THE UNDERSTUDY - Act Three

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Speaker 4 Miss Natalie Primavera is still stuck on the body of Miss Ava Ross, turning the poor girl's life upside down with 5 AM runs and Instagram obsession.

Speaker 4 She breaks up with a Trevor boy who serenades her dressed as naked Miley Miley Cyrus and starts flirting with Grayson. God help us all.

Speaker 4 When I give Jasmine the Sugar Plum Fairy Roll and pull Natalie, I mean Ava, from the show entirely to put a stop to this madness, she has a prima donna meltdown in my office and smashes the magic snow globe, releasing dark forces into the world.

Speaker 4 Chaos ensues. Meanwhile, the real Ava wakes up, trapped in Natalie's broken body.
The girls finally meet at the hospital, each wanting what the other has.

Speaker 5 Tragic, hey?

Speaker 4 Miss Kenzie, smart girl, figures out the swap and hatches a plan. Natalie must learn to be able to become Natalie again.

Speaker 4 The natural order must be restored, or we're all doomed. Now get out of my office and listen to the finale of what will probably be the end, for all of us.

Speaker 6 Interior Stage Auditorium Day.

Speaker 6 Miss Miyako sitting in the center of the audience. Dancers scatter throughout the seats while Jasmine and Grayson dance the pater-due on stage.

Speaker 6 As they strike the final pose, Jasmine looks to the audience.

Speaker 7 Has anyone seen Mr. Constantine?

Speaker 6 Interior stage wings continuous. Miss Lana, clipboard in hand, waves Natalie over.

Speaker 8 Mrs. Primavera wants to make some adjustments on your costume.

Speaker 6 Interior dressing room day. Zoe is seated on her phone, waiting for her turn, as Mrs.
Primavera fits Natalie with various costume pieces.

Speaker 6 Natalie notices her mother's touch, moving away wisps of her hair to measure her.

Speaker 11 Have I told you that you dance just like Natalie?

Speaker 12 All ballet looks the same when it's done right.

Speaker 13 No.

Speaker 11 Ballet's personal.

Speaker 11 You and her, you have the same something.

Speaker 11 It's hard to explain.

Speaker 6 Natalie stays silent.

Speaker 14 Life's so unfair. Natalie can't play the Sugar Plum Fairy and I'm spending my senior year in core.
How lame is that?

Speaker 15 Kenzie worked her ass off for that role on top of taking AP classes and college applications.

Speaker 10 Some of us don't want to settle for college.

Speaker 7 Do you know how much work it is to become an influencer?

Speaker 14 I just want 100,000 followers, marry Timothy Chalamet, and die. Is that really so much to ask for?

Speaker 6 A smoky dancer whooshes by the mirror behind Natalie. She turns.
There's nothing there. Lights flicker on and off.
Zoe's phone buzzes, and she looks at it.

Speaker 13 Whoa.

Speaker 6 Zoe hurries off.

Speaker 16 Timothy Chalamet is following me on Instagram. I'm seriously freaking out right now.

Speaker 13 I can't breathe. I can't breathe.

Speaker 6 Natalie checks her phone, and Zoe's page is at 100,000 followers. Zoe pops into the room.

Speaker 1 Ava's all done.

Speaker 16 I need to hug someone right now.

Speaker 6 Zoe bear hugs Natalie. Mrs.
Primavera starts taking Zoe's measurements. Zoe lets go of the hug, and Natalie, dazed, exits the room.

Speaker 16 Timothy Chalamet just gave my last pick a heart. He's looking at my feet right now.
I'm gonna post.

Speaker 4 Keep your shirt on, Zoe.

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium day.

Speaker 6 Brock and Theo perform the Russian dance as a duet. Miss Miyako claps along to the Russian music.
Natalie approaches. Miss Miyako lifts her fingers, still watching the dance.

Speaker 10 That looks great as a duet.

Speaker 18 It was their idea, so neither would miss out on the role.

Speaker 19 Aw.

Speaker 6 Theo and Brock finish, breathing heavily.

Speaker 6 Love it.

Speaker 19 Can I help you?

Speaker 10 Yeah, I need to talk to Mr. Constantine.
Have you seen him?

Speaker 18 He's been out on a family emergency. Completely unprofessional, if you ask me.
But you didn't ask me. Just like I wasn't asked to be interim artistic director.
I wasn't asked to do Mr.

Speaker 18 Constantine's job when he disappeared right before opening. Just like completely not okay.
This is like, just.

Speaker 13 I'm so stumped.

Speaker 18 Just so.

Speaker 6 Natalie walks away regretfully as Miss Miyako continues to rant to herself. Interior, Ava's apartment, night.
Natalie walks in. Ms.
Ross is waiting. Arms crossed.

Speaker 10 I just got off the phone with Mr.

Speaker 11 Hall.

Speaker 20 You're You're failing chemistry.

Speaker 15 How is that possible? I gotta be on the last test.

Speaker 22 One test!

Speaker 22 Ms.

Speaker 6 Ross pulls out the Royal Ballet audition packet.

Speaker 13 And what the hell is this?

Speaker 12 You don't think I can get in?

Speaker 20 What am I supposed to think, huh?

Speaker 23 You convinced me to let you go to this school, that it'll be so easy to graduate valedictorian and get into Harvard. And today you want to skip college to be a ballerina?

Speaker 20 It's out of nowhere.

Speaker 7 Mrs.

Speaker 15 Primavera is at every rehearsal.

Speaker 13 Ask her how good I am.

Speaker 23 And who is she there for, huh? Her daughter is rotting away in a hospital bed while she spends her days with other people's kids.

Speaker 6 Natalie is gutted.

Speaker 10 I'm auditioning for the Royal Ballet and I'll be out of your life just like your husband or dad, whatever.

Speaker 15 I won't be your problem anymore.

Speaker 2 Who are you?

Speaker 6 Natalie wavers. Should she tell her?

Speaker 6 Natalie Primavera. Bean's face peeks into the room.

Speaker 20 Go to your room, Bean.

Speaker 2 Will you stop blowing her off?

Speaker 10 If you can't tell, she's dying for your attention.

Speaker 15 And put a lock on your phone. She knows about dad and the 24-year-old.

Speaker 6 Ms. Ross sits defeated.

Speaker 11 When your dance career ends at, what, 30?

Speaker 23 35?

Speaker 23 That's 30 or 40 more years of a career you'll need after that. You need to think about those years too, Ava.

Speaker 15 I know, I know, I know, okay?

Speaker 15 Every little doubt you have, I have tenfold. It's constant at every audition and every day I'm killing myself to get my grades up, work study, to get ready for the show.

Speaker 15 I'm 17, and you want me to think about when I'm 40? You want A's, you want a social life, you want me to never make a single mistake.

Speaker 15 I have the whole world to tell me I'm not good enough, and my own mom is done with me because I can't be what she wants.

Speaker 6 Ms. Ross envelops Natalie in a hug.
Natalie struggles to get out of it, but Ms. Ross holds on.

Speaker 5 I am never done with you. Never.

Speaker 20 Harvard, ballerina, Alaskan crab fisherman, whatever it is.

Speaker 13 I just want you to be happy, and I am on board 100%.

Speaker 13 Are you happy?

Speaker 6 Natalie surrenders into Ms. Ross's hug.
Exterior, Mr. Constantine's house, night.

Speaker 6 Natalie rings the doorbell. A set of triplets, age five, dressed in armor, answer the door.

Speaker 25 Um, is your dad home? Father!

Speaker 19 That is crazy.

Speaker 6 Interior, Mr. Constantine's house, living room, night.
Natalie is sitting there with Fritz across from her holding his wooden sword, staring solemnly. The triplets are playing with her hair.

Speaker 6 A pair of twins, age 11, are playing the piano. A toddler colors a whole piece of paper black.
Moving boxes are everywhere. Mrs.
Constantine walks in, very pregnant and with a baby in her arms.

Speaker 6 She's carrying a tray with drinks in her other arm.

Speaker 10 You have really cute kids.

Speaker 11 Only Fritz is the beauty.

Speaker 7 Aren't you, Fritz?

Speaker 14 Yes, mama.

Speaker 6 Natalie looks at the other children who don't flinch.

Speaker 23 Are you the best child?

Speaker 10 Uh, my sister is definitely the best right now.

Speaker 2 Wait.

Speaker 13 No, I don't.

Speaker 10 I don't have a sister.

Speaker 11 It's complicated.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine walks in.

Speaker 4 What are you doing here?

Speaker 10 I need your help. Weird stuff is happening, and I'm seeing those shadowy things from the globe, and they're like everywhere.

Speaker 2 Wraiths.

Speaker 20 Did you say Wraiths?

Speaker 6 The twin song on the piano changes tone right on cue.

Speaker 4 Wish-granting spirits from the old world. They only grant the deepest wish dare to be spoken out loud.
My ancestors captured them on the globe. It kept them under control one wish at a time.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine snaps his fingers.
Fritz retrieves a shoebox and hands it to his father. Natalie looks around at the moving boxes everywhere.

Speaker 13 What's going on? Are you moving?

Speaker 4 We'll be returning to Romagna after this last nutcracker.

Speaker 10 You mean the last of the school year?

Speaker 4 Uh, sure.

Speaker 27 Mr. Constantine, how can I fix this?

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine pulls out a curved piece of the broken glass from the shoebox.

Speaker 4 In order for the wraiths to be recaptured, the natural order must be restored. You need to return.

Speaker 6 Natalie takes a deep breath, sad, and nods.

Speaker 25 I know I messed up Ava's life.

Speaker 27 I need to make things right and then I have to go back.

Speaker 10 What if we can't recapture them?

Speaker 4 In all my years as a keeper, no one has ever been as careless as you. So, this is uncharted territory.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine looks at the large mural behind him.
A scene from the rapture of wraiths, disemboweling screaming people.

Speaker 4 But I've heard it's very, very bad.

Speaker 6 Interior Mr. Hall's house, living room night.
Mr. Hall watches I Love Lucy laughing with the laugh track.

Speaker 6 Although he is surrounded by cats, he hears a distant meow that catches his attention.

Speaker 5 Oh?

Speaker 8 That sounds like someone is hungry for some food and friendship.

Speaker 22 Come on, friends.

Speaker 5 Let's go say hi.

Speaker 6 Mr. Hall makes his way down the narrow corridor.
His house is designed to be a cat paradise. He passes cat condos and nooks built for his friends.

Speaker 6 Interior, exterior, Mr. Hall's house, kitchen back door, night.
Mr. Hall opens the door, looks down, eyes widen.

Speaker 6 Interior stage, stage wings day.

Speaker 6 On stage, Kenzie and the Mouse King perform the battle scene in full costume. Bean runs on stage for her cue.

Speaker 7 Come on, dancers, dress rehearsal.

Speaker 24 Do it like the real thing.

Speaker 18 Leave it all on the stage.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine watches the performance from the wings while Natalie paces behind him.
Miss Lana spots Mr. Constantine.

Speaker 2 Mr.

Speaker 6 Constantine, we weren't sure you were coming back. Are you and the Missus in trial separation?

Speaker 4 No!

Speaker 4 You're a mouse! I don't see a mouse. I see a little girl prancing like a bullshit princess.
I want to see you score

Speaker 6 Miss Lana jumps, scared, and turns.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine glances over to Fritz, who is huddled by the prop shelf next to the wing, back turned.

Speaker 26 Is it almost ready?

Speaker 12 Quite devil.

Speaker 6 Natalie exits with a toss of her hands in the air.

Speaker 13 Okay.

Speaker 5 What are you doing, freak?

Speaker 14 I'm saving the world. What are you doing, wasting your child on making fuck sounds?

Speaker 6 The party boy farts on Fritz, and the party children run off laughing. Fritz watches them and sighs.

Speaker 28 I wish I had a friend.

Speaker 6 The lights flicker. A smoky dancer passes behind Fritz, and the Nutcracker doll on the prop table seems to blink.

Speaker 4 Kenzie, you're killing me!

Speaker 5 Killing me!

Speaker 4 He has seven heads! When was the last time you saw a mouse with seven heads? Huh?

Speaker 4 You would would shit yourself!

Speaker 6 Interior Stage Auditorium Day. Natalie takes a seat in the audience next to Bean.
Jasmine and Grayson in costume are performing the pas de deux. Mr.
Constantine watches from the foot of the stage.

Speaker 6 As the pas de deux finishes, Mr. Constantine jumps on the stage.

Speaker 4 Dancers, I'm obligated to make a quick announcement that's relevant if we manage to prevent the apocalypse. Miss Jasmine Kern has been accepted as an apprentice for next season's Royal Ballet.

Speaker 6 Natalie sits up. Dancers cheer and give Jasmine a hug as she smiles like a beauty queen.

Speaker 6 Natalie watches, stiff, heart-pounding, and longing. Jasmine seems to move in slow motion.
Natalie's eyes well up, unblinking.

Speaker 29 You okay? Your eyes are leaking.

Speaker 27 I'm watching all my dreams come true for someone else.

Speaker 6 Jasmine is wiping away happy tears. Fritz pops his head from the wings, waving Natalie over.

Speaker 30 Father, Devocard.

Speaker 4 Yes, um...

Speaker 4 Okay, everyone, keep congratulating, Jasmine.

Speaker 6 Natalie and Mr. Constantine walk toward the stage wings where Fritz is waiting for them.
Interior stage wings continuous.

Speaker 6 Fritz reveals the snow globe with jagged pieces glued together. The forest inside wilted.
Natalie takes it.

Speaker 27 That's it?

Speaker 20 You glued it?

Speaker 6 Is this thing gonna work? Fritz cranks the knob knob and it plays the haunting pas adieu.

Speaker 20 Works perfectly.

Speaker 6 Kenzie spots the commotion and rushes over.

Speaker 10 Oh my god, is this it?

Speaker 13 The MacGuffin?

Speaker 14 Is it perfect with prison, though?

Speaker 10 I'm sorry, did you say wraiths?

Speaker 5 Are you ready?

Speaker 4 You need to want this more than anything.

Speaker 25 I know.

Speaker 2 I'm ready.

Speaker 6 Natalie hears squeals coming from the stage and glances over to see Mrs. Primavera giving Jasmine a long hug.

Speaker 2 Thanks, Miss P.

Speaker 11 This is my happy place being here with all you talented girls.

Speaker 6 Mrs. Primavera points to Jasmine and her heart mouthing, you are my heart.
Jasmine reciprocates. Natalie nearly drops the snow globe from her hands.
Mr. Constantine eyes her concerned.

Speaker 4 Miss Primavera, now.

Speaker 6 Natalie swallows and shakes the snow globe. Her eyes well up.
The globe plays its tinny pot-de-deux.

Speaker 25 I wish I was Natalie Primavera.

Speaker 6 The lights flicker on and off. The music abruptly stops playing from the globe.
Silence. Everyone frozen.
Anticipating.

Speaker 27 Did it work?

Speaker 13 Ava?

Speaker 10 What's something only Ava would know?

Speaker 29 Is a hot dog a sandwich?

Speaker 6 Natalie rushes to the dressing room.

Speaker 6 Interior dressing room continuous. Natalie looks at the mirror, sees Ava's reflection.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine, Bean, Kenzie, and Fritz follow her in.

Speaker 4 It didn't work. What did you do wrong? Nothing.

Speaker 14 Look at it. It's better than ever.
It's hot. She messed up.
What?

Speaker 6 The sad, glued-together snow globe springs a leak. Unnoticed by the bickering group, Jasmine stops at the edge of the dressing room, listening.

Speaker 12 What does this mean?

Speaker 12 I want my sister back.

Speaker 29 I've been telling everyone something is wrong, and nobody listens to me.

Speaker 29 I wish I was grown up. So people would hear me already.

Speaker 6 The lights flicker, and a smoky dancer whooshes by. Natalie slumps down by herself as the group argues.
Mr. Constantine puts his hand on Natalie's shoulder.

Speaker 4 It was worth the try, yes?

Speaker 27 What do we do now?

Speaker 4 Everybody upstairs. This is a sinking ship, and we go down doing what we love.

Speaker 4 Let's make it a great last nutcracker before our demise. What do you say?

Speaker 12 Did you say demise?

Speaker 4 My apologies. I meant to say that part in Romanian.

Speaker 6 The group solemnly filters out, leaving Natalie alone. Interior stage auditorium night.

Speaker 6 Everyone is gone. The stage is lit with a ghost light.
Natalie steps out onto the stage and hums the pas deux. A noise.

Speaker 6 Natalie pauses and looks into the dark audience. Jasmine steps towards the stage.

Speaker 28 You know, Natalie and I used to do this. Dance the whole show the night before opening night.
We'd sneak out and dance until like 2 a.m.

Speaker 6 Jasmine starts stepping through the dance with her.

Speaker 28 We've always been that connect. I landed my double pirouette and she landed a clean triple.
She did 12 fuets in a row and then I did 16 like the next day. I've.

Speaker 28 Well, we've always wanted to be the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Speaker 6 Jasmine begins doing fuete turns and Natalie joins her. They watch one another, turning and turning until Jasmine finally stops.

Speaker 6 Natalie stops.

Speaker 27 Why didn't you audition for the role if you wanted it so badly?

Speaker 5 Because

Speaker 28 I was scared it might have gone to me and I didn't want to break my best friend's heart.

Speaker 27 If she's your best friend, then why do you call her Natalie Primadonna?

Speaker 6 Jasmine raises her eyebrows, surprised, then shrugs.

Speaker 28 We all talk too much shit sometimes.

Speaker 25 Why haven't you gone to visit her?

Speaker 28 I have.

Speaker 6 I've just always waited for her dad to be gone.

Speaker 28 She's different now, you know?

Speaker 6 Natalie is quiet. Does she know?

Speaker 27 You dance this role

Speaker 27 perfectly.

Speaker 28 Well, I'm glad you got to see it.

Speaker 28 Cause I think I hurt my toe.

Speaker 25 Your toe?

Speaker 5 Yeah, it hurts.

Speaker 28 I can't handle two roles, so I'm just gonna dance the snow queen. I already talked to Mr.
Constantine.

Speaker 6 Jasmine begins walking off.

Speaker 13 Wait, why?

Speaker 28 Is your bun too tight? Because you're the understudy.

Speaker 6 Natalie watches Jasmine disappear and she smiles.

Speaker 6 Interior, Mr. Hall's bedroom night.

Speaker 6 Mr. Hall attempts to give Catastrophe, a zombie cat, a saucer of milk.
Catastrophe growls, one eye missing and sores oozing from its skin. All the other cats are huddled away, backs arched, hissing.

Speaker 8 Now, now, friends,

Speaker 5 get along. We're all friends.
We're all friends.

Speaker 6 Catastrophe bites a bit of Mr. Hall's fingertips.

Speaker 5 Ow! Oh!

Speaker 5 Oh!

Speaker 5 Oh,

Speaker 22 is that what you need, little friend?

Speaker 5 Here,

Speaker 22 just a little, okay?

Speaker 6 Interior, Ava's bedroom, mourning. Natalie wakes up.
The wall calendar reads, opening night. Natalie sighs and exits the room.

Speaker 6 Bean stirs and uncovers herself. She's a grown teenager.
She gets out of bed. Her kid PJs barely fitting her.

Speaker 6 Teenage Bean looks down and notices ample breasts in her PJ shirt that now fits like a crop top. Interior Ava's kitchen day.

Speaker 6 Natalie eats fruit loops while Ms. Ross drinks coffee.
A squeal comes from the other room. Natalie stands up.

Speaker 2 I'll go check on her.

Speaker 6 Interior Ava's bedroom day. Natalie rushes into the room.
Teenage Bean stands there.

Speaker 2 This is bad. My wish came true.
I look so hot.

Speaker 6 A knock on the door.

Speaker 13 Are you girls okay? Everything's fine.

Speaker 10 This is really, really bad.

Speaker 6 Exterior theater sunset. The blue moon is high in the sky as people of all ages file into the theater.
A marquee sign reads, Wilburn Arts High School, the Nutcracker, Opening night.

Speaker 6 With a poster of the Nutcracker with Ava as the sugarplum fairy by the door, a limo pulls up, and we see fancy black shoes walk back to open the rear door. White converse sneakers step out.

Speaker 6 Interior stage wings night. Natalie and teenage Bean rush to Mr.
Constantine.

Speaker 24 What is it? This is Bean.

Speaker 10 She made us wish to be a teenager and will.

Speaker 4 Oh, this is bad. Very, very, very bad.

Speaker 10 What does this mean?

Speaker 4 It means that full worldly chaos is just around the corner. The wraiths are loose, granting every twisted desire of the heart, every whim for lost love, lottery tickets, and revenge.

Speaker 4 The heart is selfish. You, of all people, should know this.

Speaker 4 Fritz, you'll be dancing with your iron sword tonight. We might have to kill something.

Speaker 6 Party boy halts and looks at Mr. Constantine.

Speaker 30 Did you mean to say that in a Romanian, Mr. Constantine?

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium night.

Speaker 6 The orchestra warms up as the audience trickle to take their seats. Trevor looks a mess.
Tie on sloppy and hair unbrushed. Mr.
Hall shows up, dazed, with part of his cheek nibbled off.

Speaker 6 Principal Waters takes notice.

Speaker 5 Mr. Hall,

Speaker 13 are you all right?

Speaker 5 He's gone.

Speaker 2 I opened the door and he left me. My friend is gone.

Speaker 9 Again.

Speaker 6 Mr. Hall, still muttering, walks to his seat, climbing past Ms.
Ross, seated with grocery store flowers in hand. Mr.
and Mrs. Primavera enter, pushing Ava in a wheelchair down the aisle.

Speaker 6 She is given a standing ovation as they make their way to park Ava up front. Ava cranes to see Ms.
Ross in her seat and Trevor in the pit. Neither notice her.

Speaker 6 Interior Backstage Hallway Night.

Speaker 6 Backstage is a chaos of dancers in costume. Most of them warming up, children laughing and chasing each other, Fritz swinging his sword.

Speaker 6 Interior dressing room night.

Speaker 6 Jasmine is in her snow queen costume and wearing warm-up booties. Zoe as a snowflake is on her phone.
Natalie walks in with Teenage Bean and catches Jasmine's eye. Jasmine smiles.
Mrs.

Speaker 6 Primavera scurries in to approach Teenage Bean.

Speaker 13 Baby mouse, huh?

Speaker 6 Teenage Bean nods.

Speaker 11 What happened to Bean?

Speaker 29 I'm not allowed to talk about that.

Speaker 13 Okay.

Speaker 6 Mrs. Primavera starts ripping fabric.
Interior stage auditorium night. Mr.
Constantine walks out on stage. The full house claps.

Speaker 4 Greetings, parents, family, friends of Wilborne Arts High School's Christmas ballet,

Speaker 4 the Nutcracker.

Speaker 4 I won't make a lengthy speech, but I want you all to think about this past year and all you have lost and what you may lose soon.

Speaker 4 Christmas is the saddest season of them all. I have never felt more heartbroken than I do now.

Speaker 6 Trevor's chin trembles and he claps enthusiastically. The rest of the audience is silent.
Yeah!

Speaker 6 The lights flicker.

Speaker 4 Without further ado.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine motions to the orchestra as he exits.
They begin. The curtains open.
The street scene begins. Interior stage wings night.

Speaker 6 Miss Miyako, half jogging, hand on her earpiece.

Speaker 7 Do we have any idea where the doll is? We need it now.

Speaker 6 At Miss Miyako's feet is catastrophe, crawling, unnoticed. Interior dressing room night.
Teenage Bean is in a makeshift mouse costume. Mrs.
Primavera puts on finishing touches.

Speaker 13 There.

Speaker 11 That should do it.

Speaker 29 Is it hard to dance with big boobs?

Speaker 10 No talking, remember?

Speaker 8 Ava, that's rude.

Speaker 29 Yeah, Ava.

Speaker 29 People want to listen to what I have to say now. Maybe I'll never go back to being a kid.

Speaker 7 Bean, I mean, Bean's replacement.

Speaker 11 Of course, you're going back.

Speaker 29 There's nothing good about being a kid or a teenager. Whatever I am.

Speaker 11 Funny how we spent our whole childhood looking ahead and our entire adulthood looking back.

Speaker 6 An usher enters with a large bouquet of flowers.

Speaker 15 Is Zoe here?

Speaker 6 Zoe at her makeup station waves her hand and the usher puts Zoe's flowers down. Zoe looks at the card.
It reads,

Speaker 6 Maird, Zoe. I can't wait to meet you.
Love, Timothy.

Speaker 6 Interior Stage Auditorium Night. The party scene march is happening.
Zoe's distant shriek echoes through the auditorium.

Speaker 6 The dancers all look offstage but continue. Interior backstage night.
Miss Lana sees the Nutcracker doll standing in a walking pose near the exit door and snatches it.

Speaker 2 Found it.

Speaker 6 Must have been some kid. Miss Miyako meets Miss Lana with a box and they stick the Nutcracker inside.
It blinks once before the lid covers it. Mr.

Speaker 6 Constantine with an eye patch dressed as Drosselmeier rushes by and grabs the box. Interior stage auditorium night.
Party scene is on stage. Mr.

Speaker 6 Constantine pulls the Nutcracker out of the box and hands it to Kenzie for her solo. Kenzie begins to dance.
She nails her jumps perfectly. Ada is watching the dance from her wheelchair.

Speaker 6 She catches Kenzie's eye and flashes her a thumbs up. Kenzie smiles.
Kenzie is looking longingly at the Nutcracker doll. It blinks.
Kenzie does a a double take. The Nutcracker is alive.

Speaker 6 It spots Fritz on the stage.

Speaker 6 I don't think we cast a Nutcracker.

Speaker 17 Who knows?

Speaker 15 My bad.

Speaker 6 No, no, no. I didn't notice it either.

Speaker 4 Who would be a fun Nutcracker?

Speaker 17 One hand up.

Speaker 13 Brandon?

Speaker 6 Can you give us a demented Nutcracker doll, please?

Speaker 17 Yeah.

Speaker 6 the audience gasps

Speaker 6 fritz grabs the doll smashes it into the stage and takes his sword striking it over and over and over again

Speaker 6 the nutcracker is face up looking at fritz i'm your

Speaker 5 friend

Speaker 6 fritz takes his sword and smashes its face

Speaker 6 The audience silently watches, horrified. Mr.
Constantine pulls Fritz off by the collar of his Victorian shirt. Mr.
Constantine wrestles with the nutcracker.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine wrestles with the Nutcracker doll, wrapping it until it looks like a mummy, and hands it to Kenzie, who is breathing heavily.

Speaker 5 The show must go on.

Speaker 6 Kenzie grabs it gingerly. She timidly continues to dance.

Speaker 6 Interior Backstage Night. Mr.
Constantine, Fritz, and Kenzie are rushing down the backstage hall together. Kenzie is shaken up.

Speaker 20 What's going on?

Speaker 4 You made a wish?

Speaker 2 Everyone needs a fun, papa.

Speaker 6 Teenage Bean and the other mice run past.

Speaker 8 Costume change, Kenzie, quickly.

Speaker 6 Kenzie is pulled into the dressing room by Miss Lana.

Speaker 20 Is it dead?

Speaker 14 Please tell me it's dead.

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium night. Teenage Bean trips over herself, a terrible dancer in her new body.
Her leaps are sloppy and barely make it off the ground.

Speaker 6 She trips, and the other mice fumble behind her like dominoes.

Speaker 2 These boobs suck.

Speaker 6 Miss Ross frantically flips through the program.

Speaker 6 On the stage, the grandfather clock shatters, and Kenzie has red ribbon, fake blood coming from her arms. She falls asleep on the couch.
The audience murmurs in shock.

Speaker 6 Interior stage wings night. Jasmine enters the wings in her snow queen costume.
Catastrophe is at her ankles and wanders onto the stage. Interior on stage auditorium night.

Speaker 6 Battle scene with toy soldiers and the mouse king is on stage. Kenzie sees catastrophe and screams.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine is in the wings, gives her a thumbs up.
Kenzie throws her shoe, hitting catastrophe in the face, and its other eyeball pops out.

Speaker 6 Kenzie faints and hits the stage floor hard.

Speaker 6 Ava and the audience gasp.

Speaker 22 It's catastrophe.

Speaker 6 Interior stage, stage wings night. The curtain closes.
Mr. Constantine rushes on stage and grabs the zombie cat.
Interior stage auditorium night. The curtain opens to the snow scene.

Speaker 6 Jasmine is on stage along with Zoe as one of the snowflakes. Zoe spots Timothy Chalamet in the audience and gasps.
Timothy Chalamet blows a kiss to Zoe and she catches the kiss.

Speaker 6 Jasmine in mid-lift looks down at

Speaker 6 Jasmine is in mid-lift looking down at Zoe.

Speaker 6 Cut it out!

Speaker 6 Zoe excitedly jumps up and down as the other snowflakes continue dancing around her.

Speaker 6 Interior Backstage Night.

Speaker 4 Intermission! Costume changes! Get ready, dancers!

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine has the zombie cat in in his hand.
Natalie, hair and makeup done, but not yet in costume, sees the cat and gasps.

Speaker 15 Oh, what is that?

Speaker 5 Oh my god.

Speaker 2 Catastrophe!

Speaker 6 Catastrophe growls and chomps the air toward the dancers. Grayson comes out of his dressing room and pauses.

Speaker 2 Whoa, whoa, Mr.

Speaker 30 Constantine, I think your cat is like dying or something.

Speaker 6 Mr. Hall wanders backstage.
Mr. Constantine covers the cat up with his cape.

Speaker 22 Have you seen catastrophe?

Speaker 6 Fritz points to Mr. Hall with his sword.

Speaker 2 Infantrator! Mr. Hall!

Speaker 10 Let's get you a drink.

Speaker 6 Natalie grabs Mr. Hall by the arm.
Interior lobby night. A bar is set up with a long line.
Natalie toes Mr. Hall straight to the bartender, cutting off Timothy Chalamay.

Speaker 2 Excuse me, can you give him some alcohol?

Speaker 6 Bartender pours a glass of white wine.

Speaker 27 Do you have anything stronger?

Speaker 4 Uh, we're at a high school production. What do you expect?

Speaker 6 Mr. Hall takes the glass of wine.

Speaker 22 I just really want catastrophe back.

Speaker 8 I really missed him.

Speaker 2 Mr.

Speaker 20 Hall, you still have him.

Speaker 25 Atoms never die, remember? They just change into something new.

Speaker 2 Catastrophe is here now.

Speaker 25 In your heart.

Speaker 5 That's quite right.

Speaker 8 You've always been a great student, Aba.

Speaker 13 I have?

Speaker 2 Oh, I'm gonna follow you on Instagram after graduation.

Speaker 19 Oh, no, no, no, I'm not on Instagram.

Speaker 15 Come on, hashtag cats of Instagram.

Speaker 10 You take to Instagram like a free radical takes to an electron.

Speaker 13 Mr.

Speaker 6 Hall laughs.

Speaker 6 Interior backstage night. Mr.
Constantine wrestles with catastrophe in his hands. He's surrounded by scared dancers cheering him on.
Finally, Mr.

Speaker 6 Constantine tosses the cat in a supply closet and turns to the dancers, adjusting his cape.

Speaker 4 The show must go on.

Speaker 6 Interior dressing room night. Natalie, costume on, applies makeup at her station.
Timothy enters and gives Zoe a romantic kiss. No audience members allowed here.

Speaker 4 I can't be stopped. I'm in love.
This is exhilarating. It's like I'm...

Speaker 20 It's like I'm under a spell.

Speaker 19 Will you marry me?

Speaker 30 My children moved to France.

Speaker 16 Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 27 50,000 followers marry Timothy and die.

Speaker 20 That's what you said, Zoe!

Speaker 20 Stucker much?

Speaker 10 She's totally obsessed with me.

Speaker 2 You can't have her.

Speaker 6 Timothy gives Zoe another romantic kiss. Zoe pulls away.

Speaker 16 Is it really me? Or am I really making out with Timothy Chalamet? Is this real?

Speaker 14 Literally all my dreams are coming true.

Speaker 6 A tiny sword misses Zoe's head. The Nutcracker doll charges into the dressing room.
Mr. Constantine enters, snatches the doll.
Through the open door, children are running and crying.

Speaker 4 Five minutes.

Speaker 6 Natalie looks up and nods. Mrs.
Primavera enters, swiftly pulling Natalie up to stand.

Speaker 26 Let's give you one last look over.

Speaker 6 Natalie watches Mrs. Primavera as she inspects the costume, noticing her mother's hands trembling and dark circles under her bloodshot eyes.

Speaker 11 Is your mother here?

Speaker 6 Natalie nods tensely.

Speaker 25 I'm sorry about Natalie.

Speaker 6 Mrs. Primavera is silent.

Speaker 27 You must be sad for you that she can't dance again.

Speaker 27 That you can't share your happy place anymore.

Speaker 11 More like my hiding place.

Speaker 2 Hiding place?

Speaker 11 You hear a five-year-old say they want to be a ballerina, and you expect it to be a phase.

Speaker 11 But not Natalie. She had a dream and nothing could stop her.
She makes the impossible possible.

Speaker 11 It's my fault. After her first show, I called her a star and got her a dog.

Speaker 24 Yeah, cliché.

Speaker 11 And the rest is history. She left to dance, and I kept feeding it, moving to the next level, getting her points.

Speaker 13 She's the next role, Royal Ballet.

Speaker 2 I should have fed her other things, signed her up for soccer and painting.

Speaker 11 I had no idea that it would hold her prisoner. All these goals, the social media,

Speaker 11 I didn't know it would get cut short for her.

Speaker 12 Nobody's a ballerina forever.

Speaker 11 How can I tell my daughter the only thing that she loves in life

Speaker 11 she can't do anymore?

Speaker 27 I think you say to her that

Speaker 27 nothing is impossible.

Speaker 25 Even finding something new to love.

Speaker 6 Natalie smiles as Mrs. Primavera pins a tiara around her bun.

Speaker 22 I got Natalie a Nutcracker doll for Christmas this year.

Speaker 26 Do you think that's a stupid gift?

Speaker 11 No, she has a million of this already.

Speaker 13 No, it's the perfect gift.

Speaker 25 Clara's love brought the Nutcracker to life after he was broken.

Speaker 11 Natalie's not broken. Right.
No, I mean, her body.

Speaker 2 No, she's perfect.

Speaker 11 Exactly how she is.

Speaker 11 There are a million reasons to love Natalie.

Speaker 11 And not one of them has to do with ballet.

Speaker 6 Natalie stands still as Mrs. Primavera finishes up, both women subtly wiping away tears.
Natalie wraps her arms around her mother.

Speaker 26 Thank you.

Speaker 6 Interior Stage Auditorium Night. Natalie sneaks over and grabs Ava's wheelchair, wheeling her around the side.
Hey, what are you doing?

Speaker 6 Interior Stage, Stage Wings Night. Russian duet is finishing up on stage with Mr.
Constantine watching from the wings. Natalie rolls Ava up to Mr.
Constantine. Mr.

Speaker 26 Constantine, where is the globe?

Speaker 4 Faith! The globe!

Speaker 26 I know why the magic didn't work.

Speaker 10 Like in chemistry, an antioxidant can't shed an electron just because

Speaker 20 it needs a willing participant, like a free radical.

Speaker 13 Yeah.

Speaker 4 Ladies, you lost med chemistry.

Speaker 10 I made a wish on top of the bridge.

Speaker 5 Silence.

Speaker 24 You wished you were me?

Speaker 15 No.

Speaker 6 I wished I wasn't me.

Speaker 10 It's not enough for me to not want to be Ava anymore. I have to want to be Natalie.

Speaker 25 Broken body and all.

Speaker 27 And I want to be Natalie Primavera more than anything.

Speaker 6 Fritz appears with the sad snow globe and Natalie takes it.

Speaker 10 I wish I was Natalie.

Speaker 7 Look at your dance.

Speaker 25 You're up next.

Speaker 6 Brock and Theo finish on stage. Audience clap.

Speaker 9 It's not my role.

Speaker 6 Natalie shakes the snow globe. Ava touches the globe.

Speaker 2 I wish I was Ava Rock.

Speaker 6 The orchestra starts the music for the par deux, and the two girls wait, anticipating. Then the walls rumble.
The snow machine over the stage rattles to a start.

Speaker 6 Lights flicker. Mr.
Constantine smiles as the faintly falling snowflakes dust the stage. A faint green glow begins to illuminate the globe.

Speaker 4 The globe is weak, but it's working. Looks like you have time for one more dance.

Speaker 6 Natalie looks to Ava and she nods in agreement. Natalie turns to the stage and sees Grayson on the other side.
He throws his hands out as if to say, What the fuck? Are we doing this?

Speaker 6 Natalie takes a deep breath and nods. Mr.
Constantine takes the glinting snow globe from Natalie.

Speaker 4 God, I'm gonna miss this. I know, Miss Primavera.

Speaker 27 This song is so like beautiful.

Speaker 25 Heartbreaking.

Speaker 6 The music swells. Natalie takes a step onto the stage.

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium night.

Speaker 6 Natalie and Grayson meet center stage and begin the pas de deux as the orchestra swells.

Speaker 6 Trevor plays viola with the pit orchestra. His lip trembles as he watches Natalie and Grayson on stage.

Speaker 6 The dancers' eyes are locked on each other like there's no one else as they dance, skillful and emotional. Ms.

Speaker 6 Ross's eyes glisten wide with wonder, watching Natalie for the first time and leans forward in her seat.

Speaker 6 Interior dressing room continuous.

Speaker 6 Zoe and Timothy are lost in a messy makeout session. The Nutcracker doll army crawls toward them.

Speaker 6 A light is hanging precariously over Zoe's head and a curling iron is causing a rack of tutus to smoke.

Speaker 22 Rumble.

Speaker 6 The room blacks out for a moment. The hanging light crashes into a rack of tutus to fall away from the iron.

Speaker 6 The Nutcracker doll goes limp. Interior stage auditorium continuous.
The two smoky dancers enter from the back of the auditorium and dance their way down the aisle toward the stage.

Speaker 6 They are invisible to all but Natalie and Mr. Constantine.

Speaker 6 Interior backstage hallway continuous. Teenage Bean, Fritz, and the children are huddled as catastrophe breaks through the closet door little by little.
A la the shining. Fritz clenches his sword.

Speaker 6 Catastrophe finally breaks through the door and charges toward the children. Fritz raises his sword just as...

Speaker 5 flicker!

Speaker 6 The cat goes limp, dead.

Speaker 6 Fritz nudges the cat.

Speaker 14 The cat is dead.

Speaker 6 The children cheer.

Speaker 6 Fritz turns to high-five Bean, who is now swimming in her costume. I'm a kid again! No more boobs!

Speaker 6 Bean hugs Fritz. Fritz beams.

Speaker 6 Interior stage. Stage wings continuous.
The smoky dancers join Natalie and Grayson on stage, shadowing their dance, drawing ever closer.

Speaker 6 Miss Lana and Miss Miyako watch the duet, eyes fixed and in awe, clutching each other's hands. Grayson smiles at Natalie and the two kiss as though there were no audience.

Speaker 6 Trevor lets out an audible sob.

Speaker 6 With the final lift as the song's crescendo peaks, the smoky dancers enter Natalie and exit right before Ava's body drops into the final partner pose, leaving behind Natalie's spirit with a puff.

Speaker 6 Interior stage stage wings continuous. Natalie's spirit quickly absorbs into her own body.
Eyes bulge as she sits up in her wheelchair with a gasp.

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium continuous. The audience erupts in applause.

Speaker 6 Interior stage, stage wings, night.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine has the snow globe.
Glow fizzles out, and both dark dancers are back inside, frozen. Ava runs off stage and gives Natalie a huge hug.

Speaker 20 Natalie, yes.

Speaker 24 And you're you. Yeah.

Speaker 4 Enough.

Speaker 4 Solo.

Speaker 5 Now.

Speaker 2 What?

Speaker 5 No, no, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 2 I can't.

Speaker 10 Ava, you're the understudy.

Speaker 6 This is how it was always supposed to be.

Speaker 27 You can do this.

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium night, Ava steps out, begins her solo, her lips tight with concentration. She begins with her fuetes.

Speaker 6 She's nailing them. Her smile spreads slowly and then wide with glee as the audience claps.

Speaker 6 Ava freezes as she spots Trevor in the orchestra pit.

Speaker 2 Trevor?

Speaker 6 Trevor turns away from Ava, angry, nostrils flaring. I love you!

Speaker 13 Here you do?

Speaker 13 I love you, Ava!

Speaker 6 Ava leaps off the stage into the orchestra pit. The audience and Ms.
Ross gasp.

Speaker 5 Oh!

Speaker 6 Ava and Trevor kiss.

Speaker 6 Interior stage, Stage Wings Night. Grayson watches the scene, confused.
Miss Miyako and Miss Lana shake their heads.

Speaker 10 Worst nutcracker ever.

Speaker 6 Next year will be better when Mr. Too Sexy to Teach isn't here anymore.

Speaker 11 I mean, all semester, I'm like, just shut up and kiss me already. What?

Speaker 6 No.

Speaker 6 Mr. Constantine walks up, throwing his arms around Miss Miyako and Miss Lana's shoulders.

Speaker 4 How beautiful.

Speaker 5 How erotic.

Speaker 4 And devastating.

Speaker 6 A few feet away, Natalie tugs on Grayson's shirt.

Speaker 13 Oh.

Speaker 19 Hey, Hey, um.

Speaker 19 How are you doing?

Speaker 4 Sorry, wait.

Speaker 30 That's stupid to ask.

Speaker 13 You look good.

Speaker 26 Thanks. I'm good.

Speaker 25 Um.

Speaker 27 So,

Speaker 27 I was wondering if you wanted to grab coffee or food or

Speaker 9 whatever.

Speaker 19 Or whatever?

Speaker 25 Whenever I'll get you to hang out with me.

Speaker 15 Let me congratulate you on Houston Ballet.

Speaker 6 Grayson gives her a curious look. He glances back at Ava one more time before turning back to Natalie and smiles.

Speaker 30 Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 4 But

Speaker 30 I said no to Houston. Going to Indiana U.

Speaker 30 Did you know you can double major in like ballet?

Speaker 6 Interior stage auditorium night, the finale. The whole cast dips into a final bow and Kenzie poses with the broken nutcracker doll with a large smile.
Mr.

Speaker 6 Constantine steps out and plunges into a dramatic bow.

Speaker 6 No claps.

Speaker 9 A cough.

Speaker 6 Trevor sets down his viola and claps enthusiastically.

Speaker 6 Timothy is walking away down the center aisle. A moment later, we see Zoe, tear-streaked, chasing him.

Speaker 16 I love you, Timothy Shalomay. Don't follow me.

Speaker 6 Interior Physical Therapy Room mourning.

Speaker 6 Natalie is looking at Ava's Instagram page. A picture of Ava, Ms.
Ross, Bean, and Trevor around a Christmas tree, captioned, Christmas is the season of magic. Natalie hearts the post.

Speaker 6 Natalie pops in earbuds. Her eyes close, and her head sways slightly with the music.
Grayson enters, knocks on the door with a Christmas present. Mrs.
Primavera smiles and waves Grayson in as Mr.

Speaker 6 Primavera sips his coffee, reading a paper.

Speaker 30 Merry Christmas.

Speaker 6 Natalie lifts up onto the parallel bars from her wheelchair.

Speaker 6 She takes a step.

Speaker 6 Fade out.