The early morning found the streets of Manehattan cluttered with ponies in their rush hour to work. Hordes of ponies were going about in all directions to get started on their daily routine.
"Let's see here, 1681 Bridleway Street, Manehattan. Yep, this is it."
After an entire morning of trotting through town in search of the Bridleway theatre, Silver Shill had at last found it in the middle of a busy square.
The square truly was a spectacular part of town. The façades of the buildings were covered by countless oversized advertisements. The one ad that stole all of the others' attention from Silver was the large advertisement for "Hinny of the Hills" that was proudly set atop the theatre itself.
The ad portrayed a young mare with a yellow mane who was singing gracefully in a picturesque hilly setting, without a care in the world. Silver assumed that the pony in the picture was "Hinny".
Below the large ad was the entrance to the theatre, which was rather menacing for Silver Shill. As sure as he was that getting a job there would allow him to spend more time with Coco, he was unsure of what career he could take on there. There was always the chance of him getting fired once more.
As worried as he was, Silver was able to come to terms and instantly remember that he seemed to completely forget the bad memories of his past while with Coco. In fact, he was almost an entirely new pony when Coco was around.
"What am I even worried about?", he thought, "I'm absolutely certain that as long as I get to be with Coco while working, I'll be the best at whatever it is I'm doing!"
It was not long until Silver felt ready to make his grand entrance into the Bridleway theatre.
"Alright, Silver Shill, take two. Here's to hoping that this job's a keeper!"
With all the confidence he could muster, Silver marched right up to the doors, opened them, and made his way to the mare sitting at the front desk. He strangely found it easy to socialize with her.
"Good morning,", the pony at the front desk started, "are you here for auditions?"
"Auditions? Oh no no no, definitely not! I'm here for another job."
"Um, another job, sir?"
"That is correct, I'm just wondering if you needed a stagehand, a caterer, or even a costume designer!", Silver said with a beaming grin. However, the mare's sudden disheartened expression started to concern Silver Shill.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir, but we have no more job openings."
Silver gasped as his eyes opened wide and lips started trembling. He started to sweat as the room spun around him.
"No more openings? But, bu- no, th-this can't be.", he thought to himself as his eyes darted in all directions. "No job means, n-no Coco."
"Are you alright, sir?"
The pony's words took Silver Shill aback as he was lost in his own crushed thoughts.
"Oh, um, y-yes ma'am. I'll, um, yes, you know, heh, just a broken heart, that's all.", he gloomily replied. "Well, I mean, are you sure there's absolutely no opening for, like, a custodian, or ticket booth pony or anything?"
"I'm sorry, sir, but we've got a pony for everything.", the mare regretfully replied.
Silver lowered his head. "Thanks anyways.", he spoke as he turned towards the doors to carry on with wandering the lonely streets.
However, a smile soon popped up on the desk mare's face.
"Unless you want to join cast! Auditions are today, and from what I've heard, we're in need of some backup actors!"
The mare's words stopped Silver right in his tracks.
The stallion perked up and became relieved as he realized that the door to a job opening had just opened up to him, right after he thought he was done for. A job opening at Bridleway!
That's when it hit him.
"C-c-cast?!?!", he fearfully exclaimed aloud. "Woah woah, are you talking about cast as in, like, acting cast?"
"Yes, um, that's the only kind of cast we have here."
Silver begun a little panic attack. Of all the things he wanted to do while at Bridleway, cast was definitely the last thing on his list. He had no experience in theatre performing, and actually getting a part in the play was out of the question.
It all came down for him to choosing one of two difficult choices; try out for the cast and not make it, or just stop where he was and leave. Silver knew deep down that he had no chance of making the cast, which meant that having to leave Manehattan and forget about Coco was the only alternative no matter what decision he'd make. As far as Silver was concerned, Coco would be far too busy with her costume making job to find any time to spend with Silver.
Silver took a deep, anxious breath and perked his head up to the mare at the desk.
"Okay, Miss.", he assuredly spoke. "Sign me up for cast."
"Um, you kinda have to sign yourself up, sir."
"Oh, right, thanks!"
A satisfied grin popped up on the desk mare's face as she rummaged behind her desk and pulled out a clipboard.
"Great! Here, just sign in on this sheet and I'll give you the audition scripts."
Just staring at the sign-in sheet before him was enough to make him have second thoughts. By signing this sheet, he was joining the cast of a Bridleway production, something he never would have thought himself to do.
"Whelp, here I go,", Silver finally thought to himself, "this is for you, Coco."
Before he knew it, he had written out his name on the list of ponies trying out.
"Thanks. Now, what character or characters are you interested in auditioning for?", the mare asked him.
Silver had no idea who any of the play's characters were, and was not exactly sure as to how he should respond. "Umm,", he nervously started, "I'll be the main one."
"Wait wai-, wha- the main one!?!? What was I thinking? I'll never get the main character!"
"Well, the main character of our play is Hinny, and we kind of need a female to play her. But, on the other hoof, the lead male character is Hinny's father, Güntre. Is he who you meant?"
"Oh, um, yeah, sure."
"Great, here are the lines you need to recite if you're trying out to be Güntre, they're all taken straight out of the play."
Silver skimmed through the few pages of script handed to him, and then looked up to the pony at the desk. He felt that he was fully prepared for what was to happen.
"Alright, I'm off to auditions!", he triumphantly spoke as he marched down the hall, only to awkwardly walk in right after.
"Um, excuse me, sorry ma'am, but where exactly is the auditions room?"
~
Nearly every seat in the auditions room was occupied with ponies all in hope of getting a role in the musical. Everypony in the black box theatre room had their audition script set in front of them and were all thoroughly studying for their tryout.
If Silver Shill felt as if he was in a foreign land when stepping into the building's lobby, he felt like he was on a whole other planet entering the black box. The moment he entered and took a look at his unfamiliar surroundings, he knew that he was setting himself up for disaster. Aside from the difficulty of performing his lines as a professional actor would, he had to somehow outshine the other ponies in the room for a part.
Just looking at the other actors was enough to make Silver tremble.
"Oh-oh my, I-I have no chance of getting any role with these guys going up against me! Well, I'd have no chance without them, either, but, jus- (sigh), I need to study these lines."
Trying to isolate himself from the other actors, Silver shakily trotted over to a seat to go over his script.
"There's not all that many lines here. I mean, how hard can this be? It's nothing but saying words! Besides, I've done some kind of acting when I worked with Flim and Flam, I don't really see how different this is!"
Before Silver Shill could even read his first line, the loud sound of the opening black box door distracted him and everypony else. Standing in the middle of the doorway was a large, dark figure. As it drew the attention of everypony in the room, it walked inside to reveal itself as a navy blue unicorn. A very large navy blue unicorn, at that. The equine was at least two times the size of any ordinary pony, and his intimidating stare reflected his overbearing appearance. He even drew a few gasps from the crowd before him, including a big one from Silver. The stallion took a long, indifferent glance at the crowd before him.
"I am well aware that you all want to partake in my production.", he dauntingly started with a low tone, "Taking part in a Bridleway play, after all, is a role of great honor."
He moved himself to the center of the room to get a better look at the ponies seated around him.
"However, I am here to decide whether that will happen or if that will not. I happen to be the director of 'Hinny of the Hills', and I stress myself in making sure that my production is perfect. And I must guarantee that this production is absolutely flawless. I only accept the best of the best, and I can assure you that most of you out there are not the best of the best. In fact I am certain that many of you will leave today disappointed."
Silver anxiously gulped and nervously adjusted his glasses.
"I don't want you ponies to merely hit me with your best shot. I'm in search of ponies who can manage to impress me with their worst. I don't believe I will find many of you with that kind of mentality today, however. Let's see you prove just what kind of an actor you are."
"W-what Mr. Quillhoof means to say is, 'good luck, ponies!'", spoke a more high-pitched and jubilant voice from behind. Entering the room was a much quicker and leaner stallion with a sky blue coat and smoothly-gelled orange mane. "Now, now, no need to fret, anypony. Tryouts can be easy peasy as long as ya put your heart to it! Oh wait a minute, where are my manners, ahem, my name's Tidbit! And I'm the choreographer of the one-and-only 'Hinny of the Hills'! Oh, I know you're gonna love working on it!"
Tidbit's more optimistic outlook calmed Silver Shill.
"Now, now, here's how our audition process works. I'm sure you all signed up and got a little script when you came here, so I have a list of everypony that signed in right here with me! I'm also sure you've all reviewed your scripts in this lil' time we've given ya. So all you have to do is trot up to center stage where you perform the lines you've just rehearsed. D-don't worry, you'll get to keep the script up there while you perform!"
"Tidbit, one of our producers and I will be in charge of judging your performances today. You must recite your lines and sing a two minute song for us."
"W- hu- wha- ka- bu- wha- a-a two minute song?!?! I can't sing! I've never sung in my life!"
Silver had a slight panic attack upon Mr. Quillhoof's words.
Mr. Quillhoof dauntingly continued his spiel. "Just remember, ponies, that 'Hinny of the Hills' only deserves the best of the best-"
"Everypony here deserves a chance to shine!", Tidbit interrupted.
"The best of the best.", Mr. Quillhoof raucously spoke, getting an unamused glare from Tidbit. "Now, in no particular character order, we will first examine the ponies auditioning for the role of Schloff. The list of actors who make it into the backup cast will be posted here tonight. Let the audition process commence."
As Mr. Quillhoof walked away, Tidbit turned towards the crowd with a smile.
"Good luck, everypony,", he whispered, "I just know you're gonna do great!"
Soon enough, Mr. Quillhoof, Tidbit, and one of the producers sat behind a table with sheets placed in front of them, with Mr. Quillhoof sitting in the middle.
"The first name on our list of ponies for Schloff is, 'Swirlydaze'. Will Swirlydaze please come up for her audition."
A gold filly trotted up to center stage with her script.
"Hello young mare!", Tidbit welcomed, "What's your name?"
"Hi, my names Swirlydaze!"
"Why, hi there, Swirlydaze! So, tell me, why do you want to be in 'Hinny of the Hills'?"
"Because I love it! Schloff is one of my favorite characters."
"Oh really? She's one of my favorites too-"
"Perform.", Mr. Quillhoof interrupted.
Tidbit frustratingly turned to the unicorn.
"M-Mr. Quillhoof, I was talking to her!"
"We're here to cast backup actors, Tidbit, not to make friends. Miss Swirlydaze, perform for us."
Swirlydaze's smile disappeared as she pulled out her script and begun reciting her lines.
"Oh Hinny, dear sister, why the long face?", she read off the script as professionally as she could.
The producer mare read the other characters' lines of the script for the filly. "It's just father again, Schloff."
"Oh no, Hinny, not this feud again! Listen to what father tells you!", Swirlydaze continued. Before she knew it, she had finished reciting all her audition lines. Her two minute song was an older tune of Sapphire Shores, and she was able to sing it like a professional. By the time she had finished, she received applause from Tidbit and some other ponies in the room.
"My oh my, that tryout was amazing, youngin'! You were just like how I imagined Schloff to be!"
"Wow, thank you, Mr Bit-"
"Next.", Mr. Quillhoof indifferently interrupted. Earning another glare from Tidbit, the unicorn turned back to the paper. "Next on our list for Schloff is 'Dottie Drops', will Dottie Drops please come up to center stage."
A young, pink earth filly with a bouncy curled blue mane hopped up to center stage with a large grin on her face.
"Hello there, Miss Dottie Drops!", Tidbit began, "So, why do you want to be in 'Hinny'?"
"Because my mom's making me.", she spoke, oddly enough, in an optimistic tone. Tidbit seemed a bit surprised by her words.
"Oh, my, well, do you have any interest? You seem awfully excited.", Tidbit inquired.
"Yes I'm very excited for this role!", she said even more optimistically.
"Okay then, let's see whatcha got, youngin!", Tidbit spoke.
Dottie Drops began to recite her lines. The only problem was that her large grin remained and she spoke as excited and gleefully as she could, not matching Schloff's persona in that scene at all.
"Oh Hinny! Dear sister! Why the long face?!?!"
Mr. Quillhoof sighed deeply as he ran his forehoof up his face. "Next.", he groaned.
The young filly's smile disappeared in an instant. "Bu- bu- I wasn't finished yet.", she upsettingly spoke.
Tidbit shot a disgusted stare towards the large unicorn. "Mr. Quillhoof!", he exclaimed, "This poor filly wasn't even done with her first whole line, a-and you're just tossin' her aside like trash! Give her a chance to shine! Everypony here deserves-"
"I take only the best of the best, Tidbit."
"But these ponies want to perform so badly, don't you, Dottie Drops?"
Dottie rapidly nodded at Tidbit's question.
Mr. Quillhoof was frustrated by Tidbit, but he was capable of staying calm yet stern. "You should know fairly well by now that sympathy is no factor in our line of work."
Tidbit was at a loss of words. There was no way he could ever change Mr. Quillhoof's mind, and just trying would get him into more trouble.
"Okay, sir.", Tidbit regretfully said, "Sorry pumpkin, b-but you didn't make the cast."
Dottie Drops's jaw fell as tears welled up in her eyes. "O-o-okay,", she stuttered, "I'm sorry for wasting your time." She ran offstage in tears.
"Next." Mr. Quillhoof spoke without a hint of sympathy in his voice.
Silver Shill did sympathize for Dottie Drops, but he was more worried about his own audition. He was just expecting him to meet the same fate as the poor filly, and felt even more intimated to perform for the judges.
Several rejected fillies later, the list of ponies trying out for Schloff had eventually wrapped up. Although he had much time to go over he script, Silver was still more worried than he had ever been.
"That puts an end to today's auditions for the role of Schloff.", Mr. Quillhoof dauntingly spoke. "The next character on our list is Güntre, so Güntre's, be prepared."
Silver calmed himself by taking continuous deep breaths. "Alright, Silver. Breath in, breath out. This will be easy, I know it."
"The first pony we'll have audition for Güntre is 'Silver Shill', will Silver Shill please make his way up to center stage."
The speed that Silver was breathing increased drastically once he heard that his name was first. "Okay never mind this is going to be impossible! Of all ponies, why me? Why me? Breath in breath out breath in breath out breath in breath ou-"
"Silver Shill, please come up to the front.", Mr. Quillhoof repeated himself. After he got nothing for a response, the producer joined in.
"Hello, Silver Shill? Do we have a Silver Shill here?"
Silver remained in his seat, sweating and shaking just as he was used to in these situations. This one, however, was unlike any other he had ever experienced. Sure, he could try to take on a small janitor job or even a conman, but a Bridleway performer? Silver knew he had no chance of making the play from the start. He wished he could just walk out of the theatre and carry on his life wandering around everywhere to be wandered around.
But then he remembered why he was there to begin with.
After taking a deep breath, Silver was able to overcome his nervousness.
"Do it for Coco.", he told himself.
Mr. Quillhoof rolled his eyes. "Last call for Silver Shill.", he groaned.
"Silver Shill is present!", Silver himself spoke as he stepped up out of his seat.
"And it took you that long to respond because…", the director asked.
Mr. Quillhoof's voice was enough to make Silver more anxious than before. "Oh, b-because, um, no reason.", he stuttered.
"Well, come on up here, Mr. Shill.", Tidbit warmly spoke.
"Y-yes sir, coming.", Silver spoke as he made his way up to the center of the room starting up an intense sweat and constantly adjusting his large glasses. He even still could not fully get over the fact that was actually auditioning for the biggest musical in the kingdom.
"Welcome, Silver Shill!", spoke Tidbit, "What made you want to join our play?"
Tidbit's warm words calmed Silver down a little. However, telling the ponies behind the show that he was joining to grow closer to a costume designer was out of the question.
"Oh, well, because I jus-"
"Perform for me.", spoke the director.
"Oh, well, um, okay!", he quickly spoke as he fretfully pulled out his script. Looking down at it and then back up at the judges, Silver could barely make coherent words.
"Stallion, we haven't got all day.", said Mr. Quillhoof. This drove Silver to clear his throat and start reading.
"Ahem, g-guten tag, family.", he crudely read off the script. "Uh, n-n-nothing like the smell of d-dinner after a long day at work."
He sounded like a broken record playing the most boring speech ever written. Even Tidbit seemed unimpressed. Mr. Quillhoof ran his forehoof up his face and groaned louder than he had at any other pony auditioning.
"Why even bother?", the director asked himself, "Next!"
Silver gasped at the stallion's words. There was no way Silver could leave that day without a role.
"H-h-hold on, there, Mr. Quillhoof sir!", Silver quickly started. He had no idea what exactly he could argue to let him stay, but he had to try.
"And why exactly do I need to 'hold on', sir? I've seen quite enough."
"Because I… uh, well, uh…"
"Think, Silver, think! What could I do to help me have a chance of staying? What else can I do?"
It then dawned on Silver that he still had a two minute song to sing.
"I s-still have the song to sing!", he exclaimed.
Tidbit smiled at the thought while Mr. Quillhoof rolled his eyes and nodded. "Sing for us."
Silver's eyes darted around the room. He knew that he couldn't sing, and whatever singing skill he had would certainly not help him. He still had no choice if he wanted to keep the part, however.
He gulped deeply and proceeded to sing the only song he had ever sung in his life.
"I won't need these crutches to dance out the dooooor!"
The one line he had in his previous bosses' song to sell their tonic did not seem to impress the judges. The producer and Tidbit looked confused, and Mr. Quillhoof motioned his forehoof for Silver to keep singing.
"Carry on, stallion.", he spoke.
The poor stallion had no choice but to awkwardly stand on stage, trembling as everypony's eyes were staring right at him.
"Th-that's all, s-sir.", Silver anxiously replied.
Tidbit's jaw dropped, and Mr. Quillhoof pointed his forearm towards the door to the black box.
"Get out of my theatre.", the director coldly spoke.
The room spun around Silver Shill as he started a rather large panic attack. He leapt up to the judges' table and knelt with his forehooves held together.
"No no no no, p-please keep me! Please put me on the cast! Please! I'll do anything for you ponies, j-just please put me on any of your casts!", Silver practically begged the judges.
Surprised by the timid stallion's unexpected reaction, the judges leaned away from Silver out of instinct. However, after hearing his words, Tidbit leaned forward and smiled.
"I can tell that you really wanna be in this play, Silver,", he started, "and I may just consider!"
"No, Tidbit.", Mr. Quillhoof interrupted. "It obvious that this pony has no experience, and absolutely can not act or sing."
"But he wants the part so badly! Just like that filly from the Schloff tryouts!"
Mr. Quillhoof completely ignored a Tidbit. "(Sigh) Goodbye, Silver Shill."
As much as Silver wanted to keep begging, arguing, whatever else he could do to try to get a part, he soon came to terms that there was no chance he would ever work at Bridleway. He proceeded to calm down and hang his head in defeat.
"Thank you for your time.", Silver quietly spoke to the judges as he slowly walked out of the black box room in defeat.