California, 29th April 2011

High School

The bell rings, everybody gets out.

I'm the last one to pack my bag. I get up and head to the door.

English teacher – Jordan would you mind come here for a moment?

Jordan – No, not at all teacher.

I walk towards my english teacher with only one of the straps of my backpack on my shoulder.

English teacher – So I noticed you're really intelligent.

Jordan – Thank you miss.

English teacher – But you're too shy. You close yourself into your own world.

English teacher – Do you know what could help you?

Jordan – What?

English teacher - Joining the school's drama club.

Jordan – Thank you. But I don't know...

English teacher – Theater helps people with their shyness and lack of confidence.

Jordan – I'll think about that.

English teacher – Oh, but time is ticking.

English teacher – The drama teacher is closing the allowance of students to join in.

English teacher – So you must go now.

Jordan – Now?!

Jordan – But I have to go home.

English teacher – I did not mean it like that.

English teacher – In your class break go speak to the drama teacher.

Jordan – Okay.

English teacher – And tell her you would like to join the drama club.

Jordan – Thank you once again teacher. See you tomorrow.

English teacher – See you tomorrow.

California, April 30th 2011

I'm in math class and I'm wondering about what the english teacher told me yesterday.

Should I really join the drama club? Will it empower me?!

I will give it a try. After this math class I'm going to talk to the drama teacher.

Math teacher – Jordan?!

Jordan – Yes?!

Math teacher – Why aren't you paying attention to the exercise?

Jordan – I am. I was just thinking how could I solve the exercise.

Math teacher - Oh right?!

Math teacher – Then you wouldn't mind to come to the board doing the exercise, would you?

Jordan – Well, I don't know.

Math teacher – It wasn't a question. I'm telling you to go to the board do the exercise now.

Jordan – Okay.

My classmates start to booing me and mocking me.

Math teacher – Hey shut up!

Math teacher – You're all going to the board doing exercises just for being so mean.

I smile a little and struggle to do the exercise. I just want to get out of the class.

Jordan – I don't know how to do it teacher.

Math teacher – Go to your seat. I want you to make this exercise as homework.

Math teacher – Tomorrow I want to see it.

Jordan – Okay. Sure.

The bell rings and it's time for class break.

This is the perfect time to go talk to the drama teacher.

I'm so frightened to speak in public or being exposed. Being the center of the attention.

I go to the teacher's room and ask if I could talk to the drama teacher.

A brunette short young woman comes near me.

Drama teacher – Hi I'm Solange, the drama teacher of this school.

Jordan – Hi, I'm Jordan.

Jordan – I'm a freshman at this school and I would like to join your drama club.

Drama teacher - Sure. I think there's still a space for you.

Jordan – Thank you for being so kind.

Jordan – I appreciate that you let me join your club.

Drama teacher – Meet us at 6 p.m. in the auditorium.

Jordan – Alright, see ya.

Drama teacher – See ya.

High School's Auditorium

6 p.m.

I enter to the auditorium. Looking a bit nervous but happy to see the stage and the seats.

The magic isn't already there. But you already can feel it just by being there.

Just by... being a part of it.

Drama teacher – Oh there you are Jordan.

Drama teacher – Please everyone welcome our new and last member, Jordan...

Jordan – Wright. Jordan Wright.

Jordan – Hi everyone.

Everyone says hi to me and claps.

I sit right next to everyone else.

Drama teacher – So today we'll start with musical numbers.

Drama teacher – Ballads.

Drama teacher – The power of the ballads can show the despair, the suffering of the actor/character.

Drama teacher – So we'll start with you Jordan.

Drama teacher – Do you sing?

Jordan – Yes I do, I don't know if it's really good. But I do.

Drama teacher – We'll improve that.

Drama teacher – Jordan, could you please go to the center stage?!

Jordan – Sure teacher.

I walk to the center of the stage and a ligh shines directly on me.

Drama teacher – Everybody else please sit down in the audience seats.

Drama teacher – You will do the same as Jordan.

Every member of our high school drama club sits down.

The teacher goes onstage and talks to me.

Drama teacher – So Jordan, what is your favorite musical?

Jordan – I like Funny Girl the songs are amazing and the story is really good.

Drama teacher – Alright.

Jordan – But I've only watched the movie version with Barbra Streisand.

Jordan – I like A Chorus Line too.

Drama teacher – So what I want you all to sing a ballad.

Drama teacher – Something that shows me that you can be vulnerable. That you can suffer.

Drama teacher – There's any song you would like to perform?

Jordan – Well I would like to sing something from Funny Girl.

Drama teacher – So what would it be?

Jordan – "Who Are You Now" from Funny Girl!

Drama teacher – Okay, show me what you got.

Jordan – Sure.

Drama teacher – Despair, drama. I want it all.

Drama teacher (to the audio crew) – Hey I want the instrumental to "Who Are You Now" from Funny Girl please.

The audio crew starts the instrumental and I'm channeling every heartbreak experience I had.

My mother, my life, Roderick. And I put that into this song.

I start to cry and I look with great intensity to our drama teacher.

Then I look up, like I'm asking help from the forces up above.

I finish the song with a bittersweet crying.

Everybody claps and get out of their seat.

Drama teacher (shocked) – That was terrific.

Drama teacher – And you said you didn't sing well?! You're amazing.

Leslie – I'm in tears, you're amazing dude!

Jordan (wiping my tears) – Thank you...?!

Leslie – I'm Leslie. Leslie McAdams.

Jordan – Thank you Leslie.

I get out of the stage and go sit next to the rest of the members.

Drama teacher – So you all saw that performance right?! I want something like it.

Drama teacher – Give me despair, suffer, grief, sadness. I want tears, I want sad faces. Okay?!

Drama teacher – Leslie, you're next.

Leslie – Sure.

Leslie (talking to the other members) - It's going to be a wreck but well.

Leslie seems like a funny girl. She is kind of goofy.

Leslie doesn't wear clothing like all of those popular girls. She doesn't seem to follow fashion trends.

She goes to center stage for her performance.

Leslie – I'm going to sing a song from Funny Girl too. That musical is a reference to me.

Drama teacher – That really suits you

Leslie – Since I'm always called a funny girl like Fanny Brice.

Leslie – I will be singing Funny Girl from "Funny Girl".

Drama teacher – You always have to bring some goof to your acting.

Leslie – It's a part of me.

The drama teacher makes signal for the audio crew put on the Funny Girl instrumental.

As the song begins Leslie starts by doing some funny faces and so but as the lyrics went out she started to become sad.

She realized that being called a funny girl sometimes isn't a good thing.

She ends up with a sad, desolated face. We all clap.

Then the rest of the members do musical numbers like we did.

We end with some acting warm ups. I know we should start by doing them

But this teacher is not conventional in the way of teaching students that want to become actors.

After everyone grabbed their backpacks and leave the stage, I, as always, am the last one in the auditorium.

Drama teacher – Great performance. I was really emotional seeing you up there singing and channeling pain.

Jordan – Thank you. That's really good to hear.

Jordan – You know I didn't know if this would be what I wanted.

Drama teacher – I guess you should pursue a career as an actor.

Drama teacher – You're amazing. You're going to be a great star, I can see it.

Jordan – You know, you're the first person to really support this desire and passion that I have.

Jordan – My mother doesn't support me in this department.

Jordan – My classmates mock me and there's the rest of the school that doesn't think I'm good enough.

Drama teacher – But you are more than what they say or think about you Jordan.

Drama teacher – You were born to be an actor.

Drama teacher – And I'll tell you something really important.

Jordan – Please do.

Drama teacher – The acting career has a lot of this.

A lot of people who will say you're not good enough.

Drama teacher – Some people won't appreciate your work and some won't even address you.

Drama teacher – But you know what?!

Jordan – Tell me.

Drama teacher – If you want to be a great actor you shouldn't lead yourself by the validation of everyone else.

Drama teacher – You should lead yourself by your commitment to the craft of acting and to give validation to yourself.

Drama teacher – Because you are own best friend at the end of the day.

Drama teacher – 1Am I clear?!

Jordan – Yes. Thank you for your words.

Jordan – That's all I ever wanted to hear.

Jordan – And I know you mean it so that brings me even more joy.

Drama teacher – We're going to do "West Side Story" this year.

Drama teacher – Although there will be auditions for the roles, you would be a perfect Tony.

Jordan – So I will audition for that part.

Jordan – I've seen the movie adaptation of "West Side Story".

Drama teacher – Listen, I will do auditions for the role of Tony but you are Tony.

Jordan – Are you serious?!

Drama teacher – Now, go home and be happy.

Jordan – Thank you, thank you so much teacher. I'm so grateful.

Drama teacher – You're welcome. But please do not disappoint me.

Drama teacher – I didn't gave you the lead role for you to wreck it. Okay?!

Jordan – I won't, I promise.

Drama teacher – See you tomorrow at the same hour.

Jordan – See you tomorrow. Bye.

I'm Tony in "West Side Story. Oh my god what a great gift this was.

I call my mother to pick me up and when she arrives she looks at me weirdly because I have a big smile on my face.

Mother – What's up with that huge smile boy?

Jordan – You see I'm in a drama club.

Mother – Oh here we go again.

My smile fades and I start frowning.

Jordan – Nevermind. I knew I shouldn't even brought this up.

Mother – Sorry son, it's just that I don't think acting is a great career.

Jordan - Okay, just drive us home.

Mother – No, please tell me the news.

Jordan – Now I lost all the excitement to tell you.

Jordan – But the drama teacher loved my performance and acting in this first class.

Jordan – And she is going to present the musical "West Side Story" to our school.

Jordan - And I will be Tony the lead role.

Jordan – The auditions will start soon but the teacher told me when we were alone.

Mother – That's good. I just hope you don't get too deep into it.

Jordan – Oh well thank you.

Mother –You know how anxious you can get.

Jordan – Thank you for your lovely and kind support.

Jordan – Just drive home, don't mind me. I will be listening to music.