This is a story I wrote about a week or so ago for a competition called "Power of the Pen" - a writing competition where you are given a prompt (basically a topic to write about) and you have 40 minutes (for local and regionals) and 35 minutes (for state) to write a story about that prompt. - The prompt for this story was "The Replacement". - Anyway, I really liked this one so I decided to post it! :)
Saving Juliet - CMR
“Mandessa! Stage right! NOT stage left!” Our director yelled at the star of the show, Mandessa, who was chosen to play the part of Juliet for her talent, not her experience. If you really need it spelled out, fine. She made it in purely on talent. But she doesn’t know what ‘stage directions’ are or what any of them mean.
Why do I care about all this Mandessa information? I’m looking for a Loop hole. If I can find more that I am better at then her, I could switch from the ‘replacement’, or the understudy, to the ‘star’ or (HELLO!) Juliet!
I mean, come on! I was made for this part, great talent, lots of experience, not to mention amazing looks. But who do they pick? Oh yeah, new, pretty, talented with no experience, Mandessa The Great. Ugh, I don’t know if I want to gag or to cry.
“Shannon!” Steve the camera and lights guy calls.
“Yeah? I yell back.
“Shannon!” He yells again. “Show Mandessa where to stand..” Yes!!! I will! I exaggerate my steps. This is my chance to make everyone see that I should be playing the part of Juliet.
I feel everyone watching me walk over to Mandessa, finally the spot light is on me.
“Mandessa, Juliet is supposed to stand here.” I say loudly, finishing in a whisper “It’s not that difficult.” She blinks, embarrassed. I start my exit when the director yells something I’ll never forget. “Shannon! Come back! We need you!! Be our Juliet! Please!” He starts to Chant my name, everyone soon joins in, “Shannon! Shannon! SHANNON! WAKE UP!!!!”
“What?” my head spins as I open my eyes and see Mandessa and our director looking down at me fearfully. “Shannon! Are you OK?” Mandessa whispers, her face flushed white.
“Um, yeah?” I stammer,. The director’s color reappears.
“Sleeping are we? Well... Don’t let it happen again!!!” He yells in my face. His breath smells like onions. I gag.
Mandessa takes a step towards me. “So, um, we have a part for you.” I shoot up. “Really?” I say my voice airy. Knowing it’s too good to be true, but still hoping to save Juliet.
Mandessa smiles timidly. “So, um, do you want to know what your part is?” Did she even have to ask?
“YEAH!” I half scream.
She takes a step back. She looks scared. “You’ll be a tree.” The director says, steping in. “The girl who was playing that part is sick, so you will take her spot. Of course, I can give it to another girl...” I am too shocked for words so I make no reply.
“Are you OK?” Mandessa asks. I ignore her. A tree? They want me to be a tree??! I must have a horrified look on my face because Mandessa tries to reassure me or something. “It’s not just any tree, you’d be the Northern Tree!” She suggests, smiling nervously.
“So...” I try to understand what this flow of information really means. “No stage time for me then, right?” I ask the director, pointedly ignoring Mandessa.
“Nope, none, but you’ll get to raise the tree up from on top of the stage!” The director says. When I don’t respond he smirks. “Lost for words? I guess I’ll take that as a yes.”
So I raise up the Northern tree in the third scene. It was the that I realized that even with this much experience, I was NOT made for theater!
THE END
What would you have written about? Lots of kids wrote about baby brothers/sisters or step parents. It is always interesting to see what other kids' take on the prompt is.
Later!
