Hallucinating Marilyn

Let me start by saying that I was thrilled to see Thorsten Kaye’s name pop up in the credits. The soap lover in me yelled “ZACH!”

Last week: Karen was a sexy Marilyn to get information for her boyfriend. Ivy confronted Derek and we found out Sam is gay. Michael decides he wants Julia, pursues her and then kisses her in front of her son. Who Tom had to have his date bail out of prison.

This week: Ivy sings to herself as she gets ready for the day. Her voice cracks though, worrying her. She ignores it and goes to rehearsal. There, the chorus friends try to help Karen put her script in order with all the changes that keep happening. In rehearsal, Ivy’s voice continues to crack, which everyone notices. The creatives insist that she goes to see her doctor and end rehearsal. Everyone leaves except Karen, who accidentally spills things from her bag. She overhears the creatives expressing concern about Ivy’s voice and the workshop. They wonder if they should replace Ivy with Karen.

Ivy meanwhile gets diagnosed with throat inflammation. Her doctor prescribes prednisone. That is a drug I know well. I swear I get prescribed it at least once a year. It’s a heavy-duty medical steroid. Tom reveals that Ivy is hypersensitive to pills. Which is something that probably should’ve been shared with her doctor. He may have found an alternative. Anyway, she returns to rehearsal, ready to sing while Karen is freaking out over a $300 and something credit card bill. The chorus friends are surprised it’s so low. But one—Jessica—decides to help out. She had taken a bar mitzvah for Ivy but has booked studio time. Karen takes it for the pay check.

All through this, Michael has been stalking Julia. He says he can’t eat, can’t sleep since their kiss. Julia’s nerves aren’t so great either. She even burnt the pancakes she tried to make Leo that morning! Not that she’s the family cook, according to both Leo and Frank—who is back! Hi, Brian d’Arcy-James! Julia is glad to see him while Leo keeps staring at her in a way I think is supposed to be “I know something but I can’t tell you I know.”

Adding to Julia’s nerves is the fact that she’s stuck on a song and some of the book. Derek is putting pressure on her and not caring about any of her home problems. Tom comes to her defense and walks away. But Julia can’t do much with Michael CONSTANTLY ANNOYING HER. I was going to hold this until my thoughts at the end of the recap but I can’t. I love me some Will Chase. I have since he carried “Lennon” with Chad Kimball and Mandy Gonzalez. And I was thrilled he was cast in this. If the show hadn’t already hooked me with “Broadway,” I would’ve signed on for him. But the way they took Michael is absolutely annoying. He’s hardly fleshed out beyond this horny guy. Why must all men be portrayed as incapable of keeping it in their pants? Tell me, media!

More on Michael later. Unfortunately.

We’ll continue with Karen’s story for the rest of the episode. Dev asks her if she’s ever done a Bar Mitzvah before and we learned she hasn’t. But she used to do weddings all the time in Iowa. She figured it isn’t too different. And for those who saw hijinks coming from the moment Jessica gave Karen the piece of paper, you got ‘em. She says she had to walk from the LIRR station, which is surprising. I don’t know if it’s the same as a Metro North station, because those are crawling with taxis. So, she’s late. And doesn’t know the name of the guest of honor. Nor the words to “Hava Nagila.” I guess none of those Iowa weddings were Jewish ones. She is constantly attached to her phone but then sings “Shake It Out” which seems to get the kids excited. At the end, a partygoer gives her his card.

The next day, Karen learns the card belongs to record mogul and calls him at Jessica’s urging. Ivy learns that Karen took her gig and is pissed. She moans to Sam about regretting not getting Karen fired on her first day. He just kisses her cheek.

Now, why was Karen attached to her cell phone at the bar mitzvah? Because Tom was texting her that she might have to step in for Ivy as Marilyn. One possible side effect of prednisone is apparently hallucinations. The only one I’ve ever had was nausea and only because I didn’t realize it was a “take with food or milk” medicine when I was first prescribed it. But Ivy is “hypersensitive to pills” and so she suffers hallucinations. Which include her singing a song as the editing resembles a YouTube music video. It ends with her seeing Karen dressed as Marilyn in her mirror. Who then taunts Ivy.

Upset, Ivy texted both Tom and Sam. Her knights in rainbow armor came running. Especially Tom, who was meeting Lawyer John’s pretentious friends. Who tell Tom that he just came out to his mom the previous year. This sends up a little red flag in Tom’s brain, but he pushes it aside to care for Ivy and fight with Sam. Anyone else thinking the show is setting up a possible relationship between these two?

At rehearsals, Derek asks how her voice is doing. With disdain, Ivy tells him that it is well. She then adds that she’s fine thank to Tom and Sam, who care about her. In rehearsal, she and Michael practice “History is Made at Night.” At one point, Ivy falls and everyone shares a laugh. Except Derek, who asks for some professionalism. Upset, Ivy finally lays into him. She calls him out for his harsh methods and how he is the worst boyfriend ever. She storms out and Tom follows her. They share a laugh and Ivy seems freer.

Julia seems freer as well. After all of Michael’s incessant calls, he tries her house. He gets Frank, who is friendly with the man as well. Frank passes the phone to his wife. Michael pleads with her to meet him at the rehearsal studio. She resists until she finds she can’t focus. Julia tells Frank she’s going for a walk and walks all the way from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Michael has gotten the janitor to open the space for them. They talk and Michael’s character goes down in flames. While Julia cares for her spouse and child, Michael doesn’t. What happened to the guy who was willing to pass on his dream role so his son didn’t have to go into daycare? Anyway, Debra Messing and Will Chase take off their shirts, I got busy staring at Will’s muscles and somehow they end up making out on the couch.

In a five second or so seen last week, Eileen’s assistant quit. And who happened to stop by? Ellis the Rat! He offers to help her with a problem and somehow they become BFFs. This week, he’s helping her pick out a new apartment. He has a friend who works for a realtor and he shows them an apartment that’s about to go on the market. It has a gorgeous view of Manhattan and is very spacious. But Eileen is looking for something cheaper. Ellis and his friend decide to bring her to their favorite bar where Eileen is thrilled to get a Manhattan for $7. Sadly, Jerry is not around for her to toss it in his face. But she finds fun in a hunting game.

Later, she meets a possible investor there. He agrees to come to the workshop and Eileen celebrates with drinks. She catches the eye of Thorsten Kaye (HI ZACH!) and tells him to pour a drink for himself. They have a Significant Look before Eileen teaches her friend how to play the hunting game.

I’d add more, but I don’t think there’s anything more to say. Except that “History is Made at Night”
reminds me of another song, but I can’t figure out which one. Help?

Playbill's Recap