Limelight
2021
Characters
Amalia : 17 years old. A dancer at NYC Dance Academy. Adora’s older twin sister
Adora : 17 years old. A dancer at NYC Dance Academy. Amalia’s younger twin sister.
Amalia VO : Amalia’s thoughts
Ensemble
The students : Other dancers in Amalia and Adora’s class.
Scene 1.
Lights up. A hospital bed at centre stage. The door of the hospital room is at centre stage left. ADORA is in the hospital bed. Right leg raised in a sling. The hospital door opens. AMALIA enters.
Amalia (startled) Oh! You’re… awake… Dad told me you were taking a nap…
Adora …
Amalia (stands awkwardly ) So err… (walks to the foot of the bed) Hi… Erm… Dad went to buy McDonalds… your favourite! And… Mum’s handling the bills…How are… you feeling?
Adora (Looks at AMALIA and scoffs) How do you think I feel?
Amalia I’m sorry.
Amalia VO She hates me. She hates me. I didn’t mean to. I lost my mind for a second and I- I… But she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know why I- (Beat.) … She hates me.
Adora Aren’t you going to explain? I… (sighs) I’m just tired. Talk or leave.
Amalia … I didn’t mean to. I just… I just…
Adora You just what? Huh?
Amalia You don’t understand. You never will.
Adora (raises voice) Well, then help me understand!
Silence.
Adora Okay, now you don’t want to speak? You placed me here! You made me fall! You caused me to not be able to dance as Odette! The leading role! So spea- (Jerks her leg by accident) Shit!
AMALIA tries to help but ADORA waves her off.
Adora Just stop! Stay where you are. (Groans softly)… Just explain yourself.
Amalia … (bursts out laughing) Only thinking about yourself huh? What about our promise to reach stardom together? Huh? What about me? You are not able to dance as Odette? What about me?
Adora (dumbfounded) What are you talking about? I’m the one injured, not you. I-
Amalia (raises voice) Yes! You’re the one injured! Yes! Poor little sister! But what about me? Have I ever been able to be the lead? Have I ever been more than just your understudy?
Adora … It is not my fault-
Amalia Oh shut up and listen to me for once little sister! You- You- were always in the spotlight! The lead in every dance! Adora the prodigy! Then, there is the extra. The back up. The shadow.
Adora (Soft) I didn’t know. I always thought that you were-
Amalia What? Happy? Happy to only dance during rehearsals? Happy to be criticised and compared to you? Happy to be bad mouthed in the hallways while the others sang praises about you? Did you think I-
Adora What? Since when were you bad mouthed?
Amalia (Shaking) Never noticed? Of course you haven’t. Too busy enjoying the attention.
Amalia VO I am…was…am guilty. It does hurt seeing her in pain. But does she see my pain? Does she feel guilty?
Adora …Then, you should have told me. I could have helped you. I mean… I am your sister.
Amalia (Scoffs) Well. Silly old me right? Dumb Amalia, doesn’t even know how sisters should act.
Adora You don’t!
Silence.
Amalia Speak damnit!
Adora …If you knew a thing about sisters, you wouldn’t have pushed me off the freaking stage!
Amalia … You’re right. It’s my fault in the end right? Why did I choose to suffer in silence? Why did I not consult my loving sister? Why did I hurt the darling star of the play in the process? You’re right. I should apologise. No… should I back out of the dance as a peace offering?
Adora You think I want that? … The- the others have practised too hard for this. Just… do the stupid dance… You dance it…well.
Amalia Not as good as you of course.
AMALIA turns around.
Amalia I’ll tell the nurses you pulled on your leg accidentally.
AMALIA exits. Light fades out.
Scene 2.
Lights up. The stage is a dance studio. AMALIA is at centre stage and dancing her part in The Swan Lake.
Amalia VO Ok. Pirouette… Now, grand jeté…
Amalia tries to do a split in the air, misses her step and falls.
Amalia Shit! Eurgh! (slams floor with fist) Why can’t I get it right?
Silence.
Spotlight on AMALIA.
Amalia How could she speak as if I was in the wrong? I was the one they called shitty! I was the one they called useless! I was the one they called invisible! I was the one who was only ever a shadow. She has never… never understood how I felt when Ms Anna reprimanded me over and over again, using her as a model for me to follow. Or when I was whispered about in the hallways.
AMALIA trembles and scoffs bitterly.
Amalia The class… They always talked about me as if I was a hindrance to Adora, as if the Academy would have been better off without me. Especially Eli and Megan… pah! I hate them! I dance better than them. I work harder than them yet I am the worthless one. They get roles while I am forever the understudy. The Dollar Store Adora.
Beat.
Amalia VO You know what… Forget about it. Just forget about it. Focus… focus…
AMALIA stands up and starts to practise the same part again.
Amalia VO Ok. Done with the plié, now pirouette… And the-
AMALIA misses her queue to jump into the air. She stops dancing.
Amalia (Fidgets in frustration ) I hate this. I hate this. We were supposed to be a pair. Equals! We were supposed to be great together. But why… Why am I always behind her, beneath her no matter how hard I work? No matter what I do, I was only ever a backup for her. The class … hell, even Ms Anna never thought of me as more than that…
Beat.
Amalia I hate her for not noticing the pain I suffer every single day! I hate them for everything they have said to me. And… I- I hate myself for not telling her … (laughs bitterly) I guess now- I guess now I really am in the wrong, huh! Adora did nothing to me yet I broke her leg. I chose not to confide in Adora but I blamed her and broke her leg… I- I- didn’t mean to yet I still broke her leg anyway. Who am I kidding? It was my fault… God I shouted at her! I shouted at her when she was hurting because of me. When she lost the role she earned because… of me.
Beat. AMALIA starts to pace.
Amalia I- I need to apologise. But- But will she even forgive me? I need to- I need to do something! What can I do? What can I even do-
AMALIA stops pacing.
Amalia I- I should- NO… need to confess to Ms Anna that I pushed her.
Amalia VO But wait… If I tell Ms Anna… I might get kicked out of the dance… I might… I might even get blacklisted from being a Principal dancer- even a prima ballerina!
Beat.
Amalia But no… I have to do this. For Adora. To get us back.
AMALIA calls Ms Anna.
Amalia (into the phone) Hello?… I’m at the studio near my house… Yes, I was just practising the solo… Oh. um… Adora’s fine… Huh? What? Yes! I will make sure I practise it well to fill in for her! But um, about that. I- I need to tell you something about my sister’s fall… Huh? Oh don’t accuse the others? Well that’s funny (laughs awkwardly) … What oh… yea I um know who pushed Adora… How do I know?… No? You don’t have to repeat yourself. Umm (clears throat) I know because…
Amalia VO Ok I can say it. I can say it. I’m going to say it.
Amalia I know because I did it. I pushed her off the stage.
Silence.
Amalia Umm Ms Anna? Are you still there? … No, I am not joking. I… pushed Adora off the stage… Yes, I know that one email from you can blacklist me from ever being a prima let alone principal dancer but she’s my sister and I just- If you want to take me out of the dance, go- go ahead. (Beat.) … You are letting me dance? Wh-why?… It’s too late to change dancers, huh… Of course, I- I won’t object to the suspension… Okay. Thank you Ms Anna.
AMALIA ends the call.
Amalia Now… How am I supposed to begin apologising to Adora?
Lights dim.
Scene 3.
Lights fade in. A wall splits the stage. A dance studio at the left of the stage. ADORA’s hospital ward at the right of the stage. AMALIA at centre stage left. ADORA at centre stage right on the hospital bed. AMALIA and ADORA talk through the phone.
Amalia Hi…Adora.
Adora What do you want?
Amalia I- I- I’m calling you to… to… say sorry.
Adora Oh really? Not to… I don’t know… yell at me further?
Amalia No! I- I mean… no. I just… let me explain ok?
Beat.
Amalia Ok… Thank you. You see… Adora… I was always in your shadow. No matter how hard I worked, I was just your back up. But everyday, I told myself, it’s ok. We would eventually reach stardom together. Just like we promised. I still remember… (chuckles) we just learnt the 5th position in our diapers when we made the promise. If I recall, we said, “We would become STARS!” And I held onto that promise from then out. When I was put down, I would think of that promise and our future. Our future together. But in the Academy, everyone placed you above me. You got so far ahead of me while I was made fun of by-
Adora So in the midst of jealousy, you pushed me. (Scoffs) Are you now implying that you have a valid reason to break my leg? Maybe you also hope for me to keep quiet about it?
Amalia No! No! Of course not! I was just- It’s just… you told me to help you understand and that’s what I’m trying to do. There is no way I can justify hurting you no matter what and I know that. So please… All I want is for us to go back to the way we were before.
Adora … No.
Silence.
Adora You can apologise all you want but that won’t change anything. Also… let’s just forget about that childish promise. I will get to stardom on my own… without you.
Amalia What? I- please, Adora, I’m sorry.
Adora …
Amalia Adora… (Sighs.) I understand… But about you keeping quiet… you don’t have to. I already told Ms Anna.
Adora (Stunned) That could ruin you. Why-
Amalia I know.
Adora But- But you could have gotten away clean.
Amalia I know. I’m sorry.
ADORA hangs up and AMALIA sighs. The light dims on AMALIA’s side of the stage.
Adora Why?
Adora cries.
Adora Why can’t she stay mad and give me a reason to not forgive her? Why did it take all this for me to find out about her suffering? (Beat.) She hurt me because she suffered and I neglected her. I hurt her out of spite for breaking my leg… I scolded her for being a bad sister when I’m one myself.
ADORA wipes away her tears.
Adora (To audience) I don’t want to break my promise with her. I still want to reach stardom together with her. I- I want my sister back.
Lights fade.
Scene 4.
Lights up. Tableau curtain. AMALIA and students dance to Swan Lake.
Amalia thoughts VO We’re nearing the end… I didn’t mess up so far… Thank god! Only left the solo and ending…
AMALIA dances with the male lead.
Amalia …I guess she didn’t come… I wonder if coming to watch even crossed her mind… I guess not. Why would it? I mean she… wants to break the promise. I should have known that even if I came clean , she wouldn’t forgive me. Heck, I’m pretty sure that even if I quit the Academy, she wouldn’t forgive me! (Beat.) I don’t blame her. First, I push her off a stage and break her leg. Then I blame her for not noticing my emotions when I should have confided in her… How bad of a sister can I be? She’s right in the end…
AMALIA starts her solo.
Amalia thoughts VO I was so close to messing up the timing for that step routine … Adora wouldn’t have missed the tempo…Adora should be dancing instead of me. I’m glad she didn’t come. If she did, she would have even more reason to hate me for breaking her leg. Ms Anna probably regrets sending me on-
AMALIA trips after doing the grand jete and falls.
Amalia thoughts VO Shit! Shit! Shit! I fell. Why did I fall?! The students must hate me for messing up. Ms Anna is probably cursing behind the curtain. Oh no… what do I do? There is a reason I am an understudy… What do I do? What do I do? What do I-?
Adora AMALIA! Get up! I’m sick of that stiff expression! You can do better than this damnit! Get up!
AMALIA looks at the audience. ADORA stands in the middle of the audience, hands cupping her mouth.
Adora Get up!
AMALIA stands and continues to dance. ADORA sits back down.
Amalia thoughts VO She came. (Beat.) She came! (Chuckles) She- I- Adora really came…
AMALIA and the students finish up the dance.
Amalia thoughts VO I messed back there. Everything might be going well now but… I fell… nothing is going to change that… How- How is the audience going to respond?
AMALIA and the students finish the dance and bow. Silence.
Amalia thoughts VO Oh no… they aren’t clapp-
ADORA stands up and claps. AMALIA smiles. The curtains close.
Lights dim.
Scene 5.
Lights fade in. The stage is a dance studio. AMALIA is at Center stage.
Amalia I left immediately after the dance… Maybe I should have waited for Adora?
Beat.
Amalia (Shakes head) No… I can’t see her right now… not after messing up the dance… I wanted an escape and somehow I walked all the way back to this studio… Huh!
ADORA enters the dance studio.
Adora I knew I’d find you here.
AMALIA turns away from the audience and faces ADORA.
Amalia Ado-Adora? How did you-
Adora Well… you weren’t backstage and Ms Anna said you left. So… I told Mum and Dad to drive me here… There is… only one place you would go when you disappear into nowhere… here.
Amalia Aren’t you supposed to be angry at me?
Adora … (Sighs) I was… and then you called me.
Amalia That makes no sense. You ended the call telling me you wanted to break-
Adora I know. I know. I did.
Beat.
Adora Honestly… I… stopped being mad after you left the hospital. I-
Amalia That still does not explain anything.
Adora Just shut up for a moment and let me finish, ok? … I… thought about what you said to me at the hospital and I realised that you were always whispered about in the hallways and Ms Anna did always criticise you. And I realised… how blind I was. But I must have convinced myself to remain angry at you out of spite because well… I didn’t forgive you when you called me… and honestly I beat myself up for it… especially after Ms Anna called me to tell me about your… suspension. (Clears throat) But um… the point is… I forgive you… and I… owe you an apology too. I’m sorry for being a blind sister. I’m sorry for not being there for you when you needed me… I’m sorry, Amalia.
Beat.
Adora Wo- Wow… That’s surprising, to say the least… You… are being serious right?
ADORA nods.
Amalia … I’m sorry.
Adora You doofus! I already forgave you! Besides… I’ll heal. (Playfully) Now… where’s my forgiveness?
Amalia (Laughs)I forgive you too…
Adora (Raises arms)… Hug?
AMALIA laughs through tears and runs to ADORA and hugs her.
Amalia I’m so… so sorry Adora…
Adora I forgive you…
AMALIA continues crying.
Adora You know…(Pats AMALIA and laughs) …you’re older right?
Amalia …Shut up… are you still ending our promise?
Adora (Pulls away from AMALIA) You idiot! Of course not! We are going to reach stardom together, alright? … and only together.
AMALIA nods and smiles and proceeds to hug ADORA before stopping.
Amalia Oh no…
Adora What?
Amalia Shit!
Adora What happened?
Amalia I- with everything going on… I forgot that I need to tell Mum and Dad about… me pushing you…
Adora … Don’t worry. I’ll go with you.
Amalia Really?
Adora Of course! We are doing everything together from now on! … I’ll even shit with you if you want!
Amalia (Chuckles) Umm… I rather not…
Adora (Shrugs) Offer is still there if you want… But I’m serious… I’ll go with you to tell Mum and Dad.
Amalia Thanks Sis…
Beat.
Adora But… before we do that… I’m hungry… and you need food to have energy to tell Mum and Dad.
Amalia McDonalds?
Adora You know it!
Light fades out.