INT. NBC STUDIO CONFERENCE ROOM—HOLLYWOOD—CLOSE ON. DAY.

RUBY, nervous as hell, and desperately trying to mask her rapidly beating heart with a confident smile. 

She is seated across a long conference table from six high-powered STUDIO and ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES.  The NBC LOGO decorates the wall behind them. 

The formalities and cordial greetings have been disposed of.  The moment of truth has arrived for RUBY.  It is put up or shut up time.

                 1ST STUDIO EXECUTIVE
       Shall we begin, Mrs. Dandridge?

RUBY takes a deep breath, smiles.

                         RUBY
       Ready when you are.
 
                 2ND STUDIO EXECUTIVE
                (reading from a script)
       "Oh, by the way, Vashti, is Mr.  
       Cardwell still playing checkers with  
       that nice new neighbor of ours, 
       Mr. McCreary?…"

INT. HOWARD THEATRE. ATTIC DRESSING ROOM—CLOSE ON. DAY.

AUNTIE MAMA yanking on her overcoat and fumbling with the buttons, while angrily ticking off a litany of past grievances, real and imagined: