tblanco

I am part of this experimental theater production that takes place in the banquet hall of a crappy family steakhouse. There is a small stage area in the front of the room and the chairs are all arranged facing the stage like some kind of improvised theatrical space. We are sitting around waiting for something to happen while the general manager of the restaurant paces around the front of the room looking nervous. A girl with short hair and wearing a flannel shirt walks in the room holding a guitar and the manager is excited and says that this is Macey and she is going to run our class, that she is an improv teacher. Macey smiles sheepishly at us and says that she just had band practice and doesn't feel up to teaching today. All of us in the class start stompin our feet and clapping our hands begging her to stay and teach us but she just waves and leaves.

Later my friend Marshall is directing us in a play. He has a giant theater with thousands of seats. The stage is littered with very expensive moving lights and a ratty old gray fabric couch. There is about seven of us on stage and we are all wearing very casual t-shirts and shorts or bluejeans. Everything is painted black. Marshall is directing us on the blocking of a big musical number. He has each person sing or talk a little bit then move over to where they are going to stand on the stage. He gestures to the couch and tells me that it's the most important part of the piece.

He whispers to me that now is when I do my part so I walk over to the center of the stage and all the lights come on. There is a very loud sound like an electrically charged sonic boom and I start to speak. I talk but I don't know what I'm saying and I wave my arms back and fourth. When I am finished the auditoriom, which is suddenly full of people, bursts into giant applause. I look over in the wings to Marshall and he gives me the signal to keep going. Don't stop. The stage goes dark except for one spotlight on the ratty gray couch.