When the Music Stops

by Paddy Eger

  “Four other things, Marta. First. You need to stop calling me Miss Holland. Since you’re going to be working with me, please call me Lindsay. Second, I’d like you to speak to the advanced class. Several families are looking ahead to their daughters beginning auditions. Your information will help them understand what they’re up against.”

  Marta decided both of those requests were doable. “What else?”

  “Third, feel free to say no, but would you consider leading a kinders class? The age range will be three to five. I want it to be playful games and movements with a focus on musicality and free expression. Any interest?”

  “I’d love it. I worked with slightly older girls in Billings, so I can adapt what Lynne and I did and then add movement as they progress.”

  “Great. Number four is the most important way you can help me. I’d like you to work with Rosalia Marcus. She’s arrived last September, and she’ll be ready to audition next spring. Her drive reminds me of you; your help and knowledge about what she should expect at auditions would benefit her tryouts.”

  Marta flashed back to her string of auditions and letters of rejection. How does anyone prepare for that? For years you’re the darling, the star of a dance studio. Suddenly you’re one of twenty people in one of a dozen auditions, vying for one of two positions. No one cares where you came from as long as you stay free of injury and perform as needed. “Let me think about it for a bit. My ankle needs to support me. If it does, I’d love to work with her.”

  “Good,” Lindsay said. “I just need to get her mother, Zandora, to take a giant step back and let Rosalia grow and develop in her own time and in her own way. Her mom’s my first true stage mother. I shudder when I see her coming my way. She makes more demands than anyone I’ve ever known, so if that is a deal breaker, I’ll understand.”

  Zandora sounded like a challenge. Couldn’t be any worse than dealing with Madame Cosper, could she? “I’ll consider it. Sharing what I now know about auditions might help Rosalia and any others as they take that leap. When do you need my answer?”

  “Soon as possible. We’ll be down to one studio so we’ll need to workout scheduling.”

  h

  On the walk home, Marta moved with a bounce in her step as she organized her windfall of jobs. So far they fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. She’d need diet pills to keep up her energy for the long days. No sweat. She seldom took more than one or two a day lately, so an occasional four or five a day wouldn’t be a problem.

  As she neared home she saw Mr. Dunbar rocking in his porch swing. He waved, so she stopped. “Hi, Mr. Dunbar. How are you today?”

  “Can’t complain. The sun feels good on my old bones. Haven’t seen you lately.”

  Marta told him about working at the theatre and the dance studio.

  “Remember to take time for yourself,” he said.

  “I will. I’m headed home to start dinner. I’ll see you soon. Have a nice evening, Mr. Dunbar.”

  Marta prepared garden vegetables for a dinner salad for three, positive that Robert planned to show up and stay past dinner. Over the past few weeks she’d come to accept his presence, knowing he brought joy to her mom. She missed her one-to-one time with her mom from last year, but now she had her own interests and issues to keep her busy.

  Her visit with Miss Holland had gone well; she wasn’t embarrassed talking about her injury. But speaking with her former advanced ballet class, with dancers she shared classes with last year, could be uncomfortable. They might see her brief career as an omen for themselves. It didn’t need to be the same for them.

  h

  The next afternoon Marta arrived at the community theatre in time to observe the committee assembled on the stage. Hal and Dennis, along with four strangers, three women and one man, stood looking at the sets. A fourth woman appeared at the side aisle. All eyes followed the graceful woman sashaying toward stage. Her long black ponytail swayed from side to side as she hurried to join the rest of the theatre committee. She moved with the assurance of a performer about to take center stage. Dennis certainly noticed.

  “Lily Rose!” Hal said. “Glad you made it. We were about to begin.”

  “Wouldn’t miss this for the world,” she said. “This summer program is the talk of the town.”

  As Marta joined the group on the stage, Lily Rose stretched out her hand. “Hi. You must be Marta. I’ve heard a lot about you. Welcome to our little theatre group.”

  Marta felt a warmth radiate from Lily Rose through her handshake and her smile. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Ever hear of Lil’ Rose and the Sounds, Marta?” Hal said. “This lovely woman sang lead in the group until the early ‘50s. She did a few dance moves as well.”

  Lily laughed and shrugged. “Can’t deny it, but now I’m back to plain ol’ Lily Rose. Let’s get back to our tour for the play.”

  Hal led the committee on their walk-through. They examined the sets Dennis and the art team designed, then listened intently as Hal shared the story details of the play. Marta shared the progress the students had made and that each learned a few basic dance steps and animal movements to add humor to their roles.

  “Marta’s being modest,” Hal said. “She’s taught them so well many want to take dance lessons. This young woman also made many of the costumes, helped build and paint the sets, and took phone subscriptions.”

  Marta felt a rush of heat surge through her body at becoming the unexpected focus of the committee. She guessed she had done a lot, but being singled out and put into a spotlight of sorts confused her. Should she curtsy or nod or just smile?

  The committee smiled toward Marta then wandered around the stage talking with Hal, Dennis, and Marta before saying their goodbyes. Lily Rose remained seated on the apron of the stage as Marta said goodbye and started down the steps, heading home.

  “Marta?” Lily Rose said. “May I speak with you for a minute?”

  “Sure.” Marta returned to the stage and sat down.

  “I need dance school information for Olivia, my dizzy dancing four-year old. I understand you work with the Holland Dance Studio. Do you have classes for kids her age?”

  “We do. I’ll be teaching the class.”

  “Thank heaven. Every time I turn on music, Olivia starts dancing and twirling.”

  “I did that when I was her age. But if you live out of town, another studio might be more convenient.”

  “I live on Pill Hill at the end of north Lafayette, so Callow Avenue is perfect. I’ll call next week.” Lily Rose checked her watch and hopped off the stage. “Got to pick up my darling daughter. I‘ll see you soon, Marta.”

  h

  That evening at dinner with her mom, Marta talked about the meeting with the theatre committee.

  “Do you remember hearing the music of Lil’Rose and the Sounds? Her pop group sang in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s.”

  Her mom shook her head. “I’m not good with music group names. Do you know any of her song titles?”

  “Dennis told me a few that she wrote, sang, and recorded: Tender Love, Sweet Brier Rose, and Love in the Air. I’ve heard them on the radio. She sounded good. I might go down to Brown’s Music and buy one of her long play records to listen to her music.”

  “So,” her mom said, “we may have a celebrity living in Bremerton, huh?”

  “She doesn’t act like one. She asked me about classes for Olivia, her little girl, so maybe we’ll see her around the dance studio.”

  Mom laughed. “Don’t count on it. I’ve heard those Hollywood types often tell you what they think you want to hear. She could probably buy the studio without even looking at her checking account balance. It’s great that she’s on the theatre committee; maybe her rich friends will become patrons so Hal can continue to expand his teen plays throughout the year.”

  “She’s excited about this
one,” Marta said. “Guess we’ll know what might happen after opening night.”

  h

  Dress rehearsals went well. The teens knew their speaking parts and danced with enthusiasm, so Hal made only a few tweaks.

  “Keep your faces toward the audience when possible,” he said. “George, try to jump up and down with your hands bent like kangaroo front paws. I’m afraid you’ll fall off the stage if you don’t find your balance. Pam, work with Marta. We need you to float like a butterfly rather than flap like a bird. Marta, do you have any suggestions?”

  “Yes. Have fun,” she said. “Remember, most of your audience will be young children, so don’t speak too fast. We want them to hear every single line.”

  “So, see you tomorrow at six for your makeup,” Hal said. “Performance begins at seven. Leave your costumes here each evening. Now, go rest.”

  After Marta finished with Pam, the theatre fell silent. Marta walked to the back of the theatre and sat down appraising the sets. Looked good to her. Should be easy enough to sit on the side of the stage to help with costumes and coach the dancers during the first performance. That changed her plans to sit with Dennis, but oh well. At least she wasn’t performing!

  h

  Opening night: 6:10. The teens rushed in with excited chatter. All except Willis. Marta helped them into their costumes and started their makeup. “Have any of you talked with Willis today?”

  “I did,” George said. “He didn’t say he had a problem getting here. We could have given him a ride.”

  “What do we do if he doesn’t come?” Valerie asked.

  “I don’t know,” Marta said, feeling only mild concern. As a young teen he probably forgot the time.

  Just then Hal appeared in the dressing room. “No one answers when I called Willis’s home. I’m worried. We can’t rewrite the script at this late date. Any ideas, kids?”

  “Marta knows the play and his dance,” Pam said.

  All eyes turned to Marta. She froze. Now she knew how it felt to be caught in a trap with no possible escape. Please come, Willis, she thought. Please get here in time. “Sure, I’ll do it. But let’s give Willis fifteen minutes before we make that decision.”

  Fifteen minutes passed. No Willis. Marta stripped down and stepped into the elephant costume. She walked around to feel the way it moved, then she painted her face gray with dark accents around her eyes. They still had time for Willis to arrive.

  6:45. Still no Willis. “Places,” called the stage manager.

  Marta swallowed hard and became the plodding elephant, the character who danced on hind legs then mistakenly sat on the birthday cake. Certainly not as artistic as dancing in Swan Lake, but a performance just the same. Hopefully no one knew an adult played the elephant.

  Laughter greeted the performers during and after the play. By the ending applause, Marta’s ankle started to throb and swell, but icing would have to wait. She needed to remain in the dressing room, helping the teens remove their makeup and stow their costumes for their future performances.

  “That was fun,” Neil said.

  “So much fun,” Terry said. “And we get to do it two more times.”

  “Marta, you were so good,” Pam said.

  “Thanks, everyone did a great job. Did you hear all the giggles?”

  Hal hurried into the dressing room. “I found out what happened to Willis. He had an asthma attack and went to the hospital.”

  “Is he okay?” George said. “Can we go see him?”

  “He’s resting at home and will probably be able to perform on Saturday and Sunday.”

  “That’s good news,” George said. “He’s my neighbor, so I’ll stop by his house tonight and let you know if he’s coming tomorrow. If not, Marta can perform his role again.”

  “I’m glad Marta is such a good sport,” Hal said. “Filling in at the last minute shows lots of caring. You kids are lucky to have her.”

  The teens smiled and applauded Marta. She did a deep curtsy and trumpeted like an elephant. As she rose she spotted Dennis, the theatre committee, and a little girl watching her. Great, she thought. Another silly move, kind of like mimicking Madame Cosper and getting caught. Too late now to take it back.

  The group applauded her, then personally thanked her for stepping in. This time she didn’t curtsy or trumpet a response. She smiled and assured them that her stepping in created no problem for her.

  Lily Rose and the little girl stood to one side, waiting for the group to disperse. When they stepped forward, each handed Marta a white rose.

  “That was wonderful, Marta. Thank you so much for offering your dance talents and for being gracious enough to step in.” Lily moved the little girl ahead with a gentle hand. “Olivia, honey, I want you to meet a real ballerina. This is Miss Selbryth. She’s going to be your ballet teacher in a few weeks.”

  Olivia dropped her chin and tucked herself behind Lily Rose, taking sneak peeks toward Marta.

  Marta knelt down beside Olivia. “I’m glad to meet you, Olivia. I hear you love to dance.”

  Olivia nodded.

  “Good. We’ll dance and twirl and you’ll have other children in class with you. How’s that?”

  Olivia shrugged, then smiled.

  Lily Rose shook Olivia’s hand and called back as they moved toward the exit. “I’ll talk with you soon.”

  The last person waiting was Dennis. Marta felt his eyes follow her as she straightened the costumes on the clothes rack. “I noticed that Willis had an accomplished understudy.”

  Marta laughed. “I muffed several lines, but I did a good job sitting on the cake.”

  “How about we toast your play debut with a drink?”

  “Can’t. I’m underage.”

  “Are you old enough for an ice cream at the Dairy Queen?”

  “Yes. I believe I am.”

  Eating ice cream after performing brought up similar times with Steve in Billings. She enjoyed Dennis’s company, but she’d need to get home and ice her ankle if she planned to walk more than a few steps tomorrow.

  “Hey, Marta. You’ve slipped away. Where did you go? What were you thinking about?”

  “How I did this very same thing after performances in Billings.”

  “Alone, with friends, or with your sorta boyfriend?”

  “Both, but usually with Mister Sorta.”

  “Is he a dancer?”

  “No, he’s a college student who works as a part-time reporter. Why are you so curious?”

  “Trying to get to know you. That was a great thing you did tonight.”

  “Tell that to my ankle. It’s telling me to wrap it in ice.”

  “Let me grab a cup of ice from the attendant. Will that help? Or I could massage it for you.”

  Marta squirmed at his suggestion. “I’ll be fine, but I need to get home.

  Dennis scraped the bottom of his bowl of ice cream, and carried their empty containers back to the counter. He turned to Marta. “Ready?”

  She nodded. As they backed out of the Dairy Queen parking lot she asked, “Are you still dating Alice?”

  “Who?”

  “Alice Marsden from my family’s summer party.”

  “Oh, her. What made you think I dated her?”

  “You looked fascinated by her charms.” Marta stretched out “charms” with a southern accent.

  “You must admit she’s a beautiful woman,” Dennis said. “But I prefer a woman who can swing a hammer and toss back my insults.”

  h

  Willis returned for his elephant role, leaving Marta the task of assisting the teens and watching their performances from backstage. Dennis didn’t return either night, perhaps because he wasn’t needed or because of their Dairy Queen conversation.

  She’d stammered as he hinted about his interest in her. She didn’t know how to
reply, so she’d said she needed to get home and didn’t speak another word until they reached Rhododendron Drive and were stopped at the back gate.

  “Well, Marta?”

  “Well what?”

  “Are you available, or is Mister Sorta hogging your dating life?”

  Was she available? She hadn’t heard from Steve for two weeks. Was he busy, or had he lost interest in her? Or was he following her cue of not writing? Where was Lynne when Marta needed her advice?

  “I’m not entirely clear about that, Dennis. Can we be friends for now?”

  Marta sensed a tension in him as soon as she finished speaking.

  “No problem.” He got out of the car and opened her door. “Have a nice evening. See you around.” As he drove off he revved the engine as if to say ”I’m outta here.”

  h

  Marta called Lynne on Sunday after the matinee, anxious to hear her friend’s voice and catch up on her latest dating misadventure.

  “So,” Lynne said. “You were a dancing elephant? Wait until I tell the little girls. Did anyone take a movie of the play?”

  “I imagine, but I haven’t seen it yet.”

  “At least you wore a mask. Should help keep down your embarrassment. I, on the other hand, have had one embarrassment after another here in the wild west. These summer dancers all have two left feet.”

  “At least they’re trying.”

  “I guess.” Lynne laughed. “But then I was showing off. I completed a complex turn and ended up falling off the outdoor platform where we danced. Not one handsome, eligible guy around to pick me up!”

  “Now that’s embarrassing, even for you. Did you hurt yourself?”

  “Just my pride. When I get out to visit you, I’ll expect you to have found at least one hunk to introduce me to. He doesn’t need to be as cute as Steve, but close would be preferred.”

  “There is one guy that meets your criteria. He’s tall, funny, and likes to tease. He’s a carpenter for the community theatre. We went out for ice cream and—”

  “Hold it. You’re dating a guy? What about Steve?”

  Marta felt her face heat up thinking about Dennis. “We’re friends. He reminds me of that Lenny you dated.”