Who Shall Live, Who Shall Die: A Novel by Daniel Stern

Author:Daniel Stern [Stern, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Jewish, Cultural Heritage
ISBN: 9781480444164
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 1994-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

6

IN THE FINAL WEEK of rehearsals, all the forces of publicity, finance, and the other pressures attendant on a New York theatrical production descended upon At the Gates. At the Monday morning rehearsal, just before his meeting with Rolfe, the proposed lighting man, Jud was told by Larry Elgin that he was scheduled for an interview with the United Press, at lunch; with the drama editor of The New York Times, sometime in the afternoon; with the representative of an English syndicate that was looking to produce dramatic plays in London, at cocktails; and with a movie star who had formed a company and wanted Jud to direct a film for him in Spain.

What Larry did not note, but which he knew were also on the days agenda, were: an interview with a playwright about a script that Jud had kept far too long and liked, not enough to direct, but enough to want to speak to the writer personally; three short sessions with three actors, one of whom might prove right for the general male understudy in At the Gates; and a meeting with Korn, the unfortunately named composer who had been delayed completing the music for a television documentary on the Coast.

Besides these, all Jud had to do on Monday was to rehearse the play and go over some script changes with Walkowitz.

The day began, officially, with the meeting between Jud and the lighting man, Glenn Rolfe, a man in his fifties, elegant, stylish.

“I’ve admired your work,” Jud said, shifting the paperweight on his desk restlessly. “And Michaels feels that he can work well with you.”

Rolfe lowered his head slightly in unspoken recognition of the fact that Jud was aware of his relationship with Michaels.

“That’s very important to me. I want to have an ensemble here.”

“It’s the best way to work,” Rolfe said imperturbably.

“You’ve read the play?”

Another smooth nod.

“Then you know why I don’t want it bathed in a richness of light. I want a cold clarity that blends and changes with the happenings onstage. The light should speak to the scene, not about the scene.”

Rolfe inclined his head. “Hmmm,” he said.

“What did you think of the play?” Jud said, rising to indicate the end of the meeting.

“I liked it,” Rolfe said, “very much. You’ll either have audiences that are irritated at being roused from apathy or audiences that are deeply shaken.”

“Depending on?”

“Depending on how it’s done.”

“Well, that’s where we come in, isn’t it?” Jud came out from behind his desk and shook the man’s hand. “Larry Elgin will settle the papers and such with your agent. The terms are satisfactory?”

Another nod.

“You can sketch out your preliminary lighting plot while you watch today’s rehearsal.”

Walkowitz was late, and Jud decided to begin with the scenes that seemed to be in final form. He had Dasha, Saul, and Emmet do the next to the last scene of the play. Deliberately, he started them, cold, at a high emotional pitch. He was not yet certain that Emmet could handle the part, to the point of sustaining the brilliance he’d shown earlier in the big, demanding scenes.

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