Download the piano/vocal score.

doran vs doran (set the poor girl free)

DOROTHÉE
It’s nothing. Just. The whole ballet-shoes thing. It reminds me.

I’VE HAD SECOND THOUGHTS
VIS A VIS CHARLOTTE.
OUR ARRANGEMENT
NEEDS TO CHANGE.
HOW WOULD IT SOUND...?

MARCUS
DON’T SAY YOU WANT HER FULL TIME.

DOROTHÉE
I CAN’T SPEAK FOR HER.
I CALLED MY LAWYERS.

MARCUS
THERE’S NO WAY.
NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY.

DOROTHÉE
KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN.
SEE REASON!

MARCUS
IT’S NOT HAPPENING. NOT IN MY LIFETIME.

DOROTHÉE
I CAN PROVIDE FOR HER.

MARCUS
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT.

DOROTHÉE
I HAVE MY HOUSE IN ORDER.
LOOK, I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT.

(composing herself)

SHE GETS MORE AT LEAST
THAN MASHED YEAST
AND TEA
WHEN SHE’S WITH ME.

MARCUS
YOU FEED HER PROCESSED
TOXIC POISON.

DOROTHÉE
I FEED HER THREE
SQUARE MEALS DAILY.
WHICH SHE CONSUMES
IN HER OWN ROOM.
THERE’S EVEN A CHEST
TO PUT HER TOYS IN...
HOW DO YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR?
AT YOUR PLACE
SHE SLEEPS ON THE FLOOR.
OR WITH YOU IN YOUR BED.
ENOUGH SAID.
A GIRL HER AGE NEEDS SPACE.

MARCUS
FOR ALL YOUR SPACE
SHE SUFFOCATES
SHE CAN’T SO MUCH AS FLINCH.
WITHOUT YOU HOVERING
ALWAYS FLUTTERING
SCRUBBING EVERY INCH.

I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HER
AWAY FROM ME.
SIT UP STRAIGHT!
CLEAN YOUR PLATE!
SHE WANTS TO BE FREE.

DOROTHÉE
Is that what she said? Well,
WHAT CHILDREN WANT,
AND WHAT CHILDREN NEED
ARE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT THINGS.

AS A GROWN-UP MAN
I EXPECT YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN.

MARCUS
I DON’T NEED A LECTURE.
YOU’RE HER MOM, NOT MINE...

(Music vamps under the following.)

DOROTHÉE
I’m going ahead with this.

MARCUS
They will take her feelings into consideration.

DOROTHÉE
She's going to be hitting puberty, Marcus. How long do you intend to make her sleep on the floor? What about when she’s a teenager? Will she sleep on the couch? With you in your bed?

MARCUS
I'll have a bigger place by then.

DOROTHÉE
On a teacher's wages? I'm going after full custody, Marcus.

MARCUS
You won’t get it.

DOROTHÉE
Watch me.

(The two sing the following simultaneously.)

DOROTHÉE
A YOUNG GIRL NEEDS

A PLACE TO BE
A SPOT TO LET OFF STEAM.
SHE NEEDS A SPACE
HER OWN PLACE
TO THINK, TO FEEL, TO DREAM.

ANY COURT WILL SEE
SHE’S BETTER OFF WITH ME.
IT ISN’T HOARDERS
IT’S LIMITS, ORDER
THAT MAKES A YOUNG GIRL FREE.
SET THE POOR GIRL FREE.

MARCUS
IF YOU TRY TO TAKE HER...
WELL, JUST YOU TRY
NOTHING COMES BETWEEN
MY DAUGHTER AND ME.
CHARLOTTE AND I:
WE ARE A TEAM.
WITH ME SHE’S FREE.

Words and Music by Michael Johnson
© 2022, Zubsongs, Ltd.