Table Read - The Understudy Act Three

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

The clock runs out.The curtain comes up.With opening night looming, the magic begins to fail. Bodies ache. Secrets surface. And the line between who Natalie and Ava were… and who they’ve become… finally disappears.Natalie must confront what she’s been chasing her entire life — and what it cost her to get there.Ava must decide whether stepping into the spotlight is worth stepping away from who she is.The Sugar Plum Fairy is no longer just a role.It’s a reckoning.As rivalries peak and loyalties collide, the question is no longer who deserves the part — but who’s willing to let it go. And whether the universe will allow either girl to walk away unchanged.Act Three is where the story lands.Where ambition meets consequence.Where magic demands payment.Because sometimes you get exactly what you wished for.And sometimes the bravest thing you can do…is give it back.It’s still funny.It’s still sharp.But now it’s honest.Written by award-winning writer Jenna St. John.Starring: Kensington Tallman as Natalie Primavera Logan Laurel as Ava Ross Konstantin Lavysh as Mr. Constantine Carson Bolde as Grayson Garcia Sasha Knight as Trevor Rita Dos Santos as Kenzie Samantha A. Smith as Jasmine Kearn Eva Binder as Zoe Dennings Adele Abinante as Bean Ross Avery Clyde as Mrs. Primavera Katherine Brunk as Ms. Ross Brandon Potter as Mr. Primavera Sarah Elmaleh as Miss Lana Miki Yamashita as Miss Miyako Paula Tiso as NarratorOnly on Table Read.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Miss Natalie Primavera is still stuck on the body of Miss Ava Ross, turning the poor girl's life upside down with 5 a.m. runs and Instagram obsession. She breaks up with a Trevor boy who serenates her dressed as naked Miley Cyrus and starts flirting with Grayson. God help us all. When I give Jasmine the sugar-plum fairy roll and pull Natalie, I mean, Eva, from the show entirely, to put a stop to this madness, She has a prima donna meldown in my office and smashes the magic snow globe, releasing dark forces into the world.

Chaos ensues. Meanwhile, the real Ava wakes up, trapped in Natalie's broken body. The girls finally meet at the hospital, each wanting what the other has. Tragic, hey? Miss Kenzie, smart girl, figures out the swap and hatches a plan. Natalie must learn to be Ava to become Natalie again. The natural order must be restored. O' we're all doomed. Now get out of my office and listen to the finale, for it will probably be the end for all of us.

Interior Stage Auditorium Day. Miss Miyako, sitting in the center of the audience, dancers scattered throughout the seats, while Jasmine and Grayson danced the Padre Du on stage. As they strike the final pose, Jasmine looks to the audience. Has anyone seen Mr. Constantine? Interior stage wings, continuous.

Miss Lana, clipboard. board in hand, waves Natalie over. Mrs. Primavera wants to make some adjustments on your costume. Interior dressing room day. Zoe is seated on her phone, waiting for her turn, as Mrs. Primavera fits Natalie with various costume pieces. Natalie notices her mother's touch,

moving away wisps of her hair to measure her. Have I told you that you dance just like Natalie? All ballet looks the same when it's done right. No. Ballet is personal. You and her, you have the same something. It's hard to explain. Natalie stays silent.

Life's so unfair. Natalie can't play the sugar plum fair, and I'm spending my senior year in court. How lame is that? Kenzie worked her ass off for that role on top of taking AP classes and college applications. Some of us don't want to settle for college. Do you know how much work it is to become an influencer?

I just want 100,000 followers marry Timothy Chalachene and I. Is that really so much to ask for? A smoky dancer wishes by the mirror behind Natalie. She turns. There's nothing there. Lights flicker on and off. Zoe's phone buzzes and she looks at it. Whoa.

Zoe hurries off. Timothy Shalam is following me on Instagram. I'm seriously freaking out right now. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. Natalie checks her phone and Zoe's page is at 100,000 followers. Zoe pops into the room. Ava's all done.

I need to hug someone. Come on right now. Zoe bare hugs Natalie. Mrs. Primavera starts taking Zoe's measurements. Zoe lets go of the hug and Natalie dazed exits the room. Timothy Salome just gave my last pick of heart. He's looking at my feet right now. I'm gonna post.

Keep your shirt on, Zoe! Interior Stage Auditorium Day. Brock and Theo performed the Russian dance as a duet. Miss Miyako claps along to the Russian music. Natalie approaches. Miss Miyako lifts her fingers, still watching the dance. That looks great as a duet. It was their idea, so neither would miss out on the role.

Aw. Theo and Brock finish breathing heavily. Love it. Can I help you? Yeah, I need to talk to Mr. Constantine. Have you seen him? He's been out on a family emergency. Completely unprofessional, if you ask me.

But you didn't ask me. Just like I wasn't asked to be interim artistic director. I wasn't asked to do Mr. Constantine's job when he disappeared right before opening. Just like completely not okay. This is like just, I'm so stumped. Natalie walks away regretfully as Miss Miyako continues to rant to herself. Interior, Ava's apartment night.

Natalie walks in. Ms. Ross is waiting. Arms crossed. I just got off the phone with Mr. Hall. You're failing chemistry. How is that possible? I got to be on the last test. One test!

Ms. Ross pulls out the Royal Ballet audition packet. And what the hell is this? You don't think I can get in? What am I supposed to think, huh? You convince me to let you go to this school that it'll be so easy to graduate valedictorian and get into Harvard, and today you want to skip college to be a ballerina? It's out of nowhere!

Mrs. Primavera is at every rehearsal. Ask her how good I am. And who is she there for, huh? Her daughter is rotting away in a hospital bed while she spends her days with other people's kids. Natalie is gutted. I'm auditioning for the Royal Ballet and I'll be out of your life,

Just like your husband or dad, whatever. I won't be your problem anymore. Who are you? Natalie Wavers. Should she tell her? Natalie primavera. Bean's face peeks into the room. Go to your room, Bean.

Will you stop blowing her off? If you can't tell, she's dying for your attention. And put a lock on your phone. She knows about dad and the 24-year-old. Ms. Ross sits, defeated. When your dance career ends at what, 30, 35, That's 30 or 40 more years of a career you'll need after that. You need to think about those years, too, Ava.

I know, I know, I know, okay? Every little doubt you have, I have tenfold. It's constant at every audition and every day I'm killing myself to get my grades up, work study, to get ready for the show. I'm 17 and you want me to think about when I'm 40? You want A's, you want a social life, you want me to never make a single mistake. I have the whole world to tell me I'm not good enough. and my own mom is done with me because I can't be what she wants.

Ms. Ross envelops Natalie in a hug. Natalie struggles to get out of it, but Ms. Ross holds on. I am never done with you. Never. Harvard, ballerina, Alaskan crab fisherman, whatever it is. I just want you to be happy and I am on board 100%. Are you happy?

Natalie surrenders into Ms. Ross's hug. exterior Mr. Constantine's house night Natalie rings the doorbell A set of triplets, age five, dressed in armor, answer the door. Um, is your dad home? That is creepy. Interior Mr. Constantine's house living room night. Natalie is sitting there with fritz across from her holding his wooden sword,

staring solemnly. The triplets are playing with her hair. A pair of twins, age 11, are playing the piano. A toddler colors a whole piece of paper black. Moving boxes are everywhere. Mrs. Constantine walks in, very pregnant, and with a baby in her arms. She's carrying a tray with drinks in her other arm. You have really cute kids.

Only Fritz is the beauty. Aren't you Fritz? Yes, Mama. Natalie looks at the other children who don't flinch. Are you the best child? My sister is definitely the best right now. Wait, no, I don't have a sister. It's complicated.

Mr. Constantine walks in. What are you doing here? I need your help. Weird stuff is happening, and I'm seeing those shadowy things from the globe and they're like everywhere. Raiths. Did you say wraiths?

The twin song on the piano changes tone right on cue. Wish granting spirits from the old world. They only grant the deepest wish there to be spoken out loud. My ancestors captured them on the globe. It kept them under control. all one wish at a time. Mr. Constantine snaps his fingers. Fritz retrieves a shoebox and hands it to his father.

Natalie looks around at the moving boxes everywhere. What's going on? Are you moving? We'll be returning to Romania after this last nutcracker. You mean the last of the school year? Uh, sure. Mr. Constantine, how can I fix this? Mr. Constantine pulls out a curved piece of the broken glass from the shoe.

box. In order for the race to be recaptured, the natural order must be restored. You need to return. Natalie takes a deep breath, sad, and nods. I know I must obey this life. I need to make things right, and then I have to go back. What if we can't recapture them? In all my years as a keeper, no one has ever been as careless as you. So, this is uncharted territory. Mr. Constantine looks at the large mural behind him, a scene from the rapture of wraiths, disemboweling, screaming people. But I've heard it's very, very bad. Interior, Mr. Hall's house, living room night.

Mr. Hall watches I love Lucy, laughing with the laugh track. Although he is surrounded by cats, he hears a distant meow that catches his attention. Oh, it sounds like someone is hungry for some food and friendship. Come on, friends. Let's go say hi. Mr. Hall makes his way down the narrow corridor. His house is designed to be a cat paradise.

He passes cat condos and nooks built for his friends. Interior exterior, Mr. Hall's house, kitchen back door night. Mr. Hall opens the door, looks down, eyes widen. Interior stage, stage wings, day. On stage, Kenzie and the Mouse King perform the battle scene in full costume. Bean runs on stage for her cue. Come on, dancers, dress rehearsal, do it like the real thing.

Leave it all on the stage. Mr. Constantine watches the performance from the wings while Natalie paces behind him. Miss Lana spots Mr. Constantine. Mr. Constantine, we weren't sure you were coming back. Are you in the misses in a trial separation? No, you're a mouse. I don't see a mouse.

I see little girl prancing like a bullshit princess. I want to see you scorer. Miss Lana jumps scared and turns on. Mr. Constantine glances over to Fritz, who was huddled by the prop shelf next to the wing, back turned. Is it almost ready? Quite, devil. Natalie exits with a toss of her hands in the air. Okay.

Uh, what are you doing, freak? I'm saving the world. What are you doing, wasting your childhood making farts sounds? The party boy farts on Fritz, and the party children are not loudly. Fritz watches them and sighs. Ah, I wish I had a friend. The lights flick. A smoky dancer passes behind Fritz and the Nutcracker doll on the prop table seems to blink.

Kenzie, you're killing me! Killing me! He has seven heads! When was the last time you saw a mouse with seven hands? Huh? You would shit yourself! Interior Stage Auditorium Day. Natalie takes a seat in the audience next to Bean. Jasmine and Grayson and Costume are performing the Padredu. Mr. Constantine watches from the foot of the stage.

As the pot-a-de-de-de-finishes, Mr. Constantine jumps on the stage. Dancers, I'm obligated to make a quick announcement that's relevant if we manage to prevent the apocalypse. Ms. Jasmine Kern has been accepted as an apprentice for the next season's Royal Ballet. Natalie sits up. Dancers cheer and give Jasmine a hug as she smiles like a beauty queen. Natalie watches stiff, heart-pounding and longing. Jasmine seems to move in slow motion. to move in slow motion. Natalie's eyes well up, unblinking. You okay? Your eyes are leaking.

I'm watching all my dreams come true for someone else. Jasmine is wiping away happy tears. Fritz pops his head from the wings, waving Natalie over. Father, devil girl. Yes, um, okay, everyone, uh, keep congratulating, Jasmine. Natalie and Mr. Constantine walk toward the stage wings where Fritz is waiting for them. Interior stage wings continuous. Is it ready? Fritz reveals the snow globe with jagged pieces glued together.

The forest inside, wilted. Natalie takes it. That's it? You glued it? Is this thing going to work? Fritz cranks the knob, and it plays the haunting pot-a-d-due. Vex perfectly. Kenzie spots the commotion and rushes over.

Oh my god, is this it? The McGuffin? Is it perfect left prison, no? I'm sorry. Did you say wraiths? Are you ready? You need to want this more than anything. I know.

I'm ready. Natalie hears squeals coming from the stage and glances over to see Mrs. Primavera giving Jasmine a long hug. Thanks, Miss P. This is my happy place, being here with all you talented girls. Mrs. Primavera points to Jasmine and her heart, mouthing, You are my heart.

Jasmine reciprocates. Natalie nearly drops the snow globe from her hand. globe from her hands. Mr. Constantine eyes her concerned. Miss Primavera, now. Natalie swallows and shakes the snow globe. Her eyes well up. The globe plays its tinny pot-de-de-de. I wish I was Natalie Primavera. The lights flicker on and off.

The music abruptly stops playing from the globe. Silence. Everyone frozen. Anticipating. Did it work? Ava? What's something only Ava would know? Is a hot dog a sandwich? Natalie rushes to the dressing room.

Interior dressing room continuous. Natalie looks at the mirror, sees Ava's reflection. Mr. Constantine, Bean, Kenzie, and Fritz follow her in. It didn't work. What did you do wrong? Nothing. Look at it. It's better than ever. It's her. She must have. The sad, glued-together snow globe springs a leak.

Unnoticed by the bickering group, Jasmine stops at the edge of the dressing room, listening. What does this mean? I'm telling everyone something is wrong and nobody listens to me. I wish I was grown up. So people would hear me already. The lights flicker and a smoky dancer wishes by. Natalie slumps down by herself as the group argues.

Mr. Constantine puts his hand on Natalie's shoulder. It was worth a try, yes? What do we do now? Everybody upstairs. This is a sinking ship and we go down doing what we'll up. Let's make it a great last nutcracker before our demise. What do you say? Did you say demise?

My apologies. I meant to say that part in Romanian. The group solemnly filters out, leaving Natalie alone. Interior Stage Auditorium Night. Everyone is gone. The stage is lit with a ghost light. Natalie steps out onto the stage and hums the pot-e-de-do. A noise.

Natalie pauses. and looks into the dark audience. Jasmine steps towards the stage. You know, Natalie and I used to do this. Dance the whole show the night before opening night. We'd sneak out and dance until like 2 a.m. Jasmine starts stepping through the dance with her. We've always been neck-a-neck.

I landed my double pirouette, and she landed a clean triple. She did 12 foot-hets in a row, and then I did 16, like the next day. I've... Well, we've always wanted to be the sugar plum fairy. Jasmine begins doing Fuete turns, and Natalie joins her. They watch one another, turning and turning, until Jasmine finally stops.

Natalie stops. Why didn't you audition for the role if you wanted it so badly? Because I was scared it might have gone to me, and I didn't want to break my best friends hard. If she's your best friend, then why do you call her Natalie Prima Donna? Jasmine raises her eyebrows surprised, then shrugs. We all talk too much shit sometimes. Why haven't you gone to visit her? I have. I've just always waited for her dad to be gone.

She's different now, you know? Natalie is quiet. Does she know? You dance this role. Perfectly. Well, I'm glad you got to see it, because I think I'm, I hurt my toe. Your toe? Yeah, it hurts.

I can't handle two rolls, so I'm just going to dance the snow queen. I already talked to Mr. Constantine. Jasmine begins walking off. Wait, why? Is your bun too tight? Because you're the understudy. Natalie watches Jasmine disappear, and she smiles.

Interior, Mr. Hall's bedroom night. Mr. Hall attempts to give catastrophe, A zombie cat, a saucer of milk. Catastrophe growls, one eye missing, and soars oozing from its skin. All the other cats are huddled away, backs arched, hissing. Now, now, friends, get along, we're all friends. We're all friends. Catastrophe bites a bit of Mr. Hall's fingertips.

Ow! Oh! Oh, is that what you need? little friend? Here. Just a little, okay? Interior, Ava's bedroom, morning. Natalie wakes up.

The wall calendar reads, Opening night. Natalie sighs and exits the room. Bean stirs and uncovers herself. She's a grown teenager. She gets out of bed. Her kid PJ's barely fitting her. Teenage Bean looks down

and notices ample breasts in her. PJ shirt that now fits like a crop top. Interior Ava's Kitchen Day. Natalie eats fruit loops while Ms. Ross drinks coffee. A squeal comes from the other room. Natalie stands up. I'll go check on her. Interior Ava's bedroom day. Natalie rushes into the room. Teenage Bean stands there. This is bad. My wish came true. I look so hot. A knock on the door. You girls okay? Everything's fine! This is really, really bad. Exterior theater sunset.

The blue moon is high in the sky as people of all ages file into the theater. A marquee sign reads, Wilburn Arts High School, the Nutcracker, opening night. With a poster of the Nutcracker with Ava as the sugar plum fairy by the door, a limo pulls up, and we see fancy black shoes walk back to open the rear door. White Converse sneakers step out. Interior Stage Wings Night. Natalie and Teenage Bean

rushed to Mr. Constantine. What is it? This is Bean. She made a wish to be a teenager and, well... Oh, this is bad. Very, very, very bad. What does this mean? It means that full, worldly chaos is just around the corner.

The wraiths are loose, granting every twisted desire of the heart, every whim for lost love, lottery tickets, and revenge. the heart is selfish. You of all people should know this. Fritz, you'll be dancing with your iron sword tonight. We might have to kill something. Party boy halts and looks at Mr. Constantine. Did you mean to say that in a Romanian, Mr. Constantine?

Interior Stage Auditorium Night. The orchestra warms up as the audience trickle to take their seats. Trevor looks a mess. Tie on, sloppy, and hair unbrushed. Mr. Hall shows up. up, dazed, with part of his cheek nibbled off. Principal Waters takes notice. But Mr. Hall, are you all right?

He's gone. I opened the door, and he left me. My friend is gone. But he willkered. He is a brittle man. Mr. Hall, still muttering, walks to his seat, climbing past Ms. Ross, seated with grocery store flowers in hand. Mr. and Mrs. Primavera enter, pushing

Ava in a wheelchair down the aisle. She is given a standing ovation as they make their way to park Ava up front. Ava cranes to see Ms. Ross in her seat and Trevor in the pit. Neither notice her. Interior backstage hallway night. Backstage is a chaos of dancers in costume. Most of them warming up, children laughing and chasing each other, Fritz swinging his sword. Laces!

Interior dressing room night. Jasmine is in her snow queen costume and wearing warm-up booties Zoe as a snowflake is on her phone Natalie walks in with teenage bean and catches Jasmine's eye Jasmine smiles Mrs. Primavera scurries in to approach

teenage bean Baby mouse, huh? Teenage Bean nods What happened to Bean? I'm not allowed to talk about that Okay Mrs. Rivera starts ripping fabric. Interior Stage Auditorium Night, Mr. Constantine walks out on stage, the full house claps. Greetings, parents, family, friends of Wilborn Arts, high school's Christmas

ballet. The nutcracker! I won't make a lengthy speech, but I want you all to think about this past year and all you have lost and what you may lose soon. Christmas is. Christmas is a little. Christmas is the saddest season of them all. I have never felt more heartbroken than I do now. Trevor's chin trembles and he claps enthusiastically. The rest of the audience is silent. The lights flicker. Without further ado, Mr. Constantine motions to the orchestra as he exits. They begin. The curtains open. The street scene begins. Interior stage wings night. Miss Miyako, half jogging, hand on her earpiece.

Do we have any idea where the doll is? We need it now. At Miss Miyako's feet is catastrophe, crawling, unnoticed. Interior dressing room night. Teenage Bean is in a makeshift mouse costume. Mrs. Primavera puts on finishing touches. There, that should do it. Is it hard to dance with big boobs? No talking, remember?

Ava, that's rude. Yeah, Ava. People want to listen to what I have to say now. Maybe I'll never go back to being a kid. Bean! I mean... Bean's replacement. Of course you're going back. There's nothing good about being a kid or a teenager.

Whatever I am. Funny how we spent our whole childhood looking ahead and our entire adulthood looking back. An usher enters with a large bouquet of flowers. Is Zoe here? Zoe at her makeup station waves her hand, and the usher puts Zoe's flowers down. Zoe looks at the card. It reads,

Meard, Zoe, I can't wait to meet you. Love, Timothy. Interior Stage Auditorium Night. The party scene march is happening. Zoe's distant shriek echoes through the auditorium. The dancers all look off stage, but continue. Interior backstage night, Miss Lana sees the Nutcracker Doll standing in a walking pose near the exit door and snatches it. Found it. It must have been some kid.

Miss Miyako meets Miss Lana with a box and they stick the nutcracker inside. It blinks once before the lid covers it. Mr. Constantine, with an eye patch, dressed as Drosselmeyer, rushes by and grabs the box. Interior Stage Auditorium Night. Party scene is on stage. Mr. Constantine pulls the nutcracker out of the box and hands it to Kenzie for her solo. Kenzie begins to dance. She nails her jumps perfectly.

Ava is watching the dance from her wheelchair. She catches Kenzie's up. and flashes her a thumbs up. Kenzie smiles. Kenzie is looking longingly at the Nutcracker doll. It blinks. Kenzie does a double take. The Nutcracker is alive. It spots Fritz on the stage. I don't think we cast a Nutcracker. Who knows? My bad. No, no, I didn't notice it either. Who would be a fun Nutcracker? One hand up. Oh. Brandon? Can you give us a demented nutcracker doll, please? Yeah.

Friends. The audience gasps. Fritz grabs the doll, smashes it into the stage, and takes his sword, striking it over and over and over again. The nutcrackers face up, looking at Fritz.

I'm your friend. Fritz takes his sword and smashes its friend. face. The audience silently watches horrified. Mr. Constantine pulls Fritz off by the collar of his Victorian shirt. Mr. Constantine wrestles with the Nutcracker... Mr. Constantine wrestles with the Nutcracker doll, wrapping it until it looks like a mummy and hands it to Kenzie. He's breathing heavily. The show must go on. Kenzie grabs it gingerly. She timidly continues to dance. Interior backs night. Mr. Constantine, Fritz, and Kenzie are rushing down the backstage hall together. Kenzie is shaken up.

What, what's going on? You made a wish? Then weaver needs a friend, Papa. Teenage Bean and the other mice run past. Costume changed, Kenzie, quickly. Kenzie is pulled into the dressing room by Miss Lana. Is it dead? Please tell me it's dead.

Interior Stage Auditorium Night. Teenage Bean trips over herself, a terrible dancer in her new body. Her leaps are sloppy and barely make it off the ground. She trips, and the other mice fumble behind her like dominoes. These boobs suck. Miss Ross frantically flips through the program. On the stage, the grandfather clock shatters, and Kenzie has red ribbon, fake blood coming from her arms.

She falls asleep on the couch. The audience murmurs in shock. Interior stage wings night Jasmine enters the wings in her snow queen costume Catastrophe is at her ankles and wanders onto the stage Interior on stage auditorium night Battle scene with toy soldiers and the mouse king is on stage Kenzie sees catastrophe and screams

Mr. Constantine is in the wings gives her a thumbs up Kenzie throws her shoe hitting catastrophe in the face and its other eyeball pops out. Kenzie faints and hits the stage floor hard. Ava and the audience gasp. It's catastrophe! Interior stage, stage wings, night, the curtain closes.

Mr. Constantine rushes on stage and grabs the zombie cat. Interior Stage Auditorium Night. The curtain opens to the snow scene. Jasmine is on stage along with Zoe as one of the snowflakes. Zoe spots Timothy Shalame in the audience and gasps. Timothy Shalame blows a kiss to Zoe, and she catches the kiss. Jasmine in mid-lift looks down at... Oh, fuck.

Jasmine is in mid-lift, looking down at Zoe. Zoe excitedly jumps up and down as the other snowflakes continue dancing around her. Interior backstage night. Intermission, custom changes. Get ready, dancers. Mr. Constantine has the zombie can. in his hand. Natalie, hair and makeup done, but not yet in costume, sees the cat and gasps. Oh, what is that? Oh, my God. Catastrophe! Catastrophe growls and chants the air toward the dancers.

Grayson comes out of his dressing room and pauses. Whoa, whoa. Mr. Constantine, I think your cat is, like, dying or something. Mr. Hall wanders backstage. Mr. Constantine covers the cat up with his cape. Have you seen Catastricht? Fritz points to Mr. Hall with his sword. Infantrator! Mr. Hall! Let's get you a drink. Natalie grabs Mr. Hall by the arm.

Interior Lobby Knight. A bar is set up with a long line. Natalie tows Mr. Hall's straight to the bartender, cutting off Timothy Shalameh. Excuse me. Can you give him some alcohol? Bartender pours a glass of white wine. Do you have anything stronger? We're at a high school production.

What do you expect? Mr. Hall takes the glass of wine. I just really want Catastrophe back. I really miss him. Mr. Hall, you still have him. Adams never die, remember? They just change into something new. Catastrophe is here now in your heart.

That's quite right. You've always been a great student, eh, huh? I have? Oh, I'm gonna follow you on Instagram after graduation. Oh, no, no, no, I'm not on Instagram. Come on, hashtag cats of Instagram. You take to Instagram like a free radical takes to an electron. Mr. Hall laps.

Interior backstage night, Mr. Constantine wrestles with catastrophe in his hands. He's surrounded by scared dancers cheering him on. Finally, Mr. Constantine tosses the cat in a supply closet and turns to the dancers adjusting his cape. The show must go on. Interior dressing room night. Natalie, costume on, applies makeup at her station. Timothy enters and gives Zoe a romantic kiss.

No audience members allowed here. I can't be stopped. I'm in love. This is exhilarating. It's like I'm under a spell. Will you marry me? How my children move to France? Yes, yes, yes!

50,000 followers, marry Timothy, and die. That's what you said, Zoe? Stuck her much? She's totally obsessed with me. You can't have her. Timothy gives Zoe another romantic kiss. Zoe pulls away. Is it really me?

Or am I really making up with Timothy, shallomay? Is this real? Literally all my dreams are coming true. A tiny sword misses Zoe's head. The Nutcracker doll charges into the dressing room. Mr. Constantine enters, snatches the doll through the open door children are running and cross. Five minutes.

Natalie looks up and nods. Mrs. Primavera enters swiftly pulling Natalie up to stand. Let's give you one last look over. Natalie watches Mrs. Primavera as she inspects the costume, noticing her mother's hands trembling and dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. Is your mother here? Natalie nods tensely. Mm-hmm.

I'm sorry about Natalie. Mrs. Primavera is silent. You must be sad for you. You must be sad for you that she can't dance again. That you can't share your happy place anymore. More unlike my hiding place. Hiding place. You hear a five-year-old say they want to be a ballerina,

and you expect it to be a phase. But not Natalie. She had a dream and nothing could stop her. She makes the impossible possible. It's my fault. After her first show, I called her a star and got her a dog. Yeah, cliche. And the rest is history.

She left a dance, and I kept feeding it, moving to the next level, getting her points, she was the next role, Royal Ballet. I should have fed her other things, signed her up for soccer and painting. I had no idea that it would hold her prisoner. All these goals, the social media. I didn't know it would get cut short for her. Nobody's a ballerina forever. How can I tell my daughter, the only... that she loves in life, she can't do anymore.

I think you say to her that nothing is impossible, even finding something new to love. Natalie smiles as Mrs. Primavera pins a tiara around her bun. I got Natalie a nutcracker doll for Christmas this year. Do you think that's a stupid gift? No. She has a million of this already. No, it's the perfect gift. Clara's love brought the knockcracker to life after he was broken.

Natalie's not broken. Right. No, I mean, her body. No, she's perfect. Exactly how she is. There are a million reasons to love Natalie. And not one of them has to do with ballet. Natalie stands still as Mrs. Primavera finishes up.

Both women subtly wiping away tears. Natalie wraps her arms around her mother. Thank you. Interior Stage Auditorium Night Natalie sneaks over and grabs Ava's wheelchair wheeling her around the side. Hey, what are you doing? Interior Stage, Stage Wings, Night.

Russian duet is finishing up on stage with Mr. Constantine watching from the wings. Natalie rolls Ava up to Mr. Constantine. Mr. Constantine, where is the globe? Fritz, the Globu. I know why the magic didn't work. Like in chemistry and antioxidant, can't shed an electron just because it...

Right! It needs a willing participant, like a free radical! Yeah! Ladies, you lost mad chemistry. I made a wish on top of the bridge. Silence. You wished you were me? No. I wished I wasn't me.

It's not enough for me to not want to be Eva anymore. I have to want to be Natalie. Broken body and all. And I want to be Natalie Primavera more than anything. Fritz appears with the sad snow globe and Natalie takes it. I wish I was Natalie... But your dance! You're up next. Brock and Theo finish on stage.

Audience clap. It's not my role. Natalie shakes the snow globe. Eva touches the globe. I wish I was Natalie. The orchestra starts the music for the Padee deux, and the two girls wait anticipating. Then the walls rumble.

The snow machine over the stage, to a start. Lights flicker. Mr. Constantine smiles as the faintly falling snowflakes dust the stage. A faint green glow begins to illuminate the globe. The globe is weak, but it's working. Looks like you have time for one more duns.

Natalie looks to Eva, and she nods in agreement. Natalie turns to the stage and sees Grayson on the other side. He throws his hands out as if to say, What the fuck? Are we doing this? Natalie takes a deep breath and nods. Mr. Constantine takes the glinting snow globe from Natalie. I know, Miss Primavera. This song is so like...

Beautiful. Heartbreaking. The music swells. Natalie takes a step onto the stage. Interior Stage Auditorium Night. Natalie and Grayson meet center stage and begin the Pottééé Desh as the orchestra. swells. Trevor plays viola with the pit orchestra. His lip trembles as he watches Natalie

and Grayson on stage. The dancer's eyes are locked on each other like there's no one else as they dance, skillful and emotional. Ms. Ross's eyes glisten wide with wonder, watching Natalie for the first time and leans forward in her seat. Interior dressing room continuous. Zoe and Timothy are lost in a messy makeout session. The Nutcracker doll, army crawls toward them. A light is hanging precariously over Zoe's head and a curling iron is causing a rack of tutus to smoke. Rumble. The room blacks out for a moment. The hanging light crashes into a rack of tutus to fall away from the iron. The Nutcracker doll goes limp. Interior stage auditorium continuous. The two smoky dancers enter from the back of the auditorium

and dance their way down the aisle toward the stage. They are invisible to all but Natalie and Mr. Constantine. Interior, backstage hallway, continuous. Teenage Bean, Fritz, and the children are huddled as catastrophe breaks through the closet door little by little, a la the shining. Fritz clenches his sword. Catastrophe finally breaks through the door and charges toward the children. Fritz raises his sword just as flicker. The cat goes limp, dead. Fritz nudges the cat The cat is dead The children cheer

Fritz turns to high-five Bean who is now swimming in her costume I'm a kid again Bean hugs Fritz Fritz beams Interior stage stage wings Continuous The Smoky dancers join Natalie and Grayson

on stage shadowing their dance Drawing ever closer Miss Miacouca watch the duet, eyes fixed, and in awe, clutching each other's hands. Grayson smiles at Natalie and the two kiss as though there were no audience. Trevor lets out an audible sob. With the final lift as the song's crescendo peaks, the smoky dancers enter Natalie and exit right before Eva's body drops into the final partner pose, leaving behind Natalie's spirit

with a puff. Interior stage, stage wings, continuous. Natalie Spirit quickly absorbs into her own body, eyes bulge as she sits up in her wheelchair with a gas. Interior Stage Auditorium Continuous. The audience erupts in applause. Interior stage stage wings, night. Mr. Constantine has the snow globe. Glow fizzles out, and both dark dancers are back inside, frozen.

Ava runs off stage and gives Natalie a huge hug. Natalie! Yes, and you're you. Yeah. Enough. Solo. Now. What?

No, no, no, no. I can't. Eva, you're the understudy. This is how it was always supposed to be. You can do this. Interior Stage Auditorium Night, Ava steps out, begins her solo, her lips tight with concentration.

She begins with her foettes. her fuetes. She's nailing them. Her smile spreads slowly and then wide with glee as the audience claps. Ava freezes as she spots Trevor in the orchestra pit. Trevor? Trevor turns away from Ava, angry, nostrils flaring. You do? Ava leaps off the stage into the orchestra pit. The audience and Ms. Ross gasp. Ava and Trevor kiss.

Interior stage Stage Stage wings night Grayson watches the scene Confused Miss Miyako and Miss Lana shake their heads Worst Nutcracker

Ever Next year will be better When Mr. Too Sexy to Teach isn't here anymore I mean all semester I'm like just shut up and kiss me already What? No Mr. Constantine walks up throwing his arms around

Miss Miyako and Miss Lana's shoulders How beautiful How erotic and devastating. A few feet away, Natalie Tugs on Grayson's shirt. Oh. Hey. How are you doing? Sorry, wait, that stupid ask.

You look good. Thanks, I'm good. So, I was wondering if you wanted to grab coffee or food or whatever. Or whatever? whenever I'll get you to hang out with me. Let me congratulate you on Houston Ballet. Grayson gives her a curious look. He glances back at Ava one more time

before turning back to Natalie and smiles. Yeah, definitely. But I said no to Houston. Going to Indiana, you? Did you know that you can double major in ballet? Interior Stage Auditorium Night, the finale. The whole cast dips into a final bow and Kenzie poses with the broken nutcracker doll with a large smile.

Mr. Constantine steps out and plunges into a dramatic foul. No claps. A cough. Trevor sets down his viola and claps enthusiastically. Yeah! Timothy is walking away down the center aisle. A moment later, we see Zoe tear-streaked chasing him. I love you, Timothy, Salome. Total phone.

Interior Physical Therapy Room Morning. Natalie is looking at Ava's Instagram page. A picture of Ava, Ms. Ross, Bean and Trevor around a Christmas tree, captioned, Christmas is the season of magic. Natalie hearts the post. Natalie pops in earbuds, her eyes closed, and her head sways slightly with the music. Grayson enters, knocks on the door with a Christmas present. Mrs. Primavera smiles and wait.

Waves Grayson in as Mr. Primavera Sipses coffee reading a paper. Merry Christmas. Natalie lifts up onto the parallel bars from her wheelchair. She takes a step. Fade out.