Rent Page #3

JOANNE:

Hello?

(The phone rings in the loft. MARK picks it up)

MARK:

(On phone)

Hello? Maureen?

--Your equipment won't work?

Okay, all right, I'll go!

MARK & HALF THE COMPANY

How do you leave the past behind

When it keeps finding ways to get to your heart

It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out

Till you're torn apart

Rent!

ROGER & OTHER HALF OF COMPANY

How can you connect in an age

Where strangers, landlords, lovers

Your own blood cells betray

ALL:

What binds the fabric together

When the raging, shifting winds of change

Keep ripping away

BENNY:

Draw a line in the sand

And then make a stand

ROGER:

Use your camera to spar

MARK:

Use your guitar

ALL:

When they act tough - you call their bluff

MARK & ROGER

We're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER W/HALF THE COMPANY

We're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER W/OTHER HALF OF COMPANY

We're not gonna pay

ALL:

Last year's rent

This year's rent

Next year's rent

Rent rent rent rent rent

We're not gonna pay rent

ROGER & MARK

'Cause everything is rent

"YOU OKAY HONEY? (The street)"

(The street in front of the pay phone. A HOMELESS MAN appears above

on the right. Across the stage, ANGEL DUMOTT SCHUNARD is seated

on the Christmas tree sculpture, with a plastic pickle tub balanced like a

drum between his knees)

A HOMELESS MAN:

Christmas bells are ringing

Christmas bells are ringing

Christmas bells are ringing

Somewhere else!

Not here

(The HOMELESS MAN exits. ANGEL gets a good beat going on the tub,

but is interrupted by a moan. He starts to drum again and sees COLLINS

limp to downstage-left proscenium)

ANGEL:

You okay honey?

COLLINS:

I'm afraid so

ANGEL:

They get any money?

COLLINS:

No

Had none to get

But they purloined my coat

Well you missed a sleeve! - Thanks

ANGEL:

Hell, it's Christmas Eve

I'm Angel

COLLINS:

Angel..? Indeed

An angel of the first degree

Friends call me Collins - Tom Collins

Nice tree..

ANGEL:

Let's get a band-aid for your knee

I'll change, there's a "Life Support" meeting at nine-thirty

Yes this body provides a comfortable home

For the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

COLLINS:

As does mine

ANGEL:

We'll get along fine

Get you a coat, have a bite

Make a night I'm flush

COLLINS:

My friends are waiting

ANGEL:

You're cute when you blush

The more the merri ho ho ho

And I do not take no

(ANGEL and COLLINS walk off stage right.)

"TUNE UP #3 (The loft)"

(Lights come up on loft)

ROGER:

Where are you going?

MARK:

Maureen calls.

ROGER:

You're such a sucker!

MARK:

I don't suppose you'd like to see her show in the lot tonight?

(ROGER shrugs)

Or come to dinner?

ROGER:

Zoom in on my empty wallet

MARK:

Touche. Take your AZT

Close on Roger

His girlfriend April

Left a note saying "We've got AIDS"

Before slitting her wrists in the bathroom

I'll check up on you later - Change your mind. You have to get out of the

house.

Rate this script:3.6 / 7 votes