Quiet Backstage: A Series of Lippa Oneshots

Classic Rock

I'm going to preface this by saying that I have nothing against classic rock music. It's my dad's favorite style, and I basically grew up on it. My family are huge Guns N Roses fans. Anyway, this is based around myself and another cast member's interactions as I played a guesting role in their company's productions of Swan Lake, last year. So, that's all! Enjoy! Xx. ❤

If there was one thing Lin-Manuel Miranda loved more than Broadway, it was classic rock music.

If there was one thing Phillipa Soo hated more than pineapple on pizza, it was classic rock music.

And somehow, these two ended up playing Eliza and Alexander Hamilton in Lin's newest musical creation.

And it wasn't just their music preferences they disagreed on. They disagreed on pretty much almost everything. And I mean, everything.

The tension was always high between the two, as they bit back curse words and snarky opinions when the other would open their mouth to say anything at all. The tension especially started to build when Broadway opening for the show was less than 60 hours away, and Phillipa Soo found herself so sick, that she was on the verge of losing her voice.

~~~~~

"Just don't talk today, unless you're onstage. That'll perserve your voice as much as we can." One of her Schuyler Sisters, Renèe, told her. Pippa nodded.

"Got it." She said, but Renèe shot her a what did I just say look. "Right." Pippa mouthed before zipping up her costuming and heading out to the hallway to breathe before another full run of the show.

She rolled her eyes as the lines of Aerosmith, Van Halen, and Guns 'N' Roses filled the dressing room hallway around her.

Did he have to play his trash music so freaking loudly? Pippa thought. She figured that she couldn't escape it anywhere else besides the far South staircase, so that's where she headed. There, she found another cast member, Daveed, warming up by beatboxing. He was insanely good at it, and she did have to beatbox in Act Two, just a little bit, but she'd never be as good as the man who plays Lafayette and Jefferson. She propped herself up against the wall, scrolling through her socials in an attempt to get her mind off the fact that this show was opening incredibly soon. About ten minutes later, she heard raindrops begin to beat off of the building, and she frowned. Pippa hated it when it rained, but not as much as she hated classic rock.

~~~~~

It was an hour later when the thunderstorm was still continuing, harder than ever, and it was the reason that the power had gone out in the Richard Rodger's. The whole cast and crew were instructed to stay in the theater until the storm passed. It would be too risky to try to get all the way home. Most of the cast piled into various green rooms and just had a good conversation, ate something, or if you were Anthony Ramos, taking naps in their dressing room.

In one green room sat all three Schuyler Sisters, Lin, Daveed, Oak, Leslie, and a few lighting techs. They were all sharing a conversation about some movie coming out soon, or something. Pippa wasn't paying too much attention. Her throat was hurting so badly that she had succumbed to laying on Renèe's shoulder, and she wasn't too far behind Anthony, in terms of taking a nap. Her eyes started to flutter shut, as Oak went and rubbed her shoulder.

"Poor thing." He said, frowning slightly. In response to this, he recieved a judgy look from Lin.

"'Poor thing'? Why are you doing that to her? She shouldn't be tired, she's done nothing today." Lin said, crossing his arms.

"Shut up." Jasmine snapped, turning her head to the lead. "She doesn't feel well, and she still came to work. Let her sleep." Lin just rolled his eyes.

~~~~~

Pippa opened her eyes about twenty minutes later to see most everyone gone, except for herself and Lin. Renèe's shoulder had been replaced under Pippa's head by a hoodie of someone's, propped up against the wall. She rubbed her eyes once she woke up, not fully understanding where everyone went.

"They're making us stay in here until either the storm passes, or we can "settle our differences"." Lin told her. "And that storm isn't looking to end anytime soon, so start talking. Why do you hate me so much?"

Pippa sighed. She knew talking would hurt, but she had to do it. "I hate you because you're arrogant, and you make me feel like a bad artist, and you're never there for me when I'm stressed and scared, like a good leading partner should be. And I hate you because you're making me say all of this, because you know my throat hurts!" Pippa said, all in one breath. Her throat burned, and she couldn't tell it was burning from how harsh her words were, or the fact that she was sick.

"Are you done?" Lin scowled.

Pippa thought for a moment before firing back, "Just take it as a compliment that I didn't say I hated you more than I hate classic rock music."