Footlights

Why does the velvet embrace of a packed theater feel warmer than a lover’s shoulder?

Onstage, when the footlights come up, nothing can touch you. The heavy curtains draw back to the rafters, and you can’t see the crowd, but they can see you. You can hear their pulse out there, all of them waiting in the perfumed dark, waiting for your magic to begin. They love you. They want to love you. They adore you.

Why does the velvet embrace of a p…