Chapter 36

I turned around, and saw everyone holding his or her music. I saw our ‘orchestra’, stretching his arms and cracking his knuckles as he took one last glance at the sheet music in front of him. We all chuckled at that.

“EVERYBODY Ready?” I announced.

As a group I heard ‘Yes’.

“Go, Maurice,” I said.

He started and had that beautiful opening flute sound that everybody knows that Belle is about to enter...

BELLE “Little town, it’s a quiet village, every day like the one before. Little town full of little people, waking up to say...”

ARISTOCRATIC LADY “Bonjour.”

FISH MAN “Bonjour.”

EGG MAN “Bonjour.”

SAUSAGE GIRL “Bonjour.”

BAKER “Bonjour.”

BELLE “There goes the baker with his tray, like always, the same old bread and rolls to sell. Every morning just the same, Since the morning that we came, to this poor provincial town”

BAKER “Good Morning, Belle.”

(Maurice is playing some wonderful background music through all of this, as we go back to underscoring.)

BELLE “Good morning, Monsieur.”

BAKER “And where are you off to, today?”

BELLE “The bookshop. I just finished the most wonderful story about a beanstalk and an ogre and a...”

BAKER “That’s nice ... Marie. The baguettes. Hurry up!”

ARISTOCRATIC LADY “Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question—Dazed and distracted, can’t you tell?”

SAUSAGE GIRL “Never part of any crowd”

CANDLE MAN “Cause her head’s up on some cloud”

VILLAGERS “No denying she’s a funny girl that Belle”

HAT SELLER “Bonjour.”

SAUSAGE GIRL “Good day.”

HAT SELLER “How is your family?”

MILKMAID “Bonjour.”

SHEPHERD BOY “Good day.”

MILKMAID “How is your wife?”

LADY VILLAGER “I need six eggs.”

ARISTOCRATIC LADY “That’s too expensive.”

BELLE “There must be more than this provincial life.”

BOOKSELLER “Ah, Belle.”

(There is a break in the singing, with underscoring continuing throughout this dialogue.)

BELLE “Good morning, sir. I’ve come to return the book I borrowed.”

BOOKSELLER “Finished already?”

BELLE “Oh, I couldn’t put it down. Have you got anything new?”

BOOKSELLER “Not since yesterday.”

BELLE “That’s all right. I’ll borrow ... This one.”

BOOKSELLER “That one? But you’ve read it twice.”

BELLE “Well, it’s my favorite. Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise.”

BOOKSELLER “If you like it all that much, it’s yours.”

BELLE “But sir.”

BOOKSELLER “I insist.”

BELLE “Thank you ... Thank you very much.”

(The dialogue is over and the singing takes back up.)

VILLAGERS “Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar ... I wonder if she’s feeling...”

“Let’s stop it right there, everybody – The only energy and love I feel is Belle, the Bookseller, the Baker and the Aristocratic Lady. I know that this is ‘just’ a sing-thru today, but ‘Smile’ when you’re singing, it makes you sound happier! Let’s try that much again, and before our next rehearsal, if you have this movie, watch and listen to this opening number, especially the energy the people have singing it.” I was trying not to sound mad, just forceful.

I started it over and this time, they all sounded better. When we got to Gaston’s entrance, Jon Givens, who plays Lefou, was just as good again as he was at his tryout.

We got to the end of the song, and I gave some more notes to individual people. We continued for another forty-five minutes than I sent everybody home.

Sandy, Carol and I went to have a bite to eat before our second Hell week rehearsal for ‘Brides’. I’ve been wondering what Jeff is going to say to Brian about mis-treating Sandy last night.

I took us to The Pink Adobe, where we ordered Spaghetti Rossi, easily the best spaghetti in the area, even better than Mom’s, but I wouldn’t ever say that to her. If we hadn’t had a rehearsal still to go to tonight, I would’ve had a glass of wine; oh, the sacrifices we make for the theatre.

We got to the SFCCS in plenty of time, changing into our first costumes of the evening. Carol had put her wig on, and we all walked out as I saw Brian walk up to Sandy.

“Sandy, I’m sorry for last night. I’ve had really bad luck when I try to make an impression on a really beautiful girl, like you. I talk too fast, I think with my hands instead of my head, and my girlfriend dumped me just last week. I hope we can be friends, at least long enough to get married every night, on stage ... Ha-ha, made you think.”

“Brian, I accept your apology. Every boyfriend I’ve ever had, thinks with his hands too. We’ve got a show to do, so let’s go.”

Turning to Carol, I said, “Now that’s something I didn’t think I was going to hear from Brian. I half expected Jeff to kick him out of here.”

“And then I would’ve had another actor to replace, and the Theatre Gods have already brought me, Sandy, Carol and the Mighty Rann,” Jeff said sneaking in behind me, slapping me on my back.

Last night we added costumes to the mix, tonight we add stage lighting, any special effects, which there are very few of in ‘Brides’ and another night of ‘spots’, only tonight they should be better than last night. I hope!