“I’m sure of it,” Amy agreed.
“Well, then! That ought to settle it!” Peggy said. “Now all you have to do is find someone to audition for, and give us a week to get ready for him!”
“I’ve got him,” Randy said quietly.
“You’ve what?” Peggy gasped.
“I’ve got him. I’ve got the man to audition for.”
“But ... but,” she sputtered. “How? And why were you so gloomy if you have a good prospective backer?”
“I was gloomy because I hate to have to raise more money, not because I didn’t think we could do it,” Randy explained. “And as for the backer—if he turns out to be a backer and not just a prospect—I’ve had him from the beginning. He’s a wealthy and important man, and although he’s crazy enough to like to invest in plays, he’s cautious enough never to put up a nickel unless he’s seen an audition he likes. I showed him the play quite a few months ago and he said he liked it and was very interested, but he wouldn’t put up any cash until I could show him a cast and have them read. In a way, I guess he’s right. He claims that in off-Broadway shows even more than on Broadway, the actors make the play. You can have the best play in the world but a bad group of amateurs can ruin it, and there’s always a chance of getting a group of amateurs when you put on a play downtown. At any rate, he’s half-sold already, so I guess we have a good chance of selling him all the way,” Randy finished.
“Who is he?” Peggy asked.
Randy hesitated. “He’s ... well, he’s a rich man who’s interested in the theater,” he said awkwardly.
“We know that much,” Peggy replied, “but which rich man? What’s his name?”