Chapter Four: Acting Audition-Todoroki Shouto
[Videos for reference:
(Original Monologue Sample)
Monologues || Lady Macbeth's Suicide Soliloquy - The Insane Artist]
Aizawa Shouta was dreading this next audition, which was more of an obnoxious formality to begin with. As the son of one of U.A.'s most prestigious and donation-happy alumni, Todoroki Shouto had secured a spot at this academy the moment he was born.
Shouta...Shouto...god that would have gotten confusing if Aizawa hadn't been going by his last name personally and professionally for the past twenty years in both the Eastern and Western industries. He'd almost forgotten what his given name even sounded like.
Similar monikers aside, the co-director of U.A.'s Acting department knew it was going to be a pain to deal with the added paparazzi the young celebrity would bring.
Not that the school wasn't well equipped to handle that kind of disruption. The U.A. dorm system and school security procedures were devised to prioritize the focus and safety of the rising stars it was known to breed.
Still, notorious theater actor and film star Todoroki Enji had put his child in the spotlight from day one.
The boy had debuted at the age of four as the poster child for a few commercial brands. After a successful child acting career in television, film and even a few stage productions (proving that he'd inherited the vocal chops of his operatic father), it was well assumed that the boy was on the fast track to idol status.
If it wasn't common knowledge that Todoroki Shouto had disappeared from the limelight at age 11, never to make an anticipated debut album or even show his face in a media publication for the past five years, Aizawa would be wondering what the point of him coming here even was.
"Maybe the kid got rusty after going on hiatus for so long," Aizawa thought, scanning the pre-submitted audition materials that had been given to the judges as the applicant in question took the stage.
Aizawa paused, took a good look at the boy under the spotlight for the first time, and looked again at the headshot in his hands.
As a professional casting director for many years, the stark difference in presentation was something he had to comment on.
"Excuse me, Mr. Todoroki," Aizawa said, a hint of irritation in his voice. "I was curious to know if your current appearance is a temporary look to enhance your audition?"
The picture of the red-headed young man, with striking heterochromatic eyes and flawless skin, looked quite different from the version that stood on stage.
The right side of the Todoroki boy's iconic crimson hair had been dyed snow white. A realistic burn scar was expertly applied around the skin of the blue eye on the left side of his face.
The veteran director had seen more dramatic attempts to stand out during the U.A. solo auditions, but he found this all a bit unnecessary unless the performance directly called for it.
"I apologize," Todoroki Shouto said in a cool and flat tone. "My father submitted edited headshots with my application without my knowledge. Aside from the white section of my hair, this is my natural face. I plan to give updated copies of my photo to the U.A. administrative office after my audition today."
Aizawa's eyes widened. Natural look? So that meant that expert make-up job...was real.
The man concealed his concern and continued to act professionally, directing his attention away from the boy's horrible scar, and instead focusing comments on his hair.
"With your background, I'm sure you're aware that having unnatural hair colors, un-specified by a director, will make you harder to cast in certain roles."
The Todoroki boy nodded curtly.
"The hair was a very recent change," he admitted. "But I've studied costume and makeup design enough that I am willing to make any necessary transformation to aid the director in fulfilling the role. For today, however, I preferred to audition as I truly am. If that's acceptable?"
The look in the boy's eyes and the tone of his voice spoke something far beyond his years and words.
What had Enji put his son through?
Aizawa looked to the other co-director of his department, Vlad King (Or Kan Sekijirō, though he longer used that name in favor of his Westernized stage name), to see if the man had any comments. As usual, Vlad made a face as if he couldn't be bothered to speak. He allowed Aizawa to take the reins of the hard audition questions while he skewered the applicant on stage with judgemental eyes.
"Very well," Aizawa agreed, showing the boy the proper respect by getting back to business. "According tp your application, you may begin your monologue and accompanying solo for your dual major audition in the Musical Performance and Acting tracks."
To help save time during today's auditions, Hizashi, Azaiwa and Vlad agreed to allow any dual Acting and Musical Performance Majors the chance to perform both pieces during the same audition. Some students had a monologue and solo that complimented each other, and it helped effectively categorize the kids that were looking to end up on a live stage or just behind a camera.
"That is also something I would like to officially update with registration after my audition," Todoroki calmly interjected.
"Oh?" Aizawa raised another curious brow.
"I will only be auditioning for the Acting track today," Todoroki said, smug confidence peppering his statement.
"Very well," Aizawa repeated, shifting his papers to the provided reference script, which seemed to be the only accurate thing about the boy's application today. "So you'll be performing a monologue from Shakespeare's Macbeth for the role of...Lady Macbeth?"
Todoroki nodded again.
"The material has been edited minutely as a creative choice," he said. "But I will be performing a piece from Act 5 Scene 5 in the original Shakespearean English. Did the Japanese translation of the monologue come through for your added convenience?"
"Yes, but don't worry about that," Aizawa said, trying to hide how impressed he was. "The majority of the staff here is bi-lingual due to our international careers, so the judges should be able to understand you either way. Begin at any time."
"Thank you," Todoroki said, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a brief moment.
The minute he opened them again, Aizawa knew the audition had begun before the boy even opened his mouth.
A chilling aura took over the entire auditorium as the young Todoroki stepped forward, gripping one hand into a fist near his face as the other moved fluidly with expression by his side.
"Oh King Macbeth, a demon you became."
His voice was low and simmering with more intensity than he had seemed capable of moments ago, and he articulated in a perfectly accented Victorian English dialect. He wasn't speaking lines, he was bringing to life a tragic tale.
"Remember when she first fell in deepest love? Oh fie upon it! Go thee hence Macbeth! You are a monster, lurking in the night. Now who is thy next victim, cruel Macbeth?"
A bitter chuckle escaped the boy's lips before he lifted a burning, accusatory stare towards the table of judges.
All eyes in the auditorium, especially Aizawa's, were frozen on him.
"Oh murder me! Oh slit my damnèd throat!" Todoroki exclaimed, transforming into a man on the brink of reckless abandon with nothing to lose. Torment and mock blended effortlessly into his words.
"Thou art a killer, not the man she loved. Where art thou King Macbeth? Macbeth? Macbeth!"
Pacing across the stage, he now presented evidence and sentence as if he were lawyer, judge and jury all at once.
"The darkness covers and protects Macbeth. Oh dost thou feel the creeping guilt and shame? Macbeth cannot permit himself to look me in the eyes. Avoid me now thou dost! Hath I become unworthy of your gaze?"
Another bitter laugh filled the air, then the young man narrowed his eyes into angry slits.
"Thou worship thy disgusting witches. Fe! The witches planted evil in thy head. In the foretelling, thou became absorbed."
He paused his pacing briefly, gripping his fists again. A broken sound, a sound of one who has lost a loved one, came through in his next sentiment.
"She knew thee ere, she dost not now."
Todoroki looked to Aizawa, but the director knew he wasn't the one in front of the young man's vision as a final threat was issued.
"Thou shall be conquered very soon, Macbeth. And once thou art, shall we walk together in hell?"
This wasn't a monologue. This wasn't a Shakespearean soliloquy. This was a premeditated confrontation.
The judges sat in stunned silence as tension, thick and furious as a blizzard, enraptured them all.
The dual haired boy held his final icy gaze for a few beats, then closed his eyes, relaxed his breath and stance, then opened them again.
"Thank you," he said, his previously cool-tone accompanied with a polite nod.
No one was sure what to say, so Aizawa had to find the will to respond.
"Thank you, Todoroki Shouto," he said, his voice feeling strangely parched. "You'll receive your audition feedback and acceptance results within the next few weeks. Please visit the administrative office about the updates you mentioned as soon as possible, and feel free to contact them if you have any questions in the meantime."
"Thank you for your time," Todoroki said with a sincere, additional nod, then exited from the stage.
Aizawa finally exhaled his own breath, and he knew his fellow judges were waiting for the awe to melt after such a significant audition.
That piece...it was originally a section of the final, suicidal rant of Lady Macbeth, a queen who had been seduced into power and madness as the deeds of her king consumed them both. And a child star had just claimed a single paragraph from that scene and switched the meaning on its head, with just the switch of a few words.
That piece was no longer the defeated rant of Macbeth's love crushing under the weight of consequence and guilt. It was the battle cry of a champion seeking to bring truth and vengeance to those Macbeth had supposedly wronged.
For the first time that day, Aizawa finally checked the acceptance box on an application, after a quick confirming nod from Vlad. The melting of awe that was supposed to come once the young Todoroki left, never did.
Not until a stage assistant cleared their throat nervously, breaking the table of professional artists out of their stupor.
Once Again, It's Time for Our Favorite After Story Podcast/Blog...THE AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey everyone! I'm your hostess with the notes-est, DJ T-Time!
First things first! Let's send a huge thank you out to YOU lovely peeps as I role call these lovely stats!
13 Reviews! 25 Favs! 39 Follows!
You lovelies clearly wanna see where this little ramble fest of mine is going, and I'm all about it! Leave me a few notes, bars and thoughts of what you want for the future of this fic as a review? Kay? Mkay! I just love chatting with you guys, I could really do it all day…
And now! The million-dollar question!
Tasia? Todoroki? As an actor? Todoroki and Shakespeare? Really?
Really, really!
Fun fact, this scene was the first one I drafted for this story, even before the prologue, when this whole thing was just an untamed dumpster fire of an idea. I can say that I felt musical talents, though not out of Shouto's wheelhouse for an AU like this...seemed a little...cliche to make as the main focus for his character. I've seen it done really well in a few other fics, so I wanted to pick something different.
When you think of a chilling performance, an amazing acting gig is the first thing that came to mind for me! That feeling when you're watching a play or a movie and the character just freezes the depths of your soul with awe! Mix that with Shouto's princely cameo at the end of the MHA season two ending credit song, and you have the guilty pleasure of my Prince of the Stage, Todoroki Shouto!
The Shakespearean influence will play a huge part in his past influences, but can't we all just agree that Shouto is just an angsty little Hamlet cupcake, waiting to be properly baked in the right AU.
COMING UP NEXT! Stepping on the stage after a shining star, an invisible daydreamer is going to try their shot for the big time! Though not the best of the bunch, while struggling to show literal face to the judges, can this spotlight hopeful do their best to make those apathetic judges really SEE what they're all about?
Tune into the next chapter, and share your predictions in the meantime!
Y'all know the drill about the review section!
Till next time, this is DJ T-Time, signing off and taking some "me-time"!
SEE-YA!