STAGE LIGHTS: Victorious

Ep 2: The Bird Scene

After class Sikowitz pulls me aside and tells me that before I can audition for any show I have to do "the bird scene", which turns out to be a couple of pages of script with only dialogue on them. No stage directions, just dialogue. So I just assume I have creative freedom with it and go about my day.

BowieWest

What is the bird scene?

"Hey, you know where I could buy a pair of ballet slippers?" Andre asks Robbie and Beck as we sit down at their table. He had already asked me the same question, but their guess was as good as mine. I've never done ballet.

"No, I don't," Beck says. "But I know where you can get yourself a pretty skirt and some lip gloss."

"Heh, heh, heh. That was a good one Beck," Robbie's puppet says. I've learned recently his name is Rex. "Lip gloss." Robbie raises Rex's arm in search of a high five but the three of us just look at him until he puts it down.

"Why do you need ballet slippers?" Beck asks him.

"They're for his waltzing class, what do you think they're for?" I say. Beck only sends a small smirk my way.

"Cause I signed up for ballet," Andre admits.

"Whoa, whoa, isn't that kind of.... Girlie?" Robbie asks.

"Sexists much, Robbie?" I scoff. He sends me a sheepish smile as Beck nudges my arm.

"Yep. Just one big room full of girls," Andre says. "And me. You guys picking up what I'm putting down?" I roll my eyes at him.

"I am," Beck says.

"Yeah, pretty smooth." That damn puppet.

"I don't understand," Robbie says. My forehead meets the picnic table as I sigh in exasperation.

"A lot of girls.... Who dance... all in one room... with him," Beck tries to explain.

"Ah haha!" Robie says. "Wait should we be talking about this with..." He gestures over to me causing the other two to look in my direction.

"You know what bisexual means, Robbie? If anything, I'm the perfect person to talk to about picking up girls. Seeing as I both am one and I like them."

"Oh," he says quietly. "Would you mind if maybe I signed up, too?" He directs the question to Andre.

"Nah, go for it," Andre says between bites of his lunch. "How 'bout you man?" He asks Beck who tries to subtly glance over at me. I see him do it though.

"Can't," He says. "I think I'm gonna sign up for salsa dancing. I just need to find a partner."

"Oh, I can be your partner! I love salsa dancing," I beam.

"Yeah, okay."

"I can't eat salsa," Robbie says. I look over at him with my brows furrowed.

"Why?" Andre asks. "'Cause it hurts your stomach and gives you nightmares?"

"No," Robbie tries to cover.

"Yes," Rex says.

"Maybe," he admits.

BowieWest

About to do the bird scene

Tori just failed the bird scene. I don't know how because I wasn't allowed in the room while she did it, but she's pretty bummed about it. Now it's my turn and she has to step out since she failed.

"It was 1934 when my husband left me," I begin. Sitting down on my stage with my legs crossed in front of me, I tell the story partly with my hands. "Alone. Living on the prairie was a dreary existence. No telephone, no radio. Only a large, majestic bird with whom I shared my feelings with." I made a bird with my hands like you would a shadow puppet. "One day when I was feeling low, I said to him, 'Oh bird, you can fly. You can soar miles from this lonely place, yet you stay. Why?' And apparently, my question rang true. For that afternoon, the bird left." I made my hand bird fly away. "And so went my spirit." I pause a moment. "And scene. Thank you." I stand back up and hop down to a seat beside Beck.