“Nobody has what you said coming.”
“I thought our talk worked. I was exhausted when I got in, and I didn’t have tequila making things more interesting. For her to go home and get hammered, then tell me she can’t make the morning walk through we agreed on— We’re good, for now. I called her back and apologized for what I said, and I did it without letting her off the hook for screwing up so much. You were right, though; she has some other stuff going on, and talking helped. I don’t know if I can work with her anymore unless she can get some control back, but we are friends, and I’m putting that first right now.”
“Talking usually does help,” he said. “I think we prove that every day.”
“If talking helps so much, why do you still feel the need to do—you know?”
“You mean,” he leaned in to whisper, “spank your adorable little ass? Because, my love, sometimes it’s the quickest way to open your ears.”
“Funny guy.”
“I mean it, Harper. No matter how keyed up Riley gets, just take it in stride. You’ve gone over every detail. It’s going to be a great night. Oh, and you and Maddy are on a strict three drink maximum. This isn’t a girl’s night out bar crawl.”
“I know. Maddy isn’t drinking at all. Looks like I’m stricter than you. I plan on having Coke in solidarity.”
“You’re a good friend, Harper Harrison.”
“We better get going. I don’t want to be the cause of Riley’s first aneurysm of the night.”
Along with the rest of the team, top to bottom, Harper and Lucas were photographed and paraded about like show dogs. Riley wanted everyone to know how amazing they were at their jobs, how supportive and well liked they were in the community, and how making the evening’s events go off flawlessly was nothing short of theatrical magic on their parts. Harper couldn’t remember posing or smiling as much as she had that night.
When she finally made her way to the booth, her sparkly sandals were kicked off, and she dug her toes into the carpet in relief. This was where she belonged and where she found her true center. As she slipped on her headset and double-checked her light board, her monitor, and her light panel on the wall, Harper sighed in the deep contentment of it all. Looking at her sound guy, she opened the microphone on her headset to get things going.
“All right, people, bring your A-game. Places. House to half going. Break legs, everyone.”
As she hit and released the button that would put the audience in black and bring up the stage lights, she felt her hair being moved ever so gently. Kisses trailed the right side of her neck, and his breath whispered in her ear.
“Break a leg, baby girl.”
~The End~
Glossary of Theatre Terms
ACTING AREA - That area within the performance space within which the actor may move in full view of the audience. Also known as the playing area. (e.g. 'The stage is split into 6 acting areas, 3 downstage and 3 upstage').
AISLE - A passage through seating.
APRON - The Apron is a section of the stage floor which projects towards or into the auditorium.
ASM - Assistant Stage Manager. Usually shortened to ASM, the assistant stage manager is the most junior member of the Stage Management team and is often in charge of sourcing and running Properties during the run of a show. She or he is also a member of the stage 'crew.'
BACKSTAGE - The part of the stage and theatre that is out of the sight of the audience. The service areas of the theatre, behind, beside or underneath the stage. Also refers to the personnel who work in the technical departments that work to create the performance, alongside the actors and musicians.
BLACKS -
1) Black clothing worn by stage management during productions.
2) Any black drapes or tabs, permanently or temporarily rigged. Used for masking offstage and technical areas.
BLOCKING - The process of arranging moves to be made by the actors during the play, recorded by stage management in the prompt script. Positions at the start of scenes are noted, as are all movements around the stage (using terms such as 'Gardener X DSL' meaning the Gardener crosses to downstage left.) It must be described in minute detail, but simple enough to enable anyone to read and understand it. As well as being used to 'run the show,' the prompt book is also used for the rehearsal of the understudies.
BOX OFFICE - Part of the theatre front of house area where audience members can buy tickets. Most Box Offices are now computerized, and offer phone reservations. Some offer online (internet) bookings, also.
BREAK A LEG - A superstitious and widely accepted alternative to 'Good Luck' (which is considered bad luck).
CALL -
1) A notification of a working session (e.g. a Rehearsal Call, Band Call, Photo Call)
2) The period of time to which the above call refers. (e.g. "Your call for tomorrow night’s show is 6.55pm")
3) A request for an actor to come to the stage because an entrance is imminent (these are courtesy calls and should not be relied on by actors - e.g., "This is your call for the finale, Mr. Smith and Miss Jones.")
4) An acknowledgement of applause (e.g., curtain call)
5) The DSM on the book is said to be "calling the cues."
6) The Final Call is also known as The Half – thirty-five minutes before the performance starts, and the latest time when the cast and crew should be in the theatre.
CALLING THE SHOW - The process of giving verbal cues to the lighting, sound, fly operators, and stage crew during the performance. Usually done from the prompt corner by the stage manager over a headset.
COMS -
1) Headset earpiece, microphone, and belt pack used for communication and co-ordination of technical departments during a performance. (e.g., "Electrics on coms," "Going off coms," "Quiet on coms!"). In the USA, ClearCom is commonly used.
2) Any headphones.
CAST - The members of the acting company.
COMPANY - The cast, crew. and other staff associated with a show.
COSTUMES - Clothes worn by the actors onstage. The responsibility of the WARDROBE DEPARTMENT.
CUE -
1) The command given to technical departments to carry out a particular operation. E.g. Fly Cue or Sound Cue. Normally given by stage management, but may be taken directly from the action (i.e. a Visual Cue).
2) Any signal (spoken line, action, or count) that indicates another action should follow (i.e. the actors' cue to enter is when the Maid says "I hear someone coming! Quick - Hide!")
CUE TO CUE - Cutting out action and dialogue between cues during a technical rehearsal, to save time. (e.g. "OK, can I stop you there - we'll now jump to the end of this scene. We'll pick it up from Simon's line "And from then on it was all downhill" in a moment. OK - we're all set - when you're ready please.")
CURTAIN CALL - At the end of a performance, the acknowledgement of applause by actors - the bows.
CYCLORAMA - Usually shortened to just cyc (pronounced sike). The Cyclorama is a curved plain cloth or plastered wall filling the rear of the stage or TV studio. Often used as a sky backing to a traditional set, or as the main backing for a dance piece etc.
DIRECTOR - There are many types of director. Broadly, the role involves being responsible for the overall artistic vision of a production.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - Normally in charge of the programming of a venue. May also direct shows.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - Manager in charge of the administration of a venue.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR - In charge of the technical requirements of a production.
GREEN ROOM - Room close to the stage for the actors to meet and relax before or after going on stage.
LOBBY - Part of the front of house area of the theatre into which the audience first arrives on entering. The foyer normally contains: Box Office, Toilets, and Entrance to auditorium, Bar, Concession / merchandising stand.
OFFSTAGE - The area out of sight of the audience (e.g. 'Get that donkey offstage!')
PM - Short for PRO
DUCTION MANAGER. Theatrical production management is a sub-division of stagecraft. The production management team (consisting of a production manager and any number of assistants) is responsible for realizing the visions of the producer and the director or choreographer within constraints of technical possibility.
PRESET - Anything in position before the beginning of a scene or act (e.g. Props placed on stage before the performance, lighting state on stage as the audience are entering.)
PYROTECHNICS - (Pyro) Chemical explosive or flammable firework effects with a manual detonation; usually electrically fired with specially designed fail-safe equipment. There are many different variations of pyrotechnic effects available.
REVOLVE - A turntable built into the stage floor on which scenery can be set and then driven into view. Can be electrically chain driven either as part of an automation system or via simple start/stop controls, or manually rotated. A revolve can also be built on top of an existing stage.
RUN -
1) A sequence of performances of the same production. (e.g. 'How long is the run of this show?' or 'This show runs for two weeks.')
2) A rehearsal of the whole show or a section of it (e.g. ‘This afternoon's rehearsal will be a run of Act II followed by notes').
STAGE CREW - Member of the Stage staff who is responsible for moving props and/or scenery during the show, and for ensuring that items under their responsibility are working correctly and properly maintained. Stage Crews (also known as Stage Hands) are often employed on a casual basis for a specific production and may not be part of the theatre's full-time staff.
STAGE DOOR - The backstage entrance to the theatre. Performers and technicians enter here.
STRIKE - To disassemble a stage set ("strike the set"), to remove props from the stage. (e.g. "How many crew do you need for the strike?" "Strike the armchair after scene 1," etc.)
Translations
Se gusto huele a culo. Tal vez ha estado aquí demasiado tiempo. It smells like ass. Maybe it has been here too long.
Eso apesta! That sucks!
Riley, que no va a querer trabajar conmigo. No conmigo a cargo. No veo cómo va a funcionar. He will not work with me. More importantly, he won’t work for me.
Soy curioso. I’m curious.
Snippy es lo que hago. Que utilizó para encontrar divertido. Snippy is what I do. You used to find it fun.
Entonces, ¿qué pasó? Then, what happened?
¡Cállate! Shut up!
Estás no ayuda en absoluto! You’re no help at all!
Maldición! Damn!
¡Cabrón! Bastard!
Te gusta mi culo sexy en exhibición. You like my sexy ass on display.
Lo siento. No es gracioso. I’m sorry. It’s not funny.
¡Ay! Tómalo con calma. Sí, papi! Ay! Take it easy. Yes, Daddy!
¡Dios mío! Mi cabeza. Hacer esa parada, por favor. My god! My head. Make this stop, please.
Buenos días, guapo. Espero que hayas traído café. Good morning, handsome. I hope that you've brought coffee.
¿Podemos dejarlo por favor en el pasado? Can we leave it in the past, please?
Te quiero mucho. I love you very much.
Hola, mami. Hi, Mommy.
Harper, dime lo que está mal. Harper, tell me what is wrong.
Sí, mi amor. Yes, my love.
Mami, soy yo. Mommy, I am.
Mi niña. My girl.
Si. Yes.
Lo siento. I’m sorry.
Estoy aterrorizado de perder todo esto en términos que no sea el mío. I am petrified of losing any of this on terms other than my own.
Paige Parsons
Paige Parsons is a creative Joan of all Trades, who has spent 25 years working in theatre as an actress and stage manager. A native New Yorker, she now resides in Japan. Paige has always loved the world of make believe and was a voracious reader growing up. Some of her favorite authors included Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Jackie Collins, Erma Bombeck, Toni Morrison, Dan Brown and a host of others. Her writing began with stories for her Barbie, Ken, and Skipper dolls and progressed with poetry, modern retellings of classics, and her own spicy romances, kept in a locked journal.
She graduated with a degree in Communication/English-Creative Writing and has worked as a journalist, teacher, stage manager, and production manager. Paige loves to tell stories, read stories, and put stories up on the stage.
Visit her on Facebook: Paige Parsons
Twitter: @authorpparsons1
Instagram: authorpaigeparsons
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Paige Parsons and Blushing Books!
Taking The Stage
Sharing Backstage
Sweet Town Love - Anthology
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