American Classic (2026) s01e07 Episode Script

[Kristen] Previously
on American Classic
You didn't tell her the truth.
You can't act.
You can't act.
I think I might have. Yes.
Now, of course,
Boyle will pull the plug,
all this will disappear,
and I will have broken
Miranda's heart.
I mean, how would you feel
if it was your own daughter
that was the cause of this
whole project going arseways?
Maybe she should take
a gap year after all.
And I was hoping
you would be open
to just to toning down
the casino protests.
Are you bribing me right now?
I need a place to store
200 theater seats.
Oh, God!
I've got three empty spaces
in Main Street.
I'm not playing Mrs. Webb.
The best work I have ever done
has been with you.
I lost Miranda's college fund
at a casino.
Since when do you have
a gambling problem?
[Jon] I don't.
It's a freak thing.
When I went to the casino
with Boyle.
Don't let the devil win.
Not this time.
Councilman Bean will cast
the deciding vote.
No.
[cheering]
Say goodbye
to your rain, genius.
[lighthearted music]
[Miranda] Mom.
Got chocolate milk and berries.
Your favorite.
Turnout was really
good yesterday.
You know, like, democracy lives.
So there's that.
[Miranda] Mm.
Listen, I know you wanted
to save the town.
It just wasn't
the right solution.
But you'll find a better one.
You're the best mayor
this town has ever had.
-Shit.
-[Jon] Hey, honey.
You wanna talk
about what happened?
-Nope.
-Okay, um
I just--I wanna say
you're the best mayor
this town has ever had.
Shit.
"Well-meaning, but unqualified"?
"Ineffectual."
"Mis-cast Mayor."
This is bullshit.
You've worked your ass off
for this town.
I think they're right.
[mischievous music]
[man] Put everything that you
need. The cart has to go.
[woman] This one?
Could you move your feet?
[Hugo and Pat chattering]
[Hugo] That's not your lights,
'cause it's from the kit--
Don't touch this light--
What the hell?
What--What happened?
Boyle happened.
Boyle?
Sometimes the devil hath power
to assume a pleasing shape.
There's the fella!
-Come to gloat?
-Abso-fucking-lutely.
And to give you this.
A lesson.
A donut cost a smidge
over ten cents to make.
Now just say you sell
that donut for a buck.
Even after labor and marketing,
it's still a profit of 700%.
Now, take your man
Stephen Sondheim.
He wrote 15 Broadway musicals
and only three recouped.
And he's a fucking genius,
is he not?
So donuts pay,
theater doesn't.
Good luck with your show now
or whatever's left of it.
-[workers chattering]
-[horse neighing]
Holy shit.
Boyle paid for all of this?
Yeah. Yeah.
So when you told that story
at the council vote
Yeah, I was fully aware
that this might happen,
but I--I--I was consumed
with the need to, I don't know,
do the right thing
and just--[pops]
out it came.
Yeah.
Happens to the worst of us.
[Hugo] Easy with that, guys.
Yeah.
[workers chattering]
-Ah
-[Richard clears throat]
[soft guitar music]
Richard, my son. My star.
[sighs]
Yeah, Dad--
Uh--
Everything's falling apart.
We don't have a set.
We lost the rain.
We lost the soda fountain.
We lost the horse--
This is good news.
Now you'll have to do the play
the way it was supposed
to be done.
Dad, I--I don't think
the company's gonna like
the new concept.
Of course they will.
Actors are the most loyal
and wonderful people
you'll ever meet.
They'll go to the ends
of the earth for their director.
Hm, the new concept
is we don't pay them.
Well, then they'll
probably quit.
That's why I work
with puppets.
Hm.
[Richard] Welcome.
I have a confession
I need to make.
I did not pay for this
production with my own money.
The truth is, all the monies
for this production
were provided
by Connor Boyle.
Do not say
that man's name to me!
He is a huge asshole.
And, yes, I have left him.
And now
he is taking away horse
because you shit in casino.
-On casino.
-It--Yes.
Whatever it is you say.
You know, I just--
I cannot--
I cannot be with a man
who does not appreciate
the art.
I'm so sorry, guys.
Now I'm just gonna be staying
at the Embassy Suite.
So
Thank you, Nadia.
So there we are.
Well, here we are.
Uh--
[clears throat]
It is what it is.
[nervous chuckle]
Uh
The scenic elements weren't
necessarily necessary,
but they were--
they were there
and we're here now.
What does that mean?
It means I'm trying
to avoid telling you
what I have to tell you,
which is
I can't pay
any of you anymore.
Well, that's it, then.
No, no, Dad, wait, wait, wait.
Let me finish.
Let me finish.
Sorry. Force of habit.
[chuckles]
[Richard] So, at this point,
it's fair to say
that this is, uh--
Well, it's a moment of truth.
It's a line in the sand
sort of moment, I think.
Oh, this reminds me
of Henry V.
The Battle of Agincourt.
It was a battle fought between
the French and the English
in 1415.
The French have the English
completely outnumbered,
at least five to one.
And Henry chooses this moment
to address his troops.
He tells his cousin
Westmoreland, who says,
"O that we had
a man more from England."
He says,
"No, no, no, no, no, no.
"Do not wish one man more.
"Rather proclaim it,
Westmoreland, through my host,
"that he that hath
no stomach to this fight,
let him depart."
"We would not die
in that man's company
"that fears his fellowship
to die with us.
[swelling inspirational music]
"This day is called
the Feast of Crispian.
"He that outlives this day
and comes safe home
"will stand at tiptoe
when this day is named.
"Old men forget,
but all shall be forgot,
"but he'll remember
with advantages
"what feats he did that day!
"Then shall our names,
"familiar in his mouth
as household words,
"be freshly remembered.
"This story shall
the good man teach his son
"and Crispin Crispian
shall ne'er go by
"from this day
to the ending of the world.
"But we in it
shall be remembered.
"We few
"We happy few,
"we band of brothers.
[inspirational soft music]
"For he today
that sheds his blood with me
"shall be my brother.
"Be ne'er so vile this day
shall gentle his condition.
"And gentlemen
in England now abed,
"shall think themselves
accursed they were not here.
"And hold
their manhoods cheap!
"Whiles any speaks
that fought with us
upon Saint Crispin's Day."
Ah, enough,
you queen of drama!
[murmuring]
-[applause]
-Wow!
I stand with you.
Best three weeks
of my fucking life.
This play has made me
almost give up drinking.
My wife is so proud of me.
I just wish
I was brave enough
to try out
the first time around.
-I'm in.
-[Miranda] Me, too.
[Randall] Oh, I'm gonna
miss that grub, though.
[Kenny] I can bring
my breakfast casserole.
I'm in, but I'm not
going up those stairs.
-[laughing]
-Okay, Dad. Okay.
This is happening?
You're all--
You're all okay
with the fact that
there's nothing to fall back on
but one another.
Oh, oh--
Oh, my pet.
I--I think I could do
something
very interesting, darling.
-With what's left?
-Absolutely.
And you know, there
is actually one more thing
that this Mr. Ex Asshole
Boyfriend Robber Guy
is not gonna steal from us.
He's not gonna take
200 red chairs.
Because, you know,
you think I'm so heartbroken
I cannot steal
a set of keys?
-[Clarence] All right!
-Yeah!
Oh, what a--
Let's go get some chairs.
[rock and roll playing]
[Nadia] Okay
Are these ready to go?
Here, let me take this.
Okay--ooh!
All right.
Oh, my Lord.
[chattering]
-Hi!
-Hi.
♪♪♪
[cheering]
Come see "Our Town."
Come see "Our Town" at MFT!
All through town!
We're almost there!
[Nadia] Let's go, let's go!
[drill whirring]
[drill whirring, clatters]
Now, you see--That way.
-[whirring]
-Got it.
♪♪♪
[Miranda] Got it.
Now three, now two
[chattering]
[Nadia] I would say, great job.
Looks good to me.
-[cheering]
-Here you go! Help yourself.
-Yes! Thank you.
-Here they are.
You stood by me
through all of this, Hugo.
I never even gave you
the chance to say no.
I wouldn't have said no.
I believe
in what you're doing here.
[chattering]
-Truly amazing--
-[chattering stops]
Mom.
Kristen.
-You're here.
-[chattering stops]
You still need a Mrs. Webb?
[Nadia] Whoo! Yes!
[chattering]
-[Tina] We totally need her.
-Amazing!
[chattering continues]
I don't know
why I should be crying
Can I start over?
-[phone buzzing]
-Of course.
[buzzing stops]
[sighs]
I don't know why on earth
I should be crying.
I suppose
there's nothing to cry
-I can't--I can't do this.
-Yes, you can.
Richard.
Just hold on.
Just ask everyone to take
the rest of the day off.
Thank you all.
Guys, let's call it
a day. Okay?
-Let's go.
-Thank you.
Great work,
to be continued.
[phone buzzing]
[buzzing stops]
Uh, where were we?
Take it from wherever you like.
Pick up from where
you left off or whatever.
Hm.
I hope her girlfriends
have told her a thing or two.
It's cruel, I know--
My God.
I'm trying.
I am really--
I am--I am really--
I'm really trying.
I know. Try less.
[sniffles]
It's cruel, I know,
but I haven't been able
to tell her anything.
I went into it blind.
Blind as a--
Blind as a bat.
The whole world's wrong.
That's what's the matter.
[sniffles]
It's not too much?
Of course it's too much.
It was always too much.
That's what we loved about it.
-That's why we do it.
-[laughing]
-[phone buzzing]
-Yeah, I'm sorry.
This is my agent,
and he's going to just
keep calling if I don't--
It's okay. Take it.
Okay. Alvy, why do you persist
in calling me?
I am trying to rehearse.
Because I have some news
I thought you might
want to hear, King Lear.
Alvy, Alvy, I'm not
coming back to New York.
Fair enough.
But what about London?
"King Lear" at the Barbican.
It's the dream, Richard.
All first class, huh?
Deluxe room at the Savoy.
This is it. This is it.
I worked my ass off on this,
and now you redeem yourself.
Uh, Alvy, I'm
I'm staying in Millersburg.
Why the fuck would you do that?
Maybe, uh
because I'm needed here.
Oh, I'm sure you're not.
Well, I'm doing something
that matters.
-To whom?
-Ooh
To me, to the town,
to my family.
The world at large, okay?
I'm just--just--
Just thank
the producers very much
and tell them no.
No, wait, wait a second!
-No, no--
-[closes phone]
[soft music]
So, where were we?
-[Kristen] Hello?
-In here.
[door closes]
What you doing?
Oh, I'm just doing
the program notes.
Do you want to help?
I just came by to say
that it's totally fine
if you don't want me
to play Mrs. Webb.
-Um
-Look
I'm letting you off
the hook here.
I mean, I obviously--
I'm not at the top of my game.
Not that I even had a game,
but I'm not--
I just--I'm very in my head
about things.
And I just--I started--
I started having
all kinds of feelings.
Just--yuck.
So I'm--
Just want to say thank you
for being so kind about it all.
It's nerves.
That's all it is, Kristen.
It's just nerves. You're gonna
be a wonderful Mrs. Webb.
I know things haven't
been great between us.
But we're getting better,
aren't we?
Can I ask you a favor?
Of course. Anything.
I don't know
what your plans are
after the show closes,
but I was wondering
if you could leave.
-Leave?
-Millersburg.
Not that we don't love
having you here, but--
It's complicated, right?
I mean, you and I, we were--
I mean, not that you were
even thinking about staying.
I mean, why would you--
[chuckles]
I don't know
why you would stay here.
No, I--I understand.
You're abandoning me.
-What?
-You're abandoning me.
That's what you did in New York
when we were together.
And now we're not even together,
and you're abandoning me.
-You left me.
-No--
Kristen, we were living
together in New York.
You left and came back here.
I stayed in New York.
That's you leaving me.
You were never there.
You were just getting cast
in everything.
I lost you to your success.
I mean, you were drunk
with it, Richard.
God, all that time
I was thinking you'd just
lost interest in me, which--
I couldn't understand that
at all.
I didn't lose interest in you.
I lost interest in myself
sitting around New York
waiting for you.
I was alone.
And there was no place for me
in the theater there
or--or with you.
So, yes, I packed up.
I came home.
We abandoned each other.
I guess we did.
Anyway, I should go.
Sure, yeah.
You weren't actually
going to stay in Millersburg
after the show, were you?
No. I--I have a life.
Okay. Well, now I feel dumb.
But anyway,
thank you for today.
And I'll try not
to cry so much tomorrow.
Okay.
[melancholic music]
[door closes]
[soft melancholic music]
[phone beeping and dialing]
[recording] Alvy Stritch,
leave your message.
[tone beeps]
Yeah, Alvy, it's Richard.
The Lear in London?
Have you spoken to them yet?
If you haven't, turns out
I'm completely available.
Why aren't you in bed?
I don't know.
I just can't sleep, Papa.
The moonlight is so wonderful
and the smell
of Mrs. Gibbs' heliotrope.
Can you smell it?
-Jon?
-What?
Oh, that's me.
I'm sorry.
Okay. No, I'm just--
I'm just very happy
to be here. Okay. Sorry.
[clears throat]
And the smell
of Mrs. Gibbs' heliotrope.
Can you smell it?
Yes.
Haven't any troubles
on your mind, have you, Emily?
Troubles, Papa?
[laughing]
Sorry. It's just so cool
doing this with my dad.
[clears throat]
-All right. We can do this.
-[Miranda] Yep.
Okay. Focus.
We can do this.
-Focus.
-Yeah, mm-hm.
[clears throat]
Troubles, Papa, now?
Well, enjoy yourself.
Just don't let
your mother catch you.
Good night, Emily--
[laughing]
You guys, we open in two days.
I'm sorry. I won't be
laughing on the day.
Oh, that's encouraging.
[Jon] I'm just so happy.
Okay--
-[Miranda] Ready?
-[clears throat]
Well, enjoy yourself,
but don't let your mother--
[laughing]
[soft music]
[doorbell dings]
[murmuring]
[doorbell dings]
-Oh, Boyle.
-Bean.
-Am I bothering you?
-Why, yes.
Well, I--
I was just wondering
if you might be able
to give these to Nadia.
It's her--it's her special
skin lotions.
Well, she's staying
at the Embassy Suites.
You can give them
to her yourself.
She won't see me.
She's not talking to me and
I--I love that girl,
you know?
And, well, I--
I just knew you'd understand.
So, it's--
it's the snow mushroom dew
and something--stem cells?
And, oh, yeah, and the mist
of the Hungarian Queen
or some shite.
But, you know,
it's a few grands worth
of her favorite
lotions and oils.
-So if you could just--
-Yeah.
You know, she turns out
to be quite a good actress.
You should come see her.
Wait, are you still going on
with the show?
Oh, yeah.
None of your bells
and none of your whistles?
I thought I took that away.
Oh, you did,
but we still have the play
and the actors
and something way down deep
that's eternal
in every human being.
[sighs]
Fuck me.
I think I need a drink.
-Come here.
-Oh--
-There, there.
-[sniffles]
-Thank you.
-Sure.
-Cheers.
-Sure.
[mischievous music]
[contents clinking]
Hm.
Whoa.
I cannot believe
Boyle's been paying
for Richard's production
this entire time.
I mean, I'm not proud of this,
but at one point,
at one very low point
I actually thought
about dipping
into Miranda's college fund
to pay him off.
[sighs]
Well, you know, I--
I understand what you're
saying about Boyle.
-You do?
-I do.
[exhales sharply]
In fact
-You okay?
-Yeah, no, I--
[Miranda] Hey.
Am I interrupting
a romantic moment?
No, no, no.
Come. Come here.
No, not at all.
Hey, mwah!
Are you guys excited
we open so soon?
-[laughing] Oh, my God.
-I'm very nervous.
Just slightly terrified.
[laughing]
So, I actually wanted
to talk to you guys
because, um, I was looking
into Penn's theater program
and, well, it's kind of cool.
It's all extracurricular, so--
Co--college.
Yeah, you can kind
of design it yourself.
Yeah?
I'm not saying
I want to go there, but
-Mm-hm.
-Not ruling it out.
Good. Good for you. Good.
Isn't that great?
What? Oh, yes.
No, yes, college--
college is great.
Of course it's great. It's--
-Can I get you something?
-No, I'm good.
Yeah? You--you want--
I can get you some.
-No, no, I'm good.
-I'm gonna get a little--
I'm just gonna get a little--
Be right--
Be right back.
[mischievous music]
[chuckles]
[Nadia] Hi, guys.
Big day.
[chattering]
Where's Dad?
Oh, he's prepping
the opening-night party.
-Okay.
-Yeah.
[Hugo] All right, everyone.
Let's begin.
Uh, hello.
It's our opening night.
[applause]
It's my 110th opening night.
Oh, wow! Wow.
So I thought we'd do
one last Circle of Truth
and then speed through.
And then take the rest
of the afternoon
for ourselves to prepare.
But not over-prepare.
Kristen, you want to start?
-What?
-Oh.
Oh, no.
All good. All good.
Thank you.
-I'll go.
-[Richard] Oh.
Uh, I never thought
I'd have such a good time
with my parents.
[all] Aw.
Even though I'm hating him
still right now,
I do wish that Connor
could see me up on the stage
and see this beautiful thing
that we make it together.
You all know me. I--
I get nervous.
But I know you all got my back.
[Nadia] Yes. Absolutely.
You know what?
I don't miss the rain.
I don't miss the horse.
-You don't?
-I'm allergic.
I just wanna say
thank you, Richard Bean,
for believing in us.
Yeah!
Thank you
for believing in you.
And what about you, Mr. Bean?
-What about me?
-Well, you haven't shared.
You're right.
I guess, well, I think I--
Yeah, I should do that.
I will share
a truth.
The fact is, uh--
I've come to realize
recently, that, uh
I'm lonely.
Uh
I know it's boring to hear
a famous person complain, but--
[clears throat]
Yeah, I've been
lonely and, um, isolated and
Well, and it's my own doing.
I pushed a lot of
a lot of people away,
a lot of friends and
and family even.
And, um
I think I traded family
for fame.
Uh
But being with you all
for the last few weeks,
I've come to realize
that family
is important to me.
Not only my theater family,
which we all have become,
but my real family.
My dad and Jon, Kristen.
I look at you,
Miranda, and I think
How happy I would've been
to be a father
to a beautiful
young woman like you.
I think that would have been
a profound experience,
being your father.
Yes.
To come home and hear
you say, "Daddy"
-[Nadia] Oh, Daddy.
-[laughing]
[Richard]
"What'd you bring me?"
-[Kristen] Hey, Richard
-"You're home."
That sort of thing.
-Richard.
-What?
Stop. It's just--
-I didn't say--
-Well, no, it's just a lot.
-And I think--I think.
-I'm not saying I'm her father.
No, I know, but I think you're
making Miranda uncomfortable.
No, he isn't.
I'm not saying she--I'm
her father, I'm saying I--
Hey, Richard.
Richard, stop. Stop.
Mom.
[nervous laughter]
Why are you laughing like that?
Opening-night jitters.
[Tina] Families are complex.
I found out that my dad
wasn't my dad when I was 40.
Oh, God. Oh, God.
Yeah, he was
our next-door neighbor.
The guy who owned
that fumigation company.
-Ed Hicks.
-[Kenny] Ed?
-Yes.
-I see that now.
Yeah, it's the nose.
That guy asked out my mom once.
Could he be my dad?
[Marney] You know,
many people's fathers
aren't who they think they are.
-It's just a fact.
-Mm-hm.
[Kristen exhaling profusely]
-You okay?
-Yep, yep.
[Marney]
Do you want some water?
No, no, no.
Just--you know,
I'm just--I'm so happy
to be back on stage.
I didn't realize
how much I had--I had--
[chuckles]
I had missed it.
And, you know--and--
I think we are one big
one big happy family.
So there. I've shared.
So, anybody else want to go?
Oh, I get it.
-Get what?
-No, he doesn't get anything.
He doesn't get it.
What are you talking about?
Holy cow.
Are you saying what
I think you're saying?
No. No. No, he isn't.
-[Kenny] So
-[Kristen] Mm-mm, mm-mm.
-You and Richard--
-[Kristen] Okay, Kenny!
Kenny. Kenny, stop.
You and Richard what?
[Tina] Oh
-What did we do?
-Oh, my God!
You what? Wait. So--
Everybody stop.
[nervous chuckle]
[nervous chuckle]
[gasps]
-Miranda.
-Miranda?
-Miranda!
-Oh, no.
[Randall] Miranda!
Mirand-- Miranda!
-Miranda!
-[door opens]
-Miranda!
-[door closes]
-Where is she?
-I don't know. Gone.
[grunting]
I can't believe you.
Would you mind telling me
what is going on?
God, you don't see?
There's a very good chance
you are Miranda's father.
-How?
-I think you know how.
Well, I understand
the biology, of course, but--
Think back with me,
will you?
It was the last time I came to
see you in a show in New York.
-When was that?
-Oh, I don't know.
Maybe it was nine months
before Miranda was born.
I was in a fight
with Jon, and
you were--you were playing
Arthur in "Camelot."
Oh, "Camelot"!
Yes, that was a big hit.
Wh--And you--
Wait a minute.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, oh. Oh, dear.
[mischievous music]
[mischievous music]
Okay.
Oh, fuck!
[mischievous music]
[mischievous music]