Seussical

by A. Gaskamp

Mask, shirt, sweatshirt, pants, socks, shoes, each a different shade of black. Sheet music. Clarinet. Bass clarinet. Backup reeds and backup reeds and backup reeds. Unnecessary pencil.

Out the door (good luck, good luck). Thank the violin for holding the next door open. To seat, front and center. Check stand light. Replaced batteries two days ago. Backups on hand, just to be safe.

Audience is packed. Second show of the day; last night; final performance. Bass clarinet in stand, clarinet in hand. Bell covers in place; another shade of black in the ensemble.

Lights dim.

Breathe.

Baton's up. Eyes up, eyes on page, look forward, wait for cue.

Don’t mess up. This is important. Do not mess up.

Play out. Louder. Ignore mistakes; move forward.

This song. It’s an oboe piece; she was never here, cover it perfectly. No mistakes. Should have written it out, it’s easy enough, don’t mess up.

Alone. One musician, one vocalist.

Regroup. It’s fine, no mistakes.

Wrists and fingers are sore. Stretch; no time for them to not cooperate. Listen to the jazz. Learn tenor sax some other time - it sounds good, could be useful in the future. No. Don’t think about that now. Turn page. Pay attention; go in fourteen measures. Stumble, as always, a flurry of notes for nobody to notice. Turn page. Play. Turn page. Play. Time to shine. Tell yourself how lucky you are.

Act I is through.

Take clarinet and bass clarinet and scurry off. Drain tea. Read a little, breathe, this is fine, almost done. Check reeds again. No room for mistakes - last time, perhaps ever, this better be good. Backup reeds still on hand. Unnecessary pencil gone. Tune. Close enough.

Hurry out. Back in seat. Bass clarinet in stand - won't need it for eight numbers, let it settle there. Crowd comes back. Lights dim. Pause; let everybody settle down. Silence. Door slams open, stage light is on, here's the cat. People cheer. Pay attention. Time to play, loud, loud, louder - conductor's back, rest through never-learned measures, breathe.

Too many cues. Eyes up, music's memorized, just need to play at the exact right time. Those parts were cut. Weird section, play out, done this before, know this part by heart, how loud can it possibly be. Done. Strings, Jojo's dead, or not. Same music again.

Courtroom scene. Chicago; no, Seussical, just as painful. Pay attention. Okay, time for piccolo part from yesterday. Play out, but not too loud. Breathe. Cover other clarinet. Done. Sit back for Green Eggs and Ham / Bows - all tenor sax, thankfully, sounds good. Wince as trumpets mess up. Exit music plays; crowd moves out; now it’s done.

Turn off light. Pick up clarinet, bass clarinet, music (not done yet; erase markings tonight), and stand. Breathe.

Exit stage right.

A. Gaskamp is a part-time human who wrote A History of Rowana. A.’s work has also been featured in Impractical Things Magazine.