The Show Must Go On (short play)

CHARACTERS:

MAIN CHARACTER: ETHAN. DANCING AS THE DUKE IN GISELLE.

GISELLE CHARACTER: ESTELLE. DANCES AS GISELLE.

BALLET INSTRUCTOR: ZAITSEVA.

MATEO: PLAYS HILARION.

AMELIA: SUPPORTING BALLERINA.

SCENE 1.

(In dance studio, Ethan remembers rehearsals)

ETHAN:

It all started the day the lights went off. I stumbled but my partner, along with seemingly everyone else, didn't even seem to notice. And that meant there was no stopping for me, either. But, when the lights turned on again, it was a different room that I saw. In the few moments it had been dark, Amelia had disappeared and, again, no one said anything. Were they all just too tired to notice?

But Amelia never came back. And, though our director, Zaitseva, would usually have been furious, she maybe even seemed happier than usual. It was, to me, a strange day, but not a bad one. Little did I know how strange some days could get.

In the first break, Zaitseva called me over to speak to her. I began to wonder if I had done something wrong.

ZAITSEVA:

Ethan, I want you to swap roles with Mateo. It would be a better fit.

ETHAN:

With Mateo? Then I would have the principal role. Are you sure he would be happy about that?

ZAITSEVA:

I have already discussed it with him. Your current role is still an important one. He would prefer you to be the principal dancer.

ETHAN:

Well, alright then. But are you sure I would be a better fit? Mateo is a lot more talented than me. He’s been dancing for longer.

ZAITSEVA:

I’m completely sure. This is a new ballet. Every detail is important. And I chose you.

ETHAN:

I wasn't quite sure what she meant by that. This was an old, classical ballet. How could she say it was new?

But, despite all my questions and a growing feeling that there was something wrong, I began to learn the part from Mateo and practice partnering with Estelle.

The next day, another one of the ballerinas was gone, then another and another. But still, no one noticed. Their partners even danced without them, as if they were still there, and Zaitseva never even batted an eyelid at their absence. And every time I came into rehearsals, a vague but unshakeable chill settled in my stomach. There was something wrong with this ballet.

I began to try and build the courage to ask where they were going. Surely Zaitseva couldn’t be too angry at that. But as soon as my chance came, it was taken away again.

ZAITSEVA:

(shouting)

Stop the music! Amelia, this is ballet! You need more turnout!

ETHAN:

(whispering)

What is she talking about? Amelia’s not here, she hasn't been for weeks.

ESTELLE:

(also whispering)

What are you talking about? She’s right there.

ETHAN:

No… I haven't seen her in ages. I thought she just quit the ballet or something.

ESTELLE:

Amelia? Don't be ridiculous. She’s been here the whole time. What do you think her partner’s been doing if she isn't here?

ETHAN:

I don’t know. But I really can’t see her. He looks like he’s on his own.

ESTELLE:

There must be something wrong with you. You should go to the doctor.

ETHAN:

She had a point. I hadn’t even imagined that there was something wrong with me and not everyone else. If I was the one who couldn't see what was really there, everything would make a lot more sense. But, somehow, I couldn't bring myself to tell anyone about it. Maybe after the performance; then, if there was something really wrong with me, I wouldn't miss out on it.

But by the week we were to perform, there was almost no one left. Only Estelle, Lia and I as well as all the male dancers. I began to get the feeling that I was being left out of something. I couldn't really be the one seeing things wrong. But each time I convinced myself I was right enough to speak up, I heard Estelle's voice in my head and wondered if this was the real reason why dancers retire so young. Could I have worked myself to the point of insanity?

SCENE TWO

(On the stage, performing Giselle Act I)

ETHAN:

Five more minutes until the break. That’s all I had to do. Five more minutes.

The stage looked almost empty. Only the male dancers were here, other than Estelle and Lia, and it was taking all my focus to remember where I needed to be on stage without the ballerinas in their positions.

It was time for the scene I knew the audience had all been waiting for. Mateo blew the horn and Lia appeared with her invisible entourage. I kissed her hand, Estelle tore us apart. She tried to kiss me, I pulled away and she collapsed in front of her invisible mother.

She began to go mad. I tried to help her up, she flinched away. She ran around the stage, played with her hair. She stole my sword and dragged it everywhere, in front of everyone and dropped it. She ran backwards into Lia, then fell to the ground and I helped her up. She danced one more time and then it finally happened. She collapsed in my arms and the curtains went down.

I didn't wait for her to get up before I ran backstage. I needed to rest and be ready for my next long, tiring scenes. But I didn't see her backstage for the whole intermission and a growing tension was forming in my stomach. Had something gone wrong?

SCENE THREE

(Backstage during Giselle Act II)

ETHAN:

A minute now and I had to go back on. One more minute of rest and not having the confusion of an empty stage. But then I heard Mateo scream and my blood ran cold. There was something wrong with this ballet.

I almost broke character when I got onto the stage. Every single one of them was there. I could only translate the panic that was rushing through every nerve in my body to the gut-wrenching grief that my character was meant to be feeling. And even then, I could hardly bear to keep dancing.

(whispered) Just keep going. The show must go on.

Nobody here looked normal. Maybe it was just the stage lights, but I thought they looked oddly pale. Not one of them had any emotion showing in their faces.

I collapsed in faux-sorrow in front of Estelle’s grave. The fear in me was enough to make it look real. How realistic the audience must think this show looked.

Estelle came and I rose and we danced, but I knew she didn't look right. And when she touched me, she was cold and my heart skipped a beat. This was not Estelle.

But the show had to go on so I kept dancing and her ghost-entourage surrounded me. They looked like real ghosts. No wonder Zaitseva had been so proud of this ballet.

I flew around the stage and they chased me. The realism was almost too perfect. Maybe a better ballet school would contact me after this performance. I could barely breathe, I had been dancing so long. It was nearly over. Only five more minutes.

I came to the end of my dance with the ghosts, but the music kept going. This wasn't in the storyline. The sun should be rising to send away the evil ghosts that were trying to kill me. But the sun didn't rise and I knew it never would.