"Don't cry for me, Argentina," the singer croons from the stage, acting in a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. She stands on a balcony, saying farewell to a country of people who loved her. The music wraps around the audience. Some are already weeping.
Backstage, the cast and crew are also moved. "My most favored production was Evita," says Omar Kamal. He is a stage manager in Kentucky who has looked after hundreds of stage productions.
"That production was complicated, but flowed," he says. "It was beautiful to look at every night on stage."
Kamal takes pride in the fact that the stage manager is ultimately responsible for each show. And although Evita remains his favorite, he says each production has its own delights. "Every time you do a show live, something is bound to happen that will help you remember the moment forever," he says.
"Theater is magical. And when you see live performers on stage pouring their hearts out every night, you're bound to see beautiful things happen that really make you glad for choosing this profession."
Getting those beautiful things to happen on stage can be stressful for stage managers. They are responsible for making sure the show runs smoothly. They need to look after all last-minute requests from producers, directors and actors.
In short, their job is to do whatever needs to be done to make the curtain rise on a perfect performance.
"The career is very challenging, very stressful and very time-consuming," says Kamal. Anything can happen at the last minute. For example, two days before the production, the director may want to rework a scene where 10 actors duel with swords. The stage manager has to scramble to accommodate her.
"It's always your problem," says Kamal. "You always have to be the one to solve the problems. You want to prevent them, but that isn't always possible."
In this case, the stage manager has to locate the choreographer, assemble the actors for overtime work and help with the blocking and whatever requests the director might have. At this point, it is pretty much guaranteed that the stage manager won't get much sleep.
"You have to work long, long hours," says Laura South. She is a stage manager. "You are there well before any of the cast shows up, and you stay until everyone has left the theater.
"It is very hard work. And depending on who you work for, it can be stressful," adds South. "Once the show opens, you are the one who is responsible and who is in charge of maintaining the director's production."
"You are often overworked," agrees Kamal. "If you decide to become a stage manager, you must forget about having a life between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight, Tuesday through Sunday.
"Whether you are having a good day or a bad day, it is your responsibility to always remain cool, have an upbeat sense of humor and get the job done consistently, promptly, efficiently and effectively 100 percent of the time."
Once the rehearsals are over, the stage manager then has to prepare for opening night. "This is always a time of high stress for everyone involved with the production," says Carissa Dollar. She is a stage manager in Indiana.
"It is the night that the house is packed with friends and family, as well as reviewers. If there hasn't been a preview, this will be the first time the cast has performed before an audience."
In addition to making sure every last detail is in place, Dollar also takes a moment to do something special for each cast member. She leaves a card and gift on each performer's dressing table.
"For the longest time, I gave flowers to the cast on opening night," she says. "In the past few years, I have started to give balloons or candles instead.
"This is often the hardest time to remember that there should be no indication of favoritism on the stage manager's part," says Dollar.
"Any gift or thank you note that comes from the stage manager should be distributed to each member of the cast or crew. Each person involved with the production should feel important and special because each person is part of the team needed to make the production work."
And just before the actor steps onto the stage, don't say the wrong thing to jinx their performance. "Always remember that theater people are highly superstitious. Wishing someone good luck before a performance is thought to bring them the exact opposite," she says.
After the show, when the very last person has left the theater, the stage manager can sit back and enjoy. "It is a great responsibility, but one that is very satisfying and very fulfilling," says Kamal. "There is nothing else in the world like it."
South agrees. "It is so much work, but it is just so rewarding when everything comes together for you."