Chapter 72

“I suppose so, we don’t want to freak everybody out,” I said giving her a kiss. Stuart had taken the box trash out, and we waited for him to get settled.

I started playing...

JOANNE
Mark?
MARK
Hi.
JOANNE
I told her not to call you
MARK
That’s Maureen
But can I help since I am here
JOANNE
I hired an engineer...
MARK
Great!
Well, nice to have met you
JOANNE
Wait!
She’s three hours late!
The samples won’t delay
But the cable
MARK
There’s another way
Say something - anything
JOANNE
Test - one, two three
MARK
Anything but that
JOANNE
This is weird
MARK
It’s weird
JOANNE
Very weird
MARK
Really weird
JOANNE
I am so mad
That I don’t know what to do
Fighting with microphones
Freezing down to my bones
And to top it all off
I am with you
MARK
Feel like going insane?
Got a fire in your brain?
And you are thinking
of drinking gasoline?

JOANNE
As a matter of fact
MARK
Honey, I know this act
It’s called the
‘Tango Maureen’
The Tango Maureen
It’s a dark, dizzy
merry-go-round
As she keeps you ... dangling
JOANNE
You’re wrong
MARK
Your heart she is mangling
JOANNE
It’s different with me
MARK
And you toss and you turn
‘Cause her cold eyes can burn
Yet you yearn and you
churn and rebound
JOANNE
I think I know what you mean
BOTH
The Tango Maureen

MARK
Has she ever pouted her lips
And called you... ‘Pookie?’
JOANNE
Never
MARK
Have you ever doubted
a kiss or two?
JOANNE
This is ... spooky
Did you swoon when she
walked through the door?
MARK
Every time ... so be cautious
JOANNE
Did she moon over other boys?
MARK
More than moon...
JOANNE
I am getting nauseous
MARK
Where’d you learn to tango?
JOANNE
With the French Ambassador’s daughter in her dorm room at Miss Porter’s. And you?
MARK
With Nanette Himmelfarb ... the Rabbi’s daughter at the Scarsdale Jewish Community Center.
(Spoken)
It’s hard to do this backwards.
JOANNE
You should try it in heels!

(Singing resumes)
She cheated
MARK
She cheated
JOANNE
Maureen cheated
MARK
Freakin’ cheated
JOANNE
I am defeated
I should give up right now
MARK
Gotta look on the bright side
With all of your might
JOANNE
I’d fall for her still anyhow

BOTH
When you are dancing her dance
You don’t stand a chance
Her grip of romance
Make you fall
MARK
So you think, ‘Might as well’
JOANNE
“Dance a tango to hell”
BOTH
‘At least I’ll have tangoed at all’
The Tango Maureen
Gotta dance till your
diva is through
You pretend to believe her
Cause in the end –
you can’t leave her
But the end it will come
Still you have to play dumb
Till you are glum and you bum
And turn blue
MARK
Why do we love
when she’s mean?
JOANNE
And she can be so obscene
MARK
Try the mike
JOANNE
My Maureen
MARK
Patched
JOANNE
Thanks
MARK
You know - I feel great now!
JOANNE
I feel lousy

BOTH
The Tango Maureen!

Everyone applauded. Mom appreciated us cleaning up the language. I thought we sounded pretty good together. We kissed for a while, and then Princess pulled us apart causing a laugh, “My turn.”

Mom got up to the piano...

(I placed Mimi facing away from me)

ROGER
I should tell you
I am disaster
I forget how to begin it
MIMI
Let’s just make
this part go faster
I have yet - to be in it
I should tell you
ROGER
I should tell you
MIMI
I should tell you
ROGER
I should tell you
MIMI
I should tell I blew the candle out
Just to get back in
ROGER
I’d forgotten how to smile
Until your candle burned my skin
MIMI
I should tell you
ROGER
I should tell you
MIMI
I should tell you
BOTH
I should tell
Well, here we go
Now we...
MIMI
Oh no

After we finished the song, “Dinner” rang out, and we kissed each other just as much as Jenn and I had, I hoped.

Stuart appeared to be OK.

Dad and I added a leaf to their table, as Mom and Sam set it with the necessities. The food was brisket and spinach. Princess opened her little clutch purse and put out a pill for me. She went so far as to open my water bottle as well.

“Michael,” Stuart said once Izzy was sitting beside him, “Don’t be afraid to be emotional when you are singing with my girl.”

Mom asked, “Are you ready for the trip to Boston, Honey?”

“I believe so, I will have a nice support team with me, which can only help.”

“Who is going?” Sammi asked.

“Everyone has been contacted and cleared to go and the group includes, Janice and Brian, Ally and Jeff, Jennifer and Isabel. Plus, I have Nancy Starr, Mike Bell and Jason Stottlemire all coming.”

“That’s nine dear,” Jennifer said.

“Ohh, I am planning on taking the trip as well. Going up on Friday after school staying over and practicing and playing on Saturday, coming home early Sunday. No school will be missed. All the directors and principals and parents are copasetic with everything.”

We went on with the meal, with Isabel sitting by dad. I believe she makes him nervous, which I think is cute. But, if her father had been aggressive with her; I wonder if I should say anything or not to either of them?

After eating, and helping clean up, I asked, “SO, who wants to sing ... Janice?”

“OK, I haven’t been singing much since we came back from that last tour. Do you think Ally would mind if I sang one of ‘her’ songs?”

“What she doesn’t know can’t hurt her ... which one, beautiful?”

“The theme from OCTOPUSSY,” she answered...

All I wanted was a sweet
distraction for an hour or two.
Had no intention to do
the things we have done.
Funny how it always goes
with love, when you don’t
look, you find, but then we’re
two of a kind, we move as one.

We’re an all-time high,
We will change all
that’s gone before.
Doing so much more
than falling in love.

On an all-time high,
We will take on the
world and wait.
So hold on tight,
let the flight begin.

I don’t want to waste
a waking moment;
I don’t want to sleep.
I am in so strong
and so deep,
and so are you.

In my time I have said
these words before
But now I realize
My heart was
telling me lies,
for you they’re true.

We’re an all-time high,
We will change all
that’s gone before.
Doing so much more
than falling in love.

On an all-time high,
We will take on the
world and wait.
So hold on tight,
let the flight begin.
So hold on tight,
let the flight begin.
We’re an all-time high.

Brian started the applause and went over and gave her a very hot kiss. Instead of slapping him away, they embraced very closely.

We all applauded the kiss, breaking them up. Mom hastily cleaned up his face, and they sat down.

I had them all sing a few more songs, until it was time to go.

“We need to get going, we all have school in the morning,” I said. “Dad & Stu, could you help get the keyboards in the car please?”

“Sure thing,” they said.

Jenn went ahead to open the trunk. The one in the box wouldn’t fit. We moved it to the backseat of Stu’s car.

We were snug in the front, with me between Jenn and Sammi.

On the trip home, Sammi asked, “Am I in trouble with your mother? She glared at me a few times tonight.”

“She’s a little out of sorts. Don’t worry, as long as we don’t announce our wedding date anytime soon...”

Stuart and I got everything inside with the girls verbal appreciation.

Jennifer talked me out of playing any more for the night. It was late.

We started back up our old routine of getting out our next day’s clothes before going to bed. She came out of the bathroom in a T-shirt and panties, I had on boxers. We kissed and went to sleep ... remembering Charlie Brown.

... Our performance of YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, was the cleanest and best performed show I had yet to be a part of. After ANNIE, WICKED, even LES MISÉRABLES every person hit their marks, I heard no missed notes from the orchestra or dropped lines from my actors. I nearly broke down as I turned around at the end of the performance to give my orchestra the kudos they deserved.

Conductor’s rapture, I may call it. I doubt it will ever get any better than that!

But, I smiled as the lights came up, and wallowed in the adoration. Is this what being loved by everyone feels like?

Our party was at the MTA concession stand just like before. Mom had planned it as before, and it was wonderful.

There was shredded beef, with bread and all the fixings to go along. Ice-cold sodas and a variety of those little bags of chips just like before. Plus, leftover popcorn!

I found a place to sit with a sandwich in my hands and Jenn just beat out Isabel to get on my lap. She actually stuck her tongue out at my sister. Showing she was not a sore loser, she brought me a Pepsi ... and one of my pills...

I woke up with a jolt ... what a nice memory that show was!

Stuart took us on a tour of the PDI explaining all the more interesting details that have occurred during its construction. His favorite bit to show off was inside the food structure, which wasn’t yet finished.

He told Isabel to go stand on some of the parking pads. She did, and he pressed a switch and she was almost knocked off her feet. He reset it back and explained that there was a sensor that determined there was a car there, and when the movie was about to begin, the patrons in the cars were reminded of this, then the cars were gently to the 7 percent grade

The garage doors were attached to the support steel. The screens were going up next, hanging from the higher steel. The curtains were on their way, due to Mr. Holland having learned from me how to negotiate.

RENT
Auditions
From Miss Hornicek, I heard we might have as many as 300 here today.

Principal Summers and Jennie Robinson arrived first. Brian, Mom, Ally along with Peter and Katherine, my committee, arriving shortly after.

The kids came in, as did our updated GSS orchestra. The show is written so only a piano, guitar, complete drum set, and bass guitar are needed, but I found a way to include three trumpets, a second keyboard, and two saxophones. To round out our little group I also added two clarinets and two violins. I had the music long enough in advance to get Janice, Jennie, and Ally to help add the necessary musical parts before I made the copies for my combo.

After everyone was settled, I hopped up on stage with a cheek mic, “Hey Guys.”

“Hey Michael,” came back to me.

“Today we are auditioning for RENT.”

A big whoop came from behind the teachers and administrators.

“We have some very nervous people with us today. I was told many times a high school had no business putting on such an indecent show. There are gays and lesbians, and persons with AIDS in this show.”

Many laughs again, Clara wasn’t there to blush, but I am sure she would have.

“Personally, I don’t care about anybody’s sexual orientation. That being said ... there is romance, touching and kissing between members of the same sex in this show. If this offends you, now is the time to walk out.”

Not waiting, I went on, “By now you must have heard I have given myself the role of Roger. Hopefully, you have all read my descriptions of the characters, so I thought the most integral part of the show is the talented drag queen Angel Dumott Schunard, known as Angel in the play. Who wants to be first?”

A young lady stepped out and came up on stage. I wasn’t sure what was about to happen. “Your name and age please?”

“Steven Neff ... fifteen years old.”

Applause and wonder both filled the auditorium. Instead of shaking his hand, I took it and gave it a kiss.

“I’d like to sing ‘Today 4 You,’ from Angel’s entrance please?”

His ... her affectation was right on ... If that’s what it was. I told our combo where to start and it began with the electric harp...

ANGEL
Today for you –
tomorrow for me
Today for you –
tomorrow for me
It was my lucky day
today on Avenue A
When a lady in a
limousine drove my way
She said, “Dahling - be a dear –
haven’t slept in a year
I need your help to make
my neighbor’s
yappy dog disappear”

“This Akita - Evita
just won’t shut up
I believe if you play
non-stop that pup
Will breathe its very
last high-strung breath
I am certain that cur
will bark itself to death”
Today for you –
tomorrow for me
Today for you –
tomorrow for me

We agreed on a fee
A thousand dollar guarantee
Tax free - and a bonus
if I trim her tree
Now who could foretell
that it would go so well
But sure as I am here
that dog’s now in doggy hell

I was both amazed and agog of whst this young man was doing!

After an hour - Evita
in all her glory
On the window ledge
of that 23rd story
Like Thelma & Louise
did when they got the blues
Swan dove into the
courtyard of the Gracie Mews

Today for you
tomorrow for me
Today for you
tomorrow for me
ANGEL does quite the dance solo Attaboy Steve!

Then back to the street
where I met my sweet
Where he was moaning and
groaning on the cold concrete
The nurse took him home
for some mercurochrome
And I dressed his wounds
and got him back on his feet
Sing it!
Today for you - tomorrow for me
Today for you - tomorrow for me
Today for you - tomorrow for me
Today for you – tomorrow

for me!

There were immediate cheers, to which he curtseyed, blowing kisses. He came over and said, “I guess I just came out, Michael.”

Wow ... Fucking Wow!

“Anyone else want to try out for the part of Angel?” I asked.

There was a lot of head shaking to the negative.

“Steve, the part is yours,” I said. He got up and enjoyed the moment just a bit longer, then squealed as he left the stage.

“All right, that was fabulous, next up I need all of my Marks on stage.”

About twenty guys came up. “Mark and Roger are best friends. Mark was in a relationship with Maureen, but they are estranged as the show begins. Roger, on the other hand is HIV positive. He hopes to write one last song before he dies. He may or may not play his own guitar on stage. They are roommates, nothing more.”

Before I could ask anything, Steve Williams walks up, giving his name and telling us he was fifteen. He was going to sing “Halloween.”

I walked to the combo and raised my baton as Strings began this on the acoustic guitar...

Hi. It’s Mark Cohen. Is Alexi there? ... No, don’t bother her. Just tell her know I am running a little late for my appointment ... Yes, I am still coming ... Yes, I signed the contract ... Thanks...

How did we get here?
How the hell...
Pan left - close on the
steeple of the church
How did I get here?
How the hell...
Christmas
Christmas Eve - last year

How could a night so frozen
be so scalding hot?
How can a morning
this mild be so raw?
Why are entire years strewn
On the cutting room
floor of memory
When single frames
from one magic night
Forever flicker in close - up
On the 3D Imax of my mind
That’s poetic ... That’s pathetic

Why did Mimi knock
on Roger’s door
And Collins choose
that phone booth
Back where Angel
set up his drums
Why did Maureen’s
equipment break down

Why am I the witness
And when I capture it on film
Will it mean that it’s the end
And I am alone

A nice applause from the crowd, I shook his hand as he passed by.

After him, His twin Jeremy, Juan Scott, plus Charles Taylor and Michael Holmes from Jackson. James Allen, Jeff Bell ... Mike’s older brother, Gregory Wiener, Jorge Diaz, Nelson Waters, Claude Short, Max Fry, Mark Mitchell and Jeff Newman all sang that or “Seasons Of Love.”

I asked them to all stay up on stage, but to move over.

“I would guess you want to hear my bonafides for playing Roger,” I said to my captured audience.

“Mike, please get ready to direct “One Song Glory?” Thank god I got permission to use him and ‘Strings.’ I put on my ‘80s Keytar, heavy as it was and started to play it.

One song
Glory
One song
Before I go
Glory
One song to leave behind
Find one song
One last refrain
Glory
From the pretty boy front man
Who wasted opportunity
One song
He had the world at his feet
Glory
In the eyes of a young girl
a young girl
Find glory
Beyond the cheap colored lights
One song
Before the sun sets
Glory - on another empty life
Time flies - time dies

The rhythm changed to a pure rock beat!

Glory - One blaze of glory
One blaze of glory - glory
Find ... Glory

It went back to me, Jason and a few other instruments

Find Glory
In a song that rings true
Truth like a blazing fire
An eternal flame

Find
One song
A song about love
Glory
From the soul
of a young man
A young man
Find
The one song
Before the virus takes hold
Glory
Like a sunset
One song
To redeem this empty life
Time flies
And then - no need to endure anymore
Time dies

All of the girls liked it. Jenn and Isabel were leading the way.

After that, I stood next to each of the Marks in front of the committee, then excused myself to my committee.

The Marks gave all they could and gave it everything they had. The girls all loved them all. I was outvoted, but I didn’t mind.

“Thank you all for auditioning; the part of Mark is Juan Scott and the part of Roger is yours truly! Would the rest of you please leave the stage?” Juan stopped and we shook hands and hugged.

Cheers from all around approved of my casting so far.

“Next up, is Mimi, Joanne and Maureen ... first the Mimi’s, come on up.”

Mostly seventeen and eighteen-year-olds, with a few exceptions including Sarah Kent, Isabel Chapman and Jada Gray from Jackson. The Reagan twins, Celia and Melissa plus Jayla Brown and Nancy Newman.

I started up the rock beat number... “Out Tonight...”

Jayla went first...

What’s the time?
Well it’s gotta be
close to midnight
My body’s talking to me
It says, “Time for danger”
It says “I wanna
commit a crime
Wanna be the
cause of a fight
Wanna put on a
tight skirt and flirt
With a stranger”
I have had a knack
from way back
At breaking the rules
once I learn the games
Get up - life’s too quick
I know someplace sick
Where this chick will
dance in the flames
We don’t need any money
I always get in for free
You can get in too
If you get in with me
Let’s go out tonight
I have to go out tonight
You wanna play?
Let’s run away
We won’t be back before it’s Christmas day
Take me out tonight (meow)

I stopped everyone, and said, “Thank you,” as each of the remaining 14,15, and 16-year-olds sang the song. I excused myself and calmly spoke to the committee, “I think Isabel is clearly the best performer.”

“But, she has that number with Roger, played by her own step-brother,” Ally said.

“That should provoke chemistry, don’t you think?” Katie Chapman said.

I knew Jennie Robinson would have a completely different opinion.

“Michael, you are right. We shouldn’t have them kiss, but being flirty could really cause some interesting results. I am OK with it.”

I looked at the rest of them who couldn’t believe what I was about to do. It was my decision, but I walked over to Richard Summers, getting him out of his chair.

“Yes Michael, what is it?”

“I want to cast Isabel Chapman as Mimi. That would have her opposite her own step-brother on stage. How do you feel about that?”

“It could only stir a controversy, which would sell tickets and maybe even get us some free publicity,” he said, shocking the hell out of me. He was right.

I went back to the girls who were waiting, and I said, “The part of Mimi is going to Isabel Chapman.”

The gasps started immediately as Izzy couldn’t really believe it. She went over to me and gave me a very ... nice kiss.

“OK ... settle down. I knew today would be amazing, just not as interesting as it has become. Next are the Joanne’s.”

Joan, Bellamy, Harmony, Kaylee, Shirley Wicks, Maria Vargas, Isa Bella Moore, Amy Martinez, Jennifer St. Clair, plus Lily Rogers and Elizabeth Waite from Jackson came up.

“I want the Maureen’s up here as well, please?”

Bethany Sierra, Erika Silger, Sheryl Bird, Jayla Brown, Carla Patterson, Jennifer Guthrie and the Reagan twins all came up.

I know that Jenn had something special planned, so I avoided her for the moment.

“Ladies, I want to hear how you sound together, so we will sing and repeat “Take Me or Leave Me,” until I have heard what I wanted.”

“Harmony and Bethany, you start...”

MAUREEN
Every single day
I walk down the street
I hear people say,
“Baby’s so sweet”
Ever since puberty
Everybody stares at me
Boys - girls
I can’t help it baby
So be kind
Don’t lose your mind
Just remember that
I am your baby
Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn
Take me baby or leave me
Take me baby or leave me
A tiger in a cage
Can never see the sun
This diva needs her stage
Baby - let’s have fun!
You are the one I choose
Folks would kill to
fill your shoes
You love the limelight too,
baby - So be mine
Or don’t waste my time
Cryin’ - “Honey bear –
are you still my baby?”

Take me for what I am
Who I was meant to be
And if you give a damn
Take me baby or leave me

They were rather good!
After some nice applause, I yelled, “Two more please?” as we went through all of the ladies.

Amy Martinez sang it with Jenn, and it sounded really good. Amy is a light skinned black, but has a smile a mile wide.

“Besides that, do any of you want to do anything else?” I said teeing one up for Jenn.

She raised her hand. “May I do “Over the Moon,” Mr. Thomas?”

There were many giggles, until she peeled off the top layer of her clothes to reveal a black plastic very tight top with a generous amount of cleavage...

JENNIFER
Last night I had a dream. I found myself in a desert called ... Cyberland. It was hot. My canteen had sprung a leak and I was thirsty. Out of the abyss walked a cow - Elsie.

I asked if she had anything to drink.

She said, “I am forbidden to produce milk. In Cyberland, we only drink Diet Coke.”

The orchestra began...

She said, “Only thing to do is
jump over the moon”
“They have closed everything
real down ... like barns,
troughs, performance spaces...
And replaced it all with lies
and rules and virtual life.
But there is a way out...
“Only thing to do is jump over the moon”

I gotta get out of here!
It’s like I am being tied
to the hood of a yellow
rental truck, being packed
in with fertilizer and fuel oil, pushed over a cliff
by a suicidal Mickey Mouse! - I have gotta
gotta gotta gotta
gotta find a way?

Music began again...

“To jump over the moon
Only thing to do is jump over the moon”

Then a little bulldog entered. His name (we have learned) was Benny. And although he once had principles, He abandoned them to live as a lap dog to a wealthy daughter of the revolution.

“That’s bull,” he said.

The orchestra began...

“Ever since the cat took up the fiddle, that cow’s been jumpy. And the dish and the spoon were evicted from the table - and eloped ... She’s had trouble with that milk and the moon ever since. Maybe it’s a female thing.

‘Cause who’d want to leave Cyberland anyway? Walls ain’t so bad. The dish and the spoon for instance. They were down on their luck - knocked on my doghouse door. I said, “Not in my backyard, utensils! Go back to China.”

“The only way out is up,” Elsie whispered to me.
“A leap of faith.
Still thirsty?” she asked.
Parched. “Have some milk.”
I lowered myself beneath her
and held my mouth to her swollen
udder and sucked the sweetest
milk I’d ever tasted.”

Jenn got on her back and went on,
“Climb on board,” she said.

And as a harvest moon
rose over Cyberland,
We reared back and
sprang into a gallop.
Leaping out of orbit!!!
I awoke singing

Only thing to do
Only thing to do is jump
Only thing to do is
jump over the moon
Only thing to do is
jump over the moon
Over the moon - over the
Moooooooo
Moooooooo
Moooooooo
Moooooooo
Moo with me.

JENNIFER encouraged the audience to moo with her. She says to Principal Summers, “C’mon, sir, moo with me.” The audience responded including Richard. When the “moos” reach a crescendo, she cuts them off with a big sweep of her arms.

Thank you!

As the applause reached its crescendo, she and Amy hugged and I went down to my committee. We all agreed.

“Amy Martinez is playing Joanne and Jennifer Guthrie is playing Maureen, Let’s take a break, shall we?”

Mom got me a cold water from the small cooler we brought. I drained it on the spot. With herself re-dressed, Jenn dropped by me. “You like my interpretation, Mikey?”

“Every male in this room enjoyed your interpretation, my dear. Your ‘Climb aboard,’ while you were on your back might have been over the top.”

“I did that on purpose. Do you think I got Principal Summers hard?”

“You are a naughty girl, Jennifer.”

Running over to hug her was Princess. “That was really cool Jennifer. Could you teach me that?”

I laughed out loud.

“Oh, get over yourself Michael. I am fourteen.”

Two hours later, the rest of the play was cast, I handed each of them a scored libretto, asking the new cast to stay for a moment. I walked up to Steve Neff who was still in his ‘Angel’ outfit.

“That was the gutsiest thing I ever saw in my life. Wow, you are going to become a star, whether you want to or not.”

“Thanks for that Michael ... only since late last year did I realize what a con job I had been doing on myself. I am gay, just not as much as Angel is.”

“It makes no difference to me. I will do the best I can at staying a friend with the Neff family.”

The place was clear except for my committee and the cast.

“While I can’t officially endorse any of you becoming a couple, it wouldn’t hurt to hang out when possible. Angel and Collins, Mark and Roger should show they care for each other as friends, Mimi and Roger should be restrained, but could kiss if the moment seems perfect, but love doesn’t always express itself as a physical act. Mark and Joanne should be uncomfortable when left alone, but a little simmering lust wouldn’t hurt.”