“A few more,” he said softly. Patiently. Despite the girl’s discomfiture. “We’re setting up some extra folding chairs.” He eyed the gathering crowd. “I was afraid of this,” he said under his breath. Then, in a louder voice announced, “Thank you all for attending. Unfortunately the crowd is greater than we anticipated.”

There was a jostling behind Kristi, and one guy said, “Are you kiddin’ me?”

“The auditorium has a maximum seating capacity according to the fire marshall and we’re at capacity.”

“What?” A girl behind Kristi was beside herself. “I’m supposed to write a paper on this production!”

“Hey, what’s the deal?” another shouted.

Father Mathias lifted his hands and lowered them as he said, “Please, everyone, accept my apologies. We can only sell ten more seats tonight, but we’re planning a repeat performance tomorrow, or possibly Friday, whenever the auditorium is available again and the actors are able to perform, so you’ll be able to see the play.”

“Tomorrow? What the fu—?”

“I work Monday nights,” another voice protested.

“This is bullshit,” an angry boy said.

“Please, please.” Father Mathias was adamant. “I’m sure we can work something out. We’re recording, and if you can’t see the live performance, it will be available in the drama department. The next performance will be posted on the campus Web site as soon as I can get things organized. Thank you, all!”

He slipped away then, leaving the hapless Angel to handle the unhappy throng. O managed to get a ticket and Kristi, too, was one of the last lucky attendees who, for five bucks, received a thin, slick playbill and entrance ticket. She walked into a small anteroom where a person actually went through the contents of her purse, as if she were attending a rock concert and bringing in contraband. “We ask that you leave your cell phone with us,” the attendant said.

“Why?”

“The problems, you wouldn’t believe.” She handed Kristi a colored claim ticket and a pen.

“It’s already turned off.”

“It’s the rules. You have to leave it. Write down your name and a land-line or e-mail address where you can be reached, just in case there’s a mix-up.”