The Spotlight

She moved about the backstage area quietly. Her arms full of costumes and a make-up brush in her mouth, she zigzagged through the actors and other backstage crewmembers. As she walked about she handed out the costumes to the actors. A young actress ran up to her side, “Will you help me with my lines again I still can’t get them.” She nodded and as they walked work with the girl on her lines. The young actress hugged her and then ran off joyfully. She made her way into the make-up room and greeted the great actor sitting in his chair. The great actor smiled slightly and prepared for the slow application process. She gently applied the make-up and when she was done he looked in the mirror satisfied and the left to signal another to come in. After about five actors and actresses she was called out to the left stage wing to fix some costume that had ripped.

While working on the fabric she overheard two actors arguing with each other about the spotlight. That stupid spotlight, the only thing all these people live and die for just one chance to be in it. She leaned back and looked between the side curtains. There it was, a clean crisp circle spotlight. Nothing else shown around the stage area was dark except for the small circle in center stage. It’s just a light, why is it that all these people strive for it? Curiosity started bubbling up in her. But she was distracted by another crewmember asking her for a make-up tip. “Your such a big help. I’m glad you’re here to help us.” The old crewman said smiling. She looked at him and smiled, he had been backstage his whole life and never complained a bit, she could almost say he was like a father figure to her.

She stood up, finished with her job and stretched. But her eyes caught the spotlight again and the curiosity stirred in her again. She took a step toward it, then another and another until she was standing right before it. She looked intently at it, what is with this thing, she thought. Slowly she brought her hand to the edge of it, taking a deep breath she moved her hand into the light. A small warm feeling filled her and she smiled, the spotlight felt good. In the distance she could hear the audience clapping and cheering her name. The moment was soon stolen when the girl who she had just helped with her lines knocked her hand out of the spotlight. Stumbling back from sheer shock she grabbed her hand and looked in amazement as the young actress acted as though she was proud she had done that. She grasped her hand to her chest; that slap had hurt really badly. Maybe she just wasn’t meant for the spotlight. She knew not everyone was and turned back to her duties, another costume had torn and she sat down trying to fix it, but her mind was elsewhere. The burning sensation the spotlight had left in her was blazing to get out. She looked around her.

Her whole life had been back here, in the dark, unnoticed and safe from the audience. She then began to look at the other crewmembers, they too have probably never been in the spotlight, or even touched it like she had. Ninety percent of everything that happens backstage goes on unnoticed by the audience. She smiled slightly as she finished the stitching and sent the chorus member off on his way. She looked at her hand and smiled. How she longed to just touch the spotlight again, just one more time. Slowly she looked at it again. Then, looking around to see if anyone was watching her, she stood up and headed straight for it; stopping, again, just outside it. She took a deep breath as she again placed her hand in it and once the feeling came again she pulled her hand back out afraid of another smack from another actor. But no one came. She was alone on stage. She gulped back her fear, closing her eyes she stepped in and the world around her changed.

She could see in front of her the audience at their feet cheering her on. Hundreds of roses being tossed on stage and voices yelling, ‘Bravo!’ ‘Encore!’ Her body tingled with this new sensation. Never before had anyone other than the other crewmembers noticed her like this. She bowed humbly and blushed. She couldn’t believe…her thoughts were interupted when she was shoved out of the spotlight and onto the ground. She sat up, tears streaming down her face and turned to look who it was. The diva stood twirling her huge dress that barely fit in the circle. The diva’s large figure and extremely large dress twirled once more and began moving out of the spotlight. She sat there thinking as the diva became hidden again backstage, tears still streaming down her face she stood up and brushed herself off. Collecting what pride she still had she turned to go back to work. But something in her made her turn back to it, a desire to continue to be in the spotlight.

She made her way to it and stepped in again, the audience, roses…and again the diva violently shoved her out but this time she didn’t hit the floor. Instead she landed in someone’s arms. She turned her face to look at them and her eyes met the directors. He smiled down at her and helped her to her feet. “I’ve been watching you and you are amazing at what you do.” She was stunned the director, the creator of the show was watching her. “I was only in the light for a moment. I didn’t mean anything about it. I’m sorry. I just got curious. I didn’t even think I did that great of a job. But thanks.”

He shook his head, “I’m not talking about that.” He said point to the spotlight. “I’m talking about all you have done here.” He gestured to the backstage area. “But no one sees that. It’s only a blessing to the actors and…” He cut her off. “No it is not. I have you here to be a blessing to me and to the audience. If the actors didn’t have costumes the show wouldn’t be what it is. If the backdrops weren’t there it would be a blank set. If you and the other crewmembers weren’t here I wouldn't be able to touch and audience and the actors would be without the technical support that, though some don’t realize it, need it badly.” He motioned to the diva that waved at him and smirked at her as she turned back to the audience. She hung her head, “Are all of them like that when they are in the spotlight? Was I like that?” He chuckled, “No. Some of them like the great actor over there, he is very much humble about his work. Some of the young actors are too. You? No. You…you are very humble. You’ve known your whole life what it is like to be backstage. You’ve worked hard, treated even the worst people with love, when you came into the spotlight for just that brief moment you treated it like gold and you didn’t become so big headed that you took the whole spot, but you allowed room in case anyone else wanted to join you. Which is why I am choosing you.”

Her face filled with worry, “Choosing me for what?” He chuckled again and turned to her to face the spotlight. Leaning so he could whisper in her ear, “This is your time to be what you are called you to be. I want you to show the audience what it is to be a true actor. Not boastful, not big headed but loving and humble. Show them how to truly live in the spotlight. This is your time. Now go. Don’t be afraid I’m right outside it watching you, always.”

 

Reviews

[voice of a dark angel]

don't stop here!....keep writing!

[Hayame]

This is art imitating life, again.

[Drew Wade]

Is this an allegory for something? I appreciate the dream-like quality of it at the beginning and the middle. It is written well. What do you think about paragraphs? I think maybe the fact that it's all one paragraph contributes to the dream-like quality of it, so it might not be a bad thing.