“I could do this medley in my sleep,” he said, which caused all three of us to snicker since he’d tripped over the stage during our rehearsal.
“And we’re back from commercial in three, two…” a voice called over the intercom system.
“Please welcome, two-time Tony Award winner Maeve McKenna.”
What?My head spun to the backstage monitor since I couldn’t see that part of the stage from the wings. The camera panned to the other side of the stage where an older, elegant woman walked out in a long black dress that hugged her in all the right places. I hadn’t seen Maeve since the accident on stage, so how they managed to get her back to introduce the show was a surprise. In rehearsals earlier that day, we’d been told that some Hollywood starlet who was looking to make her Broadway debut in the fall would introduce the show.
“The Naughty Listis a brand-new American Musical based loosely on the 1940 movieBeyond Tomorrow. Three elves concoct a game to see if the people of New York City should be exiled to Santa’s naughty list…permanently. If you didn’t know, I was cast in the show and had to bow out because of a little…accident.“ There were laughs in the auditorium. Maeve’saccidentwas widely known in the theater community. “Here to perform a medley from the show are Tony nominees Caiden Wynter Jeanes, Tabatha Sharlene Thomson, Erika Lynsay Saunders, and the incomparable company ofThe Naughty List.”
The downbeat hit, and my feet moved. For the next three and a half minutes, we danced, we sang, and we delivered. By the time I belted my high note, I could tell the audience was eating out of our hands. I hoped the audience at home enjoyed the performance as much. As the song ended, there were three seconds before the director motioned for the cast to move off stage as two Hollywood actors—who had gotten their starts on Broadway—entered the other side.
“The featured actress in a musical…”
I didn’t have time to hear anything because I dashed off stage. The cast had been repeatedly told that I was to exit first, then they’d come off and go around the team of dressers and me.
Before I stopped walking, I discarded my shoes and my hands over my head. Two dressers removed the costume while Carlos made quick work of my wig, microphone and battery pack.
With the wig off, Carlos yanked the clips he’d used to pin my hair. He ran a brush through my natural hair as he styled it. “Lift your left foot,” someone said. I complied. “Lift your right foot.” I complied again. I didn’t know who’d asked me to do that, but I was back in high heels.
“Step in.” I glimpsed Gladys among the folds of fabric as she helped me into the gown. This dress was a green A-line V-neck floor-length silk dress with layers and layers of lace cut to look like tree branches. Around the middle was a red sash that highlighted my narrow waist, causing the bottom part of the dress to flare out like a Christmas tree with me as the angel sitting on top. Red crystal ornaments hung around the skirt, completing the festive look. On my head, Carlos placed a diamond-encrusted tiara with a single ruby that was on loan from a private collection. The tiara came with three security guards, who had watched Carlos take it from the case and place it on my head. He hadn’t told me the cost, but I’d looked it up online. I was only wearing a half-million dollars in jewels on my head. The other half-million was around my neck in a gorgeous diamond necklace with a five-carat ruby pendant.
“You’re ready,” I heard Gladys say. “You got this.”
I took three steps forward to the side of the stage and waited on the mark I was told to stand on.
“The nominees for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical are. Julia Hardy,The Hallow Men.“ A polite round of applause was heard. “Carolyn Klimonski,Passion.“ More applause. “Winnie Matherson,Gamer’s Revenge.“ Applause. “And Erica Lynsay Saunders,The Naughty List.”
The television producers would display my headshot for the television audience. We weren’t sure how long the quick-change would take, so the producers had scrapped the idea of zooming in on me for a closeup backstage in case we weren’t ready yet.
“And the American Theatre Wing’s Tony Award goes to…”
It may sound cliché, but my entire career flashed before my eyes. I saw myself as a young girl performing in school plays, then high school musicals. Then I started performing in college, then in regional theater productions. As soon as I’d finished college, I got my first Equity tour and saw half the country belting an E6 nightly inWicked. Then I took a leap of faith, quit the tour, and returned to New York. I thought of the opening night ofThe Faith Healerand everything that happened over the next three years. I remembered bumping into Kirk right outside my door as I rushed to an audition, and he moved in next door. That singular moment in time would define my life more than I ever could have predicted. I found the Broadway show that would change my life forever. And I found my passion again.
“…Erika Lynsay Saunders.”
I stood there. The cameraman waved his finger in my direction to let me know we were live. It took my brain a second to catch up. I’m sure it was only seconds, but I felt like I stood there for a day, lost in a haze of memories, as my brain finally registered my name.
My knees buckled slightly as my hand moved to cover my mouth. Tears started escaping. Somewhere from my left, I heard a stage manager yell, “Move!” My feet started walking before my brain could catch up.
I left the side curtain and walked toward the couple announcing the award. One held the envelope with my name, and the other held the Tony Award. The starlet gave me a quick hug and said congratulations. The guy hugged me too before I stood before Radio City Music Hall looking up and over the entire crowd.
“Wow, this place looks enormous from up here,” were the first words to come out of my mouth. The room erupted in laughter. “That was so not in my acceptance speech,” I followed up, which was greeted by more laughter. I paused and took in the entire theater. “I want to thank the American Theater Wing and the Tony voters… Wow, I just said that. It’s like I’m in a dream right now.” I looked over to where Kirk was standing on his feet still. Even from the stage, with the bright lights in my eyes, I could make out his beautiful face. “I love you, Kirk Brewster. And I love you Carissra, who is watching this at home. I want to thank my family. I love them, too. I want to thank my best friend, Johnny, who you saw earlier this evening in the number fromPassion. I want to thankThe Naughty List’samazing cast and crew, who help me remember the joy of musical theater each and every night. I thank my agent, Brice Stark, for making me go on this audition when I wasn’t sure I wanted to.“ The orchestra started again, and I could tell that I was being told to wrap it up, so I just said, “I’m sure I’m missing people, and I’m sorry. I really am. I thank everyone I know and have ever known. All of you have helped me get to this place tonight. Without everyone, I would not be standing here today.” The music continued to swell as I loudly said, “Go out and do something to put yourself onThe Naughty List!“ I hefted the Tony Award over my head as I was shuffled off stage left, and the next pair of presenters walked from the wings on stage right and started speaking.
The cast huddled backstage, waiting to greet me. I laid eyes on Gladys and burst into tears.
Katherine hugged me first. “I knew you’d win. I told ya, girl!”
Next, it was Peeter. “And to think, I didn’t even like you at first.”
Then Carlos and Gladys were there, and both were crying, making me cry more.
“I totally forgot to thank you,” I blurted out. “How did I forget to thank you?”
“Seeing you get that award was all the thanks I’d ever need,” Gladys said.
“I could have used a shout-out,” Carlos joked, “but you had other things on your mind.” He gave me a quick hug. “Now stop crying. I used waterproof makeup, but it can only live up to a minor flood.”
Then Asher hugged me, followed by a parade of Eugene, Tyreek, and Mable. I didn’t know where they’d come from. San Nicolás embraced me and said something in Spanish. I probably could have translated if my brain had been working properly, but I had no idea what he said. I then saw Rebekka Eldridge. She looked at me and said, “Good job. I was right. I hired the right woman.” I wanted to make a smart-alecky comment, but then I saw Kirk being escorted backstage.
