tune up 2

Rent The Musical

[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 AND 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 AND 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 AND ROGER]

Benny! Shit.

[BENNY]

Dudes, I m on my way

[MARK AND 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 ...

By Marininha