Backstage

Excerpt from The Pause In Between, Kaeppel ©2013

“Um, Eddie?” Her voice was a whisper but barely. “The tree. It won’t go up.”

“Sound cue 10 … go,” Eddie whispered into his headset. “What do you mean it won’t go up? Light cues 17 through 20 standing by.”

“It’s stuck. I’m afraid to yank any harder. I might break the cord.”

“What’s it stuck on? Light cue 17 … go; 18,” he stealthily made his way behind the audience to get a different sight angle. “Go.”

“I don’t know; I can’t see. Set’s in the way.”

“Light cue 19 hold, give it a long twenty count. This one has to go with the tree.”

“Holding,” Kidd whispered.

“Rose, do you have your flashlight on you? Kidd, I’m gonna need you to fade back to cue 17.”

“Ready on your go,” Kidd whispered.

“Go. Rose your light?”

“I’m … uh, I’m getting it.” Eddie could picture her putting one of the tree cords in her mouth.

“When you get it, I want you to stretch your arm back away from the set and try to aim it on the pulley. But only for a quick second, only on my go.” He tapped his foot impatiently but noiselessly. The repeated light cue should be bright enough to mask her flashlight beam. He hoped he could spot the trouble on the first try. The cast was already looking nervous. One flash of light could distract the audience, worse if it took more than one.

“I got it.”

“Okay. Go.” Eddie strained his vision. A little beam shot at the ceiling for a split second. He spotted the tangle and rushed quickly and quietly backstage. It is for occasions such as this that technicians wear all black and move against all black walls. He called cues, made them up, to Kidd as he went, thankful that the boy followed direction without question or delay. When he reached Rose, he boosted her petite frame over his head. Noiselessly she planted her feet on his shoulders while he reached up to hold her steady. On tiptoes, she reached for the tangle and loosened it in one swift flick, mindful not to let the cords drop.

“Light cue 19, go,” Eddie whispered. The tree grew and the lights dimmed, that’s what the audience saw. It happened as a part of the motion of lowering Rose to the floor at the rate of a twenty-count cue. They both held their breath. Eddie’s muscles groaned.

The audience oohed. Eddie breathed. “Well done.”

He picked up his script from the floor and moved back out from behind the stage area. “Cue 20, go. Stand by on sound.” He forced his concentration onto the show, but he flexed his free hand unable to shake the sensation of holding tightly to Rose’s tensed legs.