Through the Mirror || Phantom of the Opera (Completed)

Chapter 1

Marianna Harper pressed the 'End Call' button on her cell phone, hand shaking terribly as she set it down. Could this really be happening? The call she had just received was from her agent.
Two months earlier, she had gone to an open call audition for a new production of The Phantom of the Opera. This special production, meant to honor Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and his fantastic success with the show throughout the world, was to preview at five different places around the globe for two weeks at each stop, before playing in London, where the final performance would be filmed and aired live on television, followed by a DVD release. Sir Webber had said that for this production, he was interested in looking for new faces, although everyone assumed he would cast someone familiar, like the beloved Sierra Boggess or someone else of the sort. However, that didn't stop many young dreamers from auditioning.
Marianna had just finished a run in Chicago as Kathy Selden in "Singin' in the Rain," and although she had been well received by the audience, she still found that she was having a hard time getting her name out there, which was what she needed if she ever wanted to make it big on Broadway. Once home in Denver, in need of work, she had joined the other aspiring young actresses in the Phantom auditions, singing her go-to audition song, I Have Confidence from The Sound of Music. She hadn't expected to get anything out of it, except a learning experience and perhaps an ensemble role, but when she received a callback for the role of Christine, her life seemed to drastically change overnight. The callback process lasted weeks, and one by one she saw other actresses who'd been called back be sent home, yet she always made it to the next auction. Still, she never expected to get role. After all, she was practically a nobody!
So when her agent, Rosa Wood, called to tell her she had been informed by Sir Webber himself and Marianna was now their new Christine Daaé, her shock was greater than ever. Rosa had said that Sir Webber was flying in from England to personally congratulate her and make the arrangements that day, and she was to meet him for lunch the next day. She only wondered how she would ever make it through that day! She was so excited just at the thought of being in such an iconic show. And just to think of how her career would skyrocket after this! Her performance was going to be /filmed/ and put on television! Casting directors would be clamoring for her from then on! That is... If she performed well.
She suddenly felt her stomach drop as she realized what she had gotten herself into. As a fan of the show herself, she knew how particular Phantom fans could be about the performers. If she performed well and won them over, she'd never have to struggle for a job again. But if she performed badly... It could ruin her reputation in the world of theatre forever. This performance would be a permanent mark of just how good or how bad she was.
As much as she loved performing, she had always struggled with stage fright. In the weeks before a show opened, she would always wonder how she had ever gotten the part, telling herself she wasn't good enough and didn't deserve to be there. Her undermined confidence in herself never hurt her performance, however, and once she stepped on stage she would sing her heart out, though she would still feel inadequate when it was over.
But no stage fright she had ever experienced could compare to what she was feeling now, and she had only just been given the role!
"How can I go through with this?" She murmured to herself, a gasp slipping from her lips. Her heart pounded in her chest just at the thought of what lay ahead for her. Taking a deep breath, Marianna gripped the edge of her kitchen counter and told herself not to worry. She had been personally chosen by Andrew Lloyd Webber himself out of all those talented girls who auditioned. If he believed she could do it, why shouldn't she?
When she had pushed the negative thoughts into the back of her mind, she called her parents to tell them her big news. Their excitement was nearly more than they could express, and they promised to see her at one of her stops, even if it meant traveling. Next, she opened her laptop and logged onto facebook. She immediately 'liked' the pages for Phantom of the Opera and Andrew Lloyd Webber- she wanted to be a loyal performer, after all!
She could hardly wait to share her news, but she knew it had to be confidential until it had been released officially. She also wondered who her cast members would be... But there seemed to be no info. She sighed and closed her laptop, and then her stomach grumbled, reminding her that in all the excitement, she hadn't eaten yet. She made herself a quick piece of toast and then switched on her TV, where she entertained herself with a Doctor Who marathon that was playing on BBC. She spent the day generally being lazy, knowing her real work would begin soon and wanting the day to pass as quickly as possible. At 11:00, she turned off the lights, laid down on her couch, and put on the Phantom 25th Anniversary on Netflix. She couldn't help but let out a squeal of delight during Think Of Me as she realized that soon, that would be her. She caught herself humming along, seeing how well she did, and she imagined herself on that stage.
And somewhere during The Music of the Night, she drifted off to sleep, and dreamed of the Angel of Music singing songs in her head.