Take a Walk - Live (feat. Mamie Parris, Olivia Hernandez, Andrew Samonsky, Matt Gibson, Angel Lozada, Cameron Loyal & Lucas Thompson)

The next morning. AUSTEN paces. The ‘First Impressions’ manuscript is back on the writing table -- taunting her.

MUSIC #20: TAKE A WALK

AUSTEN: (Agitated) I was right!

AUSTEN:

NOTHING GOOD HAS HAPPENED SINCE I TOOK YOU OFF THE SHELF. YOU STIRRED UP ALL THESE FEELINGS; THERE’S TOO MUCH OF MYSELF IN EVERY PHRASE AND IN EVERY WORD.

REAL LIFE AND FICTION ARE BLURRED.

SOCIETY RULES OVER LOVERS AND FOOLS ... AND IF HAPPINESS ISN’T A GUARANTEE, THEN WHAT KIND OF PERSON SHOULD I BE? I’VE LOST PERSPECTIVE AND MY OBJECTIVE.

THE LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER ASKED ME TO SUBMIT A STORY. HOW CAN THIS BE IT?

THE WAY IT WAS, IS NO MORE.

THERE’S SO MUCH I NEED TO RESTORE.

WHAT IS THIS STORY REALLY ABOUT? HOW DO I WRITE WITH ALL THIS DOUBT? HOW DO I MERGE THE OLD WITH THE NEW? WHAT DO I DO?

TAKE A WALK ...

(She exits the cottage and walks the grounds of Chawton to clear her head. In a separate world -- AUSTEN’S subconscious -- DARCY and ELIZABETH each walk separate parts of the grounds of “Rosings Park.” DARCY holds a letter)

ELIZABETH:

TAKE A WALK.

BREATHE THE AIR.

SUCH A PLEASANT MORNING AND YET I DON’T CARE.

DARCY:

TAKE A WALK.

ONCE YOU’RE THERE,

SHOW HER WHAT YOU’VE WRITTEN THUS CLEARING THE AIR.

ELIZABETH / DARCY / AUSTEN:

YESTERDAY, WHAT WAS SAID ...

WHY WON’T HIS / HER / THE WORDS LEAVE MY HEAD?

HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO UNAWARE?

ELIZABETH:

HOW ASTONISHING THAT HE SHOULD CARE!

HOW COULD THE MAN DARE TO SUPPOSE I’D ACCEPT ANY OFFER PROPOSED?

DARCY:

WALK.

ELIZABETH:

WALK.

AUSTEN:

WALK. BREATHE.

ELIZABETH:

BREATHE.

DARCY:

BREATHE.

AUSTEN:

TAKE A WALK …

MALE ENSEMBLE:

OOH …

ELIZABETH:

TAKE A TURN UP THE LANE,

HOPING TO AVOID A CHANCE MEETING AGAIN.

DARCY:

TAKE A TURN UP THE LANE

HOPING TO MEET HER AGAIN.

MALE ENSEMBLE:

OOH …

ELIZABETH:

LOOK AROUND. SPRING ABOUNDS. BEAUTIFUL AND LOVELY ...

EXACTLY LIKE JANE.

DARCY / AUSTEN / MALE ENSEMBLE:

BEAUTIFUL …

AHH …

ELIZABETH:

HOW UNFAIR!

HE ENDED A TRUE

AND RUINED SO MANY DREAMS ..

DARCY:

HOW UNFAIR!

SHE DOESN’T KNOW OF THE AFFAIR.

HE RUINED SO MANY DREAMS …

AUSTEN / MALE ENSEMBLE:

RUINED DREAMS. OHH …

ELIZABETH / DARCY / AUSTEN:

TAKE A WALK.

BREATHE (THE AIR).

RECOVER YOURSELF

AND FORGET THE DESPAIR.

MALE ENSEMBLE:

OOH …

OOH …

AHH. AHH.

ELIZABETH / DARCY / AUSTEN:

THROUGH THE GATE, TO THE PARK ...

(THEY ALL come face to face. ELIZABETH and DARCY have entered AUSTEN’S conscious mind)