Miss Jefferson

Chapter 3

Saturday

"Don't drop that." I called back at him as he struggled to get the box out of the car's trunk.

"I'm fine!" He snapped, eventually catching up with me.

I moved my box to my hip and opened the door, kicking it wider for Anthony to follow me.

"Hey, I can't find my green water bottle. Did you steal it?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes. "No. You just need to learn to keep track of your junk."

"That water bottle is not junk." He said indignantly.

"Anthony Ramos!" An unfamiliar voice called. I looked up.

"Hey, Lin!" Anthony called back.

He walked to where we stood. "Who's this?" He asked, gesturing to me and holding his hand out. "I don't believe we've met."

"This is Jada Astor." Anthony introduced me. "Jada, this is Lin."

"Hi!" Lin said cheerfully. "Are you Anthony's girlfriend?"

Anthony said, "She's like my sister.", right as I said, "Ew, no."

The look Anthony gave me broke my heart, but I nearly doubled over laughing anyway.

Lin joined in, thoroughly amused at the expression of dumbfounded pain on Anthony's face.

"I'm sorry!" I said between laughs.

He bowed his head and pouted like a disappointed puppy.

Lin sighed happily, "Okay, let's get you both settled in."

He led Anthony to the dressing room he'd be sharing with another cast member, and led me to the dressing rooms for the ensemble.

"So, Jada," he began as I set my stuff down in front of one of the mirrors. "We still haven't talked about who you're understudying for, have we?"

I shook my head, taking my 'Hamilton' script out of the box and setting it down.

"Did they give you the roles to review?"

"They gave me a song and synopsis for each character, and I looked over it." I began, hesitating.

"And? Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, actually. I found a role that I really like, and I think I could do it."

"What did you have in mind?"

I took a deep breath, straightening my shoulders. "Lafayette/Jefferson." I said.

His eyebrows shot up. "Wow."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"We haven't even considered casting a female Jefferson, or Lafayette, for that matter..."

"I can do it. Let me prove it to you."

He gave a small smile. "Confidence is always a good way to start. Alright, let me hear you."

I bit my lip, holding back a smile.

•••••

"There you are." Anthony said as I stepped out into the hallway. "Where've you been?"

"I think I might get an understudy part." I said.

He broke into a smile. "Really?"

I nodded.

"Which one?"

"Jada! Anthony! Stage!" Lin shouted down the hallway. "Everybody to the stage!"

We ran after him, following the way he maneuvered through the theatre's twists and turns until we made it to the auditorium.

"Okay, gang! Is everybody here?" Lin scanned the crowd before him. He nodded. "Alright. So, my name is Lin-Manuel Miranda, and this is my friend and coworker Alex Lacamoire."

A man with black curly hair poked his head up from the orchestra pit.

"So, why don't we all get the folders out and do a read through? After that, our choreographer, Andy Blankenbuehler, will begin going over choreography. Before we do anything at all, however, why don't we go through and introduce everyone?"

•••••

Three hours later, the sun had left, but the lights at the Richard Rogers were still on.

"Jada?" Lin called. I looked up from my folder.

He stood with a tall man with dark curls.

"This is Daveed. He's playing Lafayette and Jefferson. Why don't you go over any material or questions with him, and then see if you want to take your case to Andy?"

I nodded, shaking Daveed's hand. "Okay."

Lin smiled and moved on to talk to the other cast members.

"So," Daveed began, "how long have you been doing this kinda thing?"

"Since I was about eight. Um, I started doing ballet and contemporary when I was three, and did my first theatrical production in third grade."

He nodded. "Have you gone over the Lafayette/Jefferson part with Lin?"

"Yeah, I did it for him a few hours ago."

"What do you think?"

"I'd like to do it." I said, nodding.

He smiled. "Okay. And the choreography?"

"Easy enough. I could learn it quick."

"Hmm. How's your French?"

"Shabby."

He laughed. "We'll work on that."

I smiled. "So, do you know any of the other cast members?"

"A few. Renee, Pippa, Jasmine, Ant, Ari, Sydney, Andrew, Lin, same as you. Another buddy of mine was supposed to come to rehearsal, but he couldn't make it. I think we were all planning on getting coffee sometime this next week."

"Sounds like fun." I said.

"Jada! We gotta go!" Anthony waved me over.

I turned back to Daveed. "Nice to meet you."

He nodded. "Likewise. See you tomorrow."