The theatre was always so dark and gloomy, yet Brittany liked it anyway. She liked the sound of applause, she liked the laughter illicited by a good comedy, she liked knowing that she held their attention with her acting.
The director of this play, "Anna's Folly" was known to be a tough taskmaster. He was known to work his actors hard, making some of the actresses cry. He was intense. He was the man who could get a superb performance from anyone he directed.
He was also her father.
She'd lived with her mother most of the last 15 years, her volatile parents separating when she was 4. Her mother had a sexual liaison with another actress, yet, her mom wasn't gay, she adored men. Her sexual appetites went to both sexes. Her father had been unaware of this at the time of their marriage and Helen, her mom, had never taken the time to enlighten her father. When he caught Helen cheating, her father freaked out.
Oddly enough, it was Tony, her father, who had ended up with Brianne, Helen's lover. After all these years, her mother was still trying to make sense out of that.
Standing before her brilliant father, script in hand, the attractive 19-year old read the lines of the lead character, Anna. Anna was a young woman who had left her abusive boyfriend, trying to discover her own sexuality. This was the part of a lifetime and Brittany knew it.
"NoNoNo!" her father yelled out from offstage.
"What's wrong?" she asked him. She rarely called him "Father" or "Daddy", it just never seemed to suit him.
Brittany's heart raced as her father walked towards her. At 45, hair slightly graying at the temples, eyes still brilliant and blue, hair neatly cut and meticulously styled, he was still a striking man. He wore the tailored suits she always remembered him favoring. He never, ever, dressed in a sloppy manner, which always impressed her.
"Brittany, you have a true talent. As the child of two geniuses, one would expect no less." She smiled at him. He wasn't modest either.
"Yet my child, you are just reading the lines. You are not living them, you don't seem to be feeling them!"
She flicked a stray auburn curl out of her eyes, looking at her father. "What do you mean?"
"Do you understand the young woman's sexual passions Brittany?"
"No, not really father," she said, addressing him that way for the first time today. "But I want to understand, I want this part!"
"I can help you with that Brittany. If you come to my home tonight, I will help you rehearse. I do believe you are right for this role, but it will take some work. Are you prepared to work hard, little one?"
Brittany nodded rapidly, feeling her head was about to fall off. The pretty 22-year old practically ran home to change. She wanted her father to see her in this part, so the modest clothes she had worn to the audition had to go.
Brittany found her tightest, shortest mini, the one that had scandalized her roommate and made her roomie's boyfriend make a none-to-subtle pass at her. The roommate had dumped her boyfriend the next day, which made Brittany smile a lot. She'd always thought Todd was a jerk.
Kenzie, her roomie, was a black beauty, tall and slim, with long dark hair, tiny breasts and legs that went on forever. Brittany thought her roomie was one of the most beautiful creatures ever put on this earth and envied all the attention she got. When Kenzie put on a skirt and heels and walked, she was elegance personified.
Kenzie had made a few passes in Brittany's way as well, but she didn't go for girls, unlike her Mom. Brittany pulled a thong from her underwear drawer and thought, If I did, Kenzie would be on the list. I bet she's great in bed!
Being a tall girl, Brittany rarely wore heels, but she did so tonight. Her legs were toned from running and exercise and she thought of wearing stockings. Oh, what the hell, she decided and borrowed a pair of Kenzie's. The cool silk against her thighs made her tingle a bit.
She looked in the closet and found a black, lacy top and put her black satin bra on underneath. She'd gone from pretty collegian to vamp in a few minutes. "Mmm, I bet I fit the part now!" she said, to no one in particular.
Brittany got out her cell phone and called the number for a cab. She'd only been to her father's home a few times before, so she was grateful the cabbie knew where it was. She paid the cabbie and offered a tip, but he just grinned at her and smiled.
"Gorgeous, driving someone as hot as you was my tip!"
Brittany smiled, giggled and waved him away.
She walked, with no small degree of trepidation, up the stairs leading to her father's home. She found the place intimidating every time. It was like "Stately Wayne Manor" in the old Batman TV series and yet, it fit him. "Stately" was a great word for her father.
She rang the bell and a few minutes later, was ushered into the house by Simmons, her father's Man-Friday. She went into the parlour to find Tony sitting there, script in hand. He got up from the armchair, smiled and greeted her warmly, which was totally out of character.
"Well Brittany, you certainly look more the character than before. Let us see how much you fit the part, my dear girl."
Brittany looked at him, totally puzzled. "And just how do we go about doing that?"
Tony smiled at his stunning daughter. "Take off your clothes."
Brittany looked at him, totally shocked. "Don't be ridiculous. I can't do that. For one thing, you're my father!"
He looked at her, eyes narrowing. "Brittany, the character goes through repressed to wanton in this play, as you are well aware. I believe you can play the repressed side of her, but can you play the wanton? I need to see unabashed sexuality!"
Brittany was awhirl with confused thoughts, but decided she had come this far, and truly, she did want the part. She did as her father asked, and removed her clothes. Top and skirt were laid gently over the divan.
"You are certainly beautiful Brittany, you got the best from both your mother and I. Please continue."
She felt her cheeks flush, but the bra and thong followed. Tony stopped her there. "That will be enough dear. Yes, you have the looks and talent for the part, no question."
"Thank You." she said to him, meekly.
"Now Brittany, we shall find out if you can display the sexuality the role demands."
"How will we do that, father?"
He smiled, it was almost an evil smile. He gestured to Simmons, who left the room and came back a few minutes later. With him was Brianne, her father's wife, her mother's former lover.