The Notorious R(uth) B(arakat) G(rimaldi)

Chapter 30: Everyone Plays a Part

Ms. Piper posted the cast list after school as she was leaving, so no one could cry or complain to her. This was the way cast lists had been posted since the beginning of time, probably: No phone number or email contact anywhere on the paper, indeed, no contact person of any kind. The people responsible for casting or not casting people did not want to discuss their choices with anyone, ever, it seemed.

As expected, Susan Cornell, with her high soprano was Cosette. A big boy with a very deep voice, David Chancery, was Javert, and Craig, the boy half of the Halvorsen twins, was Jean Valjean.

Ruthie, who was half expecting Amelia to get Eponine, was happy to see her own name next to the part. Elliott was Marius, as expected. They hugged congratulations to each other.

The big surprises came in the casting of the supporting parts:

Fantine...........................Amelia Shaw
M. Thenardier.................Gordon Miranda
Mme. Thenardier...........Maria "Pepsi" Gonzalez
Enjolras..........................Chad Tennyson

Wow.

Most of the drama class, and those who were in the club but not the class, had hung around to look at the posting, and, with the exception of those four supporting parts, everyone had gotten pretty much what they hoped and expected. Everyone who hadn't gotten a speaking part was listed as being in the ensemble, including horrible Brett and Pam.

Ruthie turned to Gordo and Pepsi, who were next to her. "You guys! You're married, and you're the huge comic relief in the play, congratulations!"

Elliott gave Pepsi a light punch to her arm. "I knew you had greatness in you," he teased.

Both Pepsi and Gordon were surprised, having expected to be placed in the ensemble.

Ruthie saw Amelia turn away from the paper and begin walking, and ran to catch up with her.

"Congratulations on Fantine."

"Thanks," Amelia returned briefly.

"I know it isn't what you auditioned for, but it's a huge part, lots of beautiful numbers to sing, and you get that great white follow spot after you die, you know?"

Amelia finally stopped walking and turned to Ruthie. "You don't have sell me, I know it's a good part." She fixed Ruthie with a tired and knowing look. "You get all those great moments with Elliott, so you must be happy. Congratulations."

She turned away and continued walking, and it was so obvious that she didn't want Ruthie to follow her.

Ruthie stayed where she was, and was joined moments later by Gordo, Pepsi, Elliott, and Linda, who had been cast in the ensemble as well.

"What's up her butt?" Pepsi asked indignantly. When no one answered her right away, she kept talking. "You know, she's been a real bitch since Brett dumped her, and it's not any of our faults, is it?"

"She's been through a lot," Gordo said to no one in particular. "And, she has a thing for Elliott, I think, and is probably feeling a little glum that she lost the chance to act with him, and she lost out to Ruthie, no less.

And, what meaty scenes she does have are going to be with Chad Tennyson, the boy Ruthie rejected."

Ruthie thought that Gordo had put an awful lot of time and thought into dissecting Amelia's motivations and actions where Elliott was concerned, but she kept this thought to herself. And no one else but her seemed to notice when he gave Elliott an inscrutable look as they were walking.

She hadn't really thought about it before, but what if Gordon really did have a thing for Elliott? How awkward would that be? Ruthie didn't even want to consider it. All these years they'd been waiting for Gordo to "come out" and just declare himself gay officially, and when he was finally ready to, it was to announce that he had a crush on Ruthie's boyfriend?