In Love With Alex Brightman

chapter seven

The casting directors welcomed me back and gave me a script to read over. I quickly skimmed the first page and didn't see any of the old dialogue I had last time, but I was still determined to get into the mindset of Lydia Deetz and act like her. I was on the stage. The best place to be.

When I got the, "Whenever you're ready," I started reading off the packet and consistently looked up to react to my dialogue. I was doing a scene with Adam and Barbara, so two voices from the house spoke with me. I enjoyed doing those scenes with someone speaking the other parts because I didn't have to imagine the voice.

Even without knowing the full story of the musical and basing it on what I remembered from the movie, I tried to make up a concept of Lydia and how she'd actually react.

After a few pages of acting out scenes with other characters—voiced by different people scattered in the house—and redoing of lines, requested by the directors, I was finished. Or I thought I was.

"Thank you so much again, Sarah, for coming back."

"No, thank you. This has been a great experience," I tiredly smiled with a nod, not knowing where to look, so my eyes just wandered. I waved them off and started to walk away but a voice stopped me.

"Wait, Ms. Holland, we actually have one more thing we'd like you to do," Another voice from the house called me. I turned back around and tried to meet the face of the voice.

"Oh ok, that's cool," I shrugged cooly, trying not to squeal in excitement. I had been having a lot of fun acting up there, even though I was alone. Not to sound depressing or anything, but playing Lydia was pretty awesome. She's a sarcastic and moody teenager, which took good acting from me to bring to life. I wasn't exactly like Lydia, my thing was being very cheery and energetic.

"Great, we would like you to perform a song with someone," the voice said. I nodded again and watched some woman speed walk down the aisle to give me a different script. I met her at the top step to swap papers and then I stood back in the center stage. "This song is Lydia meeting Beetlejuice and him convincing her to say his name three times. So we will be having you perform with the man who we casted as Beetlejuice." Performing with who?

My heart started to race again as my eyes met with familiar hazel ones, walking across the stage.

"This is Alex. Alex, this is Sarah and you will be performing Say My Name again with her," The voice explained, but Alex wasn't paying attention as he stared dead at me. He was making it almost obvious that we already knew each other, or he just looked incredibly interested in me. He walked up to my side so we could shake hands, pretending as if we just met.

I guessed he already performed with the other girl they wanted as Lydia. And now he had to do the scene with me too. What a little sneak.

"Hello Sarah," He slyly smirked, watching my shocked eyes stare flabbergasted at him. He knew what was happening the whole time. That's why he said he wanted to come with me.

"Hi," I replied back, clearing my throat before giving him a friendly smile.

"Okay, we will try this with the music. Eddie here will help you through the song to show you how it goes and how it should be performed. Don't worry if it takes a while for you guys to remember it, this is just more of how you guys collaborate together," the voice explained, neither Alex or I losing eye contact.

I finally looked down at my script, so did Alex and we started. Eddie revealed himself into the light and sat in the front row. He started explaining the scene and what was happening but also tried to avoid details of the show.

"Okay, let's try it out."

~It's Showtime~

I was having much more fun than before when I was just acting alone. I had to act annoyed and uninterested of Beetlejuice's offer, but on the inside, I was having a party. Alex was running around me and I kept poking his nose or squeezing his cheek when he would be begging. We probably looked very comfortable together, and we were.

I knew it really wasn't fair to the other girl because we already knew each other, but sometimes you get lucky enough to perform with friends or people you're comfortable with.

After I had to 'push Alex off the roof', we ended the scene there and laughed at each other afterwards, forgetting we were still on stage with people watching. I grabbed Alex's hand to help him stand back up as he dramatically fell to the ground when I pushed him.

"You're so dramatic," I sneaked a whisper to him. I knew he heard it because he darted his eyes to me and poked my side. I immediately squealed, flinching away.

"Great work both of you," Eddie interrupted our sneaky banter. We both walked up to the center of the stage to see him better from the intense light. "You guys did this number exactly how I pictured it. Nice work." We both thanked him in unison, still high on adrenaline from all the singing and moving around we did.

Different voices gave us feedback and positive notes which made my heart leap. Somewhere during their feedback, Alex put his arm around my shoulder to pull me closer to his side. Even though we were sweating a bit from the lights, being held like that from Alex gave me a comforting kind of feeling.

"Ok Alex, can you please step off stage so we can talk to Sarah?" a voice asked him.

"Of course," he said, squeezing his arm that was around my shoulder. "You got this," he whispered, his lips barely scraping my ear, before walking off. I felt my leg get wobbly when his prickly stubble scratched me. I quickly looked down to calm down my cheeks from burning again.

When Alex exited through the wing, little whispers were made between the voices. I played with my fingers, feeling them sweat even more in anticipation.

"Ok Sarah, the reason we asked you to come to callbacks is because we found potential in you. Your voice is beautiful and unique and filled with so much emotion. Your acting is top notch and you really developed Lydia Deetz in a matter of the seven minutes you were up there," a voice started. I squeaked out a thank you, trying to stay calm.

"Yeah Sarah, you really amazed me. I can't believe these dodo heads sent you out during auditions. After you pulled off that song perfectly, I knew you were it," Eddie explained, pointing behind himself to darkness. I laughed in my hands shyly. I couldn't help it after hearing all of that.

"I agree, I think all five of us back here know where you belong." My breath hitched at their words. "In the Winter Garden theatre playing Lydia Deetz," the voice announced. I let out a loud gasp, almost dropping to the floor.

My hands shook violently as I stare widened eyes at them. "Are you serious?" My voice cracked, my hand covering my mouth.

"Yes, congratulations. Sarah Holland you have the role of Lydia Deetz." All the walls holding back my tears crashed down. A waterfall of tears ran down my eyes, my small hands stretching to hide my red face from everyone.

"Thank you so much," I barely got out, trying to compose myself until I got off the stage.

"No, thank you. We're excited to see you soon for the first full cast meeting." I nodded slowly, wiping my tears.

"I will be there, thank you," I said, waving towards the voices, before jogging off stage. As soon as I got backstage, Alex stood with his arms open wide. I didn't hesitate to bolt over to him and jump into his arms. I stuffed my face into his shoulder and let out a pathetic sob.

I didn't hear what Alex whispered because my mind kept replaying their words. I have never been in so much shock. I could feel myself screaming on the inside.

"I knew you could do it, Sarah," Alex laughed, tightening his arms around me. I joined in along with my horrible sounding cry. My feet didn't touch the ground as he spun us around. "I'm so proud of you." He kissed the side of my head and snuggled back into my neck. His beard tickled me, but I was too distracted to flinch away.

We probably stayed in that position for a good minute, before I pulled away and planted my feet on the ground. Alex stared at me, just cheesing, but I didn't understand why when I probably looked a complete mess.

"What do I do now?" I asked more to myself. My eyes glanced at Alex then to our interlocked hands between us.

"Get ready to be on Broadway," Alex laughed.

I couldn't believe I did it. I got the role.

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