open | what misadventure is so early up

[catsudon]

WHO: ANY & ALL
WHERE: Recollé Community Center
WHEN: March 15th, Afternoon/Evening
WHAT: Auditions and sign ups for the Community Production of Romeo & Juliet.
WARNINGS: N/A, perhaps for language, will update as necessary.

Sign-ins for auditions and sign-ups for production crew in all aspects are at the table in front of the stage; the director and another community arts program associate can be found there. After signing in, those auditioning for parts are invited to pick up and share one of pamphlets with selected scenes from the play itself:

Act I, Scene I: Where Gregory and Sampson fight with Abraham and Balthazar.

Act II, Scene II: The infamous balcony scene between Romeo and Juliet, from Romeo's "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?" to Juliet's "How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?"

Act III, Scene I: Where Mercutio and Tybalt fight, only for Romeo to interrupt and Tybalt to stab Mercutio under Romeo's arm. From Tybalt's, "Follow me close, for I will speak to them." to Mercutio's "Come, sir, your passado."

And a fourth, randomized scene that doesn't appear to be the same amoung all the pamphlets. The director will be keeping things rolling by tossing auditioners on stage and ushering seconds to read parts if people aren't presenting in pairs; the monologues he waves off, saying he's more interested in the dramatics of people's on stage chemistry than their ability to drone on to the audience alone.

Details and scheduling on props, costumes, setting pieces, and the rest are all a mess of discussions throughout the night; the director takes a few breaks for refreshments, leaving the auditorium and falls and the rest of the community center proper (along with the grounds around the community center) for people to practice before their time comes to be up on stage.

Comments

[catsudon]

i | ota for both yuri & anya

( At some point, the door into the theatre is kicked open as a seventeen year old blond kid hauls in another teenager, albeit silver haired, who is complaining about this entire process in Russian. Yuri, said blond, doesn't seem to care, given his quelling glare at the young woman he's carrying princess style; Anya, said young woman, is starting to pout. )

English, Nastenka.

( He says, a moment before he smiles in a way that's almost entirely a challenge on its own. )

You made a promise. I'm just helping you keep it.

( With a grunt of effort, he'll keep carrying her own down the side aisle, figuring the official looking figures down at the only table to be seen are the people they need to check in with. Granted, nothing says he gets there hauling Anya a-la-princess-mode uninterrupted. )

ii | yuri

( He frowns down at his script, mouthing the lines and then shaking his head again. This version of English is a brat and a half to work through; what does half this mean? Honestly, he only knows as much as he does from when they went over this in English class last year. )

How can it just say "they fight" like that means something?

( Look, he can get inventive and think back to some of the choreographed fight scenes he remembers from movies, but uh. Does he have to? )

iii | wildcard

( hit me up or ask me to randomize us a scenario, let's get this ball rolling! )

i ofc

[doublesmall]

[He is definitely not getting there uninterrupted; Chuuya doesn't know more than a few very basic things in Russian right now and has no idea what Anya is complaining about, but the fact that she's being hauled in (and complaining at all) is more than enough for him. He plants himself right in Yuri's way, one hand on his hip, eyes narrowed.]

What the hell do you think you're doing?

i what's up

[covenantal]

[ Yu is not here to audition. Yu is here to sign up for literally anything else. The idea of performing on stage makes him nervous for reasons he can't quite place.

However, he forgets all about anything to do with that when he spots Yuri and his ... companion? ... coming down the side aisle. ]

Anya?

[ A beat as his gaze tracks to Yuri's face. ]

... is everything alright?

I

[redarm]

[Noah wasn't there to audition, but he was there to sign up for the tech crew side of things. It wasn't that he was at all interested in the play, but he could use the extra credit and after helping his dad out in the circus? It was an easy job.

So he was just chilling in a seat eating some vending machine snacks when Yuri comes in, carrying Anya. He looks mildly surprised at that, but doesn't exactly hop out of his chair to do anything about it]

Hi guys.

II

[everythingisred]

[Aleksi is here because Aleksi has been threatened with child classes if he isn''t. Such is the way of life in a retail facility... What skills he actually has to contribute he's not sure, but Yuri at least is a welcome familiar face.]

It means the choreographer gives you instructions. Considering our production levels that seems to be me.

[Through some hell bent miracle. He's fought plenty, but never with swords. In this day and age? Please. Nevertheless he picks up a wooden "sword" and tosses it to Yuri.]

Just think of it as another dance. You're fond of those, aren't you?

II!!!

[magcat]

[ Charlotte is here and she's ready to audition her little heart out. She's a bit nervous, but she got this! She just has to make sure she focuses really hard.

She's determined!!! She reads through the pamphlet a bit, hopefully she'll be able to remember these lines... Oh boy, this is quite a lot! Ah, yeah, "they fight". ]

Hmm... I think we have to make it up? It makes it more creative and fun, don't you think?

[ Sword fight! Sword fight! Sword fight! ] Though, I never really fought with a sword before...

i

[goen]

[ And here's Yato popping out of nowhere... The fuck is this. The fuck is that. He knows that Yuri is close friends with Anya, but Anya pouting and being manhandled is fighting material? ]

Anya, is he giving you trouble?

ii

[clear_eyes]

[Rachel isn't here to audition, she's mostly here to help with stage production. Overhearing Yuri, she looks up.]

Ah, well. That's a thing with Shakespeare. Even for the time his stage directions were pretty limited. But it's part of why his work is so endearing... it allows for multiple reinterpretations. That's why his work was so popular back then. It was very accessible and open to improvisation.

i

[truedetective]

[Thanks to the fact that Naoto spends most of her time after school at the police working in her internship, she needs extra credit sometime to keep her grades up. Which is literally the only reason she's here. Perhaps she can do some technical work, because like hell she's getting on stage.

She does, however, hear a familiar voice, even if the language being said is unfamiliar. The tone, too, is a little more irritated than Naoto associates with Anya.

Still, that's Anya through and through. So, Yurio, there's going to be a young man in a cap stepping up and looking somewhat cross.]

She doesn't seem very happy about being carried.

i, more or less

[rosettareflected]

[Alicia has already been here for a bit by the time Yuri arrives; holding a script in her off hand and a wooden practice blade in the other, she's reading through a bit of script, others around her slowly getting into roles. Her voice is strong, cocky and driven, as fits the role she's reading for.]

"What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and... thee...?"

[The line trails off, as Alicia's sword hand falls limply to her side, seeing the new arrival in her peripheral vision.]

Pardon me! [She drops the sword and script where she stands, hopping down to see what the fuss is - Yuri is one thing and she doesn't know him well, but Anya fussing in his arms is both known and highly unusual.]

What in the world...? What, did you not want to come? [Directed at Anya, before she looks up to Yuri instead; just enough threat leaks into her tone - along with open question - that it's clear she's making sure nothing untoward is going on.] Should I be concerned?

i

[ghostories]

[ Man, she is only here to make up for her shitty attendance record, but seeing familiar faces helps calm her nerves. She greets both with a chipper wave from the theatre's middle rows, a couple of pamphlets in hand. ]

Yoohoo! Being strongarmed into doing things, I see. I like your friend, Anya!

[covenantal]

[ So.

When Yu got here, he was expecting to sign up for, like, something else? Being a stage hand. Maybe sound, he's sort of interested in seeing the technical side of that stuff. Either way, he was definitely not going to audition.

Except here he is, holding a pamphlet and radiating a certain mild discomfort as he studies it.

Look, Anya happened to him. Like she does to people.

So you can either find him sitting tucked low into one of the seats like maybe he can disappear into it, or standing in one of the aisled and murmuring words to himself. ]

"Thou art like one of those fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee!'"

[ Huh. That sounded... not terrible? Actually, he made it sound halfway-convincing. Weird, for someone who clearly doesn't want to be doing this. Still, he'll look up at you beseechingly. ]

Help me practice? I want to get a feel for the lines before I go up there.

[appraiser]

"Am I like such a fellow?" ...Which is an honest question, because I can read the words, but I have no idea what they mean.

[ Hi, Yu. The chairs look comfortable, but not comfortable enough to sink into them and become one with the seat; Ryoji stands tall in comparison, but he doesn't have a pamphlet of lines to read out from, instead having read them from over Yu's shoulder where he sits. ]

[clear_eyes]

[Rachel isn't here to audition like some other people; she doesn't have nearly enough self confidence for that. But she does want to work on things and be more social, and recent events have helped put herself out there more. If she can help as a stage assistant, or just with logistics in general, she'll me more than happy to do so.

Which is why she's already going over the inventory of what's available to them.]

Hmm. There's quite a few props we can use, but I think we're a bit light on materials for costumes. Does anyone know what kind of budget we have? I can't really help with making them but I can definitely help us acquire them.

[rosettareflected]

[Anyone catching sight of Alicia today will find she's probably more pumped up for this than she's been for... almost anything, really. Her hair is in a single, long tail behind her, one shiny clover clip in it where it's tied off. And she's dressed for comfort rather than style, in comfortable shoes and a pair of jeans. Her eyes sparkle with hope for what's to come; it's just a community production, sure, but it's still a chance to act without her father to fall back on, and while that's a daunting idea, it's also an opportunity to prove she can function on her own.

While she's happy to handle whatever's thrown her way, hoping to appear versatile enough to keep up with the demands of a performance, the script pieces she's holding are for the first scene and the balcony. People are starting to pair off in the groups they arrived in, but Alicia herself came in alone, so it's going to take her a bit to have a partner to read with. Until such a time, her script is in her left hand and her right gestures as she speaks, practicing the second act's iconic scene. The words are rough, but between her schooling and her practice otherwise, she manages to keep a strong tone as she goes.]

Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee take all myself... Juliet is more bold than I'd remembered. A man without a name in this age is worth precious little, let alone in Shakespeare's day.

[While she works, she's also keeping an eye on the groups working through the fight scene; that's something she wants to try her hand at, at some point.]

[clear_eyes]

[Rachel is just standing off to the side, going over her own mental checklist as she watches everyone practice. There's not really much for her to do but to take stock of well, stock, but she overhears Alicia nonetheless.]

Well, you know how it goes. Something something by any other name, and all that. But you're right... family names especially in this play carry a lot of weight.

[yoyoboy]

[At another side of the stage, you can see Tony Clark trying to read the lines from his script. After he saw a flier for the auditions, he couldn't say no to this chance at stardom. However, he's not exactly a Shakespeare kid, so he's having trouble regarding the accent and the lines.]

Ty-bolt, the kingsman of old Capulet, H-harth sent a letter to his father's house. No, wait. Ty-belt, the kinsman of old Capolet, Hearth sent a letter to his father's house. No, that's still wrong... Ty-bolt, the kinsman of old Copulet.

[Maybe you should help the kid out on his lines...]

Chloe - OTA

[true_noir]

Chloe was primarily in the background through the event. She'd recently looked up a few of the community civic functions and heard about the play. Even if she'd thought of performing, or at least auditioning, there was a bit of stage fright even over smaller parts like the apothecary, so she'd demured and hung back. Instead, there were always spots for more stagehands, so she'd volunteered there.

And now, she was staring out with bright eyes at all of the activity. She'd hung the cloak up for this, figuring it would just get in the way. It was the first play she'd ever been a part of, so it was something to see. And boy, there was a lot more work involved even today than she'd expected. She relaxed against the wall, a cup of water in her hand and waited for someone she recognized to wave to. There were a few new friends here, so she wanted to be supportive of the ones who were bidding for a spot in the play.

"It's certainly exciting, no?" she said as she flagged one of them down.

[wordcarvings]

[ Because he's not here to audition, but to offer his help with set design, there's not actually much for him to do beyond taking not of the schedule and fit it in with his own - potentially having to sit out on some meetings if it collides with the lessons he holds - and getting involved in whatever discussions about props he ends up getting involved in because of his choices of getting involved.

But after that he can't help but linger (particularly not after he finds out that Chuuya is going to audition; he has to cheer his dear cousin on, right?) and if anyone wants help with practicing their lines he's not going to say no. ]

Everyone are so talented.

[ Koutarou can't act at all though, so he's impressed by everyone. ]

[clear_eyes]

[Rachel isn't there to act either, but her reaction is largely the same. Overhearing Koutarou, she turns to him and smiles.]

I agree. Everyone's putting in a lot of effort. I think there's a ways to go but I'm sure everyone will do fine!

[legne]

[ Ranko only had to read the words community theater, blazed proudly across a fluttering poster at the university, before she'd made plans to become the next Ellen Terry. She knew Shakespeare well - not only as a student of literature, but as an aficionado from a young age. She'd pore over the canon, highlighting newfound turns of phrase, memorising her Gonerils from her Regans. Once - whisper it - it could even be said that it was a dream of hers to perform one of the great monologues, but in the end her life wandered down a different path.

Until now.

Amateur theater, meet Ranko Kanzaki. Noticeably pacing, hair tied back in a ponytail in an approximation of boyishnesss, occasionally using her parasol as a sword - Ranko had always been an admirer of the Method, not that that would be a surprise given her devotion to living life as a hellbound angel. She grasps a pamphlet in a slightly trembling hand, chanting to herself as she practices: ]

A...ahem! U-um...

O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head
As is a winged messenger of heaven...

[ She's not nervous or anything. Oh no. This...this is her moment.

And she might just pace right into someone, by the looks of things. ]

[professahhh]

Augh!

[ Luke threw up one hand in an instinctive motion, but the long, flat box in his other hand was jolted loose as he ran into her, and he ended up dropping it on the ground. (Great going, butterfingers.) ]

Oh, no! I hope they're not squished!

[professahhh]

[ Luke, for his part, wasn't auditioning for anything -- he'd offered to help out behind the scenes instead, which is how he ended up in a little corner of the backstage with some of the props.

He eyed the little barrel of mock fending foils.

With a quick glance around in case anyone was looking, he grabbed one of the prop foils, and struck a pose, appearing to be in deep thought. ]

This investigation has come to a close! The one who holds the key to this mystery...

[ He brandished the foil boldly in the air. ]

...It's you!

[magcat]

[ Charlotte was just minding her own business, holding her own prop foil trying to figure out, if she gets the part, she's going to fight with this thing.

Until Luke's exclamation startles her and makes her jump!

Was he speaking to her??? Is he trying to audition too? SHE'S SO CONFUSED RIGHT NOW. ]

Uhm -- uhm...

[ Were those lines a part of the script!? She doesn't remember! Time to wing it. AHEM... ]

I... Believe you're falsely accusing me, good sir! I laud you for brandishing your weapon at me so boldly, however, must we shed blood at this time?

[ And she's holding her own foil defensively. SHE'S READY (kind of). ]

[swordere]

[Normally, Melody probably wouldn't care much about auditioning for a play. It doesn't exactly match her interests. But her parents have been pushing her to participate. A perfect opportunity for her to be in the spotlight. Given that, maybe it would've been more obvious to audition for Juliet, but... that's just not her. This is already out of her comfort zone, she's not about to push herself even more.

So she's rehearsing for different parts instead. The script is being read very intently. If she does have to do it, then she plans to do it right. She'll have to make up for her lack of experience by just practicing a lot.

One thing she does have experience with, thankfully, is staying cool. Being on a stage won't be new for her. It's memorizing dialogue instead of memorizing music, that's all. So there's still a certain amount of confidence in her voice as she rehearses some of the lines. Trying out various interpretations and everything, you know how it is.]

Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford. No better term than this... Thou art a villain!

[She delivers that last line very intensely, complete with a death glare and all. Which may be directed at you right now because you happen to be nearby, so have fun with that?]

[momentaryspring]

[ Ryoga had been practicing his lines for a little while, so his reaction was immediate. ]

Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting. Villain am I none.
Therefore --

Hey, wait a second! This is Romeo's part!

[ Goddammit was he in the wrong line again ]

[strongestheart]

[Just what the hell is Maya doing as she walks around with her copy of the script? Well, as it's the case with her, she's the type to like to try new things! To be a little adventurous in her activities!

Plus, there are other things. After the secret debacle and the blackout, she's needed a solid distraction. As well, she might be taking a bit of inspiration from a friend of hers. Maybe. Just a bit.

She's trying to do this without doing what she normally does - see something bright and shiny and ignore whatever else she was doing before. She's trying to learn to multitask. And maybe with a sub-goal of seeking out new experiences for something else entirely: Rather than for her own satisfaction, as it might have been before, but taking shots in the dark with the goal of figuring out more about her weird memory flashes! Which is a REAL shot in the dark here, but she knows the purple haired Melody was super famous and filmed on stage, so... That's a start, right?

Of course she could have done a lot of this by acting as a stage hand but where's the fun in there, right?]

"O, speak again, bright angel!" ...boy, this guy's got it bad.

[An understatement. The ... good question is, why the hell is she applying for Romeo. That requires a deep dive into the insanity of Maya Aimoto's brain and I don't think you want to do that.

Either way, you can find her quizzically going over the script backstage, or actually auditioning. Which is probably quizzical for more people than just her.]

[rosettareflected]

Well, it is a traditional tale of star-crossed love. He has it bad, and he knows he's never going to be able to explore his feelings while they're on opposite sides. He and Juliet both know it. They've found a solution, though, even if it's something that can't be taken back once they get there.

[She drops into meter quickly, her voice taking more force upon it; this scene is well-known enough that she doesn't really need the script for it, and she's able to gesture with both hands as she goes, directing her lines to the relevant Romeo she has - Maya.]

"Deny thy father and refuse they name; or, if thou will not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."

[Like a switch, she returns to her normal tone and cadence.] Their love is more important to them than their families and their names - it's everything, and they're willing to give up quite a bit for the cause.

[fushichou]

[So Izumi isn't exactly known as an artsy guy, or even an actor, but he does have an appreciation for entertainment.

And, let's be real, this kind of attention is good attention. He definitely doesn't see a downside to that.

So even though he's not part of the high school at the core of this production, he still can't help but curiously stick his hands right on in, despite not being super fond of Shakespeare. But at least this play is easy enough to understand that it should offer some semblance of fun. Should he actually be paying more attention to his own studies? Absolutely. But shh, no one needs to know that.

Anyway, he's looked over his audition pamphlet and is pleased to see that one of the scenes (Act III, scene i) is highlighted for the Prince's role. He does remember liking that guy when he studied this back in his high school days. So when his time comes, he takes the stage confidently with whoever else is dragged into auditioning with him.]

Where are the vile beginners of this fray?

[He projects his voice with some air of authority, considering the scene does involve the aftermath of Mercutio and Tybalt's death, so clearly someone has to get thing back under control.

Yeah. He's totally got this.]

[chiseler]

[High school kids apparently haven't changed since he was in high school, but hearing about the play by proxy and knowing what play it was led Luke to being here mostly to lend his services for stage combat. It doesn't hurt that he knows a good handful of the kids in this auditorium right now.

So he's rifling through things, picking and choosing prop swords to use and giving several test swings through the air with each. Do be careful you aren't in the line of fire. Eventually though he'll look up, raising an eyebrow at whomever's currently auditioning.]

You'd think high school would be tragic enough without adding Romeo and Juliet to it.

[killyoubastards]

[Having finished her auditions, Anise is taking the opportunity to poke around at the props. Some of them look pretty neat! The young man's sword-swinging from nearby catches her attention, and his comment brings out a cheerful laugh from her.]

Ahaha! It can't be that bad, can it?

[Seeing as she's still in junior high herself, she doesn't have any firsthand experience in the matter.]

OTA

[strawberrypunch]

[I.]

[He definitely needs the extra credit thanks to slacking off in class. But on the other hand...

Boy he is so, so awkward at this. He glances frequently at the script, nowhere even in the realm of being able to speak without reading it directly from the booklet. And when he does, his voice is quiet and halting, stumbling over the odd language.

Still, he's trying. It... might just take a while for this Tybalt to get going.]

"Follow me close, for I will speak to them..." [Uhhhh.]

"Gentlemen, good... den. A word with one of you."

[II.]

[Well.

He is decidedly shaky on acting, but by the end of it he... sort of... shored up a bit. For the most part, the struggle seems to be a matter of getting him to relax - once he stops trying so hard, it's actually pretty fun, and he even stops stumbling over the words quite so much.

(Also, he needs to work on inflection, but he's trying.)

When it's time for discussions, he settles down in a seat with a box of strawberry milk he'd brought along for a snack, listening in to the others.

...He also occasionally kind of slurps loudly. Hope that isn't annoying or anything.]

i

[appraiser]

[ Ryoji has practiced a little with Yu earlier, so when he hears the familiar lines, quiet as they are, they draw him towards Tatsuma. He recites the next lines with great gusto, enough that he's shouting and also breaking up the lines with exclamations where he isn't supposed to. ]

"And but one word with one of us?! Couple it with something! Make it a word! And a blow!"

[ With "blow," Ryoji brandishes a wooden ruler stick and taps it against Tatsuma's booklet, not very hard, but enough to jostle it out of his hands if he doesn't have a good grip. Evidently from this fast forwarding, Ryoji's just excited about the fight scenes. ]

[prismaticdestruction]

[Dani is mostly staying off to the side, reading over the script pieces as best she can. For now- Sher's going to behave and not try and cause trouble for others.

If anything she's walking up to others and asking what some words are and how to pronounce them to be sure of things.]