Prince's 'Under the Cherry Moon' personal notebook with extensive handwritten working script to be auctioned
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Tuesday, April 29, 2025


Prince's 'Under the Cherry Moon' personal notebook with extensive handwritten working script to be auctioned
Prince drafts his script for 'Under the Cherry Moon,' including the 'Wrecka Stow' scene and 'Girls & Boys' musical sequence



BOSTON, MASS.- Prince's personal notebook with an extensive handwritten working script for the film Under the Cherry Moon is among more than 200 items that will be auctioned by Boston-based RR Auction.

The Mead college-ruled notebook contains fifteen single-sided pages of Prince's handwritten working script for the film. In the middle of the notebook there are two consecutive pages with messages written by Susannah Melvoin in red colored pencil, with large happy and sad faces drawn in the center. These are soon followed by the fifteen pages of Prince's working screenplay for Under the Cherry Moon, written by him in pencil; several pages are annotated by Prince in purple pencil, with notes indicating scenes and page numbers.

The dialogue begins with a line from "Tricky," "I like 'em nice 2, u know that certain special way." Mary replies, "Special. What do u mean?" Tricky: "U should know, Mary. That's what u are." Prince then writes some stage directions: "Mary smiles. She likes Tricky." The dialogue continues with a line from Mary: "Have u ever been 2 Maxim's?" Tricky: "Oh yes, honey Chris & I, we…No." Mary: "Tomorrow night at 8. We'll see how well u adapt 2 the finer side of life. (Just then Chris comes up & takes Mary's hand)." Chris: "We'll be there. (beat) May I?"

It is interesting to note that this scene plays out in the film in essentially the same manner envisioned here, with one exception: the name of the restaurant is changed from "Maxim's" to 'Le Pavillon.' The next page has a scene that takes place slightly later in the film and features some memorable dialogue. Tricky says, "Man that was a dog thing 2 do. You mean she set u up 2 bust into her old man's private business?" Christopher replies, "She don't know what's good enough 4 Isaac Sharon is even better 4 me." Tricky: "She's bad, cuzzin." Christopher: "She's tricky, Tricky." Tricky: "But she ain't as smart as us." Christopher: "She's smarter. But she ain't got no street. U know I wish there was some way 2 bring her down 2 our world then she could experience the real fun." Tricky: "Gimme a dark room & a Johnny Mathis album and I'll show her the real fun." In the film this conversation differs slightly, with "Johnny Mathis" swapped out for 'Sam Cooke.'

A few pages later is the famous 'Wrecka Stow' scene in the restaurant. Prince sets up the joke: "(He begins 2 write on a napkin) 'It's obvious Little Miss Mary has never been off the city block.' He shows the napkin 2 Mary. There are 2 words—Wrecka Stow." Mary: "What is that? Some new language?" Christopher: "Read it. Do u know what it is?" After some back-and-forth, Mary says, "Wrecka Stow. Wrecka Stow. It's nothing. Admit it. (Tricky is laughing harder now. People are starting 2 stare)." Christopher: "Surely you must know. Again. This time say it louder." Mary: "Wrecka Stow! Wrecka Stow!" Chris: "Louder!" Mary: "(very loudly) WRECKA STOW! I give up. What is it?" Christopher: "If u wanted 2 buy a Johnny Mathis album where would u go?" Mary: "(very embarrased) The Wrecka Stow." As in the previous dialogue, "Johnny Mathis" is changed to 'Sam Cooke' in the film.

Their conversation continues with a few similar jokes before transitioning into the sole musical performance of Under the Cherry Moon, a restaurant-crashing rendition of 'Girls & Boys.' Tricky: "Wait, wait I got one. (He writes FLO on the napkin). Mary: "(spells it out) F, L, O. It not a nickname 4 your cousin Florence is it?" Tricky: "No, cuzzin! (He rises from the table and does a spin Jackie Wilson would be proud of and drops into a full split. The kids in the restaurant are amazed and he slides up smooth.)" Tricky: "When I be dancin' I split rat down 2 da FLO!" Prince continues to describe the scene: "Again they laugh. Loudly. The M'tre 'd runs 2 the tele. The waiters begin the nightly ritual of moving the tables back so that people can dance. Christopher smiles at Tricky who asks Mary 2 dance. Christopher runs 2 the bandstand and asks the piano player if he can sit in. He obliges and Christopher immediately raises the tempo. Christopher: 'Bb fellas. Girls and Boys.' The groove gets right after a second or 2 and the place starts jumping. Christopher signals Tricky who grabs the boom box and runs 2 the stage. He puts a microphone on the deck. 'Girls and Boys' the song blasts loudly into the air. Tricky starts dancing on the stage. Everyone cheers and parties harder. Just then Mr. Sharon and his aides burst into the restaurant." Mary is removed from the restaurant by her father, and the scene ends—as does this notebook. In very good to fine condition, with moderate wear to covers; interior pages remain crisp and clean.

From the collection of singer-songwriter Susannah Melvoin, an extended member of the Revolution during the Parade era, who shared a longterm working musical relationship with and was engaged to Prince during the 80s. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Melvoin.

For the most part, it seems that few changes were made between the dialogue as written here and in the final film—some short sequences were omitted, and some words were changed here and there, but in general this draft matches what became the final script for Under the Cherry Moon. Listen to Susannah Melvoin discuss this handwritten script in her interview on the Rare and Remarkable! Podcast.

“It is rare to have so much of Prince's handwriting in a single item, and outstanding to see the evolution of his creative thought process as it was committed to paper,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction. “His sense of humor shines in this script, and that it so closely resembles the final product makes it all the more remarkable.”

Among other items to be featured:

• Prince's handwritten musical enhancements notes for the 1984 film Purple Rain.

• Prince's bright yellow custom-made high-heeled shoes.

• Prince 'Mountains’ Handwritten Chorus Music Sheet Lyrics and Album.

• Prince's 1980 Rick James Tour All Access Pass.

The Prince Auction from RR Auction began on September 14 and will conclude on September 27.










Today's News

September 25, 2017

Exhibition devoted to the birth of the art market in the Dutch Golden Age opens

Exhibition at the British Museum reveals the history of the Scythians

Immersive display of 11 Mark Rothko paintings on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Christie's to offer Middle Eastern Modern & Contempory art in London

Yale University Press publishes most comprehensive, definitive study of Jasper Johns's work

MoMA explores Louise Bourgeois's prints and books

Spectacular exhibition devoted to the art of the second half of the 16th century opens at Palazzo Strozzi

MoMA announces artists included in "Being: New Photography 2018"

Chinese vase sells for 10,000 times estimated price in Geneva

Prince's 'Under the Cherry Moon' personal notebook with extensive handwritten working script to be auctioned

Pola Negri and Rudolph Valentino portrait offered at Bonhams 19th Century European Art Sale

First U.S. survey of Bali-based artist Ashley Bickerton opens at The FLAG Art Foundation

Sotheby's to offer important daguerreotypes from the collection of Stanley B. Burns, MD

Artist Omer Fast's 3D film 'August' makes U.S. public debut at the Minneapolis Institute of Art

FOG Design+Art announces participating galleries for 2018 fair

Michael Hoppen Gallery opens exhibition of photographs by Lucas Foglia

'Wondrous Worlds' exhibition showcases the long history and rich diversity of Islamic art

Order up! Garment District art exhibit serves up classic American eats

Exhibition at Academy of the Arts of the World focuses on cultural appropriation

The Martin Parr Foundation, a new centre for British photography, will open in Bristol

£4.7m Racing D-Type Jaguar for sale with Mossgreen

Exhibition explores experimental black poetry

Charles Bradley, late-blooming US soul voice, dead at 68

VisionQuesT 4rosso opens exhibition of works by Pierluigi Fresia




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
(52 8110667640)

Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful