Chapter 50

I arrived at the theatre quite early and made a pot of coffee for Mr. Tucker. I didn't know if I would ever get used to calling him Adam. He had been my mentor, and had taught me so much, and done so much for me. He was responsible for my career, and my whole outlook on life. I certainly didn't feel his equal.

Marge and Barbara had gone out for dinner so I sat in the audience seating and read through Mr. Tucker's notes that I had printed out from the computer, while the set construction people worked onstage. They would be finished with today's work and out of the way by the time the rehearsal started.

The play that we would be doing is entitled 'Register Here', and it's a mystery/comedy by David Meyer. Twenty people are marooned in a broken down old inn during a violent storm. During the height of the storm, the lights go out and someone is murdered. But the body refuses to stay put and keeps popping up in different places. It seemed to be a zany, dark comedy along the lines of 'Arsenic and Old Lace'.

I had finished reading through Mr. Tucker's notes when the cast members began to arrive. I became the center of attention as people crowded around to ask about my latest movie.

When Mr. Tucker came in he clapped his hands twice and said, "Okay people, listen up. Rehearsals begin in ten minutes. Make sure that you have your scripts handy if you don't know your lines. As long as everyone is here, I'd like to make an announcement. For personal reasons, I won't be able to continue as the director on this play."

Shocked expressions were evident as everyone looked at one another.

Mr. Tucker continued, "But I've secured the services of a professional with years of experience in theatre, television, and the movie industry to replace me. Miss Ramsey will take over all of my duties effective tonight. Those of you who have worked with her know that she'll do a wonderful job as your director. Please give her your full trust and cooperation and you'll have a successful production. Now let's get ready to take it from the top."

Many of the cast welcomed me to my new job as they broke up to head backstage.

"Years of experience?" I said to Mr. Tucker, with a giggle and in a lowered voice, as we found ourselves alone.

"Yes. Two years this month to be exact. Is there any coffee made?"

"I made a fresh pot when I came in."

"You're an angel. Come on, let's get things started."

I wished that I had had more time to study the script, but Mr. Tucker led the rehearsal during this, his last evening on the set. After everyone had gone, he gave me a full set of keys for the theatre. I knew that this was difficult for him but it was something that he needed to do. He told me to call him if I ran into any problems. He might not be available, but he'd get back to me as soon as he could. We hugged, and he left. I stayed until Marge and Barbara were ready to go and we locked up the theatre and left together.

*****

Over the next three weeks I worked harder than I ever had before. I wasn't just the director, but the producer as well. I never knew that there was so much to getting a production ready. The actors were coming along fine and the production was shaping up. Timing, always the biggest problem in a comedy, was where we spent the most time. I felt that we had finally gotten it down by the time that we started full dress rehearsals the last week before we opened. Advance ticket sales had been great and our opening weekend performances were sold out. The paper had announced that I was putting on the play and I hoped that people weren't expecting to see me in it.

*****

A courier delivered a large envelope on the day before opening night. I had prepared a short welcome speech for opening night but the speech contained in the envelope was infinitely better. About a dozen jokes included in the speech would get people in the right frame of mind for the play. Mr. Tucker was amazing. He had taken time out from his care giving to write the speech for me. I sat down and memorized the speech right away and then practiced my delivery in front of my full-length mirror.

*****

On opening night I wore the gown that Barbara had created for the LA premiere. The entire cast showed up on time and got through wardrobe and makeup with time to spare. As the audience began filling the theatre I called the entire cast together and gave a little pep talk, telling them how wonderful they had done in rehearsals, and that they were ready to go out and knock'em dead. I reminded everyone to watch their marks, listen for their cues, and remember their timing. By paying close attention to that and concentrating on their lines, they would forget to be nervous about the audience after the first few minutes.

When everything was set to begin, I stepped out through the break in the curtain and was greeted by loud applause from the audience. I let the audience clap as I looked out to see if anyone I knew was there, and I waved to a few people. As the applause died down I began my speech. After the first joke I received a polite sort of laugh, but by the time that I was done, I think that everyone in the theatre was laughing out loud. Having achieved the desired effect I thanked everyone for coming and waved as I stepped through the curtain to the sounds of thunderous applause.

I signaled to the stage manager, who in turn signaled to the electrician to bring down the house lights, and then two crew people worked to open the curtain so that the play could begin.

*****

The play went wonderfully. There were a few stumbles, as is common on opening night but everyone recovered fine and I doubt if the audience was aware that they were mistakes, and not intentional. At the end, the cast received six curtain calls. The audience had enjoyed the play and was frequently consumed with laughter.

As the curtain closed for the last time I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I hadn't realized how keyed up I was until I felt myself relaxing for the first time since the curtain opened for the first act. Of course, once the curtain had opened I still wasn't finished with my director's duties for the evening. I had watched carefully and made notes about each part of the performance. Tomorrow we would talk about a couple of changes that were needed to correct minor deficiencies that I had noticed as I watched from the rear of the house, and I would also praise the actors where they had performed well.

*****

On Sunday morning I went straight to the Entertainment section of the paper to see what the local critic, who had been there on opening night, had written. I read, 'The new play that opened at the Community Theatre this weekend is a blend of mystery and comedy. The cast of twenty did a wonderful job with the production and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This production is Miss Crystal Ramsey's directorial debut and she put together a production that I recommend most highly. It should be a 'must see' on everyone's list of things to do this month.

Despite being only seventeen, Miss Ramsey is the pride of our community. Her accomplishments have been nothing less than spectacular, rising from script girl in our Community Theatre, to internationally recognized actress, and now to director, in just two years.'

The critic went on to describe the play in greater depth and talk about the performances of the cast. He finished with 'I recommend that you run, not walk, to the ticket office to get your tickets before they are completely sold out. I understand that there are still a few seats left.'

I smiled to myself. I had done it, and although Mr. Tucker had selected the play and done the preliminary work, I still felt a certain sense of accomplishment from my part in directing a successful production.

*****

This year my birthday fell on a Saturday. We had a small party in the afternoon because there was an evening performance at the theatre. I was now eighteen, which gave me all sorts of rights and obligations that I didn't have yesterday. One of the things that I appreciated most was the removal of all driving restrictions from my license since I was now an adult. Other than that I didn't feel any different. Brad sent me a cute gold pin of the two masks used internationally to denote acting, one smiling to portray comedy, and the other sad to represent tragedy.

*****

On Tuesday we got word that Mr. Tucker's mother had passed away. The entire cast and crew, plus many past members of the company that Barbara and Marge were able to contact, attended the wake and funeral. Mr. Tucker bore the loss well. He had had plenty of time to reconcile himself to the impending passing. Following the funeral he was anxious to keep his mind occupied with something else so he took over the reins at the theatre again. This worked out well for me because I received a call that I was needed in California to do some voice-over work for the last movie. I was also due to leave for college with Carol in just over a week, and the play had been so successful that we had extended the run for two weeks. The previous two tapings of the play had been so successful when telecast that the local television station had asked for permission to tape the new show.

*****

Before leaving for California, I packed enough for an extended stay, even though I already had a full closet at the condo. Unlike Carol, I had opted to live at the Condo instead of on the campus. I felt that I would be too exposed on the campus and worried about security once the new movie came out. I had my final fitting for the dress that Barbara was making for me for the premiere of 'Under the Scarlet Maple' on the day before I left.

*****

For the first time, I traveled to California alone. Although not old enough to purchase alcoholic beverages, I was legally an adult now. Mom had arranged for a limo to pick me up and drive me to the condo. Mom had also arranged to have my car shipped out but that would take a week or more. Until then I would use a car loaned to me by the agency.

*****

On Tuesday I reported to the recording studio. Gregory Crowne arrived shortly after I did and we spent much of the day doing our lines again into a microphone as we watched an edited version of the movie. We didn't finish, so we would have to come back on Wednesday to complete the work. Gregory invited me to dinner but we both needed to go home to change first. We agreed that he would pick me up at eight.

About five after eight the doorbell rang. I answered the door and let Gregory in. I told him to relax and make himself at home while I finished getting ready. As I sat at my makeup table brushing my hair he came into the bedroom. He sat on the bed and talked to me as I finished up. When I was ready, he didn't want to get up and tried to get me to sit down with him, so I walked out of the room and prepared to leave.

As I got my purse and opened the front door, I yelled, "I'm going to dinner, Greg. Lock up when you leave."

He was out of the bedroom on a flash. "Wait for me. I'm coming."

We went to a nice little Italian restaurant that I knew of just a few blocks from the condo. In spite of the rocky start at the condo we had a nice dinner, relaxing over desert for a long time. Greg got me back home around eleven. He wanted to come in but I told him that I was really tired from my hectic schedule and the change in time zones. I said that I would see him in the morning, gave him a goodnight kiss, and left him standing there in the hall as I closed the door.

*****

We completed the voice work on Wednesday. I shared a farewell kiss with Greg and told him that I'd see him at the Premiere. I know that he was hoping to be invited back to the condo, but that wasn't going to happen after his behavior in the bedroom last night. I wanted to avoid any more situations like that!

It was still early enough when I got home that I could spend a couple of hours out by the pool before I made dinner. I had stopped on the way home and bought fresh food to stock the refrigerator.

*****

I tried to call Sharon Oberson on Thursday. Her service told me that she was unavailable. When I gave them the code word that she had given me, they read me the personal message that she had left for her friends. She was visiting some friends in Minnesota and wasn't sure when she would be returning

I was out by the pool later when my cell phone rang. Only a very few people had that number and when I picked it up I saw that the display indicated that it was the Daniels agency.

"Hello."

"Hi Crystal"

"Hi Mr. Daniels."

"I hear that you completed the voice work at the studio?"

"Yes, we finished yesterday."

"Good. Good. Are you ready for something new?"

"I guess."

"Good, because Lawrence Feldman wants you for the lead in his new comedy, 'Water or Tequila, Senorita?'.

"Is that the tour guide part in Mexico?"

"That's the one."

"Okay, it sounded like a fun role. When do we start shooting, June?"

"June? Heck no. They start in October. By then it's cool enough to work down there. The summer is not the time to shoot a movie in Mexico. They hope to finish up by Christmas."

"October? This October? I can't go in October. You know that I'll be in college then."

"This is a great opportunity. If you can delay school by one semester you can make enough to keep yourself in school for twenty years. They're offering four million for you."

"Four million? But I only got three for the lead in 'Under the Scarlet Maple'."

"Your price is going up. Jennifer's been busy spreading your name around everywhere. She made a big deal over your directing that play at the Community Theatre. Also, you've starred in a major motion picture since you got your last big role. The word in the industry is that you're always prepared, a pleasure to work with, and that the new picture is dynamite. That makes you hot right now."

I thought about it for a minute. "I don't know Mr. Daniels. I think that I should decline. I don't know if the college would let me delay my start and I don't want to risk losing my place there. I was refused at my first choice."

"I heard about that from your mom. It was a tough break. Those folks don't know what they lost. But don't you make the same mistake by refusing a golden opportunity. Your career is just taking off. If you drop out of the scene while you go to college, you may have trouble getting back to this point. Once you're established you can take off for college, and then just pick up again when you get out, like Jodie Foster did. A young girl has only so many years of prime beauty. This is the time that you want to make as much of it as you can. I'm all in favor of higher education, but sometimes it's okay, or even best, to delay it."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Daniels. I'm afraid that if I pass it by, I would regret it later. I don't know that they would ever let me back in."

"Okay, Crystal. I'm sorry. I'll tell Feldman that you're not available in October."

"Thank you. Mr. Daniels. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Crystal."

After I hung up the phone I lay down next to the pool and wondered if I had made the right decision. I had originally decided to take as much work as I could get while I was stuck as Crystal and I had just turned down four million dollars for three month's work. I was half tempted to call Mr. Daniels right back, but I managed to keep from picking up the phone.

*****

On Friday I was again out by the pool when Mr. Daniels called.

"Hi Crystal, I just got off the phone with Lawrence Feldman. They've raised the bid price to five million. What's more, they spoke to the people over at USC and got their assurance that you could skip the semester without problem. The movie industry throws a lot of support their way and they're usually happy to accommodate simple requests like that."

"Five million dollars?"

"Yes, plus the usual standard television and video percentages and other benefits."

I thought about it briefly. "Okay, Mr. Daniels, I'll do it, provided that I can confirm that postponing my entrance to USC won't prevent me from getting enrolled in January."

"That's great, Crystal. I'm sure that you won't regret it. It's good that you'll be free anyway. The 'Scarlet Maple' company wants you to go on a promo tour for the new movie next month. It'll be released in mid-October. The company wants to build some excitement and anticipation for it. The trailers and television spots will start in mid-September. The movie company is picking up all of the expenses for the trip. They'll also pay for Jennifer's time so that she can accompany you. She'll guide you through the process since this is your first time, and field the press in each city."

"Okay, Mr. Daniels. Thank you. Goodbye."

As soon as the line was clear I called Mom and told her about the offer and my acceptance.

"You sure that this is what you want? Mr. Daniels didn't pressure you, did he?"

"Well… he tried to talk me into it, but it was my decision. I turned it down reluctantly at four million, but accepted after he said that the college would allow me to enter at mid-year and they offered more money."

"Call the college admissions office right away and verify that. Then call me tonight at home."

"Okay, Mom."

I went inside to get the number at the college and spent the next twenty minutes trying to get an answer. I was finally informed that the question of delaying my entrance had been posed and approved, if I wished it. I thanked them and asked that it be made official. They said that I would receive a letter of confirmation in the mail at my California address. Then I sat down in the living room to think about my decision.

*****

On Saturday, Carol arrived from back home. I picked her up at the airport and brought her to the campus so that she could get settled in, and then we went back to the condo. I told her all about the new movie in Mexico and my decision to delay my entry.

"I was surprised when Mom told me. I thought that going to college was the most important thing in the world to you."

"It is, but delaying it by a semester shouldn't hurt. I'll still be just eighteen when I start and the paycheck for the three-month sacrifice is two million dollars, net. And, I'll be learning about the movie industry with each new day on the set. Mr. Tucker made me realize how much I've learned just from being on the sets. I'm going to try to learn as much as I can about every job while I'm down there. Kind of like on-the-job training."

"You'll probably learn more about the real way that things are done than I will from being in the classroom."

"Maybe, but I don't get college credit for it."

"Maybe you can. Some colleges give credit where a student has had a full time job doing what they would have to learn by taking a course. You should ask the college if they give credit for your acting experiences."

"It won't hurt to ask. I'll call the admissions office on Monday."

"When are you going to Mexico?"

"At the beginning of October. Mr. Daniels said that the movie company will guarantee that we'll be finished in time for the new semester in January. I'm going to make sure that it's in the contract. Next month I have to do a promo tour for 'Under the Scarlet Maple'."

"What does that mean, a promo tour? You haven't done anything like that before."

"This is the first movie that I starred in. The stars are usually the ones to do the tours. I guess that I'll have to travel to New York and Chicago to be interviewed on television shows. At least traveling to LA isn't a problem." I smiled.

"I still can't believe that they're going to pay you five million dollars for three months work."

"I have to pinch myself sometimes. It's all so incredible."

"Let's go out to the pool for a while. Maybe Chet and Bud will show up."

*****

Carol started school the following week while I lazed around at the condo. I visited her often at her dorm and began to wish that I were enrolled as a student as I was supposed to be.

With so much time on my hands I did a lot of letter writing to Brad, Debbie, and my other friends. I went on a few interviews arranged by Mr. Daniels also. It seemed as though I was being accorded much greater consideration now. It was now well known in the industry that I had starred in a soon to be released picture and had been signed to star in another new movie. The interviews were more like business meetings now instead of job interviews, and I didn't go on them alone. Either Mr. Daniels or my publicist Jennifer always accompanied me.

*****

In mid-September I left for my movie promo tour, beginning with talk shows in Chicago. Jennifer was invaluable for making all of the arrangements and keeping me on schedule. For the last week of September I would be in New York, and then I would return to LA after that to complete the guest spots on the talk shows.

*****

I was booked to be on the David Letterman Show on September 25^th and I was very nervous as I sat in makeup. I had dreamt several times about being on the Letterman Show and it had always turned into a nightmare.

David himself could not have been nicer to me. We talked about the television series and the movies that I had been in. David's very witty and I was enjoying myself on his show. That is, until he said in that sly voice of his that he uses when he knows something that you don't, "Crystal, we have a little surprise for you. We have another guest tonight who knows you very well. In fact this person was there, back when your career started. We have to take a break for a minute and then we'll be back and bring out our other guest."

I swear that my life began to flash past my eyes. How many times had I dreamt about having my secret uncovered on the David Letterman Show in front of a national audience? I had become so well known now that there wasn't anywhere in the U.S. where I would be able to hide. Who could the guest be? Barbara, Marge, Debbie, Rick? I couldn't believe that any of them would do this to me. Could it be Pamela Prentess, the actress who had fallen and broken her leg on the day of the play's premiere? Who hated me enough to do this to me?

Even though we were in commercial, there was still a studio audience so things didn't halt when they broke for the commercial break. I did my best not to let my fear show but David was aware that I had become suddenly nervous and played on it.

"What's the matter? Afraid that your secrets will be revealed by our guest?"

"Uh… no. I don't have any real secret. Er… secrets. I just wasn't expecting to have an old friend pop up here. Uh… who is it?"

"You know, it looks like you're sweating. The lights are pretty warm out here. Want a napkin?"

"Okay, thank you," I said. As I dabbed at my brow I said, "Who's the guest, David?"

"It was funny how this began. We were discussing what we would talk about during the on air time when we got the call from your friend so we decided to do a 'This is your Life' kind of segment. You probably never saw that show because you're not old enough. Basically, a person would be brought out onto a stage and people from their past would say things that would be heard by them and the audience. Some times the things were nice, and sometimes they were downright embarrassing. The object was to identify the speaker. Then the speaker would be brought out to confront the subject. We thought that it would be fun to do it like that. One little change though, we're going to electronically alter the person's voice so that you can't identify them from their voice."

We were cued that the television audience was about to be back.

"Our next guest tonight is someone from Crystal's past who was there when her career began. Mystery guest, give us the first clue please."

A disemboweled voice came over the PA system. "I remember the first time that I saw you. Since then you've changed into the woman that America loves."

I started to tremble. My worst fears flooded my consciousness. I didn't recognize the voice, of course, since it was disguised. I couldn't even tell if it was a man or a woman.

 

(continued in Chapter 51)

I want to express my grateful appreciation to Lynn Jennings and Debbie Cybill for their very helpful suggestions and proofreading on this series.

 

 

 

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© 1999 by Crystal Sprite. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.
Anyone wishing to make comments is welcome to e-mail me at crystal@storysite.org