Boosting my popularity on Crotalus Commons

A notice in the Commons

December 09, 2008 3:37 PM

Concert Sign Up by A notice in the Commons

Once the new term had begun as it should, there arrived a new poster on the noticeboard in each of the commons. It was printed neatly on unassuming plain parchment, but its rhyme and reason were likely to cause much excitement. The title of this notice read, 'School Concert' in large, bold letters, attracting the attention of anyone who would stray near the board. Below the title were further details. Each of these notices were identical, and the text was as follows:

At the end of this school year you will have the opportunity to take part in a concert, arranged and performed by students of Sonora Academy. The concert will be held in the Cascade Hall, with an audience of your fellow students and school staff. Each House will showcase two performances: one group act, and one solo act. If you would like to take part in either of these performances in any way, please indicate your interest by signing your name, year, and particular interests and/or skills on the sheet below.

The final details of the performance will be decided by your House prefects and Head. Please contact them if you have any queries concerning the concert.

The three-columned space below allowed for some detail of suggestions, and also permitted students to indicate whether they desired to be considered for the solo performance, and what they would perform, or if they would prefer to remain behind the scenes. With such variety offered to the students in each House, it was unlikely the sign-up sheet would remain blank for any great amount of time.\r\n\r\n

Subthreads:

I suppose I can by Anabel McIntosh

Boosting my popularity by Amelia Smythe

Because planning is what I do best. by Laurie Cider

Reluctant, but signing up nonetheless by Earl Valentine

Better late than never by Charlotte Abbott

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Anabel McIntosh

December 14, 2008 8:41 PM

I suppose I can by Anabel McIntosh

Anabel was not artistic, of that she was certain. She was not her cousin Lizzy, who not only thought the world revolved around Quidditch, but also liked to draw and paint. Her cousin's broom was a monstrosity. The elder girl had once got in into her head that it would be cool to design the handle of her broom with handmade sketches, sketches that she had placed an animation charm on once she had mastered the skill. Lizzy was the definition of a disaster while Anabel was reserved and controlled.

She also wasn't her cousin Leslie, who had made a point of becoming friends with everyone, no matter their background. Anabel had once met Leslie's best friend Crin, and while she had liked the redhead when she was a lot younger, Anabel had learned the error of her ways as she had gotten older. Crin was an outcast and had only served to make Leslie's life harder. Anabel resented her for that. While she and Leslie didn't have much in common, they did look alike. Leslie had also always seemed more sensitive to her feelings than her other cousins.

When the sign-up sheet for the concert went up on the board in the commons, Anabel had passed by it with little notice. Lizzy was the artist, Leslie the singer and Trey the trickster. Anabel, she thought with a smile, was the princess. She was the youngest, with the exception of her baby cousin Jacob, but he was only three, so it didn't count. She had her talents, but she didn't need them to move along in the world. Leslie was the singer, the sensitive one, so Anabel had never cared to showcase her own talents in that area. Aunt Miranda may have given her lessons, but Anabel hated to be a follower. She was her own person.

But now, here at Sonora, she was the only McIntosh. There had never been a Leslie, or a Lizzy, or even a Trey. If she could sing, then she could be the singer. No one would know any better. Leslie had, for the most part, stopped singing once she had gone off to school. She had been too sick to care about it. But this, this was Anabel's turn to shine.

So while Anabel had passed by the notice on the board with little care the first time, she had made a point to stop at it on her second. Quill in hand, Anabel paused for a moment before adding her name to the top of the list,

Anabel McIntosh, 3rd year, singing in either solo or group.

Feeling rather pleased with herself, Anabel turned and walked away.

0 Anabel McIntosh I suppose I can 120 Anabel McIntosh 0 5

Amelia Smythe

December 15, 2008 1:22 PM

Boosting my popularity by Amelia Smythe

Now she was in second year, Milly felt like she had the opportunity to make a real identity for herself at school. It was only reinforced by havinf quite so many of her relatives around this year; she wanted to be seen as Amelia, not just another Smythe.

She felt she had made a good effort last year, by writing for the paper and making social calls all round the Fair. Still she couldn't deny that more needed to be done. This concert seemed like as good a way as any to make herself known - besides, she could guarantee that neither Cecily nor Cynthia would be joining in with this particular activity. The only problem Amelia encountered was that she wasn't talented in any way - she could sing, dance, act, play any sort of instrument, or even debate with finesse. The only thing she could do was write articles for the Aronos, and she didn't see how that could help. But maybe Crotalus would have a choir and she could hide in the back, or she could be a chorus girl or assistant of sorts. That would still get her noticed without Milly being made a fool of.

After some deliberation, she signed her details:

Amelia Smythe, second year, performing with the group in some minor role

0 Amelia Smythe Boosting my popularity 121 Amelia Smythe 0 5

Laurie Cider

December 19, 2008 9:17 AM

Because planning is what I do best. by Laurie Cider

Laurie had been excited about the Concert the moment she began researching it, the year before. She loved the idea of it- getting the whole House in cahoots, working together to present some final work, and then the actual day of, the assumed applause, the heady after glow of having pulled all the hard work together into something amazing. The Concert had all the ingredients necessary to making her third year a most excellent school year.

Her summer of enforced solitude (read as not being allowed to visit the Warrens) had given her many hours to devote to thinking up ideas for the Concert. The group event would obviously be the most fun: they could take a common thing, like a well known play, maybe something by Shakespeare, re-write it to fit the school, and the songs could be taken from other shows and given new lyrics. Sure, it sounded like a monstrosity of a project, but if there was anything that Laurie excelled at, it was planning. She knew how to organize like no other. It was the not-so-secret secret of her success.

She approached the poster with more enthusiasm than probably necessary, mindful of the other names already printed on the sign-up sheet. Regardless, she stooped a bit and carefully added her name and abilities to the scroll.

Laurel Cider, third year, helping with group as a story-boarder, script-writer, or stagehand extraordinaire.

She lifted her head and considered. While she was certainly no future performer, she had taken piano lessons since she was six, and yes, she was a bit out of practice, but she could certainly spruce up given a piano and some sheet music; she was certainly more than capable for helping out with practices. She bent again and added another line.

Can play the piano for practices and such as well.

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Earl Valentine

January 06, 2009 10:36 PM

Reluctant, but signing up nonetheless by Earl Valentine

It was Eavan who had suggested he sign up for the concert. Not to act, but to do behind-the-scenes stuff: getting together scenery. Earl hadn't been that enthused when she brought it, but weeks of persistent nagging, had wore him down. It was this prefect business. Now she assumes she has to be a part of everything the school does. It was annoying.

Earl stared at the signup sheet and let out a low rush of breath. She was running the Teppenpaw thing. It was a requirement. He should get so mad at her. But making him sign up too, was annoying. Earl was sure she was doing it, so he would be in the mind to help her out with whatever Teppenpaw is doing. Earl sighed, resigned and lifted pen to paper.

Earl Valentine, sets and scenery and stuff

0 Earl Valentine Reluctant, but signing up nonetheless 67 Earl Valentine 0 5

Charlotte Abbott

January 07, 2009 11:08 AM

Better late than never by Charlotte Abbott

The list for signing up to join in the concert had been up a long time before Charlie decided to add her name to it. She was a bit surprised to discover that her borther Oliver hadn't signed up. He could play piano and violin and he used to be choir soloist (yes that was a few years ago now, but Charlie was sure he could still sing). Maybe it was one of those 'cool' things that Charlie had never understood.

Anyway, after discussing dancing with her roommates, Charlie decided to sign up for the concert anyway. Adelita and Deepa could both sign up, too, then they could be a dance group, like they had talked about. But until they found somewhere good to practise it was unlikely their dancing trio would progress very far; their dormitory restricted much movement.

As she read the notice with a pen in her hand, Charlotte considered that she might even try for the solo part. They wouldn probably pick someone older, but, as she understood it, there would be another concert in four years time, anyway.

With no more hesitations, Charlie signed her details:

Charlotte Abbott, first year. Dancer (ballet, jazz and character) - group or solo

0 Charlotte Abbott Better late than never 135 Charlotte Abbott 0 5