Misfit Theater Company 2

6. Auditions (Part 2)

Of course as soon as Patti asked Mrs. Permala if she could help out, she was named the official assistant to the director. That is, until she leaves. It's been two days since she told us, so all the plans aren't set in stone yet; but her parents say she has about two weeks before they'll make their first trip out there. Until then, Patti's first task as assistant to the director is to help Mrs. Permala with the cast list, which is exactly what she's doing today, on the first day of auditions.

Paige and I have run through our scene a bunch of times by now, so I feel pretty good about it. There's only one line I'm struggling to keep straight, but Paige told me not to worry about it. "As long as the feeling is there, you'll be fine," she said when we met at the Riverside Cafe yesterday after school to go through our lines a few more times.

"For the auditions today," Mrs. Permala announces once everyone is in the audience for class, "we will view the scenes in the order they appear in the play."

Patti stands beside her with a clipboard and nods at this. She looks serious and professional with her hair pulled back into a ballerina's bun and her all black outfit.

"That means the first scene we will experience is our scene between Emma and Greg, or should I say Hermia and Lysander."

They stand up and perform the scene in which Hermia and Lysander plan to go into the woods, and Emma lights up the stage. She looks genuinely in love with this preppy boy and distraught that she can't be with him. If she doesn't get a big role in this play, I will be shocked.

The next scene called up that I'm impressed with is, of course, Moth's and Layla's. I hate that I'm supporting her, but Layla deserves a part in this play too. For their scene, she plays Titania and Moth plays Oberon as they argue about the changeling boy, and Layla exudes an arrogant regalness that makes sense for Titania. Meanwhile, Moth doesn't even seem like himself, instead he fully embraces Oberon's jealous entitlement perfectly. He's like a chameleon up there.

After another scene, it's Paige and my turn to perform.

"Remember, it's all about the emotion," Paige whispers to me as we walk onto the stage.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves, but my heart still feels like it's buzzing with anxiety. There have been so many amazing auditions that it is very possible I won't be cast, and even though I haven't seen Thatcher perform yet--his scene comes after mine in the play--I know he will be cast in this one. He's too talented at reading Shakespeare not to be. What if I'm without Patti and then I'm the only one of my friends not on stage for this play?

Paige and I get into position, following the blocking she and I came up with yesterday during class, and after I am able to take in another deep breath, Mrs. Permala says, "Action."

I have the first line, but I'm suddenly very nervous. Like, stomach turning, feel like barfing, skin on fire, heart about to explode kind of nervous. And it occurs to me in this moment that I have never auditioned for anything ever. I was assigned to work with Thatcher on our 10 minute play, I was added into the Misfit Theater Company, I was selected by Grant O'Reilly to go on A Call from Midnight. The realization that everyone is actually judging me, because they have to, because that's the point of auditions, does something worse than nauseate me: it wipes my first line from my mind.

"Action," Mrs. Permala repeats.

What the heck do I say? I can't think of how the scene starts, and I feel my cheeks giving me away as they redden with heat.

I panic and widen my eyes at Paige as if to scream for help. Somehow she understands.

"Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, no touch of bashfulness?" she starts into her line that follows mine. "What, will you tear impatient answers from my gentle tongue? Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you!"