Under The Spotlight

“Arden, Addisen,” my mom calls. “Wake up!” I groan. It’s too early for a Sunday. Suddenly, everything clicks. Today’s the day we get to take a master class. See the Broadway show Newsies. Meet two of the cast members. It was going to be a very exciting day.

 

I lazily slide out of bed, shivering slightly as my body departs from my cozy, warm blankets. Why couldn’t it be just a bit warmer in March? I brush my teeth and wash my face. It wakes me up a bit. I pull my hair into a ponytail, away from my face and begin getting dressed. I have to wear something comfortable to dance in, but I pack an extra shirt for the show. I still want to look nice. I race downstairs and my sister and I hop into the car to wait for her friend to arrive. She and her mom are coming with us. In a matter of minutes they arrive and we’re off.

 

Soon enough, we’re on the train. I squished into a seat with my sister and now two of her giggling friends. “Great,” I thought. “At least I have my phone.” Finally the voice over the intercom announces that we had arrived at Grand Central Station. It thanks us for traveling with them and the train’s doors slid open. We’re pushed outside, to the underground, into a huge crowd of people. We follow the majority upstairs and as we reach the top step, it’s a big commotion. People everywhere, rushing to buy their tickets or catch their train. I couldn’t help but look up at the intricate ceiling design and wonder how they did it. The beautiful teal and gold mural was my favorite part of Grand Central Station. My mom leads the small group of us to one of the exits, and we begin our long walk to the dance studio. It was worth the hike though, once we got there.

 

We rush through a large, glass revolving door into the building’s polished lobby. The floor is a gleaming, creamy colored stone, and the walls are painted a simple, solid gray. Wooden benches sit along the walls, with leafy green plants to accompany them. A desk, to sign in, sit in the middle of the room and a man stands behind it. We sign our names on an attendance sheet, and see the many of our fellow dance friends have done so already. The man points us to the many gold elevators behind him. We ride one of them up to floor five and step out. We’re instantly greeted with the loud voices of friends and parents. We follow everyone into a studio and begin stretching.

 

After about five minutes, the Broadway actors walk in. They introduce themselves as Tommy and Brendon and divided us into two groups. Tommy is short and broad shouldered with dark hair and a thick New York accent. Brandon is tall and lanky with light brown hair. They both seem very enthusiastic to be here today. I go with Tommy and the rest of my group to a different studio, where he tells us a bit about the dance that we are about to learn. He plays the music and begins showing us the choreography. It’s a jazz-theater number with a few hip hop moves and acting bits and is pretty fast but not overly difficult. It’s very upbeat and especially fun when we get to do some big jumps. After about an hour, the class is over and it’s time to perform for the parents and Brendon’s group. We had learned the same dance as them and it’s very entertaining to show each other. We all had a blast!

 

Since the class is now over, my sister and I change and then set off with our mom and friends to have lunch. We eat briefly at a French restaurant and it’s finally time for the show! We take our seats in the mezzanine and I can barely keep my excitement contained. We’re pretty high up and I gaze down at the huge stage. There’s a huge sign that reads “Newsies” and many clothes lines hanging from various heights. Yes, I have seen shows on Broadway before, but I can tell that this would be unique. The whole experience seems different then last time. Finally, the lights dim, the set changes, and the music for the opening act begins.

With each song, the show is more amazing. The actors are great, and can really dance, sing and act. They do huge jumps and tricks and sing loudly. You feel like they really are newsies, trying to fight for what’s right. It’s almost as if you’re there, not just watching a show. Almost too soon, the last song ends and applause thundered throughout the theater, and that’s when I know my true dream. I want to have people clap for me like that as I perform under the spotlight. I want to be on Broadway.

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2 thoughts on “Under The Spotlight

  1. I like how you didn’t have an overwhelming amount of description, but the amount you had really allowed you to have an image of the setting and how you’re feeling.

  2. I really liked your description and how you were giving really good details on everything you were doing. I have also been to a Broadway show and I could really picture it while I was reading.

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