by Jonathan Larson

(The audience enters in the theatre to discover a stage bare of curtains.

At stage left looms a metal sculpture intended to represent: [a] a totem

pole/Christmas tree that stands in an abandoned lot, [b] a wood burning

stove with a snaky chimney that is at the center of MARK and ROGER's

loft apartment, and [c] in Act II, a church steeple. On stage the

five-musician band performs under a wooden platform surrounded by

railing. The wooden platform has a staircase on the upstage side.

Downstage left is a black, waist-high rail fence. Once the audience is in

the theatre, CREW and BAND MEMBERS move about informally

onstage in preparation for Act I).

ROGER DAVIS, carrying an electric guitar, enters upstage left and

crosses to a guitar amp sitting on a chair at center stage. He casually

plugs his guitar into the amp and adjusts levels, then crosses downstage

and sits on the table.

After a few chords, the COMPANY, led by MARK COHEN, enters from

all directions and fills the stage. MARK sets up a small tripod and a

16mm movie camera downstage center, aimed upstage. He addresses the

audience.)

"INTRO"

MARK

We begin on Christmas Eve with me, Mark, and my roommate, Roger. We

live in an industrial loft on the corner of 11th street and Avenue B, the top

floor of what was once a music publishing factory. Old rock 'n' roll posters

hang on the walls. They have Roger's picture advertising gigs at CBGB's and

the Pyramid Club. We have an illegal wood burning stove; its exhaust pipe

crawls up to a skylight. All of our electrical appliances are plugged into one

thick extension cord which snakes its way out a window. Outside, a small tent

city has sprung up in the lot next to our building. Inside, we are freezing

because we have no heat.

(He turns the camera to ROGER)

Smile!

"TUNE UP #1"

MARK

December 24th, Nine PM

Eastern Standard Time

From here on in

I shoot without a script

See if anything comes of it

Instead of my old shit

First shot -- Roger

Tuning the Fender guitar

He hasn't played in a year

ROGER

This won't tune

MARK

So we hear

He's just coming back

From half a year of withdrawal

ROGER

Are you talking to me?

MARK

Not at all

Are you ready? Hold that focus -- steady

Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger ...

ROGER

I'm writing one great song --

MARK

The phone rings.

ROGER

Saved!

MARK

We screen

Zoom in on the answering machine!

(An actor places a telephone on a chair and we see MARK'S MOM in a

special light.)

"VOICE MAIL #1"

ROGER & MARK'S OUTGOING MESSAGE

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

MOM

That was a very loud beep

I don't even know if this is working

Mark -- Mark -- are you there

Are you screening your calls --

It's mom

We wanted to call and say we love you

And we'll miss you tomorrow

Cindy and the kids are here -- send their love

Oh, I hope you like the hot plate

Just don't leave it on, dear

When you leave the house

Oh, and Mark

We're sorry to hear that Maureen dumped you

I say c'est la vie

So let her be a lesbian...

There are other fishies in the sea

... Love Mom!

(Lights fade on MOM and answering machine.)

"TUNE UP #2"

MARK

Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger

ROGER

I'm writing one great song

MARK

The phone rings

ROGER

Yesss!

MARK

We screen

ROGER & MARK'S ANSWERING MACHINE

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

(Lights fade up on the street: the front-door area of MARK and ROGER's

building. Nearby is a battered public pay phone. TOM COLLINS stands

at the phone.)

COLLINS

"Chestnuts roasting -"

ROGER & MARK

(as MARK picks up the phone)

Collins!

COLLINS

I'm downstairs

MARK

Hey!

COLLINS

Roger picked up the phone?

MARK

No, it's me

COLLINS

Throw down the key

(MARK pulls out a small leather pouch and drops it off the apron

downstage center as if from a window; a weighted leather pouch plops

down from "upstairs." COLLINS catches it.)

MARK

A wild night is now pre-ordained

(Two THUGS appear from above, with clubs. They are obviously close to

attacking COLLINS, who says back into the phone...)

COLLINS

I may be detained

(THUGS mime beating and kicking COLLINS, who falls to the ground as

lights on him fade)

MARK

What does he mean...?

(Phone rings again)

What do you mean "detained"?

(Lights come up on BENNY, who's on a cellular phone.)

BENNY

Ho ho ho

MARK & ROGER

Benny! Shit

BENNY

Dudes, I'm on my way

MARK & ROGER

Great! Fuck

BENNY

I need the rent

MARK

What rent?

BENNY

This past year's rent which I let slide

MARK

Let slide? You said we were 'golden'

ROGER

When you bought the building

MARK

When we were roommates

ROGER

Remember - you lived here!?

BENNY

How could I forget?

You, me, Collins and Maureen

How is the drama queen?

MARK

She's performing tonight

BENNY

I know

Still her production manager?

MARK

Two days ago I was bumped

BENNY

You still dating her?

MARK

Last month I was dumped

ROGER

She's in love

BENNY

She's got a new man?

MARK

Well -- no

BENNY

What's his name?

BOTH

Joanne

BENNY

Rent, my amigos, is due

Or I will have to evict you

Be there in a few

(ROGER defiantly picks out Musetta's theme from Puccini's La Boheme

on the electric guitar. The fuse blows on the amp)

MARK

The power blows

"RENT"

(The COMPANY bursts into a flurry of movemen. Then everyone except

MARK and ROGER freezes in a group upstage)

MARK

How do you document real life

When real life is getting more

Like fiction each day

Headlines -- bread-lines

Blow my mind

And now this deadline

"Eviction -- or pay"

Rent!

ROGER

How do you write a song

When the chords sound wrong

Though they once sounded right and rare

When the notes are sour

Where is the power

You once had to ignite the air

MARK

And we're hungry and frozen

ROGER

Some life that we've chosen

TOGETHER

How we gonna pay

How we gonna pay

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

MARK

We light candles

ROGER

How do you start a fire

When there's nothing to burn

And it feels like something's stuck in your flue

MARK

How can you generate heat

When you can't feel your feet

BOTH

And they're turning blue!

MARK

You light up a mean blaze

(ROGER grabs one of his own posters)

ROGER

With posters-

(MARK grabs old manuscripts)

MARK

And screenplays

ROGER & MARK

How we gonna pay

How we gonna pay

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

(Lights go down on the loft and go up on JOANNE JEFFERSON, who's

at the pay phone)

JOANNE

(On phone)

Don't screen, Maureen

It's me -- Joanne

Your substitute production manager

Hey hey hey! (Did you eat?)

Don't change the subject Maureen

But darling -- you haven't eaten all day

You won't throw up

You won't throw up

The digital delay ---

Didn't blow up (exactly)

There may have been one teeny tiny spark

You're not calling Mark

COLLINS

How do you stay on your feet

When on every street

It's 'trick or treat'

(And tonight it's 'trick')

'Welcome back to town'

Oh, I should lie down

Everything's brown

And uh -- oh

I feel sick

MARK

(At the window)

Where is he?

COLLINS

Getting dizzy

(He collapses.)

MARK & ROGER

How we gonna pay

How we gonna pay

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

(MARK and ROGER stoke the fire. Crosscut to BENNY's Range Rover)

BENNY

(On cellular phone)

Alison baby -- you sound sad

I don't believe those two after everything I've done

Ever since our wedding I'm dirt -- They'll see

I can help them all out in the long run

(Three locales: JOANNE at the pay phone, MARK and ROGER in their

loft, and COLLINS on the ground. The following is sung simultaneously)

BENNY

Forces are gathering

Forces are gathering

Can't turn away

Forces are gathering

COLLINS

Ughhhhh--

Ughhhhh--

Ughhhhh-- I can't think

Ughhhhh--

Ughhhhh--

Ughhhhh-- I need a drink

MARK (reading from a script page)

"The music ignites the night with passionate fire"

JOANNE

Maureen -- I'm not a theatre person

ROGER

"The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit"

JOANNE

Could never be a theatre person

MARK

Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground

JOANNE (realizing she's been cut off)

Hello?

MARK & ROGER

And feel the heat of the future's glow

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.

(He exits)

ROGER

I'm writing one great song before I.

"ONE SONG GLORY"

One song

Glory

One song

Before I go

Glory

One song to leave behind

Find one song

One last refrain

Glory

From the pretty boy front man

Who wasted opportunity

One song

He had the world at his feet

Glory

In the eyes of a young girl

A young girl

Find glory

Beyond the cheap colored lights

One song

Before the sun sets

Glory - on another empty life

Time flies - time dies

Glory - One blaze of glory

One blaze of glory - glory

Find

Glory

In a song that rings true

Truth like a blazing fire

An eternal flame

Find

One song

A song about love

Glory

From the soul of a young man

A young man

Find

The one song

Before the virus takes hold

Glory

Like a sunset

One song

To redeem this empty life

Time flies

And then - no need to endure anymore

Time dies

(ROGER is interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. It is MIMI

MARQUEZ, a beautiful stranger from downstairs)

The door

(ROGER crosses to the door)

"LIGHT MY CANDLE"

ROGER

What'd you forget?

(MIMI enters, holding a candle and looking for a match; her electricity is

down, too)

MIMI

Got a light?

ROGER

I know you? You're

You're shivering

MIMI

It's nothing

They turned off my heat

And I'm just a little

Weak on my feet

Would you light my candle?

What are you staring at?

ROGER

Nothing

Your hair in the moonlight

You look familiar

(He lights her candle. MIMI starts to leave, but stumbles)

Can you make it?

MIMI

Just haven't eaten much today

At least the room stopped spinning

Anyway, What?

ROGER

Nothing

Your smile reminded me of

MIMI

I always remind people of who is she?

ROGER

She died, Her name was April

(MIMI discreetly blows out the candle)

MIMI

It's out again

Sorry about your friend

Would you light my candle?

(ROGER lights the candle. They linger, awkwardly)

ROGER

Well-

MIMI

Yeah. Ow!

ROGER

Oh, the wax it's --

MIMI

Dripping! I like it -- between my --

ROGER

Fingers. I figured...

Oh, well. Goodnight

(MIMI exits. ROGER heads back toward his guitar on the table. There is

another knock, which he answers)

It blew out again?

MIMI

No - I think that I dropped my stash

ROGER

I know I've seen you out and about

When I used to go out

Your candle's out

MIMI

I'm illin'

I had it when I walked in the door

It was pure

Is it on the floor?

ROGER

The floor?

(MIMI gets down on all fours and starts searching the floor for her stash.

She looks back at ROGER, who is staring at her again)

MIMI

They say I have the best ass below 14th street

Is it true?

ROGER

What?

MIMI

You're staring again

ROGER

Oh no

I mean you do - have a nice-

I mean , You look familiar

MIMI

Like your dead girlfriend?

ROGER

Only when you smile

But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else

MIMI

Do you go to the Cat Scratch Club?

That's where I work - I dance - help me look

ROGER

Yes!

They used to tie you up-

MIMI

It's a living

(MIMI douses the flame again)

ROGER

I didn't recognize you

Without the handcuffs

MIMI

We could light the candle

Oh won't you light the candle?

(ROGER lights it again.)

ROGER

Why don't you forget that stuff

You look like you're sixteen

MIMI

I'm nineteen but I'm old for my age

I'm just born to be bad

ROGER

I once was born to be bad

I used to shiver like that

MIMI

I have no heat - I told you

ROGER

I used to sweat

MIMI

I got a cold

ROGER

Uh huh

I used to be a junkie

MIMI

But now and then I like to

ROGER

Uh huh

MIMI

Feel good

ROGER

Here it - um

(ROGER stoops and picks up a small object: MIMI's stash)

MIMI

What's that?

ROGER

It's a candy bar wrapper

(ROGER puts it behind his back and into his pocket)

MIMI

We could light the candle

(ROGER discreetly blows out the candle)

MIMI

What'd you do with my candle?

ROGER

That was my last match

MIMI

Our eyes'll adjust, thank God for the moon

ROGER

Maybe it's not the moon at all

I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street

MIMI

Bah humbug ... Bah humbug

(MIMI places her hand under his, pretending to do it by accident)

ROGER

Cold hands

MIMI

Yours too

Big. Like my father's

You wanna dance?

ROGER

With you?

MIMI

No -- with my father

ROGER

I'm Roger

MIMI

They call me

They call me Mimi

(They come extremely close to a kiss. MIMI reaches into his pocket, nabs

the stash, waves it in front of his face, and makes a sexy exit)

"VOICE MAIL #2"

(JOANNE's loft. In blackout another phone rings. We see MAUREEN in

silhouette)

MAUREEN

Hi. You've reached Maureen and Joanne. Leave a message and don't forget

"Over the Moon" -- My performance, protesting the eviction of the Homeless

(and artists) from the Eleventh Street Lot. Tonight at midnight in the lot

between A and B. Party at Life Cafe to follow (BEEP)

MR. JEFFERSON

Well, Joanne -- We're off

I tried you at the office

And they said you're stage managing or something

MRS. JEFFERSON

Remind her that those unwed mothers in Harlem

Need her legal help too

MR. JEFFERSON

Call Daisy for our itinerary or Alfred at Pound Ridge

Or Eileen at the state department in a pinch

We'll be at the spa for new year's

Unless the senator changes his mind

MRS. JEFFERSON

The hearings

MR. JEFFERSON

Oh yes Kitten

Mummy's confirmation hearing begins on the tenth

We'll need you alone - by the sixth

MRS. JEFFERSON

Harold!

MR. JEFFERSON

You hear that?

It's three weeks away

And she's already nervous

MRS. JEFFERSON

I am not!

MR. JEFFERSON

For Mummy's sake, Kitten

No Doc Martens this time and wear a dress

Oh, and Kitten -- have a merry

MRS. JEFFERSON

And a bra

"TODAY 4 U (The loft)"

(MARK and ROGER's loft)

MARK

Enter Tom Collins, computer genius, teacher, vagabond anarchist, who ran

naked through the Parthenon

(COLLINS carries ANGEL's pickle tub, now filled with provisions)

MARK & COLLINS

Bustelo - Marlboro

Banana by the bunch

A box of Captain Crunch will taste so good

COLLINS

And firewood

MARK

Look - it's Santa Claus

COLLINS

Hold your applause

ROGER

Oh hi

COLLINS

'Oh hi' after seven months?

ROGER

Sorry

COLLINS

This boy could use some Stoli

COLLINS, MARK & ROGER

Oh holy night

ROGER

You struck gold at MIT?

COLLINS

They expelled me for my theory of Actual Reality

Which I'll soon impart

To the couch potatoes at New York University

Still haven't left the house?

ROGER

I was waiting for you, don't you know?

COLLINS

Well, tonight's the night

Come to the Life Cafe after Maureen's show

ROGER

No flow

COLLINS

Gentlemen, our benefactor on this Christmas Eve

Whose charity is only matched by talent, I believe

A new member of the Alphabet City avant-garde

Angel Dumott Schunard!

(ANGEL sashays in. He's gorgeously done up in Santa drag, with a fan of

twenty-dollar bills in each hand)

ANGEL

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Today for you - tomorrow for me

COLLINS

And you should hear her beat!

MARK

You earned this on the street?

ANGEL

It was my lucky day today on Avenue A

When a lady in a limousine drove my way

She said, "Dahling be a dear haven't slept in a year

I need your help to make my neighbor's yappy dog disappear"

"This Akita-Evita just won't shut up

I believe if you play non-stop that pup

Will breathe its very last high-strung breath

I'm certain that cur will bark itself to death"

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Today for you - tomorrow for me

We agreed on a fee - A thousand dollar guarantee

Tax-free - and a bonus if I trim her tree

Now who could foretell that it would go so well

But sure as I am here that dog is now in doggy hell

After an hour - Evita - in all her glory

On the window ledge of that 23rd story

Like Thelma & Louise did when they got the blues

Swan dove into the courtyard of the Gracie Mews

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Today for you - tomorrow for me

(ANGEL does a fabulous drum and dance solo)

Then back to the street where I met my sweet

Where he was moaning and groaning on the cold concrete

The nurse took him home for some mercurochrome

And I dressed his wounds and got him back on his feet

Sing it!

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Today for you - tomorrow for me

"YOU'LL SEE"

(BENNY enters)

BENNY

Joy to the world

Hey, you bum yeah, you, move over

Get your ass off that range rover

MARK

That attitude toward the homeless is just what

Maureen is protesting tonight.

(Holding camera up to BENNY)

Close up: Benjamin Coffin the third, our ex-roommate who married Alison

Grey, of the Westport Greys - then bought the building and the lot next door

from his father-in-law in hopes of starting a cyber-studio

BENNY

Maureen is protesting

Losing her performance space

Not my attitude

ROGER

What happened to Benny

What happened to his heart

And the ideals he once pursued?

BENNY

The owner of that lot next door

Has a right to do with it as he pleases

COLLINS

Happy birthday, Jesus!

BENNY

The rent

MARK

You're wasting your time

ROGER

We're broke

MARK

And you broke your word - this is absurd

BENNY

There is one way you won't have to pay

ROGER

I knew it!

BENNY

Next door, the home of Cyberarts, you see

And now that the block is re-zoned

Our dream can become a reality

You'll see boys

You'll see boys

A state of the art, digital, virtual interactive studio

I'll forego your rent and on paper guarantee

That you can stay here for free

If you do me one small favor

MARK

What?

BENNY

Convince Maureen to cancel her protest

MARK

Why not just get an injunction or call the cops

BENNY

I did, and they're on stand by

But my investors would rather

I handle this quietly

ROGER

You can't quietly wipe out an entire tent city

Then watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' on TV!

BENNY

You want to produce films and write songs?

You need somewhere to do it!

It's what we used to dream about

Think twice before you pooh-pooh it

You'll see boys

You'll see boys

You'll see - the beauty of a studio

That lets us do our work and get paid

With condos on the top

Whose rent keeps open our shop

Just stop the protest

And you'll have it made

You'll see - or you'll pack

(BENNY exits)

ANGEL

That boy could use some prozac

ROGER

Or heavy drugs

MARK

Or group hugs

COLLINS

Which reminds me

We have a detour to make tonight

Anyone who wants to can come along

ANGEL

Life support's a group for people coping with life

You don't have to stay too long

MARK

First I've got a protest to save

ANGEL

Roger?

ROGER

I'm not much company you'll find

MARK

Behave

ANGEL

He'll catch up later - He's just go other things on his mind

You'll see boys

MARK & COLLINS

We'll see boys

ROGER

Let it be boys!

COLLINS

I like boys

ANGEL

Boys like me

ALL

We'll see

TANGO: MAUREEN

(The lot. JOANNE is reexamining the cable connections for the

umpteenth time)

MARK

And so into the abyss...The lot. Where a small stage is partially set up

JOANNE

(playing with some wires)

"Line in"...

I went to Harvard for this?

MARK

Close on Mark's nose dive

JOANNE

"Line out"...

MARK

Will he get out of here alive...?

(JOANNE notices MARK approaching)

JOANNE

Mark?

MARK

Hi

JOANNE

I told her not to call you

MARK

That's Maureen

But can I help since I'm here

JOANNE

I hired an engineer

MARK

Great!

Well, nice to have met you

JOANNE

Wait!

She's three hours late

The samples won't delay

But the cable

MARK

There's another way

Say something - anything

JOANNE (into the mike)

Test - one, two three

MARK

Anything but that

JOANNE

This is weird

MARK

It's weird

JOANNE

Very weird

MARK

Fuckin' weird

JOANNE

I'm so mad

That I don't know what to do

Fighting with microphones

Freezing down to my bones

And to top it all off

I'm with you

MARK

Feel like going insane?

Got a fire in your brain?

And you're thinking of drinking gasoline?

JOANNE

As a matter of fact

MARK

Honey, I know this act

It's called the 'Tango Maureen'

The Tango Maureen

It's a dark, dizzy merry-go-round

As she keeps you dangling

JOANNE

You're wrong

MARK

Your heart she is mangling

JOANNE

It's different with me

MARK

And you toss and you turn

'Cause her cold eyes can burn

Yet you yearn and you churn and rebound

JOANNE

I think I know what you mean

BOTH

The Tango Maureen

MARK

Has she ever pouted her lips

And called you 'Pookie'

JOANNE

Never

MARK

Have you ever doubted a kiss or two?

JOANNE

This is spooky

Did you swoon when she walked through the door?

MARK

Every time - so be cautious

JOANNE

Did she moon over other boys?

MARK

More than moon

JOANNE

I'm getting nauseous

(They begin to dance, with MARK leading)

MARK

Where'd you learn to tango?

JOANNE

With the French Ambassador's daughter in her dorm room at Miss Porter's

And you?

MARK

With Nanette Himmelfarb. The Rabbi's daughter at the Scarsdale Jewish

Community Center

(They switch, and JOANNE leads)

It's hard to do this backwards

JOANNE

You should try it in heels!

She cheated

MARK

She cheated

JOANNE

Maureen cheated

MARK

Fuckin' cheated

JOANNE

I'm defeated

I should give up right now

MARK

Gotta look on the bright side

With all of your might

JOANNE

I'd fall for her still anyhow

BOTH

When you're dancing her dance

You don't stand a chance

Her grip of romance

Make you fall

MARK

So you think, 'Might as well'

JOANNE

"Dance a tango to hell"

BOTH

At least I'll have tangoed at all

The Tango Maureen

Gotta dance till your diva is through

You pretend to believe her

Cause in the end you can't leave her

But the end it will come

Still you have to play dumb

Till you're glum and you bum

And turn blue

MARK

Why do we love when she's mean?

JOANNE

And she can be so obscene

MARK

Try the mike

JOANNE

My Maureen (reverb: een, een, een...)

MARK

Patched

JOANNE

Thanks

MARK

You know I feel great now!

JOANNE

I feel lousy

(The pay phone rings. MARK hands it to JOANNE)

Honey, we're... (pause) Pookie?!

You never call me Pookie...

Forget it, we're patched

(She hangs up, looks at MARK)

BOTH

The Tango Maureen

LIFE SUPPORT

(ANGEL and COLLINS attend an AIDS Life Support group. PAUL, the

support leader, sits on the downstage railing above. GORDON, one of

the members of the group, is standing downstage left, facing the

audience. As the mebers enter, they introduce themselves and form a

semicircle. Note: The names of the support group members should

change every night and should honor actual friends of the compnay who

have died of AIDS)

STEVE

Steve

GORDON

Gordon

ALI

Ali

PAM

Pam

SUE

Sue

ANGEL

Hi, I'm Angel

COLLINS

Tom. Collins

PAUL

I'm Paul. Let's begin

ALL

There's only us

There's only this..

(MARK blusters in noisily)

MARK

Sorry ... Excuse me ... oops

PAUL

And you are?

MARK

Oh - I'm not

I'm just here to

I don't have

I'm here with

Um - Mark

Mark - I'm Mark

Well - this is quite an operation

PAUL

Sit down Mark

We'll continue the affirmation

ALL

Forget regret or life is yours to miss

GORDON

Excuse me Paul - I'm having a problem with this

This credo - My T-cells are low

I regret that news, okay?

PAUL

Alright

But Gordon - How do you feel today?

GORDON

What do you mean?

PAUL

How do you feel today?

GORDON

Okay

PAUL

Is that all?

GORDON

Best I've felt all year

PAUL

Then why choose fear?

GORDON

I'm a New Yorker

Fear's my life

Look - I find some of what you teach suspect

Because I'm used to relying on intellect

But I try to open up to what I don't know

GORDON & ROGER (who sings from his loft)

Because reason says I should have died

Three years ago

ALL

No other road

No other way

No day but today

OUT TONIGHT (Mimi's apartment)

MIMI

What's the time?

Well it's gotta be close to midnight

My body's talking to me

It says, "Time for danger"

It says "I wanna commit a crime

Wanna be the cause of a fight

Wanna put on a tight skirt and flirt

With a stranger"

I've had a knack from way back

At breaking the rules once I learn the games

Get up - life's too quick

I know someplace sick

Where this chick'll dance in the flames

We don't need any money

I always get in for free

You can get in too

If you get in with me

Let's go out tonight

I have to go out tonight

You wanna play?

Let's run away

We won't be back before it's Christmas day

Take me out tonight (meow)

When I get a wink from the doorman

Do you know how lucky you'll be?

That you're on line with the feline of Avenue B

Let's go out tonight

I have to go out tonight

You wanna prowl

Be my night owl?

Well take my hand we're gonna howl

Out tonight

In the evening I've got to roam

Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome

Feels too damn much like home

When the Spanish babies cry

So let's find a bar

So dark we forget who we are

And all the scars from the

Nevers and maybes die

Let's go out tonight

Have to go out tonight

You're sweet

Wanna hit the street?

Wanna wail at the moon like a cat in heat?

Just take me out tonight

(MIMI makes her way to ROGER's door and ends the song in front of

him.)

Please take me out tonight

Don't forsake me - out tonight

I'll let you make me - out tonight

Tonight - tonight - tonight

ANOTHER DAY

(The loft - MIMI plants a huge kiss on ROGER, who recoils)

ROGER

Who do you think you are?

Barging in on me and my guitar

Little girl hey

The door is that way

You better go you know

The fire's out anyway

Take your powder take your candle

Your sweet whisper

I just can't handle

Well take your hair in the moonlight

Your brown eyes goodbye, goodnight

I should tell you I should tell you

I should tell you I should no!

Another time another place

Our temperature would climb

There'd be a long embrace

We'd do another dance

It'd be another play

Looking for romance?

Come back another day

Another day

MIMI

The heart may freeze or it can burn

The pain will ease if I can learn

There is no future

There is no past

I live this moment as my last

There's only us

There's only this

Forget regret

Or life is yours to miss

No other road

No other way

No day but today

ROGER

Excuse me if I'm off track

But if you're so wise

Then tell me why do you need smack?

Take your needle

Take your fancy prayer

And don't forget

Get the moonlight out of your hair

Long ago you might've lit up my heart

But the fire's dead ain't never ever gonna start

Another time another place

The words would only rhyme

We'd be in outer space

It'd be another song

We'd sing another way