Smash (2012–2013): Season 2, Episode 7 - Musical Chairs - full transcript

♪ That is why I'm writing
this to you... ♪

Previously on Smash...

Just tell him how bad it is,
and we can make it better.

Please.

You said we'd go
with whatever Eileen chose.

- And I did.
- And I agree.

You wanna direct this show
so much?

Well, now's your chance.
I quit.

Jerry was paying Ellis
for information

so he could
take bombshell over.

- ♪ Caught in the storm.
- You can't do it.



But it isn't interfering
with rehearsals.

And it's not
going to, either.

- I'm still part of the show.
- I just can't be here right now.

Yeah, we need to find
a replacement.

I'm the artistic director
at Manhattan Theater Workshop.

It's just the kind of project
I look for.

- Who's the director?
- We don't have one.

Yeah, you do.

Both: ♪ we can start over ♪
better ♪ both of us know

♪ if we just let
the broken pieces ♪

- ♪ Let the broken pieces.
- ♪ Let the broken pieces

both: ♪ let the broken
pieces ♪ go [light applause]

Thank you.

- That was lovely.
- Yeah, not too shabby.



Yeah, you too.

I think I saw Scott smile, but
it could've been a pity smile.

Thanks for coming
and running it for us.

Okay, what's the verdict?

Have we got a slot
this season?

Let me talk about it
with my team.

- My office, ten minutes?
- Sure.

Okay, I'm gonna need someone
to come upstairs and take notes.

Can I get a decent cup
of coffee?

'Cause this one
tastes like soap.

I'm Blake,
the lighting designer?

Mm, well done.

We sort of get
our own coffee around here.

All right.

Loved the show, b-t-w.

Thank you so much.

I will gladly
get you coffee any time.

[Laughs]

You might wanna wait outside.

We have an educational outreach
program in here every Tuesday.

Of course you do.

You want some of this?

I'd love a skim cappuccino with
an extra shot and two splendas.

Thank you. Okay.

Here she is,
Marilyn, the star,

showing up for work on
some like it hot,

walking onto the set
for the first time.

Very jayne Mansfield in
the girl can't help it.

Really?
I don't see it that way at all.

You don't s... never mind.

Anyway, what I'm going for is

"to hell with all of you.
I'm here."

But isn't this when things are
going terribly wrong for her?

Everyone on set hated her,

and then she was hiding out
in her trailer popping pills.

Yeah, but we don't want
to telegraph that,

so she's putting
on a brave face.

So when she says,
"here she is, boys,

Marilyn Monroe in the flesh,"
she's up?

Trying to be, like...
[inhales]

[Upbeat] "Here she is, boys,
Marilyn Monroe in the flesh."

Did he just give her
a line reading?

- Derek used to say...
- Derek isn't here anymore.

Yeah.

I know.

Tom, the new choreographer
has a question.

Let's set up for
national pastime.

Are you sure you want
to hire a new choreographer

while we're waiting?

It's been three weeks.

You really think Derek's
gonna grant me permission

to use his choreography?

'Cause I don't.

So I have to move forward.

Derek is gonna sign
the contract.

He's petty and sadistic.
It'll never happen.

Ooh! Maybe that's how I should
connect with Karen,

or talk
with a British accent.

I've seen it. Don't do that.

[Exhales]

It's like we're speaking
different languages.

We need a translator.

You know what?
Don't focus on that right now.

Think of the show.
It's fantastic.

And the best part of it?

You're the director.

[Both laugh]

- It is fun, right?
- Oh, my God, so fun.

Mm.

You don't miss that stuff with
Marilyn and her mother, right?

It's working great
without it.

They're ready for you.

Karen.
[Clears throat] One last thing.

I want you to just
think about...

Okay, Terry, in act two,
in the garden scene,

when you approach Tourvel,
don't turn upstage.

- I lose your face.
- Timothy, a thought.

Hear me out.

What if, in that scene,
Valmont had smallpox?

Now, I know
that sounds crazy,

but it is 100%
historically accurate.

No.

Eh... Maybe just the early
stages, just a few pox.

Too much?

Yeah, okay.

- Okay, uh, moving on...
- It's incredible.

You're like
the Terry whisperer.

We owe you big time, Ivy.

This thing might run.

The beginning of the third
needs a real punch.

- Yes?
- One pock.

[Up-tempo show music]

♪

♪ Peanuts ♪

♪ Hot dogs ♪ cracker
Jack, I don't care ♪

♪ I don't care
if I ever get back ♪

What the hell am I watching?

Isn't it great?
It's got so much energy.

It's like they're levitating.

I feel like I'm being shot
by a firing squad.

What happened
to the sex, the...

that thing they did
with the bats?

I have to avoid Derek's
choreography for legal reasons.

But if you get Derek to sign
the contracts you gave him,

we could go back to it.

♪ Yes, my style
and my fashion ♪

♪ Will elevate
the national pastime ♪

♪

[Applause]

Really well done, Karen.

I'm still not getting that "come
hither" thing we talked about,

but it's close.

[Sighs]
Well, maybe you'd see it more

if I wasn't jumping up and down
the whole time.

Well, it's a state of mind,
not a look.

- Let me be you.
- Great.

So how's everyone today?

I gotta be honest: Not good.

You said tom
was the right choice to direct,

but I don't like
what I'm seeing.

You've only been here
ten minutes.

In that time,
he has demonstrated bad judgment

and made our star
uncomfortable.

I thought you said
he was good with actors.

He's just nervous.
He's trying to impress you.

- Give him a little time.
- We don't have time.

We're going into tech soon.

Without the right person at the
helm, this ship will go down.

Tom will pull it together.

You'll see.

He better.

I'm not encouraged.

[Exhales]
What a vile human being.

I feel filthy
just talking to him.

How long
till we're rid of him?

Katie and I are going to go
see the lawyers later today.

What do I do if Jerry fires
tom before you get back?

Tom needs Karen
to respect him.

If Karen respects him,
everyone else will.

And if she doesn't?

[Indistinct chatter]
Punch, punch!

Give me till the end
of the day.

I have a feeling
everything's gonna change.

- So it's punch, punch, punch?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But it's just kind of like
up here, and you're down,

and it's like before
you even know it.

Oh, dear.

Try it.

Hit it.

[Upbeat jazz music]

♪ One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight ♪

♪ One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight ♪

♪ One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight ♪

♪ One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight ♪

♪ One, two, three, four,
five, six ♪

♪ One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight ♪

♪ One, two, three, four,
five, six ♪

♪ One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight ♪

♪ Five, six, seven, eight!

I still love the show, of course,
and now my team does as well.

But after talking about it,

we think it might play better
in our underground space.

What, you mean that 80-seat
hovel we were just in?

It's where we run new work
for our younger subscribers

alongside
the main stage productions.

- Great.
- Hit list is fresh.

It's smart, it's vibrant,

but it doesn't have much in
the way of an overriding theme.

We like our main stage pieces
to be more universal.

Uhhuh. I get it, totally.

Both: I don't.

Our research has proven
that if our older members

can't relate
to the subject matter,

we have a hard time
getting them to renew.

As a nonprofit,
we need them around.

Yeah, well, I'd have thought
a good show

might keep them around...
just a thought.

I know it may not feel
like this,

but I'm actually trying
to protect what you have.

Maybe move it upstairs
next season.

Yeah, that doesn't work
for me, Scott.

I might have left Broadway, but
I did not do it for 80 seats.

Look, I meet with the board
at the end of the week

to let them know
which way we're going.

I hope inspiration strikes
before that.

Okay, so you understand what
the man is looking for, right?

Oh, yeah,
us starting from scratch.

No, he just wants you to
articulate your theme more clearly.

It can be small.

Rent had a narrator
after its workshop,

- and they got to Broadway.
- So we'll add a narrator.

Oh, wait, no, we won't,
because that is a terrible idea.

We don't need
to spell out our theme.

Don't listen to him.
He's not good with feedback.

- We'll do whatever you want.
- Like, seriously.

If you nod your head
any harder,

it is going to pop off
of your body.

Do you think this is a joke?

No, I think this should be
a conversation,

not just you telling us
what to do.

I am a director, so I think
this is exactly how it should go.

I don't see what is so bad

about putting up a show
in an 80-seat theater

and seeing how it goes.

You have just come
from the fringe, all right?

This is supposed to be
a step up, not sideways.

This show is too good
for 80 seats.

- What, the show is, or you are?
- Well, funny enough,

I don't think the two
are mutually exclusive.

I can tell you right now
the only reason the show

seems small today
was 'cause Karen wasn't there.

Ana's good, but she doesn't have
what Karen has.

Thank you, Derek.
We'll think it all over.

Good. And give me your answer
tomorrow night.

I've got comps for the opening
night of liaisons,

and since that's
a small chamber piece

that apparently
completely reinvented itself

as a big musical
without changing a word,

I would say
it's mandatory viewing.

Wouldn't you?

Broadway Theater, 7:00.

Damn lawyers!

Can't believe they've come up
with nothing after all this time.

I know you don't wanna hear
it, but I could talk to him.

We've been through this,
Katie.

He's never been able
to say "no" to me.

I never wanted you to know
all this had happened.

I don't want to put you
in the middle of it.

I'm already
in the middle of it.

I'm your child.

Listen, I've made a lot
of mistakes in my life.

Somehow, I've managed
not to screw you up,

and I'm not gonna start now.

So, that's it?
He just gets away with it.

[Sighs]
Well, I do have one last idea,

although I didn't want to have
to resort to it.

♪ The pantry was the place
♪ a serving wench, suzette

♪ taught me
a brand new recipe ♪

♪ Then had me serve it
to her on brochette ♪

♪ And so I say
to all the crying cuckolds ♪

My God, this is boring.

Didn't have to be.

♪ And ce n'est pas ma faute ♪

[Someone coughs]

Was it really that bad?

It's not bad.
It's just not... You.

And tom and I
aren't connecting.

He's trying to be respectful
of the work

you and I did together,
and at the same time

putting his own mark on it, but
it's just... it's confusing.

Wouldn't be confusing
if you left with me.

Gwen Verdon would've bailed
if fosse quit.

Oh, listen.
Now, you're fosse, huh?

[Exhales]
I saw hit list so clearly,

but it's all
out of focus now.

The boys will figure it out.

Yeah, the boys
need to grow up.

I've hit a wall
with those little bastards.

I'll see what I can do.

Thank you.

We're at a dead end.

Oh.

- Eileen, I'm so sorry.
- I know.

What do we do now?

We're gonna have
to pull the plug on the show.

I'm sorry?

You and tom
control the material.

You can walk away,
threaten to shut down the show.

It's the only thing
that's gonna force Jerry's hand.

What if it doesn't work?
We'd have no show.

Well, it's not ours anyway.

It's not your show.
It's still mine.

It's not the version
you wanted.

This is
a choreography contract

that Jerry was supposed
to send to Derek.

He didn't send it
because he wants Derek back.

He's betting against tom.

Mmhmm.

I can't let that happen.

That's why you have to
shut down the show.

No.

Not yet.

What if we make it more
clearly about the fame?

About how people do
anything to get it?

Wait. So the song about fame

and what people do to get it
doesn't do that?

If you're not gonna help me,

you can at least
stop mocking me.

[Knock at door]

- I'm not mocking you.
- I just think this is pointless.

Hi.

What are you doing here?

I was just gonna lie and say
I was in the neighborhood.

Yeah, I always tell people
I'm gonna lie before I do it.

It really catches them
off guard.

[Laughs]
So, how's everything going?

- Caffeine?
- Uh, with the show.

It's, um... - great, great.

Ana is killing it. [Chuckles]

I know. She's amazing.

But Derek said you guys
were... - ah, of course.

He sent you here
to come check up on us.

I just wanna help.

Then where have you been
the past three weeks?

Okay.

It's been really intense
at bombshell with Derek gone.

Yeah, well,
I wish I could say

we're all better
for having him.

Did you really think
you weren't

gonna have
to rewrite anything?

People do it all the time.

They've been
rewriting bombshell.

- It's been over a year.
- Yeah, exactly.

Sometimes
the work gets better.

And sometimes it doesn't.

You know what?

As nice as it is to see you,
this isn't your problem.

Maybe it would be
if you were still in the show.

You're right.

I'm sorry.

The theme you're looking for
is already there.

It's about reinvention, changing
who you are, your destiny.

Mm.

Unfortunately,
that isn't universal,

'cause people
don't really do that, do they?

The board told me
I could have one slot of my own

to show my point of view, but
it has to be a home run.

If I fail, it's right back
to regional theater.

The last artistic director
only lasted a year.

Oh, I saw his season.

Trust me,
it was the right call.

[Cell phone rings]

- Oh. I'll be right back.
- All right, man.

- Oh, sorry.
- Oh, my God.

Scott!

Julia.

What are you doing here?

I heard that you moved back
to New York.

- Congrats on the job.
- Thanks.

I meant to call.

Listen, I... - oh, no, no, no!
Go, go, go.

I'll get in touch.
Maybe we can have coffee?

Sure, try my office.
Let's set that up.

Okay.

Julia.

To what do I owe this honor?

Well, since you've ignored
our calls,

I thought I might bring these
contracts to you in person.

Tom too frightened
to come himself?

- Too busy.
- Mm.

You can sign right there.

Oh, I don't think so.

Well, now, I'll have to read
this over, think about it.

It's my reputation
that's on the line.

I've got no idea what direction
tom's taking the show in.

Everyone is very happy
with it.

- Oh, yeah?
- Mm-hmm.

- Are you?
- Of course.

So that work you did
with Peter,

the best work of your career,

you're totally okay with tom and
Eileen just tossing that out?

Stop trying to be
so provocative.

Since you've left, he's
incorporated a lot of my version.

Not Marilyn's mother, though.

I have my spies.

I know how much
you wanted her in.

You chose to leave.

Yeah, well, they left me
no other option, okay?

Stop playing games, okay?

If you want to come back,
just say that.

But if you don't...
Sign the papers and let go.

You forgot your pen.

I guess
I really let him down.

There was nothing
to let him down over.

You have a job.

You are never
gonna leave Broadway

for some east village basement.

No, of course not.

And I'm sure you're better in
their show than I was, anyway.

Well, maybe a little bit...
[Laughter]

But they haven't even officially
offered it to me yet, so...

Well, right now
we need to figure out a way

to get you to fall back in love
with bombshell

before it's too late.

I've come to grovel.

I'll leave you two alone.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Hi.
- Hi.

[Clears throat]

I know we got off
on the wrong foot.

I've never done this before.
I'm still learning.

And I'm sorry.

No, I'm sorry.

I'm really not trying
to be difficult,

and I know you just want
your show to be the best.

And I wanna do whatever I can
to make it the best with you.

Don't you wish everyone
could see us right now

looking like
we actually get along?

[Both laughing]

Which we do.

Hey, you wanna show 'em?

Be my date tonight
at the liaisons opening.

It'll be sort of like
our "coming out" party.

Don't you think
that might make Ivy upset?

Ivy will be fine.

She understands
the situation.

Thanks. I'd love to.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- Both: Okay.
- Yay.

- Oh... oh!
- See you tonight.

Ivy! I've been on the boards
all afternoon...

Broadway world,
all that chat, theater-mania.

Did you know
our show is "meh"?

I'm sorry?

Yeah, I've been called a lot
of things in my career,

but "meh"?

Is there anything worse?

The only thing they seemed
to like is you.

You said
we'd made this better.

We did make it better...
better from terrible.

[Exhales] I need a klonopin.

Except I don't.

Do you think they're right?
Tell me the truth.

It's what you do.

I don't know
what this show is anymore.

[Sighs]

I guess we didn't have
enough time to fix it.

Can I make a confession?

- Is it about you and me?
- No.

- Oh.
- Kind of.

- What?
- [Exhales]

I wish I could
get out of this show.

- I really hate it.
- Oh... I hate you in it.

I'm sorry, I do.
You're too good.

It's annoying.

There's just something better
for me out there, for you too.

I don't know.

This dud's never gonna turn
my career around.

Maybe it can.

Let's have some fun,
you know, like in the old days,

when you first went off
your meds,

except maybe a couple days
after, you know,

when you stabilized.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You mean, with the mirrors,
and the sheep,

and the full-frontal nudity?

Yes!

Almost like that.

Hey, if we're gonna go down,

we may as well go down
in a blaze of glory.

Let's give them a show
they'll never forget.

Tom! Tom!

Hi, Seth!

- Meet Karen Cartwright.
- Pleasure.

I'm really looking forward to
bombshell 2.0.

Will you guys
give me some scoop?

Is it amazing?
How high do you belt? Go!

- It's a big, old-fashioned...
- It shows the edge

and sadness... Go. Go ahead.

No, after you.

Wait, which one is it?

Old-fashioned or edgy?
Can't really be both, can it?

- No.
- Yep.

- Well, yeah.
- No.

Oh, my God,
that's John Cameron Mitchell.

And there's Karen
with Seth Rudetsky.

Look at her.
She fits right in.

Of course she does.
She's a star.

Maybe if you did what Scott
asked you to do,

you could be one, too.

You mean change my work
because of one person's opinion?

No, thank you.
I like the show the way it is.

I don't think we need
to scream

what it's about
in every scene.

No one said "scream it."

It could be as simple
as one new song up top

that lets everyone know
what they're about to see.

When the curtain
rises on bombshell

and Norma Jeane sings
let me be your star,

you understand everything.

So then why'd
you leave bombshell

if its themes
are so clearly articulated?

"Why did I" indeed.

Hey, where are you going?

There's gotta be something
in one of these...

Some union rule he broke,
someone he forgot to pay.

Oh, my God.
Press clippings from carousel.

[Laughs]

That was the first show I did
with your dad.

Oh, look.

He saved a picture of the two
of you in front of the marquee.

Oh.

You really loved him,
didn't you?

Of course I did.

- He loved you too.
- Yeah, he still does.

That's why he's doing
what he's doing.

He couldn't believe I had
the courage to walk away.

Kinda makes sense now,
doesn't it?

Hm.

God, how did we get here?

Three grown women
digging through an office

looking for a silver bullet.

- [Chuckles]
- [Clears throat]

Desperate times.

Well, I hope it's worth it.

Of course it's worth it.

What you and tom have done
is worth protecting.

Hey, look at this.

It's a contract with the Marilyn
Monroe estate in your name.

Yeah, they licensed me some of
her early journals and poetry.

I showed you
all that material.

[Laughs]

Why are you smiling?

Because I used it.

I think I just found
our silver bullet.

Hey.
I didn't know you were coming.

I could say the same.

Tom and I are on a date,

though I'm not quite sure
it's going so well.

I'm not gonna lie.

Seeing the two of you together
makes my heart beat faster.

Jerry!

Last person in the world
I wanted to see tonight.

- And yet here I am.
- Mm-hmm.

Things happened awfully fast
the other week.

Maybe a little too fast.

Care to talk?

Jimmy, Kyle.

What are you doing here?

I was just asking myself
the same thing.

We came with Derek.
But we lost him.

No, we didn't.

He's standing right there talking
to Karen and some other guy.

That's Jerry rand,
producer of bombshell.

Oh, so, Derek's going back
to bombshell.

Shocker.

Looks like
you're out of a job.

Karen, we should take
our seats.

The show's about to start.

You don't have to sit with him
if you don't want.

A couple of seats
have opened up next to me...

Unless you've changed
your mind.

No, we're still sitting there.
You're the one that's leaving.

Okay, no one's
going anywhere.

We're just having
a friendly conversation.

Great, and now it's over,
so if you'll excuse us...

oh, there's nothing
to be threatened by, tom.

I'm not threatened,
just incredibly frustrated.

Once again, you're trying to get
in the way of me and my show.

I'm not getting in the way
of anything.

You don't return my calls.
You won't sign the contract.

You are undermining me
at every turn.

You're doing that
all on your own.

[Laughs] Really?

How? Please tell me.

You know how much I love
to hear what you have to say.

No, don't listen to me, tom.

Listen to Julia.

She wrote some of the best stuff
of her life

with Marilyn and her mother,
and you just threw it out.

Or listen to Karen.

She's one of the brightest
young actresses around.

She knows what's going on.

If I had either of them on the show I'm
working on now, there'd be no stopping it.

Instead, you've got what I
want, and you are wasting it.

And you...
You're wasting your chance.

If you wanna
come back, Derek,

bombshell is still yours.

Folks, it's time to take
your seats for the show.

Oh, Valmont, you libertine!
A morning such as this

is made for a natural born
hunter such as yourself.

My dear lady,
I can hardly take credit

for my victories, for it seems
as long as I have lived,

the prey comes to me.

Ce n'est pas ma faute.

What do you mean
it's not your fault?

Let me explain it to you
in song.

♪ Some men are born
with money ♪

♪ Some men are born
with looks ♪

♪ Some men are born
with knowledge ♪

♪ You won't find
in descartes' books ♪

- ♪ One man is given talent.
- [Screams]

♪ While one is born
with strength ♪

♪ Some men are born
with shoulders wide ♪

♪ While some
endowed with length ♪

♪ But once in every century ♪

♪ There comes
a blessed morn ♪

♪ A man like moi
with all the gifts ♪

♪ I've listed here is born ♪

♪ So this has been my credo ♪

♪ Since I was very young ♪

♪ I say it's not my fault ♪

♪ Or to put it in my tongue ♪

♪ Ce n'est pas ma faute ♪

♪ I'm really not to blame

♪ I fear you'll have
to ask the lord above ♪

♪ Why men do not come out
the same ♪

♪ The day that I was born ♪

♪ I crowned
just like a prince ♪

It's true.

♪ A nursemaid pinched
my derriere ♪

♪ And ladies have been pinching
ever since ♪

Whoo!

♪ My mother heard me cry ♪

- ♪ She offered up her breast.
- [Sighs]

♪ Then as a man I learned
to use that sad routine ♪

♪ To sample all the rest ♪

[Motorboating]

♪ But when I list
my conquests ♪

♪ It's certainly not meant
to gloat ♪

Ruff!
♪ It's to remind you all

♪ that ce n'est pas
ma faute ♪

♪ ce 'nest pas ma faute ♪

♪ I've caused so many rifts ♪

♪ It's truly both a blessing
and a curse ♪

♪ That I must always
share these gifts ♪

[Laughs]

♪ A tutor named claudine ♪

♪ Once taught me
all she knew ♪

♪ And when I had exhausted
all she had ♪

♪ Then I taught her
a thing or two ♪

Get off me!

♪ The pantry was the place ♪

♪ A serving wench, suzette
nice crepes.

♪ Taught me
a brand-new recipe ♪

♪ Then had me serve it to her
on brochette ♪

♪ And so I say
to all the crying cuckolds ♪

♪ With their hands
around my throat ♪

♪ I'll have her home by ten ♪

♪ And ce n'est pas ma faute ♪

♪

♪ En garde! Coupe!
And coup d'arret ♪

♪ the pesky duels
won't go away ♪

♪ It's simply not my fault
that I'm adored ♪

♪ Touche, seconde,
arete, riposte ♪

♪ it's just a fact
I do not boast ♪

♪ I'm blessed
with something mightier ♪

♪ Than either pen or sword ♪

Now, dance, wenches, dance!

[Brass solo]

All: Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!

Voulez-vous coucher avev moi?

[Laughter] And what? Onward!

Whoo! [Laughter]

Women: Oh! Oh! Oh!

Sheep! I need the sheep!

[Laughter]

All: Ooh! Ah! Oh! Ah!

[Laughs]

All: ♪ ce n'est pas
ma faute ♪

♪ he's really not to blame

the problem is the moth that's
always circling the flame.

All: ♪ ce n'est pas
ma faute ♪

♪ it's really not his fault ♪

I'm gifted with a treasure,
so why keep it in the vault?

All: Whoo!
♪ ce n'est pas ma faute ♪

♪ please don't castrate
the bull ♪

I beg you
don't demagnetize the magnet

- for it's pull...
- All: Whoo!

- Pull!
- All: Oh!

- Pull!
- All: Oh!

♪ So if you want to find me ♪

♪ I'll be pitching tents
beneath your petticoat ♪

♪ I see what keeps
this lass afloat ♪

♪ I choose this wench
to motorboat ♪

♪ No sheep is safe
from this old goat ♪

♪ I'll need some help
on this last note ♪

All: ♪ yes ce n'est pas ♪

♪ ma ♪

♪ faute oh, are we finished?

[Audience gasps]

[Indistinct chatter]

Call my psychiatrist?

How is the poor guy?

I think he's gonna be okay,

but he's surrounded
by doctors right now.

God.

Well, at the very least,
you were wonderful.

He's right. You were.

Thank you.

Your number was the only thing
in the whole show

that made any sense.

[Chuckles]

It's very Irene dunne
in the awful truth.

You mean when she does
the recital?

That's totally
what I was going for.

When you ran upstage
and tossed your head back.

[Laughs]
I am so glad you got that.

How could I not?

Well, I should get back.

Of course.

Call me later.

- Bye.
- Bye.

Is the show going to close?

One would think
or hope for all involved.

Then Ivy would be free.

Free for what?

I'm sure you and I
could make this work...

But we'd always know
something wasn't right.

I'm not your Marilyn. She is.

- Karen.
- It's okay.

We tried.

Hm.

You're a class act,
you know that?

I'll talk to Eileen.

Thanks for everything.

[Down-tempo piano]

♪

I admit
my cunning plan backfired.

I just wish he hadn't gone crazy
before the end of the show.

I would've killed
to see that death scene.

- [Laughs]
- So, that's it, huh?

You're just gonna go back
to bombshell now.

No.

I was never going back.

It's just, you know, I'm having
a bit of trouble letting go.

- Really?
- Yes.

For some inexplicable reason,
I still believe in you two.

Enough
to stick around, anyway.

Even if it does mean directing
your completely unaltered show

in a space not much larger
than my bathroom.

If that's the way
you want it to be,

then I want to be there
with it.

- Me too.
- Karen.

I just quit bombshell.

- You're joking.
- I'm not.

I did. [Laughs]

I-I did.

Ever since you left
and ever since I left you,

I haven't felt right.

And I'd understand if
you don't want me back, but...

Did you really just give up
a Broadway show for us?

I guess I did.
I mean, I have to see

if they'll let me out of my
contract, but here's hoping.

You... you proved me wrong.

I just got an idea.

- I know it sounds like a problem...
- A huge problem.

But I may have a solution.

Okay, you're gonna have
to tell us about it later

because, um... [Clears throat]

Jerry! Hi.

Sit down. Have a drink.

Katie.

When did you get back
in town?

Been home for days.

And you didn't call me.

What's going on?

You know exactly
what's going on.

You paid Ellis Boyd
for information on Nick

so that you could turn him in
and get the show back.

You've been drinking
a little too much, Eileen.

On the contrary, Jerry,
I am stone-cold sober.

When we first brought the idea
to Eileen,

she made an agreement
with Marilyn Monroe's estate

for the rights to some journals
written by Marilyn herself.

Who cares?

Well, you probably should

because they formed almost 20%
of the lyrics for the show.

If you plan on using
any of those songs,

you'd be in violation of the
estate's exclusive agreement

with Eileen, and they'd have
no choice but to shut us down.

Or you could just sign
the show over to mom right now.

Hm.

That's not gonna happen.

You know, I can forgive
the years of infidelity,

the unscrupulous behavior, the
total lack of a moral compass,

but what I will never forgive you
for is what you did to Nick.

He was a criminal.

He deserved it.

I'm done here.

Katie, Katie, wait.

I hope you're proud
of yourself.

Oh, look, come, sit down.
Talk to me.

You haven't heard my side
of this.

This whole time, I was hoping
maybe this wasn't true,

that you couldn't possibly stoop
so low just to hurt mom.

Is this really what
you wanted?

- Look, it's not that simple.
- It should be!

I'm your daughter.

You hurt her,
you hurt me too,

and you've hurt us both
for the last time.

[Groans]

Wait!

I knew that'd get him.

It is with heavy heart that I must
announce my departure from liaisons.

[Clears throat]
Terry's understudy

will finish the week,
but unfortunately,

liaisons will close
this Sunday.

[Indistinct chatter]

Should be
any minute now, right?

God, I hope so.

Oh, no.
What are you doing here?

- Where's Eileen?
- Shh, shh, shh.

Just calm down.

I told you:
Just had to read through it all.

You know, as you work
on something you care about,

sometimes, it's a bit difficult
to let go.

Tom levitt, I hereby bequeath my
choreography and my blessing.

If you change one bloody chasse,
I'll take them both away.

- Derek!
- Hey.

Jerry broke down.

It took five lawyers and someone
from the a.D.A.'S office

and my darling daughter.

Bombshell is finally mine.

There's just one
little issue.

Who's our star?

Well, you know what they say.

When one door closes,
another one opens.

[Cork pops]

- [Giggles]
- Ivy is free now.

That's wonderful.

- [Exhales]
- Whoo!

- Okay.
- To Eileen rand.

Champion of the downtrodden,
arbiter of good taste.

The only producer
we have ever called our partner.

To my fabulous collaborators,
and to my new director.

May bombshell be everything
we ever hoped it would be.

All of us.

Hear, hear.

I love the version of the show
we have now,

but as hard as I try, I cannot
let go of Marilyn's mother.

The connection there is the heart
and soul of the piece, to me.

Everything else is in its proper
place, everything but this.

[Exhales]

If you can't live without
it, neither can I.

End of conversation.

- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.

Thank you for giving us
another moment of your time.

Um, this is a brand-new
opening number,

so it's a little bit rough,
but we're pretty happy with it.

[Up-tempo acoustic guitar]

♪

♪ There's a block
on the edge of this town ♪

♪ No one talks about ♪ where
the train doesn't stop ♪

♪ And the kids
know they're not getting out ♪

♪ You live in a loop
of smokes on the stoop ♪

♪ Counting the coins
you got ♪

♪ You work at a bar
where all that you are ♪

♪ Is everything ♪ you're
not ♪ someone tell me

♪ when I can start again ♪
and rewrite this story ♪

♪ How long can I stay ♪

♪ Lost without a
way ♪ to rewrite

♪ I wish I could rewrite
this story ♪

♪

♪ Pretty face pretty voice ♪

♪ Pretty much someone
they forget ♪

♪ Hard to tell me apart

♪ from the ten other girls
they just met ♪

♪ We can't see the hook
we can't sell the look ♪

♪ I hear it every day ♪

♪ You won't be a star
if you're who you are ♪

♪ So I just fade away ♪
make me someone new ♪

♪ Tell me what I do ♪

♪ To rewrite ♪ this story
both: ♪ how long can I stay

♪ lost without a way ♪

♪ To rewrite ♪ I wish
I could rewrite ♪

♪ This story ♪ change every
word of every line ♪

♪ Write any story but mine ♪

- ♪ Someone tell me when
both: ♪ can I start again

♪ and rewrite ♪ this story ♪ yeah,
yeah ♪ how long can I stay ♪

♪ Lost without a way ♪
to rewrite ♪ rewrite

♪ I wish I could rewrite ♪

♪ This story

[applause]

- You found it.
- It wasn't me.

It was them.

We realized the show's
about transformation,

but we just hadn't
actually said it yet.

It was a good note.

Thanks for giving it.

If this is the direction
the show is going in,

the main stage is yours.

Let me introduce your leads:

Jimmy Collins,
Karen Cartwright.

If you want the show,
it doesn't happen without them.

I can see why.

It's great to meet you
again, Karen.

- Derek?
- Sure.

So I guess that's it
for me, then?

Not at all.

You just go back
to being the sister.

[Laughs]
Oh, great, the sister... Again.

So you okay
with where you landed?

No buyer's remorse?

None whatsoever.

- Isn't that strange?
- [Laughs]

Your hair has... - oh.

[Both laugh]

Thank you.

You wanna go out after this
and get a drink... Maybe?

Sure. I'd love to.

Yeah. Let me get my stuff.

Okay.

Congratulations.

Scott was very impressed,
as am I.

Thanks, man.
It's getting there, you know?

Hey, if you don't need me,
I'm gonna...

Jimmy, well,
now Karen's on board

and we're all going to be
working together,

I think you need
to understand something.

Okay.

Karen and I have a history.

You call it a partnership.

Yeah, yeah, I know.
She's your muse.

Kyle makes fun of it
all the time.

Oh, yeah.
That's nice for him.

I'm directing this show,

and when I direct, I tend
to get focused on something

or someone... And if I get
distracted from that, I get short.

- I act out.
- Yeah, what are you saying?

If you want me
at the top of my game,

I suggest you focus on your
work so I can focus on mine.

Got it?

Karen.

I'm sending Jimmy and Kyle home
with some notes on act two.

Do you fancy a drink?

Uh, sure, I guess,
if you really can't go out.

No, he can't.

Come on.

Notes. What notes?

I didn't get any notes.
Did he give you notes?

Come on, man.
Let's get out of here.