By the interval, Alana had started to relax and enjoy herself. ‘You’re doing really well,’ said Courtney as Alana downed a whole bottle of water in one go.
By the final curtain call, she had pretty much decided on a career in musical theatre! The audience gave everyone a standing ovation, whooping and cheering, and demanding curtain call after curtain call. As Alana bowed again and again, her heart seemed to be beating at twice its usual speed. I think this might be the best night of my life ever! she thought to herself.
As soon as the curtain fell for the last time, Fabio came up and kissed her on either cheek. ‘You were a real star tonight, Alana,’ he said. It was the first time Alana had seen him smile, and she felt slightly weak at the knees. Fabio handed her a brown envelope, and before she had time to thank him or ask what it was, she heard some familiar words, as though from a great distance:
‘Remember, ma petite, when your good deed is done, the call of home will beckon. You will return home! You will return home!’
The boards of the stage disappeared, and with them the buzz of the audience filing out of the auditorium. Alana closed her eyes, and Madame Coco’s words became louder and closer, until she could hear them right next to her. Opening her eyes, she found herself back in Madame Coco’s shop. She glanced at the grandfather clock just to check. Yes, as usual no time had passed here since her adventure had started. No one would have missed her.
‘That was the most fantastic night of my life, Madame Coco,’ she said. ‘Thank you!’ And she went into the fitting room to change back into her own clothes.
‘Come and see me again soon, ma chérie,’ said Madame Coco as Alana handed her back the costume. Alana gave her a hug, then she left the shop and ran down the road to her house, still glowing with the excitement of the show.
The next morning, Alana walked to school in a bit of a daze. She could still hardly believe the adventure she’d just had.
The trouble is, she thought, I don’t see how it can help Keisha. I shouldn’t expect Madame Coco to be able to solve everyone’s problems, though – it’s not fair.
When Alana entered her classroom, Keisha came running up to her. ‘My mum says do you want to come back to mine after school?’
‘Yeah, I’d love to!’ Alana replied. She’d never been round to Keisha’s before. ‘I’ll have to check with my mum, but I know she’s around to look after Abi this evening so it should be fine.’
Alana and Keisha caught the bus together after school. They got off in a part of town Alana hadn’t been to before. The houses were much bigger than the ones she was used to seeing. The gardens were manicured, the pavements free of litter; even the trees seemed to have shinier leaves.
‘Here we are,’ said Keisha, turning into a driveway. Alana tried to hide her amazement. The whole of the front of the house was made of glass. You could see the big kitchen on the ground floor all lit up, with Keisha’s mum sitting at the table drinking coffee.
Alana had no idea that Keisha’s family was so wealthy. They both went to the same ordinary school, and, unlike Verity, Keisha had never said anything to show that her family were well off.
When Keisha introduced Alana, her mum kissed her on both cheeks.
The girls sat down at the breakfast bar. Keisha’s mum gave them each a glass bottle of Coke with a straw in it, popping off the cap with a silver bottle opener.
Up in Keisha’s bedroom later, Alana flopped down in a pink beanbag chair.
‘Let’s put on some music,’ said Keisha. She had a Bose iPod dock in her room and she switched on the soundtrack to Bright Lights on Broadway. Alana smiled to herself – little did Keisha know that she had just performed in the premiere! As soon as the first number started, Keisha began singing along.
‘Wow, Keisha,’ exclaimed Alana when the track came to an end. ‘Your voice is brilliant – I had no idea!’
‘Oh, it’s not really,’ replied Keisha, blushing. ‘I’ve never had any professional training or anything – I just enjoy singing. I sing all the time at home – it drives my sisters nuts.’
‘I’d give anything to be able to sing like that,’ Alana replied.
But Keisha was embarrassed by Alana’s enthusiasm and stopped singing. Nothing could persuade her to carry on, however much Alana begged her. So the girls spent the rest of the evening gossiping about school until Keisha’s mum came in to tell Alana it was time to drive her home.
There were only two weeks left until the opening night. As soon as Alana came through the door of Step Out Studio for the rehearsal, she knew something was wrong. Miss Volkov was standing talking to Miss Trina, and her face was like thunder. Near them was Bridget, looking scared and wringing her hands in a helpless sort of way. Mirabelle was not with her.
‘What’s going on?’ Alana whispered to Chloe, who was already there.
‘It’s Mirabelle,’ Chloe whispered back. ‘Apparently, she’s not coming today. I heard Bridget pass on a message to Miss Volkov from her. She says that she isn’t going to bother with any more rehearsals before the first night, because she’s good enough already.’
Alana was shocked. ‘But her dancing isn’t even that great!’ she murmured. ‘Miss Volkov’s always correcting her steps and she never seems to listen.’
‘It must be hard for Mirabelle,’ sighed Chloe. ‘After all, the rest of us at Step Out Studio have been dancing together for so long, and she probably feels left out. Maybe she’s too nervous to come to rehearsals.’
Alana just smiled. Chloe always saw the best in everyone, which made her very likeable if not always very perceptive.
Before they had time to discuss the matter any more, Miss Volkov clapped her hands to start the rehearsal. Nothing was said about Mirabelle not being there.
Out of the corner of her eye, Alana could see that Keisha still wasn’t managing to keep in time with the complex rhythms and the sharp head moves of the other dancers. Miss Volkov didn’t make any comments, though – she just glanced at her now and again.
Maybe she’s going to let Keisha go ahead and perform after all, Alana thought to herself with relief.
But as soon as the rehearsal finished, Miss Volkov called, ‘Keisha, please come into Miss Trina’s office!’
Alana’s heart sank. She sat in the changing rooms, waiting for Keisha to come out again. Five minutes later she appeared, tears streaming down her cheeks. Alana ran up to her, ignoring the curious stares of the other students. She didn’t need to ask what had happened – it was obvious that she’d been told she couldn’t take part in the show.
‘It’s not fa-a-a-ir,’ sobbed Keisha into Alana’s shoulder. ‘I wanted to be in this musical more than anything in the wo-o-o-rld.’
By the time Alana had comforted Keisha and persuaded her to change back into her everyday clothes, everyone else had gone home. Just as the two girls were about to leave the changing rooms, they heard Miss Volkov’s voice outside the door.
‘I cannot work with Mirabelle Montague,’ she was saying. ‘I have never worked with such a spoiled, unprofessional, and arrogant performer in my life.’
Alana and Keisha stared at each other, their eyes wide. Miss Volkov would never be talking like this if she knew there were still students in the building overhearing everything she was saying.
Then came Miss Trina’s worried voice. ‘I agree with you,’ she replied. ‘But what can we do? It’s only two weeks till the show and there isn’t anyone else who could possibly star in it.’
Suddenly, Alana had an brilliant idea. Without even knowing she was going to do it, she burst out of the changing rooms, making Miss Volkov and Miss Trina nearly jump out of their skins. ‘I know who can be the new star!’ she cried. ‘Keisha can!’
‘No, she can’t!’ squeaked Keisha. ‘I mean, no, I can’t!’
Alana turned to Keisha. ‘Yes, you can,’ she said more calmly. ‘Think about it. You’re an amazing singer – don’t say you aren’t, because I’ve heard you, remember? You know every song in the show o
ff by heart. You can learn the dance routines quickly – you’ve been watching Mirabelle do them for weeks, so that will give you a head start. And you don’t have to worry about dancing precisely with the rest of the chorus, because you’ll be the soloist!’
She turned to the two teachers. ‘Please say you’ll give Keisha a chance!’ she begged.
Miss Volkov looked doubtful.
‘Pleeeease!’ Alana repeated.
Miss Volkov sighed. ‘Come back here at eight a.m. tomorrow,’ she said to Keisha. ‘You can audition for me and we will see how you sing.’ And she turned round and marched back into the office. Miss Trina smiled at the girls, then followed her.
‘You’re crazy!’ hissed Keisha, as soon as they were alone. ‘I can’t possibly do this! I’ve never had a singing lesson in my life!’
‘But I have,’ Alana replied, thinking of the voice training she’d had in New York. ‘And there are lots of techniques I can teach you. We’re going to have to work all evening though.’
Alana persuaded Keisha to phone her parents to get permission to go back to Alana’s place. Then they headed off on foot. As they passed Madame Coco’s Costume Emporium, Alana smiled to herself. Thanks, Madame Coco! she thought. If I can use what I learned on Broadway to train Keisha well enough to get the part, then my adventure will have helped her after all.
When Alana opened the front door, she found her mother waiting for her, looking stressed.
‘There you are at last!’ she said, crossly. ‘You were meant to be home ages ago to look after Abi, so I could study.’
Alana sighed. She’d completely forgotten she was supposed to be babysitting Abi that evening. Now she would have her little sister there while she was trying to coach Keisha.
Abi followed Alana and Keisha into Alana’s bedroom. ‘You’re going to have to be completely quiet!’ Alana said to her little sister sternly. Then her face softened as she had an idea. ‘If you’re really really good, I’ll show you around backstage after the first night of the show.’
‘I will be, I promise I promise!’ squeaked Abi.
‘Right,’ said Alana, turning to Keisha. ‘We only need to work on one song for your audition.’ They decided on a track called ‘Singing for Victory’. Alana made Keisha sing it over and over again, practising all the techniques Alana had learned.
‘I’ll sing to each father, each brother, each son.
I’ll sing and I’ll sing till the battle is won!’ went Keisha.
Alana put up a hand to stop her. ‘Now, let’s hear that again,’ she said, ‘but this time make sure to breathe from your diaphragm.’
Abi sat on the bed, watching but not saying a word.
‘How did you even learn about voice coaching?’ asked Keisha as the girls stopped for a break and a drink of orange juice.
‘Oh, I’ve had the odd lesson and I picked up some tips from watching Superstar Search,’ Alana replied vaguely. ‘Anyway, we’d better carry on practising,’ she added briskly, keen to change the subject.
Keisha and Alana practised all evening, stopping only so Alana could make the three of them a quick sandwich. At last Keisha’s dad called to say that it was late and he was coming to fetch her.
‘I’ll be at Step Out Studio tomorrow morning to cheer you on!’ said Alana as she waved goodbye.
‘You’re a real friend, Alana,’ Keisha replied. ‘Thank you soooo much for everything, even if I don’t get this part!’
Keisha need not have worried. When she sang for Miss Volkov the next morning, the choreographer looked quietly impressed. ‘We are going to have to work hard,’ she said as Keisha finished the song. ‘I will have to give you private coaching each day to learn the solo routines, and I’m going to send you to a professional voice coach to improve your technique.’
‘You mean I’ve got the part?’ asked Keisha.
Miss Volkov smiled, and her stern face took on a sudden warmth. ‘Yes, you have. I will phone Mirabelle’s agent now and inform her that Mirabelle’s services are no longer required.’
But Keisha didn’t wait to hear what she was saying. She rushed out of the room to where Alana was waiting in the changing rooms. ‘I got it! I got it! I really got it!’ she shouted, spinning Alana round and round. ‘My dad is going to be sooo proud!’
‘Never mind your dad – you should be proud of yourself!’ grinned Alana.
Laughing and talking non-stop, the two girls headed off to school.
Alana felt on a high the whole day. She was so thrilled for Keisha. Then things got even better when, during the netball lesson, she managed to score three goals in a row. The teacher came up to her after the lesson, smiling.
‘I don’t know what’s come over you, Alana,’ she said, ‘but in less than a term you’ve turned from one of the worst netball players in the class to one of the best.’
Alana looked embarrassed. ‘It’s down to Keisha,’ she explained. ‘She’s been coaching me in the school playground.’
‘Well, whoever it’s down to, you’ve done very well. In fact, I want to ask you to try out for the team.’
Alana’s heart leapt. It would be so much fun to play in a school team, going to matches at the weekends, and having extra practices after school, and …
Then her face fell. There was no way that she could manage it. She had to spend so much time looking after Abi that it was all she could do to persuade her mum to let her go to Step Out Studio – never mind play extra netball as well.
‘I’m sorry, Miss,’ she sighed, looking gloomy. ‘I’d love to, but things are difficult at home, you know …’
The teacher did know something of Alana’s home situation, so she didn’t argue. ‘It’s a shame, though,’ she said. ‘I think you have great potential.’
Alana sighed as she walked away. Then she pulled herself together. I’ve got my dancing after all, she thought, and that’s the thing that really matters to me.
After school there was another show rehearsal. They were almost every evening, now that the opening night was so close.
The first thing that Miss Trina did was to announce that Keisha was taking Mirabelle’s part. Verity looked white with fury.
‘I can’t believe anyone thinks that you could be good enough to play a starring role!’ she hissed to Keisha in the changing room afterwards, and she stormed out. Keisha looked upset.
‘Don’t listen to her,’ said Alana. ‘You were great tonight. And if Miss Volkov thinks you can do it, that’s all you need to know.’
‘Verity’s only annoyed because she wanted to be friends with Mirabelle, because she’s famous,’ added Meena. ‘And now she won’t get the chance.’
Keisha gave a wobbly smile. ‘Thanks, girls,’ she said. ‘It makes a real difference to know you’re supporting me.’
That evening, Alana went up to her room to get ready for bed, singing snatches of Bright Lights on Broadway to herself. She felt exhausted by the hectic day, but contented, too. Her friend Keisha was going to star in a musical and she had helped her achieve that. And she had her own amazing New York adventure to remember as well. She thought of Courtney, and the other girls, and Fabio with his intense blue eyes and the smile he’d given her at the end of the show.
As she was getting into her pyjamas, Alana spotted something sticking out from under her bed. Crouching down, she drew out a brown envelope. Of course! she thought. It’s the envelope Fabio gave me after the curtain call!
When Alana had arrived home from Madame Coco’s, she’d shoved the envelope under the bed to make sure her mum and sister didn’t see it – then she’d forgotten all about it. She pulled it out and brushed off a layer of dust, then she drew out of it a glossy booklet. It was a Playbill for the premiere of Bright Lights on Broadway. Inside it was a slip of paper, typed with the following message:
TONIGHT, for one night only,
the part of Chorus Girl
Number 12 will be played
by eleven-year-old
ALANA MILNE
And scrawled across the back, in black felt-tip, was a message just for her.
Alana read it, then blushed, then read it again. She hugged the programme for a minute, then she drew out the purple and gold album that Madame Coco had given her to stick in the souvenirs of her adventures. She slipped the programme into one of the cardboard pockets. Then finding a silver pen, she inked music notes all over the outside of the pocket.
When she’d finished, she drew the programme out, to read the message once again:
To Alana, Dancing
Star – you saved the
show. Thank you! Love
Fabio xxx.
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About the Author
Arlene Phillips OBE is a world-renowned director and choreographer creating musicals, videos, films, television programming and spectaculars. Her inventive choreography has been seen in the musicals Grease, We Will Rock You, Starlight Express, The Sound of Music, Flashdance and The Wizard of Oz. Her screen work includes the films Annie and Legend, and the television shows DanceX and Britannia High. Arlene’s videos have starred everyone from Robbie Williams to Elton John, Whitney Houston to Tina Turner. Her largest ever spectacular was the XVII Commonwealth Games. She is known throughout the UK as a former judge on Strictly Come Dancing and now on So You Think You Can Dance? Her favourite job, however, has been as mother to her two daughters, Alana and Abi.
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