Bell

The antics of an orphan french girl who wants to be a actress or a singer or a traveler or a writer.

• girl has french name and written like a diary
• Meets a young boy she adopts as platonic brother when they steal someones purse and get ice cream.
• He name is Bell, like the Jack Johnson song.
• His friends name is Thomas, Thomas's brothers name is Frederick, and Alexander and Peter.
• She works at a cabaret. She is a stagehand. She lives at the cabaret.
• CAN CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Cabaret is called "Le Spectacle!"
• Cats are mean.

Plot-

• The disintigrating relationship between Mamma Ramone and Bell.
• Bell becoming less naive and descovering the real world. Belle growing up.
• Thomas and Marcel becoming friends.
• Mamma Ramone's children.
• Pappa Tragor asking Bell to be in an act with him.
• Thomas's family exepting him for being gay.
• Marcel wanting to be a wife.
• Mamma Ramone's family died in a fire.
• In the end Mamma Ramone burns down the cabaret. Because it is a reminder of her house and her family.

Characters-

• Bell-Orphan, gypsy, girl wants to be an actress or singer.
• Thomas , orphan, brothers named Frederick, Alexander and Peter.
• Stella Ramone- Runs the cabaret, singer, actress, black, takes Bella under her wing.
• Francis Tragor-Emcee.
• Roxie-Dancer
• Marcel-Dancer like a sister to Bell.
• Dana-Dancer
• Lee-Contortionist
• Cameron-Transvestite
• Holland-Dancer
• Reese-Waiter
• Nini-Dancer
• Ruth-Waiter
• Angel-Transvestite

Chapter One-

5/7/1923

I want to be an actress! Acting is my passion! I longed to sing and dance on stage. To be adored by crowds. To have my picture taken next to Mimi Vouture, the famous actress. Today I tried my luck. I sang and danced in front of the crowd in "Le Spectacle!". My feet tapping on the ground, making beautiful music. Spinning and twirling.

At the end of my dance they yelled at me. "Little girl, get off the stage! Your paid to clean not to dance!" They were right, I was just a stagehand. I had no purpose on stage.

But in my dreams, I sang and danced! People took photographs of me and asked for my signature! I dined with Paris's most elite! That's why I'm keeping a diary, so when I'm rich and famous, I can make hundreds of dollars! I can make my friends happy!

I have a job. I work at "Le Spectacle!". Paris's most high-end and fashionable club. (At least that's what Mamma Ramone tells me.) I work backstage. Cleaning and helping the dancers get dressed. They tell me everything,(most of it I don't understand). I also work on the stage. I pull the curtain and clean the flowers and trash off the stage. That's my one moment onstage. The one time when people are looking at me, no longer plain Bell, a star!

Mamma Ramone has often told me I am to young to be a star. She says I have to work very hard and clean up lots of trash before I can sing. But when I'm famous. No one will have to work. We'll just sing and dance all day.

I have one other friend. Thomas. Thomas works the lighting and repairs the building. He takes care of me, gets me food and water. Thomas has a family, they just don't have him. He never talks about them. And when I ask him, he just says he misses them very much. Thomas is a little older than me. He's 12 and I'm only 9. He's like a big brother to me. For my birthday last year he got me a purse! It had lots of money and a gold pocket watch inside it. After that we got ice cream and watched the sun set over the Seine. That was all I wanted, a family. And the theater was like one.

Mamma Ramone was my mamma. She made sure I did the dressing and the washing. She took me on when I was 7 years old. She and Pappa Tragor adopted me like there own.

Pappa Tragor was like a father. He made sure I got the curtain up and the cleaning done. He was the Emcee. Sometimes he did shows with Mamma Ramone. But Thomas and Marcel didn't let me watch those.

Thomas was like a brother. He took care of me. He always got me what I needed.

And Marcel was like a sister. Always bossing me around. Throwing things at me and arguing.

That's what family was! (At least what I had read in the story books.) Sometimes, when I got nightmares, Mamma Ramone and Pappa Tragor would come sing to me.
"Oi lienda
Bella che fa?
Bonita, bonita que tal?
But belle
Je ne comprend pas francais
So you’ll have to speak to me
Some other way "
Mamma Ramone had such a sad took in her eyes when she sang that. She told me that she used to sing that to her children. I wonder if they've grow up? I'll ask her tomorrow.

5/10/1923

Mr Cameron had me wash his dress today.  It was really strange because he told me not to tell his wife. He also asked me to brush his wig, and get him some new lipstick. Really strange.

I have been doing errands for Pappa Tragor and Mamma Ramone. They are now sending me into town together them supplies. I see the brightly lit street signs and the tall buildings. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I left the cabaret for two long? The adults needed me, and if I went away they could easily burn it down. All those cigarettes. The place would be a torch.

I have not asked Mamma about the lullaby yet. I first asked Thomas, and he agreed I shouldn't.

5/12/1923