Love at Center Stage: Three Theatrical Love Stories

by Janice Thompson

  Gregg!

  “Isn’t that what you’re here for?” The director sounded a little perturbed.

  His voice rang out loud and clear. “Oh, well, actually I. . .” He climbed the steps leading to the stage and for the first time, came into full view.

  Tangie gasped as she saw him. “Gregg, w–what are you doing here?”

  “I. . .” He squinted against the bright lights, then put his hand over his eyes.

  “He’s here to audition for Harrison,” the director said, the impatience evident in his voice. The older man climbed the steps to the stage and pressed a script into Gregg’s hand. “Top of page 4. Read Harrison’s lines. We’ll listen to you sing afterward.”

  “E–Excuse me?” Gregg’s face paled, and the script now bobbed up and down in his trembling hand.

  “Just do what he says,” Tangie whispered. “Please.”

  Gregg looked down at the script, then began to read the lines, sounding a little stilted “ ‘Gina, I don’t know any other way to say it. I’ve told you a hundred times in a hundred different ways. I love you.’ ” He looked up from the script, his eyes wide.

  Tears filled Tangie’s eyes as she took his hand in hers and read her line. “ ‘Sometimes we only see what we want to see. It’s so hard to crack through that protective shell we all wear. So, maybe you’ve been saying it, but I didn’t hear it. Does that make sense?’ ”

  “ ‘Perfect sense.’ ” Gregg looked up from the script as he continued. “ ‘Sometimes we resist the very thing that’s meant to be because it’s different from what we’re used to, or because we’re afraid.’ ”

  Tangie almost laughed aloud at the words. Lord, what are You doing here? Her hand trembled in Gregg’s, but it had nothing to do with the audition.

  He tossed the script on the stage and stared at her. “Tangie, I’ve been the world’s biggest fool.”

  “Wait, that’s not in the script!” the director hollered out.

  “I should have told you that I loved you before you left. I drove all the way here just to say it.” Gregg spoke with deeper passion than Tangie had ever heard before. Tears covered his lashes as the words poured out. “I don’t know what took me so long. Guess I let fear get in the way.”

  “That makes two of us,” she whispered, her voice filled with emotion. “I’ve been afraid to say it, too.” The script slipped out of her hands and clattered to the floor.

  “We’re as different as night and day, just like my mom said. But, you are who you were born to be,” he responded, taking both of her hands in his. “And so am I. But being without you these past two days has almost killed me. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t even play the piano anymore. Everything in me stopped functioning when you left yesterday, and I don’t know what I can do to make things normal again.”

  Tangie smiled and squeezed his hand. “Oh, we’re halfway to normal already, trust me.”

  He took her in his arms and cupped her chin in his palm. Such tenderness poured out of his eyes. She’d never known such powerful emotions.

  “I love you, Tangie. I love every quirky, wonderful, unique thing about you. I love that you’re different.”

  “Hey, now—”

  “In a wonderful, glorious sort of way. And I love that you love me, even though I’m just a boring, predictable guy.” He leaned into her, a passionate kiss following his words.

  For a moment, time seemed to hang suspended. All that mattered was this man. He loves me! Tangie whispered the words, “That wasn’t boring,” in his ear, then giggled.

  They lingered in each other’s arms, whispering words of sweetness. Until a voice rang out.

  “Best version of that scene I’ve seen all day. Where have you two been all my life?”

  Tangie opened her eyes, suddenly blinded by the stage lights. Squinting, she made out the face of the director. “Oh my goodness.” How could she possibly make Vincent understand. . .they weren’t acting!

  “I love the way you took the lines and made them your own.” The older man spoke in a gravelly voice. “Brilliant. No one else has taken the time to do it. And there’s a chemistry between the two of you that’s. . .well, wowza! We don’t see a lot of that. People can act like they’re in love, of course, but to actually pull off a convincing love scene? Almost impossible.”

  Tangie laughed until she couldn’t see straight. Gregg joined her, of course. The only one who wasn’t laughing was Vincent.

  “I’m glad you think this is so funny,” he said. “You’re going to have to clue me in on whatever I’ve missed. But in the meantime, you’ve got the part.” He looked at Tangie, then shifted his gaze to Gregg. “And if this guy can sing half as well as he can act, he’s got the part, too!”

  Tangie’s head began to swim, and the laughter continued. Then, quite suddenly, she stopped and looked Gregg in the eye. “Let me ask you a question.”

  “Shoot.”

  “You once said that I had issues with leading ladies, that I was secretly jealous of them.”

  Gregg groaned. “I wish I could take that back. I’m so sorry.”

  “No, you’re missing my point.” She grinned at him. “I just need to know one thing, Gregg Burke. Do you think I’m leading lady material?”

  “Always have been and always will be.”

  “Okay, then.” She turned back to the director with a smile. “In that case, forget the play.” Tangie looked at Gregg with her heart overflowing as she spoke the only words that made sense.

  “This girl’s going back to Harmony.”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Tangie finished painting the set piece and stepped back to have a look at the stage. She smiled as she looked at the road sign she’d just put in place. One arrow pointed to Broadway, the other to Harmony, New Jersey. Perfect.

  Gramps entered, covered in paint. “Do you think we’ll get it done in time for the show? We’re on at two, right?”

  “Yes. Still not sure about the backdrop, though. Do you think it will be dry?”

  “Won’t make any difference if it’s dry or not. The show must go on, honey.” He walked out backstage, muttering all the while. “You’re a theater person. I would think you’d know that. Doesn’t matter if the set isn’t built, if the costumes aren’t ready, if the lines aren’t memorized. The show goes on, regardless.”

  Tangie laughed until she couldn’t see straight. Thank You, Lord, for the reminder.

  “Honey, what are you doing in here?” Her mother’s voice rang out.

  “Yeah, don’t you have a wedding to go to or something?” her older sister Taffie said with a laugh.

  “Yes, I do.” Tangie looked down at her hands and sighed as she realized they were still covered in paint. “I don’t exactly look like a bride, though, do I?”

  “You will soon enough,” Candy said, drawing near. “But first we’ve got to get you into costume.”

  “Oh, it’s no costume, trust me.” Tangie sighed as she thought about the blissfully beautiful wedding dress her sisters had helped her choose. “This is one time I’m going with something traditional.”

  “Well, it’s going to be the only thing traditional at this wedding,” Candy said, coming up the aisle. “I’ve never known anyone who got married at a community theater before.”

  “You’re a fine one to talk!” Tangie laughed. “You got married on an airstrip.” She turned to Taffie. “And you got married on the beach.”

  “I guess all of the Carini girls went a different direction on their wedding day,” Candy said with a giggle. “But I still think getting married in a theater—especially one this beautiful—tops them all.”

  “It’s the perfect way to christen the building!” Tangie looked around the theater, marveling at the changes that had occurred over the last six months. The whole thing had been Penny’s doing. She’d hung posters around town, asking for the community’s support. And, once the funds started rolling in, the old Bijou movie house had morphed into the most beautiful community theater
ever.

  The artichoke thing had been a big hit, too. Tangie didn’t mind taking the credit for that one. Folks had contributed up to a hundred dollars per artichoke. Gregg had downed nearly two dozen of them, all funds going to the new theater, of course. Then again, the artichokes didn’t stay down long, but that part didn’t matter. The money had come in, and the old movie house was now a fabulous place for folks in the town of Harmony to put on productions.

  Tangie still marveled at the transformation.

  Of course, she marveled at a good many transformations, of late. Take Penny, for instance. Now that her chemo treatments were behind her, she was feeling better. So much better, in fact, that she’d joined the church. She now thrived on providing sweets for the monthly women’s tea. And Tangie had it on good authority that Penny also slipped Gramps free donuts for the Prime Timers. He wasn’t complaining.

  No, these days Gramps had little to complain about. He was too busy working on the theater and celebrating the fact that Tangie had come back. Well, that and driving Gran-Gran back and forth to auditions. She’d reluctantly agreed to be in the community theater’s first performance of The Sound of Music. Tangie hadn’t shared the news yet, but she’d be casting her grandmother in the role of the Mother Superior. What havoc that would wreak at home!

  But no time to think about productions now! Only the one at two o’clock mattered today.

  Tangie stepped back, looking at the fabulous décor on the stage. “All things bright. . .”

  “And beautiful,” her grandmother whispered, stepping alongside her. “It’s fabulous, Tangerine. You’ve done a great job, and this is going to be the best wedding ever.”

  “I do believe you’re right.” Tangie turned with tears in her eyes. “I do believe you’re right.”

  ***

  Gregg left the ball field at one fifteen, racing toward the theater. He hadn’t wanted to miss Cody’s game, of course, but there were more important things on his schedule today. His wedding, for instance.

  Gregg pulled up to the theater, amazed to find so many cars out front. “Oh no. I hope I’m not later than I think.” He leaped from the car, pausing to open the back door and grab his tuxedo and shoes.

  When had his life become so chaotic? Where had all of the organization and structure gone? And then there was the wardrobe! These days, he was more likely to wind up wearing a chicken suit than a suit and tie.

  Not that he was complaining. Oh no. Falling in love with Tangie meant falling in love with theater—lock, stock, and barrel. And there was no turning back, especially today, when he faced the performance of a lifetime.

  Still, there would be no funny costumes on today’s stage. They’d agreed to that. She would wear a white wedding gown—one he looked forward to seeing—and he would look top notch in coat and tails. Bridesmaids and groomsmen would wear traditional garb, as well. No, nothing to take away from the beauty of their marriage vows or the amazing work God had done in their lives. Besides, there were sure to be costumes in abundance over the years to come.

  Gregg sprinted into the theater, pausing only for a moment to look at the stage. “Whoa.” Talk about a transformation. Tangie and her grandfather had done it again. Then again, she always managed to pull rabbits out of hats. Sometimes symbolically, other times for real.

  Gregg reached the men’s dressing area backstage, finding Josh inside, already dressed.

  “You had me worried, man.” Josh grinned as he ushered Gregg inside, then closed the door behind him.

  “Sorry. Didn’t want to miss Cody’s game. You should see him, Josh. He’s incredible. I think we’ve really discovered his true gifting.”

  Scrambling into his tux was the easy part. Getting the tie on was another matter. Thankfully, his mother rapped on the door just as he gave up. After he hollered, “Come in,” she entered the room, her eyes filling with tears at once.

  “Oh, Greggy.” She shook her head. “You’re quite dashing.”

  “Very theatrical response.” He gave her a wink and she drew near to fix his tie. “I need you, Mom.”

  “It feels good to be needed.” She worked her magic, then stepped back and sighed. “That Tangie is a lucky girl.”

  “No, I’m the lucky one.” Gregg paused, thinking of just how blessed he felt right now. In such a short time, the Lord had brought him his perfect match—someone who also turned out to be his polar opposite. What was it Tangie had said again? That God was always at work behind the scenes, doing things they couldn’t see or understand?

  Lord, it’s true. You saw beyond my stiff, outward appearance to my heart, and You knew I needed someone like Tangie. She’s perfect for me.

  He allowed his thoughts to shift to the day they’d met. . .how she looked. What she was wearing. Then his thoughts shifted once again to that day in the diner when she’d shown up in that crazy hat. Funny, how he’d grown to love that hat over the months.

  “Look at the time!”

  Gregg snapped to attention at his mother’s words. This was not the time for daydreams. Right now, he had a wedding to attend!

  ***

  Tangie stood at the back of the theater, mesmerized by the crowd, the beauty of the stage, and the look of pure joy in her future husband’s eyes. She thought back to her first impression of Gregg. What was it she’d told Gran-Gran, again? How had she described him over the phone that day? “Sort of a geeky looking guy? Short hair. Looks like his mother dressed him?”

  Oh, how her impressions had changed. Then again, the Lord had changed a great many things, hadn’t He? He’d washed away any preconceived ideas of how a person should look or dress and dug much deeper—to the heart of the matter. And just as she’d predicted, He’d been working in the backstage areas of her life, fine-tuning both her career and her personal life.

  And what a personal life! The familiar music cued up—the theme song from A Woman in Love, of course—and she took her father’s arm, taking steps up the long aisle toward her husband-to-be. Just stay focused. Just stay focused.

  Somehow they made it through the ceremony, though the whole thing flew by at warp speed. She spent the time in a beautiful whirlwind of emotions.

  Finally, the moment came, one she and Gregg had kept secret from their friends and family for weeks. Darla took her seat at the piano and the familiar music for Embraceable You began. Tangie looked at her amazing husband with a grin. She mouthed the words, “You ready?” and he nodded.

  Then, the two of them joined heart, mind, and voice. . .for a harmony sweeter than the town itself.

  EPILOGUE

  Ten Years Later

  Tangie tucked her daughter, Guinevere, into bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

  “So, is that the whole story, Mommy?” Gwen asked with an exaggerated sigh. “You met Daddy doing a play at the church?”

  “That’s right. We met doing a play, and we’ve done dozens of them since. . .at the church and the community theater.”

  “I love it when you and Daddy sing together. You sound bee-you-tee-ful! And your plays are so much fun. But”—the youngster’s angelic face contorted into a pout—”when can I be in one of them?”

  “Hmm, let’s see.” Tangie thought for a moment. “You’re nearly seven now. I guess that’s old enough to start acting. But only if you want to. Mommy and Daddy want you to be whatever you feel God is calling you to be.”

  The youngster’s face lit up, and her brown eyes sparkled as she made her announcement. “I’m going to be an actress and a singer, just like Margaret Sanderson!”

  Tangie had to laugh at that one. Her daughter had fallen head over heels for the community theater’s newest drama director. Then again, Margaret had come a long way from that stubborn little girl who’d insisted upon getting the lead in the shows. These days, she was happier to see others promoted while she worked behind the scenes. Funny how life turned out.

  “Honey, just promise me this.” Tangie looked her daughter in the eye. “Promise you’ll use whatever
gifts God gives you to tell others about Him.”

  “Oh, I promise, Mommy. I’ll sing about Him. . .and I’ll act for Him, too.” Gwen giggled.

  “And if you decide you want to be a softball player or something like that. . .well, that’s okay, too.”

  “Softball?” Gwen wrinkled her nose. “But I don’t know anything about sports.”

  “You are your mother’s daughter, for sure.” Tangie laughed.

  “And her father’s daughter,” Gregg called out as he entered the room.

  Tangie looked up as her husband drew near. Her heart still did that crazy flip-flop thing, even after all these years. Oh, how she loved this man! He sat on the edge of the bed and kissed their daughter on the forehead.

  “So, your mom’s been telling you a bedtime story?” he asked.

  “Mm-hmm.” Gwen yawned. “It was the best ever, about a singing rabbit and a dancing chicken.”

  “I know that story well.” Gregg laughed. “Did she tell you that they lived happily ever after?”

  Gwen shook her head and yawned once more. “No, I think she left that part out.”

  Tangie smiled as she watched her daughter doze off.

  Gregg rose from the bed and swept his wife into his arms. Brushing a loose hair from her face, he whispered, “You left out the happily ever after part?”

  Tangie chuckled. “Well, the show’s not over yet, silly. How can I give away the ending?”

  “This one’s a given.” He kissed the end of her nose, then held her close.

  As she melted into his embrace, Tangie reflected back on that day when Gregg had come to the theater in New York to tell her he loved her. On that magnificent Broadway stage—with the lights shining in their eyes—they’d tossed all scripts aside and created lines of their own, lines better than any playwright could manufacture. They were straight from the heart, words that set the rest of her life in motion. They’d sent her reeling. . .all the way back to Harmony.