In the first book of Ludwig Bemelman’s MADELINE series, the young heroine is rushed to the hospital with appendicitis.

Madie Buckles, one of the two girls alternating in the role of Madeline, noticed her right side hurting during rehearsal at DCT one night in October, and she learned the hard way how life can imitate art.

When the young actress told us about it, she even quoted from the book, “The doctor said, ‘It’s her appendix!’,” she said in the French accent she learned for the show. “Not really, he just said it was appendicitis.”

Though in the book, Madeline was in the hospital for “about 20 days – a long time,” according to Madie, “I was lucky to get out in 3 days.” Upon her return to rehersal after her operation, Madie was greeted by yellow daisies from all her castmates.