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written by Glen Eric Reed and Michael A. Weintraub
FADE IN:
INT. ROOM - MORNING
An unidentified room dominated by a large window. Intense
sunlight drowns our scene, rendering it dreamlike. It seems
like a long-ago time, centuries past, but the extreme light
makes it nearly impossible to determine the era.
A stack of paper sits on a desk. Due to the bright glare from
the light, we can't see if anything is written or printed on
the pages. The window is slowly opened, perhaps magically.
The paper is blown off the desk, falls to the floor, and
lands against the wall, forgotten....
FADE TO BLACK.
A VOICE fades in over the blackness, speaking the words of
William Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew, in progress.
LORD (VO)
O, how like a swine he lies! I
will practice on this drunken
man. If he were wrapp'd in sweet
clothes, rings put upon his
fingers, would not the beggar
then forget himself?
EXT. STAGEPLAY THEATRE - EVENING
FADE UP on a small community theatre in a rural neighborhood.
A hand-painted sign announces the current production:
Stageplay Theatre Presents:
The Taming of the Shrew
a comedy by William Shakespeare
Weekends in October
Join us in our 20th year: 1979-1999
As we read the sign, the voice of a female SERVANT is heard
replying to the Lord.
SERVANT (VO)
My lord, he shall think by our
true diligence that he is no less
what we say he is.
FADE TO:
INT. STAGEPLAY THEATRE (AUDIENCE) - EVENING
Among other AUDIENCE MEMBERS, we find ELLIS STRAHAN. Ellis is
a clean-cut, well-dressed man in his late 20s. He intently
watches the stage as we watch him.
With the Lord, Sly speaks to his alleged wife, actually a
male PAGE in disguise who speaks in a falsetto voice that is
obvious to all but Sly.
SLY (VO)
What, would you make me mad? Am
not I Christopher Sly?
LORD (VO)
Thou art a lord, and nothing but
a lord: thou hast a wife far more
beautiful than any woman.
PAGE (VO)
How fares my noble lord? I am
your wife.
Ellis looks down at his watch.
CU: Ellis's watch reads 8:20.
SLY (VO)
Am I a lord? And have I such a
wife? Or do I dream? Or have I
dream'd till now?
FADE TO:
CU: Ellis's watch reads 10:55.
INT. STAGEPLAY THEATRE (STAGE) - NIGHT
The show winds down. On stage, HORTENSIO and LUCENTIO are
performing the last few lines.
HORTENSIO
Go thy ways; thou hast tamed a
curst shrew.
LUCENTIO
'Tis a wonder, by your leave, she
will be tamed so.
The lights come down as the production comes to a close.
The audience reacts with droning APPLAUSE as the ACTORS come
out for their curtain. As this sound fades to silence, it is
overtaken by the sound of Ellis's voice.
ELLIS (VO)
Shakespeare's Taming of the
Shrew. It had always been one of
my favorites.
The actors file off stage, and some of the CREW begins to
wander on. Some audience members exit the theatre, others
remain in their seats.
ELLIS (VO)
I'd spent quite a few years
studying this stuff, so I had to
stay behind for the Q&A session.
Besides, I had finally arranged
for some of Granddad's money to
get soundly invested -
Ellis's voiceover is momentarily interrupted by the sound of
a fork SCRAPING a plate, and Ellis briefly speaks with his
mouth full.
ELLIS (VO, Cont.)
- I needed a diversion to get my
mind off things.
About a quarter of the audience remains in the seating area.
Some of the actors have returned to the stage in their street
clothes, joining the DIRECTOR and a few other CREW MEMBERS.
Ellis watches as an audience Q&A session begins. We continue
to hear only his voiceover, with the sounds of the theatre
muted.
ELLIS (VO)
Most of the questions were the
usual crap. You know: "How did
you memorize your lines?" "Why
wasn't everyone dressed in
tights?" That sort of thing. I
was actually starting to think
about taking off, and then it
happened.
Out in the audience, Ellis yawns and gathers his coat. He
starts to stand up when a YOUNG WOMAN in a group of COLLEGE
STUDENTS raises her hand. She's met with a nod from the
director, and we join the action-in-present.
YOUNG WOMAN
How come the story that opened
the play was never finished? You
know, the drunk guy?
DIRECTOR
Well, that's all Shakespeare
wrote. That opening bookend - the
induction - was it.
YOUNG WOMAN
Okay, so why didn't he write an
... outduction?
Ellis sits back down, intrigued.
DIRECTOR
(to audience)
For those who aren't aware, she's
referring to the start of the
play, with the drunk Christopher
Sly, the lord, and servants. The
start of the production is an
entirely different story, where
the lord tricks Sly into thinking
he's a lord awakening after a
fifteen-year sleep, and the
lord's page, in disguise as a
woman, is Sly's wife. The Taming
of the Shrew was sort of
presented to Sly - a play within
a play.
ELLIS (VO)
It was a brilliant question, if
only she'd realized what she was
really asking.
DIRECTOR (Cont.)
This is the only instance of
Shakespeare using an induction.
Closest he comes is a prologue in
a few other plays, but that
always sets the foundation that
the story is built upon, which
this does not. Far as why he
didn't write an end to the story,
no one knows for sure. There are
a few theories, like the
conclusion was lost before the
play was printed. There's even a
controversial closing to the
bookend floating around, but it's
widely agreed that it's a fake.
Finally, we both hear and see Ellis speak:
ELLIS
Maybe Shakespeare was planning a
sequel.
Everyone LAUGHS at the comment - except Ellis: A grin merely
plays across his face.
ELLIS (VO)
And that's when it hit me. Or I
should say, that's when it all
came back to me.
EXT. LONDON SIDEWALK - NIGHT
About ten years earlier. Ellis and LAUREN MARRUS (an
attractive American grad student in her early 20s) are
walking hand-in-hand. Ellis's book bag swings from his
shoulder. A small street sign reads "Park St." Not many other
people are on the road.
A taxicab drives by, splashing a puddle in its wake. Ellis
kicks a discarded paper cup on the sidewalk.
ELLIS (VO)
It was London, back in 1989. Grad
school at the University of
Enfield. That was really when the
wheels were put into motion.
They stop at an intersection, and more cars drive by. Lauren
looks up at the full moon, which is blanketed by a cloud.
ELLIS
So we're all set for after
finals. I called for
reservations. Our romantic
weekend awaits.
LAUREN
That B&B in Weston-super-Mare?
Oh, that is so awesome; I can't
wait!
Ellis stops. Lauren drops his hand and continues on for a few
steps before realizing he's no longer next to her.
LAUREN
What is it?
She backs up to where he is and looks at what he's found:
Behind a building is a brightly-painted backhoe.
ELLIS
What's going on over there?
LAUREN
They found The Globe buried under
the Anchor Terrace building.
ELLIS
Shakespeare's Globe?
LAUREN
You know another?
Ellis grabs her hand and leads her up to the side of the
building.
EXT. JUST OUTSIDE EXCAVATION SITE - NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren walk up to the site. Oddly, there's still
work being done at night. The backhoe is clearing dirt next
to a shallow pit. Nothing but a makeshift rope fence with
wooden stakes surrounds the scene, leaving little to stop
Ellis as he leads Lauren inside the site.
EXT. EXCAVATION SITE - NIGHT
They stand in a shadowed area to avoid being seen. From here,
they can see a half-dozen ARCHAEOLOGISTS.
ELLIS (VO)
The Globe: where Shakespeare's
plays were performed. For English
lit students, this was the
promised land. Until we came up
to the site, I was skeptical, but
most construction workers don't
work at night like this. But when
it's archaeologists digging up
something of value, all bets are
off.
LAUREN
They've been working here until
midnight every night for almost a
month. I'm surprised you haven't
heard about this.
ELLIS
Not paying attention to too much
else when you're around.
An adorable blushing smile appears on Lauren's face.
LAUREN
Thank you.
ELLIS (VO)
Our relationship was intense,
after all. One where you don't
pay much attention to the outside
world, so it's no surprise that I
didn't notice this around the
corner. But once I saw it, I
wasn't interested in much else, I
admit.
Ellis's voiceover CLEARS ITS THROAT. The excavation scene
doesn't get too exciting, so Ellis takes Lauren by the hand,
and they quickly duck back out to the street.
ELLIS (VO)
I was amazed how lax the security
was. Just about anyone could go
in and take a walk around.
INT. LAUREN'S APARTMENT BUILDING (HALLWAY)- LATER THAT NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren arrive at her doorstep, still holding hands.
She takes her keys out of a coat pocket and unlocks the door.
They go in together, and Ellis pulls her into an embrace,
kissing her passionately.
INT. LAUREN'S APARTMENT (LIVING ROOM, CONTINUOUS) - NIGHT
Still entangled with Ellis, Lauren GIGGLES as she kicks the
door closed behind them. Seemingly attached, they stumble
into the darkened entrance, and almost crash into a table by
the door.
After an audible STRUGGLE with the wall light switch, Lauren
throws her keys down on the table, on top of a stack of mail.
LAUREN
(giggling)
Careful, El! Watch it!
Ellis lets her go. He quickly takes off his coat, throws it
on the floor, and pulls Lauren back to him for another quick
kiss. He takes a step back from her and takes his key ring
out of his pocket. She smiles knowingly. He drops his book
bag to the floor.
Ellis shines a small flashlight on the key ring at her legs,
slowly moving its blue light up her body. He stops with a sly
smile. Lauren raises an eyebrow and GIGGLES.
They stand, facing each other, staring intently into each
other's eyes.
INT. LAUREN'S APARTMENT (BEDROOM) - MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren are in bed. Lauren is sound asleep, but
Ellis lies wide awake, staring at a digital clock on the
nightstand. "2:12" glows on the orange digital readout.
ELLIS (VO)
I couldn't sleep that night, and
I knew exactly why. I made one
last check -
Ellis gently rolls over and hears Lauren LIGHTLY SNORE. He
rolls back to his side of the bed and gets out slowly.
ELLIS (VO, Cont.)
- and headed back out.
He dresses quickly, grabs his book bag, and exits the
bedroom.
EXT. OUTSIDE EXCAVATION SITE - NIGHT
It's utterly quiet at the excavation site as Ellis arrives
and sneaks back into the area where he and Lauren were hiding
earlier.
EXT. EXCAVATION SITE - NIGHT
Ellis is alone. He stands back in the shadows for a minute to
confirm this, then walks toward the main part of the site.
ELLIS (VO)
Have you ever had one of those
moments when you know your life's
about to change? I don't quite
know what I was doing there, but
I knew it would change my life.
Ellis descends into the shallow pit, entering the excavated
remains of the Globe's entryway.
ELLIS (VO)
I went to England to study
literature, but also to find
something that would change my
life. After a year of nothing, we
met and I was convinced that our
relationship was that something.
Instead, I found myself at The
Globe, looking for something
else.
EXT. EXCAVATION SITE (BELOW) - NIGHT
Ellis walks around the site. The full moon is overhead;
things are illuminated well, but there's not much
recognizable. He walks around bits of small construction
equipment and partially exposed walls and through separate
roped-off areas.
In the distance, Ellis hears a CAR DRIVE BY. He pauses long
enough to confirm that it didn't stop.
ELLIS (VO)
Anyway, as soon as I walked into
that pit, I knew my life wouldn't
be the same.
Ellis walks into a hollowed-out area adjacent to the shallow
pit. He takes his key ring out of his pocket and shines its
tiny blue flashlight around, revealing what appears to be a
small excavated room.
Piles of dirt line the area, and wood braces support some of
the rocky walls. He starts to walk into the room as we back
out and into the main pit.
ELLIS (VO)
I must admit, I felt at home in
there. I knew that's where I was
supposed to be, but not yet why I
was supposed to be there.
Eventually, the flashlight beam settles on the ground, in a
corner of the room, and Ellis pulls his book bag off his
shoulder. We start to move closer, to see what he has found,
when an ALARM CLOCK BUZZ brings us back to:
INT. LAUREN'S APARTMENT (BEDROOM) - DAY
Lauren wakes up and hits a button on the BUZZING alarm clock.
Ellis is next to her in bed. He rolls over and sits up.
ELLIS
Morning. Sleep well?
Lauren smiles at him.
LAUREN
You know I always sleep well
after a good workout.
Ellis gives her a smile, but not the kind she was looking
for.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Something up?
ELLIS
I- Umm, nothing.
He walks over to his book bag in the corner and zips it
closed.
LAUREN
Okay, well, I have a meeting with
Professor Hanley in forty-five
minutes, and you've got class in
an hour, so we'd better get
moving. Dinner tonight at seven?
ELLIS
Jack's?
LAUREN
Sounds good.
Ellis walks around to her side of the bed, gives her a quick
kiss, and heads to the bathroom. Lauren CLEARS HER THROAT,
and Ellis stops in his tracks.
ELLIS
Oh, umm, ladies first, of course.
Walking back over to her, his foot brushes the side of a
small notepad, pushing it under the bed. He leans down and
gives her another kiss, much more passionate than the first.
INT. JACK'S PUB - NIGHT
Lauren and Ellis sit together at a booth in the corner of a
mostly-empty London pub. Lauren is furious, and Ellis is
trying to calm her down.
LAUREN
Is it true? Is it?
ELLIS
They're not the same -
LAUREN
What's the difference? Please,
tell me. Educate me.
ELLIS
They're not the same! Look.
Ellis tries to slide a document to her across the table. She
pushes it back at him.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Look, if my idea is the same as
yours, then all ideas about
feminism in Pre-Raphaelite
literature are the same!
LAUREN
They called it the Pre-Raphaelite
Brotherhood! Considering that
they're all men, how many
different ideas could there be?
ELLIS
Okay, I graduate a whole year
ahead of you. I'll help you with
whatever you need, and your
thesis will end up a thousand
times better than this anyway.
LAUREN
I think you should go.
An awkward pause, as the tension visibly rises.
ELLIS
The food will be here soon. Why
don't we just eat, and we can
talk about this later, when
you've calmed down.
LAUREN
Don't expect me to "calm down"
any time soon. If you're not
going to go, then maybe I will.
She glares at him, and they just sit and stare at each other
for a moment, speechless.
ELLIS
You're kidding, right?
LAUREN
Enjoy your dinner.
Lauren briskly stands and heads for the door.
ELLIS
Lauren, come on, wait. Sweetie,
please, don't make such a big
deal over this.
Lauren stops short of the door, but doesn't turn back to him.
LAUREN
I want your key to my apartment
back. Now.
ELLIS
You're not serious?
She turns and walks slowly back to the table, but doesn't
look at Ellis. She looks at his feet under the table.
He pulls his key ring out of his pocket, and just looks at
the keys for a moment. Eventually, a last-ditch effort comes
to mind: He begins to shine the tiny flashlight on her,
playfully. Lauren doesn't respond, so after a moment he gives
up.
He removes a key from the key ring and places it on the
table, on top of the document. He pushes both over to what
was her side of the table.
She takes the key and leaves the pub, without ever looking at
Ellis, or the document on the table.
ELLIS (VO)
So, that was it. I was pretty
distraught, but it wasn't
anything that a lot of scotch -
and a Scottish undergrad -
couldn't take care of. Or at
least distract me for a while.
The following year, you presented
a new and better thesis idea and
graduated cum laude. I used the
Pre-Raph idea, and, well, I
graduated. Actually, I'm not
really sure why I even mentioned
the breakup: You were there.
INT. RESTAURANT - AFTERNOON
It is ten years after London and a little over a year after
Ellis attended The Taming of the Shrew. He sits across from
Lauren in a deli in Hoboken, New Jersey.
There's a long pause as Ellis's story sinks in with Lauren.
He continues eating his lunch, as we've heard but not seen
until now. Lauren takes a drink from a glass of Coke. She
swallows and just gazes at Ellis for a moment before finally
breaking the silence.
LAUREN
I'm not sure why you mentioned
any of it. I know I was there,
Ellis, but why am I here?
ELLIS
Huh?
LAUREN
Why am I here? Why did you bother
telling me this whole story?
Ellis just smiles, then shovels a forkful of coleslaw into
his mouth.
LAUREN
What?
ELLIS
Well, it's just that I had a
thought. Something you could help
me out with that might interest
you.
LAUREN
Come on, Ellis, what is this?
ELLIS
It's right up your alley.
LAUREN
You're not saying what I think
you're saying?
ELLIS
Come on, isn't it obvious at this
point? I've laid it all out for
you. What do you think I possibly
could have found lying around at
Anchor Terrace, huh?
Lauren shakes her head.
LAUREN
No, no, no.
ELLIS
You can believe that it's at
least plausible.
LAUREN
You're expecting me to believe
that you found a sequel to The
Taming of the Shrew just lying
there in the dirt? Ellis,
Shakespeare didn't write sequels.
He left that for Hollywood.
ELLIS
What do you call Henry the
Fourth, Part 2? or Henry the
Sixth, Parts 2 and 3?
LAUREN
Come on, those aren't sequels,
and you know it!
ELLIS
Yeah, all right, that may be
true. But why's it so hard to
swallow that Shakespeare wrote a
sequel to Shrew?
LAUREN
Oh, right. Shrew 2: The Bitch is
Back.
Ellis LAUGHS.
ELLIS
No, come on now. Do you find a
"part two" all that hard to
believe?
LAUREN
Who said I found it hard to
believe? What I find hard to
believe is your claim that
William Shakespeare wrote it, but
never performed it, never
published it, and just left it
lying around the lobby of the
Globe Theatre to be discovered
400 years later. Besides, I....
Lauren trails off, distracted, before Ellis prompts her to
continue.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Even if it exists, who's gonna
believe it's real? That's not
hard to swallow, El: It's just
plain dumb. Is that why you came
to see me, or were you hoping to
resurrect something between us?
ELLIS
(overlapping)
Why is it so hard to swallow? The
clues are all there: just dots
waiting to be connected. And
you're smart enough to know that.
LAUREN
I said it's dumb, not hard to
swallow, if you were listening.
ELLIS
Huh?
Lauren doesn't answer. She just takes a bite of the corned
beef on rye that has been sitting in front of her.
LAUREN
Never mind.
She takes a pickle off her plate and gestures at Ellis with
it.
LAUREN (Cont.)
You're sure you didn't have
something else planned for me?
The word "rekindle" comes to
mind....
Ellis CHUCKLES and flashes her a quick wink. She licks up and
down the length of the pickle, then bites off a big chunk.
Ellis's eyes widen.
ELLIS
Don't worry about that. I think I
know where that road leads.
Lauren smiles.
LAUREN
I didn't say I was worried.
ELLIS
Glad to hear it.
LAUREN
Anyway, this won't be easy, you
know. There'll be a lot of
questions, a lot of tests ...
it'll be years before there can
be any definitive answer about
legitimacy. I mean, we're talking
... ten years at the minimum, for
there to be any real consensus in
the literary community.
Ellis LAUGHS boisterously. Lauren perks up.
LAUREN
What?
ELLIS
Ten years, huh? Ha! Well, just so
happens I've all but completed
arrangements for an off-Broadway
theatre to stage this play within
a year. And I'm already working
on a publishing contract. By the
time there's any consensus in the
literary community, the show will
already be making money in the
theatrical community!
LAUREN
So wait, you're saying you
already have a contract?
Ellis nods.
ELLIS
Yep. Still have to dot the t's
and cross the i's. But they've
got the space, and I've got
Granddad's money pulling in 5%.
Throw in Mr. Shakespeare's play,
and the specifics are just a
formality, from what I
understand. We have a gentleman's
agreement.
Lauren shakes her head.
LAUREN
It's a little more complicated
than that, El. You don't stage a
major production on a gentleman's
agreement, even off Broadway.
ELLIS
You do when the theatre's owned
by a dink and you've got enough
money to throw at the guy.
LAUREN
Okay, okay, wait a second though.
You're saying you've lined up a
theatre, the money, and the
script. And you claim rekindling
isn't fitting into our
conversation.
Ellis smirks.
ELLIS
Well, I didn't exactly say that,
but go on.
LAUREN
Then what, exactly, did you say?
ELLIS
Look, I'm not saying I'd mind if
... if we.... Never mind. For the
sake of argument, we'll say I
said what you said I said. Er, or
something like that. "I've lined
up a theatre, the money, and the
script." Go on.
Lauren pauses. She knows he's hiding something, but isn't
sure what, or if he plans to reveal it. She decides to go on:
LAUREN
Right. And you're not just trying
to get back together with me?
Ellis innocently takes a sip of his Coke. Lauren gives him a
dirty look, then continues.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Okay, then what, exactly, do you
need me for? Not as the director?
ELLIS
I'm sure we could arrange
something along those lines if
you're interested. But the thing
is, I want you for more than
that.
LAUREN
Aha! I knew there had to be more
to this. Okay, you've piqued my
interest. What more are you
looking for?
Lauren sits up in her booth and attentively watches and
listens to him.
ELLIS
This is kind of difficult for me
to ask, Lauren. I mean, we have a
past together, and I don't want
that to get in the way. But
assuming I can convince you to
help out, here's what I need for
you to do for me - or, with
me....
Ellis starts EXPLAINING himself, but the sound of a TRAIN
fades up and obscures what he's saying.
He pulls a folder, labeled TAMING, out of his briefcase and
hands it to Lauren. She begins leafing through the folder's
contents as she continues listening to Ellis's explanations.
FADE TO:
INT. TRAIN (MOVING) - NIGHT
The train sound gets louder as it turns out to be the PATH,
heading into New York City from New Jersey. Lauren sits alone
by the window, with a large canvas bag open at her feet, the
TAMING folder right on top. A notebook labeled "Royale
Theatre, Hoboken NJ" sits in her lap as she stares out the
window at the Hudson River.
The skyline of Manhattan lights the night ahead. Lauren looks
from the majestic, soaring buildings of the city to the dingy
notebook in her lap and SIGHS. She drops the notebook into
her bag and picks up the TAMING folder.
She looks from the contents of the folder to the skyline
ahead, and shakes her head. A decision has been reached. She
takes her cell phone out of her bag and dials a number.
LAUREN (into phone)
Ellis? It's yours. I'm in.
Lauren hangs up the phone as her train races into the tunnel,
returns it to her bag, and looks back at the TAMING papers.
LAUREN
Up to my neck.
EXT. ROYALE THEATRE - DAY
Ellis walks up to the front door of the Royale Theatre near
the Hoboken waterfront. A stray dog lurks outside, next to a
large sign. The sign has "Royale Theatre" printed in large
letters, "Next Show" below that, and nothing else. The dog
watches as Ellis enters the theatre.
INT. ROYALE THEATRE - DAY
Lauren stands at the foot of the stage, script in hand,
directing a rehearsal. The assistant director, EILEEN
CALLAHAN (30ish, tall, short red hair, and slightly too
fashionable glasses) stands next to her, holding a clipboard.
The only scenery on stage is a fake fireplace and two folding
chairs. Two ACTORS, both in their late 30s, stand at the
front of the stage, looking down at Lauren.
LAUREN
Okay, okay. Let me show you.
Lauren walks up a few steps and onto the stage. Eileen rests
her back against the stage and flips through some pages on
her clipboard, as Ellis strides into the theatre, briefcase
in hand. Eileen sees him and smiles.
EILEEN
Can I help you?
Ellis points over Eileen's shoulder at Lauren, who has her
back to them, pointing out something in the script to one of
the actors.
EILEEN
Oh.
ELLIS
Maybe next time.
Eileen CHUCKLES, nodding.
EILEEN
I guess I'll just have to wait
till then.
She turns back to the stage.
EILEEN (Cont.)
Lauren. You have a visitor.
Lauren turns around and sees Ellis.
LAUREN
Ellis? What are you doing here?
ELLIS
I had to see you.
LAUREN
Can't it wait? I'm working now.
ELLIS
It could, but ... well, come on
outside. I just need a minute.
She gives him a hard look for a moment, and then he beams his
best "trust me" smile, complete with puppy-dog eyes. Lauren
SIGHS and turns back to the actors.
LAUREN
Okay, I'll be back in five
minutes, guys.
She turns to Eileen and gives her a blank look. Eileen nods
and glances over at Ellis.
EILEEN
Yeah, sure, go ahead. We'll keep
working the first-date scene.
Eileen watches Ellis as he follows Lauren out of the theatre.
EXT. HOBOKEN WATERFRONT - DAY
Ellis and Lauren walk up to the waterfront.
LAUREN
Well?
He beckons for her to follow him closer to the water's edge
to take in a clear view of Manhattan. The sun gleams
majestically off the buildings in the distance. A ferry works
its way toward the New Jersey side.
LAUREN
Are we going to walk to the city?
Last I checked, you still weren't
walking on water.
Ellis looks at her and smiles.
ELLIS
No. But we're going to put on a
show there.
Lauren YELPS.
LAUREN
Really?
Ellis holds up the briefcase.
ELLIS
The ink is dry. We go up in ten
months. Columbus Theatre. With
Lauren Marrus, director.
Lauren gives Ellis a big hug, surprising him. He hugs back,
just getting comfortable before she excitedly jumps back
again and gives him a quick, impromptu kiss on the forehead.
INT. DINER - MORNING
In a small diner in Manhattan, STEVE SHEPPARD and TINA
SUMMER, both in their mid-to-late 20s and attractive
Manhattanites, sit at a booth near the front door. It's the
start of a hot summer day and the diner is buzzing with
breakfast traffic.
Steve and Tina both pick at their breakfasts, silently, as
Steve reads the Arts section of The New York Times, neatly
folded to an article. Tina alternates between looking at him
and watching people come in and out of the diner, through the
door behind Steve.
TINA
This is good.
Steve doesn't look up at her.
STEVE
Hmm? Oh, your French toast? Glad
to hear it.
TINA
No, Steve. Us, together, again.
Steve looks up at her.
STEVE
Whoa, slow down. It was just one
night. We have a long way to go
before "together."
TINA
We had one morning, too.
STEVE
Look, Tina. Just ... look.
Tina nods morosely, expecting what he's about to say. Except
he doesn't say it. He just glares at her for a moment, and
then goes back to his article.
STEVE (Cont.)
Never mind. You know.
Tina watches as he finishes the article he was reading,
brusquely refolds the paper to the front of the Arts section,
and SLAPS the paper back down on the table. Tina jumps.
TINA
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -
STEVE
No, it's not you. It's ... this
guy just can't write his way out
of a wet sack!
He gestures to the paper.
STEVE (Cont.)
"Looking forward to a new musical
revue opening this season." Come
on, that's crap! No one looks
forward to a new revue.
TINA
Don't sweat it, Steve. You and I
both know you're better.
STEVE
I think you've flattered me
enough -
TINA
It wasn't flattery, darling.
STEVE
Don't call me that.
TINA
Okay, sorry. What?
STEVE
I know I won't replace "New York
Times Arts Critic Bernard
Merriman," at least not without a
breakthrough story. No one even
reads the Local Daily on their
own. Hell, I don't even read it.
I read The Times.
Behind Steve, we see Ellis walk into the diner, holding a
metal briefcase. He pauses for a second at the door, scanning
to find Lauren. Tina spots him.
TINA
Hey, you want a breakthrough
story?
STEVE
What, you're a reporter now?
TINA
No. But you are lucky you got
lonely enough to call me last
night, since I do have a story
for you.
STEVE
I'm listening.
TINA
See that guy who just walked in?
Tina points over Steve's shoulder at Ellis, who is scanning
the restaurant for Lauren. He finds her, alone, in a corner
booth, and heads to her table. We follow, as Steve and Tina's
conversation fades into the b.g.
ELLIS
Sorry I'm late. Line at the bank
before it even opened.
He sits down across from her, placing the briefcase on the
table between them. Lauren has a short stack of pancakes in
front of her, and the Arts section of The New York Times
folded open on the table.
LAUREN
It's okay. How did it go?
ELLIS
No problems whatsoever.
Everything's taken care of and
... well, have a look.
Ellis removes a key from his pocket, unlocks the briefcase,
and opens it. Foam padding lines the inside of the case, and
in the middle is an old document resting on a piece of
cardboard. The document is in a protective plastic sleeve.
From a pocket in the foam on the top side of the briefcase,
he takes out a pair of white cotton gloves.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Here, put these on.
He hands the gloves to Lauren, who quickly licks syrup off
her fork and places it down on the plate. She pushes the
plate and newspaper aside, licks off her fingers, then puts
the gloves on and picks up the document. She gently takes it
out of the plastic sleeve.
It is a small stack of 17th Century quarto sheets, crinkled
and aged. On the top is the title page, with centered text:
The Second part of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
in which the finall end shall be reached:
A play having never staled with the stage.
Written by Will. Shakespeare.
LONDON,
Printed by Iohn Danter, and are
to be sold by Thomas Millington,
at the doore vnder Saint Peters Church in Cornwall.
1602.
A fanciful image adorns the center of the page, just below
Shakespeare's name. The page is awe-inspiring in its detail
and authenticity.
Lauren looks at the play and marvels at it. A tear forms in
her eye.
LAUREN
It's so ... beautiful.
ELLIS
I know, isn't it? It's a full
text quarto; the play is all
right there. We have to do the
cue-scripts for each of the
characters if you wanted to run
more "authentic" rehearsals.
LAUREN
You think we should? I mean, I
can do that, if you think. I had
a class at Enfield specifically
on how to direct actors when they
see only their own lines. They'll
see the trees, but not the
forest. Good idea.
ELLIS
It could be used as an angle to
publicize the show, too, since
we'd be doing it how they did it
four hundred years ago. Well,
only we'd cast women in the
female roles, of course. Anyway,
more importantly, it protects us:
If we're only giving out
individual character's lines,
then all the actors would have to
get together to get a complete
script.
LAUREN
Are we calling it reconstruction
or original? Cue-scripts wouldn't
make much sense if it's
reconstruction.
ELLIS
Original. Too long to be
reconstruction anyway. But you're
our expert.
LAUREN
This is going to work, isn't it?
I mean, we're going to pull this
off.
ELLIS
Yep.
Lauren flips through the pages, quickly scanning the play.
Ellis just watches her for a moment before breaking the
silence.
ELLIS
I had a thought, as I was picking
this up. Hear me out.
LAUREN
Okay.
ELLIS
We shouldn't hold auditions for
the sequel.
Lauren stops reading and looks up.
LAUREN
How else are we going to get a
cast? By interviewing waiters?
ELLIS
We'll audition it as the original
Shrew. I mean, same characters,
right?
Lauren looks back down at the play, nodding.
LAUREN
Yeah, for the most part. But,
why?
ELLIS
Because we need to keep this to
ourselves for as long as
possible. If we put out an open
casting call for a recently-
discovered Shakespeare play,
it'll be mobbed. And not just
with actors.
LAUREN
The media. The Times would have a
field day with this.
Lauren taps The Times on the table next to the briefcase.
ELLIS
Exactly.
LAUREN
I see. I guess it'll work. When
do we reveal what we're really
doing, though?
ELLIS
When we start publicity. We'll
tell the cast after we've signed
them and everything's straight.
Have them sign a confidentiality
agreement or something.
LAUREN
Right.
ELLIS
(deliberately)
Less people we have to trust.
Lauren returns the document and the gloves and slides her
breakfast back over. She picks up her fork and takes another
bite.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Lauren, I've thought this through
and I really think it's best to
do it this way.
LAUREN
No, I'm not disagreeing. Just ...
thinking.
ELLIS
Well, start thinking about how
you're going to direct something
that's never been performed.
LAUREN
There's time for that. For now,
lock that back up and order
yourself some breakfast. I hate
eating alone.
ELLIS
We haven't had breakfast together
in a long time.
Lauren smiles at him.
LAUREN
That's not what I meant.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - EVENING
A GUARD stands in the doorway of the theatre, stopping PEOPLE
and checking a clipboard before they walk inside. A small
sign on the door reads "Taming of the Shrew: Auditions by
invitation only today." We hear those auditions, from inside
the theatre, in progress:
LUCENTIO AUDITIONER (OS)
Mistress, what's your opinion of
your sister?
BIANCA AUDITIONER (OS)
That, being mad herself, she's
madly mated.
EXT. MANHATTAN STREET (MOVING) - EVENING
Steve strides down the sidewalk. He takes a quick look at his
watch, then pulls out his cell phone and dials.
STEVE (into phone)
Chris. Steve. I'm on my way to
the theatre now.
CHRIS, Steve's editor, has an oddly familiar voice:
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Okay, so you were about to tell
me what my new story is. Should I
be holding the front page for
you?
STEVE (into phone)
Front page material or not, I
don't think this will exactly be
finished tomorrow.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
You wanna tell me what this story
is, kid, or should I just guess?
STEVE (into phone)
Don't be sly; I'm getting to it.
These auditions I'm heading to -
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Taming of the Shrew, you said?
STEVE (into phone)
Right. Well, sort of. Only there
might be more. Or less. It's like
I said: The contact name for the
audition is the same name my
source gave me as publishing the
Shrew sequel. Obviously, I'm
thinking there's more to this
audition than meets the eye.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - EVENING
Inside the theatre, Lauren, Eileen, and Ellis sit in the
audience watching actors auditioning on stage. HEIDI (a
blonde woman in her early 20s) reads for Katharina opposite
KEN (a tall black man in his mid-30s) as Petruchio.
KEN (as Petruchio)
I say it is the moon.
HEIDI (as Katharina)
I know it is the moon.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Nay, then you lie: It is the
blessed sun.
HEIDI (as Katharina)
Then, God be bless'd, it is the
blessed sun: But sun it is not,
when you say it is not; And the
moon changes even as your mind.
What you will have it named, it
is; and so it shall be -
LAUREN
(loudly)
Thank you; that's good there.
She leans over to talk with Eileen and Ellis out of earshot
of all the actors.
LAUREN
I think I've seen enough for
Katharina and Bianca, but I'm not
sure about Lucentio yet. It's a
pretty important role for us.
EILEEN
Yeah, I'd call that a lead role,
from what I've seen.
ELLIS
Wait, you've seen the script?
Lauren SIGHS.
EILEEN
Don't worry, Ellis. I know what
I'm doing. I'm the assistant
director. It's not like I just
walked in off the street. You can
trust me.
ELLIS
Listen, Eileen, I just want to
keep my show under wraps. As long
as you know to keep this thing to
yourself, we're good.
LAUREN
We don't have time for this.
Look, pick a scene with Lucentio.
Try and find something with him,
Bianca, Petruchio, and Katharina.
She stands and walks up to the stage.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - EVENING
Steve arrives outside the theatre, still talking on his cell
phone. Several ACTORS are walking out, a few with dejected
looks on their faces.
STEVE (into phone)
Yeah, the Columbus Theatre; I'm
walking up to it right now.
He tries to nonchalantly walk right into the theatre, but the
guard steps in front of him to bar his ingress.
GUARD
Sorry, sir. Auditions by
appointment only.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Are they gonna let you in for an
interview? Did you call the
producer or something?
Steve holds a "wait a moment" finger up to the guard. As he
speaks, he subtly glances over at the guard's clipboard.
STEVE (into phone)
I don't know. Did you hear back
from Woody Allen's people yet?
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
What?
STEVE (to guard)
Look, pal, I don't have time for
this. I gotta finish this call,
okay?
He indicates the phone. The guard taps the clipboard and
shakes his head "no."
STEVE (into phone)
Hey, you tell them if they want
Bill Clay, they're gonna have to
pay Bill Clay's asking price!
The guard scans down the names on his clipboard and finds
"Clay, Wm." listed. He waves Steve into the theatre.
GUARD
Go ahead.
STEVE
Thanks. (into phone) No, no, tell
him to forget it!
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (CONTINUOUS) - EVENING
Steve enters the back of the theatre, still on his phone.
STEVE (into phone, Cont.)
Look, if they won't go to thirty
on that commercial, then you can
tell them to find another actor!
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Steve, are you crazy? Who's Bill
Clay? What commercial? What the
hell are you talking about?
By this time, the few AUDITIONERS who remain in the theatre
are silently staring at Steve.
STEVE (into phone)
No, I'm not crazy. Look, forget
the film, forget the commercial.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
What film!? What commercial!?
STEVE (into phone)
I'm in the theatre now. I've
gotta go do this.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Oh. Oh! Okay, I gotcha.
STEVE (into phone)
Right. Ciao, bubeleh.
Steve hangs up his phone, but not before we hear Chris
LAUGHING on the other end. Steve struggles to keep a straight
face. He walks right up to Ellis with his hand extended, but
before he can introduce himself, Ellis stops him.
ELLIS
Gee, let me guess. You're here
for the auditions. You're here
very late for the auditions. And
probably without an appointment,
too.
STEVE
Look, I -
ELLIS
Save it. You can give me your
particulars later. You look like
you can act, so I'll give you a
shot, at any rate.
Lauren flashes a disapproving look from up on stage as Ellis
continues to take charge.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Okay, up on stage, Mr...?
STEVE
Oh, it's Steve Sheppard.
Pleasure.
ELLIS
We'll see. On stage.
Steve enthusiastically climbs up the front of the stage
instead of going around to the side stairs. Lauren hides a
CHUCKLE under her hand.
Ellis stands and walks to the foot of the stage. He surveys
Lauren and the actors.
ELLIS
I'd like to try something a
little different here. Hold on
just a second.
He trots off to a side door, leaving the actors staring at
each other with questioning looks. Lauren stares out at
Eileen with a "what the hell is he doing?" look on her face.
The actors sit in chairs that are on the stage and wait. A
moment later, Ellis walks back into the theatre with some
papers in his hand.
LAUREN
What's this? Ellis?
Ellis walks back up to the foot of the stage and starts
handing a sheet of paper to each of the actors.
ELLIS
Okay, this is just a little ...
"special scene" for you folks to
read. Ken, could you read
Petruchio. Heidi, Bianca. Steve,
why don't you read Lucentio for
us? And, umm ... guess that
leaves Lauren to read for
Katharina.
He hands her a sheet of paper. As she looks over it, her eyes
widen.
LAUREN
Ellis....
ELLIS
Katharina, Lauren. Top of the
page. Whenever you're ready.
Lauren scowls and looks down at her sheet. She takes a seat
among the actors, then launches into the scene.
LAUREN (as Katharina)
In truth, with kindness is your
invitation received; but my will,
as my heart, lies with my
husband. 'Tis his duty to choose
and mine to follow.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
Then in truth, Petruchio, how can
thy answer be naught but an
affirmation? For in thy breast
doth the truth lie, and in thy
breast lieth thy family: the fair
Kate, her sister ... and myself.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Aye, but in truth, lie tests of
will. And I question whether my
wife be untrain'd therein: Now my
gentle Kate, in sooth, art thou
of a mind to go or to stay?
LAUREN (as Katharina)
My choice and my duty belong to
thee, and my wisdom is yours as
well, as with my mind and my
heart: All to your keeping they
lie.
HEIDI (as Bianca)
O! Hath the lady no longer a
choice of her own? Kate, surely
must there be more to thy mind as
once there was?
Steve stands, walks to Lauren, and puts a hand on her
shoulder. He's just caught up in the audition, but it still
sends a visible chill up Lauren's spine.
Eileen glances over at Ellis and smiles. He notices this,
politely smiles back, then turns back to watch the action on
stage.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
'Tis no longer a wonder to mine
eyes to see proper shame in the
woman. No trifle neither,
i'faith, what Petruchio hath
gained, clearing tarnish off an
otherwise ideal mould, making a
proper courtier. But if upon
prompt she does not give th'reply
I've in mind, then my mind must
turn to -
He turns his back to Lauren and faces Ken. She subtly looks
him over from behind.
STEVE (as Lucentio, Cont.)
- Petruchio.
KEN (as Petruchio)
'Tis only fair I regard your
offer and you straight, lest you
suggest my desire is naught.
HEIDI
(breaking out of character)
Okay, the men walk off here. You
want us to keep going with just
Kate and Bianca?
Lauren stands, walks over to Ellis, and thrusts her pages at
him.
ELLIS
I guess we've seen enough.
Ellis collects the remaining handouts from the actors.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - NIGHT
Steve stands outside the stage door of the theatre. He checks
his watch and looks impatiently at the door. The door opens,
and he perks up. Lauren and Eileen walk out together,
talking.
LAUREN
Good group of people came out.
EILEEN
Yeah, this should be a good cast
once it's all put together.
Steve walks over, big grin on his face.
STEVE
Hey, girls!
EILEEN
Hi. Steve, right?
STEVE
Steve Sheppard. But you were
really close.
EILEEN
Huh?
STEVE
Umm, Steve Sheppard. Not Steve
Right.
(pause)
Never mind.
LAUREN
I've never known a guy who didn't
want to be called "Mr. Right"
before.
Lauren GIGGLES.
EILEEN
Okay, I gotta run.
She walks away as Steve and Lauren wave to her.
LAUREN
So, did you want something? Or
were you just sticking around
hoping you'd get a chance to use
that lame joke?
STEVE
Sorry.
LAUREN
No, no ... it was cute, really.
(pause)
Nice job with that scene, by the
way.
STEVE
Thanks. You too. Really hope I
get to work with you on this.
LAUREN
Well, we'll see.
STEVE
Hey, what was that scene, anyway?
Did you know about a "special
scene" in Shrew?
Lauren LAUGHS nervously.
LAUREN
Not sure. Say, umm ... did you
get your contact info squared
away with Ellis? He said you
weren't on the list.
The stage door bursts open, and Ellis comes barreling out,
practically running over Lauren.
ELLIS
Whoa, sorry! Jeez, you're still
here?
Steve pulls his cell phone out of his pocket.
STEVE
Actually, I gotta make a call.
Thanks for the opportunity ...
hope to see you guys again soon!
With that, he quickly starts dialing and walks away. Ellis
and Lauren watch him disappear around a corner, then just
stand for a moment.
Finally, Ellis speaks:
ELLIS
Hey, want to go grab a steak? I
think we deserve one: That went
really well.
LAUREN
Sure, I guess.
ELLIS
Aren't you hungry? I'm starved.
Really worked up an appetite
watching bad actors all day.
Well, most of the day.
LAUREN
Yeah, I guess I'm hungry too.
ELLIS
Come on then. My treat. We can
talk about the cast.
EXT. MANHATTAN STREET (MOVING) - NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren walk up 9th Avenue together.
LAUREN
I don't like what you did in
there. I'm the director; I should
have been in charge of those
auditions.
ELLIS
So then why didn't you stop me? I
thought everything went great,
anyway. There was some real
talent there.
LAUREN
Well, you weren't with the
actors. I heard them talking.
ELLIS
About what?
LAUREN
About your "special scene."
ELLIS
Huh?
LAUREN
A few seemed curious to read a
scene that's not in the play. In
fact, I heard some saying that
this isn't really The Taming of
the Shrew we're putting on.
You're the one who's so concerned
about keeping this under
wraps. Did you think professional
actors wouldn't recognize a scene
that isn't actually in the play?
ELLIS
What do they think it is, then?
LAUREN
I don't know, a re-imagination,
or something. They haven't
figured us out yet.
ELLIS
See? Then there's no problem.
LAUREN
But it was a stupid move to put
that scene out there. You
should've at least consulted with
me first.
ELLIS
Only, what, five people, six
tops, saw it. Besides, we're
probably going to cast them,
right?
LAUREN
Maybe, but that's not my point.
ELLIS
Then what is your point?
They stop at an intersection and turn to face each other.
LAUREN
This is my show, El. You provide
the money and get asses into the
seats. I put on the show. If I
want them to read Act 2, scene 1,
then they will. If I want them to
read Act 19, scene 73, then they
will.
Ellis opens his mouth to speak, but before he can, Lauren
continues.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Don't say that it doesn't exist -
we can make it exist if we want
to, remember? I am in charge in
there. Don't forget that, or you
can find someone else to do this.
Lauren starts walking again, turning onto 46th Street. Ellis
stands for a second, dumbfounded, then takes off after her.
ELLIS
(stammering)
Okay, okay, sure. I got that. I'm
sorry. I was wrong. I don't mean
to think of this as solely my
show. We have a good cast. Or
will, once we pick them, sign
them, and tell them what we're
doing. And it is "we." Don't
worry.
LAUREN
All right.
They stop at a restaurant.
ELLIS
How's this for you?
Lauren looks at the menu in the window.
LAUREN
Looks fine.
Ellis opens the door for her.
ELLIS
Then let's go. Filet mignon
awaits!
They enter the restaurant.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Ellis strides into an impressive, high-rent office building,
fronted entirely in glass. He walks up to the BUILDING GUARD.
ELLIS
Hi, I have an appointment with
Adam Winter, Skylight Publishing.
Can I just go up, or...?
Meanwhile, Tina, the young woman Steve had breakfast with in
the diner, exits a nearby elevator, and approaches Ellis
before he can finish his thought.
TINA
Mr. Strahan? I'm Tina Summer, Mr.
Winter's assistant. Come on up;
you're right on time.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING (ELEVATOR) - DAY
Tina and Ellis stand side-by-side in an otherwise empty
elevator.
It's a long, awkward ride to the top-floor office.
ELLIS
So. Miss Summer, Mr. Winter ... I
guess you get a lot of flack for
that.
TINA
I'm not sure what you mean.
ELLIS
Never mind.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING (CONFERENCE ROOM) - DAY
Ellis sits across from ADAM WINTER, a balding stub of a man,
at a conference room table in the Skylight Publishing
offices. Sunlight streams in from a large skylight centered
over the table. There is a phone on the table, as well as a
stack of papers that Adam is looking over.
Tina sits at Adam's side, jotting down notes. Ellis leans
across to point at something on the papers.
ELLIS
No advertising for the book until
opening night. I'm adamant about
that.
ADAM
How are we supposed to market it?
ELLIS
You have to understand -
ADAM
(scoffs)
By word of mouth?
Ellis sits back in his chair, shaking his head.
ADAM (Cont.)
Well?
ELLIS
Look, how you market it after the
show opens is up to you. We just
can't have any leaks beforehand.
Besides, don't you think this
thing will market itself once
people hear about it?
ADAM
You have to understand. We're ...
nervous here.
Ellis starts to stand up.
ELLIS
I can go across the street to
Random House.
ADAM
Sit back down, will you please?
It's just that this isn't exactly
a standard contract clause.
Ellis nods and sits back down. The phone BUZZES and Tina
quickly grabs the receiver. Ellis leans back in his chair and
stares up at the ceiling.
TINA
Conference room.
(pause)
Okay, great. Send him in.
She hangs up the phone. Adam gives her a questioning glance.
TINA
Dr. Northfield.
ELLIS
I'm sorry, who? Send who in?
ADAM
Dr. Julius Northfield.
Shakespeare expert from NYU.
Ellis sits up straight, newly alert and obviously concerned.
ELLIS
I didn't. I....
Ellis takes a breath. Adam looks at him, puzzled.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Okay, Shakespeare expert. Why?
ADAM
I had Tina make him copies of
those photostats you gave me. I
was impressed, but I figured an
educated opinion would be a good
idea.
ELLIS
You had her what?
Ellis is quieted by a KNOCK on the door, which opens a second
later. He straightens up in his seat as an older,
distinguished-looking man, DR. NORTHFIELD, enters.
ADAM
Dr. Northfield! Thanks so much
for looking over those documents
for me.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Julius, Adam, please. And it was
my pleasure. Fascinating stuff.
ADAM
That's a good sign. Julius, this
is Ellis Strahan. He's the man I
told you about, who found the
play.
Dr. Northfield extends his hand to Ellis, who shakes it
nervously.
ELLIS
Pleasure, sir.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Please, I haven't been knighted.
Yet!
Dr. Northfield and Adam LAUGH ... Ellis just smiles weakly.
DR. NORTHFIELD (Cont.)
Fascinating find, Mr. Strahan.
Might just put an end to the
speculation about whether A Shrew
is just a bad quarto of The
Shrew.
Ellis stares blankly at him.
ELLIS
I'm not really an expert, Doctor.
Dr. Northfield CHUCKLES.
DR. NORTHFIELD
No, I guess you wouldn't know
about that, then. The Taming of A
Shrew, not The Shrew, is often
thought to be a bad quarto
edition of Shakespeare's Shrew.
Or its source. Or a bad quarto of
its source. Anyway, it contains a
conclusion to the induction
that's in both Shrews. Truth is,
though, no one since Alexander
Pope has taken it too seriously.
ADAM
What about Ellis's find? Is it
serious?
DR. NORTHFIELD
It's seriously marketable, at any
rate. But like I said, Adam, no
definitive answer without seeing
the original document.
ADAM
Right.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Right. But given the structure of
the verse that I saw in the brief
excerpt, the layout and
publishing info on the cover
page, and so forth ... well, I
think you should go ahead and
publish it, Adam.
ELLIS
I'm certainly glad to hear that.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Don't be too pleased with
yourself. Starlight would make
money on it even if it's fake,
and that's the only reason I'd
suggest publishing it. I'd like
to see the original before I give
it the Julius Northfield stamp of
approval. And even that won't get
you very far.
ELLIS
Opening night, Dr. Northfield.
The original will be on display,
and I'd be honored if you'd be my
guest.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY
Steve walks into the store from the pouring rain, soaking wet
and without an umbrella. He goes past the coffee shop located
just inside the entrance and heads toward the back of the
store, where they actually have books. He doesn't notice
Ellis, who is at the counter ordering coffee.
On his way back, Steve stops an EMPLOYEE for directions.
STEVE
Umm, where would I find the
Shakespeare section? You know,
the plays and such?
EMPLOYEE
Theatre books, near the
Children's section. Back that
way.
He points Steve off in the direction he was originally
heading. Steve nods and walks that way.
INT. BOOKSTORE (THEATRE SECTION) - DAY
Steve arrives in the theatre section and is surprised to see
Lauren there. As he walks up, Lauren takes down a book and
starts thumbing through it.
STEVE
Oh, hi there! It's ... Lauren,
right?
Lauren looks up and recognizes Steve.
LAUREN
No, it's Lauren Marrus, not
Lauren Right.
STEVE
Yeah, yeah. Funny running into
you.
Lauren slowly closes the book she's been reading and holds it
at her side.
LAUREN
So what brings you here?
STEVE
Well, I figured I'd bone up on my
Shakespeare a bit, in case I get
that chance to work with you.
LAUREN
Not a bad idea. You did great the
other night.
STEVE
Thanks. I enjoyed reading
opposite you. You were really
good.
Steve starts to look through the shelves and sees a few
different editions of The Taming of the Shrew.
LAUREN
(mumbling)
Actually, you do know I wasn't -
STEVE
Say, can you recommend an
edition? You seem to know your
stuff.
Lauren takes a closer look at the books on the shelf. She
pulls one out and hands it to him.
LAUREN
Well, they're all more or less
the same. You might do well with
this one, though.
STEVE
Why's that?
LAUREN
Performance notes. Blocking
suggestions and such. Shakespeare
wasn't big on stage directions.
Other than "exit, pursued by
bear," that is.
Lauren LAUGHS, and Steve CHUCKLES along uncomfortably.
He notices a large book on the shelf entitled The First Folio
of Shakespeare.
STEVE
Hmm. What about this one?
He takes the book down and nearly drops it.
STEVE (Cont.)
Damn, it's heavy.
LAUREN
That's reproductions of the
original folios of the plays.
Their first printing. Generally
for scholars, not actors.
STEVE
Well, it seems pretty complete.
Would that special scene we
worked on at the audition be in
here?
Steve starts thumbing through the big book. Lauren glances
back in the direction of the coffee shop.
LAUREN
I guess. I mean, it's possible
that it's just -
STEVE
Wait. Hold that thought; I have a
better question. Do you like Thai
food?
LAUREN
Do I what?
STEVE
Do you like Thai food?
Steve's cell phone RINGS.
LAUREN
That's an odd segue, but sure, I
do. Why?
Steve puts the big book down on the floor as he takes his
phone out of his pocket and checks the caller ID.
STEVE
Damn. Okay, now hold that
thought. I have to take this, but
I'll be back in a sec.
The phone RINGS again. Lauren nods. Steve puts the phone to
his ear.
STEVE (into phone)
Yeah Chris?
Steve walks away. As he leaves, Lauren picks up the big
Shakespeare book and re-shelves it, smiling after him.
INT. BOOKSTORE (CHILDREN'S BOOKS) - DAY
Steve walks into the Children's Books section to take his
call. He dodges a few CHILDREN on his way.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
What's up, kid?
STEVE (into phone)
Research.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Actually working for a change?
Well then, let's make this quick.
Tell me about the auditions.
STEVE (into phone)
Didn't turn up much. I tried out
for a part.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Oh, really?
STEVE (into phone)
It didn't look like I could get
in otherwise. They weren't
exactly open to the media.
Besides, I did theatre for a bit
in college.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
How's the script?
STEVE (into phone)
We didn't really see it, I think.
They did it as advertised -
auditions for The Taming of the
Shrew, not the sequel I heard
about. The only odd thing was the
director - that Strahan guy I
told you about - pulled out some
kind of "special scene."
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Special how?
STEVE (into phone)
Aye, there's the rub. I don't
really know. I'm guessing it's
from the sequel, but I have to
see for sure if it's in the
original first. Maybe in some
obscure version or something.
That's why I'm doing the
research.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Okay, good. What are you finding?
STEVE (into phone)
Nothing. I've been on the phone
with you.
(pause)
Strahan seems awfully smug, which
might help in the long run.
Steve peeks around a display of Winnie-the-Pooh books and
spies Lauren browsing the theatre section.
STEVE (into phone, Cont.)
Oh, and I got to be friends with
one of the actresses, in case I
don't get a part. Doesn't hurt
that she's really cute, of
course.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Sounds like a good move,
Sheppard. Just keep me posted.
And keep it in your pants.
STEVE (into phone)
Of course, will do.
INT. BOOKSTORE (THEATRE SECTION) - DAY
Lauren has made a nice stack of theatre books and is adding
one more to the pile. Steve reenters the section as she is
struggling to lift them all.
STEVE
Whoa, whoa. Need a hand there?
LAUREN
Nah, I got it.
She manages to get the pile in her hands.
STEVE
You sure?
LAUREN
Yeah. Thanks, though. So, what
were you going to say about Thai
food?
STEVE
I was thinking it'd be good for
dinner tonight. How about it?
The stack of books in Lauren's hands teeters for a moment,
and she obviously gets a bit off balance. Steve comes to the
rescue, one hand on the books, the other on her back.
LAUREN
Dinner tonight. Yeah, sure, why
not. How does 7:30 sound?
INT. BOOKSTORE (COFFEE SHOP) - DAY
Ellis sits sipping coffee. The New York Times is on the table
in front of him, but he is intently watching Lauren and Steve
talking in the background.
He watches as Steve writes something on a scrap of paper,
smiles, and leaves the store. Lauren walks back to the coffee
shop, books in hand, and Ellis turns his attention to the
paper.
She arrives and drops the heavy stack of books down on the
table in front of him.
ELLIS
Guess that explains what took so
long. Hi.
LAUREN
Hey. Sorry. I need these.
Ellis looks at the pile, stacked nearly up to eye level.
ELLIS
I hope they don't cost their
weight in gold.
LAUREN
I didn't check the prices.
ELLIS
Okay, well, come on. I'm just
about done here.
He drinks the last of his coffee, stands, and lifts up the
stack of books.
ELLIS (Cont.)
You ready to go?
LAUREN
Actually, El ... I gotta run.
ELLIS
We're still on for dinner, right?
LAUREN
Can't tonight. In fact, I should
probably take a few days to
finish things up and get ready
for the read-through. Alone, I
mean. Without you.
ELLIS
Sounds fair, I guess. How much
time do you need?
LAUREN
Well, we're agreed on the cast?
Ellis nods. Lauren checks her watch.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Okay, then let's meet in a week,
before the read-through.
ELLIS
That long?
LAUREN
I just need my space to complete
my prep work. Director stuff.
It's nothing personal.
ELLIS
Okay. Sure.
Ellis looks at his shoes.
LAUREN
Don't worry, I'll let you buy me
dinner next week.
ELLIS
Actually, I had something else in
mind for then.
LAUREN
What?
ELLIS
How about I make dinner at my
place? A working dinner. Provided
we can keep our hands off each
other, of course.
LAUREN
Watch it, Romeo.
ELLIS
Wrong play, Juliet.
She gives him a playful punch on the shoulder, then checks
her watch again.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Okay, I've really gotta run now.
Give me a call to confirm for
next week. Can you just drop the
books off at the theatre?
ELLIS
Wait, first you're making me buy
them for you -
LAUREN
Not you personally; It's for the
play. Just mark it down in the
expense account.
ELLIS
Yeah, I got that part, but I had
no idea our arrangement made me
your personal delivery boy. You
just better make it worth my
trouble.
Lauren gives him a quick wink.
LAUREN
Don't you worry about that.
ELLIS
Fine. I guess I'll take care of
everything, then.
LAUREN
Good boy.
ELLIS
Woof.
Lauren LAUGHS and pats him lightly on the head. She nearly
melts Ellis with her smile, and then, like that, she walks
away. Ellis's eyes remain glued to her, as he watches her
exit the store.
Ellis sees her struggle with her umbrella as she gets
drenched in the rain. All the while, a wistful smile plays
across his face.
EXT. GREENWICH VILLAGE STREET (MOVING) - NIGHT
Steve and Lauren proceed down the sidewalk, exuding an
unmistakable "first date" awkwardness as they go.
STEVE
You know, I've walked by this
place hundreds of times, and
never even bothered to stop and
look at the menu.
LAUREN
Really? It's the best Thai in the
city. Bar none.
STEVE
I believe you; I just never heard
of this place. I like things a
little spicy, I know that much.
He flashes her a smile that makes her blink. She smiles back.
LAUREN
So ... the auditions. You did
really well, you know?
STEVE
You think? I thought I did all
right, thanks. You were great
too.
LAUREN
Hmm?
STEVE
At the auditions. You were great
reading with me, at the
auditions. I hope you get the
part.
LAUREN
Umm, you know I wasn't
auditioning, right?
STEVE
You what? Then ... what...?
LAUREN
I'm the director!
They exchange an openmouthed glance that quickly leads to
LAUGHTER as they reach the entrance to the restaurant. Steve,
still not quite believing, opens the door and ushers Lauren
through.
STEVE
(sarcastically)
Yeah, sure. After you, Madame
Director.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (ELLIS'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis sits at his desk, looking through a thick folder before
circling a date on a calendar. He punches the speakerphone
button on the phone, and starts DIALING. After a few RINGS,
Lauren's voice replies.
LAUREN'S VOICE (OS, on phone)
Hi, this is Lauren. I can't come
to the phone, so give me a call
on my cell, or leave a message
after the beep. Wait for it!
BEEP.
ELLIS (into phone)
Lauren, Ellis. Listen, pick up if
you're there. I've got a quick
question.
(pause)
Guess not. Okay, I just wanted to
check with you about publicity
arrangements, but I guess I can
take care of that myself. I ...
umm, I'm looking forward to
dinner next week. Miss you. See
you then.
Ellis taps a button to hang up the phone, then hangs his head
in his hand.
ELLIS
"Miss you?" Jesus, Ellis....
INT. THAI RESTAURANT - LATER THAT NIGHT
Steve and Lauren are nearly finished with their meal. They're
obviously more relaxed: The date is going well and the
conversation is sprinkled with intermittent LAUGHTER.
STEVE
You have got to be kidding me!
LAUREN
You're serious?
STEVE
No, see: You can't be telling me
I got the part, because you're
not the director. Ellis Strahan's
the director, isn't he? You just
can't be. I never would've asked
out the director after an
audition!
Lauren nods through a smile, but Steve has become serious.
STEVE (Cont.)
I feel like such an ass, really.
LAUREN
Don't. You didn't know.
STEVE
Yeah, but I should have figured
it out. If I'd known, I wouldn't
have asked you out.
LAUREN
That would've been too bad.
STEVE
Yeah, it would've. But, still ...
I got the part? I'm Lucentio?
LAUREN
Yep, and you would've gotten it
if you hadn't asked me out, too.
She winks at him. Steve smiles in response.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (ELLIS'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis remains behind the desk, staring at the phone, with a
closed briefcase on his lap.
ELLIS
Lauren, Ellis. When I said I
missed you before, I just want
you to know I meant it with
respect to the work we need to
get done. Strictly professional.
The phone suddenly RINGS, and Ellis nearly falls out of his
chair. The briefcase THUDS to the ground as he picks up the
phone.
ELLIS (into phone)
Hello!
(pause)
No, sorry, no show times. This is
a "theatre" theatre, not a movie
theatre.
He hangs up the phone, then stands and stares at it for a
minute. Finally, he shakes his head, picks up his briefcase,
and walks to the door. Stopping at the door, he looks back
again before heading out.
ELLIS
Better off not digging a deeper
hole.
With that, he shuts the lights in the office and walks out.
EXT. LAUREN'S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Steve and Lauren arrive back at her apartment from the
restaurant. There's the grandmother of all awkward silences
between them. When they reach her doorstep, they stop, and
Lauren finally breaks the silence.
LAUREN
Thanks for dinner. It was great.
STEVE
You're welcome. Thanks for the
company.
LAUREN
My pleasure.
Another silence. Steve looks confused.
LAUREN
Something wrong?
STEVE
I think I'm supposed to kiss you.
Lauren looks down and smiles.
LAUREN
Yeah, I think you are.
He steps forward and puts his hand on her cheek. They smile
at each other and close their eyes. Finally, they KISS.
Afterwards, they both step back and smile again at each
other. They close their eyes once more, embrace, and kiss
again. Lauren pulls away from Steve just before things get
too passionate.
LAUREN
Thanks again.
STEVE
No problem. I guess I'll ... talk
to you tomorrow.
LAUREN
Sounds good. We should have the
rehearsal schedule ready by the
afternoon.
STEVE
Well, so ... good night, I guess.
LAUREN
'Night.
She goes inside. Steve watches her through the window as she
walks upstairs. He stands there a minute, smiling after her,
and then turns to walk away.
INT. LAUREN'S APARTMENT (LIVING ROOM) - NIGHT
Lauren walks in, flicks on a light, throws her keys on a
table, and closes and bolts her front door. One step into the
apartment, she notices her answering machine flashing. She
walks over and hits "play," prompting a BEEP from the
machine.
ELLIS (on machine)
Lauren, Ellis. Listen, pick up if
you're there. I've got a quick
question.
(pause)
Guess not. Okay, I just wanted to
check with you about publicity
arrangements, but I guess I can
take care of that myself. I ...
umm, I'm looking forward to
dinner next week. Miss you. See
you then.
She SIGHS and walks over to the phone. She picks up the
handset and looks down at the number pad.
LAUREN
Miss you, too.
She shakes her head and pauses. After a moment, she hangs up
the phone without dialing.
LAUREN
Frailty, thy name is Lauren!
Turning off the light, she walks off into her bedroom.
INT. SUBWAY TRAIN (MOVING) - DAY
As Steve rides a half-empty subway car, an OLD MAN sits down
next to him and starts flipping through a newspaper. Halfway
through, he stops, looks up at Steve, frowns, and looks back
at the paper.
STEVE
Yeah, that's me.
OLD MAN
I can see that.
At the next station, the old man gets off, leaving the paper
behind. Steve picks it up and flicks through it. Tina enters
the train and sits down next to Steve.
TINA
Can't stop reading your own
stories, eh?
Steve looks over at her.
STEVE
Tina. Hi. Didn't think you took
this train anymore.
TINA
How's it going?
STEVE
It's going to rehearsal,
actually. No time to talk.
Steve stands up and drops the newspaper on his seat. He gets
ready for the train to stop.
TINA
Oh, you got the story? About that
Taming of the Shrew sequel?
STEVE
Not only that, but I think I got
a part in it. Gotta run.
She stands up to join him. The train SQUEALS to a stop.
TINA
Got time for a quick drink?
Steve smiles at her and heads to the open doors.
STEVE
Nope. Sorry. Bye.
He darts off the train. Tina SIGHS and sits back down.
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT (LIVING ROOM) - LATE AFTERNOON
Ellis is slaving away in the kitchen, OS, while shouting into
the living room to Lauren. Lauren sits on the couch,
reviewing the director's script of The Taming of the Shrew,
Part 2. She makes notes on the script and in a notepad.
ELLIS (OS)
Say, why don't you make yourself
useful and pick a bottle of red
wine off the rack on the
sideboard.
Lauren gets up from the table and closes the manuscript,
sticking her pen at the page she was last working on.
LAUREN
Yes, sir.
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT (DINING ROOM) - LATE AFTERNOON
Lauren walks into the attached dining room. The table is set
for two, and a candle burns in the center. Lauren pauses to
take this in before heading to the sideboard.
LAUREN (yelling to Ellis)
Cabernet or Shiraz?
Ellis pokes his head out of the kitchen for a quick quip:
ELLIS
Which one will get you drunk and
naked quicker?
Lauren inspects the labels. She arbitrarily picks the Shiraz
and stares at the bottle.
LAUREN
(muttering to herself)
Probably this one.
Ellis doesn't hear her.
She puts the bottle of Shiraz back and brings the Cabernet
into the living room.
LAUREN (to Ellis)
Sorry, it's not that easy
anymore.
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT (LIVING ROOM) - LATE AFTERNOON
Lauren returns to the couch, putting the wine bottle on the
coffee table and retrieving her copy of Shrew 2. She goes
back to work as Ellis calls in from the kitchen.
ELLIS (OS)
Who was it that said that these
are the best days of our life? I
disagree; grad school was.
Lauren looks up from the script, stung by what he just said.
LAUREN
Yeah, I guess.
Ellis enters from the kitchen, with a kitchen towel slung
over his shoulder. He takes advantage of Lauren's momentary
distractedness to grab the script from her and sit next to
her on the couch.
ELLIS
Okay, I've got a couple of
minutes. Let's see what you're
doing to our baby.
He reads over some of her notes on the script.
ELLIS
Are you sure this blocking will
work before the soliloquy?
LAUREN
Well, Bianca has to be hiding on
stage, otherwise things won't
make any sense. She needs to know
about Petruchio's plans so she
can undermine them during her
soliloquy.
She points at her notepad on the coffee table. Ellis reaches
to slide the notepad over so he can see it better, and their
hands touch. Ellis not-too-subtly brushes his fingers against
the back of her hand.
ELLIS
I'm glad we're together again.
Working on this, I mean.
LAUREN
So am I.
He keeps caressing her hand. She's half letting him, half
frozen in place.
ELLIS
Ten years is a long time....
LAUREN
True.
She slowly pulls her hand away. Ellis hands the script back
to her and stands.
ELLIS
I, umm ... I'd better go check on
the food.
He returns to the kitchen, and Lauren just stares into space.
ELLIS (OS)
I think we're set.
Ellis backs through the swinging door, big bowl of steaming
pasta in one hand, basket of bread in the other. He gestures
toward the dining room.
ELLIS
C'mon. We can eat in there,
finish going over the script
before the read-through tonight.
There's more room on the big
table.
LAUREN
Right. More room.
EXT. MANHATTAN (MOVING) - EVENING
Steve, with a newspaper under his arm, briskly darts around
some early evening shoppers. He checks the time on his cell
phone as he rounds a corner. He looks around for a moment,
and then enters a pizzeria.
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT (DINING ROOM) - EVENING
Ellis and Lauren finish up the meal, which looks like it was
quite elaborate.
ELLIS
So?
LAUREN
Very good. You've improved in the
kitchen over the last ten years.
Who should I thank?
ELLIS
That's not the only room I've
gotten better in.
She shoots him a pointed look.
LAUREN
Well, I would like to speak on
behalf of all the single women in
New York when I say "thank God"
to that.
ELLIS
Anyway, you can thank Gemelli's
for dinner.
LAUREN
Who?
ELLIS
Gemelli's. On Restaurant Row.
Picked it up this afternoon,
before you got here. Heat it up,
put it in my own dishes, and
voilà!
He leans back, with a sense of accomplishment in his eyes,
and takes a sip of wine.
LAUREN
Voilà.
(pause)
Why did you bother? Especially
since you just told me, anyway?
ELLIS
Just wanted to prove to you that
it could be done.
LAUREN
What could be done?
ELLIS
Fooling all of the people all of
the time.
Lauren smiles.
LAUREN
And you just had to prove that.
ELLIS
Of course. Anyway, you didn't do
too bad picking out the wine.
LAUREN
But I'm not drunk and naked.
ELLIS
Yet.
LAUREN
Keep trying.
She finishes her glass in one big swig, holds out her glass
for Ellis to refill.
ELLIS
What happened to the "two pints
and I'm drunk - whee!"
lightweight from Ohio I met in
London?
LAUREN
She grew up.
Ellis cocks an eyebrow at her as he refills her glass.
ELLIS
So I see.
INT. PIZZERIA - EVENING
Steve sits alone at a booth, eating a slice of pizza. A copy
of The New York Times is open in front of him. He turns a
page and takes a sip of his Coke, when a headline below the
fold catches his eye. He puts down his pizza and picks up the
section to get a closer look.
CU (NEWSPAPER HEADLINE): Copying The Master: Dietrich's
drawings capture Da Vinci's spirit.
He begins reading the article with great interest. After a
moment, he pulls his cell phone out of his pocket, dials, and
frowns as the call goes to voicemail. He takes a quick bite
of the pizza while waiting for the message, never taking his
eyes off the article.
STEVE
Chris, it's Steve. I just had a
thought about that Shrew scene.
Call me.
INT. ELLIS' APARTMENT (LIVING ROOM) - EVENING
Ellis and Lauren are making a final check on the script and
the notes she's been taking. They are sitting rather close on
the couch together, but their wine glasses are even closer on
the coffee table.
ELLIS
Something wrong?
LAUREN
No.
He leans across her to pick up his wineglass and take a sip.
Putting it back down, he slides over, practically touching
her.
ELLIS
What is it, then?
Ellis puts his hand on her shoulder. She fidgets and looks
down at the table.
LAUREN
This isn't a good idea.
ELLIS
What isn't? The play?
Ellis begins gently massaging her neck and shoulders. Lauren
stretches her neck, enjoying it.
LAUREN
No, not the play.
ELLIS
Good, because it's a little late
to turn back.
Lauren doesn't reply. Ellis takes this as an invitation to
move closer to her, and he does. Lauren looks down as Ellis
moves in for a kiss. Before he can kiss her, she turns away
and shrugs his hand off of her.
LAUREN
Look, Ellis, just because we're
working together side-by-side, it
doesn't mean we're "together"
again. We'll never forget that
year in London, but ... we've
both changed since then. We don't
know each other well enough
anymore to pick up where we left
off. And right now, we need to
focus on this play.
ELLIS
I understand that. What I don't
understand is why we can't get
... reacquainted with each other
at the same time.
Lauren slides to one side of the couch.
LAUREN
It's just not that easy, Ellis!
You lost that right in London.
ELLIS
This isn't London.
LAUREN
No, it's not.
She stands up and heads for the coat closet. She takes her
coat out and puts it on.
ELLIS
Where are you going? We still
have work to do!
Lauren grabs the script and notebook from the table while
he's still talking.
LAUREN
I'm trying to tell you, I'm not
interested in that kind of "work"
with you right now. I'm going to
the theatre.
ELLIS
You can't do this without me!
Lauren finishes the wine in her glass, places it back on the
table, and calmly walks to the door. Ellis jumps up and
follows.
LAUREN
Watch me.
She walks out, leaving Ellis holding the door. He pauses for
a second, then follows her out and SLAMS the door behind him.
EXT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT BUILDING - EVENING
Lauren storms out the front door and walks down the street.
A moment later, Ellis comes out and runs after Lauren.
ELLIS
Lauren! Wait!
He's a half-block behind her. She stops and turns around. He
walks over to her.
LAUREN
What is it?
ELLIS
I'm sorry. We need to focus on
the play. That's what I want you
for, you know that.
LAUREN
And be professionals about it?
Ellis nods, glumly, and soon is smiling.
ELLIS
If you can keep your hands off
me.
Lauren gives him a quick hug.
LAUREN
I'll do my best.
Not missing a beat, she turns and starts walking away again.
ELLIS
I'm your boss, don't forget. I
can fire you at any time!
Lauren keeps walking and doesn't turn around.
LAUREN
Yeah, and I can quit at any time,
too. Then you'd be screwed.
Ellis starts to say something else but thinks better of it.
ELLIS
(quietly)
She's right. I would be screwed.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
Ken (cast as Petruchio), Heidi (Katharina), Steve (Lucentio),
and the rest of the ACTORS are milling around the stage,
getting acquainted as Lauren and Eileen enter from backstage.
Lauren CLAPS HER HANDS to get everyone's attention.
LAUREN
People, please. Come on stage and
have a seat. There'll be plenty
of time to chat over the next few
months.
Steve finds a chair and sits down, with Ken to his right. A
gruff-looking man with a crew-cut, DENNIS (Hortensio), sits
on Steve's left. On the other side of Ken are Heidi and
MARISA (Bianca), a college-aged brunette with thick curls.
LAUREN
Everyone set?
All of the actors, about two dozen total, nod. Two or three
have copies of the original Taming of the Shrew sitting on
their laps. Others, including Steve, have pens in hand.
LAUREN
I see some of you brought along
copies of Taming of the Shrew.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid that's
not the play we're putting on.
A few actors start MURMURING to each other. Steve leans
forward in his chair.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Your lines are on the way. Ellis
Strahan - the producer - is
getting copies of them and should
be here shortly.
HEIDI
So, if we're not doing Taming of
the Shrew, then what play are we
doing?
LAUREN
The Taming of the Shrew, Part 2.
HEIDI
There's a part 2?
The MURMURING of actors grows louder, as AD-LIBBED DIALOGUE
drowns out Lauren. Steve jots something down.
LAUREN
It's getting its world premiere
here at the Columbus.
Congratulations, you're going to
make -
Her speech is overwhelmed by the CLAMOR. She looks at Eileen,
who shrugs.
EILEEN
Just give them a minute.
Lauren nods and sits in an empty chair on stage. After a
moment, she CLAPS HER HANDS again, trying to get everyone's
attention. No one pays her any heed, continuing to CHATTER
away.
Eventually the door opens, and Ellis enters victoriously,
with a stack of red paper in his hands. He marches around to
the side stairs and up onto the stage. The crowd quiets down.
ELLIS
Good evening; sorry I'm late. (to
Lauren) What'd I miss?
LAUREN
Nothing. I was just starting to
explain what we're really -
Ellis shushes her with a held-up finger. Lauren looks shocked
- too shocked to stop him.
ELLIS
Good, good. Allow me. Now that
everyone's signed their contracts
- and confidentiality clauses -
Kate can be let out of the bag. I
hold here in my hands the cue
sheets for the very first
performance of The Taming of the
Shrew, Part 2, by William
Shakespeare.
He walks to each of the actors and hands out stapled pages of
the script to them. Each handout is labeled for an individual
part: Katharina, Petruchio, Lucentio, etc. The actors get the
pages for their individual character and start to look
through them.
MARISA
Wait. I only have my lines.
DENNIS
Yeah, me too.
LAUREN
I know, guys. We're doing this as
it would've been done four
hundred years ago.
STEVE
How are we supposed to learn
this?
ELLIS
Each actor has only his own lines
and cues. It's not that
difficult.
LAUREN
That's what rehearsals are for.
You can see, you get the last few
words of the previous line in
there to cue you. You just have
to pay attention and listen for
it so you know when to come in.
Ellis steps up, as if he's in charge.
ELLIS
Folks, we have plenty of time to
get this show on the road. If
actors managed to do it this way
four hundred years ago, I'm sure
you can manage today. We're going
to do everything we can to -
Lauren stands up and interrupts him.
LAUREN
Yes, you're in good hands here.
We just need to concentrate a bit
harder. We're aiming to make this
presentation as authentic as
possible, as befits the debut of
a play by the Bard.
Ken holds up his copy.
KEN
So Shakespeare really wrote this?
ELLIS
Yes.
KEN
Wow.
ELLIS
Let me explain this, so we don't
keep getting bogged down with
questions. The original Taming of
the Shrew began with an
induction, which for four hundred
years seemed like an unclosed
bookend. It introduced the main
play to the audience as being
presented to Christopher Sly, and
... well, that was basically it.
So, it's no big surprise that
Shakespeare closed that bookend
in a play that was hiding all
these years. And I discovered the
quarto of that play about 12
years ago.
(pause)
That should answer any questions
you may have about the play. Now
... shall we get started?
The actors all nod, excitedly.
FADE TO:
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
The read-through has begun. The actors have turned their
chairs into a half-circle facing Lauren. Eileen stands on the
outside of the semi-circle, walking from actor to actor,
whispering comments to them as needed. Ellis sits in the
front row of the audience.
The action fades in and out as we see Lauren direct bits of
the read-through. During the montage, the excitement level of
the actors increases, and Lauren gets more and more animated
(getting up out of her seat, walking around to the actors,
and so forth), as they get deeper into the story of
Petruchio, Katharina, Lucentio, and Bianca, set a year after
the original The Taming of the Shrew.
HEIDI (as Katharina)
As your wife; I shall be of your
mind; and as how you shall have
me. We shall be as one in body,
in heart, in life.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Then wherefore art I embattled by
your incessant questioning?
HEIDI (as Katharina)
My questions are naught but
statements of facts, my love: Thy
servants are leaving; our fortune
passes as they do; we cannot long
afford this life.
FADE TO:
KEN (as Petruchio)
'Tis only fair I regard your
offer, and you, straight, lest
you suggest my desire is naught.
LAUREN
Okay, Lucentio and Petruchio
exit, leaving Kate and Bianca
behind.
MARISA (as Bianca)
Tell me, my sister, what ails
thee?
HEIDI (as Katharina)
My heart and mind are at war,
Bianca, and I fear the victor can
be naught save Petruchio.
FADE TO:
STEVE (as Lucentio)
The ballot must be open; all must
have th'opportunity to be victor.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Aye, in outward appearance it
shall be so; but inwardly you
will make my honor assured and
thy argosies mine own. I shall
win, and my wife and I shall live
as rich as thee.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
A most excellent plan, i'faith,
my friend! We shall make it come
to light to-morrow.
FADE TO:
Lauren stops the actors in the read-through. She leans on the
back of her chair with one hand, and wipes sweat off her brow
with the other.
LAUREN
Okay, that brings us to the end
of act three. Let's take a break.
Fifteen minutes.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - NIGHT
Steve joins a group of actors by the stage door, smoking
cigarettes. Steve is not smoking; he's just there to listen.
KEN
I'm really impressed with the
script so far.
HEIDI
Yeah, me too. Shakespeare was
just amazing.
KEN
I'm dying to see how it ends. You
think they'll get away with it?
Heidi and the other actors LAUGH. Steve doesn't react.
FADE TO:
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
As the read-through continues, a portly middle-aged man,
ROGER, reads for BAPTISTA.
ROGER (as Baptista)
'Tis true that fair is fair, and
foul is foul; The name was spoken
both true and aloud. Thy
complaint shall not be followéd
through; nor will Lucentio's
argosies pass to you.
FADE TO:
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
The read-through has ended. Lauren has collapsed back into
her chair in front of the semicircle of actors. Ellis sits in
the front row of the audience with a large grin on his face.
The actors are all APPLAUDING.
LAUREN
Great job, everyone.
Ellis walks around to the side stairs to get up on stage and
starts shaking hands with the actors.
ELLIS
(to various actors)
Great job, thank you. We're going
to kill them, huh? Opening night
can't come soon enough!
LAUREN
(to Ellis)
We still have a long way to go.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - NIGHT
Lauren passes by on her way to the backstage offices. Steve
follows, calling after her.
STEVE
Hey, Lauren. Do you have a
minute?
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (BACKSTAGE) - NIGHT
Lauren stops in a hallway on the way to the theatre offices.
She stops in front of a door marked DIRECTOR.
LAUREN
Sure. What's up?
STEVE
It's the script.
He holds out his cue sheets.
LAUREN
What about it?
STEVE
Who wrote it?
LAUREN
Shakespeare did.
STEVE
Who, Gus Shakespeare?
Lauren just looks at him.
STEVE (Cont.)
William Shakespeare. Really.
He studies her face closely. She notices this, and smiles.
LAUREN
Yes, of course. Is that why
you're here, or did you want
something else, Steve?
STEVE
I'm not sure about it.
LAUREN
Are you an expert in Shakespeare?
No reply.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Do you have a PhD in
Shakespearean Studies?
STEVE
Umm, no.
LAUREN
Well, I do. Dr. Lauren Marrus,
PhD in Shakespearean Studies, cum
laude, University of Enfield,
1991.
She smiles and thrusts her hand out to Steve.
LAUREN (Cont.)
Pleasure to meet you.
He shakes her hand, but looks slightly stunned and confused.
STEVE
So you say the script is legit?
LAUREN
Look, I wouldn't direct it if I
didn't think so.
She stares at him. He stares back, but quickly looks down at
his lines. He thumbs through the pages and shakes his head
slowly.
STEVE
If you say so....
LAUREN
Well, it's hard to get a read on
the thing when it's only one
character's lines you're looking
at, and you've only had one full
read-through to try to establish
context. Look, did you expect us
to have the original quarto on
hand so we could all huddle
around and read together? Ellis
keeps that in a safe place.
STEVE
I bet. And you've seen it?
LAUREN
Of course. Who do you think wrote
out the cue sheets? The quarto is
the full play, not each
character's lines.
They stop talking for a moment and look at each other. The
attraction between them is obvious.
STEVE
So, tell me, did it just show up
one day? The last time I checked,
previously unknown Shakespeare
scripts don't grow on trees. This
one had to come from somewhere.
LAUREN
Right, Ellis found it in London
when we were both grad students
at Enfield. He held on to it
until he could get it produced on
his own terms.
STEVE
He just, what? Found it one day?
LAUREN
More or less. The Globe was being
excavated in Southwark, near my
apartment, and.... Really, Steve,
this is all history.
STEVE
So you've known about it for a
dozen years now?
LAUREN
No, I ... just since last fall.
That's another story, but it's
not important, nor should it
affect how you should play your
role.
STEVE
Uh-huh.
He doesn't trust her. Behind them, we see Ellis walk by,
heading toward his office. He stops for a moment and listens.
Steve doesn't see Ellis. Lauren does, but doesn't indicate to
Steve - or Ellis - that she has noticed.
LAUREN
Anyway, Steve, I had a great time
with you the other night. I
figured you stopped me to ask me
out again.
STEVE
I had a great time, too.
Ellis walks out of sight. We hear his office door CLOSE.
LAUREN
So maybe we should do it again.
STEVE
Good idea. I can call you
tomorrow, okay?
She gives him a big smile.
LAUREN
I'll be waiting.
Lauren walks into her office and closes the door behind her.
Steve pulls his notebook out of his pocket, jots a few things
down, and walks away.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LAUREN'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis opens the door and barges into the office.
ELLIS
Let me get this straight-
LAUREN
Thanks for knocking.
ELLIS
-You're dating one of the actors?
LAUREN
Yeah, I am, sort of. He didn't
know I was directing when we
first went out. He thought you
were in charge.
She SNORTS a little laugh. Ellis is not amused.
ELLIS
Come on, Lauren. We have to be
careful here.
LAUREN
You're worried about Steve? He's
just an actor.
ELLIS
Can you trust him?
LAUREN
I trusted him enough to have
dinner with him Saturday night,
right?
ELLIS
I suppose. Just proceed with
caution. Being friendly with a
cast member is one thing, but
dating him is another.
LAUREN
And you're the expert on who I
should and should not date?
ELLIS
No. Only I thought that we....
He trails off, hesitates, then takes a tentative step toward
her. Lauren doesn't move.
LAUREN
Thought what?
Another step over to her. They stare each other in the eye.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
Steve reenters the theatre from the street. All of the other
actors have left, and the stage area is deserted except for
him. He starts to head backstage, but stops when he hears
Lauren and Ellis in the b.g.
LAUREN (OS)
Ellis, I can't. We can't. Not
now. We've been over this.
ELLIS (OS)
I know that. Just ... keep your
options open, okay?
LAUREN (OS)
There's just too much going on
right now. I'm so involved with
this, that I can't.... This all
makes me too nervous.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LAUREN'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren stand face-to-face. His hand is on her
shoulder.
ELLIS
Just stay calm, and let things
happen.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (BACKSTAGE) - NIGHT
Steve heads back toward Lauren's office.
LAUREN (OS)
I'm okay; I know this will work
out.
ELLIS (OS)
We just have to trust in each
other. Which is the only reason I
came to you about this ... Steve
guy.
Steve perks up. He thinks better of interrupting them and
stops outside the office door, out of view.
LAUREN (OS)
Good. Besides, if this is all
about trust, I have just as much
reason for concern as you. If not
more.
ELLIS (OS)
Relax, we'll pull this off. You
can count on me.
Steve quickly whips his notepad from his coat pocket. We see
him write down what Lauren and Ellis just said, and then
think for a moment. Above the quotes, he writes "TAMING SHREW
SEQUEL - FAKE? PROOF?" before tucking the notebook back away.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LAUREN'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis has Lauren in a sympathetic hug.
ELLIS
Don't worry. We're going to get
through this just fine.
Suddenly, there's a KNOCK on the door. Steve sticks his head
in.
STEVE
Oh, sorry. Am I, uh ...
interrupting something?
Lauren quickly pulls out of the hug and turns away to collect
herself.
ELLIS
No, not at all. I'm leaving. (to
Lauren) Watch yourself.
Ellis leaves, bumping his shoulder into Steve on his way out
of the office.
Steve steps into the office and walks over to Lauren. He
gently shuts the door behind him.
STEVE
Are you all right?
LAUREN
Yeah. Just ... stuff from the
London days. It's okay now.
STEVE
(warily)
If you say so.
LAUREN
What brought you back?
STEVE
Oh, I couldn't wait till
tomorrow, so I was wondering ...
do you like Thai food?
She LAUGHS. He smiles at her.
LAUREN
I do. But, I think next time we
should have Mexican. And maybe a
movie afterwards. Like a real
date.
STEVE
Sounds good to me. When did you
have in mind?
LAUREN
I'm not sure. Let me check with
Ellis. Call me tomorrow, okay?
Steve nods and makes his way to the door.
STEVE
Okay. I'll call you in the
morning.
Lauren gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before he leaves.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (BACKSTAGE) - NIGHT
Lauren exits her office, shuts the door, and locks it up. She
starts heading toward the stage area, but sees light coming
from beneath Ellis's door. She walks over and softly KNOCKS
on the door.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (ELLIS'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis sits at his desk, going through some papers printed out
from a spreadsheet. He looks up when he hears the knock on
the door.
ELLIS
Yeah, come on in.
He sighs, and puts the papers down in a neat pile on the
desk. Lauren enters the office and stands in the doorway.
LAUREN
Don't stay here too late, okay?
Ellis rubs his eyes.
ELLIS
I won't. You heading home now?
Lauren nods, and rubs the back of her neck with her hand.
LAUREN
Yeah, I need a hot shower and a
warm bed in the worst way.
ELLIS
Ooh, now we're talking.
LAUREN
Are you volunteering for duty,
Private Strahan?
ELLIS
Why? Do you need help?
LAUREN
Maybe.
She smiles, coyly, at him. She looks down at the papers on
his desk.
LAUREN
How are the numbers looking?
ELLIS
Better all the time.
LAUREN
Good.
ELLIS
Yeah. And I have the publishing
proposal from Skylight for the
quarto here.
He points at another document neatly stacked on the desk. She
takes a quick glance at it and sees some big numbers on it.
LAUREN
Great. (a beat) Look, El, I feel
bad about running out on you
after dinner. Let me buy you a
drink. You can ... fill me in.
Ellis looks at her, trying to read her face, whether there's
more to what she's saying than simply the words. He can't
tell.
ELLIS
Okay.
INT. HARVEY'S BAR - NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren sit on stools at the corner of the bar,
drinks in front of them. They're both LAUGHING and having a
good time. It's quite late and there are just a few other
PEOPLE in the bar.
ELLIS
Yes, yes! I remember him! What
was it he always used to say?
ELLIS and LAUREN
(bad English accent)
"Say what you wish, but back up
what you say."
They both LAUGH. As the laughter ends, it becomes quiet
between them. Ellis notices a few loose strands of her hair
hanging down on her face. He reaches out and gently pushes
them behind her ear. Lauren closes her eyes for a moment as
he does so.
ELLIS
I shouldn't have waited 12 years
to call you again, I've really
missed you. You're one of a kind.
Lauren blushes, and looks down. Ellis's fingers brush her
cheeks as she moves her head.
LAUREN
Thanks. You're pretty special
yourself.
ELLIS
I'm ... sorry about earlier. That
stuff with Steve. You're right;
It's none of my business.
LAUREN
Oh, it's no big deal. It's not
like he's my boyfriend or
anything.
ELLIS
Not yet.
Lauren looks him in the eye, causing Ellis to look away.
BARTENDER
Last call, people! You don't have
to go home, but you can't stay
here!
LAUREN
Oh, god ... did he just say what
I think he said?
ELLIS
I think so. I haven't heard that
since ... what was that place on
Charing Cross? With the Scottish
bartender? Damn, I can't remember
the name.
LAUREN
Jack's?
ELLIS
Yeah, that's it. I loved that
place. God, I miss London.
LAUREN
I do, too, sometimes.
ELLIS
Maybe we can take Taming 2 on
tour. First New York, then
London.
They both LAUGH. Lauren starts to rise from her stool.
LAUREN
Yeah, sure. And then, my original
plays. We done here?
Ellis nods, and gets up. Lauren puts a $20 bill on the bar as
they leave.
EXT. HARVEY'S BAR - NIGHT
Lauren and Ellis exit, and start walking together.
ELLIS
I'm glad we cleared things up.
It's nice to be able to just talk
without mentioning the Shrew.
LAUREN
Or me being the Shrew.
ELLIS
Oh, I'll tame you yet.
Lauren stops, turns to him, and looks into his eyes.
LAUREN
Will you now?
Ellis gazes back and smiles.
ELLIS
If you let me.
Lauren looks down as Ellis leans in for a kiss. As their eyes
close, Ellis gets second thoughts and pulls back. An awkward
silence falls between them.
LAUREN
Well, I, umm ... I should get
going. I have that date with the
shower to keep.
ELLIS
Let me hail you a cab.
LAUREN
Some things never change.
ELLIS
Some things never should.
Ellis smiles and steps out onto the sidewalk. He makes a LOUD
WHISTLE, and waves his arm.
A taxi comes up to the curb next to them. Ellis walks over to
it and opens the back door.
ELLIS
Have a good night. Thanks for the
drink.
LAUREN
Thanks for the good company.
ELLIS
No problem.
LAUREN
Good night.
She closes the door, and waves at Ellis. We see her turn to
the TAXI DRIVER and tell him her address. As the taxi drives
off, Lauren presses her lips against the window a la Marilyn
Monroe. Ellis remains on the sidewalk, smiling and shaking
his head, as he watches the taxi drive away.
EXT. STEVE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
Steve approaches his building with a soda cup in one hand and
a take-out bag in the other. Just as he's fishing in his
pocket for his keys, his cell phone RINGS. He stops at the
door, checks the caller ID on the phone, and rolls his eyes.
STEVE (into phone)
Yeah, Tina.... No, I already
grabbed lunch. At Nick's. I'm on
my way home to watch the game.
(pause)
Listen- No, I understand.... I
appreciate what you gave me, I
do-
As he talks, he unlocks the door to his building.
STEVE (into phone)
No, I wasn't blowing you off. I
told you, I had rehearsal.... I
would, but the truth is, I'm ...
I'm sort of seeing someone else.
Someone in the show.
INT. STEVE'S APARTMENT - DAY
Steve lives in a comfortably sized studio apartment. There's
a semi-partitioned kitchen, a large living room with a pull-
out sofa, and a separate bathroom. As we hear Steve still on
his cell phone in the hallway, the phone in his apartment
begins to RING.
STEVE (OS, into phone)
I can't do this now; my land
line's ringing.... Maybe; we'll
see. I have to go now. Goodbye.
Steve walks in as the apartment phone continues RINGING away.
He puts his lunch on a table and answers the call.
STEVE (into phone)
Yeah, this is Steve.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Hey, kid. Just checking to see
how my story's coming.
Steve sits down on his sofa, grabs the remote control, and
turns on his TV. He switches the channel to the Knicks game.
STEVE (into phone)
Still in the information-
gathering stage, Chris. I went
out with that actress, who
actually turned out to be the
director.
Steve unpacks a sandwich from the bag and takes a bite.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
And?
MARV ALBERT (ON TV, OVERLAPPING)
After one, it's the Philadelphia
Seventy-Sixers 24, the New York
Knicks 19.
STEVE
Damn.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
What's that?
STEVE (into phone)
Huh? Oh, sorry; I've got the
Knicks on in the background. The
story's coming along fine.
He looks around on a side table, picks up his reporting
notebook, and starts thumbing through it.
STEVE (into phone, Cont.)
I, umm ... made significant
progress last night.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
I'll bet, but I don't care about
your social life, kid.
STEVE (into phone)
No, at rehearsal. I overheard
some stuff at rehearsal last
night. Not sure what to make of
it, though.
(pause)
I want to see Lauren again, talk
to her some more before I make a
judgment call on this?
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Sheppard, you know how this
works, right?
(slowly and deliberately)
We print stuff that people want
to read. When people read,
advertisers want to buy space.
When advertisers buy space, we
get paid. Capice?
STEVE (into phone)
Yeah, okay.
(pause)
Oh, I've got my lines now, too.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Well there you go! We can run
some excerpts and let the public
decide if it's real.
STEVE (into phone)
Come on, you know we can't do
that. I've only seen the lines
for the character I'm playing,
anyway. And it'd blow my cover
for the story!
There's a brief pause.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Damn it. I guess you're right.
You're off the hook, for now.
Just call me after the next
rehearsal. And try to actually
have some details for me.
STEVE (into phone)
Will do. I'll get you the
readers, I always do.
Steve hangs up the phone and turns the volume up on the TV.
INT. MEXICAN RESTAURANT - DAY
Lauren and Steve are in a busy Mexican restaurant. They sit
at a table next to the window, their burrito lunches wrapped
in foil.
After a long pause, Lauren takes a big sip of her soda and
looks up at Steve with a smile on her face.
STEVE
So....
LAUREN
Yeah?
STEVE
The rehearsal went well the other
day, I thought.
The smile fades from Lauren's face.
LAUREN
Oh. Yeah.
STEVE
You didn't think so? I was no
good, wasn't I? I'm still getting
used to seeing only my own lines.
It's hard setting a rhythm out of
context.
LAUREN
No, no, it's not that. I just
figured I was going to be in
charge of the whole thing.
STEVE
Oh, the producer butting in, you
mean. Ellis, right?
LAUREN
Ellis. Right.
STEVE
He's a bit more hands-on than
most producers I've seen.
Lauren finishes her burrito, and takes what's left of the
aluminum wrapping and balls it up. She clenches it tightly.
LAUREN
Yeah. He has ... well, let's just
say he has a strong interest in
making sure this play works.
STEVE
Seems like he's interested in
more than that. You two are
together all the time.
LAUREN
He's not here now. And how is
that any of your business,
anyway?
STEVE
Well, aren't we on a date? Our
second date?
Lauren wipes her hands clean with a napkin.
LAUREN
Ellis and I used to date, okay?
He's the one who got me this job.
Without him, I'd still be toiling
away in Hoboken.
STEVE
So you were dating when he asked
you to direct? Were you two
dating when I asked you out?
LAUREN
No, it was back when we were in
grad school. Ancient history.
STEVE
How ancient could it be? He got
you this job, right?
LAUREN
Yes, he rescued me from regional
theatre hell. But I don't see
what that has to do with you and
me.
STEVE
You don't?
Steve sits back in his chair: arms crossed, defiant. Lauren
stares at him.
STEVE (Cont.)
You don't think it's just a
little bit odd that he came to
you for this? There are plenty of
other directors out there. Ones
closer to Broadway than Hoboken.
Lauren glowers at Steve.
LAUREN
There are.... Ellis and I have
some issues. There's a lack of
trust between us -
STEVE
I can see why.
LAUREN
There's a lack of trust, but
there are reasons he asked me.
STEVE
I don't suppose you want to share
those reasons?
LAUREN
It's not important.
STEVE
Reasons like he's obviously not
over you. Are you over him?
LAUREN
Excuse me?
STEVE
Are you over him?
LAUREN
That's ... none of your business.
Steve gets up from his seat.
STEVE
Suddenly, I'm not hungry anymore.
LAUREN
Steve, wait. I didn't mean-
STEVE
I'll see you at the theatre.
He leaves the restaurant. Lauren's head drops into her hands.
EXT. MEXICAN RESTAURANT (MOVING) - DAY
Steve storms out of the restaurant and heads down the block.
He takes his cell phone and notebook out of his pocket and
speed-dials a number on the phone.
STEVE (into phone)
Chris. Steve. Remember me saying
I overheard something at the
theatre the other night? Well, it
sounds like the script is a fake.
Listen to this: (reads from
notebook) "We'll pull this off.
You can count on me."
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Sounds like we're getting a
story. Who said that?
STEVE (into phone)
Ellis, the producer. Responding
to Lauren's "If this is about
trust, I have just as much reason
for concern as you."
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Lauren. The director, right? The
one you're dating? She said that?
STEVE (into phone)
No, we're not exactly - I mean,
she said it, but we're not ...
never mind. I'm going to the
theatre now to talk to Ellis.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Sounds good, keep me posted.
STEVE (into phone)
You know it. I'll nail them on
this one.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - DAY
Ellis is on the stage, checking props, when Steve enters. He
straightens a chair, not noticing that Steve has walked up to
the foot of the stage. Steve CLEARS HIS THROAT, and Ellis
turns around.
ELLIS
Oh, Steve. Hey. You're early.
We're not starting for a half-
hour.
STEVE
I know. Do you have a minute?
ELLIS
Umm, sure. What's up?
Ellis walks to the front of the stage and looks down at
Steve.
STEVE
The play.
ELLIS
What about it? Shouldn't you be
asking the director?
STEVE
No, these questions are for you.
Ellis stares down at Steve.
ELLIS
Oh? Come on up. It's easier to
talk face-to-face.
Steve nods, walks out the side door, and comes out on stage.
He walks over to Ellis.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Have a seat. Doesn't the set look
good?
STEVE
Sure.
Steve sits down at one of the chairs. Ellis sits in a chair
opposite Steve.
ELLIS
So what can I do for you?
STEVE
I wanted to know about the play's
origin. Lauren said you found it -
ELLIS
- In London, at the Globe Theatre
excavation site.
STEVE
Yes, yes. I'm curious about that.
I mean, I did some research.
Ellis raises an eyebrow in surprise.
ELLIS
You did? Have you been
researching your part? Lucentio's
role is much bigger in our play,
but there's probably a wealth of
information out there to draw
upon.
STEVE
(overlapping)
I was curious. There's nothing in
any Shakespeare books about this
play.
ELLIS
I know. It was unknown until I
found it; we're doing its debut.
You know all that; Lauren must
have told you.
STEVE
I know; I just had lunch with
her. I wanted to ask you. You
said you found the ... quarto,
right?
ELLIS
You had lunch with Lauren? Why
isn't she with you now?
STEVE
Can I see the play?
ELLIS
You have your lines.
Steve leans forward in his chair, and Ellis does the same.
Their eyes are less than a foot apart.
STEVE
I mean, can I see what you found?
The quarto?
ELLIS
It's in a safety deposit box
across town. We don't have time
to get there before the
rehearsal.
STEVE
Uh-huh.
ELLIS
So where's Lauren?
STEVE
Oh, I don't know; we had an
argument back at the restaurant.
Maybe I shouldn't be dating the
director.
ELLIS
No, maybe you shouldn't.
Ellis stands. In the b.g., we hear PEOPLE ENTERING the
theatre.
ELLIS (Cont.)
So, any more questions? I need to
finish setting up.
STEVE
No, I guess I'd better get ready
too.
ELLIS
Okay then.
Steve gets up from the chair and walks off stage. Ellis spots
Lauren entering the theatre from the lobby.
ELLIS
Lauren!
He waves for her to join him. She nods and walks up to the
foot of the stage. Ellis squats close to her, at the edge of
the stage.
LAUREN
What's up?
ELLIS
We need to talk.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (ELLIS'S OFFICE) - DAY
Ellis sits down at his desk, and Lauren enters, sitting down
opposite him. He gestures for her to close the door, which
she does.
LAUREN
Yeah?
ELLIS
It's Lucentio. Steve, I mean. He
just asked me some rather pointed
questions about the play.
LAUREN
Oh. I'm not surprised.
ELLIS
Have you seen him lately? I'm
getting the feeling he's more
than an actor.
LAUREN
(nodding)
We just had lunch together. Well,
we tried to, but it didn't go
well.
ELLIS
Sorry to hear that.
LAUREN
Are you?
She smiles at him. Ellis isn't sure what the smile means.
ELLIS
Are you hiding something from me?
LAUREN
No, I'm not.
ELLIS
We need to trust each other here.
Complete honesty: like a
relationship.
LAUREN
I've found that you, trust, and I
don't make a good threesome.
ELLIS
Yeah, well we at least need to
protect our work. Something
doesn't smell right with Steve.
LAUREN
Look, there's nothing. I have to
go get ready for the rehearsal.
We can talk about this later.
ELLIS
Hey, before you go, I need to
talk to you about the script.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - AFTERNOON
Eileen is on stage running the rehearsal. On stage with her
are Marisa and Dennis, as well as TIMOTHY (a redhead in his
early 30s who was cast as Gremio) and several MINOR
CHARACTERS. Eileen scans her script.
EILEEN
Okay, let's run this again.
Petruchio, try leaving halfway
through Hortensio's line, before
the second "perchance." Just take
it from that line, Hortensio.
Heidi comes in from backstage as Eileen walks off to the side
stairs and comes out in the seating area. More actors,
including Steve, sit in the audience.
The on-stage actors shuffle around to get into place. Heidi,
in character as Katharina, puts an arm on Dennis's shoulder.
Eileen takes a seat down the row from Steve and calls up to
the stage.
EILEEN
Whenever you're ready.
Heidi gets a faraway look in her eyes, starts to CRY, and
runs offstage. Ken watches after her. A smirk works its way
across Dennis's face.
DENNIS (as Hortensio)
If perchance the shrew is again
untamed -
Ken runs offstage after Heidi.
DENNIS (as Hortensio, Cont.)
Perchance may I gain Lucentio's
argosies!
Before anyone can continue, Lauren's shouting voice stops
them in their tracks.
LAUREN (OS)
If you're not going to trust me,
then why don't you just direct
the fucking show!
A door SLAMS from the theatre's backstage office area.
Immediately, it can be heard violently REOPENING.
ELLIS (OS)
Lauren!
Everyone stares in shock as Lauren comes rushing into the
stage area, in front of the seating. Her fists are clenched
at her sides, and she seems to be fighting back tears. She
stops for a second, looks over her shoulder back at the
offices, then thinks better and heads for the theatre's exit.
Steve half-stands, but thinks better of it as Ellis comes
walking in after Lauren. Ellis appears calm, but his eyes are
wild. He struggles to keep from yelling.
ELLIS
Lauren. Can we just discuss this,
please? It's not a big deal.
Lauren stops at the door and turns to face Ellis.
LAUREN
Maybe not to you.
ELLIS
Can we please just talk about
this?
LAUREN
Go ahead, talk. What is it you
want to say, Ellis, huh?
Ellis looks around at everyone staring at them.
ELLIS
Not here. Come back to my office.
LAUREN
Go to hell.
With that, she spins to the door, walks out, and SLAMS it
behind her. Ellis speechlessly stares after her.
And everyone else stares at Ellis.
For what seems like an eternity, nothing is said, and no one
moves. The tension finally breaks when Ken very quietly
CLEARS HIS THROAT. Ellis snaps.
ELLIS
What the hell is everyone
standing and staring at me for?
I'm paying you to act, not to
stand there with your mouths
hanging open breathing theatre
air! So mind your own goddamned
business and get back to work!
He retreats back to his office, MUTTERING as he goes. Eileen
turns to the disbelieving cast.
EILEEN
Umm, five minutes, everyone. I'll
go see what's up with Ellis.
Eileen follows him back to the offices.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (AUDIENCE AREA) - DAY
Lauren and Eileen sit in the front row of the audience,
eating Chinese food out of take-out boxes.
EILEEN
Can I ask you something about
Ellis?
LAUREN
What about him?
EILEEN
Are you guys.... Are you ... you
know, dating him? Or anything?
Lauren sets down her food.
LAUREN
No, I'm not ... I mean, he and I
aren't... "together." It's
actually Steve that I'm kind of
interested in.
EILEEN
I kinda thought that, but I also
see what you and Ellis are like
together. Like an old married
couple or something.
LAUREN
It's confusing, I know. Ellis
is.... Well, Ellis and I are....
I don't know what's going on.
EILEEN
With him? Or with Steve?
Before Lauren can answer, the door at the back of the theatre
CLICKS open and Steve steps in. Eileen and Lauren both turn
back to him, suddenly silent.
STEVE
Oh, hey. Sorry. I'm not
interrupting anything, am I?
LAUREN
No, no ... you're just early, is
all. We were just talking.
STEVE
Don't let me stop you. I want to
hit the bathroom before we get
started anyway.
He exits. Lauren smiles after him.
EILEEN
I'm gonna run home and grab a
quick shower before the full
rehearsal. You two try not to
have too much fun in the one-on-
one.
Lauren doesn't reply, but starts to clean up after their
lunches. Eileen winks at her, and then leaves.
EXT. MANHATTAN - DAY
Ellis walks down the sidewalk with an old, tattered newspaper
under his arm. He checks the time on a bank's external clock
as he goes.
LAUREN (OS)
Okay, that's good, but you have
to watch the inflections.
STEVE (OS)
How so?
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - DAY
Lauren and Steve are alone on the stage, copies of the script
in hand. Lauren has the director's copy, with the complete
play, and Steve has his red cue sheets. They're in the midst
of working on his lines.
LAUREN
Don't worry so much about the
meter. Just read the line. You're
almost there.
STEVE
What I ask is a simple task.
LAUREN
Exactly. See? It's not all
iambic, obviously, so thinking
about meter just gets in the way.
Let's do it again.
Steve nods, and tilts his head back for moment, YAWNING.
LAUREN
Don't worry, we're almost there.
STEVE
No, no. I'm glad we're doing
this; it's helping. It's just ...
my mind is on something else.
Lauren looks down.
LAUREN
Yeah, I know. Don't worry.
She looks up at him and he looks her in the eye.
STEVE
I'm sorry.
LAUREN
It's okay. Back to work. Bianca
says:
Lauren READS from the script.
LAUREN (Cont., as Bianca)
Soft, sister, our husbands have
returned.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
'Twas not my mind to have us
part; my business is my wife's as
well, not mine alone....
Steve looks up from his cue sheets as his reading trails off.
Lauren notices and looks up.
LAUREN
What?
STEVE
Mind telling me about what
happened the other day between
you and Ellis?
LAUREN
What?
STEVE
When we were working with Eileen.
LAUREN
What's your question?
STEVE
Well, what was the fight all
about?
Lauren gestures to his cue sheets.
LAUREN
Come on, back to work. We don't
have the time to worry about me
and Ellis.
Steve continues looking at her instead of down at his cue
sheets. He takes a calculated pause, waiting for the tension
to rise before breaking it.
STEVE
Well?
LAUREN
We - Ellis and I - had a history.
A long one. Things in London,
with my Master's thesis. Look,
can we just get back to work?
STEVE
You've told me about your
history. But I'm still not clear:
Had? Or have?
Lauren doesn't answer. She CLEARS HER THROAT and goes back to
reading from the script.
LAUREN (as Petruchio)
'Tis most true.
Steve SIGHS before reading his next line, the one she was
helping him with. He reads it perfectly.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
What I ask is a simple task.
Kate, trust in your sister.
LAUREN
Good. You have it now. Moving on,
Bianca says: (as Bianca) Kate,
let us go. Let them reason and we
may frame our affections anon.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - DAY
Ellis appears from around a corner and makes his way to the
theatre's front entrance, still carrying the tattered
newspaper.
STEVE (OS, as Lucentio)
Go on; Leave us. You know you may
trust in me.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - DAY
Ellis enters the theatre and walks to the door into the
audience and stage area.
LAUREN (OS, as Bianca)
Trust, indeed. I do trust you,
and your words I will heed.
STEVE (OS)
All right. I got it. I just don't
know what the hell is going on.
LAUREN (OS)
How so? Kate and Bianca are
leaving so that -
STEVE (OS)
- Not that.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - DAY
Ellis walks into the back of the audience seating area and
stops to watch Lauren and Steve, who don't notice him.
STEVE
You and Ellis. You and I.... I
don't know.
LAUREN
What you need to be concerned
about is you and I.
STEVE
Why?
LAUREN
Because....
STEVE
What?
LAUREN
Because ... this is tough. I was
hoping to do this after opening
night, when all we've done has
paid off, but it can't wait.
Lauren pauses, looking away from Steve, who awaits her
confession almost as anxiously as Ellis does, off-stage and
still unnoticed.
Ellis looks like he's about to rush the stage and physically
restrain her from talking. Steve gestures with his hand for
her to continue.
LAUREN (Cont.)
I don't want to jeopardize what
everyone's been working for. But
trust is important. I have to
confess....
Steve puts his hand on her shoulder.
STEVE
What? Look, I know trust is
always hard, especially when it
might ruin -
LAUREN
(quickly)
No, it's just that I think I'm
falling in love with you. There,
I've said it.
Ellis slumps down as if punched in the chest. He further
recedes into the shadows, but continues to watch. Steve has a
stunned smile on his face.
STEVE
Oh, wow. I can't.... That's the
last thing I expected to hear.
LAUREN
Well, sorry. It's the truth.
STEVE
Don't be sorry.
They embrace.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - DAY
Ellis walks out of the stage area and back into the lobby. He
looks back at the door. No sound comes from the stage area.
After a moment, Ellis quietly exits the theatre and walks off
into the street. The door silently swings shut behind him.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - DAY
Ellis walks down the street, away from the theatre. As he
passes a trash can, he drops the newspaper in it, not missing
a step.
INT. STEVE'S APARTMENT - DAY
Steve is half-dressed, talking on his cell phone.
STEVE (into phone)
Chris, just calm down.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
"Calm down?" What is this "calm
down?" It opens in three days,
kid. Merriman is going to be
there Friday night reviewing this
show, and I don't even have so
much as an outline from you yet!
STEVE (into phone)
Think about this. Merriman writes
his review. Praises it, pans it,
says I suck as Lucentio;
whatever, it doesn't matter.
CHRIS (OS, on phone)
Meanwhile, we have jack. Steve-
STEVE (into phone)
Meanwhile, we come in the next
day with the inside story, making
The Times look like idiots for
reviewing a phony show. You'll
get your story and your readers.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - DAY
Lauren sits alone on a bench on the half-dark stage, staring
out into the empty audience.
Eventually, Ellis (clad in a tuxedo) walks slowly up the
aisle into Lauren's field of vision. The metal briefcase we
first saw months ago is once again in his hand.
LAUREN
You make a cute penguin. Wasn't
expecting you here until later.
Ellis holds up the briefcase.
LAUREN
Oh, the quarto. Right.
ELLIS
Adam's meeting me here to help
set it up. Listen, uhh ... can I
talk to you for a sec?
Lauren walks up to the front of the stage and crouches down.
LAUREN
Sure, what's up?
ELLIS
I'll keep it short. It's about
Steve.
LAUREN
What about him?
ELLIS
He's not an actor.
LAUREN
Could've fooled me.
ELLIS
Yeah, well, me too. Turns out
he's a reporter.
Lauren stands up.
ELLIS (Cont.)
Well?
Lauren turns away from him, heading back to the rear of the
stage. She starts walking around and checking the scenery.
Ellis puts down the briefcase and walks up to the stage.
LAUREN
Come on, Ellis; you're wasting my
time. If you really think he's a
reporter, you can just -
ELLIS
I don't think, I know. I found
out yesterday, and I came to the
theatre to talk to you about it.
She stops messing with the set and turns to Ellis.
LAUREN
I was here all day for the one-
on-one cast sessions. I didn't
see you.
ELLIS
Maybe I didn't want to be seen.
LAUREN
Stop it, El! Where's your proof?
ELLIS
Just let me -
LAUREN
You're accusing him without any
proof!
Ellis doesn't respond. They stare each other down for a
moment, not saying a word. Finally, Ellis breaks the silence.
ELLIS
You just have to trust me. I'm
doing this for you.
LAUREN
No, you're not. You're doing it
for yourself.
Ellis doesn't answer. He merely picks up the briefcase,
turns, and starts walking out. A few steps down the theatre
aisle, he turns back to Lauren, but she has gone back to
busying herself with the set.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - DAY
Above the entrance to the theatre, a large billboard marquee
reads:
The Taming of the Shrew, Part 2
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Lauren Marrus
WORKERS stand on ladders, hanging a banner above the marquee.
Ellis exits the theatre and steps onto the sidewalk,
briefcase still in tow. He looks up and reads "World premiere
tonight!" emblazoned on the banner. A wan smile works its way
across his face.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
A large CROWD dressed in formal wear is gathered, TALKING
excitedly. The buzz is electric, and individual AD-LIBBED
CONVERSATIONS overlap each other as the crowd CRESCENDOS.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (GREEN ROOM) - NIGHT
The actors stand around in various stages of make-up and
costume. It's surprisingly quiet, as they're mostly too
nervous to speak. Steve sits at a mirror, getting the
finishing touches done on his makeup.
In the doorway, Lauren stands TALKING with Eileen. The STAGE
MANAGER walks up to them from backstage and holds up two
fingers. Lauren nods and turns to face the actors.
LAUREN
Okay, curtain in two minutes.
Break a leg, folks!
A few actors SIGH and stretch out, loosening up for the debut
performance of The Taming of the Shrew, Part 2.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
Ellis approaches a group of workers who are taking a bundle,
protected with bubble wrap, out of a large crate. As the
bundle is unwrapped, an elegant display stand is revealed.
Across the lobby, over by the merchandise stand, Adam Winter
is helping to unpack boxes with STARLIGHT PUBLISHING printed
on the side.
ELLIS
Adam, come here for a minute.
Adam turns and sees Ellis. He nods and starts walking over.
ELLIS
No, take a book with you. We're
ready to set things up.
Adam takes a book from one of the boxes and heads over to
Ellis. Ellis sets his briefcase down and unlocks it. Inside
are the original quarto sheets that he showed to Lauren long
ago. He takes out the cotton gloves and puts them on.
ADAM
It really is so beautiful. I'm
glad we decided to print a
replication instead of just the
text.
ELLIS
I know. Here's the deal: Only I
touch the play. You just need to
check that the pages I'm
displaying are still in the right
order.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
The house lights start to dim, and the sold-out audience
slowly quiets. Soon, the theatre is silent and totally dark.
Then, the silence is quickly broken by the SLIDE of the
opening curtain. A spotlight shines on stage, and Timothy, in
costume as Gremio, walks out with Dennis, in costume as
Hortensio.
TIMOTHY (as Gremio)
Good friend! You've returned.
DENNIS (as Hortensio)
Aye, indeed. The time, 'twas ripe
for homecoming; a year on the
waves hath rendered me both
seasick and homesick, with no
angels t'show. Pray tell, what
hath passed upon the shores of
Padua these moons gone by?
TIMOTHY (as Gremio)
What has happened be both much
and little, but a pot of ale must
wet my tongue to loose it. Come,
let us away to the Hart's Horn!
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
Adam watches as Ellis carefully places the original quarto
pages into the display, in several neatly fanned stacks. At
the far left of the display, the cover page sits in a gold
frame. Behind them, the workers set up velvet ropes.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
Ken, Heidi, Steve, and Marisa stand on stage, in costume.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
Then in truth, Petruchio, how can
thy answer be naught but an
affirmation? For in thy breast
doth the truth lie, and in thy
breast lieth thy family: the fair
Kate, her sister ... and myself.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Aye, but in truth, lie tests of
will. And I question whether my
wife be untrain'd therein: if
truth lie in my breast and mine
alone, obedience is at hand. Now
my gentle Kate, in sooth, art
thou of a mind to go or to stay?
HEIDI (as Katharina)
My choice and my duty belong to
thee, and my wisdom is yours as
well, as with my mind and my
heart: All to your keeping they
lie.
MARISA (as Bianca)
O! Hath the lady no longer a
choice of her own? Kate, surely
must there be more to thy mind as
once there was?
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
Adam checks each page of the quarto with the appropriate
printed page in the book, and nods as he looks over things. A
crowd of workers stares in awe at the display.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
Ken and Steve stand on the stage.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
S'blood, man, 'tis plain there be
none but us and the wind!
Marisa subtly reveals that she has been hiding on stage. She
looks out into the audience and holds a finger to her lips,
prompting a wave of CHUCKLES from the audience.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Good, then our plot shall go
forth as such: Let me know what
th'answers to thy questions be,
then thy ballot be mine to take.
The answers shall lead me to thy
fleet.
Marisa sneaks offstage, unseen by Steve and Ken.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
A most excellent plan, i'faith,
my friend! We shall make it come
to light to-morrow.
An actor dressed as a SERVANT comes out from stage right and
approaches Ken.
SERVANT
Sir, thy wife calls for your
return.
Ken nods and turns to Steve.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
Go and tend to her; our business
is set. Now, as to my wife;
wonderment would be mine if I
were to know where she hath gone
to.
Steve and Ken follow the servant offstage. Soon, the stage is
briefly empty, but Marisa suddenly steps back out.
MARISA (as Bianca)
The craven, idle-headed popinjay!
He hath duped my husband as like
my sister. This shall not stand
forth; it cannot be thus easy for
such dullards. They seek to form
a pact: answers for questions. I,
then, shall seek the questions
themselves! The answers be the
easy part, 'tis the questions
must be well form'd; and thus the
questions are my quest; I shall
seek them out, and exchange them
for mine own, and none shall be
awares. Th'answers Petruchio be
provided shall not gain what he
desires. Their packing shall gain
them naught; for my sister I owe
this; she may be well tam'd, but
I will not abide her husband
playing us as he might a viol.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
Ellis and two SECURITY GUARDS stand beside the velvet-roped
entranceway to the display of the play's quarto sheets.
ELLIS
No one is allowed closer than two
feet to the display. Understand?
The guards nod.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
Most of the cast has assembled on stage. Several
CONVERSATIONS go on at the same time on different parts of
the stage: Timothy and Dennis have been talking with Ken and
Heidi at stage right.
TIMOTHY (as Gremio)
Marks upon marks on't, she doth
remain as before!
DENNIS (as Hortensio)
T'would be a wonder, should she
remain so.
KEN (as Petruchio)
I'faith, a year has it been, but
it took me not a month to make it
as such; am I not correct, wife?
HEIDI (as Katharina)
If it please you, it be as such,
as it shall be so for Katharina.
Dennis and Timothy start to smile, nearly giggling.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (BACKSTAGE) - NIGHT
Ellis stands with Lauren and Eileen, watching the action on
stage. As actors come off stage, Eileen walks off with them,
whispering encouragement into their ears as they head to the
green room.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
The entire cast is on stage; we're at the finale of the play.
STEVE (as Lucentio)
The ballot is done and the cause
be settled; half shall go to
sister Katharina.
KEN (as Petruchio)
And th'other?
STEVE (as Lucentio)
To the one with second in
response correct.
HEIDI (as Katharina)
Then who shall share with me?
STEVE (as Lucentio)
T'were two with such results:
Hortensio and Gremio.
TIMOTHY (as Gremio)
Sooth?
Steve nods. Timothy and Dennis go and stand next to Heidi.
Dejected, Ken stands back, watching.
KEN (as Petruchio)
Come, Kate, we have much to
discuss, and I, much on which
t'atone.
HEIDI (as Katharina)
For once, thou speak'st the
truth.
Heidi looks at Ken, who starts to walk offstage. After a
moment's hesitation, she follows him. Soon, the bulk of the
cast leave the stage, save for Timothy and Dennis standing
together under a spotlight.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (AUDIENCE AREA) - NIGHT
In the back section, Dr. Northfield sits with his wife,
EVELYN. He has a notepad on his lap and has made a few notes
throughout the performance.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (BACKSTAGE) - NIGHT
Ellis and Lauren stand alone together. We watch them as the
final strains of the play are heard onstage.
As we watch Lauren closely, Ellis slips away behind her.
Lauren, meanwhile, looks as if she's the happiest she's ever
been.
TIMOTHY (as Gremio, OS)
A plot to gain the argosies hath
fallen afore me, upon which they
be ours not in parcel but in
whole.
DENNIS (as Hortensio, OS)
Upon my word, thou hast learned
to be careful; and should
Petruchio not defend our claim,
our fortunes and our futures be
set!
Lauren now stands entirely alone as, far behind her, Ellis
walks toward the backstage offices.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (OFFICE AREA) - NIGHT
Ellis walks to his office. Timothy and Dennis's DIALOGUE
fades out the further he gets. Ellis turns around before
entering his office and sees Lauren from behind. In
silhouette, illuminated by the stage lights, she looks almost
angelic.
Ellis lowers his head and enters the office.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (ELLIS'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
MAD APPLAUSE breaks out in the audience, OS, as Ellis enters
his office. The SOUND is suddenly muted as Ellis closes the
door. He walks to his desk and drops into the chair.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (BACKSTAGE) - NIGHT
Lauren listens to the APPLAUSE as the play ends. She turns to
face Ellis and suddenly notices that he's not there anymore.
She turns around and looks toward the backstage offices.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (ELLIS'S OFFICE) - NIGHT
Ellis sits at his desk, looking through the Starlight
Publishing edition of the play. He looks up when he hears a
soft KNOCK at the door.
ELLIS
Yes?
Lauren opens the door and peeks in.
LAUREN
Here you are.
He gestures to an open notebook ledger on his desk.
ELLIS
We're going to be rich, you know.
LAUREN
We are.
ELLIS
What are you doing here?
LAUREN
Play's done. And judging by the
audience's reaction, I'd say it's
a hit.
ELLIS
I know, you did great.
Ellis holds up the Starlight edition of the play.
ELLIS (Cont.)
The book looks great, too.
LAUREN
We did great, Ellis. Come on, we
have applause to bask in.
She beckons for him to come out of the office with her.
ELLIS
I'll pass. The applause doesn't
matter anymore.
LAUREN
Why not? I would think you'd be
out there enjoying your success.
ELLIS
It's not the same.
LAUREN
Why not?
ELLIS
It's just that ... I was hoping
I'd be able to share that
applause with you. I don't need
any of my own.
Lauren nods.
LAUREN
I had a feeling.
ELLIS
But not the same feeling I had. I
guess I was hoping to rekindle
something after all.
LAUREN
The bookend hasn't been closed
yet.
She smiles at him. Ellis smiles back questioningly. Lauren
turns back to the door.
LAUREN (Cont.)
I probably should get back out
there. See you at the party?
ELLIS
You bet.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (STAGE AREA) - NIGHT
The stage is crowded with several dozen cast members. We
concentrate on the primary cast (Ken, Heidi, Steve, Marisa,
etc.) as they are at the center of a line, holding hands and
bowing.
Applause from the audience becomes a DEAFENING ROAR, as they
give the actors a standing ovation.
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
The lobby is once again mobbed as the audience exits the
theatre area. Throughout the scene, a loud and virtually
incomprehensible CLAMOR of audience praise and discussion
echoes in the lobby.
Dr. Northfield and his wife enter the lobby, carrying their
overcoats. As he helps her on with her coat, he sees the
display of quarto sheets.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Ahh, good ... here as promised.
EVELYN
What's that, dear?
He points out the display to her.
DR. NORTHFIELD
The original quarto. The producer
told me it would be on display,
but I didn't see it when we came
in. I'm going to take a look.
Evelyn nods as he walks over to the display case. Already, a
half-dozen PEOPLE are waiting. Dr. Northfield takes his place
at the rear of the queue, his wife at his arm.
Meanwhile, Ellis exits from the stage area and stands by the
quarto display. He listens to the AUDIENCE PRAISE and finally
starts to relax and smile a bit. A middle-aged REPORTER, tape
recorder in hand, approaches him.
REPORTER
Mr. Strahan?
ELLIS
Yeah?
REPORTER
Bernard Merriman, New York Times.
Do you have a moment?
ELLIS
Of course.
The reporter looks over, impressed, at the display.
REPORTER
So this is it? The actual
document?
Ellis nods and turns around to glance at the display. As the
interview continues, Dr. Northfield sees Ellis and smiles.
His wife tugs at his arm.
EVELYN
Come on, it's getting late. It's
going to take forever to hail a
cab now.
Dr. Northfield gestures for her to wait a moment while he
walks over to Ellis. The reporter shuts off his tape recorder
and steps back as Dr. Northfield slips a business card out of
his pocket.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Excuse me, Ellis. Julius
Northfield, we met at Adam
Winter's office?
ELLIS
Yes, I remember.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Excellent production. It really
brought the story alive.
ELLIS
Thank you very much.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Certainly. I'd love the
opportunity to hear more about
how you found the script.
He hands the business card to Ellis, who accepts it and looks
it over. Nodding, he places it in his pocket. The reporter
takes advantage of the interruption by glancing through a
notebook.
ELLIS
I'll be sure to contact you. But,
if you don't mind, I'm in the
middle of an interview right now.
DR. NORTHFIELD
Oh, yes, of course. My apologies.
At your leisure.
Ellis smiles at him. Dr. Northfield offers his hand, and
Ellis accepts. They shake hands, smiling together, before Dr.
Northfield walks away. The reporter clicks his tape recorder
back on.
REPORTER
And what prompted you to hire
Lauren Marrus to direct?
ELLIS
When looking to produce this
play, I waited for the perfect
opportunity. I wanted to make
sure everything was perfect. You
don't wait for more than a dozen
years and then not get what you
want.
EXT. COLUMBUS THEATRE - NIGHT
Outside, the audience DISCUSSION continues. A crowd has
formed on the sidewalk in front of the theatre: audience
members unwilling or unable to leave without discussing the
play further.
A few people break apart from the crowd, some getting in
taxis, some simply walking away. But the bulk of the audience
remains as Ellis's interview continues inside.
ELLIS (OS)
Lauren is an old friend of mine,
plus she has the requisite
theatre experience any play would
need, plus a PhD in Shakespearean
studies that I knew would be
required to authenticate this
play. And, most importantly, we
wanted to present the play as it
would've been, four hundred years
ago....
Ellis's interview is slowly rendered inaudible as the DIN
from the crowd outside overwhelms it.
FADE TO:
INT. COLUMBUS THEATRE (LOBBY) - NIGHT
The crowds have now completely dispersed, and Ellis stands
alone, holding his coat in the empty lobby. He stares down at
the quarto display case. A smile plays across his face as he
puts on his coat and walks to the front doors.
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Trays of food are set up everywhere, with a couple of
CATERERS attending. Ellis's apartment is packed with cast and
crew celebrating the successful debut of The Taming of the
Shrew, Part 2. Ellis, however, is nowhere to be seen.
A general din of REVELRY forces everyone to SHOUT to be
heard. In one corner, a group of bit players and crew members
(including Eileen) lets out a CHEER, and people CLINK glasses
of champagne and drink.
Lauren is with this group, looking very happy, and even
amused when she is asked to autograph the play's book.
Across the room, a circle of the primary actors, Steve,
Heidi, Ken, and Marisa among them, hold copies of the book.
KEN
So, this is what it looks like
all together.
HEIDI
What, you didn't figure
everything out before now?
MARISA
I just knew my stuff and all my
cues that were part of everyone
else's. Only I always thought I
was playing the main character!
STEVE
Funny, I always thought I was!
They all LAUGH LOUDLY. Lauren, looking over to see what's so
funny, catches Steve's eye. They smile at each other.
Roger walks over with a bottle of vodka and a shot glass. He
calls for Lauren to join them.
ROGER
Lauren, come on! It's tradition!
A shot for the victorious
director!
Lauren sets an empty wine glass down on a counter and walks
over to the group. Roger pours her a shot, spilling onto his
hand and the carpet. Those nearby YELL at his sloppiness.
LAUREN
No, really, I -
MARISA
Come on!
KEN
Don't be a spoilsport!
Roger hands Lauren the shot glass as she walks over. She
raises it high in the air, and most of the partygoers turn to
see what's going on.
LAUREN
Okay, okay! To the shrew!
Glasses are raised all around.
ALL
To the shrew!
The vodka in Lauren's shot goes down fast, and everyone
CHEERS. As she lowers the glass, she starts COUGHING. Steve
steps to her and puts his arm around her shoulder.
STEVE
You okay?
Lauren smiles at Steve, a slightly glazed-over look in her
eyes.
LAUREN (to Steve)
I'm fantastic.
ROGER
No, no! One more. We're not
letting you get away with that
sorry display!
The front door opens and Ellis walks in, late to his own
party. He seems congenial, if not jovial. Lauren spots him
immediately and yells to him across the room.
LAUREN
Ellis! Baby, we pulled it off!
She runs through the crowd and throws her arms around him. He
reluctantly hugs her back and smiles weakly. Steve warily
watches them, making eye contact with Ellis.
ELLIS
You pulled it off, Lauren. It's
always been you. You know that.
They end their embrace. Lauren looks at him, expectantly.
LAUREN
What are you saying?
ELLIS
You've never needed me to do
this. Everything that happened
tonight was your doing. Play to
performance: all you. You haven't
needed me since day one.
Steve walks over to join Lauren and Ellis, picking up a
bottle of beer on his way. The NOISE of the party continues
behind them, enveloping their conversation in privacy.
LAUREN
Ellis, there wouldn't have been a
Shrew 2 without you. Don't you
realize that by now?
ELLIS
What did I do?
STEVE
That's a good question. What did
you do? I think it's time for you
to actually answer some of my
questions, Ellis.
ELLIS
What questions? Why?
STEVE
The questions I've been asking
all along. I haven't been pumping
you for information out of idle
curiosity; I'm a newspaper
reporter.
Ellis turns to Lauren with a self-satisfied smile. She simply
stares at Steve in disbelief.
ELLIS LAUREN
(to Lauren) (to Steve)
See? You're what?
STEVE
A reporter. I cover arts for the
New York Local Daily. I
auditioned because I had a hunch
that you weren't doing the
original Shrew.
LAUREN
Ellis....
She turns to face Ellis and sees his smirk. Lauren just
gapes, and the smirk slowly fades.
LAUREN (Cont.)
So you really were telling the
truth earlier?
ELLIS
I told you to trust me.
LAUREN
Sure, but why is it you never
seem to have anything to back up
your claims when you ask me that?
Ellis SIGHS.
ELLIS
I did. I had an article that
Steve wrote. Only when I saw that
he was ... that you and he
were....
STEVE
Umm, excuse me? I'm still
standing here. And though I'm
pretty certain this whole thing
is bogus, I still have questions.
Ellis starts to protest, but Steve continues before he can
get a word out.
STEVE (Cont.)
Now: Thanks to Lauren, I know
that "Gus Shakespeare" didn't
write this play. So you may as
well give me the truth now,
Ellis: You wrote this play,
didn't you?
ELLIS
No.
Steve shakes his head, not believing, and turns to Lauren.
STEVE
Tell me, since I trust you more
than him: Did Ellis write the
play?
LAUREN
No.
STEVE
Did Shakespeare? William
Shakespeare?
She gazes at him for a moment, then turns to Ellis. Almost
imperceptibly, Ellis gives her a nod.
LAUREN
No. I wrote it.
STEVE
You?
Lauren takes a deep breath and starts explaining:
LAUREN
When Ellis first came to me about
this project, he had no idea what
to expect....
FADE TO:
INT. HOBOKEN RESTAURANT - AFTERNOON
Flashback to the deli in Hoboken, as Ellis explains his plans
to Lauren over lunch.
LAUREN (VO)
The whole thing was Ellis's idea,
sort of. He wanted to bring me
in, figuring I'd know how to help
him, and he wouldn't be able to
pull this off himself. At least
those were the reasons he gave me
at the time. Anyway, first, he
tries to tell me he found the
script at the Globe excavation
site in London in 1989.
ELLIS (VO)
I was just trying to prove that
it was possible.
LAUREN (VO)
It's believable with the evidence
we've put together, but at the
time, I didn't buy it at all. I
kept listening, though, since I
was curious about what he really
had in mind.
Ellis hands the folder labeled TAMING to Lauren.
BACK TO:
INT. ELLIS APARTMENT - NIGHT
Steve listens intently to Ellis and Lauren, who start to act
like a couple that's been together too long, competing with
each other to tell a story. Lauren's giddiness is apparent,
and her infectious enthusiasm carries itself to Ellis.
LAUREN
So to convince me to come on
board, he gives me this folder.
ELLIS
It had my plans on how to write a
new sequel to Shrew.
LAUREN
(overlapping)
A new sequel to Shrew! He didn't
find a damn thing at the Globe
site!
ELLIS
Actually....
LAUREN
And the plot in this folder ...
well, it was just really awful.
ELLIS
Gee, thanks.
LAUREN
You know it was, Ellis. That's
why you asked me for my help.
CUT TO:
INT. HOBOKEN RESTAURANT - AFTERNOON
We're back in the Hoboken deli. Lauren starts to look through
the TAMING folder's contents as Ellis continues explaining.
This time, we hear his explanation.
ELLIS
Assuming I can convince you to
help out, here's what I need for
you to do for me - or, with me -
or, to me.
LAUREN
(impatiently)
Ellis?
ELLIS
Right. Sorry. Anyway, I've
already done a lot of work on
this myself. You're right; I
didn't find a play at the Globe
site. But you've gotta admit it's
believable.
LAUREN
I suppose.
ELLIS
And I'm sure you can massage this
into a believable script to go
along with my believable story.
Lauren continues going through the pages. The further she
moves into the document, the bigger her frown gets.
LAUREN
You really think this can be
done?
ELLIS
Sure. Abraham Lincoln was wrong.
LAUREN
Huh?
ELLIS
You can fool all of the people
all of the time.
Lauren holds up the folder to him.
LAUREN
Not with this crap, you can't.
I'm going to have to give this
some thought, Ellis.
Lauren begins to get up, but Ellis stops her. He continues
trying to persuade her, but we hear Steve instead.
STEVE (VO)
So if that was crap, then what
did we perform? You wrote a
different script?
LAUREN (VO)
Well, yeah, but not right then.
BACK TO:
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Steve is hanging on Lauren's every word. Ellis stands with
his arms crossed, watching.
STEVE
I don't follow. He only came to
you a couple of years ago, right?
How long could you have waited
before you wrote this thing?
ELLIS
She didn't wait. She had years.
Before I even came to her.
STEVE
I don't follow.
ELLIS
After she accepted my offer, she
explained to me that she had
already written it after she got
her PhD, as a lark.
LAUREN
Actually, that's not entirely
true either. It wasn't really
after my PhD.
ELLIS
What?
FADE TO:
INT. LAUREN'S LONDON APARTMENT (BEDROOM) - NIGHT
Back in 1989, Lauren lies in bed alone, asleep. The orange
readout on the digital clock glows "2:41." She begins to
stir.
LAUREN (VO)
That night you were out touring
the Globe site alone, I didn't
exactly sleep as well as you
figured.
As Lauren's arm reaches over to find the absent Ellis, her
eyes squint open. She rolls over, notices that he's missing,
and slowly looks around the room. She leans up on her elbow.
LAUREN (VO, Cont.)
I had one of those thoughts in
the middle of the night. The kind
that half wakes you up ... just
enough to make sure it's
something you don't forget. I
don't know if it was passing by
the Globe site that got my mind
running, or something else, but
the idea just struck me.
Lauren groggily reaches onto the nightstand and grabs a pen
and a small notepad. We see her scribble "TAMING SHREW -
SEQUEL?" almost illegibly. She puts the pen back on the
nightstand, but accidentally drops the notepad on the floor.
It lands written-side down.
Across the room is a stack of Shakespeare books, including
several plays. At the top is a copy of The Taming of the
Shrew.
BACK TO:
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Ellis now looks just as surprised as Steve.
LAUREN
I fell back asleep almost
immediately. I guess I never
really wondered why you weren't
there ... maybe figured you were
in the bathroom or something. And
I forgot about that idea until
later -
She shoots Ellis a look.
LAUREN (Cont.)
- when, thanks to you, it turned
out I needed it.
ELLIS
Whoa, whoa. Wait just a second.
You're trying to tell me you
wrote this as your -
LAUREN
(interrupting)
Relax, El. No one's going to make
the connection: I never used it.
I mean, yeah, I did intend for it
to be my new thesis, but I
figured it wasn't "academic"
enough in the end. I thought
about writing something else
about the induction, but it just
never came together. No one saw
the script but me. Until now.
Ellis just stares, not quite sure of whether to believe what
he's heard. A smile widens across Steve's face, as if all the
pieces have now come together for him.
STEVE
Unbelievable. Almost. So what was
your original idea, Ellis?
ELLIS
Well, Lucentio gets killed in the
first scene.
STEVE
Oh.
Ellis looks up at Lauren. He stares at her for a moment,
contemplating his next move.
LAUREN
Yes?
ELLIS
So you weren't entirely truthful
with me after all?
LAUREN
Guess not. Sorry.
ELLIS
Well, it's only fair. You've been
right all along: I haven't been
entirely truthful either.
LAUREN
Oh really? And what exactly have
you been keeping from me?
ELLIS
I tried to say earlier: I didn't
exactly come back from the Globe
site empty handed.
STEVE
Hey, guess you didn't really need
to write this script after all,
Lauren!
Steve LAUGHS, spilling some beer from his bottle onto the
floor.
ELLIS
Nah, she still needed to write
it. Only Gus Shakespeare writes
sequels.
FADE TO:
EXT. GLOBE EXCAVATION SITE (BELOW) - NIGHT
The full moon shines in the sky as Ellis looks around the
bottom of the Globe excavation site.
He takes a small flashlight on a key ring out of his pocket
and starts shining it around the corners of the excavated
area.
ELLIS (VO)
William Shakespeare, fortunately
for us, does leave stuff besides
unproduced plays lying around.
Well, probably not him
personally, but someone did.
With his back to us, Ellis crouches down in a corner. He has
found something, but his body blocks us from seeing what it
is as he picks it up and stuffs it in his book bag.
BACK TO:
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Lauren and Steve both look at Ellis expectantly.
LAUREN
So what was left lying around?
ELLIS
Paper. Blank paper, I mean.
Didn't you ever wonder how that
quarto came out looking so
authentic?
STEVE
I know I did.
LAUREN
No, not really. You said you had
a friend with access to the
printing museum, so I figured you
used a vintage press there.
ELLIS
Sure, but the press wasn't the
only vintage part of the
equation. I guess that they
hadn't gotten to that corner of
the Globe site yet, or were
leaving things untouched, or ...
I don't know what. But damned if
there wasn't paper there. And if
it wasn't 16th Century, it sure
looked like it to me.
Conveniently sized, and plenty of
it. Hell, there's enough for
another play, if you want to
write another sequel.
LAUREN
Hmm ... Thirteenth Night, anyone?
(pause)
Well, after we do my original
stuff. Don't forget our deal,
Ellis: first Shrew 2, then
Morelli's Lies.
ELLIS
Let's just make sure we have the
funds after this. And don't end
up in prison.
LAUREN
We really are going to get away
with this, aren't we? Unless
Steve's mysterious source has any
more friends in the newspaper
business.
STEVE
Actually, my source only knew
about Ellis wanting to publish
the Shrew sequel.
FADE TO:
INT. DINER - MORNING
Back to the diner where Ellis showed the play to Lauren for
the first time. Tina, sitting with Steve, points out Ellis as
he enters the diner.
TINA
See that guy who just walked in?
Ellis Strahan. We're publishing
his new book.
Steve looks over his shoulder at Ellis, who spots Lauren in
the far corner of the diner and walks over to her.
STEVE
And? That's the big news story?
TINA
His book isn't his, it's William
Shakespeare's.
Steve turns back to Tina, who has a big smile on her face.
STEVE
What's this, now?
TINA
Taming of the Shrew, Part 2.
STEVE
There's a part 2?
TINA
Coming this fall, published
exclusively in North America by
Skylight Publishing.
Steve turns to look at Ellis and Lauren, who are going
through the play's quarto sheets.
BACK TO:
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Steve gestures toward Ellis.
STEVE
When I saw "Ellis Strahan"
connected with auditions for the
original Shrew, I figured it'd be
worth checking out. And when he
pulled out that "special scene,"
I had a feeling we weren't going
to be putting on the original
Shrew at all. Once I saw how
close to the vest you played
everything, I suspected what we
were putting on was just a put-
on: A forged script.
LAUREN
See? I told you the actors were
getting suspicious!
ELLIS
Well, the reporters were.
STEVE
How did you find me out, anyway?
ELLIS
Well, I knew something was wrong
when you two started, umm ...
spending a lot of time together.
I mean, you're a nice guy, Steve,
but I didn't trust you. I found
out why a little while ago.
FADE TO:
INT. SUBWAY CAR (MOVING) - DAY
Ellis sits alone on a subway car. He leans down and picks a
discarded and tattered newspaper off the floor and looks
through it. He stops when he sees Steve's name and photograph
above a story.
ELLIS (VO, Cont.)
The New York Local Daily. Small
enough of a paper to go under our
radar for a while, but not so
small I couldn't stumble across
it. Of course, it was too late at
that point, so I figured I'd let
things go and try to ... well, to
use it to get Lauren to spend
less time with you.
BACK TO:
INT. ELLIS'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Steve smiles at Ellis's comment. Lauren looks on, almost
defeated.
LAUREN
So I guess everything's out in
the open now. (to Steve) You've
got the whole story now.
STEVE
Hell of a story, at that. Worthy
of the Times Arts section, I'd
think.
LAUREN
I suppose you can tell the whole
world, if you have to.
Lauren takes a slight step away from Steve, brushing
shoulders with Ellis, who notices and glances over at her.
STEVE
I'm not sure I want to, now. What
would be the point?
ELLIS
Fame? Fortune? I know that's not
what I was after, but I figure
you don't see yourself staying
with a rag like the Local Daily
forever.
STEVE
That's true.
Ellis puts his arm on Lauren's shoulder. She freezes in
place, but doesn't stop him.
ELLIS
Of course, that also means you'd
have to roll over me, and Lauren,
and I'll do everything in my
power to prevent that. I'd fire
you right now and sue your ass
first thing Monday morning for
breach of contract. You'd never
get the story published.
STEVE
Maybe not. But I don't think that
matters.
ELLIS
Why not?
STEVE
I can't write this story.
LAUREN
And why's that?
Ellis slowly returns his arm to his side.
STEVE
A writer needs to be objective,
and this has become too personal
for me to write about because....
Well, I've fallen madly in love
with Gus Shakespeare.
Ellis watches helplessly as Lauren LAUGHS and steps back
toward Steve, pulling him into a tight embrace.
LAUREN
And I, being mad myself, am madly
mated.
Steve and Lauren kiss. Ellis looks down at the floor, then
turns away to give them some privacy.
As Ellis glances around at the party, he sees Eileen chatting
with some of the other actors. They all LAUGH at some witty
remark, and she spies him out of the corner of her eye and
turns to face him.
She beckons him over with a smile. Ellis, with nothing but a
quick glance at the still-liplocked Lauren and Steve, walks
over to join Eileen's group, picking up a glass of champagne
on his way.
Eileen leads him aside and whispers something in his ear. He
smiles and they clink their glasses together. Strangely, we
hear the oddly familiar voice of Christopher Sly:
SLY (VO)
Aye, that's for me. A story told
well. 'Twas full of intrigue and
humor fine. A love story, as
well. Players, well done! All
befits your wakened Lord on this
eve.
INT. DARKENED ROOM - EVENING
A gigantic widescreen television provides the only light as a
small group gazes at the screen. We cannot quite make out any
faces due to the darkness, but the voices are familiar.
SLY (Cont.)
Enough! No more. Thy story was
quite fine, but my eyes grow
weary of the dim light. Remove
thy disc and illuminate my
chamber once again.
An unknown woman, with a strikingly familiar silhouette,
stands and approaches the television. She bends down, and the
picture on the TV goes to solid blue.
CU: A delicate female hand reaches down to a DVD player and
presses a button. The tray slides open, revealing an
intricately silk-screened DVD with the following text:
TAMING SHAKESPEARE:
The Second Part of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
The lights come up in the room as a large and intricate
window drapery is withdrawn. We are in a modern, high-rent,
London flat: The twilight-lit Big Ben clock tower can be seen
out the window. An expensive leather couch and plush chairs
are set up to face the television. Meats, cheeses, and mugs
of ale are piled upon a steel-framed glass coffee table.
In the center of the couch sits Christopher Sly, wearing
expensive clothes and jewelry ... finally, we recognize his
voice as being the same as that of Steve's editor, Chris.
SLY (CHRIS)
Now, madam wife, 'twas time you
did come t'bed. Servants, leave
us to renew after these fifteen
year.
Ellis sits next to Sly on the couch. Or at least it looks
like Ellis, though his dress and demeanor are more becoming a
Lord. He starts to LAUGH.
LORD (ELLIS)
Oh, thou art a rogue, Christopher
Sly! These servants are not
thine, nor thy raiments, this
banquet, nor yon picture tube and
player of film discs. And as for
thy wife....
He points across to the other side of Sly.
LORD (ELLIS, Cont.)
'Tis naught but mine own page!
On the other side of Sly sits a male Page, in disguise as a
woman. The disguise is surprisingly effective, but as he
pulls off the wig, we see the amazing likeness to Steve. The
Lord ROARS with laughter.
PAGE (STEVE)
A practice was played upon you;
so that you might b'lieve the
Lord was you, and not my Master.
The female Servant, whom we finally see as being Lauren - or
perhaps her doppelgänger - walks back from the television,
holding the DVD. She begins to LAUGH as she places the DVD in
a plastic case. The cover of the case is decorated like the
quarto's cover sheet.
SERVANT (LAUREN)
Aye, and most well played! Both
players a'screen and those
playing upon Sly!
Sly briefly looks upset and confused as the servant returns
the DVD to a large glass-doored bookcase. Slowly, a smile
appears on Sly's face and he begins to CHUCKLE along with
everyone else. He's obviously good enough to have a sense of
humor about himself.
SLY (CHRIS)
O! Thou knaves! Most well played
indeed, as t'was naught but a
dream to me all along!
As the entire group begins to LAUGH, more ale is poured, and
the party continues. We scan about, and more faces in the
crowd are revealed to be there, too, including Eileen and the
cast of Shrew 2.
The times have changed, as well as the stage, but the players
remain the same....
FADE OUT.
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