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“The stage is a magic circle where only the most real things happen, a neutral territory outside the jurisdiction of Fate where stars may be crossed with impunity. A truer and more real place does not exist in all the universe.”
― P.S. Baber, Cassie Draws the Universe
Central City may be populated by an unprecedented amount of Labs and TEC companies, but not everyone knows that after New York it is the leading city in Musicals and Theatre productions. They have a kind of rivalry with Broadway that isn’t obvious until you walk into an opening night or read into the biting reviews of the arts section of CCPN.
And right now the musical community is in somewhat of a panicked frenzy.
See the Central City theater and preforming arts guild has much more of a focus on everyone getting to see musicals, has decided they don’t want to be egalitarian like Broadway is becoming. And in this capacity they have been selling soundtracks, doing public performances and more recently, recording their musicals to sell on dvd.
But now a week before the cast of the Central City Jesus Christ Superstar Revival was set to film their performance their Judas Iscariot is out of commission.
“How are we meant to go on?” Iris demands of their director Harrison Wells, still dolled up in his Mary costume, “Hartley was the best and everyone else in town is booked up!”
Harry glares at her and the cast in general.
“I’ve got it handled.”
“Maybe we should delay the whole thing,” Barry says hesitantly, “I mean this is Judas we’re talking about, and we can’t do the show if Judas is off.”
“I’m handling it, Allen!”
The whole cast watches Harry storm out and slam the door behind him, sharing growing looks of concern.
Harry puts an open casting call out to the public.
“This is going to end in tears,” Snart drawls and beside him Mick snorts in agreement.
“It’s might work out okay,” Patty tries, and Linda pats her arm like she’s a naive child.
“Harry usually knows what he’s doing,” Barry tries but it doesn’t come out very confident.
He looks down the rows of seats where Harry, Sara (their choreographer), and Rip (the guy in charge of all the tec) are listening to the worst rendition of ‘I don’t know how to love him’ that has ever been sang.
It’s not looking good.
The rest of the cast has been together for months, are a well-oiled team by now. Adding a new member, no matter how good or bad they are, is going to stir things up in a not good way.
“What we need is a miracle,” Snart says and slides his eyes towards Barry, “You got any on you, Messiah?”
Barry snorts.
“I’m not actually Jesus, Lenny.”
“He’s too white,” Mick laughs and that launches them into a familiar conversation that would scandalize most religious types.
After a while they all abandon watching the auditions, hopes for the future of the production officially dashed.
The next day Harry marches in to the theatre and calls everyone to attention while they are getting ready for a full costume dress rehearsal.
“I’ve found us a new Judas.”
Everyone waits but that seems to be the whole message.
“…where is he?” Eddie asks, half dressed as Annas.
“He will be joining us tomorrow for rehearsal.”
“He can’t be here today?” Sara challenges from where she is sitting playing cards with Snart.
“No, Lance, he can’t,” Harry shifts and then says much more quietly, “…he has class all day today?”
“Class?” Stein, all glammed up to be Herod, squawks, “You’ve hired a child- a student, to be our Judas?”
Harry rolls his eyes and stops giving them all his full attention.
“Not a child, he’s older than Jackson and Wally, not that much younger than Allen.”
“Though I suppose everyone looks like a child to you, huh, Grey?”
Stein glares at Jax, but it has no real heat behind it.
“Is he experienced?” Iris asks.
“…This will be his debut.”
The whole cast groans.
“This is beginning to feel like on of Rips productions,” Snart sneers.
Harry hands some documents off to Caitlin, their costume designer, and turns back to them with his grumpy face firmly in place.
“I chose him because he is good,” he tells them firmly, “The best I have seen in a while, better than the off Broadway hacks that have been auditioning the past few days. My decision is final and if any of you have any objections to it get off my stage now.”
No one moves.
Harry nods and marches off again, pulling out his phone to bark orders at his production assistant who is two minutes late with the coffee.
Barry bites his lip.
If this Judas is wrong, doesn’t fit the part or in inexperienced, it is seriously going to impede on his performance. Being Jesus the interactions and exchanges with Judas are very important to the story and feel of the play.
And if they don’t get this dvd selling the Mayor’s office could decide it’s their last and pull all funding.
He doesn’t want to think about how that could impact everyone’s carriers.
…
The next day Barry is taking the bus to the theatre when a very attractive man sits next to him.
“Sorry, man,” he apologizes when one of his bags jostles into Barry’s arm.
“Wh-no problem,” Barry stutters and internally curses himself for not being able to talk around hot people, “I’m Barry, Barry Allen.”
“Cisco,” the man says with a sunny smile, “Barry Allen? Aren’t you in Jcst, you played Jesus?”
“Yeah,” Barry says, flattered to be remembered, “I’m actually still playing him for the dvd live show thing we’re doing. Did you get to see the show?”
“Kinda,” Cisco says with a wince, “I’m a massive fan of Superstar, but I couldn’t afford the ticket so I kinda … snuck in to one of the shows.”
“Oh,” Barry says, “Did you get caught?”
“Yep,” Cisco says and pops the p, “Got thrown out on my ass before the end of ‘Everything’s Alright’,” he looks up at Barry and shrugs, “It was a choice between eating that month or going to a play, I don’t usually-“
“No, yeah, I understand!” Barry interrupts, “Broke college student, right?”
“Oh yeah,” Cisco chuckles.
“I was the same,” he pulls a face, “Still broke now actually.”
Cisco laughs outload, face lighting up in a way that makes Barry’s stomach flip in a very good way.
“You know,” Barry starts, his voice obviously nervous like it always is when he talks to hot people, “They’re, uh, raffeling off tickets for the dvd filming- for the audience? Maybe you’ll get lucky and win one?”
Cisco’s grin morphs into a smirk.
“Yeah, I have a feeling I’ll be there.”
The Bus begins to pull up to the stop before the theatre.
“Oh!” Cisco exclaims and jumps up out of the seat, “This is my- I’ll see you later, yeah?”
A soft smile spreads over Barry’s face.
“Yeah. I-I’d like that.”
Cisco nods, smiles, and dashes out of the Bus towards a coffee shop.
…
Barry has just finished warming up for the rehearsal when the doors bang open and Harry walks in with-
“Cisco?”
Iris turns to him with an eyebrow raised.
“You know the kid?”
“Yeah. I met him on the bus.”
Her other eyebrow shoots up to join its twin.
“Only you, Barry.”
Harry calls the cast to order before he can retort.
“Attention!” He calls, clapping his hands together, “This is Cisco Ramon, and if you would all take your places and pretend to be professionals for a few moments he can prove himself to be our new Judas.”
Cisco waves at them awkwardly, and when he spots Barry he smiles cheekily.
Barry can’t help but grin back.
“Oh my god, Allen,” Sara laughs at him as she passes.
“What?”
“You know what.”
Everyone stakes out a spot off stage and waits.
They all watch with baited breath as Cisco takes the stage, shakes out his muscles and waits for the music too start.
The second he sings ‘Too much heaven on their minds’, with heartbreak and frustration in his voice Barry turns to a teary eyed Iris and says-
“I’m going to marry him.”
…
The dvd sells out so many copies they have do another run of it, and are funded by the city to do another season of performances.
Critics are claim it’s all thanks to the unusually steamy deception kiss between Judas and Jesus. The public is inclined to agree.