Backstage, in the quiet before the applause, I saw this performer seems lost in thought. Though she might have performed countless times, I think to her performance each moment before stepping onto the stage is sacred. It looks like she is taking a final breath to refine every movement, to recall every line. The light touches the upper half of her face, revealing the deep concentration in her eyes. Maybe she is rehearsing silently in her mind, sculpting the emotions she is about to bring to life.