Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold…talk to Craig Bartlett

Chapter 2: New Directors


Helga had to admit…the audition was quite pathetic.

William Thornstock, a popular theater director in California had come to Hillwood high school to direct a play…A Midsummer Night's Dream, to be exact. When he first stepped foot inside the school, he expected to have a lot of talent to choose from. He was sadly, horribly mistaken.

"To be! Orrrrrrr NOT to be. That is…the question." Curly recited rather dreadfully. Thornstock looked as though he wanted to kill himself…not too far from the speech. "Whether 'tis nobler—"

"Thank you, Thaddeus."

"My name is Curly."

"Yes, yes, thank you…Curly." The boy on stage threw the director a glare and walked off stage, looking as though he was plotting something. "Next?"

"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were!"

"Perfect, you, boy, will play the Fairy king." Helga looked up. "What's your name?"

"Arnold, sir"

"Well, Arnold, have you ever been in a play before?"

"Romeo and Juliet."

Thornstock nodded pensively. "Yes, Oberon will do. Next?" Arnold shrugged and walked off stage. Helga, who had been fast asleep in her chair next to Phoebe was now wide awake. Arnold? Arnold was going to play Oberon? Oh, how could this not possibly get any better?

"Set your heart at rest…the fairyland buys not the child of me." Thornstock was sitting forward in his seat thoroughly engrossed. "His mother was a vot'ress of my order. And in the spice'd Indian air by night full often hath she—"

"You're Titania," Thornstock said, scribbling on his clipboard. "Name?"

"Sheena."

"Right, right. Next?" A petite girl walked on stage, her long aburn hair encasing her face in a stream of waves. Helga scowled immediately.

"Oh Romeo, Romeo. Where art thou Romeo?" Helga smirked. She had all ready messed up. "Oh, deny thy father, and refuse thy name, or if thou wilt not, be oh so sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a horrible Capulet."

"Enough, enough. You'll be Hermia." Helga was laughing silently to herself. It was obvious that Thornstock was sick with the turnout and was casting people now out of pity.

"Oh thank you ever so much!"

"Yes, yes…next."

"Don't you need my name, sir?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. What's your name?"

"It's Lila, sir."

"Great. Next!"

Soon, every other part was filled in the same fashion…yet the most important part was still empty.

"There's not a single soul here talented or crazy enough to play Puck."

"What about Curly?" Thornstock glared at Phoebe.

"No, no, he will not do. He is a bit too crazy."

"Isn't Puck the fool though? Shakespeare's fools are usually—"

"Yes, yes, I've directed this play multiple times, I know. I can't believe this is what I have to do to fill my probation…" The room went silent.

"W-well, Mr. Thornstock, may I suggest you go home and relax. Think it over tonight. We don't need to start practice for a week."

"Yes, yes, that sounds good. You're a good stage manager, Phoebe."

"I try."

"Who is your friend?"

"I'm Helga."

"Ah, well, I'd better be getting home." Thornstock stood and suntered out of the theater in a daze. He was obviously in over his head with the change in talent from Hollywood to Hillwood. Nevertheless, there was something about him.

"I don't like him, Phoebe."

"I know he's a bit hard to take, Helga."

"A bit hard to take? Phoebe, I know we don't have a lot of theatrical talent in this school, but he wasn't even letting the crazy person play the crazy fairy!"

"You should have tried out." Helga glowered at her. "I know you gave up these productions when we were in fourth grade, but just imagine playing opposite Arnold again."

Helga thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "Eh, it's not the same, Phoebe. Theater is fake, as would be our love."

"That was beautiful."

"I try."

Phoebe laughed. "Let's get going."

As they walked outside in a silent haze, brilliant lights surrounded them, swirling in colors of blue and red. Sirens wailed, and uniformed officials crowded around one individual.

"Mr. Thornstock?" Phoebe shouted as the two girls ran toward the mob of people. "Excuse me? E-excuse, excuse me."

"Hey, buddy, what happened?" Helga poked a police man writing things down. The man looked up at her with furrowed eyes.

"He walked in the middle of the street and wouldn't move." Phoebe gasped. "The car didn't see him coming."

"Is he going to be okay?" Phoebe seemed petrified.

"Hopefully, but he'll be in a body cast for quite some time." The man walked away and Phoebe stood there, mouth gaping but unable to move. Helga only shook her head.

"What an idiot." Phoebe was still shocked by the whole situation. Helga pushed her in the direction of their houses. "Let's go home Phoebes."

Phoebe nodded vaguely as she was led home, not knowing what would happen now.


"What do you mean the director is in a body cast?" Park exclaimed. Phoebe had sat the cast down and told them the news. "Does that mean the play is off?"

"Damn! And I was going to put this on my college resume!" Everyone stared at Harold. "What? I have dreams too!"

"Look, the point is, we have most of a cast, a tech crew, an assistant director and a productions manager, moi." Everyone stared at Helga. "We just need to find a new director."

"What about Simmons?"

"He's putting on Romeo and Juliet again."

"What about Phoebe?"

"Oh no," Phoebe blushed at the thought. "I couldn't possibly…I haven't got the proper training in Shakespeare to know what to possibly—"

"What about Helga?" Everyone turned to see who could have possibly volunteered Helga. Whoever it was, must not have cared so much for their limbs being torn off.

It was Arnold.

Helga was speechless. Arnold wanted her to be the director? How could he possibly… "What are you talking about football head?"

"You're the only one in our AP English class that understands Shakespeare, I know you could do it." Arnold seemed very sure of himself…even as Helga furrowed her eyebrow.

"How do you know that?"

"You would do it, somehow. I know you could." Everyone else was whispering about this exchange going on. Arnold continued to stare at Helga. "You were somehow able to learn Juliet's lines in a few days after Lila gave up her part in fourth grade…you could direct this play easily."

"Actually, that was much different—"

"There's no one else who could do it anyway, at least no one who would direct this play as well as you could." Arnold continued to stare her down, begging for her to break. Come on, Helga ol' girl. Don't give into him now.

Helga sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll direct the stupid play, but only because no one else can." Arnold smiled and everyone else let out a sigh of relief. "Look, the first thing we gotta do is find Curly to tell him that he'll be playing Puck, other than that, you're dismissed."

Helga began to pack up and Phoebe patted her on the back. "I know you'll make a great director."

"Yeah, whatever Phoebes. Look, I suppose we should—"

"I'm glad you're doing this, Helga." She whipped around at the sound of the man who drove her crazy. He smiled at her and embraced her tightly. As she was about to wrap her arms around him, her demeanor kicked in and she pushed away from him.

"Look, we're keeping a professional relationship here, got it head boy?"

"Sure Helga, I'll see you tomorrow." Helga sighed as he walked away.

"You know, you can let down a little bit," Phoebe said behind her. "He seems to really like you."

"Maybe," Helga pondered, her eyes still lingering in the direction he left. She mentally slapped herself and turned back to her best friend. "Phoebes, you're coming to my house tonight, and we're drawing up schedules, costs, all the kinda stuff we need for this production."

"Coming!" Phoebe chimed as she picked up her clipboard and proceeded to follow Helga out of the auditorium.


A/N: Sorry I waited so long to post this. Thanks to all my reviewers…Keep them coming because it keeps me motivated to write the next chapter. :)