A Box of Shadows and Whispers

The night that I walked through those front doors for the first time, I had no idea what to expect. Not an idea in the world of what I was getting myself into. All I knew is that I was excited to be there because of my love for theatre, for being an audience member, and that I had invested a sum of money to be there that night. There was no turning back now.

 I walked up to the ticket booth, where I was handed a folded piece of paper that had the number "411" written on it. Being given the instructions necessary, I sat down and soaked in my surroundings. There was a bar to my left. I had not a single urge to spend money on alcohol just yet, despite the fact that it was more than a month removed from my twenty-first birthday. People of all ages were sitting at the tables around me, eating and holding conversations that had absolutely nothing to do with me, my appearance, or my arrival. If anything, they would be talking about the fact that I was alone, and that I was sitting at the table by myself. I looked to my right, and there was a television streaming commercials of the upcoming and current performances. The specific one that played, was for Broken Whispers, the show that I was there to see. As I watched the collection of video clips, I elevated in excitement for what I was about to witness.

"How are you guys doing... I mean, how are you doing tonight sir?"

My attention was turned from the surroundings and the television screen, to the young waitress who addressed me.

"I'm great. How are you?" 

We exchanged pleasantries, and she asked if I wanted something to drink. I discretely asked for "ice water", which is exactly what I received. When she returned, she asked if this was my first time at the establishment, which I confirmed with an expression of happiness. She was happy as well, and welcomed me in a polite verbal warmness that was comforting. I then revealed to her my story as to why I had purchased my ticket to the show. That the lead star, lead writer, and head choreographer of the show came into one of my college classes at OSU, and spoke to the class about the show. That their spiel, and the time they gave to answer our questions is what hooked me, and convinced me to purchase the ticket.

After she left, it was little time before numbers began to called off. Starting at "400". They were coming up quick, but I still had some time. Using the restroom, looking at myself in the mirror and acknowledging my accomplishment with my hairstyle, slicked back and sharp looking. Then as I sat back down at the table I was at, my number was called. A man who was wearing a costume that resembled Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal gangster outfit. He looked up my name, discussed my seating placement in the theatre, and assured me that I was clear to proceed into the next room. Before I left the booth, he asked me for my birthday. I told him and he stamped my wrist, due to the fact that I was able to drink alcohol.

Another piece of folded paper with "A13" written on it. This I knew, represented the table in which I was to sit and watch the performance. Being informed by a staff member as to where everything is, and a mini-tour of the next room, I was also informed that I would be sitting with random strangers, which of course was no problem to me at all. The environment was to my liking to say the least. Most importantly, the countdown to showtime had begun.

When it comes to the theatre and musicals, I prefer to be an audience member rather than a performer. The opportunity to soak it all in, and absorb everything that happens on a live stage is an experience in and of itself. A live production with live music, acrobatic dancing, acting, and everything that a professional production would include; provokes such emotion and excitement from me. It gives me a sense of joy that I don't experience anywhere else.

I began to hold conversations with the people around me, in particular with one girl who turned out to be a Theatre Major from Columbus State Community College. She was researching the show as a part of the class that she was taking. In addition, it turned out that she had went to the same high school that I was placed at for First Education Experience Program (FEEP) that semester. She knew the teacher that I was observing at the time, and said that she visits there around the same time that I am there.

I talked to her the most, and she was very good company.

By this time, we had already been acquainted with our waitress for the evening, Being the man of simple tastes that I am, I had ordered a Bowl of Tortilla chips with pico de Gallo, with a CBC IPA that would have the approval of my beer aficionado roommates. The excitement kept on building as more and more commercials played on the projector screen, and more and more people filled the tables full of seats.

One commercial in particular that caught my attention was one focused on the star of the show, that I had met almost a month prior. That commercial, gave everyone an inside scoop as to how hard she works, and how dedicated she is to her job. That commercial informed me that I knew who I was dealing with. That the woman who would step on to that stage, was a professional that knew exactly what she was doing. However, that night she became more than that.

The cool thing about the people who work at Shadowbox Live, is that not only do they perform a live show for an audience; entertaining them as they eat and drink. They also serve their audience their food and drinks, and hold conversations with the audience members as well. So the same people that you see on stage, working hard to provoke emotion out of the audience are the same people that humble themselves to serve the audience with food, drink, and heart-warming company.

Soon enough, the CEO himself of Shadowbox Live came out and gave his opening remarks on the show. How Broken Whispers is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and how the idea came about to turn the iconic character of Gatsby into a woman. Therefore, you would have a female Gatsby. That being the only gender change of the production, the story still remains the same. The only difference is how this female Gatsby would make her money. So instead of having a rich man named Gatsby who gained his wealth from illegal bootlegging, you have a rich woman named Gatsby who makes her fortune by being the owner of a brothel.

That is the plot in a nutshell.

No other big changes were made to the story.

Now with all of this in mind, it only makes sense that we start the show. As the CEO concluded his spiel, he prompted for the show to begin.

The Live Music? Oh God..... absolutely marvelous! Pulled at my very heartstrings. It was as if they took music of the twenty-first century and shoved into a jukebox of a bar in 1920's New York.

As I sat there, the music began to play, the dancers began to perform, and to the left standing in a balcony with a fake 1920's cigar holder in her hand, was the beautiful star of the show. Gatsby herself. With the spotlight shining on her, her posture and facial expressions were perfected down to the tee to fit the role. From there, she would lead a story that we all know very well in its inevitable direction. Though, in a musical way that I never would have imagined. Everything from her acting to her dancing, was remarkable.

Theatre is Art.

If you took a museum full of priceless paintings and murals, and put a cardiac defibrillator to it, it would begin to breathe with a living pulse, a heartbeat, and with veins that flow human blood through them. That is what this production was like, without a doubt. As I sat there, life began to imitate art and art began to imitate life. It was just beautiful to sit there and take it all in. In addition, I found myself feeling the same emotions that the actors were portraying on stage. When there was happiness, there was a smile that stretched from ear to ear on my face; and when there was sadness or sorrow, my eyes began to fill with the stinging sensation that comes before the tears. But not one tear was shed.


What truly made that night special for me, was that I received another memory to add to the collection of precious treasures that I hold close to my heart. Treasures that I get to share with everyone that I encounter in life. That experience is bound by nothing. Not only did I make several new friends that night, but I got to experience something that truly makes life worth living. The beauty of art in the hands of people who are running the same race that I am. I believe God is responsible for moments like this. Moments when I am filled with so much joy and happiness, that it is almost overwhelming. Moments of joy, where I shed tears of thankfulness and happiness. That night at Shadowbox Live, and experiencing Broken Whispers reminded me how thankful I am to be alive.

Thankful to live, and thankful to love and be loved by others.