[STUDENTS]
Behold the hills of tomorrow!
Behold the limitless sky!
Fling wide the gates
To a world that waits!
As our journey starts
Behold! Our hearts
Are high!

Beyond the hills of tomorrow
Are skies more beautiful still!
Behold! Begin!
There are worlds to win!
May we come to trust
The dreams we must
Fulfill!

[VALEDICTORIAN, spoken]
Now, it is my privilege to introduce our distinguished alumnus who wrote that song here twenty-five years ago, the great songwriter and film producer, Mr. Franklin Shepard!

[Applause as OLDER FRANK enters.]

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
I am Franklin Shepard, and I also was my class valedictorian here twenty-five long years ago. Are these kids swell? We don't have to wonder what happened to the world's ideals anymore, this gang behind me has taken them all! So, would I be hanged if I told you young innocents a few realities? I can save you guys so much pain and hurt if I can make you understand today that life isn't about doing the best; it's about doing the best you can. 

[YOUNGER FRANK, spoken]
No, it isn't. It's doing the best. 
[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
A goal is something you aim for more than something you achieve. 

[STUDENT, spoken]
It's the old "tell it like it is" speech. 

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
I'm thinking you better start by hearing the word "practical," right here, right now, today. 

[STUDENT, spoken]
Where's the exit?

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Someday I guarantee you'll know "practical" very well. 

[STUDENT, spoken]
Wow. 

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Fate has a way of introducing us to "practical" eventually. 

[STUDENT, spoken]
Give us a break, Mr. Shepard. 

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
And it's the same with the word "compromise."
[STUDENT, spoken]
Compromise? I haven't even started!

[FIRST SOLO]
Yesterday is done

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Compromise is how you survive. 

[YOUNGER FRANK, spoken]
It's how you give up. 

[FIRST SOLO]
See the pretty countryside

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Compromise is the bottom line, let me tell you. 

[SECOND SOLO]
Merrily we roll along, roll along

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
And if you know beforehand—

[SECOND SOLO]
Bursting with dreams
[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
—If you know now that all you're intending to happen—

[THIRD SOLO]
Traveling's the fun

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
—Ain't gonna happen the way you think it's gonna happen—

[FOURTH SOLO]
Flashing by the countryside

[STUDENT, spoken]
It will. 

[STUDENT, spoken]
C'mon, man. 

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
—Because life has some ideas about your intentions. 

[FIFTH SOLO]
Everybody merrily

[SIXTH SOLO]
Merrily

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Hey, kids—

[ALL SIX]
Catching at dreams

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Listen to us "old guys" if you can. I know you don't see it, but someday you're gonna be us. 

[YOUNGER FRANK, spoken]
Not if I can help it. 

[ALL SIX]
Rolling along...
Rolling along...
Rolling along...

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
I understood the facts least of anybody when I was your age. I believe all I ever dreamed of back then was to compose music. 

[GROUP I]
Dreams don't die
But keep an eye on your dream—

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
And I did, as you may remember. 

[GROUP II]
And before you know where you are
There you are

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Well, you may not remember, but you may. 
Well, you may not either. It's been a while. 

[GROUP I]
Times goes by
And hopes go dry
But you still can try
For your dream

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
Oh, yeah. Music was gonna sustain me, fulfill me, support me. 

[SOLO]
Tend your dream...

[GROUP]
How does it happen?

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
But "real life" came along. I had choices to make...

[SOLO]
Dreams take time...
Time goes by...

[GROUP]
When does it disappear?
How can you get so far off the track?
Why don't you turn around and go back?

[SOLO]
Bend your dream

[GROUP]
How dies it happen?
Where is the moment?

[SOLO]
With the road...

[GROUP]
How can you miss it? Isn't it clear?
How can you let it slip out of gear?

[ALL, to OLDER FRANK]
How did you ever get there from here?

[GROUP I]
You roll...

[GROUP II]
How does it happen?
How does it happen?
When does it disappear?

[GROUP I]
You just roll...

[GROUP II]
Isn't it always clear?

[GROUP I]
Everybody roll...

[GROUP II]
How does it start to go?
Does it slip away slow—

[ALL]
—So you never even notice it's happening?

[YOUNGER FRANK]
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?

[GUSSIE]
What did you have to go through?

[BETH]
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?

[MEG]
Boy, did they do it to you. 

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
If you want to hear something amazing, ask anybody here if where they are is where they were headed. I'll bet you most of them don't even remember where they were even headed at your age. If you knew how I've bounced around and been bounced around...

[MARY]
Pick yourself a road

[MARY & GIRL]
Get to know the countryside

[MARY & GROUP]
Soon enough you're merrily, merrily
Practicing dreams

Dreams that will explode
Waking up the countryside
Making you feel merrily, merrily
What can go wrong
Rolling along?

[ALL]
Some roads are soft
And some are bumpy
Some roads you really fly
Some rides are rough
And leave you jumpy
Why make it tough
By getting grumpy?
Plenty of roads to try

[GROUP I]
Some roads are soft
And some are bumpy
Some roads you really fly
Some rides are rough
And leave you jumpy
Why make it tough
By getting grumpy?
Plenty of roads to try
Some roads you really fly

[GROUP II]
One trip
All you get
Is one quick ride
Look around a bit
One quick ride
Through the countryside
Stay on the track
Better look back

[OLDER FRANK, spoken]
And I am going to bounce back. Because I know the rules, the rules I'm trying to share with you here today. 

[STUDENTS]
Better look back!
Better look back!
Better look back!
Better look back!
Better look—

[YOUNGER FRANK]
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?
What did you have to go through?

[ALL]
How did you get there from here, Mr. Shepard?
How did you get to be you?

Bending with the road
Gliding through the countryside
Merrily we roll along
Roll along
Catching at dreams

Dreams that will explode
Waking up the countryside
Everybody merrily, merrily
Sing 'em your song
Rolling along!
Rolling along!
Rolling along!
Rolling a—

[The STUDENTS throw off their graduation robes and reveal themselves as early middle-aged Hollywood swingers, party-goers at Frank's house, chattering to each other.]

[TERRY]
So we bought this little condominium...

[KATE]
So we found this little Chinese gardener...

[JEROME]
It's a clear case of studio politics...

[PHOTOGRAPHER]
We were stuck on the freeway till half past six...

[TERRY]
So we bought this little condominium...

[FOUR GUESTS, individually]
Great...
Smog...
Points...

[FOUR GUESTS take a snort of cocaine.]

[ALL]
Party!

[FRANK]
Life is swinging
Skies are blue and bells are ringing
Every day I wake up singing
"Look at me, I'm rich and happy!"

Days are sunny
Working hard for lots of money
Filled with people smart and funny
Filled with people rich and happy!

Who says, "Lonely at the top"?
I say, "Let it never stop!"
It's my time coming through
All my dreams coming true:
Gorgeous house

[ALL, spoken]
Yeah!

[FRANK]
Gorgeous wife

[ALL, spoken]
Yeah!

[FRANK]
Who wants any more from life?

Skies are beaming
Future bright and prospects gleaming
Best of all, I don't stop dreaming
Just because I'm rich
And famous
And therefore
Happy, too!

[ALL]
Party!

[GUEST]
Well, you must admit the movie's terrible...

[ANOTHER GUEST]
I imagine Frank is feeling terrible...

[MARY]
These are the movers
These are the shapers
These are the people
That fill the papers

[ALL]
Terrible...

[MARY]
These are the friends of Frank...

[ALL]
Wasn't it just terrible?

[MARY]
They all have Frank to thank

[ALL]
When you see a movie that bad
What on earth can you say?
(spoken)
Congratulations!

[FRANK, spoken]
Thanks!

[MARY]
These are the movers
These are the shapers
These are the people
That give you vapors

[FRANK]
Twenty years ago who'd have guessed
Who'd have guessed
I'd be standing here
Playing host to the very best
All the powers that be?

[ALL]
Terrible...

[FRANK]
Everybody I see...

[ALL]
Wasn't it just terrible?

[FRANK]
And look who's one of them—me!

[GROUP II]
Terrible...
Beautiful, Frank!

[GROUP I]
Wasn't it just terrible?
Beautiful, Frank!

[ALL EXCEPT MARY & FRANK]
When a movie's that bad
What on earth can anyone say?
Party!

[ALL EXCEPT MARY]
Life is swinging
Skies are blue and bells are ringing
Every day I wake up singing
"Look at me, I'm rich and happy!"
Days go zipping
Sitting by the pool and tripping

[MARY]
Everybody's flip or flipping
Everybody's rich—

[ALL]
And happy!

[FRANK]
Who says all our dreams get burned?
Every bit of this was earned
It's our time coming through

[ALL, spoken]
Huh?

[FRANK]
All our dreams

[ALL, spoken]
What?

[FRANK]
Coming true

[ALL, spoken]
Oh. 

[FRANK & ALL]
All our days full of beans—
This must be what happy means!

Skies are beaming
Future bright and prospects gleaming!
Best of all, we don't stop dreaming
Just because we're rich—

[FRANK]
And famous—

[ALL]
And suntanned—

[FRANK]
And influential—

[ALL]
And on the covers of magazines
And in the columns and on the screens
And giving interviews
Being photographed
Making all the important scenes
And—
At the parties cutting capers
And on the talk shows and in the papers
And unbelievably
Happy, too!