"Stop! Just fucking stop!"
Oh shit, what did I do now? This director just fucking hates me. "What's the matter, Prof. Jones?"
"You are, OK? You. I don't believe you. Do you even understand the character you're playing?"
"I thought I did." Jesus Christ, what does this guy want from me?
"You two have no chemistry?"
"So why is that *my* problem, and not *our* problem?" I was beginning to lose my patience.
"It isn't his fault. He knows exactly who his character is. If you don't see that maybe this isn't the best career path for you!" The room fell silent with his words. He paused for effect, and then broke the silence a few moments later. "That's it for today, kids. Same time tomorrow."
I chased him down as we were all leaving. "Prof. Jones, I really don't get it. What can I do?"
"Look, Janet, the play is set in the 1920s. Your character is in an interracial relationship. Given the social climate, what is her motivation?"
"She is in love, obviously."
"Yeah, great. Really clever. Dig a little deeper, OK?" And with that he left. What an asshole.
I called over to my co-star. "Adam, did you hear that?"
"Sure did."
"Do you have any idea what he's talking about?"
"Maybe, but I gotta fly. I could come back later and we can talk about it."
"Thanks, that would be great. I can come back any time, how about you?"
"Midnight. See you then, Janet." And with that Adam left, and I was left wondering what the hell I was doing wrong, and frankly why I wanted to be an actor anyway.
*****
I was pissed, but I could use the break from the play! I left the drama building, bought a salad, and walked back to the dorm. It was late afternoon, and the cool air calmed me a bit. It is *only* a college play, after all.
And the problem might be with the director, and not with me. I don't think he ever liked me, so it's kind of fucked-up that he gave me the role in the first place. And, fuck it, outside of drama, I'm almost always near the top of the class. I do not need the hassle.
But I do like the attention, always have. I've been acting since I was 6, and I don't really want to lose that aspect of myself yet. I was pretty sure that Adam would help me figure the director out, and then everything would be smooth sailing.
*****
I napped for an hour, showered, and made my way back across campus to the drama building. The campus is different late at night, exciting. Kids are hooking-up in the shadows, people are smoking pot, and drunken idiots are stumbling around. It's kind of crazy - so many fucked-up things could go wrong, but the campus always feels like home, like a safe place. I really loved it here.
The drama building was dark, but unlocked. I enjoyed this too. Walking around a building after hours, with only the dimmest lights, gives you a new perspective. It's as if the building remembers, and wants to share its history, but cannot get the words out. I wondered what secrets these walls had to share.
I made it down to the stage, and even with the dim light, I could see that Adam had already arrived. Arrived, and it seems, decided to take a nap of his own. The play calls for a king-sized bed, located right in the middle of the stage, and Adam rested in the middle of it. Center stage: the perfect place for a co-star. I approached quietly, and watched him breath rhythmically.
Adam was a pretty nice guy, especially for someone so large. Big guys can be such assholes, but not Adam. Adam just seems so mellow - it's impossible not to like him. I sat on the bed and watched him sleep for a few minutes. He looked so peaceful that I almost left, and I would have, if I didn't need to figure out what I kept getting wrong.
"Adam?" He didn't move, so I pushed him gently. "Adam, it's me, Janet. You fell asleep." This did the trick. While he was waking up, I just marveled at how solid he felt. I don't think I could have pushed him out of bed if I tried!
It took a few minutes for him to be fully awake, and we chatted about stupid shit for about 15 minutes before getting down to business. "Do you know what the Professor meant?"
"Yep, I think I do."
I waited, but he didn't go on. Frustrated, I asked him to continue. "Are you going to tell me?" This was a little game I was uninterested in playing.
"Alright, this is what I *think* he means. It's the 20s, and your character has a black boyfriend."