Prologue:
I'm not the musical type of girl, but I thought I'd give it a try. My school was doing Phantom of the Opera, and I thought that it would be fine I would get a choral part, and it wouldn't be that big of deal, but I was so completely wrong. It turned into one of the biggest, most horrific nightmare I have ever had. It all started the day my counselor called me into his office.
"Well, hello Tiffany", said Mr. Sterling. He was a middle aged man with a balding head and kind brown eyes. He gestured to the overstuffed purple beanbag chair in front of his desk. "Take a seat; we need to discuss your extracurricular activities." I cringed. I was not one to stay after school when there was a gorgeous world out there for me to capture with a 35mm Nikon. He sat down across from me at his desk. "Or lack thereof, rather" He sighed and gave me his famous 'Sterling Stare'. I shrank a little.
"Maybe if there was a photography club after school I would have stayed." I said defiantly. He increased the glare from the stare.
"Unfortunately, there's not. The only thing open is the spring musical being put on by the drama club. They're always looking for people to fill background roles if you really don't want to do any work." I nodded. "Aren't you curious as to what the production is?"
"I guess" I said. I didn't really give a crap, but I would like to know the name of my torture.
"It's Phantom of the Opera." I stared at him in shock. The Phantom of the OPERA?!? Oh HELL no! "That is all. You may want to get back to class. Ms. Allen is starting to miss you." I grabbed my black messenger bag and reluctantly walked back to my Advanced Biology class.
I had a week to prepare for Phantom, and I chose to spend it productively. I spent the entire week brooding and listening to my mother go on and on about how amazing this was going to be. My mother had once been on the stage, but thanks to a little miscalculation, A.K.A. me, she had to give up her Broadway dreams.
The day of the auditions, I walked down to the drama room about as slowly as I could. When I got there, there were probably about 50 kids there. This shocked me because there were about 10 regulars in the drama club. I guess Phantom's just a bigger attraction to people than Shakespeare. Mr. George, the director/ teacher/ choreographer/ sponsor was seated at a table in front of the stage with the stage manager, Kelsey, and a couple of parents from the PTA. Behind him were students scattered out throughout the chairs on the risers that were spaced out around the room. I sat at the top of one of the risers on the right side of the room. Mr. George stood, and turned to face the students that were still standing around talking to each other.
"My brilliant young actors" he said in his loud booming voice. He clapped his hands loudly. "We are ready to start auditions. Take your seats, and we will begin with our leading lady, our 'Prima Dona', if you will. Lacey, would you kindly take the stage?" The extremely blonde Lacey Karington stood and climbed onto the stage. She had starred in every production on school stages since she was 7. She nodded to Kelsey, and the red head pushed a button on a CD player. A sweet melody played on a piano started twinkling out of the speakers.
"Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye", she sang. Her voice was very high and operatic with lots of vibrato. I cringed as she hit the highest note on the last word. "Remember me once in awhile; please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free..." Suddenly, the heavy black curtain that usually shielded the stage from onlookers, came falling down, and nearly hit Lacey. She screamed and jumped off the stage, nearly landing on the lap of the director.
"I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN!" she screeched as she stormed out of the small room. Mr. George rubbed his face with his hands and looked back at the rest of the people. He stopped when he saw me and pointed at me.
"You" he said. "Come up here, and audition with this song." I hesitated. "Now" I nodded and walked to my death on the stage. The lights were so hot, that they were nearly unbearable. I nodded to Kelsey slowly, and she pushed the button.
"Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye." My voice was a little hoarse at first, but grew stronger. "Remember me once in awhile; please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free if you ever find a moment spare a thought for me." When they didn't stop me I kept going. "We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging as the sea. But if you can still remember, spare a thought for me. Think of all the things we've shared and seen. Don't think about the way the things might have been. Think of me. Think of walking, silent and resigned. Imagine me trying too hard to put you from my mind. Recall those days, look back on all those times, Think of the things we'll never do. There will never be a day when I won't think of you. Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade, they have their seasons, so do we. But please promise me that sometimes you will think of me" I stopped, and the music clicked off, and Mr. George stared at me.
"We have found our Ms. Daae!" He said, and the rest of the students clapped, all except for Lacey, who had come back into the room. If looks could kill, I wouldn't be here right now.