The Gatekeepers: A History Retold

2006-10-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

Splinters

2005-10-04T01:39:00.000-07:00

A tall, dark figure walked around the aft of the ship, feet sloshing in the mud. A hand glided over the hull, searching for weak spots, hidden cracks, dislodged nails. It stopped abruptly. There was an edge here; a jagged edge. The figure picked at the wood, slowly pulling at the splinters, disbelieving the sight. With each deliberate pull the hands worked faster. For every sliver removed two more seemed to appear. The hands worked up to a frantic pace. Splinters pierced the skin and found their way under the fingernails. No matter how fast the hands moved or how much they pulled the wood would not become smooth.
A fist pounded the hull.
The Captain rested his forehead against the ship.
“Gone,” he was vaguely aware of the word as it fell from his mouth. “Half. Gone.”

Preface

2005-10-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

Since April 12, 2005 I have been working at MGM Grand in the KA theater. KA is the most recent Cirque Du Soliel production in Las Vegas, NV (as of November, 2004). The front of house staff for KA is different from most front of house staff. We are not ushers. We are Gatekeepers. The Gatekeepers are inhabitants of KA. Each of us has our own character and through that character we bring the guests of KA into a unique world.

In the creation process of the Gatekeepers it became necessary to create a unified back story for the Gatekeepers. A challenge was put to us to write this story. The stories would then be judged by the House Manager, the KA Company Manager, and the Head of Entertainment for MGM Grand. The winner would receive dinner for two at one of the hotel/casino's restaurants.

I began to write. I had only completed a beginning to the story and a rough synopsis by the deadline. Something about what I had written intrigued me, though. I had to continue to develop the story. Therefore I created this blog.

Here I will share my story.

Here I will share the stories of the Gatekeepers.

- Jarrod Rothstein

October 3, 2005

(At the time of this entry the contest winner had not been revealed.)

The Beach

2005-10-04T01:08:00.000-07:00

The fog hung low over the muddy beach. Crabs, recently dislodged from their hiding places, scuttled about. Waves crashed on the rain soaked shore line. Something moaned.

Storms don’t stay long in this land. They approach with trepidation, drop what they’ve brought, then pass on as quickly as possible. There are many theories as to why this is. Some say it is because the gods have willed it to be. Others believe the land to be protected by ancestral spirits. Still others maintain that it is because of the ancient curse of barometrics. Whatever the case, the last storm was no exception. Something went bump.

The gull didn’t know what it had hit; only that suddenly it was on the beach in a slight daze. It ruffled its feathers, got up on its feet, checked its jaw for any permanent damage, and was crushed by a large dingy. Four men stepped out, rattled by the fact that the dingy had just come to an abrupt stop on land, and a bird, but not water as they had hoped.
A quick survey of the area confirmed their fears. They were shipwrecked.

A Record

2005-10-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

The following is a record. A record of a displaced people. A proud people with a vital responsibility. These are the stories of the Gatekeepers of KA. This is their history. This is their future.

It all begins

with a storm. . .

The Gatekeepers: A History Retold

Table of Contents

Splinters

Preface

The Beach

A Record