Gather 'round boys and girls. It's finally time again for:

alpha charlie bravo's True Student Theater Stories.

A couple of years after I had graduated High School I was asked by my former H.S. Drama teacher to serve as assistant director for the school's Spring production which was also going to serve as her graduate thesis. I also played a part in the production.

We didn't have a conventional proscenium stage. The theater, which was newly built, was basically a large room with some theatrical lighting fixtures. It doubled as a classroom during the school day. We designed the set with a large playing space center stage at floor level and platforms going up the sides culminating in a raised playing space upstage.

All the actors remained on stage throughout the entire play. If an actor wasn't in a particular scene, he would go off to the side platforms or some other space away from the action.

There was a point in the play when I was placed with my back to the audience at one of the raised side platforms away from the scene taking place. The next scene began with my line, so I would turn, say my line and step down into the center stage area.

Now, I've always liked military turns. I do them in my day to day life. I lift my right foot, place my right toe behind my left heel, turn on my right foot 180 degrees and bring my left foot forward to meet my right. I must have done it that way a dozen times in rehearsal: turn, say the line, walk into the scene.

The first time we performed the play for an audience and reached that particular scene, I opened my mouth to speak, lifted my right foot and placed my right toe behind my left heel as always.
But where there should have been a stage platform under my right foot... there was only air.

I fell.
I fell while turning 180 degrees and landed with hips and shoulders rolling onto arms and chest.

Without a breath of hesitation I stood, spoke my line and continued with the scene as intended.