“I want Cora and Margie first. Take your places and give me an interpretation of the action you think should go with the lines you have memorized.”
Cora, dark-eyed and confident, stepped to the platform. Margie, a wispy, blonde girl, followed. Both girls used excellent diction, spoke clearly and with feeling, but somehow Cora’s work lacked a convincing touch. Perhaps she was trying too hard and Janet felt her spirits rising.
Helen should walk away with the rôle unless she got scared when she stepped on the platform. But Janet was more than a little concerned about Margie. The blonde senior was doing an excellent job, putting just the right amount of enthusiasm into the rôle. There was nothing forced. Every word and gesture seemed spontaneous and lines that had sounded silly in their own rehearsals were very logical and convincing when they came tumbling from Margie’s lips.
Janet smiled grimly. Of course she wanted the part, but even more, she wanted Helen to win the rôle of Gale.
Cora and Margie finished the part Miss Williams had assigned, and looked anxiously toward the dramatics teacher.
“That was very nicely done,” said Miss Williams. “Janet and Helen next and put plenty of feeling into your interpretations.”
From the platform Janet could look down on Cora and Margie. There was a thin sneer on Cora’s lips and Janet felt Helen, standing close beside her, tremble.
“Ready?” she asked. Helen nodded.
Janet’s lines opened their brief tryout rôles. She spoke them clearly, but somehow the spark needed to add vigor and brilliance was lacking. She was thinking too much about Helen.
The lines and action snapped to Helen and she picked them up instantly. Janet thrilled. Helen had forgotten Cora and Margie. She had forgotten even Miss Williams. She was living her part. She was Gale Naughton, the dark, lovely heroine of “The Chinese Image.” The lines came smoothly and without effort.