Broadway Dreams

Broadway Dreams--Demeter's Little Secret


By: Sillabub

The trees whooshed by as Taylor Johanssen and her boyfriend drove to New York City, the Big Apple. Taylor will be trying out in the musical CATS on Broadway.

"Jacob, I am so nervous!" The 19 year old said, her voice wavering. She had always been a little shy. A couple of months ago, Taylor got asked to be in this musical. She practiced all the dance steps she knew. Finally, today was the day she would try out.

Now, Taylor was on her way to pursue her life's dream. Perhaps she might be in the musical! That's always been a huge dream of hers. This feeble dream is about to fly.

"Taylor, babe, be calm. We're almost there." Jacob squeezed her hand.

The buildings and skyscrapers confused Taylor, and she began to cry. "What if I don't make it?"

Jacob looked deep into her bright violet eyes. "I promise you will. You have the dancing ability, the singing ability, and the acting ability to do this." He smiled.

Taylor smiled too. "I certainly do HOPE I make it! All I care about is BEING in the musical. Whether I am an important part or not. It the thought of being picked." She squeezed his big muscular hand. "I love you." She said, smiling just enough to warm his heart.

Just then, they reached the city part of New York. A new wave of fear went over Taylor's body. "Oh no..." She said, afraid she might throw up.

"Are you okay?" Jacob asked. "You aren't going to throw up are you?" He hugged her gingerly.

"No, I just got nervous, that's all." It took forever for them just to find the building where she was trying out. "There it is!" Taylor cried out. They were the first ones there. "Ohh... this is good." Taylor whispered.

Finally, at 5:00 PM, the tryouts started. One person went in at a time, to sing one song or part from CATS, and then dance a number that they would learn in there. It took about 30 minutes a person, so Taylor was glad that she was first.

A secretary came out. "Ahem... Taylor Johannsen?"

"Right here!" She called out.

"Thank you. Follow me." She said drowsily.

Taylor gave Jacob one last kiss. "Good luck" He said. She walked inside the wide brown door.

Inside the door was a room, almost as big as her room, with a piano in it, and a long table with the director, and a couple of assistants. The walls were a light blue color, and had shades of yellow, where there had been some work on scenes.

The director looked at her expectantly. "Hi, I am Taylor Allison Johannsen, and I am 19 years old. I am going to be singing the song, "Memory". Taylor handed the piano player the music. The director nodded, as if approving.

The soft, somber music began to play, and and Taylor started to sing softly, "Daylight, see the dew on a sunflower, and a rose that is fading, roses wither away..." She sang softly and sweetly, and the director nodded again and smiled at his assistants. "She sings with real passion and guts!" He thought.

As Taylor started to sing the "Grizabella" part of "Memory", she felt something she never felt before. It was almost like the feeling you get when you were in love, except for with music. She sang sweetly and passionate.

"Touch me! It's so easy to leave me! All alone with the Memory, of my days in the sun. If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is... look, a new day, has begun."

As she hit that high note on the last word, the the director smiled at her. "That was beautiful. Now, we need to measure you."

"Yes! Maybe that means something good!" Taylor thought.

She stood up against the pale blue wall, back straight. A lady in a red shirt and black shorts came up and drew a marker line on the wall, with Taylor's initials on it, TAJ.

"That's very well. I shall see you hopefully in a month or two. You will get your notofication in 3 weeks or so." The director called out after her.

Taylor ran outside. "Oh, I have the best luck! He measured me, told me I sang beautiful, and everything!" She pretended to faint. "I hope I get in!"

"Whoa, hold it there, before you really pass out!" Jacob said, hugging her.

"First thing's first. How was it when you first came in?"

"Well, the walls were a pale blue..." Taylor talked on and on about the audition.

****

She talked on and on until they arrived home about three hours later, in Boston. As Jacob dropped her off at her house, he kissed her goodbye. "Luv ya!" He said, and drove away.

Taylor ran inside her three-story brick house. Her dog barked loudly, as if to say, "Taylor's home!" Taylor went upstairs, looking for her family. She could not find them anywhere! Where could they have gone? All of a sudden...

"SURPRISE!!!" Everyone screamed out. Taylor mouth went wide. She looked around for her mother.

"This is so cool, you guys!" Taylor said. All ofher friends were invited, as well as neighbors, carrying a large banner that said, "Welcome home, Broadway star!" But that wasn't even the "icing on the cake", so to speak. A HUGE cake was brought out to her. "This is great you guys!" They motioned for her to read the lettering. "Okay. 'They say the light are bright tonight on Broadway...'"

Everyone laughed at their cleverness of remembering that song, "On Broadway". Taylor was touched. Then she saw. Jacob was there also!

"I came back after you went inside, and went in through the back door!" He said, apparently happy that he was smart.

The party lasted for hours and hours. Finally, at around 12:30 Midnight, everyone went on home, to leave Taylor and her mother cleaning up by themselves. "So, how did the auditions go?" Her mother asked.

"Oh Mom, they went perfect! I got measured, the director said I sang BEAUTIFUL!" Taylor hugged her mother.

"I'm so glad things worked out for you. Alana bought the CATS CD, and now is singing all the songs over and over again!" She wiped her hand across her forehead.

Taylor was so glad her sister found her love of Broadway. "Alana, it's so cool! Let me hear you sing!" Taylor listened closely.

"All right, it's not as good as yours though." Alana looked uncertain. She coughed, and started to sing: "Memory, all alone in the moonlight, I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then..." She smiled. "How was it?"

Taylor was amazed. "Alana, I never knew you could sing so well! Why don't you try for a play in our community. How about the Boston Little Theatre? They are having tryouts for 'ANNIE'."

"Okay!" Alana face got brighter. "What will I sing for my auditions?"

"How about 'Memory'?" Taylor tapped her chin.

"Sure!"

So Alana practiced and practiced. She sang day and night, until the auditions came. Taylor drove her there. "Good luck, Alana!" She whispered in her ear when it was her cue to go in the auditioning room.

Taylor waited for what it seemed like forever, then Alana came out. "Taylor, I did SO good! I sang 'Memory' Like you never heard me!" Alana squealed.

"I hope you get in!" Taylor hugged her. The long drive home made Taylor thirsty, so she and Alana stopped by a restaurant to get a slushie. "These are SO good! Thanks!"

Taylor loved to see Alana big dimples when she smiled. It made her feel so good to see her little smile so big.

"We're home!" Taylor called out.

"Look what I have!" Her mother said. She held out an envelope that read: The Winter Garden Theatre, CATS.

"Oh My Gosh..." Taylor whispered.

She opened in up carefully. Inside was a large pamphlet and a small letter.

The letter started out: "Congratulations, you-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" She screamed. "I made it!" She began to dance. "I love you, I love you!" She said, kissing Alana and her mother. "I am too good!"

She reached to the phone, calling Jacob. "Jacob? Hi, it's me! Yeah, guess who is the new Sillabub in CATS!" She screamed.

She finally read the whole letter.

Dear Miss Johannsen,
Congratulations! You have made the CATS Broadway cast! Enclosed are dance steps needed to learn before the first rehearsals. An apartment has been set out for you, with your roommates also actresses in CATS. You must be at the apartment in August 13, for rehearsals start August 15. Good job and good luck in your future as a Broadway Actress!
Mr. of the Winter Garden Theatre

"This is great!" Taylor said. "I am actually a Broadway Actress! This is my dream!" She hugged Alana again.

On August 11, Taylor was getting ready to leave, and Alana came up. "Umm... Taylor. I made 'Annie'."

"Really!? That's great! What part? If you didn't get a part with speaking roles, that's okay, because-"

"Taylor, I am Annie." She smiled mischievously

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