Confused!Terry for skids_sally
“What is that thing?” Terry asked, gesturing to the big sculpture that looked more like a pile of junk than anything else. She and Sally were seated dead center in the orchestra, about five rows back in perfect viewing range for the Broadway show Rent. It was Terry’s first Broadway show, and Sally’s however many she’d seen plus one.
“What thing?”
“That big… thing on stage right.”
“That’s stage left.” Sally clarified.
“Oh. Well what is it?”
“It’s supposed to be a couple of different things. It’s a wall at one point, and a Christmas tree, and the bottom is the door to Mark and Roger’s apartment.”
“That’s a Christmas tree?” Terry repeated, sounding quite dubious.
“It works, trust me. It’s like very…” Sally gestured with her hands, trying to find the right word.
“There’s a head on the top. Like a beauty school head.”
Sally giggled, “You just have to go with it!”
“Why are those people on stage?”
“What people?”
“Over there, on stage left.”
“That’s stage right.”
Terry slapped her hands on her lap, “That makes no sense. Look, see? It’s to my left, therefore it is stage left.”
“It goes by the actor’s left or right,” Sally explained, “On stage, it’s their left, ‘cause they’re looking out at us.”
“They should do it by our left or right. I mean, we’re paying aren’t we?”
Sally looked very amused. “Yeah, but like, they’re the ones who have to do all the blocking.”
“What’s blocking?”
“That’s where they move on the stage.”
“Why do they call it ‘blocking’?”
Sally shrugged. “I heard once that it was invented by a set designer. He was upset that the actors kept getting in the way of his scenery.”
Terry ran a hand across her face and gave a little whimper. “Is there a book or something I should have read before coming here? I’m not understanding any of this.”
“You’ll get it, don’t worry. You don’t have to like, know the lingo in order to enjoy the show.”
“So why are those people on stage left?”
“Right.”
“Damn it!”
“That’s the band,” Sally explained.
“Aren’t they supposed to be in the pit?”
“Not for this show.”
“Come on! That’s the one term I actually knew!”
“The band plays on stage for this show.”
“Isn’t that distracting?”
“I’ve never noticed it. It’s kind of cool. Except for like, when you see Roger playing his guitar and the band guy is playing it for him. But that’s only one small part.”
“Which one is Roger again?”
“What thing?”
“That big… thing on stage right.”
“That’s stage left.” Sally clarified.
“Oh. Well what is it?”
“It’s supposed to be a couple of different things. It’s a wall at one point, and a Christmas tree, and the bottom is the door to Mark and Roger’s apartment.”
“That’s a Christmas tree?” Terry repeated, sounding quite dubious.
“It works, trust me. It’s like very…” Sally gestured with her hands, trying to find the right word.
“There’s a head on the top. Like a beauty school head.”
Sally giggled, “You just have to go with it!”
“Why are those people on stage?”
“What people?”
“Over there, on stage left.”
“That’s stage right.”
Terry slapped her hands on her lap, “That makes no sense. Look, see? It’s to my left, therefore it is stage left.”
“It goes by the actor’s left or right,” Sally explained, “On stage, it’s their left, ‘cause they’re looking out at us.”
“They should do it by our left or right. I mean, we’re paying aren’t we?”
Sally looked very amused. “Yeah, but like, they’re the ones who have to do all the blocking.”
“What’s blocking?”
“That’s where they move on the stage.”
“Why do they call it ‘blocking’?”
Sally shrugged. “I heard once that it was invented by a set designer. He was upset that the actors kept getting in the way of his scenery.”
Terry ran a hand across her face and gave a little whimper. “Is there a book or something I should have read before coming here? I’m not understanding any of this.”
“You’ll get it, don’t worry. You don’t have to like, know the lingo in order to enjoy the show.”
“So why are those people on stage left?”
“Right.”
“Damn it!”
“That’s the band,” Sally explained.
“Aren’t they supposed to be in the pit?”
“Not for this show.”
“Come on! That’s the one term I actually knew!”
“The band plays on stage for this show.”
“Isn’t that distracting?”
“I’ve never noticed it. It’s kind of cool. Except for like, when you see Roger playing his guitar and the band guy is playing it for him. But that’s only one small part.”
“Which one is Roger again?”