Before Opening Night

The lights dim. The lingering bits of chatter fade away. The curtain looms ahead. We sit silently with growing anticipation, waiting for the curtain to reveal the glorious spectacle. Backstage, the dancers breathe slowly to calm their nerves. They feel that great feeling of both fear and excitement. The orchestra sits patiently in the pit, their instruments at the ready. Everyone in the theater waits. Tension builds and will only be released by removing the velvet wall that separates reality from fantasy. Sitting in the audience before the show begins, I think about what led to this moment. Fortunately, one of the dancers, Josephine Schwarz, answered my query.

The year is 1934. It is still warm outside as summer forges ahead into August. Boston welcomes the School of American Ballet who traveled from New York to perform. It appears they brought the whole school with them. Besides the dancers there are musicians, designers, and costumers getting everything ready for the show. Even more file into the theatre including, a shoe man, wig man, and hat lady. All these people make the show possible, but sometimes the audience forgets those who are not seen on stage.

The excitement is already building as the students prepare for opening night. Being in a different city and on a different stage requires hours upon hours of work, with only two days to rehearse here in Shubert Theatre. Shortly after arriving they were in rehearsal for three and a half hours, took a short hour and half break, and then back in the theatre for another two and a half hours. That night one of the dancers did not go to bed until one o’clock in the morning. It seems as if those dancers live in that theater; they spend fifteen hours a day there.

Josephine Schwarz 1938

Waiting in the audience, we do not see the sweat, pain, and work that go into a rehearsal. We only see the finished product. It always seems so effortless on stage, and frankly, we do not want to know that yesterday’s rehearsal was a disaster. It is probably better if the audience remains ignorant of such things. Well, it would be disconcerting to hear one of the ballerinas say that they were not ready for the performance, and everything was a complete mess. It is understandable when they have not even practiced in their new costumes yet with the performance less than seventy-two hours away.

Rehearsing is all they do in order to give their best performance. But sometimes it can be a struggle. With the small stage, bothersome wigs, and posts and pillars in odd places, who wouldn’t be worried about opening night? The show is expected to be brilliant and have a long run, but one student has her doubts. She is even hoping for an act from God such as a tidal wave, hurricane, or earthquake to prevent the curtain from opening. No matter how chaotic the rehearsals, the show will go on.

Opening night is the most exciting of all performances. Unfortunately, one dancer confided in me that, “things seem to be getting worse as far as our numbers are concerned & we wonder why in God’s name we ever opened or why we ever wanted to be in the show any way.” As a spectator, I cannot imagine the pain of feeling this way. After all their hard work and hours of rehearsal, it must be difficult to give a performance that they deem unacceptable. But how can the dancers do their best when changes are constantly being made? The pillars have changed position, and two of the numbers have been taken out and then put back in again. After so many changes, anyone would have a difficult time trying to remember them all.

Miss Schwarz and the rest of the crew stayed in Boston for three weeks before returning to New York. After spending most of her time at the theatre and the Charlotte Cushman Club, where she stayed, Miss Schwarz regretted not being able to see more of Boston. But it was a relief to be back in the Big Apple, where she continued her lessons. The moment before a show is thrilling, and everything before it can be just as exciting, although sometimes, it can also be messy.

By Julie Hale

Sources:

Josephine Schwarz, letter, July 31, 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special
       Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz, letter, August 4, 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special
       Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz to Family, August 7, 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special
       Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz to Hermene and Hannah Schwarz and Claudia, August 10, 1934, MS-218,
Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State
       University, Dayton, Ohio.
Josephine Schwarz, letter, August 1934, MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special Collections
       and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Photo: MS-218, Josephine Schwarz Papers, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries,
       Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.