My Adventurous Night in a Theater

We went to see Camelot at the Majestic Theater, last night. (For those of you who don't know, the Majestic is an amazingly beautiful, old-fashioned theater that was built in the early 1900s in downtown SA.) During intermission, I was on the phone in one of the more "private" hallways outside of the boxes. While there, I saw two doors that said "Not An Exit." I was instantly intrigued by what might be behind the doors, so I tried one of them, but it was locked. I didn't want to try the other door, because there were people looking right at it from their box. I went and sat down, but my curiosity wouldn't go away. I decided to try the door anyway. Sure enough, it was open and the room was entirely dark!

I flipped a light switch, and saw that I was in an L-shaped hallway. After I turned the corner, I went to the only door at the end, but the room was pretty mundane. I figured I better leave before someone caught me, but just then, I heard the door open and close. I didn't know what to think, but I knew I was caught!

Soon, I saw that the person who had entered the dark, creepy hallway was NOT an ax murderer, but rather a man on his way to the mundane room. When he saw me, he asked if I was lost. While briskly making my way towards the exit of the hallway, I told him that I wasn't and thanked him for asking. Then he was like, "Okay, what did you do to my room???" I assured him I wasn't up to trouble. I said to him, "I have sat in the box outside of this door for many years and always wondered what was in here. Tonight, I decided to find out!" He said that since I was back there anyway, I might as well see everything in the room. It was mostly filled with boring sound equipment and the likes. I told him I was hoping that the door was the entrance to the Queen's Suite on the third level. (It has an awesome white peacock in it.) He said, "Well it is, but you have to go up a ladder that is bolted to the wall in the dark hallway." Then he asked me if I wanted to climb the ladder and see the attic. At first, I thought he was joking, but I realized he was serious and took him up on his offer.

After we had both climbed into the hole in the plastered ceiling, he clicked on his flashlight, and the real adventure began! We were standing in a small, dusty room. He showed me some frayed wires and explained that they used to be part of the control panel for the theater's giant pipe organ. I didn't even know that they had an organ. It has been there since the theater's opening. They would play it during the silent movies and what not, but it has been in disrepair for many decades. He then took me to a rather large side-room that contained all the organ's pipes. They were lined up and standing tall like soldiers marching into battle. He took a small pipe from the organ and blew into it. It made a sound like a flute, or -- and imagine this -- an organ. lol He handed me the pipe to inspect. I must of looked enthralled, because much to my surprise, he said I could take it as a souvenir. I was practically giddy. (In a very masculine way, of course.) He told me not to handle it too much, as the pipes are made of lead.

Knowing that intermission was almost over, he briefly pointed to another ladder and said that it would first take me to the Queen's Box, then continue all the way until it reached the attic above the theater's ceiling.

With that, we returned to the floor of origin. After thanking him for his generosity and hospitality, we went back to our respective places in the theater and enjoyed the evening's remainder.

For once in my life, I colored outside the lines and as a reward, I was given a jewel from the royal crown! So if you notice me acting abnormal, you'll know that it is from lead poisoning that resulted from an awesome evening at the Majestic! :-)

Brent the Magnificent