Read Forbidden Broadway: Behind the Mylar Curtain Online
Authors: Gerard Alessandrini,Michael Portantiere
[The actors begin a round of the last few lines as they
menacingly advance on the audience. The BEADLE
grabs one end of the BEGGAR WOMAN's shawl; they
hold it up in front of SWEENEY and MRS. LOVETT.]
ALL
[The terrifying puppet TEENY TODD emerges over
the top of the shawl; the BEGGAR WOMAN and the
BEADLE quiver with fear.]
TEENY
[In a high-pitched puppet voice.]
THE OTHERS
TEENY
THE OTHERS
[A MRS. LOVETT puppet rises and sings in a similar
voice.]
MRS. LOVETT
ALL
[Even smaller puppets pop up and push TEENY and
MRS. LOVET ' down; they pop up behind and sing in a
whisper, plotting revenge. I
[TEENY and MRS. LOVETT decapitate the smaller
puppets with one blow. TEENY cuts MRS. LOVETT's
throat; she sinks down out of sight. On the musical
button, SWEENEY cuts his own throat. Blackout.]
"Grim Hotel"
[Darkness; on tape, a phone rings and an OPERATOR's
voice is heard.]
OPERATOR
Grand Hotel? Grand Hotel? No, this is the Grim Hotel.
What number are you calling? Oh, you want Dr. Von
Shrapnel Limplegg? Would you mind calling back? He's
in the lobby, shooting up.
[During this, a tympani roll begins. A DOCTOR with
a patch over his eye, a limp, and a cane enters, crosses
right, rolls up his sleeve, takes out a hypodermic needle,
and holds it in the air. As the OPERATORfinishes
speaking, he injects himself in the butt with morphine
while the music pounds and the lights flash.]
DOCTOR
Aaaaaahhhh! Das good!
[ALL sing second verse as FLAEMMCHEN enters
through the revolving door with a chair. She comes
center, opens the chair, puts it down, bows, and exits.
The BARON enters, looking dashing with perfect hair,
a little mustache, and a cape. He bows center, picks
up the chair, closes it, then exits with it. A LILIANE
MONTEVECCHI type in fiirs enters with a chair, opens
it, puts it down, bows, and exits. RAFFAELA does the
same, taking the chair with her.]
ALL