A young man took a deep breath and knocked the door... He had been waiting for this moment all his conscious life. The guy has been preparing to this day since the primary school (had been visiting drama club, learning dozens of poems, monologues, practicing diction with the help of tongue twisters and little rocks in his mouth, also taking vocal courses and spending long exhausting hours in a dance studio). Thus, here he is, standing in the front of a thick wooden door with a star-shape golden sign plate on it, collecting his thoughts and doubting. As soon as he knocked, the strong sonorous voice answered, "Yes, come in, please". The young man pressed the handle, but suddenly felt an incredible fear. Guy turned away abruptly and left the corridor.

Christopher was quite beautiful, twenty-two year old man with a blithesome smile and angelic blue eyes. His face was almost perfect while his chestnut hair was always set negligently, which gives him a seditious look. The young man was tall and slim. Visiting the gym regularly, Chris didn't stop keeping himself fit. In addition to training, guy was dieting now and again. There was only healthy, fresh, vitaminous food in his refrigerator. Except this, he drunk a lot of water every day and ate fruits. It was the reason why the guy's skin was smooth, pale and had a right rosy tint. Likewise, this man had a wonderful clothes sense and often surprised his friends and fellows with his looks. Shirts of different types and colours, mixed with tight-leg-trousers, which was unusual printed, were held in guy's wardrobe. He often unbuttoned two upper snaps of his shirt and tucked it into the pants, sometimes put on the waistcoat or jacket which had been designed and sawn by him.

He was mad about theatre. When Chris has been six years old his grandmother took him to musical The Phantom of the opera, presented at the Majestic Theatre. Ever since the boy had been dreaming about being such a dazzling and mysterious, as a leading actor on the stage. He went to the dramatic class at the school and used every possibility to go to another performance at the theatre. After graduating New York Academy of Dramatic Arts, the young man finally believed in himself. Christopher thought that he could go at any casting session and try to put on the mask of any character. He trained a lot this time. His motions were finely honed, his voice sounded clear, his eyes were full of hope and his lips were trebling of impatience. Then, why ever he was so damn afraid eleventh-hour?

Two month later the guy was sitting at the auditorium in one of the oldest Broadway theatres. The interior of Belasco spellbound him. There were luxurious vinous seats, dark-red arras, which was decorated with delicate golden patterns and a snazzy ceiling with enormous chandeliers hanging circle-wise. Either walls were gorgeous, have been painted with Renaissant pictures. In spite of its' considerable age, the theatre looked almost untouched. That evening Belasco was filled by incredible number of people. Women and men, old and young they all came to see the premiere of the new exciting musical about Luis XIV. There was noisy and stuffy. But the guy didn't even noticed it. He was in expectation of the show and nervous, trifling a playbill in his hands. On the cover there was a picture of the beautiful young man, who was dressed in an ornate suit of the period of the XVII century. His eyes were full of assurance, they almost burnt a hole deep to Christopher's heart. "Martin Grey plays the part of Luis XIV", was written beneath.

Soon the light was dimmed up and a curtain started to draw. Suddenly Chris heard an intrigue melody and some noises from the wings. Then everybody saw a young man, seating on the verge of his bad. It was the main character, who appeared on the stage. The more Christopher fed his sight the more he felt envy to this young actor and also the guy was disappointed with his own nothingness and irresolution. He was full of despair and his heart started shrinking with every speech of Luis XIV. "I would be there. I could show my talent and skills to the hundreds of people. I could be famous and have all these applause and delighted looks. I could... If only I didn't behave like a frightened child two month ago". Wiping tears from his eyes, Chris stood up and began to applaud. After all, the performance was brilliant.

It was a usual autumn morning in New York City. The young man was walking down the street with the plastic cup of coffee from Starbucks. Abruptly a colourful poster on the entrance door of Apollo Theater caught his eye, "We are looking for new faces for a new musical The Phantom of the opera!" Christopher threw a half empty plastic cup in a litter-box and came to the building. Rapidly found the director's office, he took a deep breath and knocked the door...