Yolanda

YOLANDA:

Age at the time of the novel: 12

Place in the family: 3rd oldest, 2 yrs behind Pat, 2 yrs ahead of Melissa

Before the novel starts: Was hoping for two things: to get cast in UTDS and that the rumor that Troy's best friend David liked her was true.

1. Rita Benson: Yolanda's official buddy in the drama mentor program. Rita, a Seb senior, is the star of the show. She goes back and forth between making a pet of Yolanda and being exasperated with her. She starts Yolanda's "Andee" nickname. Yolanda idolizes her, but doesn't admit it.

2. Suzanne Corley: is the only Black member of HS drama department. She is initially annoyed that neither Yolanda nor Troy are assigned to her, and she sort of befriends them during the production.

3. Jess Frietag: Cast Manager for UTDS and Rita's best friend. She originally wasn't going to have a buddy, but Rita convinced her to "share" Yolanda. Jess is actually a better, if not always appreciated, role model for Yolanda.

4. Improv groups: are the groups the cast breaks up into for acting exercises and running through lines. Yolanda's is hand- picked by Rita, and consists of Yolanda, Rita and Jess, Linda Morris, Chris Beck, Ron "Boy Mysterious" Baker and friend Sean Day, and Laura Means, who plays Rita's co-worker. (Troy's Improv group)

5. Linda Morris: her friendship keeps Yolanda firmly grounded in the 7th grade when "Andee" is about to go overboard with the HS business. An ex-Three degree, she gets morphed into Yolanda's Rita/Jess circle and improv group.

6. Dale Rome: Director of UTDS. He got more than he bargained for when he got into this joint production thing, but is weathering it with dry humor. The 7th graders think he has totally ignored their presence throughout the production, but as they get more into their parts they discover Mr. Rome's casting was dead-on for the most part.

7. David Sumner: Troy's best friend and Yolanda's love interest. Tensions mount when their separate Improv groups get cliquish against each other.

8. Kathy Templeman: a fellow 7th grader. Is she the foil of the David/Yolanda romance?

9. The Three Degrees: A Mr. Rome nickname that came from an old singing group. At first Kelly Baker, Michelle Lynch and Linda Morris made an uneasy trio when Michelle suddenly started hanging around best friends Kelly and Linda. When Linda is squeezed out, Kathy Templeman steps in and the trio take on the nickname in earnest, though Michelle thought it was "dumb" when it was Kelly, her and Linda. Linda and Yolanda agree that the change of heart comes about because the new Three Degrees are jealous of "Andee", "T-roy" and Linda's involvement with the Rita/Jess circle.

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