Could be a Star

Chapter 27

'Don't worry, my darlings, I've arrived,' announces Kerry as she struts through the door to the main hall.

We all came straight here after school to run over a couple of scenes before the full run through with the band, which starts at 6. We're going to do it in costume for the first time too, so that should be exciting.

The main thing we need to work on is Solidarity. It's proving to be a difficult bit to get right because so much happens and nearly everyone is on stage. It stresses Mr Sharp out a bit.

'No no Kate, its plié tendu close not plié tendu first,' and 'Katie Brown please can you try and not giggle every time there's a swear word, it really takes the edge off things,' and 'Yes, actually, believe it or not it would be better if you were all actually on stage when you need to be,' he says.

It is stressful, but I enjoy it and I'm thankful that he's making us perfect it. I so badly want this show to be good.

Mr Sharp let's us order pizza to the school before the band arrives and we all sit round in a big circle, tucking in.

'I'm really going to miss this,' says Kate, picking up another piece of margarita 'Being in the shows I mean,'

'I tell you,' says Mr Sharp 'It feels like the end of am era each time a group of year elevens leave,'

'Well, I'm glad we finished with this,' says Oliver from the corner. Everybody turns because none of us expected him to say anything, especially not something like that. He grins and raises his can of coke 'Here's to Billy!' he says and we all do the same.

I've never seen any of the band before. Miss Aldrin, the music teacher, is the conductor. She's young and skinny with long, brown hair and fashionable, over sized glasses.

A boy with black hair and a saxophone around his neck in about year ten comes up to where me and Max and running through our lines.

'Are you the dude who punched Alex Franks in the face?' he asks.

'Erm,' says Max

'Good on you mate, he totally deserved it he's a complete...'

And then he said he really bad words that makes me and Max look at each other and giggle. According to Max, he's had mixed messages about the whloe Alex thing. Some people seems scared, others annoyed and the rest, the majority, are treating him as a hero.

'At least now,' he said to me before 'everyone is actually acknowledging my existence,'

Once we're all dressed, and the band are all ready, Mr Sharp tells the cast to come and sit on the stage. Its great seeing everyone all costumed up. Kerry is helping Kate manoeuvre a ginger wig in place and the ballet girls all have their hair up. I'm wearing my polo shirt and Max look cool with his scarf and large glasses.

'Right,' says Mr Sharp rubbing his hands together 'You all know what you're doing so it would be great if we could have a full run through without any stopping. Its that's okay with you, Miss A?'

The music teacher nods.

'Yep that's fine and remember, these guys should follow you when you're singing,' she looks down at the band who are seated around her in front of the stage 'Hopefully,'

'Hey Miss A' says the drummer 'You know we will,'

'Well past experience doesn't exactly fill me with confidence in that but we'll see,'

'Okay,' Mr Sharp says 'Remember your cues and please try and keep quiet back stage. The older ones, keep an eye on the younger ones. Right! Positions everyone!'

I'm really excited and this isn't even a performance. The props are ready and we're all back stage, waiting for Stars Look Down to begin. The track plays.

'For over 70 years miners of Durham County have come together once a year for their demonstration and gala day'

My heart beats as I wait for the first note from the trumpet player...

which he totally screws up.

'Stop stop stop!' I hear Miss Aldrin say 'We weren't meant to be stopping at all and here we are, not even past the first note! Dylan, that was terrible, we're stating again. Sorry Mr Sharp!'

I peer around the curtain to see what's going on. The saxophone player from before is covering his eyes with his hand.

'How embarrassing,' he says.

'Funny, Jamie' says the trumpet player.

'You're crap and you know it,' says Jamie, mockingly.

'I'm sorry,' says the trumpet player 'Who's the one with the grade 7?'

'Actually, I'm pretty sure Emma and Callum both have it!' chips in the drummer, grinning. The guitar player and the pianist high five and the band let out a series of giggles.

'Yes thank you,' says Miss Aldrin 'Let's just get on with it please,'

They start again and this time, the note if perfect. Kate, who is stood next to me roles her eyes.

'God, I love full run throughs with absolutely no stopping,' she says and I laugh.

For whatever reason, I have butterflies when I sing 'Raise me up and hold me high,'. When everyone is here in costume with a real live band actually playing for us and following us, it feels so different to how it has done in rehearsal. So much better.

My favourite bit, and when I feel the most difference, is Angry Dance. Since the rehearsal with Mr Anderson when I was really, properly angry, I decided that that was how I wanted to do the dance every time. It felt good to let out my anger and Mr Sharp said it looked fantastic when I did it for him, so each time I do the dance, I make myself angry.

What I've been doing is preparing my speech to Ricky telling him how small he made me feel. I've been getting really properly into it and reciting it over and over until I get really worked up. I'll probably never say it to him, of course, but it really does work to get me angry for the Angry Dance.

And when I do it with the band, they follow me. I've always wanted to do it really fast and now I can. The band are loud and so am I. It feels fantastic.