I apologize that this took a while for this chapter to come out. I had to do a project involving 7 painting canvases, and different types of textures plus hot glue and paint. In all honesty, I think I did a good job given this was the first project I ever did for work. I am just happy my co-workers appreciate the hard work I did and I hope to God that that hot glue lasts long as well. I've never used glue guns before and I almost burned myself a few times. Don't worry, it wasn't too bad. Another reason for the delay is because signed up for CDA classes for my workplace and I have to attend 2 Saturdays out of the month to do them. Luckily the last class is in February so I'm just letting everyone know. Also, I know it's ballet so there are no speaking roles but I'm gonna do something a bit different to describe the ballet. Please be patient with it as this is the first time I'm doing a chapter on a ballet that has no transcript so I'll be miming the speeches. If any of you find one for the Swan Lake Ballet please let me know.
Chapter 11
Well, today was the day. Today was the Nutcracker and both Mary and Abby were happy and excited. After months of practice, after months of training, and after months of planning in helping each other, it was finally time. On the night before, they had their warm meals, said their prayers, had a good night and had a hearty breakfast. In the audience, Abby's mother was there as well as her grandmother, and both had their cameras out to record the whole thing in case the TV back home acts weird since the channel that is supposed to show it gets some TV shows mixed up. Example: They recorded Downton Abby but got Father Brown instead and despite the mix up they enjoy the show(True story for the past couple of months. I wanted Father Brown and I got Agatha Christie's Poirot instead. Is Anyone else getting that glitch on their DVR or TV?) So it was better to be safe than sorry. With them is surprising, Mary's family and I mean everyone. Her parents, siblings, aunts, uncle, and cousins. They were only one person short and that's because the place says 'no' to dogs. Mary gently opened the curtain and saw them. "They actually made it." She said. "They're actually here."
Abby looked from behind Mary and saw them. "Well, I'll be damn. They did. I bet your grandfather did some great convincing to get them to come."
Mary said, "Or blackmail. Works either way." The 2 giggled
Then one of the stagehands walked up to the 2. "Yo, you girls get ready. It's almost showtime."
They replied, "Ok Mr. Roadie." That's their nickname for him since he looks like Eddie Riggs from Brutal Legends, big hands, long hair and all. The only thing he doesn't do is smoke, at least not cigarettes like the guy more into cigars. They made it to the back and got dressed for the first act. Mary was dressed in a beautiful green dress that her character wears. The company is trying to stick with the Nutcracker Prince character designs so the company would stand out more. Plus pink and purple have been done to death over the years from other forms of media, They tried blue but somehow it didn't look good on Mary but once Abby tried it on, it was a major glow-up so they gave the costume to her instead. Both got their dresses on, their hair right, their shoes on and took a breath to calm themselves so they can do the ballet flawlessly. Luckily the only trick of using lights to nearly blind the dancers actually work since it keeps them from seeing the audience and helps them to be less nervous. Now we know how jazz clubs can do it flawlessly, though I bet it also has something to do with a trick piano that plays itself.
Soon it is time, everyone got to their seats, phones were off, everyone was quiet, and eyes were on the front. The room went dark as a platform for the orchestra rose to show the musicians playing the music to set the mood. Soon the platform lowered and the curtain opened. The first scene was a snowy night in town and there was an engineering shop, and out of the shop was a man with long silver hair in a low ponytail and an eyepatch came out of the shop, and soon his young apprentice came out as well, both wearing matching clothes. The young man was holding 2 live-size boxes and 1 medium size box. Though there were no words between the 2, the body language tells all.
Uncle Drosselmeyer asked, 'Are the present ready for the Christmas part?'
His apprentice answered, 'All are ready but you really think she is worthy of your gift?'
Uncle Drosselmeyer answered, 'Never doubt the Christmas magic on Christmas Eve.' Soon the 2 were on their way to the house.
The backdrop disappeared to show a grand house with a beautiful living room was a giant Christmas tree. Soon the master of the house came out to the living room in their party clothes, The servants were out getting ready for the party and soon enough the guest arrives. Friends from their workplace or the military, and family as in uncles, aunts, and grandparents arrived with their children. The adults were welcome by the host and hostess of the house as the children were led away to the nursery until the start of the party which wasn't too far off. Soon Mary in her green costume dress came out with a bunch of other girls and all were standing in a line with Mary in the front and Abby, representing the youngest of the girls and, possibly the nanny's daughter, in the back. The boys were also lined up by the head butler so they can be presented like the girls. Soon the party started and while the grown-ups were standing up waiting for the children to be presented, the Nanny went up to the girls. 'Alright girls shoulders back, head up, big smiles, and be elegant.'
Abby made a frowning face and stomped her feet like a baby doing a temper tantrum. 'Why do I have to do it? All we're gonna do is walk in?'
The Nanny walked up to her. 'It shows the adults of the house that you have proper manners. If you don't behave, then there will be no cookies.'
That shaped her up and asked, 'Can you walk with me then?'
Nanny nodded. 'Of course.'
Then the children presented themselves with prim and proper manners with big smiles on their faces. One by one they walked up to the adult and stood in front of their parents with Abby in the back with the biggest smile on her face walking with the Nanny up to the master of the house. The master of the house was so proud of her that he hugged her as though she was her own daughter. Once that was done, the boys were given trumpets by the butler and the girls were gifted different dolls by the head maid. The kids prance around holding their toys following the beat of the music. Soon the 2 were in their little groups, the boys playing army and the girls pretending to be mothers. As the girls were rocking their dolls as though they were babies, the boys were come by to cause a ruckus. After the third time, Abby acted as though she wanted to charge them and beat them up, but the head butler held her back. The audience laughed as they see him holding Abby back flailing her arms and legs all over the place trying to reach the boys, and they even laughed harder when he picked her up and tucked her under his arm, and walked away as Abby continued to do the movements. Soon enough Drosselmeyer came with the presents and all the kids gathered around to see the wonderful man. Drosselmeyer greeted all the kids and hugged his god-daughter who Mary was playing as, Clara. Soon he started to represent the kids with the 2 big presents. For the girls, a dancing ballerina doll, and for the boys a big dancing bear. Mary walked up to her 'mother'. 'Please mother, may I have the doll?'
'Not now Clara.' She mimed.
Mary begged again. 'But please mother, it's so beautiful.'
Again she replied. 'Not right now Clara.'
'But mother,' mimed Mary.
But her 'mother' had enough. 'That is enough and the discussion is closed.'
That left Mary sad. But then her godfather walked up and handed her the third present he had. 'Little one, here's a perfect present for you.'
Mary looked up and opened the box. Inside was a big red and green nutcracker. 'A nutcracker?'
Drosselmeyer mimed, 'Not just any nutcracker, but THE nutcracker.' He then gathered all the kids and started to tell the story, through theater mask, about the nutcracker, a princess, and the dreaded mouse queen. Everyone was entranced by the story. There was a princess that was cursed by the mouse queen to be ugly as sin, and no one unless they pass a special test that involved a nut that can never crack but would break teeth would break the spell. Many men tried and fail but a young man walked up and did his best to pass the test, but with the strike of luck, he did and broke the spell on the princess. Of course, the mouse queen was pissed and cursed the man to become a nutcracker. The princess was so heartbroken by the loss of her hero that she commanded the death of the mouse queen and all her followers. Only her son survived the attacks and wished revenge on the Nutcracker once he grows a new army and would stop at nothing from destroying the nutcracker forever. After the story, Drosselmeyer held up the doll and already everyone wants it. But he shoos away the kids and gave the nutcracker to Mary. 'He is yours.'
Mary nodded as she went back to the girls. Soon enough the boys were causing trouble again but this time, it was the boy playing Clara's brother that was the instigator and he and Mary had a tug of war with the nutcracker until it broke in 2. The boy was shocked and quickly put the piece down before anyone could see, but it didn't work. For Abby stomped up to him, scolded him, and pretended to give him a front and back wedgie. The boy pretended to be hurt, grabbed his parts, and bounced himself away before getting spanked by his grandfather, and after all that, the audience laughed again. Mary held up the 2 pieces and pretended to cry shaking her head as the girls walked up to comfort her. Drosselmeyer and his assistant then got an idea. He walked to Mary and while the other girls left, Abby stayed. Drosselmeyer gently got the pieces, put them together, and with a small scarf, he wrapped it around the nutcracker from head to toe, did a magic trick, and unwrapped it. He presented it to Mary and did all that he could to break it, but it didn't. Mary was happy and took her nutcracker back. Both she and Abby walked up to Drosselmeyer, back towards them, and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around, bend down and both gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Soon enough it was time for the Christmas Eve night scene. Mary, dressed up in a white nightgown came down with a candle and walked up to the tree where her nutcracker was at. She gently picked him up, held him in her arms, and lay on the couch fast asleep. As she slept, the owl on the clock transformed into Drosselmeyer and with the opening of his cape, magic came from his robes enchanting the room. Was it getting bigger or was Mary getting smaller? Either way the Christmas Eve magic has begun and it was time for the fight. After the clock struck midnight. Mary 'woke up' and saw Drosselmeyer as the clock. Then a toy soldier, about tall as her, was walking all by itself. It walked up to the middle of the stage, got the gun out, did the splits, and fired a shot. There was a puff of smoke and a giant mouse came out holding his tail that was shot off. He was mad that his tail was gone but when he looked at the toy, he did a double take. He looked at the toy up and down in confusion while the audience laughed. The toy held its arms like 'What is it?' The mouse pointed to the spits and held his own parts feeling the pain as he sees it. The toy looked down and quickly got up fixing itself. Then they made the army call. The toy with the trumpet and the mouse using its dead tail. Just then more mice appeared as well as more toys appeared including a life-size nutcracker. Then the Mouse King appeared in its royal regalia. As the fight goes on, Abby did her tricks. First, she was shaking her butt at the toys in a teasing manner but then she got stabbed in the butt but the Nutcracker. Then she started to do the floss which made everyone laugh and then 2 of the toys started to swing their swords at Abby's feet, but Abby was just jumping up and down, up and down, and then it transition to tricks as though she was playing with a jump rope. Anyway, the end of the act was close so Mary got one of her slippers off, and started hitting the Mouse King on the head. The Mouse King turned around and was about to strike her but then the Nutcracker came and stabbed the Mouse King. The Mouse King froze, looked at the sword, looked at the Nutcracker, and then at the audience. Abby pointed to the sword saying 'Is this…?' some of the audience said 'yes' and Abby nodded. Then she went to the ground. She was rocking back and forth, back and forth. Finally, in a sitting position, she turned to the audience and gave them a salute before landing on the ground dead. Some of the mice gathered around their fallen king and one of them pounded on the king's chest to get a heartbeat but nothing. With sorrow, the mice dragged the king away but not before the last mouse shook his but at the toys and then his butt got shot. Soon the room went dark as Mary acted sad about what she had done. Meanwhile, the Nutcracker was soon revealed to be human again. He turned to Mary, tapped her shoulder, and when she turned around, she saw the Prince human again. The 2 were gleefully happy so as a reward off to the Land of Sweets. The 2 arrived outside and saw a beautiful snowy landscape, and soon little snowflake dancers appeared along with the King and Queen of snow. The first act ended with Mary on a sled driven by the prince off to his home.
After the first act ended, Mary went to check on Abby who was taking a drink of water. "How are you doing?"
Abby replied. "I'm ok. I think I overdid it with the jumping tricks though. You?"
Mary said, "I'm ok. We still have some time before the second act starts and you have time before you dress up as Mother Ginger's Polichinelles. Just don't overdo it. We have to do the same show move after move for the next couple of weeks." Abby put her thumb up in agreement.
Soon act 2 started and the curtain opened to a kingdom landscape. Mary and the Prince travel to the beautiful Land of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Prince's place until his return. He recounts to her how he had been saved from the Mouse King by Clara and transformed back into himself. In honor of the young heroine, a celebration of sweets from around the world is produced: chocolate from Spain, coffee from Arabia, tea from China, candy canes from Russia, and marzipan from Danish shepherdesses perform on their flutes. Soon enough it was Mother Ginger's turn. The dude came out dressed up as a Raggedy Ann doll with a big hoop dress. As it went on Mother Ginger would lift up her dress showing her clown legs and shoes and the Polichinelles, emerge from under her enormous hoop skirt to dance. Each is no different from the last and each does its own style of dance. When Abby came out, her dancing style was breakdancing like a man from the 90s that would dance in the streets with a cardboard box. Everyone was laughing and smiling at what they were seeing. The actor that placed the Prince then went to Mary's ear and whispered, "I'm so glad she's here and your friend. You 2 brought something back here that I haven't seen in years. Not since my grandmother was a ballerina. You 2 brought the energy and the spark back." Mary smiled and mouthed 'Thank you.' Soon Mother Ginger started to gather up all her little kids and when it was Abby's turn to go back in the dress, she did the moonwalk. Everyone in the audience started to laugh and even the dancers were laughing breaking their character.
Soon enough the last act came. To conclude the night, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform a dance. A final waltz is performed by all the sweets, after which the Sugar Plum Fairy ushers Clara and the Prince down from their throne. He bows to her, she kisses Clara goodbye and leads them to a reindeer-drawn sleigh. It takes off as they wave goodbye to all the subjects who wave back. Back in the house in the dark room. The master and the mistress of the house came to the living room and saw Mary sleep on the couch with the nutcracker in her arms. The mother gently removed the Nutcracker and placed it on the ground in front of the tree while the father picked up his sleeping daughter and left offstage. As the ballet did the final notes, a transition started. The first note and light hit the nutcracker doll then back, next the second note and light hit the life-size doll version of the nutcracker then back, and finally the last note and light hit the Prince of the Dolls with the Princess from the story before in his arms in an embrace as though they were lovers for it turned out the Princess was waiting for him all this time for his return and thanks to Mary's help they finally are together as they should be. With that, the stage when black once more ending the Nutcracker Ballet.
When it was over and the curtain drew back to show the cast, the audience wasted no time clapping and stomping their feet as they cheered for the magnificent work that they have seen. Each dancer went up one by one to take their own bows before going back in line so someone else would walk up to take their bows. Soon it was Abby's and Mary's turn so they walked up in each other's arms and when they did they got a standing ovation. Mary let go of Abby so she would go first and Abby put the Mouse King mask on and did the floss dance again showing she was the Mouse King and then she bowed. Then she turned to Mary who walked up, did a few twirls before she made her bow, and finally, the 2 waved their arms to their maestro who was performing the music flawlessly. The maestro stood up and bowed to the audience in thanks for their cheers. Then Abby and Mary went back in line as everyone did one final bow before the curtain closes ending the show.
Late that night, Mary's family arrived home after that wonderful performance. Tom said, "I normally hate ballets but that was the best one I've ever seen in my life."
Sarah came after him. "I have to give it to them, they have the gift."
Beth asked, "Was there any doubt? Oh, wait you 2 did." That made the adult roll their eyes.
Max asked as he went in. "Wonder how big the egg is on your faces."
Then Grandpa came in holding a very sleepy Marie over his shoulder like a rag-doll still in her coat and tutu costume. "Hopefully enough to make a couple of omelets. This girl deserves it."
His wife agreed "Ja."
Grandpa turned to his family. "I'm taking this kid to bed. Tomorrow we're having a family party for her. Sarah's relatives are still here might as well make the best of it."
Tom tried to object. "But dad-"
Grandpa stopped him. "No buts. They were on their best behavior today so we're cutting them some slack. Any lip and you get a footprint on your ass." He walked up the stairs to Mary's room. "Boy oh boy Mary did you and Abby dance your tails off. Almost as much as those rats did." He laughed at his own joke. Soon he arrived at her bed and got her off his shoulder. "There we go. Something with actual cushion." He took off her shoes, and her coat and gently took off the costume and out on her pjs. "Now it's time to sleep." He kissed her forehead. "I'm so very proud of you Mary." He put the blankets over her, turned off the light, and left her room. As Mary slept, she dreamed she was in the Land of Sweets and the dancing was never ending as she saw the wonders of the world. Mary smiled in her sleep as she snuggled into her bed. Meanwhile, Grandpa went to his workbench and pulled out a small dancer. "Now I know what colors to use for this little dancer." Then he got to work.
