The Gaiety Theater
Stave 3
Esme Bernotas grew up in a cramped New Jersey apartment with ten other kids. She was born in 1951, and her parents had raised her very traditional values which she shed as soon as she left the apartment to go to New York. She got training at a performing in dance and voice. She was a born performer, they all said. She never got a lead in any shows, though, she was always ensemble. And coincidentally, all the shows were flops. She found herself at the theater shortly after she had been diagnosed with cancer. Trudging past the alley that led to the entrance, unable to believe what she had just been told, through her fog, she heard music. Walking down the alley, unafraid of what might be making the music, she opened the door and walked in on a man playing the piano. He stared at her, she stared at him.
"Can I help you?"
"Is this a theater?"
The man hesitated. "Not necessarily."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, the building itself is a theater, but the spirit of a theater isn't there. There isn't a company. It's only me, and I come to the play the piano and the guitar."
"Well, you can go out and find a company."
"I can't leave the theater."
"Why not?"
He hesitated again. "Sit down. This is a strange story."
So Esme did.
"This place is a place where, I guess there's a shift in energy, or something, but the dead can live here. But we can't leave the theater."
"So you're...dead?"
"Yes. But I'm alive in here, and aside from loneliness, I'm very happy."
"I belive you." Said Esme. "What's your name?"
"Stephen."
"Well, Stephen, I'm Esme, and I used to perform in Broadway shows, and I would like to join your company."
Stephen's face lit up, probably brighter than it ever had in life.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't think we'll put on any shows anytime soon, but, you can you come here and I know show tunes on the piano, and you can sing, and we could put on shows, just the two of us!"
"That sounds like a lovely idea! And I can go out and get actors and actresses. I can give dance and voice lessons too, if you'll play the piano for the students."
"Of course! Oh, Esme, you've brought so much to this theater already!"
And through her happiness, not even her diagnosis could ruin her smile.
Esme remembered that happy day as she got up. Stephen was playing very softly, Alexander on the bass quietly. Occasionally, if the mood was right, Kurt would lightly brush the crash symbol. She took a deep breath exactly the way that she had been instructed in college in 1969, and sang:
There was a time
When all was happy
All though I can't say I'm not happy now
There was a time
When we all could see
That trouble was so far away
Whatever happened to those old days?
Oh, I don't know if we can ever go back
I don't know if I want to
Beause here, in these days of trouble
I found you
Back in those old days
I was happy
But I was not complete
But now here with you
And I'm in your arms
Those days can't compete
Kurt started tapping on the hi-hat, then softly on the snare and toms. Stephen's fingers seemed to be having a seizure on the piano. He stood up and his head started banging around in the air. He was alright, he was just really into the song.
Now I'm home for the first time
For all those days
That time gone by
That time is gone now
But I have love now
No more reasons for me to cry
Everything in our favor
Esme began to belt. Lyrics rushed through her veins, music in pulsed in her blood, and she couldn't contain it
Everything in our favor
What's to stop us now?
Oh, here we are
No more sadness
I can't rememeber it now
Now we have something
Let's begin
Forget those old days!
Think of the new ones!
And then we win!
She was out of breath and her hair was in her face. Danny, Meara, Kurt, Alexander and Stephen were all staring at her with amazed looks on their faces. It was all silent. Then they all applauded. Danny made a weak attempt at a whistle, and Meara screamed encouragements. Stephen looked lovestruck. Even Alexander seemed surprised. When Esme stepped off of the stage, Stephen approached her.
"That was beautiful. Did you write that?"
Esme blushed like a virgin bride.
"Yes."
"You sang it like....Liza! No. Even better. You sang it like you."
Esme smiled and hugged Stephen. He gave her a small kiss on her cheek.
Esme walked out of the theater as a very happy woman.
"Can I help you?"
"Is this a theater?"
The man hesitated. "Not necessarily."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, the building itself is a theater, but the spirit of a theater isn't there. There isn't a company. It's only me, and I come to the play the piano and the guitar."
"Well, you can go out and find a company."
"I can't leave the theater."
"Why not?"
He hesitated again. "Sit down. This is a strange story."
So Esme did.
"This place is a place where, I guess there's a shift in energy, or something, but the dead can live here. But we can't leave the theater."
"So you're...dead?"
"Yes. But I'm alive in here, and aside from loneliness, I'm very happy."
"I belive you." Said Esme. "What's your name?"
"Stephen."
"Well, Stephen, I'm Esme, and I used to perform in Broadway shows, and I would like to join your company."
Stephen's face lit up, probably brighter than it ever had in life.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't think we'll put on any shows anytime soon, but, you can you come here and I know show tunes on the piano, and you can sing, and we could put on shows, just the two of us!"
"That sounds like a lovely idea! And I can go out and get actors and actresses. I can give dance and voice lessons too, if you'll play the piano for the students."
"Of course! Oh, Esme, you've brought so much to this theater already!"
And through her happiness, not even her diagnosis could ruin her smile.
Esme remembered that happy day as she got up. Stephen was playing very softly, Alexander on the bass quietly. Occasionally, if the mood was right, Kurt would lightly brush the crash symbol. She took a deep breath exactly the way that she had been instructed in college in 1969, and sang:
There was a time
When all was happy
All though I can't say I'm not happy now
There was a time
When we all could see
That trouble was so far away
Whatever happened to those old days?
Oh, I don't know if we can ever go back
I don't know if I want to
Beause here, in these days of trouble
I found you
Back in those old days
I was happy
But I was not complete
But now here with you
And I'm in your arms
Those days can't compete
Kurt started tapping on the hi-hat, then softly on the snare and toms. Stephen's fingers seemed to be having a seizure on the piano. He stood up and his head started banging around in the air. He was alright, he was just really into the song.
Now I'm home for the first time
For all those days
That time gone by
That time is gone now
But I have love now
No more reasons for me to cry
Everything in our favor
Esme began to belt. Lyrics rushed through her veins, music in pulsed in her blood, and she couldn't contain it
Everything in our favor
What's to stop us now?
Oh, here we are
No more sadness
I can't rememeber it now
Now we have something
Let's begin
Forget those old days!
Think of the new ones!
And then we win!
She was out of breath and her hair was in her face. Danny, Meara, Kurt, Alexander and Stephen were all staring at her with amazed looks on their faces. It was all silent. Then they all applauded. Danny made a weak attempt at a whistle, and Meara screamed encouragements. Stephen looked lovestruck. Even Alexander seemed surprised. When Esme stepped off of the stage, Stephen approached her.
"That was beautiful. Did you write that?"
Esme blushed like a virgin bride.
"Yes."
"You sang it like....Liza! No. Even better. You sang it like you."
Esme smiled and hugged Stephen. He gave her a small kiss on her cheek.
Esme walked out of the theater as a very happy woman.