Original subtitles

Hey, guys, what's going on?

What's up, Odie?

Hey, Benny.

Happy anniversary, man.

What are you, like, 200 years old now or something?

Get out of here, you punks. Just ignore him, Ben.

They're trying to get a rise out of us.

You want me to get Ryan over at the sheriff's office? Yeah, and tell him

They're here. They're drinking again.

That's A .V. It's just his father.

They're not old enough to drink.

God help me.

I wish there was a better answer.

There is a better answer.

So, which is our assignment?

The people out here or the people in there?

It's all connected.

Where's Monica?

She's assigned elsewhere.

Why?

Because this is a musical theater.

Oh.

You know, Herbert, Phil wants to sing that God awful thing from Peppermint

White gloves and all. He says it's emblematic. Emblematic?

Emblematic of what?

Herbert, I guess.

That gives him three and a half songs.

The duet with Naomi.

God help us.

Wally, get the coffee going.

Because they're going to be here any minute.

Herbert gets three solos? You all get three solos. Plus a duet? with Naomi.

That puts him a half song ahead.

You had an extra half song in the last show, Calvin. Ben, it's not so much the

numbers as it is a quality of life issue.

Does anyone out there really want to hear magic to do? Yes, Calvin, they do.

Those people out in the dark yearn for a powerhouse opener like magic to do.

That's why we come to the theater, to share our passions, to resonate with the

past, to...

tune our empathetic bones to the pitch of humanity. What on earth is that,

Herbert? This, my dear, is 32 ounces of purified water from the Seychelles mixed

with kelp, seaweed, and finely crushed coral.

Here, have a sip and feel the heavy velour drapes of fatigue part like the

Sea. No, I like velour.

Oh, forgive me.

Forgive me. Those doctors, they wanted to push the surgery up.

Sid, no, no, no, I can't. We have a performance.

Your spastic bowel acting up again, Naomi? My darling husband, Alan, refused

leave until the doctors answered all his questions about my hammertoe.

Can we please get it together, people?

Hey!

Hey, Gigi!

Get away from the window! What's going on?

I'm telling you, Ben, they shouldn't be allowed to hang around here. It's hard

to tell which is in worse shape, this community or this community theater.

They're both running out of hope, Andrew boy.

And if they don't get it back and in a hurry, the final curtain is going to

down on both.

When you walk down the road,

heavy bird.

in the wood I will rise

and I will walk with you I'll walk with

you till the sun don't even shine walk with you

every time I tell you I'll walk with you

believe me I'll walk with you

People! Please!

Calling the police will only get another report written and send our insurance

rates higher. Oh, you'll figure it out, Ben. You always do.

Now, about my song for the finale.

You know, it was a different world 50 years ago.

Ben Horner?

Oh, we're here. Where do you want us to set up?

My goodness, that is good.

Good service. I just called you an hour ago.

Please.

Ladies and gentlemen, I had an inspiration this afternoon and hired a

to document our 50th anniversary.

Tess, Gloria, and Andrew, right? Right. This is the board of directors.

And acting company.

Of the Egyptian theater.

Beautiful dreamer, wake unto thee.

Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee.

Sounds of the rude world heard in the day.

Lulled by the moonlight have all passed away.

Hear the lovely voice.

And he seems like a very nice man, too.

Wally, how many times do I have to tell you I can't rehearse with that light in

my eyes?

Sorry.

I'm surrounded by imbeciles.

Any more observations, little angel?

Tell us what this theater means to you, Naomi.

Camera, is there enough fill light?

Plenty.

Well, my first role here at the Egyptian was Sleeping Beauty.

That's back when we were doing children's theater.

Before the neighborhood went bad.

Before the children went bad.

Tragic, really.

Anyway, now I specialize in playing strong women.

Medea in Medea, Joan of Arc in Joan of Arc, Lysistrata in Lysistrata.

My husband Alan says that's the only thing I can do. And of course he's

He always is.

But even back in the beginning, I managed to find the complexity and

center of every character I played.

No one will soon forget my little red riding hood.

Tells us what you mean to the theater, Naomi.

What does the theater mean to you?

Well, is there really any difference there?

Dostoevsky said, there's nothing more human than the urge to confess.

That's been my credo.

I see the stage as a confessional, a chance to break through mendacity, as

Tennessee himself might have said. Tennessee Williams?

In all humility, the demands of my time would tear apart a lesser man.

Financial responsibility, social obligations.

Taxidermy is a jealous mistress.

But that is why I put this theater first. Because ultimately, it's about

fellowship. A band of brothers.

Which is why it is essential that we include that number from Pippin.

What's a Pippin?

I'll tell you later.

I felt very good.

Excellent.

I'm sorry, did I overstep my boundaries?

Latrina. That's a very unusual name.

My mama thought it was a roaming goddess.

I'm like, whatever. At least people will never forget my name.

So you are the newest member of the company.

Yeah, so it's up to me to, you know, shake things up a bit. Like last year

I played Juliet, I gave her the sexy kind of Christina Aguilera slinky thing.

Romeo.

Oh, Romeo, didn't I... Anyway, I can't remember the rest, but it brought

something really fresh to a tired old love scene.

That must have been very enlightening.

Well, I did have 12 years of training at Miss Harriet Grubb's dancing school in

East St. Louis.

Do you know the place?

I can't say that I do, baby.

Oh, well, it's gone now. Miss Grubb was arrested for running a meth lab in her

basement. I guess I was the last star she ever launched.

Isn't that sad?

Oh, for so many reasons.

You see, any dentist can fill a cavity.

But I'm not just any dentist.

I like to think of myself as Dr. Fun.

You come in my office and you can get a filling, you can get a song, you can get

a dance, you can get a couple of jokes.

You may not believe this.

But until I was in junior high, I was boring.

Snoo City.

And then one day, I found my gift.

The fickle finger of fate pointed at me and bingo!

Baritone! It just happened.

So I opened my mouth and... Oh, Shenandoah,

I long to see you.

Just cut.

Cut.

That's very nice.

Hi,

Wally. Do you have a minute for an interview?

Oh, hey, you don't want to talk to me.

I'm strictly backstage.

I don't know about that. You seem to be a pretty essential part of this place.

Me? Essential?

Oh, no.

All I do is I build the sets and...

I run the lights.

I open the box office and sell concessions.

And I order supplies.

I clean the dressing rooms and answer the phones.

But it's general stagehand stuff. Anybody could do it.

Well, Ben relies upon you pretty heavily.

I'd do anything for Ben.

He's been more of a father to me than my old man ever was.

I have to clean this up, you punk.

Why do you keep doing this?

That is it. I've had it. Something has to be done about those kids. We could

hire a security guard. Security guards cost money, Wally. Come on. So does

repainting. I want them gone. Do you understand?

Whatever it takes, I want those kids gone.

I'll see what I can do.

It wasn't easy 50 years ago, either.

Oh, hi, Tess. I didn't hear you come in. Well, hear this, baby.

I'm an angel sent by God.

What are you talking about? You heard me.

I am an angel.

What do you want from me?

You're a good man, Ben Horner, but you've lost your way.

Do you remember why you started this theater?

Yeah, I wanted to celebrate the kids. Now you say they're your enemies.

It's a different world.

Yes, it is. This is a world of fear and anger where people would rather turn

their backs than extend their hands in compassion.

And that's a sad state of affairs because God made human beings

to dream together and to inspire each other.

You used to believe that, Ben.

A long time ago, maybe.

17 years to be exact.

The last time you tried to change somebody's life.

A disaster.

The young man was so angry and so lost.

You gave him a job and tried to show him a new direction.

Yeah, he nearly destroyed this place. It was the drugs.

I probably could have done more about it, but I had to. The point is, you

What happened after that was not your fault.

But the sins of the father are not the sins of the son.

Jay -Z?

That's right.

Unlike his father, he could be a leader.

He could help to change things around here.

And so could you.

Change things. How am I supposed to do that?

Ask God for inspiration.

And then use it to inspire others.

It's all there if you're listening.

Are you listening?

I can hear it.

I can hear it, Ted. It's a song.

Oh, I've got to write it down.

Ben.

Ben.

She's an angel, Wally. Can you see her? Look.

Right there.

Are you all right, Ben?

Oh, Wally.

I've just seen the future in the theater.

No, no. Actually, I heard it. It's all in my head.

It's a song that just came to me, and it's going to change everything.

I'm going to get you a glass of water.

Hi, I'll be terrific.

I've got to write this down.

A song that will change everything?

That's right, baby.

Oh, no.

No, baby.

He ran out of time, Tess.

What's happening, Tess? I don't know, baby. I just don't know.

Poor Wally.

Like losing a father.

Tess, Ben was supposed to change everything.

But now Ben...

isn't here are we finished no gloria we're not finished when god makes a plan

sees it through so if it's not going to be plan a with ben it'll be plan b with

somebody else

I'm not painting over this, mister.

Why would I want you to? It's an old flat.

Maybe you don't like my art.

I do, actually. I like it a lot.

I thought maybe you needed some supplies.

So you just came out here just to give me free paint?

Yeah.

No.

I don't believe you. You want something.

They all do.

Who's they?

Adults. I mean, they're always like, hey, get the hell out of here and get a

job. Do something productive.

What are you, a gangbanger?

Is that what your parents tell you?

Yeah.

My dad says that to me every day.

Man, what are you talking about, Jay -Z? You don't even have a dad.

Hey, shut up, Odie.

Look.

Enjoy the supplies.

See ya.

Are

we

canceling the show?

Ben would have wanted us to continue.

First thing he taught me is that the show goes on no matter what.

He had no equal.

Teacher, director, friend.

When he took me under his wing, I didn't know Stephen Foster from Gwen Stefani.

He taught me that there were a lot of great songs written before I was even

born.

Compatriot, leader.

He believed in this little troop of thespians and nobody else would.

Our impresario.

He was our Aristotle.

And this little theater, our Elysium.

And now we are a ship without a rudder.

There are not enough metaphors in the English language to express how much we

loved him.

Rough wind at moment's laugh.

Breathe to sever the soul.

This town used to love the Egyptians back when we did children's plays.

On the first Saturday of every new season, winter, spring, summer, fall,

theater was the only place people wanted to be.

with the kids.

But now, people, we have to cut to the chase.

Now, Ben always said the show must go on.

I agree.

And I say we do it in his honor.

Well, in that case, I make a motion to carry on with the show as a memorial to

Ben Horner. Don't we need, like, a director?

Of course.

We need to appoint an interim artistic director.

Preferably someone with her finger on the pulse of the broader theatrical

community. You mean someone like you? I would be honored to serve you.

Uh, excuse me.

But... You don't talk. You take notes. You're not on the board.

True.

But the theater's charter prohibits the appointment of officers.

If you want a new artistic director, you're going to have to put it to a

Fine. Then we'll vote.

Naomi. It's spelled just like it sounds.

Excuse us.

Ben hired us for the whole week, and we're wondering if you want us to

filming.

Damn the torpedoes full steam ahead.

Marvelous. You'll be here to capture the beginning of a new era for the

Egyptian. A brand new course.

Bigger, better, and brighter than ever.

Listen, uh...

Wally. What happens if there's a tie?

Well, Ben always had five members on the board to make sure that that didn't

happen. We don't have anybody left.

I make a motion we add Wally to the board.

Isn't there anybody else in town we could choose?

Yes, but the sooner we select a director, the sooner we find out who

lead in the spring production.

Second.

Wally. Welcome to the board.

Thanks.

Well, thanks, I think.

On with the vote.

Okay, folks, just a reminder, the bylaws say that you cannot vote for

yourselves.

This must be very frustrating for you.

What?

Having all this artistic energy and no place to put it.

I'm putting it where I want to put it.

Vivid.

A lot of anger in there.

Yeah, well, life sucks.

Well, maybe if you put that anger into real art, people would pay attention.

What do you mean?

Like those people in there.

I don't need nothing from them.

Well, maybe they need something from you.

Latrina. Yo, whoever voted for me, I won't let you down.

I don't under... I don't understand. There must be some mistake.

Stop babbling. What's the verdict?

Uh, well, by a vote of four to one, it

would appear that the new artistic director is me.

Plan B? I guess so.

So, Calvin, this is a very interesting turn of events, Wally being elected

artistic director.

How do you think that happened?

Well, I'll tell you how it happened.

I voted for Wally because he was the lesser of three evils.

But apparently, I wasn't having an original thought.

Wally is good people.

Open to good ideas.

Impressionable.

Malleable.

Easily led.

What do you think he should do about the kids outside?

Ignore them.

And their childish cries for attention.

I voted for him because he's like, you know, not Calvin, Herbert, or Naomi.

And the kids?

You ever heard that song, Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places?

No man is an island.

John Donne.

I truly believe that.

In fact, I think it would be fair to say that I've striven to conform my whole

life to that basic principle.

I'm sorry, what was the question again?

I think that I have what I need.

I ask myself, Naomi, who... is the best person here to lead this theater into

the 21st century.

But since it couldn't be me, I needed to know who was second best.

And then it dawned on me it could only be one person.

And it was...

Wally?

Yes, that's it.

And as for the children, well, it must be tragic to be so desperate for other

people's approval.

Wow.

Me.

Artistic director.

I hope I'm up to it.

Oh, you're a natural, baby. You'll be just fine.

Not an easy job.

I used to watch Ben dealing with all the, uh...

He used to call them personalities.

And I hope I learned something.

Well, I think you've got a lot of personalities outside of this theater

could use some attention, too.

But those punks?

The threats they put on Ben?

Ben wanted to help them.

Oh, no.

Even Ben knew a lost cause when he saw one.

Did he?

Wally. Wallace.

Such a masculine Celtic name.

Have I ever told you how much I love your name?

No. Well, anyway.

I think I've got it. The grand finale.

Since this is a tribute to Ben, why not use one of the theater's high

watermarks?

My Joan.

He loved me burning at the stake.

Yes, he did. So much, he lit the match himself.

Herbert, that's lowering the bar.

You loved it. I know you did.

Loved is a strong word.

Booyah!

No!

Mr. Artistic Director, since clearly you are still in need of pitches for the

finale, why not make it a fitting capstone to Ben's life in the theater?

Such as?

I have the perfect...

Perfect hood ornament for the Rolls Royce that was Ben's life. Two words.

Ziegfeld Follies.

Ziegfeld Follies. Exactly.

The master showman, Reed Ben, producing for our edification.

Eye -catching Ziegfeld girls.

Gowns, gems, peacock feathers, and jazz.

Frankie and Johnny were lovers.

Lordy how they could love.

Swore they'd be true to each other.

True to the skies above, he was her man.

But he was doing her wrong. You know, we have to do Frankie and Johnny. My

boyfriend Johnny can play Johnny.

Does anyone smell smoke?

Oh, my God. Look, the garbage can's on fire.

And they have the right to spend an evening out without any trouble.

Everything's trashed. The dressing rooms are even worse.

This is all your fault, Wally.

Yeah, Ben never would have inflamed those hoodlums like you did. The Ben

era lasted 50 years. The Wally Nybo era, one day.

What do you mean? The show can't go on now. What's the point? This was supposed

to be rehearsal for the grand finale.

Well, apparently it was our real finale.

Oh, Tess, this is terrible.

Oh, no, little angel.

We're finally making progress.

What kind of an idiot provokes a gang of teenage delinquents?

That would be Wally.

Though I suppose we're the idiots who gave him the job.

So, I guess it's all over.

Not if you help them through this. You're their leader now, aren't you?

The leader needs followers.

They're gone.

Theater's destroyed.

Wally.

It's done.

It's time for this theater and me to fade away.

No, Wally. Just leave, okay?

That worldly task hath done.

Home art gone, and day in thy wages.

Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweepers, come to dust.

Herbert.

In all the years we've been working together, performing side by side, how

you never once stopped by my office for a cleaning?

Never once, said Calvin.

My gums are bleeding. Could you take a look?

Calvin, as much as I admire your gift with bicuspids and molars, I've always

felt that there should be a separation between church and state. You never

trusted me, did you?

My Lancome.

My cranberry cocktail.

We go out not in a blaze of glory, but in tatters and shreds. This cost me like

four bucks.

Maybe it's a wonder we lasted this long.

I mean, with a dentist playing Lear?

Insanity. Hey, how about a shrew playing Joan of Arc?

What? The oldest living Ophelia in the history of the theater.

Ungrateful self -centered... Fat tool in the kettle?

That's right, you fat ham.

Latrina, now there's a name that could launch a thousand ships.

Hey, Latrina, talking of ham, why don't you try pushing yourself away from a

table once in a while? Train mother... Monkeys could have given a better

performance. This is insufferable. I can't wait to get out of here. Well,

let's call the demo crew and raise the building tonight.

Wait, guys.

Look.

What the... Oh, my.

Curtain up, folks.

Enter the angel.

The angel?

Putting on a private performance scripted by God for an audience of five

right here on this stage that has filled the holes in your heart for years.

I don't understand.

You're a... Yes, Calvin, I'm an angel.

Here with a message for you.

You have a very big voice.

But you have a very small self -concept.

You sing on this stage because in your heart you believe no one finds you

interesting.

God knows that?

Yes, baby.

I'm a dentist.

Colorless job, colorless man.

Except for my voice.

When I sing, people think I'm special.

Interesting.

Charismatic.

God wants you to know that he finds you interesting every moment of your life.

In every little thing you do.

Filling cavities or singing.

God loves you, Calvin.

He loves me.

And you, Naomi.

For all these years you've... You played strong characters on this stage because

at home you felt weak, didn't you?

Are you?

Did God send you too?

Yes, he did.

Because he knows that you've been at the mercy of someone, haven't you?

Yes.

Yes, I have.

Alan.

Your husband?

You told us he was Mr. Wonderful.

It was easier than telling you the truth.

Easier than admitting I'm married to someone who belittles everything I do,

thinks I'm worth nothing, less than nothing.

Naomi, I'm so sorry.

I can't seem to do anything right. Except on this stage, where you're

you're powerful and you're in control, but God wants you to know, Naomi, that

wants to help you become stronger than any character you've ever played.

My God, Naomi.

I had no idea.

What about you, Herbert?

How is it in your home?

So you're all angels?

Live and in person.

Herbert, this theater, these people, they're your only family, aren't they?

What do you mean?

Well, as much as you would like people to think that you live your life in the

fast lane, your days and your nights are really very lonely.

That's why you spend...

every free minute here at the Egyptian.

I have nowhere else to go.

I don't have a family.

I just fill my date book with places to go, things I'd like to do.

It's an encyclopedia of fantasy.

Truth is, you guys are the only family that I have.

What about me?

I come here wishing my life could be one never -ending love scene.

If only I could be Juliet in real life.

Or Camille.

Or Cleopatra.

Women who've found a perfect love.

And you've always wanted that, haven't you?

You know what?

I've never even had a boyfriend.

I made Johnny up.

No one has ever told me they love me.

Ever.

God knows that, Latrina.

And he wants you to know that he loves you.

Perfectly and completely.

All of you.

And that empty place in your heart that you fill with this theater, with

pretending to be other people, he can fill with his love.

If you just ask.

Tell them, Wally.

They need to know, and they need to know now.

I was one of those kids outside.

I got caught stealing from one of Ben's old man's stores.

But Ben stood up for me.

He took me into this theater.

back when it was all about kids.

And you know what?

I played Jack and the Beanstalk.

Right here.

And I climbed higher than I'd ever climbed before.

And that's why I never gave up on this place.

That's why we can never give up on this place.

It's too late, Wally. There's nothing we can do.

Wait a minute.

Just before Ben died, he said something about a new song.

He said it would inspire us all again. It would change everything.

What is it? Where is the song?

It was all in his head.

He started to write it down, but it was too late.

Do you know what inspiration is?

Inspiration is something that God puts in your spirit.

And Ben's spirit is not lost.

Neither is the song he wrote.

He taught it to me this morning in eternity.

I've been touched by an angel.

Really touched by an angel.

I have hope. I have joy.

Since I heard that voice telling me all is well.

I've been touched by an angel.

Deeply touched by an angel.

What a perfect relief. I can feel the peace.

Happiness, words can't tell.

I know my life will be better somehow.

I put aside worry and now I can see there's a new life

for me.

Winter has blossomed as spring.

They sing of the joy in my soul Now that love is in complete

control I've been touched

by an angel Bless

the touch of an angel

Now my future is bright

as I follow the light my angel has shown to me

I know my life will be better

somehow I put aside worry and now I can see

there's a new life for me winter

in my soul.

Now that love is in complete control.

I've been touched by an angel.

Bless the touch of an angel.

Now my future.

Is bright. As I follow the light. My angel has shown to me.

How to be free.

How to stay free.

How to be.

I don't know what made these theater geeks change their minds.

I mean, they were always just ragging on us before.

I mean, those guys are the reason my dad got sent to prison.

Well, them and the drugs and robbing that pharmacy.

All right, truth is, my dad deserves to be in jail.

Anyway, they asked me to join them and to get my friends to join them, too.

They want this place to be all about kids.

They're talking about a song and angels or something.

I don't know.

Whatever. Things are definitely different now.

I don't know. It's not like we had anything else to do.

There's a lot of scary things going on in the world right now.

You can be a part of the darkness or you can shine the light.

I think light is definitely better.

Who knows?

I mean, maybe someday I'll even believe in angels.