Act II-Part Two
I'LL COVER YOU (REPRISE) (In a church. Angel's memorial)
MIMI
Angel was one of my closest friends. It's right that it's Halloween, because it was her favorite
holiday. I knew we'd hit it off from the moment we met. That skin head was bothering her, and
she said she was more of a man than he'd ever be, and more of a woman than he'd ever
get...
MARK
...and then there was that time that he walked up to this group of tourists... and, they were
petrified, because, a) they were obviously lost, and b) they had probably never spoken to a
drag queen before in their lives...and he...she just offered to escort them out of Alphabet City,
and then she let them take a picture with her, and then she said she'd help 'em find the Circle
Line...
MAUREEN
...so much more original then any of us...you'd find an old table cloth on the street and make a
dress...and next year, sure enough -- they'd be mass producing them at the Gap. You always
said how lucky you were that we were all friends. But it was us, baby, who were the lucky
ones.
COLLINS
Live in my house
I'll be your shelter
Just pay me back
With one thousand kisses
Be my lover
And I'll cover you
Open your door -- I'll be your tenant
Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet
But sweet kisses I've got to spare
I'll be there -- I'll cover you
I think they meant it
When they said you can't buy love
Now I know you can rent it
A new lease you were, my love, on life
All my life
I've longed to discover
Something as true
As this is
(The following is sung simultaneously.)
JOANNE & SOLOIST
So with a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you with a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you with a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you iwht a thousand sweet kisses
I'll cover you
COLLINS
If you're cold and you're lonely
You've got one nickel only
When you're worn out and tired
When your heart has expired
COMPANY
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred -- measure a year
Oh lover I'll cover you
Oh lover I'll cover you
COLLINS & COMPANY
Oh lover
I'll cover you
Oh lover
COLLINS
I'll cover you
COMPANY
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand seasons of love
COLLINS
I'll cover you
HALLOWEEN (Outside the church)
MARK
(On the pay phone)
Hi. It's Mark Cohen. Is Alexi there?...No, don't bother her. Just tell her I'm running a little late for
our appointment...Yes, I'm still coming... Yes, I signed the contract... Thanks...
How did we get here?
How the hell...
Pan left -- close on the steeple of the church
How did I get here?
How the hell...
Christmas
Christmas Eve -- last year
How could a night so frozen be so scalding hot?
How can a morning this mild be so raw?
Why are entire years strewn
On the cutting room floor of memory
When single frames from one magic night
Forever flicker in close-up
On the 3D Imax of my mind
That's poetic
That's pathetic
Why did Mimi knock on Roger's door
And Collins choose that phone booth
Back where Angel set up his drums
Why did Maureen's equipment break down
Why am I the witness
And when I capture it on film
Will it mean that it's the end
And I'm alone
GOODBYE LOVE
(The PRINCIPALS emerge from the church.)
MIMI (to ROGER)
It's true you sold your guitar and bought a car?
ROGER
It's true -- I'm leaving now for Santa Fe
It's true you're with this yuppie scum?
BENNY
You said you'd never speak to him again
MIMI
Not now
MAUREEN
Who said that you have any say
In who she says things to at all?
ROGER
Yeah!
JOANNE
Who said that you should
Stick your nose in other people's ...
MAUREEN
Who said I was talking to you?
JOANNE
We used to have this fight each night
MARK
Calm down
JOANNE
She'd never admit I existed
MARK
Everyone please!
MIMI
He was the same way -- he was always
"Run away -- hit the road
Don't commit" -- you're full of shit
JOANNE
She's in denial
MIMI
He's in denial
JOANNE
Didn't give an inch
When I gave a mile
MARK
Come on
MIMI
I gave a mile
ROGER
Gave a mile to who?
MARK & BENNY
Come on guys chill!
MIMI & JOANNE
I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had
Someone to live for -- unafraid to say I love you
ROGER
All your words are nice Mimi
But love's not a three way street
You'll never share real love
Until you love yourself -- I should know
COLLINS
You all said you'd be cool today
So please -- for my sake...
I can't believe he's gone
(to ROGER) I can't believe you're going
I can't believe this family must die
Angel helped us believe in love
I can't believe you disagree
ALL
I can't believe this is goodbye
(MAUREEN and JOANNE look at each other.)
MAUREEN
Pookie...
JOANNE
Honeybear...
(They embrace.)
JOANNE
I missed you...
MAUREEN
I missed your smell...
JOANNE
I missed your mouth...Your...
(They kiss, but MAUREEN pulls away.)
MAUREEN
Ow!
JOANNE
What?
MAUREEN
Nothing, Pookie.
JOANNE
No, baby, you said ow...What?
MAUREEN
Well, you bit my tongue...
JOANNE
No, I didn't.
MAUREEN
You did -- I'm bleeding.
JOANNE
No, it isn't...
MAUREEN
I think I should know
JOANNE
Let me see--
MAUREEN
She doesn't believe me!
JOANNE
I was only trying to...
(They laugh, hug, and wave goodbye, exiting stage right. The PASTOR from the church
emerges on the above.)
PASTOR
Thomas B. Collins...
COLLINS
Coming.
(The PASTOR exits above and COLLINS exits into the church. BENNY stands off to the
side as MIMI approaches ROGER, who turns away. She hesitates before leaving with
BENNY. ROGER and MARK are left alone.)
MARK
I hear there are great restaurants out west
ROGER
Some of the best. How could she?
MARK
How could you let her go?
ROGER
You just don't know ... How could we lose Angel?
MARK
Maybe you'll see why when you stop escaping your pain
At least now if you try -- Angel's death won't be in vain
ROGER
His death is in vain
(MIMI reappears up left, in the shadows. She overhears ROGER and MARK's conversation.)
MARK
Are you insane?
There so much to care about
There's me -- there's Mimi
ROGER
Mimi's got her baggage, too
MARK
So do you
ROGER
Who are you to tell me what I know, what to do
MARK
A friend
ROGER
But who, Mark, are you?
"Mark has got his work"
They say "Mark lives for his work"
And "Mark's in love with his work"
Mark hides in his work
MARK
But from what?
ROGER
From facing your failure, facing your loneliness
Facing the fact you live a lie
Yes, you live a lie -- tell you why
You're always preaching not to be numb
When that's how you thrive
You pretend to create and observe
When you really detach from feeling alive
MARK
Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive
ROGER
Poor baby
MARK
Mimi still loves Roger
Is Roger really jealous
Or afraid that Mimi's weak
ROGER
Mimi did look pale
MARK
Mimi's gotten thin
Mimi's running out of time
Roger's running out the door
ROGER
No more! Oh no!
I've gotta go
MARK
Hey, for somebody who's always been let down
Who's heading out of town?
ROGER
For someone who longs for a community of his own,
Who's with his camera, alone?
(ROGER takes a step to go, then stops, turns.)
I'll call
I hate the fall
(ROGER turns to go and sees MIMI.)
You heard?
MIMI
Every word
You don't want baggage without lifetime guarantees
You don't want to watch me die
I just came to say
Goodbye, love
Goodbye, love
Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye
MIMI
Just came to say
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye!
ROGER
Glory
One blaze of
Glory
Have to find...
(ROGER exits. BENNY returns. MIMI steps away.)
MIMI
Please don't touch me
Understand
I'm scared
I need to go away
MARK
I know a place -- a clinic
BENNY
A rehab?
MIMI
Maybe -- could you?
BENNY
I'll pay
MIMI
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye
Just came to say
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Goodbye love
Hello disease
(MIMI runs away. After a moment, COLLINS quicjkly enters, with the PASTOR trailing behind
him.)
PASTOR
Off the premises now, we give no handouts here!
MARK
What happened to Rest In Peace?!
PASTOR
Off the premises, queer!
COLLINS
That's no way to send a boy to meet his maker!
They had to know we couldn't pay the undertaker.
BENNY
(To COLLINS) Don't you worry 'bout him.
(To PASTOR) Hey, I'll take care of it!
(The PASTOR acknowledges BENNY and exits.)
MARK
Must be nice to have money.
ALL THREE
No shit!
COLLINS
I think it's only fair to tell you, you just paid for the funeral of the person who killed your dog.
BENNY
I know... I always hated that dog...
Let's pay him off, and then get drunk.
MARK
I can't... I have a meeting.
BENNY & COLLINS
Punk! Let's go.
(COLLINS and BENNY exit.)
MARK (imagining)
Hi. Mark Cohen here, reporting for Buzzline. Back to you, Alexi! Coming up next, vampire
welfare queens who are compulsive bowlers... Oh my God, what am I doing?
WHAT YOU OWN
Don't breathe too deep
Don't think all day
Dive into work
Drive the other way
That drip of hurt
That pint of shame
Goes away
Just play the game
You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Leave your conscience at the tone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
(Lights up on ROGER.)
ROGER
The filmmaker cannot see
MARK
And the songwriter cannot hear
ROGER
Yet I see Mimi everywhere
MARK
Angel's voice is in my ear
ROGER
Just tighten those shoulders
MARK
Just clench your jaw till you frown
ROGER
Just don't let go
BOTH
Or you may drown
You're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're living in America
Where it's like the Twilight Zone
And when you're living in America
At the end of the millennium
You're what you own
So I own not a notion
I escape and ape content
I don't own emotion -- I rent
MARK
What was it about that night
ROGER
What was it about that night
BOTH
Connection -- in an isolating age
MARK
For once the shadows gave way to light
ROGER
For once the shadows gave way to light
BOTH
For once I didn't disengage
(MARK goes to the pay phone and dials.)
MARK
Angel -- I hear you -- I hear it
I see it -- I see it
My film!
ROGER
Mimi I see you -- I see it
I hear it -- I hear it
My song!
MARK (on the phone)
Alexi--Mark
Call me a hypocrite
I need to finish my own film
I quit!
ROGER
One song--glory
Mimi
Your eyes...
BOTH
Dying in America
At the end of the millennium
We're dying in America
To come into our own
And when you're dying in America
At the end of the millennium
You're not alone
I'm not alone
I'm not alone
(Blackout.)
VOICE MAIL #5 (Various locations.)
(In blackout, once again the phone rings.)
ROGER & MARK'S ANSWERING MACHINE
"Speak..." (Beep)
ROGER'S MOTHER
Roger, this is your mother
Roger, honey, I don't get these postcards
"Moving to Santa Fe"
"Back in New York
Starting a rock band"
Roger, where are you? -- Please call
(The following is sung simultaneously)
MIMI'S MOTHER
Mimi, chica, donde estas?
Tu mama esta llamando
Donde estas Mimi -- Call
MR. JEFFERSON
Kitten -- wherever are you -- Call
MRS. COHEN
Mark -- are you there -- are you there
I don't know if he's there
We're all here wishing you were here too
Where are you Mark are you there are you where are you
Mark -- are you there -- are you there
I don't know if -- Please call your mother
FINALE (The lot and the loft)
ALL SEVEN HOMELESS
Christmas bells are ringing
Christmas bells are ringing
Christmas bells are ringing
How time flies
When compassion dies
No stockings
No candy canes
No gingerbread
No safety net
No loose change
No change no
ONE HOMELESS MAN
"Santy Claus is coming"
ALL
Cause Santy Claus ain't coming
No room at the Holiday Inn -- again
Well, maybe next year --
Or -- when
(Lights shift back to the loft. A small projector rests on a milk crate, which is on a dolly.)
MARK
December 24th, ten p.m. Eastern standard time
I can't believe a year went by so fast
Time to see what we have time to see
Turn the projector on
(A rough title credit, "Today 4 U: Proof Positive," appears, followed by a shot from last
Christmas of ROGER tuning his guitar.)
First shot Roger
With the fender guitar he just got out of hock
When he sold the car
That took him away and back
ROGER
I found my song
MARK
He found his song
If he could just find Mimi
ROGER
I tried -- you know I tried
(MARK's image appears on-screen.)
MARK
Fade in on Mark
Who's still in the dark
ROGER
But he's got great footage
MARK
Which he's cut together
ROGER
To screen tonight
(BENNY's image appears on screen.)
MARK
In honor of Benny's wife
ROGER
Muffy
MARK
Alison
Pulling Benny out of the East Village location
(The projector blows a fuse. Blackout.)
ROGER
Then again, maybe we won't screen it tonight.
MARK
I wonder how Alison found out about Mimi?
ROGER
Maybe a little bird told her.
(COLLINS enters in the dark, with several twenty-dollar bills in each hand.)
COLLINS
Or an angel.
(Lights fade up.)
I had a little hunch that you could use a little flow
ROGER
Tutoring again?
COLLINS
Negative
MARK
Back at N.Y.U.?
COLLINS
No, no, no
I rewired the ATM at the food emporium
To provide an honorarium to anyone with the code
ROGER & MARK
The code --
Well...?
COLLINS
A-N-G-E-L
Yet Robin Hooding isn't the solution
The powers that be must be undermined where they dwell
In a small, exclusive gourmet institution
Where we overcharge the wealthy clientele
ALL THREE
Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe
With a private corner banquette in the back
COLLINS
We'll make it yet, we'll somehow get to Santa Fe
ROGER
But you'd miss New York before you could unpack
ALL
Ohh--
(MAUREEN and JOANNE enter, carrying MIMI.)
MAUREEN
Mark! Roger! Anyone -- help!
MARK
Maureen?
MAUREEN
It's Mimi -- I can't get her up the stairs
ROGER
No!
(They enter the loft.)
MAUREEN
She was huddled in the park in the dark
And she was freezing
And begged to come here
ROGER
Over here
Oh, God --
(They lay her down carefully on the table.)
MIMI
Got a light -- I know you -- you're shivering...
JOANNE
She's been living on the street
ROGER
We need some heat
MIMI
I'm shivering
MARK
We can buy some wood and something to eat
COLLINS
I'm afraid she needs more than heat
MIMI
I heard that
MAUREEN
Collins will call for a doctor, honey
MIMI
Don't waste your money on Mimi, me, me
COLLINS
Hello -- 911?
I'm on hold!
MIMI
Cold...cold... would you light my candle?
ROGER
Yes -- we'll -- oh God -- find a candle
MIMI
I should tell you
I should tell you
ROGER
I should tell you
I should tell you
MIMI
I should tell you
Benny wasn't any--
ROGER
Shhh--I know
I should tell you why I left
It wasn't cause I didn't --
MIMI
I know
I should tell you
ROGER
I should tell you
MIMI (whispering)
I should tell you
I love you--
(MIMI fades)
ROGER
Who do you think you are?
Leaving me alone with my guitar
Hold on there's something you should hear
It isn't much but it took all year
(MIMI stirs and ROGER begins playing acoustic guitar at her bedside.)
YOUR EYES
ROGER
Your eyes
As we said our goodbyes
Can't get them out of my mind
And I find I can't hide
From your eyes
The ones that took me by surprise
The night you came into my life
Where there's moonlight I see your eyes
(Band takes over)
How'd I let you slip away
When I'm longing so to hold you
Now I'd die for one more day
'Cause there's something I should have told you
Yes there's something I should have told you
When I looked into your eyes
Why does distance make us wise?
You were the song all along
And before this song dies
I should tell you I should tell you
I have always loved you
You can see it in my eyes
(We hear Musetta's Theme, played correctly and passionately. MIMI's head falls to the side
and her arm drops limply off the edge of the table.)
Mimi!
FINALE B
(Suddenly, MIMI's hand twitches. Incredibly, she is still alive.)
MIMI
I jumped over the moon!!
ROGER
What?
MIMI
A leap of mooooooooooooooo--
JOANNE
She's back!
MIMI
I was in a tunnel. Heading for this warm, white light...
MAUREEN
Oh my god!
MIMI
And I swear Angel was there -- and she looked GOOD! And she said, "Turn around, girlfriend,
and listen to that boy's song..."
COLLINS
She's drenched
MAUREEN
Her fever's breaking
MARK
There is no future -- there is no past
ROGER
Thank God this moment's not the last
MIMI & ROGER
There's only us
There's only this
Forget regret or life is yours to miss
ALL
No other road no other way
No day but today
(As the finale grows, the entire COMPANY makes its way on stage.)
WOMEN
I can't control
My destiny
I trust my soul
My only goal is just to be
MEN
Will I lose my dignity?
Will someone care?
Will I wake tomorrow
From this nightmare?
(MARK's film resumes, along with two more films projecting on the back wall, "Scenes from
RENT...")
WOMEN
Without you
The hand gropes
The ear hears
The pulse beats
Life goes on
But I'm gone
'Cause I die
Without you
I die without you
I die without you
I die without you
MEN
There's only now
There's only here
Give in to love
Or live in fear
No other path
No other way
No day but today
No day but today
No day but today
No day but today
ALL
No day but today
THE END
