(soft music)
(keyboard typing)
(soft music)
[Hewlett] Blood of my blood
be good enough for you, goddess.
(keyboard typing)
And such sweet eyes as hers are burdened
with the bitterness of my misfortune.
(soft music) (keyboard typing)
Goddess of theater and wine,
may her blood run quick and cold to numb the pain
of my works.
(glass thuds)
And sin forth with no debt collector could ever seize.
That I take my own life to offer were it payment enough.
(soft music)
The bell
invites me.
(soft music)
(blood splashes) (suspenseful music)
Is this a dagger, which I see before me?
Whitney?
The handle towards my hand?
Whitney, come on open up.
Not funny anymore.
Baby?
(suspenseful music)
Just talk to me, baby, all right?
Come, let me clutch thee.
[Josh] Whitney could you just say something, please?
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
Whitney?
(door bangs)
Baby could you just say something, please.
Thou art marshaled me the way that I was going
in such an instrument I was to use
to see bloody business, which informs us to mine eyes.
(door knocking)
Open the fucking door.
Whitney!
Now, over the one half world, nature seems dead.
And wicked dreams abuse the curtains sleep.
You wanna talk to me?
Witchcraft celebrates pill
like it's offerings.
Wrap it up in chance baby.
And withered murder, alarmed by his sentinel the wolf
whose house his watch thus with his stealthy pace.
The talkings ravishing strides towards his design
(door banging)
Moves like a ghost.
You are not my steps which way they walk
and take the present hall from the time,
which now suits with it.
Whilst I threat, he lives.
I go and it is done.
The bell invites me.
Here at not Duncan for it doesn't know
but summons thee to heaven going to hell.
(suspenseful music)
♪ I let her into my home ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I let her in from the cold ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I let her into my home ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I let her in from the cold ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I let her into my home ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I let her into my home ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I let her into my home ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I gave her complete control ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I gave her complete control ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I gave her complete control ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
♪ I gave her complete control ♪
♪ Let a long way down ♪
(door creaking)
(door opens)
Whitney, that new guy I was telling you about,
this shit's crazy.
(door closes)
(mouth kissing)
He shows up.
(throat clearing)
First day, I try writing some of our basic stuff Python.
(wardrobe door closes)
Guess what?
(papers wrinkling)
He doesn't know Python.
(papers wrinkling)
(metal clanking)
Oh, Python it's what we,
run basically everything on at work.
(metal clanking)
Oh.
Audition how was it?
It was okay, I guess.
I'm sure you did great, babe.
(metal clanking)
Yeah, I just hate not knowing.
What's up?
Nothing.
(soft music)
(mug thuds)
Edgar?
(soft music)
(door opens)
(door closes)
(soft music)
(microwave beeps)
(water running)
(soft music)
Is this a dagger,
(footsteps disappearing)
Which I see before me?
The handle towards my hand.
Come.
(water drips)
let me clutch thee.
(water drips)
I have the nothing and yet I see these still.
(water drips)
But thou
(water drips)
Fatal vision.
Sensible to feeling as to sight
or art thou.
(static hissing)
Receiving from the heat oppressive brain.
(kettle boiling)
Informed as capable as this,
which I now draw.
(suspenseful music)
(kettle boiling)
(suspenseful music)
(door opens)
(clock ticking)
(door closes)
(clock ticking)
Hi. Whitney, right?
- [Whitney] Yeah. - Come in.
I'm Terrence Durand.
I'm the director of the play.
Nice to meet you Terrance.
It's Whitney Bennett. Is that right?
Yes.
[Terrence] And you live around here, Whitney?
I live off of Belmont and Turner.
That's a sketchy area.
Is that dangerous for a young girl like yourself?
We do our best.
I wanna ask you a question of a personal nature.
You don't have to answer it if you don't want to.
I've been asking all the actresses,
I'm auditioning for this role.
Do you have someone in your life?
Are you in a relationship?
I have a boyfriend.
And does he work in the theater?
Does he understand this world?
No. He works in software engineering.
But, you know, he tries-
The reason I ask, and I'm sure the casting notice
was clear about this.
This is a highly secretive production.
The play's never been performed before.
Opening night's gonna be the first time
anyone in the world has ever seen it.
So there's a moratorium on talking about it.
What play is it?
Sort of an experiment, we're gonna be living here
for two months while we rehearse this play.
Day in and day out, living and breathing the material.
One big, happy, fucking twisted family.
(clock ticking)
That sounds nice.
It's a bit like group theater.
Yeah.
- You've heard of that before? - Yeah.
That doesn't bother you?
Nope.
That's good.
But something's bothering you.
(lips pursing)
You could speak freely, it's alright.
(clock ticking)
It's just I've never heard of you.
(clock ticking)
You've never heard of me?
Have you heard a lot of theater directors?
I'm familiar with a few. Yeah.
Well, full disclosure,
this is not my first creative endeavor,
but it is my first play to direct.
Okay.
You may be asking yourself,
"Well, you haven't paid any dues."
"How did you get this job?"
And that's a legitimate question.
It doesn't mean I'm the wrong man for the job though,
does it?
[Whitney] Of course not.
It means you and I are gonna have to ignore the naysayers,
this entire production will.
People who cry, "Nepotism."
Or in your case objectification.
(Whitney chuckles)
- Objectification? - Yeah.
People will assume you've got the job
because you're beautiful.
Let me ask you a different question.
What sacrifices do you think main stage actors
and big roles like this
would make to give a great performance on stage?
What lengths do you think they should go to?
(clock ticking)
I'm not sure what you're meaning by that question.
What I mean is, most people say
they would run into a burning building to save a life,
and yet the building's on fire, nobody's running in.
Acting, as I understand, it takes an enormous toll
on the mind, body and spirit.
And in this production, in your role in particular,
I'm gonna push the boundaries
of what your mind, body, and spirit can take.
Are you listening?
Whatever actress I cast in this role
will run right into the burning building.
(clock ticking)
Is the material dark?
Yes.
The playwright killed himself
shortly after he finished writing it.
So yeah, it's a little bleak. Sure.
Is that a problem?
(clock ticking )
I think I'm your girl.
You think?
I'm your girl.
(clock ticking)
Good.
(Whitney chuckles)
Let's try a scene.
(soft music)
[Josh] Okay, so tell me again,
you're going to do what?
You're gonna live there now?
I don't know.
Nobody's actually ever seen the play before,
so I don't know what it's about.
- You don't know the play? - No.
So then like, how do you know, like,
do you think it'll be any good?
They're putting a lot of money into it.
So I guess.
I guess I just don't
see why you wanna do this.
What do you mean?
I just think things would be a lot better
for both of us if we lived together.
That has nothing to do with what we're
talking about right now. - Sure it does.
You're going to live in this theater
for two months.
In a dressing room.
With people you don't know.
And a production you know nothing about.
Okay. Okay.
And I'm going to come back when it's done.
But is that what you really want?
It's $50,000 plus
7% the box office. - Since when do you need that?
Since when do I not take care of anything
that needs taken? - I can take care of myself.
Or at least I could before you called an ambulance for me
and put me in $30,000
of medical debt. - You were going to die.
You were going to die.
Whitney.
(door knocking)
Open the fucking door.
You were going to die Whitney.
And I make enough for us to have a life together.
That's not.
(Whitney shrugs)
[Josh] What?
That's not what I.
(Whitney shrugs)
(lips pursing)
(Josh shrugs)
Well, there it is.
(clothes whooshing)
You can keep the hoodie.
(soft music)
(door closes)
(soft music)
(Whitney shrugs)
(soft music)
(footsteps approaching)
Am I disturbing you?
No.
Listen to this.
What do you think of this?
(soft music)
That's beautiful.
All right. This is just for you.
Not for the others, for you.
This means the world to me.
And I wanna share it with you.
This is a piece that's very important to me.
It's my favorite musician nobody's ever heard of.
His name is Peter Polanski Ivanov.
He's a violinist and composer.
Early 1900s, Russia.
Died in total obscurity in a tragic factory accident.
Nobody ever really heard him play, even when he was alive.
Never played in front of live crowds, et cetera, et cetera.
However, about a hundred years after he died,
another musician guy named Sebastian Deckard from Bristol,
discovered his original Ivanov's,
original sheet music in Russia.
He adapted it, he spun it, he made it his own.
That version of this song
is one of the most amazing things I've ever heard.
We're putting it in this show,
the most anticipated theatrical event, maybe of this decade.
And the thing that moves me the most about it,
is that Ivanov never would've dreamed
that modern audiences hear his music,
it would resonate with them, in a million years.
But he did it anyway.
And here it is.
I'm gonna send it to you.
Yeah.
- It's- - No, no, no, no.
Listen listen.
(soft music)
Imagine writing that
and never knowing and if anybody else would ever hear it.
(soft music)
Yeah.
- Oh, it's beautiful. - Yeah.
(soft music)
I mean, I would wanna do this play too,
even if no one was ever gonna see it. So.
(soft music)
That's the spirit, that's why I wanted you to hear.
He calls this piece (speaking foreign language),
which means blood of the ghost.
(soft music)
I'm gonna send this to you now.
I'll see you at rehearsal.
(footsteps thudding)
(crowd chattering)
Hey cherry bomb.
You must be Whitney.
Yeah.
I like that jacket.
Oh, thank you.
(Whitney chuckles)
So how long ago was it that you worked with him?
It was about six years.
Oh, okay. So it's been a minute.
Yeah. One of his last film.
I think it was "Silhouette."
Okay. How was it?
I mean, I didn't play a big part in the whole thing,
but it was just nice to see him do his thing.
- Hey. - I'm very, very excited.
How are you?
It's been a while.
So what you been up to?
Have you heard anything about this play?
A little.
Man. I think it's something good.
Somewhere close.
(books thudding)
(Terrence sighs)
My name is Terrence Durand.
I am the director of this play.
"Scorning Roses." by the late Hewlett J. Grant.
Unfortunately, our executive producer,
esteemed though he is, couldn't be here this evening.
So it falls to me to lay it all down for you.
Yes. This play is a collaboration
between the Paris Hall Theater
and the Cookie Cutter Theater Company, et cetera, et cetera.
None of that fucking matters.
Here are the things to remember.
The reason you haven't heard of this play
is because it's never been performed in the 15 years
since it was written, not once.
And at the express request of the grant estate,
the moment we close this play,
we're gonna burn every single fucking script,
and the play will never,
ever be performed again.
I have NDAs for you to sign.
Before you do, consider this.
You wanna be a part of this?
You'll live in this theater,
rehearse in this theater
for the duration of the production
until the moment we close.
No exit allowed.
Take an hour,
read the script.
If for whatever reason you don't wanna be a part of this,
the exit for the building is through those curtains
into the left, off you go into the good night,
no questions asked.
But if I come back in an hour and you're still here,
I will assume you want to be part of this ride.
The whole ride,
wherever that may lead us.
Enjoy the read.
I'll see you in 60 minutes.
(papers ruffling)
(mouth hissing)
Don't mind if I do. (chuckles)
Are you playing Penny?
I think so, yeah.
(papers ruffling)
That's so fucking cool.
(both chuckle)
What are you playing?
- Delina. - Oh.
- Your sister. - Oh the sister.
Yeah. How unfortunate.
(both laugh)
Hey, only on the stage, all right?
(both chuckle)
That's time, ladies and gentlemen.
Any objections?
When do we start?
(suspenseful music)
You know, I actually already have measurements on myself,
if that's helpful.
No, not necessary.
I like to start from scratch.
Arms out.
Service industry?
Barista.
Yeah. You smell like coffee grounds and dish sanitizer.
You should work on that.
Arms up. - Oh.
Yeah. This is a brave thing you're doing here.
Brave?
Yeah.
The last girl that played Penny
in "Scorning Roses," she died.
It's a pretty gruesome death I hear.
Hold your breath.
(soft music)
Keep holding.
It's tragic, you know.
Such a young girl dying at such a young age.
She likely wasn't as much of a show stopper as yourself.
But wait, I thought it could only be performed once?
So how was there another production?
Oh honey, there wasn't another production.
She died during rehearsals.
(suspenseful music)
(door closes)
(suspenseful music)
Richard of York has captured King Henry.
(suspenseful music)
Father, what are we going to do?
It's a war Penny.
There's nothing much we can do.
Well, we side with Lancaster or House York.
It doesn't matter.
What do you mean it doesn't matter?
Father doesn't seem to care about the war
ever since he got a visit from Dionysis.
Dionysis?
What news does she bring?
It's not news.
She demands a sacrifice
or our house will fall on the war.
I am not sure I understand.
Who's gonna be reading Dionysus.
It's important to remember that this is interpretive
and that all of the conversations you're told
through soliloquies.
But won't that confuse the audience?
Not at all, I have great faith in the modern audience.
They'll be able to wrap their mind around it.
Just stay with the concept, Phillip.
Well, I'll be blankly saying my lines to the crowd
as if I'm speaking to someone that isn't there.
No, you are saying your lines as if they are here.
You understand?
I'm not gonna trim this play down if I don't have to.
We're gonna perform this motherfucker as is.
Okay?
Whitney, you're right on point.
Marco, it's mud out there.
Can you gimme some more lights?
I thought that was a fantastic first read.
Oh. Thank you.
Yeah, absolutely.
We may have lightning in a bottle.
Yeah. Yeah. It felt good.
I have to say, I'm always stunned
that you have nothing in your dressing room.
(Whitney chuckles)
I've just never been one for a bunch of stuff, you know.
Your full of surprises, very mysterious.
I know you're gonna do a reading with Phil in a bit,
and I wanted to say,
I know he can be intimidating sometimes,
but ignore all that shit.
You be yourself and you'll be fine.
Can do.
Alright.
Oh, hey.
Is it true that "Scorning Roses" was attempted before?
Yeah. Once.
Things didn't go well, they closed the play.
That's all I know.
Is it safe?
It's three actors in a set piece, how dangerous can it be?
You're right, it's a silly question.
No such thing as a silly question, we're in this together.
I'll see you out there.
(papers ruffling)
I hope you'll understand
that I'll be referring to you as Penny
for the duration of the production
and I won't be breaking character
until after we've finished.
Okay.
(throat clearing)
"Scorning Roses" by Hewlett J. Grant.
A father must choose which of his daughters
to sacrifice to the Goddess Dionysis
to pay his debts and survive the War of the Roses
with his family.
(pages ruffling)
It's a load of rubbish.
But it's something to work with, I suppose.
I think it's beautiful.
It's Faust with some extra steps
and David Mamet undertones
and the decision to make Dionysus a goddess
instead of a God, that's a bit political for my taste.
Well, I heard that Grant killed himself shortly
after writing it, so.
I would too, if I wrote something so atrocious.
Tell me about your father.
Why?
I am playing your father.
Now, tell me about yours.
(Whitney chuckles)
I didn't know my father, so I don't-
Stop doing that thing Penny.
What thing father?
That thing where you breathe and sigh
before you say something.
I can do whatever I want. So.
If you want to translate your boredom
to the audience from the stage, then be my guest.
Well, maybe I will, sir.
I liked it better when you called me father.
And I liked it better when you were in character.
(Whitney laughs)
Shy, little wide-eyed actress
has a little bite in her, doesn't she?
Yeah. I'm a mutt.
And what pound did Terrence pull this mutt from?
Oh, well, you side by the bay.
Where did he find you at?
I go wherever I want.
Luxurious top bill pay with no awards to speak of.
Well, it's not about the awards.
Wait until your colleagues start winning them.
Throw me a line.
Okay.
(foot stomping)
Father, I don't want to die.
Mm.
That's too deep.
We'll get there but something more
seductive.
It's a father and daughter.
It's how you play it. Come on.
Okay.
Well, I'm not really interested in taking my role play
out of the bedroom. So.
You are an actress.
I mean, fuck one could argue that acting
is more vulnerable than sex.
(fingers snapping)
Come on.
Okay.
Father, what did you do to upset Dionysus?
I haven't upset her Penny.
She's given us everything we have.
But there was a loss.
Dionysus gave us these lands, this homestead.
You and your sister immeasurable wealth.
If I wanted to, I could buy the Lancaster's army
and I very well may.
Hmm.
Have you grown so blind to greed
that you forget about mother?
Use your mother against my choices one more time
and I'll strike you across your face so hard,
you'll wish you'd gone with her to the laris of hell?
(foot stomping)
Well, maybe I want you to father.
(Whitney laughs)
Bitch.
Now that was good.
That was good.
Another line, please.
Why don't you pick the scene?
(soft music)
(door knocking)
(soft music)
(door opens)
Hey, you.
Whatchu doing?
I'm getting ready for bed.
Today is our first day as paid actors.
I think we can get away with a little celebration.
I don't think that's a good idea.
Come on. The Sisters of Parish can't have a drink together
before our big scene tomorrow?
(Whitney chuckles)
Oh, okay.
(lock clanks)
(door closes)
(both laugh)
Oh God.
I haven't drunk straight vodka since high school.
(both laugh)
♪ You wanna cry? ♪
♪ In my arms ♪
Ugh.
(soft music)
Are you the superstitious type?
I think that the things in your head
are a lot scarier than any of the paranormal.
People say "Scorning Roses" is haunted.
Okay. They say that about
literally every theater everywhere.
So, I mean, come on.
Are they all haunted?
Come on.
(both laugh)
I like you.
You're different from everyone else.
You mean like everyone in the theater?
Yes.
But also in general.
Theater people can be so,
stingy, pretentious.
That's the word.
I guess the most pretentious word, you know.
Fucking exactly.
(Jesse laughs)
He is
(bottle swinging)
Pretentious.
What's wrong?
I put everything I have on the line to get here.
And they don't know that.
(soft music)
Like, they don't know that sacrifice.
But you know,
(bottle swinging)
I'm gonna show them.
Hey. So,
sometimes the best we have to offer
doesn't come from sacrifice.
It comes from love.
(soft music)
It wouldn't be any love I've ever known.
The world ends
when people choose greatness
over love.
♪ Do you wanna cry ♪
I can't.
Oh.
I'm sorry.
I, that was,
I'm sorry.
(soft music)
(Whitney shrugs)
No, no.
(suspenseful music)
No.
(woman sobbing)
(suspenseful music)
(woman sobs)
No.
(suspenseful music)
(door closes)
Blood of my blood be good enough for you Goddess.
At such sweet eyes as hers are burdened
by the bitterness of my fortune.
Goddess of theater and wine.
May her blood run quick and cold to numb the pain
of my works.
And bring forth what no debt collector could seize.
That I'd take my own life
were it payment enough.
Father I don't want to die.
[Terrence] Hold.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry to stop you.
Was that okay?
What do you think?
It felt okay.
It felt all right, well, that's interesting, isn't it?
Yeah.
Do it again.
Okay.
Blood-
No, I'm sorry, not you, Philip.
I'm sorry, Whitney, let's take that line again.
Okay. From Father, I don't want to die?
Yes.
Father, I don't want to die.
What does that mean?
It means that Penny is afraid of death?
No, no, it means that you're afraid to die not Penny.
Okay.
Father, I don't-
No, no, no, no.
I don't want you to go again.
Philip, if you'll indulge me for just a second.
Whitney, presumably you're a trained theater actress,
so you'll be familiar with the concept of subtext.
So given that context, why do you think Penny says this?
What do you think she means when she says,
"I don't wanna die?"
That she doesn't know what's on the other side?
Yeah.
No.
Let me put it to you this way.
Why did you become an actress?
Why do you wanna act on the stage?
I love it. I've been doing it for a long time.
Why?
It feels good to accomplish something, right?
Accomplish something.
Well, you can accomplish something doing anything really.
I mean, you could be a plumber and fix a sink.
You could be a mechanic, fix a car, work on a ranch,
drive a fence post into the ground.
Why do you wanna be an actress?
It feels like something that I'm good at.
That's a bullshit fucking answer.
You train for this, like you train for anything else.
But why this specifically?
I enjoy it.
Like, I don't know what you want me to say.
Like your mother enjoyed it?
When she walked away from a very promising
stage career to have you?
What the hell does this have to do with my mother?
Aren't you walking in her shoes?
No.
I do this because I need to do it.
It has nothing to do with her.
Why? Why do you need this?
Because I need to survive.
Survive? We're all gonna fucking die Whitney.
I just want my name to mean something.
You want your name to mean something.
Fucking A.
And that is what Penny wants.
Now say it again, like Penny would say it.
(Whitney sniffles)
Father, I don't want to die.
[Terrence] Do it again.
Father I don't want to die.
Do it again.
Father I don't want to die.
Yes.
(Whitney shrugs)
Everybody take five.
Marco, that's lunch for you.
(Whitney pants)
(soft music)
The bell invites me.
I liked your audition.
The Scottish play performed by a woman.
Obviously untraditional, but it stood out.
The material contains a certain kind of madness,
which I suppose is what's needed for this
kind of role that you play.
A little madness goes a long way, don't you think?
Who are you?
Edgar Bentley.
Producer.
Do you mind putting the knife down please?
Oh. Yes. Sorry.
(knife thuds)
No need.
You are way too pretty to scare me.
(Whitney chuckles)
You're a bit pale in the face.
We need you to come alive on stage.
(suspenseful music)
I suppose Terrence didn't just hire a pretty face.
(Whitney chuckles)
Is there anything that you need more of in my performance?
Well, technique Ms. Whitney.
Acting is behaving truthfully
under imaginary circumstances.
Meisner.
Correct?
But what if the actor was so lost in his performance
that the circumstances became more and more authentic?
What if it was absolutely impossible
to separate what was reality
and what was mere performance?
Well then I wouldn't be acting anymore.
Just pure emotion.
I advise you to tread lightly within these walls.
Not everything
is as it may appear.
I'm sure you've heard the rumor-
Why is there a real knife?
(knife slithering)
Fear motivates people.
Fear Whitney
motivates people.
(suspenseful music)
Fear.
(suspenseful music)
(phone buzzing)
Josh?
[Josh] Whitney.
Hey, what's up?
[Josh] Just got home.
Thought I'd see how you're doing?
I mean, I'm okay, I guess.
Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry
for being kind of selfish
(suspenseful music)
Hello?
Whitney you there?
(bells chime)
(glass thuds)
Hello?
(bells chime)
(suspenseful music)
(bones crackling)
(woman sobs)
(bones crackling) (eerie music)
(woman screams)
(Whitney pants)
Whitney.
What are you doing here?
I need to speak
to you.
Edgar what the fuck are you doing here?
What did you call me?
I need you
to listen
to me.
You need to leave now.
What are you talking about?
Listen
to me.
I'm trapped in here
and I can't get out.
Trapped here by what?
The one
inside
these walls.
What the fuck are you talking about?
The next time I see you,
I won't remember this.
Sometimes
in death
the name only lives
in the memory
of living.
(suspenseful music)
I need you
to trust me.
You need to leave
now.
I'm trying
to help you.
Edgar what's going on?
The bell invites me.
(Whitney screams)
(door shuts)
I'm just trying to help you Whitney
Open the door.
Whitney.
Open the fucking door.
Whitney,
I'm trying
to help you.
Stop just go away.
[Edgar] Open the fucking door.
Open the door.
Whitney.
Please.
Open the door.
(Whitney pants)
(suspenseful music)
(cup crackling)
It's fucking cold.
I wanted to gather everybody here this morning
to tell you all...
Good morning Whitney, would you sit down, please?
I'm just gonna rip the band aid off.
I wanted to tell everybody at the same time
that Jessie has backed out.
She packed her bags and left this morning.
But she seems so enthusiastic.
She said the play wasn't really her style.
Whatever the fuck that means.
Well it is a small production. So.
I'm sorry, what was that Philip?
A small production?
Are we too small for you?
Can this theater contain your genius?
Listen, the 21st century has never seen a play like this.
Doesn't matter how small.
Think about that.
And get your fucking mind, right.
So what do we do now?
What we do now is Phillip and Whitney
are gonna run their scenes.
Marco, I wanna do a cue to cue if you don't mind, sir?
Yes, sir.
And Amber, since you ask,
I'd love to see a bunch of new costumes
in the next couple hours. - Yes.
I'm gonna get on the horn and see who else I can find.
That's it ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
(footsteps thudding)
(door creaks)
(papers ruffling)
(water splashing)
(suspenseful music)
(Whitney pants)
(Whitney sobs)
(wood crackling) (suspenseful music)
That feels nice.
Good enough for you goddess?
(suspenseful music)
So sweet.
Goddess of theater and wine.
(Phillip whispers)
Phillip?
(suspenseful music)
The bell invites me.
(suspenseful music)
(feet running)
You must be Whitney.
Come, have a seat.
What's going on?
You look like you could use a drink.
Is this some kind of sick joke?
I just wanna have a talk.
Now sit down.
(suspenseful music)
Am I dreaming?
How old are you?
What's happening?
Do you know Anna Indiana?
No.
Young woman born in heaven
performance artist,
painter,
sculptor
died falling from the 34th floor of her apartment building.
Eva Hesse
artist
sculptor
died of a brain tumor.
Van Gogh
shot himself with a revolver,
died two days later.
History has a way of singing the songs of dead men
while neglecting those of the woman.
But that's beside the point.
What is the point?
Art,
outlives us.
Am I here to die?
No. No Whitney.
You're here to live
longer than you can possibly imagine.
(suspenseful music)
(glass dragging)
(suspenseful music)
(Whitney exhales)
Dreams?
(Whitney mumbles)
You can, call me Phillip.
Phillip, what are you doing here?
Oh, you sounded like you were
in some distress.
Yeah, I was having a nightmare.
Dreaming about the show?
Sort of.
You know,
one of my acting coaches
back in the eighties,
Freddy,
he always used to say that
the ghosts of the actors that came before you
haunted the stage from underneath.
And when you're out there with that sinking feeling
out in front of everyone,
that's the ghosts
gnawing at you,
scolding you, mocking you,
reminding you that you ain't shit.
(Phillip shrugs)
Now what Freddy says, got a little bite to it.
'Cause the truth stings a little.
And all our ghosts ought to be scaring us into knowing that.
But you want fame,
power, and fortune, now that favors the bold.
And the boldest thing of all is to remember
that we've all got our ghosts
and everyone's afraid.
So go out,
scare everyone,
and they'll pay you to do it.
They'll kiss your feet
and they'll put roses on your grave.
(Whitney exhales)
If my father's love were my purpose,
I'd have found a life worth living.
Yet my days are numbered higher,
my damns to give, become fewer.
Dionysus bends my father to scorn roses he never wanted,
just like hell will do for a woman
whose father was- Hold there please.
I'm sorry Whitney.
Marco, kick up the lights a bit.
Thank you, sir.
Back up a few lines. - Okay.
Dionysus bends my father to scorn roses-
Let me stop you right there.
Take a breath.
Let's do it again.
Okay.
Dionysus bends my father to scorn roses
he never wanted-
Yeah, I know it is.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry Whitney, to stop you again.
It's not you, I mean, I need more out of this.
I'll explain why.
Marco.
Can you make it a little brighter, please?
More fucking light.
Thank you, sir.
One more time, please.
Dionysus bends my father to scorn roses-
That's the word, bends.
That's the word I want you to punch.
Hammer the word bends, I'll tell you why.
Try it again.
Okay.
Dionysus bends my father to scorn roses he never wanted-
[Terrence] Don't sound like you give too much of a shit.
Remember fuck your father.
Fuck Dionysus, fuck the gods.
Give it to me again.
Dionysus bends my father to scorn roses-
[Terrence] It's not a joke, Whitney.
Don't make it a joke.
Did you hire me to be an actor or a puppet?
Oh. No. No.
I hired you to be a lead in this play
because I believe in you.
I'm trying to help you.
I wanna see your theatrical career
take off like a fucking rocket.
Or it can die right here
and go down like a Japanese Zero on fire.
Listen to me, do what I ask you to do.
All of a sudden, you're the lead in a Hewlett Grant play
and so you don't need a director?
You're the shit?
Is that where we are?
Do what I ask you to do for the reasons I ask you to do it.
Trust me.
It's my part and I'm going to play it
the way I know it needs to be played-
Okay, Marco, hang your fucking disco ball.
I don't care anymore.
I'm gonna take 10. Good luck with that.
All right.
(suspenseful music)
(door knocking)
(door opens)
- Can I help you? - Hi.
You must be Whitney.
(suspenseful music)
I'm playing your sister Delina.
You what?
Is something wrong?
Oh no. Sorry.
They just didn't tell me that you were stopping by.
I'm so excited to work with you.
I heard so many great things.
(Whitney chuckles)
From who?
Mostly Amber.
I heard the last actress quit unexpectedly.
Yeah. Yeah. It is what it is.
(suspenseful music)
I'm sorry to hear that.
You wouldn't happen to know why she quit, would you?
Stage fright?
(Jade laughs)
Oh, I'm not going anywhere, hon.
(Whitney chuckles)
Oh, okay.
Oh.
Don't forget.
Storms are brewing.
Be sure to bring your umbrella tomorrow night.
(suspenseful music)
(door closes)
Such a simple way to meet the end.
Isn't it?
Hardly simple.
Cutthroat,
cold, bitter,
and nothing.
The accent is killing me.
They say it stings.
Life stings.
Why should death be any different?
Suppose they all define you, don't they?
What?
Cut throat, cold,
bitter, and nothing.
My blood is worth our father's worth.
And he spent it all on knives, coats,
booze and whores.
So cutthroat, cold, bitter, and nothing
is the cancer of a cloth we are both cut from.
(suspenseful music)
Say it again.
[Terrence] Whitney?
Are we going off books?
I like the way you say it.
- Whitney? - [Whitney] Say it again.
What are you doing?
- Cut. - Cut throat.
- Cold. - Cold.
- Bitter - Bitter
and nothing And nothing.
All right.
What the fuck are you doing?
Give me the knife.
I need more fear in her eyes.
[Terrence] Let me have the knife.
Did you cut yourself?
I'll be fine.
It's not fine.
We have a preview tomorrow night.
I need you in one piece.
This theater's gonna be full of producers and colleagues.
I can do it another way.
Go to the dressing room, work on your fucking accent.
I'm sure that a cut or two
will not diminish your sacrifice, okay.
I don't need your blood on the stage.
Yet.
Everybody take 10.
(footsteps thudding)
(knife thuds)
Hey,
(door knocking)
Can I come in?
Sure.
(Whitney shrugs)
I am not sorry.
Shocker.
Listen, let's just put this to bed.
I wanna have you and the rest of the cast and the crew
to my house tonight for dinner at eight o'clock
as a way of saying thanks.
Jade mentioned it already. So.
Oh, good.
Look, I just don't want what happened-
It's okay.
All right.
Whitney, if I haven't told you,
you are doing excellent work.
Thank you.
(soft music)
If I'm being honest, I told her,
I actually heard myself say,
"You can have the rest of the outfit back."
"But I want the boots."
(all laugh)
I've ever asked for those before or since.
But I had to have them.
I think, the play poses a fascinating question
with Penny's monologue. - [Terrence] You do?
We are all just men and women who don't know what we want.
It's simple and potent.
Okay, so what's the question?
Well, if we're all just people
who don't know what we want, what drives us?
And the play answers that question.
And the most suicidal cases,
like everyone wants to keep living.
Nearly everybody who jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge
and survived said that they regretted it
the second they jumped off.
That's interesting.
Survival is our primary instinct.
And that's the instinct that Penny is dealing with.
Penny is having to come to terms with her death sentence,
A sentence she's gonna serve, having done nothing wrong.
The play is contemporary.
I wouldn't give it that much credit.
Why not?
Contemporary art has all the archives
of history to pull from.
An advantage that past art didn't have.
Art has the advantage of the past, having already done it,
it doesn't necessarily make it better.
Do you not like the play?
(all laugh)
Good question.
I like the material,
but I'm in the production.
I can't speak for the art itself
standing out on opening night.
All I know is Hewlett J. Grant was a drunk
who spent most of his life homeless
and obsessed with Greek gods.
Most Greek writers I can think of were drunks
and obsessed with history.
Yeah. But this is the new world.
The best kind of actors and artists
are the ones that deliver vision
and execute something professionally.
Doesn't necessarily have anything to do with uncut charisma.
With the internet things have been changing for a long time.
People don't look at art the same way they used to.
Art will always be valued by the artists.
And the artists within us all who view it.
Not to be condescending, but that sounds a little naive.
That really does.
So much for executing vision and being professional.
You walked into it.
Okay. All right.
Before we go too far down that rabbit hole,
and I wanna circle back cause that was just getting good.
I wanna say before the night is over
to each and every one of you,
how much I appreciate you participating in this production.
I'll start with you Whitney.
I have to say the way you filled Penny's shoes,
it's a precision performance.
Jade, I think you're the puzzle piece
none of us knew we're missing,
about the best way I can put that.
Philip good, sir.
Your unwavering commitment
to a gut wrenching fucking performance.
Thank you.
Gracias amigo.
Marco, you know, told you this many times.
I'll say it out loud and embarrass you
in front of everybody else.
You are the living embodiment of the fact that showing up
is not the same thing as being on time.
Couldn't do without you. Thank you.
And Amber,
the colors you've infused this production with
wouldn't be the same without you either.
I wanna make a toast because I think we are gonna
knock it out of the fucking park tomorrow night.
Woo.
The bell invites me.
[All] The bell invites me.
(glasses clanking)
[Terrence] The bell even invites you.
(glass clanking)
Well, it's been a pleasure so far
and I just wanna thank everyone for having me on board.
[Terrence] Back to Jade, ladies and gentlemen.
[Marco] So Jade, tell us how you got into acting?
Oh God.
[Jade] Well, my parents worked at the theater
and my dad had me in children's plays since I was little.
Okay, that makes sense why you're such a natural now too.
- Thank you so much. - [Amber] You're welcome.
Oh, she's natural. Huh?
Hark the forest sounds.
She is a natural.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Her mommy and daddy owned a theater
and so of course she's a natural.
Penny?
That is inappropriate.
Okay. Fuck off, Phillip.
Fuck off with your method acting bullshit.
My name is not Penny, it is Whitney.
And you're not father
and you're definitely no Daniel Day.
More wine for Whitney. More wine.
Okay. You know, I mean
you're cut from the same cloth fucker.
- Is it my turn now? - [Whitney] Yeah.
Okay.
I mean, you look like inherited wealth,
like family money.
I'm sure that they got you
into some prestigious art school, right?
And you're directing a play for your debut
that most people would kill themselves for.
And you probably barely had to lift a finger, right?
Just spoiled rich
entitled man,
who I'm surprised can even speak so much
with that silver spoon still cramped in your mouth.
[Terrence] Wow.
(Whitney laughs)
Like you all are funny here talking about art,
but you're all just a bunch of fucking yuppies.
Like, what the fuck do you even know about anything?
Speak for yourself I'm from Midwest Nowhere.
Okay. I know, I know. I am the only one here
that's actually from nowhere and nothing.
I had to audition, crawl my way,
like through unpaid work
like all this to barely be able to pay my bills
at the end of the month.
Okay.
And my reward.
My reward, my reward for all of this,
my reward for all this is,
is watching my dreams die every time
I look in the fucking mirror.
On behalf of man, I sure would like to apologize.
But you think you know what acting is.
You all think, you know, cause you don't.
You don't have to act like you give a shit.
[Terrence] That's enough. Let's go.
[Whitney] But some garbage life.
[Terrence] You're embarrassing yourself.
[Whitney] You know what?
Fucking fuck you, fuck all of you. Okay.
[Terrence] You are embarrassing yourself.
You know, I've been in embarrassment my whole life,
so why should now be any difference?
You need to go home and get some rest.
Go home.
I can do whatever I want.
You're not gonna do whatever you want in my home.
I'm gonna call you a cab.
You hear me?
Whitney? - I don't need
a goddamn cab Terrence.
I mean, I keep seeing things.
I don't know what's real anymore.
I keep having these nightmares
and I'm just scared all the time.
And I just want everybody in there to like me.
But it feels like everyone just fucking hates me
all the time.
And I have to pretend, I just have to tell them I'm okay.
Like I lie, I just lie to everyone all of the fucking time.
I mean, that's probably why became an actor.
'Cause I have to fucking lie to everyone all the time
and tell them I'm okay
when actually taking everything in my power
not to slap my own fucking face again.
(Whitney pants)
Hey.
Whitney?
(Whitney pants)
Listen. Listen to me.
Hey, you have somewhere you can go?
Yeah.
I want you to go there.
Okay?
This is important.
Okay.
Look at me.
Breathe.
Just breathe.
I'm gonna call you a cab.
I'll be right back.
(door knocking)
(door banging)
(door opens)
(suspenseful music)
[Josh] What the fuck are you okay?
Can I come in?
Yeah. Come in.
(suspenseful music)
(door closes)
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
(Whitney sobs)
Hey, it's okay.
(suspenseful music)
(metal clanking)
Haven't seen you that drunk in ages.
(metal clanking)
(plate thuds)
Got some OJ for ya.
(glass thuds)
Hop on it.
Thanks.
(chair dragging)
(plates clanking)
Did you clean up while I was asleep?
We tried being tidy here lately.
(Whitney chuckles)
Could I have a glass of wine?
I think maybe that's not the best idea.
(Whitney chuckles)
What happened last night?
- I probably- - That's okay.
You knew whatever you want...
I, you know, you're going through a lot.
And what you're going through
doesn't necessarily involve me right now,
but that doesn't mean I can't be a safety net for you.
If you need, I can give you a ride to the theater.
That way you don't have to walk or take the train.
Oh no. That's really...
(Whitney screams)
What's the matter?
I'll be fine.
I just, I have to get back to the theater now.
Thank you for letting me stay.
Whitney.
I'll see you around Josh.
(door opens)
(door closes)
Goddess of theater and wine.
May her blood run quick and cold
to numb the pain of my works
and bring forth what no debt collector could seize
that I'd take my own life to offer,
were it payment enough.
(door opens)
Father,
(door closes)
I don't want to die.
(dramatic music)
So this is it?
Just cutthroat, cold, bitter, and nothing.
I love you Penny.
Alright. But love has a price.
I'm afraid so.
On your knees,
on your knees,
(Whitney pants)
Give me your hand.
Is that the real knife?
Your hands?
What the fuck?
Why do you have the real knife?
Terrance, do something.
Somebody please do something.
What is going on?
Ladies and gentlemen,
if I can have your attention, please.
I'd like to ask you all to-
Terence why does he have the real knife?
To leave very quietly, one by one through the exit.
Stage manager will show you the way out.
I'd like to thank all of you for coming tonight.
- What is this? - Whitney?
Whitney?
I thought you understood.
Evidently I had convinced myself, you understood.
What is this?
Are you going to kill me?
I'm not gonna hurt you.
I don't trust you.
Well, you have no choice now, put the knife down.
Put the knife down.
Knife down, please.
Phil, what were the words you just said
to this wonderful audience, I just had to ask to leave
because you stopped acting.
You said love has a price.
Say it with me.
Love has a price Love has a price
To the back row so they can hear you.
Love has a price. - Love has a price
Yes.
(suspenseful music)
Love Whitney.
Real love
has a fucking price.
Until you learn to pay it, you'll be stuck right here.
(footsteps thudding) (suspenseful music)
The bell invites me.
(suspenseful music)
(door closes)
(suspenseful music) (Whitney pants)
(suspenseful music)
Did you forget why you're here, Whitney?
You made a promise to yourself.
And every day you break that promise.
Why?
What do you want from me?
This is about what you want, Whitney.
I want to go home.
You've always known art
is a sacrifice.
You simply failed to consider the depth
of that sacrifice.
This is just a bad dream.
I just need to wake up.
Every artist has watched their dreams
turn to nightmares.
What do I need to do?
I just want to leave.
You decided long ago.
Is this what you've always wanted?
Or so you say.
Tell me Whitney,
all those times.
And you wanted to end it all,
what kept you going?
I changed my mind.
But you always said
your love for acting
brought you purpose.
I'm a different person.
We both know you're still that scared little girl
dreaming of the day.
She finally recognize from all her glory,
forever.
I don't wanna die for it.
And what life would you lead
if you were to achieve it?
I want more.
It's a hunger
that never ceases.
I'm not good enough.
Sure you are.
And the good die young.
Many have died where you walk now.
The price once enticed me.
You can join us.
If you like.
[All] Join us.
You can live here forever
in death.
[All] Live forever in death.
You can.
[All] Live forever.
Forever.
[All] Forever.
(suspenseful music)
There are worse ways to go.
(suspenseful music)
Drink
with confidence.
As Hewlett Grant did and live forever.
As he does.
Through your work.
The bells invites me.
[All] The bell invites me.
(suspenseful music)
(mouth swallowing)
(suspenseful music)
Isaac went willing in the guide of his father's voice
called to become God's sacrifice.
No such gentle fate is his, that should be mine.
But should a daughter not be so cold-blooded about it?
Sure, we all must die someday.
But could I have at least found out what I want?
Is life just an exploration of desires?
No.
Life is a stage of burning curtains
in men and women you don't know what they want.
But what do I want?
What do I want?
A purpose, a father's love?
I would name in every book and every letter
sent from here onward.
A name worth a thousand years.
Myth and legend tempt us all
but they mustn't be earned by us. No.
The men and women who don't even know what they want.
They're created by those who follow.
Let our faith be in them to choose wisely.
(audience applauds)
(door knocking)
I need you in two minutes.
Okay. I'm coming.
Something's wrong.
What do you mean?
I don't know, I've got a feeling
that our producer is up to something,
I can't put my finger on it.
You're just being anxious.
Right, your scene is up in a sec, so be quick.
Okay.
(door closes)
(door knocking)
(door opens)
(door closes)
[Phillip] Oh, that I long to be a victim
of faith and the determined plot lying.
Did you just knock on my door?
[Phillip] But they'd lay the ground for me.
I'm sorry?
Did you or did you not just knock on my door?
No, I didn't.
What the fuck is wrong with you?
But I finished, should I keep the lamp
I would look back on what could have been.
Why?
(door closes)
Why me?
Listen Penny,
Dionysus has given our family everything.
What about mother?
Did you say that to her when she died of the-
I made my sacrifices.
I did what I had to do
to bring peace to my home.
Peace to my empire.
You, your sister and your mother.
You will not use your mother against me.
- You slap at me. - What?
Yes. Just do it.
Yes as hard as you can.
Am I not a sacrifice to your father-
And then don't learns to sacrifice themselves.
I'd have given every ounce of blood
in my body for my sacrifice.
But
we don't get to decide
what we have to lose.
Tomorrow at noon.
(chair dragging)
(glass thuds)
It will be done.
(suspenseful music)
(door closes)
Well now we're fucking cooking.
Whitney-
Look, I don't have time for you.
- I need to talk to you - No.
- I need to talk to you. - No.
Listen I'm shutting this scene down. Okay?
No, it's fine. It's fine. Okay?
Whitney, you are not ready.
Okay, you need to calm down.
This is not getting stopped
I've worked way too hard for this.
- No, listen. - No.
You need to listen to me.
I have worked way too hard for this.
Look I was hoping it wasn't getting this far, all right.
Why do you so...
What do you mean this far?
Whitney?
I,
(Edgar screams)
(Whitney screams)
(suspenseful music)
(soft music)
Josh?
(soft music)
Whitney.
Don't tell me that you bought a ticket.
Couldn't afford a seat.
I got you flowers
because it's tradition or something.
No, no. You have to go.
[Josh] You got something on you.
It's nothing.
(soft music)
Here you are.
[Whitney] Huh?
Here you are.
Where you always wanted to be.
Yeah. Look, I'm sorry.
You can't be here right now. Okay?
Maybe
love and ambition are an exclusive from each other with you.
(soft music)
The flowers are beautiful.
I love you.
Just wanted to say that.
Sorry I couldn't be everything you wanted me to be.
I really am.
Look. Okay.
(soft music)
(Whitney sobs)
You can bring them to me when this is over. Okay.
(soft music)
Goddess of theater and wine.
May her blood run quick and cold to numb pain of my works
and send forth what no debt collector could seize
that I'd take my own life to offer were it payment.
(soft music)
(floor creaking)
(soft music)
Father, I don't want to die.
(soft music)
So is this it?
Cutthroat, cold,
bitter and nothing?
[Phillip] I love you Penny.
But love has a price.
Have you made your amends?
(soft music)
Is there anything on the other side?
All I know.
Is that we must wash our hands of this life
before we leave it.
(Whitney pants)
Cutthroat
cold,
bitter
and nothing.
(dramatic music)
The bell
invites
me.
(audience applauds)
(fire crackling)
(suspenseful music)
(metal clanking)
(water flowing)
(metal clanking)
(soft music)
(door knocking)
(soft music)
(door opens)
(door closes)
Do you want some tea?
Yes. Yes.
(cup clanking)
(cupboard closes)
(tea pouring)
(metal clanking)
(cup clanking)
(folder thuds)
What is with this apron, Whitney?
Are you still working in the service industry?
It keeps me busy.
Well I only bring it up because of the money we gave you.
You could pay the bills on a place like this for two years.
A lot of different ways to stay busy with money like that.
That's not who I am.
Not who you are.
Yeah.
Just a little baffled how I hire someone I know
so very little about for something I care so much about.
Yeah. It's even stranger now that it's all over,
it's almost like it didn't even happen.
Almost.
You sound disappointed. Are you disappointed?
Yeah. I guess the memory will live on for,
you know, a little while. Anyway.
Indeed.
How's Edgar Bentley?
I don't know who that is.
Our producer.
Our producer is Robert Barnes.
I don't recall the two of you ever meeting.
It doesn't matter.
I have to say I'm still a little taken aback
by your lack of alcohol.
(Terrence laughs)
Why did you need to make me believe
that I was going to die?
I didn't make you believe anything Whitney.
Robert Barnes came to me about a year ago.
He says, "I've got this thing I wanna do."
"It's extreme. I've got the funds to do it."
I immediately tell him about our project "Scorning Roses."
So we go to get it at auction,
which is a fucking nightmare to get the rights.
But part of the deal for the rights
is that we do something unorthodox,
something raw,
something real,
something no one's ever seen before.
Okay, so it was all just a big joke with you
and your rich friends.
No. No. Not at all. No.
I just didn't think you were gonna try to get Philip
to actually fucking kill you.
(Terrence laughs)
I mean, that was an act of God.
I thought I was going to die.
And look what you became.
That is acting Whitney.
Truly.
Think about all the young starving artists out there
smashing their hands on real glass,
digging down into the dirt, grubbing around,
looking for any kind of opportunity.
Starving artists that don't have anywhere
near your advantages.
Have never had a single opportunity
like the one that I gave you.
There'd give their limb for it.
Or their life.
That's right. Their fucking life.
Their fucking life.
And they're remembered forever for it.
Romanticized throughout history, beloved.
Look me in the eyes, tell me I'm wrong.
Listen.
Dirty little secret.
The bottom line is, sooner or later,
everybody makes a deal with the devil.
I think you're magnificent, Whitney.
Truly.
(hand tapping)
I'd love to work with you again.
Read it.
If you're interested, call me.
(hand dragging)
You know, it takes a part of you
when you give yourself to something like that.
And I'm not sure that you can get it back.
Would you want to?
You can ask yourself back.
Thank you for the tea.
I'll show myself out.
(footsteps thudding)
(door opens and shuts)
(papers ruffling)
(door knocking)
(door opens)
(flowers rustling)
(door closes)
(suspenseful music)
(glass shatters)
(suspenseful music)
(flowers rustling)
(suspenseful music)
(soft music)
♪ Who wants to know ♪
♪ And go at night ♪
♪ And who ♪
♪ Wants to know ♪
♪ What I do with my time ♪
♪ Lady I'm sorry ♪
♪ I have got the blues ♪
♪ And I don't love you ♪
♪ I can't love you ♪
♪ So if you ♪
♪ Want to know where I go at night ♪
♪ And if you ♪
♪ Want to know ♪
♪ what I do with my time ♪
♪ Lady I'm sorry ♪
♪ I have got the blues ♪
♪ And I just can't love you ♪
♪ No I don't love you ♪
♪ My soul shivers ♪
♪ On the back of the ♪
♪ Racking host tonight ♪
♪ Oh Lord forgive her ♪
♪ My hair grew back ♪
♪ Who helped me off my mind ♪
♪ With that midnight ♪
♪ Sunshine ♪
♪ Oh that midnight sunshine ♪
♪ That midnight sunshine ♪
♪ Oh that midnight sunshine ♪