Page 20 of Once Upon a Star
“You don’t think they’d close the production, do you?” A shiver went down my spine. I couldn’t have the play canceled before it had even gone into previews.
“Lesser conflicts have derailed production. I had one end because the producer's dog died and he was too distraught to do anything else. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be devastated when Barney dies too, but I’m going to be able to do my job, especially when everyone else is counting on me.”
“Shit,” I muttered.
Angelina laughed. “What? You’ll be fine. I’m sure you’re under contract and it isn’t like you can’t find another job as soon as word gets out.”
“I want this job. I want to do this production.” I didn’t add that I had put all my hopes into this show being a success.
“Don’t we all, but you have to see the writing on the wall. I would say by the end of the week, this production is going to be put on hold. They’ll cite creative differences or some other bullshit. They release some sort of statement about how they’ll be working to reproduce it at a later date, but it’ll never happen. If I were you, I would call my agent and try to find another job, fast.”
Most of the cast had been a bit skeptical about me joining the production. I had quickly proven to them that I was a professional and had been off book before anyone else. I had earned their respect and trust and had hoped that I could do that with the rest of the community. I was worried now it wasn’t going to happen. How was I going to have a career on Broadway if I never got to prove that I deserved one?
“Do you know of any other productions that are looking for people?” I asked.
“Not one of your stature. I mean, you could do some casting calls and open auditions but they would take one look at you and probably laugh. Your agent is your best bet. I thought you knew that,” Angelina said and gave me a questioning look.
“My agent wasn’t the one who got me this gig. I did. She’s not overly thrilled at the idea of me taking a step back from my career, as she calls it.”
“And you wonder why there’s such animosity between Broadway and Hollywood?” Angelina said and glared at me.
“We need to find a way to make this production work. Do you think you can talk to Tommy? I’ll see if Isla will confide in me? Maybe we can find a way for them to work together?” I suggested.
A loud banging came from the back of the theater and Angelina looked at me like I was crazy. “Do you want to get involved in that? I don’t. We just have to wait and see which one comes out of this alive.”
“Alive?”
“Which one keeps the production rights. That will determine what happens to all of us,” Angelina said.
“You mean if Isla keeps them then she’ll keep the cast members she likes. If Tommy does,” I said and left the rest of the sentence hanging out there between us.
“Exactly. You and I would be on the street. Tommy is the writer so she would keep the story but Isla is the director so she would keep the production rights or at least the rights to the theater. I’ve seen it happen before. It’s just the company’s way of making sure no one is happy. Tommy wouldn’t have a theater to do her play and Isla wouldn’t have a play for her theater.”
“Nice, so lose-lose for everyone?” I asked.
“Welcome to the Great White Way,” Angelina said and then sat up when Tommy came storming out of the back and walked down the stairs.
“That’s it for today. All you can go the fuck home,” Tommy said. She didn’t break stride as she practically yelled the words to us. Isla had been able to separate her anger and frustration with Tommy from the rest of the cast and crew. Tommy hadn’t and seemed to hate us as much as she hated Isla.
None of us moved but waited until Isla came out and with a sad look on her face she said, “Let’s pick this back up tomorrow, shall we?”
“And that's a wrap on another crappy day,” Angelina muttered as she stood up and put her purse over her shoulder. “I’m going to make the best of it and watch my daughter’s game. I suggest you do the same. I have a feeling your days in New York are numbered.”
“What is the saying, ‘It ain’t over until the fat lady sings?’” I asked.
“I don’t think you can say that anymore. Look, this isn’t going to end well. The sooner you look to get a replacement for this gig, the better off you’ll be.”
“Thanks, but I don’t believe in jumping ship that quickly.”
“Dude, the ship is going down. There’s no way to save it. All you can do is save yourself. No one would blame you if you never came back,” Angelina squeezed my shoulder as she walked away.
I didn’t watch her go but looked at Isla and my heart broke for her. She had been so optimistic about the play, about working with Tommy, and the future they were going to have. I could see how much stress she was under and she didn’t see a way out of it.
“You don’t have to stay,” Isla said when she saw me.
“I have nowhere else to be. Plus, I wanted to make sure that my friend is doing okay,” I said.
“Just peachy. Living the dream. Can’t you tell?” She gave me a half-hearted smile.