THE STORY

ONE LINER

WWII is raging. Rose Sweet is in love with bomber pilot Danny Capucci. These two singer-songwriters met in a Harlem nightclub. They write each other every day with dreams of making it big together in the music business and living happily ever after. But Danny is being traumatized by the war and tempted by Sophie Hudson, a star recording artist from New York who’s a USO headliner in London. And, Rose, who is colored, is fighting a war that looks to have no end to it; the war against racism. So, the odds of there being a happy ending for Rose and Danny are slim.

SYNOPSIS

ACT 1

WWII is raging. Rose Sweet, a talented African-American singer-songwriter, shattered by the death of her Caucasian mother in a B24 bomber assembly plant in Detroit, lands in The Pair O’ Dice, a Harlem nightclub, hungry to make it in the music business. 

The club is owned by her African-American father, Cecil Clay, a hard living, womanizing, virtuoso trumpet player who doesn’t know he’s her father. Danny Capucci, Cecil’s young white musical protegé, is on the piano rehearsing with Cecil and the house Band their new hit record THE HARLEM HOP.

Fearlessly, Rose suggests that she could replace Danny. Her guts impress Danny, Cecil and Cecil’s showgirls - the Pair O’ Dice Girls - Judy, Cecil’s current "squeeze,” and Rita and Smoky, who have all been victims of Cecil’s charm. Cecil has Rose take a crack at THE HARLEM HOP.

Rose slays them with her singing, and when she pulls Danny onto the dance floor the floorboards smoke.

Cecil sees Rose as heaven sent; this one he could make a star. But, something about her makes him warn her that the Pair O’ Dice is “No place for a Rose." It’s a dangerous place where young girls’ dreams just don’t come true. The Pair O’ Dice girls recount stories about girls with flower names - Gladiola, Violet and Buttercup - who have perished at the club. The action freezes as Rose haunts Cecil singing I DESERVE THAT MUCH FROM YOU (her “I want song”). She pulls a gun from a holster strapped to thigh and it’s clear she’s not afraid to use it. She reveals her anger towards Cecil for abandoning her mother, Dahlia, another flower, and the dream she shared with her mother that Rose would be a star. Cecil gives Rose a job as a cigarette girl and a room up above the club saying she’ll have “to pay her dues” before she gets to perform. But, it's clear that Cecil is hell-bent on capitalizing on Rose's talent and dreams.

On the Pair O’ Dice’s rooftop, lit by its neon sign, Rose is settled into her studio apartment by Judy, Rita and Smoky. They’re impressed by the amount of tips Rose raked in. Danny enters and bee-lines it to his studio apartment on the opposite side of the rooftop and works on the piano part of WE DARE LOVE ON, a romantic siren song. Rose is intrigued.

It’s established by Judy, Rita and Smoky that they all wish the song was written for them and it’s a big mystery who it is for. The girls bid Rose sweet dreams and head up the fire escape into their upstage apartments.

Rose can’t resist going over to Danny’s apartment and volunteering to sing the song for him. Instead he offers to take her downtown to see something. He can’t tell her what, but promises it’ll be amazing. She agrees to go and rushes off to change.

Danny takes Rose to The Ivory. Everything feels like a black and white movie in this “classy” restricted club. It’s after hours. Sophie Hudson, a gorgeous white superstar singer comes from backstage too late to stop Artie Jones, the club’s white owner, from making it clear that because Rose is colored she should have entered through the alley entrance. George, the black Bartender, resents the way Artie treats Rose, but says nothing. Sophie chimes in warmly welcoming Danny and Rose. She sees that everyone is properly introduced and that everyone gets drinks. Danny is there because Sophie’s interested in recording WE DARE LOVE ON. It’s a giant opportunity for Danny. She takes Danny to the piano where he plays and she slays his war-themed torch song.

As Sophie offers Danny a place in a band that she’s about to take around the world for the USO to entertain our troops Rose can see that Sophie has a major crush on Danny. Danny’s flattered by Sophie’s USO offer and by her wanting to record WE DARE LOVE ON, but he reveals that he’s enlisted in the Army Air Corps and is off to England in the morning to pilot B24 Liberators, heavy bombers, against the Germans. Sophie divulges that her first USO canteen appearance will be in London so she extends to Danny an open invitation to sit in with her band whenever he has a furlough. Needless to say, Rose is concerned that Sophie is going to be her competition for Danny’s affections.

Later that night, back on the roof of the Pair o’ Dice Danny is changing into his pilot’s uniform; his duffle bag is already packed. Rose and Danny’s attraction to each other is palpable. Danny shares a story about the loss of his parents in a flood when he was eleven and how subsequently he was raised in his black housekeeper’s family. Rose shares that in Detroit just two weeks ago her mother died from toxic fumes right next to her on an assembly line building B24s. Rose and Danny’s anxieties are high and they are falling in love. In SONG 3 - I WILL WRITE YOU EVERY DAY, scared of what the future could bring and trying to be hopeful, Rose and Danny dream about making it together in the music business after the war.

They promise to write each other every day until he returns. Flush with goosebumps, Rose can’t resist giving Danny a serious kiss goodbye.

Rose and Danny dance and write to each other. Danny is a Captain in the 8th Air Army Corp based near London. Every mission he flies, 1 out of 4 of the men in his squadron are killed. Rose has sent a photo of her in a two-piece swimsuit with a racy patriotic song she’s written, SONG 4 - DO YA LIKE WHATCHA SEE?, imploring Danny to paint her on his B24.

To sell the idea to his Squadron Commander, Danny's painting Rose on a large canvas in front of his B24. Beyond it scores of B24s can be seen lined up on the tarmac.

Everyone in Danny’s crew is in favor of Rose being their “bombshell” except Radioman, who’s a racist and practical. Adamantly he declares, “There’s no way the commander’s gonna let you put a colored girl on our Liberator!” Danny, ready to beat him bloody, affirming her humanity, reveals, “Her name is Rose!” Radioman is lucky he only gets shoved to the ground. On the ground he has a realization, “Rose? That’s my mama’s name.” He’s sorry and votes thumbs-up for Rose.

When the Squadron Commander arrives, Rose vanishes and Danny and the crew’s hopes are dashed. He refuses to fight headquarters over painting a colored girl on their plane. It’s a battle he knows they can’t win.

Sophie Hudson is joined in her London USO Canteen by Carla and Nancy, two all-atwitter showgirls who have the night before met and married two of Danny’s gunners, Christopher and Calvin. Danny arrives, distressed about Rose being rejected as their “bombshell”. News from Carla and Nancy about their recent nuptials with his gunners isn’t even shocking; just another indicator that the whole world is going crazy. Danny is there to paint Sophie as their “bombshell”. She’s been approved by the Squadron Commander because she’s white. Sophie and Danny have become dear friends and he

often appears with her at the USO. Sophie’s empathetic about Rose being rejected because of her color, but she’s also in love with Danny. Danny’s all business, so Sophie drops her robe, revealing a translucent negligee, and strikes an irresistible pose.

In LOOK WHAT WAR CAN DO, Danny and Sophie are joined by Rose. They don't see Rose; it's as if they feel her there with them. The song reveals the intensity of Danny's affection for both women, their love for him, and the overwhelming fears all three of them have about him not surviving the war. After the trio, there's a German rocket attack. Rose vanishes. Against a large window, as London is lit up by the bombardment, Danny and Sophie can't resist making love. 

Back at The Ivory, unbeknownst to Cecil who hates the restricted Ivory, Rose is eager to accelerate her career, She pitches Artie and George on ROSIE THE RIVETER, a song she’s written about women doing men’s jobs while the men are off at war, and doing them just as well if not better. She performs it with The Ivory’s White Showgirls and three 3 Black Waitresses.

Artie loves it, but can’t see Rose or any black talent presenting it at The Ivory. He doesn’t feel his white clientele will appreciate it’s storyline if it includes black talent. Rose leaves humiliated and undecided about selling Artie the song.

Back at the Pair O’ Dice it’s been two weeks since Rose has gotten a letter from Danny, and she enters tipsy and anxious, looking for the mail. The letters had been coming daily from Danny, as promised. And, she had been religiously writing him every day, too. In SCREW MEN, against the advice of the Pair O’ Dice Girls, Rose refuses to give up on her love for Danny.

After SCREW MEN, Cecil consoles Rose, but then impresses upon her that she and Danny, when and if Danny returns, will be perpetually fighting a losing war against a the racism in America. He wants her to be realistic about her love for Danny and fears that she’ll get hurt. And, Cecil asks Rose to be realistic about competing against Sophie for Danny’s affections. Sophie Hudson gets anything she want.

Cecil’s left alone and frustrated with himself for hurting Rose with the truth. He wants to protect her, but that is nearly impossible in a world where colored people are so terribly disrespected. In despair Cecil sings MILLIONS OF BLACKBIRDS about the burden he and his people bear.

In an army hospital in England Sophie is next to Danny on a piano bench as he pokes WAR FX abstractly and painfully on the keyboard. Carla and Nancy are there too to sing to the damaged troops and the nurses. She tells Danny the war is over, but it’s as if he doesn’t hear her; he’s lost, damaged. She stops his playing by softly covering his hands on the keyboard. She starts the singing of THE ARMY AIR CORP SONG. Everyone sings along, even those who can barely muster the strength, but not Danny. When the singing ends Sophie shows Danny a stack of unopened letters from Rose. They bring him back into the real world. He recognizes Carla and Nancy and asks how Christopher and Calvin, his gunners, are doing. Carla, Nancy and Sophie have to explain that Danny’s the only one in his crew who survived their last mission, and it’s a miracle he survived. Sophie consoles Danny. It’s time to go home.

Rose has heard nothing from Danny for 5 months, but has kept writing him every day. Cecil’s playing heavy jazz with the Band when Danny, in uniform carrying his duffle and a rolled up canvas, shows up at the Pair O’ Dice with Sophie, Carla and Nancy. Cecil barely acknowledges them and keeps playing as Judy, Rita, Smoky, and Alvin are thrilled to see Danny, relieved that he’s alive, and blown away that he’s with Sophie Hudson. The situation is volatile. Danny asks about Rose, but no one has an answer as Cecil finishes the heavy jazz. He welcomes Danny home and introduces Rose to sing a new hit he and Rose have written called CARAMEL. Rose comes out looking worn out and has been drinking. It jolts her to see Danny and Sophie but she channels her anger into the heart-rending torch song about a girl being taken advantage of by her cheating man.

It’s tough for Danny to watch. He feels Rose’s pain. He hates that he betrayed her. It hurts Sophie to see how intensely Danny still loves Rose.

A DRUNK SAILOR jumps up onto the bandstand and comes-on to Rose. Danny jumps him and pummels him until Rose pulls her pistol from her thigh holster and fires it in the air. Danny lets loose of the Sailor. Rose retreats backstage. Danny goes after her, but Cecil blocks his way.

Later that night on The Pair O’ Dice’s rooftop, Rose comes out of her room with a caramel tin, opens it and reads one of its many letters. Danny is curled-up on his bed. He gets up, goes to the piano and bangs out WAR FX. It’s about how the war has traumatized him. It breaks Rose’s heart. She puts the letter back in the tin and dances absorbing the song’s agony.

When Danny finishes WAR FX, Rose consoles him with I CAN BE YOUR FRIEND.

Sophie comes onto the rooftop and watches Rose consoling Danny. The wind is gusting. Sophie pulls-out a letter out of the caramels’ tin, starts to open it, but instead clutches it to her heart. Sophie’s envy intensifies as she watches Rose caress Danny, then pull him into an embrace. The wind blows letters out of the caramel tin. Sophie scurries after them, but can only grab a few as many fly away. Passion rises between Rose and Danny; it carries them into the bed. Rose turns off a lamp. Letters are flying everywhere. Sophie let’s the few letters she’s clutching fly away with the others.

ACT 2

The next day the sun is coming up. Rose awakens next to Danny in his bed. Carefully, so as not to rouse him, she slips into her dress, moves to the piano, and starts playing the intro to GOOSEBUMPS, a song Rose and Danny wrote through their letters. His lyrics arrived in the last letter Rose got from him. It prompts Danny to tell her how he wasn’t permitted to paint her on his bomber, how that led to Sophie becoming their “bombshell”, how his despair and fear of dying led to him making love to Sophie, and how he lost his entire crew on his last mission. Rose chooses to forgive and heal, and proceeds to play GOOSEBUMPS, a frolicking duet about their only other night together and their first kiss.

Judy, Rita, and Smoky come out onto their fire escapes to watch the reuniting dance between Rose and Danny to GOOSEBUMPS. They love how romantic it is. Cecil joins them as the dance ends grumbling about all the racquet disturbing his sleep. Judy’s not happy that Cecil was up late drinking with Sophie. Cecil reveals that the drinking with Sophie was all business. Sophie’s offered Rose and him an opportunity to open for her at The Ivory with 5 songs. Danny’s thrilled for them. Rose imagines including Danny and them doing GOOSEBUMPS. Cecil makes it clear that Danny wasn’t part of the deal. Danny tells Rose not to worry about it; he’s not ready to perform anyway. … Then, Rose spots the caramels’ tin stuck in the climbing roses. There’s only one letter in it. She remembers the high winds and after searching high and low, sadly accepts that the letters are lost forever.

At The Ivory racist blue bloods, Buck and Chuck, enter and beeline for the bar. The club’s not open yet, so George isn’t thrilled about having to serve them drinks. But they push his buttons about being “uppity” and he relents. Rose enters from backstage and dares to step off the bandstand.

Buck and Chuck remember her and while unleashing a barrage of elitist “flirtation” caution her about “crossing the line”. Cecil comes out from backstage and calls for Rose, so he can get her out of harm’s way. Cecil’s amazed that he has to warn Rose again about The Ivory’s rules. She’s angry and is disgusted by their discriminatory practices. Artie enters saluting Buck and Chuck, and “welcoming” Cecil. There’s no love lost between Cecil and Artie. Before Artie can pretend he’s never met Rose, she divulges that Cecil knows she tried to sell Artie ROSIE THE RIVETER. Artie’s focus swiftly shifts to Sophie entering with Danny, Carla and Nancy. Cecil takes Rose backstage. Artie warmly welcomes them. Sophie exposes Carla and Nancy’s dancing talent, so Artie directs them towards Buck and Chuck who love to dance and are crazy wealthy. Carla and Nancy take the bait and head to the bar. Danny’s shown to a table and Artie escorts Sophie backstage.

Danny’s infuriated when he hears Buck and Chuck make racist sexual remarks about the Pair o’ Dice Girls. But when Rose returns to the bandstand and more salacious and bigoted remarks are directed at her, Danny breaks the club’s rules by pulling Rose off the bandstand for a dance.

LOVELY PEOPLE is sung by three groups: 1 - Buck, Chuck and Artie, 2 - Rose, Danny, Sophie, and 3 - The Black Waitresses & George. It’s a swirl of anger and resentment culminating in Danny punching Buck, which leads to Buck and Chuck brutally beating Danny. Cecil pulls Rose out of the middle of it and stops Buck and Chuck. They know better than to mess with Cecil. Cecil picks-up Danny off the floor and warns him this isn’t his fight. Danny pushes Cecil away rejecting his advice and tries to appeal to Rose. Cecil tries to get Rose to leave with him, but she wants words with Danny.

As everyone disperses Rose and Danny sing and tango to the tragic and emotionally charged YOU THINK YOU KNOW. Rose, although still deeply in love, is convinced more than ever, that no matter what Danny argues about their love being able to survive anything, their relationship is doomed. She pushes Danny out of her life.

After the fiasco at The Ivory Sophie, Carla and Nancy stroll the sidewalks of NYC. In front of Sophie’s brownstone they find Danny passed-out. Next to him is an empty pint of Scotch. Sophie cradles Danny assuring Carla and Nancy, “I got him.” Carla and Nancy linger and eventually join Sophie in the singing of SOPHIE’S PRAYER. Eventually they are joined by a chorus of others wounded by war.

At the Pair o’ Dice George arrives with compensation for Cecil and Rose. Since their gig at The Ivory turning was a total disaster this is totally unexpected. Cecil explains to Rose that he introduced George (who is Alvin’s twin brother) to Artie right before The Ivory opened. Artie and George have been lovers, living together in Artie’s tony townhouse for decades. Artie also owes George lots of money from poker losses and loans to keep The Ivory afloat. It turns-out that George has another agenda. In TAP DANCE RAP George reveals that Artie has so many gambling debts from poker that Buck and Chuck are threatening to take over The Ivory. George is hoping Cecil can help them out. But, George taps and raps for naught. Cecil sees no way he can help; claims he doesn’t have access to the kind of money they would need. Rose has a revelation. There’s a black-out and when the lights come up Rose takes-up the TAP DANCE RAP where George left off, but she’s pitching to Sophie and George. Cecil is gone. Rose waves in Judy, Rita, Smoky, Carla, & Nancy to help her pitch. “For fifty thousand dollars, The Ivory could be bought. Let a woman run the show. Now, wouldn’t that he hot. Put an end to the standards. Time for bigotry’s demise. Time to make your mark on history. Time to start to do what’s wise.” Sophie swallows it hook, line and sinker, even Rose’s idea of calling the new club The Lark.

On The Pair O’ Dice rooftop, Cecil finds Rose composing. Months have passed. The Ivory has closed but renovations are happening. Cecil wants to know who the new owners are and is squeezing Rose, Alvin and the Pair o’ Dice Girls for anything they might know. They all feign ignorance. George won’t even return his calls.

Later, Danny arrives carrying his satchel. Rose gives him the cold shoulder; she’s busy working for Sophie writing material for The Ivory. That also means working for Danny, because he’s Sophie’s musical director. He’s given Rose space since she pushed him away asserting their interracial love story was doomed. Rose and the Pair o’ Dice Girls are supposed to be appearing in The Lark’s grand opening. Rehearsals and the opening have been scheduled on their days off so there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to participate, unless Cecil’s found out about it. Danny can tell from Rose’s reaction that Cecil’s the problem. She tells him Buck and Chuck had been at the Pair o’ Dice and told Cecil what was happening. Danny’s going to confront Cecil. Rose implores him not to. Rose opens the satchel and can’t believe what she sees. She pulls out a couple stacks of rubber banded letters. DANNY - Except for the 43 days I was in a coma I wrote you every day. ROSE - Why didn’t you send them?
DANNY - I didn’t feel like I deserved you.
ROSE - I know it was horrible over there, Danny. But that war is over. I’m still fighting one here. Because of this ... this skin.
DANNY - Don’t say that.
ROSE - It feels like almost every day I get wounded. It’s the way people look at me. It’s where I can’t go, the work I can’t get.
DANNY - Sophie’s paying you well and I know she’s trying to help you get your record deal. The gig at The Lark is critical. It’s a game changer!
ROSE - I don’t see that or anything changing much.

Danny sings I CAN’T EVER FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH YOU!

Rose is moved, “I’ll talk to Cecil.”

The next morning on the rooftop of The Pair O’ Dice, Judy, Rita, and Smoky are waiting for Rose to come out of her apartment. ROSE - Okay. You gals ready? We’re going to tell Cecil we can do whatever we damn well please on our days off! We said we’d perform at The Lark, so that’s what we’re going to do. Let’s go make some history! JUDY - We’ll take care of Cecil. RITA - You go. ROSE - I thought we all wanted this? SMOKY - We do. RITA - But we need to be smart here.

Judy, Rita and Smoky are making the ultimate sacrifice. Rose must be the chosen one. They sing a heart wrenching LIVING IN COLOR to Rose and send her off.

At The Lark the following day, the Ivory has all but been erased. Larks predominate the new design, on the walls in silhouette larks soar against crimson clouds, they are perched on branches in silver chandeliers, etc. Sophie is running a rehearsal

Danny barges in upset that Sophie’s given up hope that the Pair O’ Dice talent will appear. Sophie’s heard from Cecil that nobody from the Pair o’ Dice will be performing at The Lark. Danny counters that he saw Rose last night and he’s sure she’ll show. He demands they wait for Rose, or at least her answer, and has everyone break for lunch except Sophie. Danny sits down at the piano and starts WE DARE LOVE ON. It soothes Sophie. She sidles up next to him on the piano bench. Rose rushes in, unseen, and watches Danny with Sophie. SOPHIE - I loved singing for you boys over there. I liked thinking maybe I made you all a little warmer when you were freezing up there in those bombers. As her tears well up, he consoles her. DANNY - You gave us hope. Rose can’t believe what Sophie’s doing. Invisible to them Rose moves between them desperate to stop what is happening.
SOPHIE - I told you we’d get through it. And now look at us. Making music, in our own club. There’s nothing we can’t have.
Danny stops playing the piano, stands and withdraws. Sophie’s scared he’s slipping away.
SOPHIE (incensed) - I’ve done everything right! I have stood by you throughout this doomed dream you are in with Rose. I’ve played nice, I’ve protected her. I’m trying to make her a star! Don’t I get some credit? ... I’m here. Rose isn’t. I’ll always be here for you.
Sophie’s about to faint. She steadies herself at the piano. Danny begins singing LOOK WHAT LOVE CAN DO, a trio with Rose & Sophie. It’s an amended and enhanced variation on LOOK WHAT WAR CAN DO, which they sang during the war in Sophie’s USO dressing room during the bombing of London when Danny betrayed Rose with Sophie. When the song ends Sophie is faint again. Danny goes to Sophie and hugs her. Rose can’t bear to watch.
SOPHIE - I’m all right. We can help Rose. But you know and she knows, in the end she’s going to need to stick to her own kind.
A haunting solo trumpet plays CARAMEL as Rose recoils. She dances like an arrow has pierced her chest, circling them, desperately awaiting Danny’s reply to Sophie’s bigotry. Danny takes too long to reply; it’s more than Rose can bear. She’s furious. She flees. …

… In despair Rose dances onto the rooftop of the Pair o’ Dice. Cecil is on the fire escape with Judy, Rita and Smoky, continuing the trumpet solo of CARAMEL. ROSE (cries out) “CECIL”!
It stops Cecil’s playing.
ROSE - The girls at least should have been there with me!
CECIL - I warned you!
ROSE - Always spouting off about how you’re going to protect me. How you’re going to help me be a star!
Rita and Smoky run down the fire escape to calm Rose.
ROSE (to Judy, Rita and Smoky) - Well, you weren’t there for me! I had to go it alone! Just like my mama!
Rita and Smoky try to comfort Rose. She pushes them away.
ROSE (to Rita and Smoky) - I’m not the chosen one! I’m just another damn fool! We should of stuck together!
Cecil and Judy descend the fire escape.
ROSE (to Cecil) - I don’t need you! Stay away from me!
Rose pulls her pistol and aims it at Cecil. He motions to Judy to stay where she is and drops onto the rooftop.
ROSE (like she’s got nothing to live for) - When I came here, I was prepared to use this to gun you down ... for leaving my mama. You broke her sweet heart.
Cecil walks right up to Rose till the barrel of the gun presses between his eyes. CECIL - Let me have the gun.
She pistol whips him repeatedly.
JUDY - ROSE STOP!
ROSE - The last thing she said to me was “Go to Cecil. He’s your father. He may be alright now.”
CECIL (wiping his bloody forehead and stunned) - You saying, I’m your father?
ROSE - Yes, I am.
CECIL - I never knew that, child. I was crazy for your mother. She wouldn’t have me cause I couldn't get off the heroin. I never knew about you. I swear it.
ROSE - Would it have made a difference?
CECIL - I don’t know. I was messed up.
ROSE - Well, you sure messed us up.
Rose is shaking; still pointing the gun at him. Danny runs in. Rose pivots and points the gun at Danny.
ROSE - Leave me be! “I’m sticking to my own kind!”
Danny recognizes what Sophie just said at The Lark.
DANNY - So, you came. You were there?
ROSE - I’m a fool. Sophie will always get what she wants.
DANNY - You didn’t hear what I said to her?
ROSE (not hearing him, still absorbed in her previous thought) - Well, she’s not getting what she wants this time.
Rose closes on Danny squeezing the trigger. Cecil lunges and grabs the gun, but she holds it tight. As Cecil wrestles her down the gun goes off. Danny is hit; thrown back onto the glider. HORRIFIED GASPS! Rose runs to Danny. He’s clutching his hands to his upper chest, near his right shoulder.
ROSE - I wasn’t going to shoot you. Oh, Danny.
JUDY - I’m calling an ambulance!
Judy runs up the fire escape.
ROSE - Is it bad? Oh, God! It’s bad!
Danny’s hands are bloody. Rose’s hands join Danny’s pressing on the wound.
DANNY - At least you missed my heart.
Danny is weak, but starts YOU THINK YOU KNOW and Rose joins in. It’s a shortened reprise with a few lyrical variations.

It’s clear they love each other, but they still both know they are clinging to a dream that’s unlikely to come true. And as we fear that he won’t survive, he passes-out. The lights fade out. In the dark, Sophie, Carla, & Nancy sing the final part of WE DARE LOVE ON.
SOPHIE, CARLA & NANCY - LOVE WHEN MY LOVE'S NOT THERE. LOVE, LOVE IS EVERYWHERE.

CODA

The lights come up at The Lark on Sophie center stage backed by Carla & Nancy and the Band finishing WE DARE LOVE ON. The scene is played breaking the fourth wall as if the theatre audience is their audience.
SOPHIE, CARLA & NANCY - LOVE, THERE’S NO HEART PREPARED FOR LOVE. YET WE DARE, YES, WE DARE, LOVE ON.
SOPHIE (in tears) - That was written for me by Danny Capucci.
George enters with Artie.
GEORGE (comforting Sophie) - That is not what we discussed.
SOPHIE - Well, I feel like I will need to say that.
Artie and George nod to each other in tacit agreement.
GEORGE (warmly) - Okay. You say that.

It’s a celebration of The Lark’s 5 year anniversary! GEORGE - When my partners Sophie Hudson and Artie Jones opened The Lark we made some serious history by closing The Ivory, the renowned, but restricted nightclub. Yes, aren’t we glad those times are gone. Or, at least they’re gone here. A few artists we wanted to appear at The Lark’s opening weren’t able to make it! But tonight’s going to be different.

ARTIE - Help us welcome the owner of The Pair o’ Dice up in Harlem, virtuoso trumpet player, Cecil Clay and Pair o’ Dice Entertainer, Judy Clay, who finally got Cecil to march down the ol’ wedding aisle.
Cecil enters with Judy. She waves her wedding ring.
ARTIE - And, Pair o’ Dice Entertainers, Rita La Porte, and Iris “Smoky” Winfrey!
Rita and Smoky enter.
ARTIE - Here’s to wounds healing and forgiveness.
SOPHIE - Here’s to crazy wonderful things happening in one unforgettable night.
GEORGE - Here’s to living in color!
Judy, Rita and Smoky begin humming LIVING IN COLOR.
ARTIE - Help me welcome one of America’s finest recording artists, Miss Rose Sweet! Rose enters.
ROSE - Danny Capucci and I wrote a song about one of those crazy wonderful nights Sophie was talking about. It’s about the night Danny and I fell in love. Danny didn’t care about the color of my skin. He was looking at the goosebumps he was giving me, on my shoulders, on my thighs, well, they were all over. The song’s called GOOSEBUMPS. Unfortunately, we never got to record it.
Danny strides in.
DANNY - Maybe tomorrow?! Seems like waiting another 5 years to do it is a little crazy.
ROSE - Okay. Tomorrow we’ll do it. I think I’m ready for that. But tonight ... Rose looks to George, who wasn’t expecting all that.
GEORGE (getting on with it) - Just in from Los Angeles, California, Mr. Danny Capucci!
Danny bows, gestures to Smoky to come forward and cues the band to do LIVING IN COLOR.

SMOKY - SOMETIMES WE GOTTA PICK OUR BATTLES. NOT EVERY WAR CAN BE WON. SOMEONE’S GOTTA TAKE THE VERY FIRST STEP TO MAKE CERTAIN THE BATTLE’S BEGUN.
JUDY, RITA & SMOKY - THERE ARE THOSE OF US WHO ARE CHOSEN FROM THE DARKNESS, TO FIND THE LIGHT. IF WE ALL TAKE PART IN OUR OWN SPECIAL WAYS THEN WE ALL CAN BE PART OF THE FIGHT.
ROSE - WHEN YOU’RE LIVING IN COLOR BUT THE WORLD’S BLACK AND WHITE, YOU CAN FEEL SO INVISIBLE EVEN STANDING IN THE LIGHT. I’M ASKING IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FREEDOM SOME RESPECT JUST MIGHT BRING. IF WE’RE LIVING IN COLOR WE’D HAVE REASON TO SING.
Rose and Danny kiss. JUDY, RITA & SMOKY - WHEN YOU’RE LIVING IN COLOR BUT THE WORLD’S BLACK AND WHITE, YOU CAN FEEL SO INVISIBLE EVEN STANDING IN THE LIGHT.
ROSE & DANNY - I’M ASKING IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FREEDOM SOME RESPECT JUST MIGHT BRING. IF WE’RE LIVING IN COLOR WE’D HAVE REASON TO SING.
Everyone joins in, even Buck and Chuck.
EVERYONE - NOW WE’RE LIVING IN COLOR YOU’RE OUR HOPE AND OUR CHANCE. YOU CAN BE THE CONNECTION THAT BRINGS US ALL TO THE DANCE. YOU KNOW WE GOTTA ALL TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER WHILE YOU GO SING OUT LOUD! CAUSE WE’RE LIVING IN COLOR AND IN COLOR WE’RE PROUD. AH OOOO!

THE END