open | for never was a story of more woe

[catsudon]

WHO: OPEN to ALL !
WHERE: Recollé Community Center
WHEN: Forward dated to Friday, April 7th thru Sunday, April 9th
WHAT: The Recollé Community Arts Theatre fundraising production of Romeo & Juliet is performed at last! Nothing burns down. Much.
WARNINGS: none, contact me @catsudon if this needs to be changed!

Opening Performance, Friday, April 7th:

The very first performance goes on without a hitch — if you ignore the entire primary cast is missing. The whole of the opening performance is being given by the Understudies to the primary cast-members, with a sparse chorus and rabble made up entirely of the performers throwing on alternate costumes when not on stage in a named role.

As it turns out, the Director is also missing. He took the entire primary cast out to a pre-show early dinner on his dollar, promising to throw an excellent closing celebration in order to make it up to the cast and crew he couldn't afford to treat this first time around. The main cast will have been treated to an all you can eat freshly made on the spot buffet, herded back together in order to make it back to the Community Center with hours to spare.

What actually ends up happening is more like: while in the buffet, one of the bus tires is stolen. The bus is actually propped up on cinderblocks on the back right. A traffic accident (no fatalities, but blocking all lanes) keeps the next bus from reaching them in time, leaving the cast to decide on walking back to the community center or waiting for the accident to clear up. Those who walk back will make it to the theatre in time for the final act; those who stay waiting for the bus will be treated to a chocobo breaking free from a carriage and running amok eating flowers from the center divider in the road.

For the Understudies, this is their chance to shine! Not only will they be filling in as the primary cast, they're also being asked to help be both chorus and background cast in scenes they're not already starring in. See how often you can spy the same faces in different costumes!

For the primary cast, don't worry! The second show of the night will all be on you to pull off without a hitch. At least your Understudies helped pave the way...?

The Performances on Saturday, April 8th:

Of the three performances offered on Saturday, the cast has been give a tip off that there will be big arts program donators in the audience for the second or third showing, and they're to be on Top Game to hopefully show the merit of engaging the whole community in the arts. At intermissions for both these shows, the actors are encouraged to mingle with the audience in the front lobby area leading into the theatre proper. The biggest challenge? Stay In Character no matter what.

Meaning stay in character even as your friends, family, or even enemies try to troll you into breaking form. The Director will wander around and compliment those who stay in character, giving them organic fortune cookies or peppermint patties or coupons for buy-one-get-one-free at the smoothie shoppe down the street depending on what he pulls out of his hat. Literally.

Cast photographs for the local paper will be taken after the second show, announced last minute as the curtain falls and people head on stage to take a bow. All crewmembers will be asked to cooperate and sign releases for their photographs to be used in the paper and in advertising for the arts program in the future; for some of those who are on Retrospec, however, they may find their phones singing notifications to them in all these lovely songs.

How the heck do you turn off these notifications?! Since when did you need reminders to brush your hamster's teeth?! You don't even have one!!

The Performances on Sunday, April 9th:

The first show of the day ends up having to evacuate halfway through Act One when popcorn burns in the microwave of one of the smaller rooms in the Community Center. (Why is there always that person with the goldarn popcorn?!) Everyone has to stay outside the building until the fire department arrives and checks the building to pronounce it as safe to re-enter: in the meantime, the audience, cast, and crew are all caught out in the basketball courts and parking lot.

The Director has a simple suggestion given to all cast members: ad lib. Ask audience members to locate a Capulet or Montague; get into complicated and ridiculous stage-fights with each other and running over the playground; ask around to find Romeo or Juliet, who are attempting to evade the rest of the cast; get the audience to cheer on actors as they fight In Character, either with prop swords or in sudden WWE-style matches; the show will go on in whatever form until everyone can be back on stage.

The subsequent shows carry on without a hitch, culminating in plenty of applause and an open invitation to cast, crew, and their plus ones to mingle with the arts sponsors at the cast party held out in the attached park, where there's an all you can eat taco truck and open (non-alcoholic) bar for everyone to enjoy. Don't be surprised that while the food's free, everyone's required to recite at least one line from the play before they're fed or watered!

Please also enjoy the photobooth being run by the Director for laughs! Photos won't print, but they will email, and there's a variety of silly props, wigs, stage jewelry, oversized glasses, and an unexplained disco stuffed penguin all on hand for fun photography times with friends — or strangers! Make memories in honour of the Bard, a Good Time, or Now I'm Free Of This Rehearsal Heck. All cast, crew, and associated helpers will go home with at a string of beads that recalls of Mardi Gras past... except that the letters pressed on beads will all spell out a Shakespearean insult.

Congratulations, everyone! You did it! We all made it through!

Comments

[redarm]

Yeah? Were you here for class credit too?

[true_noir]

Close? It looks good on college applications, after all. I want to look as well rounded as I can when I apply to RU. It will help with scholarships and loan applications.

[redarm]

...Oh. You're one of those college goers.

[Unlike him. College wasn't really something he considered.]

Well, I hope it helps you.

[true_noir]

Not as of yet, but that is the intention. [She nodded.] Are you thinking of the trade school? I am told that it can be a very good way to make money, depending.

[redarm]

[Truth be told, Noah had no idea what he planned to do. He had a basic plan before, but all the changes in his life threw a wrench into that.

But since he didn't know Chloe that well? He's not inclined to share that info]

What's it your business what I'm thinking of doing?

[true_noir]

Ah, well... it isn't? I'm simply making conversation. It is what people do, is it not? But if you do not wish to share, that is fine. I certainly would not hold it against you.

[She really wouldn't, given that she'd met quite a few paranoid people lately, so any reaction like this was becoming more familiar to her.]

[redarm]

I dunno what people do. [College talk was not a thing where he's from] But no, I rather not share.

[true_noir]

If that's what you want, I won't complain. [She shrugged.] But then, if I may, do you not really like it here? You seem upset for some reason.

[redarm]

Well, I don't like people and this is a place with people...so yeah. [He shrugs and takes another bite of his taco.] Don't like it.

[true_noir]

Ahhhh. [She nodded in understanding.] You are what they call a misanthrope, or something similar. I think I understand in this case. No, this would not be very much fun if you do not like being around others much.

But, then, why tolerate it at all?

[redarm]

[He makes an annoyed sound] Amateur diagnoses, brilliant. I never get tired of hearing those.

And I'm here for the extra credit. That's it.

[And the tacos too but hey...who turns down tacos]

[true_noir]

[She chuckled. It didn't, in her mind, make it a wrong diagnosis. But that was just her opinion.]

Fair enough. Hopefully the last bit will not be too onerous. What do they have you doing for the play?

[redarm]

[Tch...]

I handle props. And other odd jobs.

[true_noir]

Ah, ok. That's where I saw you earlier. They mostly had me doing the odd jobs, I think, because I am not especially skilled with this sort of thing. But the magic does not happen if not for people like us.

[redarm]

Yeah, they usually give the unwanted jobs to the newer people [He shrugs. He managed to get at least some decent work thanks to his experience] And 'course, not that anyone seems to remember that part.

[true_noir]

Now now, there is nothing wrong about being the unsung hero of the play. You may take snide pride as you watch them prance about on stage, knowing that they cannot succeed if you are not there, yes?

[redarm]

Tch, I don't give a shit about that.

I just get annoyed when the casts get treated to food and we're left to vending machine shit. [LEGIT HIS ONLY PROBLEM HERE. UNEQUAL FOOD TREATMENT]

[true_noir]

Ah, I suppose that is a little annoying, yes. I would love to see what food they get to have, but in the end I'm having a bit too much fun to worry about it too much.

[redarm]

Good for you.

[He means that semi-sincerely, probably]

Least it's over now.

[true_noir]

It is. And soon enough, we will have our smal celebrations and rest from our labors. I intend to get a good night's sleep when everything is done.

[redarm]

Tch, yeah. I plan to eat then have a food coma.

[true_noir]

A laudable enough plan. I think I will keep to a more measured approach. I hate the desire to fall asleep that comes after eating too much myself. Ah, but to each their own, yes?