Scene 1
Outside Theater
(whistle)
Herman: Tom!
Tom: Bill!
H: Gimme some skin, pal. Boy am I glad to see you.
T: That goes double. When did you get back?
H: Bout an hour ago. Thought I might see you here. Say. What makes with the bandages? Another fight?
T: Yeah. My wife again.
H: Haven' you learned to handle her as yet?
T: Not as long as she can find a rolling pin. Boy I wish they would make those things out of cotton.
H: She sure messed you up.
T: Yeah. Put me out of doors.
H: Where did you sleep?
T: Had nightmares on the doorstep (Points behind himself). Say, how did you make out in the fig town?
H: Mans that's the place to get hep.
T: Pick up any new numbers?
H: Yeah. Picked up a swell boogie.
T: Come on in and beat it out for me.
H: Okay.
Scene 2Forbes at piano Foreman seated beside him.
H: (as he stops playing boogie) Say pal. Let's open up a nightclub.
T: A night club? Boy is that an idea. We could get the old Royal Palace.
H: Don Dunning and his boys. Sylvester Mike and Joe Little.
T: 'N Esther Mae Porter, Rosa Burrell, Evelyn Whorton, and Dorothy Lee (click, click, w/ tongue).
H: We'll have a hot spot for the big shots.
T: We could get plenty of talent to start with.
H: Yeah man
T: No o-o-o-p.
H: What's the matter?
T: My wife again. She'll only go downtown and buy up all the rolling pins and my head hurts bad enough as it is
H: You're crazy . She'd be tickled.
T: You're nuts. She's no better than when you left.
H: She still wants the cabbage, doesn't she?
T: That's why she loves me.
H: Oh, we'll make enough money to pay her off and keep her happy.
T: Think so?
H: Know it.
T: Well, maybe.
(Herman begins to play again)
H: Now get this layout. We have a bandstand at the back. Dance floor in the center. Red and white tables and chairs around the side. And you and I'll have a ring side seat where we can watch the show. Now here's what we'll do.
(Tom falls asleep; fade out of his face, into the club, music playing)
Scene 3: Tom and Herman at tables, dressed in tuxedoes smoking cigarsH: There's our table.
T: Yeah.
H; Oh boy, we can see everything from here. Sit down, Tom.
T: Man, look at that happy crowd.
H: Yeah, it seems that we are really off to a good start.
T: Hey, waiter, 2 scotch ands. Wait until they see our floor show.
H: Yeah. Say, they're getting ready start now.
(E. Whorton sings Pitch A Boogie Woogie):
- Come on honey
- I've got money
- I've got schemes and
- I got dreams
- Now's the time to step and show them,
- Down ain't what it seems.
- I used to be s slippin & pitchin a boo.
- Used to be mopin & knocking of blue.
- Shake it up honey
- Now break it up quick
- We gonna pitcha boogie woogie and turn a trick.
- Pitch a boogie woogie
- Pitch a boogie woogie
- Sing a boogie woogie
- Pitch a boogie woogie
- and turn a trick.
E: Thank you boys and thank you ladies and gentlemen. My name is Evelyn Wharton and I'm sure you know yours. Of course, the term 'ladies & gentlemen' is a mere formality; you know what you are. I'm sure you've seen me because I've been in pictures before. In fact, I just got through making a short with Lena Horne. I'm going back next week and make the shirt. (laughter) Now we have a fine show in store for you, and I know you're going to enjoy it. Our first number is one you won't forget, we hope. First you get a glimpse of the lovely Winstead girls. Then you hear the appealing voice of our handsome young tenor, Joe Little, singing for you 'Te Quiero." Last but not least we give you the lovely Rosa Burrell, setting yu on fire with her famous Dance of the Flames. Take it, boys.
(Te Quiero plays; Winstead girls dance)
Joe Little sings:
- Every night under your window,
- I sing, por que esta lindo (?)
- Every evening in June passing
- I sing because I love you so.
- Te Quiero Buso
- I sing every evening
- I love you so
- When birds are singing beneath the morning star
- No matter where you are, I'll sing I love you.
- And the world is sleeping beneath a smiling moon,
- You'll always hear me croon
- This song to you.
- Te quiero, quiero buso
- I sing in the morning
- My song to you.
- When the sun is hiding behind a cloudy sky,
- You'll never hear me cry,
- for I'll be singing
- And we'll be together
- Where I can serve you dear
- I'll sing forever dear
- I love you so.
(applause)
T: This is the life.
H: You said it brother.
T: And how.
H: Just think, in a few weeks, we'll be rolling in dough.
E: Thank you. Now we have a real treat in store for you. It's a lovely young personality with a lovely voice, telling you a story she can't forget. And it's Miss Esther Mae Porter, singing for you, "I Heard You Say," assisted by The Melodiers and our stunning Models. Miss Porter...
(Esther Mae sings)
- I heard you say
- You'd make me a bet
- I'd never regret
- Our meeting day.
- I heard you say
- That heaven sent me
- That heaven in me
- Willed you to stay.
- You told me to dream all the things I'd like with you
- Your only scheme was to make them come true.
- Now comes the day
- When memory stings
- I think of the things
- I heard you say.
E: Wasn't that lovely? Our next number is one I'm sure you'll like, as well as the person who sings it. This time it's a lovely ballad titled "And Even More" and sung for your listening pleasure by that hunk of masculine charm, Sylvester Mike, followed by the lovely ladies of the ensemble, The Models, and featuring Miss Dorothy Lee. You've got it boys.
(Sylvester Mike sings)
- Those happy hours and happy days
- Are treasured souvineers.
- As time goes by, I realize why
- They've turned to happy years.
- For always loving only me
- You taught me peace and constancy.
- I love you, with al my heart and even more
- For knowing love is always true
- and making all my dreams come true
- I love you with all my heart and even more.
- For thoughtful deeds through years of happiness we shared
- You kissed away my tears when I was sad.
- For showing love is away new
- And making all my dreams come true
- I love you with all my heart
- and even more
(applause)
You know this is all fine. But there's just one thing we forgot.
H: What's that?
T: We didn't tell our wives anything about the show. And suppose they would drop in on us?
H: Boy that would be bad, wouldn't it Its too late now. That's a chance we got to take.
E: Now you'll hear our versatile little singer, Rosa Burrell, singing the hot dog song, "Weeni, weedi, winky ("Veni, Vedi, Venci") which means "I came I saw you conquered me." Followed by the Models young star of eccentric tap dancing Cleophus Lyons. Then you will see the famous Lindy Hoppers, Count and Harriet. To complete our little package of entertainment, we give you the Models themselves in a chorus novelty. Take it boys--
(Cleophus Lyons tap dances)
(Count and Harriet lindy hop)
(Models dance)
(Burrell sings)
- Weeni, weedi, winky Play it again
- Weeni, weedi, winky say it again,
- I came, I saw, you conquered me.
- Weeni, weedi, winky let me repeat
- Weeni, weedi, winky words that are sweet.
- I came, I saw, you conquered me.
H: Uh oh. There she comes.
T: There who comes?
H: Your wife.
(exit back door)
(Beatrice enters and listens at door, posing with rolling pin
(Tom and Herman at back side of door)
T: We can just stay in here until she leaves.
H: I don't think she saw us, so she won't be long.
T: I hope she'll soon leave because I don't want to miss any of the show.
J: Me neither.
(Tom and Herman peer through key hole at featured Model solo, Dorothy Lee, WI "Pitch" music. T H alternately hit each otter on head, push each other from key hole to see.)
T: You reckon my wife is still out there?
H: No, she must be gone by now.
T: W' come on, let's chance it.
H: Okay.
(Beatrice hits them in turn and they fall in their chair with heads on table, back into club)
E: I can see by your smiling faces that you enjoyed the show. But all good things must come to an end. So we give you our entire cast, and we call it the grand finale. Take it boys--
("Pitch" music, solos on trumpet, piano, sax, trombone, various dancers: 5 male tap dancers, one female strutter; B knocks me out as they wake up)
Scene 4Back at the piano, Tom and Herman in street clothes
T: I don't want no show' I don't want no night club! I don't want no show! I don't want no night club!
H: Hey Tom, wake up, wake up wake up. What's the matter?
T: I don't want no show, I don't want no nightclub.
H: Man, you ain't had no show. You ain't had no nightclub. You been dreamin. You've had a nightmare!
END
