Waiting in the Wings Read Online Free PDF Page A

learned the new combinations. They also laid out numbers across the area of the floor closest to the mirrors so we would practice proper spacing that would transfer easily enough to the numbers on the floor of the Clean Slate stage deck. Madison began to teach Lanie and me the opening number first. At the beginning of the show, before the character of Alexis is introduced, I’d be playing an ensemble member in the group scenes and numbers. The audience would never make the connection and one more body dancing onstage always looked better. Unfortunately, the first group number in the show was easily the hardest to learn, as it was high energy and very fast paced. It was intended to impress, and it delivered.
    We ran it and ran it and ran it again, until I could barely breathe. But there was no rest for the weary. After a quick lunch, we went back to work.
    The afternoon session was split in two, with Lanie working with Todd on the rest of the ensemble choreography while I worked with Madison on the blocking for my scenes. I felt like a fish out of water. When you joined a show already in progress, you’re the only one in need of rehearsal, as the rest of the cast already knows the
    show. So throughout the learning process, I was literally acting with invisible people as Madison pointed out where they would be and read their lines for them.
    As the first day of rehearsal came to a close, Craig let us know we would be watching the show from the wings tonight, shadowing the actors playing our roles. Essentially, this meant we’d be taking notes on dance positioning, costume changes, entrances, and exits. Wonderful. Sienna would surely love me following her around backstage.
    It didn’t turn out to be so bad, however, as Sienna pretty much kept to herself and pretended I didn’t exist. That was fine with me. That was how I preferred it anyway. It gave me a better opportunity to take notes and see how things played out without my presence affecting the mix. Watching the show from the wings offered a different perspective. I was struck at how much Adrienne had to do offstage as well as on. She was in virtually every scene, so whenever she came off, she had just enough time to change costumes before heading back on. I was in awe of how she held it all together and still delivered such a powerhouse performance.
    As the cast exited the stage after the final curtain call, Sienna walked by with Adrienne. I decided to make the effort. “Great show tonight, Sienna. I hope I didn’t get in your way too much.”
    She paused when she reached me, giving me a once-over. I swear the temperature dropped ten degrees. The smile on her face was plastic and noticeably inauthentic. “I hope you took detailed notes on that little flip pad of yours. We’ve all heard rehearsals aren’t going so well, which is a shame. We were hoping you might actually be good.”
    I watched her walk away, telling myself she was just saying whatever she could to piss me off and get under my skin. It was my job to not let that happen. After all, some people were just mean. Adrienne was still standing there so I tried not to let on that the comment had affected me. I raised my eyes to her as she leaned against the wall, taking a final swallow from her bottled water. “First thing you should know about this role is that Sienna is convinced it should be hers,” Adrienne said. “Second thing you should realize is
    that it shouldn’t be. You were brought here for a reason and everyone here knows that. What we actually heard is that the rehearsals are going very well, and that’s what’s got her in a spin. Sienna’s not a bad person; she’s just a tad territorial.”
    “I’d say that’s an understatement. But thanks,” I said. “It helps to hear that from you.”
    She thought for a minute. “You know, if you need someone to run lines with, I’d be happy to help. I say them in my sleep as it is; why not put my neurosis toward something good?”
    I was