Urban

Acting Up - Female Role - Intro

Added 2024-07-16 13:53:15 +0000 UTC

The Master of Ceremony, a young woman dressed in an elegant gown, was waiting for the signal to start. The tinny voice in her earpiece began the countdown.

"Three, two, one,..... we're live!"

"Welcome back to the 110th Independent Film Producers Guild Awards. Our next award is for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

The nominees have all been named, and you have been shown a brief clip of their performances, so without further ado, I'll open the envelope: The Winner is... Leigh Wilson!"

Female off-screen announcer:

"Ms. Wilson has been nominated three times for Best Actress in a Leading Role. This is her first win. Ms. Wilson's gown is by 'Cynthia' and her jewelry, reportedly worth nearly a half million dollars, is 'Jewels by Fred'." A tall, attractive woman in her late-40's stands to thunderous applause.

Her win obviously has the approval of the audience, as well as the other nominees. She walked briskly to the stage and up the three steps to the stage microphone.

The presenter grins widely as Leigh accepts the award, a miniature gold-plated copy of Rodin's "The Thinker" sitting on a stack of film canisters.

Leigh takes a brief second to catch her breath and to admire the award. Smiling, she waits a moment as the presenter adjusts the microphone a little higher, for even in low heels, Leigh is about three inches taller than the presenter. She begins speaking in her trademark husky, yet feminine voice.

"Wow, how about that! I am extremely honored, not only just to have been nominated, but to have actually been selected for this award..."

She paused, shaking her head slightly as she admired the award again. Her smile faded, and she lowered it to her side.

"As much as I am honored, I do not deserve recognition for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Give it to whoever received the next highest number of votes." She motions to one of the presenters to take the award.

The audience emits a stunned gasp as she relinquishes the award. "Please let me explain, and then you will see why I cannot and will not accept this. But before I give you the explanation, I'd like to introduce my family who has supported me throughout my career.

This is as much their story as it is mine."

Looking toward the seating area she had just vacated; she motions to four individuals to join her on the stage The first to join Ms. Wilson is a woman tastefully dressed in a man-tailored tuxedo with a red carnation in her lapel.

Standing next to Ms. Wilson, she is nearly as tall as Ms. Wilson and appears to be slightly younger. Unlike the actress, she is smiling broadly.

Next to arrive are two tall, very attractive twin girls in their mid-teens. Blonde like the woman in the tuxedo, they are obviously related to her. The last person up is a handsome young man about twenty wearing a tuxedo with a white carnation in his lapel.

He is well built, obviously someone who takes care of himself. He is wearing a short beard and mustache, which adds to his rugged handsomeness. He also appears to be related to the woman in the tuxedo although he is slightly shorter than her. Female off-screen announcer:

"Standing next to Ms. Wilson is her long-time business partner and manager Ms. Nikki Williamson. The twin girls and the young man are Ms. William's children by a previous marriage."

Leigh Wilson looks around at the group around her, nods, and receives encouraging smiles, turns and faces the audience.

"In order to understand why I cannot accept this award, it's necessary to tell you a little story about a struggling actor named Terry Allen. Married for just under two years, he was desperate to prove himself as an actor. Fortunately, he had a strong supporter in his wife."

Leigh glances at the woman in the tuxedo, smiles warmly as a silent message passes between them, then continues. "After years of struggling, Terry finally got the big break he'd been working for.

He was working as an extra, a spear-carrying 'medieval soldier' in an off-Broadway Shakespearian production at the time.

The play had run for almost a year, and while the money wasn't great, it paid the bills... mostly. Like most struggling actors, Terry went to every audition he could, even for those parts he knew he could never get.

The story was usually the same, 'you're too young, or too old, or you're too skinny, we're looking for a bodybuilder type.

Or the cruelest excuse of them all, "You're too pretty for the male part'!"

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS EARLIER.

Terry was exhausted, the wrap party held after the last performance of the Shakespearian play had started after the last curtain call and lasted almost to Noon. Terry had snuck out around 10 AM to go around the block for an audition for a part in a play that was scheduled to open 6 months later. He didn't know what it was about or even what the title would be.

All he knew or cared about, was that it was a potential role. In spite of his enthusiasm, he wasn't sure that they would even let him in the door. He'd heard that they were looking for "clean-cut" actors for the production.

Still wearing the beard and long hair he'd grown for the spear-carrying extra, he hurried to the theater. His studio stills would have to do to prove he was "clean cut" in spite of his current appearance.

It was nearly 8 hours after he had left the wrap party when he returned to the small apartment he shared with his wife Nikki.

Nikki was home from her job at her grandfather's law office before Terry arrived. Nikki was becoming worried; Terry was usually home long before she was. She was relieved when the door opened and Terry came into their apartment.

"I got a part in the new play!" Terry announced excitedly as Nikki greeted him at the door.

"You did? That's wonderful!" Nikki exclaimed as she threw her arms around her husband's neck.

She recoiled slightly at the strong smell of liquor on his breath. "What is it?" Terry looked a little embarrassed.

"Uh, I'm not sure.

"You're not sure?" Terry shook his head, sending his long, shoulder-length hair flying. "It was the strangest audition I've ever been to. I read two lines of dialog, and then just sat while they studied my stills. We had a bunch of drinks and, the producer, at least I think it was the producer, told me that I was hired, and had me sign a contract."

Nikki stepped back and studied her husband for a second. "You signed a contract? Without me there to go over it first? Did you even read it?"

He shook his head. "You know I don't drink much, by the time the contract was placed in front of me, I was pretty well looped. I just signed where they indicated."

"I'd say you're still looped! How did you even get home like this?" "I think it was in the producer's limo." Terry looked slightly bewildered. "I'm not really sure. I think my car is still at the theater."

"I'd better take a look at the contract while you drink a lot of coffee to sober up." Nikki sighed. "Hopefully they didn't screw you too badly."

Terry dug the rather wrinkled document out of his jacket pocket. Nikki took it, sat down at the kitchen table and began going through the contract carefully line by line. About halfway through she looked up at her husband in disbelief.

"According to this you don't have just a part, you've got the LEAD! And, they're going to pay you a thousand a week during rehearsals, and three thousand per performance when the play opens."

Nikki read a little further. "Wow, they're even offering you full medical and dental coverage. If I'm reading this correctly it will continue for a full year after the play closes."

Terry looked up in astonishment. "The lead! I don't even know the name of the play!" His wife glanced at the contract again. "It's..... oookay....." The last word was drawn out in a stunned tone of voice, "Well, what is it?" "You're not going to believe this! The name of the play is... May I have a drum roll please?" "Very funny, what's the name?"

"ELLIANA!" "Elliana? That's the name of the play? Who do I play?" "It's whom dear. I just told you, you have the lead, you're going to be Elliana," Nikki giggled. "A girl?" Terry looked stunned. "Well, it's not just any girl, or woman in this case. If this is the Elliana I think it is... Well, let's just say, it's going to be an interesting role for you."

"Okay, I'll bite, who do you think it is?"

"I think that it's Elliana Whitestone." "That name's familiar, who is she?" "She was a transgendered woman, who just happened to be the Governor for the State of...."

Nikki's explanation was interrupted by the doorbell. Terry went to the door where a messenger was waiting with a large manila envelope about three inches thick. He signed for it, gave the man a tip, and returned to the kitchen. He sat down and opened the envelope.

"What is it?" "It's a draft copy of the script and a trade publication paperback of Elliana Whitestone's biography." Terry hefted the paperback. "About 300 pages worth of biography I'd guess."

"Terry, why don't you go to bed? You look exhausted. I'll look over the script and start on the biography."

Nikki was still reading the biography five hours later when Terry emerged from the bedroom, yawning. "Still at it?" He asked, scratching his rear through his underwear.

"I think I need a couple of aspirins. Is there anything to eat? I'm starving." Nikki glanced up and nodded toward the small kitchen. "Aspirins are in the cupboard near the sink. You'll have to warm up some leftovers, dear. I got so engrossed in the bio that I didn't fix anything."

Wordlessly, Terry headed toward the kitchen, while Nikki resumed reading. Twenty minutes later, Terry returned to the living room with two ham and cheese sandwiches on paper plates and a couple bottles of beer. He gave Nikki one of the sandwiches and a bottle of beer.

Nikki sighed and put the book down. "Thank you! I was getting hungry myself." "Must be interesting for you to forget to eat," Terry chuckled.

"It is one of the most fascinating stories I've ever read. I learned things about Elliana that I didn't know." "And the script? Did you get a chance to read it as well?"

"I did. I'm not a professional critic, but my first impression is that it's a terrific play. From what I've read of the bio so far, it's very close to reality.

The play covers the period between when she had her sex change surgery and the end of her first term in office." Nikki looked up at her husband. "We're going to have a lot of fun with this. However,..."

"However, what?" "Let me put it this way. How do you feel about wearing heels?"

"Truthfully?

I have no idea, I've never worn them before," Terry confessed. "Panties?" "Nope, at least not that I can remember.

We didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up, so, Mom may have dressed me in my older cousin's hand-me-down when I was a baby. But I have no recollection of that happening. And, to be honest, I have no desire to wear women's clothing."

"Prepare yourself for a shock, honey. In the time period portrayed in the play, Elliana had her surgery five years earlier.

In fact, she'd been living full-time as a woman for three years prior to the surgery. Wearing women's clothing was as normal for her as it is for me." "So?" "So, that means that before the play's opening, you will have to be so comfortable wearing women's clothes that you will be Elliana!"

"Meaning that I'm going to have to start wearing panties and high heels? I may live to regret ever taking method acting lessons."

Nikki caressed her husband's beard-covered cheek. "Eventually bras too. But before we start dressing you in skirts and dresses and teaching you how to be a woman, you'll need to shave,"

"No beard? Oh, woe is me!

What a terrible sacrifice it will be." Terry sighed, throwing his arm over his forehead dramatically. "But I think I'll survive, just barely." Nikki giggled. "Oh, my God, I'm married to a ham!"

"You didn't realize that before?"

"Of course, I did," Nikki admitted. "But I don't think you understood what I am telling you. You need to not only shave your beard off, but most of your body hair as well. And, keep it off for the duration of the play."

"Well that sounds like a lot of fun," Terry said doubtfully.

"More like a lot of work, unless,....." Nikki said thoughtfully. "Terry, hop in the shower, then shave your beard off. I need to go to the store to pick up some things to speed up the process.'