Orphans on Broadway

Orphans on Broadway Part Five

Scene Three: The Orphanage-

Miss Annabelle's/ Mr. Scheme's office.
(short pause: lights on, stage right, center, left.)

Later that afternoon, Scheme enters Miss Annabelle's office with a lock pick in hand and moves to crack the office safe but he pauses upon seeing a missing person's poster lying on the desk.

SCHEME:
(picking up the poster.)
What's this?

(looks poster over.)
Penny Young, huh? Now who is...?
(pauses.)
The two new comers! The youngest was this Penny, I never forget a face! The other must have been Anna!
(fuming.)
'Got caught by the police, did they?
(slams poster down.)
I should have known! What a lost opportunity! The boys are going to pay dearly for this!

Scheme storms out of the office, forgetting the money he had intended to steal and opens the door leading to the hall adjoining the two dorms. As he is about two walk through, however, he sees Miss Annabelle and a man he recognizes as the wealthy Mr. Young walk into the girls' dorm office.

SCHEME:
(whispering.)
I may yet be able to cash in on this after all.

Scheme rushes through the adjoining hall, into his office, and removes a wine cork from the plaster wall which hides a hole allowing Scheme to look into and listen in on anything that occurs inside Miss Annabelle's office.

ANNABELLE:
(sniffling.)
I have all of the necessary paper work ready for you, Mr. Young. All you have to do is sign the adoption papers.

THOMAS:
Before we do anything, Miss Annabelle, I must talk to you about a mutual acquaintance.

ANNABELLE:
(nervous.)
A mutual acquaintance?

THOMAS:
Anna.

ANNABELLE:
You know?

THOMAS:
I know.

ANNABELLE:
(swallows.)
I assume Anna told you.

THOMAS:
Actually, my daughter, Penny did but that is not important. It seems as if Anna is willing to throw everything away to get you back. Any child, (eyes Annabelle.) or adult, who bears such courage and determination, I wouldn't dare disappoint.

ANNABELLE:
So, what do you intend to do, Mr. Young.

THOMAS:
I am going to leave that between you and Anna for now. But to the reason why I have come here today. I would like to extend my invitation to a number of orphans to live with me inside my mansion. I intend to put the children's play on Broadway. The event should bring some much needed attention to this orphanage so that at least some of the orphans will get adopted.

ANNABELLE:
It might work. But which orphans were you intending to invite?

THOMAS:
Penny has prepared a list of her and Anna's closest friends. (produces a piece of paper from his pocket.) They include a number of orphan boys from the other dorm. I will be going there next to talk to a Mr. Scheme.

ANNABELLE:
(smiling.)
Watch your wallet.

THOMAS:
(smiling as well.)
Yes, my son, Ace has warned me about him.

ANNABELLE:
Well, what can I say, I'll get the paper work moving on it right away. When should I expect you?

THOMAS:
Penny and Anna will arrive here in a limo tomorrow morning to receive the lucky orphans. I would like you to come along as the orphans' official escort.

ANNABELLE:
Why me?

THOMAS:
That way, you and Anna can hopefully work things out.

ANNABELLE:
And if nothing can be resolved between us two?

THOMAS:
(Affectionately.)
Well, we will deal with that when it comes, one step at a time.

With that, Thomas Young leaves Miss Annabelle's office (stage left.) and Mr. Scheme, inside his office, places the cork back into the plaster wall.

SCHEME:
What a lucky break! That soft hearted rich man will pay anything to get his little girl back, and he'll pay more to get Anna back, I have a suspicion he's taken a liking to her. This is my big chance to finally hit it big!
(Scheme sings out his plans through the song,)

( A FORTUNE FOR A GIRL. )

I used brats for profit.
But it was never enough.
The business was risky,
And the boys were getting tough.

Then an opportunity rose.
A ticket with long lashes and curl,
My ride to the sweet life,
A fortune for a girl!

Young and helpless,
She'll be easy to take.
The payoff will be high,
But so will the stakes!

A Penny for a ransom,
That's all it will take!
No more using brats for profit,
No more cashing on petty takes!

Once I have the cash,
I'll toss the Penny down the drain.
Just another orphan kid
Found dead in the rain.

I will live the sweet life.
Rich as a king, once my plan is unfurled.
Owing it all to
A fortune for a girl!
A fortune for a girl!
A fortune for a girl!
(Evil laughter.)

After the number, a knock comes to Mr. Scheme's office door and Scheme quickly sits down behind his desk.

SCHEME:
(sternly.)
It's open!

THOMAS:
(stepping inside.)
Mr. Scheme, I presume?

SCHEME:
You're looking at him.

THOMAS:
I am Thomas Young from North Chicago.

SCHEME:
Ah, yes, the multi-millionaire.

THOMAS:
I would like to talk to you for a moment regarding a plan I have in mind to bring attention to this orphanage.

(Lights off, left, center, right.)

Scene Four: The Orphanage

(Short pause: lights on left, center, right.)

The next morning, a row of limousines are lined up in front of the orphanage (stage left/ center) while inside the building (center stage) the children are rushing to get ready with Miss Annabelle supervising.

ANNABELLE:
Hurry now, kids. The limos will be here any moment and we don't want to keep the drivers waiting.

PEG:
(off to the side)
Where's the guardian of your dorm? Mister, mister...

JACK:
Mr. Scheme.

PEG:
(nods.)
Yeah. I thought he'd be seeing you boys off.

JACK:
(shrugs.)
Who knows? Probably ripping someone off in the streets.

PEG:
What?
(pauses.)
Oh, right. Penny told us about him. Why don't you guys gang up the jerk?

JACK:
We've thought of that more times than you may guess. But he's told us that if we turn on him, he would tell the police that we are the people stealing from people in the streets in this part of town for the past several months.

PEG:
It'll be his word against yours.

JACK:
No, It'll be the word of an adult against the word of an orphaned kid. Who do you think will win?

PEG:
(after a pause.)
Yeah, I see what you mean.

MATT:
( to Allen.)
Did Scheme say anything to you about our trip to Young's mansion?

ALLEN:
No. He just told us to have a good time.

MATT:
Doesn't that strike you as a little odd?

ALLEN:
It does, Matt. That's what bugging me. Scheme is definitely up to something.

PETE:
(looking out)
They're here, Miss Annabelle.

ANNABELLE:
Tell them that we will be out in a moment, Pete.

Outside, (stage left) the driver of the lead limousine steps out and opens the door for Anna and Penny who both step out.

DRIVER:
I thought you two could use to stretch your legs a little.

ANNA:
Thank you, sir. (turns to Penny.) Are you going to tell me what this is all about?

PENNY:
(smiling.)
You'll find out, Anna.

Then, (from center stage) Pete opens the front door of the orphanage and walks out.

PETE:
Everyone is almost ready. We'll be out in a moment.

DRIVER:
That's fine, kid. Take your time.

ANNA:
(turning to Penny)
Your dad didn't!

PENNY:
(nods.)
He invited all of our friends, including those from the boys dorm to live at his mansion. He's putting our play on Broadway!

ANNA:
(surprised.)
He is what!?!

PENNY:
(nods.)
He is using the event to bring attention to the orphanage. But come on, back into the limo, Pete's the only one who knows we're going to be picking them up.

The two crawl back into the limousine to wait for the other orphans while Pete and the driver talk on the sidewalk.

PETE:
Mr. Young seems to be going all out to bring attention to our orphanage. Do you think it'll work.

DRIVER:
Beats me, kid. I just drive the limo.
(he turns to the sound of cars approaching.)
Oh, great, the press has arrived.

A number of reporters enter the scene (stage left) and begin to ask Pete and the driver questions, of which neither were willing to answer. Among them, Mr. Scheme, disguised as a reporter, takes advantage of the temporary confusion to slip into the driver's side of the lead limousine. Pete, looking through the crowd spots Scheme sneaking into the limo.

PETE:
Hey! That's Mr. Scheme!

The lights go out (stage left.) Penny and Anna scream as squealing tires are heard. The lights come back on. (stage left) the limousine is gone. With everyone following, Pete rushes into the orphanage (center stage.) where he finds the children lined up. (boy, girl, boy girl.)

PETE:
(yelling.)
Mr. Scheme has kidnapped Penny and Anna!

ALLEN:
What!?!

PEG:
How!?!

PETE:

They were inside one of the limousines! Scheme took it with them in the back!
ANNABELLE:
(hurrying off.)
I'll call the police!

DRIVER:
(rushing out the door.)
And I'll inform Mr. Young on the phone!

JACK:
(angrily.)
This is the last straw! Scheme has gone too far this time!

PEG:
What can we do!?!

ALLEN:
You girls are going to Mr. Young's mansion as planned. We boys have work to do!
(he turns to the orphan boys.)
Are you with me?

The boys voice their approval, all voicing their anger towards Mr. Scheme through the song,

( MESSED WITH THE WRONG KIDS BLUES )

We played his game! (Na na na na!)
Working under moon and star. (Na na na na!)
We learned to pick pockets and locks! (Na na na na!)
Robbing every one of their coin and dollar! (Na na na na!)
We got better day by day! (Na na na na!)
But to him we barely made par! (Na na na na!)
We took a lot from him! (Na na na na!)
But now he's gone too far!
Scheme has kidnapped our friends (Ooooo!)
And we gonna make him pay! (Yeah!)
He took them in our finest hour in front of all the news!
He'll be singin'the (singin' the)
Messed with the wrong kids blues! (tell them, Sam!)
I'll tell ya!
We've been runing through this burg for so long
We've got an advantage he don't got! (What?!)
We know every street, he's gonna get caught! (Yeah!)
He won't get away, he's gonna pay his dues!
He'll be singin' the – (singin' the!)
Messed with the wrong kids blues!
Oh Yeah!
Sam- spoken. We'll get them back!
All- spoken. That's a fact!

The boys run out of the orphanage on the last note and scatter as they vanish from sight of the audience. (stage left.)

(lights out stage right, center, left.)