Wait For It | a Hamilton fanfiction | wattys 2017

Chapter 13

Opening night was finally here. Pippa was busy running around delivering opening night gifts to everyone, getting her costume on, and her makeup done. She shared a dressing room with Jazzy, Lana and Kaitlyn. There were four people to each dressing room. Obviously the Schuyler Sisters stuck together, and Pippa and Jazzy were becoming a lot closer with Kaitlyn.

Pippa had gotten Jazzy a fedora, Lana a pair of boot socks, and Kaitlyn a gray beanie. Jazzy had given Pippa a large assortment of different hats, which included one of those hats that had animals on them with hands for the pockets. Pippa had put it on instantly. Kaitlyn had gifted Pippa with chai tea and a Schuyler Sisters mug. Lana had given Pippa cookies, which she couldn’t eat because of her egg allergy.

“Five minutes to places!” the intercom announced. Pippa checked her makeup one last time in the mirror and then she headed out the door of her dressing room.

She got to her place for ‘Alexander Hamilton’. She was so excited. And then, as Jazzy was walking by, she heard her friend say,

“Happy birthday, Pippa.”

She had forgotten that it was her birthday. She was still surprised that she’d forgotten by the time she heard the opening of ‘Alexander Hamilton’.

She got through the first song and then hurried backstage to get ready for ‘The Schuyler Sisters.’

“How does it feel to perform on your birthday?” Jazzy asked when they were standing in the wings, waiting for the beginning of ‘Schuyler Sisters’.

“I honestly forgot,” Pippa admitted.

“YOU CAN’T HAVE POSSIBLY FORGOTTEN YOUR BIRTHDAY!” Jazzy whisper-screeched. “PIPPA, YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT YOURSELF FOR ONCE.”

“Jeez, I’m sorry. It’s been a busy day,” Pippa said. Lana arrived breathlessly. Jazzy glanced at her and then did a double take. Lana was wearing Angelica’s dress for later scenes.

“WHAT DRESS ARE YOU WEARING?”

“Um, Angelica’s dress?” Lana said.

“That’s not the right dress!” Jazzy exclaimed. “That’s Angelica’s dress in the second act!”

“Fine, I’ll go change,” Lana snapped. She strode angrily away.

“Wait, there’s not enough time-” Jazzy tried to call her back.

Pippa whipped around to check what was going on onstage. Beckett was just beginning Aaron Burr’s rap.

“Call her back!” Pippa said urgently. Jazzy turned around.

Too late. Their cue came and Pippa and Jazzy exchanged panicked glances with each other and then hurried onstage.

“Angelica?” Pippa called, like she was searching for her sister. Jazzy caught on quickly.

“Eliza!” she said impatiently, tugging Pippa’s arm.

“Ugh, Peggy!” Pippa groaned.

“The Schuyler Sisters!” she heard Kaitlyn exclaim, pointing at them. Thank goodness.

“ANGELICA!” Pippa sung again, more impatiently. Where was Lana?

Kaitlyn ran up to Jazzy. “Peggy!”

“Eliza!” Jazzy called as Kaitlyn pulled her in the direction of the correct blocking.

“WORK!”

“Daddy said to be home by sundown!” Pippa called after Jazzy.

“Daddy doesn’t need to know,” Jazzy answered. Pippa ran after Jazzy and Kaitlyn.

“Daddy said not to go downtown!”

“Like I said, you’re free to go,” Jazzy replied.

“Look around, look around, the revolution’s happening in New York!” Kaitlyn exclaimed.

The song seemed to last forever. The entire song, Pippa’s mind was racing to come up with a logical way to improvise the lines so they fit without Angelica’s character.They finished the riff at the end of the song, with Kaitlyn singing Angelica’s harmonies. All three of them dashed offstage.

The stage manager was waiting. “Kaitlyn, change into Angelica’s costumes. Kaley is swinging into your spot. Alysha couldn’t be here today. Araella’s onstage right now, so you’re understudying. Lana’s not going on.” he said quickly.

Pippa and Jazzy both saw how panicked Kaitlyn was now. It was so hard to have things thrown into the show like this. They had just done one of the craziest improvs ever in Hamilton, and now Kaitlyn was expected to be mentally prepared to sub for Lana.

They barely had any time to get back to their dressing room and Kaitlyn had to change into Angelica’s dress, that Lana had apparently never changed into.

They rushed back upstairs to do ‘Helpless’ and ‘Satisfied’. Kaitlyn seemed composed onstage, but offstage she had to point Kaley, who was subbing for her, in the right direction, remember when Angelica’s next appearance was, and be in the right hair and costume for it.

Pippa was beginning to get a serious headache, and the stage lights didn’t help at all. She had thought she had gotten over most of her cold. The overwhelming pain made her dangerously close to blacking out in ‘Stay Alive (Reprise)’. She was forced to put her head down earlier than the blocking, because the lights were making her dizzy and nauseated.

The show seemed to drag on forever. The cast members were trying extremely hard to get everyone where they needed to be, and Kaitlyn was doing a fantastic job as Angelica. It was hard to bounce back from such a difficult first act, but they did. The second act went a lot smoother, but it was still not as good as everyone would have liked. Pippa was trying to focus, but the longer the show got, the more lightheaded she was.

They all stepped forward for their first bows of the tour. The original cast members got a huge amount of applause, and so did many of the new cast members. Kaitlyn got a loud cheer when she stepped out for her bow. Pippa just wanted the bright stage lights to turn off so that her head would stop hurting as much as it was.

Once the show was over, Pippa quickly changed into leggings and Jazzy’s sweatshirt, because hers was in the wash. She buried her head underneath her cinnamon roll emoji pillow and tried to block out the pain.

“Are you okay, Pippa?” Jazzy asked, sitting down next to Pippa.

“My head hurts so much, and everything feels like crap, and it’s just frustrating because I shouldn’t still be sick,” Pippa said, sitting up and putting her head in her hands.

“Oh, Pippa,” Jazzy said sympathetically, pulling her friend into a hug.