Transcript

Dead Poets Society - Table Read - p1

From Table Read Tuesdays · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 2 h 27 min · 19,681 words · 158 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Dead Poets Society - Table Read - p1", an episode of Table Read Tuesdays published May 14, 2025 (2 h 27 min, about 19,681 words). It mentions 4 people, works and ideas, including Dead Poets Society, Welton Academy, Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry David Thoreau.

What this episode is about

The reading of the film "Dead Poets Society," originally released in 1989, features a diverse cast who introduce themselves and their respective roles, including characters such as John Keating, Neil Perry, and Todd Anderson. The event aims to bring the first half of the screenplay to life, showcasing the talents of the actors while engaging audiences through a live presentation on YouTube.

Key takeaways

  • Dead Poets Society reminds us: education isn't just about facts, it's about igniting passion and critical thought.
  • The cast's diverse backgrounds highlight how art transcends geography; creativity knows no borders.
  • Using social media to connect performers reminds us that today's artists can build global communities instantly.
  • For many, art is synonymous with rebellion; Dead Poets Society challenges conformity in the pursuit of individuality.
  • Live readings on platforms like YouTube make classic literature more accessible, bridging generations through technology.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 15:00: Welton Academy
  2. – 30:00: Welton Academy
  3. – 45:00: Midsummer Night's Dream
  4. – 1:00:00: Dead Poets Society

Notable quotes from "Dead Poets Society - Table Read - p1"

  • Nolan, a big man in his mid60s. The music stops. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished alumni and students, this year marks the 100th year that Welton Academy has been in…
    about Welton Academy · at
  • They're doing a Midsummer Night's Dream, maybe.
    about Midsummer Night's Dream · at
  • I hereby reconvene the Welton chapter of the Dead's Poet Society. These meetings will be conducted by myself and by the rest of the new initiates now present.
    about Henry David Thoreau · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Henry David Thoreau — Person · Referenced author (Dead Poets Society inspiration) · 2 mentions
    Thoreau is cited as the source of 'suck the marrow out of life' and is read aloud in the cave meetings, shaping the club’s ethos.

Books & papers

  • Midsummer Night's Dream — Book · Referenced work · 1 mention · first at
    Play that Neil Perry auditions for, symbolizing his passion for acting

Concepts & topics

  • Dead Poets Society — Concept · Core topic · 1 mention · first at
    Central theme of the episode, discussing the impact of poetry and non-conformity in education
    The Dead Poet Society was dedicated to sucking the marrow out of life.

Places & events

  • Welton Academy — Place · Setting · 4 mentions · first at
    The prestigious boarding school where the story takes place

Full transcript with timestamps

We are live on YouTube. Awesome. All right, folks. Let's welcome to our reading of Dead Poet Society, a 19, if I remember right, 1989 film. And we're reading the first half of it this evening with our lovely cast who we're going to introduce here in a sec. And then we'll get jump right into our reading. So, I'm going to start off with player one who is Vicki. And if you could let us know name, pronoun where you're at and who you're playing, that'd be awesome. And where people can find you on social media. Hello, I'm Vicky Dykes. My pronouns are she, her. I live in Penhold, Alberta, Canada. Small little town right in the middle of Alberta. Uh, tonight I will be playing John Keading, Richard Cameron, Headmaster Nolan, Mrs. Danbury, and Gloria. and actions and descriptions in the middle and right at the end.

Awesome. Oh, and where you can find me, I am on Facebook under the name Vicky Dykes and I'm on Instagram. I'm Yoga Grammar 10. Awesome. I'm going to jump down to Anamika and then Aubrey. Hi, my name is Ana. My pronouns are she, her. I'm in California and tonight I'm going to be reading Neil and a couple of other other students who I don't have up right now, but don't worry Cat, I know who they are. Um, and you can find me on Facebook. Awesome. Okay. Um, Aubrey. Hello everybody. I am Aubrey McCoy. My pronouns are I don't know. I I I will I respond to everything. And um you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and on YouTube and Spotify under Aubrey McCoy or Lucy in the Fair.

Uh I am in California. I'm doing this all backwards right now. Anyways, I am playing the part mainly of Todd Anderson and the chemistry teacher and a couple others. Bubba and and someone I think that's or no one. Anyways, that's uh that's who I'm playing and uh gonna have a great time. Awesome. Uh Heather. Hello. My name is Heather Lee Cameron. I'm a writer like a freelance journalist. I'm an actor and I'm a creative freelancer. Tonight I will be playing Chris Noel Charlie Dalton and doing some action and descriptions. I can be found in a few different miniseries that are available online and as well as some other things that are available online as well as some voice acting. I am very happy to be here. I'm from Lethbridgeidge, Alberta and that's in Canada but I'm a dual citizen. So kudos to that. That's awesome. And I can be found on YouTube under the storm and Latterday Saint, Instagram under Heather

Lee Cameron, or on Facebook under Heather Lee Cameron or Heatherly Freelancer. Awesome. All right, let's jump down to John. Hello everyone. I'm John Clarence Gomez from Manila Philippines. I'm a podcast host, singer, and blogger. And I am playing as Hopkins Steven mix Latin teacher John Danbury voice from a womb director guy angry guy and I'm also doing the actions and descriptions 9 and 13. You can find me you can find me on Instagram called the John Clarence Gomez Show and you can listen to my podcast the John Clarence Gome Show on Apple podcast and Spotify. That's it. Thank you very much. Thank you and thank you so much for joining us on your birthday nonetheless.

Haley, today is my birthday. Happy birthday. Hello everyone. My name is Haley Byermeister. I am coming to you from Houston, Texas. Um, I am excited to be reading Knox Over Street. I will be reading also Mr. Perry and Mr. Hager, a couple of uh the adults in it, right? Um, and uh, a couple of little student bit parts and then a few actions and descriptions. And I'm really stoked to be back with Table Read Tuesdays. Yes. And I love this movie. though. Uh you can find me on uh Instagram, Hasty247. Weird, I know. It's fine. Um Haley uh Elizabeth on Facebook and then if you want to see anything that I've done on YouTube, it it's an easy uh well, because of my last name being actually Byermeister, it's an easy search. But yeah, it's H A Y L E Y B E I E R M E I S T E R. Maybe at some point when we do the talk back, I'll put how you spell my last name in there. Uh but yeah. Yeah, that's it. And I am Cat

Wilson, she her from Gig Harbor, Washington. Um tonight I'll be reading mostly Vicki and I'll be alternating John Keating. So she'll start off and we'll be every other time he comes on we'll switch and then a role of Jenny and a few actions in the scripts in two and 15. Um, and on social media, you can find me, if I'm not here on Tuesdays, you can find me on Saturdays at Two Households in Fair Corona, a Shakespeare reading group, and occasionally elsewhere online, too. All right, so without further ado, I think we're going to jump into this script. Um, I'm going to pull it up here on our screen and see, we'll get going. So, there is our script there.

Oops. Sorry. Wrong one. Wrong one. I know it looks like the script, but it's not. This is the one I want. There we go. Can you guys see that? Uh, yes. Yes. I see. Did it get smaller? It just looks like a white page to me. Looks like a white page. Okay, that's what it looks like to me. Yes. All right, let me try that again. I Let's go here. Probably clicked the wrong one. I think there's a way to take the tools off at the top, too. I know. And I wish There we go. Um, you're fine. It's okay. I don't know how to do that often. Do it as I do this. Maybe. How's that? Is that any better? Yes, that's great. All right. So, back up here to the title and um our first action description is Aubrey. So you are feel free to take it away. Awesome. Dead poet Society by Jaw that by John Schulman 1989. He whom dream hath possessed knoweth no more doubting.

Oil section one first day of school. Interior Wilton Academy dining hall day. Various shots. Credits roll. On the left side is a left is a life-sized mural depicting a group of young school boys looking up adoringly at a woman who represents liberty. On the right is a mural showing young men gathered around an industrialist in a corporate boardroom. Between the murals stands a boy. An odd blaring musical sound starts and stops interrupted by the noise of plumbing. A teacher hurries to the boy, adjust his tie, and leads him off. On another wall is a full-sized portrait of a 19th century Scotsman in a kilt. In front of this, young boys carrying banners and several elderly men in old-fashioned costumes assembling into a processional formation. Nervous younger boy seventh graders are shown shorn are shown in their places in line and handed candles. They light each other's candles until all their candles are lit.

Suddenly, the music blasts forth in his splendor. It is a bagpipe. A bag pipe a bag piper in a kilt like the one in the portrait begins a processional march. Interior quarter adjacent the dining room. Same. The bag piper enters a long slate and stone hallway. The haunting limber of his antiquated instrument reverberates through the building. Momentarily, he is followed by the other processional marchers. He leads them down the corridor and down a threshold staircase into interior Walton's old stone chapel continuous. There are 200 high school age boys, most of whom wear black blazers, sit on either side of the central aisle, watching the procession move into the das on in front. Besides, most of these boys are their parents. Various angles on the procession. Four 16-year-old boys carry banners. Each boy is dressed in an archaic turn of the century outfit. On each banner is emlazed a different world word. One

reads tradition, another reads honor, the third reads discipline, and the last reads excellence. The elderly men or excellence rather, the elderly men in their 70s and SOS, obviously the school's oldest alumni, each wearing a name tag and the uniform of his day, make their way towards the stage. The seventh graders, carrying candles, are nervous and self-conscious. Most concrate intently on keeping their candles lit while they search. Some uh one young boy's candle has gone out and he can barely keep from crying. The bag piper stands on the corner of the deis marching in place. Behind him in black robes sits the school's 30-year-old 30 odd teacher 30-year-old 30 odd teachers the processionals elderly alumni feel the chairs of of honor on the das. The four young banner carriers peel off from the main aisle and take their seats besides their parents in the audience.

The seventh graders take seats with their parents, too. A purple and blackroed man who brings up the rear of the procession walks up to the podium. He is the headmaster Gale of Nolan, a big man in his mid60s. The music stops. Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished alumni and students, this year marks the 100th year that Welton Academy has been in existence. Applause begins. Soon the whole room is standing in a thunderous ovation. After the an appropriate amount of time, Nolan motions for everyone to be seated. 100 years ago in 1859, 41 boys sat in this room and were asked the same question that now greets you at the start of each semester. Gentlemen, what are the four pillars?

All the students stand at attention. First, Todd Anderson sitting behind his parents. Todd is 16, good-looking, but he seems beaten down, lacking confidence, unhappy, he wears a name tag, and no Wilton blazer. When the others stand, Todd's mother nudges him. Todd stands. He watches as the other students. Tradition excellence. All the boys sit. Todd sits too. All is silent again. In her first year, Welton Academy graduated five students. Last year, we graduated 51 and over 75% of those went to the Ivy League. Applause. Excuse me. Applause. During it, we find Knox overreet and Charlie Dalton, both 16 and both in Welton blazers. Knox, sitting between his parents, carries a banner. He has curly hair, looks outgoing, is short but well-built. Charlie, also with his par his parents, has a handsome yet friendly face. He carries no banner, but when Nolan mentions Ivy League, both these boys fit the bill. This kind of

accomplishment is the result of fervent dedication to the principles taught here. This is why you parents have been sending us your sons. And this is why we are the best preparatory school in the United States. New students. All turn to look at the new students, the seventh graders and transfer students. Todd Anderson is among them, and he looks incredibly self-conscious. The key to our success rests on our four pillars. These are the bywords of this school and they will become the cornerstones of your lives. Welton Society candidate Richard Cameron. In the audience, not far from Todd is Richard Cameron, one of the banner carriers, 16. His father's little clone. He stands eagerly to attention.

Too eagerly. Yes, sir. Uh, what is tradition? A tradition, Mr. Nolan, is love of school, country, and family. Our tradition at Welton is to be the best. Good, Mr. Cameron. Welton Society candidate, George Hopkins. Honor. Cameron sits. His father beams smuggly. Honor is dignity. Honor is dignity in the fulfillment of duty. Good. Mr. Hopkins, honor society candidate. Knox over street. Knox, as mentioned, is a banner holder. He stands. Yes, sir. What is discipline? Discipline is respect for parents, teachers, headmaster. Uh, discipline comes from within.

Thank you, Mr. Over Street. Honor candidate, Neil Perry. Knox sits. Knox's proud father and mother give him pats of encouragement. Neil Perry stands. Whereas some boys have two or three achievement pins on their lapels of their coats. Neil has a huge cluster of them on the pocket of his jacket. Neil is 16, intense, a born leader. However, there is more of an hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his eyes. Beside him sits his unspiling father, Mr. Perry. Excellence, Mr. Perry. Excellence is the result of hard work. Excellence is the key to all success in school and everywhere.

Neil sits. He doesn't even look at his father, nor does his father look at him. Gentlemen, at Welton, you will work harder than you have ever worked in your lives, and your reward will be the success that all of us expect of you. I would now like to call to the podium Welton's oldest living graduate, Mr. Alexander Carmichael, Jr., class of 1866. An oxenarian on stage shuns help from those beside him and makes his way slowly, excruciatingly slowly to the podium as the audience rises to another standing ovation. Dissolve too. Exterior Welton Academy Academy main day. Welton Academy is a cluster of traditional weathered stone buildings. The time is 1959, but in Welton this is irrelevant.

This school with his traditions is completely isolated from the politics or trends from the outside world. The students stand with their parents under a giant tent. F uh finger food, coffee, tea, and punch are laid cut on white table or white cloth tables. Charlie's mother stands dotingly fixing Charlie's hair. Then she kisses him. Knox's father has his hand affectionately around his son. Mr. Barry stands adjusting the achievement pins on Neil's jacket. Todd Anderson's parents stand chatting with another couple, paying no attention to Todd, who looks very much alone. Nolan walks Mr. Nolan walks by and looks at Todd's name tag. A Mr.

Anderson, you have some big shoes to fill, young man. Your brother was one of our best. Thank you. Neil's father, Neil and Lo in tow, approaches Nolan and interrupts. Gail, what's this? I hear about a new junior English teacher. Oh, Mr. Gladen took the headm's post at Malford. So, we've hired John Keating, a former student, I hear. A star student, Mr. Perry. and he spent the last 10 years teaching at the McMillan School in Edinburgh. Oh McMillan. Nolan looks around. He finds then indicates. Cross the lawn. A black robe teacher stands with his back to us staring at the beautiful Welton Lake as if he sensed he was being watched. He turns and faces us. This is John Keating, late 30s. Sparkling eyes. Nolan puts his arm around M or his arm on Mr.

Perry's shoulder and leads him off. Come meet him. You'll like him. You watch Mr. Nolan escort Mr. Perry across the lawn and introduce to him or introduce him to Mr. Kiting who walks up to greet them. Todd stands alone looking around. Neil Perry, now left alone, does the same. Both watches other students saying goodbye to their parents. Exterior of the Walton Academy parking lot. The seventh graders are saying goodbye to their parents. Chins quiver. Young eyes hold back tears. Some boys sobb. For most of these young boys, this is the first time.

Ah, sorry. For most of these young boys, this is the first time in their lives that they will be away from their parents and their homes. And it is a devastating experience. Exterior longot. Welton Academy. Same. Welton Academy sits a lonely and isolated valley in woods of Vermont. Though the setting is beautiful, its isolation only highlights the loneliness that most seventh graders feel at this moment. Interior Welton Academy Oak Panled Honor Room Day. The 50 or so members of the junior class sit in chairs or stand around the room. The students that were featured earlier are here. Todd Anderson, Neil Perry, Knocks Over Street, Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron. All except Todd wear welton blazers. Todd sticks out and he knows it. A staircase against the wall leads to a second floor door. That door opens and down the stairs file five boys. An old teacher, Dr. Hager, comes to the door and calls out five names. All the

street Perry Dalton Anderson Cameron. These boys file up the staircase. As they do, a seated boy, Pitts, leans to the boy next to him, Steven Meeks. Meeks has a sweet egghehead looks and very short hair. He wears a pocket watch and a chain. Who's the new boy? Anderson. Old Hagar sees his conversation. Mrs. Pits and Meeks Demeritz. Pits and Meeks look down. Pitts glances at Meeks and rolls his eyes. That's another demerit, Mr. Pitts. Pitts's smile vanishes. Haggar closes the door. Interior headm's office the same. The five boys take seats in a row of chairs facing Mr. Nolan. Nolan sits behind his desk, a hunting dog on the floor beside him. Welcome back, Mr.

Dalton. How's your father? Doing fine, sir. Your family moved. Your family moved into that new house, Mr. Over Street. Yes, sir. About a month ago. Wonderful. I hear it's beautiful. Mr. Anderson, since you're new here, let me explain that at Welton I assign extracurricular activities on the basis of merit and desire. Now these activities are taken every bit as seriously as your classwork right boys. Yes sir. Yes sir. Uh failure to attend required meetings will result in demerits. Mr. Dalton the school paper the service club soccer rowing Mr. Elvis Street, Welton Society candidates, the school paper, soccer, Sons of Alumni Club. Mr. Perry, Welton Society candidates, chemistry club, mathematics club, school annual soccer, Mr. Cameron, Welton Society candidates, debate club, rowing service club, forensics, honor council. Mr. Anderson, based on your record at Balancress soccer service club school

annual. Anything else I don't know about? Todd struggles. He looks like he's trying to speak, but nothing is coming out of his mouth. Oh, speak up, Mr. Anderson. I I would prefer rowing, sir. It is apparent that Todd's fear of speaking is overwhelming. No one looks at him. Rowing? Did he say rowing? It says here you played soccer at Ballenest. I I did, but wet breaks Al's brow. He clenches his hands, turning his knuckles white. He looks like he's going to burst into tears. The other boys look at him. You're like soccer here, Anderson. Dismissed. The boys stand and exit. Todd looks absolutely miserable. The teacher at the door calls out more names. Exterior Welch campus day. The students walk toward their dorms. Neil Perry approaches Todd Anderson who walks alone. Neil offers his handshake. I know we're going to be roommates. Neil Perry.

Todd Anderson. Todd keeps walking. There's an awkward silence. Why'd you leave Ballrest? My brother went here. Oh, so you are that Anderson. Interior junior dorm room lobby continuous. Neil and Todd have walked into the dorm lobby. My parents wanted me here all along, but my grades weren't good enough. I had to go to Bell & Crest to pull them up. Well, you've won the booby prize. Don't expect to like it here. I don't. Interior. The Welton junior class dormatory room. Day. Each small room contains two single beds, two closets, and two desks. Suitcases sit on the floor. Neil enters, and Richard Cameron sticks in his head. Heard you got the new boy. He's a hell of a speaker, huh?

Oops. Todd Anderson walks in. Cameron ducks out. Todd has heard Cameron's comment, but he ignores it. He puts his suitcase on his head and begins unpacking. Don't mind Cameron. He's an [ __ ] There's a knock at the door. Knocks over street. Charlie Dalton and Steven Meeks enter. Charlie speaks to Neil. Hey, I heard you went to summer school. Yeah, chemistry. My father thought I should get ahead. Well, Meeks aced Latin and I didn't quite flunk English, so if you want, we've got our study group. Sure. But Cameron asked me, too. Anybody mind including him? What's his specialty?

Brown nosing. Thumb chuckle. Hey, he's your roommate. That's not my fault. Nobody's excited about Cameron, but no one objects. I don't think we've met. I'm Steven Mix. Todd Anderson. Knox and Charlie offer Todd handshakes. Charlie Dawson. Knox over street. Todd shakes her hands. Todd's brother is Jeffrey Anderson. Oh, yeah. Sure. Valdictorian has nothing merit scholar. Todd nods a little. Well, welcome to Helton. It's every bit as hard as they say. Unless you're a genius like me. He flatters me, so I'll help him with Latin and English and Trig. Nick smiles.

There's a knock on the door. It's open. Neil's father enters. Neil is surprised. Father, I I thought you'd gone. All the boys stand. Mr. Perry. Mr. Perry. Keep your seats, boys. How's it going? Fine sir. Neil, thank you. Yeah, Neil, I've decided that you're taking too many extracurricular activities. I've spoken to Mr. Nolan about it and you can work on the uh school annual next year. But father, I'm assistant editor. I'm sorry, Neil. But father, it's not fair. Fellows, would you excuse us for a minute? Mr. Perry walks into the hall. Neil follows interior the junior dormatory hallway. The same. I will not be disputed in public. Do you understand me, mother? I wasn't disputing you.

Finished school, medical school, and you're on your own. You can do as you please. Until then, you will listen to me. Yes, sir. I'm sorry. You know what this means to your mother, don't you? Yes, sir. Using the pressures of guilt and punishment, Mr. Perry is the most subtle of bullies. Neil's resolve crumbles in front of his authoritarian father. Neil fills the pause. You You know me. Always taking on too much. Boy, call us if you need anything. He turns and walks off. Interior Neil's room. The others wait in silence. A chassened Neil enters.

Why doesn't he let you do what you want? Yeah. Yeah. Tell him off. It couldn't get any worse. That's rich. Like you tell your parents off Mr. Future Lawyer and Mr. Future banker. Neil takes the school annual achievement pin off his shirt and hurls it. Wait a minute. I don't let my parents walk on me. Oh yeah, you just do everything they say. You You'll be in daddy's law firm as sure as I'm standing here and you'll be approving loans until you croak. Okay, so I don't like it any more than you do. I'm just saying. Then don't tell me how to talk to my father when you're the same way. All right.

Right. Jesus. What are you going to do? What I have to do? Screw the annual. I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It's just a bunch of people trying to impress Nolan. Yes, screw it all. I don't give a damn about any of it. He slams his hand into his pillow and lies back silently. Everyone is quiet, sensing Neil's disappointment. Finally, Charlie breaks the silence. I don't know about anyone else, but I could use a refresher in Latin. 8:00 in my room. Yeah, sure. You're welcome to join us, Todd. Yeah, come along.

Thank you. The boys leave. Neil lies in silence. He sees the achievement coming through when he picks it up. Todd continues to unpack. He unpacks a photo of his mother and father with their arms around an older boy who is obviously Todd's brother, Jeffrey. Todd stands one side, slightly apart from the family group. Todd unpacks an engraved leather desk set, pens, bladder, etc., and puts it on his desk. So, what do you think of my father? I'll take him over mine. What? Nothing. Todd, if you're going to make it around here, you got to speak up. The meek might inherit the earth, but they don't get into Harvard. Know what I mean? Todd nods.

The goddamn bastard. He presses the point of the metal pin of the presses the metal point of the pin into his thumb drawing blood. Todd winces. Neil doesn't. Neil hurls the pin again. All right. Interior a chemistry classroom day. The classroom is lab as laboratory filled with flasks etc. Neil Todd Knox Charlie Cameron makes me and other members of the junior class sit around the room. of the spectacled teacher stands in front passing out thick textbooks. In addition to the assignments in the text, you will each pick three lab experiments from the project list and report on one every five weeks. The first 20 problems at the end of chapter 1 are due tomorrow.

angle on Charlie Dalton. As the thick textbooks arrive at his desks, he shoots a disbelieving glance at Knox over street who can only acknowledge with a shake of his head. Todd takes his books without reacting. Interior Latin class day A. The same students sit before a Latin teacher in his early 60s. He declines a Latin noun with a thick Scottish brogue. Agricola. Agricol. Agricolas. Agricolas. Agricolatis. Agricolatus. Angle favoring Todd Neil Knox and the others as they struggle to follow along with Maller. Mallister's lesson. Interior mathematics class day.

Mathematical charts hang on the walls. The elderly bald teacher, the one from Nolan's doorway, Dr. Hagar, passes out books. The students workload is huge. Your study of trigonometry requires absolute precision. Anyone failing to turn in any homework assignment will be penalized one point off his final grade. Let me urge you now not to test me on this point. Who would like to begin by defining a cosine? Richard Cameron stands uh cosine is the sin of the complement of an angle or arc. If we defined an angle A, then interior English classroom day. The junior students, Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, Meeks, and some of the others we've seen enter. They are loaded down with books and look weary. Sitting at the front of the room, staring out the window is John Keading, the teacher we glimpsed earlier. He wears a collared shirt, tie, no jacket. The boys take seats and settle in. Kading stares out

the window a long time. The students start to shuffle uncomfortably. Finally, Kading stands, picks up a yard stick, and begins slowly strolling the aisles. He stops and stares into the face of one of the boys. Don't be embarrassed. He moves off, then stops in front of Charlie Dalton. Uhhuh. Uhhuh. Kading slaps his free hand with the yard stick, then strides to the front of the room. Nimble young minds. He steps up. He steps up onto the desk, turns and faces the class. Oh, captain. My captain. Who knows where that's from?

No one raises a hand. It was written by a poet named Walt Wittman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. In this class, you may refer to me as either Mr. Kaden or oh Captain, my captain. Kading steps down and starts strolling the aisles so that I become the source source of as few rumors as possible. Let me tell you that yes, I was a student at this institution many moons ago and no at that time I did not possess this charismatic personality. However, should you choose to emulate my manner, it can only help your grade. Now, pick up a textbook from the back, gentleman, and let's retire to the honor room." He steps off the desk and walks out. The students sit, not sure what to do, then realize they are to follow him.

They quickly gather their books, pick up texts, and follow. Interior the Welton Oak panled honor room day. This is the room where the boys waited earlier. The walls are lined with class pictures dating back into the 1800s. School trophies of every description filled trophy cases and shelves. Keating leads the students in, then faces the class. Uh, Mr. Pitts, an unfortunate name. Stand up, Mr. Pitts. Pit stands. Open your text, Pitts, to page 40 and read for us the first stanza of the poem. Pitts looks through his book. He finds the poem to the virgins to make much of time.

That's the one. Giggles in the class. Pits reads gather ye was bad while ye may all time is still applying and the same flower that smashed today tomorrow will be dying. Gather ye rose buds while he may. The Latin term for that sentiment is kpium. Anyone know what that means? Carp DM sees the day. Very good, Mr. Mix. Ah, mix. Seize the day while you're young. See that you make use of your time. Why does the poet write these lines? Because he's in a hurry. Because we're food for worms, lads. Because we're only going to experience a limited number of springs, summers, and falls. One day, hard as it is to believe, each and every one of us is going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die. Now, stand up and peruse the faces of the boys who attended this school 60 or 70 years ago. Oh, don't be timid. Go and look at them. The boys get up. Todd, Neil, knocks at Meeks, etc. go over to the class pictures that line the honor

room walls. Angles on various pictures on the walls. Faces of young men stare at us from out of the past. They're not that different than any of you, are they? There's hope in their eyes, just like in yours. They believe themselves destined for wonderful things, just like many of you. Well, where are those smiles now, boys? What of that hope? The boys are staring at the pictures, sobered by what Keing is saying. Did most of them not wait until it was too late before making their lives into even one iota of what they were capable in chasing the almighty diety of success? Did they not squander their boyhood dreams? Most of these gentlemen are fertilizing daffodils.

However, if you get very close, boys, you can hear them whisper. Go ahead, lean in. Hear it. Goddamn lads. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary. Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, makes pits. All stare into the pictures on the wall. All are lost in thought. Exterior. for the Welton campus day. The class files out of the honor room. Todd, Neil, Knox, Charlie, Cameron, M, and Pitts together, books in hand. All are thinking about what just happened in class. Weird and different. Spooky if you ask me. You think he's going to test us on that stuff? Oh, come on, Cameron. Don't you get anything?

Exterior of the Welton campus continuous. How about a twig study group right after dinner? Sure. By me? I can't I can't make it. I got to sign out to have dinner at the Danbury's house. Who are the Danburies? A big alum. How'd you pull that? They're friends of my dad. Probably in their 90s or something. Listen, anything's better than mystery meat. I'll second that. The group disperses. Neil finds himself walking near Todd, who has been silent through this whole discussion. Want to come to the study group? Oh, thanks. But I I'd better do history.

Interior Todd and Neil's dorm room. Late afternoon. Todd enters alone. He puts down his books and sits at his desk. Flipping through the stack of books in front of him, he sighes at the workload that is piling up. Todd takes out his notebook and opens his history book. He stares at his notebook for a moment, then writes sees the day in big letters. He looks the words that he's written, size, tears the page off, then plunges into his homework. Exterior the Welton campus dusk wide shot. The auto atominal colors are muted by the onset of nightfall. Old Dr. Hager drives the school. Woody station wagon out of the campus. Exterior Walton Village, Newcastle. Dusk. Woody driveby.

Exterior. Interior at large mansion. Dusk. Knox. Over streets. Get out of the Woody. Dr. Hager pulls away. Knox walks over to the door of the home and as admitted is admitted by a maid. Knox is amazed by this palatial home. Interior. The Danbury Mansion Library. dusk. Joe Danbury is a sharplooking man of about 40, well-dressed, friendly. His wife, an attracted blonde about the same age, sits beside him. Knox, come in. Jordan Buri, this is my wife Janet. Nice, nice to meet you. You're the spitting image of your father. How is he? Great. Uh just did a big case for GM.

Ah I know where you you're headed. Like father like son eh genie come meet Knox Danbury 15 cute shy a shock of misplaced hair enters. Knox this is our daughter Virginia Jenny mom. Knox shakes her hand. His hello is polite. Her high is shy. Jet Danbury, a tall jock of a guy a couple of years older than Knox, enters. With him is a lovely teenage brunette, Chris Noel in a short tennis dress. Soft glowing eyes, athletic figure. This girl is

stunning. [ __ ] Who's checked? Aubrey. Oh, is that me? I apologize. Dad, can I take the Buick? What's wrong with your car? Chad, where are your manners? Knots, this is my son, Chad, and his girlfriend Chris Null. And this is Knox over street. Excuse me while I check on dinner. Hi. Knox shakes Chup's hand. Knox is thunder struck by Chris. Chris offers Knox her hand and a smile. Knox shakes her hand, his mouth practically hanging open. Pleased to meet you. The pleasure is mine. Come on, Dad. Why is this always a big deal?

Because I bought you a sports car and suddenly you want my car all the time. Chris's mom feels safer when we're in a bigger car. Right, Chris? It shoots her a wicked smile. Chris blushes. It's all right, Chad. It's not all right. Come on, Dad. Joe Danbury walks out of the room. Chat follows him. Come on, Dad. Knocks. Jenny, and Chris remain in the room. Knox smiles at Chris. The Where are you in school? Ridgeway High. How's Henley Hall, Jan? Okay, Jenny. That's your sister's school, right? Sort of. You going out for the Henley Hall play?

They're doing a Midsummer Night's Dream, maybe. How did you meet Jet? I mean the herb. He plays on the Ridgeway football team and I'm a cheerleader. He used to go to Welton, but he flunked out. You should do it, Jen. You'd be great. Jenny looks down shy. Chat comes to the door. Chris, we got it. Let's go. Nice meeting you. Knocks. Bye, Jen. Yeah, nice meeting you. Chris, Chris and Chen exit through the window. We see Chad and Chris walk out and put their arms around each other. Chad just wants to Buick so they can go parking.

Oh. Outside, Chad and Chris get in the Buick and kiss. Knox stares with envy. Something wrong. Not. Exterior Danbury house. Dusk. Chat and Chris drive off. Interior junior class lounge night. The dorm is quiet. Neil, Cameron, Weeks, Arley, and Pitts are gathered studying math. As they do, Pit works to assemble a small crystal radio. Todd is in his room studying alone. Knox, looking shell shocked, shuffles into the lobby. How was dinner? Terrible. Awful. I met the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. Are you crazy? What's wrong with that? He's practically engaged to the Cet Danberry Mando Joo himself.

Too bad. It's not too bad. It's a tragedy. Why does she have to be in love with a jerk? All the good ones go for jerks. You know that. Forget her. Take out your twig book and figure out problem 12. I can't just forget about our pits and I certainly can't think about math. Sure you can. You're up on a tangent. So you're So you're halfway into twig already. D mix. I thought it it was clever. You really think I should forget about her? You have another choice. Knox drops to his knee like he is proposing. Only you, Pity. Fitz pushes Knox away.

Knock sits back down, but despair is beginning to wash over him. Section five, more lessons. Exterior Welton campus morning. The Welton's bagpiper marches on the lawn practicing. Students emerge from their dorms and head to breakfast. Interior Kadine's English class day. The lights are out and the shades are down. Sorry, the stage stage are The lights are out and the shades are drawn. Kading sits in a chair beside the teacher's desk. He looks solemn. All is still. I'm going to pause recording for just a sec because I'm having some camera issues. Oh no. Yes. I'm going to see if I can switch cameras here real quick.

Okay. Let's see here. Helps. Come on. There we go. All right. That happens sometimes. All right. Here we go. Back to Oops, that worked. There we go. There you go. Boys, quietly open your text to page 54. The boys follow instructions. Kadines read reads the following. And can you go back up just a tiny bit? Oh, thank you. The boys follow instruction. Kadines reads the following in a tone of quiet reverence. Little boy blue by Eugene Field. The little toy dog is covered with dust, but sturdy and staunch he stands. And the little toy soldier is red with rust and his musket molds in his hands. time was when the little toy dog was new and the soldier was passing fair. And that was a time when our little boy blue kissed them and put them there. Now don't you go till I come, he said. And don't you make any noise. So toddling off to his trundle bed, he dreamt of pretty toys. And as he was dreaming, an angel song awakened our

little boy blue. Oh, the years are many, the years are long, but the little toy friends are true and faithful. Little boy blue they stand, each in the same old place, awaiting the touch of a little hand, the smile of a little face. And as they wonder, as waiting for the long years through in the dust of that little chair, what has become of our little boy blue since he kissed them and put them there? Heading is a masterful reader. With his marvelous voice, he has milked this sentimental poem for poem for everything it is worth. Many of the boys are on the verge of tears. Suddenly, Keening shouts. The students jump halfway out their chairs. Trickle. Mockish treachery. Trickle. Rip it out of your books. Rip. Rip out the entire page. I want this sentimental rubbish in the trash where it belongs. He marches down the aisles with the trash can and waits for each boy to deposit a page the pages

from his textbook. The boys having been led down the sentimental path cannot help but laugh at the sudden change of mood. Make a clean tear. I want nothing left of it. Eugene field disgraceful. And here McAllister's classroom day. Mr. McAllister, the Scottish Latin teacher, exits his room and walks down the hall to Katon's classroom. He peaks in the door window and sees boys dripping pages out of their books. Alarmed, Mallister opens the door and enters Kading's room. Tear Keing's classroom name. Mallister is about to reprimand the boys when suddenly he sees Kitting.

What the Sorry, I didn't think you were in here, Mr. King. Baffled and embarrassed, Mallister exits. Kading strides back to the front of the classroom, fills the trash can in the floor, and jumps into it. He stomps the trash a few times and kicks the can away. This is battle, boys. War. Your souls are at a critical juncture. Either you will succumb to the will of Hoy Paloy and the fruit will die on the vine, or you will triumph as individuals. It may be a coincidence that part of my duties are to teach you about romanticism, but let me assure you, I take that task quite seriously.

You will learn what the school wants you to learn in my class. But if I do my job properly, you will also learn a great deal more. You will learn to savor language and words because they are the stepping stones to everything you might endeavor to do in life and do well. A moment ago, I used the term hoy paloy. Who knows what it means? Come on over street, you twerp. Anderson, are you a man or a boy? More laughter. All eyes are on Todd. He visibly tenses all over. He cannot bring himself to speak. He shakes his head jerkly. No. Meeks raises his hand and speaks.

The hat follow doesn't it mean the herd? Precisely. Meeks Greek for the herd. However, be warned that when you say the ho paloy, you are actually saying the the herd, indicating that you too are hoy poy. Ging grins wily. Meek smiles. More chuckles. Kading paces to the back of the room. Now, many will argue that 19th century literature has nothing to do with business school or medical school. They think we should read our field and pimple, learn a rhyme, and meet her and quietly go about the business of achieving other ambitions.

He slams his hand on the wall behind him. The wall becomes like a drum. The boys jump and turn around. Well, I say dril. One reads poetry because he's a member of the human race and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, banking, these are necessary life to sustain life. But poetry, romance, love, beauty, these are what we stay alive for. I read from Wittman. Oh me, oh life of the questions of these recurring. Oh the endless trains of the faithless of cities filled with the foolish skipping. What good are these? Oh me, oh life, answer that you are here that life exists and identity that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.

Keening pauses the class sits taking the sun that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. Incredible poetry's rapture, lads. Without it, we are doomed. Gidding waits a long moment. What will your verse be? close on the faces of Neil Knox, Charlie Meeks, Sha uh Cam, yeah, Cameron Pittz, and Todd as they contemplate this question. Softly, Keing breaks the mood. Let's open our textbooks to page 60 and learn about the Woodworth notion of romanticism. On the deis, in front of the room as the teacher's dining table, oh, sorry, interior Welton dining room day. There we go.

Um, on the desk in front of the room is the teacher's dining table. Below them are the students tables. Mr. Mi Mr. McAllister seats to Kitting's right. Quite an in quite an in interesting class you had today, Mr. Kitting. Sorry if I shocked you. No need to apologize. It was quite fascinating misguided thought. It was you heard it all. You're you're hardly a trappy mouth. Mallister smiles. So does Kitting. You take a big V in coaging them to be artists. John, when they realize they're not Remas or Shakespeare or Picassos, they'll hate you for it. Not artists, George. Free thinkers. And I hardly peg you as a cynic. A cynic. A realist. Show me the heart unfetter by foolish dream and I'll show you a happy man. He chews a bite.

But I will enjoy listening to your lecture. Heing grins with amusement. Another angle. The dining room. Same. Todd knocks. Charlie Cameron. Pitts and Meeks sit at a table eating. Neil enters and joins them. Found his senior annual in the library. Neil opens the annual and reads. Captain of the soccer team, editor of the annual. Cambridge bound man most likely to do anything. Thy man, dead poet Society. Hands grabbed the old annual away from Neil. Thman. Mr. K was a hell raiser. What is the dead poets society? Any group pictures in the annual?

Nothing. No mention of it. No one. Mr. Nolan approaches the boy's table. Under the table, Cameron instincts or insistently hands the annual to Todd. Todd looks at Cameron, then takes it. Enjoying your classes, Mr. Perry? Yes, sir. Very much. And our Mr. Keing finding him interesting, boys. Yes, sir. We were just talking about that. Good. We're very excited about him. He was a road scholar, you know. Nolan exits. Todd looks at the annual that he hides in his lap under the table, then continues eating. Se section six, the dead poet Society exterior the campus later.

Keading walks across the school lawn wearing his sport coat and a scarf carrying his books. Pitts, Neil, Cameron, Knox, Charlie, Meeks, and Todd approach him. Mr. Kading, sir. Oh, captain. My captain, what what was the dead poet Society? Ah, so you boys have been snooping. I was just looking in an old annual. And nothing wrong with research. The boys wait for more. But what was it? Kading checks around to be sure they are unwatched. The dead poets was a secret organization. I don't know how the present administration would look upon it, but I doubt the reaction would be favorable. Can you keep a secret?

An instant sea of nods. The Dead Poet Society was dedicating to sucking the marrow out of life. That that phrase is by thorough and was invoked at every meeting. A small group of us would meet at a cave and there we would take turns reading Shellyley Thorough Wittman our own verse any number of poets and in the enchantment of the moment let them work their magic on us. You mean it was a bunch of guys sitting around reading poetry? Both sexists participated. Mr. over street. And believe me, we did not simply read. We let it drip from our tongues like honey. Women swoon, spirits soared. Gods were created. Gentlemen, the boys think a minute. What did the name mean? Did you only read dead poets?

All poetry was acceptable. The name simply referred to the fact that to join the organization you had to be dead. What? What? Full membership required a lifetime of apprenticeship. The living were simply pledges. Alas, even I am still a lonely initiate. The boys don't quite know what to say. The last meeting must have been 25 years ago. Hasn't been another since. Cheating exits. The boys stand watching. Neil turns to them. I say we go tonight. Everybody in. Where is these caves he's talking about? Beyond the stream. I think I know.

That's That's Miles. That's Miles. Ah, that sounds boring to me. Don't come. Well, all I'm saying is we have to be careful. We can't get caught. Talk [ __ ] a lot of demerits. So, don't goddamn come please. Well, no crap, Sherlock. No [ __ ] Sherlock. We can't cake hot. Who's in? I'm in. Neil looks at Knox, Pits, and weaks. Well, oh, come on, Pits. His grades are hurting, Charlie. And you can help him. What is this? A midnight study group? Pits, you're coming. Meeks, your grades hurting, too. Laughter. All right, I'll try anything once. Except sex. More laughter.

Makes blush. I'm in as long as we're careful. No. I I don't know. I don't get it. Come on. It'll help you get Chris. It will. How do you figure women swoon? Why? The group walks off. Knocks holds then follows. Why do they spoon? Charlie, tell me why do they spoon? I Knox moves off after the others. Todd remains behind. No one asked Todd and he moves off by himself. Interior the study hall. Late afternoon student study. Neil sits near Todd. Listen, I'm inviting you. You can't expect everybody to think of you all the time. Nobody knows you. Thanks, but it's not a question of that. What is it then?

I I just don't want to come. But why? Don't you understand what Keing is saying? Don't you want to do something about it? Yes, but But what? God damn it. Tell me. I don't want to read. What? Keing said everybody took turns reading. I don't want to do it. You really have a problem, don't you? How can it hurt you to read? I mean, isn't that what this is all about? Expressing yourself. Interior the dorm. Late night, old Dr. Hagar, the resident dorm marshall, putters in his room. Door a jar making tea. Neil, Charlie knocks, Meeks, Pits, Cameron, and Todd sneaks silently past his door and out.

Exterior. The Welton campus night. The school hunting dog comes up and growls at the boys. Pit slips a dog a piece of food and it goes away. Exterior. the school grounds night. The stars are out and the wind is blowing. A series of shots show the boys crossing the campus. They reach a stone wall with an old iron gate that is chained shut. The boys squeeze through the gate and disappear into the woods beyond. Exterior the welton woods and stream night. The boys make their way through the eerie forest, searching for the cave. They reach the bank of the stream and begin looking for an appropriate spot amongst the tree roots and erosion. Charlie suddenly looms out of the cave entrance. Yeah, I'm a dead poet.

Ah, eat it. Dalton, this is it. Short dissolved to the interior of the cave a bit later. A newly lit fire comes to life. The boys huddle around the flames. I hereby reconvene the Welton chapter of the Dead's Poet Society. These meetings will be conducted by myself and by the rest of the new initiates now present. Todd Anderson, because he prefers not to read, will keep minutes of the meetings. Todd is unhappy with his role, but he tries not to show it. I will now read the traditional opening message from society member Henry David Thorough.

Neil opens Kaden's copy of Thorough's Walden and reads, "I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." All right, I'll second that. To put the route all that was not life. And when when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. Pledge over street. Knox steps up. Neil Hansen Walden. Knox flips through the book until he finds another underlined passage. He reads, "A millions are awake enough for physical labor, but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion. only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. Hey, this is great. Knox hands the book to Cameron. Cameron reads, "If one advanced confidently confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

Yes, I want success with Chris. Cameron hands the book to Todd. Todd holds the book frozen. Before the others notice Todd's fear, Neil takes a book from Todd and hands it to Meeks. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be loose. That is where they should be. Now put foundations under them. God, I want to do everything. I'm going to explode. Neil looks imbued with the desire to break out of the his mold. He slams the palms of his hands together with an expression of determination. Charlie opens the book he brought and flips through it. Listen to this. Out of the night that covers me, black is the pit from pole to pole. I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. Pull back from this small band of boys standing huddled in the night. Something is swirling their hearts and their heads. Something alive and exciting like the wind and the swaying trees that surround them.

Charlie raises his hands in the air. I hear and now commit myself to daring. Dissolve two. Section 8. A new perspective. Interior Kading's classroom day. Cat, you're muted. Cat, I am so sorry. Avoid the use. Avoid using the word very because it's lazy. A man is not very tired. He is exhausted. Don't use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys. To woo women. And in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won't do in your essays. The class laughs appreciatively. Keating closes his book, then walks over and raises a map that covers the blackboard in the front of the room. Over on the board is a quote which Keading reads out loud. Creeds and schools in obeyance. I permit to speak at every hazard. Nature without check with original energy. Walt Whitman. Ah, but the difficulty of ignoring those creeds and schools conditioned as we are by our parents, our traditions by the modern age. How do

we like Whitman permit our own natures, our true natures to speak? How do we strip ourselves of prejudices, habits, influences? The answer, my dear lads, is that we must constantly endeavor to find a new point of view. He leaps onto his desk. Why do I stand here? To feel taller than you. I stand on my desk to remind that we must constantly force ourselves to look at things differently. World looks different from up here. If you don't believe it, stand up here and try it. All of you take turns. Heating jumps off. The boys, with notable exception of to Todd, go to the front of the room and a few at a time take turns standing on Kading's desk. As they do, Keading strolls up and down the aisles.

Try never to think about the same thing same way twice. If you're sure about something, force yourself to think about it another way, even if you know it's wrong or silly. When you read, don't consider only what the author thinks. But take the time to consider what you think. You must strive to find your own voice, boys. And the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. The Rose said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." I ask. Why be resigned to that? Risk walking new ground now. A flame in your hearts could change the world, lads. Nurture it. Heating goes through the door. He lock He looks locks looks at the class.

Yeah. Then flashes the room lights on and off. Oh, he locks the at the I think he locks the class then flashes the room lights on and off. And over and over he makes a noise like crashing thunder. All right. In addition to your essays, I want you to each write a poem, something your own to be delivered aloud in class. See you Monday. He exits momentarily. He pops his p head back in. And don't think I don't know this assignment scares you to death, Mr. Anderson. You mold. Heating holds out his holds out his hand and pretends he is sending lightning bolts at Todd. The class laughs. Todd forces a huge smile. Interior exterior Welton camp afternoon various locations. Pitts and Meeks climb up the inside of the bell tower that sits at top the Welton chapel. They affixed Pitts's crystal radio antenna to the chapel cross. Momentarily, they tune in a fuzzy rock and roll station.

They try to tune in the music, but it soon dissolves into static. They jiggle the radio in frustration. Some of the Welton students run on the green, kicking soccer balls. Down at the lake, the Welton crew team is practicing. Mr. Nolan sits in a rowboat smoking a pipe watching. Knox rides down a wooden lane on his bike. He comes to Ridgeway High School. Beyond defense, uniformed boys practice football. Not not far from them, cheerleaders practice. Knox stops. He sees. Among the cheerleaders is Chris. He laughs as she practices the cheers with the other girls. Knox watches with uh watches her with intense longing in his eyes. Chad Danberry catches a pass in front of Chris, struts for her amusement, then moves on. Chris laughs. Knox gets back on his bike and pedals away. Interior. Todd and Neil's room.

Afternoon. Todd sits at his bed, a pad of paper beside him. He starts to write something, scratches it out, then covers his face with frustration. The door opens. Neil enters, looking like he's just seeing God. He let fall to his desk. Found it. Found what? What I want to do right now? What is really inside of me? He hands Todd a piece of paper. Todd reads it. A Midsummer's night dream. What is it? a play, dummy. I know that. What's it got to do with you? They're putting it on at Henley Hall. See, open tryyouts. So, so I'm going to act. Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to try it. Last summer, I even tried to go to Somers stock auditions, but of course, my father wouldn't let me. And now he will. Oh, hell no. But that's not the point. The point is, for the first time in my whole goddamn life, I know what I want. And for the first time, I'm going to do it whether my father wants me to or not.

Carpey DM. Godamn it. Neil picks up the play and reads a couple of lines aloud. They delight him. He clenches his fists in the in the air. In the air with joy. You know, how are you going to be in a play if your father won't let you do it? First, I got to get the part. Then I'll worry about that. Won't he kill you if you don't let him know you're auditioning? As far as I'm concerned, he won't have to know about any of it. Come on, that's impossible. Or [ __ ] nothing's impossible. Why don't you ask him first? Maybe he'll say yes. That's a laugh. If I don't ask, at least I won't be disobeying him. But if he said no before then? Jesus Christ, whose side are you on? I haven't even gotten the part yet. Can I even enjoy the idea for a little while?

Todd turns back to his work. Emil sits on his bed and starts reading the play. By the way, there's a there's a meeting this afternoon. You coming? I guess. Neil puts down his play and looks at Todd. None of what Mr. Keading has to say means [ __ ] to you, does it? What's that supposed to mean? Being in the club means being stirred up by things. You look about as stirred up as a cesspool. You want me out? Is Is that what you're saying? No, I want you in. But being in means you got to do something, not just say you're in. Listen, Neil, I appreciate your interest in me, but I'm not like you. When you say things, people pay attention. People follow you.

I'm not like that. Why not? Don't you think you could be? No, I don't know. I probably will never know. The point is there's nothing you could do about it. So, butt out, right? Could take care of myself just fine, right? Uh, no. No. What do you mean no? No. Neil opens his play. Todd waits for Neil to relent. He doesn't. Section nine. Gather response was gather was buds. Actions and description. John extension. Extension cave. Afternoon. The boys entered the cave. And in in the cave afternoon, it is a clear crisis for afternoon. Charlie.

Knock stood next nail came and Pete seats around Neil besides from Torio. I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. I want to suck all the marrow out of Chris. I'm so in love. I feel like I'm going to die. You know what the dead poets would say. Gather you rose buds while you may. But she's in love with the [ __ ] and son of my father's best friend. What would the dead poach say about that? Knox walks away from the group. Despair is washing over him. Uh, I feel I've I feel like I've never been alive. For years, I've been risking nothing. I have no idea what I am or what I want to do.

Neo, you know you want to act. Noox wants Chris. Needs Chris. Must have Chris. Meeks, you're the brain here. What do the dead poets say about somebody like me? The romantics were passionate experimenters, Charles. They dabbled in many things before settling if ever. There aren't too many places to be an experimentter at Welton Meeks. Charlie pays a moment then gets an idea. He addressed the group. I hereby declare this the Charles Dalton cave for passionate experimentation. In the future, anyone wishing entry must have permission from me.

Wait a minute, Charlie. This should belong to the club. It should, but I found it and now I claim it. Carve a cavern. Guys, seize the cave. Charlie Greens the boy look at each other and shake their heads kneel heads out. You made it, Anamika. I got to get to the tryyouts. Wish me luck. John good luck. Neil exits. Charlie finds a lock and begins carving his name on a wall of the cave. Pete shakes shakes his hand

head. It's your turn, Aubrey. Aubrey, sorry. Soccer exterior soccer field afternoon. Gusts of wind blow across the field. About 50 boys stand in their sweats, moving around, trying to keep warm. Among them are Todd, Charlie, Pitts, and Knox, who is in a state of lovesick despair. Kitty walks up carrying a same soccer ball. All right. Oh, what is going on with me? H man. Uh, among them are Sorry, hold on. Uh, Kading walks up carrying the same soccer balls under one arm and a case under the other. I think it's sust.

Hey, looks who's the soccer instructor here. Here. There are quite a few of us, so we have to be quiet. If you're going to get anything accomplished, who has the role? I do, sir. Kadine takes a three-page role and examines it. Answer. Present, please. Chapman. President. Perry. Neil Perry. Keing glasses of Todd. Todd doesn't know what to say. H Watson. Richard Watson. Absent too. Eh. Watson. Sick. Sir. H. Sick indeed. I suppose I should give Watson demerits. But if I give Watson demerits, I will also have to give Perry dearits.

I like Perry. He crumples the roll up and tosses it away. Boys, you don't have to be here if you don't want to. Anybody who wants to play, follow me. Kitty marches off, astonished and delighted by this capriciousness. Most of the boys excitedly follow. New angle far soccer field later. Most the boys from earlier sit on the ground keeping stands before them. Devotees may argue that one game or sport is inherently better than another. For me, the most important thing in all sport is the way other human beings can push us to excel. A Plato, a gifted man like myself said, "Only the contest made me a poet, a sophist, a narrator. Each person take a slip of paper and line up single file." He passes out slips of paper to the curious students. Exterior soccer field later, the boys form a long line. Todd stat stands list that over again. Todd stands listlessly at the rear. 10 feet in front of the boy. At the head of the line, a

soccer ball rests on the ground. You know what to do now. Go. Mallister walks past the soccer field. He watches in fascination as the boy at the head of the line steps out and reads loudly from a slip of paper. Oh, to struggle against great odds, to meet enemies undaunted. He runs and kicks the ball at the goal. missing. Kitting puts down another bulb, then puts a record on a portable record player. Classical music starts. The second boy, Knock, steps out. Rhythm, boy. Rhythm is important. To be entirely alone with them to find out how much one can stand. Knox two runs and kicks the ball. Just before he smashes it with his foot, he yells, "Chat ball." kneading puts down of the sucker ball. Sucker ball who looks steep strip torture vision on popular audio pace to pace.

Meeks runs and kicks the ball with great intent. Next, Charlie steps out and reads to indeed be a god. With determination, Charlie kicks the ball through the goal. Mallister smiles and walks on. Scene 11. Recitations. Interior. Neil and Todd's room. Night. Todd sits at his desk, a half-composed poem before him. He adds a line, then breaks the pencil in frustration. He paces, sides, then picks up another pencil and tries to again. Interior the dorm hallway. Same. Neil enters looking stunned. Got it. Hey everybody, I I got the part.

I'm gonna play puck. Hey, I'm Puck. Puck you down. Down. All right, Neo. Congratulations. Interior. Neo and Todd's room. Night. Neo enters and closes the door. Incredibly excited. He pulls out an old typewriter and begins to type. Todd watches. Neil, how are you going to do this? That's what I'm taking care of. They need a letter of permission. From Neil? From my father and Nolan. Neil, you're not going to do that. I have to think. Neil mumbles lines from the play. Giggles to himself, then keeps these mortals be. Todd shakes his head in disbelief.

Interior Keading's classroom day. Nox stands before class reading the poem he wrote. I see a sweetness in her smile. Bright light shines from her eyes. Life is complete. Contentment a mind just knowing that she knock stops. He lowers his paper. Sorry. It's it's it's stupid. Knox walks back to his seat. Good effort. What Knox has done demonstrates an important point not only in writing poetry but in every endeavor. That is deal with the important things in life. Love, beauty, truth, justice, cutting paces. And don't limit poetry to the word. Poetry can be found in a work of art, music, a photograph, in the way a meal is prepared, anything with the stuff of revelation in it. It can exist in most everyday things, but it must never be ordinary. By all means, write about the sky or a girl's smile, but when you do, let your poetry conjure up salvation day, doomsday, any day. I don't care as long as it enlightens us, thrills us,

and if it's inspired, makes us feel a bit immortal. Oh, captain, my captain. Is there poetry in m? chuckles from the class. Absolutely, Mr. Dalton. There is elegance in mathematics. If everyone wrote poetry, the planet would star for God's sake. that there must be poetry and we must stop to notice it in even the simplest acts of living or we will have wasted the truly wonderful opportunity that life as human beings offers us. That said, who wants to recite next? Come on, I'll get to everyone eventually. Kading looks around. No one volunteers. Kaden grins.

Look at Mr. Anderson in agony. Step up, lad, and let's put you out of your misery. All eyes are on Todd. He is dying inside. He stands and walks slowly to the front of the class like a condemned man on his way to ex his execution. Todd, have you prepared your poem? Todd shakes his head. No. Mr. Anderson believes that everything he has inside of him is worthless and embarrassing. Correct, Todd? Isn't that your fear? Todd nods jerkidly. Yes. Then today we will see what is inside of you is worth a great deal. Keing strides to the blackboard rapidly he writes. I sound my barbaric yap over the rooftops of the world. Walt Whitman. A yap for those you don't know is a loud cry or yell. Todd, I would like you to give us a demonstration of a barbaric yap.

A yap. A barbaric yap. Keating pauses, then suddenly moves fiercely at Todd. Good god, boy. Yell. Yep. Again. Louder. Yap. Louder. All right. Very good. There's a barbarian in there after all. Kading clabs. The class claps too. Todd redfaced swells a bit. Todd, there's a picture of Whitman over the door. What does he remind you of? Quick, quickly, Anderson, don't think about it. A madman. A madman? Perhaps he was. What kind of madman? Don't think. Answer. Crazy madman. Use your imagination. First thing that pops your mind, even if it's gibberish.

A sweaty tooth madman. Now there's a poet speaking. Close your eyes and think of the picture. Describe what you see. Now I I see an image. Um, a a sweaty tothed madman with a with a stare that pounds my brain. Excellent. Have a mat. Give it rhythm. His hands reach out and choke me all the time. He mumbles away. Truth. Truth is like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold. This brings chuckles from the class. This angers Todd. Oh, to hell with them. More about the blanket. Todd opens his eyes and addresses the class in defiant cadence. Stretch it. Pull it.

It will never cover any of us. Kick at it. Beat at it. It will never be enough. Don't stop. From the moment we enter crying to the moment we leave dying, it will cover just as your head as you wail and cry and scream. Todd stands still for a long time. Both he and the students have felt the magic of or what has just taken place. Neil starts applauding. Others join in. Todd swells and for the first time there's a hint of confidence in him. The applause stops. Kading walks to Todd. Don't forget this exterior. The soccer field day. A soccer ball careen off a kicking foot.

Beethoven's ninth symphony fourth movement ode to joy blar forth. Keading stands on the sidelines beside his portable record player, watching the boys play soccer, waving his arms like an orchestra conductor. In front of Keing, the boys play soccer to this spectacular music. They run, kick, pass, fall, block, head, dribble, take, all to the overpowering, overpowering chorus of one of the most inspirational pieces of music ever written. Exterior: Dead Poet's Cave. Afternoon. Boys enter the cave. Interior: Dead Poet's Cave.

Afternoon. Neil hurries in carrying a small broken statue. The other pledges of the Dead Poet Society are assembled around Charlie who sits silently cross-legged before them. His eyes are closed and in one hand he holds an old saxophone. Look at this. What? What is he? The god of the cave. The statue has a stake sticking out of its head with a candle stuck in it. Neil plants the statue in the ground and lights the candle. It illuminates a red and blue drummer boy. Face pitted from exposure yet noble in his visage.

Charlie, who hasn't moved, clears his throat. All turn to him and settle in. Gentlemen, poetistic by Charles Dalton. He blows scattered notes on the saxophone. Random blaring. They sound like bad John Cage. Suddenly, Charlie stops. Laughing, crying, tumbling, mumbling. Got to do more. Got to be more. He plays more notes on the sacks. Then chaos screaming, chaos dreaming, crying, flying, got to be more, got to be more. Charlie plays a simple but absolutely gorgeous melody. The skeptical looks on the faces of the boys disappear. As Charlie gets lost in the music, so do the others. The melody ends with a long, beautiful, haunting note. Charlie, that was great. Where did you learn to play like that? My parents made me take clarinets, but I hated it.

The sex is more sinous. Knox stands. He backs away full of torment and frustration. God, I can't take it anymore. If I don't have Chris, I'll kill myself. Knox, you got to calm down. No. I've been calm all my life. If I don't do something, it's going to kill me. Where are you going? I'm calling her. Interior the dorm phone room later. All of the boys stand around. Nox picks up the phone, boldly dials some numbers, then waits. Interior Chris's house. Afternoon. Chris is in wet hair and a damp towel, but she looks stunning. She enters and answers the phone. Hello.

Interior. The dorm foam room stairwell. Afternoon. Knox hears Chris's voice. He starts to speak, then hangs up the phone. going to hate me. The Danberries will hate me. My parents will kill me. He looks at the faces of the others. No one says a word. All right. God damn it. You're right. Carpedium, even if it kills me. He picks up the phone and dials again. Interior Chris's house. Same. Again, the phone rings again. Chris enters and answers. Hello. Interior the dorm. Same. Hello. This is Noox over street. Interior Chris's house. Satan. Noog. Oh yes.

Knocks. I'm glad you called. Interior the dorm. Same. You You are. She's glad I called. Interior Chris's house. Sane. I wanted to call you, but I didn't have the number. Chad's parents are going out of town this weekend, so Chad's having a party. Would you like to come? Interior the dorm. Same. Well, sure. Interior Chris's house. Same. Chad's parents don't know about it, so please keep it quiet, but you can bring someone if you like. Interior dorm. Same. I'll be uh there. The dampers Friday night. Thank you, Chris. He hangs up the phone. He is thunder struck. He lets out a yelp. Can you believe it? She's going to call me. She invited me to a a party with her at Chad Danberry's house. Yeah.

Well, so so you really think she means you're going with her? Well, hell no, Charlie. But that's not the point. That's That's not the That's the point at all. What is the point? The point is she was thinking about me. Oh, I've only met her once and already she's thinking about me. Damn it, it's going to happen. I feel it. She's going to be mine. He exits the phone room, his head in a cloud. The others look at each other, not sure what to think. Exter exterior, the Henley Hall auditorium. Day. The buildings at the school are white. Neil parks his bicycle and enters the auditorium. Interior. the auditorial stage later. High school actors were are on stage rehearsing Shakespeare's a midnight a midsummer night stream. Neil stands center stage playing pop. He holds a stick with a bell a c a a a quartered gestur's head on one end of it. Yet but three come one more. Two of both kinds make up four. Here she comes

cursed and sad. Cupid is a navish lad thus to make poor females mad. Enter Genie Dan Buouie playing Heria bowling on stage looking exhausted as she start her lines. The director of the play a woman in her 40s interrupts. Good nail. I really get the feeling your fox knows she's in he's in charge. Remember that he takes great delight in what he's doing. Stupid is a navish lad thus to make poor females mad. Excellent. Continue, Genie. As Genevieve enters and starts her lines. Never so weary. Never sew and woe, bed, but dabbled with the dew and torn with briars. I can no further crawl, no further go.

Exterior. The welton dorms night. Neil rides up on his bikes and parks it. As he stands into the dorm, he spots a figure sitting moto motionless on a wall. Todd. Neil wakes over to get a better look. It is Todd sitting in the dark without a coat. What's going on? Todd doesn't answer. Todd, what's the matter? It's my birthday. I just happy birthday. You get anything? To is motionless. Then he points to a box. nail looks in the box. Seems to be monogram desk set that we've seen on the Todd's desk. This is your desk set. I I don't get it.

They gave me the same thing as last year. Oh. Oh, long P. Well, maybe they thought you'd need another one. Maybe they thought maybe they don't think about it all unless it's about my brother. His birthday's always a big to-do. Stupid thing is I didn't even like the first one. He puts the desk set down. Look, Todd, you're obviously underestimating the value of this desk set. What? I I mean, this is one special gift. Who would want a football or a baseball bat or a car when they could get a desk set as wonderful as this one?

Yeah. Just look at this ruler. They love a silence. You know what dad called me when I was growing up? 5.98. That's what all the chemicals in the human human body would be worth if you bottled them wrong and sold them. He told me that was all it' ever be worth until unless I worked every day to prove myself. 598. Neil shakes his head. When I was little, I thought my parents automatically loved their kids. All parents automatically loved their kids. That's what my teachers taught me. That's what I read in books they gave me. That's what I believed. Well, my parents might love their brother love. My parents might have loved my brother, but they did not love me. He takes a dip on his bed for something to say. Todd walks into the door. Haley, it's your turn. It's now your turn. Section conformity. Thank you so much. Um, exterior. A Welton brick courtyard day. The class pours into a courtyard. Into the courtyard

expectantly. Expectantly. Yes. Another Keing stunt. Kading addresses them. People, I am delighted with your progress as reflected in your essays and poems. However, I know the school policy is to encourage study groups and I believe that a a dangerous though inevitable element of conformity has been seeping into your work. Now, Mr. Pittz Cameron Over Street and and Chapman line up please over here. Keing indicates for four for the four boys to stand near him. On the count of four, begin walking together around the courtyard. Nothing to think about. No grade here. 1 2 3 go.

The boys begin walking. They go down one side of the courtyard, across the back, up the other side, then across the front. That's the way. Please continue. As the boys walk around the courtyard again, they begin to walk together in step. Soon it becomes like a march, producing a 1 2 3 4 cadence. Keating begins to clap. There it is. Hear it? One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two. Angle through a window. Mallister sits in his empty classroom reading a book. He sees the commotion of the courtyard in the in the courtyard and watches.

Sorry. Engle from above. The marching boys get into it. The class joins in clapping. Soon the tour boys are marching vigorously to the rhythmic clapping of the entire class. New angle. Inside his second story office, Nolan is looking out his window at the marching boys below. Angle on keing. All right, stop. You may have noticed how at the beginning Mr. Over Street and Pitts seemed to have a different stride than the others, but soon they were all walking in the same cadence. Our encouragement made it even more marked. Now, this experiment was not to single out pits or over street.

What it demonstrates is how difficult it is for any of us to listen to our own voice or maintain our own beliefs in the presence of others. If if any of you believe you would have marched differently, then ask yourself why you participated in the clapping. Lads, there is a great need in all of us to be accepted. However, that need can be like a a nasty current whisking us away unless we're strong and determined swimmers. Oh, don't insist on this separate path simply to be different or contrary, but trust what is unique about yourselves, even if it's odd or unpopular. As Mr. Robert Frost said, "Two roads diverge in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

A bell rings, signifying the end of class. Kading walks off. Angle on Nolan in his office. Nolan moves away from the window. angle on Mallister in his classroom. Amused at Keading's antics, he turns back to his book. Interior entrance to the dead poet's cave. Night. Todd, Neil, Cameron, Pitts, and Meeks sit around. A fog has moved in and the trees away. A sway in the breeze. Where's Knox? Getting ready for that party. Well, what about Charlie? He's the one who insisted on this meeting. I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. In the woods, there is a noise. The sound of girls laughter.

Vicki, I can't I can't see a thing. It's just over here. Charlie and two girls arrive at the cave. One is pretty, the other is plain. The girls are about 20, blonde, beers in their hands. They aren't the type to be seriously interested in Charlie or the other boys. They're just here for a good time. Hey guys, meet Gloria and Tina and Gloria. This is the pledge class of the Dead Poet Society. It's such a strange name. Uh, won't you tell us what it means? I told you that's a secret. Isn't he precious? Gloria gives Charlie an affectionate hug. The other members of the club are flabbergasted. These girls are wild, exotic creatures. The kind whose unashamed love of men causes young men, young young boys hearts to come to rest in young boys's. The girls giggle.

I can't call you Charlie anymore. What does new mama mean, honey? It's new Wanda, and I made it up. I'm cold. Charlie puts his armor around Gloria. Let's build a pile. Charlie shoots Meeks a look. As the boys move off to gather the wood, Charlie scrapes some mud off the wall of the cave and wipes it on his face like an Indian brave. He shoots Gloria his sexiest stare, then goes off with the other boys. The girls whisper and giggle together. Exterior. The Danbury house night. Noox parks his bicycle along the side of the house. He takes off his overcoat and stuffs it in the bike saddle bag. He straightens his tie and then goes to the front door. He knocks.

He can hear music inside. He knocks again. Finally, since no one comes to the door, knocks opens it. Interior the Danbury house same. Knocks enters. Open the door to your heart by Daryl Banks is playing on the hi-fi. On the entrance hall couch is a couple making out like crazy. Up and down the stairs are other couples doing the same. Knox stands there not knowing what to do. Momentarily Chris walks through her hair an unccombed mess. Chris. Chris turns and sees Knox. Oh, hi. I'm glad you made it. Did you bring anybody?

No. Jenny Danberry's here. Look for her. But Chris, I got to find Chad. Make yourself at home. She exits. Knox watches her. He slumps in dejection. Exterior. The woods around the cave. Charlie is gathering wood. Neil pits Todd and the other boys surround him. Sirly. It's Nwanda. Nwanda, what is going on? Nothing. Unless you object to having girls here. Well, of course not. It's just that you could have warned us. I thought I'd be spontaneous. I mean, that's the point of this whole thing, isn't it? Where'd you find them? They were walking along the fence past the soccer field. Said they were curious about the school. So, I invited them to the meeting.

Do they go to Henley? Oh, I don't think they're in school. They're townies, Cameron. What is the matter with you? You act like they're your mother or something. You're afraid of them. Oh, hell no. I'm not afraid of them. Just if we get caught with them, we're dead. Say, what's going on out there? Just gathering wood. You keep your mouth shut, jerk off, and there's nothing to worry about. Oh, watch out who you call a jerk off. Oh, calm down, Cameron. Cameron, an expression of mock fear, then heads off. The others follow.

Cameron watches Charlie and Neil for a moment, then turns and walks after them. Thank you, Betsy. Interior. The Danbury pantry night. Knox, looking suicidal, wanders through the crowded party and ends up in the pantry. Kids stand talking. A couple in the corner is involved in a long kiss. His hand keeps wandering to her knee and her hand keeps pushing his away. Yet, the kiss never breaks. This happens over and over through the entire scene. And Jenny Danbury is in the corner and she and Noox exchange smiles. And you m Sanders V.

Knock shakes his head. No. Bubba. Bubba is a big drunk jock leaning on the refrigerator. This guy looks like Matt Sanders. You his brother? No, really. Never heard of him. Sorry. Say Steve, where's your manners? Here's Mut's brother, and you don't offer him a drink. Want some bourbon? Actually, I I don't. Steve puts a glass in Knox's hand and fills it with bourbon, adding only a hint of Coke. Bubba drinks a glass with him. Too much. Too much. Too much. Bubba and Steve join their glasses. Noox follows their lead and then bursts into a coughing fit. And Steve pours everyone more bourbon.

So, uh, what the hell's M but been up to? I don't really know. But to to [ __ ] butt. To [ __ ] butt. [ __ ] what? They drain their glasses again. Noox continues coughing. Well, I'd better find Batsy. Say hello to Mud for me. We'll do. Knox and Jinny exchange knowing smiles. Bubba leaves Knox, who is still coughing. Jinny wanders out. Steve pours him and knocks more bourbon. Interior cave night. The boys have lit a fire and the girls are warming their hands. The candle on the head of the cave god flutters. Tina notices the pitted statue. I thought you guys were weird, but not this weird. She takes out a pint of whiskey and offers to Neil.

Offers some to Neil. He takes it and sips. He obviously hasn't had much whiskey in his life, but he tries to act like he has. He hands it back. Go ahead, pass it around. Neil does. It goes from boy to boy. Each boy tries to act like he likes the terrible bitterness he tastes. Unlike most the others, Todd manages to keep from coughing as he swallows the whiskey. Everyone is impressed. Yeah. Don't you guys miss having girls here? Miss it? It drives us crazy. That's part of what this club is about. In fact, I'd like to announce that I've published an article in the school paper in the name of the Dead Poet Society demanding girls be admitted to Welton so we can all stop beating off. You what?

How did you do that? I'm one of the proofers. I slipped the article in. Oh god, it's over now. Why? Nobody knows who we are. Don't you think they'll figure out who did it? Don't you know they'll come to you and demand to know what the dead povert society is? Charlie, you had no right to do something like that. It's New Wanda, Cameron. That's right. It's New Wanda. And are we just playing around out here or do we mean what we say? If all we do is come and read a bunch of poems to each other, then what the hell are we doing? You still shouldn't have done it, Charlie.

You don't speak for the club. Hey, would you not worry about your precious little necks? If they catch me, I'll tell them I made it up. All your butts are safe. Look, Gloria and Tina didn't come here to listen to us argue. Are we going to have a meeting or what? Yeah. I mean, how do we know if we want to join if you don't have a meeting? Join. Barely ignores this. He turns at Tina. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. In his recital, Charlie has aimed these words directly at Tina. She melts into warm goo. Oh, that's so sweet. Tina hugs Charlie. The other boys look at each other, trying unsuccessfully to hide their incredible jealousy. I wrote that for you. You did?

I'll write one for you, too, Gloria. She walks in beauty like the night. Charlie's eyes open. He's forgotten the words of this poem. Crossing, he walks across the cave. She walks in beauty like the night. Charlie turns his back, opens a book, and reads quickly to himself. He closes it, puts the book down, and turns back to Gloria. Of cloudless clims and starry skies. All that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and her eyes. Oh, isn't he wonderful? The other boys are absolutely appalled, but desperately jealous that Charlie is getting away with this. Gloria hugs Charlie interior. The Danbury living room night. Music by the drifters is playing loudly. Every light in the room is out. The only illumination is moonlight through the windows. Only after our eyes get adjusted to the dark can we see that the room is filled with couples making out. Knocks carrying another drink and looking tipsy enters.

He walks a bit and then trips over a couple on the floor. Hey, sorry. Knox falls onto the sofa. To his left sit a couple making out heavily. Their breathing is like a of some giant beast. To Knox's right is another couple making out too. Knox tries to get up, but the couple he tripped over has now rolled against his shins, pinning him. Noox tries to get comfortable in his little spot on the sofa. The music stops. The room sounds like an artificial respiration ward. The couple to Knox's right look and sound as if they're going to chew each other's lips off. Knox glances at the couple to his left. He hears, "Oh, Chris, you're so beautiful." The couples are Chris and Chad. Chris is sitting right next to Knox. Music starts again.

It's this magic moment by the Drifters. Chris and Chad continue petting heavily. Knox tries to look away but can't keep his eyes off of Chris. Chris, you are such gorgeous. Chat kisses Chris hard and she leans against Knox in the moonlight filled room. Knox sees the outline of Chris's face, the nape of her neck, the curve of her breasts. He downs the rest of his trick and tries to look away. Oh god. Oh my god. Help me. Chris obviously continues to lean against Knox. Knox is struggling with temptation. Excuse me. Try not to even look, but he's losing. Suddenly, he turns and looks at Chris again.

Every rational thing inside of him says no. Oh, but his emotions are saying yes. Our paper double. She's the beast. Huh? I didn't say anything. Chat and Chris continue to kiss as though his hands was being drawn by a magnet too powerful to resist. Knocks his hand, reaches out, and begins to ever so lightly stroke the nape of Chris's neck down toward her breast. Chris obviously thinks that the hand is chess, and she lets it continue. Noox moves his hand up and down her sensually. He closes his eyes, breathing heavily.

Oh, Chad, that feels fabulous. It does. What? Oh, you know. Knox pulls his hand away. Chad thinks a moment and then kisses Chris again. Oh, don't stop. Stop what? Chad. Knox pulls his puts his hand back on Chris's neck and again he starts rubbing her ever so gently, moving down toward her breast. We can see Chad's silhouette pausing over Chris, trying to figure out what she's talking about. Giving up, he goes back to kissing her. Chris continues to show her pleasure. Knox leans his head back on the sofa and his breathing becomes heavy. The music builds. Unable to resist, he rubs Chris's chest, getting dangerously close to her breast. Chris is breathing hard.

Knox is slipping into ecstasy. His drink falls out of his hand. And suddenly, Chess's hand grabs Knox's hand and a lamp light flicks on. Knox is face to face with a furious Chad and a confused Chris. What are you doing? Knox? Chad? Chris? What are you doing here? Why, you little Chad smashes Knox in the face with his fist. Chad grabs Knox by the shirt, throws him to the floor, and jumps on him. He begins swinging at Knox's face, which Knox is doing his best to protect. You [ __ ] up little prick. Chad, you don't have to hurt him.

Chad's fists hit Knox over and over. Chad, stop. He didn't mean anything. She pushes Chad off. Knox rolls over, holding his face. That's enough. Chad stands over Knox, who's holding his bloody nose and bruised face. I'm sorry, Chris. I'm sorry. Want some more? You little son of a [ __ ] Huh? Get out of house out of here. He moves. It knocks again, but Chris and some others hold him back. Others leave Knox out of the room. Chris, I'm sorry. Next time I see you, you're dead. Interior. The cave night. The fire casts warm light on the wall of the cave.

Gloria sits with her arm around Charlie, staring adoringly. The battle bottle passes between Tina and the others. Hey guys, why don't you show Tina the dead poet's garden? Garden? What garden? Charlie silently motions with his eyes for Pitts and the others to Vamoose. Neil elbows Pitts and makes a motion outside with his head. Suddenly, Pitts gets it. All right, that garden. Come on, guys. The boy sit out with Tina. This is so strange. You guys even have a garden? Meek stands in the cave, still not getting it. What are you talking about?

All the others are gone. Meeks looks at Charlie who stares daggers at him. Charles. Ah, no. We don't have a garden. Neil comes back in and pulls Meeks out. Charlie waits for them to go. God, for a smart guy, he's so stupid. Gloria stares in Charlie's eyes, and Charlie smiles. I think he's sweet. I think you're sweet. Charlie looks at her. He closes his eyes and leans slowly in to kiss her. Just as he's about to, she stands. You know what really excites me about you? What? Every guy that I meet wants me for one thing, my body. But you're not like that. I'm not. Oh, no. Anybody else would have jumped my bones by now, but you're after my soul. Make me up some more poetry. But Oh, please. Oh, it's so wonderful to be appreciated for my mind. She gets up and starts pacing. Charlie puts his hand over his face. Gloria turns and looks at him.

No, please. All right. I'm thinking let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love which alters when it alteration binds or bends with the remover to remove. Glory admits central mode. Oh, don't stop. Oh no, it is an ever fixed mark that looks on Tempest and is never shaken. It is to the star to every wandering bark whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. This is better than sex any day. Oh, this is romance. As a frustrated Charlie continues reciting, we are going to pause to end the first half of our reading.

Can we keep Charles? Bravo. All of us did a great job. That was fun. That was good. This was fun. The most naughty I've been in a long time. Fantastic guys. Very good. The truly the most naughty I've been in a script in a very long time. I' I've had fun. Oh, so funny. I remember when this movie came out. I think I just finished high school and was starting my first year of college and they had it on the big screen and completely went up to like one of my top five movies, favorite movies ever. Stay there for a really long time. You know, looking back on it now, I wonder it's a little dated, but I think you know what? But we need to honor the history. So what if it's dated? As long as we, you know, understand that things are not the same now as they were then and just kind of pay respects to what was then, especially to Robin Williams. My god, the way he went. Awful. We miss him. We love him. Um, but we need to honor

history as it is and not try to change it to what we're comfortable with. And you know what? In a way, oh, sorry. Sorry. No, go ahead, Vicki. In a way, it proves that like you're talking history and romance, it hasn't changed since Shakespeare's time. That's what really works. Yes. And Yeah. And I was going to say too, like I I feel like especially with like Todd and Neil, like the just like the brokenness, the like the devastating childhood that we that they've had and in the second half like what what happens, how they deal with it or don't is like I think that's a that's like that everyone can relate to that on some level, right? Like even if you even if you had a good childhood, like there are po parts of it that were Yeah.

Exactly. the other. But like there are parts of it where you can relate of like oh wow like I was I was really shy and repressed and there was this teacher that like spoke to this inner part of me right like Todd gets or you know or like yeah my parents were really strict and so I had to defy them in these little ways like Neil did. So like I think it's like the experiences even though it's set in a you know very strict boys school it it really is more universal kind of like Shakespeare actually. Yeah. I I think it just represents that we need to learn to love each other a little more like this group of boys did and their teacher and they had this common love like it was a family-like love. They weren't romantically in love but they learned about different things of how to love themselves and love each other and learn to love life in general cuz they sure as hell hated life but through the literature that they learned

through their time with Mr. heating. They learned to love life and I mean we all know what happened in the end but they had that moment for a while where they could learn to love life and find joy in it and maybe somebody took some seeds from that. We don't know. Well, I mean, you know, you're taking somebody's, you know, they learn to have a dream and that that stuff they can do something with their life and then what happens is that, you know, apparent someone comes in and squashes it. It's kind of like the tale of someone, you know, of that whole idea of like once you're, you know, that you're not in a cage anymore and someone stuffs you back in the cage, like closes the door, what happens to you? I really like this story. It's a really great um script for that reason.

I feel like it touches on this like time where like knowing the time period that it's set in. It's like they were it was either Ellis Island immigrants, Jewish people, whatever have you, right? Cool stuff, right? Cool American things. But they were more like our son should be lawyers mathematicians scientists. It's like this pocket of time. Let's go to Harvard. Let's do the Ivy League schools. And that pressure is uh a diff like so like an English class would be something that they would go to and think ah this is nothing like I'm waiting for my math class next I'm waiting for that like you know so it's I love this story where the this English teacher is telling him do you understand that the basis of what anything you could ever learn is reading reading books understanding literature understanding spoken word and how it slowly gets to them in that way you know what I and like become a doctor, lawyer,

you know, that was like a thing for a bit, right? And that there's poet there's poetry and math even, you know, like it there's poetry everywhere that you look. Why am I thinking of this movie that stars uh Julia Roberts, what is it? Mona Lisa Smile. Um where she tries to teach the girls there's more to life than expectation. And there's more to cuz I remember this one scene where this one girl saying that like when I get married I'll be married and that's it and that's all there is to life. But there's really more to life than what she's expected to do. And this teacher I can't remember her name is just trying to teach this girl this. Oh, I'm sure there's there's got to be a coming to age like more feminist kind of vibe to Yeah, I got you. I I don't know what you're thinking of but I know what you're thinking of. Yeah, I know what you're thinking of. Yeah, I know the movie. I know the music. I know the

music more. But yes. Yeah, there's Well, I mean, I'll get personal if I might. It might help people open up. Like, I had to learn this lesson myself. I spoke last time of my health issue of endometriosis. And it was just recently Mother's Day. And I actually had a physical reaction to Mother's Day because of the pain assoc I have associated with it. And you know what? It was healing. It was honestly healing to have that cuz in 2017, I had to really look at myself and say, "Hey, this is not what I expected." But you know, there's life beyond expectation. I have to live it. I can't just sit and grieve. I have to get off my ass. Sorry for swearing and actually live the life that I have and just not grieve over the life that I expected to have. And that's what I think Keing is trying to teach these boys. You should focus on what you want to have and not on the expectation.

Because sometimes life as you expect it doesn't work out. But you can still have a happy fulfilling life despite not being able to fulfill expectation. And if more people had compassion to that sort of mindset and encouraged that, how much better off would we all be? It's true. Yeah. Anyway, I talk so freaking much. It's unbelievable. I was absorbing that. I loved what you said. Totally. Oh, thank you. My inner Julian Bisher came And I talk more than I used to. Remember how Jacob used to always say, "And Vicki, do you have anything to say?" No.

Vicki, you have blossomed and grown so much through this. I'm very proud of you. I've known you since the beginning. True. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm proud of the rest of you. Holy crap. Some of you in your acting chops. Why the freak haven't you been on television yet? They will be. They will be. Like I mean, holy crap, some of the voices and like the whole I don't know what's the word I'm looking for. Inflections. Holy crap. Well done, everyone. Yeah. Yeah, you all did a great job. You guys are all amazing. 's nice because I mean there's poetry in obviously poetry written into the script so it it yes all all of you are amazing I really really love to work with you there's this one yeah thank you for joining us there's this one part I I think I I chuckled at it but it was only because it was like bad John Cage and I don't know if any of you know who John Cage is but that made me Oh, so funny. So, I'm sorry if I

chuckled like inappropriately, but you know, that's a bad word. We shouldn't really use that bad word. And do you know what the bad word is? I'm sorry. Oh, well, yeah, cuz Keing literally tells the boys in the thing, "Don't apologize for being yourself. Just get off your ass and be yourself and screw expectation." Right. Fair. Yeah, that's a fair point. And I'm sorry, Mom, for swearing. Uh, what about saying sorry? I swear. I don't think I did tonight, but I'll apologize anyways. Goodness, guys. I mean, you're you're Canadian. You have to be polite. That's part of being Canadian, right?

I'm dual citizen, so I don't My mom was born in the States, so I'm half. You can choose if you want to be polite or not. I can be a rogue. Who cares? But you guys, I I mean, I'm sorry. I don't feel like I need to always apologize. Oh goodness. You know what? We're team Rogue One and we can do whatever we want and we'll defy the odds. That's right. Like laughing on the script there, Aubrey. I know there's at least one reading group, and I can't remember which one it is, but they don't have people mute when they're not in a scene because they like having that sort of audience laughter in the background like you would when you're watching a television episode, you know?

You know, we should do that. Yeah, we should give that a go and see live studio audience. And oh my goodness, it when we hear crickets, we'll be so sad. I mean sometimes you know people are just enjoying it. It's not necessarily, you know, but if you don't, if you're not laughing or crying at the appropriate times, what is uh the point, right? Well, sometimes, you know, with my little neurode divergent brain, sometimes I don't know what the appropriate time is and I giggle at the inappropriate time, but I guess carp, right? Don't be afraid, right? True.

Yeah. Well, sees the day. Sees the day. Okay, with that, I have to get going, guys. I am so sorry, but I love things. This was lovely. I just kind of I was feeding into the energy. It made me feel so energized. I'm glad I came back. Yeah, me too. That's why I love acting. Well, yes, I need to do more of it. It'll be a little more sad next week. As those of you who have seen it know, it'll get pretty sad. Um, very sad, right? Don't use the word very. It'll be devastating. Yeah, it gets devastating. That's but it's worth it to watch. It is. So hopefully you guys will join us next week um out there in audience land and here too in the in the Zoom room. So um Yes. Yes. Thank you so much for Yes. Thanks for having us. you having you you still have time to get into Edward the first this coming Saturday with two households I may busy but I I will check Saturday we start earlier that event we'll check

it Edward the first on Saturday the 17th starting at 3 p.m. Pacific time on two households in Fair Corona. So yeah, I have a thing that I'm doing at three actually. So unfortunately, yes, I I'm doing a lot of stuff, though. So yeah, it's fine. I just want to let you guys know. All right, it was good to see you guys. I have to get out. I got I got to get off. Bye. Oh, I am so blessed to be able to entertain people when I can. It's a blessing. It is. I love this movie a lot. You will say, Katherine and Vicki, y'all y'all killed it at doing the the R our Williams good old job. That makes this movie also amazing. Like, come on. If Robin Williams wasn't the [ __ ] teacher.

Excuse my language. Oh, no. You a [ __ ] And that's fine. And I use the f word. No. Um, it's okay. You know what? He probably uses it, too. If you were alive, he'd use it, too. He'd say, "Amazing." I feel like he did later on in his life during his standup. He was like, "I've got to use filler words. I'm tired." You know, I mean, it's the best Robin William perform Williams performances ever, right? And you guys didn't do like some hokey version of it. And I loved how um uh you used good your diction was perfect were perfect. Haley, your diction was real good. And and you didn't like do his like an impression of him which I really liked. Oh yeah, don't do that. That's No. Right. Like why would you do that?

Only with Mrs. Stonefire. We have to do it then. It made me think it would be cool if this was redone as like um like a weird off Broadway play with women instead of men because it's an all man male cast and like what the teacher would be like, right? Either you were. Uh, I wonder if they'll ever modernize it. That would be cool. Like how they do it with um Sorry, what's the jury show? Like play that's very famous. Uh 12 Angry Men. They have like 12 Angry Women, right? Oh, I was in 12 Angry Men. I was the only woman. Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever been in a cast with 12 men and you were the only woman? Oh my goodness.

No. Like not even You know what I mean? I thought it was like four men in one. It's like even rare. I think we also did. Are you okay, Vicki? It was great. And my birthday happened. My birthday happened while we were still rehearsing and I I was sung to by them all. It was like impromptu. It was so beautiful. Oh my goodness. That seems like they were all cool. Why does it sound like a beautiful like it would be a beautiful episode of Cheers or something? Everybody just gathered around the bar singing to the queen of the 11. Yeah. 11 men, one woman, and they're like genuinely without being creepy singing happy.

The rap. No, I love that. No, I genuinely love to hear that. That play is amazing, too. That's really sick. You got the like the one woman role. It's a good one. But yeah, there definitely versions of like uh that play where it's like 12 women and there's a couple of other things that are like uh that have been spun I think by different playrs that's like a normally dominantly male cast. I always find that interesting. I feel like I'm just not remembering all of them and I wish I was a Google search engine. I'm not.

Well, I know this one's been made into a play because I've seen pictures online, you know, plays themselves, but yeah, same with um The Outsiders. Is that correct? That was Yes. Yeah. Yes. It has It's They're actually redoing that. I've read online. Oh, they're going to like even Okay. Yeah. I honestly feel like they should I don't know if Orange of the Orange is a New Black would count, but they should do the Shaw Shank Redemption as an all women film. That would be hilarious as a woman who kills her husband and then goes through all the sh the sh that freaking I would literally be in that film. I would go throw off three months of my life and be in that film if it was ever made. Honest to God, I would love that.

Yeah, I'd be an extra. I would because that's one of my favorite movies, but I'm just thinking about it as women roll. It works. Like it actually I would literally do anything to be in that type of a film. I would be the the dude that or the person that the girl her husband. I'm surprised I never heard this until now from you. You know what I mean? Well, I like the roles of villain of of anxiety. I like being in the roles of villain anxiety and just all sorts of crazy things where I have to stretch. Yes. And I also love um a screenplay with diversity and think about who the who would play Morgan Freeman's character. I could think of like actresses I love. Oh yes. And I'm like I want Yeah. Yeah. Right. Like that would be so good. It really would work.

I don't know. I would think maybe Sena Martin Green or that one person who plays what's her name? like Angela Bassing. I'm just kidding. But no, yes. Yes, that's who I was freaking thinking of because she does such a good role in 911. She is just such a dramat a great dramatic actress. The uh quirky kind of romcomy like or like uh some somebody takes a chance. She had like this awesome like kind of uh Aaron Brochovich series or whatever. It was real cute and she was great in it. She's so good in dramatic stuff. And Allah American History or sorry, American Horror Story.

I said American History. Uh, I went and watched back all of her movies, which is fine. I am fine with that. But she was so good in those, too. Like playing like like a I am serious right now kind of person. or even Michelle Herd could do that that role because I've met Michelle Herd in person and she's very lovely and she just has this fire that she brought from Law and Order SVU and from Star Trek Bard. Holy freaking that I was like Isa Bones would also have to be involved in that type of a movie because they've just got the fire. Yes. Yes.

Yes. I have like two other people in my mind but I can't think of them. Maybe just one because I can't think of two. Sorry, we're babbling so much like English schoolooled children who want to play on the I'm sorry. I hope I get to work with you in person. I I hope I get to work with all of you in person one day because you'll be freaking So you're Where are you, Heather? I'm in Alberta. Oh, weird. Why? Cuz I'm in Texas. It just makes me laugh. I'm like I I have family in Texas. That's not weird. Oh, hell yeah. I'm just thinking about how far away we are from each other. That's wild, right?

Citizen. Hello. But I'm like the tip of freaking America and you're like at the top. You're still in my same North American. Which city in Texas? Um, Houston. But right now sitting at my parents house in Sugarland, which is like it's okay. It's not like back country by any means actually. It's Oh, is that like Gunboro City and May Bank and stuff like that? Because that sounds similar. If you know anything about Houston, do you know any kind of maybe? No. Well, we're just so so huge and so even slowly as I've grown up here, places like Sugarland are getting uh just a lot of HBS and a lot of traffic apartments and all that. Yeah.

It's not all like flat land over here. Oh, I know. There's like lots of like trailered sale parks and billboards and my god. There also are there is also is are there also a lot of places where there's nothing around you. It's so bizarre. Yes. Yeah. It takes like uh to get to Austin if this makes any sense. Like kind of if this means anything to anybody, it takes three and a half hours to get to Austin, Texas, which is a major city in Houston. But like I know in East Coast like you get to a different on the East Coast you get to a different state like driving three. I have a friend in Austin. So there we go.

Sorry, we're just so hyper. We want to hang out. Dallas. I went to Texas for my honeymoon and we we stayed in Arlington and we went to Dallas and Fort Worth and uh Oh, I went

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Dead Poets Society - Table Read - p1"?

Vicky Dykes (Host), Ana (Guest), Aubrey McCoy (Guest), Heather Lee Cameron (Guest), John Clarence Gomez (Guest), Haley Byermeister (Guest), Cat Wilson (Host).

What is "Dead Poets Society - Table Read - p1" about?

The reading of the film "Dead Poets Society," originally released in 1989, features a diverse cast who introduce themselves and their respective roles, including characters such as John Keating, Neil Perry, and Todd Anderson. The event aims to bring the first half of the screenplay to life, showcasing the talents of the actors while engaging audiences through a live presentation on YouTube.

What is mentioned in this Table Read Tuesdays episode?

4 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Dead Poets Society, Welton Academy, Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry David Thoreau. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Dead Poets Society - Table Read - p1"?

The episode runs 2 h 27 min; the transcript is about 19,681 words in 158 timestamped sections.

More from Table Read Tuesdays

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.