Hear My Voice

Two Month Anniversary

     I push a strand of pink hair behind my ear while zipping up the back of Julia's countess dress. 

     "Gosh, this is just so damn heavy," she complains with a smile, checking her lipstick in the mirror of the quick change room.

     I whisk her green cape around her shoulders, clipping it together before replying, "It felt heavy just putting it on you." We run over to the stage entrance, tucking the cape around her figure to be sure it looked as beautiful as it always did.

     "Thankfully I only wear it for about ten minutes," she laughs, then turns away seriously. The next scene she has to be frightened and confused, so she has to prepare for the mentality of that. 

     I have always respected performers for their art, to just shed their name and become anybody they could. Julia was laughing just seconds ago but in a minute she will be shaking with fear, her voice ringing among the golden walls of the Majestic with pure and heartfelt agony. Just watching her, Kaley, and Elizabeth I have learned so much, singing with more passion in my own little performances in my apartment. Sure, their is no crowd or ears to please, but it feels good to just be free. To be anybody but me. I love my job, but sometimes I wish I were in Julia or Kaley's shoes and was playing any naive theater girl's dream role of Christine Daae.

     Usually I retreat back to the dressing room and lay out the star princess costume, silver boots, and lace mask, but tonight I idle in the wings to watch the magic on stage. Intermission is next, so there really is no rush. . .  

     Jeremy Hays and Julia run onto the stage, the full orchestra's melodies echoing in the air accompanying their panic induced singing. 

     "Raoul I've been there, to his world of unending night. To a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness, darkness. Raoul I've seen him! Can I ever forget sight? Can I ever escape from that face so distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face in that darkness, darkness..."  Julia-turned-Christine sings brokenheartedly. 

    The rest of the song continues, Jeremy playing Raoul so naturally and Julia trembling like the innocent little ballet girl Christine is at heart. If I were to ever be in such a famous role I would want Jeremy to be my Vicomte de Chagny. 

     The couple exit stage right with smiles on their faces, having "fallen in love" on stage after singing All I Ask of You together. Immediately after they are back to being Julia and Jeremy instead of Christine and Raoul. It reminds me of that game my father would play with me when I was little. He would move his hand up and down over his face, changing the emotion each time his face was revealed. It was magic, and that is what theater is.

     "I bet you my dresser can dress me faster your dresser can dress you," Jeremy dares the young performer, narrowing his eyebrows at me.

     Julia smirks in rebate, "Fine, but Annaleigh was born for this job."

     "Ready... Go!" Jeremy announces surprisingly, and Julia staggers to match his lead. 

     I laugh, running behind them while my long chestnut hair blows behind me, a pink strand standing out from the rest. Julia and Kaley both have matching vibrant strands. We dyed them together to symbolize our friendship, to show we are a team. 

     Julia's green cape flutters behind her and she pulls it off as we hear Norm sing the final words of the All I Ask of You Reprise, the chandelier crash creating an ominous effect. I get to experience that every night.

     The young starlet giggles as Jeremy scales the flight of stairs, taking two steps at a time. He makes a surprised sound as he misses a step, tripping over his own loafers. His knee hits the metal step with a loud 'clank' and his whole body ends up sprawled over the staircase. We can't see his face since it is hidden behind his arm, but his body shakes with defeated laughter.