Maddie was not meant to stay still. She was just not meant to sit and wait her turn without making any sounds at all or getting up and moving around. Somehow she was managing to just that, though. She wasn't sure if it was because she was a bundle or nerves or if it was because there was constant entertainment before her. It was probably a mixture of both, though. She was guessing that her name was on the bottom--the very bottom--of the auditions sheet. It seemed like everybody was being called before her, but just as she thought that, she heard her name!

Maddie paused and considered getting up and sneaking out. She wanted to change her mind! No, she didn't. Yes, she did. No, she didn't. Yes, she did. NO. SHE. DIDN'T. She didn't! She really didn't! Maddie bounced out of her seat and headed for the stage, trying her hardest not to fall flat on her face in front of everybody. She made it to center stage without any problems, though, and when she got there, she decided to launch right into her monologue.

Nothing like diving straight into character right off the bat.

"A C?" she asked, looking right at the professor with this bewildered look in her eyes. "I got a C on my coat hanger sculpture? How could anyone get a 'C' on a coat hanger sculpture?" She dashed right over to the left side of the stage and looked one of the other students right in the eye. "May I ask you a question?" The tone of her voice took on the tone of something who was frustrated and looking for answers about something she knew she was right about. "Was I judged on the piece of sculpture itself? If so, is it not true that time alone can judge a work of art? Or was I judged on my talent? If so, is it fair that I be judged on a part of my life over which I have no control?"

Then she shifted directions and marched right over to the opposite side of the stage and gave a long, deep, hard stare to a second student. "If I was judged on my effort, then I was judged unfairly, for I tried as hard as I could!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. Then it was time to look right at Professor Myers again, for he truly was her teacher, and this next line would be most appropriate to rehearse on him. "Was I judged on what I had learned about this project? If so, then were not you, my teacher, also being judged on your ability to transmit your knowledge to me?" she asked him.

"Are you willing to share my C?" she continued. "Perhaps I was being judged on the quality of the coat hanger itself, out of which my creation was made...now is this not also unfair? Am I to be judged by the quality of coat hangers that are used by the dry-cleaning establishment that returns our garments?"

"Is that not the responsibility of my parents? Should they not share my 'C'?" she finished.

...

She paused for dramatic effect, and then she smiled and waved toward Professor Myers. "Thank you," she said, and then she skipped off the stage.




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CREDITS:

Broadway Show: "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown"
Character: Sally
Whole Monologue:

A 'C'? A 'C'? I got a 'C' on my coat hanger sculpture? How could anyone get a 'C' in coat hanger sculpture? May I ask a question? Was I judged on the piece of sculpture itself? If so, is it not true that time alone can judge a work of art? Or was I judged on my talent? If so, is it fair that I be judged on a part of my life over which I have no control? If I was judged on my effort, then I was judged unfairly, for I tried as hard as I could! Was I judged on what I had learned about this project? If so, then were not you, my teacher, also being judged on your ability to transmit your knowledge to me? Are you willing to share my 'C'? Perhaps I was being judged on the quality of the coat hanger itself, out of which my creation was made...now is this not also unfair? Am I to be judged by the quality of coat hangers that are used by the dry-cleaning establishment that returns our garments? Is that not the responsibility of my parents? Should they not share my 'C'?