LIFE GOES ON… and on… (Part 171w)
By Thursday it seemed like
Dotty had made some progress as far as being accepted was concerned.
She’d continued to come in with more casual clothes and really seemed to
be trying to change her ‘persona’. I’d mentioned to Bret that Cliffy was
planning on racing in Connecticut the next night. He gave me one of
those ‘you’ve got to be kidding!’ looks. All I could do was give him a
weak smile. I left work early to be sure I’d get something to eat before heading to the school. Being
the dress rehearsal, Elle had to get there very early as her costume
was the most elaborate and took the longest time to get fitted on her.
As much as she hated to do it she wore a “full package”, complete with a
pair of plastic pants. I really had to admire her for having the
courage to do it although the ladies helping her to dress all knew about her ‘problem’. But, the idea of being in front of hundreds of
people and probably being wet while on stage was pretty courageous in my
eyes. Paula ate dinner with us which made the kids happy. She hadn’t
gone to Elle’s mother’s house (where she was living) to change so was
wearing the clothes she’d worn for teaching… a cute, short pleated skirt. Knowing the kids liked to play games with her while on the floor I
could only imagine some of the ‘peeks’ I’d get if I were there with
them. Elle and I left the house a little after 6pm. Elle was excited but
I really wasn’t looking forward to my new ‘job’.
A little
background about the school and the auditorium… It was built in 1934 and
was now 35 years old with very few renovations. The school population had
almost tripled in the fourteen years since Elle had graduated. Most of what had been done was in the kitchen. Other efforts had been few and far between and when the budgets were
submitted it was always the extra curricular programs that were given
short shrift. The auditorium and gymnasium had been combined when the
school was built and where there had been some improvements for the athletic
part of it, the stage had been pretty much ignored. Jonesie had brought
me up to date on it saying that the stage lighting was still the same as
when it was built. The only thing that had been addressed was the
curtains and only after they had pretty much disintegrated. When they were
replaced they didn’t mechanize them leaving the pull chain system in
place. When Phyllis came up with the idea for the PTA play she’d gotten a
promise that the proceeds would go to improve the stage lighting and,
if any money was left, mechanize the curtains.
It hadn’t taken
long for Phyllis, who not only had written the play but was also
directing it, found the lighting woefully inadequate for what she wanted to do. After some
searching they’d located a couple of portable stage spotlights in the
city. As I looked at them they appeared to be about 10 feet high. To
have access to them Jonesie had erected two 4’ by 4’ platforms on some
of his portable scaffolding. There was another parent who’d been roped
into the project. Hal was a ‘mousey’ little man who didn’t have much to
say when we given our basic instructions. The spot lights were hidden
from the audience by the ‘wings’ of curtains on the stage and we were
each given a side to operate from. We got a chance to operate our
spotlights, independent from each other, before the rehearsal started
and I immediately found out why heavy leather gloves had been placed on
the platform. The lights were very hot! It wasn't long before we heard the
word “Places, everybody…”
Another piece of important
information is that there were no dressing rooms with access to the stage. The
boys and girls locker rooms were where the ‘actors’ dressed. However, without direct access the
hallways had to be used going to and from. It had always been a bit of a problem because
of the time it took but for this play it had turned out to be a major
one. There were a couple of places in the play where quick changes were
necessary and Phyllis dictated that there be two areas backstage where
this could be accomplished. Jonesie had made up a framework to hang
blankets for privacy; one on each side of the stage. However, when doing
it, there hadn’t been any scaffolding there. From my ‘perch’ I was
looking right straight down into one of the changing areas. I’d not seen the play
and knew nothing of what was taking place on or off the stage. I
controlled the first light to go on and concentrated on the “spot” that
had been designated. I had my “cue card” and focused on getting
everything just right. When that was over I turned off the light to wait
for the next one. Then I heard whispered voices beneath me. I looked
down and there were three women in various stages of undress. It took my
breath away. When you look straight down on someone basically all you
see is the top of their head and their shoulders. You don’t have facial
recognition. These women were moving about, bending over, leaning in one
direction and then another as they struggled to get out of one costume
and then into the other. I couldn’t tell who any of them were but one
ended up sitting on the floor to pull on a pair of what appeared to be
knee length leather knickers that was a part of her costume. Standing on
the platform I was about 10 feet away, straight up. The woman who was
on the floor had her legs spread about as far apart as she could as she
struggled to pull them up over her calves. It was a full on crotch view,
although the lighting was poor. But, beggars can’t be choosey.
Next,
it was Hal’s turn. I watched him focus on his spot and waited for my
turn. When it came there was a very loud “POP” and all the stage lights
went out. The auditorium lights stayed on so there was still some light. It
didn’t stop some of the women from letting out little cries of distress.
The first words I heard were from Jonesie telling all those on the
stage to stay put until he could find out what had happened. I would’ve
been happier if there had been something else to hold on to other than
the two handles on the hot light I was operating. I could hear Jonesie right
below me and I also heard him curse. Then he told all the people on the
stage to go out into the auditorium. I’d used a step ladder to get up
on the platform but Hal had it. I could see the others gathering on the
gym floor and finally had to call out for someone to get me a ladder.
Once we were all accounted for Jonesie and Phyllis, who had been talking
together for a few minutes, made the announcement that they would have
to do the play without the spotlights. The amperage of the borrowed lights was too great for the antiquated wiring available on the
stage. When I’d turned my light on to join the one Hal was operating it
blew the main fuse for the stage. Jonesie added that we were lucky it
hadn’t started a fire and that the outlet that mine had been connected
to was pretty much destroyed. Listening to him, and putting ’two and two
together’, I knew I was free from my obligation and would be able to go
to Connecticut the next day. Before they resumed the rehearsal I spoke
with Phyllis and told her I was sorry but that I really had nothing to
do with creating the problem. I can remember the look on her face as
being one of almost contempt but I didn’t care. Because Elle and I’d
driven to the school together I stayed through the rehearsal. I had to
admit it was a cute idea but glad I was done with it.
To be continued…
No comments:
Post a Comment