Lorrie Strauss | antakalipa

On the square II: Dress Code script

After “Dress Code” things went downsouth for me. It was the girls who kept me relevant for a month, they loved me. They made it hard for Daphne to get rid of me. They would always shower me with gifts, kisses and hugs. Honestly it was like heaven, I felt like I was floating walking on clouds, I was all soft inside, I was intoxicated by them, I was in awe of their talent, I loved them. I did everything above and beyond to please them, I treated them like royalty, like the stars they were, with reverence and awe. I executed every request with efficiency and care. The stage was spotless before the show and the mirrors reflected like diamonds. Cliff’s (Piano guy) water was iced and always on time and on queue before the show. I was professional, courteous, smelled good and dressed with real personality. I was the eye of God who kept watch over everything and addressed every significant or insignificant thing that had the power to affect the tone of the show. It was all about excellence. They were very happy with me. The girls flooded Daphne’s email with compliments about me, she was elated and she opened her purse for me. I accepted but it was never about the money. Quite clearly it was the girls who kept me in the theatre for that long, the staff at the theatre only needed someone to assist for 2-3 day’s tops. “Move in” day can be tough and time consuming as you welcome a new act to the theatre, sets need to be on the stage and it requires planning and thinking. There’s also the issue of the sound and lights, they need to be programmed to the system. Without the sound and lights, you don’t have a show. It’s just a casual job and the guys who help out do their two days and it’s done. A lot of the times the theatre uses young students who are keen to learn about theatre to help out. It’s a win for both sides, the student learns and gets practical and the theatre don’t have to pay for labor. That considered, I stayed for a month! I was also the usher for the girls show and generally everybody liked me and that’s the problem, I was magnetic, likeable and had a ton of charisma, illuminating the place and setting the mood for the show – I was too perfect. Inevitably envy and jealousy sets in and I became a target. Human nature and narcissistic tendencies, I refrained from responding and reacting, I observed like a bystander and was amused by the human condition. I knew what caused the hysteria, mainly that I was too amazing and I couldn’t help myself. I had no flaw, I came early for work, had a lot of enthusiasm, executed every task with perfection and everybody loved me. Around the 3rd week Daphne called me to her office and took my particulars. She asked what I was good at, education, skills and talents and so I shared. We talked for a while and she said she wished she had something for me. Her roster was full. I acknowledged but I was just there for the love. After that meeting I definitely felt the room getting smaller, it was like she was pushing me out but life went on and I got more responsibilities. On the last day of “The Dress Code” as we were clearing the stage, I asked the director “Alan Swerdlow” for the script, I wanted it for it’s format, structure and I was really in love with the writing, it was witty, urban and well written. I also wanted to learn the skill of writing scripts for theatre. Alan liked my energy and appreciated everything I did for the girls, he gave it to me. After knockoff, Reginah from her car saw me from afar with the script and asked “Are you holding a script?”. I walked to her vehicle and replied “Yes”. She continued “You are not supposed to have that”, to which I replied “The director gave me the script”. She replied “No, you are not supposed to!”, I countered “But I want it”, I had the script in my hands. She started having a narcissistic fit and threw tantrums wanting to get out of the car. I watched her attempts to bully me off the script and I walked away from the scene with the script in hand. I left her shouting alone, she was wasting my time. It’s my fault, I encouraged her behavior hoping it would dissipate but she only got more controlling and overbearing, it was time for a receipt. As I was walking away, she shouted “Don’t come back on Tuesday”. It was the same Reginah who took 33% of my pay. She didn’t ask, she just took it in a power move. After “The Dress Code” Move In, Daphne delegated the task of paying me to her. She called me into a room, reached into her pocket and took out R300, gave me R200 and took the R100 stating that she needed it more and that she’d pay me back, she never did. I always resented that action, it was like she was entitled to my pay. I deserved the full R300! She didn’t ask me, if she had I would have given it to her, she took all the power away from me and took it! I judged her character that day and a receipt was definitely on the cards – she was going to respect me!

I defied her and came back on Tuesday. There was no way I was missing “Vincent’s” Move In. I wanted to help with the production, I had been anticipating it for quite some time and luckily, I still had Daphne, she was reasonable, she’d see things my way. When I got to the theatre Reginah isolated me from the team and instructed me to wait for Daphne so we can discuss this script issue. In an act of power, she brought in a student to take my place. Gaslighting, she was downplaying my importance to the theatre, communicating that I was inferior and disposable. I saw that for what it was – insecurity. Everybody loved me and it was warranted, I was a hard worker. I wasn’t concerned, I was fine with any outcome, I stood by my decision to walk away with the script that night, I simply wanted it more, if not for the content then the hopeful connections it had the power to grant me. Daphne came in and we discussed the case. Reginah presented her inaccurate version, filled with slander and smear campaigns in attempts to get me to react. It was just pure lies concocted by her imagination. She was vicious, disagreeable and incoherent, a blind man could see that she was attacking me. She wanted to control me so much that she lost control. I was calm. I presented my case and took responsibility for taking the script and as anticipated, Daphne understood. I went back to the team and helped with the production of “Vincent”, flirting with my female student replacement in the process. In no time my replacement was hooked and mesmerized by my aura. She too was on my side. This was definitely not in Reginah’s plans. I survived but hostilities were brewing. “Vincent” was a success and my replacement stopped coming to the theatre so I reigned. I understand human nature and I realize I was a missed hit, I know a target is still on my back, so I decided to leave on my own terms before things spiraled out of control, I’ll be back later, when things are calmer, when I am in control.

I came back 3 weeks later and everybody welcomed me back with open arms, the script issue was all in the past, they were just so happy to see me. It was the girls who kept me relevant for a month, they loved me and I love them forever.

On the square

I fell in love with her when I heard her sing “Back to Black”, I got goosebumps and I started to shiver. I felt Amy’s spirit, she lived through Sharon, her execution was flawless, I had never witnessed talent like that. She was amazing, she felt familiar, my dopamine levels spiked to new levels, I loved watching her on the stage. She made me happy because now when I went to the theatre I’d hear Amy. Everything just felt like devine intervention, like a higher power was in control, like the Universe was conspiring in my favor, like I finally made it! It was my first week on the job on the square as the stage manager, Daphne Kuhn on the credits. For me it was a dream job because I’d get to interact with fellow content creators. Theatre on the square is known for hosting the best talent in the country, if not the world and for me the opportunity to be a spectator of greatness is heaven. I had seen “Nothing but the truth”, written by John Kani, starring Sello Maake Ka-Ncube, Mbali Nhlapo and the Ziaphora Dakile. It was a spectacular show, honestly the best I had ever seen. I saw it twice. I remember after the show, I saw Mbali near the box office. I remember feeling the urge to go up to her and congratulate her on the great show. So I went up to her and told her that her performance was awesome, I hugged her and I walked away. I meant it too, everybody in the production excelled with flying colors. First time I went to the theatre I watched “Home Affairs” starring Sello Ramolahloane and Lawrence Joffe. I went to the theatre with the hopes of getting a job, lucky for me Daphne was in the box office. I talked to her and gave her my CV, but the theatre wasn’t hiring, Covid sent the whole industry on its knees and the theatre didn’t have sponsors to sustain the expenditures of the business, to cut matters short, there was not enough money coming through. I persisted and made my case stating that I just love content and I just need a chance. She relented if not compromised and offered me a ticket to watch “Home Affairs” the next day at 20:00. At the moment the heavens opened up and I heard choruses of Hallelujah in my head. I took her up on her offer and went the next day and I loved the show. Of course one ticket for one show was never going to be enough for me, I needed more. The theatre door was the door I’d been looking for all my life, the stage, the lights, the sound and the live performance. For me getting a job on the square was never about money. I felt establishing connections was key for the long-run and ultimately, I started working there for free, for the love and happiness it gave me but Daphne did give me money for transport, a wonderful gesture. She changed everything for me. After “Home Affairs”, I sent an email to Daphne thanking her for opening up this beautiful world of theatre for me and I asked her for tickets for the next show. She obliged and with that I started coming to the theater more often. I saw every production. It was not until “The Dress Code” that I was welcomed to the family. Reginah Dube who started alongside Daphne in the early days of the theatre took a liking to me straight away and offered to take me under her wing so I can learn more about theatre, I accepted. Loftus taught me how to operate the lights, he was the technical guy in charge of the sound and lights, he had a good taste in music, level-headed, calm, the voice of reason, showed care and love towards his work and was always good to me. He was a great guy, I admired and respected him. Melidah was accommodative, kind and beautiful. She was the person I looked forward to seeing at the theatre. Malebone was the light that brightened my day, she had a smile that radiated and always made me feel welcomed and at home. Reggie was the guy who opened the door for me when I started for the first time that monday. That’s the day I first heard Sharon sing “Black to Back”, it was like I floating on clouds, like I was one of the 144 000 people selected to go into heaven, like everything was finally coming full circle. Of course her co-stars are on the level of her excellence. Lorri is a different beast when she’s on the stage, she lights up, you can literally see light emitting through her pores, she glows, no hyperbole. She is witty, comedic, intelligent and a great singer. She is the tempo of the show, the heartbeat, the soul. Ntambo is powerful, assured, heartfelt and dominant – also a great singer, when she sings “My Mother’s savage daughter” the whole world is at her mercy, she doesn’t even need the piano, she performs it acappela style, she’s on the stage barefoot with her dreadlocks dangling on either side of her shoulders, she is raw and empowering, she is amazing! One of the top highlights of the show. And Cliff of course murdering it on the piano. No mistakes, 10/10 performance every day! Shoutout Craig Jackson with his show “Defending the Caveman”, a great show I watched twice. And it would be a great injustice if I left out “Cat and Monkey”, I loved it, it reflected so much about reality, about how toxic co-dependent relationships can be, it was funny and relatable, I knew the characters on the stage first hand, Danielle Retief and Rowlen von Gericke executed extremely well. Even with that Sharon takes the cake for me mainly because of Amy. Lorri helped immensely at the end of the song, her song “Black Velvet” converges at the end with “Back to Black” and the end result is a masterpiece. It was the day everything finally came together and Amy Winehouse was the soundtrack, I felt blessed and everything made sense.

P.S. A big congratulations to Amanda Bothma, Vincent is a masterclass on theatre. When I heard Germaine Gamiet playing the piano in rehearsal, I thought he was the best piano player in the world and I told Daniel Anderson his talent was on another level! After the first show, I told Germaine that his the best piano player in the world and for Daniel, well, I told him his the goat – that’s the best I had, it wasn’t hyperbole, it was the general consensus, you have to see “Vincent” for yourself, it was what I felt and it needed to be expressed. Vincent always had people on their feet clapping and clapping, it was warranted to, it’s a great show. I am proud to have been a part of the production staff for “The Dress Code” and “Vincent” – Daphne Kuhn on the credits.