Spot light - Robert Manion story.

4- Rehearsal

"Ok, so we're gonna run the relay scene of all the characters during the storm next." Jeff announced after breaking from his and Nick's secret huddle.

"Just know you ques and lines." He announced and we all nodded, getting prepared.

We began the storm sequence with the end of Jon and Mariah's 'green peace' scene.

They stood at the center of the rehearsal room and Jon pointed ahead vaguely. "What is that?" Jon asked and they both slowly moved off as Jaime moved onto the 'Stage Right' side of the room.

"Oh heavens to Betsy, there's some kind of terrible storm out there." She said while miming a cigarette and leaning on the far wall that would be the wing, "hope Sam's alright." She mumbled in her 'Charlotte' voice.

There was a pause of silence for comedic affect before Joey stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "fuck Sam."

I released a short snort at that which made the others laugh.

The scene continued with Jaime and Joey, then Lauren, me and Mariah, then Jeff and Mariah, then Cory.

Finally it reached the 'smoking gang' skit. Joey and Lauren pretended to be smoking while Mariah stood nervously miming on the phone. Mine and Roberts characters Lex and Ethan were supposed to be making out but both of us agreed to hold off a little longer on that in rehearsal.

"Ok dad I'll see you when we get there." Mariah pretended to hang up the phone then Joey spoke in his stoner voice, "come on take a hit alice."

"Uh I don't think I oughta?" Mariah whined and Jaime appeared behind her. "If she doesn't want to she shouldn't have to."
Then Robert pretended to pull away from me and hollered at them, "don't be a buzz kill ya narc!"

"Shut up Ethan! Don't you two have some where to be?" Lauren snapped at us, "shit Hannah!" I yelled grabbing Roberts hand and dragging him 'off stage'. Then the scene continued.

At this point Robert would be doing a quick change before he went back on as the professor and I would be getting back into my Chloë outfit.

All in all rehearsal was coming along well.

-.-.-.-

About two months later, it was time for our dress and tech rehearsals.

Robert and I had been on a few dates for lunch and dinner. We had visited a couple parks and had taken a few small, day-trips to the cinema and one to the California zoo.

I was now stood in the communal dressing room with Lauren in front of me on a chair facing her mirror as I did her hair in three buns down her head.

She held her phone in her hand as she sat flicking through Instagram with a subtle smile. "So how many dates is it now then?" She asked me referring to me and robert.

"Seven." I replied as I finished tying her final bun up. "Wow, that's a lot for two months." She told me and I shrugged, "we have fun." I replied. She smiled. "Good."

"I cannot believe you two went to the zoo with out us!" She gasped seeing Roberts Instagram post from yesterday.

Instagram:
robertwmanion:

robertwmanion: Gorgeous day  with some gorgeous animals and an even more gorgeous girl. I rlly like you xx @PhoebeBailey

-.-.-.-.-

"So are you two official yet?" She asked and I shuck my head. "He hasn't specifically asked me yet." I told her and she nodded. "It's a shame you two are so cute together." She said and I smiled. "You think so?"

"Of course." She replied and I squealed making her jump. "Sorry I just love that lanky fool so much."

"Trust me.....he's gonna ask you."
"I hope so."

-.-.-.-.-

"Ok.....so we're gonna run the scene where Professor Hidgens knocks Emma out then we're gonna go straight into the one where he knocks Chloë out."

"Ok." We all nodded. He clapped his hands and we got ready in our places.

Lauren, dressed in her 'Emma Perkins' costume and Robert in his 'Professor Hidgens' costume and wig began their scene. He eventually knocked her out with a syringe and the lights faded dark.

I then entered swiftly during the black out from stage left and took my seat on the floor with my back against the back wall of the stage.

The lights came back up and I sat there with my knees up and my head in my hands as Robert re-entered from stage right. I was wearing my 'Chloë' costume as I watched him pave in front of me.

"How long have they been gone?" I asked in my American accent as I watched him. He stopped abruptly and acted like he hadn't known I was there. "Forty-five minutes." He replied and I sighed.

"They're probably dead." I said with a pessimistic scowl. "Perhaps." He replied.

"What's the point?" I asked him and he turned to me, he walked quickly over to me and pulled me up by my arm. He held his face close to my own and kept me there by my shirt.

"There. Is. No. Point." He growled and looked me in the eye. The tenseness of the situation and the fear my character was feeling was echoed in my expression.

"O....ok Professor......I'm gonna go get a.....a drink." I replied, adding a stutter to show my character's fear. "Ok." He let me go and as I went to walk away I felt him pull me back into his arms, his left arm around my shoulders and neck as he pressed me into himself and with drew the prop syringe from his pocket.

I yelled out but as he placed the prop near my neck I pretended to collapse into his arms before he threw me over his shoulder and carried me off stage.

When we had gotten off the stage we waited in the wings for a while as Jon and Jeff has their scene before it was time for the 'Show Stopping Number' scene.

There was another blackout as Jon and Jeff went off and Lauren and Joey took on three chairs while one of the crew put out another chair and robert's piano. Lauren and Joey then sat down on two of the chairs and pretended to be tied up while the lights came on. Lauren pretended to wake up and pretended to wake Joey.

"Wha...what....what the fuck." He mumbled as 'Ted'. I was then picked up yet again by Robert as he threw me over his shoulder. My hands and ankles were bound with prop ropes as Robert carried me over his shoulder. Holding the back of my knees as he came onstage.

I felt him put me down, and pretended to still be unconscious. "Oh my god Chloë!" Lauren yelled when we came on stage.

Robert put me down beside the other two on the third chair and then the scene began as he spoke to Lauren and Joey.

I pretended to 'come too' as I Lauren and Joey watched Robert pull a sheet off of the piano in mock horror.

"MUSICAL THEATRE!" He announced and Lauren sighed.
"Oh. God. No." She said with a horrified expression. Joey just looked dumbfounded.

"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me." I groaned and all of them drew their attention to me. "Oh this is no Joke." Robert said with an ominous voice.

He took a seat at the piano rather flamboyantly. Then he began to play. "It's....a...show stoppin' number....."