Hollywood Arts (2026) s01e03 Episode Script

1
So I break down the walls that I made ♪
Won't hold back, I'm here to stay ♪
[upbeat music plays]
Ah! I didn't see you there.
This is a story about a talented,
handsome young man's journey
to getting a prize jacket.
Spoiler alert, that young man is me.
I am a demon.
Demon's my name.
And I can't be swayed by a dime or a dame.
"I am a dame, a dime I may be,
but 'tis I who will have you
on bended knee."
I'm in the middle of makeup,
but come get me
if we're gonna run the big kiss scene.
Okay. Jen, trust me,
I will not be running the big
kissing scene with my brother, okay?
And for the 40th time,
we will come and get you!
Okay.
Go!
- [humming]
- Um, "Oh demon, oh demon, pray tell…"
- [humming]
- "Do you…"
Do-- Do you mind losing
Taylor Not-So-Swift over here?
Not a chance.
Jaccopo's measuring me for the jacket.
I feel like you want me to ask
about the jacket.
Since you asked.
It's a special jacket you get
when you join the 100 Curtains Club.
- I feel like you want me to ask you about…
- The 100 Curtains Club
is an honor bestowed to those
who have performed 100 times
on the Hollywood Arts stage.
And after tonight, yours truly
will be the youngest boy ever
to accomplish such a feat.
I'll finally dethrone Kid Rock.
Now, let's move to the next scene.
And when you read the lines this time,
act like you have talent.
Does anybody else wanna read lines
with Oscar? Hm?
Anybody at all?
No can do, buddy.
I'm an usher.
Oh! Me too.
Boop, boop, boop, boop ♪
Pepper, are you dressed
as the singer Usher?
Yeah! ♪
Clearly, I got my hands full tonight,
so your brother's your problem.
Have no fear, the director is here!
[breathes heavily]
Why are you so gassed?
Because they gave me
the new teacher parking spot
and it sucks!
[groaning]
Stupid parking spot. Whoa!
[tumbler clinks]
[yelling]
My coccyx!
And then my phone called my therapist
and she told me I was beyond help.
Oh, so that's who has
that double dumpster spot.
That's your car in between?
Thought it was a third dumpster.
- That's what I thought.
- Good news is Principal Helen's giving me
a brand-spanking-new parking spot
for directing Demon and the Dime.
Oh, so that's why you offered to do it.
That's not the only reason why.
I actually really like directing.
- 'Cause you like bossing us around?
- Bingo.
Pepper, chair me!
[slurps]
Enough sitting around!
I only get my new parking spot
at the curtain call tonight
so I don't want any missed cues.
Did someone say kiss cues?
Emmy, I told you not to run
the kiss scene without me!
We didn't! Trina was just giving
the world's worst pep talk.
Oh, that tracks.
- The show's gonna be great.
- As long as nobody gets sick.
Pepper!
You're gonna jinx us!
Why would you say that?
[laughing] I don't know
why I say anything.
[sighs]
You theater kids and your superstitions.
No one's getting sick.
- The show's in like an hour.
- [sneezes]
That's a first sneeze.
- A first sneeze?
- No, it's not.
The first sneeze of a sick actor.
It's a very specific sound
that every trained actor recognizes.
And if you don't act fast,
everyone could get sick
and it could take down
the entire production.
[coughing]
Get the box!
You can't do this to me!
I have to perform to get my jacket.
Jaccopo, save me!
No talking in the box.
You're so cute when you're sick.
You have to let me out.
There's no understudy!
What?! Whose brilliant idea was that?
It was yours! Your exact quote was,
"This is gonna save us a lot of money."
But you guys don't get paid.
That's what we said! Then you burped,
rated the burp an eight, and left.
I remember that burp. It was a nine.
Okay, look.
I hate this idea,
but we could cancel the show.
[gasps] No!
I put my heart and soul
into directing this musical!
- Afraid you won't get your parking space?
- I fell off my car!
Oh! Emmy can do it.
What is this "it" you speak of?
She's been running lines with Oscar
so she knows the dialogue
and the demon wears a mask, so no one
will be able to tell it's not Oscar.
- Okay, wait.
- So it's settled. She'll do it!
No, it's not!
Shut up, hot stuff.
Okay, as much as I wanna help,
I do not think I can do this.
I've never even been in a play before,
let alone the lead of one.
I'm sweaty thinking about that.
So it's settled! She'll do it!
- Appreciate you.
- Thank you, Emmy.
- Yeah! ♪
- Wait!
And I'm not just saying this
'cause I wanna go to Smooch Town
with her brother.
But…
If Emmy's out there on stage,
then who's gonna run tech, huh?
Qwest and Pepper. They ain't doing squat!
We've got ushering duties
to fulfill 'cause we ditched
our front of house assignments
last semester to go shoe shopping.
- It was worth it.
- Yeah! ♪
There's only one person
with literally nothing to do.
[loud burp]
That was a ten!
Shoes on the left ♪
Shoes on the right ♪
Walking all around looking so tight ♪
Okay, I'm seeing a lot of buttons
and I don't know what any of 'em do.
Okay.
Well, as you know, The Demon and the Dime
is a pretty tech-heavy show,
but as long as you just follow along
and click the buttons on that computer,
you should be fine.
It's pretty intuitive.
I programmed it myself.
"It's pretty intuitive.
I programmed it myself."
Was that really necessary?
No.
Trina, we all really need you
to take this seriously, okay?
Especially me.
It's my first time acting in a play.
Honey, look at me.
Look into my eyes.
I would do anything to make sure
I get that parking spot.
And save the show, right?
That part's implied.
[huffs] Okay.
Just remember the golden rule
of tech production.
The only tech you really need
is a spotlight on your lead.
Which is me.
I'm the lead of this play
for the first time. [sharp exhale]
Achoo!
Oh-ho no, I appear that I am sick now!
You're gonna act better
on stage than that, right?
[sighs]
"All signs point to yes."
Ah, you'll be fine.
[chuckling]
I am gonna crush this tech stuff.
My dad says I'm great at pushing buttons.
People's buttons, but same difference.
[upbeat musical transition]
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
- Enjoy the show.
- There's no understudy.
[chuckles] And we have successfully ushed.
- Yeah! ♪
- [chuckling]
Let's roll.
These shoes can't shop themselves.
Oh, no, no. We can't bail.
We gotta stay so we can ush 'em out.
But… brought us a little friend
to keep us occupied.
[giggles] Catch.
Yeah, this is fun.
Pepper, why didn't you catch it?
- Oh!
- [tense music plays]
I never told anybody this,
but I don't know how to read.
Also, I can't catch.
Oh. Hold on, hold on a second. Wait.
You're a sophomore in high school
and you can't catch?
Know what? We're gonna fix that tonight.
- Right?
- Mm-hmm.
Okay. [giggling]
Okay, so maybe by the end of the week.
Please, let me out!
I'm not sick, it's just allergies!
[yelps]
Whoa!
Oh! Ow!
Freedom.
Now, to take the stage.
Whoo. After a brief rest.
[whimpers]
Okay, show's about to start.
Expectations are high.
Maybe I'll just take a peek.
- [exhales]
- [indistinct chatter]
Oof! Sold-out crowd!
Wow! [inhales deeply]
Were you looking at the crowd?
You're such a newb!
No, no! I wasn't-- What, why, why?
Is it hot in here? [whines]
This is gonna go great!
People don't understand how hard it is
being the most talented girl in school.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the show is about to begin.
Please feel free to scroll
throughout the performance.
"Cue one. Press blue button."
- Press.
- [dramatic intro music plays]
Freaking nailed it!
Oh, it's gonna be an easy night.
[chair creaks]
- Ahh!
- [thud]
Alright.
You know the lines, you know the blocking.
Just get through it.
[audience applauds]
[music fades]
Uh…
[flatly] I am a demon, Demon is my name.
And I will not be swayed
by a dime or a dame.
[chuckling nervously]
One scene down. Ten more to go.
Who's got this? I got this. Hah.
Whoo!
Right, sounds like the play's going well.
They're at Blood Manor.
- I'm sure Oscar's crushing it.
- He's sick.
Emmy went on for him, remember?
Do we wanna tackle
my short-term memory issues tonight or…
What were we just doing?
- We were teaching you how to catch.
- There it is.
Alright, just start clapping, okay?
I'm gonna time my throw so all
you gotta do is clap and you'll catch it.
Ooh, no wonder you're the best
basketball player at Hollywood Arts.
That's just a lie I tell my parents so--
Oh, just start clapping. Okay?
- [ball bounces]
- I did it!
Kinda. Uh, you know,
just now, when you clap on the ball,
don't-- d-don't unclap.
Watch. Alright. Be cool.
- Enjoy the show, sir.
- Yes. Isn't it?
- [sneezes]
- Oscar?
No! I'm Thurston, a healthy old man
who loves high school theater.
No, I'm not sick, I swear!
No, no! I must have my jacket!
Here come the townsfolk!
Let us flee!
[flatly] Lest these townsfolk
pitchfork me!
[dramatic music begins]
We are the townsfolk ♪
We come from the town ♪
Hunt us that demon
We'll bring him down ♪
This is going great.
I'm doing everything I needed.
I'm-- I have not missed a single line,
I am hitting my marks.
I am getting through it.
Yeah, that's who they give the awards to,
the actors who get through it.
Emmy, you're the lead in a play.
Technically, my brother
was the lead and got sick,
and I was the one
that happened to know all of his lines.
And now you're the lead in a play
at Hollywood Arts where stars are made.
Anyone can say lines and hit marks,
but stars give it their all
every single time.
So do you wanna just get through it
or do you wanna be a star?
I wanna be a star.
Then get out there and do it!
[audience cheering]
Thanks, Jen.
- Ew! Just get out there.
- Okay.
Must we hide forevermore?
Locked inside this Blood Manor.
A quiet life is such a bore.
When will I hear my demon roar?
[intense music plays]
Through the shadows I rise ♪
- Okay!
- I am a demon ♪
But there's love within my eyes ♪
You're never gonna blind me ♪
No, no, no ♪
Together with my dime ♪
We'll steal the shine ♪
[audience cheering]
That girl really is a star. [chuckles]
And I directed the pants
out of this play. [chuckles]
- [beep]
- [gasps, screams]
[all gasp]
Uh, Demy?
Oh…
Where the heck is Emmy?
[beep]
Oh, that's not good.
I was never here.
[dramatic music plays]
Vamp!
Well, my demon is away,
so continue I the play!
[man] Was the demon supposed to fall
through that trap door?
Mind your business!
Mind your business ♪
Oh! Music!
[upbeat music begins]
Mind your business ♪
If something feels amiss
Don't tell your missus ♪
You'll feel a great relief
When you suspend your disbelief ♪
Don't be a logic stickler
Be a witness ♪
Mind your business ♪
- This is it, Pepper.
- This is it, Pepper.
- You gonna catch it!
- I'm gonna catch it!
- Yeah, ready?
- Uh-huh, uh-huh.
Heh.
At this point I think it might just be
easier to teach you how to read. Yeah.
Jacket…
Oh my God, man. You're circling the drain.
And your jealousy is unbecoming.
Now out of my way!
Don't you try to stop me.
[exhales]
You're not even moving.
Ankle grab.
Come on, man. Emmy is covering for you,
we don't need you.
Where's Oscar? We need him!
Down here, healthy as an ox.
Okay, um, nobody knows how it happened,
but Emmy fell down a trap door,
and Jen's out there vamping a song
until the demon comes back on stage.
We need Oscar!
But look at him, he's dying!
Well, there's only one scene left.
The death scene.
Drag me to the stage.
Oh!
This song is planned ♪
I've been working on it for weeks ♪
[no audible dialogue]
And this is the end of this ♪
Highly rehearsed
Expertly choreographed ♪
Meticulously written song ♪
- Mind your business!
- [music ends]
[groans]
Demy?
My… dime.
[groans]
Pray tell, pray tell, it can't be true!
Did those townsfolk pitchfork you?
They pitchforked me inside my gut…
- Oh!
- …before I could kick
their townsfolk butts.
Why?!
Okay. I feel like
we're actually gonna pull this off.
- Yeah!
- [Trina] Just one more lighting cue.
- [electrical buzzing]
- [audience clamoring]
The trap door was my fault,
but that's not on me.
You blew every light in the auditorium!
Not on me!
What are we gonna do?
Uh… Oh!
E-Emmy told me this golden rule of tech.
It was nerdy and annoying. It rhymed.
The only tech you really need
is a spotlight on your lead.
How'd you know that?
It's written on that sign above your head.
Pepper, that's reading.
You said you couldn't read.
Oh, that's reading? I can do that.
We don't have time for this.
- Someone's gotta fix the spotlight.
- I'm on it!
She forgot the bulb!
- [sighs]
- [exclaims]
I'm on it. [grunts]
[tense music plays]
Pepper, you forgot the bulb!
Throw it! I'll catch it.
But, Pepper, you can't catch.
I will this time
because you believe in me.
I really don't.
Just throw it!
["Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls plays]
And I don't want the world to see me ♪
- Pepper!
- 'Cause I don't think ♪
That they'd understand ♪
- When everything's made to be-- ♪
- Pepper!
[music ends abruptly]
[shrieks]
[whimpering]
I see the light, my dime, my heart ♪
But hold me close until we part ♪
What fate has cursed a dime with this ♪
Still time have I to give one kiss ♪
- [sneezes]
- Ahh!
[exhales]
Worth it.
Oh! You're a genius.
You did it! That parking spot is mine!
[chuckles]
And looks too.
What can't you do?
Mmm… mwah!
[yells]
- [thud]
- Ahh!
Agh! Again?
Way to go, Pep! You got it!
I just want you to know who I am ♪
Alright, let's go, Pep.
[grand music playing]
[Trina over speakers] He has performed
in this theater 100 times.
Receiving the jacket, Oscar Ward!
[applause continues]
[applause, cheering]
And I ran the tech!
Hello!
I'm still down here!
[sneezes, sniffles]
Oh, crud. I'm sick.
[applause continues]
[sighs]
[cheering, applause]
Oh!
Guess I live here now.
[upbeat musical transition]
At least I got to kiss Oscar. [giggles]
[sneezes]
Still worth it.
[sniffles]
[music ends]
[upbeat music playing]