"Mr. Fenton, can I see you after class." Mr. Lancer demanded more than asked as he handed back the latest graded test, face down, on Danny's desk.
Danny nodded and knew why. He didn't need to see the grade to know he failed it. All the ghost fights and training had taken away from his school work again. The problem was how was he supposed to explain that without revealing his secret identity?
After all the other students had left Danny made his way to the front of the room. Surely he wouldn't be stuck in another mandatory study session would he?
"The last time we talked I really thought I had gotten through to you."
"You did! It's just I-" he hesitated, what would be a good excuse this time?
Lancer held up his hand, "I don't want any of your excuses, I have an offer and if you're willing-"
Danny perked up, was he really giving him another chance? No questions asked?
"- this is, in its most basic form, an extra credit assignment. I'm only offering it to you, and only you, because I know you have potential. I know you should be able to pass this class but you aren't."
Danny tried his best not to smile. It was hard not to at the compliment.
"The thing is with the semester almost over I can't just have you reread and retest on everything. Or I'm afraid what it would really be like is you'd be reading it for the first time."
He looked as that truth was spoken.
"So to make sure you fulfill the requirements of the class, of understanding the literature we covered, I've partnered with the Drama Director on this."
Danny cocked his head in confusion, what kind of extra credit was this?
"I made up a rubric and all you have to do is join help out with the Drama Club's current play. The more you do the better score you can get." he handed over the rubric.
To pass this class
To earn a 'D' have this form signed and dated by the drama director after you watch the production.
To earn a 'C' Do the above and join the crew and help out in anyway you can, have documentation from the Director on you role(s)
To earn a 'B' Do the above and get a minor role in the production.
To earn an 'A' Do the tasks for D and C grades as well as get a major role in the production.
Danny had to read over the rubric twice. He could get an A in the play by just being in a play? He could just show up, put some paint on a door, and stand on stage during the play and get a B? Like a B in the class as a whole?!
"When can I start?"
"I believe they meet in the auditorium after school today."
The day passed quickly enough and after a quick pit stop in the library to get a copy of the script Danny was on his way.
He was greeted by the Director, "You must be Danniel. I'm so glad you could make it."
"It's Danny, actually."
"Ok, so I see you got the script, good, good. Unfortunately you did miss the auditions, but I can pencil you in as an understudy if you'd like?"
"What?"
"An understudy? It's a just in case of emergencies type of role. Someone is bound to get sick or injured before the show so you'll just fill in. Honestly if it happens you most likely won't even have a speaking role. Or I might need a few more bodies in Act 4…. I think I have enough extras for the Capulet's ball."
"But it hasn't even been ten minutes since the bell rang..."
"Oh! No no no no, Auditions were last week. So understudy it is, also are you any good with your hands? Sewing? Art? Handy with tools? Also I really want you to get the most out of this experience so I might call you over to help people practice their lines or if I need a stand in for stage placement, ok?"
"Oh sure. The more I can help the better." not only for his grade but being helpful always felt right.
"Perfect! Now let's go get you introduced to the set crew."
Weeks passed in no time. Anywhere he was needed he was there. He helped build parts of the set, he painted scenery, and he also ran to get snacks for everyone so they could keep working. He also helped almost every member of the cast practice their lines. He had read over that play so much the words of Shakespeare would be burned into his brain forever.
One of the best parts of being part of the play was that he got to be near Paulina for hours at a time. She was playing Juliet after all.
Opening night, everyone was in a flurry of nerves and excitement. Even the director was nervously pacing the auditorium as she barked instructions.
Then the worst thing happened.
Paulina came out of the dressing room, the Juliet dress half ripped and hanging off her right shoulder, her makeup smeared in a kaleidoscopic mess. "I will not stand for this anymore! I told them 100 times that green looked terrible on me and yet they put this disgusting dress on me anyway!"
The girls in the costume department came running after her, "No you look wonderful, please come back!" they called to her, "I'm sorry it's just that's the only dress we have that fits you!" they tried to reason.
"No! I refuse to believe that! That's it, if you can't get your act together I quite!" she locked herself in the dressing room and you could hear her frantically taking off the dress without any care of how much it was ripping.
The costume crew kept trying to beg and plead with her through the door but her answer was still no.
With all the shouting the director came backstage, "We just start seating, why are you all yelling?"
"Paulina just quit!" they lamented, "We can't do the play if she quits, but she won't come back!"
The Director froze, "No Juliet? We lost our Juliet? How can we go on? I'll have to cancel the show!", she started to head to the stage to deliver the news to the crowd.
The sudden loss of hope was nearly palpable.
"Wait, we can't just let one person ruin this for everyone. We've all worked so hard for this. It isn't fair, this show isn't put on by only one person."
"But we can't do the show without one of the title characters!"
"Don't we have an understudy for the role?" Danny asked.
It was like turning on a light bulb, the director started to feverously flip through her clipboards notes. The cast and crew members started to smile to each other as a possibility was coming to.
The director got to the proper page, "Yes! Yes we do! It's -" then stopped dead.
Everyone turned to each other for answers. Why did she just stop? What could be wrong?
"We only have one understudy." she paused again. Was this for dramatic effect? Because it was working.
As the room waited for her to continue she looked up, her eyes locking onto Danny's, "It's you."
All eyes turned to him, he had got them all hyped about continuing and this is his reward? But the show….
"Does he even know the lines?" someone asked. "It's not like Paulina ever practiced with him." someone else mentioned. "We can't just let anybody take a leading role like that."
But he did know the lines. He knew all the lines. He could probably put on the whole show by himself if he wanted too. He just had to prove it.
The others were getting lost in arguments of being unprepared. Of not trying hard enough to keep Paulina interested.
Danny took a deep breath, if he was going to save this play he had to give it his all. "'Tis but thy name that is my enemy." he started softly, "Thou art thyself, though not a Montague." as the others started to quiet down he reached for more courage, "What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man." He had their attention now, he only needed to finish off strong, "O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name, which is no part of thee take all myself."
Everyone was silent. Did he nail it? Did he forget a line? Should he have tried to speak in an even higher voice? Was it too high?
Then the director started to nod, it was subtle at first but grew more vigorous as she continued. She tucked her clipboard under her arm and clapped, "Perfect!" Oh you can even do a falsetto." She wiped a tear from her eye, "Girls, go make him beautiful!"
The costume crew quickly steered him towards the dressing room, "With those big baby blues of his? That shouldn't be hard!"
As often as they could between scenes and during intermission, Danny would be in the makeup chair getting more and more details added to make him the fairest in all of Verona. False eyelashes, a long flowing wig with extensions, blush, lipstick, fake nails, contouring on his face and even some on his chest to give the illusion of cleavage. By the end of the play he was worried that if Tucker saw him he'd try to ask him out on a date.
With Danny so willing to help everyone else decided to step up their game as well. As a result the play got a standing ovation. Both nights.
After the final performance the Director got on stage after the big final bow and called him forward, "Oh Juliet could you stay just a little while more?"
He nodded even though he could feel his voice going, his feet were killing him, and all he wanted to do was sleep.
"I just wanted to give an extra special thanks to our Juliet." she said to the packed auditorium. "As you may have noticed we had a slight change in our cast as the original actress was unable to fulfill her role. At last minute we found a replacement, but didn't have the necessary resources to fix the bill. Our little Juliet is only listed as a crew member."
A few audience members started to turn to their handouts to see if they could figure it out.
"Did you want me to set the record straight now dear?"
Danny went to say no, but all that came out was a squeak and a cough as his voice died out. He shook his head quickly so she wouldn't misunderstand him.
"Oh sweetie did you just lose your voice?"
He nodded.
"Alright, anonymity is it. How about one more round of applause for all your hard work instead."
He curtsied as the crowd all stood to clap again.
This might not have gone the way he planned, but it was pretty satisfying to come into school Monday morning with a strongly written letter to Mr. Lancer that got him a 110% in the class.
Prompt from the 2013 calendar, day 25.
