22 N-R-G!

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO N-R-G! Kinetic Energy (noun). A solid has a low amount of kinetic energy. A liquid has more kinetic energy. Like when the DJ has kicked up the bass. The liquid molecules are moving and having a dance party. IT WAS SATURDAY AFTERNOON, October 17, and our show was actually about to happen! Mentally, I went through the list of everything we needed. The stagehands and the props were in place. The actors waited backstage. Right now, it felt as if a dozen balls bounced in my stomach. The call time had been 12:30 p.m. (the time when the cast and the crew needed to arrive). At 2:00 p.m., the curtain would rise, and the show would officially begin. By 1:30 p.m. everyone was in costume and makeup. The house lights were up but not for much

longer. Elijah and his crew had already performed their lighting check to make sure the equipment worked. I had gone through a prop checklist with the backstage crew. The scenery had been repositioned perfectly into place. The scripts were jammed in backpacks. Everyone today was really, really off-book. As the assistant director, I had to react quickly. But not panic. Still, I couldn't stop worrying. I waved at Elijah and the crew running the lighting board. "Everyone, please gather on the stage," said Mrs. Hansberry. Soon, a couple dozen kids grouped around us. "Whatever you do, keep plowing ahead," she added. "If you need to, ad-lib until you get back on track." "Yes," I said. "And I've got the script right here. I'll whisper a line if you forget. And if that doesn't work, I'll shout. And if that doesn't work, I'll march onstage." "Fantastic," said Mrs. Hansberry. "We have plan B, C, and D." I glanced down at the prompt book with all the cues and technical notes for the show. Today, I

shouldn't have to call out any cues, but I knew exactly what I needed to do if I had to. "It's time to get in a circle," said Mrs. Hansberry. "This is a time-honored theater tradition." The cast and crew made a big circle on the stage. "This, my friends, is a very special circle. I would like for you all to say the letters N-R-G." "N-R-G," we said. "Louder," said Mrs. Hansberry. "N-R-G," we said. "Now repeat it. Louder and faster." We did until everyone broke into giggles as we realized we were all saying energy. "We are going to give energy," continued Mrs. Hansberry. "Lots of it. Crew and cast alike. Now let's gather tighter." With our right arms crossed over our left arms, Mrs. Hansberry had us hold hands with people on either side. I was holding hands with Birdie on my right and Phoenix on my left. "We work as an ensemble to make a helping hand," said Mrs. Hansberry. "And we need all of our fingers. Each of you contributes and together we are one group. There are no small parts. No small

roles. It takes all of us coming together for this one-act musical to work." Then she had us close our eyes and she gave energy to the person on the left by squeezing their hand and the energy was passed around from person to person. Nobody said a word. When everyone had finished, Mrs. Hansberry said, "Break a leg, everyone." Then she had the cast and crew turn out of the circle by uncrossing their arms. "Curtain time is in twenty minutes. Prepare to turn down the house lights at my command. I'm opening up the doors. The audience will now be seated." We scrambled into place as the sound of theatergoers filled the once empty theater. Somewhere in the audience sat my parents and Liam. I was too afraid to peek. If I listened really hard, I thought I could hear Liam's raspy little voice. The cast and crew held their breath as we waited for the show to begin. And then the house lights went down. The curtain opened. Showtime!