This is the third (and final) part of the story of a young Broadway actor. I suggest you look at Chs 01 and 02 before reading this one. All characters, places, and eventsâeven if you think you know them--are figments of the imagination. Let me give a sincere shoutout to those brave men and women who are plagued with PTSD. This story is not meant to make little of your pain. Often the arts, particularly drama, bring attention to a serious social issue which can result in action. But, if this is an issue for you, I suggest you skip this one. All characters engaged in sexual activity are over 18, as should be any reader where local laws so require. AI was not used in the composition of this story. Š 2023. All rights reserved. Brunosden
The first two weeks back in the City were filled with transition. I called my agent and told him that I was ready to go with the TV series, which already had a working title, "Storm House." He told me filming would begin in three weeks, just after the New Year. Several days of rehearsals were planned before Christmas, but he didn't have the details. He'd get the contract negotiated.
Then I moved. Fortunately, I had little clothing and less furniture. Brent's place was completely furnished anyway. Still, I had my sound equipment, recordings, musical DVDs, boxes of scripts, boxes of dramatic literature and my prized Espresso Supreme. It took about two daysâand I did hire a couple of guys with a small truck to help do the actual move in the middle of the second week.
Toward the end of the second week, Angelo called. His name and picture appeared on the cell screen. I felt a little guilty that I hadn't contacted him sooner, so I let it go to voicemail. I wanted to compose myself before we talked. Later, I called him back and I invited him to lunch. I didn't want to talk about the last few weeksâand my recent decisionsâby phone. This had to be in person. I wanted to see his reactions.
We met the next dayâat our favorite deli near the Circle Theatreâonly a few blocks from his apartment (and a few blocks from my old place). They served the best pastrami on pump in the city with a homemade mustard that would make the Dijonais jealous. It was one of my few off-diet indulgences.
He beat me to the deli and chose "our booth." He rose and hugged me tightly when I arrived. "Where have you been, stranger? We haven't been together for over a monthâand we haven't even talked for a long time. You barely spent any time at the closing night party. Are you fuckin' avoiding me?"
"It's good to see you too, Angelo......After West Side Story closed, at least for me, I took my first break in more than two yearsâin fact my first vacation in years. I went to St. Martin and dropped out of society to rest, relax, and think about the future."
"I presume you've decided not to go on tour with WSS."
"Yeah. Two years playing one character is enough, I think."
"Well, I've got something to suggest."
"Before you do, let me bring you up to date. As of last week, I signed on to do Storm House, a drama-reality TV series. Filming starts January 3 and will take about three months. This will give me a very different experienceâand some time to consider the potential for another live theatre role."
"And, you did all of this without talking with me?"
"You knew already that the tour troupe was not a likely choice. And you knew about the TV offerâin fact I told you the day after the screen test that they wanted me. The time in St. Martin gave me the chance to think about the pros and cons."
"How come you didn't invite me to St Martin?"
"I needed time to thinkâand I didn't need you telling me what to think. You've done a lot of that over the last two years."
"Well, we've done a lot more than talk over the last few years." He looked me in the eyes and feigned a lascivious grin. "I've molded you into the actor you are today. You're my creation and my fuckin' boy. You don't do fuckin' nothin' without me. So, let me start again. I do have a suggestion for you. A group of producers have convinced the estates of Rodgers and Hammerstein to permit yet another revival of Oklahoma! I'm directing. We begin auditions after the first of the year. We're still looking to book a theatre, but we do expect to be casting by February or March, with rehearsals starting in April. We plan a two or three city pre-Broadway try-out tour with an opening next September. Of course, everything is dependent on theatre availability. But, we've done the hard partâwe've got the estate approval for the adaptation and the financial backing."
"How'd you like to be a cowboy, Kirk? I think you'd be perfect for the Gordon MacRae partâCurly. There's a love interest with a young beautiful farm girl. And dangerous elementsâharsh weather and a farm hand rival for the girl, an ominous antagonist. I'm sure you've seen the play. It's a classic. Great music. Good dance. Lots of big production numbers. And your persona fits the Curly role perfectlyânaĂŻve, innocent, sincere, and of course, hunky. He has a few really romantic numbers. With your Tony, I think you have the cred to take on this role. What'ya think?"
"I'm stunned. I hadn't heard anything about the revival. It sounds great. But, I'm committed to Storm Houseâand that could change everyone's perception of me as a man and an actor. It's serious theatre, down and dark. I'm going to be playing an ex-Marine haunted by war--volatile and occasionally violent. I think I'm going to lose my innocence, maybe even my mind."