GK
A friend of mine is involved in a production of An American in Paris, the Broadway musical based on the Gene Kelly movie, music by Gershwin, with fabulous dance sequences, and I saw it and it awakened beautiful old memories, not so much of Paris but memories of being an American. A younger American. One who danced.
RF PIANO SEQUENCE
GK
I went back to the show again.
RF REPEATS SEQUENCE
GK
And I went to see it again.
RF REPEATS SEQUENCE
GK
And I liked it so much----
RF REPEATS SEQUENCE
MUSIC UNDER....
TR (FRENCH)
So you liked it?
GK
I loved it. I felt like getting up and dancing.
TR (FRENCH)
Thank you for not doing that.
GK
It made me feel like I could though.
TR (FRENCH)
Well, dance is more than a feeling. You have to do it with your whole body, including your legs. Your legs are old. And they're not attractive.
GK
We have a word for that. It's called ageism. And it's not nice.
TR (FRENCH)
The other word for it is realism. It's not nice but it's real.
GK
Speaking of realism, you're not French. You're American.
TR (AMER)
Ah, you're right. I forgot. Sorry.
GK
I wouldn't have to be a principal dancer, I could be one of the ones in back.
TR
Okay. Go stand in back. Let's see you dance.
GK
Okay.
(FOOTSTEPS. FADING. PAUSE)
TR
Farther back!!!!
(FOOTSTEPS FADING. PAUSE.)
TR
Okay. Let's see you dance.
GK (OFF)
I can barely see you.
TR
I know. Dance.
GK (OFF)
The lights are too bright.
TR
It's theater.
GK (OFF)
I dance better in the dark. I can't dance in bright light.
TR
It's called Show business, okay? It's not Tell business. Show.
GK (OFF)
Okay, okay.
RF PIANO SEQUENCE AND THEN UNDER
TR
Thank you. We'll let you know.
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH AND STOP.)
GK
Sorry, I couldn't hear you.
TR
No.
GK
I thought you said, We'll let you know.
TR
I just did. The answer is no.
GK
You decided already?
TR
We don't have an opening for a dancer.
GK
You have some walk-on parts----- a newsboy.....a cop......
TR
You have to walk to music.
GK
I can walk to music.
TR
Let's see.
GK
Okay.
TR
Over there.
(FOOTSTEPS FADING AWAY.)
RF PIANO SEQUENCE
GK (OFF)
Here?
TR
Farther.
(FOOTSTEPS AWAY)
GK
Ready?
TR
Yes. The answer is no.
GK
Which?
TR
We don't want you as a walk-on.
GK
I was just walking over here. I didn't know I was auditioning.
TR
In theater you are always auditioning. Always. Life is an audition.
GK
How about ushering?
TR
Have you ever ushed?
GK
Ushed?
TR
It's what an usher does. They ush.
GK
What does ushing consist of?
TR
If you need to ask, then you're not qualified.
GK
Darn.
RF PIANO SEQUENCE
GK
I still felt that with the right kind of lighting, some training.....but never mind. I had to run. Had an appointment with my editor. In the tell business.
SS
Mmmm. So good to see you. (AIR KISSES) It's been much too long. I read your novel. Fascinating.
So much life and vitality. Such a sense of detail. And the adverbs. Beautiful.
GK
You liked it----
SS
It's beautiful. I adored it.
GK
So you want to publish it?
SS
I adored parts of it. Other parts were ---- uneven.
GK
Uneven.
SS
Why does the novel begin in South Carolina and then suddenly it's on a train in the south of France and why is the main character called Danny in the beginning and later he's Ramon Laurent and towards the end he's Monsieur Patapan?
GK
I guess I was going for some sort of transformation. I donno. Let me make a note of that. "Why does Danny become Ramon and then Monsieur Patapan?"
SS
And chapter 11 ----
Listen to this: "BIQ SUATRO MEECH KWERTY NISK REMPLON NAMLEREP TRIXLY SWISK THEB." What is that about? "BRILIP PO ENNER SKWILM."
GK
My computer-----
SS
Three hundred pages of gibberish.
GK
I worked on that for six months. In a dimly lit room. I thought it'd help my concentration, but I guess I couldn't see the keys. Well---- Thank goodness I hung onto my teaching job.
SS
I didn't know you taught----
GK
Yes. A course in creativity.
SS
Where do you do that?
GK
At the Lycee Francaise.
SS
At the French school?
GK
Yes.
SS
You teach in French?
GK
No, English.
SS
Do the students understand what you say?
GK
Good question. I'm not sure.
SS
Is there class discussion?
GK
No, I give lectures.
SS
Do they ask questions?
GK
Good point. Hmmm.
SS
Anyway. Here's your manuscript.
GK
It's okay. I don't want it.
SS
Sorry.
GK
It's okay. Bye.
SS
Bye.
(FOOTSTEPS AWAY)
TR
(FRENCH, WAITER)
GK
You're giving me the check? Give it to my editor. The woman going out the door. Caroline?????
TR (FRENCH INSISTENCE)
GK
No, no, no, no. Editors pay. Writers do not pay. Editors. What is this? Seventy-two dollars??? She had a martini, I had a latte. Seventy-two dollars????
TR (FRENCH EXPLANATION)
RF PIANO SEQUENCE
FN
Mr. Wyler?
GK
Yes, Mr. Smith.
FN
I've been asked to tell you that the Lycee Francaise is letting you go. As of today. Now. Here is your severance check. For $35.75.
GK
This comes as such a shock.
FN
You haven't been to class in three weeks, Mr. Wyler.
GK
It's creative writing, Mr. Smith. They need time to themselves. All of us writers need time to ourselves.
FN
And now you shall have a great deal of time to yourself.
GK
I don't know what to say. I would think the head of the school would come and tell me I'm fired. You're the janitor.
FN
Director of Sanitation.
GK
Where is the head of the school?
FN
He was busy. And so am I. Excuse me. (VACUUM BACK AND FORTH)
RF PIANO SEQUENCE AND UNDERSCORE
GK
What I told my students at the Lycee is that creativity comes from within, the urge to be more than what we are. Some people achieve this by fiction which is a form of travel. An American in Paris can't simply fit into the crowd, so you have to create yourself. It's a performance. In America, there's no such thing as an American ---- you're a New Yorker or you're from L.A. Or you're a Red Sox fan or you're a Republican or you're retired or you're a 1 Percenter, but you become an American by being in Paris.
HM
Pardon, monsieur? Bon jour.
GK
Did you say "Bon jour"?
HM
Oui, Monsieur.
GK
The way you say "Bon jour" makes me think you're from back where I'm from.
HM
Mon francais est si terrible?
GK
No, your French isn't terrible. It's not that. It's that long-legged stride.....that light in your eyes.....that friendly grin....you're from the Midwest.
HM
La verite.
GK
I thought so. Where you going, darling ?
HM
Pour la station.
GK
Don't mind me if I follow you. Wherever you're going, I'm going too.
GK (SINGS)
Well, I followed her to the station with her suitcase in my hand
HM
Well, he followed me to the station with my suitcase in his hand.
GK/HM
I never had been in love before....like I was in Paris France (Paris France, Paris France)
GK/HM
She bought a ticket at the station, where she goes, okay by me.
Marseilles, Provence, the Riviera or Brittany
Anywhere is good enough......c'est la vie, c'est la vie. (c'est la vie, c'est la vie).
Two Americans in Paris, tourists on a foreign tour
Weren't Americans before, but now they are for sure
Love is a foreign country......c'est la vie, c'est l'amour (c'est la vie, c'est l'amour)
HM
Strange to go to Paris for romance and meet someone from St. Paul.
GK
Well, wherever you go, there you are. The more that changes, the more it's the same. It sounds better in French. It sounds even better in music.
RF PIANO FINISH