Jeanine Tesori
Luck of the Draw
[FATHER, spoken]
You got your royal flush, your straight flush, four-of-a-kind; full house, flush, straight, three-of-a-kind; two pair, one pair, and high card least of all. Which never hardly wins the pot. Not when there's more'n two playin'

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
What's the pot?

[FATHER, spoken]
We'll get there

(sung)
First you set the ante
Say a penny
Then before the deal's begun
We both ante up our pennies –
Not too many, just the one

Let's see what your cards are –
All you got's a
Pair of Queens and nothing more
Once you bet, you get to draw some –
That's what lots'a Queens are for

A penny?
That's a pair'a Queens

A nickel?
There's the bet I saw
I'll see you. Now fate intervenes –
Some say things happen by design
By demand, decree, or law
I say most things fall in line
By the luck of the draw

A nickel is in this case
What you should bet
It's a good bet, but I win

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Papa!

[FATHER, spoken]
Three-of-a-kind. Three-of-a-kind beats two pair. Now how much did I win from you?

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Eleven cents!

[FATHER, spoken]
And 3.29 minus 11 cents is what?

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Three dollars, 18 cents

[FATHER, spoken]
First step in teaching anything is to get your student's attention. Now, looky what ya got here:
(sung)
Six and seven
Then a nine and ten, no eight
What you do is ditch this four and
Pray to heaven for a straight

First you got to bet though
Maybe two bits
Which I raise you by a dime
See I'm forcing you to match me
By a few bits at a time

[YOUNG VI]
I'm winning?

[FATHER]
Well, a straight can win

[YOUNG VI]
But will it?

[FATHER]
There's a famous saw
Says you can't win unless you're in –
Some say things happen by design
By demand, decree, or law
I say most things fall in line
By the luck of the draw
[YOUNG VI]
Let's stop this game right now, I've
Put enough in

[FATHER]
I was bluffn', but I win

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Papa!

[FATHER, spoken]
Straight beats two pair. But you folded

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
I don't even know the hands!

[FATHER, spoken]
Violet!

(sung)
You got your royal flush, your straight flush, your four-of-a-kind
A full house, a flush, 'n' a straight, 'n' a three-of-a-kind
Two pair, one pair, and no pair at all
But high cards never won a pot, that I can recall

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
What's the pot?

[FATHER, spoken]
It's what you ante into

[FATHER & FLICK, spoken]
Now how much did I win from you?[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Thirty-six cents![MONTY, spoken]
Gimme a break. This is s'posed to be a friendly game, not a killing.[FATHER, spoken]
And 3.18 minus 36 cents is what?

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Gimme the cards. I'm dealing this one![FATHER]
You don't know the game yet[FLICK]
That's the way it's played, brother[YOUNG VI]
I can play it
First I deal a card or two

[MONTY]
Flick's gonna win

[YOUNG VI]
Then I give you all my money

[MONTY]
Clean us out
Take all our change

[FATHER & FLICK]
Hate to say it, but it's true

[FATHER & MONTY]
Guess I'll open with a nickel[YOUNG VI]
I will see that
And I'll raise you straight away 
[VIOLET]
I'll raise you straight away[FLICK]
You got some guts

[YOUNG VI]
Takin' candy from a baby

[FATHER & FLICK]
Guess I'll see ya

[MEN]
Who taught you to play?

[FATHER]
Two cards

[YOUNG VI]
I guess you go first?

[FATHER]
That's right, kid

[YOUNG VI]
At your service, "Pa"
Now my card – hope my luck's reversed

[YOUNG VI & VIOLET]
Some say things happen by design
By demand, decree, or law
I say most things fall in line
By the luck of the draw

[MONTY, spoken]
You got to bet to win

[YOUNG VI & VIOLET]
Dee dee dee dee – dime

[FATHER & MONTY, spoken]
See ya

[FLICK, spoken]
See, and raise

[MONTY, spoken]
Whose play is it?

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
You watch out!

[FLICK, spoken]
Must be hers

[FATHER, spoken]
Whatcha get?

[ALL]
Some say things happen by design
By demand, decree, or law
I say most things fall in line
By the luck of the draw

[FATHER]
Call

[MONTY]
Kings

[FLICK]
Straight

[YOUNG VI]
Flush

[MONTY]
By the luck of the draw

[FATHER, spoken]
Baby, that is a

[FATHER & VIOLET, spoken]
Royal flush

[FLICK]
By the luck of the draw

[YOUNG VI, spoken]
Is that good?

[VIOLET]
By the luck of the draw

[FATHER & MONTY, spoken]
I'll be damned

[ALL]
By the luck of the draw!