Not Starring Zadie Louise by Joy McCullough

Author:Joy McCullough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 2022-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Lulu doesn’t speak to me all the way home. Once we’re there, she goes into our room and slams the door. I don’t blame her for being mad. Her amazing costume was ruined, and no matter what Ana María said, it was my fault.

Even when I’m trying to help, I’m messing things up.

I wander out to the back porch and sit on the steps. Hopefully if I sit here, not doing anything or talking to anyone, I’ll avoid causing a disaster for a few minutes, at least. I consider the trees surrounding our house. I’ve never been a big tree climber, which is weird considering how much I like to be high up in the theater. But we mostly have evergreens around here, and they’re not the best for climbing. Imagine trying to climb a Christmas tree.

Still, I might have to figure out tree climbing, so I can climb up high and stay out of everyone’s way. It’s probably the only way to keep from screwing everything up.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber approaches, mrowling at me like I’m going to give him dinner. Ha! I’d rather be Blair’s personal assistant for the day than serve that goopy, stinky cat food. But I give him pets. I can’t screw up pets. And even if I do, he won’t say so.

“I’m sorry you had such a rough day,” I hear Papa say, but when I look around, I don’t see him. Turns out he’s not talking to me. His and Mom’s voices both float out the open kitchen window I’m sitting beneath, along with the sounds of their dinner preparations.

“It’s always a wild ride, but this show feels cursed,” Mom says.

“I understand why Lulu’s so upset. The costume sounds like it was really special. But in the grand scheme of things…”

“I know it’s ‘just a play,’ but—”

“Your words, not mine! I believe in what you do. Wholeheartedly. You know that. But won’t the kids learn just as much and have as much fun in simple costumes as high fashion?”

Point to Papa! All Mom’s speeches about arts education are about teamwork and communication skills and self-confidence. You don’t need expensive fabric or fancy embroidery for any of those things.

(I mean, astronauts do require pretty specific space suits that protect them from radiation, debris, and extreme temperatures. But it’s not like the stage is an inhospitable atmosphere. At least, not to most kids.)

“It’s not really about the kids,” Mom says. She sounds miserable. “I mean, it is. Of course it is, in the long run. But for right now? It’s about funding.”

Wait, what?

I listen in horror as she explains to Papa that the arts funding from the island council is on the line. Arts funding that pays her salary and gives our family health insurance. Plus it keeps the theater open. Without the island council’s confidence in what Bainbridge Youth Theater offers, all the kids who love BYT as much as I love tae kwon do and Science Kidz could lose it! And they’re making their decision right after Spinderella’s opening night.

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