Rise of Roxy Ch. 06

Roxy's next on-stage appearance at a better known off-Broadway theatre was notably unspectacular. Her stage time as the restaurant waitress totaled twelve minutes in all and she spoke three times: 'Yes ma'am'; 'the chef on this evening specializes in shoulder of lamb sir' and 'That's not a tip sir, it's virtually a pay packet'. The play dragged on for eight nights until it closed eleven weeks earlier.

That producer said to Roxy, "Well that's increased your New York experience dear although perhaps not of the quality you expected. We found no fault with you. The play was written by my mother's latest boyfriend. I was mad to touch it. Would you be interested in working with us again?"

"Oh yes Marion."

Marion sighed and said she liked Roxy's enthusiasm.

"We'll be in touch dear. Who was your agent?"

Roxy returned to visiting museums and galleries and called and arranged to lunch with her first friends in New York, Renata Ricci and Dona De Luca.

"Don't fret that Broadway appears hostile to you," Dona advised. "Just be positive and think you are getting a foot in the door."

Marion Elliot's newly appointed director called Roxy a week later.

After introducing herself, Wendy said, "We are doing a light play cum musical next. Marion says they are always popular and she needs to recover lost ground at the theatre to save her hide. I'd like you to audition for the part of the cheeky hairdresser."

"Thank you."

"I'll have a copy of the script left at the front office."

An hour later Roxy picked up the package at the off-Broadway theatre addressed to her and worked all day and into the night memorizing the script.

She went in next afternoon as arranged and met Wendy for the reading.

Wendy smiled and said, "You're hired. It will be a good production don't you think? The script is lively and strong and the four original songs add just the right touch."

"I agree. Have you engaged the female lead yet?"

"We have two and Marion finds both acceptable. I'm mulling over which one to appoint."

"Oh excellent. That must really please you."

"Neither is brilliant."

"What do you have on now?"

"Nothing but coffee until the next audition in forty minutes," Wendy said, checking her watch.

"Humor me by allowing me to read some of the part of Gwendolyn."

Wendy smiled and said, "Very well. I'll get the script."

"No don't bother, use mine. I don't need to refer to the script. Might I suggest the first night club scene, page 43?"

"Okay and I'm prepared to prompt."

Wendy read the other parts and Roxy responded faultlessly.

Marion had knocked over her coffee in her office and was wiping up the mess when she heard an impressive voice start up and begin signing the finale song from the upcoming production, 'I'd Love to Sing Cabaret'. She dropped the cloth and walked quickly to the entrance of the theatre and saw Wendy and saw who was singing unaccompanied and murmured, "There we go, I knew it."

When the number ended Wendy said enthusiastically, "That was brilliant". She and Roxy looked out into the theatre when they heard applause and saw Marion walking down the aisle towards them clapping.

* * *

Only four of the invited show critics turned up at the Wilson Emerson Theater to preview the production at the final dress rehearsals and only one, prominent newspaper critic Zane London, bothered to approach Marion and Wendy before he left the theatre.

"How long is the planned run Marion?"

"Twenty weeks but extensions are available."

"Yes well some nights might be only two-thirds full but this should run for at least twenty-six weeks, well that's just my guest. It's fresh and lively, two of those four songs are great toe-tapping numbers and the plot sustains with a slow build. If you had built a first-rate cast around that Roxy Reeves your show might have become a very popular hit. That girl is really good and could go far."

Well even critics are not oracles. The show closed at the end of sixteen weeks. Roxy already knew Marion had two shows she was looking at but she had no other work prospects. After three weeks of sitting around and visiting some other theatres and found tour producers willing to talk to her but in each instance Roxy left with the promise to be called for an audition of anything suitable came up, she decided she'd come to the end of the line, that she was chasing her tail.

More to Come