Everyone ready to go to the movies? :)

Mike: Sounds safe. I'm ready.

Micky: Movies? You bet! :D

Peter: I am, too! I want a big box of popcorn! :)

Lauren: I'm ready. And the JuJuBees will NOT come into play. :P ;)

Davy: Awww... ;) :p

Micky: Darnit! :P

(We begin at the Pad. Emma and Mike sit with Mr. and Mrs. Jackman, both of whom look more-or-less like they did during their appearance in "The Devil and Michael Nesmith." Keefe, who plays with Katie, has grown a bit and gotten a bit taller, with longer golden-brown hair.)

Keefe: (Tickles Katie; she smiles) Hi, Katie! It's Uncle Keefe! You're cute, yes, you are!

Mike: You guys SURE you wanna babysit Micky and Lauren's kids?

Mr. Jackman: You said they're just two years old. How much trouble could they get into?

Mrs. Jackman: (Mutters) Someone forgot what his own children were like at that age...

Emma: Daddy, they don't call them the "Terrible Twos" for nothing. ;)

(There's a knock at the door. Mike looks into the grille.)

Mike: Hey, guys! Come on in! (Opens the door for Micky, Lauren, and the kids)

Micky: Hey, everyone! :D

Keefe: Hi, Micky! (Grins) You feeling better now?

Mr. Jackman: Hey, there! (Grins) You ain't filled out YET? ;)

Mrs. Jackman: Give him some time, honey. ;)

Micky: I'm fine, kiddo. ;) I'm working on it. *flexes an arm* See? Muscle! ;)

Mr. Jackman: (Flexes his well-shaped arm) Awr, that ain't nuthin', boy. See THIS? ;) :D

Micky: Show off. ;) :P

Mrs. Jackman: (Rolls her eyes) WILLIE! :p

Lauren: Something to work towards, Mick. ;)

Keefe: No, see THIS! (Shows off HIS arm, which isn't bad for a 13-year-old ;) )

Lauren: Yet more to work towards. ;)

Micky: *blushes* Babe! :P

Mike: That's ‘cause you’re an athlete, kiddo. ;)

Keefe: That's ok, Mick. I play soccer, football, and basketball!

Mike: Busy kid. ;)

Mr. Jackman: (Leans down and grins at the twins) And are these the squirts? Last time we were in California, you weren't even outta your mom's tummy yet!

Little Mick: Hi! :D

Cheryl: (Leans down and picks up Little Mick) Well, hello there, little man! :)

Lauren: This is them, all right. ;)

Shelly: *smiles* Hi! :)

Mr. Jackman: So, what do they call you kids?

Lauren: *points* That's little Mick. :)

Mrs. Jackman: Ahh, Micky number two. :)

Mr. Jackman: Chip off the old man, huh? ;)

Little Mick: *grins* Yeah! :D

Mr. Jackman: (grins at Little Mick) We're gonna get along just fine, kid. ;)

Micky: *points* And that's Shelly. :)

Keefe: Hi there, little girl! :)

Shelly: Hi!

Keefe: I'm Keefe. That's Mr. Bill (points to Mr. Jackman) and that's Miss Cheryl (points to Mrs. Jackman, who takes Little Mick over to the living room).

Mrs. Jackman: So, what do you like to do, Little Micky? :)

Keefe: How 'bout you, Shelly? :)

Little Mick: Build stuff, then knock it down! :)

Shelly: Painting. :)

Keefe: Hey, I used to like building with blocks when I was a little kid, too! ;)

Mrs. Jackman: (Beams at Shelly) I'm an artist, Shelly. I paint and make things for a living. (Puts Little Mick down) Which reminds me, I have something for Micky and Lauren's children, and something for Katie.

(Mrs. Jackman goes in the kitchen and comes out with two packages.)

Lauren: You didn't have to. :)

Micky: Thank you! :D ;)

Mrs. Jackman: (Shrugs) I'm an artist. That's what I do. :)

Emma: Oh, Mom! :)

Mike: You're too much, Mrs. J. :)

Keefe: Can I open Katie's present?

Mrs. Jackman: You know what it is!

Lauren: That's never stopped Mick. ;)

Emma: I'll do it, Buddy. :) (Emma opens the package with Keefe over her shoulder...and pulls out a pretty yellow baby dress with lacy trim and a big daisy embroidered on one side. :) )

Mrs. Jackman: Do you like it? It might be a little small...

Emma: Mom, it's great! It's so cute! It'll look great on Katie! (Kisses her mother) Thanks, Mom! :)

Mike: (Grins) Hey, that's real nice work! (Spreads the dress out for everyone to see)

Lauren: That's pretty!

Mrs. Jackman: I miss making clothes for everyone. I made the girls dresses when they were younger, and I gave Emma that poncho for Christmas. :)

Keefe: (Nods at the other package) Can the twins open theirs? :D

Emma: Better them than him. ;)

Keefe: Hey! :p

Micky: Yeah! *chuckles* ;)

Mrs. Jackman: (Takes the twins into the living room and sets them down on the floor with the package) Here you go, kids!

Mr. Jackman: Attack it! :D

Keefe: And ask me if you need help! ;) :D

*Both of the twins jump up and tear into the package. Paper flies everywhere.* ;)

Mr. Jackman: Damn, they're GOOD. ;)

Lauren: Good thing we're standing back a ways. ;)

Keefe: (Ducks the flying paper) Geez! And you guys say I'M bad! :p

Micky: They learned from the best!*grins*

(The twins pull out two little knitted cardigans. One is blue with red trim, and one is lavender with pink trim.)

Mrs. Jackman: What do you think? I made those myself. :)

Shelly: Pretty! :)

Little Mick: Cool! :)

Keefe: I like the blue one. You gotta make me one of those. ;)

Mrs. Jackman: Keefe, why didn't you tell me when I had all the yarn out? (Turns the smaller children) Thanks! I did those a few days before I left and Emma mentioned we'd be meeting you guys. It's easy to knit baby clothes. :)

Little Mick and Shelly: Thank you! :D

Mrs. Jackman: You're welcome, kids! :)

Mike: We'll be getting along here. The movie's at 2PM. (Looks at his watch) You SURE you can handle the kids?

Mrs. Jackman: It's only for a few hours.

Lauren: Good luck. ;)

Mr. Jackman: These cuties wouldn't cause any trouble in a few hours, (leans over at Little Mick) now, would they?

(Keefe snorts. ;) )

*Little Mick shakes his head.* ;)

Mr. Jackman: Good. (Grins at the kids) See? They'll be fine. ;)

Micky: Uh huh. ;) :P

Emma: Ok, Mom. I showed you where all of Katie's stuff is. She'll need to be fed in a couple of hours. She usually takes a nap after her 2PM feeding, and then she likes some quiet time...

Mrs. Jackman: (Kisses Emma's cheek) Honey, I can handle it. I only have four children and a grandson. :)

Lauren: *glances at the twins* Quiet time?

(Keefe has returned to making faces at Katie. ;) )

Mr. Jackman: I'll watch TV with the runts. (Grins) You kids ever seen "Hogan's Heroes?"

Mrs. Jackman: Oh, no, you don't! That's NOT a show for them! :p

*Micky laughs. Lauren glares at him, and he slows to a small chuckle.* :">

Mike: Maybe we'd better get goin'.

Emma: You have the phone number for the movie theater to call us if anything goes wrong?

Mr. Jackman: Em, we have ever darn emergency number in the state of California! Go!

Mike: We just wanna make sure Katie's ok.

Mrs. Jackman: (Shakes her head) She'll be fine with us. You guys go and get away from the kids for a while, and let the grandparents share some quality time with the youngsters.

(Mr. Jackman is building a tower of blocks with the twins. Keefe still makes faces at Katie.)

Emma: (Grins) ALL of them. ;)

Lauren: Definitely. :)

Mike: Ok. We'll be seein' ya. (The four head out. Emma turns around)

Emma: I wonder if I forgot something...

Mike: They'll be fine, Em. Like your mom said, she's a pro.

Emma: Mike, they don't know about...well, about HER.

Mike: If Shelia gets outta prison and tries anything with the kids, your dad and brother will probably punch her into oblivion. ;)

Micky: *appears over Mike's shoulder* I like that. ;)

Lauren: You would, Mick.

Emma: (Sighs) I know, honey. It's just...well, I almost lost Katie before she was even born.

Mike: (Puts his arm around Emma's shoulder) Come on, darlin'. We'll have a nice afternoon, just the eight of us, a nice little theater, and a big box of popcorn. Your folks are even gonna take us all out to dinner when we get back from the movies. Katie will be ok. Last any of us heard, Shelia was waiting for her trial and sweating it out in prison.

(Emma just sighs and leans into Mike.)

Mike: Ok, folks, we're going to that revival theater in Culver City. Pete and Val and Davy and Daphne are going to meet us there.

Micky: Cool!

Emma: (Looks over her shoulder) Maybe we should check on Katie again before we leave...

Lauren: Em! :)

Mike: Honey, you do this every time we leave Katie with someone. She'll be fine, and so will we. (He steers Emma to the MonkeeMobile and Micky and Lauren head to their car.)

(Cut to the outside of a large, older theater with an elaborate sign saying "Mammoth Theater" in blinking neon letters. Mike and Emma and Micky and Lauren step out of their cars and meet Peter and Valerie and Davy and Daphne at the front entrance.)

Peter: Hey, guys!

Micky: Hey! :)

Valerie: Ready for an old-fashioned movie experience? :)

Davy: Wot took you so long, mate?

Mike: Couldn't drag Emma away from Kate.

Lauren: We almost did actually have to drag her away. ;)

Emma: She and the twins are with my parents and my brother. I was just a little worried, that's all.

Davy: 'Ey, you've let the Parkahs watch 'er before, 'aven't you?

Mike: And she did this then, too.

Peter: (Puts his hand on Emma's shoulder) Em, I know you're still scared about what happened when you were pregnant with Katie. I don't blame you. It WAS scary. Shelia's in prison now, though, and Katie is with people you and Mike trust.

Mike: Darlin', you gotta let go.

Emma: (Sighs) It's not easy.

(The group enters the theater. The lobby is stripped-down Art-Deco, not quite as elaborate as the Hunter Royale, but still somewhat attractive despite it being a bit run-down.)

(The group makes directly for the concession stand.)

Peter: Can we have popcorn? :D

Emma: Of course. I LOVE movie theater popcorn!

Mike: You like lickin' the butter off your fingers.

Micky: How about some of everything? ;)

Lauren: *groans* Mick... :P

Davy: That's fine for you, Mick, but wot will the rest of us 'ave? ;)

Micky: How am I supposed to know what you guys want? I only know what I want. ;)

Davy: Nuthin', if you get at the concession stand. ;)

Bored Young Woman: Can I help you, folks?

Micky: *pulls out a wad of crumpled bills; flips through them; looks up* One of everything, please! ;)

Lauren: Mick! :P

Micky: Oh, all right! One of everything on the first section of the counter. ;)

(The girl brings up every item in the section, along with two gigantic boxes of popcorn and two sodas that are even larger)

Mike: Mick, that's STILL a lot.

Micky: This'll do for the first...half an hour, I guess. ;)

Davy: Mike, this is MICK we're talkin' about. 'E'll finish that before the cartoon is done! ;)

Micky: Only if I don't actually watch the cartoon. ;)

Emma: (As everyone makes their orders) Ok, gang, here's some house rules. First of all, no making out in the balcony.

Micky: Wow, taking away ALL our fun. ;) :P

Mike: Don't throw ANYTHING at the screen.

Emma: If you've gotta make comments, whisper them, please.

Mike: No feet on the back of the chairs, no matter how small the chairs are.

Emma: Don't pull the gum out from under the chairs and see if it's chewable.

Lauren: Geez, I feel like I'm on a school trip. ;)

Micky: Hey, I only did that with the gum once! :P ;)

Mike: Micky, you don't know where that gum's been! :p

Micky: Yes, I did. That was the wad of gum I'd put there the week before. ;)

*Lauren slaps her forehead.* :P

Emma: Try to take a bathroom break between features, or when no one's paying attention.

Mike: Mick, that's all the food you're gettin'. We're goin' out with Emma's folks after this. You don't wanna be too full for that.

Micky: *smirks* Yes, Daddy. ;) :P

Emma: Davy, if you can't see, sit up front.

Davy: But I get nosebleeds up there! :p

Micky: *nudges Lauren* Same goes for you, babe. ;)

*Lauren gives Micky a dull glare.* :P

Emma: Ok, everyone ready for the show? :)

Peter: Me! (Waves his hand high) :D ;)

Micky: Wait, my head's still spinning from the rules list...

Lauren: *smacks the side of Micky's head* Better? ;)

Micky: Thanks, babe. :P

Davy: 'E needed that, we're sure. ;)

Daphne: Come on! The cartoon will be starting soon!

(Everyone walks through a set of swinging doors and into a large auditorium with a huge screen surrounded by red velvet curtains that have seen better days. Peter stops, open-mouthed at the enormous screen, while the others continue. The auditorium is quiet and empty.)

Peter: Wow! That screen is as big as the Montgomery House! :o

Valerie: (Takes Peter's arm) Come on, honey. Let's find our seats.

Mike: Guess we have room to spread out.

Micky: Spread out? We could probably see this screen from 30 blocks away!

Emma: Who's going where?

Mike: Let's take a middle seat.

Emma: I like that idea. I won't have to squint to see anything.

Micky: We'll be up in the back, then. *waggles his eyebrows*

Lauren: *grins* Sounds good to me. ;)

Mike: Mick, we're here to watch the movie! We'd better not hear you two munchin' on somethin' other than popcorn and candy back there! :p

Valerie: How about Peter and I sit with them? ;)

Micky: Hey!?

Peter: We'll be the chaperones. ;)

Lauren: What'll we do if there's boring parts in the movie? :P

Mike: Make snide comments about the leadin' lady's hair do. ;)

Micky: *mutters* But I do that anyway! :P

(Peter and Valerie sit in the last row, with Micky, Lauren, and Micky's haul from the concession stand. Davy and Daphne join Mike and Emma in the middle. As they settle down, the theater darkens.)

Peter: (Grins) It's starting! :D

Micky: Pass the M&Ms, babe. ;)

*Lauren hands over the package of chocolate candies.* :P

Valerie: (Raises an eyebrow at Micky's food) Micky, those sodas are big enough to drown an army, and the popcorn could feed several starving third-world nations. :p

Micky: Awe, man, I didn't get enough, then! :P

Peter: They'd need somethin' other than popcorn, though, some vegetables, maybe grains...

Valerie: (Sighs and laughs) Oh, Peter! (She gives him a buttery kiss on the cheek; his blush is visible even in the darkness)

(There's a snap, pop, crackle, and a hiss, and the projection camera comes to life. The first thing we see is an old-fashioned sign saying, in fancy script "All exits are located to your left and right. Please take note of these, and have fun.")

(The next thing we see is a black-and-white short. A live-action animator draws a charactor that comes to life, sings, does an Al Jolson impression, sings, dances, and finally annoys the animator, who makes him return to his inkwell.)

Mike: Sounds like a cross between Mickey Mouse and Amos and Andy.

Emma: (Whispers back) Most animation studios were new and generally imitated Micky in those days. It took Warners, MGM, and Universal another five years or so to find their own niche.

(Next we have a black-and-white newsreel. It announces the election of President Hoover, Babe Ruth's latest scores, and talks about sound in movies and how it's effecting Mammoth Studios.)

Peter: Wow! This is cool! It's like we're really in the 20s! :D

Micky: *mouth full* Groovy!

(Finally, we see the sillouette of a trumpeting elephant on a diamond-shape, followed by the title of the movie, "Hollywood Lights." The first thing we actually see is a montage of typical New York sights and skyway that runs awkwardly across vintage 1929 streets and studios, until it arrives at the gates of one particular studio, Lyberman Studios.)

(A line of attractive women in flapper outfits stand at the gates. In a long shot, they sing of their desire to see Simon Gordon, Lyberman's newest star. He stops to sign autographs. The girls clamor for a song from him, and he obliges with "Sonny Boy.")

(Gordon pulls one pretty blond out of the line. He tells another man in a beret and long coat that he wants her to be his newest star. The man asks her what she can do, and she shows off a dainty tap number. She tells them her name is Mary Pearl. Gordon tells her he'll make her a star in his next movie. The camera has barely moved the entire time, except for the rare close up of Mary, the man, or Simon.)

(Two young women run up to Mary. She tells them excitedly that she'll be a star. One says she's come a long way since vaudeville dives, and they dance their old vaudeville number, "Tip Toe Through the Tulips.")

(We cut suddenly to a soundstage on Titan Studio's lot. Two men stand behind a huge booth with what looks like the end of a huge old movie camera poking out. An orchestra introduces Mary and the chorus performing "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine"...and suddenly, the movie jumps to color. Well, sort of. All of the dancers wear pink, turquoise, or gold. The sun that Mary slides down is a faded gold, and the sky behind her and the other dancers is very turquoise.)

Peter: Hey, what's wrong with the movie?

Valerie: (Shrugs) I guess it was filmed that way.

Peter: Why is the sky turquoise?

Valerie: Matches the costumes better?

Micky: Who cares? That's groovy! ;)

(There's a noisy "bump" when the music suddenly cuts off and returns to the black-and-white soundstage. We also return to long shots as Mary animatedly talks to the two young women from the vaudeville number. One is small and plump; the other is small and curvy. Both look sceptical as Mary gushes about Simon and how wonderful he is. Simon shows up then, on the arm of another blond woman, this one much smaller and curvier than Mary. She gives him a kiss and waves good-bye.)

Mary: (Barely audible) Who was she?

Simon: (Too loud) Oh, just some dame I know.

Mary: (Still not audible) Simon, I thought you... (this part isn't audible at all)

Simon: (Still too loud) Mary, I wouldn't go behind you! She's just an extra who needed a little help with her lines.

Mary: Oh, Simon... (once again, we see her lips move, but the sound is barely audible)

Simon: Yeah, baby, I love you, too. I knew the moment I laid eyes on you that you were the dame for me. I need you, baby. I love you (grabs her and practically crushes her), I love you, I LOVE you! (Pulls the half-swooning Mary into his arms, then sings "April Showers.")

Mike: Man, is that guy a ham.

Emma: (Rolls her eyes) That's just Eric Chisholm's style. He was a big-time star when he made this movie in 1929. He was one of the most popular singers of the early part of the 20th Century, but he wasn't much of a dramatic actor.

Peter: I hope he doesn't hurt Mary!

Lauren: Looks like he might smother the poor girl. :P

Valerie: I'm more worried about that other blond woman. She obviously has designs on Simon.

Peter: (Shrugs) I didn't see her drawing anything!

(Valerie just sighs. 8-| )

Micky: I'm outta popcorn. :P

Lauren: *sighs* Oh, man...

Valerie: Start in on the Junior Mints. ;)

*Micky rips the box open.* :)

Lauren: Could you be any louder? I can still hear outta this one. *taps the ear farther away from him* ;)

Mike: (Calls back) Hey, folks, if we can hear YOU and not the movie, you're too loud. :p

*Micky blows a razz.* :P ;)

Lauren: *hisses* Mick, knock it off! :P

Mike: Mick, grow up. :p

Emma: Enough! I think they're starting another number! ;)

*Micky slouches down and props his feet on the seat in front of him.* :P ;)

(Indeed, they are. We cut to a nightclub floor, where the chorines and one of the young men we met earlier dance in another oddly colored number, "The Broadway Melody." This one is all soft pinks and peaches, with a glitter-spangled cardboard skyline backdrop. The leading man even wears a dark-salmon tux. The chorines wear skimpy beaded peach outfits and huge feathered headdresses. They glide down a stairway, climb rungs of ladders that suddenly appear, and make clumsy overhead formations roughly in the shape of skyscrapers. The final tableau is of girls overhead, the lead singer on the middle steps, and the remaining women around him, trying to stay in step...and failing miserably.)

Mike: Ok, what did that have to do with anythin'?

Emma: Few 1929 movies with even the shortest nightclub scenes could resist sneaking in a chorus number.

Peter: That wasn't very good. No one could dance, and why was everything salmon?

Valerie: You couldn't hear what the chorus was singing half the time.

Micky: Did someone mention salmon? *licks his lips* ;)

Lauren: Keep that in mind when we go to dinner, Mick. *rolls her eyes*

(Cut back to black-and-white. Simon and Mary sit at the table. They applaud the number, then praise it. She now wears a satin gown and a heavy white fur wrap with long gloves. They discuss the success of their movie and the possibility of making another one together. Suddenly, Simon pulls out a box and hands it to Mary, encouraging her to open it, once more too loudly.)

Mary: (A bit more audible, and once again, in a long shot) Oh, Simon, it's beautiful! (Shows of a huge diamond ring to the camera)

Simon: It's for you, Mary. I want us to be a real partnership. Just the two of us. What do you say?

Mary: Yes! I say yes! (She takes him and embraces, and Simon sings "I’m Sitting On Top of the World.")

(We quickly cut to an apartment. Mary cuddles a baby boy in her arms. Simon, however, is not there, as the two women who we met earlier point out. Mary says he was called to the studio, but the smaller woman claims she saw him with the other blond again. The larger one sings "Makin’ Whoopie," shaking her head at Mary's refusal to believe her husband isn't fooling around. Simon finally appears with lipstick on his collar. Mary's upset, but he calms her, telling her he got it while doing a scene and forgot to wash it off.)

Mike: (Growls) Why, that two-timin'... X(

Emma: Hush, honey. It's just a movie. (Elbows him)

Davy: You'd think she'd figure it out.

Micky: *shakes his head* Oh, brother. :P

(Cut back to the studio. Simon sings "Back In Your Own Backyard" in blackface and in color, joined by other male and female workers. They end up jumping all over the barn, using animals for instruments, playing obviously fake cows' udders, and taking the occasional bite of watermelon.)

Davy: Goodness, they'd nevah 'ave a numbah like that today!

Mike: Were they tryin' to offend people?

Emma: Blackface was really "in" in 1929, guys. It may be nasty to us now, but to them, it was a tradition.

Lauren: All they're missing is a fried chicken joke. :P

Peter: That wasn't very nice! :p

Valerie: It was to 1929 audiences, Peter.

Micky: I'm out of snacks. :P

(Simon and the blond stay on the set after the song is over. They kiss, practically two steps to making out, when Mary shows up with the now-toddler-age boy. Mary screams, or says something, since her words are so fast and garbled, it's hard to understand her. She grabs the boy and walks off. Simon tries to go after her, but the blond pulls him back and tells him not to worry so much. He shakes her off and goes after Mary, but she just slams the door in his face.)

Mike: Man...

Lauren: He had that coming.

Emma: I wish most of Eric Chisholm's early vehicles weren't so darn melodramatic. :p

Peter: How come you can't hear what Mary says most of the time?

Valerie: Sound was new in 1929. They probably had trouble with the volume on this movie.

Micky: She was probably talking too softly. :P

Lauren: Or he was too loud. :P

(Cut to the studio gates. Mary stands outside sadly, watching Simon walk off with the blond. Simon, however, doesn't look any happier than Mary does. The little boy wanders away from his mother as she goes after Simon and tells him she wants a divorce. He tosses a ball up and down, and accidentally throws it into the street. Mary manages to push the boy out of the way of a car, but it's not enough to save herself. We see Simon lean down over Mary's body, while the blond watches stony-faced. She literally dies in his arms as he sings "Sonny Boy" to his lost wife and the horrified little boy who watches.)

(He and his son are together in the final scene. He lifts him up to the microphone on the soundstage, then sets him down as the camera closes up on him singing "Sonny Boy" once more.)

Micky: So much for a happy ending. :P

Peter: (Wipes his eyes as the movie ends) That was so sad! :((

Valerie: And cornier than a box of Frosted Flakes. :p

Lauren: That's for sure. :P

(But the lights don't go up. There's one more item, a final short subject, "Dogerella." It's a parody of "Cinderella" done entirely with dogs of various sizes dressed in costumes, with voice-overs. Cinderella is a pretty red setter. The stepsisters and their mother are bulldogs. The king is a terrier. The prince is a golden retriever. The fairy godmother is a Pekinese with a tiara.)

(The lights finally go up after "Dogrella" ends.)

Mike: (Gets up and stretches) Man, that just went on FOREVER!

Peter: That dog short bothered me. Those poor puppies looked so uncomfortable in those clothes. :p

*Micky snores.*

Lauren: *slugs Micky* Oh, come on! You're not really asleep. :P

Mike: That bad, huh, Mick? ;)

Micky: *peeks one eye open* Worse!*sits upright again, putting his feet back on the floor* I could do better than that guy alone! :P

Lauren: You mean he wasn't ENOUGH of a ham? :P ;)

Micky: Ha ha ha. :P

Emma: (Shrugs) Typical 1929 Eric Chisholm vehicle. Actually, I was here for Cora Munroe, who was the one who sang "Makin’ Whoopie," and Rosie and Sarah White. Sarah was Mary, and Rosie was her other friend.

Mike: What's with that Chisholm guy?

Emma: He liked the spotlight, and lots of it. They're lucky they didn't cut Mary's numbers.

Peter: The movie wasn't ALL bad. :)

Daphne: That "Painting the Clouds" number was something else. ;)

Micky: Did they even have a director? :-/ /:)

Lauren: Mick the critic, here. :P

Emma: (Sighs) Curt Del Mar, one of their top directors. He did what he could, but from what I've gathered, it wasn't easy to get Eric Chisholm and his ego to give something like a performance in 1929. If it was up to Eric, he'd tell the entire cast of the film to go home and have the crew point the camera at him singing his Broadway hits.

Micky: *scoffs* I'd show that Eric guy a thing or two. :P

Mike: Wish someone could take that guy and his ego down a few notches. :p

Emma: (Sighs as the group files out of the theater) I've ALWAYS wanted to see what Mammoth Studios was like at the height of its fame! I saw some of the movies they made before they shut down in 1959, but they were a big deal in the late 20s. Only Warners and MGM made more money...or had a bigger roster of stars.

Valerie: Didn't Mary seem rather nervous?

Emma: I read somewhere that was the White sisters' second full-length feature film that was more than just a quick appearance in a revue number.

Mike: What did any of that have to do with Hollywood, besides the movie thing?

Emma: Nothing an excuse for big musical numbers.

Micky: Man, we could do better than that! :P

(The group steps outside, but Mike stops.)

Mike: (Thoughtful) Maybe we COULD do better...

Emma: Honey, what do you mean?

Mike: Anyone wanna go on a trip? ;)

Lauren: *grins* Yeah! ;)

Micky: All right! Hey, I had an idea without the lightbulb! ;)

Emma: What about the twins and Katie?

Davy: We could imagine ourselves right back 'ere aftah we've finished showin' Mammoth Studios 'ow to make a REAL musical. ;)

Emma: That would be messing with history! This isn't our imaginations! This is real life!

Micky: Well, it would be part of our imagination power...

Mike: We'd only stay long enough to make ONE movie, Em.

Daphne: Besides, we can take care of each other. :)

Lauren: Darn right!

Davy: And I doubt Shelia is up to time-traveling right now. ;)

Micky: *grins* Or much of anything, actually. ;)

Emma: You guys don't know anything about the 20s, though!

Daphne: Yes, I do! I saw "Thoroughly Modern Millie" three times at the theater!

Emma: You don't know how they dressed, or how they lived! We'll stand out like a sore thumb.

Mike: You do, Em. You're into that era. I know you've read about it.

Emma: I don't know EVERYTHING.

Lauren: You know enough to get by. ;)

Valerie: After what we've all gone through in the past few months, we could use a nice time, with no worrying about devils or shows or clones.

Micky: Definitely.

Mike: We've just got to find a place to leave from. (He hustles them to an alley in between the theater and the building behind it.) This'll do. The other building is boarded up.

Daphne: Why doesn't Emma do it? She's the one who knows this era!

Lauren: Yeah!

Emma: (Shakes her head) I have a bad feeling about this. (Out loud) Ok, everyone, close your eyes and think "Mammoth Studios, September 1929!"

(Blue lights in various shades surround the group of young people, then vanishes all together, leaving the alley empty.)