Saturday, January 23, 2010

January 23 - "Tuning Up"

Spotlight on three seats in a theater, on an aisle.

ADAM and AILEEN sit one seat off the aisle, reading their programs.

AILEEN
The composer is a protege of Sondheim.

ADAM
That can’t be good.

AILEEN
You love Sondheim.

ADAM
I tolerate his work.

A MAN sits in the aisle seat, next to ADAM. He starts humming. It isn’t loud, but it’s loud enough to bother ADAM.

ADAM
(to AILEEN)
You hear this?

AILEEN
What?

ADAM
This guy humming?

AILEEN
No.

ADAM
It’s like he’s tuning up or something.

AILEEN
If it bothers you that much, tell him to stop.

ADAM
It’s not even that good a tune.

AILEEN
So tell him to stop humming.

ADAM
(to THE MAN)
Excuse me, what is that you’re humming?

THE MAN
It’s from this show, actually.

ADAM
Really?

THE MAN
Yes, sir.

ADAM
So you’ve seen it already.

THE MAN
A few times, actually.

ADAM
Oh? Does the score get any better than what you’re humming?

THE MAN
I think all of the score is rather brilliant.

ADAM
That doesn’t sound brilliant to me. It sounds repetitive.

AILEEN
Adam!

ADAM
What? The tune doesn’t sound that brilliant, is all.

THE MAN
I’m sorry you don’t think so.

ADAM
I’m just expecting something interesting. The guy that wrote it is a protege of Sondheim.

THE MAN
This is true.

ADAM
I wonder how many people Sondheim takes on.

THE MAN
Recently? Just me.

ADAM
(realizing)
Of course you are.

The lights dim, the show begins. The tune THE MAN was humming plays.

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