The Backstage Scene

     The Backstage Center, Taking Center Stage.

John was walking toward what he knew was backstage but he often fantasized about what could occur if he somehow found himself on stage. He looked around with that concerted and enthusiastic look that he tried to have despite that he to be on stage for a short time. He looked at the rugged and still pieces of fixtures that were in front of him saying “I wonder what it would be like to actually cite spoken words, somewhere out there, and feel the emotion of the audience and the atmosphere of the play” He started cautiously for a few seconds and then slowly turned around, suspecting a couple of his colleagues would be watching prudently. As he turned, Mary, who was usually sincere, mundane, and with a serious wit spoke “John, that was a good line and if we ever use part of it, you shall get credit”. As John began to nod in approval at the partially serious, partially humorous statement, David who was a little more outgoing and verbose but also was tolerant to a certain degree and a bit comical within limits then said “Don’t worry about it John, since nobody sees the credits as in a movie theater, we will act them out if necessary.” John then turned to nod at Dave, as he did to Mary, giving them a nonverbal response of approval and acceptance of the sarcasm and then they all looked at the curtain that peered at them and invited their attention. After a few seconds, they all began to go to the center of the backstage room where for some reason they believed most of the action would be despite that the furniture around them were like open books just waiting to be read. They were there together and it seemed that they had done this a hundred time before. Actually it was only several times that they had met here, but as they discussed the upcoming play and how they would actually fill their minor roles, it appeared like they knew each other’s moves for quite a bit more time than that, though they would not admit it to be so. Mary then looked at the stage and began to imagine what it would be like to have a defined, short, but dramatic role and how she would handle the diverse response of the audience. The others acknowledged her then sat down on the iron chairs of the backstage and they sat and stared, at each other, then at the stage that lie before them.

        Robert and Carol then came in, as they had done a few times before, and despite that they walked in together, everyone in the group knew they may not walk out together. Robert was a sturdy brawny type who was usually serious and business like but was open for some humor and laughter but he wanted to set the pace and direction. Carol who had a similar role in the play as Robert and often would come in at the same time, was energetic, mind mannered and sensible but occasionally did daydream about a more impactful, significant role in the theater. Robert and Carol knew each other a little better than the others but they also knew they were just friends in the theater and sometimes had to organize and set the tone to the other members of the play.. The backstage spread out its wings to all the members of the group, and sometimes Robert would enter first and express his contentment and defensiveness to the backstage wall. Carol would usually look around at the room and then at the backstage and was more patient and reticent but several times respond to the hundreds of designs of the backstage divider and the colorful, condoning, cacophonous sounds that the backstage seemed to make known, and both Robert and Carol would remind the backstage group that his was nothing but reverie and they had to resume business.

        Dave then walked slowly from the curtain of the backstage where he was imagining how he would handle a part that would both accentuate and challenge his character and at the same time allow him to show his natural qualities and his acquired qualities of the part, then directed everyone to sit down to discuss the meeting. He approached Robert and gave him a silent look that conveyed both friendship and some degree of inquisition. He then directed Carol to sit among the group and then approached John with a look of connection that he usually had to wait for some time to pass. John, who usually would wait until the other person spoke or communicated his opinion or transferred some type of message, and who then would often respond with both defensiveness and curiosity, then said “Dave I realize it is hard for you to put into words what you want to say, although you do it well to me, but I too am guilty of daydreaming and wondering how our character fits the, crime of theater, so you need not say it.” After a couple of others were marveled and concerned about how John had expressed himself and the terse, tentative, trusting response that Dave used in his reply, they all began to talk about the upcoming play. Each person began to recite a few lines and what his or her role was and how the contribution of one would help in the result of the group. However, unlike other days, each began to assess if there was any room for improvement or modification so that their individuality could be blended better with his or her performance so perhaps their inner character may emerge, in tune with others.

        As they group were talking among themselves, they were impressed with each of their contribution and their exaggeration while at the same time they directed themselves to the objectives of their meeting in the usual way but with a bit less formality and bit more ingenuity. Mary then looked around the room as she sometimes had done before, but she looked more discreetly and receptive and declared “I can see there is something different about today in the way we act toward each other and in particular the way we act toward ourselves, but there is something missing but I can’t place it.” The others then agreed with her and looked around the room but they were unable to figure out until David, who had indulged in a bit of imagination himself which for him was more stylish and less habitual, then stated “ I know what it is and we all should share the blame for this, and perhaps share the glory depending on how well things turn out, but I have a notion The person who calls himself director, Paul, doesn’t seem to be among, and then after a short pause, Paul who usually walks in with a firm but directive wit, comes in with a more slow and elegant gait, then says “Dave you have hit the nail on the head, for I haven’t shown up yet”. However, before all the others would express their apologies they could see on Paul’s face that he was not bothered by this as he usually had been before. The other members then offered Paul their seat or at least directions to his space, but as Paul looked upon them, he somehow knew they had been involved in a bit of imaginative fantasy. Before Carol finished her statement on how we were now ready to get down to business, she could see that Paul had an unusual tolerance for all this and then, before any other words were spoken, Paul sat down and said “I can see what you have all done without anyone saying a word and I can’t blame you, for I had been doing the same thing and some of this could go a long way.” He then looked at the script and gave a copy to each other group. They all noticed there was a section particularly referring to the backstage, however, neither member had recognized these ideas from previous scripts written.

        John who usually waits for someone to initiate or to at least make a conjecture rose up to the center of the backstage and as he glanced at the script for a moment, he laid it down carefully, looked at the rest of the group, then turned to open the curtain slightly and face the empty stage that lay before them. He then began to recite several dramatic lines that somehow were a combination of what was in his imagination and what was discussed as part of the play. He adroitly combined these two into a several short monologues, but he found he was not alone. This was because when he mentioned one of the other members of the group, by name, which was the character in the script that each was going to portray, than that person began his or her reply and own monologue and this continued for about 14 and a half minutes. Each member of the group, had his or her say, and while the individual was performing, the dialogue and the action seemed to be more natural that in spite of the fact that much of it was a product of one’s imaginative talent. After all this occurred, Paul, who would usually have his strict and direct commentary was which often accompanied by business like advice and proper etiquette, began to speak his own lines. He was giving commentary but not exactly like he had done many times before which this group and other groups that preceded this one. He gave his own monologue which somehow fit into the scenes and dialogue that the other actors had demonstrated, and then during his commentary review, showed some modest business like strictness with a suggestive mode of approval and exuberance of the presentation of each character. He also included himself in the backstage scene which was contrary to what he had done in the past and he, too, admitted to somehow being under control of his own powers of imagination and reverie. He looked out at the center stage, from the backstage and then turned toward the group and showed his appreciation.

        Mary, Bob and Carol greeted Paul with a silent ovation and expressed that there was no need for comments or expressions of approval of any kind, and then Dave stood next to John and gave a nonverbal gesture and several words of consent, and then said to John, “I guess I have been wanted to say that for a long time but I felt there was always time and patience to wait for the right moment or the right scene to occur, and this may, if you pardon the expression, not be in the script, but it certainly is the right place to say what I have to say.” The others then congratulated each other, but only subtle like and modesty for they knew that this was probably the only time that they were on the same side on anything, and that side was expressed and acted out a lot more than being on the side of the backstage that prompted them for their illustrious but humble performance. Carol then looked at the others and said “I am glad we can enjoy this moment but we have a script to learn and a show to do.” The other began to look at their scripts, and much of it seemed familiar but there was something new in the way the words jumped off the page, and into their heads. They all agreed it was all the excitement and creativity that each of them had displayed, and then they all wondered if they could temper and calm themselves to read and act the script as it was written, and all agreed that they could, together.

        As all were reading the script closely, John walked around the group and then stood in front of them, which was unusual for him, but not today, because that was part of what he had believed he could do on a particular day as today. The other looked at his a little surprisingly at first, then began to recognize that this was not as peculiar as they had thought, for each of them had expressed some drama today that was somehow tucked away in their imagination. However, the characters also revealed the fact that today, unlike other days, the contribution and acting of each member contributed toward the wholeness of the group and the cohesiveness, a term which they thought had very little place in this particular collection of actors in this particular stage. John, as did the others realized all this in a matter of seconds then began to express himself with a type of sureness of clearness that was not usually part of his ordinary character. He stated “If you take a look at part of the script which is entitled “The backstage scene” I think you will see something surprising and enticing, but for today, not all together peculiar. Each turned to that part of the script, and the contents was the same as what each had performed today, the words and actions. Dave then looked carefully and then walked with a definite slowness but friendliness toward the rest of the group and said “Look I am sure some of the notes we took when we were creating this was somehow formulated into what we see and have done here today.” Dave did not really believe this as did not the others but before anyone could say anything, the director came in and thanked everyone for their contribution to the script and made his suggestions on how to present what they had written. John looked carefully at everyone and waiting for their approval said to the director in a slow but sure tone, “We will perform just as we did before, for that is what we offer, with our creativity personified, ‘The Backstage Scene, Taking Center Stage.’ All concurred, pointed to the part of the script, and went on stage, all as one.