Plot+Summary

__Prologue__:

Set against the social backdrop that will be instantly familiar to any middle or high school student, the Haves square off against the Have-Nots. Predictably, members of the Haves also figure prominently on the football team and cheerleading squad. Football player Rick, and his drama princess girlfriend, Nicola, run in a pack with cheerleader twins Brittany andFelicity, and the ever-present “girl with an attitude” April. Theatre-nerd Danny and his genius-in-training brother Murray, pair with Laurel,wheel-chair bound sporting an acidic tongue, and side-kick Agnes to form the Have-Nots.

The play opens with Rick and Nicola and Danny and Laurel spouting Shakespeare in a dreamlike state. Danny’s dreams foreshadow conflict to come, while brother Murray takes a stab at channeling The Bard himself, all the while playing to the audience.

Flashing forward to the present day, conflict arises and name-calling begins, while Murray fills the audience in on the definition of “cool”, still speaking in iambic-pentameter verse.

__ACT I__

__Scene One__:

Laurel and Danny attempt to crash a costume party held at the home of one of the popular kids. Although quickly discovered and asked to leave, in the process Danny learns that the traditional drama coach has moved over the summer and a replacement teacher has been hired, much to his joy.

__Interlude__:

Murray addresses the audience with a soliloquy about dreaming big and taking chances.There is more foreshadowing of the Romeo and Juliet theme.

__Scene Two__:

Danny dreams that while taking bows after a fabulous performance, he is found to be wearing pajamas. How humiliating! He then begins to worry about the replacement for the drama coach.

__Scene Three__:

Nicola also has dreams, but hers center on her own perfect self.

__Scene Four__:

The action centers around the upcoming drama tryouts for the school play – Romeo and Juliet. Danny, of course, has one last year to make it big as the school star; he is constantly foiled by Nicola, drama queen in her own right and HER choice for Romeo, boyfriend Rick.

__Scene Five__:

Nicola spends quite a bit of effort coaching Rick prior to the upcoming tryouts; he appears to be somewhat dim-witted and deliberately misunderstands her as she explains, apparently for the umpteen time, what his role will be. Only when he understands that the cast member who plays Romeo will get to kiss his Juliet is he willing to consider the part.

__Scene Six__:

The dream sequence in Danny’s bedroom involves a lot of twisting, turning talk mixed up with angst on his part as he thinks he has to learn the entire play overnight, all the while listening to Murray spout rhyming lines and talking about techniques used in Shakespearean times for spouting blood using concealed pig bladders.

__ACT II__

Nicola’s dreams involve uncharacteristic insecurity as she dreams that her friends bid for the part of Juliet and call her by the name reserved for the Have-Nots! Shocking!

__Scene I:__

Various interactions between characters involve anxiety as tryout day approaches, conflicts erupt between Laurel and Danny over his reluctance to participate in the play and Nicola continues to try to prepare Rick for his big role. Murray explains all. Finally tryout day is upon them and all Rick can say is “uh…”. Danny, however, is quite good as a Romeo.

__Scene II__:

Dream sequence involving Laurel, Murray and his research assistance side-kick Agnes as they prod and poke the dream-state Laurel, trying to discover why she is still unable to walk. Swinging to the edge of the bed, she wakes herself just in time.

__Scene III__:

Tremendous anxiety surrounds the posting of the cast. Nicola, of course, does get Juliet, but alas, the mute Rick is passed over in favor of the nerdy Danny. Sensing cheerleader revenge, his brother Murray and sidekick Agnes head off a sure attack on their “science project”. The drama coach, Ms. Kavendish approaches Laurel and asks about her love of theatre, building on the dream scene and providing a small dash of possible foreshadowing.

__Scene IV__:

Nicola’s house: cheerleaders plot revenge of the nerds. Rick dreams he can spout Shakespeare with the best of them, only to find that his dream self has learned a Juliet part. So sad. Once awake, he walks out on Nicola and company, who then turn on her as the reason for this most recent conflict in their lives. There is a good speech by April where she claims that Danny should not even be allowed to breathe the same air with the Have kids!

__Interlude__:

There is one last dream state with jumbled lines and confusing sub-plots about dental floss and mis-remembered lines and a clear analysis from Murray stating the obvious that his brother is functionally and deliberately miserable.

__Scene V__:

An interesting twist occurs here as Laurel runs into Rick, who admits to the perceived weakness of stage fright; but when he spills the cheerleaders’ plans to force Danny out and Rick into the role of Romeo, Laurel takes action, forcing a confrontation between parties that allows Ms. Kavendish to suggest to Nicola that she withdraw from the cast and allow another student to play Juliet. No way. This is clearly not the way the Haves had pictured the outcome. In the angst that follows, Danny stands his ground and delivers a very convincing Romeo speech, Rick professes his love for Nicola, a full seven weeks earlier than she had calculated and Agnes seals the deal for April to come to terms with playing the dashing male sword-fighting Tybalt. Yes, all is right at the end.