This is both a standalone story (if you like to dive in) and number three in what has turned into a series (for you organized souls) following Broadway Lust Story and Broadway Love Story.
These guys are just so damn cute and naughty, I just can't stop, somebody stop me!
NB: For UK based readers. An EMT is a paramedic.
Tess O-Meter -- Green.
-X
Two days before opening night, Tony, Ty, and Polly stood in the rain admiring the newly revealed posters decorating the theatre.
"Oh!" Polly indicated enthusiastically "I think that's your leg. Tony isn't that your leg?"
They crowded around the poster, squinting at the scene with the character of Sandra high kicking in the foreground.
Some of the chorus could be seen in the background and sticking out from behind Sandra's flying skirts could just be seen a jean clad calf.
"I think you might be right," Tony mumbled, squinting.
"It's turning me on, so it must be your leg," Ty drawled, making Tony snort with laughter.
They continued the hunt and managed to locate the back of Polly's head in another poster.
Polly stood between the two of them, her arms linked through both, "It's the big time, boys," she joked.
"Well it's less embarrassing than the time Ty got his cock in shot," Tony grinned.
"Story. Now!" Polly demanded of Ty, who was swearing at Tony.
"It wasn't my cock," he insisted, "but it was my middle section in the background. It was more like navel."
Tony was scrolling on his phone, "There it is," he said and passed the phone to Polly, who immediately started laughing.
"You didn't photograph it?" Ty asked horrified.
"Best picture you ever took," Tony replied cheekily.
"Wow, this is like porn," Polly said, her eyes huge, "You've got a hard-on!"
She looked up at Ty, "This was on display?"
"It's background Polly, you can hardly see anything."
"I could estimate your dimensions from this, Ty," Polly insisted, as Tony bellowed with laughter and Ty blushed.
"Give me that," he groaned, grabbing the phone.
Tony grabbed it first and added, "It was that Disney review."
All three of them were laughing as Ty quipped, "Yea, well. I really like Disney."
They spent a few more minutes admiring the lead actors. Although the rehearsal process on this show had been draining, it had really come together recently. Polly and Tony were both excited about opening.
They finished back at the main entrance, gazing up at a giant-sized image of the two main characters Kevin and Miranda embracing.
All three of them let out a synchronized sigh at Kevin's extreme hotness.
"Christ, that Dane's enough to turn a man's head," Ty admitted.
"Trust me, he likes girls," Polly grinned, and then dashed into the theater before they could ask any questions.
-X
Most of the cast had started off quite nervous around Dane. He was a massive TV star and came across as quite intense during the early read throughs and rehearsals.
It was a badly kept secret that he was only doing a short stint to open the show, but no one knew the exact details.
In the second week, Tony had broken the ice when he bumped into Dane in the deli near the rehearsal studios.
Dane had said hello in a perfectly friendly manner and Tony, curious, had asked him why he was using a British accent. Was he practicing for an audition?
Dane, completely cracking up, managed to gasp out, "I'm from the UK, mate!" Before bellowing with laughter at the shocked look on Tony's face.
"I didn't realize," Tony managed, face flushing.
Dane had explained that when he was on set he always stayed in his character's accent, and he had always played Americans on TV.
He had decided to transfer that approach to the show, so would stay in Kevin's accent while at the studios or theater.
"Less likely to get distracted and mess up the accent," he confirmed.
Tony thought this was a very sensible idea.
His heart sank though, when Dane suddenly sobered and said, with a catch in his voice and a tiny tremble of his lip, "So you've never seen me in an interview? You don't like my work? You're not a fan?"
Tony shook his head and started to reassure him, when once again Dane started laughing and gave his chest a light slap, "Jesus, your face," he giggled, "Oh, man. I'm sorry that's funny."
Now Tony was laughing as well, "Yea, you got me!" he admitted.
"Sorry, Tony, couldn't resist."
Tony was impressed that Dane actually knew his name and said so.
That was when Dane admitted how nervous he was. Not having been on stage since the day he left stage school, he was scared he would mess it up, but hadn't meant to seem unapproachable.
Tony had reassured him, with the seniority that nearly a decade on Broadway gave him, that his talent was indeed impressive, and they had become good friends.
Another persistent rumor, that Dane Hockings was homophobic, proven to be in his words, "Codswallop. Fucking press. My brother's gay."
"Really?"
"Yea, but it's his business, not mine, and he's not in the public eye so I don't talk about it. I'm not quite sure how he pulled it off, but his husband's super cute."
Dane had then pulled out his cell and cracked up again at Tony's wide eyed, "Holy Fuck. He's a smokeshow!"
On their return to the rehearsal they told everyone about Tony's mishap, and Dane had played it up with, "I'm totally gutted. Tony hates me. He's never seen me in anything!"
They got some laughs, and the cast were much easier around Dane from then on.
-X
Robin Belling who played Tim, the main character's best friend and the role that Tony was understudy for, was less friendly.
He seemed to view Tony as a threat and went out of his way to be as unhelpful as possible.
As Tony had his own role to rehearse for, he could not always be present for the numerous changes as the show developed.
Robin was meant to keep Tony updated, but rarely did, which often left Tony floundering and ill prepared.
They were six weeks into rehearsals when Tony attended a lead cast rehearsal. Only to find that the lyrics had been updated on a number and he had no clue, his script being out of date.
The director, MC, had rolled his eyes and impatiently asked Robin to lend Tony his script. Robin had smirked and taken great delight in saying he didn't have his copy because the lyrics had changed four days ago, and he knew them already.
He and Dominique had then given Tony disgusted looks, and Dominique's comment about understudies not preparing properly was just loud enough for everyone to catch.
Tony had glanced uneasily towards MC, who was pinching the bridge of his nose, as if to ease a headache.
He had been saved by the leading lady, who had marched across the room with her script, "Here you go, Tony, use mine, all the changes are on there."
MC had thanked her. Tony had tried a flustered apology, but Isabel Tells, leading lady on Broadway since she played mini-Cossette aged nine, was having none of it.
"Don't apologize Tony, understudying is a hell of a job and we all appreciate the work you do."
Tony had found the entire rehearsal stressful and was glad to leave and re-join the chorus in the afternoon.
He just shook his head when Polly asked why he was so upset.
It was late when they finished and the assistant chorographer gestured Tony over before he left.
"MC is in the office; he needs to see you before you leave."
Tony swallowed hard, his heart thumping, "Okay, thanks I'll go now."
Feeling upset and emotional, Tony approached the office as if he were walking towards a noose.
"Come in," MC called at his knock, "Ah, Tony, thanks for coming by."
Tony stood, his throat dry waiting for the axe to fall, as MC rummaged in a large case. Then he stood and handed over some photocopied script pages.
"All the changes to date are noted. Changes from today are highlighted in orange, and I've noted some blocking updates that we made this afternoon. We will find some time to go through that next week, so don't worry, just take a look."
Tony swallowed hard, pushing back the overwhelming urge to cry, "Um."
"I think it would be best if I updated you from now on, don't you?"
Tony nodded, still staring at the floor.
"Tony," MC gripped his arm, forcing Tony to meet his eyes, "You're doing a really good job, but I don't want someone else's insecurities undermining you, so I'll update you from now on."
"Thanks, thank you, MC," Tony managed.
MC smiled wearily, "Robin sings like an angel, but he doesn't play well with others. Between you and me, that's why he's not a leading man."
Tony, choosing discretion just nodded, and saw the approval in MC's eyes, "Go on, off you go."
"Thanks," Tony said again, "Good Night."
"Good Night, Tony."
Tony pulled the door closed, let out a shaky breath of relief, and nearly walked into Polly.
"Shit, sorry, Polls. I didn't see you," Tony frowned, "I thought you left an hour ago."
"I bumped into MC. He asked me to hang around, said you'd had a tough day."
Tony had just opened his arms and been pulled into a hug, before they went to dinner and trashed talked Robin. Face-timing Ty, still on tour, for backup.
Tony had been hugely relieved to learn that MC supported him, and was pleased with his work, but Robin remained obstructive and difficult throughout rehearsals.
Even more so when Tony was asked to also learn the lead role of Kevin, in case of the improbable circumstance that Dane, Robin, a second understudy and a swing were all taken ill at the same time.
-X
Polly had not had the same issues with Dominique, who played Sandra.
