Shrinking Violet

chapter three

"Watch carefully, the magic that occurs when you give a person just enough comfort to be themselves."
-atticus

***

"I'm so glad you auditioned this year," Eli said.

"I can't believe I let you convince me," I said nervously. Casting would be posted today. "I dance and all... but I think me talking on stage is a very bad idea."

"What's the bad idea? Can I get in on it?" Violet said from behind us. She slipped her hand in mine, to my surprise. We hadn't been friends for very long, but I had quickly discovered how touchy she was.

"Lulu and I are going to check casting. Want to come with?"

"Oh I already checked. Congratulations," said Violet.

"Don't tell me!" Eli warned.

"Do I have to talk a lot?" I asked. Violet shrugged with mischief in her eyes. I sighed. We reached the door to the theater department.

My heart sank. Eli was the lead. And I was playing his love interest. Thankfully I died midway through the play, but up until then, I had quite a few speaking roles.

"If it makes you feel better, you get to dance a lot!" Eli said in a reassuring voice. It didn't. I couldn't believe I had let them convince me to do this. I wasn't an actress!

But further than that... I didn't know how I felt about playing Eli's love interest on stage. Maybe Sam was right, and this would cause drama.

This was going to be a long semester.

***

"Mrs. Satie?" I said softly, knocking on her open door.

"Come in!" She yelled. I timidly approached her desk, which was covered in papers.

"Lulu!" She smiled warmly. I wonder if she looked this happy to see all of her students. I never realized what a kind face Mrs. Satie had.

"I wanted to talk to you about the show... I just... I'm not sure I have the acting experience to play Harriet. I haven't really acted before..."

"You've danced haven't you?"

"Yes but I haven't..."

"When you dance, you aren't stagnant. You convey joy or sadness or wrath or love depending on what the music asks of you. Experience isn't a problem. You know how to show feeling on stage."

"Not with my words... I'm not a very good speaker... and I have a bit of a lisp."

"You have a very strong voice, lisp and all. I cast you as Harriet, because I watched you audition. I was afraid you'd tell me you had too many time commitments for the role - "

"No!"

"Then there's no problem!"

"Do you think it would be possible for you or one of the production team to work with me one on one for my lines? At least in the beginning? It's my first show, so I'm sorry if I'm being irrationally nervous." She smiled.

"Of course. I'll meet with you whenever I can, and Violet can as well. She assistant directed our last production."

"Thank you!" I couldn't explain why the thought of spending more time with Violet made me feel strange. Not good or bad, but something I couldn't place.

"Lulu dear, don't stress so much. It's okay that you're new. I can tell you're a fast learner, and truly, there's not much to learn. Acting is just living on stage."

Mrs. Satie was full of cheesy one-liners, which is how I always imagined drama teachers to be like. I wasn't as nervous as I had been when I walked in. She had cast me for a reason. I knew I had the tendency to take things so seriously that they stopped being fun. I didn't want to do that for this play.

***

Author's note: Lulu's landed herself the lead in the fall show, like it or not! Remember to comment and vote xx