After being eaten alive by the people's murmurs and glances, Heidi finally comes out the dressing room.
It takes them a moment to greet each other and then the director – I think she is the director – claps her hands to get their attention and to announce they were going to start their class with a warm-up.
Now, I am not going to claim I know a lick about theater. My concerns were never in this side of the Arts. So, I simply do not know why they have to warm-up with Yoga. Though, I am not complaining about the method…
Thank the Heavens, I lent her those shorts because they incredibly highlight her legs. Nice job, Aldo! Now, just silently put your sunglasses on and enjoy. Ah, but I have no sunglasses on hand. I cannot just stare like a creep... Well, I could, but not with so many witnesses around.
So, I have to consciously focus on anything around the room that is not Heidi's stretching legs, stretching back, lean and toned body, bare feet… Her toes were so cute, with nail polish of different colors!
After their warm-up, they begin with some sort of exercise I sincerely did not try to understand.
I mean, acting is really not my thing. Even though I do extremely well during the video shootings, it is not like I will go and try getting into dramas and movies. I did not train to be an actor like Reggie or Niccolo. Back then, I decisively focused in music since it was the only thing that kept me going from my broken heart.
I am also interested in fashion. I have attended quite a few events from famous designers. I also visit Art Galleries in hopes of finding some inspiration when my Heidi-muse drains. And I may have incurred in poetry – though not one of my poems were published as I write only for my satisfaction, yet acting is not something I have considered. And will not consider.
Perhaps reality shows…
My line of thought stops all of a sudden due to the sound of sobbing.
As I look around the group in front of me, I notice a woman is crying, some other woman is silently letting her tears down, and a man is strongly clenching his fists with a pronounced frown on his face.
Just what is going on here?
The last thing I recall was that they had just been standing in pairs, looking at each other, something about envisioning or the like. I simply tuned out the director's explanation of what they were going to do after their warm-up.
What is all this about? Is this some kind of witchcraft? Has Heidi entered in some sort of eclectic group? Alright, that's an exaggeration, but who can explain to me what just happened here?!
The director tells them to taken deep breaths, to internalize everything that happened and save it for the future. Then, when all of them stop looking at each other, they shake off their limbs and then sit in a semicircle. She places two chairs in front of them and in pairs again, they sit on them.
"So, what do you want to tell the person you met?" The director asks.
Met? Met who? They just stared and cried! I'm confused!
After a few seconds, one of the two, the woman, starts speaking up. "I… know we're not dating each other anymore, but…"
The woman descended into a spiel about things she wanted to tell her supposed ex-boyfriend. The man in front of her also speaks up of someone… When they are done, another two take up the chairs, and one by one, they start talking about their problems and stuff.
With how tragic some of the stories sound, my song Void Inside fits them all perfectly. I wrote and composed it when things hit a new low after seeing Heidi's parents again, and for the first time in years, in a fashion event.
Finally, it is Heidi's turn. I am curious about her supposed met person… Just when I thought she has had a simple and nice life, her words change that.
I was completely clueless as to how she truly felt in her childhood. All her lack of likes make sense now.
Her careless and free-spirited lifestyle was just the reflex of what she calls 'a life without a voice'. She confesses that many times she felt as if her opinion did not matter to her parents, and that, to avoid any problems and arguments with them, and more importantly, to make them happy, she just said yes to everything they said and told her to do.
I always assumed her relationship with her parents was good. I mean, she does say they were good parents! But I was totally unaware that she considered their attitude a problem even when she was no longer a child to be ordered around. Oh, my poor Heidi!
I promise I will do everything you tell me to without complaints if that helps you with how you feel. It will not erase the thing with your parents, but I am more than willing to follow your lead in our future happy home!
"Ok, we are done with this exercise. Just remember that this type of emotions is what we have to show to our audience with our many characters during a play, so don't forget them. Overall, thanks for sharing what you had inside, I bet it was a bit tiring, so let's change a bit the atmosphere and do some improvisations." The director proposes.
So, that is how theater acting work! To uncover deeply buried emotions and lending them to a character that would, otherwise, have nothing in common with the actor or actress! My eyes were opened today.
Murmurs once again fill the room as they all groan or cheer or just simmer with anticipation.
"I truly suck at improvising."
"Yes! I've been practicing a lot, so I think I'll do well this time."
"Nooo, I still panic when improvising!"
"I was expecting this, it's been a while!" Those and many other comments circulate in the room.
"Since it's been a while, let's make our Improvisations' Queen go first." Everybody cheered at the director's idea. They have a person a like that? I wonder who. "Come on, Heidi, to the front." I should have guessed. I should have known! My Heidi is amazing like that! A Queen in all her splendor!
But is she that good?
"And, since today we have an especial guest, why don't we let him participate, too? If he's up to the challenge, that is." The woman smirks.
I have to accept that the idea of sharing what Heidi likes the most is superbly appealing, so I easily say yes. I mean, it should be fun, right?
Right?