Loud clacks of character shoes on wood and tile
The air filled with the musty smell of costumes
Girls and boys alike with makeup smeared on their rosy cheeks
Nervous pacing up and down dark corridors
Each chanting songs and dialogue along with hurried dancing among the cast
Like a theatrical cult
The aisles filled with people eagerly shuffling to their seats
Hushed chatter among the growing crowd
Backstage, beautiful chaos falls into nervous order as the lights flicker and dim, indicating the too-fast approach of opening night
Soft fluttering of program pages comes to a sudden halt as the thick curtains slowly part to reveal a dark stage
Dancers and actors alike hidden in a heavy blanket of darkness
A single spotlight shines on a young girl, bright hair twirling down her back
She is clothed in a flowing dress of sky blue
Out of her mouth emerges a sound like that of a songbird
The stage comes alive with brilliant colors, dancers, and characters jumping and bustling around her
The show has begun.