Love at Center Stage: Three Theatrical Love Stories

  Love

  At Center Stage

  Three Theatrical Love Stories

  By

  Janice Thompson

  A Note From Janice

  Most of my readers know me as a book author, but many don’t realize that I got my start in the theater. For years I’ve written and directed large-scale musical comedies for the stage. There’s nothing finer than listening to an audience roar with laughter at something you’ve written. That’s why I loved putting together these three contemporary romances with a “theatrical” setting.

  BOOK ONE: SWEET HARMONY

  In Sweet Harmony, you’ll meet Tangie, an actress headed for Broadway. She finds herself side-lined, in need of a job, so she heads to her grandparents’ hometown of Harmony, New Jersey, to direct their church’s Easter production. The effervescent Tangie butts heads with Gregg, the church’s stodgy music director. Will they pull off the show of a lifetime, or will their differences send Tangie packing?

  BOOK TWO: A CHORUS OF ONE

  In A Chorus of One, you’ll meet Jessica, an opera singer determined to land a spot in the Dallas Metropolitan Opera. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Does it really matter that she and her fiance’ don’t agree on every little detail? Or even on some big ones–like her passion for music and the theater? Jessica plans to become Nathan Fisher’s wife and live happily ever after in Houston. But then Jess is offered the internship of her dreams. The handsome and tenderhearted Colin Phillips sees something special in Jessica, believing the Lord has chosen her to train vocally gifted children–in Dallas. Could God also have chosen her to play a more important role in Colin’s life? Should Jess settle for an ill-fitting lackluster marriage? Or will the Lord orchestrate the perfect duet?

  BOOK THREE: STARRY, STARRY KNIGHT

  In Starry, Starry Knight you’ll meet Amy Hart from the floundering town of Camelot, Tennessee. She comes up with a plan to revive the town’s economy, and her friend (and mayor) Steve jumps onboard. The townspeople will perform the musical “Camelot” in the city’s park, drawing in nightly crowds at the new outdoor theater. While excitement is high, talent is lacking. Amy casts several of the parts but is stumped when it comes to the role of King Arthur. In desperation, she turns to Steve. Will he pull the sword from the stone and save the day? Steve reluctantly agrees—on one condition. In exchange for his willingness to wear tights, Amy must play the role of Guinevere. And when a handsome newcomer cast as Lancelot takes an interest in Amy, the stage is set for a little tension—and perhaps love. Will they have the perfect "starry night" opening, or will the knights in Amy's life provide drama of a different kind?

  Love is truly waiting in the wings for the special couples in these three heartwarming romances.

  Sweet Harmony

  By

  Janice Thompson

  Sweet Harmony

  Copyright © 2015 by Janice Thompson. All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the permission of the author.

  All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, new International Version ©, NIV©, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

  All of the characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental.

  Sweet Harmony

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Epilogue

  ONE

  “Life is better in Harmony. If you don’t believe me, come on up here and see for yourself.”

  Tangie laughed as she heard her grandmother’s cheerful words. Leaning back against the pillows, she shifted the cell phone to her other ear and tried to imagine what her life would be like if she actually lived in her grandparents’ tiny hometown of Harmony, New Jersey. “Thanks, Gran-Gran, but I’m no small-town girl,” she said, finally. “I’ve spent the last four years in New York, remember?”

  “How could I forget?” Her grandmother’s girlish laugh rippled across the telephone line. “I’ve told every person I know that my granddaughter is a Broadway star. . .that she knows all of the big names in the Big Apple.”

  Tangie groaned. “I might know a few people, but I’m no star, trust me.” In fact, these days she couldn’t even seem to find a long-term acting gig, no matter how far off-Broadway she auditioned. So, on Christmas Eve she’d packed her bags and headed home to Atlantic City. Tangie had spent much of the drive praying, asking God what she should do. His silence had been deafening.

  Now Christmas had passed and a new year approached. Still, Tangie felt no desire to return to the Big Apple. Safely tucked into the same bed she’d slept in every night as a little girl, she just wanted to stay put. Possibly forever. And maybe that was for the best. She’d felt for some time that things were winding down, career-wise. Besides, she’d seen more than enough drama over the past four years. . .and not just on the stage. So what if her days on the stage were behind her? Maybe—in spite of her best efforts—she wasn’t destined to perform on Broadway.

  “I’m telling you, Harmony is the perfect place for you.” Gran-Gran’s words interrupted her thoughts. “You need a break from big city life. It’s peaceful here, and the scenery is breathtaking, especially during the holidays. It’ll do you good. And it’ll do my heart good to have you. I’m sure Gramps would agree.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to win me over on the beauty of upstate New Jersey,” Tangie assured her. She’d visited her mom’s parents enough to know that Harmony was one of the prettiest places on planet Earth, especially in the wintertime when the snows left everything a shimmering white. Pausing a moment, she thought about her options. “Might sound silly, but my first reaction is to just stay put.”

  “In Atlantic City?” her grandmother asked, the surprise in her voice evident. “Would you work at the candy shop? I thought you’d given up on that idea years ago when you headed to New York.”

  “Yeah.” Tangie sighed as she shifted her position in the bed to get more comfortable. “But Mom and Dad are about to head out in their RV again, so Taffie’s bound to need my help, especially with the new baby.”

  Tangie couldn’t help but smile as she reflected on her older sister’s mothering skills. Baby Callie had lovely brown tufts of hair and kissable apple dumpling cheeks. And her big brown eyes melted Tangie’s heart every time.

  Yes, it might be nice to stay home for a change. Settle in. Hang out at the candy shop with people who loved her. People who would offer encouragement and help her forget about the thousand ways she’d failed over the past few years, not just professionally, but personally, as well. All of the parts she’d auditioned for but hadn’t received. All of the plays she’d been in tha
t had closed unexpectedly. All of the would-be relationships that had ended badly.

  Tangie sighed.

  “Let me tell you the real reason for my call.” The determination in her grandmother’s voice grew by the minute. “No point in beating around the bush. Our church is looking for a drama director for the kids’ ministry. I suggested you and the pastor jumped on the idea.”

  “W–what?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with your hearing, honey. Harmony might be small, but the church certainly isn’t. It’s grown by leaps and bounds since you were here last, and the children’s ministry is splitting at the seams. Our music pastor has been trying to involve the kids in his productions, but he doesn’t know the first thing about putting on a show. Not the acting part, anyway. We need a real drama director. Someone skilled at her craft. . .who knows what she’s doing.”

  “Why hire one?” Tangie asked. “Why not just find someone inside the church with those talents and abilities?”

  “No one has your qualifications,” Gran-Gran stated. “You know everything about set design, staging, costumes, and acting. You’re a wealth of knowledge. And you’ve worked on Broadway, for heaven’s sake. Gregg doesn’t mind admitting he knows very little about putting on shows. He attempted one with the kids last week. A Christmas production. But it was, well—”

  “Wait. Who’s Gregg?” Tangie interrupted.

  “Gregg. Our music pastor. The one I was just talking about. You remember him, right?”

  “Hmm.” Tangie paused to think about it. “Yeah, I think I remember him. Sort of a geeky looking guy? Short hair. Looks like his mother dressed him?”

  Gran-Gran clucked her tongue. “Tangie, shame on you. He’s a wonderful, godly man. Very well groomed. And tidy.”

  Tangie looked at the mess in her bedroom and chuckled. “Sounds like my dream guy.”

  “Well, don’t laugh. There are reams of young women trying to catch his eye. Good thing they don’t all see things the way you do. Besides, half the women in our Prime Timers class are praying for a wife for Gregg, so it’s just a matter of time before God parts the Red Sea and brings the perfect woman his way.”

  “Mm-hmm. But let’s go back to talking about that show he put on. What happened?”

  “It was terrible.” Gran-Gran sighed. “And I don’t just mean terrible. It was awful. Embarrassing, actually. The kids didn’t memorize any of their lines, and their costumes—if you could call them that—looked more like bathrobes. And don’t even get me started on the set. He built it out of cardboard boxes he found behind our local hardware store. You could still see the Home Depot logo through the paint.”

  “Ugh. Give me a break.” Sounded pretty amateurish. Then again, she’d been in some productions over the years that weren’t exactly stellar. . .in any sense of the word, so who was she to pass judgment?

  “The music part was great,” Gran-Gran said. “That’s Gregg’s real gift. He knows music. But the acting part was painful to watch. If my best friend’s grandkids hadn’t been in it, Gramps and I probably would’ve left during the intermission.”

  “I’ve seen a few shows like that,” Tangie said. She chuckled, and then added, “I’ve been in a few shows like that.”

  Her grandmother laughed. “Honey, with you everything’s a show. And that’s exactly why I think you’d be perfect for this. Ever since you graduated from acting school last spring, you’ve been trying to find out where you belong. Right?”

  “Right.” Tangie sighed.

  “And didn’t you tell me you worked with a children’s group at the theater school?”

  “Yes. I directed a couple of shows with them. They were great.” In fact, if she admitted the truth to herself, working with the kids had been one of the few things she’d really felt good about.

  “Think of all the fun you’ll have working with the children at church, then,” Gran-Gran said. “You’ll be able to share both your love of acting and the love of the Lord.”

  “True. I was really limited at the school.” The idea of working in a Christian environment sounded good. Really good, in fact.

  “They need someone with your experience and your zeal. I’ve never known anyone with as much God-given talent and ability, and so creative, too. Gregg is pretty much ‘in the box.’ And you, well. . .” Her grandmother’s voice trailed off.

  “Say no more.” Tangie laughed. She’d busted out of the box years ago when she dyed her spiky hair bright orange and got that first tattoo. Glancing down at her Tweety Bird pajamas and fuzzy slippers, she had to wonder what the fine folks of Harmony, New Jersey, would think of such an “out of the box” kind of girl.

  Only one way to know for sure. Maybe it would be best to start the new year in a new place, after all.

  Tangie drew in a deep breath, then spurted her impromptu answer. “Gran-Gran, tell them I accept. Look for me tomorrow afternoon. Tangie Carini is coming to Harmony!”

  ***

  Gregg Burke left the staff meeting at Harmony Community Church, his thoughts tumbling around in his head. He climbed into his car and pointed it toward home—the tiny wood-framed house on the outskirts of town. With the flip of a switch, the CD player kicked on. Gregg continued to press the forward button until he located the perfect song—a worship tune he’d grown to love.

  Ah. Perfect.

  He leaned back against the seat and shifted his SUV into drive. As he pulled out onto the winding country road, Gregg reflected on the meeting he’d just attended. The church was growing like wildfire; that was a fact. And while he understood the need to keep up with the times, he didn’t want to jump onboard every trend that came along. He’d seen other churches pull out the stops to become hip and trendy, and some of them had lost their original passion for the Word and for prayer. No way would he go along with that.

  On the other hand, some folks had accused him of being set in his ways. Unwilling to bend. What was it the pastor had just said at the meeting? “Gregg, you’re the oldest twenty-six-year-old I’ve ever known.” Dave’s words had pricked Gregg’s heart. He didn’t want others to see him as stiff or unbending.

  Lord, am I? I don’t want to get in the way of whatever You want to do, but I think we need to be careful here. I know we need to do everything we can to reach out to people. I’m all about that. I just pray we move carefully. Thoughtfully.

  As Gregg maneuvered a sharp turn, a bank of snow on the side of the road caught his eye. Late December was always such a beautiful time of year in Harmony, but this year he looked forward to the change of seasons more than ever. The countless piles of snow would melt away into oblivion. Gregg could hardly wait for the warmth of spring. Gramps—his adopted grandfather—had already informed him there were at least ten or twenty trout in the lake with his name on them. He could hardly wait to reel them in.

  On the other hand, the eventual change in seasons forced Gregg to think about something he’d rather not think about—the Easter production he’d just agreed to do with the children.

  At once, his attitude shifted. While Gregg wanted to go along with Dave’s idea of reaching out to the community, the suggestion of putting on three to four musical performances a year with the children concerned him. First, he didn’t want to take that much time away from the adult choir. Those singers needed him. Second, he didn’t work as well with kids as some people thought he did. In fact, he wasn’t great with kids. . .at all.

  “It’s not that I don’t like children,” he said to himself. “They’re just. . .different.”

  The ones he’d worked with in the Christmas play were rowdy, and they didn’t always pay attention. And, unlike his adult choir members, the kids didn’t harmonize very well, no matter how hard he worked with them. In fact, one or two of the boys couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. Why their parents had insisted they participate in the musical. . .

  Stop it, Gregg.

  He shook his head, frustrated with himself for thinking like that. Every child should have the opportunity
to learn, to grow. How many chances had he been given as a kid? He’d struggled through softball, hockey, and a host of other sports before finally realizing singing was more his bag.

  The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. How many of those boys, like himself, were without a father? He knew of at least one or two that needed a strong, positive male influence. Had the Lord orchestrated this whole plan to put him in that position, maybe? If so, did he have it in him?

  “Father, help me. I don’t want to blow this. But I guess it’s obvious I’m going to need Your help more than ever. Remind me of what it was like to be a kid.” He shivered, just thinking about it.

  Gregg pulled the car onto the tiny side street, then crawled along the uneven road until he reached his driveway. His house sat back nearly a quarter mile, tucked away in the trees. At the end of the driveway, he stopped at the mailbox and snagged today’s offering from the local mail carrier. Then he pulled his car into the garage, reached for his belongings, and headed inside.

  Entering his home, Gregg hung his keys on the hook he’d placed strategically near the door and put his jacket away in the closet, being careful to fasten every snap. He placed the pile of mail on the kitchen counter, glanced through it, then organized it into appropriate categories: To be paid. To be tossed. To be pondered.

  Oh, if only he could organize the kids with such ease. Then, perhaps, he wouldn’t dread the days ahead.

  TWO

  Tangie made the drive from Atlantic City to Harmony in a little less than three hours. Though the back roads were slick—the winter in full swing—she managed to make it to her grandparents’ house with little problem. In fact, the closer she got to Harmony, the prettier everything looked, especially with Christmas decorations still in place. Against the backdrop of white, the trees showcased their bare branches. Oh, but one day. . .one day the snows would melt and spring would burst through in all of its colorful radiance. Tangie lived for the springtime.