Coming out of a movie with Chelsea that Friday night, Eddie starts spinning all of Stuart’s lies about surfing and Africa. In the middle of a story about his pet elephant, Spot, he starts to turn back into Henry. He takes more of his potion in front of Chelsea, placating her by saying it’s medicine for a rare, non-contagious disease he got in Africa. Eddie takes over more and more of Henry’s life (“More” Sequence). Stuart finds Eddie no substitute for his best friend, and Henry’s teachers worry about the effect his new attendance problem will have on the chemistry scholarship he is applying for. Eddie even bullies Chelsea into getting out of a weekend with her grandmother to spend more time with him. Henry’s parents get a letter from Henry’s school, and confront him. But he refuses to answer their questions, angrily asserting his independence (“Something’s Wrong”). Transformed again, Eddie tries to convince Stuart, Chelsea and Marissa to help him steal a car so they can go to the beach for the weekend and “borrow” somebody’s beach house. Stuart finally stands up to Eddie and refuses to go. Eddie retaliates by telling the girls about Stuart’s alcoholic father. Stuart storms off, and so does Marissa. Chelsea tries to follow them, but Eddie yells, and begs, and physically threatens Chelsea, grabbing her wrist so hard it hurts. She promises to go with him that weekend, and he turns sweet and nice again. Later that day, Henry reverts to himself and begs Stuart for forgiveness. But Stuart recognizes the signs of addiction (“More” Reprise), and tells Henry to get help. Henry insists he’s got it under control and that he can stop on his own. To prove it, he decides to talk to Chelsea as himself, not as Eddie. He tells her that Eddie has gone away and is never coming back, and is surprised to find her relieved. They find they have more in common than they thought, since Chelsea wishes she were smart like Henry just as much as Henry wishes he were popular like her (“If I Were You”). Henry hesitantly asks her out, and to their mutual astonishment, she agrees. It looks like Eddie is gone for good. But Henry still has to get through his interview for the chemistry scholarship. And he still has a vial of potion in his pocket, even though he had sworn off it. As he waits, getting more and more nervous, he finally succumbs and drinks the potion. He transforms into Eddie, who insults the interviewer, tears up Henry’s application essay, and goes to find Chelsea. He calls her stupid, and threatens her again, but this time, she’s had enough. She walks out on him, leaving him shouting after her. Eddie runs back to his lab, desperate for his next fix. Henry’s mother walks in, and doesn’t recognize her own son. She comes between Eddie and the beaker of potion, tries to kick him out, and threatens to call the police. Then, Eddie comes down, transforming back into Henry in front of her eyes. He attacks her, wanting only the potion, and realizes only too late what he’s done. Finally, at rock bottom, he recognizes that he can’t stop, and asks her for help. The rest of the cast joins her in assuring Henry, “You’re Not Alone.” CAST Character Breakdown Henry Meckler A brainiac and ‘outsider,’ and our story’s troubled protagonist. Timid and introverted, he desperately yearns to be someone else. On his quest to become someone new, he develops a terrifying alter ego: Eddie. Stuart Henry’s best friend. Good-natured with an active sense of humor. Not one of the popular kids and has an alcoholic father. Chelsea Mcfadden
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=