In the scholarly world of Mr. Johnson’s classroom, the anticipation of the final test brings an excess of emotions. As the school bell rings and students leave anxiously, Mr. Johnson is facing his own test anxiety. “It’s their big test or is it mine?” he wonders to himself leading up to a full-scale 1920’s Busby Berkeley-style dance in which the entire class returns to the classroom dressed in traditional collegial fashions ranging from a swell raccoon coat to a 1960’s mini-skirt and bellbottoms outfit, some carrying schoolbooks, some wearing collegiate lettered sweaters, to join voices in their newfound battle cry:
MR. JOHNSON & STUDENTS
We’ve got to pass this test
We’ve got to pass this test
It’s pass or fail
It’s tooth or nail
We’ve got to pass this test!
Amidst this impressive display of school spirit, Mei Li stands apart. She is longing to express her feelings for Mr. Johnson, who has no idea nor interest in any thoughts the young woman might have for him outside of the classroom. Although she tries to express her feelings to Mr. Johnson, her plaintive attempts are drowned out by the roar of the students who carry on wholeheartedly with their cheer.
Frustrated, Mei-Li bursts out with a declaration of love for her hapless young professor.
MEI LI
But Mr. Johnson
I’d like to tell you I love you
I think I’ll tell you I love you, today
Oh, please, Mr. Johnson, look my way
Mr. Johnson ignores the idea of a teacher-student romance while remaining oblivious to Mei Li’s sentiments as the students’ cheer builds to a crescendo. Undeterred, Mei Li perseveres, dreaming of a world where she and her teacher can be together, even if that means packing up and moving to Kenya with the object of her schoolgirl fantasy. The whimsy of this thought adds a touch of humor to the musical number while underscoring the naivete and innocence of Mei-Li in her pursuit of an unsought affection directed towards her clueless teacher.
As the musical number draws to a close, Mr. Johnson and the students find themselves more determined than ever to pass the test. As the rallying cry echoes throughout the classroom, the scene’s theme quickly changes from quiet anxiety at the prospect of failing the test to sheer jubilation. Amidst the festive atmosphere, Mei Li slips quietly away in tears, her unspoken love lingering in the air.
It’s Their Big Test (Or Is It Mine?) focuses on some of the complexities of modern academia, including the importance of taking and passing exams. Audiences will reflect on their own test-taking memories as part of their individual and collective academic consciousness, which remains with us long after we have completed our formal education.
