Chapter 59

                                    

                                          
Two weeks later, and life was definitely different.
                          
Carleigh had been right about Jace, Kasey found out. Only a few days after that conversation, Jace asked Kasey to date him. 
                          
It was after a show. He met her outside the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where they first met, and when he mistakenly called her Araella. 
                          
She had only hesitated a little before saying yes.
                          
It was strange, she decided. To have a boyfriend. She was accustomed to the single life- she had enjoyed it, really. Being someone's girlfriend was a nice feeling, too. Just in a different way. 
                          
Jace was a good boyfriend. He was caring and funny and they had similar interests. He was only across the street in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. It was nice to know that he was there and only a short walk away from the Richard Rodgers. 
                          
They didn't see each other much at night- the evening shows ended late. They mainly hung out during the day when it wasn't a matinee day. 
                          
Their dates weren't anything super fancy- it was just coffee, the occasional Broadway show, or they'd hang out in the theatres. 
                          
It wasn't a super intense relationship. They were comfortable with each other- more than friends, but not much more than that. 
                          
It was complicated.
                          
But Kasey was happy. She had Jace, and Carleigh, and Alaina now. The United States was starting to feel a lot more like home.
                          
~~~~~~~~~
                          
The cast was still quite busy with preparations for award season. It had been officially announced that a new category was going to be put into the Tony's, which was 'Best Ensemble Performance'. 
                          
The ensemble of Hamilton was extremely excited. 
                          
Kasey hoped they would win- but she hadn't gotten her hopes up too far. There were a lot of talented ensembles. She had friends from the other musicals, and she'd seen the shows- they were all extremely good and wonderful ensembles. She wished they could all win. 
                          
The cast had gathered for the Tony nominations, even though it was pretty early in the day for them to get together. 
                          
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. Today is the date that we announce the nominees for the 70th Tony Awards. This season was full of talent and accomplished actors and actresses. The Tony committee is proud to announce the following nominees."
                          
The cast held its breath.
                          
First was the play nominations. Kasey was surprised that they did all of the play nominations first, without any of the musical nominations.
                          
"And now to the musicals."
                          
"For Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, the nominees are- Laura Benanti, She Loves Me; Carmen Cusack, Bright Star; Cynthia Erivo, The Color Purple; Jessie Mueller, Waitress; and Phillipa Soo, Hamilton."
                          
They all hugged. Pippa was mobbed by cast members. 
                          
They barely had time to celebrate before:
                          
"For best performance by a leading actor in a musical, the nominees are- Alex Brightman, School of Rock; Danny Burstein, Fiddler on the Roof;  Zachary Levi, She Loves Me; Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton; and Lin Manuel Miranda, Hamilton."
                          
More cheering. Kasey was beyond happy. They'd already gotten three nominations.
                          
"For best performance by a featured actress in a musical, the nominees are Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple; Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton; Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me; Jennifer Simmard, Disaster!; and Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along."
                          
Kasey hugged Renee, who she'd been sitting next to. Renee looked stunned and overwhelmed, but she hugged Kasey back anyway.
                          
"Here are your nominees for best performance by a featured actor in a musical. Daveed Diggs, Hamilton; Brandon Victor Dixon, Shuffle Along; Christopher Fitzgerald, Waitress; Jonathan Groff, Hamilton; and Christopher Jackson, Hamilton."
                          
Kasey never thought she would be in a room this loud. She could barely hear the nominations for best book and best original score. 
                          
She wasn't surprised, though, when Lin was nominated for both. And David Korins was nominated for Scenic Design, which wasn't surprising, either. David did an amazing job. 
                          
"And for your newest category of the Tony Awards, here are your nominations for best ensemble performance in a musical."
                          
"The nominees are: Bright Star, with Allison Briner-Dardenne, Patrick Cummings, Sandra DeNise, Michael X. Martin, Tony Roach, Sarah Jane Shanks, and William Youmans."
                          
"Disaster, with Manoel Felciano, Casey Garvin, Travis Kent, Maggic McDowell, Olivia Phillip, Catherine Ricafort, Paul Castree, and Alyse Allan Louis."
                          
"Hamilton, with Megan Anderson, Carleigh Bettiol, Andrew Chapelle, Ariana DeBose, Alysha Deslorieux, Sydney James Harcourt, Neil Haskell, Thayne Jasperson, Stephanie Klemons, Morgan Marcell, Jon Rua, Austin Smith, Seth Stewart, Betsy Struxness, Ephraim Sykes, Voltaire Wade-Green, and Kasey Winslow."
                          
Kasey hadn't thought the room could get any louder, but it did. Everyone was shouting and clapping and hugging. They couldn't even hear the other two nominees for best ensemble. 
                          
She immediately sought out Carleigh, who swept her up in a huge hug. 
                          
"We did it!" Carleigh exclaimed.
                          
"We're Tony nominees!" Kasey reminded Carleigh.
                          
"I know!" Carleigh laughed. 
                          
It was a pretty good day.
                          
Hamilton ended up with 17 nominations. A record. 
                          
How lucky they were to be alive right now.