Back to the Show (Rebecca & Kira)

[Ashla Marr]

Kira walked out from behind the large curtains and towards the center stage. Waiting for her were the dozen dancers and singers sitting and standing on the stage. Kira held a set of large note books in her arms as she walked towards the group with a smile her on her. Working out these details with the dancers and singers was always Kira’s job. With her degrees in design and science, Rebecca worked on setting up all the props and illusions with the stage hands. “Okay everyone, Rebecca and I came up with something really special for this weekend shows,” Kira said softly as she walked up to the group.

She took her place in the center of the group with all eyes on her, “so we are going to do a changed up version of the witch trail. The details have been worked out with PaganScum Records. Instead of doing the whole trail, we are going show the coven of witches working their magic,” Kira explained as she started to pass out the note books. “This scene will be our hardest scene. Timing will be of the upmost importance. So if you all will turn to page seventy six, we can walk through this.” Kira paused as she waited for the troop to get on the page that she was on. As they were flipping pages she turned to one of the female dancers, “Luci” she said getting the woman’s attention. “Your work in Denver was perfect in timing. Half way through this scene, you are going to have to fill in as my double.”

The woman smiled, “hey I get to fly at the end.”

One of the male dancers laughed as he joked, “lucky.” There was a hint of feminine jealously in his voice.

Kira smiled and held up her hand, “Yes Luci, you get to fly. But let us go over this from the top.” She turned to the rest of the dancer, “Okay so we talked with Kara’s doctor and got his approval for this scene. He said that there shouldn’t be any issues with this scene and her medical condition.” Kira flipped through her script as she tried to find the beginning of the scene.

Kira walked over towards Stage Left and motioned across the stage, “We will have little Kara on stage during this scene and she will play a prominent part of the entire illusion. As the scene plays out, I will hand her over to you guys to work her through the steps of the spell. As you guys lead her around, be sure to keep her attention shifting around the scene. Listen to me, we don’t let her hand go till she has been handed over to the next performer. It is important that we keep her away from the special effects safety zones. Heed your commands from the Safety Director. The Safety Director won’t trigger the pyro till the safety zones are clear.”

Kira walked back over to the performers “Okay, so here is how the scene will play out. Like shows of the past, we will be moving the struggle between the Religious factions and the Witches Coven. Because of the past witch burnings carried out by Rebecca’s religious factions, the Coven will be striking back. Through this, Kara and I will be summoning up the spirit of a legionary witch” Kira laughed a bit as she read the script. “The narrative of the scene will be that this spell needs a vessel which the spirit will be hosted in. That vessel will be me. I will talk Kara through the opening of the scene telling her about the struggle between the two factions. I will ask her for her help to summon up this powerful spirit. Once she agrees, we will open the scene,” Kira explained.

“During the opening of this scene, the coven will pull out a large cauldron. The cauldron has to be in place before I am done speaking with Kara. Luci, this is where you will be staged during the first part of the scene. Listen for your cues some Sam, Karl and Christian. Follow the music and stay on pace with it. As the scene progresses, the coven will begin to fill the cauldron with.” She walked over to a place near the rear center of the stage.

“This is where the cauldron will be stationed,” she said motioning to the location on the stage. “As the scene continues, the Coven will fill the cauldron with the ingredients for this spell. Throughout this scene, I want to see energy” Kira explained as she walked around the area where the cauldron would be stationed. “There will be small trampolines set up forestage. I want to see lots of high flying leaps and energy filled spins. This scene was designed with lots of energy,” Kira said turning once more to face the dancers. “Kara doesn’t use the trampolines. Her doctor warned us that such movements could harm her weakened bones. So we will move her around the wings of the stage. Let us focus on keeping her in zones three and nine most of the time.” She pointed to a section of stage near the front of the stage, “zone five will be the transfer point to have her cross the stage.”

Kira looked down and read more of the script, “Everyone look at section twelve, movement five. This is where music will slow to a crawl. At this stage Kara needs to be in zone nine at this time and kept there till the end of the illusion. It is important that you” she said speaking to a handful of the dancers and singers, “keep Kara’s attention forward. Again positive control over Kara is vital,” Kira warned.

Kira turned to the dancer named Luci. “Luci, this is where you and I will switch places. Luci, you are a great look alike, but keep your distance from Kara for the next few movements. Smoke generators will help you mask your true identity. Once the switch is made, the music will explode in pace so be ready for it. Once more, lots of energy on stage guys. At the height of the music, the lightning effects will start to build to the apex of the illusion.” She looked up from the script, “We have to make sure that we keep Kara in zone nine. At no time is she to be left alone. We must maintain positive control over her during this time.”

Kira nodded as she walked towards the center of the stage near the edge. “Okay Luci, this is your moment. As the lighting flashes near the end of the scene, you will fake a leap off the stage then fall back.” She turned to two male dancers, “Sam, Christian, we are counting on you to secure both lines to Luci as she fades back. You guys really need to practice this moment till you have it flawlessly. You guys only have one shot at this. Get it right or Luci will have some fun face time with some of our audience.” She paused as the group started laughing. She held up a hand to get their attention. “Once Sam and Christian have the lines secured, Zone Eight is closed. Make sure you are all clear of this zone. Luci is the only one allowed in this zone.

“Okay Luci, once you get the signal from Sam, go ahead and take a real leap off the stage the second time” she explained and pointed to the location where the flight was to begin. “Use the trampoline to get as much height to your jump. Just like in Denver, your timing will have to be perfect for this to work. You only have seconds to get this right, so you have to listen to the music and be set up for your flight. Once air borne, we will be using the speed hoist to get you out of sight while the lighting is flashing. Once Luci is airborne, Zone Eight will activate with four foot high flames and pyro. This is designed to mask the cauldron and the illusion that will soon come.” She turned to Luci, “so timing is everything Luci.”

Another male dancer rose his hand, “but if Luci’s timing is off, even a small degree. Won’t the audience will see the illusion.”

Kira nodded, “yes you are right. But Luci’s role is not the illusion but only the distraction. We want their eyes to focus on her. Once she starts her run for the edge of the stage the set of thunder and lightning will go off. The last flashes of light will fill the area right before the stage. Setting up for the pyro and flames. As she takes flight, the house lights will be turned off allowing her to have a critical moment of darkness.” Kira turned to Luci once more, “you will only have seconds to get up to the top of the theater and get out of sight. There will be two safeties up there to help you get clear,” Kira paused a moment and looked at each of her dancers in the eyes. “Remember everyone, safety IS first. No one gets hurt!” Kira wanted to make sure that no one would do anything that would risk their safety.

She turned to the others, “Once the lights resume, you will have to show me that energy that you are well known for. Cause the illusion takes place only a few notes within the music later. The cue for the illusion will begin with the wolf howl.” She opened up her own note book, “take a look at the page eighty two, half way down.” Kira waited for them to check at the section before continuing, “The illusion will come down to when Luci posing as me is on stage one minute, then you see me flying through the air. Before the audience can realize what happened, I am emerging from the witch’s cauldron transformed by this spirit in to a powerful witch.” Kira smiled to the group as she continued, “this will set up for the big battle between the witch spirit and witch hunter at the end of the show. This will be our grand illusion at the end of the show.”

Sam frowned, “We can’t do this set up. The script doesn’t call for an intermission. To change the stage around would take too much time. We need the intermission.”

Kira smiled as she walked over to Sam, “Rebecca and I had something else in mind. Instead of an intermission we wanted to add another scene to the show.” Everyone was blinking at the suggestion. “Sam you have been with us since the very beginning. So we wanted to show our gratitude for your loyalty. You and some of the male backup singers will have center stage for this scene. Sam, we want you to lead the solo reading of the Raven. Your voice would be prefect for this.”

Sam looked down for a moment, “I am not so sure.”
Kira walked up to him, “Sam, you have narrated so many scenes from the shadows. Let that voice fill the theater once more. But let everyone see the man behind the voice.” Her smile clearly filled him with confidence as he nodded back to her. “For all that you have done for our show Sam. It’s your turn to stand in the spot light.”

Sam leap with joy giving Kira a hug. “ Thank you, Thank you for this opportunity. “

Kira give him a reassuring hug back as she smiled handing him a script when the hug ended. “ Sam we always known you could do this. “