JUDITH: (entering R as Sylvia stands in front of a mirror preening) You ready?
SYLVIA: How do I look?
JUDITH: Fine. Did you get those lines?
SYLVIA: I don’t know about this dress. Red calls attention to itself, don’t you think?
JUDITH: What?
SYLVIA: Red. If you wear a red dress on stage the audience spends the whole night looking at you. I’m not sure I want that.
JUDITH: (Xing to her) Sylvia, we’re on in two minutes. Do you have your lines down?
SYLVIA: I don’t know. The line of this dress sort of makes me stick out.
JUDITH: I’m talking about the script! The lines in the script! You were awful yesterday! You held the script through the entire practice.
SYLVIA: (Xing R) Oh, I’ll get to it.
JUDITH: Get to it! We’re almost on! The song’s gonna be over in two minutes and that’s our cue! Don’t tell me you haven’t worked on your lines!
SYLVIA: Okay.
JUDITH: Good.
SYLVIA: I won’t tell you. (then X back to mirror at left)
JUDITH: (xing R) Sylvia!
SYLVIA: (as she continues to pose in front of the mirror) Oh Judith, you’re always worried about the details! Just relax and go with the flow!
JUDITH: The lines in a play are not details, Sylvia! What you wear…that…that is a detail. (Xing to her) Are you telling me you’ve spent all day picking out the right costume when you had lines to memorize?
SYLVIA: A costume makes the actress, Judith. (turning to Judith) Don’t tell me you’re wearing that old thing.
JUDITH: “That old thing” is the costume that was assigned to me. We’re supposed to be playing bag ladies. What are doing with that Princess Diana gown?
SYLVIA: I thought I’d play it against type. (Xing right of her) I mean, everyone expects a bag lady to dress in rags. This costume will..I don’t know…it’ll make the audience think.
JUDITH: It’ll make the audience think we’re in the wrong play! Come on, let’s run over our lines real quick. (then X UL)
SYLVIA: So you’re saying I should wear brown? I don’t like brown. Brown does not flatter.
JUDITH: (Xing to her) I’m saying you should run your lines…right now! Okay…go ahead and start. (then X left)
SYLVIA: I have the first line?
JUDITH: Sylvia! Of course you have the first line! We’ve rehearsed this play all summer! You’ve had the first line all summer!
SYLVIA: Well how I should I know that? I’m always late to rehearsal. I’ve never been here for the first line.
JUDITH: Sylvia!
SYLVIA: Start with the second line. I’ll bet that’s yours. (then X left of Judith)
JUDITH: (Xing Right) “We can’t go on like this.”
SYLVIA: Of course we can.
JUDITH: (turn to face Sylvia) That’s my first line, Sylvia. “We can’t go on like this.”
SYLVIA: Oh. Then what do I say?
JUDITH: You say, “We’ve got to or our children will starve.”
SYLVIA: That sounds rather drastic, don’t you think? I hate it when plays are overwritten. (turning to the mirror again) Look, maybe I could compromise with something in a light gray. They’ll think it’s just a faded blue. Do you have a safety pin?
JUDITH: You don’t know a single line of the play?
SYLVIA: Well… I think I know some lines…I mean, enough to get us by. Is there a “The king isn’t sleeping well tonight” anywhere in the script?
JUDITH: No.
SYLVIA: Then I must know another play. Look, just go onstage and say your lines and I’ll make something up. (turning to face Judith) How do I look?
JUDITH: Sylvia! I’m not going on!
SYLVIA: Of course you can. You look great! (and she drags Judith offstage)
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