,

weren't you?

ODETTE:
Of course I was

a dancer, Sherlock Holmes.

(SHRIEKS)

To pirouette,

you must become

the mistress of your dizziness.

Stare at a spot,

and don't ever lose it.

OK, now come to me,

and don't spill the water.

(SHRIEKS)

Whoa!

(WHIMPERS AND GRUNTS)

- Cheers!

- Cheers!

SONG:
When you ask me to jump

I say how high...

Try to introduce your left foot

to your right foot.

See if they can

get along one day.

I'm waiting in line

But now that it's time...

There's a bright future for you

as a candle seller.

(LAUGHS)

I'm gonna take

what's mine...

First position!

Second! Third!

Fourth, and rest in fifth.

Thank you, mam'selles.

- (PANTS)

- That was... better!

Thanks!

I'm ready to do

that crazy, jumpy thing.

(LAUGHS) And I'm

the Empress Josephine.

- I am!

- Of course you are,

but there's a difference

between being ready

and being ready to do it well.

That's why we train every day.

That's all we've been doing!

And then you'll be ready when

you can answer the question,

"Why do you dance?"

I've answered it!

It's my dream!

(GRUNTS)

(GASPS)

Oh! Oh!

Ow! Ow!

Oh!

By the way, that crazy jumpy thing

is called le grand jet,

and you're not ready.

Are you doing dance

or kung-fu? (LAUGHS)

You are SO funny.

This is Victor. We escaped

from the orphanage together.

Hello!

I am loving your apron.

(GROANS) It seems that

you are going out tonight.

Yep!

Bring her back late

and you will be six inches smaller.

Of course, of course, of course!

It's a quiet, sober,

quiet, sober thing.

(PEOPLE LAUGH AND CHATTER)

- Breton music?

- Whoa!

(BOTH CHEER)

VICTOR:
Whoa! Excuse me!

(BAND PLAYS SPRIGHTLY TUNE)

Whoo!

(BOTH WHOOP AND LAUGH)

- I love it here!

- Whoo!

Let's party!

Did you say

you loved me or the bar?

- Yeah!

- Whoo!

Whoa!

(VICTOR LAUGHS) Wow!

Whoo!

- (PATRONS GASP)

- That's my girlfriend!

You're a lucky guy!

(WHOOPS)

Oh, wow!

(GRUNTS)

Oh! Oh!

(GASPS)

I hope that tomorrow you act

with a little more dignity.

(WHIMPERS)

Anyway, tonight was...

a good performance.

Thank you, sir.

- Whoo!

- Whoo-hoo!

(LAUGHS) I have no idea why

you're happy, but it is great!

(LAUGHS) Whoo!

(BOTH LAUGH AND PANT)

Well, I'd better go in.

I've got my audition tomorrow.

Of course! Sleep well.

And I... I...

- What?

- I think you're, uh...

I think you're great.

Thanks.

- What are you doing?

- Uh, oh, nothing!

(LAUGHS) I'm stretching.

Yeah, gotta...

Ooh, gotta get that one!

OK! Yeah, it's best I leave.

(CHUCKLES)

(MUTTERS) Stupid,

stupid, stupid!

- Hey, Victor!

- Uh-huh?

I had the best time.

Thanks!

Goodnight, Felicie.

Oh, sorry.

Mademoiselle Camille Le Haut.

- (GIGGLES)

- (LAUGHS)

(WHISTLES HAPPILY)

- (CAMILLE SOBS)

- REGINE:
Wretch!

I want her put in prison!

She stole my life,

my honour and my name!

I want it back! (SOBS)

- (WHISPERS) Too much.

- OK.

What is your name?

(SIGHS)

My name is Felicie Lebras.

I come from an orphanage

in Brittany.

I didn't mean to hurt Camille.

I just wanted to be

at the Opera and...

I'm sorry.

Madame...

You traitor!

You knew this!

You stabbed me in the back!

- You are sacked!

- Silence!

Alright, like it or lump it,

here is my deal.

Miss Le Haut,

you may enter the coryphe class

starting tomorrow.

And you will also

be in the auditions

for the part in 'The Nutcracker'.

But I want to be clear,

if you sack Madame Odette,

I will sack Camille.

You!

You made a terrible start

to the classes,

and you have lied

and cheated to be here.

(SIGHS)

But you have also

shown great promise,

and you've worked hard

and shown your dedication.

You must have a good teacher.

So you may also stay

in the auditions.

If you get the part in 'The Nutcracker'

fair and square,

you may become a coryphe too.

If you fail to get the part,

then you must leave the Opera.

- Is that clear?

Rate this script:3.8 / 5 votes