I'm back once again with another fanfiction audio drama!
I've actually already done this story, but I recently went back and did an intense rewrite to make the characters and situations much more believable. I love the story so much more now that I once again want to see it brought to life!
SUMMARY:
When Elaina LaPointe is given the lead role after the prima donna walks out, she thinks things couldn't be more perfect! Unfortunately for her, she was not the one meant for the role and the infamous Opera Ghost intends to make sure she knows that. During rehearsal the following day, Elaina 'accidentally' gets injured and cannot perform. Much to her dismay, the young soprano Christine gets the role in her place.
Furious at having to give up her dream, Elaina goes to search for the Phantom only to find herself kidnapped by the very person she had been searching for. Hoping to appease his good side so he will release her, she attempts to befriend him and learns his real name: Erik. During the next performance of Il Muto, Elaina convinces the Phantom to allow her to go with him. However, instead of being able to escape, the night takes a very dark turn neither of them had forseen.
Elaina spends more time in Erik's presence and soon comes to realize that he is nothing like the stories she has heard. Erik is gentle with her, understanding, and she comes to actually enjoy being with him. Erik knows that he could only ever love Christine, but it seems to get harder and harder to remember that the longer she stays with him. It could be possible that these two unlikely souls end up falling for each other.
DETAILS:
1. Because the story focuses so heavily on Erik and Elaina, the majority of lines go to these two characters while other characters who are major in the original show are downplayed to supporting or minor in this story. This being said, most people cast will read for two or three characters in total.
2. I generally give about one month to record lines, but I've never been TOO strict because I understand real life has to come first.
3. Please give me emotion and feeling in your audition! I have always leaned more towards voice actors who exhibit true passion in their voice.
4. Singing is only a requirement if you are auditioning to be Erik's singing voice, Elaina's singing voice, or Christine. All other characters do not sing.
Link to story: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13231757/1/Let-the-Dream-Begin-REWRITTEN
Link to channel where finished product will be posted: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvoOZh2cwT8_xzfV-SfH9yw
The narrator of the story. The role has many lines and requires a lot of talking. Because this role also carries much of the project, your voice should be smooth and easy on the ears. It is your job to keep readers listening, so give life to the words. Add dramatics when describing an intense scene or comedics when recording an amusing scene. Do not sound monotone, but add many varying levels.
Please be ready to record a LOT of dialogue if casted.
The young woman began to sob. She was scared and in pain. First, she had to give up the starring role due to a painful injury, then she had to listen to everyone constantly praise Christine’s talent, and now she had been kidnapped by the infamous Opera Ghost for no other reason than that she wasn’t the oh-so-perfect Christine.
How could she possibly be feeling this way? Erik was the Opera Ghost, the Phantom of the Opera, and most importantly, her kidnapper! Instead of standing around questioning her strange feelings for him, she should be making a straight line for the exit or telling someone what had happened to her so they could help her or anything other than what she was currently doing.
Erik felt as if he couldn’t breathe. In all his years of living, no one, much less a woman, had ever put his happiness above their own.
A very talented singer at the Opera House, but because of her mother's misdeeds before she was born, she has only been a dancer in the ensemble. After Erik kidnaps her, she looks for any opportunity to escape only to find no way out. Erik allows her to accompany him when he goes up to witness Il Muto, and Elaina is nearly assaulted by Joseph Buquet who also reveals that no one had missed her. Erik saves her, but Elaina is devastated that no one cared enough to notice she was gone.
Erik begins to treat her more like a person rather than a prisoner and they end up spending a lot of time in each other's company. Soon, Elaina finds that she enjoys living in his lair and that she has started to fall for him.
Please be ready to record a LOT of dialogue if casted.
Feel free to audition for her singing voice as well!
Age: 26
Voice: melodic (she IS a singer after all!), gentle, medium-high
*Natalia Dyer is actually a little younger than Elaina, but she looks pretty close to how I'd envisioned her
(timid) Are you going to kill me? Then why am I here?
And I’m sorry about that! But you cannot keep taking your anger out on me whenever something doesn’t go the way you planned! Now I will go back with you, but I refuse to let you drag me!
Wait, wait, wait. You convinced this young grieving child that you were an angel sent by her father? And after you’ve spent four years teaching her, she’s only seen you in person once?
Elaina is described to be a very talented singer with a beautiful voice so I would like to showcase it even if just a little. Elaina sings small portions of both "Think of Me" and "Past the Point of No Return" in the story.
Actors can audition for the singing voice as well!
Sing the first part of "Think of Me"
Sing the first part of "Past the Point of No Return"
The mysterious Opera Ghost of the theater. As a child, he was given to a traveling gypsy show and abused for the entertainment of the audience because of his horrid disfigurement. He was saved by Madame Giry, only a ballet girl at the time, and brought to the Opera House where he learned many different trades and soon became Christine's voice teacher. Over the years, he fell in love with the girl.
It is because of his obsession with her that he kidnaps Elaina so that she will not interfere with her success. At first, Elaina's presence is only a nuisance, but he soon begins to feel somewhat protective of her and enjoys having her around as he does not feel lonely for the first time in his life. He desires to remain true to Christine, so he continues to deny having any feelings for her. However, eventually even he cannot deny his growing attraction towards her.
Please be ready to record a LOT of dialogue if casted.
Feel free to audition for his singing voice as well!
Age: ~32
Voice: sexy (I'm not kidding, pump up the sexiness factor here!), harsh and forced at first but gentler as time goes on, medium-low
I warned you that you were not to go out on that stage!
But let me be very clear. You are not to leave my side for one moment. If you try to run or alert anyone, I guarantee it will only end very poorly for you.
(gentle) If they see even a fraction of what I see, they’ll adore you. If you walk out onto the stage prepared to fail, you will.You must have confidence in yourself and your abilities. And I, mademoiselle, have full confidence in you.
Erik is the Phantom of the Opera, so it only makes sense that we hear him sing at least once in the story! He is a very rich and smooth voice that can lull anyone into feeling safe and warm.
Actors can audition for the singing voice as well!
Voice: Tenor
Sing the first part of "Music of the Night"
Sing "All I Ask of You (reprise)"
Because Christine is such a minor character in this story and because 90% of her lines are singing, the voice actress MUST be a singer as well!
Christine is the object of the Phantom's affections, but she is very much in love with her childhood friend, Raoul de Chagny and soon is engaged to him. She has a soft spot for the Phantom as he is still her teacher, but it never amounts to anything more.
Age: 17
Voice: soft, innocent, melodic
Who’s there? Are you…? Could you be…the Angel of Music? The one my father promised me?
Sing this portion from the Finale:
Pitiful creature of darkness
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you
You are not alone!
The Chief of the Flies who also spies on all of the ballet girls and flirts with nearly every single one of them. He attempts to assault Elaina when he finds her up on the catwalk, but that ends up being a mistake that costs him his life.
Age: ~35-40
Voice: perverted, flirtatious (think of that creepy man who hits on young girls on the sidewalk)
Aren’t you a ballet rat? We’ve all been looking for you.
It’s all right, dearie. Just come with me, and we’ll have you back where you belong.
One of the new managers of the Opera House who believes the Opera Ghost is just someone playing a prank.
Age: ~45
Voice: firm, authoritative
Ladies and gentlemen, the performance will continue in ten minutes time when the role of the Countess will be sung by Miss Christine Daaé!
God in heaven, you're all obsessed!
One of the new managers of the Opera House who believes the Opera Ghost is just someone playing a prank.
Age: ~45
Voice: firm, authoritative
In the meantime, ladies and gentlemen, we shall be giving you the ballet from Act Three of tonight’s opera.
(doubting his words) La Carlotta will be back.
The wizened ballet instructor of the Opera House. She's very strict, but she also cares about her dancers. She is the one who rescued Erik from the gypsy circus when they were both children.
Age: ~50-55
Voice: firm, authoritative
You think so, messieurs? I have a message, sir, from the Opera Ghost.
You have talent, Elaina. One of these days, you’ll be able to put it to use.
The conductor of the Opera House and also Elaina's private voice instructor. Though he knows Elaina's talent, he gives all the parts to Carlotta as he does not trust Elaina because of her mother's mistakes.
Age: ~40
Voice: prone to panic easily, gentle when confident
There is no understudy, monsieur! The production is new!
I know you can do this. We’ve worked on this song many times, and you have a wonderful voice. This is your chance.
The high-strung, demanding prima donna of the Opera House. She is prone to tantrums and flipping out when things don't go her way. It doesn't take long for her to walk out of the Opera House in a frenzied rage.
Age: ~35-40
Voice: screechy, demanding, Italian accent
Si, these things do happen. Well, until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen!
Do not touch my beloved!
The prior manager of the Opera House. He appears to introduce the new managers to the house and the cast, but leaves as soon as Carlotta presents a thousand more problems to them all.
Age: ~60
Voice: firm, authoritative
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? As you know, for some weeks there have been rumors of my imminent retirement.
Signora! Are you all right? Buquet! Where is Buquet? Get that man down here!
A ballet girl of the Opera House who accuses Elaina of working with the Phantom.
Age: 22
Voice: medium-high, innocent
Forgive me! Something pushed me!
(angry) Who are you? Have you been conspiring with the Phantom?
