"Pay attention, Little Ponies," said Miss Hackney to the class one day. "I have decided to put on a school play this term, The Happy Princess. I'll be holding auditions after school," she announced.
Everyone was very excited. Everybody but Bright Eyes.
"Don't you want to be in the play?" asked Clover.
"Oh yes. I'm sure it would be a very beneficial experience," said Bright Eyes. "But I'm afraid my Ponyland Conservation Project takes up most of my time at the moment."
After school, they all went to the auditions.
When the girls discovered that Ace would be the hero, they all wanted to be the leading lady so they auditioned like anything!
Clover danced a few ballet steps. Melody sang. Patch did some jazzercise. Bon Bon recited a recipe. Starlight read some poetry and Sweetheart was too shy to audtion and rushed off the stage, blushing.
It's a hard choice, thought Miss Hackney. There are parts for them all, but only one can be the leading lady.
Everyone was suprised when she chose .. Bon Bon!
"Me?!" she squealed.
"Yes," said Miss Hackney. "You read your recipe with such passion and feeling. And I'm sure it will boost your confidence."
Her friends congratulated her, then they were all given their parts, even Sweetheart. She was in charge of opening the curtains and prompting the others if they forgot their lines.
"Congratulations, Bon Bon!" said Bright Eyes when she heard.
"Thank you," said Bon Bon. "How's your project going?"
"Very well," Bright Eyes said. "I've got to give a talk about it, but it's on the opening night of your play. I won't be able to see it, I'm sorry."
"That's alright," said Bon Bon. "We all know how important the environment is."
Every night after school they had rehearsals and it all seemed to be going well. But the nearer the opening night came, the more Bon Bon started to worry.
"Oh dear," she said. "What if I'm no good? What if I forget my ines? In front of everybody? I'll ruin the whole play. People will just laugh. I'll freeze up, I just know I will,"
"Nonsense!" said Sweetheart. "You've just got nerves. Stage fright, that's all. I'll be up there to help you. You'll be fine."
But Bon Bon continued to worry. She worried so much she made herself ill and on the very day of the play Miss Hackney got a phone call from her mother.
"Oh dear," she told the actors at final rehearsal, "it seems Bon Bon had got such a bad attack of nerves that she won't be able to do the play tonight. We'll have to call it off!"
Everybody was glum. Even Bright Eyes.
"What's the matter?" asked Starlight.
"My talk has been put off until next week," she said. "I could have auditioned for the play after all."
That gave Starlight an idea..
"Do you think you could learn all Bon Bon's lines before tonight? You're very clever. I bet it would be easy."
"You mean be Bon Bon's understudy until she gets better?" asked Bright Eyes. "It would be a challenge, but yes, I'll give it a go!"
So the play was back on. Bright Eyes worked hard all day learning lines.
That night The Happy Princess played to a packed hall and with Sweetheart helping her with lines, Bright Eyes did quite well. The play was a success.
The next day Bon Bon came in feeling very apologetic. "I'm sorry," she said.
"First night nerves!" declared Patch. "It could happen to anyone. Anyway, you'll be acting tonight, won't you?"
"Oh yes!" said Bon Bon.
And she did.
She got to kiss Ace, too, even if it was only pretend!
Everyone was very excited. Everybody but Bright Eyes.
"Don't you want to be in the play?" asked Clover.
"Oh yes. I'm sure it would be a very beneficial experience," said Bright Eyes. "But I'm afraid my Ponyland Conservation Project takes up most of my time at the moment."
After school, they all went to the auditions.
When the girls discovered that Ace would be the hero, they all wanted to be the leading lady so they auditioned like anything!
Clover danced a few ballet steps. Melody sang. Patch did some jazzercise. Bon Bon recited a recipe. Starlight read some poetry and Sweetheart was too shy to audtion and rushed off the stage, blushing.
It's a hard choice, thought Miss Hackney. There are parts for them all, but only one can be the leading lady.
Everyone was suprised when she chose .. Bon Bon!
"Me?!" she squealed.
"Yes," said Miss Hackney. "You read your recipe with such passion and feeling. And I'm sure it will boost your confidence."
Her friends congratulated her, then they were all given their parts, even Sweetheart. She was in charge of opening the curtains and prompting the others if they forgot their lines.
"Congratulations, Bon Bon!" said Bright Eyes when she heard.
"Thank you," said Bon Bon. "How's your project going?"
"Very well," Bright Eyes said. "I've got to give a talk about it, but it's on the opening night of your play. I won't be able to see it, I'm sorry."
"That's alright," said Bon Bon. "We all know how important the environment is."
Every night after school they had rehearsals and it all seemed to be going well. But the nearer the opening night came, the more Bon Bon started to worry.
"Oh dear," she said. "What if I'm no good? What if I forget my ines? In front of everybody? I'll ruin the whole play. People will just laugh. I'll freeze up, I just know I will,"
"Nonsense!" said Sweetheart. "You've just got nerves. Stage fright, that's all. I'll be up there to help you. You'll be fine."
But Bon Bon continued to worry. She worried so much she made herself ill and on the very day of the play Miss Hackney got a phone call from her mother.
"Oh dear," she told the actors at final rehearsal, "it seems Bon Bon had got such a bad attack of nerves that she won't be able to do the play tonight. We'll have to call it off!"
Everybody was glum. Even Bright Eyes.
"What's the matter?" asked Starlight.
"My talk has been put off until next week," she said. "I could have auditioned for the play after all."
That gave Starlight an idea..
"Do you think you could learn all Bon Bon's lines before tonight? You're very clever. I bet it would be easy."
"You mean be Bon Bon's understudy until she gets better?" asked Bright Eyes. "It would be a challenge, but yes, I'll give it a go!"
So the play was back on. Bright Eyes worked hard all day learning lines.
That night The Happy Princess played to a packed hall and with Sweetheart helping her with lines, Bright Eyes did quite well. The play was a success.
The next day Bon Bon came in feeling very apologetic. "I'm sorry," she said.
"First night nerves!" declared Patch. "It could happen to anyone. Anyway, you'll be acting tonight, won't you?"
"Oh yes!" said Bon Bon.
And she did.
She got to kiss Ace, too, even if it was only pretend!