“Real Cool”
1959, Lincoln High School
DONNA is the top girl in the class. IVY and JULIA, DONNA’S cousins are less able and jealous of DONNA.
JESS has just started and is impressing teacher MRS WESLEY already.
DANNY, popular basketball jock, keeps elbowing JESS during basketball games, despite them being in the same team.
DANNY mocks JESS in the changing rooms and CARL introduces himself to JESS. CARL has low self esteem and tries to be ‘invisible’ at school.
IVY and JULIA plan a way to make sure DONNA is not Queen of the Prom. They fix the test results. MRS WESLEY announces JESS as top boy of the class and, to everybody’s amazement, IVY is the top girl.
JULIA is annoyed that IVY was chosen especially as she had won the toss for top girl as they schemed. JULIA confesses the cheating to JESS who agrees to keep it confidential.
Prom night arrives. Well into the evening, the music stops and COACH ERICSSON starts to introduce the two top students.
Out of the blue, JULIA gets up to make a public confession about the cheating and scheming.
JESS distracts the attention of the crowd by coming in the back door looking drunk and disorderly while shouting at the top of his voice.
He grabs IVY and lurches around the dance floor, finally spinning her face first into a punch bowl.
JULIA is determined to finish her speech but DONNA manages to get hold of the microphone and complement the band. JULIA apologises to DONNA for her cheating and jealousy and they both make up.
JESS stands dishevelled in dirty tuxedo while DANNY and JOCKS taunt him. DANNY prepares to strike but JESS lands a punch. The other JOCKS flee.
JESS cleans himself up and dances with JULIA, who is grateful and smitten. Instead of cheating her way and pretending to be something that she isn’t, she has found out people like her for who she is.
