The Day of Reckoning

 By Josh Conklin

It was Friday, November 22, opening night of Dalat drama’s production of Sherlock Holmes, and our set was not quite finished. The week and semester leading up to that fateful Friday had been grueling, but the day of reckoning had dawned and there was still so much to finish. 

We ran to Harbor Hall as soon as the X-block bell rang. Our set had slowly come together over Tech Week, but it still lacked many of the final additions it needed. 2-21b Baker Street’s wallpaper needed redoing, Stoke Moran’s doors needed handles, the fireplace needed pokers, an entire desk wasn’t there, all the windows still needed curtains, and paint needed to be scrubbed off Mr. K’s stage. Harbor Hall was a bustle of excitement, anticipation, and a small amount of panic. A cohort of Drama kids and crew scurried about the crowded stage, armed with paint brushes, penknives, screwdrivers, and stapleguns, finishing the set. After a break and hearty meal of leftovers and pizza, the drama cast prepared for costuming. 

We invaded the band room, covering the seats with many bags and many more costumes. There, makeup club members methodically worked to make sure we looked as dashing, old, pretty, or evil as possible for our audience. Those who weren’t glued to a chair, were in and out of the band room getting into our first set of costumes. 

By then, the clock had struck 6:30, and our audience made their way into Harbor. Now in costume and mostly finished makeup, we needed to practice curtain call. As we had no time, we did so in the band room. Finally, we hurried our way onstage to wait, adding the finishing touches to the play, and throwing nervous glances at the ticking down toward showtime. As the moment neared, each side of the stage prayed, and gave the lucky knitted drama turtle three pats.

Then the countdown finished. Ms. Geiman introduced the night, and the game was afoot. As the adrenaline came to a climax at the set’s edge, we took deep breaths and stepped into character and onto the stage. Observing, cast members watched with bated breath from the limited view of the curtains as their compatriots mustered everything they had practiced on stage. 

The first play finished. Then the second. Then came intermission, a pause to fix makeup. Then, our third and final play. Then curtain call. 

As we stood, still processing the moment, taking our bows together, grins of relief and joy on our faces, we knew that somehow, despite it all, we had done it. Our months and last minutes of work had paid off as we stood triumphant on the day of reckoning. 

John Pham (10) described Opening Night as “Chaotic, Fun, fulfilling.” 

Ashton Lee (10) said it was “Hectic, Reassuring, Raw.” 

Ms. Geiman put it this way: “Never before have I been stapling a set together two minutes before the curtain opened, but we did it, and we did it phenomenally.”