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

[parodeity]

That sounds exactly like what someone with a secret telletubby arsenal would say - also, sure thing.

[ it's like dancing, kind of, except it isn't. but it's just holding a prop and copying what someone else is doing with their body, which he's done a million and one times since he was a kid. not usually with a prop, admittedly, and usually with let trying to hit someone, but hey.

as with the other movements, dave will try the upward slash in a slow motion with a stab on luke, fully secure in the knowledge he can't take the dude on seriously with a two minute lesson. haha. ]

[chiseler]

[Things to do: find a secret telletubby arsenal to terrorize Dave Strider. But other things to do: make sure Dave Strider doesn't stab him in the eye. He's not worried, though he's pleased with the fact that Dave seems to be catching on quickly. With the sword coming up at him, he brings his hand up only to slow the motion, though he lets the sword follow through and land in his side to show Dave where the motions would take him.]

Nice. See, the advantage you have is being light on your feet and knowing how to throw your whole body into motion without overbalancing. A lot of people make that mistake their first time and end up eating it.

[He backs up again, readjusting his grip on his sword.] Come at me again. I'm going to block your hits but I want you to keep going until one of us counters. Same moves all the way through, stabs and slashes. Try to see what works best, I want to see what kind of style you have. [Perhaps he's not the best teacher, but as far as Luke figures this makes more sense than firmly disciplining him just yet.]

[parodeity]

Luckily for me I dance. [ which. he's not embarrassed about and never has been? it is his chosen athletic activity, and although he might get back some reservations about it they'll have seventeen years of Whatever, Man to combat.

dave readjusts his grip again, checking it against luke's, before nodding. ]

All right, then. At which point I assume you're gonna amp it up to tryin' to have me block shit while you attack, too?

[ he has no idea. either way, dave proves exactly as good a student as he has been previously: he does as requested and darts forward, and while he suspects luke will block everything he aims only for places he's pretty sure wouldn't hurt if he actually, like, connected. so sue him, dave strider is a Good Kid. ]

[chiseler]

You and Anya both, but I trust one of you more than the other with a sword. [He doesn't seem to mind either way. Either way there's just a sharp grin because yes, he's going to amp it up eventually but for now Dave moves and Luke blocks, giving way with his sword just a bit to let Dave follow-through and go with the motions. On the other hand, as he's blocking he's also pressing back to try and get Dave to back up to test how light he really is on his feet.]

Better. Keep it up for as long as you can. [The thing is that his blocking strategy seems to be changing. Instead of using the tip of his foil to try and redirect him, he's using more of his blade to catch each hit. He appreciates Dave not, like, actually hitting him.] What's your stamina like usually?

[parodeity]

Pretty good. I mean - again, dance thing, I can go for hours without really feelin' it to a point I'm like "stop".

[ he's athletic, just not with Sports. how do Sports work? dave strider isn't sure. this sword suddenly feels more and less familiar at once. a fencing blade isn't something he's ever used, and this particular method of fighting isn't, either - but something that he'd hold moreso with both hands, and a less rule-abiding method of fighting...

that rings a bell.

he doesn't shift his posture, exactly, but dave feels a little easier with the blade, and this time he's going to attempt to disarm luke based on a vague intuition that's a thing you can Do. ]

[chiseler]

[Good. Perfect. He likes that answer and there's a smirk, moreso when Dave eases into the sword. He goes in for the disarm and almost instinctually Luke's blade shifts in his hand and he slashes up in a method that really, really doesn't belong in fencing.

It's enough that his grip on the prop sword loosens and Dave's able to disarm him. He doesn't immediately move to pick the sword up but rather he's staring at Dave for a moment before his lips press into a thin line.]

There you go. It's not the most conventional method to disarm but that'll do it. [Give him a moment to move and pick up the sword once more.] You're thinking about it less. That's good. Once I teach you blocking you'll have the idea of the basics.

[parodeity]

[ ...welp. that felt weird, but also...

no. it mostly felt weird. ]

And then we, what, do a practice match? Three musketeers it up in a duel to the embarrassed?

[ jokes are always dave's main mode of defense. ]

[chiseler]

[Weird is a good descriptor, but they're just going to roll with it and Luke smirks instead.]

Depends. How badly do you feel like embarrassing yourself in a duel against me? I wouldn't say no to a practice match once you get the skills down though.

[parodeity]

I don't mind embarrassin' myself.

[ a shrug. ]

Sometimes it's a good way to learn?

[chiseler]

You think so? I didn't think you were the type to feed off of humiliation. [But on the other hand he's shifting his hands to start teaching Dave proper blocking techniques.]

[parodeity]

Eh. I'm hard to humiliate if we come down to it. It's only if you seriously mind that you can be humiliated, right? [ he shifts stances as well ]

[chiseler]

Maybe that's true, but not everybody's nearly as chill when it comes to humiliation. [But with that said.] The important thing with blocking is your footwork, which you've already got the advantage on. Keeping your feet planted so your opponent can't push you back is almost more important than what you're doing with your arms.

[Without warning he swings, slowly at the last minute just enough to give Dave time to try and defend himself.]

[parodeity]

[ okay that's markedly faster as a move than anything else luke has done, and dave throws up his blade in alarm but doesn't move flashstep fast, falling back a step and doing his Best; it does push him on the defensive, however. ]

[chiseler]

[It's fine, it settles Luke into a parry, shifting forward and striking over and over to keep Dave on the defensive and blocking.]

Push back on it now. You're keeping your ground which is great but you need to get the upperhand somehow. What's your instinct?

[parodeity]

[ to.......give way and try to keep from getting hit? that's not useful. answering his instinct out loud would probably be even less so, since it would allow luke to immediately parry him.

so he tries to go with his instinct, which is side-stepping and then trying to dart in to luke's side. ]

[chiseler]

[Which is perfect since it wasn't a move he was anticipating and it allows for Dave to get a hit in on his side. He brings down his sword in an attempt to block but it's too late, and all he can do is step back after the hit.]

Exactly. Those are your basics. [He pauses, making a face before he shrugs a bit.] Fencing requires a whole specific set of rules and proper form, but for something like this improvising isn't necessarily bad. An opponent isn't going to follow rules and it's not going to be a neat and clean fight most of the time. Being able to think on your feet is a huge asset. Nice job.

[parodeity]

So I pass the test to become your padawan, o great sword sensei?

[ maybe kick him out for just all those words said together tbh? ]

[chiseler]

[An eyeroll.]

Sure, something like that. Let's run it again and see if you can keep up. [And from here we can probably wrap and handwave that they continued on for a while.]

[parodeity]

You got it, boss.

[ AND THEN THE THREAD ENDED. TA-DA. ]