Nothing

Written by Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban

Performed by Diana (Yamil Borges)

I'm so excited because I'm gonna go
to the High School of Performing Arts!
I mean, I was dying to be a serious actress.
Anyway, it's the first day acting class-
and we're in the auditorium and the teacher,
Mr. Karp... Oh, Mr. Karp...
Anyway, he puts us up on the stage with
our legs around each other,
one in back of the other and he says:
"Okay... we're going to do improvisations.
Now, you're on a bobsled. It's snowing out.
And it's cold...Okay...GO!"

Every day for a week we would try to
Feel the motion,
Feel the motion
Down the hill
Every day for a week we would try to

Hear the wind rush,
Hear the wind rush
Feel the chill
So I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see what I had inside
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried, I tried
And everybody is going whoosh, whoosh
I feel the snow, I feel the cold, I feel the air
And Mr. Karp turns to me and he says
"Okay, Morales, what did you feel?"
And I said
"Nothing, I'm feeling nothing"
And he says
"Nothing could get a girl transferred"
They all felt something
But I felt nothing
Except the feeling
That this nonsense was absurd
So I said to myself
"Dont worry about it, it's only the first week"
Maybe it's genetic
They don't have bobsleds in San Juan"
Second week, more advanced
And we had to be a table
Be a sports car
Ice cream cone
Mr. Karp, he would say
"Very good, except Morales
Try Morales,
All alone"
So I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
To see how an ice cream felt
Yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And I tried to melt
And the kids yelled, "Nothing"
They called me, "Nothing"
And Karp allowed it
Which really makes me burn
They were so helpful
They called me hopeless
Until I really didn't know
Where else to turn
And Mr Karp comes up to me and he says
"You know what, Morales? I think you should transfer to Girls High
You'll never be an actress, never"
Jesus Christ
Went to church, praying
"Santa Maria, send me guidance
Send me guidance" On my knees
Went to church, praying
"Santa Maria, help me feel it
Help me feel it, pretty please"
And a voice from down at the bottom of my soul
Came up to the top of my head
And the voice from down at the bottom of my soul
Here is what it said
This man is nothing
This course is nothing
If you want something
Go find a better class
And when you find one
You'll be an actress
And I assure you that's what
Finally came to pass
Six months later I heard that Karp had died
And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul
And cried
'Cause I felt nothing