Playing the Part

Stepdaddy offers to help Lisa rehearse lines for her acting audition. He’s dubious, however, about men in the industry who he thinks might try to take advantage of her, the old casting couch. Next day she proudly announces: “I got it!”. “So when do the rehearsals start?”, he asks. “Well, next week, but I’m going to do some one on ones with the director before we start”, she notes. “What’s that?”. “Well, because it’s my first big show and I’m the lead -the director wants to do some privates before we join the rest of the group”, Lisa explains. “And you feel safe doing that?”. “Of course, why wouldn’t I?”. “Well, like I was saying yesterday, some men might take advantage of a beautiful young lady like you”, he asserts. “Do you think he’d try anything?”, she asks. “Maybe, maybe not”. “I don’t know what I’d do if he did.” He asks: “Are you attracted to him?”. “I mean, he’s not very good looking, but he’s charming and smart. I just, I want him to like me”, she says. “I like a man who can take charge”, she notes. “Boys my age don’t really know what they’re doing.” “Is this how you act in your auditions?”, he inquires. Lisa laughs and says: “No, hardly”. “That’s too bad”. “To be honest, I’m usually pretty nervous when I go to my auditions. I can hardly speak”, she claims. “Well, you had me fooled”, he responds. “I’m a great actress”, she says playfully. “You’re not trying to get me in trouble?”, he wonders. “No, of course not. I’m just reacting. Acting is reacting”, Lisa says. “Reacting to what?’. “Your paternal wiles”. “My paternal wiles?”. “That is what they are, aren’t they?”, she asks. “Yeah, sure, something like that”, he states. “I was just reacting to your reacting”, stepdaddy says, “My daughterly affection?”. “Precisely”, he concludes. “Innocent, fawning affections”, she teases. “Is that what they were?”. “Very innocent”, she claims. “I seem to remember you moaned”, he says. “The moment you told me to moan”, she counters. “I see, well, the moment tells me to go get some privacy”, he says, getting up from the couch. “Where are you going?”, Lisa asks. Sitting down again he asks: “Have you played ‘Yes and’?”. “Yeah, we do that in improv”. “How’s your improv?”, he inquires. “Pretty good”. “Why don’t you follow me to your bedroom?”, he asks, taking her hand. “Yes, and…”, she begins. “You’ll see”, he leads her away from the couch. Arriving in the bedroom he says: “Here, sit”. They sit down on the bed. “Stay still”, he orders. “I don’t know what’s going on”, she says shyly. “Just go with the flow. You remember – ‘Yes and’, right?”. Lisa says: “I’m pretty sure, in ‘Yes and’, I get to decide we’re having sex.” “Are you sure about that?”. “Yes and, I want you to close the door”, she maintains. “Okay”, he says, getting up and closing the bedroom door. “So tell me about this new role of yours”, he asks. “Well, she’s a witch”. “A witch?”. “A beautiful witch who’s madly in love, with a man she shouldn’t be”, Lisa says. “Very interesting”, he ponders. “The man knows it’s wrong, but when he lays eyes on her, he needs her. He can’t control himself around her -she’s cast a love spell,” she explains. “He can’t eat or sleep. All he wants is her body”, Lisa says. “She must be very powerful”, stepdaddy says. “That’s her big secret -she’s actually very fragile. She’s never been in love before, so afraid of losing him, so she casts a spell. She’s afraid of a broken heart. She’s afraid, very afraid of being rejected by him”, she says. “How could he reject someone so beautiful?”, he asks. “He knows better, he knows it’s a huge risk”. “Does he do it anyway?”. “He does”. Stepdaddy leans over and kisses her. “Does it have a happy ending?’, he asks. Lisa shakes her head No, saying: “It’s a tragedy”. “So her fears were true?”. She says: “He warns her that he can’t be with her.” “What does she tell him?”, he asks. “She begs him to love her forever”. “And does he promise he will?”, he asks. “He does, but he breaks his promise”, she notes. “I won’t break my promise”, stepdaddy proclaims. “How do I know?”, Lisa asks. “You don’t”. “I’m afraid”, she pleads. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll take care of you”, stepdaddy promises. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep”, she counters. “Well, what happened to the man she loves?”, he goes back to her story. “You don’t want to know”, she says wryly. Stepdaddy leans over and kisses her again. Watch the scene unfold… “Why don’t you follow me to the bedroom?”, he asks mischievously.