31.   The action begins a half-hour before the curtain goes up.

32.   The costumes suggested bandages and mushrooms to some, and were trimmed with scissors by Balanchine a half-hour before the curtain went up.

33.   The curtain goes up, and you should have no preconceived idea.

34.   The curtain even went up a few minutes late as ushers struggled to persuade a star-spotting knot of patrons to take their seats.

35.   The curtain goes up and the decor is all black.

36.   The curtain went up and a pretty nice basketball game broke out.

37.   The curtain has only just gone up.

38.   The curtain went up three and a half hours late, but it went up.

39.   The lights went down, the curtain went up, and you got more than a play.

40.   The members of the audience practically purr, like cats anticipating a favorite meal in a warm kitchen, when the curtain goes up at the Cort Theater.