Just In Case You Were Wondering

It occurs to me that at this point, there's really no point in maintaining the deep dark secrecy of this blog, and that who knows --- someone might actually read it some day. So, for anyone who's interested, I thought I'd post an outline of the show's story. Et voila:

The play begins in Pennsylvania Station in the summer of 1962. Former architect Paul Silver is distributing leaflets protesting the building’s imminent destruction, and meets Allison Abbott, an ambitious but naïve copy editor for Skyline magazine. Allison is politely indifferent to Paul’s station-saving manifesto, but when he learns she works for a magazine, he becomes so aggressive in attempting to recruit her to the cause that she gives in just to get rid of him, and says she will “try” to come to a meeting that night, to learn more about the preservation efforts.

Allison arrives at work, where she pitches Paul’s story to her boss, Barry, who is grudgingly receptive until Paul barges in, having tracked Allison to her office. Paul insists that Barry “considering” the story isn’t enough, and in fact antagonizes him so badly that Barry leaves in a huff. Allison berates Paul for his lack of tact, but he points out that he doesn’t have time for tact. He points out that Allison isn’t doing him a favor by championing the story — if it runs and has its intended effect, it could make Allison’s career. Allison realizes that this is true, and agrees to join Paul and his fellow protesters at their meeting.

That evening, Allison meets her fiancé, Henry, who is also an architect. Henry has received exciting news about his job as well, but insists that Allison tell hers first. She tells him she is developing a story that could be good not just for her career, but also for the city. Before she can offer details, they are joined by Rory, a mutual friend and an associate in Henry’s architectural firm. When Allison tells them that her story might help to prevent the demolition of Penn Station, Henry reveals his news: he and Rory have been appointed to their firm’s Madison Square Garden team, and will be involved in building the thing that will replace Penn Station after it’s been torn down.

Allison decides that she can’t work on the story if it will conflict with her relationship with Henry, but realizes she should break the news to Paul in person. When she describes her encounter with Paul earlier that day, Henry and Rory are noticeably stunned. Henry explains that Paul is a former colleague of theirs, and “sort of the reason Rory and I split up.” Allison now wonders if she should skip the meeting, but Rory wants to confront Paul about the damage he did years before. Neither Henry or Allison relishes the idea, but Rory is adamant, and they go to meet the protestors.

Allison, Henry and Rory arrive at the protestors’ meeting place, where Paul welcomes them all without so much as batting an eyelash, subverting Rory’s outrage. He introduces them to his friends David and Ann, a married couple who also committed to the preservation.

Allison explains that she thinks it would be inappropriate for her to write in favor of preserving Penn Station, given that her fiancé’s career is now tied to the success of the new Madison Square Garden building. Paul is shocked that she would give up on an important story simply because it would make things uncomfortable with her fiancé. He asks if their relationship is so shaky it can’t stand even the smallest disagreement, which infuriates Henry but makes Allison realize that Paul is right. She decides to go forward with the story as planned. Henry agrees, and Rory grudgingly admits that, career issues aside, she hates the idea of being even partly responsible for the loss of the station, and secretly hopes Paul succeeds.

A few days later, Allison is awaiting news of her story proposal. Again, Paul shows up uninvited, and Allison tells him that things have been strained between her and Henry since the meeting, and she blames him. Paul rejects this and tells her that conflict is healthy in a relationship. Allison scoffs, wondering if this is what he tells his wife. Paul tells her that his wife is dead, and Allison, embarrassed, backs down.

Barry is annoyed to discover Paul in Allison’s office again, but tells her things look good for her story. Barry, who has been openly hitting on Allison all along, then invites her to dinner, ostensibly to “talk shop.” Allison deflects him, saying that since it’s Paul’s story, the three of them should go together. Barry tells her he’ll have his girl get back to her, and leaves. Paul is awestruck at how effectively Allison has rejected Barry’s advances. Allison is offended that Paul thinks Barry has any inappropriate ideas about her, but quickly drops the matter, delighted that her story is going to run, and that she is going to “change everything.” She impulsively hugs Paul who, startled by her outburst, admits that she might do just that.

The second act opens on a celebration at the protestors’ meeting place. They have received word of Allison’s story for Skyline, and there is more good news in the NY Times: the Action Group for Better Architecture in New York, a new and more organized protest group, has planned a demonstration for the next day. AGBANY is also larger and higher-profile than Paul’s group, and their glamour makes them more newsworthy. It upsets him that they are getting more attention, but he is glad to have the publicity, and encourages his members to meet him at the demonstration.

All are in high spirits until one of the protestors asks why they don’t simply join AGBANY themselves. This splits the group into those who are themselves professionals, and see only the advantages of greater numbers, and the “ordinary” New Yorkers, who are afraid they would be dismissed and ignored by the more sophisticated group.

Paul is able to restore order — just barely — in an uncharacteristically thoughtful way. He is surprised by his success, but also shaken by how easily things nearly fell apart. He goes to speak with the dissenters, and Allison is approached by Ann, who is as surprised as Allison that Paul handled the argument so smoothly, particularly because she knows he secretly agrees with the others. She tells Allison that saving the station is the only thing Paul has cared about since his wife died, and that it’s killing him that AGBANY has taken up the fight so successfully.

Henry arrives to take Allison home, and she tells him about the demonstration. Henry is surprised to find that she now talks as if she were one of the protestors. Allison points out that Penn Station really is a beautiful and historic building, so would it be the worst thing in the world if she were to be part of saving it? Henry reminds her that much of their future rests on the new Garden being built. He senses that with Allison so directly under Paul’s influence — as Rory once was — he is about to see history repeat itself. Allison is insulted by the implication and Henry demurs, but when Allison goes to get her coat, Henry asks Paul exactly what his intentions are. Paul denies any interest in Allison, but Henry says that Paul always has some interest. At a minimum, he thinks he’s shaping Allison’s world view; teaching her some great lesson about life, but that all she’ll learn from Paul is and cynicism and regret —that’s all anyone ever learns from him. Allison returns and she and Henry exit, leaving Paul to realize that what Henry has said is true.

Several days later, Allison, Rory and Ann are in Allison’s office, stuffing envelopes for a mailing. Rory reads from a NY Times article on the protest, which she now wishes she had attended. Allison says she wishes Rory had attended too, so Allison wouldn’t be the only one Henry is upset with. She says she suspects Henry is jealous of Paul, which is of course ridiculous. The others humor her, although Allison’s infatuation with Paul is palpable.

Allison dismisses their mocking, asking how Rory felt when Henry accused her of being involved with Paul. Rory, astonished by Allison’s obtuseness, points out that she actually was sleeping with Paul; that Paul had cheated on his wife on any number of occasions in the past. Allison, devastated, cannot believe that anyone who cares so much about doing something good could possibly be a bad person, but Rory assures her that Paul isn’t a bad person: he’s an amazing, wonderful person — which is how he gets away with being such a son-of-a-bitch.

Paul arrives, bringing dinner for the women, and asks Rory why she wasn’t at the rally. She tells him it’s because she was avoiding him, and he tells her that if this fight, which he knows she supports, is won or lost without her, because she was avoiding him, she has no one to blame but herself. Angry and confused, Rory leaves with Ann, and Allison offers to show them out. Paul is alone in Allison’s office when Barry comes looking for her.

Barry takes the opportunity to address Paul privately, telling him that he’s not making it easy on either Allison or himself by constantly coming between Barry and his attractive young “protégé.” Paul scoffs at this, but Barry points out that in fact, he can either help Allison advance in her career … or not. Paul expresses his disgust, which Barry quickly dismisses: Paul’s own reputation as a womanizer has preceded him. Finally, in desperation, Paul appeals to Barry’s better nature. There are hundreds of pretty girls, Paul’s cause is just, and if Barry can help him save Penn Station, he’ll be on the side of the angels. Paul badgers Barry on this point until he must finally admit there really isn’t any way the story can run in the magazine until it’s too late to make a difference. Barry has been stringing Allison along for his own reasons. Paul is devastated, and almost on the point of throwing a punch at Barry when Allison returns.

Barry leaves, and Allison asks if he has told Paul any more about the story. Paul avoids the question, and instead tells her he’s re-thinking the idea of their group joining forces with AGBANY. This raises Allison’s suspicions, but Paul says it’s time he stopped being afraid of running into colleagues from his former career. Allison doesn’t believe he’s ever been afraid of any such thing, which forces Paul to tell her how his career ended. On the night his wife died, he was with Rory. It was Henry who came to break the news to him about his wife, and who discovered the two of them together. The grief, the pain he caused both Henry and Rory, and the public humiliation of the gossip that followed drove him to abandon his job and his friends.

Allison is shattered, but so moved by what Paul has been through, and how it has damaged him, that it only intensifies her feelings for him. Paul, meanwhile, is incredulous that anyone could be so willing to overlook his faults, and finds himself closer to reciprocating those feelings. The two discover their mutual attraction, but Paul, realizing he must be honest with Allison, tells her what Barry has said about her story. She is disappointed, but both agree that the only hope now is to join with the more influential group, and do what they can to save the station.

Paul’s group joins AGBANY, but quickly learns that the larger group has had no better luck in actually stopping the demolition. At an AGBANY meeting, the protestors learn that their one major coup — an in-person meeting with the mayor — has failed. Although the mayor promises to establish a commission to avoid the loss of other major landmarks in the future, Penn Station itself is doomed. Paul makes a last pitch to convince the AGBANY leadership to try again, but finally concedes that the battle is over. He tells his followers that Grand Central is in the same danger now that Penn Station was a year ago, and they must continue fighting, but Allison is dismayed by what she sees as his giving up. Rather than try to make her see reason, Paul simply walks out, leaving Henry to console Allison over her fallen idol.

Rory tracks Paul down and tells him he must make things right with Allison. Paul says it’s better if Allison no longer sees him as invincible, but Rory insists that he owes her an explanation. She reminds him that when his wife died, he abandoned Rory without a word, never giving her the chance to help him deal with his loss. She begs him not to do the same to Allison, but he thinks Allison will be happier in the long run remembering him exactly as she knew him, up to and including the disappointment he brought her.

Months pass. Rory visits Allison early on the morning the demolition is to begin and learns that Allison has been completely focused on her wedding plans and has had no contact with Paul or any of the protestors. Rory tells Allison that Paul will be at the station when the demolition starts, to be witness to it, and convinces Allison to go and be there with him. As Allison is leaving to meet Paul, Henry arrives at her apartment. When she tells him where she is going, he is hurt and confused, finally demanding to know what he can expect of Allison’s friendship with Paul in the future. Allison can’t answer, and abruptly leaves for the station.

Allison finds Paul and tells him how helpless she feels, knowing that all of their work was for nothing. Paul tells her it wasn’t for nothing — people are angry and upset over the demolition, and won’t allow something like it to happen so easily the next time. Their fight has forced people to listen, and to think. Allison tells him she doesn’t know what to do about Henry, who doesn’t want her to see Paul anymore. He tells her that what she has to do is go and get married, and live her life, and worry about him later. She says she’s not even sure if Henry still wants to marry her, but Paul sees that Henry is in fact right there, having followed Allison to the station. Henry tells Paul how sorry he is about the loss of the building, and admits that it was, in fact, very beautiful.

Henry and Allison linger for a moment longer in the station, then leave together, and Paul is left alone as the jackhammers start.