Kansas city choir boy 121414 sm version

KANSAS CITY CHOIR BOY

by Todd Almond

MARK SUBIAS UTA 212-659-2615

KANSAS CITY CHOIR BOY

By TODD ALMOND draft: 12/14/14 Kansas City Choir Boy, a former club-kid, now in his late 30’s and still stuck in the Midwest with no real ambition, is alone in his room. He sits in his underwear with headphones on and a beer in his hand. He’s creating/recording music on his laptop. We hear what he’s hearing, which is the song Black and White. It is a song he’s written, and he’s only halfpleased with it.

BLACK AND WHITE COMPUTER TRACK Hey, Come Over We'll watch a movie It may be a compromising position You'll love my VCR if you come all the way here on vacation It plays everything in Black and White I've got another sleeping over.

It's like time traveling and we're black and white.

We'll turn the lights off. come over Strip the color.

He takes his headphones of because he heard something. The music stops.

KCCB Hello?

Nothing. He goes back to listening.

2

COMPUTER TRACK You sure surprised me when you laid one on me And then you kissed me like they did in the movie.

Let's go back in time through my TV! No, even further till we're black and white.

Again, he hears something and again he stops the music. He gets up and looks for whatever it was that made that noise, but there is nothing/no one. He chugs a beer and goes back to listening.

Hey, come over We'll, uhh . . .

We'll be an old movie.

He dances in his underwear like, as they say, no one is watching. It’s funny.

I'll take you dancing Back to 1938 I'll wear my tuxedo You put flowers in your hair.

I'll take you dancing Back to 1938 I'll wear my tuxedo You put flowers in your hair.

Again, he hears something. This time, he just removes his headphones and cranks up the music through the speakers. We hear pounding on the wall from the neighbors. He doesn’t care.

I'll take you dancing Back to 1938 I'll wear my tuxedo You put flowers in your hair.

Hey, Come over

3

Suddenly there is a strange glow from his TV. A strange, ghostly spell overtakes the room.

It may be a compromising position If you come all the way here on vacation Let's go back in time through my TV Let's go back in time through my TV The strange glow intensifies.

Let's go back in time through my TV No, even further till we're black and white.

As the song ends, a strange new sound emanates from the TV. KCCB is drawn to the TV. KCCB sings.

SIXTEEN KCCB I'M DRIVING ARE YOU? I'M SIXTEEN ARE YOU? I'M SUNBURNT I'M HALF A MILE FROM WHERE I STARTED DRIVING AND YOU YOU'RE LAUGHING AND YOU YOU'RE SMOKING AND YOU'RE SUNBURNT AND YOU'RE HALF A MILE WITH ME AND THE CAR GOES AND IT'S CHRISTMAS AND IT'S SO GOOD!

4

AND WE'RE SO TIRED! BECAUSE GOD KNOWS WE DIDN'T SLEEP AT ALL! AND WE'RE SIXTEEN AND WE'RE LAUGHING Athena appears. She is a goddess and her entrance is goddess-like.

She hovers over KCCB as he sings to her.

KCCB I'M THINKING OF YOU AT SIXTEEN AND ME I'M DRIVING AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS IT'S LOVELY DRIVING AGAIN LIKE I'M SIXTEEN AND YOU'RE WITH ME! AND YOU'RE SMOKING ALWAYS SMOKING! Athena descends. She and KCCB sit on an object that becomes a “car” and we are taken back in time to when they were sixteen and in love.

KCCB AND THE CAR GOES AND IT'S CHRISTMAS AND IT'S FINE AND I'M TIRED AND GOD KNOWS WHERE I'M SLEEPING! AND I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING! I'M LAUGHING! ARE YOU? I'M LAUGHING ARE YOU? I'M LAUGHING ARE YOU?

5

Athena and KCCB sit in a car. They are young and fabulous, but only in that we’re-the-most-fabulous-in-the-Midwest-kind-of-way.

There is music from the car radio. A train passes. A distant fireworks display overhead. They watch through the sunroof of the car.

She kisses him. He kisses her. During the following song, they make a little game of having sex (for the first time). It is playful, funny--sweet. They use the words of this song to tease each other--they have fun together.

BABY, MAKE ME YOUR CONSTELLATION ATHENA I DECIDED FINALLY FINALLY TO GET A TATTOO IT'S GONNA BE A BRUISE RIGHT HERE. BLACK AND BLUE! ATHENA AND KCCB A BRUISE ATHENA IN THE SHAPE OF YOUR MOUTH KCCB RIGHT HERE! AND HERE! AND HERE! AND HERE! As the music builds, they get more intimate. It should be overwhelming.

The stars grow unbearably bright as the fireworks continue.

ATHENA BABY, MAKE ME YOUR CONSTELLATION. BABY, MAKE ME YOUR CONSTELLATION. BABY, MAKE ME YOUR CONSTELLATION. BABY, MAKE ME YOUR CONSTELLATION.

6

The intimacy becomes intense--they are now connected--They are in love.

They are bound.

The lights fade on this scene.

The lights come up on The Girl--she is looking at something far, far off in the distance. It is beckoning to her, calling her to it (like a siren). It is the missing-girls from the television, but we don’t really know that yet.

WHAT I AM MOST AFRAID OF ATHENA: I AM NOT AFRAID OF WHAT I AM THE MOST AFRAID OF IN YOU. She sees KCCB sleeping.

Voices from the distance sing: CHORUS OF GIRLS: BUT THE WAY YOU ARE! AND THE WAY YOU'RE NOT! She looks off into the distance again--the strange force is calling her even more intensely now. She starts to see it more clearly. She dances.

ATHENA: I AM NOT AFRAID OF ALL I AM AFRAID OF. She moves toward the strange force, but then stops herself.

The strange force reveals itself. It’s a group of young girls who move in perfect sync with one another. They are other worldly. They rush into the space and dance ecstatically.

CHORUS OF GIRLS: BUT THE WAY YOU ARE! AND THE WAY YOU'RE NOT! Athena joins their dancing, it’s like they have injected her with some ecstatic drug. A string quartet enters. They being playing with the wild music. The girls put a beautiful dress onto Athena. This is the fantasy of who she could become.

7

The fantasy ends, she sleeps next to KCCB. They wake. He plays the piano. She sings.

She sings.

ALL I EVER WANTED IN THIS LIFETIME ATHENA TODAY I WOKE UP TO A PHONE CALL THAT I KNEW WAS COMING A PHONE CALL FROM YOU. THEN I CAUGHT SIGHT OF MY TV I'D LEFT ON ALL NIGHT I HATE THAT: WAKING UP TO SOME STUPID SHOW. AND ALL I EVER WANTED IN THIS LIFETIME WAS TO SEE A MOVIE WITH YOU. I BELIEVE YOU ARE A GHOST AND YOU JUMP FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND FIND ME EACH TIME AND JUST WHEN I LET MYSELF RELAX YOU LEAP AND I LOOK FOR YOU AGAIN AND ALL I EVER WANTED IN THIS LIFETIME WAS TO SEE A MOVIE WITH YOU. NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY I CAN'T MAKE THIS . . . (unintelligible) . . .

I READ A BOOK AND LAUGH AT A SENTENCE THAT I KNOW YOU WOULD HATE

8

I SEE YOUR LIPS CURL YOUR EYES CLOSE YOUR HANDS GRIP YOUR T-SHIRT.

LET'S CALL THIS KCCB HEY, I HAD A DREAM LAST NIGHT YOU WENT AWAY BUT YOU CAME BACK TO ME YOU SEE? IT'S ALRIGHT. ATHENA HEY, I HAD A DREAM LAST NIGHT I WENT AWAY. BUT I CAME BACK HOME. YEAH. IT'S ALRIGHT. KCCB LET'S CALL THIS OUR WEDDING DAY. ATHENA: YOU MEAN . . . ?

KCCB YEAH. ATHENA YEAH. TODAY. KCCB LET'S CALL THIS . . .

ATHENA LET'S CALL THIS . . .

KCCB OUR WEDDING DAY . . .

9

ATHENA WHY NOT? BOTH OUR WEDDING DAY! KCCB creates a wedding. The string quartet appears. A top hat, a veil. They get married.

GIRLS IN THE CLUB BETCHA THAT I'LL DREAM TONIGHT FLOWERS AND HONEY. LET'S CALL THIS OUR WEDDING DAY! (REPEATED A LOT) As the song ends, they walk into their beautiful new married life.

But instantly it’s clear that Athena is not happy with this choice. She hears the girls singing . . .

GIRLS BUT THE WAY YOU ARE . . .

AND THE WAY YOU’RE NOT . . .

THE WAY YOU ARE . . .

AND THE WAY YOU’RE NOT . . .

We jump to the end of the relationship. Time has passed, this marriage is a disaster, she is leaving. He is playing his guitar. It’s a bitter and mean breakup.

FIREWORKS ATHENA THROUGH THE SUNROOF ON MEMORIAL DAY WE SAW THE FIREWORKS

10

BUT I WATCHED IT LIKE A CHILD WOULD BOTH WHEN I SAY I WANT TO FADE AWAY I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTAND I WANNA BLAME THEM FIREWORKS. ATHENA NOW I’LL REMEMBER YOU LYING ON YOUR BED YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEART SAYING, KCCB "THIS IS JUST KILLING ME." ATHENA AND YOU LOOKED LIKE A CHILD WOULD BOTH WHEN I SAY I WANT TO FADE AWAY I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTAND AND I WANNA BLAME THEM FIREWORKS. KCCB THROUGH MY WINDOW THERE ARE FIREWORKS THROUGH MY WINDOW THERE ARE FIREWORKS THROUGH MY WINDOW THERE ARE FIREWORKS THROUGH MY WINDOW THERE ARE FIREWORKS NO MORE! The sirens have arrived, playing guitars.

11

ATHENA/SIRENS NOW WE’LL REMEMBER YOU LYING ON YOUR BED YOUR HAND ON YOUR HEART SAYING, KCCB "THIS IS JUST KILLING ME." ATHENA/SIRENS AND YOU LOOKED LIKE A CHILD WOULD BOTH/ALL WHEN I SAY I WANT TO FADE AWAY I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTAND AND I WANNA BLAME THEM FIREWORKS. KCCB SIRENS THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS there’s a school yard, THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS there’s a building going up THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS there’s a train track trucking THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS NO MORE! there are fireworks (repeated) ATHENA SIRENS THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS there’s a school yard, THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS there’s a building going up THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS there’s a train track trucking THROUGH MY WINDOW through your window THERE ARE FIREWORKS NO MORE! there are fireworks (repeated)

12

ALL FADE AWAY I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTAND AND I WANNA BLAME THEM FIREWORKS. KCCB I WANNA BLAME THEM FIREWORKS NO MORE The girls go, Athena goes, the quartet goes. The piano goes.

Everyone is gone, except for KCCB, who is completely alone. in silence.

Time passes. In Silence. He has no one to play music for him. They even took his piano.

He turns to his computer. Hits play.

A sexy beat starts thumping.

KCCB puts on rave clothes—that he’s too old to be wearing. Over the course of this song, he goes back and forth to a local bar, picks up women.

He’s stuck in this pattern.

HOLD YOUR TONGUE SONG IN THE CLUB I TOOK A TRIP TO MY FAVORITE BAR SAW SOMEONE DANCING WHO LOOKED JUST LIKE YOU BUT IT WASN'T YOU. THEN YOU WALKED IN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I TOOK A TRIP TO THE BACK OF THE BAR TO AVOID YOU. DON'T MOVE. DON'T MOVE.

13

DON'T MOVE. DON'T MOVE. DON'T MOVE. HOLD YOUR TONGUE! HOLD YOUR TONGUE! STRANGER KCCB A STRANGER QUESTION I THINK THAN, "WHY HAVEN'T I HEARD FROM YOU?" IS: "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" COME HOME NOW IT ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE. KCCB puts on exploring gear, packs things into a bag. He’s going to venture into the great unknown to find Athena! (he’s like Orpheus going after Euridice) KCCB BUT STRANGER STILL IS HOW I'M ONLY ANGRY WITH YOU WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM? COME HOME NOW! IT ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE! BABY! BABY! BABY! BABY!

IF YOU COULD HEAR THE THINGS I'M HEARING! OH! IF YOU COULD HEAR THE THINGS I'M HEARING! OH!

He attemps to go, but is stopped by the threatening sounds of the sirens:

14

SIRENS M. I. S. S. I. N. G. M. I. S. S. I. N. G. M. I. S. S. I. N. G. M. I. S. S. I. N. G. M. I. S. S. I. N. G.

SIRENS you ain’t ever gonna catch her coming back she ain’t ever coming she ain’t ever, she ain’t ever you ain’t ever gonna catch her coming back she ain’t ever coming she ain’t ever, she ain’t ever

KCCB is in the heart of darkness looking for her. It’s scary and he’s being brave.

KCCB BUT STRANGEST MOST OF ALL, IS HOW YOU HAVE BECOME A STRANGER TO ME COME HOME NOW! IT ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE! BABY! IF YOU COULD HEAR THE THINGS I'M HEARING COME HOME NOW. COME HOME NOW. COME HOME NOW. COME HOME NOW. He finds her. She is in a painter’s studio.

She is in a painter’s studio, a model for the painting. The painter is painting her as Athena.

HERE'S A PHOTO ATHENA/CHORUS OF MISSING GIRLS: (Athena speaks this, the girls sing) HEY, HERE'S A PHOTO ME AS A PAINTING. ATHENA. I'M SO HAPPY. BABY, I KNOW WHAT I PROMISED. BABY, I KNOW. I KNOW.

15

HE SAYS I'M BEAUTIFUL. BABY, I'M NOT COMING HOME. I KNOW. I KNOW. I KNOW. HE SAYS I'M BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE YOU. I ALWAYS WILL. I LOVE YOU. MISSING GIRLS (THROUGHOUT): HEY. COME. WE'RE READY. IT'S ALL READY FOR YOU. HEY. I'M WAITING. I'M WAITING FOR YOU. COME! HEY. IT'S ALL READY FOR YOU. She gives him the photograph and kisses him. He goes.

Split scene: KCCB is on his way home (train? plane? driving?)

Athena is in New York, morning, jogging.

Dark music starts, but KCCB seems newly happy. He sings.

HEY FRIEND KCCB I’M SO GLAD I SAW YOU IN THE LIFE YOU WANTED YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT FOR SOMETHING MORE THAN KANSAS CITY BUT KANSAS CITY WANTS ME OR I WANT KANSAS CITY OR KANSAS CITY WANTS ME OR WANT KANSAS CITY

16

DON’T FORGET TO LOOK DOWN WHEN YOU’RE FLYING OVER WAVE YOUR HAND AND HOLLER WHEN YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY TO, I DON’T KNOW . . .

MAKE SOME MOVIE! OR MEET SOME LOVER! OR WHATEVER. AND ME, I’LL WAVE TO EVERY PLANE THAT PASSES HEY, FRIEND. IT'S ME. Meanwhile, Athena, in her new life encounters a dangerous stranger.

Something very bad happens. Something very bad happens to all of the girls.

The music fades.

Silence.

KCCB is in his Kansas City apartment, watching TV, drinking a beer.

Athena’s face is on the television, it’s a news report. “Local Kansas City girl killed in New York.” KCCB is in tears as he watches.

ATHENA KCCB THEY BUILT A MEMORIAL TO THE GREAT WORLD WAR THEY BUILT A MUSEUM UNDER THAT. THEY PUT WINDOWS WHERE THE CEILING SHOULD BE THEY PUT PICTURES OF YOU ON THE NEWS. AND UNDER THE GLASS CEILING THE PEOPLE ARE WHISPERING.

17

OH, ATHENA OF THE MOUNTAIN YOU CAME DOWN AND WE DID THIS TO YOU. IN THIS GARDEN, THE STORY GOES THERE WERE HEROES, THERE WAS WAR. WE REMEMBER. WE SHOOT PICTURES. WE SHOOT FIREWORKS WE SHOOT MORE. I AM A GIRL I AM A DAUGHTER I AM IN A MUSEUM. OH, ATHENA! OF THE MOUNTAIN! YOU CAME DOWN AND WE DID THIS TO YOU! OH, ATHENA! OH MY DAUGHTER! YOU CAME DOWN AND WE DID THIS TO YOU. During the following, Athena ascends.

HERE I GO! ATHENA HERE I GO! OH, BOY! I KNOW WHAT THIS FEELING IS. HERE I GO! OH, BOY! I KNOW WHAT THIS FEELING IS. I'M GONNA TAKE MY TIME I'M GONNA WRITE THE WHOLE THING DOWN I THINK IT'S BETTER.

18

AND HONESTLY I LIKE MY TV MORE THAN THE PARK AND I LIKE PEOPLE. IN THE DARK. AND, BESIDES, I DON'T WANT TO SEE. HERE I GO. OH, BOY. OH, NO. THERE GOES MY FAMILY AGAIN. AND MY LONG LOST FRIEND WELL, THROUGH THE DUSTY WINDOW THEY LOOK LIKE GHOSTS, ANYHOW. OH, BOY. I KNOW WHAT THIS FEELING IS. LET’S GO BACK IN TIME THROUGH MY TV NO EVEN FURTHER TILL WE’RE BLACK AND WHITE NO EVEN FURTHER, NO EVEN FURTHER LET’S GO BACK UNTIL WE’RE BLACK AND WHITE LET’S GO BACK IN TIME THROUGH MY TV NO EVEN FURTHER TILL WE’RE BLACK AND WHITE NO EVEN FURTHER, NO EVEN FURTHER LET’S GO BACK UNTIL WE’RE BLACK AND WHITE She is gone.

He sits at the piano. And plays.

TWO OF YOU KCCB I DID SOMETHING I CAN'T EXPLAIN I TOLD SOMEONE YOU WERE MINE AGAIN THERE ARE TWO OF YOU.

19

I DID SOMETHING I CAN'T EXPLAIN MISSING GIRL #1 (speaking) And I did something I told someone you were mine again.

KCCB (and Missing Girl #1) I TOLD SOMEONE YOU WERE MINE AGAIN MISSING GIRL #2 (speaking) I had an entire conversation about it . . .

I can't explain, I CAN explain.

KCCB THERE ARE TWO OF YOU. MISSING GIRL #3 (speaking) I can't explain.

I CAN explain.

There are two of you.

KCCB I DID SOMETHING (and missing girls #1 and #2) I CAN'T EXPLAIN MISSING GIRL #4 (speaking) Say: isn't that funny.

MISSING GIRL #5 (speaking) Oh, isn't that funny!

MISSING GIRL #4 (speaking) No, no, not like that! (missing girls #4 and #5 laugh!)

ATHENA (speaking) (joining the girls) Okay, someone has to make me laugh!

20

KCCB (and missing girls #1, #2, and #3) I TOLD SOMEONE YOU WERE MINE AGAIN THERE ARE TWO OF YOU. MISSING GIRL #6 (speaking) we were in the post office and we had an entire conversation about it.

KCCB I DID SOMETHING I CAN'T EXPLAIN I TOLD SOMEONE YOU WERE MINE AGAIN. MISSING GIRL #1 (speaking) Isn't that funny?

I TOLD SOMEONE YOU WERE MINE AGAIN THERE ARE TWO OF YOU. ALL OF THE MISSING GIRLS AND ATHENA (overlapping) I told someone you were mine again. or, still we were in the post office and I had an entire conversation about it.

I can't explain.

There are two of you.

THERE ARE TWO OF YOU! Just like that.

Just like that.

Just like that.

END

21