1

Summary

• Veronica and the narrator, Laura, are tasked with setting up and managing registrations for 'Our Town' auditions due to their reliable reputations.
• The auditions are held in the school gym, a space Laura dislikes but finds to be surprisingly beautiful that morning.
• People are asked to bring a headshot, résumé, and fill out a registration form upon arrival.
• Despite not being "theater girls," Veronica and Laura are responsible for organizing and guiding the audition participants.
• There is a significant turnout for the auditions, highlighting the community's love for the play 'Our Town'.
• Veronica muses that the play could make them rich if everyone who auditioned bought a ticket.
• Lack of clipboards creates a bottleneck, making Laura uncomfortable, whether with familiar faces or strangers flocking to try out.
• Laura's grandmother arrives, implying Laura will assist with costume making for the play.
• Auditions start late and are orderly, with actors given numbers and sides for their readings.
• As the auditions proceed, Laura faces the lobby, reluctant to witness the actors' nervous performances.
• Mr. Saxon is the first to audition for the Stage Manager role, with an underwhelming performance met with a lack of encouragement from Mr. Martin.
• Laura reflects on her own future, considering a variety of career choices while feeling inspired by the commitment to trying present in the auditionees.
• The would-be actors teach Laura unintended lessons about clarity, intention, and simplicity.
• Laura grapples with notions of decency, considering taking over her grandmother's alteration shop, as she observes the auditions.
• While the narrators' daughters want to hear about a man named Peter Duke, Laura insists on setting the background first.
• Georges and Emilys audition in pairs, leading to diverse dynamics and acting challenges.
• Laura critiques the Emilys for overacting, feeling no representation for the "smart girls."
• On an impulse, Laura fills out her own audition form, correcting her name to "Lara" and positioning herself as the potential hidden talent Mr. Martin mentioned.