Bombshell in the Blood
Bombshell in the Blood
Characters belong to NBC
Derek and Karen in the theater
...
It was very early when Derek and Karen arrived at the theater. They signed in and noticed the cleaners were just starting their shifts. Derek and Karen walked back stage, it all came flooding back. The gold dress that Derek had finished zipping up and telling Karen she was a star and he did believe in love.
Even the time when Ivy had been hired back and Karen had to step in. Both were lost in their own memories. Derek mostly remembering how he'd bellow at Karen, even when there was nothing to bellow about.
They reached the prop desk; they checked the list Audrey had against the labels, nothing was wrong. "Derek I can't see what's out of place here."
Derek went and looked at the scenery. "Karen this was never here. It's not on the list." Karen walked over and looked. In small writing, was "Marilyn is dead. Leave her there, she was a junkie!"
"Who would write this? Lucky it's far too small for the audience to see. Oh Derek, it's Marilyn, OUR Marilyn. Somebody wants to spook Audrey and it is working. Let's check wardrobe." Karen breathed. She was getting a horrible feeling.
They found the wardrobe room, at first, nothing seemed wrong. Derek went straight to the gold dress. "Darling, tell me what you see?" Karen joined Derek, she couldn't work it out. "Derek there's nothing wrong with the dress it's fine."
"It should be. That's your dress. Remember they make a dress for every actress playing the role. And add a tiny detail just for that actor. So it can never be mixed up? My dear this is yours. It even has the KC just where the zip stops."
Karen stood open mouthed. "So where is the current dress?" They rummaged around.
In the dirty washing hamper they found it, ripped to shreds. Just at that moment the wardrobe team walked in, Derek was about to give off to them. Then they realized who was standing holding a ripped dress.
"Mr Wills, Miss Cartwright, (Karen was still know as Cartwright in theater circles) how can we help?" The mask was on. Derek's voice changed slightly and asked "Have you seen this? Why is this dress ripped to shreds and Karen's dress on a hanger?"
One of the ladies spoke. "We were going over budget trying to constantly fix the dresses. This isn't the first time. So we got Miss Cartwright's one out of storage." Karen stood wide eyed. Some girl was wearing her dress, it didn't feel right.
"It's happened more than once? Who in their teeny tiny right mind would let this continue!?" Derek shouted.
He knew it wasn't the wardrobe teams fault but he had a strange feeling coming over him.
Just like the time when he and Karen had ripped up Ivy's costumes. No. She was in La La land these days. She was all round cuckoo these days. He had watched the news. It just couldn't be. But it was too similar.
He noticed Karen turning pale. "Darling, what is it?" "Derek, no, not again, it's been too long it can't be, not Ivy. Oh God Derek. I'll ring her neck if it is!"
"Karen, we know she's in LA now. She's the new sweetheart. Why would this even be on her mind these days? And she would be playing Marilyn's mother now anyway in theater and TV." Derek answered. "Derek, if she's here, she might want to catch up with Ben. Ugh. Derek!"
Derek replied "He's a grown man, it's up to him. But Karen you know where his heart lies. You're his mother, you've always known that. Don't worry. Come on, I think some of the cast should be in by now. Let's see how they react to the original Dark Lord!" He laughed and they went through the maze of corridors to the main auditorium.
...
Notebook in hand, Derek and Karen sat at the back of the auditorium. The Company Manager gave out notes. Derek had said not to let them know they were here. "I want to give them the fright of their lives." He smirked.
The cast were told they needed to sort the timing of the kidnap scene. So everyone got into their positions. Derek and Karen were surprised to see Bobby back in the chorus. What had happened? They couldn't see Audrey doing that. Derek started writing and looked at his watch. Karen watched on, feeling down hearted. What had happened to the show?
It was like the main actors just couldn't be bothered. Even the singing was without feeling. She knew they were just running through it. But she never did that. Her big doe eyes filled with tears. When scene was over, Derek had filled the notebook.
He and Karen stalked up the aisle. Before they were seen the Dark Lord bellowed. "WHAT In The Name of Good Gods name WAS THAT?!" Bobby knew that voice, he knew not to talk. But the rest of the cast didn't know the voice.
Derek marched his way up the stage steps from the auditorium. "LISTEN UP, THAT was diabolical!" Derek bellowed. The cast stood looking bewildered. A few of the cast were whispering, "Who is he?" Derek heard them.
"Who am I? I am Derek Wills! The original director of this show! What are you all doing? Do you realize that Marilyn had a horrible upbringing? Her IQ was higher than Einstein. She didn't know her father; two men claimed they were her father before they died. Good God have any of you even looked at her history! HAVE YOU?"
Derek hadn't finished.
"As for the kidnapping scene. Her mother used a mail bag not a laundry one. And according to Miss Wills' notes that was very specific. You are running over on the time as well. Marilyn? Where's Marilyn?" A young actress raised her hand. "Right, you are looking back on how your life has changed. And feeling that even though you hated that life. You feel it was better than now. Show it! Act it!"
Karen was looking round at the company; they obviously had never been spoken to like that. She caught Bobby's eye, but she didn't want the cast to know.
"Mr Wills, can I say something?" Karen asked. Derek's face was bright red, the veins in his neck looked like they were going to pop. Karen placed her hand at the small of his back. The redness eased but he was still fuming.
"Please go ahead, Miss Cartwright." The name seemed to stir a few ripples and everyone suddenly focused on Karen.
"Right, why are you all so lackluster? Even singing a warm up. Play it as a full house. She caught Bobby again. "Can you tell me what is wrong? What's your name?" She kept a poker face. Bobby moved forward.
"My name is Bobby, Miss Cartwright. Well Miss Cartwright, the audience sees it as historic and they feel it's not relevant." "Why?" Karen asked.
Karen knew Bobby would tell it as it was. "Well the audience who speak to me at the stage door say they just don't get it. That it was so long ago, what's the point. I reply with Les Miz was even further back, but they don't get the point." He sighed.
Karen said
"Thank you Bobby, please sit down. All of you sit down. Okay every day we hear about actors who from that era saying that the studios owned them.
Force fed them pills to keep them working all hours. With sleeping pills to make them sleep and uppers to keep them awake. they got addicted. No rules in place back then for actors working to a set time in theater and TV. What about Marilyn and JFK? I'm sure you can all work out the relevance of that.
So how is it not relevant? Read the news, it still is relevant even now in this climate. Okay. Now for the scene you just did, do you now understand? Marilyn was depressed. Feeling confined to the life that was supposed to make her happy. She even set up her own production company. Who here knew that? No one. Don't you see, you have to make this show relevant again. Get the audience to sit up and watch. Not scroll through social media in the audience!"
Karen's heart was pounding. She couldn't stop.
"Marilyn was 36 when she died. She had miscarriages and she longed to be a mother. She even got married at sixteen to get out of going into an orphanage again. It's all there on the net and in books. Read it! How could anyone survive what she did, and become the icon she is? But she did it!"
Derek was mesmerized.
He knew Karen had made sure she knew Marilyn back in the day. But the passion was building in her like a fire. He started to see her in her purple dress again. So Derek said "Miss Cartwright how would you play it? How would you show the audience what they're missing? He smirked.
Karen knew what Derek was up to. But she felt that she had to show the cast or she'd burst.
The cast separated to let her through.
She stood center stage, with a wistful look on her face. Bobby jumped up and fell into character which surprised the cast. Karen walked up to him, she went to hold his hand as he held out his, but she couldn't.
He easily matched her actions from being beside her, as she crouched down on the ground holding her middle, he placed his hand over hers symbolizing the child she'd never have.
Or when she was feeling trapped, he played her Joe.
Every action he mirrored what Karen was doing. Even when she mimed the pills, he stood behind her and cradled her as she slept. He even lay beside her. He lifted her and carried her back to center stage. And Karen posed herself as Marilyn.
Dead.
All through this the Musical Director had come in and started to play Second Hand White Baby Grand quietly. The cast were spellbound.
So was Derek. Though in the back of his head as the Dark Lord he was timing the scene.
"Bravo Miss Cartwright! That was breath-taking! Thank you Bobby for the improve to help. And to the Musical Director. Many thanks."
Karen got up, pale and slightly shaky. She knew it wasn't played that way, but it had felt right. She joined Derek. This time he placed his hand on her back and made the little circles to calm her.
...
From the first bellow, Audrey had been watching. Learning. She could see why her dad had chosen her mom in the first place. She kept quiet and watched the day unfold. Her mom was Marilyn. Her mom understood her, brought Marilyn back to life. Audrey was in awe of both her parents.
...
Unknown to all, two figures were skulking in the wings.