Live from Lincoln Center (TV Series)

The New York Philharmonic's Performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel (2013)

Nathan Gunn: Billy Bigelow

Quotes 

• Heavenly Friend : [after Billy hits Louise's hand]  Failure. You struck out blindly again. Is that the only way you know how to treat those you love? Failure.

  Julie Jordan : Where is he?

  [sees Billy and is shaken] 

  Billy Bigelow : I don't want her to see me.

  Heavenly Friend : [waves arm]  Then she doesn't.

  Billy Bigelow : I think she saw me before I said it.

  Louise Bigelow : He's gone! I didn't make it up, Mother. Honest, there was a strange man here and he hit me hard. I heard the sound of it. But it didn't hurt, Mother! It didn't hurt at all. It was almost as if - he kissed my hand! Don't you believe me, Mother?

  Julie Jordan : I believe you.

  Louise Bigelow : Then why are you acting so funny?

  Julie Jordan : It's nothing, darling.

  Louise Bigelow : But is it possible, Mother, for someone to hit you hard like tha - real loud and hard - and not hurt you at all?

  Julie Jordan : It's possible, dear - for someone to hit you - hit you hard and not hurt at all.

  [hugs Louise, Louise leaves. Julie sits down on bench] 

  Billy Bigelow : Julie! Julie!

  [singing] 

  Billy Bigelow : Longing to tell you, but afraid and shy, I let my golden chances pass me by. Now I've lost you;

  [Julie notices Billy's star and reaches for it] 

  Billy Bigelow : soon I will go in the mist of day, and you never will know hiw I loved you, how I loved you.

  [Julie takes the star and leaves] 

  Billy Bigelow : [speaking]  She took the star! She took it! It's as if she knew I was here.

  Heavenly Friend : Julie would always know.

• Billy Bigelow : [of Dr. Seldon]  Say, he looks an awful lot like that fellow on the ladder.

  Heavenly Friend : Yes, a lot of these country doctors and ministers do.

• Billy Bigelow : [pulls Julie's shawl up on her]  I love you, Julie! Know I loved you!

  [Julie smiles feeling Billy] 

• Billy Bigelow : You're a funny kid. Don't remember ever meeting a girl like you. You... you trying to get me to marry you?

  Julie Jordan : No.

  Billy Bigelow : Then what's putting it into my head?

• Billy Bigelow : Does he have to be killed?

  Jigger Craigin : No, he doesn't have to be. He can give up the money without being killed. But these New Englanders are funny. They'd rather be killed. Well?

  Billy Bigelow : I won't do it! It's dirty!

• Billy Bigelow : You got something to tell me, make it quick.

  Julie Jordan : I can't tell it so quick. Why don't you drink your coffee and by the time you drink it, I'll have told you?

  Billy Bigelow : Well?

  Julie Jordan : Well, yesterday my head ached and asked me If I were sick, but it weren't nothing like that. Heh. It's awful hard to tell you. I ain't a bit ashamed because it's perfectly natural when two people live together and... I'm gonna have a baby.

  Billy Bigelow : You...

  Julie Jordan : Mm-hmm.

  Billy Bigelow : A baby?

  Julie Jordan : Yeah.

  Billy Bigelow : [laughs, picks Julie up and spins her around]  Oh...

  [suddenly concerned about spinning her] 

  Jigger Craigin : Where you going?

  Billy Bigelow : Hey, Jigger! Julie's gonna have a baby!

  Jigger Craigin : Yeah, what about it?

  Billy Bigelow : Nothing.

  Jigger Craigin : [sighs]  My mother had a baby once.

• Billy Bigelow : Say, why am I carrying on like this? My kid ain't even been born yet.

• Billy Bigelow : Wait a minute! Could it be? What the hell? What if he is a girl? Bill? Oh, Bill!

• Heavenly Friend : This way, Billy!

  Billy Bigelow : Hey, what's all this? Who are you?

  The Starkeeper : Nevermind who I am, Bigelow.

  Billy Bigelow : Where am I?

  The Starkeeper : You're in the back yard of heaven. There are the gates over there.

  Billy Bigelow : The Pearly Gates!

  The Starkeeper : Nope. The Pearly Gates are in front. Those are the back gates. They're just Mother-of-Pearly.

• Billy Bigelow : A daughter? A girl? My baby?

• Billy Bigelow : Are you still here?

  Carrie Pipperidge : You told us to wait for you.

  Billy Bigelow : What do you think I want with two of you? I meant that one of you was to wait. The other can go gome.

  Julie Jordan : Well, good night, Carrie.

  Carrie Pipperidge : But if you stay, you'll...

  Julie Jordan : Good night.

• Jigger Craigin : Tut-tut-tut. Carnival hussie coming between a man and his wife.

  Mrs. Mullin : Oh, yeah, call names. But I got him back just the same and you're through!

  Jigger Craigin : Put on a new coat of paint. You're starting to peel you old pleasure boat!

  [Leaves, Billy enters] 

  Mrs. Mullin : You'll be wanting an advance on your salary. It's only fair you being out of work such a long time.

  [hands Billy money] 

  Billy Bigelow : [gives money back]  Go on back to your carousel, Mrs. Mullin.

• Ensemble : All right, get back there. Get back. Stay back.

  male : Who is it?

  male : It's Billy.

  female : Billy Bigelow?

  Julie Jordan : What? Billy? Billy. Billy!

  [runs over to him, sees stab wound, cradles his head] 

  Julie Jordan : Billy!

  Billy Bigelow : Jigger told me how I could get ahold of a lot money, see...

  Julie Jordan : Yes.

  Billy Bigelow : Hold my hand tight.

  Julie Jordan : [voice breaking]  I am holding it tight, all the time.

  Billy Bigelow : Tighter. Tighter still.

  [dying breath] 

  Billy Bigelow : Julie?

• Mrs. Mullin : I don't run my business for a lot of chippies!

  Carrie Pipperidge : Chippy yourself!

  Julie Jordan : Yes, chippy yourself!

  Billy Bigelow : Oh, shut up, all of you!

  Mrs. Mullin : Take a look at that girl, Billy.

  [gestures at Julie] 

  Mrs. Mullin : She ain't never allowed on my carousel again!

  Billy Bigelow : What'd she do, anyway?

  Julie Jordan : She said you put your arm around my waist.

  Billy Bigelow : So that's it? I can't put my arm around a girl without I ask your permission?

  Mrs. Mullin : I just don't want that one around anymore.

  Billy Bigelow : You...

  [pointing at Julie] 

  Billy Bigelow : you come around here all you want. And if you don't have the price, Billy Bigelow'll treat you to a ride.

  Mrs. Mullin : Big talker, ain't you Mr. Bigelow? I suppose you think I can't throw you out, too? You're such a good barker that I can't do with out you? Well, just for that, you're discharged. Your services are no longer required. You are bounced.

  Billy Bigelow : Very well, Mrs. Mullin.

  Mrs. Mullin : Well, you know I... I could bounce you, if I felt like it.

  Billy Bigelow : You just did.

  Mrs. Mullin : Well, don't pick up every word I say! Oh, if only my saintly departed husband Mr. Mullin were here. He would set you straight! I only wish my poor husband was alive this minute!

  Billy Bigelow : I bet he don't!

  Mrs. Mullin : Upstart! After all I've done for you! You're done for good now!

• Billy Bigelow : [singing]  Want every star in heaven hangin' in the room. Shinin' in my eyes when I hear my doom. Reckon my sins are good, big sins, and the punishment won't be small. So take me before the highest throne and let me be judged by the highest judge of all.