“Really?” Reese’s eyes widened in surprise. She had just hoped to avoid any criticism, so hearing praise was a nice surprise.

Wendy nodded, her smile friendly. “An actor’s biggest success is to captivate their audience, and that’s also the hardest part. You did that today. You were great.”

Reese, still remembering Bianca’s warning about Wendy’s harsh words, was shocked by her kind tone. She was speechless.

“You really understood your role and chose a theme that resonates ...