Chapter One
“And one two three four, and one two three four, and one...”
Eva tried hard to concentrate on her feet as Stephen kept the beat to the music, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate and quickly she found herself tangled up on the floor.
“Stop!” Stephen said, frustrated. He shook his head. “Stop the music.”
He marched over to Eva.
“Why is it that every time we do this choreography you can never keep up with the beat?” He stood over her, not even offering to help her up.
She stood up and straightened her short skirt. “I’m sorry Stephen, okay? It would be so much easier if I didn’t have to wear this stupid shoes.” She lifted up her foot, showing off her four inch black pumps. “I hate them.”
“Deal with it Eva. You’re our star and you need to get over yourself and try harder.” He walked back over to the piano. “Try it from the top.”
Eva settled back into position with the chorus around her, and rehearsed for what seemed like hundredth time, the same choreography they had worked on all day.
***
Eva pushed open the doors of the rehearsal building and looked up at the huge sign across the street that hung over Broadway, her face plastered all over it.
“Shock: A Musical
Coming May 2012
Starring: Eva Wallace”
Yay me, Eva thought, turning around and marching down the street to her apartment.
She had always dreamed of being a Broadway star, having her name in lights, but now that she actually had it, she wasn’t exactly enjoying it. There was so much pressure on her to be perfect. Pressure from the director, and the writers and musicians and choreographers; she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. No wonder so many famous people turned to drugs and alcohol.
Running up the stairs to her apartment she unlocked the door and threw it open. She tossed her purse and keys on the couch, and slammed the door behind her, walking into the kitchen.
This girl needs coffee.
Pouring water into the back of the coffee maker, she measured the right amount of grounds in and turned it on. Turning around, she leaned on the counter and sighed. Her answering machine was flashing red, signifying a new message. She walked over to it, and pushed the button.
“Hey baby,” a voice said. She smiled. It was Casey, her fiancé. He was on national tour playing the role of Marius in Les Miserables. “Just wanting to check up on you and let you know I love you. I know what you’re going through right now and I know how challenging it is, but I also know that you are incredibly strong Eva, and I know you have it in you to shine. I should be back in NYC in time to make it to your opening night. Everything’s going pretty good here, we’re in Detroit for the weekend. Liz has a sore throat, but it should clear up for tomorrow night’s performance. I’m praying for you Eva, I love you.’
Eva smiled. Who could want a more perfect man, she thought.
Poor Liz, she was Eva’s best friend, and she was playing the part of Eponine.
Eva walked back over to the coffee pot and turned it off. She took down a mug that said, “Anything Can Happen If You Let It” from Mary Poppins, and poured in the coffee along with creamer and sugar, while humming the song. She went and sat down on her couch, turned on the TV, and watched it until she fell asleep.
Chapter Two
When she wasn’t rehearsing, Eva waitressed at a swanky high-end restaurant called The Rodríguez. Tying the black apron around her waist, she grabbed her tray, and swung the doors open that led into the huge kitchen. The kitchen was hot, and steamy, and people were yelling. It smelled delicious though, and Eva couldn’t help but take in a deep breath.
“Eva! Table twelve needs to order!” her friend, Emma, one of the cooks called.
“Okay, I’m on it!”
She pushed open the swinging doors and began to walk towards table twelve. The restaurant’s lights were low, and violin music was playing softly in the background. There was an underlying smell of cinnamon and roses and pictures of classic actresses and actors hung in the walls. Taking her pencil and pad of paper out of her pocket she smiled at the two old ladies that sat at table twelve.
“What could I get for you this morning?” she asked politely.
They continued looking at their menus.
“Bertha here will have the crepes with strawberry sauce and I,” she looked up at Eva, “Why! You’re Eva Wallace!” she exclaimed.
Eva smiled. “Yes ma’am.”
“Well isn’t that fine. Bertha, look its Eva Wallace, the young lady who’s starring in that new musical!” Bertha looked up, smiled and then turned to look out the window. “My name is Jane Scott. Oh how exciting this is! My husband and I always go to opening night of new musicals! But tell me Ms. Wallace, what is Shock all about? What’s the story?”
Eva sighed. The usual question. Why didn’t people just go on Broadway’s website and look it up?
“Well,” she said, “It’s about this girl named Simone, who comes to NYC in 1955, hoping to get famous. The story mostly revolves around her dealing with the pressure that comes along with being famous and she gets criticized a lot. But in the end she entirely nails the part she gets. I think it will really be a good production actually.”
“Wonderful. Well I’m looking forward to it,” Jane said.
“Thank you,” Eva smiled, “Ummm, were you going to order Mrs. Scott?”
The old woman laughed. “Oh yes, I’m sorry. I’ll have the Irish omelet.”
Eva quickly wrote it down. “Alright, I’ll take your menus and your food should be out shortly.”
“Thank You.”
The rest of the morning remained about the same; people realizing who she was, asking her what Shock was about, and her having to explain. Again. Finally it was 12:00, Eva ripped off her apron, and grabbed her purse.
“Have a good rehearsal Eva!” Emma called.
“Thanks,” she called back.
She practically flew back to her apartment. Grabbing an apple, and a bottle of water, she dressed in a tank top, leggings and a short skirt, and then hurried to rehearsal.
Opening the door to the rehearsal room, she saw how many of the cast members had already arrived and cringed.
“Our Simone is finally here,” Connie, one of the writers, called out as Eva opened the door.
“I’m not late,” she protested, hanging her purse and sweater on a hook, and then sitting down, trying to wrestle her feet into the shoes.
“Yes, but you’re not early either,” the director said.
“Well, I’m sorry Aron, but…”
“Another lesson you need to learn Eva, the star should always be the first to arrive,” Stephen said.
“Fine,” she huffed, walking out onto the floor. “What are we doing today?”
Aron looked down at his watch, and then up at the clock. “Well, Max Christy should be here soon. He’ll be playing the part of Landon, Simone’s, your, love interest.”
Eva rolled her eyes. Great.
“Okay so everyone else, get your scripts and open them to Act I Scene III,” Connie said.
Eva walked over to her purse and grabbed her script.
“Eva, I want to warm up with you first,” Stephen said, calling her over to the piano.
She started walking towards him, slid on her heels and fell on the floor.
The chorus tried to hold back their laughs. Eva rolled her eyes.
“Simone is graceful Eva, not a klutz,” Connie huffed.
“Sorry,” Eva retorted with a hateful glare.
No one even offered to help her up. She pushed herself up off the floor and continued towards the piano.
“Start by singing some scales,” Stephen said, sitting down to the piano.
“Everyone else, get into place for the scene,” Aron said.
As Eva begun to sing her scales, the door opened and a tall man with black hair walked in.
“Max!” Connie said, placing her hand on her chest. Eva rolled her eyes. “We were scared you weren’t going to make it!”
He went over and kissed her cheek. Eva sniffed as Connie smiled like an idiot. “Of course I made it,” he said. “Would I ever let you guys down?”
He’s a suck up, Eva thought.
“Okay, now start from the top of the song,” Stephen said.
Turning back around Eva said, “Okay, what song?”
“Give Me The World.”
She flipped through the pages until she found it. “Alright, got it.”
Stephen started playing the piano, and cued her in with his eyes.
“I don’t want to be no Plain Jane,
I don’t want to be a nobody.
I want to somebody big,
Give me Fame
Give me the world, world, world….”
Max interrupted, “Just some advice, maybe on the word Fame, you could start of small and then push it out, to fill in that empty space between “Fame” and “Give me the world.”
Eva rolled her eyes and put her head down on the piano. How am I going to work with this know-it-all?
“Yeah, I like that,” Stephen said, grabbing a pencil and writing on his score.
“We need to rehearse this scene,” Aron said impatiently.
“Fine,” Stephen said, “We’ll work on this part later Eva.”
“Okay,” Eva threw Max a scowl and then took her place.
“Alright, from the top,” Aron said.
“I’m so sick of being such a nobody, Landon. Don’t you ever…” Eva began.
Connie interrupted. “Eva, you’re supposed to be frustrated, not a cry baby.”
“Fine,” Eva said.
“Start over,” Aron stood up from his seat, and walked closer to the actors.
“I’m so sick of being such a nobody, Landon. Don’t you ever feel like you just need to spread your wings and go for it?”
Max touched her shoulder, Eva cringed. Ewwwww.
“Yeah,” he said, the music started, “I know how you feel, but…”
Eva began to sing::
“I don’t want to be no Plain Jane,
I don’t want to be a nobody.
I want to somebody big,
Give me Fame!”
She sang the note, pushing it harder and harder, belting it, filling the empty space. Her and Max started to jive.
“Give me the world, world, world…..”
She continued , as Max dipped her, acing the choreography. Eva kept singing, belting it, and filling the space, her feet never missing one beat. Finally the song ended.
“Wow,” Max said, his mouth hung open in astonishment.
Connie smiled. Stephen let out a sigh of relief.
“And that my friends, if why Eva Wallace is our Simone,” Aron said pointing at her.
Eva smiled. This was going to be a smash.
“And one two three four, and one two three four, and one...”
Eva tried hard to concentrate on her feet as Stephen kept the beat to the music, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate and quickly she found herself tangled up on the floor.
“Stop!” Stephen said, frustrated. He shook his head. “Stop the music.”
He marched over to Eva.
“Why is it that every time we do this choreography you can never keep up with the beat?” He stood over her, not even offering to help her up.
She stood up and straightened her short skirt. “I’m sorry Stephen, okay? It would be so much easier if I didn’t have to wear this stupid shoes.” She lifted up her foot, showing off her four inch black pumps. “I hate them.”
“Deal with it Eva. You’re our star and you need to get over yourself and try harder.” He walked back over to the piano. “Try it from the top.”
Eva settled back into position with the chorus around her, and rehearsed for what seemed like hundredth time, the same choreography they had worked on all day.
***
Eva pushed open the doors of the rehearsal building and looked up at the huge sign across the street that hung over Broadway, her face plastered all over it.
“Shock: A Musical
Coming May 2012
Starring: Eva Wallace”
Yay me, Eva thought, turning around and marching down the street to her apartment.
She had always dreamed of being a Broadway star, having her name in lights, but now that she actually had it, she wasn’t exactly enjoying it. There was so much pressure on her to be perfect. Pressure from the director, and the writers and musicians and choreographers; she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. No wonder so many famous people turned to drugs and alcohol.
Running up the stairs to her apartment she unlocked the door and threw it open. She tossed her purse and keys on the couch, and slammed the door behind her, walking into the kitchen.
This girl needs coffee.
Pouring water into the back of the coffee maker, she measured the right amount of grounds in and turned it on. Turning around, she leaned on the counter and sighed. Her answering machine was flashing red, signifying a new message. She walked over to it, and pushed the button.
“Hey baby,” a voice said. She smiled. It was Casey, her fiancé. He was on national tour playing the role of Marius in Les Miserables. “Just wanting to check up on you and let you know I love you. I know what you’re going through right now and I know how challenging it is, but I also know that you are incredibly strong Eva, and I know you have it in you to shine. I should be back in NYC in time to make it to your opening night. Everything’s going pretty good here, we’re in Detroit for the weekend. Liz has a sore throat, but it should clear up for tomorrow night’s performance. I’m praying for you Eva, I love you.’
Eva smiled. Who could want a more perfect man, she thought.
Poor Liz, she was Eva’s best friend, and she was playing the part of Eponine.
Eva walked back over to the coffee pot and turned it off. She took down a mug that said, “Anything Can Happen If You Let It” from Mary Poppins, and poured in the coffee along with creamer and sugar, while humming the song. She went and sat down on her couch, turned on the TV, and watched it until she fell asleep.
Chapter Two
When she wasn’t rehearsing, Eva waitressed at a swanky high-end restaurant called The Rodríguez. Tying the black apron around her waist, she grabbed her tray, and swung the doors open that led into the huge kitchen. The kitchen was hot, and steamy, and people were yelling. It smelled delicious though, and Eva couldn’t help but take in a deep breath.
“Eva! Table twelve needs to order!” her friend, Emma, one of the cooks called.
“Okay, I’m on it!”
She pushed open the swinging doors and began to walk towards table twelve. The restaurant’s lights were low, and violin music was playing softly in the background. There was an underlying smell of cinnamon and roses and pictures of classic actresses and actors hung in the walls. Taking her pencil and pad of paper out of her pocket she smiled at the two old ladies that sat at table twelve.
“What could I get for you this morning?” she asked politely.
They continued looking at their menus.
“Bertha here will have the crepes with strawberry sauce and I,” she looked up at Eva, “Why! You’re Eva Wallace!” she exclaimed.
Eva smiled. “Yes ma’am.”
“Well isn’t that fine. Bertha, look its Eva Wallace, the young lady who’s starring in that new musical!” Bertha looked up, smiled and then turned to look out the window. “My name is Jane Scott. Oh how exciting this is! My husband and I always go to opening night of new musicals! But tell me Ms. Wallace, what is Shock all about? What’s the story?”
Eva sighed. The usual question. Why didn’t people just go on Broadway’s website and look it up?
“Well,” she said, “It’s about this girl named Simone, who comes to NYC in 1955, hoping to get famous. The story mostly revolves around her dealing with the pressure that comes along with being famous and she gets criticized a lot. But in the end she entirely nails the part she gets. I think it will really be a good production actually.”
“Wonderful. Well I’m looking forward to it,” Jane said.
“Thank you,” Eva smiled, “Ummm, were you going to order Mrs. Scott?”
The old woman laughed. “Oh yes, I’m sorry. I’ll have the Irish omelet.”
Eva quickly wrote it down. “Alright, I’ll take your menus and your food should be out shortly.”
“Thank You.”
The rest of the morning remained about the same; people realizing who she was, asking her what Shock was about, and her having to explain. Again. Finally it was 12:00, Eva ripped off her apron, and grabbed her purse.
“Have a good rehearsal Eva!” Emma called.
“Thanks,” she called back.
She practically flew back to her apartment. Grabbing an apple, and a bottle of water, she dressed in a tank top, leggings and a short skirt, and then hurried to rehearsal.
Opening the door to the rehearsal room, she saw how many of the cast members had already arrived and cringed.
“Our Simone is finally here,” Connie, one of the writers, called out as Eva opened the door.
“I’m not late,” she protested, hanging her purse and sweater on a hook, and then sitting down, trying to wrestle her feet into the shoes.
“Yes, but you’re not early either,” the director said.
“Well, I’m sorry Aron, but…”
“Another lesson you need to learn Eva, the star should always be the first to arrive,” Stephen said.
“Fine,” she huffed, walking out onto the floor. “What are we doing today?”
Aron looked down at his watch, and then up at the clock. “Well, Max Christy should be here soon. He’ll be playing the part of Landon, Simone’s, your, love interest.”
Eva rolled her eyes. Great.
“Okay so everyone else, get your scripts and open them to Act I Scene III,” Connie said.
Eva walked over to her purse and grabbed her script.
“Eva, I want to warm up with you first,” Stephen said, calling her over to the piano.
She started walking towards him, slid on her heels and fell on the floor.
The chorus tried to hold back their laughs. Eva rolled her eyes.
“Simone is graceful Eva, not a klutz,” Connie huffed.
“Sorry,” Eva retorted with a hateful glare.
No one even offered to help her up. She pushed herself up off the floor and continued towards the piano.
“Start by singing some scales,” Stephen said, sitting down to the piano.
“Everyone else, get into place for the scene,” Aron said.
As Eva begun to sing her scales, the door opened and a tall man with black hair walked in.
“Max!” Connie said, placing her hand on her chest. Eva rolled her eyes. “We were scared you weren’t going to make it!”
He went over and kissed her cheek. Eva sniffed as Connie smiled like an idiot. “Of course I made it,” he said. “Would I ever let you guys down?”
He’s a suck up, Eva thought.
“Okay, now start from the top of the song,” Stephen said.
Turning back around Eva said, “Okay, what song?”
“Give Me The World.”
She flipped through the pages until she found it. “Alright, got it.”
Stephen started playing the piano, and cued her in with his eyes.
“I don’t want to be no Plain Jane,
I don’t want to be a nobody.
I want to somebody big,
Give me Fame
Give me the world, world, world….”
Max interrupted, “Just some advice, maybe on the word Fame, you could start of small and then push it out, to fill in that empty space between “Fame” and “Give me the world.”
Eva rolled her eyes and put her head down on the piano. How am I going to work with this know-it-all?
“Yeah, I like that,” Stephen said, grabbing a pencil and writing on his score.
“We need to rehearse this scene,” Aron said impatiently.
“Fine,” Stephen said, “We’ll work on this part later Eva.”
“Okay,” Eva threw Max a scowl and then took her place.
“Alright, from the top,” Aron said.
“I’m so sick of being such a nobody, Landon. Don’t you ever…” Eva began.
Connie interrupted. “Eva, you’re supposed to be frustrated, not a cry baby.”
“Fine,” Eva said.
“Start over,” Aron stood up from his seat, and walked closer to the actors.
“I’m so sick of being such a nobody, Landon. Don’t you ever feel like you just need to spread your wings and go for it?”
Max touched her shoulder, Eva cringed. Ewwwww.
“Yeah,” he said, the music started, “I know how you feel, but…”
Eva began to sing::
“I don’t want to be no Plain Jane,
I don’t want to be a nobody.
I want to somebody big,
Give me Fame!”
She sang the note, pushing it harder and harder, belting it, filling the empty space. Her and Max started to jive.
“Give me the world, world, world…..”
She continued , as Max dipped her, acing the choreography. Eva kept singing, belting it, and filling the space, her feet never missing one beat. Finally the song ended.
“Wow,” Max said, his mouth hung open in astonishment.
Connie smiled. Stephen let out a sigh of relief.
“And that my friends, if why Eva Wallace is our Simone,” Aron said pointing at her.
Eva smiled. This was going to be a smash.
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