The Other Part

Jon had rehearsed a speech for two weeks before the theatre group's auditions. He wanted the main role, a detective with a long final scene. He practised in the kitchen, on the bus and even while walking his neighbour's dog.

At the audition, he forgot a line. The director smiled and told him to continue, but Jon went home certain he had failed.

Two days later, she called. The main role had gone to someone else. Would Jon consider a smaller part and help with the sound effects?

He nearly refused. Then he remembered how much he had enjoyed being in the theatre. He agreed to try.

During rehearsals, Jon discovered that making a door slam at exactly the right moment was surprisingly difficult. He learned to listen closely to the actors and follow their dialogue, even when he could not see the stage.

On opening night, a recording stopped working. Jon quickly made the missing sound himself. The audience never noticed the problem.

Afterwards, the lead actor thanked him. Jon still hoped to play a larger role one day. But when the next production was announced, he signed up before asking which parts were available.