Once the last cast member was in her chair, San Nicolás addressed the group. “I know Eldridge’s announcement this morning was a bit of a shock for all of us.”
“Wait…you didn’t know about these changes?” Maeve McKenna asked.
“Umm…” San Nicolás said hesitantly. “Although Rebekka and I had discussed the need to think through the lighter Christmas elements of the show, we had not discussed her artistic vision.”
“What the elf!” Peeter whispered. It took all my control not to burst out laughing.
Chapter 13
TherestofMondaywas uneventful. We played a few theater games as the creative team struggled to update the script based on the new requirements from Eldridge. We rehearsed a few of the songs in the afternoon that the creatives hoped could be salvaged. Since we were supposed to start truly blocking the show later that week, I felt horrible for the bind Eldridge had put everyone in. But hey, I was still getting paid, even if I did spend thirty minutes pretending I was on a bobsled racing down a hill.
During rehearsals, I got a text from Brice and Johnny telling me that my favorite reporter, Michelle Bouvier fromThe Post, had authored a tell-all book aboutThe Faith Healer. She’d titled the bookBlinded by Faith. I ran by The Drama Book Shop to pick up a copy on the way home. Part of me wanted to wear a giant hat, huge sunglasses, and a scarf to make myself look inconspicuous as I walked into the store. Right in front of the door was the display with the new book. The book’s tagline made me want to throw up, “Blinded by Faith: What Happens Backstage Can Kill You.”
“Geeze, Louise. That’s not hyperbolic,” I said out loud.
“Can I help you?” a twenty-something store clerk said, looking up from where she’d been straightening out books.
“Sorry, I was talking to myself.”
“Oh my God, you’re Erika Lynsay Saunders!”
I beamed my best smile. “That’s me.”
“Would you mind autographing my copy of your book?”
“My book?” I questioned without thinking. From the look of shock on her face, I could tell that I was missing something. I narrowed my eyes. “I’ve never written a book.”
“Oh…I’m sorry, I figured you authorized the book.” My eyes must have grown three sizes—like the Grinch’s heart. “Umm…well, it’s a tell-all story that places you as the hero.”
“It what?” I asked. The poor saleswoman looked at me blandly. “I didn’t know this book existed until an hour ago.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
“Oh, wow,” the saleswoman said. “Do you need to sit down?” I’m not sure what I looked like, but she must have observed the look of unease that washed over me. “There are chairs in the back. Why don’t you take the book and look through it? I’ll bring you a bottle of water.”
I snagged a copy of the book from the shelf, then let the woman escort me to a chair in the back part of the store where all the play scripts were housed. As I opened the book in my lap, I said something appreciative to the salesclerk. I looked at the book for a second like it was a live snake going to strike, but I finally calmed my nerves and flipped open the book to the first chapter.
“I was lucky enough to be in the audience to watch Erika Lynsay Saunders as Mary Beeler in the original production ofThe Faith Healer, the musicalized version of William Vaughn Moody’s turn of the twentieth century play.”
I pulled out my phone and texted Brice.
Did you know about this?
I then texted Johnny.
No one warned me this was coming out.
I continued reading the book. “Saunders’ voice that night reminded me of a blend of the vocal quality of Kelli O’Hara, the power of Bernadette Peters, and the charisma of Sutton Foster.”
Wow, can I put that on a business card? I don’t think my mother could have written this any better.I continued to read the first chapter, which had a lot of details about the opening night. Someone or multiple someones from the cast and crew had given Bouvier a ton of backstage gossip. I almost teared up as she described them wheeling my body out of the theater, having passed out after falling through the stage. She made it all sound so…dramatic.
A buzzing sensation next to my leg caused me to jump. I pulled out the phone.Brice.
“Did you know about this?” I asked without saying hello.
“I’d heard rumors about a book coming out aboutThe Faith Healer, but I assumed it would be a coffee table-type book.”
“Have you read it yet?” I asked.
“I read the first chapter online. You come off smelling like a singing version of Mother Teresa. It’s almost as if we wrote a press release telling your side of the story.”
