Lighting Design
Kyra ran the cold steel edge along the valley of her pulse. Years of built-up pain and anger began to ease. Red drained upon the floor. Raising her hands towards the light she lamented. What a scene, straight from Hamlet yet she felt more like Desdemona.
“Check the heat on Box 5, 2 needs a red filter and move spot 10 onto Kim’s face.”
By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way…….
Stephen lumbers center stage. “Cut!” cries the director.
“Sorry! But Kim’s got a call.”
“Now? Can’t it wait?”
“It’s Mercy Hospital. Apparently you’re Kyra’s emergency contact.”
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Word Count: 100
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Now you’ve no doubt recognized my mix of Shakespeare’s plays- Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth. Powerful tragedies all, full of betrayal, madness, and chaos. Hamlet’s overwhelming grief and seething rage born of treachery and incest. Desdemona for her beauty, a tragic character of ill-fated misfortune and love lost. For as the witches of Macbeth chant “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.” There is a fine line between good and evil, make-believe and reality that entwined for my story.
Stage lighting serves so many functions for performance. Special effects yes, but it is the ability for selective visibility, focus and revelation that make the composition an art. It creates the environment to support the performance. Much like good costume design does, each element lending towards delivery.
Rochelle, our irreplaceable host, has reminded us to read and comment on each other’s works. I have been a terrible culprit, remiss as of late. And promise to do bettah!
In that vien please read the other participant stories here.
DCTdesigns Creative Canvas 
good lighting on stage can create different settings, different worlds, only a few feet away from each other. thanks for re-grounding us with a little shakespeare. never a bad choice.
Evoking the Bard of Avon is probably cheating.
I am so happy to see you back at Friday Fictioneers. 🙂
cheating? not at all. and thanks.
I think Kyra is going to need a lot of help and understanding. This sounded like a cry for it. Good story. It sounds real.
Thanks Patricia. Like a lot of fiction it is based in a trace of reality.
The powerful mix of play and reality is soo skillfully done.. reminds me of the film Carmen http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085297/ … where the play happens within the opera between the actors… made a big impression on me, many years ago..
Ooh would you believe I’ve never seen Carmen? I have homework to do.
What a great mix of tragedies — It makes me wonder what drove Kyra to hurt herself — was she Desdemona, her husband suddenly gone mad with jealousy? Well done.
Whew! I was worried as I was writing a story involving death. 😉 Jealous husband or poisoned by incestuous misery.
I totally agree that lighting, like costumes and set design, is an art form. Theater and the performing arts would not be the same without it. Great take. The show stops for an emergency!
Thanks Amy. It is so truly that every part lends to a great performance on and off the stage. And sometimes the drama is real life.
A great take on the prompt Dana. Loved the way you wove Shakespeare’s plays into your story, well done
Dee
A play within a play. Poor Kyra, doing that.
Every character has its own internal dialogue playing on loop beneath.
Good one, Dana. The story stands on its own, even without any other references.
janet
Thanks Janet
I can tell some serious contemplation was behind this post, as you created a multilayered theme intertwining Shakespearean references with technical aspects of production and then the residual drama of real life. The expansion upon the significance of stage lighting was also enjoyable because, being an outsider to the industry, you brought up several points I’d never even considered. Thank you for sharing such a thought-provoking piece.
I did and am often known for over thinking i.e. complicating things. But all these pieces seems to converge on one another today. Thanks Adelie.
Great take on the prompt, Dana! I love how you ended it. I wonder if she is alive or dead now. I feel like I’ve been lame in reading, liking and commenting on other stories too, lately. I’m trying to be better since so many have been consistent at reading and commenting on mine. You’re are one of the consistent ones, by the way. 🙂
Life has a way of interrupting the reading and comment portion of this community at least for me. I’m glad I left the ending ambiguous. I don’t want to be accused by Helena of killing this week. 😉
Delightful weaving of characters and words.
Thanks Alicia
Dear Dana,
Your own technical expertise shines through in this piece. Are you familiar with Dress Rehearsal Rag by Leonard Cohen?
As for commenting and participation, please don’t think that I mean everyone should comment on everything. I more or less aimed at those who never comment or answer comments to or from anyone else. Rather rude to my way of thinking. You definitely don’t fall into that category but thank you for the nod. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
Oooh I was unfamiliar with this one. Fabulous. I love reading and commenting. Not shy of sharing my 2 cents. But lately I haven’t been able to give it the time it so rightly deserves. Thanks Rochelle
Interesting how her imaginary internal reflection is shattered by reality’s intrusion.
Art and life often mimic one another.