The South Coast Rep Soap Opera
It was another boring day at SCR, not to mention hot. Juni, her best friend An Nguyen, and some cast and crew people were out in the front on break drinking lemonade in 80 degree weather. It was so hot that people were sweating, and the girls along with the others were wiping off sweat.
“Why is it so hot out here today?", An asked.
“I don’t know, but I could definitely go for some more lemonade. I’m going to the concession stand to get another cup.”
“Get me some too,” An said.
“Okay,” Juni said.
She went to get some more of the free (only because of the heat) lemonade and gave a cup to her friend.
“Thanks,” An said.
“No prob,” Juni said.
When their break was over, everyone went back inside (much to their relief) and Juni said, “I wish things were more exciting around here.”
Be careful what you wish for.
The next afternoon while Juni and her friends were performing, a handsome man dressed in 19th-century clothing jumped on stage and exclaimed, “Darling, I’ve returned.”
The Eurasian was surprised. Was this in the script?
“Who are you?", she whispered.
“It’s me-Franz Liszt.”
Juni was shocked and whispered, “What are you doing here?”
“Well, you wished for things to get more exciting and...”
Before he could say more, Juni made a cutthroat gesture for the director to stop the show. He did, and to avoid further embarrassment she hurried with Liszt to her dressing room and asked, “I’m sorry, you appeared because I wished for things to get more exciting?”
“Of course,” Liszt said, “now kiss me.”
“Not now Franz. I gotta find out what’s going on here?”
“Okay,” Liszt said-dejected.
But this was only the beginning. There was more to come.
Juni opened the door to leave her dressing room, but then another man made his way in. It was the Emperor Nero.
“Hello Juni,” he said.
“Umm...hi Nero,” she said.
Liszt looked at Nero and asked, “Who’s this?”
The Eurasian looked uncomfortable and said, “This is the Emperor Nero from ancient Rome. Franz, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I also had a relationship with him as well. Nero, this is Franz Liszt.”
The two men looked at each other and then at Juni.
“Explain yourself,” they said.
“Uhh..I’d love to, but I really gotta run,” Juni said and bolted out of the dressing room. She ran down the hall, and yet ANOTHER surprise awaited her: Nero’s wife Poppaea Sabina.
“So, you enjoy being with my husband do you, you little tramp? Well, I’ll teach you a lesson.”
“Okay, just hold that thought and I’ll see you later,” Juni said and bolted off.
The Eurasian ran outside the theatre, and breathed a sigh of relief. “Was this what I wished for?” she asked herself, “No, this can’t be real. It’s a bad dream. Yeah-that’s all it is. I’ll just go back in there and all of this will be gone.”
It took a few minutes for Juni to get the courage to go back into SCR, but she managed to go back inside. As she walked down the hall, everything was quiet until An came up to her and said, “J, there are these two guys in your dressing room and this woman is looking for you.”
Juni became hysterical and exclaimed, “They’re for real! This isn’t a dream!”
“Calm down J. Did you have too much caffeine today?” An asked, “or maybe the heat went to your brain.”
She calmed down and said, “okay, I’m all right. You know, you could’ve slapped me.”
“I almost did,” An laughed, and then said “but now I gotta run. See ya.”
“See ya,” Juni said-and watched her leave. Then she gulped in fear.
It was going to be a long day.
Juni went back into the dressing room where Nero and Liszt still were.
“Hi guys,” she said.
“Juni, will you please tell Nero about our daughter?", Liszt asked.
“What daughter?", Nero asked-surprised.
“Nero, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but Franz and I have a baby daughter named Elsa.”
“I see,” Nero said, “well tell Franz about the passionate nights we had in Rome.”
“Passionate nights?", Liszt asked excitedly, rising up.
“Yeah,” Juni said-embarrassed and blushing. Then she said, “Guys, it’s getting hot in here.”
“I’m not hot Franz, are you?", Nero asked.
“Not at all Nero,” Liszt said-after he sat down again.
Juni grinned nervously and said, “Well, it’s been great talking to ya. Gotta go now.”
“Wait. You’re not leaving until you pick who you want to be with,” Liszt said, “and you know how irresistible I am.”
Yes I know Franz, but we could be here all night if I had to choose, and right now I just don’t have the time. Bye now,” she said and headed out the door.
But she wasn’t out of the woods yet.
A few minutes later, Poppaea caught up with Juni in the hall but decided to use a seductive approach.
“Juni,” she said in a sultry tone.
“Yes Poppaea,” she asked nervously.
“Juni, don’t be afraid of me,” she said-her voice taking on a more hypnotic tone now, “I’m sorry I frightened you earlier, but everything’s going to be fine. Trust me.”
“Poppaea,” Juni said.
“Shh...sh...,” she said and stroked the Eurasian’s face, “just concentrate on my voice. It’s so comfortable and soothing. Just listen...listen.”
Juni was relaxed now and Nero’s wife whispered in her ear, “Now, look into my eyes.”
She looked into Poppaea’s eyes and she purred, “Say ‘I am Poppaea’s slave.”
“I am Poppaea’s slave,” Juni droned.
“I do Poppaea’s will.”
“I do Poppaea’s will,” she repeated.
“Very good,” Poppaea said, “and now I wish to enter your body. You will allow this.”
“I will allow this,” Juni said.
Nero’s wife smiled and entered her new slave’s body. In seconds, she had taken control.
Time for some fun.
“Go back to my husband”, Poppaea said.
Juni did as she was told, and went back to the dressing room where Nero and Liszt (still) were.
“Nero,” she said in a sultry voice and approached the emperor.
“Juni,” Nero said. They were close to each other now and she said, “Nero, kiss me.”
“Yes darling,” he said and they kissed passionately. Liszt was shocked. How could she pick Nero over him? It was insane! He was burning with jealousy at this point, and wanted nothing more than to hypnotize Juni and seduce her-of course, only if Poppaea would allow it. Incidentally, Nero’s wife had no interest so she decided to free Juni.
“Juni, go outside,” she said.
The slave did as she was told and Poppaea said, “I am now going to exit your body and release you from your trance.”
“Yes Poppaea,” she said in a monotone.
She exited her body and said, “I have no more use for you. Do as you wish.”
Juni was shocked, but said nothing and went back into her dressing room.
“Hi guys. Sorry I took off like that; I just needed some air. Did I miss anything?", she asked.
“No,” Liszt said, “but I want you to come with me to the stage where we met.”
“The Segerstrom Stage?", Juni asked.
“Yes,” Liszt said.
“Okay,” she said and went with him. The composer said goodbye to Nero as they walked out the door.
“Goodbye,” Nero said.
Juni and Liszt went to the auditorium where the Segerstrom Stage was, and fortunately for Liszt it was dark. The darkness would help the induction.
They stood on the stage and he said (in a slow, monotonous voice):
“Now relax, relax. Relax...you feel how tired you getting...so tired. Relax. You’re feeling so tired...tired and sleepy. You’re getting tired...so tired...so sleepy. You’re getting so tired..so tired...sink into a relaxing sleep..a deep, hypnotic sleep. Focus only on my voice and relax. You’re getting relaxed and tired...always more tired. As you continue concentrating on my voice, you become more tired and sleepier. You’re getting more tired and sleepy...more tired and sleepy...listen only to my voice... you would like to sleep..deep sleep..sinking into a deep, hypnotic sleep. Don’t fight against it..you are getting tired...always tired...feel how tired my voice is making you...always more tired and sleepier. Don’t stay awake...close your eyes and sink deeply under my control...you are so tired and sleepy, you would like to sleep...so deep sleep.. your eyelids are much too heavy to hold open...you are tired...so tired...you sink always deeper into a hypnotic sleep...very deep and relaxing...you sink always deeper and deeper.”
Juni managed to hold her eyes open for the time being and Liszt somehow knew that he had not put her under completely. He continued, “You are getting tired...ever more tired...you are sleepy...you are so sleepy...so unbelievably sleepy. You would like to sleep...you hear my voice..and your eyelids are getting heavy...so heavy. You can hardly hold them open...you are so tired...and sleepy. Don’t fight against it..simply listen to my voice..and close your eyes...your heavy eyes...your tired eyes...so tired...and sleepy. You must sleep...you must rest..you hear only my voice..that tells you that you are getting tired..your eyes are so tired and sleepy..so tired and sleepy...so heavy. You are tired...and sleepy. Your eyelids are getting heavy..so heavy. Close your eyes and sink in the deep, hypnotic sleep. This deep sleep...good deep sleep...you are so tired...and sleepy. You would like to sleep.”
“I would like to sleep,” she droned and close her eyes. Liszt came closer to her and saw that he had successfully put her under. The composer continued, “You hear only my voice and you obey me completely. You must sleep for me and do everything which I tell you.”
“Everything which you tell me.”
“You are finally in a deep, hypnotic sleep and do everything which I tell you. You are completely under my control.”
“Yes, completely under your control,” she sleepily said.
“Open your eyes, but remain asleep.”
Juni opened her eyes and Liszt pressed his warm body to hers. She felt his heartbeat and heard his soft breathing. Juni put his arms around his neck and he stroked her hair. She heard him speak softly to her:
“Be my little baby. Touch me with your soft lips,” and she touched his neck with her lips.
Juni kissed his neck gently and slid her lips down it. Liszt’s hands felt that she was shivering, and he put one hand under her shirt and touched her skin. He took one of her breasts in his hand and she said, “Ohhh, that feels good. Give me more.”
Her lips were trembling with excitement; they were hungry and begging to be kissed. She tried to calm them, but they were restless, wanting more and more to be kissed. Liszt’s lips found hers and they kissed intensively. Juni took one of his hands and he felt her breathing and heartbeat. With his other hand, he stroked her upper body and she began to moan softly, slowly, and more and more heavily. She felt Liszt’s warm strokes on her skin and somehow felt very secure. Juni continued to moan and he quited her lips with more of his kisses. Liszt played with her lips and came closer to her. Juni’s lips were wet and hungry for his kisses, and when he touched her breast again, she moaned as a response. She stroked the composer’s face and his soft hair, and Liszt whispered erotic things in her ear.
Juni laughed a little, but Liszt closed her mouth with a kiss. He took off her shirt and bra, and she closed her dark eyes. Liszt began to kiss her neck and came down to her beautiful breasts. She was moaning louder now and said “Franz, make me weak.", whereas he touched her breasts with his warm hands. Juni felt his hands and he kissed her breasts and sucked her nipples. The sucking was intense to the point where they were sore, then he licked them with his warm tongue-causing her to moan in pleasure, opening and closing her eyes to enhance the experience. Liszt liked to hear her moan and held her hand all of the time.
They continued their lovemaking on the stage for a length of time, and then he said “Close your eyes.” She closed her eyes and he said, “When I kiss you, you will open your eyes and awaken from your trance, and I will be gone. Your fantasy will end.”
“Yes Franz,” Juni said.
Liszt touched her lips with his, thus kissing her. In a few seconds, Juni opened her eyes and sure enough, the composer was gone. Seeing that she was partially naked, the Eurasian quickly got dressed and a few minutes later she heard a voice:
“Juni, Juni where are you?”
It was An. She came into the auditorium and asked, “J, what are you doing here in the dark? I’ve been looking for you for the past 15 minutes.”
She was embarrassed and said, “An, I’m so glad you’re here. I gotta ask you something.”
“What is it?", she asked.
“An, are they gone forever?”
“Who J?,” An asked-puzzled.
“The two men and the woman. Are they gone?”
“Juni, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Could you describe them to me?”
“One was a composer, one was a Roman emperor, and the woman was the emperor’s wife, who seduced and possessed me. Oh come on An, you saw them! Don’t deny it!”
The Asian just looked at her as if she were nuts and then said, “No I didn’t, J. In fact, I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it was just your imagination.”
Or was it?