Acting Up by Kristin Wallace

against the counter. “About Merrick and Angela? Yes.”
    â€œWell, the engagement is all anyone wants to talk about right now. Listen, people will forget, it’s—”
    â€œGoing to take time. I know. I was hoping the time was going to be short.”
    â€œNow, don’t give up. We’ll get back in the game when the time is right.”
    â€œGreat, I might really be forced to take a job directing a bunch of high school kids.”
    â€œHigh school kids?”
    Addison walked into the little breakfast nook and sat down. “My neighbor’s son is the principal of the high school. Their regular drama teacher is going to China to adopt a baby, and she could be gone for weeks or months.”
    â€œAnd this affects you how?”
    â€œShe can’t direct the spring musical. It’s a pretty big deal around here, and my neighbor suggested I step in.”
    â€œDirect the kids’ play?”
    â€œYeah. Crazy, right?”
    Shirley went silent.
    â€œShirley?”
    â€œDo it.”
    Addison about dropped the phone. “What?”
    â€œAddison, do you realize the kind of publicity you could get from something like this? ‘Hollywood star saves the show for her hometown.’ It’s a gold mine.”
    â€œI don’t know anything about directing a musical.”
    â€œHoney, you can handle one show. It’s a bunch of kids, not Broadway. I’m telling you, take the job.”
    â€œYou’re serious.”
    â€œI’m always serious. Call them tonight.”
    â€œShirley—”
    â€œDo it. Tonight.”
    She hung up. Addison stared at the phone. Even as she walked back to Caroline’s, she wondered what she was doing. She rang the bell and had to fight the urge to turn right around and run away.
    Elizabeth answered the door. “Hi… did you forget something?”
    â€œCan you get Ethan?”
    After a puzzled glance, Elizabeth went to get him.
    Ethan appeared at the door a moment later. “Addison, are you all right?”
    â€œDo you still need a director for your musical?”
    He arched a brow. “I haven’t found anyone in the last fifteen minutes.”
    â€œOkay then, when are the auditions?”

Chapter Six
    Audition number twenty-five.
    Number twenty-five had chosen the show-stopping number from the musical about singing felines as her audition song. Addison wanted to stop the madness right now. The girl on stage went for the big note. The resounding caterwaul was enough to make real cats arch their backs and hiss. Invisible fingernails raked down a chalkboard and lodged in Addison’s spine.
    Auditions. Hour two. Minute thirty-seven. She must have been out of her mind.
    â€œShoot me,” Addison said under her breath.
    â€œI didn’t think anyone could be worse than the last girl.”
    Addison glanced to her left. Marjorie Shannon had introduced herself earlier as Addison’s assistant director. Marjorie was a pretty woman in her mid-forties, who taught English and creative writing. With her red-gold hair, freckles, and a generous smile, she reminded Addison of a grown-up Laura Ingalls Wilder. Marjorie also had to be the most cheerful person Addison had ever met. So far, she hadn’t said a critical word about anyone, and if her patience was thinning, Addison knew she’d never survive till the end of the day.
    â€œYou mean the girl who tried to reenact Gone with the Wind and played all the characters? Even the male ones?”
    The other woman bit her lip. “She was original anyway.”
    â€œOriginal and creepy. A lisping, feminine Rhett is a crime against humanity.”
    Marjorie popped out of her seat. “Thank you, Georgiana.”
    Georgiana squinted out into the auditorium. “I’m only on the first verse.”
    â€œWe have so many people to get through. You understand. Joe Larson!” Marjorie yelled. “You’re next.”
    Joe Larson was