Sing for Their Supper - 37

 

The first thing Tuck did when he arrived at the theater Monday morning was drop groceries off at both cabins and remind everyone they were due in the auditorium at ten sharp.

 

At nine-thirty, Andy and Fran Rogers appeared. Tuck greeted them and was about to take them inside when a truck pulled up in front of the theater. Two burly men got out. One of them came over, asking, "Is one of you Mr. Williams?" When Tuck said he was, the man said, "We've got a piano for you. Where do you want it?"

 

Tuck showed them, then they pulled the truck around to the side entrance and man-handled the piano into place at the right side of the stage. It would stay there until Tuck and Norm decided whether to make it an integral part of the set, or move it down to the auditorium floor. There was also a piano bench. Before he let one of the men take it in, Tuck got the sheet music for the show from his car, lifted the bench top and set it inside.

 

That reminded him of something else. I've got to get with Norm and Peg, to see what they've come up with as far as set and costume designs. He called them both to set up a meeting for that evening.

 

"This is great," Andy said when Tuck finally was able to show them around. "Intimate."

 

Tuck smiled wryly. "At least this way, if we don't get much of an audience, it won't be so obvious."

 

"Hell, Tuck, think positive. You'll be turning people away after we open."

 

"Your words to God's ear."

 

"Or whoever's listening," Fran said, giving him a hug.

 

"That, too."

 

"Where's your better half?" she asked.

 

"At work. I've quit the theater, but he's staying on until they can find someone to replace him."

 

"Then you're moving up here?"

 

"Umm…no? We can't afford to build a house at this point."

 

Fran rolled her eyes. "For what you'll be spending on gas, it would be cheaper in the long run to build."

 

"Probably," Tuck admitted, "but that's a discussion for another time. I think we're about to be invaded."

 

He was right. The kids arrived, looking both excited and wary, with Roma and Vin bringing up the rear. The moment Vin saw the piano, he went up the stairs at one side of the stage to check it out. After running the scales, he looked at Tuck. "Where's the sheet music?"

 

"In the bench."

 

Vin took one piece out, studied it for a moment, then began playing.

 

"That's my song," Roma said. "Well, Nancy's."

 

"Same difference," Tuck told her before asking everyone to come up on stage. He realized they needed chairs, and sent the boys into the lobby to get the ones that had been delivered a couple of days ago.

 

As soon as everyone was seated, he introduced Fran and Andy to the rest of the cast. Then he said, "We'll start easy. Just read your parts. Don't worry about inflections or trying to 'act' them. I want you to get a feel for what comes when and where. If it's a song, and the show opens with 'Food, Glorious Food'… Okay, hang on. Jolie, Dena, Evie, you've just been promoted to workhouse boys for this scene. So you three, and DJ, say the words in unison. Get the picture?"

 

They all nodded and the read-through began. Tuck stopped it when needed, to give them a break so they could regroup. They made it through Act One just before noon, so Tuck told them to get some lunch. He got no arguments.