Upstage – A Broadway play Eliza Lane was producing in Encore in Death. Eliza’s breakout role was twenty-five years ago (September 22, 2036), at the age of 18, playing Marcie Bright in Cabot and Lowe’s Upstage; she was cast as the best friend, Angie, and the understudy to Leah Rose, who died from a deadly combination of pills and vodka hours before the Broadway opening, also at age 18, in her dressing room.[1]
Now, 25 years later, she was bringing the play back to Broadway (as producer), this time playing the stage mother, Lily Bright, to Samantha Keene’s Marcie Bright.[1] Carla had been cast as Angie, Tessa Long was the director[2], Roland Adderson was the assistant director[1], and Minerva Novak was the choreographer[2].
Three of the songs were Lily’s Lament, Is It Your Life or Mine? (which was what Eliza and Sam were singing when Brant Fitzhugh drank the poisoned champagne cocktail[1]), and I'm the Talent[3], and one of the dance routines was Swing Around.[4]
Rehearsals were scheduled to begin in the Crystal Gardens Theater, which was where the original play was shown and was called Upstage because while the mother was always pushing the daughter, the mother was constantly trying to upstage her, to take the spotlight. She had never been the star she wanted to be. She loved her kid, but she could be selfish and oblivious to what her daughter needed and wanted.[2]
In the original production, Gary Proctor played Marcie’s love interest, Charlie, and was dating Rose. Maeve Spindal, who played Lily, was nominated for a Tony, but didn’t win.[5]
Eliza Lane won a Tony for her role as Marcie Bright (Best Supporting Actress).[6]
The woman who had written the original book had been dead for eight years - private shuttle crash.[7]
References:
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Encore in Death, Chapter 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Encore in Death, Chapter 8
- ↑ Encore in Death, Chapter 22
- ↑ Encore in Death, Chapter 6
- ↑ Encore in Death, Chapter 10
- ↑ Encore in Death, Chapter 15
- ↑ Encore in Death, Chapter 11