[stylist] another assignment submission

Fri Dec 16 03:45:54 UTC 2011

Thank you Donna. I pictured my old high school auditorium for this, but
that was all. It mainly came from the 'show dont tell' ref. It made me
think of the exagerated acting often seen in theater, especially high
school theater. I was trying to do a play on that as I think they both go
too far and can easily become silly. I just made up the performance for the
story. Eve

On Thu, Dec 15, 2011 at 8:37 AM, Donna Hill <penatwork at epix.net> wrote:

> Hi Eve,
> Well done! Was this all from your imagination, or had you witnessed this
> performance? Either way, it held my interest and I like the message from
> the
> Santa  on stage. I also like your reference to the parents starting their
> camels of choice and that you included the scent of cigarette smoke which
> came in with the audience even though they didn't smoke in the theater.
> Donna
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Eve Sanchez
> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 4:59 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: [stylist] another assignment submission
>
> Here I go again. You all got me in the Christmas mind set now and I am not
> getting my needed work done. Hahaha   Eve
>
>
>
> Pageantry
>
> by Eve Sanchez
>
>
> Filled beyond capacity, the auditorium lacked even standing room as the
> principal tried in vain to clear a pathway through the aisle. The buzz of
> the fluorescent lights could only be heard by the most sensitive ear over
> the din which was more akin to the sound of stampeding wild horses echoing
> off of the canyon walls than to a murmur. Stage right of the pit, the old
> out-of-tune piano's keys were struck by a stray eight year old while the
> clang of metal legs on linoleum signaled the addition of folding chairs in
> the back of the large room.
>
> The wall of windows facing the grassy quad were covered in tempera paints
> of green, red, and white with depictions of Santa Claus, snowmen, and
> boughs of holly. In the left corner of the stage stood a Christmas tree
> with nylon needles on metal branches. It was decorated with thread covered
> Styrofoam balls and a single strand of colored light bulbs. Faded red
> brocade, heavy with a coating of dust hung across the stage. Parting ever
> so slightly in the middle, an overly made-up face peaked out at the crowd.
> Feedback squelching caused a moment of silence. Commotion was soon resumed
> as those in the aisles attempted to find empty seats and finally settled on
> the floor.
>
> A proper silence came only when all of the lights, save for those in the
> back of the room where refreshments were being sold, went out putting the
> auditorium in near total darkness emphasizing the glimmer of the tree and
> four neon green 'EXIT' signs. Slowly a single beam spotlighted on center
> stage came up. At the same time the heavy curtains parted causing clouds of
> dust to dance in the light's path. A lone figure stood with head down,
> waiting, waiting, waiting.
>
> Barely audible the girl started singing, "Silent night." Increasing in
> volume as she raised her head, "Holy night." She continued with the
> confidence that comes with being a fifteen year old that believes she can
> do no wrong and has not yet learned that the world does not revolve around
> her, her voice strengthened, "All is calm, all is bright." With fluctuating
> notes she sang three verses of the classic returning to a near whisper with
> "Sleep in heavenly peace." She bowed her head as the spotlight was lost..
>
> A bright yellow spotlight was focused on a cardboard star hanging above the
> stage while below was lit with blue light. Three wise men dressed in robes
> of purple with black and gray beards crossed the stage followed by a
> shepherd pulling a sheep on wheels. A large camel ran on stage, separating
> in front of the hump to briefly show arms reaching for its front half
> before rejoining. A twitter of laughter came from the audience, but died
> down as an unseen narrator spoke over the loud speaker with a voice that
> crackled, partly do to the out of date AV equipment and partly due to
> impending puberty.
>
> The story of the first Christmas was told while the players circled around
> the stage pointing up to the star whenever they were faced away from it.
> Finally, in a dark corner of the stage, under the hanging star, a two-sided
> manger appeared as a white light hit it from above. A plywood donkey stood
> next to a boy in ragged robes with a short gray beard hanging from hooks on
> his glasses while a pretty girl knelt beside a cradle filled with straw and
> a plastic baby.
>
> As the narrator was coming to the end of his story another figure came onto
> the stage. A heavy set boy dressed in red and white robes with a long white
> beard walked straight to the baby in the straw and knelt, bowing his head.
> The heavy curtains closed. Sounds resembling that of mice scampering back
> and forth in the walls while trying to sleep were heard behind the drapes
> on the darkened stage. Again the curtains parted, this time to reveal three
> youth dressed in green tights with heavy grease paint covering their pimply
> faces. As the delayed spotlight hit them they started bobbing back and
> forth causing the jingle bells atop their hats to ring while they sang
> "Here Comes Santa Claus".
>
> As the trio finished singing and their light went out they noisily ran off
> stage amidst giggles and exaggerated leaps in the air. More laughter came
> from the audience. A baby cried. The over packed auditorium started to
> smell of sweat mixed with the already present scent of tobacco that
> accompanied many as they first came. The whole stage was engulfed in white
> light showing a Santa figure stuffed with pillows sitting on a dusty
> recliner while a line of teens dressed as small children crawled on their
> hidden knees behind a facade of piled snow. Two girls dressed in their
> grandmothers' fashion with their hair piled high and heavy rouge were
> standing to the side of the line. With exaggerated gestures the girl
> holding a doll as if it were her newborn baby shouted, "I don't know what
> the point is. Christmas has become so commercial. Nobody hardly believes in
> Santa Claus anymore."
>
> The seated Santa stood and raising his arms to show sweat stains on the old
> suit he shouted so that those in the back of the room could hear as well as
> those sitting up front. "Christmas is not about me. That belief is what has
> helped Christmas to become commercialized. I am but a servant of the true
> King whose birth we celebrate with Christmas. I was there when the Christ
> child was born and when he was presented with gifts from the kings of
> Earth. My spirit continues so that I may pass on gifts in his name to the
> children of Earth so that they may remember and honor him. I am not
> Christmas. I do only what you should all do; give unto one another."
>
> The stage went dark and the curtains closed. They quickly opened again
> amidst roiling dust revealing all of the players lined up arm in arm,
> including the two halves of the camel, singing "Joy to the world." The
> elves came to the edge of the stage trying to prompt audience
> participation. "The Lord has come." A few voices rang out and then joined
> by many, "Let Earth receive its King." Soon the entire auditorium was
> singing the carol. As the first song ended they moved directly into "Have a
> Holly Jolly Christmas." As this song finished sleigh bells were heard
> coming from the back room where the forgotten cookies and cocoa were not
> sold.
>
> A deep "Ho Ho Ho." was shouted and people turned to see a proper Santa
> Claus emerge from the kitchen to start working his way through the crowd.
> He made his way up to the stage where he continued to laugh, "Ho Ho Ho."
> This Santa was a professional, looking realistic in his velvet suit and
> natural beard. Positioning himself in front of the stage he swung a green
> bag from his shoulder and started passing out candy canes to the screaming
> children that ran through the crowd to greet him. Adults started shuffling
> outside to light up there camels of choice. Parents of the players made
> their way to the stage to bid 'jobs well done' to their thespian children.
>
> Above all of the commotion could still be heard the continued "HO HO HO.
> Merry Christmas."
>
>
>
>
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