The Lunar Chronicles: Acting AU

Chapter one: Cress POV

I hate singing in front of people. I love to sing, I just hate to do it with an audience. My sister thinks that's stupid because I have an amazing voice. So, as you can imagine, I wasn't all that surprised when she asked me to do the musical with her. I guess I'll start from there in my epic story of how I got involved in the school musical, found my passion, and met my best friends and boyfriend.  

                                                                                                   ....

My sister, Iris, was obsessed with the school musical this year. It was a crossover play of the fairy tales Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White and Rapunzel. Beauty and the Beast and Little Red riding Hood were being crossed over so that it was one Little Red/Belle and Wolf/The Beast.  My sister was definitely aiming to get Rapunzel.  

"Cress, you have to do the musical!" She complained. 

"Why?" 

"Because you have an amazing voice. And your crush is doing it."

"Righty then... and who is that?" I questioned, already knowing the answer. 

"Carswell Thorne obvi!" Of course, like always, she was right. I started blushing on the spot and knowing that he was doing it... I had to do it. 

"Fine. I'll do it. But if I get a really big part you're helping me memorize. And no complaining when I get Rapunzel!" I yelled, rushing into my bedroom to get dressed for the day. 

                                                                                   ...

I met Pearl, my friend (I guess) at school. She started gossiping all about her step sister, Cinder and how stupid she was and how her sister Peony was head over heels in love with Kai, the prince of our high school. I never said this to Pearl, of course, but I honestly, really hated her and her mom. She kind of just scared me into being friends with her.

We parted ways soon after that though because I had PE first and she had ELA. Ugh, PE. I HATE PE the only reason I kind of  like it is because Carswell Thorne was in it. Oh, he was hot.  

As I was drooling over Carswell, our teacher made an announcement that all of the kids auditioning for the play should make their way to the auditorium immediately. I had a brief debate with myself over whether I should do it or not, but I quickly decided that I would do it. It's not like I would get a good part and Carswell was doing it, so...

When I got to the auditorium I saw a few girls practicing their runs and annunciation. I decided to do the same. I was working on my runs when a girl with dark hair and a couple scars on her face came up to me. 

"You're a good singer," was all she said. 

"Thank you. I'm Cress," I replied. 

"What a pretty name. I'm Winter. My boyfriend is over there. His name in Jacin. Would you like to prepare for the audition with us?"

"Thank you, Winter. I would love to prepare with you." 

I followed Winter over to Jacin, made a quick introduction to Jacin, and quickly proceeded to work on my runs. Winter was doing lip trills, which I love, so I copied her idea.  We continued working on exercises when the casting director first spoke. 

"Students of Lunar High who are auditioning for the play, listen up! I am going to call you one by one to come up to the stage and do whatever song you would like and any monologue you would like. The song does not have to be from the musical, but I highly suggest it is in the vocal range of the character you audition for.  First up, CINDER!" the director called. 

A tan girl with brown hair entered the stage. She had a prosthetic foot and hand that were cool. I recognize her as Pearl's step sister.  She was doing a monologue from The Wizard of Oz.

"Hi, my name is Cinder Linh and I'm 5'8". I am auditioning for either the role of Little Red or Cinderella.

"But it wasn't a dream. It was a place. And you, and you, and you, and you were all there. But you couldn't have been, could you? No Aunt Em, it was a real, truly live place. I remember some of it wasn't very nice, but most of it was beautiful, but just the same all I kept telling everyone was 'I just want to go home'. And they sent me home, they sent me home! Doesn't anybody believe me? Anyway Toto, we're home... home... and this is my room and you are all here and I'm not ever going to leave you ever again because I love you all. And oh Auntie Em, there's no place like home!" she did the monologue beautifully. She added a tiny spark of curiosity and genuine love into it. There was no way she wasn't getting a leading role unless she had a terrible voice, which I doubt she does. 

"Very well done, very well done. Miss Linh, what song will you be preforming?" the director asked, clapping his hands for the performer. 

"I will being singing the song How Lovely to Be a Woman from Bye Bye Birdie the musical." 

After Cinder about twenty other girls went including Iris, Winter and a girl named Scarlet who was really good. We then took a brief break from auditions and just talked. I was talking with Winter when Scarlet, the good singer from earlier bumped into Winter. 

"You were really good up there!" Winter told her after they sorted out the bonking into one another mess.

Scarlet turned so red it looked like her whole face was covered in her vibrant hair. "Thank you. You were also really good. I think you are going to get Snow White." 

"Thank you, Scarlet friend! It was really nice meeting you!" 

"Scarlet friend? Okay... bye." Scarlet said before running off. 

The break was soon over and the director called the next person up. 

"Crescent Moon Darnel? Miss Darnel please come to the stage" the director called. 

I was up next. Shoot. There was no way I would get a good role and was such a terrible singer that everyone would just laugh, but still, for some reason, I did it. I fumbled up to the stage and slated. 

"Hi, my name is Crescent Moon Darnel, I'm 16 years old and I'm 5 feet tall. I am auditioning for the role of Rapunzel. For my monologue I will be preforming Luisa from the Fantasticks' monologue. 

"This morning a bird woke me! It was a lark... or a peacock, something like that. So I said hello. And it vanished, flew away the very moment I said hello! So do you know what I did? I brushed my hair two hundred times without stopping. And as I was brushing it, my hair turned mauve. No, honestly! Mauve! Then red; and then some sort of deep blue when the sun hit it... I'm sixteen years old and everyday something happens to me! When I get up in the morning and get dressed, I can tell, something is different. I like to touch my eyelids because they're never quite the same. Oh, oh, oh! I hug myself 'till my arms turn blue, then I close my eyes and cry and cry until I can taste my tears. I love to taste my tears. I am special. I am special! Please, god, please, don't let me be normal!" 

"Awesome job. Now can you please tell me what song you are singing and sing for me." he said in a bored tone. I tried not to take offense. 

"I am going to sing Think Of Me from The Phantom of the Opera." 

I sang my heart out. I was working on my volume all of today and I think I finally mastered it given the look on everyone's faces. They were all gaping and I couldn't help but smile. 

"Miss Darnel... that was... quite incredible. You are an extremely skilled vocalist" the director said. 

Sorry for the cringe in the story.