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Director Atkins mingled with the writer at the back of the theater while the rest of us performed our various warm-up stretches. Braden arrived smack dab on time, not a minute earlier.
Atkins came backstage and found Ryan. “How’s everything looking?”
“It’s a good security system,” Ryan replied. “I checked all the video from this afternoon. We’re clear.”
“Good.” Atkins jerked his head. “I still want you up in the catwalks during rehearsal. Just in case.”
“You got it, boss.” Ryan winked at me as he left to climb the ladder.
Rehearsal began. Atkins usually had us go straight into whatever song we were practicing, but tonight he stood on stage and made some comments about the last rehearsal two nights ago. Little things he wanted us to work on. He was very obviously putting on a show for an audience of one, but we all went along with it.
We took our places, and rehearsal began.
The first song Atkins had us rehearse was the last one from the previous rehearsal. It seems that he wanted us to start out strong with the writer by showing off one we had already practiced a few times. It was a fast-paced song involving Braden, Tatiana, and Dorian together. The two men occupied either side of the stage while Tatiana danced back and forth between them, alternating who she sang with.
Tatiana had not done a very good job of it during our last rehearsal, so as I danced around stage on my track I cringed as her opening lines approached. One bad review in the Times would be the end of The Proposition before it ever began, and Tatiana…
She started singing, and strode across the stage in line with her track. Her voice was perfectly in tune and loud enough to project across the theater. I locked eyes with the other backup dancers as we moved in the background; all of us appeared surprised. Tatiana was much better than normal. Still not amazing, but for her it was the best I’d ever seen her perform. Like she’d been half-assing all the rehearsals until now.
At least she’s taking the writer seriously. Now was the time to start.
As the song progressed and Dorian and Braden sang their parts, Tatiana only seemed to get stronger. Her feet were crisp as they followed her track around the stage, and she was never in anyone else’s way. She held her head high and belted her notes throughout the theater. For a full song it felt like we were in a real show rather than an off-Broadway dud.
Atkins applauded loudly when it was done, and Braden patted Tatiana on the back and whispered something I couldn’t hear that made her beam. The Times writer didn’t clap, but he did nod his head and write something down.
“Awesome job everyone,” Atkins announced, which we all knew meant Tatiana. “Let’s move on to the next song, More Than Money. Tatiana, do you want to take a breather? You crushed that last song, and Nadia can fill in for one run-through.”
I gave a start at his suggestion. Had someone told him how well I’d sung the song yesterday? I glanced up at Ryan in the catwalks, but he wasn’t looking at me.
Tatiana scowled. “Of course not. An understudy should not be the first to sing the big solo during rehearsal. I am ready.”
Atkins glanced at me, then turned around and shouted, “Do we have the lights prepared for the next one?”
From the booth at the back of the theater, Andy gave a thumbs-up.
“Places, everyone. Start the music whenever you’re ready, Andy.”
We took our spots in the back of the stage, while Braden and Dorian sat off to the side since they weren’t in this song. The music came up slowly, the opening melody before the lyrics began.
Tatiana’s voice boomed throughout the theater as she began the song. The track for the backup dancers was slow and subtle, allowing us to watch the lead actress move around the stage. I stared with shock. She was really performing fantastic, now. I met eyes with Dorian and he gave me a Can you believe this? look. I felt like I was being punked.
Maybe Tatiana was talented after all. She just refused to put forth any effort unless it really mattered. Now that I thought about it, that was the most diva thing someone could possibly do.
As Tatiana moved into the second verse of the song, I felt a strange mixture of emotions. Relief that the show might do better than before, and regret that I was now even less likely to step into the lead role. While practicing on the roof I’d allowed myself to hope that maybe I would get to replace Tatiana in the show. Now that hope was gone.
Tatiana was pulling something out of her ass that I’d never seen. There was real emotion and misery in her voice. It was every bit as good of a performance as I’d given yesterday with Ryan and Andy. Maybe even better.
No, it’s definitely better than me. There was no denying it now.
The entire cast was watching intently as Tatiana reached the climax of the song. That would be the real test of her skill now that she was giving 100% effort. The Times writer in the back row sat up straighter as he waited for it too.
Tatiana strode forward and took a deep breath before bellowing out the climactic verse. The first note cut the air flawlessly and full of emotion—
Something snapped underneath Tatiana.
A square of black appeared underneath the lead actress. The trapdoor leading to the sub-section below the stage. The note of the song Tatiana had been holding mutated into a shriek that echoed through the theater as she plummeted out of sight.
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