Author's Note: As usual, I am sorry for taking so long on this! I thought that everything would be easy once AP exams were done, but as it turns out my teachers had different plans. So, sadly, today was really the first chance I had to write in a while. Thank you all for your patience, and thanks again to all those who reviewed.
This will probably be the last update in a while because—lucky person that I am—I leave on June 25th to spend four weeks in Europe with my family on vacation. We're spending a week in London, and while there I will finally be seeing a real live stage production of Phantom of the Opera! So while this does give me a great chance to "research" for this fic, it also means that I probably won't be updating again until August.
I will have my Pocket PC with me, and will be writing while I'm gone, but probably won't have internet access. The best way to keep informed of what I'm writing and when I'll be able to post next is probably to check my livejournal: www (dot) livejournal (dot) com / users / readingredhead. If and when I get online during my trip, I'll be sure to post there. I think that covers it; on to the chapter!
Chapter 6: Casting Complications
The week passed in a slightly monotonous blur of the usual homework and before Ashley would have guessed it, it was Friday again. Kate had grown slightly less nervous about the musical over the course of the week, but by Friday her doubts were beginning to resurface.
"What if I didn't do as well as I thought I did?" she asked Ashley while they were sitting and eating lunch. "What if I don't get a singing part?"
"And what if the moon was really made of cheese?" Ashley asked, imitating one of her elementary school teachers. "Honestly, Kate, the next time you worry about this I think I'll have to hit you."
"But they haven't posted the cast list yet," Kate said, sounding slightly less anxious but not fooling her best friend. "It never took Mrs. Tucker this long to decide on parts."
"Mrs. Grimm doesn't seem much like Mrs. Tucker," Ashley observed. "Remember how she treated Chrissy? Mrs. Tucker always let her get her way—maybe it's taking them so long to cast because Mrs. Grimm doesn't want to cast Chrissy as Christine, and she's having to argue it out with Mr. Edwards."
"She did have the best singing voice of the people who tried out," Kate said grudgingly.
"But you keep telling me she can't act," Ashley countered. "And a musical isn't all about singing, right?"
"Not all," Kate conceded, a small smile on her face. "Okay, I'll stop worrying—at least when I'm around you. You're no fun when you turn psychoanalyst on me."
"Why, because I'm right?" Ashley asked.
"I'm not going to dignify that with a response," Kate said.
"You just did," Ashley pointed out with a laugh.
"Fine, changing topics!" Kate said exasperatedly. "Um…" She paused for a minute. "Darn, I can't think of anything interesting to talk about!"
Ashley laughed. "Fine, let's talk about this musical, I won't bring up your performance if you don't want me to."
"Alright," Kate said. "I can live with that."
"But you were amazing, and you will get the part."
Kate turned to her friend. "I thought we weren't talking about me."
"Of course not, Meg—I mean, Kate."
"Stop that!" Kate said. "Really changing subjects this time. Who do you think has the Phantom's part?"
Ashley thought for a moment, forcing herself to actually critique every audition she'd seen in an unbiased way. "Well," she said after a minute, "it's down to Andrew or Damien, I think. I guess it depends on what Grimm and Edwards are looking for."
Kate, who had practically shuddered at the mention of Andrew's name, said, "I really hope not Andrew."
"He's a really good actor, though," Ashley admitted. She'd seen him in too many of the school's plays, and though her best friend hated him, Ash could never deny that he was one of the best actors at the school.
"What's up with you?" Kate asked. "He's a pervert. And Damien sings so much better."
There was no denying that; though Andrew could hit all the right notes, Damien gave those notes a depth of feeling beyond what the average high schooler could portray. "Well, yeah, he does," Ashley said, blushing slightly and not sure why.
"It'll be him," Kate said, either not noticing her friend's reaction or simply not commenting. "His looks are too dark for Grimm to cast him as Raoul. Andrew, on the other hand, could look the pretty-boy if he needed to."
Ashley had to laugh at the idea of Andrew as Raoul. Kate was right—he was a good enough actor that he could play a character so completely unlike himself. It was the sort of thing that would do him good.
Their talk turned to the other performances they had seen at the auditions, and they went on predicting parts for nearly half the cast, laughing at some of each other's suggestions. When the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, they were both giggling, Kate's previous apprehension completely forgotten.
The theatre was quiet after hours. Soon, it would be filled with noises and rehearsals and music from three to eight daily, but until parts for the musical were assigned, it remained empty.
Ashley trod softly through this silence, sliding in through one of the side doors and padding down to the stage and the orchestra pit. She and a few others had been practicing the Phantom songs here during their last class, to re-accustom themselves to the room's acoustics. It wasn't until she got home after school that she realized she'd left most of her music here, music she was expected to practice over the weekend. So she'd come back.
The quiet was slightly disturbing, especially here in a place which Ashley associated with music and acting and song. She stepped down into the pit, making her way to the keyboard and bending down to pick up her music, which was on the floor next to it. For a moment she thought of playing something, just to dispel the silence, but shook her head. She really should get going; her dad was actually going to be home tonight, and she'd promised to cook an actual dinner.
Ash was just about to exit the pit when she heard a conversation, coming from the area behind the stage. She ducked down, near-invisible to anyone on the stage, and listened. After a moment, the voices resolved themselves into those of Mrs. Grimm and Mr. Edwards.
"Are you sure she can handle it?" Mrs. Grimm sounded skeptical. "Her voice is good, but to be frank, I've heard better."
"At a high school level?" Mr. Edwards demanded incredulously. "Pardon me for saying so, Janice, but I highly doubt that. Miss Adams has been singing since she was six, and has had a singing role in the past two musicals."
Ah hah, Ashley thought. So they were discussing casting. Part of her mind nagged at her, saying that this wasn't the sort of conversation she should be hearing and that perhaps she should leave, but the other half justified her continued presence by reasoning that, if she left, she couldn't do so without the teachers noticing. They they'd definitely think she'd been eavesdropping. She had no choice; she would stay until they left, and if found she'd just have to tell the truth and hope they believed her.
"Nonetheless, I'd feel better if we double cast the role, let someone else take half the shows," Mrs. Grimm continued. "I'm not denying that she is good, I'm just trying to make this the best production possible."
"Yes, but I believe I am responsible for the vocal aspects of this production," Mr. Edwards countered. "I have great faith in Chrissy's talent."
Ashley could hear Mrs. Grimm's sigh of defeat from where she hid, and for a moment she forgot where she was and echoed it with a sigh of her own. Chrissy had the part now.
"We should at least find a capable understudy," Mrs. Grimm said. "Someone else has to be capable of playing the part."
"I'm not sure anyone is," Mr. Edwards said condescendingly. "After all, Phantom is not a musical to be taken lightly—possibly it was a mistake to attempt with a high school cast?"
Mrs. Grimm took the gibe in stride. "Well, mistake or not, we've already purchased the scripts and the rights to perform the play, so there's no going back now." Ashley could almost see the saccharine smile the drama teacher must have been giving. Her tone was not in the least respectful as she said, "If you'll excuse me, I have a musical to cast." Ash heard her footsteps slowly retreat and heard a door close backstage, likely the one that connected the backstage area to the drama room.
She heard what she thought was a frustrated sigh from Mr. Edwards before he, too, walked backstage and exited, though into the choir room instead of the drama room.
Finally alone, Ashley let out her own sigh of relief. Not wanting to be caught, and not knowing if either of the teachers might return, she quickly left the auditorium and made her way back to her car, all the time pondering what she had heard.