Open RP: Auditions!

[crazynotstoned]

So as far as Geoffrey knew, his production of Twelfth Night was well under way. No, really -- despite it having been weeks since his posters had been altered, he had somehow entirely failed to notice that the people who were signed up for the play were, in fact, signed up for a completely different one. This meant he was probably due for something

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[hedwigrobinson]

Hedwig took theatre fairly seriously. While she considered rock 'n' roll her salvation and her truest chosen medium, her general flair for the dramatic (and her academic work in Germany) inclined her toward an appreciation for all forms of performance.

She had considered a monologue from No Exit, its existential angst appealing to her. In the end, though, her diva sensibilities chose for her.

"I am Hedwig Robinson," she declared as she took the stage. "I am here for your audition. I will perform a monologue from the fabulous Tennessee Williams. This is from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Hedwig wore one of her softer wigs, today, and one of the few hausfrau smocks she hadn't discarded from back in the Junction City days, when she'd lived as a soldier's wife on an army base. Her makeup too was softer than her usual, though still pretty damned overdone. These were her concessions to costuming.

In a voice that did not have to strain to fill space -- she had a set of lungs on her, our Hedwig -- she declaimed her lines"I wish you

[crazynotstoned]

Geoffrey was delighted by Hedwig. Oh, the German was a mark against her, to be sure (he had never been a fan of German theater, and now its associations with one Darren Nichols made the entire country rather disasteful to him) as was the outrageousness of her outfit (which was also pretty much Darren's fault, actually). And the mid-monologue commentary almost had him shouting out a hearty "thank you!" right there and then and ushering her right off the stage.

But beyond those little annoyances... well, she was really pretty good. Better than nearly every other person who'd come in, certainly. And charismatic. A little old to play the leads, and God knew if he took Titania from Ellen now without giving her Helena she would never speak to him again; but Hedwig, he determined, would be in his play. And she would have a good part, dammit

[blacks_thecolor]

Bernard hadn't really been meaning to try and audition for a play any time in the near future, but it had almost been irresistible when he'd seen the poster. Besides, he had nothing better to do today, and he had a bunch of monologues memorized. What else did one do when they ran a bookstore? Besides drink, read, drink, smoke, beat Manny around, read, and drink some more?

So, he stumbled up onto the stage, a glass of red wine in one hand, looking as if he'd actually showered in his clothes. Which, of course, he had. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, speaking around his cigarette. "What I bring to this theater today is a classic of the classics!"

Bernard coughed into his wine glass, took a sip, and began. The fact that he was reading literature outloud, and not speaking lines of a play, completely escaped him. Also, Middle English was totally appropriate for a Shakespeare play.

"Have do", quod she, "com of, and speed the faste

[crazynotstoned]

Geoffrey didn't speak or read Middle English, but the meaning of that little number came through pretty well. Oddly, though, he didn't appear too fazed by Bernard's monologue, nor by his mannerisms. The man was sloshed out of his mind, obviously, but half he actors he knew were at all times. Hell, Charles had only been able to perform while on heroin. A little wine wasn't much against that. Ellen smoked like a chimney. And a little dirt and sweat were pretty commonplace sights in the back rooms of a theater.

As for the piece, well. Geoffrey'd had his fair share of raunchy speeches. He'd asked Ellen if he could lay his head upon her lap and asked if she thought he spoke of country matters. This wasn't that much worse. He raised a brow, glanced back towards where Ellen sat, looked over at Bun-Bun, and shrugged. "And you are?" he asked the hopeful actor.

[blacks_thecolor]

Oh, Jesus. This is what Bernard had feared. The... talking afterwards.

"Er, Bernard. Black. I mean, Bernard Black, obviously." He paused, staring into his wine glass. "See, I find this is the problem with theater auditions," he announced, related to absolutely nothing, "You can get up on stage and say your piece, but after that, you're really just on your own, aren't you? What do you say?"

Bernard took a moment to ponder this, frowning heavily and scratching the back of his head. Then, he looked up, the sudden action making him sway slightly. "I know! Do you want a pineapple? ...No, that's stupid," he reprimanded himself. "What play is this going to be, exactly?"

[crazynotstoned]

Geoffrey wasn't much fond of it, either. He wasn't fond of anything that wasn't actually working with the text, with the play, sinking his teeth into the actual material. The rest was all just beauracracy, as far as he was concerned. In response to Bernard's question, he smirked slightly. "A necessary evil, I'm afraid." Geoff sympathized.

The second question (or rather, the third) made his smile a little more strained. "Well, apparently, we are doing A Midsummer Night's Dream," he explained wearily. And then, hopefully: "Why, did you hear something else?"

[c_macaulay]

Camilla, who'd come into the Great Hall in search of a late lunch, watched the auditions curiously and unobtrusively for a few minutes. Could it be that Hogwarts would finally be getting some approximation of culture? This was a pleasant development.

There was a director whom Camilla hadn't yet met, and there was Bun-bun, whom Camilla remembered from his Sorting.

Perhaps it would be better simply to owl the director. Bun-bun could be rather difficult.

She pulled aside one of the aspiring actors, an outlandish-looking drag queen who apparently wanted to be a blonde Elizabeth Taylor, and asked the director's name. Owling Bun-bun likely wouldn't be much easier than talking to him face to face. Also, the drag queen turned out to be very nice, and Camilla gave him/her a cigarette and a friendly few minutes of small talk before going off to write some owls.

[makeminemayday]

May had come into the Great Hall for lunch, but when her soup had been taken out by Tomo's theatrics, she gave up on lunch and watched the auditions for a few minutes. There was quite a bit of... variety, and the only thing she could figure was that they were auditioning for Shakespeare. What play, though, she couldn't tell. She'd been scarred for life by high school productions of certain Shakespeare plays, or having the same plays gone over again and again by English teachers. May liked Shakespeare, but some of his stuff... if she never saw another production of Romeo and Juliet, she'd be happy.

She waited for a lull in the insanity before approaching the trio obviously in charge of auditions. "Excuse me?" she said politely. "I must have been back home when the casting call went out, because this is the first I've heard of this, but... what play are you putting on? I can't really tell from the monologues."

[crazynotstoned]

Geoffrey smiled at May. It looked friendly enough, but Ellen would probably recognize it as the classic Geoffrey Tennant I hope someone dies in the next five minutes look. "I can't either," he told her grandly. "But ostensibly, we are doing A Midsummer Night's Dream, because SOMEONE--" this was addressed to a wall-- "changed the posters."

Geoff was feeling just a little frazzled right now.

[apologeticellen]

Laying her hand on Geoffrey's shoulder in what might appear to be a comforting squeeze but was actually a 'don't go crazy and start stabbing people or else I'll be forced to speak for the company' gesture, Ellen leaned forward with a smile. It, too, would look friendly, but it was the smile Ellen used on the new company members or the costuming people when they asked a question she deemed to be a waste of her precious time.

"It's the Dream," she confirmed for May. "Are you interested in auditioning?"

[makeminemayday]

((Sorry to edit the post AGAIN here, but in case Otakon pre-reg does eat up the rest of the evening, I wanted to move the audition along so I didn't leave it hanging.))

May did not recognize Geoffrey's I hope someone dies in the next five minutes look; in fact, the smile initially puzzled her, since she expected him to be wanting to hit something (hence the politeness). The bitterness in his tone, however, was evident. Ah. Well, that explained a lot. At least it wasn't Romeo and Juliet, but the Dream was one of the two that had been ruined for her by a train wreck of high school production. She hadn't liked the movie much, either