Belle tells him that Rookie is actually a prince - just like Alan Swann (“Rookie in The Ring”). A fully recovered Alan Swann appears, elegant and ready for a night on the town. Swann searches the room for his suitcase full of liquor, which Benjy has hidden. He explains that he needs to abstain, or else Benjy is going to lose his job. Swann promises to abstain while in his care. The two go out on the town and Swann misbehaves but doesn’t drink. Benjy does his best to keep Swann out of trouble but eventually loses him (“Manhattan”). The next day in the Broadcast Studio, all the writers read the headline story: Swann hauled in for disturbing the peace naked in Bethesda Fountain. King is furious and threatens Benjy. Swann enters, sober and alert, and charms the entire staff - including the cranky King - who reveals his superstitions to Swann (“The Gospel According to King”). Rehearsal for The Musketeer Sketch begins, with Benjy clumsily acting as a stand-in. Benjy reveals to Alan Swann that ‘Benjy Stone’ is a made-up name. His real name is Benjamin Steinberg. Swann tells Benjy that he, too, was once a simple guy named Clarence Duffy, who transformed himself into a film star. Rehearsals for the entire show continue, but Benjy sees K.C. completely smitten with Swann. Acting on a jealous impulse, Benjy embarrasses her and she runs off. Benjy follows K.C. into the ladies’ room there. She tells him to get out, but he wants to know what’s been going on between her and Swann. Alice, in a stall, overhears the entire conversation. K.C. forces Benjy out and Alice emerges from her stall. K.C. tells Alice that she’s intimidated - she’s the only unfunny person on the show (“Funny”). Alice tries to teach K.C. a joke but she is hopeless (“The Joke”). Back in the Broadcast Studio, the Musketeer Sketch is all set for performance. Benjy awkwardly approaches Swann and asks him to dinner at his mother’s house in Brooklyn. Swann accepts and goes off to get changed while Benjy waits. A pretty sixteen-year-old girl enters with a letter she wants Benjy to give Swann, an invitation to her school’s reception at the plaza. Benjy puts the letter in his pocket and promises to give it to Swann. The young girl leaves. The scene shifts to Belle’s Brooklyn apartment. The doorbell buzzes and Benjy and Swann are welcomed first by Uncle Morty, then by Rookie, who’s done all the cooking, and finally by Belle, who makes a dazzling entrance in an over-the-top hairdo and dress (“Welcome To Brooklyn”). Aunt Sadie tops them all by arriving in her wedding gown. Finally, the entire neighbourhood arrives to have a look. Swann dines with Benjy and his family, charming them all. After dinner, Swann tells Belle he admires the loving family life. He admits it’s something he’s never found. However, he does have a daughter, Tess, who lives with her mother in Connecticut. He has not seen her in three years. While clearing the table, Benjy overhears this conversation and gives Swann the invitation he received earlier. Benjy is shocked that Swann hasn’t seen his daughter in three years, but Swann tells Benjy that life can never be as perfect as we would like to imagine (“If the World Were Like The Movies”). Belle appears with a bottle of champagne and to Benjy’s dismay, Swann accepts. Act Two Later that evening, Benjy and a drunken Swann charge on through Central Park. He is determined to get to the Plaza to see Tess but is unable to find it. Swann tells Benjy that tomorrow he’ll be sober and will know all the reasons why he shouldn’t see his daughter - but tonight he’s going to see her with or without Benjy’s permission (“Exits”)! At the Plaza, Swann makes a scene with the doorman, who knocks him down. Tess comes out of the Plaza with a group of friends, just in time to see her father’s humiliation. She leaves, and Swann is devastated. In Swann’s room at the Waldorf, shortly before dawn, ex-prize fighting champ Rookie has just finished attending to Swann’s cuts and bruises, and we see the beginnings of a relationship between Benjy and Rookie. As Rookie leaves, Benjy gives him two front row tickets for the big show. K.C. then enters. Benjy has called her over to help him out. He asks K.C. to watch Swann for a few hours while Benjy goes off to do something. At first K.C. is upset, and they quarrel. But Benjy finally tells K.C. that he’s crazy about her. K.C. doesn’t quite know how to take it. She tells him she likes this new side of him and they finally give in to a passionate embrace (“Shut Up And Dance”). They kiss at last. He leaves, and she promises to get Swann to the studio on time.
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