Auditions
The next morning, Gladys was being stubborn as usual. She had Lola trapped in the van, giving her one last speech before letting her go inside the school.
"Lola, don't forget your promise! Auditions are this afternoon," said Gladys in her cheerful mood
"Yes mother…I know," grumbled Lola
"You do your best now; I know you can make the cast!"
"Ah huh mom…yeah sure…" answered Lola half-heartedly
"You don't look so excited,"
"That's because I'm not,"
"And why not?"
"Mom, I already told you, I don't want to be in a musical,"
"And I don't believe you. You are just being a lazy bum! Don't be like your brother…"
"I am not lazy…"
"Yes you are!"
"No I'm not!"
"Lola, you have to make something of yourself. You have to become involved with your school, to do something constructive…and that will help with your future. You're not going to sit around and wait for your life to pass you by,"
"I know that this whole acting thing is not what I want to do with the rest of my life," said Lola raising her tone slightly
"Then what are you going to do? Hmm?" said Gladys becoming angry
There was a pause
"I…I don't know…" said Lola at a loss for words
"You don't know? Oh that's comforting. So you're just waiting for the rest of your life to just bump into you by accident? Things just don't happen, you have to go out and make it happen! I say, use what you got, and you got talent whether you like it or not! Now you are going to that audition!" Gladys was furious by that point
Lola slouched in the backseat and crossed her arms, because she knew a comeback at this point would unleash her mother's full blown fury.
"I've taught you better Lola! You know you always have to stay true to your word! And what was your word?"
Lola was trying very, very hard to contain her anger within.
"To try-out for the musicals…" Lola was getting annoyed with her constant pestering, so she conceded to her demands.
"So there, that's final. Now get out of here, you're going to be late for school!"
Lola clutched the strap of her backpack tighter as she climbed out of the van.
"Don't forget your promise! Don't forget your promise!" mocked Lola bitterly under her breath as she walked up the steps to her school.
She can be so difficult…I'm starting to understand why Kate and Mom always fight…So now I got myself into this, now I got to suck it up and deal with it…
Argh…why does she think I love the arts like she does? Just because that was the path she chose, doesn't mean I will follow in her footsteps and continue the 'legacy'. I may not know what I'm going to do with my life…but she shouldn't make the decision for me!
After the argument in the van and the usual morning schedule…
Lola sat the lunch table and grumbled. The day was boring as it usually was. She was stressed out of her mind by the time lunch time came around. She barely flinched when she heard a high pitched greeting.
"Hi Lola!"
"Hi Petunia…" she muttered
"What's the matter? You ok?"
"Not really…"
"What's wrong?"
"It's my mom…she's making me audition for the spring musical. I don't want to audition."
"Why?"
"Cause it's not really my thing…I'd much rather be on the basketball court than on the stage. And there is no team in this school…which royally sucks…"
"Yeah, this school isn't much for athletics…"
Lola sighed
"No wonder my mother made me come here…"
Petunia sat down next to Lola. She was trying to approach the situation with the bright side of it.
"Well, the spring musical isn't all that bad. It would look good with the teachers if they see you involved in the school productions."
"True…but the truth is I don't really feel like it. Acting is alright, and I do like it a little. It's just not…what I love to do the most."
"I gotcha…but… she can't force you to be in the play,"
"Oh yes she can…and she will. She thinks that because she LOVES it…I'd love it too,"
"Well that's not fair,"
"You're telling me?" she said as she slumped over the table once more
"Well…I guess you just have to go through with it. Hey, you may just get a small role and have nothing major to worry about."
"It would be nice to just not get picked at all," she chuckled half-heartedly
Just then the passing bell rang
"Well, good luck today, hope it all turns out ok,"
"Thanks,"
After the school day was done, all the students went home except for a select few students. Particularly the students auditioning for the spring musical: The Phantom of the Opera.
Lola had purposely taken the long route to the chorus room, in hopes of arriving late for the auditions and be automatically booted out. But then her conscious was slowly pulling her along the hallway, towards the wooden door. Reluctantly, she dragged her feet all the way to the entrance.
Lola was up to the back-door of the room and took a deep breath.
Here goes nothing…
She walked into the room and saw a few people there. It was a long room, with theater-type chairs. At the front of the room, there was the stage and a piano. All the people were towards the front of the room.
Lola was disappointed that auditions were still taking place. They gave here a look and then looked back to the stage. A girl was in the middle of her song. She was a peach colored rabbit with short wine-colored hair. She had a loud obnoxious soprano voice. When Lola accidentally let the door slam behind her, the girl cracked her last note.
"Thank you," said a young man to the girl
She got down from the stage, not before shooting Lola an evil glare.
"Can I help you?" said a man to Lola
"Hi… I'm here to audition," said Lola reluctantly
"Alright, you're the last one, get on stage,"
Lola was a bit nervous to be called up so soon but she did so anyways. She climbed up the steps and turned to face the miniscule crowd.
"Have you prepared a song?" asked the man, whom was the director
"Yes,"
"Alright then…" he motioned
The student at the piano asked for the sheet music, but she motioned that she had none; she was going to audition acapella.
Lola took a deep breath and gazed into the crowd of the other students. There was a whole bunch of students; all who seemed to be older than her. There were mixed reactions to her presence on stage. Some snickered, while most were indifferent. Lola ignored them all and focused on the clock at the other end of the room. She then inhaled and opened her mouth and began her slow, sad song:
Look at me,
And tell me who I am.
Why I am
What I am.
Call me a fool,
And it's true I am.
I don't know
Who I am.
It's such a shame,
I'm such a sham.
No one knows
Who I am.
Am I the face of the future?
Am I the face of the past?
Am I the one who must finish last?
Look at me,
And tell me who I am,
Why I am
What I am.
Will I survive?
Who will give a damn,
If no one knows
Who I am?
Nobody knows -
Not even you -
No one knows who I am...
All the while the peach rabbit was getting jealous and jealous of Lola. She bit her lip as Lola was able to hit a note higher than she ever could. The guy next to her, however, was thoroughly enjoying her performance. He was a rabbit with white fur, shiny red hair, and emerald green eyes. Next to him was a grey raccoon; he had black rings on his tail, black fur around his eyes, and white fur on his cheeks. He also seemed to be impressed with her performance.
At the end of the song the director got up from his seat and applauded
"Ladies and gentlemen, I've found my Christine!"
Lola's eyes widened.
Damn
Outside the chorus room…
"Darn it! Why did blondie have to go and show up! The lead role was going to be mine for sure!" complained the peach rabbit
"I know Nicole!" said one of her friends, "it was like…unfair."
"She distracted me! It was her fault I cracked!"
"I bet she did it on purpose!" said another of her friends
Nicole continued her ranting with her clique. The rabbit, with whom she was sitting next to, just came out of the front-door of the chorus room and approached the group.
"That little freshman…she stole my part! It was sabotage! She ruined my chance at the spotlight! I don't want to be Carlotta…I'm the star!!" grumbled Nicole
"You've got to admit, Carlotta is a fitting role for you, Miss Primadonna," said the rabbit
"Darn it Andy! We were supposed to be the leading characters!"
"Don't get too worked up…" he walked away from her crowd
She whined, but he didn't bother to acknowledge it; which infuriated her even more. She turned around and continued her complaining with her disciples. He continued on his way, down the hallway. He then saw the back-door open, Lola walked out, followed by the director.
"Well, Miss Lola, I'll see you next week at the practices,"
"Alright,"
"Goodbye,"
"Goodbye,"
When the director went back into the room, Lola muttered something under her breath and walked back down the hallway. Andy quickened his step to catch her. Lola heard his footsteps, and turned around to see who it was.
"Hey, Lola was it?"
"Yes?" she answered
"Just wanted to congratulate you on getting the part,"
"Thanks,"
"You have a great voice, where did you learn to sing like that?"
"From my mom,"
"Wow…you're really good."
"Thanks,"
"My name is Andy," he said extending his hand to her, she shook it
"Nice to meet you,"
"You're a freshman?"
"Yeah, is it that obvious?"
"A little, but don't worry. Nobody will mess with you. Hang with me, and I'll make sure of it. By the way, I'm Raoul in the play,"
"Oh great,"
"I was going to be Phantom, but I gave the part to my friend because he wanted it more than me."
"That was nice of you,"
"Well, that's just me. So I'll be seeing ya at the practices,"
"Sure, ok,"
As Lola walked out the door, her mind went racing.
Oh no! I got the stupid part! What's worse, the friggin LEAD! Now I'll never hear the end of it from Mom! CRAP!!!
Lola awoke from her nap and noticed that the school day was over.
Yay the jail is open!
She yawned and picked off a piece of paper that was stuck to her arm. She stretched and noticed the brochure for the musical Kate starred in under her clipboard. She pulled it out and admired it.
Well…at least one of us continued mom's legacy…I'm just glad it wasn't me!
Lola giggled at the thought. She got up from her desk, gathered her belongings, and left the gymnasium.
"No One Knows Who I am" copyrighted Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical