Scene 1: I’m with who?!?
Wednesday, March 23rd
We opened on a bedroom. A girl, around 15 years old, sat at her desk, headphones on, humming a song. Suddenly, pounding on the door.
“DAWN! OPEN THIS GODDAMN DOOR! YOU’RE GOING TO BE LATE!”
The humming stopped as the girl, Dawn, pulled off her headphones.
“Shit!” Dawn jumped up from her chair, tripped, got back up, ran to the door and opened it, revealing a very angry looking boy standing outside, “Sorry! I didn’t hear my alarm go off, I’m coming!”
“Well hurry Dawn! Missing your audition doesn’t bode well for your chances of getting the lead!” The boy scowled and turned away, “And you won’t get a girlfriend if you’re going to be late everywhere!”
“Sorry Marc!” Dawn yelled after him as the door to his room closed. She grimaced and grabed her bag, stuffing her script and song lyrics into it. Then, slinging it over her shoulder, she ran downstairs.
“Bye mom! See you at seven!” She called over her shoulder as she opened the door.
“Bye honey! You’re walking back right?”
“Yep!” Dawn shut the door behind her and sprinted down the sidewalk, nearly running into her neighbor. Finally, she’s at her school. She stopped for a moment to collect her breath before knocking on the door. A black haired boy, Keith, opened it.
“Hey, Dawn, you do know auditions have already started right?” He said, “Come on.”
“Thanks!” She ran down the hallway to the auditorium and stopped once she reached the back hall. A girl, her age, runs up to her.
“Dawn! There you are, I was looking all over for you. You’re on in 5 minutes, it’s you and Ella. I’d practice once with her before you go.”
Dawn froze.
“I’m with Ella?” She asks, stunned.
“That’s what I just said, now go!” The girl brushed past her, leaving Dawn standing there, a blush rising on her cheeks. She took a deep breath and set her bag down on a chair. Grabbing her script and music, she went to find Ella.
“Today
The minutes seem like hours,
The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light . . .
Oh moon, grow bright,
And make this endless day-
Dawn!”
Ella was perched on the top of the risers, waving at Dawn.
“You’re finally here! I thought I was going to have to do this by myself!” She laughed and jumped off the railing of the riser, “anyway, I think we should go through the song a couple times before it’s our turn.”
Dawn nodded in agreement and opened her music.
“Ready?”
“Go ahead!”
“Tonight, tonight,
Won’t be just any night,
Tonight there will be no morning star.
Tonight, tonight,
I’ll see my love tonight.
And for us, stars will stop where they are...”
“...Today
The minutes seem like hours,
The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light...
Oh moon, grow bright,”
“And make this endless day endless night!” The two girls sung together, their voices echoing in the quiet hallway.
“I didn’t know you could sing so well Dawn! You’d make a great Tony!” Ella praised. Dawn’s cheeks grew red at the compliment.
“Thanks, you’d make a great Maria-”
Suddenly, a voice rang through the hall, “Ella and Dawn! You’re up next!”
“Shit, we gotta go!” Dawn says, grabbing her music and script. She and Ella ran down the hallway and into the auditorium. The theatre teacher, Ms. Quinn, the choir teacher, Mr. Johnson, and the student director, Irene, were sitting at a table downstage, leaving the center stage open for auditions. The two girls walked to the front.
“What song are you two singing?” Asked Irene, phone ready to play the music.
“Tonight,” they answered at the same time.
“I’m doing Tony’s part,” Said Dawn, “and she’s doing Maria’s.”
“Great, you can start whenever you’re ready,” Ms. Quinn said, scribbling something on a piece of paper.
“Ready,” Dawn and Ella say. The music started.
“Tonight, tonight,
Won’t be just any night,
Tonight there will be no morning star.
Tonight, tonight,
I’ll see my love tonight.
And for us, stars will stop where they are...” Dawn sung, her voice steady and on beat. She and Ella looked at each other as she began her part.
“...Today
The minutes seem like hours,” Ella began to walk in a circle around Dawn, who joined in, so that they started circling each other, their movements fluid, “The hours go so slowly,
And still the sky is light...
Oh moon, grow bright.”
“And make this endless day endless night!” They looked at each other, smiling. Clapping from the table. The two turned and began their monologues.
The rest of the audition passed quickly, and before they knew it, they finished.
“You did amazing Ella! I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you got Maria!” Dawn congratulates.
“You to! I bet you’ll get Tony!” Ella smiles, “I’ve got to get home, I’ll see you at school tomorrow!”
