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commission a new work—based on Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. “Very modern. Nobody like.” The other back-up singers, Judy and Patsy come in with their dates. Antonio sings a fable of his love for Chrissy in “An Open Door.” She sings “Maybe you can help me find an open door.” During a candlelight vigil on the steps of the Palace, the ensemble sings “God Save Our Glorious Queen. We shall lubricate her larynx with the tears we shed today”. Uncle Billy appears and introduces Sally, who outstretches her arms and says, “People of Nashville, don’t weep for me.” She collapses dramatically into Billy’s arms as Chrissy and Antonio enter. The fans clamour for Chrissy’s autograph and the reporters try to learn more about her--including who Antonio is. Skipper watches from afar seeing his love slip away. Sally sees her fans slipping away and convinces Billy to fire Chrissy. He agrees and they’re off to ease the stress of it all with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and some Twinkie’s. Clive enters to find Officer Crenshaw donning a helmet and breastplate as an undercover disguise. The outfit sets the sparks between them ablaze, they kiss hungrily and leave. The next afternoon, backstage at the Palace the ensemble is arriving, and rehearsal is about to begin. Aaron is mopping the floor as Chrissy enters and is summoned to Sally’s dressing room. Aaron warns her not to take this ‘star’ talk too seriously or she’ll end up like Sally. Skipper enters and tells Chrissy that he saw her together with Antonio the other day and he is willing to step aside. They agree to be friends and Chrissy heads for Sally’s dressing room. Billy greets Chrissy in the dressing room, says that she’s stirred up the ghost with her performance and fires her. Chrissy sees a paper cup fall from the rafters and—knowing that it’s Aaron’s—she hides it behind her back. Chrissy searches the subterranean recording studio for Aaron. She’s figured it out and threatens to expose him as the ghost. He sings of his own lost dreams of being a star performer in “Ghost Town.” She sings that she’s made her own like and can take care of herself. He replies “…close to you is someone that you’ve known before/ Funny how life brought you back to me.” Backstage at the Palace, Billy receives a fax from Mort de Soliel suggesting a movie deal for both Sally and Skipper. The fax cautions that although he enjoyed the comedy, Sally still needs to sing for the deal to work. Aaron—whose been ‘cleaning’ in the background--suggests that they have Sally lip-synch just like they did in “Singing in the Rain.” Meanwhile, Chrissy, shaken from her encounter with Aaron, meets June and Patsy in the dressing room. Skipper enters and tells her about his screen test tomorrow morning. Sally interrupts them and tells Chrissy about the lip-synching scheme: she’s gotta do it or else Sally won’t let Skipper have the screen test. Chrissy agrees to lip-synch for Sally’s audition. Sally leaves as Antonio enters dressed in an outrageous cowboy outfit and sings “Spaghetti Western.” Chrissy loves his performance, but Antonio says he tried to fit in to Chrissy’s world, but it just doesn’t work. He’s going back to Italy. The Palace stage. Skipper and Sally perform their screen test with Sally overacting grandly and Crystal groaning on every line. They begin Sally’s song; Chrissy sings from behind a banner advertising pork rind while Sally moves her lips. As the song proceeds Aaron raises the banner to expose the fraud. All hell breaks loose. Billy fires Aaron. Mort decides to reshoot the scene with Chrissy in the lead. He loves her; she’s cast! As a consolation, Sally gets to be the grandmother. They’re all off to LA tomorrow. Billy puts Clive in charge of the Palace and Clive’s first act is to rehire Chrissy. Now, she must choose between the glamour of Hollywood and the music of Nashville. Aaron appears and, trying to convince her to stay, shows her an unknown verse of “If I Could Hold You (Duet Reprise).” They sing it together, revealing that he is the father that abandoned both Chrissy and her mother long ago. Chrissy is shocked and doesn’t know how to respond. Aaron rushes off. Skipper enters ready to leave, Chrissy hesitates and then decides to stay at the Palace, singing “Somebody’s Calling Me Home—Reprise”. Chrissy goes off to find her father. The subterranean recording studio. Chrissy enters looking for Aaron but finds that he’s left. A recording of his voice explains that she’s better off without him. Chrissy joins the recording in song “Fly Away/ If I Could Hold You (Finale)”. As the song continues, we see Chrissy’s future, as she becomes a star, receives awards, and is mobbed by fans. Chrissy’s father appears among the fans and Chrissy and her father embrace as the curtain falls.

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