Page 18

"If you are unable to meet the tests I give you, you were not meant to be one of us and to bear this great responsibility. I will surely send you on your way.

"Any questions or comments so far?" she asked.

Only Howard dared lean forward to speak.

"That's really my philosophy, too." he said.. "I believe in it."

"Believing in it is one thing. Performing it is quite a different thing." she replied firmly.

She looked at the rest of us to see if anyone else would dare utter a word. No one did.

"When I say you must meet my tests. I do not mean only my instructions and requirements for your education in this school of drama. I especially mean not indulging in the degenerative practices so common to people your age these days.

"Consequently," she began, stiffening her posture again and seeming to rise above us even higher, "anyone caught smoking, drinking hard liquor, or using drugs will be immediately discharged-- and that means indulging in these bad habits off the premises as well as on. From this day forward, you represent this school. You are a Senetsky student." she declared, her voice plush with pride. "and that means you bear my name and you live under the shield of my reputation. I will not tolerate the smallest stain on that reputation.

"In short, you are to live like the old-time studio contract players once lived in Hollywood. Everything you do, you do with my permission first. Even your love affairs and your marriages should be planned to help further your careers."

Steven started to laugh.

"You must have more dedication and

commitment than nuns and monks," she insisted, her eyes on him, instantly freezing that laugh into a weak smile.

I glanced at Cinnamon, who looked at Howard. He was beaming with a light of self-satisfaction that would outdo the gleam of most arrogant people in comparison. All over his face were the words. I told you so. However. I had the sense that he had read her words somewhere and was simply mouthing them to us.

"Ms. Fairchild has your behavior contracts," Madame Senetsky continued.

"Behavior contracts?" Steven whispered loudly.

"After I leave," she continued, ignoring him. "you are all to read them and then sign them. If you do not want to sign them, please pack your bags and arrange for your departure. I have a number of students on standby.

"Tonight, you are all invited to dinner with your teachers. I will expect the gentlemen to wear jackets and ties and the ladies to dress appropriately. I would prefer to see a minimum of makeup," she added, focusing entirely on Cinnamon.

"Makeup is an art form. I will be bringing in professionals to evaluate each and every one of you and instruct each of you on how to dress your face to an advantage. Why, you wonder, is that so important now?" she continued, as if she could read our very thoughts.

"I repeat. a Senetsky student is always performing, always on one stage or another, always being judged, evaluated. considered. Do not step out of this house without taking that attitude along.

"I never do," she concluded, softly tapped her cane on the floor, and turned to nod at Ms. Fairchild, who shot forward instantly to hand a behavior contract to each of us.

We watched Madame Senetsky leave and then began to read the contract.

There was a curfew for weekday nights and another for weekends.

Any guests had to first be approved before they could visit us. We were never to have any guests in our rooms.

We were solely responsible for the upkeep of our rooms and we were to care for the house as if it was our very own.

Repeated in bold print were the prohibitions against smoking, drinking, and drugs, with the codicil that all the rules applied to our behavior off the property as well as on. In essence, we were simply never off the property. The world had become the Senetsky School of Performing Arts.

"How come we weren't shown all this before we auditioned?"

Steven Jesse mumbled. "This is worse than living at home."

"You do have a choice," Ms. Fairchild told him. She appeared to enjoy telling him. "Don't sign and leave."

"Thanks." he replied dryly.

"I don't see any problems," Howard said, signing the contract with a flourish. "I know what I want, and it's not wasting my talent."