{"id":5457,"date":"2012-08-12T10:20:51","date_gmt":"2012-08-12T14:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.virushead.net\/vhrandom\/?p=5457"},"modified":"2012-08-12T10:24:38","modified_gmt":"2012-08-12T14:24:38","slug":"at-the-ballet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virushead.net\/vhrandom\/2012\/08\/at-the-ballet\/","title":{"rendered":"At the Ballet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marvin Hamlisch is dead<\/a> at the age of 68. Sadness. <\/p>\n

When I was young, I loved the ballet. I had problems with my feet that prohibited me from continuing as a dancer, and I would sing “At the Ballet<\/a>” from A Chorus Line<\/strong> as my mourning song. It was a catchall song for all of my sadness, really, and sometimes I couldn’t even finish the song without crying. Even then, singing seemed to be the one of the only ways that this introvert bookworm could deal with difficult emotions. I would usually follow it up with “What I Did for Love<\/a>” (but I never could sing that song without going a little flat). <\/p>\n

A Chorus Line<\/strong> made a deep impression on me. For a while, it even superseded my love for Godspell<\/strong> and Jesus Christ Superstar<\/strong> and Evita<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Hamlisch was a “singular sensation.” RIP, dear.<\/p>\n

\"\"
My Chorus Line sheet music<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

[youtube]http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lELym57MTRQ[\/youtube]<\/p>\n

“At the Ballet<\/a>” from A Chorus Line<\/strong>, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban<\/p>\n

\nSheila:
\nDaddy always thought that he married beneath him
\nThat’s what he said, that’s what he said.
\nWhen he proposed he informed my mother
\nHe was probably her very last chance.
\nAnd though she was twenty-two,
\nThough she was twenty-two,
\nThough she was twenty-two
\nShe married him.<\/p>\n

Life with my dad wasn’t ever a picnic
\nMore like a “come as you are.”
\nWhen I was five I remember my mother
\nDug earrings out of the car.
\nI knew they weren’t hers, but it wasn’t
\nSomething you’d want to discuss.
\nHe wasn’t warm.
\nWell, not to her.
\nWell, not to us\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

But
\nEverything was beautiful at the ballet.
\nGraceful men lift lovely girls in white.
\nYes,
\nEverything was beautiful at ballet,
\nHey!
\nI was happy\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 at the ballet.<\/p>\n

(spoken) That’s when I started class.<\/p>\n

(Bebe turns and begins to walk downstage)<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nUp a steep and very narrow stairway<\/p>\n

Sheila and Bebe:
\nTo the voice like a metronome
\nUp a steep and very narrow stairway<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nIt wasn’t paradise\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nIt wasn’t paradise\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Sheila and Bebe:
\nIt wasn’t paradise\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nBut it was home.<\/p>\n

(Sheila turns to face upstage, Bebe steps forward)<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nMother always said I’d be very attractive
\nWhen I grew up, when I grew up.
\n“Diff’rent,” she said, “With a special something
\nAnd a very, very personal flair.”
\nAnd though I was eight or nine,
\nThough I was eight or nine,
\nThough I was eight or nine,
\nI hated her.<\/p>\n

Now,
\n“Diff’rent” is nice, but it sure isn’t pretty.
\n“Pretty” is what it’s about.
\nI never met anyone who was “diff’rent”
\nWho couldn’t figure that out.
\nSo beautiful I’d never live to see.
\nBut it was clear,
\nIf not to her,
\nWell then to me\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

(Maggie turns and begins to walk downstage)<\/p>\n

Bebe and Maggie:
\nThat everyone is beautiful at the ballet.
\nEvery prince has got to have his swan.
\nYes,
\nEveryone is beautiful at the ballet.<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\nHey!<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nI was pretty<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\n(turning to face front) At the ballet.<\/p>\n

Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie:
\nUp a steep and very narrow stairway
\nTo the voice like a metronome.
\nUp a steep and very narrow stairway,<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\nIt wasn’t paradise\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nIt wasn’t paradise\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nIt wasn’t paradise\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie:
\nBut it was home.<\/p>\n

(Lights dim on Sheila and Bebe leaving Maggie in the brightest light)<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\n(Spoken) I don’t know what they were for or against, really, except each other. I mean, I was born to save their marriage, but when my father came to pick my mother up at the hospital he said: “Well, I thought this was going to help. But I guess it’s not.” Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life. I used to dance around the living room with my arms up like this. My fantasy was that it was an Indian Chief. And he’d say to me, “Maggie, do you wanna dance?” And I’d say, “Daddy, I would love to dance.”<\/p>\n

(Lights full on Sheila and Bebe. Other two girls sing back up “Do-do-doo’s” behind solo lines.)<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nBut it was clear\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nWhen he proposed\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\nThat I was born to help their marriage and when\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nThat’s what he said\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nThat’s what she said\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\nI used to dance around the living room\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nHe wasn’t warm\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nNot to her\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.<\/p>\n

(“Do-do-doo’s” end)<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\nIt was an Indian chief and he’d say
\n“Maggie, do you wanna dance?”
\nAnd I said, “Daddy, I would love to”
\nEverything was beautiful at the ballet.
\nRaise your arms and someone’s always there.
\nYes, everything was beautiful at the ballet,
\nAt the ballet,
\nAt the ballet!!<\/p>\n

(Dance section)<\/p>\n

Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie:
\nYes everything was beautiful at the ballet.<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\nHey!<\/p>\n

Bebe:
\nI was pretty<\/p>\n

Sheila:
\nI was happy<\/p>\n

Maggie:
\n“I would love to.\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6”<\/p>\n

Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie:
\nAt the ballet.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n


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