Annie scene from Sharing Annie, practice script

ANNIE

What? You keep starin’ at me. It’s the nose, isn’t it?

JENNIFER

Sorry, it just looks so -

ANNIE

What?

JENNIFER

Busy.

ANNIE

Do you think Dad will like it?

JENNIFER

No, but I can’t wait to watch him pretend he does. (Beat) Why today of all days do you go and do something like this?

ANNIE

I was with my friend Theda, right?

JENNIFER

Is she the skinny one?

ANNIE

Yeah, but it’s not cause she throws up. Well, not anymore. Ever since that thing with the dog food...and the Marshmallow Fluff. With all the--

JENNIFER

Anyway. Back to you.

ANNIE

Okay. So. We were tryin’ to think of somethin’ I could do to symbolize that everything’s different like, as of today. I mean, I’m gonna have a whole new

ANNIE (cont’d)

life with a stepbrother n’ a stepsister n’ I just wanna make sure whey get that I’m someone who, you know, can like--

JENNIFER

Go out and permanently alter her face without even having to ask her mother?

ANNIE

Ma, this is the 90’s. Nothin’s permanent.

JENNIFER

(Beat)

Annie? No matter what, I promise I will always be here for you. Always. Guess I just have to get used to the idea of sharing you with your Dad and his - hey, do me a favor? Don’t let her make you call her "mom"?

ANNIE

How about "Mommie Dearest"?

JENNIFER

I am gonna miss you so much.

ANNIE

I’ll still be here half the week. Rest of the time, you could go back to writin’. Or you could take a cookin’ class. Like maybe Cajun. Where half the stuff is already supposed to come out black.

JENNIFER

Thanks, I got plenty to do. Look around.

ANNIE

Hey Ma, remember when you told Dad you’d take him back the day the Braves won the series? Did he ever--

JENNIFER

No!

ANNIE

--Take you up on--? Okay, we’re getting’ touchy. Forget it. So just tell me this, hypothetically-like. Dad moves all the way out here from LA with the new wife ’n kids, but they can’t handle it so they freak, right? Then Dad freaks, and he drops outta AA and everybody blames me.

JENNIFER

They’re not gonna blame you. If they do, we’ll make a coupla calls and get ’em booked on a talk show. The audience’ll do the rest. Hey, don’t worry. Your father wants this to work so badly, he’s not gonna blow it.

ANNIE

But what about them? Who’d wanna move from LA to Brewsbury, Mass. Like, totally on purpose? What if they hate it?

JENNIFER

You mean, what if you hate it?

ANNIE

It’s just - for three years now it’s been just you and me. I’m not used to crowds. Couldn’t Dad have waited til--

JENNIFER

Til when? Offers from Boston don’t come that often. Even with a big pay cut. Hey, your dad just gave up runnin’ the swimsuit edition to go back to takin’ pictures of sweaty ballplayers so he could be with you.

ANNIE

Just wish we could have some hang time, before the home team meets the visitors.

JENNIFER

C’mon, this is a good time for the kids to change schools, and he doesn’t want to leave his new, you know--

ANNIE

What? You mean wife?

JENNIFER

Yeah, that.

JENNIFER (CONT’D)

What is it with you!! Ever since we made this deal, it’s like I’ve been living with the KGB.

ANNIE

There is no KGB. They disbanded.

JENNIFER

CIA!

ANNIE

Discredited.

JENNIFER

FBI! No, forget them too.

ANNIE

You’re gonna be talkin’ HIP through a box on your nick if you don’t quit huffin’ butts. How can someone who just breezed through law school be so dumb about smokin’?

JENNIFER

Hey, don’t get snotty with me. Your accessories will tarnish.