text: [Themes: theatre]
  
  > Go downwards
  This corridor leads to the stage left wing, due north. It's tastefully decorated with the cheapest possible white tiling. Backstage is east, and a set of stairs lead up to the fly tower.
  
  > Go east
  The actors and crew gather here when they aren't needed onstage. West is the left stage corridor; east is the right stage corridor.
  
  You can see a props table (on which is a flower bouquet) and Henry here.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > go east
  Here, at least, both sides of the theatre are equal. The right stage corridor is decorated just as badly as the left one. North is the right wing, west is backstage, and east is the door to the equipment store.
  
  > Go east
  (first opening the Equipment Store door)
  It seems to be locked.
  
  > ask Henry about the equipment room
  Henry sighs and mops his brow.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > look at Henry
  Henry is the director. He has a lot on his plate right now, and it shows in his deeply-scored face and messy brown hair.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > ask Mandy about the key
  "You don't have one? You really should have told someone by now. I'm sure the manager will get you one after the performance."
  
  > ask Mandy about the equipment store
  Mandy glares at you. You decide not to pursue that line of enquiry.
  
  > ask Mandy about the manager
  "I'd be a better manager. I had to fill in once, when mine got sick on the opening night of Much Ado about Nothing. I talked to someone from that production recently and apparently they still tell stories about that night..."
  
  > ask Mandy about Henry
  "I'm going to ask him out tonight. What a wonderful man..."
  
  > ask Mandy about the curtain
  "Yes, the curtain. It has to go up before the show can start. Find Rich in the fly tower. That's his job."
  
  > ask Henry about the key
  "You must have one somewhere."
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > ask Henry about Mandy
  "Whatever Mandy told you to tell me, I don't want to hear it. She's a raving maniac if she thinks I'm going to take her to dinner."
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > open the door
  It isn't something you can open.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > examine the door
  The door to the leading lady's dressing room.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > listen
  You hear nothing unexpected.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > ask Henry about the manager
  "I don't see what's wrong with lowering the rent on your theatre a little bit. The company's practically broke as it is. We've staked everything on this production, and the least he could do is help us a little bit."
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > enter the dressing room
  That's not something you can enter.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > ask Henry about the leading lady
  "She's a good actress, but man can she get emotional."
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > ask Henry about the sobbing
  "It's just my luck! The night that the theatre review man is in the audience, my lighting technician calls my leading lady old! Now I've got to calm her down."
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > Go south
  You can't go that way.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > look at the flower
  Clearly someone has an admirer: this bouquet of roses is enormous.
  
  You find a card inscribed "To a beautiful young woman" with the flowers and take it. It might come in handy.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > take the bouquet
  Taken.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > examine the card
  "To a beautiful young woman." It's in the theatre manager's handwriting! There is, however, no signiature.
  
  You hear sobbing from behind the dressing room door.
  
  > go east
  Here, at least, both sides of the theatre are equal. The right stage corridor is decorated just as badly as the left one. North is the right wing, west is backstage, and east is the door to the equipment store.
  
  > Go north
  A bigger wing than yours, stage right has been graced with the prompter's desk and a truly unattractive chaise longue for act 2.
  West is the stage, south is a corridor.
  
  > look at the desk
  You can't sit here. Only people with real theatrical power can sit here.
  
  > examine chaise longue
  A faded red and gold seat for two, this chaise longue looks too rickety to hold up to much. It's a miracle it's lasted through the first week of performances.
  
  > go west
  You're on stage! This would be very exciting if a performance were going on. East is the Right Wing, west is the Left Wing. The auditorium is to the north, past the currently unopenable curtain.
  
  > Go north
  You force your way under the curtain, leap the orchestra pit smoothly, and take a second to congratulate yourself on your landing. The auditorium is not yet open, and the seats are empty. If you succeed in your task, they will soon be filled with audience, admiring the theatre and dropping things. The stage is to the south, and the atrium is to the north. To the west is the lighting booth.
  
  > examine the seats
  The cushioned seats are colored a lurid orange. They stand a few inches off the floor. Every so often, the space under them has to be cleaned.
  
  > look under the seats
  Everything that the audience drops ends up under here, including -- lucky you -- money! You quickly gather up the coins.
  
  > look at the money
  Money! Just what you need for... everything, really. It's not much, but it'll buy something.