Misfit Theater Company (Wattys Winner 2018)

19. The Fun Stops Here

"Okay, let's read through our script," Patti tells us once we are meeting in our usual spot at the back of the stage Monday morning. "I'm still working on edits. Turns out there is a lot more that I need to edit than I initially thought."

Yeah, for real, I think.

"Okay, so did you all read through it over the weekend?"

I smile sneakily and peer over at Thatcher. He doesn't meet my eyes, but he smiles a bit to himself as he looks over his script. Embarrassment immediately flushes my cheeks, even though no one else was aware of my little smile except me.

"Looks like we're all familiar?" Patti asks. Without anyone responding, she continues, "Great." She seems too focused on pulling edited scripts out of her binder. "Here are your new scripts, the ones that I edited. Hopefully Mrs. Permala is okay with the changes I made."

"It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Thatcher says.

"Exactly." Patti pulls the frizz back from her face and takes a deep breath. "Okay, so I'm thinking I will play the wife, Violet." No surprise there. "So then Janie, you will play the other woman, Rita."

"Okay," I say. The fewer the lines, the better.

Let's see if Thatcher and I were right about the male parts, I think. Moth as the butler and Thatcher as the husband.

"Now for the boy parts," Patti continues, "I think it would work best with Thatcher as the butler Peter, and Moth as the husband, Harry.

"Really?" Thatcher and I ask in unison.

"I'm down with that," Moth says.

"Yeah? What's wrong?" Patti asks. " I thought Thatcher would be a more convincing butler, since he's sort of uptight."

"Hey, wait, what?"

"Sorry, Thatcher, but compared to Moth, you are."

He nods and shrugs just his one shoulder. "Fair enough."

Moth laughs.

"Which leaves Moth as the laid back character."

"That's me," Moth says.

"So you and Thatcher will kiss at the end?" I ask.

"Yeah, I guess so. Is that fine with you, Thatcher?"

"Sure."

I bite my lip to keep from showing any sort of reaction to that.

"It's acting, so we all understand that it's not real, right?" Patti asks.

We all nod. She's right: It's theater and the kiss won't be coming from any real place, but still... it makes my stomach twist.

"Alright, ready for our first read through?" Patti asks.

"Let's do it," Moth says.

Patti reads the stage directions: "Peter- Butler at the home of Violet and Peter. Violet- Wealthy wife of Harry. Born into wealth. Harry- Wealthy husband of Violet. He has worked for his money, and has been newly promoted. Rita- Co-worker of Harry.

"Lights up on the dining room in a wealthy home. There is a door that leads out of the kitchen upstage left and a door that leads into the dining room from the rest of the house center right. There is a table set directly center stage, very elegant and covered in white linen. There is a vase of flowers and a pristine china set on the table. There is a liquor cabinet filled with alcohol in crystal and fancy glasses upstage right. There is evidence a party has been held in this space. Peter is onstage when the lights come up wearing a black suit and cleaning. Violet enters through the door center right, wearing her pajamas and looking noticeably tired."