Disclaimer: I do not own anything from High School Musical, and I am not making any money off of this.
Author's Note: This fic is for the HSM Fanfiction Idol. We were given three prompts to choose from, and I chose number one, which is as follows: It's Twinkle Towne's opening night. You can write about anyone, but it must be about watching or playing in the musical and their views on how it turned out or how they feel it is going on at the moment. Must contain description and emotions about how the play turned out and/or what is going on.
This is written from Kelsi's point of view. I hope you enjoy it!
It's opening night. My opening night. My musical, my project, my baby is finally going to be revealed to the world. I can't believe it's finally happening; I've been dreaming about this moment for years and years. First East High, next Broadway is what I tell myself – now I've finally taken the first step.
I walk around backstage, where the actors are nervous and jumpy, wringing their hands and bouncing on the balls of their feet. Another first: this is the first time I haven't seen Sharpay and Ryan backstage. They said that if they couldn't be the leads in the musical, they would not be in it at all. Fine by me. Sharpay always made me a little frightened, anyway.
Our new leads – Troy and Gabriella, of course – don't seem to be very cool, calm, or collected. In fact, it looks like Gabriella might be sick. Oh, dear.
"Gabriella." I walk behind her and start to rub her arms in what I hope is a soothing way. She has goosebumps, just like me. "You are going to be great."
"I hope you're right," she mutters, barely opening her mouth. Her face has taken on a slightly green hue beneath her heavy stage makeup. She doesn't look at all like herself – fresh, natural and peppy. The makeup makes her look a little fake. The blush is put on heavily, putting plastic roses in her cheeks, and her fake eyelashes are incredibly long. They don't normally put fake eyelashes on the lead female – not for Sharpay, at least. Gabriella must have rather short eyelashes.
"You are going to be amazing," Troy pipes in. Thankfully, he looks a little more confident than Gabriella, though still nervous.
"You both are going to make this the greatest show ever." I give both of them a careful, makeup free hug and step away a little awkwardly. I don't normally give hugs. I don't normally have contact with people outside of the drama club, either, but those two trying out for the musical has changed all that.
"I should get to the pit," I say, shrugging. "We're going to start soon. Break a leg!"
No matter how many times Gabriella hears that theater phrase, she always blanches and starts when she hears it. Too bad I can't say good luck, because around her, I would. I just don't want any bad luck tonight. I pat her on the back one more time and walk away, taking deep breaths to calm my nerves.
All the actors are milling around in the hall, talking in agitated whispers and smiling with a combination of anxiety and excitement on their faces, visible even through the cakey makeup. The costumes sparkle even in the dim florescent light. Designed especially by Sharpay and Ryan, it reeks of their over-dramatic style, complete with flashy hats for the boys. I walk around the cast, silently evaluating each and every person. They are all fairly good singers – I couldn't let just anyone in my musical – and can act at least a little bit. Generously, I let more freshmen in this musical than I let in juniors. Of course, more freshmen tried out that juniors, but that's beside the point. I give a quick compliment some people and wait just in front of the side doors. I will have to go in right as soon as the announcements – turn off your cell phone, do not talk, take unruly children out of the auditorium, etc. – are over. The spotlight will be on me, the playmaker, for the first time in my life. I am getting the shakes just thinking about it. Dear God, I hope I don't mess up. Dear God, I hope they don't mess up. Let's settle for nothing and nobody messing up.
The announcers voice booms in the theatre, echoing slightly and igniting laughs at the appropriate moments. This gives me hope. If the audience will laugh at those cheesy, worn-out jokes, they will hopefully laugh at the funny moments I have included in my script. My heart starts to thump; I feel like it is going to burst of out my chest and land in a bloody pile. I'll be like Jonathan Larson, dying on the opening night of my musical. If only this lowly high school musical would do as well as that momentous musical. Sigh.
Oh no. The announcements are over. It's time for me to come out. Oh crap. Oh, crap. I push open the heavy wooden doors, grunting a little. I guess I should work on my arm strength. The spotlight momentarily blinds me, and I squint, just as I know I shouldn't. At least I didn't hold my arm to block out the light – even worse. Trying to be confident, I stride across the floor and to the pit, smiling at the audience. Just before I enter, I gesture to the small orchestra. They stand and turn, just as I do. The audience claps dutifully, though not quite as enthusiastically as I would like them to.
I sit down at the piano bench, adjusting as needed, and flip to the first page of my organized, typed, and clean music. Incredibly different from the first draft – it was a mess. I have no page-turner, so I hope I don't miss anything too important. Why, oh why, would no one want to help poor little Kelsi turn pages for a mere two and a half hours?
I spy the stage manager giving me the signal to start the overture. It's really happening now. I pound out the first chord, that fluffy tune with one slight discordant note that rings out strong and true. The music launches into the first major song – What I've Been Looking For – and it is the real version, not that radio-friendly, bubblegum pop version that the Evans "auditioned" with. I couldn't believe that they would mar my work like that, that they could completely destroy it and all that it meant for me. Thank goodness for Troy and Gabriella.
The overture is over before I can realize it, and Gabriella, now Minnie, comes out on stage looking sweet and innocent. Perfect. She hums, her microphone at exactly the right volume, and joy crosses her face. Perfection, once again. The music fades away as Troy enters the scene and wraps his arms around Gabriella, whispering in her ear, "And how are you today, sweetie?"
She pushes him off, a look of disgust on her face. This is a tough acting job for her, I'm sure, seeing as she adores Troy.
"What are you doing?" She gapes at him, throwing the coat that she had carried with her down on the ground. "You can't just come up to someone and throw your arms around them like that!"
This really is starting out with a bang. Gabriella actually seems angry, not just pretending to be angry, which is more than I've seen out of her yet. The adrenaline must be getting to her.
Troy and Gabriella deliver their lines perfectly, making even me believe that they really are Minnie and Arnold. I am sure that the audience believes it too. If I can believe it, from watching the two months of rehearsals and writing every single line of dialogue, then the audience, who has seen nothing whatsoever of the musical except for Breaking Free will certainly be sucked in to this Twinkly Towne.
The first half of the show is a blur; I can hardly remember what happened, other than Gabriella messing up her lines just once. She recovered quickly though, and hopefully no one will have noticed. Both Troy's and Gabriella's voices are sublime tonight, full of natural vibrato and rich tone. Troy's solo ballad brought down the house – most of the cheering coming from the whole basketball team and the cheerleaders – and it even made me tear up a little bit. I had to wipe my eyes quickly and try to find my place in the music again.
During intermission, I get out of the pit and stretch my legs. Mom immediately comes rushing over to congratulate me. I glue on a smile and accept their gushing praises.
"We're so proud of you!" Mom sniffs. She is actually crying. Please, spare me. She never was "so proud" when I was actually writing the play. It's only that it is becoming sort of an anticipated hit that she has actually said anything encouraging to me about it. Whenever I was dinking around on the piano, trying to figure out a melody, she was always screeching at me to stop it, that I was giving her a headache. And when I would type my script and screenplay, she would yell at me to get off, that I was typing too fast and too loudly. Great, mom. Thanks so much for supporting me.
"Yeah, thanks." I roll my eyes, as does my mother when she sees me doing it. I want to stamp my feet and pull my hair like a little child, but I know that would be undignified – dignity is quite important on opening night.
"We'll be watching the rest. Get a ride with one of you friends or something; Rick and I are going out for a drink after the show." Her voice is cold now, far from the coddling tone she was using earlier.
"Thanks for coming. I hope you enjoy the rest of the show," I say dully. It is my at-hand answer for anyone who compliments me.
And thankfully, no one comes up to me during intermission. All of my friends are in the show anyway, and couldn't talk to me if they wanted to. I would rather that they rest for the more energetic, dance-filled, and romantic second half.
The lights dim in the hallway and I rush back to my seat. I'm glad nobody will have to see my in my all-black outfit anymore. It makes me feel like I should dye my hair black and wear a bunch of chains. Going Goth is definitely not a good look for me.
Playing the overture goes smoothly, hardly a bump in the road. A page-turner would make this whole business easier, but I have to work with what I've got. Ms. Darbus doesn't think anyone outside of the theatre community will volunteer, and everyone in the theatre community is already busy in the theatre. That leaves my hand to turn the pages itself, and leaving me to memorize what happens after the page turns. Such is a life of a pianist.
The first big number, complete with lots of belting and some jazz dancing, goes off without a hitch. The crowd goes wild for it, cheering and stomping like I've never heard before at an East High Musical. At East High, you get that kind of applause when you make a free throw, not when you sing a solo. It's surprising, how much support everyone is giving and getting. Troy and Gabriella gobble up most of it, but more people have been talking to me lately, saying hi to me in the halls and things like that.
Minnie and Arnold have a big scene now, complete with sarcastic dialogue and sexual tension galore. I can feel the chemistry oozing out of their pores until they are so caught up in the acting that I actually fear for the relationship. Sharpay and Ryan may be good at musical theatre, but I never saw them have chemistry like that. I sigh inaudibly, gazing at the bright costumes and sets.
Everything seems a little bit brighter now that we are past the halfway point. Even the black of my pants seems a little less vacant and a little more vivid. Gabriella's costume is a disco ball in my eyes, and Troy's sleek black tux – it's the prom scene at the moment – makes him look like someone from the past. His hair is slicked back, the bangs that are normally hanging down gone, exposing his forehead. It makes him look very different, and – dare I say it – a little more mature.
The couple dances; Gabriella rests her head on Troy's shoulder and sighs.
"How could I have ever thought badly of you?" she whispers. Actual tears are dripping down her face – I hope the makeup is waterproof. She looks happy, though, joyous to be performing even when she is depressed. First-timers, I think. The other two were like this in their very first high school musical as well.
"Now you never will," Troy replies sweetly to her murmurs.
"Never." Gabriella gazes into his eyes, staring lovingly; you can almost see the fireworks that are bound to be going off in their heads.
It's the big scene now, the one I wasn't sure of putting in, and one of the reasons that I hoped Sharpay and Ryan would not be picked.
The kiss.
Those two always find some way to weasel out of a kissing scene – quite rightly, seeing as they are siblings – but this was a scene that I really wanted in the play. If it were mangled in any way, my heart would have been mangled as well. It had been a hard scene to write, seeing as I have never been kissed or even had a boyfriend, but I thought it turned out perfectly, just the way I wanted it to. And I wanted to see two people who would really kiss each other to do it, not just stage kisses or people who would omit the kiss entirely. It was my vision for that passionate first kiss to be there, and my vision was about to be revealed.
"Arnold – " Gabriella says, shaking her head a little bit. Her eyes are still fixed on Troy's.
"Shh." Troy rubs her back gently – an ad-lib – and she visibly relaxes. The protest was not just in the script, I have a feeling. Gabriella must be nervous to kiss this lovely man, even though I know she desperately wants to. I can't imagine being in that situation. Another reason I am a director and a writer, not an actress.
Gabriella tilts her head up, inviting and encouraging Troy. Unable to wait any longer or to pull the suspense any more, he swoops down and plants a kiss right on her lips.
"Amazing," I whisper. The crowd thinks so too, I can tell. There gasps and even a few "awes" that I can hear. It makes my heart soar to hear them reacting so well.
The kiss keeps going on, but not in a vulgar way. They are two lovers sharing their first kiss, not two sex-deprived teenagers going at it. They break apart for a moment, both slightly out of breath, and then kiss again, more softly and more gently. I can see the elation on Gabriella's face and the excitement on Troy's. It's amazing how much acting isn't all acting for these two.
They stop before it gets too raunchy, though I can tell both of them would like to do that scene for just a little longer.
"Arnold – " Gabriella says again, looking teary-eyed.
"Yes?" he prompts her.
"I will never think badly of you again."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
I knew it was a little cliché for them to say that, but it fit the mood, and every musical has something to do with love. Twinkle Towne really is a love story, along with humor and drama, of course, and what love story is complete without the words "I love you" in it?
The lights dim and the curtain falls. Uproarious applause sounds behind me. I knew the kissing scene would do it, and I knew Troy and Gabriella could do the kissing scene. Troy and Sharpay are going to have a tough time filling their shoes, if they can even get a major part again. I have a feeling that we have a new Drama King and Queen in school.
The curtain comes up and the cast launches into the drama aspect of the musical – Minnie's sister has been murdered! (I just had to add a morbid aspect.) And what's worse, Arnold's brother was the last one to see her alive – could he be the murderer? And whom will Arnold stand by? His brother or his new girlfriend? Choices, choices.
The audience likes the new turn that it is taking, I think. The songs are executed perfectly and the dancers dance until I think that their legs are going to give out. Troy's other big solo is tremendous; as is his acting when he is visits his friend in jail. I never thought that a basketball player could be this talented. Maybe I should think again.
Even the costumes are different – darker and less sparkly. There are lots of shades of grey, navy blue and gray, and everything is a little more deconstructed. I have Taylor to thank for that, since she has a surprising knowledge of fashion. Again, something I wouldn't have thought of. Troy is usually wearing all black, while Gabriella is dressed a little more fashionably. The colors at least compliment her skin tone.
Another big scene hits: Gabriella leaves Troy. Even though I know the happy ending of the musical, I can feel my heart pounding and my breath coming faster. My hands are shaky on the piano – a not-so-good side effect of good acting. During a small dialogue break, I close my eyes and try to relax. I really am getting nervous now; the play is almost at the end and I want to just get it done.
"I guess I broke my promise, Arnold," Gabriella spits. It's my cue to start playing, long thundering chords that definitely signify that something bad is going to happen. "I'll have to start thinking badly of you again."
"Minnie! No, wait let me explain! I love you, please, I do so much," Troy protests.
"No, you don't. I can see through your act. Your brother killed my sister and yet you are still on his side. You can't betray my like that, Arnold, not without consequences."
"He didn't kill her, Minnie, I know he didn't!"
"Yeah, well tell that to the evidence! We all know he did it, Arnold, you can't defend him anymore!" Gabriella is in a fit of rage now, her eyes sparking with hate and her mouth set in a grim line.
"Minnie, you have to listen to me! I love you and I never meant to –"
"Never meant to what? To have your brother kill my sister? No. I don't think I have to listen anymore."
She stalks away, leaving him in a crumpled heap on the ground. Troy calls out to her in a hoarse and broken voice, knowing that it is no use.
The curtain falls.
I can hear someone crying, sobbing, actually, in the first few rows. Wow. I never knew that that scene could affect someone like that. I personally did not like it as much as the other scenes, and I didn't think it was emotionally affecting. I am proved wrong, I guess.
The plot races by until we are at the happy reunion wedding – except for the dead sister and in-jail brother, who really did kill Minnie's sister. Everyone's voices ring out clear and true on the last song. The costumes are back to their bright, peppy selves, complete with twinkling sequins on nearly every place they could possibly be. It's a whole shop of disco balls, now. The last chord is gorgeous, and it makes me want to stand up and cheer with the rest of the crowd. But there's still bow music to play.
Everyone gets an enormous amount of applause, but no one gets more than Troy and Gabriella. The whooping and hollering goes on for so long that I think I should have written an encore specifically for them. I let out a few yells of praise myself, unable to resist. I keep on trucking through the music, even though I'm sure nobody can hear it through the noise. Finally, I strike a shimmering chord, trilling it, and the curtain slams down.
That's it.
It's over.
The applause still rages. Soon enough, however, the people start to trickle out of the auditorium, and the trickle soon become a raging stream. We had an exceptionally full house, much bigger than any of the other productions. Ms. Darbus said that we had made a school record, not just for opening night, but for any night on any production ever put on in East High – not counting sports events, of course.
I stay in the theatre while people – mostly the elderly or the young – come up to talk to me about the production. I make polite small talk, all the while imagining Ryan and Sharpay's faces. They must be so mad; it makes me grin.
When everyone has stopped talking to me, I walk out to go greet the cast. I give everyone a great big hug, even the ones who didn't even speak. But I talk to the leads the longest, giving them compliment after compliment about everything they did. I don't even mention Gabriella messing up her lines – it is overshadowed by her outstanding performance.
And what a performance it was. As the cast takes their makeup and costumes off and prepares to go to the after party, I walk to my car, feeling like I am walking on a cloud. All the good feelings are rushing through my body. All the good feelings are rushing through my body, making me feel like this is some kind of dream. It really feels like a dream, like I could wake up from this at any minute. I want to yell, I want to dance, I want to take a bubble bath, I want to do everything I was scared to do before.
The car door unlocks easily and I slide in, bouncing on the seat. Maybe it's not such a good idea for me to drive. I'll probably get into a wreck. But I still have to make sure that everything is fixed at the party location.
This night was everything that I wanted and more. I never would have thought that my hope could ever be put on like this. I never would think that it could happen.
Dreams do come true.