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    Opening Night
    Opening Night
    Opening Night
    Ebook118 pages58 minutes

    Opening Night

    By Norm Foster

    ()

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    About this ebook

    During the opening night of a new play, the action is all in the audience and backstage. A funny, gentle look at human relationships.

    The madcap antics start as Jack and Ruth Tisdale celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary with an evening at the theatre. It's a dream come true for Ruth and an imposition for Jack who would rather be at home watching the World Series. However, after the events both on and off the stage that fateful night, their lives and those of all of those involved are irreparably altered.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPlaywrights Canada Press
    Release dateJul 1, 2002
    ISBN9781770913981
    Opening Night
    Author

    Norm Foster

    Norm Foster has been the most produced playwright in Canada every year for the past twenty years. His plays receive an average of one hundred and fifty productions annually. Norm has over sixty plays to his credit, including The Foursome, On a First Name Basis, and Hilda’s Yard. He is the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama-Logue Award for his play The Melville Boys and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He lives in Fredericton. Find out more at www.normfoster.ca.

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      Book preview

      Opening Night - Norm Foster

      Act One, Scene One

      The VIP lounge of the Charles Killian Theatre Noir Repertory House, twenty minutes prior to curtain of the play Whisper on the Wind.

      The set includes two couches and a small stand-up bar. The main entrance to the room is S.R. and U.C. is the entrance to the theatre. S.L. is an entrance that is used by staff and company members. MICHAEL CRAIG is S.R. with TOM DELANEY. MICHAEL, dressed in a relatively formal manner, is drinking champagne. TOM is dressed as a waiter and carries an empty tray. Lying on the floor behind one of the couches is CLAYTON FRY. As the lights come up, CLAYTON is going through his warm-up exercise.

      CLAYTON: Hum Ma-ma. Hum Ma-ma Gutta-butta gutta-butta guttabutta gutta-butta. Neet! Neet! Neet! ( getting up off the floor ) Neet, hoot, not, nanny. Neet, noot, not, nanny. Neet! Neet! ( exiting ) Neet!

      TOM: ( to MICHAEL ) That’s gonna be me one day. At least I hope it is. I mean, I’m sure even you went through some lean years at first, right? Sure. Trying to get your foot in the door, huh? Trying to get someone to notice you. I mean, I’ve been to a lot of auditions, but so far… I don’t know what it is. I give it my best shot, you know, but something always goes wrong. Like my mouth goes dry sometimes and my lips start to make this loud smacking sound, or else my mouth is nice and wet and I wind up spitting on the director. One time I walked into an audition and my fly was open.

      MICHAEL: And even that didn’t work?

      TOM: No. Of course, I don’t suppose you have any trouble getting parts do you?

      MICHAEL: (modestly) Well…

      TOM: How long have you been in the business now?

      MICHAEL: Twenty-one years.

      TOM: Twenty-one. Wow. I was still in the cradle when you started. Amazing, huh? ( saying nothing as he thinks about this ) Boy, it must be a great feeling being established like that. Being respected.

      MICHAEL: Oh, I don’t know about that.

      TOM: Oh, come on. All the awards you’ve won? The great roles you’ve played? If I can have half the career you’ve had I’ll be satisfied.

      MICHAEL: Well, that’s nice of you to say, but…

      TOM: All I need is a break, that’s all. If I can just get a director to notice me I’ll be on my way. I can feel it. Who knows, maybe one day you and I will be on the stage together.

      MICHAEL: Could be.

      TOM: Yeah. You could play my father or something.

      MICHAEL: ( doesn’t feel that old ) Yes. Or perhaps your doddling old grandfather.

      TOM: Right. Wouldn’t that be great? Boy, me and Michael Craig on the same stage. Kinda gives you goosebumps, doesn’t it?

      MICHAEL: Kinda.

      TOM: Yeah. Well, I’d better get back to work. They don’t like me to mingle with the customers. So, if I don’t see you before then, I’ll see you when we open.

      MICHAEL: Open?

      TOM: Yeah. You know? In that show we’re gonna do together.

      MICHAEL: ( smiling and toasting the notion ) Oh. Yes.

      TOM exits.

      MICHAEL: ( to himself ) Provided I can cling to life until then.

      RUTH: ( entering and looking around in awe ) Oh, my. ( calling offstage ) Jack? Jack, come on.

      JACK TISDALE enters.

      RUTH: Well, this is it. The VIP Lounge of the Charles Killian Theatre Noir Repertory House. Who would’ve ever thought that you and I would be standing here about to rub shoulders with the elite of the city’s theatrical community?

      JACK belches.

      RUTH: Oh, Jack.

      JACK: I can’t help it. It’s that damned knockwurst. The stuff just won’t stay down.

      RUTH: I told you to have the stir-fry.

      JACK: Too much oil. Goes right through me.

      RUTH: What time have you got?

      JACK: Seven-forty.

      RUTH: Well, I guess we’re a little early. There doesn’t seem to be too much happening just yet.

      JACK: I wonder if they’ve got a TV around here.

      RUTH: Oh, for heaven’s sake, Jack. This is a theatre. They don’t allow televisions in here.

      JACK: ( looking at his watch ) Seven-thirty start. They’re probably near the end of the first inning just about now.

      RUTH: Jack, don’t.

      JACK: What?

      RUTH: You know what. Now, this is our anniversary. You’ve known for a month that we were coming here tonight so I don’t want to hear any complaints.

      JACK: I’m not complaining.

      RUTH: I don’t think it’s asking too much for you to miss one silly baseball game.

      JACK: The World Series.

      RUTH: I mean, we have so little culture in our lives as it is.

      JACK: ( almost to himself ) The seventh game.

      RUTH: This’ll do us both some good. You’ll see.

      JACK: I’m not complaining.

      RUTH: Fine.

      JACK: They got a candy stand or anything here?

      RUTH: A candy stand? We just ate.

      JACK: Yeah, but I thought I might get some Nibs or a bag of chips.

      RUTH: No, they don’t have one. Candy stand.

      TOM enters carrying a tray of champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

      TOM: Champagne?

      RUTH: ( taking a glass ) Oh, thank you.

      JACK: ( taking a glass ) Thanks.

      TOM: Mincemeat tart?

      RUTH: Oh, lovely. ( taking a tart ) Jack?

      JACK: ( looking at the tart ) Uh, no thanks. You got a TV in here?

      TOM: No, sir. Sorry.

      JACK: Radio?

      RUTH: Jack!

      JACK: ( to TOM ) Never mind.

      TOM moves to MICHAEL.

      RUTH: Well, happy anniversary, sweetheart. (holding her glass up in a toast) And here’s to twenty-five more.

      JACK: Cheers.

      MICHAEL exchanges his empty glass for a full one. TOM exits.

      RUTH: You look very nice tonight.

      JACK: Thank you.

      RUTH: You look like the man I married back in Springwater

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