Something to Believe In → Toursies

03. chapter three

❝if you stumble, make it part of the dance❞

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          After a hearty meal, filled with an abundance of jokes and laughter, the jaunty group paid for their seperate meals and left the building - each making a mental note to return later in the week.

Now Laurel, Corey, Noelle, and Ben Cook were sitting a small room, their scripts open, seated on the two leather couches. 

While the ensemble and other cast members were learning the basic steps to "King of New York", the foursome was escorted into the room and told to work on their lines together. 

A scene was added in the touring show that wasn't incorporated in the Broadway one.  Katherine, Margaret, Jack, and Race have a scene together - two, actually - that they needed additional practice on.  

"Does everybody have their scripts?" Laurel asked, flipping hers open. 

Ben nodded, slowly turning the pages.

"Our first scene is on page 73," he said peering at his lines.  Laurel flipped to page 73.

"Corey has the first line," she said, as if she was talking only to Ben.

Corey recited his first line, adding the heavy, traditional New York accent.

Noelle was thankful she didn't have to use one, because she was terrible at them.  They all mixed together and sounded like a peculiar cartoon character.

Ben read this line:

"I don't see why not," he said in his own thick, New York accent, "after all, we're the ones who dragged Margaret into all of this."

He nodded at Noelle, signaling that it was her line.

Laurel, trying to get into character, projected as much emotion as she could.

"Don't any of you see that this is my fault?"

"Youse can't blame it all on yourself," Corey said, putting a comforting hand on Laurel's shoulder.

Slightly alarmed at the physical contract, Laurel remained in character as best she could.

"That's...really sweet of you to say, but if I had just told you everything at the beginning, we wouldn't be in this position."

"I would rather be here, with you, than anywhere in the world." 

Here, it was written that Jack and Katherine kiss, but instead, he gave her a sheepish grin and continued the dialogue.  "If only things were different..."

"If you weren't going to Santa Fe?" she recited.  She smiled at the familiar line she'd heard over and over while watching the Broadway performances.

"And if you're fadda weren't aft'a my head," he said with a slight chuckle.

Noelle watched eagerly, the blissful memories of the show washing over her.

"You aren't really scared of my father," she said, looking directly at Corey.

"Nah, but I'm pretty scared of you."  It was there that it was scripted for them to sing the reprise of "Something the Believe In", but they continued once again.

"Don't be," Laurel said, smiling as earnestly as she could.

"Nice job," Corey said, unexpectedly breaking character.  "I could really feel Katherine's vibe." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Laurel's eyebrows rose.  She quickly let out an exasperated laugh and, smiling, said,
"Thanks--you know, it's kind of nerve-wracking reading through a scene for the first time," she paused using her hand to exaggerate a "nevermind" sort of motion, "but obviously you know all about that.".

She tried to sound less awkward as she sighed softly and added,
"You were so good--I literally got chills."

Thankfully, before the scene became even more awkward, the door swung open and a stage hand appeared in the doorway.

"You four are needed in here."

Ben nodded.

"I think we can all agree this was a successful first practice," he said, grinning.

Laurel stood up and followed the stage hand into the next room.

Noelle and Corey followed shortly after, closing their binders shut with a clatter.  They filed into the large dance studio, everyone around them practically drenched in sweat.  Apparently the "easy steps" were far more intense than orginally imagined.

"Alright everyone," their instructor called out, "we're going to go into the next steps with Katherine and Racetrack."

He turned to face the group.

"Ben, Laurel, I advise you stretch yourselves out."

Laurel nodded, retreating to the bar in the far corner of the studio.  Ben began doing splits on the floor.

"Corey," the instructor began, turning to face him, "Jack isn't in this number, so you can either count this as a break, or you're welcome to sit and watch."

"And Noelle," she said, making eye contact with her, "you come in at the end of the number, so just sit tight--maybe do some minor warm-ups."

Noelle nodded quickly and positioned herself beside the ballet bar in the corner.  She took mental notes on the others criticism.

After about five minutes, the gruelling practice began.  It was always hard learning new steps, Laurel thought, but at the same time it was exciting.  They only did about half of the routine, learning how to incorporate the spoons.  Ben seemed to take to it quite naturally.

As the practice progressed, Noelle's heartbeat began to quicken.  She was nervous for her part at the end, even if it wasn't very long or challenging. 

The fact was she felt intimidated by the charismatic people around her. They all came from a talented or professional background, having begun singing or dance lessons at three--or something around those lines. 

But she hadn't.  She begun tap and ballet at the awkward age of thirteen, and felt like, five years later, she hadnt hadn't improved at all.

"Okay," the instructor said, applauding the dancers as they stopped abruptly, "good job everyone, we've only got one last part to go over today."

She turned her head towards Noelle.  She pointed at a spot on the floor and snapped her fingers, a crisp echo filling the room.

"You come in here, do your thing, and we'll stop there for today." she smiled, but it wasn't a very warm one.

Laurel's eyes were transfixed on her friend.  She knew she was nervous--she could tell somehow.  But she couldn't do anything about it now, just cross her fingers for her and hope that she nailed it.