KIM
Now
Up in the northern land
Wow!
They've started struttin' and
How!
Soon as they hear a band
Ev'ry man's daughter steps
To muddy water steps!
It's gettin' hotter in the north every day,
It's not the temp'rature that's makin' it that way,
It's 'cause they're dancin' all the time
The dances of a warmer clime.
If you want lovin', gals, you must learn to shut;
They leave you cold unless you do nothin' else but!
Up on the levees of Broadway
It's getting hotter ev'ry day!
The levee shuffle of the south
Has traveled north by hoof and mouth,
Makin' our feet slow down,
Doin' those neat, low-down
Twistin' and turnin' steps,
Blazin' and burnin' steps!
If you want lovin', gals, you must learn to strut;
They leave you cold unless you do nothin' else but!
Up on the levees of Broadway,
It's gettin' hotter every day!
KIM & CHORUS
If you want lovin', gals, you must learn to strut;
They leave you cold unless you do nothin' else but!
Up on the levees of Broadway
It's gettin' hotter every day!
(KIM exits)
CHORUS
It's gettin' hotter in the north every day,
It's not the temp'rature that's makin' it that way,
It's 'cause they're dancin' all the time
The dances of a warmer clime.
If you want lovin', gals, you must learn to shut;
They leave you cold unless you do nothin' else but!
Up on the levees of Broadway
It's getting hotter ev'ry day!
The levee shuffle of the south
Has traveled north by hoof and mouth,
Makin' our feet slow down,
Doin' those neat, low-down
Twistin' and turnin' steps,
Blazin' and burnin' steps!
If you want lovin', gals, you must learn to strut;
They leave you cold unless you do nothin' else but!
Up on the levees of Broadway,
It's gettin' hotter every day!
(Now follows an extended set of specialty dances:)
ECCENTRIC DANCE
BUCK DANCE
FRANK & ELLIE'S DANCE
CAP'N ANDY'S DANCE
ENSEMBLE DANCE
(After the number the ensemble exits.
FRANK and ELLIE enter from the boat with ANDY)
FRANK
Say, Cap'n Andy, sorry we couldn't stay for the end of the
concert; we have to make that eleven o'clock boat.
ELLIE
(very Ritz)
We hated to leave your little entertainment -
it was very amusing.
ANDY
I'm glad you liked it.
ELLIE
It's so quaint.
FRANK
You see - things are so different in Hollywood.
ELLIE
(with boastful hauteur)
Yes, being the parents of little Frankie Schultz...
the boy wonder of the screen - we have our social
position to maintain.
ANDY
And to think o' you two havin' the luck to adopt a kid
an' him turnin' out to be a screen knock-out... earnin'
a million dollars a year!
ELLIE
Well, Cap'n Andy, if you ever come out to beautiful
California, do look us up at our palatian villa.
ANDY
I sure will. I'm glad you two are doin' so well in pitchers.
FRANK
Yes of course, it's an exacting art and between you
and I the social life in Hollywood is pretty swift.
ELLIE
(coyly)
Oh, Frank, don't be so mid-Victrola!
(FRANK and ELLIE exit)
ANDY
Those movin' pitcher people are wonderful!
(The concert on the boat is over. The crowd starts
to come out. It is a corresponding crowd to the 1890
audience we saw in Act One - in modern guise. They
gather about in groups up stage discussing the show.
RAVENAL comes down stage R. JOE stands outside the
pilot house of the tug; other Negroes gather about
the deck of the tug and look on)
ANDY
Hello, Gay. She'll probably come out on the top deck.
(to GIRL)
Hello, Hope.
HOPE
'Lo, Cap'n Andy.
ANDY
(to RAVENAL)
Shall I call Nola?
RAVENAL
I don't know.
GIRL
(passing with her escort)
'Lo, Capt. Andy!
ANDY
Is your ma well?
GIRL
Fine, thanks.
ANDY
Thank her for the chocolate cake.
GIRL
I will.
MAN
Great show, Capt. Andy!
ANDY
Glad you like it. How're the kids?
MAN
All right. Little one's got a cold.
ANDY
Too bad. Change o' weather, I expect...
oh, I didn't see you, Nola.
(MAGNOLIA has entered quietly from the boat to
speak to her father and has seen RAVENAL before he
could turn. ANDY follows her gaze over his shoulder)
ANDY
Er... Nola... here... here's Gay...
(turning to RAVENAL)
Here's Nola, Gay.
MAGNOLIA
Gay...
(Neither knows what to say - the silence is embarrassing,
painful to all three. As JOE and CHORUS start to hum
"Ol' Man River" an old lady comes up to ANDY)
OLD LADY
Isn't that your daughter, Cap'n Hawks?
ANDY
Er - yes - that's Nola.
OLD LADY
(going over to MAGNOLIA)
How-do? I remember you when you were leading lady on this
boat - and - that's your husband, isn't it? How-do, Sir?
RAVENAL
How do you do?
OLD LADY
I thought I recognized you both - guess I ought to -
was here on this levee the day you were married.
My, my, how excited we all were! That was a real
love match! Well, glad to see it turned out well
and you're still happy together... Good-night.
MAGNOLIA
Good night, dear.
(The OLD LADY exits )
Father - this is a - a nice surprise -
(She goes over and takes RAVENAL's hand)
Gay - come - come up on the top deck -
we can talk there... will you?
RAVENAL
Nola...
(He slowly takes her in his arms - he hasn't quite
the courage to kiss her. She kisses him.
GIRLS and BOYS enter)
ANDY
(chuckling)
If you go up front, you'll find a water barrel -
ain't much different from the old one.
(MAGNOLIA and RAVENAL start to walk towards the boat)
MAGNOLIA
Look, Gay - there's Kim.
CHORUS
But Ol' Man River,
He jes' keeps rollin' along!
(SLOW CURTAIN)
