The Main Character

The show is going great so far. I have my understudy on stand-by since my health has been wavering for the last few hours, but I’m still smashing out all my lines and the sickness is barely getting to me. I hear whispers in the wings during the climax of the show. My lines are being echoed back at me, taunting me. My understudy walks on the stage and takes over my scene. I am lost for words and the audience is under the impression that this person was delivering the lines the whole time. I’m choked up and can feel my throat closing over, the sickness taking its true effect on me now. I look for a director or stage manager to panic backstage about what they are doing, but no one is blinking an eye.

Bows come along and I am already out of costume and leaving the theatre. I’m quite embarrassed by being overshadowed tonight.