Chapter Text
In a New York Girls Orphanage, it’s shortly after 3 am. It’s a very cold morning in December of 1933. The rooms are very dark, and all the of the girls are asleep. Gabby is the youngest, she’s six. Grett is seven. Maggy is ten. Fiore is twelve. Lake is thirteen, and so is Ally. Gabby wakes up suddenly, and she’s yelling and crying.
Gabby: Mommy! Mommy! Mamusiu!
Fiore: Shut up!
Ally: Can’t we just get sleep?
Gabby: Mamusiu?
Fiore: Did I stutter? I said, shut up Gabby!
Fiore then proceeds to slap Gabby on the arm.
Lake: Stop hitting her! Don’t you think we get hit enough by Miss Sharma? What did she do to you?
Fiore: She’s crying, and so we can’t sleep.
Lake: But your yelling doesn’t help—
Fiore: You want us to make something about it?
Lake: How about I—
Fiore hits Lake now, and the two begin to fight.
Maggy: Oh no! Oh no! They’re fighting, and now no one will sleep! Oh no! Oh no!
Tessie, who is eleven, runs into the room. She had a bucket and mop, as Miss Sharma made her clean.
Tess: Be quiet. Go back to sleep.
She goes to Gabby’s bed and sits on her bed.
Tess: It’s alright, Gabs. Tessie’s here. What happened?
Gabby: Me and my mommy were in a park. She was pointing out all the dogs and people, but I turned around for a second. But when I looked back, she was gone! Zniknął!
Tess: It’s alright. It was just a dream. You have to go to bed, now, don’t you?
She hands Gabby a tissue so she can blow her nose.
Gabby: Mind reading me your note? Please?
Tess: Again?
Gabby: Please? Please? Please? Please?
Tess: Fine, okay.
Fiore: Ugh… really… again?
Tess ignores Fiore and takes outa worn out paper from her pocket, she opened it, and began to read it out loud.
Tess: “Please take of our little princess. Her name is Tess.”
Grett speaks up mockingly, as the whole orphanage has heard Tess read the letter so much that they have practically memorized it.
Grett: “She was born on April 6th. We will get back to her when we can.”
Fiore also began talking in a mocking tone.
Fiore: “We have left half a heart locket around her neck and kept the other half—”
Fiore, Ally, and Grett: “—so that when we come back you know that she is our baby.”
Maggy: Oh no! Oh no! Now they’re making fun of Tessie!
Tess: Keep it down! Unless you want to sleep toothless tonight!
Tess folds the note and places it back where she got it from.
Gabby sighs.
Gabby: I could only ever dream of a mommy and daddy. But you really have them. You’re lucky.
Tess: I know. Somewhere, Gabby. Somewhere.
Maybe
Tess: Maybe far away or maybe real nearby, he may be pouring her coffee, she may be straightening his tie!
Tess: Maybe in a house all hidden by a hill,
Gabby: She’s sitting playing piano,
Maggy: He may be paying a bill!
Tess: Bet you they’re young! Bet you they’re smart!
Lake: Bet they collect things,
Ally: Like ashtrays and art!
Grett: Bet you they’re good.
Fiore: Why shouldn’t they be?
All Orphans: They’re one mistake was giving up me!
Tess: So, maybe now it’s time, and maybe when I wake,
Tess, All Orphans: They’ll be there, calling me “Baby,” maybe.
Tess notices Gabby has fallen asleep, so she carries her back to bed and tucks her in. The Orphans all say goodnight and one by one get into bed as well.
Tess: Bet you he reads. Bet you she sews. Maybe she’s made me a closet of clothes!
Tess: Maybe they’re strict, as straight as a line. Don’t really care, as long as they’re mine!
Tess: So, maybe now this prayer’s the last one of its kind: won’t you please come get your “Baby,”
Tess, All Orphans: Maybe?
Tess looks out of the window as the song ends, looking at all of New York that she could see, which wasn’t much. A church bell chimes 4:00 am, and Tess decides what she’ll do next. She puts some books in a small basket, but she drops a flashlight, waking everyone up.
Fiore: Now what is it?
Grett: Tessie…? What are you doing…?
Tess: I’m running away.
Maggy: Oh no…
Tess puts on her sweater.
Tess: I know my parent’s aren’t coming, and now I have to go find them.
Lake: Tessie, you’re insane. Miss Sharma will surely catch you.
Maggy: And hit you with the paddle.
Tess: I don’t care, I’m still doing it. I’m ready, wish me luck.
All except Fiore: Good Luck, Tessie.
Fiore: So long, dumbbell. Good luck.
Tess turns on her flashlight and shines it in front of her, looking through the hallway. When she saw there appeared to be no sign of Miss Sharma, she tiptoes carefully. She’s about to open the main door, but from the left of her, another door opens. And out comes Miss Sharma in her fuzzy coat. The room is bathed in light.
Miss Sharma: Aha! Caught you!
Miss Sharma then shoves Annie to the floor.
Miss Sharma: Get up! Now!
Tess gets up, sounding wary.
Tess: Yes, Miss Sharma…
Miss Sharma: Turn around.
Tess doesn’t move, and Miss Sharma’s eyes narrowed.
Miss Sharma: I said, turn around.
Tess turns around and Miss Sharma hits her in the back with a paddle.
Miss Sharma: Now tell me what you say. Tell me.
Tess reluctantly sighs.
Tess: I love you, Miss Sharma.
Miss Sharma: Bratty orphan.
Tess speaks up angrily.
Tess: I am not an orphan! I have proof that my parents are somewhere, trying to come back to me!
Miss Sharma: It’s been eleven years since.
She drags Tess through the hallway and into the dormitory. She turns the lights on.
Miss Sharma: Since this one tried something funny, now all of you will get on your knees clean until this floor shines like the top of the Chrysler Building for not stopping her!
Maggy begins to cry.
Maggy: But it’s four in the morning!
Miss Sharma laughs cruelly.
Miss Sharma: Oh really? Get to work.
Tess, All Orphans: Yes, Miss Sharma.
Miss Sharma sees no one actually stood up and began to work.
Miss Sharma: Now!
Miss Sharma leaves the dormitories.
It’s The Hard Knock Life
All Orphans: It’s the hard knock life for us! It’s the hard knock life for us!
Tess: Instead of treated,
All Orphans: We get tricked!
Tess: Instead of kisses,
All Orphans: We get kicked! It’s the hard knock life!
All Orphans: Got no folks to speak of so, it’s the hard knock row, we hoe!
Tess: Cotton blankets,
All Orphans: Instead of wool!
Tess: Empty bellies,
All Orphans: Instead of full! It’s the hard knock life!
Tess: Doesn’t it feel like the wind is always blowing in? Doesn’t it seem like there’s never any light?
Ally, Lake: Once a day don’t you wanna throw the towel in?
Gabby, Fiore: It’s easier than putting up a fight!
Tess: No one’s there when your dreams at night get creepy!
Gabby: No one cares if you grow or if you shrink!
Maggy: No one dries your eyes when they get wet and weepy!
All Orphans: From the crying you would think this place would sink! Oh!
All Orphans: Empty belly life! Rotten smelly life! Full of sorrow life! No tomorrow life!
Gabby: Santa Claus we never see.
Fiore: “Santa Claus” what’s that? Who’s he?
All Orphans: No one cares for you a smidge, when you’re in an orphanage! It’s the hard knock life!
Gabby whistles, imitating Miss Sharma.
Gabby: You’ll get down and clean until this place shines like the top of the Chrysler Building!
All (except Gabby): Yank the whiskers from her chin! Jab her with a safety pin! Make her drink a Mickey Finn! I love you Miss Sharma.
The orphans have almost finished cleaning, now getting to strip their beds, while Gabby continues imitating Miss Sharma.
Gabby: Get to work! Strip the beds! I said, get to work!
All (except Gabby): It’s the hard knock life for us!
Gabby: Merry Christmas!
All: It’s the hard knock life for us!
Gabby: Merry Christmas!
All: No one cares for you a smidge,
Gabby: Merry Christmas!
All: When you’re in an orphanage!
All: It’s the hard knock life, it’s the hard knock life!
All: It’s. The. Hard. Knock. Life!
Gabby falls into the laundry basket, getting covered by blankets as the song ends.
Miss Sharma enters, now dressed, and whistles. All of the Orphans run and line up for inspection, but Tess is looking at the laundry basket.
Miss Sharma: Good morning, children!
All Orphans: Good morning, Miss Sharma.
Miss Sharma: Well? Don’t leave me hanging.
All Orphans: We love you Miss Sharma.
Gabby frantically attempts to escape the basket.
Gabby: I love you Miss Sharma!
Miss Sharma: You, what’s going on?
Gabby: Nothing.
Lake was nearest to the basket.
Miss Sharma: You, help her out of there.
Lake helps Gabby out.
Miss Sharma: Gabby, your days are over.
She whistles.
Miss Sharma: All right, breakfast!
All Orphans: Hot oats? Yuck!
Miss Sharma: Oh no, it isn’t going to be hot oats.
Everyone gets excited.
Miss Sharma: It’s going to be cold oats.
Everyone groans.
Miss Sharma: And afterwards, you’ll get to sewing, the dresses won’t finish themselves!
All Orphans: Yes, Miss Sharma.
The laundry man, Logan Bell enters with a stack of clean sheets.
Logan: Laundry, laundry man here.
All the Orphans get excited to see Logan.
All Orphans: Morning, Logan!
Logan: Morning, I have brought the clean sheets!
Tess gets into the basket while Miss Sharma is distracted by Logan’s sudden appearance.
Logan: Hello, beautiful. How are you, Riya?
Miss Sharma: Logan, get out.
Logan pushes the cart with the dirty sheets and Tess away.
Logan: So long, gorgeous. And Merry Christmas.
Miss Sharma is inspecting the floor, and sees a spot of dust.
Miss Sharma: Huh, you call this clean, Tessie? This place is like a pigsty. Tessie? Tessie?!
All Orphans: Tessie isn’t here.
Miss Sharma: What are you saying?
Maggy: She left… with Mr. Logan…
Gabby: In the cart!
Miss Sharma: Logan! Police! Police!
She runs out of the orphanage.
Lake: No more hard knock life for Tessie!
It’s The Hard Knock Life (Reprise)
Lake: Lucky Duck she got away!
Gabby: But we’re gonna have to pay!
Grett, Maggy: Gonna get our faces slapped!
Ally, Fiore: Gonna get our knuckles rapped!
All Orphans: It’s the hard knock life, it’s the hard knock life!
All Orphans: It’s. The. Hard. Knock. Life!