MARK

how do you document real life

when real life's getting more

like fiction each day

headlines--bread-lines

blow my mind

and now this deadline

"eviction--or pay"

rent



ROGER

how do you write a song

when the chords sound wrong

though they once sounded right and rare

when the notes are sour

where is the power

you once had to ignite the air



MARK

and we're hungry and frozen



ROGER

some life that we've chosen



TOGETHER

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

last year's rent



MARK

we light candles



ROGER

how do you start a fire 

when there's nothing to burn

and it feels like something's stuck in

your flue



MARK

how can you generate heat

when you can't feel your feet



BOTH

and they're turning blue!



MARK

you light up a mean blaze



ROGER

with posters-



MARK

and screenplays



ROGER & MARK

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

last year's rent



JOANNE (on the phone)

don't screen, maureen

it's me--Joanne

your substitute production manager

hey hey hey! (did you eat)

don't change the subject maureen

but darling--you haven't eaten all day



you won't throw up

you won't throw up

the digital delay--

didn't blow up (exactly)

there may have been one teeny tiny spark

you're not calling mark



COLLINS

how do you stay on your feet

when on every street

it's 'trick or treat'

(and tonight its 'trick')

'welcome back to town'

i should lie down

everything's brown

and uh-oh

i feel sick



MARK

where is he?



COLLINS

getting dizzy



MARK & ROGER

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay

how we gonna pay 

last year's rent



BENNY (on cell phone)

allison baby--you sound sad

i don't believe those two

after everything i've done



ever since our wedding

i'm dirt--they'll see

i can help them all out in the long run



forces are gathering

forces are gathering

can't turn away

forces are gathering



COLLINS

ughhhh

ughhhh

ughhhh--i can't think

ughhhh

ughhhh

ughhhh--i need a drink



MARK

"the music ignites the night with 

passionate fire"



JOANNE

maureen--i'm not a theatre person



ROGER

"the narration crackles and pops with 

incendiary wit"



JOANNE

could never be a theatre person



MARK

zoom in as they burn the past to the

ground



JOANNE

hello?



MARK & ROGER

and feel the heat of the future's

glow



JOANNE

hello?



MARK (on the phone)

hello? maureen?

-you're equipment won't work?

okay, all right, i'll go!



MARK & 1/2 THE COMPANY

how do you leave the past behind

when it keep finding ways to get to

your heart

it reaches way down deep and tears

you inside out

til you're torn apart

rent



ROGER & 1/2 THE COMPANY

how can you connect in an age

where strangers, landlords, lovers

your own blood cells betray



ALL

what binds the fabric together

when the raging, shifting winds of change

keep ripping away



BENNY

draw a line in the sand

and then make a stand



ROGER

use your camera to spar



MARK

use your guitar



ALL

when they act tough--you call their

bluff



MARK & ROGER

we're not gonna pay



MARK & ROGER & 1/2 THE COMPANY

we're not gonna pay



MARK & ROGER & OTHER 1/2

we're not gonna pay



ALL

last year's rent

this year's rent

next year's rent



rent rent rent rent rent

we're not gonna pay rent



ROGER & MARK

'cause everything is rent