Curtain Call

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

       Ever since I got a part in the play, I notice how school feels like it's going by even slower than normal. I'm always too excited to just get to the theatre for rehearsals. I thought that I was going to be an anxious wreck doing rehearsals since I never really like standing out, but thankfully that's not the case. No one's judging anyone there. We're all there because we want to be there.

       Since we did a cold read through last rehearsal, we're actually going to get to work now. And by that, I mean we're focusing on the songs. The numbers are going to take the most practice, so it's important to get started on that as soon as possible.

       The moment three o'clock rolls around, Ms. Salazar says, "Alright, it's time to begin rehearsal. Since we're going to be focusing on the musical numbers today, let's start off with a few vocal exercises before diving into Summer Nights."

       We do exactly that, running through some vocal warm ups to make sure we're ready for all the singing we're going to be doing today. Okay, so even though I haven't really been anxious through rehearsals, the singing is the one thing I feel like I'm going to be nervous about. It's the one thing I've never really done in front of people.

       And we're going to be starting off with a song where my voice won't be drowned out by everyone else. I just have to keep telling myself that I was chosen for this role for a reason. Well, that reason might be mainly because Anita scared everyone else out of auditioning for Sandy but either way, Ms. Salazar wouldn't have casted me if she didn't think I can do it.

       Once we're done with the vocal warm ups, Ms. Salazar gets Jerome's best friend, Brandon, to sit at the piano to play us Summer Nights since he's one of the cast members that can play the piano. Quite a few can, but Ms. Salazar normally gets Brandon to do it. It gives him something to do so he doesn't end up starting a fight with someone.

       Most of the time, it's Jerome he starts a fight with, mainly as a best friend thing. Sort of like a sibling thing, which I definitely understand with all the siblings I have.

       Before we get started, Ms. Salazar says, "This is the first time we're running it through, so I don't expect it be perfect. Just try your best and don't worry too much if you mess up. It happens, and we'll just keep working on it."

       That settles my nerves a tiny bit. I don't know why I expected myself to get anything perfect on the first try. That doesn't really happen in theatre. It's the whole reason why rehearsals exist.

       Another thing that settles my nerve is that I'm not the first person to sing. It's Jerome, and sure I have a line right after his first one, but it's something that helps. And with this song, most of it is me just singing one line at a time. In other words, this is definitely the perfect song for me to get used to singing in front of people.

       Brandon starts playing Summer Nights on the piano and after a few notes, it's time for Jerome's first line, and then mine. I don't even have to wait for the feedback to know I'm starting off a bit too quiet. I can't help it, though. The nerves just take over.

       However, I can tell no one's paying too much attention to me. They're either focusing on their own sheet music or on the script if they're not in this song. So as the song goes along, I find more confidence to sing as loud as everyone else. In the end, I'm having a lot of fun. I can only imagine how fun it's going to be when we're actually on stage with all the sets and props while being in costume.

       I definitely regret not auditioning earlier. This is so fun.

       The song ends and Ms. Salazar applauds. "That was a great first run. I just knew Jerome and Nolan's voices would go together so well. Nolan, you were a bit quiet at first but I'm certain it was just nerves since you did get louder later. Make sure your volume matches Jerome's the whole time, and you do need to be louder than the chorus."

       I nod at the feedback. At least she didn't tell me I suck. I mean, not that she would but my anxiety was telling me otherwise.

       After Ms. Salazar gives feedback to everyone else, we run the song one more time. I make sure I use all the feedback I got and sure enough, I'm feeling a lot more confident with my singing. But then when the song ends, I remember that I have a solo so the confidence goes down a bit.

       We move onto the next song, then the next, then the next. However, we actually skip the solos for now. Ms. Salazar thinks it will be a lot more effective if we just work on songs and scenes with more than one person for now to make sure we get the most out of the early rehearsals. She just tells me, Jerome, and Orchid to make sure we work on our solos on our own time so we'll be ready to run it by the time we get to blocking them in rehearsals.

       Ms. Salazar lets us take a short break to let us rest from all the singing before we continue. Some people leave the auditorium for their break, but I'm too lazy to get up so I'm staying here.

       "I wish I had a solo," Ryder says, flipping through his script. 

       "Well, maybe you should have auditioned for someone who has a solo," Orchid says.

       "I did," Ryder says. "I auditioned for Danny but no, I couldn't get the role because my brother is Sandy."

       "And because I'm clearly the better Danny," Jerome speaks up since he would hear the conversation from where he's sitting beside me.

       "That's debatable," Ryder says.

       "I don't know," Orchid says. "I can see Jerome as Danny. I can't really see you as Danny. You're more like a Eugene, you nerd. And I'm still sad you didn't get Eugene. I was prepared to laugh at you."

       "Ha ha," Ryder mocks.

       "Yeah, I can see you as a Eugene," Jerome says.

       "Stay out of it," Ryder says. "This is a sibling ordeal."

       "Yes, and I'm dating your brother, so I'm technically involved," Jerome says.

       "W-wait, you're what?" I ask, even though I know he's talking about how our characters end up together in the play. You know, because they're the main characters.

       Jerome just smiles at me innocently. I have to admit, out of all the people who can possibly play Danny, I'm glad it's Jerome. He's easy to get along with, even when he tries to clearly pester me. It helps that he's attractive, but I'm still not going to admit that out loud to anyone. That secret's going to die with me.

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i promise we're going to get more jerome and nolan interactions soon, and the whole book isn't going to just be them rehearsing. there's going to be A LOT more stuff going on.

(i also already decided that this will get a sequel, just with a different play)(i'm still trying to figure out what play though)