The Hotel - 8

We convened in the dining room around eight Wednesday morning for breakfast. By that time, I had already talked with Felicia and Logan about things we hoped the hotel had that we could use. She said there were several rollaway beds and sent Logan to bring one to the ballroom. When I asked her if she'd mind if I used the bedspread from my room to cover it, she immediately offered the use of a very ornate one they kept for their special guests.

Although Logan hadn't used one for our bags, since we had so many, she said the hotel had luggage carts with a rack for the guests' garment bags. I took a look then asked if we could use two of them to hang costumes. She agreed without hesitation.

When I told the troupe we'd solved two major problems, they cheered. Then, after breakfast, Marsh and I set to work in the ballroom while the cast helped Caitlin unpack and hang the costumes in the dressing rooms. Noah set out the makeup on the tables Logan had brought in. The hotel didn't have any mirrors other than those in the rooms but thankfully Noah had foreseen there might be a problem and had packed the tabletop ones we used under similar circumstances.

I learned all this later. At the time, Marsh and I were arranging the bed and chairs on the stage, and then with my help and a couple of tall ladders, he hung our lights and focused them and the ones already there to create the best atmospheric mood for the show. It was well into mid-morning by the time he'd connected them to the portable lighting board set up behind a standing screen off to one side of the stage.

"It's a damned good thing we're used to such primitive conditions," he said, shaking his head, when he'd finished.

"I have the feeling Edwin might take umbrage with the word 'primitive'," I replied.

"Not at all," Edwin said, strolling across the ballroom. "I know they're far from optimal but I had faith in your abilities to make the best of things. It's why I hired you and your troupe."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence."

"You deserve it." He looked past me and I knew from the sound of footsteps and then voices that everyone was coming out to join us.

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen," I said, metaphysically putting on my director's hat. "Time for a walk-through so you can get used to what we've got going. We'll do act one now, and the rest this afternoon."

Ramsey stood, hands on hips as he studied how we'd set up the stage. "What are the chances we can find another screen, like the one Marsh is using, to hide the bed until we need it?"

"Probably slim to none," I replied. "But I'll ask."

"Don't bother," Marsh said. "I can move the board into the hallway, as long as we keep the lights off."

"But we need lights," Noah said without blinking an eye.

"I meant…"

"He knew what you meant," Phil told Marsh, swatting Noah's ass.

"Okay, you two," I growled when Noah took a swipe at him in return. "Let's get down to business."