strike

 This afternoon was the last performance of the play my son and I were in, and as you might expect during a last performance some things went wrong.  I keep thinking (hoping?) the audience didn't know, but they might have guessed that things weren't quite right a couple of times. For instance, when I caught the heel of my shoe on the edge of the chair I was sitting on and ended up limping across the stage to make my exit.  Up until then it had been a perfect scene.  Earlier in the show, I had to quickly make up some lines when a conversation (not one of mine) had been skipped and our quick witted young star had to get some necessary information into the show another way.  So she asked me a question and I gave a response that sounded perfectly reasonable, none of which was in the script, but it did the trick.  Live theater is fun, and then it's over, and in a theater like ours, where most of the participants are amateurs, the last step is to 'strike the set' which is a good way to say goodbye to the production.  Striking the set involves cleaning the dressing rooms, and other behind the scenes areas, dealing with the costumes (I was very happy to say goodbye to my fragile blue dress) putting away all the furniture and other props that make a stage set look good, and disassembling all the walls, windows, doors, and trims.  By the time we were finished, fours hours after the performance ended, there were no signs of the play left on stage.  Happily, one of the cast members, a young man who loves to bake, brought a truly excellent apple pie for all of us to share when the work was finished.  Sitting around, eating pie, and quietly talking, was an excellent way to put the play to rest.  And speaking of rest, I may sleep for the next twelve hours.  Good night.