Sara had loved Les Misérables since she was a kid. She'd carried that
obsession into high school, college, and adult life. After dating a man
who also loved the show, they were married on Mardi Gras like Marius and
Cosette, and she made sure that The Wedding Chorale was sung during the
ceremony.
It made perfect sense that, when their first child was born, she should name her after a character from Les Mis. Thus little Eponine entered into the world.
Ever since Sara had seen Les Mis on Broadway in middle school, she had regretted that she had such a late start in show business. The kids playing Little Cosette and Gavroche would have the life Sara had wanted for herself.
She raised Eponine with Les Mis, using "Come to Me" or "Castle on a Cloud" as a lullaby, the opening notes as a wake-up call, and Emile Bayard's illustrations for decorating advice.
As Eponine grew, she also developed a love for the story. At the age of seven, after the child had been in several of the town's children's theatre productions, her parents found her a job on Broadway. Eponine was never famous, although fans of her show exclaimed over her incredible acting abilities at such a young age.
After getting leading roles in such shows as Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, and Into the Woods, Eponine finally got a chance to try out for her namesake in Les Misérables. Her audition was impressive, but she was not cast as Eponine, as she had hoped. Instead, she was cast as the Factory Girl and Fantine's understudy. She also played various ensemble roles.
The have "The Factory Girl" played by Eponine became a matter of mass confusion. Someone approached Eponine about changing her name, which she flatly refused. Diana, the woman who played Fantine, suggested that she shorten her name. Eponine agreed, and her name in the program was changed to Nina.
When the understudy for Marius was forced to quit the show at the sudden death of his father, Danielle, who had the role of Eponine, suggested her boyfriend take over the role. He was currently playing Chris in a traveling cast of Miss Saigon, but was very welcome to the idea of switching shows.
For the next few months, this new understudy, Scott, played mainly ensemble roles, like Nina. She didn't pay much attention to him. He was handsome, but she was too busy being jealous of Danielle to think of anything besides the coveted role of Eponine.
The first time Scott got to perform as Marius was when Drew, the former Marius, left the show. As soon as Scott began to sing "Only one man, and that's Lamarque..." her ears quite literally perked up. He reminded Nina of Michael Ball, the Marius she had grown up listening to. By the time he finished singing "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," Nina was madly in love.
She was cruelly reminded of the fact that Danielle and Scott had been dating for more than a year after every afternoon performance, when they went out to eat together. Nina was forced to live the role she had been named for, loving a man who never saw her there.
Although she didn't know it, Nina was not the only person suffering this problem. Nina had always considered Mark, the man who played Enjolras, to be just a friend. He, however, desperately wished that she would notice him. Nina was a sweet, pretty girl with a great sense of humor. Whenever the entire cast went out to eat, he always tried to sit near her.
He had noticed that her eyes constantly flicked toward Scott, and that "A Little Fall of Rain" sent her into obvious agony. Mark had watched as she stood in the wings, mentally singing "On My Own" at every performance.
Of course, he understood how it felt to be hopelessly in love with someone who loved another. He began to position himself near Nina during Eponine's two biggest songs, hoping for a way to ease her pain. The opportunity rarely arose, but he would immediately seize it if it ever did.
Mark admired Nina's talent onstage. Even acting alongside Scott, she could put herself into a character that was nothing like true self. He could only imagine the amazing performance she would give were she Eponine, the character she clearly identified with.
Personally, Mark had trouble concentrating when Nina was nearby. He knew that Enjolras had never loved a woman, something he could have identified with before he had met Nina. Now, it took most of his energy to stay in character whenever she looked up at him from the foot of the barricades.
When Mark finally worked up enough courage to ask Nina to dinner, she was twenty and he was twenty-two.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
And mes reviewers:
La Pamplemousse- Ah, but I did know that! You hate Ponine? I don't especially love her... but I don't hate anyone in LM. Not even Bamatabois... or... well, I dunno. I wuv them all!
Eponine-meliara- I shall. I'm even thinking about writing a sequel! *evil laughter*
RoseMisre- I'm so sorry you identify with Nina. Me, I don't really identify with any of the characters... except Sara, from this chappie, who's based on me (my future self) but named after my friend who indirectly gave me the idea for this fic.
Elyse3- I know. It's so much fun to mess with... Twasn't a quicky update, but it's the best I can do, considering circumstances in my family of late (see Mizzies in the Park).
It made perfect sense that, when their first child was born, she should name her after a character from Les Mis. Thus little Eponine entered into the world.
Ever since Sara had seen Les Mis on Broadway in middle school, she had regretted that she had such a late start in show business. The kids playing Little Cosette and Gavroche would have the life Sara had wanted for herself.
She raised Eponine with Les Mis, using "Come to Me" or "Castle on a Cloud" as a lullaby, the opening notes as a wake-up call, and Emile Bayard's illustrations for decorating advice.
As Eponine grew, she also developed a love for the story. At the age of seven, after the child had been in several of the town's children's theatre productions, her parents found her a job on Broadway. Eponine was never famous, although fans of her show exclaimed over her incredible acting abilities at such a young age.
After getting leading roles in such shows as Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, and Into the Woods, Eponine finally got a chance to try out for her namesake in Les Misérables. Her audition was impressive, but she was not cast as Eponine, as she had hoped. Instead, she was cast as the Factory Girl and Fantine's understudy. She also played various ensemble roles.
The have "The Factory Girl" played by Eponine became a matter of mass confusion. Someone approached Eponine about changing her name, which she flatly refused. Diana, the woman who played Fantine, suggested that she shorten her name. Eponine agreed, and her name in the program was changed to Nina.
When the understudy for Marius was forced to quit the show at the sudden death of his father, Danielle, who had the role of Eponine, suggested her boyfriend take over the role. He was currently playing Chris in a traveling cast of Miss Saigon, but was very welcome to the idea of switching shows.
For the next few months, this new understudy, Scott, played mainly ensemble roles, like Nina. She didn't pay much attention to him. He was handsome, but she was too busy being jealous of Danielle to think of anything besides the coveted role of Eponine.
The first time Scott got to perform as Marius was when Drew, the former Marius, left the show. As soon as Scott began to sing "Only one man, and that's Lamarque..." her ears quite literally perked up. He reminded Nina of Michael Ball, the Marius she had grown up listening to. By the time he finished singing "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," Nina was madly in love.
She was cruelly reminded of the fact that Danielle and Scott had been dating for more than a year after every afternoon performance, when they went out to eat together. Nina was forced to live the role she had been named for, loving a man who never saw her there.
Although she didn't know it, Nina was not the only person suffering this problem. Nina had always considered Mark, the man who played Enjolras, to be just a friend. He, however, desperately wished that she would notice him. Nina was a sweet, pretty girl with a great sense of humor. Whenever the entire cast went out to eat, he always tried to sit near her.
He had noticed that her eyes constantly flicked toward Scott, and that "A Little Fall of Rain" sent her into obvious agony. Mark had watched as she stood in the wings, mentally singing "On My Own" at every performance.
Of course, he understood how it felt to be hopelessly in love with someone who loved another. He began to position himself near Nina during Eponine's two biggest songs, hoping for a way to ease her pain. The opportunity rarely arose, but he would immediately seize it if it ever did.
Mark admired Nina's talent onstage. Even acting alongside Scott, she could put herself into a character that was nothing like true self. He could only imagine the amazing performance she would give were she Eponine, the character she clearly identified with.
Personally, Mark had trouble concentrating when Nina was nearby. He knew that Enjolras had never loved a woman, something he could have identified with before he had met Nina. Now, it took most of his energy to stay in character whenever she looked up at him from the foot of the barricades.
When Mark finally worked up enough courage to ask Nina to dinner, she was twenty and he was twenty-two.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
And mes reviewers:
La Pamplemousse- Ah, but I did know that! You hate Ponine? I don't especially love her... but I don't hate anyone in LM. Not even Bamatabois... or... well, I dunno. I wuv them all!
Eponine-meliara- I shall. I'm even thinking about writing a sequel! *evil laughter*
RoseMisre- I'm so sorry you identify with Nina. Me, I don't really identify with any of the characters... except Sara, from this chappie, who's based on me (my future self) but named after my friend who indirectly gave me the idea for this fic.
Elyse3- I know. It's so much fun to mess with... Twasn't a quicky update, but it's the best I can do, considering circumstances in my family of late (see Mizzies in the Park).