Katherine Nicolai

Everyone around her responded in a chorus, as we'd been trained to do since our very first shows. Thank you, 30, we sang back. I smiled as I made my way back through the green room toward the house. That call and response had always felt like a particularly well-devised form of communication. Some information is given, and then you respond politely and show that you understood

Everyone around her responded in a chorus, as we'd been trained to do since our very first shows. Thank you, 30, we sang back. I smiled as I made my way back through the green room toward the house. That call and response had always felt like a particularly well-devised form of communication. Some information is given, and then you respond politely and show that you understood

by repeating the most important aspect of it. I tried to make a habit of it when some message came my way, to say thank you and acknowledge the vital missive. Now, here, being part of something I loved, I pushed through the doors, and signaled to the ushers to open the house. I thought, thank you, opening night. Opening night. We had a few hours yet, and most everything was done.

by repeating the most important aspect of it. I tried to make a habit of it when some message came my way, to say thank you and acknowledge the vital missive. Now, here, being part of something I loved, I pushed through the doors, and signaled to the ushers to open the house. I thought, thank you, opening night. Opening night. We had a few hours yet, and most everything was done.

by repeating the most important aspect of it. I tried to make a habit of it when some message came my way, to say thank you and acknowledge the vital missive. Now, here, being part of something I loved, I pushed through the doors, and signaled to the ushers to open the house. I thought, thank you, opening night. Opening night. We had a few hours yet, and most everything was done.

The costumes were hanging in the dressing rooms. The lights were set, and hopefully the cast was ready. I carried an armful of programs to a table at the back of the auditorium and had a seat. The programs needed to be folded. Each was just a few sheets. We weren't on Broadway here, just a small playhouse, a community theater that did four or five shows a year.

The costumes were hanging in the dressing rooms. The lights were set, and hopefully the cast was ready. I carried an armful of programs to a table at the back of the auditorium and had a seat. The programs needed to be folded. Each was just a few sheets. We weren't on Broadway here, just a small playhouse, a community theater that did four or five shows a year.

The costumes were hanging in the dressing rooms. The lights were set, and hopefully the cast was ready. I carried an armful of programs to a table at the back of the auditorium and had a seat. The programs needed to be folded. Each was just a few sheets. We weren't on Broadway here, just a small playhouse, a community theater that did four or five shows a year.

I laid the stack of papers out in front of me and started to put them together, lining up the sheets and clapping the edges of the pages against the table to even them out, then finding the middle seam and creasing it tightly with my thumbnail. and tucking the finished version in a box for our ushers to reach into later tonight. I liked having the empty theater to myself.

I laid the stack of papers out in front of me and started to put them together, lining up the sheets and clapping the edges of the pages against the table to even them out, then finding the middle seam and creasing it tightly with my thumbnail. and tucking the finished version in a box for our ushers to reach into later tonight. I liked having the empty theater to myself.

I laid the stack of papers out in front of me and started to put them together, lining up the sheets and clapping the edges of the pages against the table to even them out, then finding the middle seam and creasing it tightly with my thumbnail. and tucking the finished version in a box for our ushers to reach into later tonight. I liked having the empty theater to myself.

I wasn't going to be treading the boards tonight. I was just helping wherever I was needed. a sort of gopher for the stage manager and the director and any cast member who suddenly couldn't find their props or lost a shoe. Still, the space had a kind of magic to it. The empty seats looked expectant in the low light and I thought about the very first time I saw a play.

I wasn't going to be treading the boards tonight. I was just helping wherever I was needed. a sort of gopher for the stage manager and the director and any cast member who suddenly couldn't find their props or lost a shoe. Still, the space had a kind of magic to it. The empty seats looked expectant in the low light and I thought about the very first time I saw a play.

I wasn't going to be treading the boards tonight. I was just helping wherever I was needed. a sort of gopher for the stage manager and the director and any cast member who suddenly couldn't find their props or lost a shoe. Still, the space had a kind of magic to it. The empty seats looked expectant in the low light and I thought about the very first time I saw a play.

My mother had taken me, and I might have been in second or third grade. I know the play well now. In fact, I've been in it twice since. but most of it had gone over my head that first night. The thing that had certainly registered was the electric feeling of watching live theater. I just couldn't believe how it felt. how it looked, how different it was from a movie or show on TV.

My mother had taken me, and I might have been in second or third grade. I know the play well now. In fact, I've been in it twice since. but most of it had gone over my head that first night. The thing that had certainly registered was the electric feeling of watching live theater. I just couldn't believe how it felt. how it looked, how different it was from a movie or show on TV.

My mother had taken me, and I might have been in second or third grade. I know the play well now. In fact, I've been in it twice since. but most of it had gone over my head that first night. The thing that had certainly registered was the electric feeling of watching live theater. I just couldn't believe how it felt. how it looked, how different it was from a movie or show on TV.

I remembered being mesmerized by being able to see the lead actress blink and breathe. I was close enough to hear every step and sound the cast made. I carried the box of ready programs over to a tiny alcove beside the door and set them in there, ready for showtime, then walked through the aisles of seats to the third or fourth row and scooted along to the middle seat.

I remembered being mesmerized by being able to see the lead actress blink and breathe. I was close enough to hear every step and sound the cast made. I carried the box of ready programs over to a tiny alcove beside the door and set them in there, ready for showtime, then walked through the aisles of seats to the third or fourth row and scooted along to the middle seat.

I remembered being mesmerized by being able to see the lead actress blink and breathe. I was close enough to hear every step and sound the cast made. I carried the box of ready programs over to a tiny alcove beside the door and set them in there, ready for showtime, then walked through the aisles of seats to the third or fourth row and scooted along to the middle seat.