Reach and I take the train to Penn Station along with the techies, then we catch the subway down to the Village. When we get to Film Forum, the actors are standing around outside.
“Twenty-eight times,” Johanna says.
“Thirty-two times,” Jazmin says. “Including six performances of Wicked, but that totally counts.”
“No way. We said productions, not performances,” Johanna says.
“What are you guys talking about?” Half Crack says.
Johanna looks at him like he just pooped on her shoe.
“We’re comparing how many Broadway shows we’ve been to,” Jazmin says. “How many productions.”
“I’ve been to fourteen,” Hubbard says.
“Why so few?” Johanna says.
“My dad doesn’t like me to come to the city. He thinks I’ll get molested,” Hubbard says.
“By who? The Disney characters? The city is totally safe now,” Reach says.
“What are you guys even doing here?” Jazmin says. “We wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for you.”
“You’re saying it’s our fault Apple freaked?” Benno says.
“You drove him to it,” Wesley says.
“If you guys could act, we’d still be at the theater right now,” Reach says, looking at Johanna.
“Don’t talk to her,” Wesley says.
“I’ll talk to whoever I want to talk to,” Reach says.
“He’s right. Don’t talk to me,” Johanna says.
I feel Reach tense up next to me.
The actors push forward in a group, coming right up against the line of techies. It feels like we’re going to have a West Side Story–style gang war.
Derek walks up wearing a sport coat and button-down shirt. Summer is with him, also dressed up. It almost looks like they came together.
It’s every man for himself, Derek said to me.
Is it possible he’s already made his move?
“Good evening, theater folk,” Derek says.
He looks from the actors to the techies, a sea of angry faces.
“What happening here?” he says.
“The techies are talking crap about us,” Johanna says.
“Not crap. Truth,” Benno says.
“We’re just blowing off steam,” I say. “Everyone’s upset.”
“It’s easy to assign blame at a time like this,” Derek says. “But let’s use that energy to make the show better.”
“How is a field trip going to make the show better?” Reach says.
“A day may sink or save a realm,” Derek says.
“Is that Tennyson?” Jazmin says.
“Right you are,” Derek says.
“What does it mean?” Wesley says.
“It means be patient. I’m working behind the scenes. Give me a day, and we shall see.”
He moves off towards the ticket window, the actors following.
“You think he can save the show?” I say.
“I’m not one to root for Saggy D,” Reach says, “but in this case, I’m hoping he’s not full of it.”
He takes a clutch of singles out of his pocket.
“Let’s see some cash, gentlemen. These tickets aren’t going to buy themselves.”
The techies go inside. I look towards the ticket window, where I see Derek pull Summer off to the side and whisper to her. She takes out her phone like she’s getting a call, and he excuses himself and walks away.
Right away my phone buzzes. It’s a text from Summer: Hlp! Mdn n dstrss.
I go into the theater. Summer is standing near the water fountain. I hold up my phone.
“What’s mdn n dstrss?” I say.
“Maiden in distress.”
“You’re texting Shakespeare?”
“Pretty cool, huh?”
“Seriously cool. But what’s the distress?”
“I’m trying to repel the British invasion.”
She glances towards Derek.
“You didn’t come together?” I say.
“Are you kidding? He saw me walking from the subway and attached himself to me.”
A couple of techies are looking our way, so I lean down and take a drink, pretending I’m not talking to her.
“I’ve got an idea, Ziggy. Everyone is going to see As You Like It, and I don’t like it. What if we try plan B?”
“What’s plan B?”
She shifts her eyes towards theater two. Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood.
“It’s the Scottish play, Japanese-style. Way more interesting,” she says.
“You want to blow everyone off?” I say.
Reach is walking towards the techies with tickets in his hand.
“We’re not blowing them off. We’ll be right next door,” Summer says.
I look from Derek to Reach, thinking about all the potential trouble I could get into.
Summer leans over and drinks from the fountain. Cleavage appears in the V of her shirt collar. The cold water hits her lips.
I feel braver than I did a moment ago.
“Let’s go to the Kurosawa,” I say.
Summer gives me a satisfied nod.
“Now we need a distraction,” she says.
“I could fall over and start foaming at the mouth.”
“Techies do that all the time,” she says with a wink. “I have a better idea.”
She disappears into the crowd in the lobby, then pops out of the far hallway like she just came out of the women’s room.
“Oh my God. I think I saw Kristin Chenoweth in the bathroom!” she says.
“Kristen Chenoweth? Are you kidding?” Johanna says.
“It’s a total star sighting,” Summer says.
“Miranda loves her. I wish she were here,” Johanna says.
“We’re here,” Jazmin says.
She rushes towards the bathroom, the actors following behind.
“Don’t stalk her,” Peter says, rushing along behind them.
“What’s going on?” Half Crack says.
“Some famous actress,” I say.
“Is she hot?”
“Evidently,” I say.
That’s all it takes to send the techies stampeding towards the bathroom, too.
It comes down to Derek, Summer, and me, looking at each other in the lobby.
“You don’t want to see her?” Summer asks him.
“I’ve seen my share of stars,” Derek says. “Dad has dinner parties. You know how it is.”
“I think she was with Kate Winslet,” Summer says. “Aren’t they doing The Cherry Orchard together?”
Derek’s mouth drops open.
“Maybe I’ll take a quick peek,” he says, and heads towards the bathrooms.
Summer grabs my arm.
“Come on!” she says, pulling me into theater two.
I glance behind us at the lobby, now empty of students.
Almost empty.
Grace is standing by the refreshment stand, watching us go.