Missing in Action

The Director's Cut

Back in the 80′s I was pretty new to the “church musical” scene. I’d done a couple as a kid, but most of my acting took place in school plays and/or at TUTS (Theater Under the Stars), a theater company here in the Houston area.

I started directing kid’s plays/musicals at my church in the 80s when my girls were young. One of the productions was a Christmas show about angels (titled “Arch, the Angel”). Had a blast with the cast and crew, and especially loved co-directing with my BFF, Kay Malone. She and I worked well together and had as much fun as the kids. In fact, Kay even agreed to don earmuffs and play the role of an airplane marshall (that guy/gal who uses light sticks to guide the planes in and out). She would “appear” at the onset of each act to “guide” the angels to their landing spots. Sounds like fun, right?

On the night of the big show, the first act went great! The audience took a fifteen minute intermission and the lights went down (at my direction). The music number started for the opening “bit” and Kay was nowhere to be found! M.I.A.! Ack! I’d started without her! Suddenly, from a side door of the auditorium, she came running in, grabbed her earmuffs, shoved them on, grabbed her light sticks and jumped into place–all of this in front of a watching audience.

Turns out, she’d been in the bathroom. Oops. Sorry Kay. (I still cringe as I type this!)

What does this have to do with my heroine in The Director’s Cut? Everything! She’s often caught off-guard, thinking she’s ready to roll when (in fact) she’s not! (We directors are like that. We always think everyone is on the same page. We’re also convinced everyone in the cast can read our minds!) Tia Morales is a woman on a mission, one who won’t be stopped. But when she meets her love interest. . .well, let’s just say she’s willing to slow down a bit and not jump the gun.

Ah, to wait on God’s timing!

To learn more about Tia’s “directing” woes, click on the link below! Happy reading, y’all!