When Ms. Belson came in, I put my phone away and mentally prepared myself for her forty-five-minute lecture on existentialism, whatever witty remarks Paul and Jake were sure to have about her magenta sequined sweater, and the prospect of another day of staying after school. I was exhausted just thinking about it.

CHAPTER FOUR

ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA, Cyd Charisse’s real name was Tula Ellice Finklea (kudos to her for changing it), and she had apparently studied classical ballet before going into movie musicals. Margot and I huddled over her phone in the auditorium during callbacks, watching Cyd Charisse dance with Gene Kelly in a small segment of “Broadway Melody,” which Margot said was the biggest, longest dance number in Singin’ in the Rain. I could see the ballet training in her turnout and the way she held her head. Still, the dance was far from balletic.

Gene Kelly was in a yellow vest and dorky glasses, and Cyd Charisse, the Vamp, was dance-seducing him. She slithered around on her long legs in a way that was aggressive but aloof, raunchy but dainty. I couldn’t figure out how she was able to create that effect.

“So, what else does she do? Does she sing?” I asked, my eyes still glued to the screen.

“Nope,” Margot said. “She doesn’t sing or have any lines. She just dances in this.”

With all my years of classical training, I’d never danced like that.

Margot clicked her phone off and fanned herself with her callback script. She’d already finished her Lina Lamont scenes but was sticking around for support. She scanned the stage, assessing the three guys who had been called back for Don Lockwood: Jude, Ethan, and, to everyone’s surprise, Harrison. They’d already sung but were staying to partner the three girls called back for the Vamp.

“Bang, Marry, Kill with those three,” Margot said, pointing to the Don Lockwoods. “Go.”

“Nothing with any of them.”

“Oh, come on, one of those guys is going to be your dance partner. You have to seduce them and do ballet with them, which means—”

“What?” I interrupted. “Ballet?”

Margot wrinkled her eyebrows. “Oh, I thought you knew. There’s the sexy Vamp part first, and then later in the song she comes out in white and she and Don do a ballet duet.”

I practically stopped breathing. “It probably won’t be what you’re used to,” Margot said carefully. “Last year in 42nd Street we did a ballet number, but it was really more like swaying while holding flowers. Ms. Langford is more tap and jazz. She doesn’t have much ballet experience, so the ballet duet will probably be more like a ‘ballet duet.’” Margot did exaggerated air quotes. “Sorry.” She said that word quietly, like she really was sorry.