Greenwich Village, January 20th 2016

For the number we're going to rehearse, it's needed seven actors.

The teacher decided that we should do this in the style of Broadway Backwards.

The female roles are given to actors and the male role is given to an actress.

I don't know many people in this class and there's a lot of students in here, we're fourteen.

The assignment will be done twice. Each round has seven students.

Linda – Okay for the first round I want to gather seven students, these are the ones I want to perform first.

Linda – As I say your name and character please go onstage.

Linda – James you will be playing Liz.

Linda – William you will be playing Annie.

Linda – Christopher you will be playing June.

Linda – John you will be playing Hunyak.

Linda – Jordan you will be playing Velma.

Linda – Stephen you will be playin Mona.

Linda – And last but not the least, Kimberly you will be the narrator.

The musical number begins and Kimberly can't remember the lines so she has to read the script instead of saying it.

How can a dramatic arts student not know anything about musicals?

And there's no excuses, we are told what we will be studying in the class. So you have to be prepared.

She is going down.

If she's already choking in class I can't wait to see when she's out there.

So she reads her part and the rest of us start to do the musical number.

She steps out almost in tears, and I wish I could be moved by her sadness.

But I don't because I won't be sad if one day my understudy can't remember her line.

I know that we have to work as a team but I have my job to do and I can't go help and be sad for everyone else.

We end the musical number tired but fulfilled. I'm actually full of dread.

Linda – Sorry but that's show business, if you don't accept it then you shouldn't engage in it in the first place.

Linda – Life's tough, but this is industry is tougher.

Linda – They cheer and pray for your decline so another one can rise and take your place.

Linda – So you have to battle a lot and not fail once.

Sam stands up and applauds he is very proud of me.

Linda, the teacher gives him a look of depise. He sits down.

Linda – That was an okay job.

We all thank the teacher.

Linda – Why are you thanking me?!

Linda – I said it was okay. I didn't say it was great.

Linda – I want great performances. I want more.

Linda – First of all this group started really flat with your performance, Kimberly.

Linda points towards Kimberly and goes near her.

Linda – I don't know if you're aware of the consequences of not knowing your lines in a play.

Linda – If you forget your lines in a play please at least improvise a bit.

Linda – Because you know what they do out there when an actor or actress forgets their lines in a play?!

Kimberly is feeling so humiliated she can't even answer to the teacher.

Linda – Why don't you answer me?

Linda – Well I'll tell you what they do little girl.

Linda – On the next show they give your part to your understudy.

Linda –And you don't want that to happen don't you?! Do you?

Linda - Answer!

Kimberly – No ma'am.

Linda (happily evil) – Good.

Linda – I could let you all give it another try but that wouldn't be fair with the next round of students.

Linda – So you all are going to sit in these chairs and see how your classmates do it.

Linda – And I know their potentials. So do feel threatened.

The next round of students go onstage and start to perform and they kill it, metaphorically speaking.

Linda – See that's how it's done, great job!

Linda – That was terrific. Jonathan you were great as Velma Kelly.

I cough to show that I don't agree with what the teacher said.

Linda – There is someone who doesn't agree with what I said?!

Linda – Who coughed?!

Everyone looks at me.

Linda – Oh, it could only be you.

Linda – I've heard of you from the other teachers, you think you're the big deal.

Sam – He actually is.

Linda – And you are?!

Sam – I'm Sam, senior from filmography department. And a friend of Jordan.

Linda - Okay I just don't seem to find a reason for you to be here since this is a musical theatre class.

Linda – I forgive you when you standed and clapped really loud but I'm not forgiving to talk back to me in my class.

Linda – I want you to leave.

Linda – NOW!

Sam looks at me with that warm look he gives me to tell me everything's going to be okay.

Linda – Now back to you, Jordan.

Linda (to Jordan) – So you don't agree that Jonathan was a better Velma Kelly than you?!

Jordan – I just coughed, how that could mean I disagree with you?

Jordan – Aren't we allowed to cough now?

Linda - Oh you're sassy.

Linda – Don't jump the gun yet, you're still a freshman.

Linda - But answer me, don't you agree that Jonathan was better than you?

Jordan - Well let's face it, he does have a good voice, but does he have the arrogance and apathy that Velma Kelly portrays?!

Jordan – I don't think he has and I have. And I delivered that in my performance.

Linda – You're really delusional.

Linda – In my fifteen years of teaching I have never had a freshman so stuck up and delusional as you.

Linda – You and Jonathan are both freshmans but he has credits.

Linda – I won't tell you what because that's a private thing that only matter to him, the dean and the teachers.

Linda – I don't remember seeing credits on your application.

Linda - Oh wait I did.

Linda – In an amateur musical of Cats and you played Victor. A chorus cat.

Everybody laughs.

Linda – A small role. A role that is more like swaying in the back while the other take the spotlight.

Linda – And a role that is most defined as the understudy for other roles.

Jordan – Didn't you say that the credits of Jonathan were secret?

Jordan – Then why are you telling my credits to the whole class?

Linda – Because...

Jordan/Elliott – "There are no small roles only small actors".

Jordan/Elliott - So I would like for you to shut up and focus on the class as it's your duty as a teacher.

Jordan/Elliott – I bet you didn't start from the top?

Jordan/Elliott – We all start from the bottom and then arrive at the top of the ladder.

Jordan/Elliott – And with this trash talk that you're giving me must mean you are the best in you craft.

Jordan/Elliott – Then tell me one thing.

Elliott – Why are you here teaching and not out there performing?

Linda gets offended but she couldn't low her guard and show any sign of weakness. So she counter atttacked me.

Linda – You're banned from my class.

Jordan – You can't do that.

Linda – Oh look, I just did. OUT!

Linda – OUT!

I leave the class holding back my tears, that's what she wants for me to be weak so she can pick on me again.

The environment in class is so intense. So silent.

Linda – That's an example of what can happen if any of you try to cross me.

Linda – This is my class, so if you don't like my criticism or my opinions and get offended you can leave.

Linda – I'm just preparing you to the real world of showbizz.

Linda – No one is going to be all sweet with you. It's a vicious world.

Midtown Manhattan, January 21st 2016

Jordan and Sam are on Starbucks drinking and speaking before going to class.

Sam – So she just banned you from her class?! Can she do that?

Jordan – I don't think so.

Jordan – But I will talk to the dean or search for the regulamentation of the university.

Jordan – I'm so sorry you had to hear those things and being kicked out.

Sam – Oh it's okay she is just a bitch Elliott. It's not your fault.

Jordan – Elliott?!

Sam – Uhm you're freaking me a bit.

Sam – Some days you want me to call you Elliott.

Sam – Then you appear in drag with the name Naomi and now you surely want me to call you Jordan.

Sam – Have you ever seen a psychiatrist?

Jordan – I lost count on how many of them I have seen.

Sam – I think you should see one now, this year is making you sick.

Sam – You're acting in different personas everyday.

Jordan – I haven't tell this to anyone. But I don't know I feel safe with you.

Sam – Oh thank you that's really nice.

Jordan – I suffer from multiple personality disorder.

Sam – I'm sorry to hear that.

Sam – And I apologize you for telling you so many times that you creeped me out with those different personas.

Jordan – It's okay people don't understand this disorder.

Jordan – People think we're just mad and we act different for fun, to seek attention.

Sam – Oh that's sad to hear. Are you medicated?

Jordan – No, I gave up my meds because I couldn't focus in anything and couldn't feel anything.

Sam – But you can't live with that many personas, see what happened in musical theatre class?!

Jordan – It wasn't me, theorically it was, but it was my dark persona Elliott.

Sam – So that thing about the dark side with Jessica and Kyle was all real.

Jordan – They were just ritual lovers but that triggered my mind to develop a dark side.

Jordan – I don't know when any of them will take control of my body.

Sam – That must be hard to cope with.

Jordan – It is but I have been worse. Now I'm better and coping with much more control.

Sam kisses Jordan in the cheek.

Jordan – Hey what was that for man?!

Sam – Sorry I felt an urge to kiss you.

Jordan – Do you like guys?

Sam – I do.

Jordan – Do you like me?

Sam – I don't like you. I love you.

Jordan – Oh man this is awkward.

Sam – Why? Don't you like guys?

Jordan – I don't know.

Sam – How can't you know?

Jordan - Well it's hard to figure out your sexual orientation when there's so much labels.

Sam – Okay I see. You don't have to label yourself.

Jordan – I guess I like guys and girls but I don't think I'll ever have a relationship with either gender.

Jordan – I can't imagine myself dating someone.

Sam – Life your life and don't let people box you.

Sam – You don't have to give satisfactions to anyone.

Jordan – I guess you're right. But I don't see that happen anytime soon.

Sam – It's okay, I'll wait.

Jordan – Oh I wasn't talking about you specifically.

Jordan – How can I say this. This is the worst thing to do.

Jordan – I like you as my friend, I mean you're my best friend but I don't like you like in a romantical way.

Sam – It's all good.

Jordan – Aren't you sad?

Sam – I'm used to it.

Jordan – Can we still be best friends?

Sam – Yes we can Jordan. And I will help you getting back to musical theatre class and with your disorder.

Jordan – How I wish you wouldn't get you degree this year.

Jordan – I wish you'd be here for more two years.

Sam – It's okay we can still see each other after your class hours.

Jordan – I think I can work with that.