Schuster School - Proscenium Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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cUThe Dark Lady of the Sonnetsia tSecond Performancei LOW, blow, thou winter wind, must have been the injunction of the Weather Man the night of December 15, when those Who were to perform before a large and distinguished audience with four real critics present foregathered on the stage and endeavored to keep their teeth from chattering long enough to denounce the weather in all the languages at their command. Was it cold? They felt more like Arctic explorers than actors. The programs stated that the performance would begin at eight o'clock, but eight oiclock had come and gone, eight-Efteen had joined the lost moments of the pastw-and still no audience. Eight-twenty! The front door woke echoes through the empty hall. Someone at last. Will Shakespeare appeared with his hat on backwards, his green legs trembling --- he tried to keep his knees from knocking together but even though his spare green figure was enveloped in his crimson-lined cape, his shivering was pitiful to behold. Queen Elizabeth labored up the steps, her jewels clicking against each one, wondering if she could see her breath solidify on the stage as well as she had in the dressing room. Where's the audience? she Chattereci, looking at Rollo, to whom she had to make love in the next sketch, and wondering what he stuck his beau-catcher down with. The Beef Eater was pacing back and forth. He had no ruff e though to be sure a ruff is little protection - and since the lace had been taken from his sleeves, his wrists were chapping. Mr. and Mrs. Audience are out there, he remarked bitterly, Hbut they arenit sitting together. Page thirty-five

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1J4 MISS BRICE AS QUEEN ELIZABETH Page Lhirty-four

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Queen Elizabeth peeped through the curtains. The bareness of the hall under the glaring house lights did not make her feel any warmer. Mrs. Burke was doing her best to look as if she were not alone and to keep up the appearance of being warm. Way over in the corner sat a stranger. Could he be a critic! But no, he was certainly not distinguished enough. Perhaps the critics would be a little late. Ah, new arrivals! Mr. and Mrs. Martin Senior came in. Yes, there was plenty of room! Something round and bright rolled out of the regal eye and immediately froze, dropping to the floor like a miniature hailstone. That old song sung by the famous comedians Montgomery and Stone passed through her mind as she jabbed the last hairpin into her headdress: uThe audience we opened to, His heard was long and black, He said, ll want my money back;' He said held beat us, but we beat him e Yes, we beat him to the railroad track! But there was no such escape for the poor frozen queen or the others in the cast. The trains were all snowbound. The Dark Lady joined the queen and took her turn at squinting through the curtains. There's Hilda Ruthmanl she exclaimed, and another girl? Six, all told, said Shakespeare, in a sepulchral voice that sounded as if it came from an ice box. The Beef Eater was Happing his arms across his chest and going over his lines between shivers. Even the bolster and two pillOWS used by the Dark Lady for padding failed to keep her from being aware that the mercury was below 320. Mrs. Martin came on the stage and laughed. She said the play was going out Then everyone laughed. Rollo went to the curtain wires and the others stood by in their places. The play went on! Page thirty-six