Theater Cubicles

Writing & Monologues

"My name is Miss Davis. Yes, Miss. I am unmarried. I will be teaching you how to write because yes, there is a right or wrong way. Grammar. Cliches. No themes. Literary devices. The lot of you are handpicked. All of you, yes I'm making a generalization, think you're already a great writer. You've come here were drafts of novels and many ideas for future ones. Well, in my class you're going to have to put this aside."

I already didn't like the sound of this class or teacher. Yet, I loved writing, and the only way to be the best was to be challenged on the way. I wasn't going to let myself be intimidated by a Miss Davis who had chosen to wear a purple sweater in August.

Is that purple lipstick and glasses to match? Way to fit into the image of stereotypes, Miss Davis!

The overhead projector projected a picture of a young man. We only saw his backside as he looked down the side of a building. He looked as if he was contemplating whether to jump from it. 

Miss Davis instructed, "Free write! Look at this picture and narrate what this boy is thinking. This is the creative writing class. Be creative. I don't want the twenty of you turning in a paper saying how this boy is running away from officials like one of those paranormal books that seem to be so popular these days. I will be looking at this piece as a benchmark for your abilities. One thing I will not be doing in this class, though, is grading you for your writing style. We will be cultivating your personal style at the Academy. Don't want all of you graduating as Ray Bradbury's or John Steinbecks. Any person. Any tense."

I pulled out my finest mechanical pencil and started hastily scribbling away. 

—-

It was the next day and I had been waiting in the lobby for it to be my turn to say my monologue ever since 4 o'clock. It was almost 7 o'clock now and I was running purely on the chips and generic branded soda I had purchased from the vending machine. After school was over, I hadn't seem to realize that strawberry banana soda would be a displeasing combination in the mouth.

I had completed the simple homework from my regular education classes and was running through my lines over in my head. And, mind, there were a lot of lines. Everyone else had been called in one by one. They never called out Juliette. It was nerve racking. Then finally...

"Juliette, you're up. The last one I see," Nolan stated the obvious. 

"Hello. My name is Juliette and I will be sharing "Luciana's Monologue" from Act 3, Scene 2 of The Comedy of Errors...

    And may it be that you have quite forgot

    A husband's office? Shall, Antipholus,

    Even in the spring of love thy love-springs rot?" I began reciting.

—-

"Well, that was impressive. You have stellar memorization skills!" Isaac completed.

"Yes, well that concludes our auditions. Thank you," Edith stated.

Mackenzie, Kasi, and Tessa seemed to be jotting down notes in their notebooks. Whether I would be casted or not was not the problem at hand. Everybody in the class would be getting a part. Thus, notes on the casting people's part meant nothing. I was going to be unable to sleep at night because I wanted to know which part I got.

Toss and turn I did.

—-

The next morning I didn't even have breakfast. It was the third day and I was already conforming to the ways of the Academy. However, the reasoning behind it was that I was overcome by the ever present jitters. The cast list would be read out in class.

I followed Germaine and took a seat by her in the third row of the theater. We were at a safe diagonal distance from the seats of the directors. In all their hands were a list of the cast. The names on it, however, were as visible as ants on a charred log.

Nolan started the class, "The directors have decided to take three actors each to train personally on lines and character before and during group rehearsals. During class we will be in the same place but just separated into different groups. I'll start with the top three cast members which are assigned to me. Hamlet, played by Simon. Claudius, Jacob. Gertrude, Juliette."

My heart skipped a few beats. My stomach leapt. Not only had I been casted for the third main role, I was the first female lead. However, I had to contain my excitement for appearance's sake as well as Germaine's. She had her sister's shoes to fill in. But then there was the fact that I'd have to work with the arrogant leader, Nolan. He'd be a challenge to work with. I can imagine the demands he'd put on all our acting. Well, he was the best after all. We just had to hope he didn't get notified by casting agencies in the middle of our production process. We all didn't want Edith to take over. 

Speaking of the devil, she announced, "Polonius...Horatio...Ophelia: I'm going to have fun with this character!"

Germaine hadn't received the second female role. I looked over to her and she gave me her ever-perky facade of a smile. I felt bad for her and gave her a sympathetic smile in return. However, I had to admit to myself that I could only do this comfortably because I had secured a high role myself.

Mackenzie proceeded, "Laertes...Fortinbras...The Ghost, Germaine."

I air clapped at Germaine. 

Whispering I pointed out, "You're, like, in the whole first bit!"

She nodded letting me know that she knew. I was trying to be very nice about it.

Isaac read, "Rosencrantz...Guildenstern...Osric..."

Tessa continued, "Voltimand...Cornelius...Marcellus..."

And finally Kasi completed, "Bernardo...Francisco...Reynaldo... Girls we acknowledge that you may have a male role but hey, male's acted as women back in the 16th century so why can't we act as them. Am I right?"

Isaac called out, "Everybody sit in a circle on the stage. Pick up a script."

Edith cried out, "Don't lose the script! We're not printing you another."

Mackenzie stated, "We're going to have our first read through. Everybody, please read you parts with only minimal interpretation."

Once everybody settled Nolan added, "Don't work on your accents yet. That will come later."

I did a double take. Did he say accents? I was terrible at accents! I already had an imminent feeling of failure coming along. 

Bernardo started the first scene by reciting, " 'Who's there?' "

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