The English Teacher Page #4

I am...

I'm glad you brought it up.

You're right.

Tim is repressed.

He's spent his whole life bottling

up everything he feels.

That's why he hates

Jane so much.

Because she represents

everything he isn't.

She is wide open,

she actually feels things,

she can't hold back.

So when he hits her,

it's like all the rage

he's been suppressing over

the years finally boils over,

and when it happens,

if it plays

the way it should,

it will not be trite.

Does that answer

your question?

Um... Yeah.

Thanks.

Yeah.

Any other comments?

Wonderful.

Let's move on.

As many of you know, I too was once

a budding young actor.

Shocking, I know.

The year was 1983.

I was living in a fifth floor

walk-up on Avenue C,

waiting for my big break.

And then one day

I was called in to audition

for that living God

of Theater himself,

Mr. Stephen Sondheim.

And though

I wasn't ultimately cast,

I did receive a blessing

from the great man himself,

who took me aside and said three

little words that changed my life.

"Keep at it."

Well, I did keep at it,

and that's how I found my way here,

to Kingston, and to all of you.

And now, as we embark

on that...

...tough but oh-so-rewarding

road ahead,

I would like to honor Mr. Sondheim with

a humble blessing of my own...

And if our young documentarian

would care to commence filming...

Okay, hit it, George.

# Bit by bit,

putting it together

# Piece by piece,

the only way to make

a work of art

# Every moment

makes a contribution

# Every little detail

plays a part

# Piece by piece...

I hate you worse

than your bleedin' da!

Shut your mouth,

you stupid girl!

I hate you worse

than your bleedin' da!

Let me hear it

one more time.

Shut your mouth,

you stupid girl!

I hate you worse

than your bleedin' da!

All the trees.

Watch, watch.

If a tree falls in a hallway...

...the entire world.

Shut your mouth,

you stupid girl!

I hate you worse

than your bleedin' da!

Carl, could I have a word?

Mmm-hmm.

Um...

It seems to me... And Carl...

Jason, uh, correct me if I'm wrong

that Margaret might

be a tad more menacing

if she were just

a tiniest bit more subdued.

Yes. Thank you.

You mean like Amanda

in The Glass Menagerie?

Dominating her children,

but with a deceptive softness.

The velvet glove

and the iron grip.

Exactly.

Hmm... Interesting.

Let's try it.

Sheila,

I have an idea.

That's a good note.

Shut your mouth,

you stupid girl.

I hate you worse

than your bleedin' da!

Jason!

Oh, sh*t.

I don't believe this.

I need to talk to you outside.

Let's go.

Excuse me, but you can't just

barge in here like this.

Excuse me, I'm gonna

talk to my son. Now!

- Let's go! - Uh, no. I don't think

you understand...

Ms. Sinclair,

it's fine.

Just go on without me, please.

Go on without me, guys.

I'll be right back.

Is he gonna be okay?

Perhaps not.

But all great art

comes from pain.

Remember that.

...making such a crazy scene

right now!

What is going on here?

This is my school. And when I

see someone being manhandled,

- it is my business.

- Now wait a second...

Your son challenging himself in ways

that any parent would be proud of.

And you finally show up,

and what do you do...

Do you show

any appreciation?

No! You drag him

from rehearsal.

Ms. Sinclair.

With all due respect,

you have no idea

what's going on here.

On the contrary.

I know exactly what's going on.

What... What are you talking about?

What is she talking about?

I've dealt with men like him before,

the alpha male.

You may fool most people,

but you don't fool me.

No, you do need to hear this!

Oh, all right then, go. Go!

Go! But know this,

you cannot stop this play!

Jason will have the life

he deserves, as an artist!

Fine!

- Oh. Oh, Jason...

- It's my ulcer.

- It's totally fine.

- Here.

All right. Okay.

Let's get back inside,

all right?

Let's get you inside.

- Oh, no.

- Thank you.

Come on in. I think

I have something for you.

Oh, where is it,

where is it?

- I forgot my pills at home.

- Okay.

Oh... Oh, I found it.

Okay.

Oh.

This is still okay.

Okay.

It'll be gone

in like 10 minutes.

Okay.

Here you go.

Oh...

Thank you.

I'm just glad

I had that bottle.

No, I mean thank you for what

you did outside.

For standing up

to him like that.

Well, you know what?

and someone needs to tell

him that he's wrong.

Yeah.

Well, he's been doing

that ever since my mother...

Jason...

I'm so sorry.

I am so, so sorry.

It's okay.

He's an a**hole.

I know. I know.

I know.

Mmm.

Oops, sorry.

Okay.

I'm going to, uh,

head home now.

Okay.

- And we'll talk a little later.

- Mmm-hmm.

What had she done?

What had she done?

Of course these things

do happen.

The pages of literature

were filled with such affairs.

It was only natural that

feelings would arise and...

...spill over.

Surely no one would judge her

for such a minor indiscretion.

Linda, dear.

I have a somewhat

delicate matter

to discuss with you.

What? What is it?

Jason and I were

talking and...

...we agree that the backdrop

in the Moth Queen's lair,

the scarlet organza has more

oomph than the voile,

but it puts us

a tiny bit over budget.

I hate to ask

but you did say...

How much?

We shall hang

a plaque in your honor.

Don't worry about it,

Carl, it's fine.

I feel like if I had a cane,

I'd look more regal.

- Hey, Ms. Sinclair.

- Hello, Will.

Hey, did you speak to Kapinas

about the backdrop?

Yes! Yes,

I spoke with Carl.

May I have a private

word with you?

Yes. Sure.

- Shall we?

- Please excuse us, Will.

Okay.

- We can, uh, talk in here.

- Sure.

And while it is possible

for people of different ages

to have a meaningful

relationship...

- Sure.

- I think...

It is best that

what happened,

uh, does not

happen again.

- Not that we did anything wrong.

- No. Not at all.

Because of the play...

The, um...

We must be professional.

The play requires

complete commitment

with no distractions

and no complications.

And as a playwright,

you need to keep a clear head

from now on in.

Right. Because the play's

the thing.

Yes! The play

is the thing.

- The play's the thing.

- Yes!

I'm glad

you're in agreement.

So we're still friends?

Oh, Jason, of course.

No. Of course we're friends.

- I was just worried for a second.

- No, no, no.

You have more important things

to worry about,

like whether or not Will nails that

funeral speech in Act two.

- Right. Because he always loses

focus in the middle. - He does.

Yes, he does, so you should get

out there and, um...

- And work on that, so...

- Yeah.

Well, I might

need your help.

Well, all right

then, um...

You will have it.

- Thank you.

- Let's do it!

- Um, well, no. Let's, uh,

we'll go out, and... - Yeah.

Excuse me.

Hi.

Just so you know...

Just for the record

I did not go to the school

because of the play.

I was there because

Jason lied to me.

- Dr. Sherwood, I'm not interested.

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