Smash s02e06 Episode Script

Previously on Smash The Fringe? In two weeks? That's completely insane.
I usually don't like a lot of people.
Just don't let me down, okay? Ladies and gentlemen, Terry Falls.
- Yes, young Cecile.
- How you have grown.
He's playing the whole thing like it's a comedy.
I've decided to go off my meds.
Thanks for the files.
Eileen will never work without me again.
Have you got a brilliant book for the read-through this afternoon? I'm not going to produce it.
I have a version that I love.
- How did you get this? - He sent it to me.
It was just the draft I like the most.
We need a tie breaker.
Since it's up to me Okay, you lot go upstage left.
You lot go upstage right because, look out! Here comes the enormous, expensive, and totally unnecessary plane that's about to land on the stage.
And the steps roll in, and Karen walks down - It's gonna be great.
- Spectacular.
It's for tourists.
It isn't art.
I completely disagree.
It's a dynamic technicolor fantasy of the way Marilyn made herself, and it's gonna fit perfectly in our new book.
Your new book, as opposed to mine and Julia's, which I was really looking forward to directing.
The best thing I've ever written.
We said we'd go with whatever Eileen chose.
Well, clearly, I only said that because I thought she would make the right choice.
- And I did.
- And I agree.
But we might have to cut something to make room for this number.
There's a lot of music.
Is this a theater or a bar? I knew the last slot meant the crappiest space.
It's the Fringe.
You get two days in a shoe box.
Sometimes it's a disaster, but sometimes you break out.
I like it.
It's not too fancy, which is good for us.
It's got good acoustics 'cause it's small, and who cares anyway? The show's good.
It better be.
We're on in ten hours.
Hey! There's a performance going on upstairs, so could you guys, like, shut up? Sorry.
Oops.
My bad.
Hey, does anybody know what time it is? Wait.
Damn, I got to go to rehearsal.
Now? We haven't run your numbers yet.
We've been running them all week.
Well, what about the new ones? Kyle, chill.
It's gonna be fine.
Thank you.
Anytime.
I can't believe she couldn't get out for one night.
Dude, it's Broadway.
It doesn't work like that.
There's millions of dollars at stake.
You're not just like, "I feel like taking the night off to do a show in a basement.
" It is not just a show in a basement.
Real people are coming.
I just want it to be great.
It will be.
Look, Karen's a pro.
She knows her stuff.
She'll be ready.
Hold the door.
Thanks.
No problem.
So how's Bombshell? It's great.
Yeah.
How's yours? So good.
Terry Falls is fantastic.
Down to Earth, smart, real.
The show's a dream.
- Cool.
- See ya.
Ivy, thank God you're here.
You won't believe what he's done now.
Have a good rehearsal.
My darling Cecile.
Isn't it glorious? More of your vision? Ever since I went off my meds, I feel amazing.
I haven't slept in four days.
I've been accomplishing so many things.
I got certified in archery.
I've learned French.
I got arrested.
These aren't going to be real sheep, are they? Ha! Of course they are.
Stuffed sheep can't act.
I am worried about the peacocks, though.
They're notoriously difficult to work with.
That's much better.
Now where is Bessie? Bessie! It's not too late.
Tech doesn't start till the day after tomorrow.
Terry's the only reason this revival is happening.
We have to make it work.
You can't have mirrors on stage like that.
They're gonna reflect light onto the audience.
No.
Those aren't mirrors.
They're metaphors for vanity and self-absorption.
Look.
There I am again.
Who knows? Maybe it'll be the comedy surprise hit of the season, a satire.
Satires are supposed to be smart and sophisticated.
Ivy! I'm going to make love to you in these.
In the show, in the show.
You still love this song, right? - You're overdoing it.
- Right.
Very nice, Karen.
Okay, let's move on to Mambo.
I'd like a word.
Or we could take a ten.
That's the song.
The song? To cut.
For Public Relations.
You're kidding.
He's kidding, right? That song is one of the most beautiful ballads in the show.
One of.
There's too many.
It's unnecessary.
Some girl on an empty stage telling me a sad story.
Enough already.
She's not just some girl.
It's Marilyn looking back and realizing that she loved more than she was loved.
He means Karen.
Our star? Not yet.
And if we're not going to have a star, then we need An airplane on the bloody stage.
Yes, and with all that going on around her, we're golden, - but this - Was the first song we wrote.
It's what got us excited about the project in the first place.
It's what got you excited, Eileen.
It's a lovely song, Julia.
No one's disputing that, but Jerry's right.
It stops the show.
You just said "Jerry's right" for the third time in the last week.
Has everyone lost their mind? He's destroying the show.
By the time he gets finished, it's going to be The radio city Christmas spectacular.
Can I just remind you that what we're listening to in there is a book you wrote, one you were proud of once.
I'm not anymore.
I know it's not exactly what you wanted, Julia.
- Or Derek.
- Or Derek.
But that doesn't mean it won't be great.
Let me talk to Eileen, figure out a way to keep Heart in.
I'll beg, grovel, blackmail if I have to.
If I succeed, will you please try to get more on board? I miss you.
Get me my song Then we'll talk.
I know Broadway doesn't pay its actors very well, but did you really have to moonlight as a house painter? I was painting pieces for our Fringe set.
It's Hit list's first performance tonight.
You're still doing the Fringe? Who's your director? No one.
We're just throwing the first act up.
Like you said.
What? Well, I didn't think you'd do it without me.
You were never really going to do it anyway.
I knew that.
You just got us started.
You're a big Broadway director.
- Right.
- You can't go back to Fringe.
Can I take a quick call? - Sure.
- Okay.
We're in Time out.
There's a blurb and everything and a picture of you.
It's not that great, but Hey, don't listen to him.
It's hot.
Apparently a bunch of theater people RSVP'd.
We sold out tonight.
Karen.
I have to call you back.
What is this? My assistant just showed me this.
Is there a problem? Bombshell's entire marketing campaign is centered around introducing Karen Cartwright.
See, it only works if we're actually introducing Karen Cartwright.
But it isn't interfering with rehearsals.
And it's not going to either.
You can't do it.
It's two days.
I'm your producer.
I have the right to approve any other project you do while you're in my show.
That's in your contract.
Look.
If you want to go, go.
But don't bother coming back here.
Derek, you know I can't not go.
You're opening on Broadway.
What's more important? Sorry, love.
I guess we're both stuck here.
Whether we like it or not.
Hit it.
But the show is in six hours and you're in lead.
I had no idea how this would happen.
.
I feel terrible.
Tell them no.
You have to be here.
I tried.
Jerry Rand is not the most understanding person, and Derek There's the real reason.
It's my career, Jimmy.
I want to be there for you guys so badly But your career's more important than your friends.
Got it.
I'm still part of the show.
I just can't be in it right now.
Yeah, we need to find a replacement.
There's no time for someone to learn the songs.
Whoever we get can hold the music.
It's Fringe.
I can help call some people.
Yeah, don't bother.
You've done enough.
- Jimmy.
- And thank you, though, for For waiting till six hours before to bail.
That's really classy and thank your boyfriend too.
- Boyfriend? - I'm sure he had nothing to do with this.
We have enough to deal with.
Just go.
You look like you've just come from a funeral.
We have.
For the death of our careers.
It can't be that bad.
Tomorrow's press day, and we're considering going to that really bad Sushi place on 50th and praying for food poisoning.
Do you want to talk? Come on.
You're in prime position.
Everyone expects you to be good in a good show, but if you're good in a bad show, you stand out.
That is a time-honored tradition.
But how am I supposed to be good opposite a lunatic? Look, you've got a big number, right? Yeah, but I've been underplaying it.
We're all underplaying since Terry's so big.
Forget about Terry.
Just block out the white noise, and do it the way you know it should be done.
Just like I'm not doing on Bombshell.
It isn't going very well? Yeah, Jerry's cutting everything, Julia's sulking, Eileen's policing it, so I'm just sitting in the middle, wondering what I loved about it in the first place.
You loved Karen.
You saw her, remember? I saw her as Marilyn.
You'll see her again.
I got to go.
- Thanks for the advice.
- Only thank me if it works.
That sounds like an amazing day.
I'm sorry to vent.
I just had to talk to someone.
Yeah, I'm glad that you trust me.
Well, I wouldn't go that far.
Maybe you should leave Bombshell.
What? No use sitting around torturing yourself when they don't need you anymore.
They made that very clear after the read-through.
Come on.
That's not true.
You should see Tom going out of his way to make me feel better.
Yeah, I like Tom, but partners they talk.
They consider, compromise, all right? They don't just make choices unilaterally.
Eileen made the choice.
I've been hired to help out on a new play at the royal court.
I fly out Friday.
You're leaving? Yeah.
You should come.
Collaborate.
I loved working with you, Julia.
I haven't been this excited about a project in forever.
Neither had you.
I'm in the middle of rehearsal.
Yeah, of a sinking ship.
I mean, you said it yourself.
It's making you miserable.
I can't leave.
I haven't gotten to spend enough time with Leo as it is.
Bring him.
He'd love London.
He does have winter break coming up.
I don't know, it just doesn't feel right to leave Tom.
Why not? Seems to me like he's already left you.
I forgot you did the She loves me revival.
Nine Tony nominations.
What can we do for you, Tom? I wanted to talk to you about cutting Never give all the heart from the show.
I know producers have a great deal of say, but Legally, Eileen isn't a producer.
I'm a "friend of the production.
" Whose opinion I value highly.
Understood.
Anyway, the song is really important to Julia.
So important you came instead of her? She kind of hates Jerry with a burning passion.
Like you used to.
I still do.
I don't need people to like me.
I need them to deliver a good show, and that song It's too intellectual.
I like songs that make me feel something, and so do you.
Don't the best do both? This song is the emotional core of the show.
It's a downer.
It doesn't have to be.
What if we were to make you a deal? Say you change the song into something that wows us, something that makes us feel good.
You could keep it.
How long do I have? After that, I don't want to ever hear about it again.
So who'd you get to replace me? Is she able to sing the role? Audrey from my last show.
And optimistically? No, but at least we didn't have to cancel.
Maybe I should go in, give her a few pointers.
No, that is not a good idea.
- What, Jimmy? - You know how he gets.
He's like the Incredible Hulk.
One little thing, and he's ripping through his shirt.
Come on, you're about to open on Broadway.
This should be your last concern.
Five minutes.
Thanks.
I got to go.
Break a leg, okay? Don't wake the Hulk.
Karen? Do I know you? Cynthia Moran.
We met in Boston.
Ellis Boyd's girlfriend.
Ex, actually.
You two aren't on good terms? No.
Turns out he was kind of a psychopath.
Also gay.
Did you know that? I had an inkling about both.
- Yeah.
- So what's he up to now? I have no idea.
After he got that job with Jerry, he took off.
- Wait.
Job with Jerry? - Yeah, Jerry Rand.
Isn't he producing Bombshell? Anyway, he and Ellis made some sort of deal or something, and that's when he left me.
Good riddance, right? Coming up? No, no.
Go ahead.
Hey, somebody tweeter about us.
No, never mind.
What'd they say? "Hit list at the Fringe.
WTF? What a mess.
Ana's gonna work with Audrey all day.
Won't matter 'cause there's not gonna be a show tonight.
What are you talking about? Well, we have no director.
There's no star.
We have no second act.
There's no heat in the theater.
I mean People bought tickets.
We have a responsibility.
To not look like asses? Yes, I agree.
Canceling is not an option.
I get that you're upset that Karen bailed This is so not about Karen.
But this is the last chance for our work to be seen.
I'm not giving up because of one setback.
Yeah, I'm not either.
I'm just saving us the embarrassment.
- We'll do it without you, then.
- You know, good.
I didn't want to act in this thing in the first place.
It was you and Karen that convinced me to, and was a stupid idea.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get high and then go to work, since we spent everything we had on last night's disaster.
So Sunday we sit down with Derek, talk about the projections.
I'm still not sold on them yet.
And after that, I asked Drew from Spotco to sit with us to talk radio ads.
Where are you right now? I'm here.
No, you're not.
I know you.
Peter asked me to go to London with him, and I'm thinking about it.
Before you say anything, it's not like that.
It's to work.
So you're going to leave because you didn't get what you want? I only said I was thinking about it.
I get you're upset, but this is how collaboration works.
You make compromises.
It's not just that.
It's just It's the whole thing.
Bombshell is troubled, sure.
But it's not like we've got the problems wicked had, and look what happened.
Nine years later, it's still one of the highest grossing shows on Broadway.
Yeah, but will ours be after Eileen and Jerry cut everything I love out of it? I told you I'm going to get the song back.
I'm going to.
Give me a chance.
Welcome, members of the press.
What you're about to see is the almost finished product.
We've been doing some experimenting with the tone of the piece.
We're just going to show you a couple of scenes and songs.
Just keep in mind that this is Yeah, feel free to laugh or cry.
Whatever you're feeling, all right? This is live theater, right? Don't hold back.
I cannot comprehend another cruel day on this Earth without you.
I would rather die a thousand deaths than not feel the warmth of your embrace.
Thanks, Ivy.
I really felt that.
Eileen? I was wondering if I could talk to you.
- Sure.
- Karen? You ready for Tom's experiment? - After the number.
- Okay.
We've been waiting for you.
I stopped to buy you some tea.
Usually when you bring me presents, it's because you have something to hide.
Not anymore.
I've changed.
Originally, we thought about this as Marilyn looking back at all the mistakes she made with men, falling too hard too often.
Here's a new idea.
Guys, will you hit those spots we talked about? I want you to think about this as a cautionary tale.
You know, be empowered, not wistful.
You've learned your lesson.
Now show them.
So what if you moved between the men? Joe, Arthur, J.
F.
K.
Break their hearts.
Show them, and us, how not to give all the heart.
- Want to give it a try? - Yeah.
Fascinating.
So, you're not re-envisioning the song.
You're actually just directing it differently.
And, guess what.
That's my job.
Just trying to save the song.
You can do it if you want.
I would.
If I agreed with anything that you were doing.
Go on then, and try it.
No one cares what I think, clearly.
Let's start center and start the movement around "Irishman.
" - Just play with it.
- Okay.
I got the idea from your version of the book.
Marilyn and her men.
What do you think? This is the complete opposite of what it's supposed to be.
Julia, you can't be happy with this either.
- I love it.
- So do I.
Good work, Tom.
It's in.
Well, wasn't that lovely? Okay, can just someone tell me what I'm doing here if my opinion no longer matters? I just asked you what you thought.
What, sorry of you commandeering my show? It's my show too.
I wrote half of it.
So, I mean, did it not occur to you that I might have my own idea about how it should go? Okay, so just checking But how many best director Tonys have you got, then? Derek, why don't you take a break? Tom, you can go on working with Karen on that song.
Are you kidding me? What, are we taking turns directing now? I'll tell you what.
I'll pop off.
I'll go catch a movie.
You give me a call, and you let me know when I'm next up at bat.
- How about that? - Maybe if you got on board with the creative vision of the show No, the creative vision of the show, Tom, is my vision.
I'm the director.
This is how it works.
Not when it's the money I raised at stake.
This Thank you, Derek.
Yeah, okay.
I'd like to make a little announcement, everyone, if you could just give me one little minute of your time.
Julia, I'm sorry.
I tried to make the show we wanted.
- "Tried"? - And, Jerry, you truly are what is wrong with American theater.
And, Eileen, you are smarter, classier, and better than your producing partner, and if I were you, I wouldn't agree with a single decision he makes from here on.
Tom.
Tom.
We've got a long history, haven't we? And I am not sorry to say that it ends today.
You want to direct this show so much? Well, now's your chance because I'm done.
Ladies and gentlemen Sorry, thank you.
It's been a pleasure working with you.
Some more than others.
Derek.
Sorry, love.
I quit.
Derek.
Hey.
You're not really quitting, are you? Look, this isn't what I signed up for.
I don't believe in this anymore.
But you can't leave.
Well, apparently I can, and you should find a way out as well.
Hey, I'm not like you.
This is my big break.
It may never happen again.
Of course it will.
Just have some faith in yourself.
- Derek! - Eileen.
Come back to rehearsal.
Well, I would, but I quit.
I understand, but you can't just walk out of there.
You love this.
Loved it.
And you're a great producer, Eileen.
I would love to work with you on something.
Just not this.
Good luck.
Well, I didn't expect that to happen today.
Eileen, that thing I wanted to talk to you about? I'm sorry.
I have no time I ran into Ellis Boyd's ex-girlfriend last night.
She said something I can't shake about Jerry and Ellis working together.
Jerry and Ellis? Do you have any idea what that means? Listen, don't say anything about this to anyone, okay? I've got to go.
Taxi.
After Valmont successfully seduces Cecile, she composes a letter to her friend Sophie.
Cecile, my darling daughter, practice for your harp recital.
Your fiancée just might be in attendance.
Yes, mama.
I do so hope to meet him.
Cecile, that racket.
What are you doing in there? Are you practicing your lesson? Yes, mama.
I'm working on a very hard passage.
Just great work, Ivy.
I see a nomination in your future.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
I'm looking forward to it.
He's right.
Your number was great.
So funny.
And because I'm off my meds, I could actually laugh.
Thank you.
I thought maybe you didn't like it.
I loved it.
Unfortunately, we're going to have to cut it.
What? Why? Mr.
Falls? - Thank you.
- I'm the lead of the show.
The audience is coming to see me, so if I'm not the funniest or saddest or most anything-est person in the show, they'll be disappointed.
It's just one of the great burdens of being a celebrity.
I have to be the best all the time.
So you're saying I can't be funny too? You can be funny.
Just not as funny.
I'm so glad we had this talk.
Timothy! Timothy.
I wasn't sure you were going to show.
Yeah, I'm just gonna get my stuff.
You just happened to show up to get your stuff? You put a lot into this.
You should see it through.
What? Like Karen did? What the hell are you doing here? What, they fire you or something? No.
Actually, I could get in big trouble if the producer finds out.
Look, I know you're pissed at me.
But I'm here.
Doesn't that count for something? Yeah, you're here.
For one night.
Then you'll be gone again.
It's not enough.
- W - Get out of my way.
No.
I'm trying to talk to you.
Today sucked.
Rehearsal was crazy.
It made me question why I'm even doing this at all.
But as soon as I got out of there, the only place I wanted to be, the only person I wanted to be with was you, on stage singing.
Because when I do, I remember why I ever wanted this.
Yeah, just not enough to actually stick with it.
You can be mad at me.
Fine.
But don't take it out on everyone else.
They worked hard for this.
It's their last performance.
Do it for them.
Do it for yourself.
Jimmy, Karen, we're opening the house.
Allergy attack? No.
- Migraine? - No.
Stomachache? No.
I'm crying.
Sometimes I cry for no reason too.
Like if I eat a really good peach cobbler There's a reason.
The show is terrible.
Gossip.
Which show? Our show.
It's really, really bad.
I've been thinking the same thing for days.
Everybody in it except for you and me is awful.
No.
You're really, really bad too.
- Me? - Yeah.
Your choices are all wrong.
The set is ridiculous, and the one thing The one thing that I was holding onto, my song, you cut.
And why? So that you can dance around in your underwear on stage a little while longer? Nobody wants to see that.
- Some people do.
- Nobody.
Yeah.
I'm fired, right? No, no.
That's the most honesty I've heard in 20 years.
You reach a certain level of fame, and everybody just says yes all the time.
Nobody tells you the truth.
Nobody.
You can have your song back.
- Really? - Yeah.
Just always keep telling me the truth, okay? Hey, can you do something for me? Yeah.
Dumplings, Kung Pao chicken, cold noodles? Nah.
But that's what we always eat when we're really depressed.
Then we feel fat, and then we get more depressed.
That's what we do.
I'm not depressed.
I'm excited.
I'm sorry were we not in the same rehearsal? It was the best thing that could have happened.
The bomb went off.
Derek's what was toxic about the production.
Think about all the problems we had.
They all go back to him.
What about Rebecca Duvall? Almost all him.
And without Derek, we can make it the show we both want it to be.
We'll find a director who doesn't play divide and conquer.
I mean, are we a team, or aren't we? What about Jerry? We'll get Eileen on our side.
She'll make him come around.
It's like she has us wired.
Eileen? What? Can you come to Chinatown? Tomorrow we go in the take.
Now is the absolute last moment to tweak anything major, so I thought it would be nice if we took the time to say whatever it is we feel.
Anything.
Constructive, destructive, anything at all.
Fine.
Fine, you don't have to talk about each other.
How about me? What do you think of my performance? Anyone? You guys, he's asking us to be honest.
He means it.
He wants to hear the truth.
This is our chance to make it good.
Just tell him how bad it is, and we can make it better.
Please.
Tell me.
It's dreadful.
Appalling.
I've never been so embarrassed by my work before.
- Yeah.
- And I was in Urban cowboy.
It's that bad.
- It's really bad.
- It's just awful.
- Yeah, it's terrible.
- Unbelievable.
Is any of it any good? The text was.
The music is.
The cast is.
You can be too if you want to be.
Do we still have time to make some changes? - Absolutely.
- Okay.
Hey.
You came.
I did.
It has real promise.
So you really quit? - It appears I did.
- You ruled! She did! Thanks.
You too.
Nice work.
You too.
I agree.
You were wonderful.
- Where can I find the writers? - They are right here.
I'm Kyle.
I did the book.
Jimmy wrote the music and lyrics.
Scott Nichols.
I'm the artistic director at Manhattan Theatre workshop.
And you came to see our show? I'll admit I only came because the show I had tickets for got canceled.
But I'm glad I did.
It's really intriguing.
It's just the kind of project I look for.
Who's the director? We don't have one.
Yeah, you do.
Derek.
Hey, Scott.
How are you doing? What are you doing here? Aren't you directing Bombshell? Not anymore.
No.
And you'd both be on board to star? I'm not an actor.
Yes, he is.
And what about you? I can't.
I'm in Bombshell.
That's too bad.
Would you all like to go have a drink - and talk about the show? - God, yes.
- Where are we going? - Just up the block.
Hey, you're coming, right? Hey, don't you have to be at rehearsal early tomorrow morning? Yeah.
Well, have fun.
Yeah.
See you around.
This is it, Mrs.
Rand.
I'll wait out here for you.
What's that? That's proof that Jerry's a lying son of a bitch.
It's a background check on Nick Felder.
Ellis did it last year.
I found it in Jerry's office.
Wait, what does that mean? It means that Jerry was paying Ellis for information, so he could shut down the show and take it over himself.
Mission accomplished.
My God.
Have you talked to him? No, and I'm not going to until I get the show back.
Then I'll kill him, if he's lucky.
What do we do until then? Even if we got a new director tomorrow, he or she would need weeks of prep.
What if he were already prepped? What do you mean? We have a director.
My God.
- We have a director.
- What? Tom, we have a director! - Who? - You.
You know this show better than anyone.
You know the cast, the costumes, the choreography.
Sometimes he does it around the apartment when he thinks no one's looking.
I mean, look what you did today in rehearsal.
You you've got the vision, Tom.
You see the show.
Like Derek used to.
Even better, 'cause you see it the way we want it to be.
I will be with you every step of the way.
What do you say? You want to save Bombshell or what? I thought you'd never ask.