Backstage (2016) s02e19 Episode Script

[Ayla.]
Previously on Backstage You're the puppeteer [Alya.]
What's Frances' deal? This is my life, not drama she can manipulate for a class project.
Ms.
Cristinziano will be unable to compete after suffering a concussion.
Jenna.
[Ms.
Helsweel.]
You will produce and interpret a performance that marries dance, music, drama, and visual artistry.
Your story is that of the Tin Soldier.
[Bianca.]
Boy has a broken toy tin soldier, who falls in love with a paper ballerina.
You are so far from a failure.
[Beckett.]
So strong, a force to be reckoned with.
Hey! Will you, Julie Maslany, let me take you out? [Julie.]
I'd love that.
Looks like I've landed myself in kindergarten.
[Julie.]
We can all contribute.
You good, Carly? [Carly.]
Now I have no clothes for the audition, and no cash to buy them.
[school bell rings.]
Someone stole $40.
I only realize it was missing after I'd hiked to the store.
Someone needs to come clean.
I didn't get the music video gig.
[sighs.]
That was how I planned to pay back the money I took.
The money that, to be fair, was mine in the first place, but I don't know how they'd feel hearing that excuse.
Well, we all know who the last one with the money was.
I have to tell them it was me, and tell them how sorry I am.
It's just so embarrassing.
- Guys - [Matteo.]
Great theory, genius.
Why would I hoof all the way to the store if I was the one who stole the money? Good point.
For starters, you're being pretty defensive for someone who's not guilty.
Also a good point.
Anyone in the school could've taken the money.
Yeah, some random just happened to know where we left it, and only stole 40 bucks.
Who's the genius now? - [Carly.]
Guys - Look, no one stole anything.
Someone obviously just took their own money back.
- So whoever it was - [coughs.]
Matteo.
Will return it by lunch.
Our Red Riding Hood performance is tomorrow.
We can't spend the day at each other's throats, okay? - [Matteo.]
Okay.
- [Miles.]
Okay.
But how am I supposed to return money I don't have by lunch? Now can we please get back to work? Miles, I need your magic touch on the music for my solo.
Absolutely.
["Spark" playing.]
My eyes are open But I cannot see And I'm up and walking Still feels like a dream Until our eyes adjust, I guess We're only feeling in the darkness Oh, oh, oh - We just need a spark - Oh, oh - To light up the dark - Oh, oh I can feel you with me I can feel you with me - We just need a spark - Oh, oh - To light up the dark - Oh, oh I can feel you with me I can feel you with me We just need a spark One, two, three.
Don't worry, tin soldier You'll find where you belong [woman.]
Okay, freeze.
I have to pin your jacket.
Whoa, I know those two had chemistry, but right there, that's definite sparkage.
Where was that in our rehearsals? Isn't this a little - [squeaks.]
- [sighs.]
tight? Take it off.
I need to fix it.
[sighs.]
[Beckett.]
Can I go get another shirt? I'm just gonna say it.
Cute! Uh, Bianca, wanna run our song again? In a minute.
First, tell us all about tall, dance, and handsome.
Uh, not sure there's more to tell.
Come on, a guy that pretty has gotta have some stories.
Hey, Bianca, need a glass of water? - I'm good.
Thanks.
- [Alya.]
You sure? You're acting pretty thirsty.
Seriously, do you have eyes? Uh, actually, I think I need some water.
- What'd I say? - [sighs.]
Vanessa has a history with Beckett.
You didn't see all those sparks between them? I thought Oh.
[sighs.]
- Should I talk to her? - It's fine.
I've got this.
We need our ballerina on her game.
You are the expert on working on your ex-awkwardness.
[tongue clicks.]
So Aren't I? Guys! I had a brainwave for one last wow moment in our dance.
[gasps.]
Head rush.
I must have just snapped up too quick.
Or she's having symptoms From her concussion.
Uh, actually, I was thinking we can get the wow by slowing things down.
I don't get it.
It's, uh, subversive.
You know, we could slow down the beats.
We can do that, right? Yeah, but why would you want to? [Sasha.]
Please? - [slow tempo music playing.]
- [Sasha.]
Perfect.
And, uh, now we do a Matrix-like finale with even slower moves.
Come on, Jenna.
Slowly.
[Sasha exhales.]
I like this.
- We slow down - Yes.
- Yes, loving it.
- And then - We ramp up real fast.
[chuckles.]
- Wait, what? Now I get it.
The transformation of the dance mirrors the transformation of the duckling.
- Oh.
- It's genius.
- [Sasha.]
I really don't think - Kick it, Jax! - Whoo-whee! - [upbeat music playing.]
- [Scarlett.]
Yeah.
- And then we end with synchronized cartwheels.
Hey, stop! - [music stops.]
- You can't go hard like this, Jenna.
You have a concussion.
- You have a concussion? - That's what all this slow stuff is about? I was just trying to protect you.
You protect me? That's rich.
Sorry about Bianca.
She didn't mean anything back there.
I know.
The things with Beckett, I get it.
I've had to work with my ex too.
- I can leave if you wanna be alone.
- No.
- No, it's just embarrassing.
- Oh, I get that.
But sometimes it's nice to talk to someone outside your circle.
Mm, only if you want to.
Maybe that would be nice.
It's not even like I can call Beckett an ex, really.
We just connected, you know? We saw each other's talents.
Even injured, he never let me quit on myself.
He called me "powerful," and "strong," and and then he kissed me.
- Oh! [chuckles.]
- Then completely ignored me afterwards.
[gasps.]
And he had the nerve to tell me it was all because he liked me too much.
And after all that, you still have feelings for him? I know I shouldn't, but when we're together The world lights up.
This is dumb.
I'm sorry.
No, it's not.
Not at all.
You know, Beckett was right about one thing.
You are strong.
I can see it.
You'll get through this, Vanessa.
Thanks.
And, uh, my friends call me V.
Well, my friends call me Alya.
[both laugh.]
- [Vanessa.]
We'll come up with something.
- [chuckles.]
- We still on for lunch? - You know it.
Hey, Carly, do you have a sec? Put the money back.
- What? The money? I - I saw you take it, Carly.
What were you thinking? I wasn't, I just Wait you saw me and you didn't tell anyone? I wanted to give you the chance to make it right.
Now put the money back before this group falls apart.
I was going to, I swear.
But [sighs.]
I don't have it.
[sighs.]
I don't know what to do.
[sighs.]
My dad lost his job, and money's been tight.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know.
And when Matteo asked us all to contribute to the project, I was too embarrassed to say no.
I get it.
I feel horrible.
I couldn't even sleep last night.
You're not the only one who has done things they're not proud of.
Like when you got Ms.
Maria fired? That's one of them.
You know what I've learned? When you're really in trouble ask for help.
Help.
You call her a strong and powerful force To be reckoned with She knows you're not unremarkable She'll never let you quit I don't remember that happening in the Tin Soldier.
I might have taken some details from the life of our real paper ballerina.
You're using Vanessa's story? Is she cool with that? You haven't asked her? Not exactly, but this is why we're at Keaton.
To test boundaries, to channel our talent and emotions, and our drama into the art.
Our own emotions, our own drama.
But there's so much going on between Vanessa and Beckett.
You saw it this morning.
It's great material.
So? So my song will help them tap into all that emotion.
It'll only make their performance better.
You're starting to sound like Frances.
Good, I learned how to make the music better from her.
Do you have the memory of a goldfish? You hated Frances doing that to you.
But it helped make me better.
And this will help Vanessa.
It's what Frances would've done.
That's exactly the problem.
[whispers.]
She's here.
Are you guys talking about our dance? Uh, yeah.
And we've all agreed.
It's better for you if you're not in it.
This is an intervention.
Excuse me? An intervention is when a group of friends I know what it means, George.
But why is it happening? Well, we're worried about you, Jenna.
Medical conditions are serious.
I would know, I had nodes.
For every concussion, a person is one to two times more likely to get a second.
Guys, my doctor cleared me.
Really? I can take you to Durani to see all the forms I had to complete before they even let me back in here.
Or I can talk you through my weeks of excruciating headaches spent in complete darkness 24/7 - Got it.
No, thank you.
- [Scarlett.]
So you're really okay? [sighs.]
Guys, I swear to the dance gods.
I know how to read my body.
I've heard that before.
From me.
Please, J, when I wasn't healthy, you gave me so many chances to come clean, and I didn't.
Wait, you were unhealthy too? I'm fine.
I was on some silly fitness program, but I'm off it now.
My cousin did something very similar to that, and he passed out holding weights in his hands.
That doesn't make sense.
Guys, I'm good, I swear.
This is supposed to be about Jenna.
[door lock clicks.]
[door opens.]
Here you are.
- I thought we were, uh, doing lunch.
- Oh, we are.
- Can we eat here? - Yeah, sounds great.
[Julie sighs.]
[door opens.]
- [door closes.]
- [Matteo.]
Oh, sorry.
- Didn't know you guys were in here.
- [Miles.]
Well, now you do.
Oh, good.
Looks like somebody returned the cash.
Isn't that convenient? How many times do I have to tell you, man? I didn't take it.
- Sure, you didn't.
- Enough.
Just stop it.
If you wanna blame someone, I was here first.
Blame me.
You? But there's no way you stole the money.
Right? No, but whoever did probably had a reason.
And who cares? It's back now.
So just leave it alone.
Okay.
Well I have to go buy supplies, so you two enjoy your picnic.
- [door opens.]
- [Julie sighs.]
- [door closing.]
- I really don't like that guy.
Just forget about him.
Be here with me.
Well, could he be any more obvious? He clearly stole the money, and conveniently put it back.
Stop.
Matteo didn't steal the money.
He wouldn't do that.
Why is she sticking up for him? Unless she has feelings for him.
Everything's fine now, Miles.
Can we please just leave it alone? Yeah.
[softly.]
Yeah.
Thank you.
So, that was a lot back there.
Everyone was blaming me, but I was just trying to help Jenna.
No one's blaming you.
And Jenna seemed like she was okay, man.
You don't know that.
Well, actually, I'm pretty sure the doctors and Durani wouldn't let her come back if she wasn't.
But what if she's not really okay, and she can't see it? When I wasn't okay, I couldn't see it.
She says she's listening to her body, but I saw her get dizzy this morning.
That's my fault.
Even though she won't forgive me, I have to look out for her.
Dude she was trying to dance with you all day, I'm pretty sure she's forgiven you.
Then why do I still feel so guilty? Maybe Jenna's not the one that needs to forgive you.
[light switch clicks.]
Once upon a time, there was a steadfast tin soldier.
[chimes tinkling.]
["Tin Soldier" playing.]
He saw the ballerina Standing on her one leg Loved her in an instant Even from far away Now what do you say You want it so bad They tell you it's too late You're still a proud soldier I wouldn't get in the way Will you Don't worry, tin soldier You'll find where you belong Be steadfast, tin soldier Tin soldier Soldier on Oh, oh, oh-oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh This will be better for the project and better for V.
She'll understand.
I know she will.
You call her a strong and powerful force To be reckoned with She knows you're not unremarkable Did she change the lyrics and make them about me? She wouldn't.
Don't worry, tin soldier You'll find where you belong Be steadfast, tin soldier Tin Soldier - Soldier on Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh Now they're getting closer She's off her feet The soldier and the dancer Shared a kiss so sweet, sweet, sweet This is about me and Vanessa.
Stop, Alya.
Please.
Oh, the paper girl got too close She was in too deep The boy who lit her world Tore her paper heart into pieces Don't worry, ballerina You'll find where you belong You're strong, ballerina You are strong Don't worry, ballerina You'll find where you belong You're strong, ballerina You are strong You're strong, ballerina You are strong And all that was left of our star-crossed duo was a perfectly formed tin heart.
Brava.
That felt so real.
You guys obviously connected to the story.
Well I definitely felt the theme of the heartbroken, and the heartbreaker, but also the theme of strength.
I didn't hate it.
See? The method works.
[Jenna.]
Sasha, can we talk? Here it comes.
You good? Uh, yeah.
You good? Good.
So then, we're both good.
Stop saying "good" so much.
Good.
Look, Sasha As worried as you were are I'm twice as worried.
It's okay.
I'm fine.
No, about me.
Every time I step on that stage, I risk another injury.
But I'm a dancer.
I can either be paranoid about another concussion and lose everything I care about, or I can dance.
And I'm choosing to dance.
I'm glad you are.
I promise I'll let you know if something's up, okay? Okay.
Great.
Now, can we please practice our performances tomorrow? Of course.
- Right now.
- [Jenna chuckles.]
So? - What'd you think? - Think? Seriously, are you that clueless? How could you do this to me? Um all the teachers Including Helsweel Loved your performance.
- That doesn't matter.
- That's all that matters.
Admit it, that was one of the most emotional dances you've ever performed.
You're unbelievable.
You're not even gonna say "sorry"? You told me you still had feelings for him.
And now he knows.
I was just trying to help.
No one asked you to do that.
Fine, you want me to be sorry? I'm sorry for trying to give the paper ballerina and the tin soldier - a fairytale ending.
- How? By singing about my life? By sharing my story without even asking me? I was just inspired.
You really are the jack-in-the-box, huh? You push people into the fire for fun.
- Come on.
V - It's Vanessa.
Only my friends call me V.
And you're not my friend.
- So, what do you think? - Grandmother, what big teeth you have.
All the better to eat you with, my dear.
[both chuckle.]
That was a nice thing you did for Carly today.
- What do you mean? - I know you put the money back for her.
I just hope she pays you back.
Wait, you knew? And you didn't say anything even after Miles accused you? Like you said, who cares? The money's back, - so why keep harping on it? - Right? I'm so sorry about Miles.
[rips.]
[sighs.]
You think you can rock the furless wolf look? - Or, you know, we can fix it.
- [chuckles.]
You're not gonna use silk twister at the? Once an artist, always an artist.
[chuckles.]
You know, there's a new IYY exhibit at the AGO.
It's supposed to be spectacular.
I was thinking of checking it out.
Or we could check it out.
Together? I'd like that.
But Miles We're just two friends checking out art.
Why does it matter? Unless Unless? ["Tin Soldier" playing.]
He saw the ballerina Standing on her one leg Loved her in an instant Even from far away Now what do you say You want it so bad They tell you it's too late You're still a proud soldier I wouldn't get in the way Will you