Confessions of a Teenage Broadway Star

23 » ❝The Wizard And I❞

"Unlimited, my future is unlimited!"
- Idina Menzel, Wicked

CONFESSION NUMBER TWENTY-THREE: Alright, let's get this over with; no, Scarlett is not seasick. Yes, she has always been green, and no, she did not chew grass as a child. But, if it's even possible through the countless layers of stage makeup and bright green face paint, Scarlett's about one-hundred percent positive that the audience can see her blushing fiercely as she runs onstage, her cheeks burning as bright red as Nessa's ruby slippers.

        Alright, maybe she's being a bit dramatic. Still, it's only been a few short seconds since she bounded onstage in all her green glory, and her heart hasn't ceased to beat at a million times a minute, surely defying the laws of sound and being picked up by the microphone taped to her cheek, as Scarlett's usual stage paranoia dictates. If that mic doesn't pick up the sound of each deafening heartbeat, she's not sure that it's even on to begin with.

        No, that can't be it. Tech crew did wonders with the sound this year - they even got her to despise mic tape a little bit less, surprisingly - and cosmetology worked tirelessly on perfecting her green makeup. Everything's fine, and Scarlett really just needs to get a grip.

        Admittedly, Scarlett's not exactly Velma Kelly when it comes to performing experience. She's played a few roles in some community theatre shows and sung twice in the cafeteria during Spotlight, but other than that, her voice hasn't gotten her much farther than the walls of her third period vocal classroom. But she's definitely never played anyone as spectacular as Elphaba before, so she thinks that she's got a bit of a right to be as nervous as Miss Honey circa 'Pathetic' in Matilda The Musical. Now that's a role Scarlett could play.

        And okay, so maybe her head is spinning for a few more reasons than her stage fright - one of said reasons being the three New York University representatives who are surely watching her with skeptical eyes from the audience, determining whether or not Scarlett's one nerve-racking performance will deem her good enough to make it into the school of her dreams and lead her to a Broadway career, the one thing she's been dreaming about since she was eight years old.

        But, you know. No pressure.

        Scarlett hits centre stage just as the music picks up into 'Dear Old Shiz', sending a rush of tingles through her body as the chord always does, the spotlight hitting her right on cue. Her eyes adjust to the light. She can't even see the audience beyond it. All she can feel is the warm glow of the spotlight and the familiar rush of adrenaline that the music gives her every time she hears it, and it instantly calms her. Suddenly, it's like there's no one else around at all - it's just her on the stage in one perfect moment. It's unlike anything she's ever felt before, and in that instant, she doesn't feel frightened anymore, not even a little bit. She doesn't feel powerless at all - in fact, she feels like she could do anything.

        Damn Parker for always being right about everything.

        Parker. Parker. Great - she's blushing again.

        "Our days at Dear Old Shiz!"

        Scarlett's eyes dart over to Peyton, who's being wheeled onstage atop a stack of suitcases, surrounded by Shiz Students singing at her side. Scarlett blinks - she'd become so smitten with being onstage as Elphaba that she hadn't even realized that they'd finished the song.

        She takes in a deep breath. Alright Scarlett, focus. You can do this. Don't think about running away or making a mistake or doing something wrong - you got here because you did everything right. You got Elphaba because you are Elphaba, and you deserve it. Don't let anyone let you think for even a second that you aren't good enough, because as Sierra Boggess says, it's unbelievable how enough you are, and you're going to rock this. Now stop being such a scaredy cat and enjoy every amazing second of it.