Thanks to all of my readers! I love you all! throws out Phantom Plushies for all

Melissa- Thank you. I hope you ienjoy the next two chapter, as I am posting them together.

Chapter 3- Becoming Christine

Practices started the next Monday right after school. Annie entered the auditorium and sat quietly in the front row on the left side. She pulled her script from her backpack and looked around her. There were about 75 cast and crew members plus about 25 professionals sent from the state opera company to help them.

A man in his late 40s took canter stage and motioned for the cast and crew to be seated. He held his hands up in the air began to speak loudly. "Welcome, all." He said, and returned his hands to hang loosely at his sides. "I'm Mr. Reyser, and the folks standing behind me," He pointed at them, and a few of them waved, "are professionals who are donating their time to you, and I expect them to be treated as such."

Somewhere behind Annie, Michelle made a snide comment about Mr. 'Razor' not being too sharp. Michelle's gang of admirers giggled, loudly, to show Michelle how 'cool' they were. Michelle laughed with them, loudest of all.

Mr. Reyser cleared his throat and looked sharply at Michelle and crew. "All those who are in the Chorus should proceed to the choir room, and you are not in the chorus, then I want you up here," he pointed to the floor, "on the stage, with me."

The cast proceeded to where ever they needed to go. Annie and the few others who where not in the chorus headed for the stage. Michelle and her band of fans (though smaller with the departure of the chorus) where once again giggling, this time at the jacket of one of the other cast members.

The youngsters gathered on the stage, making a circle around Mr. Reyser. He looked around at them. He breathed in and let the breath out, noisily. "Well," He said. "I don't know all of you and it would take some time to learn all of your names so, we won't." A couple of Michelle's girls laughed, quietly. "I want you to become your character, and so," He began to walk around the inside of the circle, "When you enter this room I will call you by your character's name, and I expect that you will do the same to the other crew members."

He rounded on a girl in the corner. She was small with long blonde hair that reached down to the small of her back. "You!" Mr. Reyser said, brandishing a finger at her terrified figure. "What is your name?"

Annie recognized the girl as Olivia from her 4th period gym class. Olivia's mouth opened and she squeaked out an inaudible response. Mr. Reyser raised his left hand to his ear. "What was that, young lady?"

"Meg…" Came the hushed response.

"Oh," Mr. Reyser said, starting again around the circle. "Our own Meg Giry? Well, we'll be sure to get you speaking up a little, yes, Mademoiselle Giry?" He said turning his head back to Olivia. She nodded, lightly.

Mr. Reyser went on and hounded a few of the other cast members. Michelle was sure that everyone knew that she was playing 'La Carlotta', and not just 'Carlotta'. Josh forgot his characters name, and when Mr. Reyser stared at him he blushed and then looked down at his feet.

Mr. Reyser did not have enough time to bark at all of the students, and so after three or four he moved on. "Now, I would like to hear the first scene starting with Carlotta's first threat to leave. Some of the props are kind of here. Some of them, you will have to fake. Do the best you can. I will only stop to direct or to block the scene. Now, go!" With that Mr. Reyser left and sat in the front row, middle seat.

The cast took their places, Michelle in the center of it all. She was holding a script in one hand and making overdone gestures with the other. "My manager commands… Messier Reyer?"

The boy playing Reyer missed his cue a little and stumbled over his words, trying to read them from the script. "My diva… com… commands. Will two… two bars be sufficient intro…introduction?"

The young man playing Firmin answered, "Two bars will be quite sufficient."

'Reyer' left the stage. He had no Orchestra pit to go to yet, and so he stood behind the tech girl running the sound.

Michelle Opened her mouth widely and let out an over zealous, "Think of me…" She thought was amazing. "Think of me, think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye.
Remember me once in a while, please promise me you'll try. When you find that, once again, you long to take your heart…" she screamed and acted as if something were falling on her.

Olivia and a few other ballet dancers murmured that the phantom of the opera was there. 'Piangi' yelled at 'LaFevre' and the two new managers. 'Buquet' swore that he was not at his post. The two new manager tell Carlotta that "these things do happen." and Carlotta replies with, "Si! These things do happen! Well, until you stop these things happening, this thing does not happen!"

'Madame Giry' introduced Andre and Firmin to the Opera Ghost by giving them an imaginary note from him. The two are appalled at this, but even more concerned about La Carlotta not having an understudy.

"Christine Daaé could sing it, sir." 'Meg' urged, though she said it a little too softly.

Firmin and Andre debate this until 'Madame Giry' pipes in. "Let her sing for you, monsieur, She has been well taught."

"From the beginning of the aria then, mademoiselle?" Asks 'Reyer' from his stand behind the tech girl.