Thread: The Stage Crew

In 'Writing Discussion' there is a thread about some kids being unpopular in school. None of it related to me until I saw the word 'drama' in one of the posts, and that brought to mind high school, Ms Baxley's stage crew, and an incident well over half a century ago.

You could not apply to join the stage crew. Third form students deemed worthy of the honour were invited at the beginning of the school year by the fourth form members. Neither grades, nor social standing, nor economic standing played any part in the selection. You had to be smart, but in the world of 15 and 16-year-olds smart didn't necessarily translate into good grades. You had to be smart in a practical way, able to figure out how to get things done. You had to get along with other people in a group and work toward getting something accomplished, but at the same time be self-reliant, not always begging for help with problems you should be able to solve yourself. The drama students walked around in their own little imaginary world. We of the stage crew had to deal with reality.

It was on the stage crew that Ms Baxley, speech teacher and drama coach, relied to ensure successful performances of the plays her classes presented. It was the stage crew she took out for dinner after a performance, not the actors. ‘They always have their own parties’, she explained. 'My boys,' she called us, and of course the stage crew was all male. Lifting heavy objects and climbing 20-foot-stepladders were common activities. She took no part in selecting the new members - trusting those she had worked with for the past school year to choose well.

When outside promoters rented the high school auditorium, at least two members of the stage crew had to be hired at 25 dollars each per night. At least one school custodians also had to be hired. While the promoters crew could set up the stage, lights and curtain could only be handled by a member of the stage crew. The main curtain was heavy, both it and the mechanism were elderly, and Ms. Baxley mandated two speeds for its operation - moderately slow and very slow. Whoever ran the lights normally pulled the main curtain since the lines were next to the lighting console.

One night I was working the lights for a country music show that was in town. The promoter told me that when the curtain was opened or closed he wanted to see its skirts 'swing and sway'. I explained that I could not do that, that I had to maintain a speed that kept the curtain vertical at all times. He said he would have one of his crew pull the curtain, and I explained that only a member of the high school stage crew could pull the curtain or work the lights. He cursed me and walked away, calling for one of his crew to come and be ready to pull the curtain.

It only took a few seconds to reach down, pull the master switch on the stage lights, lock the handle, and put the key in my pocket. He started to yell and the custodian came backstage to see what the problem was. When I told him, he told the promoter that the regulation about the duties of the stage crew were written into the contract the promoter signed when he rented the auditorium, and that if he did not want to abide by those conditions that was okay, since the school, himself the custodian, and the two boys on the stage crew had already been paid. Whether the performance went on or not was up to the promoter.

He didn't like it, but he finally agreed, I put the lights back on, the time came for the show, and I opened the curtain at a moderate speed that kept the skirts straight.

Now consider - a 15-year-old high school student standing up to a music promoter who looked to be in his fifties. He had power and money. I had the rule of law.

There are people in the world who believe that what they want is all that should be considered. There are people in the world who believe that only their way is the right way. There are people in the world who believe that anyone in their path is their natural inferior, or, perhaps, their natural prey.

Such people are deeply offended when their prey bites back. They become confused. They will deny that anything they have done was wrong, and they believe that. After all, it is, they believe, the duty of the inferior to bow to the will of the superior person. Such people sometimes rise to positions of power such that entire nations become their prey.

It is, they believe, the duty of any prey that comes within arms reach to accept their fate; to comply and not complain.

Originally Posted by garza

In 'Writing Discussion' there is a thread about some kids being unpopular in school. None of it related to me until I saw the word 'drama' in one of the posts, and that brought to mind high school, Ms Baxley's stage crew, and an incident well over half a century ago.

Just a minor point. Fifty-five years ago, the title Ms did not exist. You need an editor.

While the promoters crew could set up the stage, lights and curtain could only be handled by a member of the stage crew.

On a first read, until one reaches the word "could", one infers the promoter's crew could set up the stage, lights and curtain. You need an editor.

Such people are deeply offended when their prey bites back. They become confused. They will deny that anything they have done was wrong, and they believe that. After all, it is, they believe, the duty of the inferior to bow to the will of the superior person. Such people sometimes rise to positions of power such that entire nations become their prey.

And sometimes they become moderators of internet forums.

It is, they believe, the duty of any prey that comes within arms reach to accept their fate; to comply and not complain.

Pride cometh before a fall.

xO - Ms did exist in those days. My sister began insisting on the title Ms around that time. See here.

Such delayed-reaction syntax has been the favourite of English teachers for many generations. It is derived from the Latin, where there is no chance of such confusion. As you point out yourself, any confusion in English is momentary. Were I to rewrite the sentence to satisfy your objection, it would be along these lines: The promoter's crew could set up the stage, but lights and curtain could only be handled by a member of the stage crew. Personally I prefer the original. (We both missed the lack of the possessive inverted comma in 'promoters'.)

Moderators of forums don't stay in three thousand dollar a night hotel suites while telling developing nations they must curtail programmes designed to aleviate poverty. At least I don't believe they do. Olly would know.

It wasn't so much what I would call pride as it was a genuine belief that people on the lower rungs were there to serve those above them. When you've been used to raping entire small countries, raping one individual is insignificant.

This was very well written Garza. I love the way you were able insert a hidden meaning into your story. This sort of thing always gives the writer the ability to remain vague, and noncommittal. It is powerful in its ability to lead the reader. I love how you were able to take this incident, and use it as a tool to contrast oppressive nations in the world today. The only thing that I am troubled with is the fact that you referred to yourself as “the inferior.” I understand that you were trying to put a light on what you assume the oppressor viewpoint is/was, but I think that might send a bad message. No one should ever let anyone else make them feel inferior, and just because you assumed that was the intent it doesn’t matter. I loved how you, in reality, took the power in this situation, and showed the antagonist who was really in charge. I was kind of hoping your story was going to say that this music promoter took over and the curtain collapsed.

I am kind of curious; what was the villain’s driving force in wanting the curtain to sway? Do you think it was to make you feel inferior, or was it something else?

No - The promoter liked the idea of the curtain opening rapidly, swaying, implying an enthusiasm for the show. When the curtains were replaced and the system rebuilt, a motor drive was installed with a single moderate speed. That was a year or two after my time, though.

And thank you very much for your comments. They are appreciated.

Villain? ClosetWriter didn't think this was fiction?

No fiction - all true. In fact there's more to the story if anyone is interested. There was one reason why the details have stuck in my mind over all these years.

That was my post! An unimportant fact, but I randomly decided to read this thread and I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that my thread was mentioned. XD

As an actor, this story hit home for me.

"The drama students walked around in their own little imaginary world. We of the stage crew had to deal with reality." So true! I can definitely relate to this. I decided last summer to direct a show, and it was a completely new experience for me. Usually I was the one onstage, now I was backstage. Reality hit me hard a couple times - luckily I had a great stage crew. Actors might not say it a whole lot, but we are so so very appreciative of what you guys do for us. Without you guys, there is no show. My theatre professor used to joke: Without actors, the stage crew has no job. But without stage crew, the actors will perform naked, in the dark. Ha-ha!

Beautifully written, but I feel the ending is a bit abrupt. It takes a strange, philosophical turn at the end, which is neither good nor bad at this point. I'd like to see you extrapolate on this a bit more, perhaps by bringing it back to your days as stage crew. Because the strength in this is your ability to keep things real and really connect with your readers - so I want to connect with you at the end as well!

The writing is very honest, and the scene very powerful. I would like to see some more scenes, maybe a specific dinner your teacher took you to? (BTW, girls are able stage crew members as well. The best Stage Manager I ever had is a girl, and she gets down and dirty better than most the boys. Our entire set for our spring show was built mostly by her!)

But anyway, back to you. I loved this. I think it was very well done, and as I said, I connected to it on a very personal level. If you write any other theater-related nonfiction, please let me know!

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

Villain? ClosetWriter didn't think this was fiction?

Can't nonfiction have a villain?

You made me check, but I still think it was appropriate to use:

vil·lain/ˈvilən/Noun
1. A person guilty or capable of a crime or wickedness.
2. The person or thing responsible for specified trouble, harm, or damage: "the industrialized nations are the real villains".

It's funny that I read this tonight. Today, my wife and I finally got some time alone without our children, which never happens. We decided to go fishing at the Findlay reservoir. We were there no longer than ten minutes, sitting at the end of the boat dock, when two ODNR officers pulled up. As I expected, they checked our fishing licenses. Then one officer started asking me what I did with the can I had in my hand when they pulled up. I told him I never had a can. He then asked me again. I said "I swear...", he cut me off: "Don't swear just tell me the truth!" He stated that if I had a beer, to just be honest about it and there wouldn't be any problems. I wasn't going to lie and tell him that I had a beer because I had nothing. He harrassed us and searched our belonging for quite awhile. The water was clear and you could see the bottom. He looked -- no can. He searched me -- no can. But he would not let it go. Here I was getting harrassed for something that I didn't do and I could do nothing about it. Not to mention the short time alone that my wife and I had together was ruined. He had all the power and could be as rude and beligerant as he wanted to be. Even when he finally realized that he was wrong, he never changed his tune. I thoroughly enjoyed The Stage Crew Garza.

Thanks Brock. And I'm sorry your evening was spoiled. ODNR manages over 400,000 acres of land, according to their official website, and you would think that would keep their officers busy without bothering people who aren't causing any problem. Maybe ODNR needs a new public relations officer or maybe a workshop leader for training officers in how to deal with the public.