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Haku, part IV
Third person writing sample:

The first few moments on stage were always the most pleasing to Haku. Standing there, blinded by oh so many stage lights, with his chin up and his character make-up in place, waiting for the first laugh or the first round of applause always made him feel more than useful, it made him feel alive. He knew that there were hundreds of people, raptly caught up in a story he was using himself to tell-their pleasure in his work made him belong to every one of them. His life, for the next two hours, would be the means to their pleasant end of a story.

And this show was no different. He stood there, in his shirt pulled straight from a 1927 factory workers closet, on a tiny little wooden balcony painted to look like so much rusted metal giving, his opening monologue about his life, Tom, in a tiny apartment across from a dance hall. He pulled the cigarette-filled with baby powder and tipped with painted on embers-to his lips and blew, casting that first puff of faux smoke up to twist and string in the simulated evenning light.

Beautiful and sad and alive.

He pulled up a hand and, finger extended, showed the audience that he, indeed, did not have any tricks up his sleeve and cued for the first sounds of swing music to play, pulling the audience with him into his simulated dream.

Yes, Haku felt magical and perfect in that moment.

He leaned against the railing, his dancer's lithe body shifting to give the impression of a man tired. He worked in a shoe factory.

"Hold, please."

With the voice of his Stage Manager, the illusion was, for the moment, broken. Haku stood straight again, hands moving to enfold each other infont of him as he waited, his small, pleasant smile taking its place on his face. The illusion that was Tom Wingfield was gone in an instant, taking with it Haku's envisionment of his audience. Opening night was just around the corner and, though Haku was ready for it, there was still much to be done.

"Haku, can you come down stage? We're losing you under the framing. It's awkward."

Haku gave a little half nod and took two steps forward. "Yes. Thank you. Is this better?" His voice was soft, gentle-not all the voice he spoke with on stage. But that stronger, more demanding voice belonged to someone else-a character he created.

"That's great. Can we take it back to, uhmm, when you're introducing Laura and Amanda."

Haku gave another nod, took a second to reposition the prop cigarette in his hands, and shifted his body, giving his light frame the appearance of a weight he didn't have. And he began. And his voice was that of his stage self again, tired and dry and full of sorrow.

For in those moments, Haku was Tom Wingfield and he was about to tear his family apart. All for the means to an end.


Other Notes:
-Haku does dress in a way that allows people to make their own inferences about his gender.
-And he will audition for a male or female role without any qualms about character gender and then adjust himself accordingly.

Any Questions: None yet! All of my other questions have already been addressed.