SEGMENT 02 of the musical "CANDELESCENCE" (written by Secretary Michael); the latest SCRIPT is found below; click to find the sheet music to this segment's necessary song: "Go Where I Wanna Go"
Segment 2: Twimfina's Situation
(Final week of school, late afternoon; Twimfina [18] and her friend Maple [16] are studying after school in one of the classrooms at Candelescent High)
MAPLE
(crumbles sheet of paper into a ball and throws it towards the trash can, missing it.)
Twimfina, what’s the photosynthesis equation again?
TWIMFINA
Ugh! Just memorize the glucose formula: C6-H12-O6. If you know that, then you’ll never have to ask me about the photosynthesis equation again – or about the respiration equation either! And please pick up your trash – I just cleaned this room last night!
MAPLE
Wow. My birthday friend is a little “C-R-A-B-B-Y” today.
TWIMFINA
“Despondent” would be a better word, but you probably can’t spell it.
MAPLE
Why are you so “D-E-S-P-O-…” whatever. Why are you so crabby today?
TWIMFINA
You’d be too if you felt as trapped as I do. The only exciting thing left in my life is school – and next week even that’ll be over. Then comes another boring summer of studying. And then the conveyor belt will take me off to some stupid college.
MAPLE
Only you could say something like that! If I were a senior, I’d be ecstatic! Don’t you have any plans for the summer?
TWIMFINA
Plans? Sure. Everybody in jail has plans. They just never come true.
MAPLE
Twimfina, you don’t know how lucky you are. You’re always on the honor roll, you’ve got lots of friends, and you’re almost as pretty as I am!
TWIMFINA
Uh!
MAPLE
Plus, your parents are cool teachers, you get to live upstairs in the commune where all the teachers are always doting on you… in fact, they’re all probably up there right now getting ready to surprise you with a birthday party.
TWIMFINA
Oh, I know they are. But believe me, Maple, it won’t be a surprise. It’s the same thing every year. They could save a lot of time and fuss by just giving me a videotape of last year’s “party” (pronounces it sarcastically, making quotation marks with her fingers). Or the year before that – or the year before that...
MAPLE
Oh, you poor prima donna! And to think they might be upstairs this very minute toiling away making your cake and wrapping your presents...
TWIMFINA
Oh, they’re making a cake alright – a vegetable cake.
MAPLE
(laughing in disbelief)
You’re kidding!
TWIMFINA
Unfortunately, not. It’ll be a vegetable cake. It’s always a vegetable cake. It’s the only kind of cake they seem to know how to make. And then afterwards they’ll give me presents. But each present – and I do mean each and every present – will be a book. I love books, but it sure isn’t any surprise getting one. I don’t even know why they bother to wrap them. “Gee, I wonder what this rectangular block could be. A sweater? A car? A boyfriend? Oh my goodness, it’s a book! Wow! Another outdated Flora of Missouri! Oh, thank you! I’ve always wanted four of them!”
MAPLE
(laughing)
You ingrate!
TWIMFINA
Not true. I love my parents. I love the Teachers’ Community and I appreciate all that they do for me. But that doesn’t mean that they can own me. That doesn’t mean I have to follow the path they’re pushing me towards. Plus, it’s lonely! During the summers there’s nobody here my own age. My only companions are pen-pals I find in “Canadian PenPal Magazine”.
MAPLE
(laughing)
“Canadian PenPal Magazine?”
TWIMFINA
I want to go out and learn by exploring, not just by reading books. I live with a whole community of teachers always trying to teach me stuff. I want to be my own teacher!
MAPLE
I still think you’re a prima donna.
TWIMFINA
Yes, Maple, you’ve told me that like 200 times. But what’s wrong with being a prima donna in your own opera? Yes, I’m a prima donna! Yes, I’m a prima donna! Yes, I’m a prima donna!
(speaking declaratively to Maple)
BUT – THIS – IS – MY – OPERA.
(singing)
I’M GONNA GO WHERE I WANNA GO AND LEARN WHAT I WILL
AND NOBODY AND NOTHIN’S GONNA KEEP ME STANDIN’ STILL.
I’M GONNA TRAVEL THE WORLD AND LEARN TO LOVE EV’RYONE
AND ONLY WHEN I’VE LEARNED IT WILL MY TRAVELIN’ BE DONE.
MAPLE
(singing)
WILL YOU TRAVEL INTO FEAR?
TWIMFINA
(singing)
WITH A WHISTLE AND A CHEER!
MAPLE
(singing)
WILL YOU TRAVEL INTO HATE?
TWIMFINA
(singing)
WITH A LOVE THAT CANNOT WAIT!
I WILL TRAVEL AND I’LL LOVE AND I’LL LET NO-ONE BLOCK MY WAY.
MAPLE
(singing)
IF THEY ORDER YOU TO STAY?
TWIMFINA
(singing)
I’LL GO ANYWAY!
I WILL TRAVEL ANYPLACE TO ANY WOMAN, ANY MAN
I WILL TRAVEL ‘TIL I LOVE AND UNDERSTAND.
I WILL TRAVEL ANYPLACE TO ANY WOMAN, ANY MAN
I WILL TRAVEL ‘TIL I LOVE AND UNDERSTAND.
I’M GONNA GO WHERE I WANNA GO AND LEARN WHAT I WILL
AND NOBODY AND NOTHIN’S GONNA KEEP ME STANDIN’ STILL.
I’M GONNA TRAVEL THE WORLD AND LEARN TO LOVE EV’RYONE
AND ONLY WHEN I’VE LEARNED IT WILL MY TRAVELIN’ BE DONE.
END OF SEGMENT 2
