“If you don’t mind walking a little farther,” he said, “we have a favorite spot on the opposite shore, where hardly anyone ever comes.”
The path brought them across a small arched footbridge, through a thick copse, and out alongside a broad lawn which ran down to the lake’s shore. It was here that they chose to eat, sitting on the grass.
“Now that we’re comfortably settled,” Mal said, “I have some great news for you, but first I think we ought to tell Peggy and Amy what we’re talking about, so they won’t feel left out of the conversation. Connie, you tell them about the play.”
“Just a minute, Connie,” Pip interrupted. Then he turned to the newcomers. “Do you know what the term ‘Off-Broadway’ means?”
“Why, yes, I think so,” Peggy replied. “It means you’re not using one of the regular, big theaters, and you charge less admission, and—”
“More than that,” Pip broke in. “It’s generally an experimental group—though that doesn’t mean necessarily that it’s amateur, and one thing you can be sure of—it never has enough money. Everybody has to do a little of everything. Now go on, Connie.”
“Well, the three of us are in that kind of group,” Connie started, “and we’re trying to produce a play off-Broadway. We’ve been working at it for about six months now, trying to raise the money and get a theater and do all the rest of the work that goes into these things. The play is called Lullaby, and it’s terrific, or it will be if it ever gets produced. Mal’s going to direct it, and I’m already cast as the comedienne, and Pip plays opposite me. There are a few more of us in it too, of course, and there’s Randy Brewster, who wrote it and is producing it. But I want to hear the great news before I talk any more. What is it, Mal?”
“I don’t want it to be a shock,” Mal said, “so I’ll say it very slowly. Randy has raised almost all the money we need, and he’ll have the rest in a few days. It looks as if we’re actually going to get this on the boards this season—if we can find a theater for it!”
“Wonderful!” Connie breathed.
“Wow!” Pip exploded.