Katherine Nicolai

I pressed the seat down behind me and sat. This might be the very spot I'd sat in for that first show. I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. It was high and dark and I could just make out some of the light fixtures that, in a couple of hours, would flood the stage and make the people sitting in these seats forget for a while about anything besides what they saw before them.

I pressed the seat down behind me and sat. This might be the very spot I'd sat in for that first show. I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. It was high and dark and I could just make out some of the light fixtures that, in a couple of hours, would flood the stage and make the people sitting in these seats forget for a while about anything besides what they saw before them.

I pressed the seat down behind me and sat. This might be the very spot I'd sat in for that first show. I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. It was high and dark and I could just make out some of the light fixtures that, in a couple of hours, would flood the stage and make the people sitting in these seats forget for a while about anything besides what they saw before them.

I pushed up from the chair and headed down the row to the aisle. I walked to the back of the house, glancing through the rows as I went, to see that all was clean and ready for our audience. And it was. I checked my watch. The cast would be here in a bit to start warming up and getting into costume. And I took a side door into the green room to see that it was ready.

I pushed up from the chair and headed down the row to the aisle. I walked to the back of the house, glancing through the rows as I went, to see that all was clean and ready for our audience. And it was. I checked my watch. The cast would be here in a bit to start warming up and getting into costume. And I took a side door into the green room to see that it was ready.

I pushed up from the chair and headed down the row to the aisle. I walked to the back of the house, glancing through the rows as I went, to see that all was clean and ready for our audience. And it was. I checked my watch. The cast would be here in a bit to start warming up and getting into costume. And I took a side door into the green room to see that it was ready.

We always laid out a table of snacks and drinks, along with a bouquet of flowers for the cast and crew on opening night. And I fussed with the roses for a few moments. so that they showed well in their vase. I took a stack of napkins from a drawer and laid it out next to the crackers and nuts. The green room has a different energy from the house and certainly from the stage.

We always laid out a table of snacks and drinks, along with a bouquet of flowers for the cast and crew on opening night. And I fussed with the roses for a few moments. so that they showed well in their vase. I took a stack of napkins from a drawer and laid it out next to the crackers and nuts. The green room has a different energy from the house and certainly from the stage.

We always laid out a table of snacks and drinks, along with a bouquet of flowers for the cast and crew on opening night. And I fussed with the roses for a few moments. so that they showed well in their vase. I took a stack of napkins from a drawer and laid it out next to the crackers and nuts. The green room has a different energy from the house and certainly from the stage.

It feels anticipatory back here, excited but muted. I kept up my tour and next went to check the dressing rooms. I flicked on the switch by the door and the big bulbs ringing each mirror lit up. The counters were clear and clean, and I set out a couple of boxes of tissues here and there. I twisted the knob for the speaker above the door.

It feels anticipatory back here, excited but muted. I kept up my tour and next went to check the dressing rooms. I flicked on the switch by the door and the big bulbs ringing each mirror lit up. The counters were clear and clean, and I set out a couple of boxes of tissues here and there. I twisted the knob for the speaker above the door.

It feels anticipatory back here, excited but muted. I kept up my tour and next went to check the dressing rooms. I flicked on the switch by the door and the big bulbs ringing each mirror lit up. The counters were clear and clean, and I set out a couple of boxes of tissues here and there. I twisted the knob for the speaker above the door.

That let actors hear what was happening on stage, so they wouldn't miss their cues. and I could make out a few voices and pacing feet. That must be the stage manager and crew getting things ready. Down the hall, I pushed through the heavy stage door and stepped into the wings and backstage space. It was dark. Tall, thick curtains at the edges of stage right and left kept it that way.

That let actors hear what was happening on stage, so they wouldn't miss their cues. and I could make out a few voices and pacing feet. That must be the stage manager and crew getting things ready. Down the hall, I pushed through the heavy stage door and stepped into the wings and backstage space. It was dark. Tall, thick curtains at the edges of stage right and left kept it that way.

That let actors hear what was happening on stage, so they wouldn't miss their cues. and I could make out a few voices and pacing feet. That must be the stage manager and crew getting things ready. Down the hall, I pushed through the heavy stage door and stepped into the wings and backstage space. It was dark. Tall, thick curtains at the edges of stage right and left kept it that way.

I walked past the light booth and exchanged a wave with the technician inside. Over the prop table, I clicked on a lamp clamped to the wall. It was fitted with a blue light bulb that would give our actors enough illumination to pick up what they needed but wouldn't be visible to the audience. We'd covered the table with a piece of white butcher's paper

I walked past the light booth and exchanged a wave with the technician inside. Over the prop table, I clicked on a lamp clamped to the wall. It was fitted with a blue light bulb that would give our actors enough illumination to pick up what they needed but wouldn't be visible to the audience. We'd covered the table with a piece of white butcher's paper

I walked past the light booth and exchanged a wave with the technician inside. Over the prop table, I clicked on a lamp clamped to the wall. It was fitted with a blue light bulb that would give our actors enough illumination to pick up what they needed but wouldn't be visible to the audience. We'd covered the table with a piece of white butcher's paper

and outlined each prop in marker, with its description written alongside. That way, when we checked the table, as I did now, we could see right away that everything was accounted for. There was the locket, for the last scene in Act One. The newspaper that would get carried out at the top of Act Two.

and outlined each prop in marker, with its description written alongside. That way, when we checked the table, as I did now, we could see right away that everything was accounted for. There was the locket, for the last scene in Act One. The newspaper that would get carried out at the top of Act Two.