#let's friendly debate which is the best remix stage

[kaimukiwahine]

When I am mildly sad, I just need to remember that Rhythm Heaven Megamix exists. As long as I skip over a few songs, I become content with life for a bit.

[ranwing]

KADAM FIC: LEARNING TO FLY (17/?)

Title: Learning to Fly Series: A New Direction (was Season Four Remix) Pairing(s), Characters(s): Kadam, Kurt Hummel, Adam Crawford, Burt Hummel, Rachel Berry, Santana Lopez, Carmen Tibideaux, Cassandra July, Artie Abrams, Tina Cohen-Chang, Elliot “Starchild” Gilbert, Dani, Adam’s Apples, Original Characters Rating: PG13 (rating may change) Genre(s): canon divergence. Parts: 16/?

Summary: As another school year starts at NYADA, Kurt seemed to have it all. The respect of his teachers, a group of wonderful friends and best of all, getting to live with the man that he’d come to love. So of course the universe would throw a few curve balls in his direction.

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen

One A03

Rachel felt herself grinning from ear to ear as they exited the theater and looked up at her date, who was happily babbling about they show they’d just seen.

“I’m not going to lie, but I was really dubious about the show. Especially when you said that there were puppets involved,” Neil insisted, keeping Rachel close with an arm about her shoulders. “I was picturing some kind of lame Sesame Street rip-off and a theater full of five-year olds.”

Rachel shook her head. “I thought that you trusted me,” she complained. “It did win the Tony while it was on Broadway.”

“Like that means anything to me,” Neil chided. “But it was hysterical! I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time.”

Rachel was very aware of that and pleased that she’d guessed correctly in choosing the best show to get Neil to dip his toe into the shallow end of the theater world. She’d put the gift from the NYADA alumni to very good use when she announced that this would be their date activity was a Friday evening performance of Avenue Q.

“Whoever wrote those songs is either insane or a total genius,” Neil insisted. “I am never going to get that song out of my head.

“The internet is for porn,” he sang with enthusiasm, albeit very off key. “Why you think the net was born? Porn, porn, porn…”

Rachel giggled, giving him a poke in the side with her elbow. A few people were looking over to stare at Neil’s terrible singing, but she didn’t have the heart to tell him to stop since he seemed to be enjoying himself so much.

“And that scene with the puppets fucking… That’s an image that I’m not going to forget for quite while,” Neil complained playfully. “I’m sure that some parents had no idea what the show was about and had to hustle their kids out once in a while.”

“So, theater isn’t so boring, now?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye. Not that she ever thought that Neil would grow to love it in the way that she did, but she’d be very happy if it became something that they could share in some small way. It seemed that Avenue Q was pretty much the perfect show to take him to see.

Neil looked down at her, seeing the hope in her eyes and allowed himself to smile a little bit. “It wasn’t so bad,” he granted. “Shows like this, I think that I can get behind.”

She was glad that he had enjoyed it since she’d been so insistent on dragging him

He gave her shoulders a squeeze as they walked down the street. “Thanks for bringing me,” Neil insisted, giving her the smile that always caused her knees to weaken. “I really enjoyed it.”

She leaned in, enjoying the feel of his strong body next to hers. “I’m glad. And thank you for coming with me,” she said sincerely.

“Well, since you provided the entertainment, I’m taking you out for dinner,” he proposed, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Elliot said that there’s a really good Indian place just a few blocks from here.”

Rachel sighed happily, letting him guide her away from the New World Stages and allowing herself to just enjoy his company. This wasn’t like anything she had ever planned for her life. In her mind, her ideal partner should be a performer; someone that would be able to fully understand her passions and be a suitable companion on stage as well as life. That she was even entertaining the idea of fitting in a man who couldn’t carry a tune if it came in a bucket and who had nearly zero interest in theater wasn’t anything she could have anticipated.

But like most surprises, it was turning into an especially sweet one. And she was looking forward to seeing just where all this went.

* * *

“Does anyone have any idea what this is about?” Ifan asked as the entire cast of “Butcher’s Bill” walked out from the hotel into the breezy spring sunset.

Niall shrugged. “No clue,” he admitted, not bothering to hide that he was a bit apprehensive. “Has to be something important.”

Adam nodded in agreement, falling into step alongside his friend as they strolled towards the restaurant. They had gotten the call for a dinner meeting with the production team on their one day off, which could mean pretty much anything from an offer of congratulations for a good job or advising that they would all be out of a job by the time dessert was served. They just wouldn’t know what was going on until they were told.

At least they’d get a good meal out of the deal, he considered as they walked into the upscale Italian trattoria. While their pay was quite decent for a touring production of this type, pretty much everyone in the cast was trying to save as much as possible while on the road. They weren’t spending their money on lavish meals so eating in a place like this was not the norm for them. Admittedly, it would be a nice change from the fast food and take out that they’d all been existing on.

Despite the crowd of well-dressed men in suits and ladies in designer dresses waiting for tables, the group of less finely dressed actors were ushered right in to where a pair of large tables were set up for them, set out with fine linens and several bottles of wine and spring water. Adam couldn’t resist looking about, taking in the elegant décor and, despite wearing the best outfit he had in his limited wardrobe, feeling a bit out of place.

Their director was waiting for them with several other men that Adam didn’t recognize but assumed were other members of the production team. Malcom Jellicoe was there as well, looking quietly pleased about things. Adam mentally calculated that this probably boded well, but he’d reserve his opinion until they were told the reason for this gathering.

Mr. Keen smiled as his cast approached and he motioned to the tables. “Good evening everyone,” he greeted cheerfully. “Sit down and make yourselves comfortable. We’ve got dinner ordered and we’ll talk afterwards. Enjoy yourselves.”

Adam and Niall looked at one another and shrugged, deciding to just go along with things and wait to see what was in store. They sat down at one of the tables with some of the others in the cast and tried to ignore the little kernel of worry that refused to go away entirely and enjoy themselves.

In all, it ended up being a perfectly pleasant dinner, with multiple courses served by the friendly and efficient staff. The wine was pleasing and with no show that night, the entire cast was able to indulge a bit. Conversation flowed pleasantly, the entire group relaxing so they could enjoy themselves despite the uncertainty. Adam sipped at his glass of very pleasant Chianti, willing himself to loosen up and enjoy the evening despite any lingering anxiety over the reason behind their dinner meeting. The meal with delicious and topped off with coffee and a tray of pastries placed on the table.

Adam was debating which of the delectable looking desserts tempted him most when Mr. Keen tapped his spoon against his water glass to get their attention.

“All right, folks… I’m sure that by now you’re burning with curiosity about what this is all about,” he granted with a smile. “You can relax because it’s all for good things. Part of this is to celebrate our passing the halfway mark of our tour. You’ve all been doing spectacular work and both critical reviews and ticket sales have been well beyond what we’d hoped for. This is just a small offer our thanks for your effort and dedication.”

The cast gave a sigh of relief that things were going well and Naill reached over to pat Adam on the shoulder. It appears that they would be employed for a bit longer.

Mr. Keen nodded at that response, glad that he hadn’t unduly alarmed his dedicated performers. “Now I have some additional news for you. We’ve mentioned before the tour started about the possibility of a New York opening depending on how our tour is received. Our investors have been paying very close attention to our ticket sales and reviews. I’m happy to inform you that we’ve gotten very positive feedback and we’re now looking at an off-Broadway opening in the spring of next year. Some of the logistics are being worked out and our goal is to have all of our original cast here for that run. I certainly hope that you’ll keep your schedules open for us.”

Adam couldn’t help from grinning in happiness, and saw the expression mirrored on his friends. This was the best news that they could have expected. The prospect of more steady employment and a chance to perform in New York was everything that they could have hoped for.

Best of all, he would be back in New York, working and living with Kurt. He couldn’t have asked for anything more.

“I see that you’re pleased by the prospect,” Mr. Keen teased happily, gratified about their enthusiastic response. “Well, I have some additional good news for you. This winter, we have been invited to perform our play at the Duchess Theater on London’s West End for three weeks in honor of our Mr. Jellicoe being considered as a finalist for the Samuel Becket Theater award. His contributions to British theater are considerable and it is great honor for him to be considered.”

The members of the cast were taken aback and began to chatter excitedly over the prospect. Mr. Keen looked exceedingly pleased and smiled at his performers. “This is a immense tribute to not just our esteemed playwright, but all the hard work that you’ve done. I’ll be able to give you some more details about the exact dates later, but it’s a great joy to all of us that ‘Butcher’s Bill’ is being seen as a worthy project and will continue on.”

Several waiters appeared with bottles of Prosecco to celebrate and poured glasses of sparkling wine for the group. The members of the cast began to chatter excitedly, talking over what this all meant for them. Additional weeks of employment was not something they were going to frown about, and the opportunity to be seen by a greater audience could lead to future opportunities. It was the best news they could have received.

Adam’s mind raced as he considered the implications of this news. Barring the possibility of being run over by a truck, he couldn’t foresee any reason to prevent him from participating and he mentally calculated the scheduling. It would certainly set back any possible staging of his own play, but that was the very least of his concerns. He wasn’t anywhere near where he wanted to be on the rewrites and he knew that the odds for getting it staged in the upcoming season were more than likely not in his favor. He would probably stand a better chance once he was a bit more established as an actor and he had the time to give his play the focus that it deserved.

Staging the play in New York was the best news he could have received. It would save him the pressure of jumping back into the audition mill straight away and likely would open some additional doors for him. But London… that had come as a complete and delightful surprise.

While Adam normally would not be looking forward to leaving New York again, even for a few weeks, this was an opportunity that he knew that he just couldn’t pass up. Besides it being an opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream of performing on the West End, even for just a few weeks, it would allow him an overdue visit with his family.

Hopefully the dates would overlap with Kurt’s winter break. He was very much forward to looking to having an excuse to bringing his boyfriend to his homeland and showing him off to his family and friends there. His mother would be absolutely ecstatic for the visit, though Adam still harbored the suspicion that she would be happiest to see Kurt.

There were so many things to consider over the next few weeks, but it greatly came as a relief that immediate future employment wouldn’t be as significant a concern as it was when he woke up in the morning. If anything, he felt like he had too much going in his favor at the moment. Something would have to give.

The group of actors sauntered back to the hotel, talking excitedly as they discussed the professional bounty that had fallen into their hands. A few weeks or months of work in a show that was earning more than decent critical notice was not something any of them really felt that they would walk away from. It seemed like the entire cast was on board with the London and New York runs.

“Wow,” Niall marveled as he and Adam stepped into their room. “This is insane. I wasn’t expecting that at all.”

“Me neither,” Adam admitted. “I guess the response has been better than we knew.”

Niall looked over to his friend with a broad smile. “I can’t wait to tell Cynth. She’s going to be so happy.”

“Think that she’ll come to London with you?” Adam asked.

Niall grinned widely. “We couldn’t afford a real honeymoon, and she’s got a lot of vacation time saved up. I think I can convince her to cash a week or two in.”

Adam sat down on his bed. “It’ll be nice to see my family,” he said thoughtfully. “And I’ve been wanting to bring Kurt to England, but we haven’t been able to coordinate a time when we’d both be free.”

“Then this will give you the perfect excuse to get him on a plane.” Niall reached over to clap Adam on the shoulder. “Things are looking up for us,” he proclaimed.

Adam nodded, still trying to mentally grasp the incredible opportunity they’d been offered. “When I was a kid, I dreamed of being on the West End,” he admitted.

Niall nodded understandingly. “I did one stint there… a tiny chorus part when I was fifteen,” he explained. “Awful show, but the cast was great and the whole experience… It made me love the theater. I’ve been trying to get back on that stage ever since.”

Adam understood exactly what his friend meant. He’d dreamed of being an actor ever since his mother took him to see a local play, fascinated by how magical it was to bring a story to life. Nothing had been more important than getting to stand on that stage himself.

He had that, and so much more now. It almost felt like it was too much, but he wasn’t going to throw away the opportunities he was given. He was a professional actor now, in a show that was gaining respect with every performance.

The sacrifice was worth it, he realized. He’d regret every day spent away from Kurt, but he now could honestly say that it had been worth it. He was fulfilling his dreams and could be grateful that they were dreams that he shared with the man that he loved. He couldn’t ask for anything else.

It was two days later, on the morning of their final show in Chicago that he realized that he had some choices to make. The email from Mr. Tillman, to see if he was interested in a role for the summer festival wasn’t unexpected and he had spent a bit of time trying to work out if participating would be an option. If he didn’t know that he had “Butcher’s Bill” on his plate for the fall and spring, he probably would have jumped at the opportunity.

Now though… the schedule would be tight, he recognized. The tour was due to end right as rehearsals were set to begin, leaving him with little down time even if everything ran as planned. And he needed to find a new flat for himself and Kurt. Even if Mr. Tillman let him forgo a formal audition based solely on his past work with the company, which he honestly didn’t think would be fair, the schedule of bouncing from one show directly into another would be brutal. He’d then have only a few weeks in the fall to get his life back together before leaving for London.

Adam sighed, weighing out his options. He hated to skip the festival and as tight as the timing would be, it might be workable if he was really determined and there were no delays with the tour’s planned conclusion. Realistically though, he knew that he was going to need some proper downtime after months on the road and needed to deal with the practicalities of getting a roof over his head. This was one of those times when his head needed to overrule his heart and make the practical decision.

He got out his phone and dialed up the festival director, knowing that this was something that he would need to discuss as directly as possible without delay. He owed them nothing less. The line rang a few times before being answered.

“Hello?”

Adam swallowed tightly. “Mr. Tillman, it’s Adam Crawford,” he answered.

“Adam! It’s so good to hear from you,” Mr. Tillman said cheerfully. “How’s the tour going?”

“It’s definitely been a challenge,” Adam admitted, gratified that the director liked to keep abreast of what his performers were up to during the year. “I’ve never done anything like this, so it’s an interesting experience. Today’s our last performance in Chicago and we’re moving on to Minneapolis next. It’s a bit of an endurance trial, but I’m learning a great deal.”

He could almost see the older man nodding in understanding. “Well, I’m sure that you’ve been able to handle things,” he insisted. “So, what can I do for you today? I hope that you’re calling about the festival.”

Adam sighed. “Yes,” he acknowledged. “I know that you’re starting auditions.”

“We’ve had some people in already,” Mr. Tillman advised. “I believe that we’re seeing Kurt later this week, which I’m rather looking forward to after hearing how well he did in his school’s show.”

That brought a smile to Adam’s face. “I’m sure that he’s going to impress you,” Adam assured the director. “He’s grown quite remarkably the past year.”

“Well, I have no doubt that he’ll acquit himself well,” Mr. Tillman assured him. “But let’s talk about you. Have you given some thought to what roles you’d be interested in? I know that auditioning can be a problem with you being out of town, but I think that we can do something less formal based on your past experience with us.”

“I have. That’s actually why I’m calling,” he explained. Adam took a deep breath, knowing that he shouldn’t beat around the bush. “I’ve been thinking things over and with the tour ending right as you’re starting rehearsals, and then my play being prepared for an opening in New York, I just don’t think that I can give the festival the kind of focus that it deserves. I think that I’m going to have to miss this year.”

“Oh… that’s a real shame,” Mr. Tillman said with sincere regret and clearly not expecting the refusal. “I’m quite sorry to hear that. I was hoping that you would consider reading for Oberon with Megan coming back. We’re planning to cast her as Titania.”

Adam smiled, thinking back fondly to the actress who’s played Beatrice the past season and how well they’d worked together. “I’m really sorry,” he said sincerely. “But I need to find a new place to live when I get back to New York, and I just can’t see being able to jump into rehearsals right as the tour ends.”

“It’s all right, Adam,” Mr. Tillman assured him. “I know that you must be working very hard, and I know how difficult being in a touring production can be. We don’t want you to burn out completely. You will definitely be missed this year, but I’m glad that you’re unavailable because things are going so well for you. If I have to lose a performer that I regard so highly, that’s the reason that makes it bearable. We’ve sent a lot of actors off to bigger and better things and it was probably only a matter of time before you became one of them.”

Adam couldn’t help from smiling to himself, grateful for the director’s consideration. He had never seen Mr. Tillman resentful over the success of the performers that the festival nurtured in the three years he’d performed with them. “I appreciate that, sir,” he responded. “But there was something that I did want to run by you.”

“Hmmm? Anything that would be interesting?” the director asked.

“Possibly. I was hoping that even if I can’t perform in the shows that you might be able to use me on the production side of things,” he offered. “I did take quite a few classes on direction and stage management and I’d like to try to get a bit of practical experience.”

Mr. Tillman didn’t answer immediately, and Adam couldn’t help from biting his lower lip nervously and wonder if he was asking too much. He’d thought that they had a good working relationship based on the several years that he’d performed with the company but asking for special consideration could be pushing his luck. It wasn’t as if the company didn’t have a fine staff of professionals managing things and he probably wasn’t needed to hang around the theater and get in the way.

“Let me see what I can do,” Mr. Tillman offered. “I can’t promise a paid position, but we usually have openings for internships if that’s something that would interest you. We could at least cover your room and board during the run of the festival.”

That was exactly what he was hoping for. Even if he ended up working alongside teenagers, the practical experience would be beneficial if he ever wanted to branch out into direction. Seeing the logistics of running a professional production, from casting to staging would be invaluable for him and possibly offer future opportunities if he grew tired of acting.

And if it allowed him to spend more time with Kurt after being apart for so long, so much the better.

“Thank you so much,” Adam said gratefully. “I really appreciate it.”

He could almost hear the smile in Mr. Tillman’s voice. “Well, it would feel odd to not have you around all summer,” he granted with a chuckle. “Don’t worry… I’m sure we’ll find a use for you. Give me a call as we get closer to the season and we’ll work everything out.”

“I will,” Adam assured him. “Thanks again. This means a lot to me.”

“It wouldn’t be the same without you there in some capacity,” Mr. Tillman chuckled. “And this way, I can avoid having Kurt pouting all season.”

Adam couldn’t help from laughing a bit. “Well, he and I do appreciate it,” he insisted. “I’ll give you a call in a few weeks.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Mr. Tillman asserted sincerely. “Good luck with the rest of your tour.”

After hanging up, Adam felt considerably better about things. He was sorry that he wouldn’t be performing that summer because he’d always enjoyed the festival, but he’d made the right decision. He needed a little down time and while he might be working, it wouldn’t be as stressful as performing. He hadn’t lied about wanting to get some real experience working behind the scenes on a production and it would be a real joy to have the chance to watch Kurt performing.

Finally feeling like things were settling in a way that worked for him, Adam got up and gave a long stretch to work the stiffness out of his body. A hot shower and a few hours enjoying the sunshine and the best of what Chicago had to offer before his final performance was exactly what he needed.

Life was a complicated thing, he considered. Plenty of bumps and unexpected turns, but the journey was worthwhile when he thought about his end destination.

* * *

Rachel studied the highlighted lines in her book a final time while Tina was on stage doing her audition. This was a bit out of her comfort zone, she recognized. Acting was so much easier with a song to guide her and she knew that this was going to deprive her of her strongest talents.

Fortunately for her, with both plays there were a good number of prime supporting roles that would be suitable for her. This was a new experience and having a chance to get her feet wet and even playing in the ensemble would be to her advantage. She needed to develop nuance as a performer and be able to act without depending on vocal gymnastics to get her emotional point across.

Kurt had scheduled his audition with theirs and watching him give a taste of what he could bring to the roles he was trying for. Seeing the reception that he got from the director and the quality of reading gave her the impression that he was more than probably going to get whatever roles he was trying for and she was pleased as hell for him. After seeing her friend pushed into the background when he was so deserving of more, watching him blossom the way he had in the past year or so had been a true joy.

Fortunately she and Tina weren’t reading for the same roles, Rachel considered as she waited for her turn. There were enough options that they could avoid putting themselves in direct competition with one another, and the last thing that Rachel wanted was for her competitiveness to get in the way of their close friendship again. There would come a time when they might be vying for the same roles, but Rachel hoped that she had finally gotten to the point where her need to win didn’t override everything else that was important to her. She’d made that mistake far too many times already.

When Tina was finished and hopped off the small stage with a happy smile, Kurt was on his feet to sweep her into his arms. “You did great,” he praised.

She just smiled and shrugged a bit. “It wasn’t bad,” she granted. “But I’m not expecting to get a big part. There are just going to be too many people with more experience than me.”

“You might be surprised,” Kurt insisted. “I was my first year.”

Mr. Tillman looked up from the notes he’d been writing and called, “Rachel? If you’re ready?”

She took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. This wasn’t Funny Girl. She wasn’t that person anymore. This was going to be different.

Once on the stage and facing the production team, she forced herself to relax as much as possible. Mr. Tillman offered her a reassuring smile and looked up from her CV. “So, Rachel… you’re also a second-year student at NYADA?” he confirmed.

“Yes. My focus has always been on musical theater, but I do understand that ignoring the wider theater world would limit my potential to develop as an actor. After seeing what Kurt was able to do last year, I knew that I needed to expand my range and I hope that I can bring something interesting to your festival.”

“And this would be your first professional production?” Mr. Tillman clarified.

For once, the reminder didn’t cause her pain. She just nodded in confirmation. “All of my experience has been in school productions,” she explained. “I’m looking forward to taking what I’ve learned over the years and trying in a more challenging environment.”

“Okay… then begin when you’re ready,” Mr. Tillman requested, sitting back in his seat to watch her.

She took another steadying breath and went through her monologue, trying to modulate her performance and keep from being too manic without becoming too static. It seemed to take forever she knew that the monologue would only take a minute or so to get through. When she was finished, Mr. Tillman jotted down a few notes before looking back to her.

“Thank you, Rachel, that was lovely,” he said with a sincere smile. Unlike the production team for Funny Girl where the initial audition was so impersonal, she felt like he genuinely wanted her to do well. “You’re interested in possibly playing Helen and Hermia, correct?”

She nodded. “Yes. I realize that there are a limited number of women’s roles in both plays and I wouldn’t be suitable for several of them.”

“That may be true, and I do give you credit for thinking about that. I’ve had to break it to a lot of actors that the roles they auditioned for just weren’t right for them, but I very often find that young actors are just starting to figure out what they’re capable of. If we thought you’d be better suited in other roles or in the ensemble, would you be okay with that?” Mr. Tillman asked. “They may not be as prominent but there are quite a few parts that often go overlooked.”

She smiled brightly. “Definitely,” she affirmed happily. “I was in the ensemble for our school production and it was a really fulfilling experience.”

Her willingness to accept a supporting role seemed to please him and Mr. Tillman nodded in approval. “Well, we’re definitely going to be in touch with you,” he promised. “We’ll be doing callbacks in the next few weeks once we work through the rest of the auditions. We’ll talk more about what roles might be good for you.”

It’s wasn’t the most overtly enthusiastic response she could have hoped for, but her audition was handled with the same calm professionalism that she saw with Kurt’s and Tina’s. Mr. Tillman had watched her carefully, taking in all aspects of her audition and treated her with respect. Leaving herself open to being cast in roles other than the ones she read for might possibly leave her in the ensemble, but that was better than not getting a role at all. And being in the ensemble wouldn’t be the most terrible thing, she decided. Another chance to learn and grow a bit while still getting to be on a stage. Hopefully she had done enough to get something more.

Kurt was waiting for her with open arms and a reassuring smile. “He loved you,” he insisted, giving her a warm embrace.

“I hope so,” she admitted with a shy smile.

“No, he really did,” Kurt claimed. “If he’s asking you to consider other parts, then he’s thinking seriously about casting you in something. And the ensemble was a lot of fun last summer.”

“Well, I’m not going to lie,” Rachel stated as she gathered up her things. “I’d like to get something more, but I won’t turn down an ensemble role. I know that I really need to develop more as an actor and not depend on my voice so much.”

“At least the two of you are likely to get something,” Tina added. “I’m still a first-year theater student and I don’t have the kind of experience you two got at NYADA. “

“You might be surprised,” Kurt maintained with a smile. “I didn’t expect anything last year and look what happened. In the meantime, we have a little while before we need to catch the train and there’s a nice coffee shop near the station. Let me treat the two of you to a drink before we head back to the city.”

Rachel nodded in agreement. “That sounds like a great idea. Thanks.”

As they walked out of the theater, Kurt noted a young woman with bright auburn hair pulled into a neat braid walking in. She looked up at him with a happy smile of recognition and rushed forward to hug him.

“Oh my God! It’s so good to see you!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms about him.

“It’s good to see you too, Tracy,” he said in return. “I was hoping that you and Craig would be back this season.”

Rachel then realized that this had been one of Kurt’s castmates from the previous summer and couldn’t help from smiling at seeing his joy at seeing her. Tina turned questioning glance at her, clearly not recognizing the other young woman and Rachel whispered the identity in her ear.

“Craig did his audition last week,” Tracy informed him. “It looks like we’ll have a rookie reunion this summer.”

Kurt laughed brightly. “But we’re not rookies anymore,” he reminded her.

“No, I guess we’re not,” she admitted with a playful grin. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t get over to see you in Les Miz but it was impossible to get tickets!”

Kurt smiled and shook his head. “Oh, don’t worry about that,” he insisted. “I know it’s been a crazy year for all of us.”

“Well, I read all of the reviews and I know how great you all did,” she responded, giving Kurt a playful nudge. He just grinned and motioned for Rachel and Tina to come forward.

“Let me introduce all of you,” he proposed drawing Tina and Rachel forward and making the formal introductions. “You met Rachel and Tina last summer when they came to see me. Rachel’s a classmate of mine and Tina’s over at NYU. I convinced them to audition this year.”

“It’s nice to see both of you again. Kurt always brings the most talented people with him,” Tracy said sincerely. She turned to Kurt and asked, “You read for Puck, didn’t you?”

Kurt nodded with a pleased expression.

“Well, Craig is going to be very put out. He was kind of hoping to get that part, but he won’t stand a chance against you,” Tracy said confidently. “Please tell me that you didn’t read for Lysander too, so I can put his mind at ease that he’s not going to get shut out.”

Kurt couldn’t help from laughing. “I didn’t, but if he’s also reading for Paris, then all bets are off.

“What about Adam?” she asked. “Is he going to be back from his tour in time?”

Kurt couldn’t help from sighing. “He’ll be back, but he’s going to need a break from performing,” he explained. “I really can’t blame him because the tour is taking a lot out of him. He’s trying to get something with the production so he can be a part of the festival without having to worry about a new role.”

“Oh, that’s a real shame,” Tracy said regretfully. “But I’m glad that you’re going to be back this season.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Kurt admitted with a smile. “Good luck with your audition. We’ll meet up and commiserate when the cast lists come out.”

Tracy smile and nodded to the other two girls. “It was so nice to see you both again,” she said cheerfully. “It’ll be nice to have some more girls around.”

“It’s great to meet you too,” Tina responded with a warm smile. “Good luck at your audition.”

“Thanks. I’d better get going, otherwise I’ll be late,” Tracy said appreciatively before giving Kurt a final hug and disappearing into the theater.

Rachel watched her run into the theater and turned an appraising glance to her friend. “She seems really nice.”

Kurt nodded in confirmation. “It was really great working with her and Craig last summer,” he said agreeably. “I mean, I loved working with Adam and the rest of the cast but it was reassuring to have some people my own age around. Having someone to share being new with made the experience a lot easier.”

Rachel nodded and turned to Tina with a smile. “Then it’s a good thing that you and I are doing this,” she insisted. “And having Kurt show us the ropes.”

“Definitely,” Tina agreed, smiling at her friends.

Kurt gathered them both under his arms and lead them away. “Well, come on, my ladies. I think that coffee and cake is just the kind of thing we need to celebrate your auditions.”

* * *

It was three weeks later that Rachel was leaving her American Playwrights workshop where she had been wrestling with the works of David Mamet when her phone began to ring. She struggled to fish it out of her purse, trying not to drop her books. By the time she’d completed her juggling act, the call had gone to her voice mail. Damn it…

She hurried to a table in the commons area where she could get her things in order and see who was calling, her face paling when she realized just who she’d missed. She quickly redialed the number, mentally sending up a little prayer as the line rang that the news would be good and bit back an audible sigh of relief when the line was picked up.

“Matthew Tillman here.”

Rachel swallowed tightly. “Hi, this is Rachel Berry,” she said, pleased that she was able to keep her tone so even and calm. “I think that I just missed your call.”

“Ah, Rachel… I’m glad that you called back so quickly.”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t answer immediately, but I was just coming out of class,” she explained.

“That’s quite all right,” he assured her. “I figured that you’d be in class. I just wanted to touch base with you about your audition. Now if my notes are correct, you were interested in playing Helen, correct?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “And Hermina for Midsummer.”

“You also indicated that you would be open to reading for other roles,” he clarified.

“That’s right,” she agreed, hoping that she was playing this right. Even if she ended up in the ensemble for both shows, she very much wanted to be cast in something.

“We’re very interested in you, but we’re getting a lot of interest in those particular roles,” Mr. Tillman informed her honestly. “I’d like for you to come back and read for them again, but I’d also like for you to read for Cassandra in Troilous. I think you might be a good match that part.”

Realizing that she wasn’t being shut out, Rachel felt a smile cross her face. “Of course! I’d be happy to! When would you like me to come in?”

Kurt was walking out of his weapons class, feeling a bit battered because Mr. Hansen spent the past two hours using them all for pounding toys. He could already feel the bruises rising on his skin where he was swatted by the edge of a saber for letting his guard down. He was going to need to spend a good amount of time in the showers after class soaking in the heat and then a liberal application of Arnica cream. Unfortunately, with his fair complexion he bruised like a peach and he was going to look like he got run over by a truck by morning if he didn’t take proper care.

He was not expecting to be collided with by a petite bowling ball that barreled into him at warp speed. He grunted, catching Rachel before she could knock him into the wall and swung her to diffuse the impact.

“Rachel, are you crazy?” he complained, setting her back on her feet. “What is the matter with you?”

“They called me back!” she exclaimed happily, bouncing up and down. “I got a call back!”

The news immediately extinguished Kurt’s irritation and he found himself delighted for his friend. “That’s great! For both parts?” he asked.

She nodded. “Mr. Tillman is also asking me to read for another role,” she explained. “He said that there’s a lot of competition for the ones I read for and suggested another role to consider. That’s good, right?”

“Definitely,” he confirmed. “And it’s great that they still want you to read for the parts that your originally auditioned for. I was already shut out of one part by this point.”

She clutched at his arm, trying to keep her excitement under control. “I’m trying not to read too much into that. I know that I can’t expect to get every part I read for.”

“But being called back is a good sign that they want you for something,” he assured her. “When are you going in?”

“Thursday after my last class. Thankfully I don’t need to be in early on Friday. What about you? They are asking you back right?”

He nodded, looking quietly satisfied which Rachel thought he had every right to feel. After his performances the past summer and this past spring, she thought that they would be insane not to have him back and with any role he wished for.

“I’m going in on Saturday morning,” he explained. “Mr. Tillman is coming in to meet with me because I’ve got to give Isabelle some time with the summer issues going out. The next few weeks are going to be a bit crazed.”

Rachel was delighted that they both were being called in for the parts they read for. “I’m going to call Tina and see if she heard anything,” Rachel informed him. “Because I can’t imagine her not getting a call back. Maybe she and I can do our call backs together.”

“We’ll talk before you go in,” Kurt promised. “I’ll let you know what to expect and how they run things. There’s a good chance that you’ll know what you’re being cast for right there. You just have to remember that you’re new with the festival, so you probably won’t get everything you’re trying for.”

She nodded in understanding. “I’m not expecting that,” she assured him honestly. “I’ll be thrilled to just get one of them.”

She probably would shock anyone who had known her in the past, but she was being completely sincere. To get even one speaking role would be a tremendous accomplishment for her and would go a long way to finally healing over the disappointment that she’d suffered from the Funny Girl debacle. She was working hard to keep her expectations under control and could take real satisfaction that she was getting a call back at all, let alone for all the roles she’d auditioned for.

“Well, I’ve got to get to class,” Rachel said with a sigh. “But do you have a chance to hang out anytime this week? Santana’s been making noises about you making yourself so scarce.”

Kurt chuckled, knowing that his friend’s language probably had been rather colorful on the subject. “We’ll find some time,” he promised. “Maybe we can all go out for dinner one night this week before Santana has to go to the club.”

She nodded before leaning up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you a bit later,” she stated. “Have fun with Madam Tibideaux.”

“Thanks. I’m sure that she’s sharpening her knives as we speak,” he quipped.

Fortunately he had just enough time before his session with her to grab a cup of green tea and get his throat in order before arriving at the classroom. Madam Tibideaux hadn’t arrived yet, so he used the time to get his warmups done, knowing very well that she would want to just drive right in.

She arrived a surprisingly ten minutes late, her assistant following quietly in her wake. “My apologies, Mr. Hummel,” the Dean said sincerely. “I had an important phone call with one of our donors who’s been making some considerable contributions to our school after seeing the musical.”

“I used the time to get my warmups out of the way,” he assured her. “I thought that way we wouldn’t lose too much time.”

The Dean smiled and nodded in approval. “Wonderful. Then if you’re ready, I’d like to see how those exercises you’ve been assigned have helping your development.”

Kurt nodded and took his place by the piano. Madam Tibideux nodded to her assistant and a piece of music that he’d become intimately familiar with over the past few days. He closed his eyes, reminding himself of what her expectations would be of him. When the cue came in for him to begin, Kurt was ready.

“The nightingale sighed for the moon’s bright ray,” he sang out, maintaining the balance of strength and gentleness that the aria called for. “And told his tale in his own melodious way. He sang ‘Ah, well-a-day!’

“The lowly vale for the mountain vainly sighed, to his humble wail. The echoing hills replied. They sang ‘Ah, well-a-day!’”

This was more difficult than a lot of the Broadway oriented songs that he’d performed for his teacher in the past. The melody was more complex, requiring him to make the most of his precision and hit each note cleanly while still showing the deep emotion that the song required. The melody was a lot more complex than it initially appeared, making it a real challenge to make sure that he didn’t neglect the emotional component of the song clear while focusing on keeping his vocal technique as clean as possible. It was a real test for her to see just how far he’d come as a singer.

Kurt could understand why his teacher was focusing more on this style of singing. It was pushing him to refine his technique and his natural ability to tap into a song’s emotion. And asking him to perform the song for a traditional romantic lead was clearly designed as a way to compel him to expand his range as an actor.

While Madam Tibideaux would expect that his voice be able to carry the emotional story on its own, she would also expect him to show that he could fully realize the characters and bring in his compete arsenal of acting skills in an effective manner. He softened his expression, looking wistful as he contemplated his character’s beloved. “I know the value of a kindly chorus. But choruses yield little consolation,” he crooned gently, letting his voice float upon the notes played on the piano. “When we have pain and sorrow too before us! I love – and love, alas, above my station!

“A maiden fair to see. The pearl of minstrelsy,” he expressed thoughtfully, trying to paint the image of a young man deeply in love with the woman he could never have. “A bud of blushing beauty, for whom proud nobles sigh. And with each other vie to do her menial’s duty.”

Madam Tibideaux watched him closely, only looking down to make the occasional note on her pad. One might make the mistake to think that after all this time that her sharp observation would no longer be intimidating to students who had ample experience under her tutelage. They would be mistaken.

Kurt would always be aware of his shortcomings. When his newfound technical skill would fail him, or when he was unable to truly grasp the emotional heat of a performance. Those were the moments that he dreaded, because he would be more disappointed in himself than any criticism she could offer.

He knew that he wasn’t going to present the most pristine vocal skills, but he could make sure that he gave a full display of the emotional story. He delved in deep within himself, finding the insecure boy who’d loved someone he felt was so far out of his league. It was a hurt that he was well acquainted with, wishing that the one he’d loved would notice him and remembered the pain of being overlooked or found lacking.

“A suitor, lowly born… with hopeless passion torn, and poor beyond denying,” he sang mournfully, giving full rein to his character’s despair. “Has dared for her to pine, at whose exalted shrine. A world of wealth is sighing.”

Kurt wished that he could get some sense of how he was doing, but Madam Tibideux never gave any sign during her evaluations. Like the Cheshire Cat, she watched and would pass judgement on her own time.

Wanting very much to give her what she wanted, Kurt delved deep and focused. “Unlearned he in aught, save that which love has taught. For love had been his tutor,” he sang, bringing a quiet gentleness to his tone. “Oh, pity… pity me… Our captain’s daughter she, and I that lowly suitor.”

The music drew to a close and Madam Tibideaux was still jotting down her notes, leaving him standing silently and waiting for her verdict. Several long moments passed, and he felt himself starting to fidget before she finally set her pad aside and looked at him expectantly.

“So…” She cocked an appraising eyebrow in his direction, motioning for him to take the seat next to her. This was going to take a while.

“Before I tell you what I think, I’d like to hear your opinion.”

Kurt exhaled deeply, knowing that she fully expected him to be aware of his flaws and if not totally able to self-correct, to at least know where his errors were. Failing to note them would reflect badly on his progress.

“I think that I had a good grasp on the emotional story,” he proposed with a certain confidence. That has never been a serious problem for him and he thought that he’d added some nice nuances. “I tried to translate my own experiences with what the character was trying to express, even if they weren’t a perfect match. But I think that aspect of the performance worked.

“Technique wise...” Kurt took a moment to consider how he’d sung the number before making his self-appraisal. It had been far from his best performance, but it wasn’t completely awful. “Overall it wasn’t bad, but I don’t think that my notes were true at several points. Even though it’s not a fast number, the way the notes are drawn out make them challenging to hold. And I think I sounded a little pitchy at a few points.”

Madam Tibideaux nodded, pleased that he wasn’t trying to excuse his errors and had enough in the way of self-awareness to recognize that he’d made mistakes. But she offered a reassuring smile, not wanting this to be a negative experience for a student that she found so promising.

“I know that this style of music would be a challenge for most singers and I wouldn’t ask most students to attempt it. But given how you used Candide for your audition material, I thought that you’d enjoy the challenge,” she confided, offering a reassuring smile. “The catalogue of Gilbert and Sullivan does lean closer to classical opera than anything you’ll find in conventional musical theater, which is one of the reasons that you’ll primarily see it performed by opera houses nowadays. Students who aren’t focused on classical singing will probably have little experience trying to perform material like this. It’s a very different style and calls for a more refined technique.”

Kurt felt himself nodding in agreement, thinking back to his high school experiences with musicals. They had always stuck to material that wasn’t especially challenging vocally, which wasn’t a surprise given Mr. Schue’s limitations and the lack of formal training in most of the choir. It was been smarter to stick with rock or more modern, well-known musicals that empathized their strengths and downplayed their weaknesses. Even then most of their efforts were underwhelming, in his opinion.

Madam Tibideaux waited until she was confident that he grasped what she was trying to teach him. “Even the similarities in style and structure, Les Miserables is closer to modern musicals than it is to classic opera. The technique that you’d learned up to now allowed you to acquit yourself well as Enjolras, but as we’ve spoken before, you’d only really begun to scratch the surface of your potential as a performer.

“This was meant to be difficult for you because you need to be pushed,” she reminded him. “I expect you to showing weakness in your technique as we move along. If you’re not making mistakes, that means that you’re not trying to grow beyond what you already are capable of. I see a lot of very talented students who are so afraid of being seen as imperfect that they never really get out of their box. Even if you through your entire career never performing material like this, I still think that it’s useful for your development and I’m pleased that you’re not shying away from it.”

Kurt nodded, understanding exactly the point that she was making. Maybe because he’d arrived with so little real training left him more open to being molded, unlike Rachel for example, who came to NYADA with a very clear and rigid view of who she was as a performer and had a difficult time accepting correction. Both of them needed to open themselves up to learning, though someone like Rachel would have to unlearn a great many things as well.

Once she saw that he had a comprehension of what she was explaining, she looked down at her notes. “Now to your credit, you’re not trying to hide behind the music to mask your mistakes. And we’re seeing some real improvement in your technique,” she noted. “As I said, allowing yourself to make mistakes and fail is what’s going to allow you to grow and I’m not expecting you to anywhere close to perfect at this point.

“That’s not to say that there weren’t moments where you were doing everything right and your voice sounded absolutely lovely. I’m seeing very good control of your head and chest voice. You are getting better with manipulating your larynx and I’m seeing a lot more in the way of vocal flexibility. You know your voice well and you’re getting more confident with your control, which is something that I definitely want to see at this point.”

Kurt allowed himself to relax just a tiny bit with the knowledge that it wasn’t all bad.

“But then about halfway though, I think that the melody was starting to get away from you,” his teacher said thoughtfully. “You weren’t sustaining the long notes as cleanly as I usually see from you, which indicates that you’re not getting enough air flow. And there were points where you were overusing your vibrato in a way that wasn’t especially pleasant. You can go a little sharp when you lose control of your upper range and too much vibrato highlights that.”

At seeing that he was paying close attention to her critique and wasn’t resisting her appraisal, she nodded in approval. “But all in all, it wasn’t a bad first effort,” Madam Tibideaux assured him. “I’m pleased that you were catching yourself when you made mistakes and trying to self-correct. You’re paying attention to what you’re doing and are aware when things aren’t going as expected which is probably the most that we could reasonably expect at this stage. Your grasp of melisma is stronger and while this particular run-through was a bit rough around the edges, it’s showing some decent technical bones to build on. You have been practicing, and it shows. What we need to do is build on your skills, continue developing your strength. Because we’ve just begun to explore what you’re going to be capable of as a technician and an artist.”

Kurt listened closely, considering her evaluation and was grateful that it wasn’t as bad as he’d been fearing. He knew by now that however sharply worded her critiques could be, they were all designed to make him a stronger performer. In order to do that, he needed to put his ego on the back burner, be willing to listen and actually accept her tutelage.

He cleared his throat and looked to his teacher. “Can we try it again?” he asked.

The Dean smiled and nodded. “I was just about to suggest that,” she chuckled warmly, motioning for him to take his place by the piano.

He took a quick sip from his water bottle, swishing it about his mouth before swallowing. When he was ready, he nodded to the pianist to begin.

* * *

Sitting at the airport and waiting for a delayed flight was no one’s idea of fun, Adam considered as he looked at the board for what felt like the millionth time but there was no help for that. A nasty storm front moving through the middle of the country had grounded their plane for at least the next few hours. Far longer than the actual flight was supposed to take.

Fortunately, they weren’t due to open in Minneapolis for a week, so losing the better part of a day wasn’t going to be that bad. They would have plenty of time to settle in and get used to the new stage before opening night. The biggest issue was boredom while they waited for any word about their flight. The group had dispersed to find their own amusements while they waited, with Niall roaming the shops to see if he could find a nice little gift to send to his wife. Adam decided to wait until when he was sure that Kurt would be on a break between classes. He had texted Kurt, telling him to call when he was free.

In the meantime, Adam was able to find a café with only moderately overpriced coffee and a relatively quiet corner of the waiting area where he could do some writing while he killed time. They had just gotten another announcement that the delay would be for at least one more hour when his phone began to ring. Seeing Kurt’s number come up on the screen, he closed his laptop and turned his full attention to the call.

“Good morning, darling,” he greeted happily, his mood immediately improving. “I hope that I’m not bothering you.”

“Not at all,” Kurt assured him cheerfully. “I just got out of class when I saw your text. Is everything okay?”

Adam sighed. “Just cooling my heels at the airport. Our flight was delayed, and we’re stuck here for a bit. We probably could have driven to Minneapolis in less time.”

“Oh, poor baby,” Kurt cooed teasingly, causing Adam to smile a bit in response. “But I’m sure that the plane will be more comfortable than a bus. Are you okay?”

“I just wanted to hear your voice,” Adam admitted. “And I had a question for you... Did you ever get around to getting your passport?”

“Not yet,” Kurt admitted. “I keep meaning to look into getting one, but things have been so busy and I haven’t really needed it.”

Adam smiled wider. “Then, my dear, you’d better get your application submitted. Because you’re coming with me to London this winter.”

“I am?” Kurt exclaimed. “Adam, that’s very sweet of you but you’re going there to work, and…”

“And I want you there with me, at least for a little while during your winter break,” Adam insisted. “Whatever time you can give. I want to be able to show London to you and my family is already making plans for you to visit them. You can’t let me disappoint them.”

Adam knew his young lover better than most and was quite aware of his habit being mindful of not overstepping so that he didn’t intrude where he didn’t deserve to be. Kurt’s sense of propriety and consideration could often go into overdrive and he wouldn’t put himself in a position where he might distract Adam during what would be the highlight of his career thus far. He’d want Adam to have the freedom to reap all the rewards of his accomplishments without giving any kind of appearance that he was trying to ride on his lover’s coattails.

Which was utter bullocks, as far as Adam was concerned. What good was all of this if he couldn’t enjoy it with the man he loved?

“I won’t take no for an answer,” he warned with a smile and gentle firmness in his voice. “London is absolutely beautiful during the holidays and I want you there with me. Please… don’t make me beg, love.”

He heard Kurt sigh on the other end of the phone. “You’re making that pitiful, homeless puppy face, aren’t you?” he accused.

“If that’s what it takes to get you to come with me,” Adam warned. “Or if necessary, I’ll just sic Mum on you.”

He could positively picture Kurt’s frown. “Oh, that’s not fair,” Kurt accused petulantly.

“Well, you’ll be the one to tell Mum that you don’t want to come visit with her,” Adam teased. “I’m sure that she’ll be very understanding that you’d rather putter about New York by yourself than let her spoil you and take you shopping...

That brought a laugh out of the younger man. “All right… you don’t have play rough.”

“You like it when I play rough,” Adam growled playfully.

Kurt laughed again. “Don’t threaten what you can’t finish,” he teased. “At least I’ll finally get to shop at Harrods.”

“Harrods is totally overrated, but it is a bit of fun during the Christmas season,” Adam insisted. “Oh, sweetheart, I can’t for you to see it. Big Ben, the changing of the guard… we’ll do all the touristy things. And when I’m working, Mum and Dad want to take you to Essex for a day or two. You’ll get to see where I grew up and have them take you around. You can’t disappointment them.”

“Of course not,” Kurt agreed. “Because I wouldn’t put it past her to hop onto a plane and carry me off in a burlap sack.”

Adam knew that Kurt’s resistance would dissolve like wet tissue paper with the right inducements and he’d certainly laid out his best argument for Kurt to just comply graciously. They’d hoped to make a trip to England before this, but with his work and Kurt’s schooling, they never managed to find the time. This was a better reason than most to finally make that trip and he hated the idea of another few weeks spent apart.

“I’m sorry if I sound like I’m pushing so hard,” Adam granted. “But we’ve been apart long enough for the time being, don’t you think?”

Kurt didn’t answer immediately, but Adam could easily picture the softening in his gorgeous eyes and the soft smile touching his features.

“I think you might be right,” Kurt admitted.

An announcement came on over the system that Adam’s flight would start boarding in thirty minutes, causing him to sign in relief.

“Finally!” he exclaimed.

“They’re calling your flight?”

“Yes… we’ll be boarding soon,” Adam confirmed. “I’d better go round up Niall so he doesn’t miss the flight.”

“Then I’d better let you go,” Kurt offered. “Have a good flight.”

Adam couldn’t help from smiling. “I’ll call you when you’re checked into the hotel,” he promised. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Kurt returned gently. “Talk to you later.”

Ending calls was always hard, Adam thought as he reluctantly hung up the phone. Giving up that tenuous connection caused near physical pain when all he wanted to do was pull Kurt into his arms and never let go. The longer he was away from home, the more he craved Kurt’s presence. Some relationships fell apart with prolonged distance, he knew. Others grew stronger.

He and Kurt were proving to be of that material. And he knew that it was only a matter of time before their time apart would end. At least for now, he realized. It was nearly unavoidable that their profession might require them to work away from one another, but he now was confident that they would not only survive but thrive. Both as individuals and a couple.

* * *

With Funny Girl, Rachel had gotten a brutal reality check about the business that she aspired to and it had been a hard realization that the world didn’t see her as the budding star that she’d imagined herself to be. Learning that she would have to fight for her place in the world, and that she would fail at least as often as she succeeded, had been a harsh wake up call.

But it was one that she’d very much needed, she could recognize in hindsight. And she realized that just maybe Kurt had it right by making a smaller production his first foray into professional acting. Admittedly, she much preferred the more intimate process that the Garrison Festival utilized over the cattle call of Funny Girl. She actually felt like the director was paying attention to her and that she wasn’t just a face in the crowd.

Rachel was very aware that she wouldn’t always have this luxury, and that she would have to deal with open calls for the roles she wanted. But getting proper feedback and a chance to grow as a performer made putting herself up for judgement worthwhile, even if she didn’t get the role that she wanted.

When she stepped out of the theater into the warm afternoon sunshine, she felt that odd disconnect that she’d felt after the Funny Girl callback, but for an entirely different reason. Her mind was still trying to come to terms with what had happened inside the theater, but this time she didn’t have to deal with it alone.

“I can’t believe it,” Tina said, her dark eyes shining as they walked out of the theater. “We did it.”

Rachel felt herself nodding, but it hadn’t really hit her yet. She got a part. A real part.

“You were amazing,” she praised the younger girl. “I’m so glad that you got Hippolyta.”

“What about you, ‘Cassandra’?” Tina retorted. “You’re going to have so much fun playing her and Moth.”

Rachel couldn’t help from grinning happily, amused at no end to be playing a character with the same name as the teacher who’d bedeviled her for nearly the whole of her time at NYADA. “With us and Kurt in the same shows, it’s almost going to feel like a mini-New Directions production.”

And it would be, Rachel told herself confidently. She had full assurance that Kurt would get at least one of the roles he was getting a callback for. She would not be at all surprised if he managed to land speaking roles in both plays, because he certainly had the talent to warrant it.

She was grateful that while she and Tina had auditioned for the same shows that they hadn’t gone after the same parts. While she was sure that she would have been able to handle it if Tina had gotten a role over her, she was happy that they didn’t need to put themselves into direct competition just yet. This would be nothing but good memories for the both of them.

As the reality of her role began to sink in, she felt the anxiousness that she’d felt right before the callback fade and the excitement over what she’d achieved began to sink in. There would be phone calls to be made to her delighted parents and her friends. Then they just had to wait for Kurt’s callback for them to really celebrate.

* * *

Even when one was reasonably confident that they were likely to be successful to some degree, callbacks were always nerve wreaking. Kurt was secure in his own abilities as an actor and knew how much he had developed over the past year. He knew that he could bring something really special to the roles that he had auditioned for, but there was no way to know how other actors had been received. He could only do his best and hope that he was better.

He was thrilled that Rachel and Tina had survived their auditions and he was thrilled that they both managed to land speaking and ensemble roles. For Rachel, it had been especially gratifying when she was told that she would play Cassandra in Troilus and Kurt had wanted to take her out to celebrate, but she insisted on waiting until he knew what roles he was playing. She wanted to make sure that they all celebrated together because in her mind, there was no chance of him not getting cast.

Her confidence in him was gratifying and certainly gave him a bit more confidence heading into his callback. He wasn’t the surprise new kid anymore and the expectations for him were much higher. He had to bring his best game if he wanted to impress Mr. Tillman this time around.

He arrived at the theater to find Mr. Tillman waiting, along with several other members of the production team. “Good morning, Kurt,” the director greeted, shaking Kurt’s hand. “Thanks for coming in today.”

“Thank you for accommodating me,” Kurt said sincerely. “I’m sorry for getting you up so early on a Saturday.”

The older man just smiled. “It’s not a problem at all. I know that your school schedule can be a bit insane,” he insisted. “Well, we have a lot to get through, so why don’t we get started?”

Kurt nodded in agreement, stepping up onto the stage. “Should I start with reading for Paris?”

“Sounds good,” Mr. Tillman agreed and settled into a seat so he could give the actor his full attention.

Kurt had all his monologues committed to memory and knew how he wanted to portray each of the characters. Paris was the young romantic, blinded by his love for Helen and responsible for plunging his nation into war as a result, but unrepentant for it. Patroclus was a great warrior in his own right, a fact nearly overshadowed by his profound sense of loyalty to Achilles. Both were in some ways peripheral to the main focus of the storyline, the doomed love of the title characters, but they were vital to the course of action.

And then there was Puck… the fae trickster that was far too clever for his own good and created mischief and havoc wherever he went. Kurt wanted to portray him as having a bit of an edge; less the innocent sprite that he often was portrayed as and more of a trickster out of classical mythology that could cause conflict for nothing more than his own amusement.

“My mistress, with a monster, is in love,” he pronounced with a rather deranged giggle at the fairy queen’s expense. “Near to her close and consecrated bower. While she was in her dull and sleeping our, a crew of patches, rude mechanicals that work for bread upon Athenian stalls.”

He leaned forward, as if divulging some great joke. “Were met together to rehearse a play intended for great Theseus’ nuptial day,” he explained with a wry smile and a twinkle of near madness in his eyes. “The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort, who Pyramus presented, in their sport.

“Forsook his scene and enter’d in a brake. When I did him, at this advantage take, an ass’s nole I fixed on his head!”

He broke down with laughter at his own cunning, going on to describe how Puck had managed to catch Titania in his web of spells and tricks and taking delight in the queen’s humiliation and uncaring about the harm that he might have done an innocent mortal. He’d seen enough bullies in his life to know exactly how to play out the tricks and by letting Puck show the cruelty inherent in his actions, Kurt was confident would set him apart from all the other performers.

When he was finished, Mr. Tillman took a few moments to confer with the other members of the production team before turning to Kurt with a broad grin,

“Well, thank you Kurt,” he said sincerely. “We were hoping to see maturing from you as a performer and you certainly didn’t disappoint. That was, for me, one of the most interesting takes on Puck that I’ve seen in a long time. The edge of malevolence was very different than most impressions of the character.”

Kurt nodded, glad that his intentions carried through the performance. “That was exactly what I was going for,” he confirmed. “I really wanted to avoid any comparisons to the way Micky Rooney played him. I know that’s the archetype for the character, but I wanted to give him a totally different vibe. Maybe a little more Loki than usually gets portrayed.”

Mr. Tillman looked quite pleased with his answer. “Well, I certainly hope that you plan to develop the character farther this season because Puck is always a highlight of the show. I think that you’re going to bring something very interesting for our audience. It’s good to challenge their expectations once in a while.

“Now as for Troilus… we’re a little bit conflicted,” Mr. Tillman admitted. “I think that you’d acquit yourself admirably in both parts but I want to make sure that we’re giving you a role that will really take advantage of what you bring to the table. You’ve been taking stage combat, correct?”

Kurt nodded, wondering where this was going. “I’m in my second semester of training,” he confirmed.

Mr. Tillman made a note and nodded in approval. “With several of our more seasoned performers moving on, we have a definite shortage of actors with combat training this year and there are some battle scenes in Troilus. I also am of a mind to take advantage of the chemistry you had with Ben last season. We’ve cast him as Achilles and the two of you worked well together, which is why I’m inclined to cast you as Patroclus.

“Now, one thing to keep in mind is that I’m intending to play up the closeness between Achilles and Patroclus and make it obvious that they are more than just comrades,” the director explained, watching for his reaction to the proposition. “The play itself doesn’t shy away from the inuendo, but we’re going to make it a bit more clear about the nature of their relationship and give some more focus to their motivations. Is that something that would be an issue for you?”

Kurt kept his expression neutral as he considered the idea. He wouldn’t mind working with Ben again, and there was always the possibility that the show would want to explore that aspect of the characters’ relationship. While he couldn’t help from wondering if being gay was a factor in the casting, he wouldn’t allow that to bother him. There would be enough times where his sexuality might keep him out of roles so taking advantage now, it that was indeed the case, wouldn’t bother him too much.

“Not at all,” he assured the director. “I know that their relationship isn’t a major focus of the play, but it would add some interesting nuances and draw some contrasts with the other love stories.”

Mr. Tillman looked extremely pleased with his response and gave a firm nod of approval. “Then it looks like we’re set. I know that we’re putting a lot of pressure on you this season, Kurt, but I think that you’re up to the challenge.”

Kurt grinned and hopped off the stage to shake Mr. Tillman’s hand. “Thank you so much,” he said sincerely.

The director just smiled. “We’re very happy to have you back this season,” he insisted. “It’s always wonderful to welcome new actors and watch them develop, and we have high expectations for you. I think that these plays are going to give you a lot to really sink your teeth into.

“We’ll be in touch about all the administrative stuff and send you the rehearsal schedule. I need to you start committing your roles to memory because things are going to move quickly once rehearsals start and you’re going to have a lot on your plate.”

Kurt nodded in understanding. “I definitely will,” he assured the older man. After shaking the director’s hand again and thanking him, Kurt gathered his things and left the theater with a bit of a well-deserved spring in his step.

That evening found him in Bushwick, toasting the success of his friends while they toasted his. He sat on the floor with Rachel and Tina, sharing a bottle of cheap but still very drinkable rosé and several containers of take out food. He would have plenty of time to stress about the hard work facing him, but right now he just wanted to celebrate with two of his best friends.

They wouldn’t always be so fortunate, so this was a rare moment of success for them to savor.

* * *

Kurt's solo: "The Nightingale" - H.M.S . Pinafore