Touched by an Angel

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Episode 411: “The Comeback”

Episode 411: “The Comeback”
Original Air Date: November 23, 1997
Written by: Kenny Solms
Directed by: Sandor Stern
Produced by:

Martha Williamson
Jon Andersen
R.J. Visciglia, Jr.

Guest Cast:
Lillian Carol Burnett 
Allison Carrie  Carrie Hamilton
Amanda Rita Moreno
Freddy Tim Conway 
Flashback Lillian  Jode Leigh Edwards 
Flashback Amanda  Michele Maika 
Herself Carol Channing 
Himself Al Hirschfeld 

Thirty years after suffering stage fright during her Broadway opening, Lillian Bennett returns to Broadway to discourage her daughter from following in her footsteps.  Arriving just in time to attend her daughter’s audition, Lillian sees her old understudy, Amanda Revere, who has now become the famed diva she once dreamed of becoming herself.  Monica arrives to audition for a supporting role and miraculously wins the role while Allison becomes her understudy.

After Monica falls ill with a cold, Allison takes her place and Amanda takes an interest in her.  When Lillian and Amanda finally meet in the presence of Allison, she demands an explanation.  Lillian explains how she received yellow roses every night after rehearsal until the opening night when her “lucky” roses didn’t come.  Convinced she was doomed to fail, she stared into the prompter’s box and froze, as Amanda had told her she would.  Allison thinks her mother is jealous and doesn’t realize why she can’t just be happy for her.  With the orchestra warming up, Lillian carries a “lucky” yellow rose as she meets Freddy, the stage manager who knew both she and Amanda from years before.  Freddy tells Lillian Amanda was the one who sent her flowers after every rehearsal.

Realizing that her superstition was used against her by Amanda, Lillian confronts her and warns her against hurting Allison.  As Amanda screams at her to get out, she loses her voice.  Monica then reveals herself to Amanda, telling her that God wants her to help Lillian to finally shine.  Meanwhile, Tess finds Lillian at the train station and tells her to stop believing in luck and help her daughter.  Returning to the theatre, Lillian is met by an apologetic Amanda.  Amanda then pushes Lillian onto the stage to face the fears that defeated her years before.  Initially stumbling, Lillian finds her courage and belts a rousing rendition of  “I’m still here.”  As Allison looks on with a newfound appreciation of her mother, the angels smile at another job well done.

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