Page 200 of The Silent Appeal

To: Kevin MacDonald

From: Bella Moretti

Date: June 2, 2025

Subject: Re: The Hollow

Well, of course I don’t expect to speak with Agatha Christie! I send the same email to all participating groups and some write their own plays.

I should have made clear that the officer cannot be someone who is in line for an award. As director you are banned from communicating with any NADA judge, including me. You will need to appoint a different officer.

Bella Moretti

Judge, National Amateur Drama Awards

Message exchange between Kevin and Sarah-Jane MacDonald on June 2, 2025:

9:49 a.m. Kevin wrote:

What are you doing on Thursday night?

9:49 a.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Front of house. Sammy permitting. Then babysitting in the office.

9:50 a.m. Kevin wrote:

I hereby specially appoint you as officer in charge of accompanying the NADA judge.

9:52 a.m. Kevin wrote:

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to ensure she has dairy- and gluten-free refreshments, a cushion on her front row seat, and that she basks in the warm glow of winning vibes all night.

9:54 a.m. Kevin wrote:

I’d do it, but I’m “in line for an award” and she’s obviously a stickler for rules.

9:55 a.m. Sarah-Jane wrote:

Fine. If you’re babysitting, then I can look after the judge.

9:59 a.m. Kevin wrote:

Brilliant! But don’t tell anyone they’re here Thursday—not until after the show. If anyone asks who she is, tell them a long-lost relative has popped up out of the blue. Again.

To: The Fairway Players mailing list

From: Kevin MacDonald

Date: June 2, 2025

Subject: This is it!

Dear all,

As director of The Hollow I am excited and delighted to say: Here we are! Play week has dawned and I have received a lovely email from our NADA judge, confirming her attendance on one of the nights. As the cast voted to keep their presence a secret, in case nerves get the better of anyone, I won’t say which. All I can tell about her is that she is dairy- and gluten-intolerant, does not have a sweet tooth, and is unwilling or unable to walk very far. Knowledge is power, folks!

May I confirm that ticket sales are healthy, the backstage and front-of-house teams are healthy, and that everything is in place and ready to go for the rest of play week. Our rehearsals yesterday may not have been the best, but today is a new day—and the day of our tech rehearsal when we finally address the issue of the gunshot. Denise, Joel, Marianne, and I will be running through that scene tonight so that the crux of this play goes off with a BANG!