Shortcut to Stardom

Shortcut to Stardom is the second episode of Rise of the Bands.
Previous: En Route to Demolition
Next: Forwards from the Graveyard
==Synopsis==
Asterisk wants to go to the drive-in where a famous star named Cherry Grapestain will be at so they can play their music in front of her and get noticed, but they run into some trouble along the way with not having cherry red tickets.
==Plot==
Asterisk is practicing in their garage, working on their new song "Rise to Fame." As they play, they hear the sounds of excited girls screaming outside. Justin Hunter, the band's cheerful and optimistic frontman, assumes it's their adoring fans. Calvin Greetham, the airheaded lead guitarist, excitedly claps his hands, hoping it's their future selves. Irene Rojas, the kindhearted drummer, tries to calm everyone down, while Niall Bryant, the sharp-tongued keyboardist, sarcastically comments that it's probably just the neighborhood cats.
Dawn Park, the shy bassist, opens the garage door to find their classmates Kate and Allie, who are ecstatic but not for Asterisk. They reveal that they're excited about the arrival of Cherry Grapestain, a wildly famous pop culture celebrity, who is coming to Peaceville to premiere her new movie at the Drive-In Movie Theater. Inspired, Justin gets motivated to get Asterisk noticed by Cherry, believing this could be their big break.
Niall, skeptical about Cherry's influence, asks how someone can be the next big thing if they just found out she existed. Justin explains his plan: to get Asterisk into Cherry's next movie trailer. However, they need a Cherry Red Ticket to get into the Drive-In, and they don’t have one.
As the band ponders how to get a ticket, they notice Nick Mallory, the school's charming and popular football captain, talking to a crowd of girls. Despite his popularity, Nick is genuinely nice and speaks in the third person. Justin approaches Nick, hoping he might have a ticket, but Nick reveals that he only has tickets for himself and his fan club.
Determined not to give up, Justin devises a plan to sneak into the Drive-In. The band dresses up as snacks and a delivery person in a makeshift snack delivery truck made out of cardboard. Niall, dressed as the deliveryman with a fake mustache, leads the way. The costumes are terrible, but they manage to convince the guard at the entrance to let them in.
Once inside, they set up their equipment and plan to play during the movie previews. As they prepare, they see Cherry Grapestain's limo arriving. Justin realizes they need to act fast. The band huddles, and Justin reassures them with his unwavering optimism.
As the previews start, Asterisk sneaks onto the stage. Just as they're about to play, they notice Cherry in her limo, surrounded by paparazzi. They begin their performance, but the power goes out, and the screen goes dark. Laney starts to panic, but Justin sees this as an opportunity.
Taking advantage of the blackout, Justin rallies the band. They start playing "Rise to Fame," and the crowd, initially confused, begins to cheer. The power returns, and Asterisk is bathed in the spotlight. Their performance is electric, and the audience is captivated.
Cherry Grapestain, intrigued by the commotion, steps out of her limo with Nick Mallory by her side. She watches Asterisk's performance and is impressed by their energy and passion. After the song, Justin approaches Cherry and asks if they can be in her next movie trailer. Cherry, although impressed, politely declines but compliments their performance.
As Cherry leaves with Nick, the paparazzi swarming them, Justin isn't disheartened. He knows they've made a lasting impression. The spotlight shines on Justin, and he addresses the audience with a moral learned from the experience.
"Until next time, keep reaching for the stars," he says. The whole band walks to the camera for a group picture, and Justin ends the recording, making the screen cut to black.
==Characters==
===Major Roles===
*Justin Hunter
*Calvin Greetham
*Dawn Park
*Irene Rojas
*Niall Bryant
===Minor Roles===
*Nick Mallory
*Cherry Grapestain
*Kate Persky
*Allie Day
*Mayor Mellow (Non-Speaking Cameo)
*Tuba Tim (Non-Speaking Cameo)
==Quotes==
*Justin: Hey everyone! We need to find Cherry Grapestain at the premiere tonight. The future of the band depends on it.
*Niall: You didn't know who she was two seconds ago. How could she be the future?
*Justin: Shhh ... Niall, this isn't the time for very good questions.
----
*Justin: Hey Nick, you going to Cherry's movie premiere?
*Nick: Nick's going to wait for the book.
*Justin: But, movies always come out after the book.
*Nick: Nick never loses the waiting game.
For the full transcript, go here.
==Songs==
*"Cherry Cherry"
==Trivia==
==Gallery==
==See also==
*Cloudy with a Chance of Malt Balls