“Girl, you did it!” Katherine said as we exited stage right into the hands of our waiting dressers, who were there to get us ready for the quick costume change into the last scene. We had almost ninety seconds for this quick-change, which seemed completely relaxed and laid back compared to the one I had earlier in the show.
“I’ll be honest,” I said as Gladys zipped up the back of my costume before handing me off to Carlos, who inspected my wig to make sure it hadn’t shifted during the song. “I wasn’t sure how people would react. The cast and crew thought it was good—“
“You were amazing,” Katherine said. “I couldn’t sing that song if I had a year to rehearse and all the vocal lessons to go with it.”
Carlos tapped me on the shoulder, letting me know I was good to go, before turning his attention to Katherine and double-checking her wig. He pulled out a can of hair spray and touched up the back part of the wig to make sure it would stick in place through the final number.
We then made our way to where we entered for the grand finale, “A Christmas Wedding.” The set looked like it was the top of a wedding cake and there would be snow on stage. A set of snow blowers created thousands of realistic-looking snowflakes, but the flakes were really a water-based foam that evaporated on contact. The snowflakes looked pretty when they fell to the ground, but the cast didn’t have to worry about someone slipping or gagging.
“Cue elves,” I heard the assistant stage manager say. Katherine and I immediately entered from our side as we met up with Peeter and Jocelyn. We became the wedding observers while Jocelyn climbed to the top and acted as the officiant. It was fitting that our Madam Tanya reigned over this affair.
We sang, we danced, and when the show was over, we held for almost five minutes as the audience applauded. We were finally given the cue to leave the stage before we lined up to go on stage to take our bows. The four elves were second to last as groups. We bowed once as a group, then we each got individual bows. The applause was deafening. We parted ways. Katherine and I went stage left, and Peeter and Jocelyn stage right as Caiden and Colleen took their final bows. Then Caiden and Colleen led the company in one last bow as the orchestra played the show’s end.
Right after our bow, a couple of confetti cannons burst over the crowd, raining down a sprinkle of confetti snow on the first couple of rows. There was more applause as the curtain lowered.
We congratulated each other backstage on a job well done. I patted a few people on their backs, but I quickly scurried off to my dressing room. Gladys and Carlos were there. Gladys helped me out of the dress, and Carlos helped me out of my wig and grabbed the mic pack. While we were getting me undressed, Serafina’s voice came over the system and said, “Congratulations cast. There’s a reception in the lobby. We will have notes tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. Enjoy the night.”
Only one more day of early mornings. After tomorrow’s opening, the show would be frozen. No more early morning rehearsals. No more new songs getting placed in at the eleventh hour. In all honesty, except for including the new eleven o’clock number, most of the show had been frozen for a week. Now, we were refining things, and Serafina ensured we weren’t changing things as we went along. The longer someone is in a show, the greater the likelihood that they’ll alter things because they’re bored or not paying attention. Sometimes the producers and artistic team look the other way. Occasionally, they get mad at you if you change too much. And most important, don’t start riffing on songs and trying new runs after a year into the run. That’s the fastest way to get called in by the stage manager for some quick rehabilitation.
Once Gladys and Carlos finished, I ran through the shower before I went outside and greeted family and friends. I didn’t have any family at this performance, but I knew many people who had been invited. Unlike a regular night where we walk the line of fans out back, this night, they had a small reception in the theater lobby. I walked out front and said hello to several people from other shows that had come to see the show on their night off. It was one of those things we all liked to do for each other in the small theater community. When us theater people have time to support another show, we do it. And since most of us work all the time, we see each other’s shows the second we get the opportunity.
I picked up a glass of champagne as a woman I’d toured with came rushing over to tell me what a fantastic job I did. I thanked her and told her I was glad that she was still kicking it after three years inChicago. She was determined to be Roxie one day. And I didn’t doubt that she would get there. She was that good.
Chapter 27
Aftersayinghellotoa lot of people and even posing for a handful of selfies, I went back to my dressing room, grabbed my purse and coat, then headed out the side alley door. I wasn’t in the mood to get stopped by anyone else in the lobby who was still having a grand time. There would be no one out back, so I went with the best option. The downstairs office’s lights were out. Thankfully, the hallway lights had motion detectors, so I walked through the hallway, found my door, and exited into about a half inch of snow on the ground. Nothing much by New York standards, but since it was after midnight, no one was going to be coming along to shovel the sidewalks.
“Why am I wearing heels?” I asked myself as I regarded my heeled boots. Sure, they looked terrific, but they weren’t the most practical to trudge around the snow in. I made my way home slowly, watching each step to avoid a super-slick stretch of sidewalk or a patch of black ice.
When I crossed Broadway, the buzzing from my pocket let me know I’d received a text. I reached in and grabbed my phone.
Eugene: Sorry I missed the reception tonight. Jackie just delivered a healthy baby girl. She wanted to make sure I told you. See you tomorrow.
Erika:Tell her I said mazel tov!
I then scrolled through my other texts. There was a message from my parents letting me know the flight plans…again. I don’t know how often they’ve emailed or texted me their flight and hotel information. They were staying at the Marriott Marquis, which was a half block from the Mauer Theatre, so it was the perfect place. They had complete access to Times Square and were close to the theater. And they were far enough from my apartment that they wouldn’t drop by unannounced. At their age, which was on in their early sixties, they were more likely to take a cab than hoof it a few blocks in the snow. Which admittedly is strange since they live in Iowa. One would think they were used to dealing with snow.
The next text on my phone was from Johnny.
Johnny:Call me!!!??
He wasn’t one to use emojis, so seeing a happy face let me know he had good news, so I hit the call button.
The phone had barely rung when he picked up. “Where are you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you?”
“We had the family and friends rehearsal tonight. Followed by a small reception. I had to show up, smile, and take a few pictures. Why?”
“I have news.”
“I could use some good news,” I said.
I must have sounded grumpier than I intended because Johnny was immediately like, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong…What’s your news?”
“I want to tell you in person. How long till you get home?”
“Ten minutes…max.”
