Selina Skies
November 13, 2020 6:17 AM
Concert Announcement by Selina Skies
Earlier in the week, posters had appeared in each of the common rooms.Further details about the up-coming school concert will be provided after dinner tomorrow night. All students please be present in Cascade Hall at 7pm. Regardless of your intention to perform, the concert will be a collaborative effort and everyone should attend this meeting.
The staff responsible for each graade’s final lesson for the day had been asked to remind the students to be present, and as dinner drew to a close Selina surveyed the hall. Even though it was a small school, it wasn’t possible to immediately tell whether anyone was missing, but it definitely looked like most people were present. She stood, offering them all a smile.
“Good evening. I won’t keep you long, but I wanted to briefly introduce the plans for this year’s concert. As usual, participation will be voluntary. However, we want to draw on everyone’s ideas and interests to make this concert reflective of Sonora as a whole, which is why we’ve asked you all to stay and hear about it. As mentioned at the opening feast, the theme of this year’s concert will be folk tales. We’ll be taking a broad view of what that means - stories from any culture are welcome, as are myths and legends.
“After this meeting, there will be a box placed in the entrance hall. This is for story suggestions. If you have a story you would like to see included, please write down its title and a brief summary of it. Include how many actors it would need, and a brief description of the storyline, as well as what culture it comes from,” there would be a standard form next to the box for them to fill out which would have sections reminding them of each of these requirements. “Depending on many suggestions we receive, we might have one long, detailed re-enactment of a single story, or several shorter performances. We’re more hoping for the latter, so please get suggestions in. We will select as many of the stories as we can.
“This will also be somewhat dependent on how many people we have willing to make these plays happen. As well as the box, there will be a sign up sheet for both performers and helpers - those of you willing to create scenery or props, or magic up special effects.
“You do not have to be willing to be on stage to suggest a story, and you do not have to have suggested a story in order to sign up for being on stage. Both parts are optional, and independent. However, we hope to see lots of participation in both elements.
“Are there any questions?” she asked. She would also be available after dinner, and during her usual office hours, if there was anyone who wanted to ask something but didn’t wish to do so in front of everyone.
Subthreads: Questions
Story Suggestions with System, Freddie Zauberhexen
Sign Ups with System, Philippe Delachene, Valentine Duell, Heinrich Hexenmeister , Rosalynn Tellerman, Johana Leonie Zauberhexen, Hilda Hexenmeister, Ellie Alperton, Topaz Brockert
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Selina Skies
Concert Announcement
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Philippe Delachene
November 13, 2020 12:40 PM
I don't need a lot of lines. by Philippe Delachene
Philippe had eaten his dinner quickly, but waited around for the announcement about the concert that had been advertised both in class and in his common room. He took an extra cookie he didn't really want and nibbled at it slowly just for something to do while he waited.Eventually, Professor Skies stood up and talked to them. There were more details than the Headmaster's brief remark at the Opening Feast, but it sounded like a lot of it was still up in the air pending student response and involvement, which was kind of cool, really, but Philippe had no great ideas for what myths or folktales might be good to see on stage, or even which ones he might want to play a part in. He supposed he was named with both Sleeping Beauty (Prince Philip) and Beauty and the Beast (Philippe, Belle's horse) in mind, but he wasn't strongly drawn to either of those, as stories or as parts.
So when the time came, he did not approach the suggestion box, but he did add his name to the sign-up sheet.
Philippe Delachene, 2nd Year, Bit Actor
He frowned at the line, unsure if he should add more. He could maybe help with making scenery or something, but he wasn't sure if that would conflict with the rehearsal schedule or something. He also came close to crossing out the 'bit' part, but was even less sure he wanted a lead role. After a few moments of silent debate, he walked away, leaving his sign-up as he'd put it down originally. Presumably there would be try-outs or an organizational meeting or something later, and he could expand upon what he was comfortable doing then.
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Philippe Delachene
I don't need a lot of lines.
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Valentine Duell
November 14, 2020 9:09 AM
This sounds like fun! by Valentine Duell
Valentine was excited for the upcoming announcement for the concert. She was unable to stop speculating about the upcoming event to those people sitting near her during dinner. What would the story or stories be? What sort of roles would be available? How were they going to use magic in the show? Were their families going to be there to watch? The questions kept pouring out as they talked.Finally the deputy-headmistress stood up to talk. Some of her questions were answered, but it seemed as though some of the answers were up to them to decide. She would have to think if she had any good stories. Hehe.. maybe something Robin Hood related? She remember the game she had run last year. If she thought of a good one, she'd have to hey it in the box.
In the meantime, she headed for the sign-up sheet. She put down her name and other information, but paused at the role. What did she want to do? Everything sounded fun, she could act or make props or... well, maybe others would be better at effects and such. Well, she would just have to see what they needed.
Valentine Duell, 2nd year, Actress or props or whatever is needed
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Valentine Duell
This sounds like fun!
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Freddie Zauberhexen
November 17, 2020 8:19 PM
I don't remember the story all the way. by Freddie Zauberhexen
Freddie wanted to add a story to the box. He wanted it to be something that meant a lot to him, which meant it was gonna be an American story. When he'd been little and his parents had first decided that they'd send him and Hana to the United States for their education, he'd asked for stories about this new place they were going to see. His parents hadn't known any stories - and very little English - so they pieced it together from what they were told by some of their patients. The patients had been more helpful, but they told it all in English and that wasn't great for them as kids.Now, Freddie wanted to pass on those first exciting stories that made him want to come here, all the way to Sonora. Except . . . taking a story that you hadn't heard for like eight years, that you only got a broken version of, that you only got a translation of, and then translating it back into a language you didn't know fluently . . . well, the paper Freddie almost dropped off had a lot of errors and cross outs. Finally, he talked himself into rewriting a neater version and he felt pret-ty satisfied with himself as he dropped it off and went to find something for breakfast. Maybe they'd have Cheerios or something.
A long time ago, before the mountains and stuff, was there a man who had much tall. He was huge. His name was Paul Bunman. His best friend was a boy cow and the boy cow had big horns and big feet and the cow also had much tall. His name was Baby. Although they were friends now, Paul and Baby were not always friends. When they first met, they fought a lot and hated each other and tried to sort of fight (like when people not do the hitting, but they roll around and push on each other?) to see who was the biggerest and strongerest. Paul and Baby pushed on each other and they pushed so hard that they dug holes with their feet and made big canyons, and they pushed all the dirt so it made big mountains. Then, they saw that they were both big and strong, so they walked away because they could be friends.
P.S. I do not have knowing of the story in English and we can do the right one, that's okay.
OOC: Written based on what I remember of the story of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox, and then on what I thought Freddie would remember, and then on what I thought he could write in English and then-- well, you get the idea. A more detailed, accurate version of the legend can be found here.
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Freddie Zauberhexen
I don't remember the story all the way.
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Heinrich Hexenmeister
November 23, 2020 5:59 PM
Backstage by Heinrich Hexenmeister
Heinrich felt, as a prefect, he probably ought to be involved in the concert in some way. For the last concert the school had, it was the prefects who had been responsible for coming up with the acts, so he felt like he was getting off kind of lightly this time around, and being involved at all was minimum expectation.So he listened to the overview during dinner attentively. He tried to decide if he wanted to put Hansel and Gretel into the suggestion box knowing Hansel would be in the audience, unsure if Hansel being there made it a better or worse idea, and concluded that he still had a few weeks to mull over the pros and cons and consult with his siblings, and he would put that time to good use instead of making rash decisions on the first day the box was available.
What he could do tonight, though, was sign up as a volunteer. He had no desire at all to be on stage in front of people. Like with the concert four years ago, though, when he did have one line, he wasn't going to exclude the possibility that a dearth of volunteers might make that necessary. Still, for initial sign-ups, he was going to sign up for what he actually wanted to do.
Heinrich Hexenmeister (7th year): magical effects, sound, lighting, props/scenery, anything backstage
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Heinrich Hexenmeister
Backstage
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Rosalynn Tellerman
November 28, 2020 6:52 PM
Oh, me! by Rosalynn Tellerman
Rosalynn was excited to hear about this year's concert. Her dad had told her stories about what they'd been like when he MCed them. (She didn't actually believe everything he said about them, but she wasn't entirely sure which parts might have been embellishments that got added in later, which were exaggerations of what actually happened, and what was, well, mostly true, because her dad was many things but an accurate historian was not one of them.) Sully had told her about his concerts as well, and while those sounded much less exciting than the ones from her dad's time, she was more inclined to believe they happened exactly as her brother recounted them, though Sully had the gift of making a day at the Grand Canyon sound like the dullest thing ever, so she tried to mentally add some pep back into his tales.Now that it was her turn, she listened raptly to the Deputy Headmistress explain their plans as they stood now, and it was a pretty cool idea, she thought. As a first year, she didn't expect she'd be put into a lead role or anything, but she figured there was no harm in trying, so she dropped off a story suggestion for her favorite fairy tale: The Spritely Tailor, who kept on sewing even as a giant monster rose up out of the graveyard that he was sewing in on a dare, and then added her name to the list of volunteers.
Rosalynn Tellerman, 1st year, Actress
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Rosalynn Tellerman
Oh, me!
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Johana Leonie Zauberhexen
November 29, 2020 4:43 PM
Lights, Curtains, Action. by Johana Leonie Zauberhexen
Johana Leonie loved to be on stage. Her preference was to dance, and the idea of having real lines was especially frightening to her, but she enjoyed the possibilities it presented. As much as she dreamt of being a healer and continuing in her family line, she also loved the glamor of the stage and had fanciful dreams of sparkling dresses and newspapers with her face on the cover. She doubted there would be a lot of talent scouts coming to Sonora to look for the next big stage personality, and she was pretty sure that was good, but still. The last concert she'd done had included her doing some particularly artsy dives into the dark, only to be caught by Kir and some impressive illusions. This time, she was sure there would be just as many incredible things, but it would be stories in a new way. So of course, she had to sign up.It was weird thinking how much had changed in the years since her first concert, so she didn't think about it at all. She refused wholeheartedly to think about any of it. Except Malikhi; he was a good change in her life, even if she wasn't sure exactly what it all meant. She approached the sign-ups with confidence and put her name on the list. She'd looked up the words she needed, so that helped a lot.
Johana Leonie Zauberhexen, fifth year, actress/dancer
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Johana Leonie Zauberhexen
Lights, Curtains, Action.
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Hilda Hexenmeister
November 30, 2020 6:52 PM
And me. by Hilda Hexenmeister
Hilda was undecided on whether or not she wanted to be a part of the concert. Her first one had been very confusing because her English had been terrible that first year at Sonora. On the one hand, she sort of wanted to volunteer to prove - to herself, if not to anyone else - that she could do much better now. On the other hand, she didn't really have great memories from the first one, and was pretty sure she had done a lot of guessing wrong about what Lily wanted her to do. She still had no idea what Pecari's act had actually been about four years ago.This time was different though. It was the whole school, so people she actually knew and liked would be with her this time. And she knew a lot more English than she had when she was eleven.
Heinrich had gone to sign up right away. Hilda hadn't. She took some time to think about it, and to review the list to see who else was joining. When she spotted Johana Leonie's name, she decided she was going to do this.
Hilda Hexenmeister, 5th Year, ?
She left a question mark in the place of what she wanted to do in the play, in part because she didn't know what she wanted to do, but also in part because she didn't want to have to try to spell any English words without her dictionary, which she didn't have with her right now.
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Hilda Hexenmeister
And me.
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Ellie Alperton
December 27, 2020 4:47 PM
Volunteering by Ellie Alperton
Ellie was excited for the end of term concert. It sounded like it would be really good fun, and she appreciated that the staff wanted stories from all of them, and all backgrounds. She was still trying to decide what to submit on that front. The trouble with a lot of the fairytales she had grown up with was that they really weren't that progressive. She had a certain fondness for them, of course, having grown up with them, and because they had inspired some of her favourite movies, but once you took out the nostalgia and the awesome soundtracks, they weren't necessarily stories she wanted to tell.She was still debating what to put in the suggestion box. She wasn't sure whether modern twists on classic tales were allowed, or whether that would just be confusing. And, if not, she wasn't sure whether to look for a story that she agreed with more but which meant less to her personally, or to go with one of the flawed originals. She had checked out a couple of fairytale books from the library to see how the non-Disney versions stacked up, and to read some other stories from around the world.
Still, she could get signed up to be involved. She definitely wanted to be on stage. Living in a fairytale, if only for a short moment, was too good to pass up.
She added her details to the list.
Ellie Alperton, 3rd year Aladren, actress/viola player.
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Ellie Alperton
Volunteering
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Topaz Brockert
January 16, 2021 8:50 AMTopaz Brockert
AlumnusHouse: Aladren
Written by: Allegra Brockert
Age in Post: 16
Birthday: October 29
Doing what I have to do by Topaz Brockert
OOC: CW-A bit of straight privilege, a lot of Topaz being Topaz BIC:
Topaz basically wanted nothing to do with the concert. It was completely beneath her. Okay, yes, theater wasn't quite as bad as say, sports, as it took some intellect to write or memorize lines or do some of the backstage stuff, but then, it was also a waste of intelligence to use it in such a way.
On the other hand though, maybe she should get involved. She would be up for Head Girl this year after all and school involvement looked good. After all, aside from Topaz's theory that the staff other than her grandfather was favoring gay students, the only thing Snotti-Ness had had in her favor for prefect was school involvement and as much as she didn't especially want to participate in the concert, it might be in her best interest to do so. Especially as she couldn't make herself be attracted to girls.
After all, it would be an utter disaster if the other Aladren got Head Girl. Snotti-Ness absolutely did not have the best interests of people like Topaz-by which she meant purebloods- at heart, assuming they were all evil or incapable or whatever. Admittedly, Topaz didn't have anyone's best interests at heart other than her own, but...at least she didn't claim that she believed in equality for everyone while at the same time dismissing certain groups as less than. As far as the Aladren was concerned, that was prejudice and while Topaz was dismissive of certain types of people herself, she was not the one portraying herself as tolerant and inclusive and all that touchy feely garbage. Which, come to think of it, if Snotti-Ness genuinely bought that stuff and wasn't just trying to portray a fake image-which was different than Topaz doing so, given Topaz was doing it so people wouldn't see her like some of her relatives did-,the other sixth year be in Teppenpaw, not Aladren.
And even if Topaz didn't win-and really she was absolutely the best candidate based on the fact that she was smarter than everyone else-anyone would be better than her roommate. Well, okay, not Clown Lips, as she was as much Snotti-Ness's puppet as Isla's puppets were, well, Isla's puppets, but Katerina and, yes, even Allegra. Even Lyssa might be slightly better than Snotti-Ness.
They really needed to mobilize so that everyone whom Topaz knew for sure wouldn't vote for her roommate-herself, Allegra, presumbably Katerina, probably Sophia, Bridget and Martin, and definitely Jeremy- voted for the same person, preferably herself. She knew her cousin would vote for her-or else-but she couldn't guarantee the others would, just that they wouldn't vote for Snotti-Ness. That left the two Germans, Jessica, Felipe, Zara, Bella,Slimey, and Julius. Zara and Felipe were probably lost causes. Possibly Hilda would go for Clown Lips. Hopefully Snotti-Ness and Clown Lips would split votes.
And Julius was a white presumably straight pureblood boy. Yeah, the last person for whom Snotti-Ness winning would be good. And Jessica Hayles was exceedingly girly so Topaz was certain that her roommate had nothing but contempt for the Crotalus either.
The sixth year wasn't even exactly sure how to go about getting people on her side either. After all, Sylvia had tried reaching out to those outside their social circle last year and it seemed to have backfired on her. And even other purebloods might not go for her. Like Julius, for example. He could have asked her to the ball their fourth year, but had asked her cousin instead. Not that the Aladren particularly cared about that in and of itself, but it was an instance of him choosing Allegra over her.
Then again, being a ball date was very different from being Head Girl. The same person who was date/betrothal material was not necessarily the same person you wanted in leadership. Allegra was sweet and gentle and everyone thought she'd make an excellent wife and mother. They were probably right but she certainly wasn't....a leader. Never had been, never would be.
Anyway, Topaz was convinced that she was the best person of all for the job of Head Girl but how would she convince everyone else? What if she could not convince enough people and, because of that, Snotti-Ness won? Surely that couldn't happen, surely enough people had to dislike the other Aladren.
And it wasn't as if she was doubting herself , she was doubting everyone else . Well, except for Allegra as Allegra liked not being tortured. Others....did not necessarily realize what was good for them.
Of course, Topaz generally did not care what was good for other people unless it benefitted her too. It was, of course, more a matter of pride and a desire for power that made her want the position. And if her roommate won-or her cousin either, but more her roommate-it would be especially insulting-and this had already happened once.
It was more than that though. If one of the other girls, especially Allegra, won, Topaz would be angry of course. However, if Snotti-Ness won, it would be truly soul destroying.
So, as she couldn't force herself to be interested in girls, the best thing to do was to participate in the Concert regardless of the fact that she didn't really want to. And, the best way to do it, Topaz figured, was to sign up for a position that would show that she'd make a good Head Girl.
She placed her name on the list.
Topaz Brockert, Sixth year Aladren, Stage Manager
At least she'd get to boss people around and that was always fun.
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Topaz Brockert
Doing what I have to do
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