The Stage

It’s when you get inside the theatre

And you can smell the hazer

And see the depth of the stage

That you remember what all these hours have been for

You walk through the wings

And stand under the glow of the lights

And feel a sense of relief

Feel like you’re home

The delicious adrenalin sheer hard gut busting work of it 

Because sometimes you do wonder why you’re here

Standing in line with hundreds of others

Belting as high as they can

Articulating gesticulating and explicating

But it’s the relief of being there

On the stage

Working with the director and the lighting designer and the costume designer and the stage manager and the musical director and the musicians and the ensemble and 

All the myriads of people who work unseen to make the magic happen

Not really magic

Just sheer hard work and determination

Hour upon hour of rehearsal

Sometimes you wonder where a whole afternoon went

Because when you look at the script, you’ve only covered a page!

But the continual repetition and drilling and finding meaning in the text

Is where you find the magic 

Meters of fabric

A team of dedicated souls 

And a room

Become transformed into countless other worlds

Where people sing and dance and act

Often at the same time! 

And it makes you so happy

Makes your blood pulse through your very being 

And reminds you why it is you chose to be here

The end.