Down the Rabbit Hole Chapter 13 - The Audition
A/N- Rave and Edd's (Alice) lines come from act 2, scene 2. Also I have never been in a play, so anything to do with the audition and the subsequent play itself will have a lot of creative license to it.
Edd, Kevin and Rave practiced lines all week long for the upcoming audition, Rave of course had lofty goals, aiming for the part of Romeo but he would settle for the part of Mercutio if he had to, Edd and Kevin's aim however was a lot lower. Both being considered amateurs at best, would be happy if they got a small bit part of one of the servants or even the Chorus (Narrator), Edd, however, was secretly hoping for the part of Rosaline. "I understand how you guys are feeling right now, fuck was I nervous the first time I went to one of these," Rave was assuring Kevin that the butterflies he was feeling were normal. "But I say aim big, and practice the lines for those top parts. I personally don't think that many people are going to show up, since it's a specialty theater group, so I'm pretty sure we're all going to get parts. The director will judge were best to put you, but because you aimed high, you might get Paris instead of a servant, Kevin, and hell you might get Friar Lawrence, Edd."
"That's not very funny," Edd looked at him with a scowl upon his face, throwing a pillow at his friend.
Rave chuckled as he dodged said pillow, "At least your nerves haven't killed your sense of humor yet."
Taking their friends advice, Kevin started memorizing the lines for Mercutio and Edd started learning Juliet's while practicing with Rave for his lines. In the back of his mind were thoughts on how best to keep his father away from the play. As well as how to explain to his two friends, who were going with him to this audition, why he was trying out for Juliet and not a more masculine part. Should he give up on this idea and fall into social norms, or say fuck it and do what made him happy? He trusted them, he has been friends with Kevin for several years now, and Rave has proven himself a loyal friend over the course of the short time they had known each other. But would they understand his reasons if he told them everything, or would they shun him for being different? Though they knew about each other's sexualities, gender identity is on a whole other playing field all together.
Fuck it, he decided he was going for what he wanted, if they couldn't accept it, he would learn what kinds of friends they truly were, and would be better without them. For who really needs friends in their lives that do not accept all of who you truly are, though he still had to admit the thought of losing them still scared the hell out of him. That Friday night, both Edd and Kevin stayed the night over at Rave's so they could get an early start in the morning. With the auditions having a nine A.M. starting time left them no room for error, or allow them the luxury of attempting to try and bang on Kevin's door to wake him up in the morning.
They spent that evening enjoying traditional Italian food, home cooked by Rave's mother and his aunt Cecilia. Laughing at the antics between Rave and his two cousins, Angelo and Geovanni, as he tried to bar the two preteens from his room so they could get some last-minute practice in before the big day. Both Edd and Rave spent some time helping Kevin become more natural with his lines, to put more feeling into them and express himself as he enunciated the words properly. While the red headed teen practiced quietly and continued to memorize the lines, Edd went over lines with Rave once again, helping the young actor perfect his craft and hopefully win his part. As he helped him, an idea entered his head on how to audition for the part he wanted while still concealing his motivations and reasons from his friends, now it was just a matter of getting his friend to go along with it. If there is one thing he has learned about Rave over the year, it is that no one steals the spot light from him, but perhaps he could be persuaded to share it momentarily.
The day started way too early for some of them, namely Kevin, and as he walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth next to Edd he moans out, "Fuck, the sun isn't even up yet," then yawns.
Spitting Edd addresses him, "The early bird gets the worm, pumpkin, now stop complaining and get ready." Walking out of the room he goes into the bedroom and changes quickly into his outfit for the day, sitting upon the bed once fully clothed he leans his head to the side and beings to brush out his shoulder length hair.
Rave walks into the room a moment later, opening his closet, he barely giving Edd's exposed hair a second glance, "Which do you think?" He asks holding up two outfits, one was a white shirt with fluffy sleeves and frill running along the upper buttons. The other was a normal white dress shirt with a black button up vest that went all the way up to his neck with a black cravat tie held together by a metal buckle.
Looking over Edd instantly pointed with the brush to the one with the vest, sorry Rave but frill just wasn't really you in his opinion. With everyone ready to go thirty minutes later they all hop into Ms. Castellanos station wagon and begin the trip to Summerville, stopping to pick up some drive thru food on the way out of town. Kevin falling back to sleep once feed, leaning his head against Edd's shoulder once he was unconscious, blubbering his lines in his sleep.
They were thankful that they had actually left early once they had reached the outskirts of the city, for as they neared the bridge to cross the river to enter the city they were caught in a traffic jam. "Fuck," Rave curses their luck as he looks out at the slowly moving traffic, causing Kevin to jump awake and mutter to everyone that he was as he blinked his eyes and adjusted his glasses.
"It's alright sweetie," his mother points to the clock on the radio, it read a quarter after eight, "We still have time."
Leaning forward Edd placed his hand on Rave's shoulder, "I was wondering if you could help me."
He turns in his seat to look at his friend, "Do you need to go over your lines again?"
"No, I'm sure I have those down," he looked apprehensive at asking, "I was wondering if we could do our audition together."
Rave gave him a strange look, he was already set on doing one scene and didn't want to change that plan, "But I've already," he started.
Edd could easily figure out what he was going to say and though he doesn't like to interrupt people he made and exception this time, "That's fine, I have the corresponding lines memorized from when I helped you." Another strange look from Rave and he continues, "Like you said, the director will choose where to put us based on our performance, not what part we read from."
"But," he started but stopped himself. Inside he was nervous about this suggestion, for any mess up by Edd would also look badly upon him, and he just didn't want to risk that, but was finding it hard to say that to his friend.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," his mother added, "You can help your friend get through this."
"But mom, the director might not allow it," he replied a little irritated now that she liked the idea.
"Come on, it's all you've been talking about for the past week, the three of you doing this together, now you can help ensure he gets a part." He had to admit that she did have a point, "And what's the worst that can happen, the director says no, well then you go back to plan A." Secretly Rave was hoping for a no, but deep down he knew that he better be prepared to pull their butts out of the fire.
Breaking free from the traffic jam by taking the next off ramp they came to once they crossed the bridge, they made quick time to the community center. Entering they were directed by the woman at the front desk to the room the auditions would be held in, which was located behind a set of double doors at the end of the hall. Opening it they stepped into a small gymnasium that had a stage built into the wall at the far end from the doors. Two rows of fold up metal chairs and a small wooden table stood in front of the stage, where a few people already sat and waited for the director to start the auditions. Walking toward the group of people and toward the table they were greeted by a heavy-set brunette Caucasian woman who smiled at them and asked if they were here to audition. Answering affirmatively, she hands them each a clip board that had a piece of paper on it for them to fill out with their information and what parts they were trying for. Along with a disclaimer that said that you were not guaranteed a role in the play, that if you were offered a position you would be placed where the director needed you, and that you would more than likely not get your first choice.
Sitting down the three of them start filling out their papers, Rave sitting in-between Kevin and Edd, in case they had any question, though he knew the paper was pretty self-explanatory. Edd gets to the part where he needed to put down what parts he was trying out for, he turns his clipboard away from Rave and puts down Juliet, Rosaline and the Nurse.
The person beside him adjusts in their seat, "Hey," Edd looks up and sees a girl with puffy bleached blonde hair that was down just past her shoulders looking at him. She wore a dark blue sleeveless button up shirt and blue jean mini skirt.
"Hello," he responds then returns to filling out his paper.
"I'm Tifa," she holds out her hand.
"A pleasure," he takes it and gives it a gentle shake as Rave looks over at the girl, "I'm Edd," and he points to his two friends, "This is Rave and Kevin."
Looking at the red head at the end, "Charmed," and she smiles innocently at him. Looking down briefly she blurts out, "Oh, you're trying out for Juliet too?" Edd quickly covers that part of the paper up with his hand and the girl grins having hit the nail on the head that he obviously was trying to keep that a secret from his friends and mouthed sorry. Leaning over she whispers into an embarrassed Edd's ear, "You might want to try for something else, my mother has guaranteed me that I have that part in the bag." Leaning back she looks him in the eyes, having sown her seeds of doubt she stands to leave, both Edd and Rave could see the bulge in the front of her skirt and Edd looks away quickly out of modesty.
"Roxy," a Caucasian woman calls down the row waving the girl over. When the young blonde joined her she says in a harsh whisper that everyone could still hear as she ushered the girl way, "How many times do I have to tell you to tuck properly? Now get to the bathroom and fix it."
Both Kevin and Rave tried to contain a soft laugh at the girl's expense, Edd felt sorry and embarrassed for her, even though she was kind of rude. Rave leans over once he stops giggling, "You never said you were trying for those parts." Edd looked like a dear caught in headlights for a moment as he was unsure how to answer his friend, getting irritated even more at the girl for blurting it out. His logic was this, if by some chance he did manage to get any of the parts he was after he would be able to come up with the excuse that it was the directors decision and not his, with a what can you do about it attitude. But he also knew that getting the part was a long shot and he was more than likely going to be placed in some bit male role, so he felt safe putting it down in secret.
Rave leans closer and whispers, "It's cool, you don't have to be embarrassed, I've done drag before, well in private anyways, so I get it." Edd was at first taken aback, he knew that Rave was a little feminine at times but chalked it up to his sexuality. Then his heart started to fill with happiness that his friend wasn't going to judge him and that he might be able to confide in him a little about certain things. But probably not about Alice just yet, dip the toe in the water and test the temperature first, then dive in if it's to your liking. "But this also explains why you wanted to do the audition together," Rave continues and takes Edd's measure, "With my help darling we'll get you that part."
Turning in their clipboards they take their seats again and Edd could feel eyes upon him, matter of fact they all could. Turning their heads simultaneously to their right they see the blonde girl sitting at the end of their row of chairs next to her mother, wiggling her fingers hello at them. "There's something about her I don't like," Kevin whispers as she kissed the air while locking eyes with him.
"She gets on my nerves," Edd added.
"And that voice," Rave remarked.
"Like nails on a chalkboard," Edd finished for him and they turned their heads to ignore her.
Ten minutes later the director stands before them and addresses the group, it was the woman who had been sitting at the desk handing out the clipboards. "Good morning everyone and thank you for coming to the Dramatic Comedy theater groups audition, my name is Tina Barr and I will be directing this production of Romeo and Juliet." She motions to the stage with her left hand, "When I call your name please take the stage and restate your name and then the piece you will be doing for your audition. You'll have at most five minutes, so please make it count, and once again thank you for coming."
She takes her seat and calls out the first name, "Ritta Divine," and an older African American woman in her forties stands and takes the stage with one other person and addresses the director.
"Hello, my name is Ritta Divine and I will be trying out for the part of the Nurse." The man beside her begins Lady Capulet's lines and Ritta performs her lines beautifully.
Edd could her Tifa down at the end of their row of seats, "It's probably the only part the old hag can get." Her mother admonishes her for her rudeness, something about the fact that she wasn't fully a part of her house yet and that she needed to learn some respect if she wanted to keep her chance. The performance was done and the director thanked her, Edd clapped for the lady enthusiastically.
Next the director called "Tifa Van Rockin."
The young girl gets up and takes the stage, and in an overly confident attitude, "I'm Tifa Van Rockin, but you can call me Roxy, I'll be auditioning for the part of Juliet." And for one minute Edd's was tormented by her bad acting, no emotion in her voice as she spouted of her Romeo oh Romeo line, there was no feeling in her movements or expressions as well. The director had even had enough of it and told her thank you, Roxy thought it was a good thing, that obviously she had so overwhelmed her with her acting prowess that no more proof was needed of her skills.
"Kevin Anderson," the director called out and the boy took the stage. Edd looks over and sees Roxy in awe of the short red head as he went into Mercutio's speech about Queen Mab flawlessly, with passion and spirit in every word he said and action he took. "James Castellanos," the director calls and the boy goes to the table to ask his question, Edd sees the woman nod to him and Rave waves for him to come along.
They both take the stage, Edd taking off his beanie fluffing his hair a little as Rave starts, "Hello I'm James Castellanos."
"And I'm Eddward Rockwell."
"And we will be auditioning for the parts of Romeo," he points to himself, "And Juliet," he motions toward Edd. Rave starts further down in the balcony scene from where Roxy had done her audition, coming to Edd as a lover from the shadows, "I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo."
Edd did not miss a beat and feigned surprise at his appearance, "What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night, So stumblest on my counsel?"
Rave continues softly taking his hand, "By a name, I know not how to tell thee who I am. My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself because it is an enemy to thee. Had I it written, I would tear the word."
The director watched the interactions between the two intently and even allowed the audition to go slightly over the five-minute allotted time. Finally realizing it she calls out, "Thank you," and they took their seats again. The three of them stayed and watched the other people audition and Rave counted off in his head telling the other two that they just barely had enough people show up to fill the roles needed to pull the play off. At the end of the last audition the director address the group, once again thanking them for coming and that she would be in touch with them once she made her decision. Edd was now grateful that he had the foresight to put Rave's number down as his contact info.