Chapter 8
Sorry for the delay. I wanted to get Karen and Derek just right.
Copyright and characters belong to NBC
…
Derek and Karen got back to the house. On the flight, they had both been very quiet. A lot had happened in the last few days. Things were not exactly still making sense. Nevertheless, one thing they both knew, they were going to have to talk to Audrey and ask if she would allow her dad to get back into the directors seat. They would keep it between them. The name would not change on the documents or press, just her dad staying in the shadows giving a hand. It would be a way of flushing out whoever it was. Pulling the strings.
…..
When Derek and Karen opened the door, Ben and Audrey were waiting. Audrey was the first to speak. "Well? What happened?" Derek looked at his daughter not knowing where to begin. He told her all that had happened and what Richard had planned. "Darling, how would you feel if I came into the theater and just "helped"? We would not let on to anyone. Just your "old dad" hanging out". What do you say?" " I say let's do it dad. It was always your baby from the start anyway. Therefore, it would make sense if you did start hanging around more often. What about you mom? "Me? I think you and your dad can sort this without me." Karen replied.
"Well the thing is, well…. earlier the actress who plays Marilyn…quit. She rang to say she just wasn't right for the part." Karen was stunned. "Wait? What? Why?"
"She saw you and Bobby doing the improv realised that even after all this time that she could never pull off Marilyn like you. With your heart and your conviction to play Marilyn." Karen did not know what to say. Everything in her head was a jumble.
"Surely she had gotten great reviews? I mean she was not a big star but her name was a name everyone recognised. Wasn't it? Why quit just because of an improv? Derek? Could it be Jerry or Richard? Or did she really just leave the show in the lurch?" She finished. She sat down quite unsure of what was actually going on with the show.
Derek looked at Karen. Saw her face and realised that whatever it was that was going on and whoever it was, they wanted Karen back centre stage as Marilyn. In addition, with Audrey and Ben's help he would see that it would happen. He just had to convince Karen first.
Audrey and Ben let their parents be. They knew that if this was going to work. It would be something that only their mom and dad could agree with.
…
Derek was stalking the floor. Karen watched on. She nearly wished he had gone to the pool to work out what was going on in his head. She thought she noticed a groove in the carpet. Back and forth he went. Something was wrong. She guessed what it was. She went and stood behind him, just to stop him and see if he would say what she thought he would. "Derek? Spit it out. I know what you are thinking. Not only do you want the "Old man" hanging around the theater, you want the "Little Wife" to keep you company. Why are you so worried?" Karen asked. Derek turned and looked at Karen. "Darling, how can I ask? After everything." Karen saw the worry his green eyes. It reminded her of when he had hid in the staff room back in New York.
"Derek, you don't need to ask. I know. Do you remember when you tried to teach me the 20th Century Mambo? And I kept getting it wrong? You would not give up on me. Or when Dev had tried to hurt me? You were there. At my side. You had finally seen me as me and not as Marilyn in the purple dress from your daydreams. This time the purple dress will not be a daydream. It will be a reality. It will be me stepping back on stage, just like Boston, I will have a lot to catch up on. Moreover, I know theater in these last few months is the one place people would not want to go. If Richard and Jerry want to stream shows, then let them. Get Ivy involved in streaming the shows. She can be the star with that. Not Bombshell. We have to make audiences feel safe to sit in the auditorium again. Make them feel the rollercoaster of every emotion that Marilyn goes through. To feel that, it has to be in a theater and not a stream on the TV or laptop. You are looking at me with that smirk of yours. I am not the Scared Bird as you once said. I am your wife. We brought Marilyn back to life. For the public. We can do it again."
Karen finished slightly out of breath.
"Karen, it's not fair on you to go back and remember things that maybe aren't that pleasant too remember. I know it needs to be done, but why isn't there another way for us to do it without having to go back."
…..
Karen watched as Derek spoke. He was talking quietly as if there were a baby in the house that he did not want to wake. This was not Derek. Not the Derek who had a soft side. However, when the call of the stage came, he would suddenly transform into the Dark Lord and nothing would stop him. Karen sat down. Not taking her eyes of his face. The night of the previews came flooding back. The dressing room. The lobby. He was lost. However, where in these last few days did it start…was it even days? Karen had lost track. "Derek. I need to know what is really stopping you from going back. You poured blood sweat and tears into it. Mostly mine she smirked. "But never once have I seen you like this."
….
Derek listened to every word. Not even sure himself of what was happening. He just did not know. He did not want to disappoint Karen. Something was niggling at him. A feeling. That he just could not shake.
"Karen, it is all well us wanting to go back. To help Audrey. The audiences? The critics? What would they say? That we were going back to relive past glories? To try to recapture what we had started in Boston and then in New York and London? I do not want to cheapen something that clearly means a lot more to us than anyone else. I remember you calling me after the first review and later I sent you flying. I want that show. That magic. But it is in the past. I think Jerry and Richard may win this and we will be left in an empty theater."
Derek breathed a deep sigh as he finished. Karen stood once more.
"You don't get to talk like that. Do not give up. You have theater in your veins. This is who you are. This is who we are. So what if it is a past glory? We can call it a revival of the Boston show. We showed Jerry, Eileen and every producer that we knew. The show was a hit. You know why? You. You were determined to prove them wrong on everything. Including taking me on to play the part of Marilyn. Don't forget it was us who opened it in London. They would be comparing it to then and not to Boston."
"Karen. Boston and London were easy. We did not have anything to compare it with, this time they are going to compare us to then and now. How do we show them that when and if we do this? It will be even better?" "Look, you haven't slept since before I did my Runaway Bride scene. Curl up here and just rest. I promise you, in a little while you will be ready to take on everyone in the West End like never before." She sat Derek on the sofa and got him to lie down. She placed a rug over him. She held his hand and circled it like the old days. She did this until he fell asleep. Once asleep, Karen went and wrote Derek a note. She was going to the Pallidum. She had to see for herself what really had Derek worried.
…
In the theater, Karen watched the Company Manager try to rejig the show and get the alternate and understudy ready to take on Marilyn. It was an evening show and a lot to do. She still could not believe Bobby was in the ensemble. She was watching and couldn't see the show she once knew. Even since the other day. Both actors seemed so confused and bewildered by the changes. The cues flustered them. The Company Manager had changed too much. If Derek had been there, he could have sorted it quickly. She was the only one that knew this enough to help.
She walked onto the stage. She went over to both actors. "Are you both okay? It is just a few different cues and entrances. I know it is not exactly, as you know it. But you have both been on stage long enough to know that these things happen and not let it faze you. It actually will be easier for you to get to your marks on stage on time."
…
Derek woke. Startled, he looked around the room. Karen! She was gone again! His eyes fell on the note. He read it and felt relieved. She was only at the theater. He went into the kitchen, splashed water over his face, then headed to the front door, and went to the Palladium. Derek headed straight to the auditorium through the Stage Door and the back entrance. Once he was in the auditorium, he saw what the Company Manager had done. That would tie the show over for a while and help get the cast working together with the new Marilyn's. He saw Karen on stage. Talking to the actors. He started to smirk. She was starting to become him. After all these years. They had finally rubbed off on each other. His smirk grew into a grin. He had too. He could not help it. "Miss Karen Cartwright! What are you doing?" He bellowed. Karen felt like she had jumped nine feet in the air! "Mr Wills! How do you still scare the life out of me every time?" Karen shouted back.
Derek was doubled over. He knew he shouldn't. Not when he had a persona to keep up, but this he just couldn't help. "I love that! Every time! She jumps every time! Guess she hasn't got that trait from me. No. That is always going to be mine, just to annoy her and theater casts and crew with!" "Karen. If you want me I'll be in the Green Room." Laughing as he walked away.
Karen excused herself, headed back stage to the back stairs, and hoped to get there before Derek. She had just opened the door, and there he was. Sitting grinning as if he had been there for hours.
"So the sleep did the trick then?" "Oh yes. I have an idea about the scene that Audrey is having trouble with. How about we incorporate you and Bobby's improv. No one seems to be getting the shadow self, so we act it out. Arthur Miller was a donkey's backside so to speak. Even writing about her and saying at times she was an embarrassment to him. She had an affair with Yves Montand. Arthur did not even fight for her or object. And he wrote the scenes for both of them in the movie Let's Make Love. I mean most of it is there in what you and Bobby did. It just might get people looking at the stage and not their phones!" Derek finally finished.
Karen grinned. She couldn't help it. "You should sleep more often Mr Wills! I mean, did you even take a breath while saying all of that?" "Miss Cartwright, it may put new life into a classic. I am not changing costumes or sets. One they are expensive and two some audience members hate when something like that change. They say it takes away from the character and piece."
…
She is looking like I have gone mad. I can't help it. My muse once again has gotten me back into the right frame of mind for the show.
…..
Now this is Derek Wills. My Derek Wills the Dark Lord of theatre land. He is sitting as if he is going to explode with ideas! I don't care if it was the sleep that did it or a bolt of lightning. Now I know that Bombshell is staying in London.
…..
Derek decided to head down to the stage and see if there was anything, he could help with for the evening show. Mostly it had been sorted. Thanks to the Company Manager and Karen. Though Derek was wary of the Company Manager after all that had transpired with what Richard had said. The Never Met a Wolf dress was different. He had to go and find two dresses, instead of one. They always had tried to keep it as similar to the dress as close to the dress that Marilyn wore when she went to entertain the troops.
He went to the wardrobe and asked where both sets of costumes for both women. The team had to look through the racks to see where they were. They had not expected any of this to happen. They had just enough time to freshen the costumes to get them ready to bring them to the side of the stage ready for the quick change.
It still had not been decided on which actor would be on stage playing Marilyn. They had to find out what the Assistant Stage Manager had to say. Derek watched as the cast being called to the auditorium. Derek watched and listened on intensely. Of course, nobody was expecting this outcome and the theater staff had all been trying their best to rally and get everything ready. Everyone was sitting waiting. TheASM appeared on stage. He looked stressed but you could see he knew what he wanted to say.
"Everyone! Thank you for coming together so quickly to get the evening show sorted for the audiences who are coming in very shortly. I have come to a decision as to Marilyn. The decision is, both." Everyone gasped. The two actors looked like they were going to pass out.
Derek was beyond shocked. "KAREN! COMPANY, EVERYONE! Have I entered the twilight zone! Why decide on both? Who has more time on stage and who has had more time as a swing?" Karen had been coming down from the offices. She could hear Derek a mile away. Something was defiantly wrong. She sped up, and got into the auditorium. "What? What is it? What's happened?" "The ASM has just decided that both girls are going on! There is only an hour before the show. You do realise that Audrey has to okay this!" "I have. Richard has been on the phone. If we don't use both he will pull the plug. The deal has gone through." Audrey sighed. "Right get to work!" she shouted.
…
Derek thought his head was going to explode. All of the things to happen tonight. Richard had passed a line. Though why both? That didn't make sense. No theater does that…Ever! So why this show and now? Richard had made it clear that he and Jerry were going into streaming. So he was still going to get Audrey to sell. First things first. The show had to go on. There is no time left. Fifteen minutes to go. Chop chop, here we go.
"Right everyone! We need to sort this and fast. Right the alternate goes on and the understudy goes back to being a swing. Now that is sorted. New places. Beginners ready! And let's see what we can do."
…..
Karen and Audrey watched on. Audrey had never really seen her dad at work. So this was new to her. He just took control. She saw his personality change. A more focused person. Terrifying, in a certain way. She could see why he was called the Dark Lord. She was as she saw in many ways his personality change. Karen watched her daughter see her father the way she had always seen him. Her Dark Lord. Her Dark Knight. Part of her wanted to be standing rehearsing with him at the the start of this amazing story that had become their life.
The interval came. Derek blocked as best he could. Through he felt he needed the original book to sort the staging. He remembered what he could, just to make it look smoother. The death scene would be soon. He hoped the alternate was happy and knew it well enough. She went into the wings to change. But he couldn't see her; the scenery was being put in place. The lights were about to fade up. Panic started to fill him.
Karen noticed too. She went and stood with Derek. She put her hand on his back. The lights came up and…Ivy was lying on the bed reciting the lines of Marilyn's phone call before she 'died'. She would! Derek started to growl.
Next thing her knew he was watching Ivy in her white dress singing Don't Forget Me. The audience were confused. As the song finished, there was a pause as if people were expecting something else. After a moment, the applause started. The triumphant Ivy's face fell. She wanted the stage to swallow her up. The curtain came down. She walked off stage. Everyone was going on to bow. Ivy was starting to go. Derek ran to the stage and grabbed her arm. "NO YOU DON'T! "You" he turned at the alternate. "You go! Now! I mean it!"
After everything in the theater was checked and the staff had left the building. All who was still there were Karen, Audrey, Derek and Ivy. Derek didn't care. "IVY! Gordon Bennett! Explain yourself. Now"!
Ivy may not have gotten the response from the audience. Nevertheless, she was going to get it now. "Daddy and Dev." She said in a little girl's voice. "Daddy and Dev? "What do they want now?" "They want you and Karen. To own you. So that you will be forever in their debt. He has spoken to The Mayor and they have come to an arrangement. Karen back on stage here and me on Broadway. The mayor holds the purse strings now." "Blackmail won't work. I will make sure a team sorts out Bombshell in New York. You can even have the Company Manager from here (!) Now get out of that pitiful attempt at a costume and get out of this theater now. Take a hike Ivy!" Finished Derek glaring at her.