a/n: written for a livejournal Great Tales challenge regarding female characters.

A tribute to a timeless musical:-)

Written for pleasure not profit.

Regardless of Rain

A hopeful young actress is dreaming of stardom

While earning a living the best way she can;

A simple drive home and she finds she is sharing

Her car with a genuine film leading man

(Who is doing his best to escape from a fan.)

~0~

The hopeful young actress still dreaming of stardom

Invents a career path for foolish pride's sake.

It takes a few weeks for the famous film actor

To learn that the actress's story is fake.

(At the moment the actress jumps out of a cake.)

~0~

The hopeful young actress has caught his attention;

The way she can smile and the way she can sing;

With the help of a friend, they devise a solution

To a difficult problem which talking films bring.

(Tone deaf leading ladies who spoil everything)

~0~

The hopeful young actress sings out like an angel

The star's leading lady, quite clearly does not.

As the old silent films are replaced by the talkies;

There's an obvious flaw which her movies have got.

(Speech therapy lessons can't help her a lot.)

~0~

So, the hopeful young actress sings softly and sweetly,

And the film is released to the highest acclaim;

And the shrill leading lady lays down the conditions

Which mean she can bask in the fortune and fame.

(For the credits don't mention the actress's name.)

~0~

The hopeful young actress remains in the shadows;

Anonymous, merely employed for her voice.

And the leading man cannot improve her position,

For his shrill leading lady has left him no choice

(She's in charge of the game and has cause to rejoice.)

~0~

The hopeful young actress attends the film premiere;

The shrill leading lady loves each clap and cheer;

But when asked to sing sweetly, her confidence falters;

She knows her own voice is not tuneful nor clear.

(Thank goodness the hopeful young actress is near.)

~0~

Once more, the young actress sings softly and sweetly

Her role in the subterfuge, neatly concealed.

Till the star, and his friend and the movie's producer

Change the script, so the girl and her voice are revealed.

(And the fate of the shrill leading lady is sealed.)

~0~

So, the star joins the actress and all is forgiven;

Her erstwhile shrill rival was scheming in vain.

And they take the top rung on the Hollywood ladder

And the chemistry sparking between them is plain.

(And she's singing and dancing, regardless of rain.)

~0~