Julia and Markie, female lead singers in rock band, Pulsar5, get dressed for their Saturday night gig, while singing “Full Moon” about their insatiable yearning for adventure and romance and their undying hope that this night will be “the” one.
That night Pulsar5 closes their last set with “Rockin’ Machine” to dancing fans (recruited from the audience). Markie, who seems permanently scarred from the murder of her drug-dealer boyfriend Tony, picks up a man she’s been eyeing all night, and sings “Just What I Needed Tonight.” Tek, the new bass player who has a crush on Markie, is alarmed when he sees her leave with the man, not realizing that she picks up strange men every night and always makes it home okay. Drummer and guitarist, Sal and Billy, excitedly plan to score some Ganja Weed later that night, using money Billy conned out of girlfriend, Julia. Exhausted from her routine of working both a full-time job and band gigs, Julia sings “Can’t Face That Door” anguishing whether to quit the band, leave Billy, and enroll in Julliard Grad School of Music -- if she gets accepted.
When Sal and Billy arrive, transvestite drug dealer Cocha, is unhappy to see them, as she is expecting an important, new customer. But before she can kick them out, Louie Lizarde arrives. Being a paranoid, high-roller from Las Vegas, Lizarde, will not allow them leave once they’ve seen him there. When Lizarde asks to sample Cocha’s products, she opens the large electrically lit Virgin Mary shrine to reveal a virtual chemistry lab stuffed with illicit drugs. Lizarde takes a few bong hits, loosens up, and brags that he is a talent agent for Las Vegas exotic/erotic nightclubs, searching for voluptuous women who can sing, dance, and shakedown lounge customers. After the stoned men sing and dance “Got What You’re Looking For”, Billy, desperate for any break, convinces Lizarde that Pulsar5 is perfect for the job. Lizarde wants a tape and photos, pronto.
Sal and Billy conspire to trick Julia and Markie into auditioning for Lizarde’s erotic nightclub job, hoping they’ll take Lizarde’s offer on behalf of the band, believing that after being in Vegas for a few months, they’ll be discovered by other types of agents and get better gigs. Billy knows it’s a big leap for the women to go along, but he’s convinced this is the break he’s been waiting for.
Billy gets home very late that night, very stoned. He tosses the baggie of Ganja on the coffee table, flips through the mail. He opens and reads a letter from Juilliard for Julia, then hides it under the sofa cushions.
The next day, working in his workshop, Tek thinks outloud about Markie – and expresses his love for her, singing “If I.”
Sunday afternoon, the band members gather for Billy and Sal to report about meeting Lizarde. As planned, they lie saying Lizarde is a talent agent scouting for rock bands to play the hotel bar circuit. They sing “Big Man Cometh” about their excitement over the audition, and then record “Thoughts of You,” a song written by Julia that is well liked by their fans. Billy obsesses over the quality and forces the band to record take after take, burning everyone out.
Julia is exhausted as she prepares for work the next morning. Markie comes home, having just learned she has herpes, greatly distressed about the disease’s life-altering implications. Julia comforts Markie and leaves for work. Markie smokes some Ganja, and falls asleep. She awakens to a vision of a Stevie Nicks look-alike, the Goddess of Wanton Women Singers, who tells Markie she has been given “the gift” of herpes. Terrified, Markie screams and a naked Billy runs in to the rescue. Knowing they are alone, Billy sexually forces himself on Markie, who is too distraught to realize what Billy is doing. When she finally resists, he attempts to rape her.
Markie is saved from rape when Julia comes home early from work, having been fired for sleeping on the job. But, Julia misunderstands what she sees, and assumes that Markie is with Billy by choice. While the three are arguing, the others arrive with the news that Lizarde likes the tape and wants a live audition on Thursday. As the others leave for the pub to celebrate, Billy asks Julia to stay behind. Julia expects an apology from Billy, but instead he dismisses her anger, and orders her to showcase him in the audition song, while he sings “Give Me A Break.” Act One closes as Julia plans her revenge on Billy in a final verse of “Give Me A Break.”
Act Two opens with the band learning the new punk-style song Julia has written for their audition, “Flick My Bic,” which openly insults Billy. Billy explodes before the end of the song. Sal drags a violently angry Billy out to his van, while Markie and Tek leave the furious Julia to cool down. In Sal’s van, the two guys are blowing off steam singing about how Julia has gone “Over the Edge.” Smoking a Ganja joint, they’re visited by an apparition: the God of Rock-Star Wannabes, who resembles David Cassidy. He advises them to hang in with the others until they land the Vegas job, then dump them.
Meanwhile, Tek and Markie go to Tek’s apartment, drink tequila, and talk. Tek declares his fascination with Markie, but deflects her seduction attempt explaining that he wants to slowly build a long-term relationship with her. Markie stays the night, sleeping in a separate room. They sing a duet, “In Your Eyes”.
When Markie returns home, she and Julia have it out. Julia still believes Markie was with Billy by choice. Markie sings, “Nobody Loves Us (Like We Do)”. Julia finally accepts the truth and the two women make up. They decide to go along with the audition and to perform “Wait for Tomorrow.”
The day of the audition, Markie gives Julia a letter from Juilliard that she found buried in the couch. Julia confronts Billy about hiding the letter. Tek tells Markie that he has herpes. They’re both greatly relieved when she tells him that she has it, too. They declare their love for each other. The scene melts into a duo of duets, with Julia and Billy singing “I Don’t Even Care Why”, about their dying relationship, and Markie and Tek singing “Job of My Dreams” about their fledgling love. When the song ends, Lizarde arrives.
Lizarde gets off on the wrong foot with Julia and Markie, by immediately paying them lecherous compliments, pitching Las Vegas, and brazenly fondling Markie’s breasts. Despite their misgivings, the band performs “Wait for Tomorrow.” Lizarde is impressed and immediately makes job offers as he sings, “Scanty Panties”. The women refuse to don Lizarde’s skimpy costumes. At Julia’s request, Lizarde leaves the band to discuss his offer, and they sing a reprise of “Give Me A Break” with Sal and Billy begging the others to reconsider. The song devolves to name calling and a fight ensues. Markie knocks Billy off the stage with his guitar after he calls her a whore. Soon everyone is screaming, with arms and legs flailing. Hearing the brawl, Lizarde runs in, sees the debacle and rescinds his offer. He slithers off in disappointment, trailed by Sal and Billy who beg Lizarde for jobs without the others.
Julia, Markie, and Tek remain, looking stunned. Collecting himself, Tek offers to pack equipment, giving the women time to talk. Markie and Julia reflect on the wild week they’ve experienced. Each has found great meaning in what has transpired. Markie has come to realize that she is a valuable, lovable person, and for the first time since Tony’s death, she has found a genuine, new beginning through her relationship with Tek. As Julia considers her love of music composition and the opportunity to attend Juilliard, she realizes that she is no longer ashamed of being a music nerd, she doesn’t need to be validated as cool or attractive by someone else. She has found the strength from within to appreciate who she is -- no matter what musical direction she chooses to take. To celebrate these discoveries, Julia and Markie sing a reprise of “Wait for Tomorrow.”
THE END
