Torch Song Page #2

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One, two. Ready, and:

One, two. That's it.

Okay, the same thing on this side.

Ready and:
One, two. That's it.

Okay, can you keep your places, please?

Now, you two girls with Fallon

at the front doing this:

Ready, and:

Again, and:

Right.

Okay, you can go sit up front.

Hold down the talking.

Remember, no smoking.

- Any word yet?

- No.

Miss Stewart's residence.

No, I'm sorry, she isn't.

- She left here about an hour ago.

Morning, darling.

I have no idea where. You're welcome.

- The theater again.

- Oh.

- You took long enough.

- I didn't even stop for breakfast.

So you know where the gin is.

Look at this. All hips.

And this.

Who could move in it? This is okay.

Where'd you go last night?

Well, since you wouldn't go out with me,

I went to bed early.

That isn't the way I heard it.

Some belle from White Plains, wasn't it?

Oh, yes. I did go out for a few minutes.

I know.

To mail a letter at El Morocco.

She's just a child.

I did it as a favor.

To get her name in print so she could dazzle

the boys in White Plains.

Ha!

If they printed what really happened,

she'd be run out of White Plains by noon.

Jenny, do you think I like going to

the same musical for the 25th time?

Making the rounds of the same nightclubs,

drinking the same old rotgut...

- Yes.

- You're right, I do.

- But only with Jenny Stewart.

- Hmm. Now we get to the point.

Next time you go out without Jenny,

don't sign her name to the checks.

Ohh.

Yeah, I did run short.

But don't worry, I'll make it up to you.

- What do you think of my costumes?

- Sensational.

- You haven't even looked.

- I don't have to.

Alexandria designed them,

they can only be great.

They stink.

- Jenny...

- But I'll make them better.

When are you gonna stop

trying to remake everything...

...to look like, act like and talk like you?

When I get everything the way I want it.

Yeah, but you work at it 24 hours a day.

- You don't go out, you don't have...

- Look, get this through your head.

The first time I ever sang,

I fell in love with the audience.

I've been in love with the audience

ever since.

I'm going to give them the best

that's in me.

No matter who, what,

or when tries to stop me.

Including you.

Now get your pad and pencil.

We'll make some notes on the sketches.

You're completely useless.

But beautiful.

Just the way

I want these sketches to be.

You seen her?

You know anybody's seen her?

Thanks. You're a great help.

Willie don't know either.

All he says is,

"Why don't you ask Monty Rolfe?"

That's a good idea. Let's ask Monty.

He's supposed to be her agent.

- Isn't he, Monty?

- Take it easy, Joe.

Sure, what's it to me? Take it easy.

I've only got two dozen people sitting

for hours all on salary, waiting for her.

Hey, Joe, she's here.

Well, what's she waiting for?

Tell her the red carpet's at the cleaners.

- You want Carl to drop you anywhere?

- No, I'm just going around the corner.

Usual time, Carl.

Hey, that's pretty.

- Well?

- Well what?

Well, how do they compare?

Oh.

Jenny, you have no competition.

They're living examples

of perfect bilateral symmetry.

- I mean, the poster.

- Oh, that's good too.

- When will I see you, Jenny?

- You'll get a call when I need you.

- Bye.

- Bye.

- Good morning, Miss Stewart.

- Good morning.

- We were getting a little worried.

- Why?

Here, put these on the piano.

Okay, boy, you got the ball now.

I'm going back to the office.

Joe.

Yes, Jenny?

Good morning, Jenny.

Oh.

I've made a few changes.

You have? What are they?

Well, in "Follow Me"...

...I wanna finish the first chorus ad lib

with a retard in the last two bars.

In the second chorus, last four bars soft

and then up for a sock finish.

You'll probably hate it.

Why, Jen? I have a hunch I'll love it.

Would you mind if I loved it, Jen?

Not at all.

Let's listen and see how it sounds.

Morning, Charlie.

Let's take it right here, full intro...

Who is this character?

My name is Tye Graham.

- Where's Charlie?

- He quit.

So he has a hangover.

When's he coming in?

He quit.

What do you mean? We have a contract.

Oh, you still have it. It's in your

dressing room, on the floor, in pieces.

What does this guy want?

He gets 500 bucks a week

for working four hours a day.

Well, deducting taxes, ulcer treatments

and psychiatric sessions...

...his take-home pay

was slightly under $ 10.

Get him back.

Let's see what happens.

I've marked all the changes.

You start here...

Yes, Miss Stewart, I'm blind.

I apologize for Mr. Denner,

he should've told you.

Oh, please don't let my blindness

bother you.

I'm familiar with your style,

I know all your keys.

I went over your arrangements

with Charlie.

Would you like to start now?

Yes, sure.

You see, right here... I mean...

You mean you wanna finish

the first chorus ad lib...

...the retard in the last two bars.

The second chorus, the last four bars soft

and up for a sock finish.

Is that the way you want it?

Yes.

That's the way I want it.

We shouldn't have any trouble.

Mm-hm. Feels good.

Joe, I think that's about all it needed,

don't you?

You're the singer, Jenny.

If that's the way you wanna do it.

Sounds fine.

Thanks.

Thanks for nothing.

What did you think?

- What's your name?

- Graham.

- Tye Graham.

- Well?

Well, I found it a little...

Unorthodox.

Meaning what? It stinks?

Oh, no, I'd never say that.

I'm sure you wouldn't.

However, the modulation seemed

a little abrupt.

But we could easily correct that.

Make it a little less arbitrary.

Oh. We could.

Well, I happen to like it unorthodox,

arbitrary and abrupt.

What I'm most interested in is,

will it sell?

Well, I'm sure that if anybody could sell it,

that body is probably you.

- I'll take that as a compliment, I think.

Jenny.

Let's run through that dance routine now.

Gene tells me Ellis is ready.

Okay, where is he?

- He's just changing. He'll be right out.

- Does he know it?

I'd stake my life on it, Jenny.

I'll put the record on.

Start it at the four-four.

I'll find out if he knows it.

- Good morning, Miss Stewart.

- Good luck.

That's nice, Ellis.

I guarantee you we'll be good

for two bows opening night.

Well, thank you, Miss Stewart.

Got a cigarette?

I'm sorry, I only smoke a pipe.

- You a friend of Charlie Maylor's?

- I know him, yes.

Why doesn't he wanna work

with me anymore?

Go ahead.

Well, all right.

To put it in a nutshell...

...he says you're a pretty rugged

sort of a dame to work with.

Why did you take over?

Curiosity.

About what?

Well, let's say I wanted to meet you...

...to get to know more about you.

Why?

Do any of us really know

why we do what we do?

I think we do, Mr. Graham.

- Give me a cigarette.

- Maybe we ought to run though that...

You should've asked me

before you took on a new man.

If you came and found no one...

...you'd scream your head off at me

for not getting somebody.

Well...

This isn't going to work.

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