Ye Old Melodrama Play

[Mark Rand]

13 minutes ago, quozaxx said:

Bryan paused by the oboist and uses his perfect pitch "That one has the best sound. "

"Thank you," the oboist, Lauren Kay, responds.

 

15 minutes ago, quozaxx said:

The other orchestra members looked at him as he usually doesn't say anything at all.   He blushed and returned to his seat.

 

[Mark Rand]

Miss Betsy Clark enters with Ms. Victoria Swanby, the principal, and two of the Cordettes, Cordelia Chase, who leads the clique, and Katherine Wexford.  “So, where’s Pocahontas?” Cordelia asks.

 

 

“That’s enough of that,” Principal Swanby says.  “Cordelia, you're already in stage crew detention.  Want me to add the next play to it?”

 

 

“I get stage crew detention so often that Miss Clarke keeps a set of stage keys designated as mine,” Harmony laughs from the line sets.  “Ready to fly in scene one drape.”

 

 

“Batten 13,” David Gray says from the lighting and sound console area. 

 

“I know,” Harmony says as Doreen enters the stage right wing.  “HEADS UP ON STAGE!  FLYING IN BATTEN 13, SCENE ONE DRAPE!”

 

“Sharon’s up on the balcony, checking the alignment of the spotlights and replacing some burned out lamps in them," David says.  "Two-way radios and headsets in the cardboard box on the chair beside the lectern.  I put fresh batteries in the ones that needed them.”

 

"All clear," stagehand Donna Gray responds.  Harmony lowers it.  "Perfect," Donna says.

[steriaca]

This is the final stage rehearsal. Costume changes go a bit faster (mostly in Rebecca's case, more like a costume addition). Songs are sung in tune. Movements are done as they are supposed to. (Question: is anything going to go wrong which is out of everyone's control?)

[Mark Rand]

(Not really.)

 

The principal reminds Cordelia Chase and Katherine Wexford that they have to be dressed like the other stagehands during the play.  Katherine puts her foot in her mouth by referring to Donna as Catwoman, earning her a few glares and the principal asking her if she wants to add another play to her detention.

[steriaca]

3 hours ago, Mark Rand said:

(Not really.)

 

The principal reminds Cordelia Chase and Katherine Wexford that they have to be dressed like the other stagehands during the play.  Katherine puts her foot in her mouth by referring to Donna as Catwoman, earning her a few glares and the principal asking her if she wants to add another play to her detention.

Rebecca chimes in "Come on, you know Donna has allergies. Besides, lots of women wear and look good in gloves. My superhero costume has gloves also. This costume for the play has long white gloves."

[Mark Rand]

"I still say she looks like Catwoman," Katherine says.  "Don't you agree, Cordelia, Harmony?"

 

"Yeah," Cordelia replies.

 

"No," Harmony replies.  "I think she looks great.  I wish I did."  She turned to Sharon who having turned the work and house lights on was dimming the stage and spot lights.  "Am I clear to fly out the final scene drape?"

 

"Yes," Sharon replied.

 

"Why ask Pocahontas?” Cordelia asks.

 

"Sharon's the stage manager, and a good teacher" Harmony responds.  "I've learned a lot from her."

 

"Fine," Cordelia says.  "You're out of the clique, Loser."

 

"This is a better group of friends," Harmony responds.

 

"Cordelia, your detention is extended one play," Principal Swanby says.

 

"Fine," Cordelia snaps.

 

"Welcome to the stage crew, Harmony," Miss Clarke says. 

 

"Thanks," Harmony says.

 

 

 

[quozaxx]

3 minutes ago, Mark Rand said:

"I still say she looks like Catwoman," Katherine says.  "Don't you agree, Cordelia, Harmony?"

 

"Yeah," Cordelia replies.

 

"No," Harmony replies.  "I think she looks great.  I wish I did."  She turned to Sharon who having turned the work and house lights on was dimming the stage and spot lights.  "Am I clear to fly out the final scene drape?"

 

"Yes," Sharon replied.

 

"Why ask Pocahontas?” Cordelia asks.

 

"Sharon's the stage manager, and a good teacher" Harmony responds.  "I've learned a lot from her."

 

"Fine," Cordelia says.  "You're out of the clique, Loser."

 

"This is a better group of friends," Harmony responds.

 

"Cordelia, your detention is extended one play," Principal Swanby says.

 

 

 

Bryan was trying his best to blend in the background.   Katherine has teased him also, along with half the school.  Even though she wasn't including him, he was getting angry.

 

"You call her a looser.  You stuck up b...witch.  What makes you think that you are better than everyone else?  You are conceited and full of hot air.  Someone should take you down a notch.  "

 

Then he claimed up.  Everyone was staring at him.  He felt his shyness returning.  He was suddenly afraid the principal would punish him as well

 

[steriaca]

Rebecca put her hand on Bryan's back. "Katherine is simply has incredibly low self esteem, and believes that the best way to increase it is to bring everyone down and put everyone down. Instead of doing that, why don't she find something she is actually good at and take pride in that. Prehaps she should become a comedian."

[Mark Rand]

Miss Collingsworth walks over to Bryan and says, "I think everything will be fine."

 

While this is going on, the stage crew is hard at work, stowing things and some of the string players are having a conference.  Andrea walks over to find out what's going on and learns that they're discussing playing techniques.  While not a musician, she knows that, as concertmaster, Michelle calls the shots for most of the stringed instruments.

[quozaxx]

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

Rebecca put her hand on Bryan's back. "Katherine is simply has incredibly low self esteem, and believes that the best way to increase it is to bring everyone down and put everyone down. Instead of doing that, why don't she find something she is actually good at and take pride in that. Prehaps she should become a comedian."

Bryan whispered back.   "Well. She is funny looking. "  smiling at his own bad joke.

 

26 minutes ago, Mark Rand said:

Miss Collingsworth walks over to Bryan and says, "I think everything will be fine."

 

While this is going on, the stage crew is hard at work, stowing things and some of the string players are having a conference.  Andrea walks over to find out what's going on and learns that they're discussing playing techniques.  While not a musician, she knows that, as concertmaster, Michelle calls the shots for most of the stringed instruments.

"Sometimes she just rubs you the wrong way."  

[steriaca]

2 minutes ago, quozaxx said:

Bryan whispered back.   "Well. She is funny looking. "  smiling at his own bad joke.

"Don't forget that you and the band play an even more important part of the play than us actors. It is called a melodrama, with emphasis on the word melodrama. Music in a melodrama tells the audience how to feel. If a character is supposed to be funny, scary, heroic, innocent and vulnerable, an authority figure; or whatever. A melodrama without a soundtrack is simply either a drama or comedy."

2 minutes ago, quozaxx said:

 

"Sometimes she just rubs you the wrong way."  

'I guess she does. But I don't take it like that too much. Until she develops superpowers and uses them to harm people she is no threat to me."

[Mark Rand]

Miss Alicia Addams, who runs the Drama Club and is the play's director, steps forward.  "I have a few announcements," she says.  "First, I'd like everyone here 45-minutes before the play starts.  Since we have a few Mouseketeers, the Disney folks will be taking photos of them, and, possibly, Rebecca for their monthly Mickey Mouse Club Magazine. 

 

"Second, Jodie, our girls swim team captain has challenged lifeguard Nancy Adams to a two-lap race in the pool at the start of next week's swim meet.  Nancy has agreed and has added that she will swim the entire race underwater, mermaid-style."  She then turned to head nurse Rosemary Trueheart, who was standing, with Carol Marcus, on the house floor, by the stage apron.  "I assume someone from the health office will be there."

 

"Both Gail Thorpe and I will be there," she replies.  "Since it's an afternoon meet, Delphi Pond, our second nurse, will be in the health office."

 

"Noted," Alicia says.  "The Disney folks will cover the meet, too.  After all, there are several Mouseketeers on our swim team."

 

"I'll be there," Doreen says.  Seeing the expressions on some faces, she adds, "You never knew that I attend most Allderdice home sports events?"

[steriaca]

Rebecca sighs. "I wish they could of taken pictures of our rehearsals, especially what goes behind the scenes. Putting on a play, no matter what it is, involveds more stars then what is on the stage."

[quozaxx]

19 hours ago, steriaca said:

"Don't forget that you and the band play an even more important part of the play than us actors. It is called a melodrama, with emphasis on the word melodrama. Music in a melodrama tells the audience how to feel. If a character is supposed to be funny, scary, heroic, innocent and vulnerable, an authority figure; or whatever. A melodrama without a soundtrack is simply either a drama or comedy."

'I guess she does. But I don't take it like that too much. Until she develops superpowers and uses them to harm people she is no threat to me."

"Thanks"  he responded about his role.   There were too many people around to tell her his secret.  But maybe he could hint at it.

 

"I guess you are right.   She’s not a threat.  But knowing our luck she will get super powers.  Then we could bury her." 

[Mark Rand]

17 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Rebecca sighs. "I wish they could of taken pictures of our rehearsals, especially what goes behind the scenes. Putting on a play, no matter what it is, involveds more stars then what is on the stage."

"I'm sure they'll get the stage crew and Tommy, who's in the orchestra, too," Doreen says.

[Mark Rand]

"Photographers from The Foreward, our school newspaper, and The Allderdice,the school yearbook, will probably be there, too," Sharon says from she's helping to clear the stage.  "The yearbook photographers also have to get group photos of the Drama Club, Stage Crew, the bands, orchestra, and choirs."

 

"Which means that we'll probably have to set the stage for them," Stage Crew student president Jim Reese comments as he joins them.  "Follow spot's stowed."

 

"Thanks, Jim," Sharon responds.

[steriaca]

42 minutes ago, Mark Rand said:

"Photographers from The Foreward, our school newspaper, and The Allderdice,the school yearbook, will probably be there, too," Sharon says from she's helping to clear the stage.  "The yearbook photographers also have to get group photos of the Drama Club, Stage Crew, the bands, orchestra, and choirs."

 

"Which means that we'll probably have to set the stage for them," Stage Crew student president Jim Reese comments as he joins them.  "Follow spot's stowed."

 

"Thanks, Jim," Sharon responds.

Rebecca blinks. "Umm...you would want Robert there, since he is a member, right? And I'm only a special guest star, since I don't even go to this school anymore, right?"

[Mark Rand]

23 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Rebecca blinks. "Umm...you would want Robert there, since he is a member, right? And I'm only a special guest star, since I don't even go to this school anymore, right?"

"I know," Sharon replies.  "Can you let him know?"

[steriaca]

3 hours ago, Mark Rand said:

"I know," Sharon replies.  "Can you let him know?"

"I'll try. When do they want to get him on camera?"

[Mark Rand]

13 minutes ago, steriaca said:

"I'll try. When do they want to get him on camera?"

"Miss Addams will let him know."

[steriaca]

Rebecca nods. S/he hopes nobody gets the silly idea of getting a pic of the cousins side by side.

[Mark Rand]

The rest of the night passes without incident.  The next morning, there's a request to stop by the base for a short meeting with Lotus.  As you pass Margo's desk, you spot a white shorthaired cat relaxing on it while Margo works at her computer.

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Mark Rand said:

The rest of the night passes without incident.  The next morning, there's a request to stop by the base for a short meeting with Lotus.  As you pass Margo's desk, you spot a white shorthaired cat relaxing on it while Margo works at her computer.

I check quickly if it is Yuri. I try not to give her away if it is.

[Mark Rand]

42 minutes ago, steriaca said:

I check quickly if it is Yuri. I try not to give her away if it is.

The cat has blue eyes.

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Mark Rand said:

The cat has blue eyes.

I scratch her head between the ears and then go to the meeting.