Mystery on Stage

The Mystery on Stage

GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
Illustrated by Charles Tang

ALBERT WHITMAN
& Company, Chicago

Contents

CHAPTER

  
1   Stagestruck

  
2   Auditions

  
3   A Cast of Characters

  
4   Behind the Scenes

  
5   A Role for Watch

  
6   A Familiar Face?

  
7   Problems on the Set

  
8   Dress Rehearsal

  
9   The Show Must Go On

10   Curtain Call

About the Author

CHAPTER 1

Stagestruck

O
ne fall day, Jessie Alden stood outside a bookstore in Greenfield. In the window was a large poster:

WANTED

Actors, actresses to perform in
The Wizard of Oz

Auditions held Saturday, November 4th
9AM–4PM
Greenfield Community Playhouse
Scripts available in bookstore.

The bookstore was closed, but Jessie stood staring at the poster for a time. She did not even notice when another girl also stopped to look in the window.

“Oh, I love
The Wizard of Oz
,”
the new girl whispered aloud.

Jessie jumped and whirled around to face the girl. “I didn't think anyone else was here — you scared me,” twelve-year-old Jessie said.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to,” the girl answered.

Jessie smiled. “I'm Jessie Alden,” she said. “Will you be trying out for a part in this play?”

The older girl did not return Jessie's smile. She seemed to look beyond Jessie, far off into space. “I'm Sarah Bellamy,” she finally answered. “And yes, I will be. I want the part of Dorothy.” Sarah spoke in a deep, clear voice.

“Oh, I'd like to try for that part, too,” Jessie said. “I've never tried out for a big role like that before. Have you?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Sarah asked sharply.

“I'm sorry,” Jessie said, looking down at the sidewalk.

Sarah looked a little ashamed of herself. “I didn't mean to snap at you,” she said as she pulled her purple coat more tightly around her shoulders. “I'm just in such a hurry. You must excuse me.”

Before Jessie could say another word, Sarah turned and walked quickly away. Jessie stared after her. Sarah's long dark hair blew in the wind. Her hair and her purple coat seemed to float around her body as she moved down the street. “She looks just like a dancer,” Jessie said aloud.

Suddenly, a big gust of wind blew a pile of yellow leaves from the trees. Jessie shivered and buttoned her red jacket before she, too, hurried home.

“Violet, you'll never guess what I saw!” Jessie exclaimed to her ten-year-old sister when she burst into her house.

Jessie was so excited, she let the front door bang behind her, which was unusual. Jessie never banged doors.

Violet looked up from the picture she was drawing of Watch, the family dog. “What?” she asked as she stretched her legs.

“Well, the Community Playhouse is putting on
The Wizard of Oz.
”
Jessie sank into her grandfather's overstuffed armchair. “I really want to try out for the part of Dorothy.”

Watch ran to Jessie wagging his tail. “Oh, Watch,” Jessie said, laughing. She patted Watch's soft fur. “I didn't mean to interrupt your portrait.”

“He wasn't sitting still anyway.” Violet shook her head and pretended to give Watch a cross look.

The front door opened again, and in came the girls' grandfather with their elder brother, Henry. Watch bounded over to Henry.

“Oh, Watch, can't you see my hands are full?” Henry, who was fourteen, laughed and nudged Watch with his foot. Henry and Grandfather were each carrying several logs of wood.

“Oh, good, you're building a fire,” Jessie said. “It will be cozy on a night like this.”

“It sure will.” Benny came into the living room from the kitchen. He held a half-eaten chocolate chip cookie in his hand.

“These cookies just came out of the oven,” Benny said proudly. “I helped Mrs. McGregor make them.” Mrs. McGregor was the Alden's housekeeper.

“Oh, Benny, don't spoil your appetite before dinner.” Jessie tried to sound stern, but she couldn't help smiling at her six-year-old brother. He always seemed to be eating.

“Nothing could spoil Benny's appetite,” Henry said. He crouched by the fireplace and lit the logs with a match. Soon a small fire blazed merrily.

The four Alden children looked happily around their big cozy living room, while the firelight flickered on the walls. They hadn't always lived with their Grandfather. In fact, after their parents died, they did not even want to meet him because they'd heard he was a mean man. They laugh about that now because nothing could be further from the truth.

When Grandfather found his grandchildren, they had been living by themselves in an old abandoned boxcar in the woods. It was a happy day for the family when he brought them all to live with him in his big wonderful house in Greenfield. He even moved the boxcar to his backyard, so his grandchildren could play in it whenever they wanted.

“Jessie has some exciting news,” Violet announced to her family. “She's trying out for a big part in
The Wizard of Oz
.”

“Oh, Jessie, that's wonderful.” Grandfather came over to put his arm around his granddaughter. “I read about the play in the paper.”

“I have some exciting news, too,” Benny said. He wiped cookie crumbs onto his blue pants. “Soo Lee is coming to dinner with Joe and Alice.”

Jessie beamed. “Oh, good! We haven't seen them in a long time.”

Benny nodded. “I wonder if Soo Lee knows the story of
The Wizard of Oz
?”

“If she doesn't, I'm sure she'd like to hear it, Benny.” Grandfather chuckled. He knew Benny had a special fondness for his seven-year-old cousin.

“Alice told me Soo Lee is reading everything she can in English, and she's asking lots of questions,” Jessie said.

Benny grinned. He remembered how shy Soo Lee had been when he first met her at the airport not too long ago. The children's cousins, Joe and Alice, had adopted Soo Lee from Korea.

When the doorbell rang, Benny was the first to answer. Joe swept him up in a big bear hug. Alice kissed each of her cousins in turn. Benny took Soo Lee by the hand and led her into the dining room.

At dinner, the Aldens ate roast chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, and salad. No one could stop talking about the play. “I could help you learn your lines, Jessie,” Mrs. McGregor said as she put a bowl of cranberry sauce by Joe's elbow.

Jessie gave Mrs. McGregor a grateful look. “That would be wonderful,” she told her. “I'm planning to go pick up the script tomorrow. The auditions will be held in two days.”

“The what?” Benny asked.

“That's when you go and try out for the part you want,” Henry explained to Benny.

Jessie nodded. “I really need to practice,” she said. “I met someone today who wants the same part I do.” Jessie told her family about the girl who rushed away as soon as Jessie started asking her about the play. “The strange thing is Sarah did not seem to be in a hurry until I started talking to her.” Jessie finished her story and took a drink of water.

“It sounds like she didn't want you to ask her any questions,” Henry pointed out.

“But why not?” Jessie asked.

“Jessie, not to change the subject,” Grandfather said, “but maybe you should tell Soo Lee a little about Dorothy.”

Jessie nodded. “Dorothy,” she began, “is a little girl from Kansas who gets swept away to the land of Oz in a tornado.”

“Her dog, Toto, goes with her,” Benny chimed in.

Soo Lee nodded. “I know that story, Jessie. I saw the movie.” Soo Lee looked at Jessie with her big brown eyes. “I think you'll be a very good Dorothy.”

Alice laughed. “Soo Lee loved the part where Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion and the Tinman.”

“But I didn't like the Wicked Witch of the West at all.” Soo Lee shook her head. “I'm glad you don't want that part.”

Benny pushed his peas to one side of his plate. He seemed deep in thought. “Jessie,” he finally said, “do you think Watch could try out for the part of Toto?”

Everyone laughed. “I don't see why not,” Joe finally answered. He stopped laughing and wiped his eyes with his napkin. “Watch is well trained, and he would have no trouble following Jessie around.”

“If Watch can get a part, maybe the rest of us should, too,” Henry said. “I don't think I want to act, but I could build scenery or help with the lighting.”

“And I could make costumes.” Violet's eyes glowed. She loved to sew.

“Could I do something?” Soo Lee looked at Jessie. “I'd like to.”

“You could help paint the scenery, Soo Lee,” Jessie said returning Soo Lee's smile.

Benny swallowed his peas with some effort. “I could train Watch for his part,” he volunteered.

“Benny, there's a lot you could do,” Henry said. “They probably need several people to help with scenery in a play like that.”

“Well, it's all settled then,” Violet said. “When you go for your audition, Jessie, we're all coming with you.”

CHAPTER 2

Auditions

T
he day of the auditions was clear and cold. Jessie woke up feeling so nervous she could barely fasten the buttons on her polka-dot blouse. Violet came to her rescue.

“Jessie, it's not like you to be so jumpy. You're going to be fine,” Violet assured her sister.

Jessie sighed. “I hope so. I think I'll feel better once we're there.”

Alice dropped Soo Lee off at the Aldens' just as they were finishing their breakfast. “Good luck, Jessie,” she called. “I wish I could come to the auditions, too, but I told Joe I'd help him paint the porch steps.”

As they were ready to leave, Mrs. McGregor came out of the kitchen to give Jessie a hug. “I'll be rooting for you,” she said. Watch barked and thumped his tail on the floor. “And, as you can see, so will Watch.”

Jessie managed a smile.

“Break a leg, Jessie,” Grandfather called from his armchair as the children headed out the door.

“Grandfather, what do you mean?” Benny gave his grandfather a puzzled look.

“Don't worry, Benny. ‘Break a leg' is just another way of saying good luck. Actors often use that expression.” Grandfather waved good-bye.

The Community Playhouse theater was a fifteen-minute walk from the house. Soon the children could see the fancy brick building in the distance. A large park encircled the building.

The children crossed the lawn in front of the theater. They passed big flower beds filled with orange and yellow chrysanthemums, now a little faded from the cold. Stone benches were placed underneath tall oak trees.

“It's pretty here,” Soo Lee said, looking all around her.

Soo Lee had never seen the community park and theater before. She lived with Joe and Alice in a town not far from Greenfield.

“Well, we're here.” Violet gazed up at the large building. Henry opened the heavy oak door, and the children entered a big lobby. People clutching scripts milled around the room.

A woman was seated behind a long table. She had several long sheets of paper on the table in front of her. “Please sign here for the part you're trying out for,” she told the children. “The auditions will begin in half an hour in room 222 upstairs.”

“Hey, look,” Benny nudged Violet. “Why is that man in a costume already?”

Indeed, a man with a tin helmet covering his head headed up the stairs. He wore a metal barrel around his body and silver tights on his legs and arms.