Start your story looking down from a stage.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 56 stories

“Me, Nervous?” by Mary Kurpiewski

Submitted to Contest #123

➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢➢ 1994-ME-NERVOUS Mary Cahill Kurpiewski Why was I so nervous? Me, Miss Mary Confident? I have always been ‘nervy’ and I couldn’t understand why I felt this way tonight. I have conned, manipulated, lied--well--rearranged the truth when I applied for the 50 jobs I’ve had and, mostly, had successful results. It all came to a head when I applied for my last job. It wasn’t a big deal or anything, but I had to fill out a resume. I have always, most of the time, been confident in my abilities t...

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“The gift” by V Hew

Submitted to Contest #123

The audience grew silent as she paused before reciting her next scripted lines. She looked down at the orchestra before her. She was at the very edge of the stage and had chosen to remove her heels before advancing front and center. An improvised move to get closer to the people and thinking this would Add more fluidity to the scene. Although her balance was better in the shoes, she felt it would appear to be more authentic in the upcoming sequence, enhancing the vulnerability of the character she was portraying. Her big toes perched ov...

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“In Front of the Crowd” by Gabe Kotch

Submitted to Contest #123

You face the crowd, ready, and sure of yourself. You smile, ready for the spotlight. Ready for the lights to turn on behind you, to reveal you in the middle of the stage. To shower you with sun; exciting and magnificent. For now, you stand in darkness. There are no lights on in the great hall, only the dim flashes of yellow from backstage that flow beneath the black curtains behind you. The back of your feet shine every one in a while as the curtains continue to shake behind you, allowing small amounts of light to p...

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“There's Monster on Stage” by C.B. Oates

Submitted to Contest #123

"Welcome to my one person show! I will be controlling your every wish to move, speak or think for the next 180 days. This will occur between the hours of 9:00am and 3:30pm regularly and on a daily basis. If you are noncompliant, disruptive, and rebellious, prepare yourself for a variety of severe, punitive repercussions. Yes, you there in the back. Oh, what’s that you say, ‘redundant’? Nice word! Here's another word to throw in your big, brain bucket: demerit! And your name is? James? Well, James, you will now be known as Jimmy. ...

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“Thick Skin” by Greacian Goeke

Submitted to Contest #123

I had a dinosaur’s-eye view of the audience, down my long bumpy nose, through caged peepholes deeply shaded by flannel lashes. Every move of my oversized head seemed to make them laugh, and there were “awwws” when I and the other dinosaur embraced. But nothing about being inside this costume was cute. At 13 I was willing to do almost anything to be on stage. I was too small to play the mother, or even a kid, in Skin of Our Teeth. When I learned that my dinosaur skin would be dyed green long underwear with a gaping fly, topped of...

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“Finger Painting” by Jessica Mutch

Submitted to Contest #123

*Story contains references to self harm. The velvet curtains swing open heavily. I stand on a pedestal of light, alone in a sea of dark. I look out, searching for faces that may or may not be there. Someone coughs; someone always coughs. The sound echoes through the silence. I breathe deeply, chest fluttering, stomach flopping. It could be nerves, but I tell myself it is excitement. This is where I am meant to be. Centre stage. “What will you do for us?” the voice slides through the darkness. I take a step forward, swallowing the bal...

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“Nocturne” by JL Henrikson

Submitted to Contest #123

The tree kept falling over and they needed a stronger base to keep it upright. “Do you need the tree?” Pierce asked. Pierce was the producer. He was worried about spending more to bolster the tree. It was probably the most expensive piece of stagecraft of the whole set, possibly the most expensive piece that the theater company had ever had made. “The play is called Tree of Life so we kind of need a tree, dude,” Monica replied, standing at the edge of the stage looking at the empty rows of seats in the theater. “I've been thinking, do...

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“Stage Fright ” by Sanae Dillard

Submitted to Contest #123

" Oh, Wow this stage sure is huge"! Dan, I don't know if I can do it, I'm looking down at the stage and I'm visualizing how many people will be in the audience as I walk out on the stage to share my newly found tone in my voice. I'm really scared, I don't think I have ever performed on such a beautiful stage as this and as I am standing here with you, Dan looking down, I actually feel butterflies in my stomach, I mean this stage is so wide and long and it has so many seats and windows, and " Dan look at the walls, they are so beautiful and h...

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“The Final Act” by Sarcastic Kate

Submitted to Contest #123

The lights were blindingly bright as I looked down from the stage, but there was almost a part of me that could feel his presence in the audience... even with it being too dark in the theatre hall to distinguish faces, my soul could feel how close he was in proximity. My heart skipped a beat for a moment, without my consent, behaving erratically and unpredictably; get it together; I tell myself, don’t break character. I hit another well delivered line, executed with timing, poise, and passion. The audience gasping at my conviction. ...

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“A New 'Phantom'?” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #123

A New ‘Phantom’? I could sense the overpowering stink of the creature enveloping the entire audience and, as I looked out from the stage, I could see him glowering at me just itching to consume me as his next afternoon snack. My performance as the lead in our community theater company’s production of Our Town would cause my raw first-time performer’s nerves to race out...

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“The Weird Kid” by Andrea Moya

Submitted to Contest #123

I could feel the familiar butterflies in my stomach as I crossed the stage. In front of me, the murmur of conversation was punctuated by laughs and shouts as the students settled into the auditorium. I settled at center stage, taking in the chaotic energy of my audience of middle schoolers. Despite the nerves, this felt like home. Projecting my voice, speaking from my diaphragm, I called out for them to be silent. The din gradually died down and twenty faces looked up at me expectantly. One remained glued to his phone. I cleared my throat. ...

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“Finale” by Rob Ryter

Submitted to Contest #123

Dennehy swept forward from stage left, in sole, solitary command before the footlights, white shirt front ablaze in the follow spot’s beam, the gradually filling auditorium his silent, brooding foil. As planned, with time to spare, the killer took up position in the darkened theatre, her target stark, plain before her. It was obvious she was not under suspicion. Nonchalant and arrogant, the target seemed completely unaware of the impending danger. Perfect. Straightforward. Just the way she liked it. She fingered the concealed weapon. It was...

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“THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUDIENCE” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #123

THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUDIENCE It was a bit of struggle to clean the stage after that show which, they said, had really enjoyed , and excited the spectators. They had talked about it in television…..They said, since she hadn’t seen it. No, she had not been part of the large audience who, sitting in the red armchairs of the stalls had enjoyed ( tasted) that tragicomic comedy in which hens, ducks and turkeys had also gone up on the stage. She seemed to remember that even a little pig had go...

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“Holiday Duty” by Wanda Bush

Submitted to Contest #123

I look down from the stage into the audience. The crowd is small, negligible, really, but Mrs. Moses tells us to perform as if we were on Broadway, for this is our duty. Ben Staedler, the leading man in this extravaganza, says, “If one single soul goes home with extra joy in their heart, then we have done our jobs.” Ben’s positive spirit sparks our enthusiasm, and we perform our best. Our holiday musical, White Christmas, moves along as smooth as silk, and I take pleasure in twirling around in the fancy holiday dress assigned to me. When my ...

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“Fade to Light” by Melissa Woods

Submitted to Contest #123

I rose from the stage floor–I couldn’t remember why I’d fallen–and peered down at my husband. He came! It was my last show. I was really retiring, this time, I’d told him (truth was, I was more of a liability than an asset, at my age, so I was encouraged to take a final bow); but I refused to get my hopes up that he would come. And, then, there he was. He looked as dapper as ever in his black suit. It was too dark to see its color as he took his seat, but I knew that suit. I recognized how it moved on him, and how he moved in it. I knew all...

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Start your story looking down from a stage.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 56 stories

“Me, Nervous?” by Mary Kurpiewski

“The gift” by V Hew

“In Front of the Crowd” by Gabe Kotch

“There's Monster on Stage” by C.B. Oates

“Thick Skin” by Greacian Goeke

“Finger Painting” by Jessica Mutch

“Nocturne” by JL Henrikson

“Stage Fright ” by Sanae Dillard

“The Final Act” by Sarcastic Kate

“A New 'Phantom'?” by Bob Faszczewski

“The Weird Kid” by Andrea Moya

“Finale” by Rob Ryter

“THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AUDIENCE” by Mara Masolini

“Holiday Duty” by Wanda Bush

“Fade to Light” by Melissa Woods

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character who always wears a mask (physical or metaphorical).

Begin or end your story with “Well, that was dramatic.”

Write a story about a character practising a speech in front of the mirror. What are they preparing for?

Set your story backstage at the theater.

Contest #123

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

212

Contest entries

133

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: