Page 1 of Serving the Couturier

ONE

LONDON

“Thank you,”the director shouted, waving his hand and gesturing for me to stop singing. I let out a long breath and stepped off the majestic stage at the famous old Broadway theater. The creak of the floorboards beneath my feet reminded me of the countless performers who had stood in my place, hoping for their big break. Auditioning for the national tour of Les Misérables was a dream come true, and the jitters building inside me all day faded away as I sensed the room’s energy change. It felt like I had nailed it. The director’s smile and the casting crew’s excited chatter confirmed it.

My best friend, Gin, had been by my side throughout all the grueling hours of preparation and stood there with a beaming grin on her face.

“London, girl, you killed it out there!” she said, pulling me into a tight hug.

“Thanks, Gin,” I said, a huge grin spreading across my face. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Shoot, you didn’t need me,” she replied, waving a dismissive hand. “You were slaying it all on your own. I could tell from the way you were belting out ‘On My Own’ during rehearsals that you were going to knock their socks off.”

The director sauntered over with a wide grin on his face, extending his hand to me. “Wonderful audition, London. You really brought Éponine to life on stage. We were all blown away.”

I felt my heart skip a beat as a small, excited squeal escaped my lips. “Thank you so much! I worked really hard on this.”

He chuckled, shaking my hand firmly. “Trust me, it shows. We’ll be in touch soon to let you know if you got the part, but for now, I just wanted to share how impressed we all were with your audition.”

It was impossible not to beam with pride at his words. It was a surreal moment, and I was grateful for the recognition.

After gathering my belongings, Gin and I exited the theater, basking in the afterglow of my audition. The energy of Broadway buzzed around us, the sound of car horns and people chatting filling the air. I took a deep breath, trying to process everything that had just happened.

“Girl, that was amazing!” Gin exclaimed, linking her arm with mine. “I knew you had it in you.”

I smiled, feeling a warm rush of gratitude for her support. “Thanks, Gin. You’re the best.”

With a specific target in mind, we walked along the crowded street, the thrum of excitement building with every step. Finally, we arrived at our destination - a cozy pub with warm lighting and vintage posters of past Broadway shows adorning the walls. The place was packed with fellow actors and theater fans, all chattering excitedly about the upcoming shows.

We found a cozy spot at a small pub table and took a seat, the dim lighting and vintage posters creating the perfect ambiance for our post-audition celebration. I ordered us each a cold pint of beer and we clinked our glasses together before taking a long sip.

“Cheers to a successful audition!” Gin said, grinning from ear to ear.

I laughed. “Cheers to surviving the nerves and belting out Éponine’s heart-wrenching ballads without completely breaking down.”

Gin raised her glass. “To that!”

As we sipped our beers, we chatted about the upcoming tour and what it would be like to travel the country performing on legendary stages. Gin and I had known each other for years and studied theater together at Boston University. Even though Gin never had the same aspirations as me to make it on Broadway, she still took on minor roles in off-Broadway shows and was always my biggest supporter. I truly loved her for that.

As we chatted and sipped our beers, two tall, good-looking guys came over with charming smiles. One of them said, “Hey, excuse me, we couldn’t help but notice you two. We’re actors too, just like you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? And what gave us away?”

The first guy flashed a grin. “Come on, you both look like you were born to be on stage. The theater world would miss out on two stunning ladies if you weren’t actors.”

Gin rolled her eyes. “Smooth talker. So, what show are you guys in?”

The second guy spoke up, “We’re actually in ‘Hamilton.’”

“Wow, impressive,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “But sorry guys, it’s girls’ night tonight. Maybe we’ll run into each other again sometime.”

The first guy persisted, “Aw, come on. Let us buy you a round of drinks.”

Gin chuckled. “Thanks, but we’re good.”

The guys shrugged and walked away. I couldn’t help but steal a glance at the first guy, noticing his charming smile and good looks. It had been a very long time since I’d been on a date.

“Well, that was unexpected,” I said, turning to Gin with a grin.

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