“Break a leg, leading lady,” Chris whispered as he walked by, “and don’t worry about a thing.” He grinned at her encouragingly and Peggy thought again what a wonderful person Chris was. She wished he hadn’t teased Randy in that manner, but then Chris did everything all the way. No half measures for him! Peggy watched him close his eyes for a moment, getting into character and collecting his energy. Chris would be good, Peggy had no doubt. “And what about me?” she wondered. “I hope I can concentrate and not be distracted by my own private thoughts.”
“Curtain!” The play had begun.
Peggy didn’t make her entrance until the second scene of Act One. Now she wished that she had stayed in her dressing room instead of watching from the wings. By the time she walked on she was more nervous than ever, but fortunately, Janet was supposed to be in an excited state, too. Peggy was just beginning to relax and feel comfortable, timing her laugh—when the phone didn’t ring on cue!
Peggy looked at Chris and Chris looked at Peggy. There was dead silence for a moment. Something must have gone wrong with the phone bell or, worse, someone had forgotten! They couldn’t go on, either, until it rang. The call was necessary to the action.
“Well”—Peggy plunged in with an improvisation—“I’ve heard of sea gulls that are supposed to be angels of ships at sea.” Preston and Janet had just been talking about gulls—perhaps they could continue until the phone rang. But Chris didn’t pick it up. He looked perfectly blank, and Peggy read in his eyes that desperation that means an actor is completely at a loss. In theater terms, Chris had “gone up”—higher than a kite.
“I think there was an article about sea gulls in the Reader’s Digest,” Peggy ad libbed valiantly while Chris stayed silent as a tomb. If only he would come back a little and help her out! Peggy got up from the couch and strolled around the room as if seeing it for the first time. If she could disappear in the wings for a moment, she might be able to signal someone. “I hadn’t noticed what a lovely place you have here, Mr. Mitchell,” she went on, making her way upstage to the hall. “Is this the way to the kitchen?” She was out in the hall now and disappeared for a moment, waving her hand frantically in the wings.
Chris suddenly came to life and realized what she was doing. “Why, don’t tell me you’re hungry,” he called after her. “But if you want to snoop around—go ahead.”
“I’m not snooping!” Peggy reappeared for a second. This was better—at least they were improvising in character. “I’m just naturally curious, that’s all.” She disappeared again, desperately whispering, “Sst—sst—where’s the phone?”
Michael signaled her that they were working on it, the battery was dead! “Well, use the doorbell then—anything!” Peggy whispered. She came back on stage, her ingenuity giving out—but there it was, the ring! Chris dived for the receiver. Gus had used the doorbell but they managed to cover well enough and finished the first act with relief.
“Whew!” Chris said when the curtain closed. “Thanks a lot for pulling me through, Peggy. When that bell didn’t ring, I blew completely. First time that’s happened in ages.”