Week Two

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, no murder happened! Instead, a lot of students started work on Salieri's school play, which sounds pretty cool even though it's gonna be short, several people destroyed Bigfoot and got a few mysterious clues, and Orpheus started a fire in the kitchen! All in all, not a bad first week!

Though some people might have gone to talk to Hester, she hasn't made any more public announcements. There's some new papers posted up around the cafeteria, but it looks like it's just your upcoming lunch schedule. Seems like nothing's driving you towards Rule Five except, perhaps, all of the kidnapping and how criminally boring some of you are finding the school. Maybe the Balladeer is right, and you really can just wait this out? Only time will tell!]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( No new locations this week, since y'all haven't paid in blood! Hester's office hours are still open, as are regains! Make sure to complete your first activity check by Tuesday! ))

Comments

[violentenvies]

[It’s Monday! Today’s the Big Day! Salieri, as always, is up with the sun, this time with a particular spring in his step. It’s especially nice because between a couple items he’s gotten from the vending machine (including his cravat!) and some of the costumes in the costume shop, he’s been able to put together an ensemble that somewhat reflects what he is used to wearing. Sure, the pants are longer and the shoes are normal dress shoes, but beggars and being choosy.

So once he’s dressed and ready, Salieri goes about his day, mostly keeping to himself until an hour or two before the performance, though he can be found if needed.]

PERFORMANCE

[violentenvies]

(OOC: What follows is a performance description, and if you'd like to make any commentary on how things went for your character or what they did, feel free to reply!)

[A few hours before the performance, Salieri can be found in the Cafeteria at the stage, making sure that everything is preset and ready to go. The tables have been pushed back and the chairs from the choir room taken and moved to form rows in front of the stage for people to sit in.

Finally, 7 p.m. rolls around. Hope you’re in your seats with your snacks, because the lights are getting dimmed and Salieri will be stepping out onto the stage.]

Monsieur et Madame, thank you so much for your attendance. This evening, we will be performing an extended scene from a work in progress entitled Les Danaïdes. The work itself is in French, however the narration will be in English. This evening, the role of the Narrator will be performed by Monsieur Balladeer. The role of Danaus will be performed by Monsieur Benjamin Barker. The role of Hypermnestra will be performed by Mademoiselle Maya Tendo, and the roles of Le Chœur de la Conscience will be performed by Mademoiselle Cassandra and Elsa and Monsieur Spongebob. Costumes were designed by Mademoiselle Elle and constructed with help from Mademoiselle Elsa and Monsieurs Benjamin and Angus. Sets and lighting were constructed by Mademoiselle Janis and Monsieurs Varian and Angus. Primary direction and conducting was done by myself, and my assistant director was Mademoiselle Farrah.

We do hope that you all enjoy the performance.

[and with that, he’ll step off the stage and out in front, so that he can conduct. There’s no baton, but that’s fine--he just won’t use one.

Salieri’s essentially taken what is originally a short scene and expanded on it, changed the instrumentation to fit the few instruments they have, and added a sung Narration over and instrumental duet between The Balladeer and Sissi to explain the scene, telling the audience that about Danaus’s plans for his 50 daughters marry his brother’s 50 sons, and have them murder them in their sleep. The Narration then goes on to explain that only one of his daughters, Hypermnestra, refuses to kill her husband and, as urged on by the voices of her Conscience, prepares to beg her father not to go through with such an evil plot.

From there (and whether your character will understand what is being sung in French because of Magical Game Reasons will be individually determined,) it transitions into an alternate beginning of the scene, showing Hypermnestra alone with the Chorus, who, both as a group and in individual solos (one for each of them,) urge her to trust her conscience and to not go through with such a terrible action as murder. Soon after, Danaus enters, angrily scolding Hypermnestra and accusing her of betraying her family. They argue back and forth, until Hypermnestra lapses into an aria where she begs her father not to become the assassin of his future family. Unfortunately, her pleas fall on deaf ears, as Danaus reminds her that it is prophesied that he himself will be killed should any of the sons of his brother still live. He leaves the stage and Hypermnestra is left behind, soon joined once again by the Chorus, who once again comfort her, and reassure her of her decision.

With that, the curtains will come down, before opening once again so that the cast may take their bows--first The Balladeer and Sissi, then Cassandra, Elsa and Spongebob, then Benjamin and finally Maya. Then the entire cast as a whole. After that, Salieri is brought up on stage to give his own bow along with Farrah as assistant director, as well as the rest of the cast and crew thereafter--First, those that worked on the costumes, being Elle, Angus, Elsa and Benjamin, and then those that worked on the sets, being Janis, Varian, and Angus. Finally, there is a bow by the whole cast and crew.

The whole performance takes no longer than half an hour, and after a few of those full cast and crew bows, Salieri will step forward from the group so he can quiet the applause with a hand and make a final announcement.]

[stagemanagers]

[At the end of the performance, among the applause, there's some particularly excitable clapping from the back of the cafeteria. It's hard to see with the lights still dimmed but if one were to squint they might see a floral-patterned dress and a flash of dark hair slipping out into the hallway before the lights come back on.]

AFTERPARTY

[violentenvies]

[Once the applause has quieted, Salieri will lower his hand, giving those gathered in the audience a pleased smile]

Once again, I would like to thank you all for coming. As thanks, I would like to invite you all to an after performance party here in the cafeteria. I have been brewing a barrel of honeyed short mead for everyone to enjoy this evening, and Monsieur Spongebob has graciously prepared a variety of things to eat as well.

So, without further ado…

[and he motions to the tables where there’s food set out as well as the barrel of honey mead set up with several cups around for the pouring.]

(OOC: And here is where afterparty toplevels and general shenanigans can go. o/)

[violentenvies]

[After the performance and during the party, Salieri can be found a couple different places.

First, he'll be up by the mead barrel, passing out cups to whomever would like some. It is a 36 gallon barrel that's almost full, so fortunately there's plenty for everyone. After that, he'll leave the barrel for people to try on their own time, and retire to a seat somewhere in the corner with a bottle of red wine labeled "Chateau Leroux" and a glass, which he will then proceed to sit back and sip idly from, observing the party. As the hour starts to get late and the evening draws to a close, should any of the adults have an interest, Salieri will happily hand out a little absinthe from a small green bottle to those who would like something stronger. If you're not an adult, you certainly can try and convince him to give you a shot, if you'd like. Best of luck!]

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah's in a pretty upbeat mood. The play didn't fail catastrophically like she had worried that it would. No one got a concussion or went viral for shoving a teammate off stage or anything like that. So she's waltzing around the after-party, with her own green bottle, though this one's labeled 'Sprite'.]

Wow! We really did it!

[prophetpriestandking]

[Mumble finds Salieri at the mead barrel, and has no idea what is in all these cups but it certainly smells...interesting. He eyes it up with some curiosity before turning back to the host.]

Bravo, Maestro! [He laughs a little, joyously of course, as he claps.] That was...incredible!

[disharmonizes]

[So while Salieri is being his brooding self -- okay, fine, OBSERVING, he's not all that broody right now despite appearances -- Discord will just casually take a seat next to him.

Because of course he does.]

You know, I was very tempted to dump paint all over the performance, but I've been getting a little tired of paint.

Lucky you.

[wanderlusttitania]

[Yup, she's going to have a mead! She's way more than old enough to, apparently.]

To a wonderful performance, monsieur! It was beautiful!

[samefacesyndrome]

[ Rina's unsure about the mead but she feels the need to come up and see Salieri at least once after watching all that. ]

Salieri-san! That was really good!

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus spends the whole of the production with stars in his eyes, delighted by the performances and the costumes and the spectacle of it all. It may be a modest production by some standards, but to Orpheus it's like nothing he's ever seen before. When it's over and the performers start to file off the stage, he hurries to congratulate the people involved, grinning like an excited child. ]

That was incredible! You were all fantastic!

[ Afterwards, he mills about the party nursing a glass of mead, looking as friendly and approachable as ever. ]

So what did you think? [ he'll ask anyone who stops by, still all but bouncing in place with enthusiasm. If anyone decides to try to be a wallflower he may head their way too (unless they're very obviously signaling that they want to be left alone) and ask them the same. ]

[mayavericks]

[Sorry, Orpheus -- your attempts at being encouraging are only going to be met with a deadpan stare.]

There was no chemistry between myself and Barker-san. No true patron of the arts would have ever believed that I was his daughter, nor that I was grief-stricken about his decisions. It was an embarrassment on my part.

[violentenvies]

[When Orpheus comes up to the Mead barrel, Salieri's expression immediately brightens. He's no Spongebob of course, but it is a lighter expression than he normally has.]

Ah, Monsieur Orpheus! What did you think of your first taste of live opera?

[mayavericks]

[For all intents and purposes, Maya played her role beautifully. The notes were sung to perfection, and as far as an outsider might be concerned, she put her heart into the performance. Yet there's a clear level of dissatisfaction on her face throughout the afterparty. She seems to hang off toward the edges of the crowd, having commandeered a table for herself. She's already writing down frantic notes, brow pinched and eyes narrowed.

Every now and again, she mutters to herself under her breath, usually some variation of:]

There was no connection.

[disharmonizes]

[Hey, Maya. Guess who's just leaning over you, trying to get a peek at those notes.]

Writing a review of a show you were in yourself seems a little tacky, but I can't deny your zeal, that's for sure.

That is what you're doing, yes?

[violentenvies]

[When Salieri fells as though he's finished with mead duty, he'll get himself a cup of it, stepping away from the table as he glances around the party. He can pick out people from the cast chatting, entertaining themselves...at which point it occurs to him that he has not, in fact, seen Maya since the start of the party. He steps off to the side to try and spot her--eventually seeing her in a table in the corner.

He frowns slightly at that, and weaves his way over to her. Salieri approaches the table, casually, meaning to congratulate her but...she's sitting here taking notes?]

Mademoiselle Maya?

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice arrives to the show with Orpheus, and spends pretty much the entire time joined at his hip. Throughout most of it, she tries to keep her expression neutral, but every so often, when she's convinced no one's looking, she'll smile to herself. In reality, she's just as starry-eyed about the whole thing as Orpheus is.

By the time the afterparty rolls around, she's actually allowed herself to have some fun! Turns out Salieri is a pretty cool guy, actually. Since she'd seen him make the mead, she is reasonably confident it's safe. Before she knows it, Eurydice has had a decent amount to drink. Her face is flushed, and she's smiling, for once. She'll even wander away from Orpheus for a while, making an effort to chat with members of the cast, crew, and audience. ]

That was pretty good, huh?

[ It's Monday. Eurydice has food to eat, a warm place to sleep, and company. Life is good. ]

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob acted his sponge heart out at this performance. Sure he was sometimes overeager and entered before his cue, and there was a tiny bit of corpsing on his end, but he did a great job on balancing his singing and piano playing. You would have thought this was his role of a life time and not just a fun little project they did over the weekend.

And the passion obviously extends to the snacks he made for the party. There's a wide array of cute little cakes and snacks for everyone to munch on, and of course there are little Krabby Patty sliders because it feels like a crime to not have them here!

He spends most of the party offering everyone snacks and idle chitchat. He's so overjoyed he looked like he could be walking on thin air right now.]

Wasn't that just a blast? We should definately do this next week too!

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah spends her time fluttering between backstage and the audience-- pretending to be a captivated audience half the time, and helping attend to important assistant director duties the other half the time. When she's pulled onto stage, it's a bit of a surprise for her, but she clearly loves the limelight. She's glowing. It went so well. And as she might be heard chattering to anyone---]

No one was high, and nobody got hurt! [After that, she's bustling around, her bottle of Sprite in hand. She invites herself to the mead, like she's not fourteen, and gets only more and more hyped up as the night goes on.

By the end, she can be found jamming out on top of one of the tables. ... Yeah, that's not Sprite in that bottle. But at least she stayed sober through the play!]

[tellthestory]

[Now, the Balladeer is in his element.

It's clear that he's extremely comfortable on the stage - honestly, maybe a little more comfortable than he always is off of it. The scene isn't meant to be cheerful or upbeat, and unlike back home he isn't really meant to musically roast Danaus here, so he tucks his usual optimistic demeanor away just as he ought. Sharing the narration is also a unique experience; though he's handling all the vocal parts, having Sissi play alongside him is...comforting, in a way. He wonders what it might have been like to have a partner back home. A lot nicer, probably.

When he comes back out to bow, the smiles are back in full force. He makes sure to make a little gesture to highlight Sissi, but really, this is his first time making a real curtain call, too. How fun, to see how the audience liked it! After curtain call ends, he bounds down from the stage to mingle.]

Did you enjoy it? That was fun, wasn't it?

[Later, he gets himself some food and drink. Alcohol brings back some rather unpleasant memories, but the mead is enough of a novelty that he takes a cup of it anyhow. The little gathering Ambassador Dorm had late last week was his first time attending a party, but now that he's at this, he's thinking it was maybe not really a party at all? This is a lot bigger. But he's flying high and feeling confident, and he thinks he's on pretty good terms with everyone here! So he decides to take some initiative.]

Hey, mind if I join you?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[That was a show.

Before the show proper, Cassandra stood around, nakedly unsure of herself. This was so, so far out of her element. She wasn't an actor, and even if she could sing, she doesn't do it on a stage, in front of an audience for that matter. In another time, another place, she'd do some acrobatic flips through a race course, show off some of her prowess.

But Cassandra buries those fears, and her own worries, and she performs. It's an admirable feat, even. Who knew such a rough-and-tumble woman could belt out a high note like that, huh? Despite all her concerns at the start, her role goes off without a hitch.

Now that the curtains have come down, she's found a place to sit back and watch the afterparty shift into full swing.

She's... vibrating, just a little. Makes it a bit difficult to drink that glass of mead in her hand.

Cassandra's fine though. She's a professional.]

for once having icons from the actual curtain call is relevant

[barberic]

[Benjamin's performance is an imposing one. His physical presence exudes unyielding power, in a way that both works, given the role he's been cast in and the scene chosen, and also gives the impression that he is slightly brute forcing his way through the scene (the French, especially. Salieri and Sissi did the Lord's work but God bless him he didn't know a word of French before this).

But it's an honest, solid effort, and a relatively good one for where he started mere days ago. He has the expectation of Salieri's faith in him to live up to, of course - that's the main thrust behind his performance. But when the time arrives, he finds it soothing to imagine Lucy watching him from the audience, to imagine making her proud.

When he comes out for the curtain call, once again a teddy bear, he can almost imagine her jumping from her seat, clapping and tugging the arm of her neighbor to point at him and say 'That's my Benjamin!' and when he beams out, at the same people he's seen for the past week, a pang of longing hits him so strongly that when he rises from his bow his eyes are wet.

After the curtain call is done and the afterparty has commenced, he takes his well-earned cup of mead and a plate of food, and mingles happily with the others.]

That was a thrill, wasn't it. Lord, I'm still shaking.

[But as the initial adrenaline wears off, the longing that struck him at curtain call becomes harder and harder to ignore, and he retires to the edge of the party, content to nurse a fresh cup of mead and watch the others continue to mingle. His expression becomes bittersweet and distant, as his posture closes off slightly, lost in thought.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[That. Sure was a thing! Elsa's become much more comfortable being in front of people these past few years, so the idea of doing this with everyone wasn't intimidating. It was more her old insecurities acting up again; she was so unsure of herself, worrying if her performance could stand up to all the others. Even if this was mostly for fun, the last thing she wanted was to drag everyone down, after all.

But it had all been... great. They'd sang and acted and the energy coming off of all of them warmed Elsa's heart in a way that nothing in this place had been able to so far. It had loosened her careful hold on herself, helping her ride the energy and give it all she had alongside Cassandra and Spongebob. She was still riding that high after the final number, so when Salieri got together the afterparty, Elsa happily follows the rest to the refreshments... and hovers around the mead.]

Is this... good?

[She's never had alcohol before. Maybe a sip of wine here or there, as a bit of a customary toast during formal parties and such, but a sip was all it was. She's never really had a full glass - she wasn't sure how alcohol would react with her magic, so she had to be careful. Still... she was curious.]

[alchemistake]

[Even though the only thing Varian did for this play was help with constructing the sets and lighting for the stage, it felt...fulfilling, to be a part of Salieri's performance, even if it wasn't an actual role. After all, you can't have a proper play without the sets for the performers to work around, or the proper lighting to show it all off. It's been nice to have a project to work on over the weekend that didn't involve his attempts at escaping, none of which had actually been successful thus far.

That said, Varian will set himself up at one of the cafeteria tables once he's gotten a plate to eat, more than happy to indulge in Spongebob's cooking (which is honestly quite good). Ruddiger is perched on his shoulder as usual, with Varian occasionally offering up pieces of whatever he's eating to him. He's shown himself to be a rather unobtrusive guy for a racoon, at least for now.

...at least until he catches him leaning waaay over and trying to reach for something off someone else's plate, to which Varian stops him with a hand.]

Ah-ah, no. You've had plenty, don't go stealing off others' plates.

[Ruddiger chitters, his tail lashing at being scolded, but he'll reluctantly pull back and fold his little raccoon arms.]

[whatyouwant]

[If there's one thing Elle loves, it's a party! She comes to the play ready with a small sewing kit she'd cobbled together, ready to do any emergency repairs. Luckily nothing bad happened, so now she's free to socialize! Maybe she can meet some of the people she hasn't talked to yet.

She's walking around with a little cup of mead, lightly sipping on it on occation.]

That was so much fun! If we're stuck here longer, we should do another one.