Jane was glad her fellow drama clubbers had decided her idea was best. It was a nice ego boost to know other people appreciated your ideas. She took a moment to privately bask in her tiny ray of glory before getting to work. "Cool! We'll do mine first, then we can do yours if we still have time." Jane said brightly before moving to the center of the circle of chairs.
While Jane was proud she had found a good story, there was a tiny issue; she had no clue what to do now that it wasn't selected.
She was...not entirely sure how this ought to be laid out. The four-words-only gimmick was cool, but it did require a degree of setup and planning. Jane was good at planning, but that didn't mean she could spontaneously make a character and scene in like three seconds. "Yes, no, please, banana", starring Jane Madison, was not likely to be featuring in Broadway, that much was obvious.
"So hey, any ideas for how this should go? Wanna just jump into it or what?" Jane looked over at the rest of the group, hoping her confident stance covered for her sudden burst of 'now what'.
The Theatrics Formula
Jane seemed to have more or less taken charge of the meeting at this point, and Nate was happy to follow her lead. He found himself stepping into the middle of the circle, looking between the girls to see who was going to join him first.
"I can start us off, I have an idea in my head anyway." He said, just looking again to make sure no-one was going to object to him getting the ball rolling.
Yes, no, please, banana. Easy to remember, easy to work with. Well, maybe easy was overstating it, but he'd got a decent idea for how he wanted the scene to go in his head. He had to be prepared for Jane or Coleen, depending who joined him first (or maybe both?) to take the scene in a different direction, but wasn't that the point of the whole exercise?
Placing himself in his imagined role, he began to mime stacking boxes and playing with a cash register. He had no clue if what he was trying to do was obvious to the girls, but hopefully when one of them joined to greet him the scene would become more transparent. Or maybe the girls would just completely misinterpret what he was trying to do, and they'd get a whole new scene. Or maybe they'd take it from an angle he hadn't even thought of all together.
"I can start us off, I have an idea in my head anyway." He said, just looking again to make sure no-one was going to object to him getting the ball rolling.
Yes, no, please, banana. Easy to remember, easy to work with. Well, maybe easy was overstating it, but he'd got a decent idea for how he wanted the scene to go in his head. He had to be prepared for Jane or Coleen, depending who joined him first (or maybe both?) to take the scene in a different direction, but wasn't that the point of the whole exercise?
Placing himself in his imagined role, he began to mime stacking boxes and playing with a cash register. He had no clue if what he was trying to do was obvious to the girls, but hopefully when one of them joined to greet him the scene would become more transparent. Or maybe the girls would just completely misinterpret what he was trying to do, and they'd get a whole new scene. Or maybe they'd take it from an angle he hadn't even thought of all together.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Looks like they would be starting now. Coleen would have been happy for something to do and not just be standing there talking with everybody what what they were going to play, just so long as she had any idea what they were supposed to do. Was Nate the person who said 'yes', 'no', 'please' and 'banana?' Was she the person who was only supposed to say 'yes', 'no', 'please' and 'banana'? Was Jane supposed to be the person who said 'yes', 'no', 'please' and 'banana'? Were they ALL supposed to say it!? How does that even work?
Coleen wanted to ask so badly, but didn't want to admit being unclear on the directions. A strange sense of pride and shame was washing over her, afraid of the reactions she might get from the others. Having already decided that she couldn't simply jump into the scene but also couldn't ask what to do directly, she came to the conclusion that she would have to play it safe. To that end, she turned to Jane.
"Um... you first," Coleen said with a smile. "I... want to get a better hand on this first. I'm not usually good at improv!"
Coleen wanted to ask so badly, but didn't want to admit being unclear on the directions. A strange sense of pride and shame was washing over her, afraid of the reactions she might get from the others. Having already decided that she couldn't simply jump into the scene but also couldn't ask what to do directly, she came to the conclusion that she would have to play it safe. To that end, she turned to Jane.
"Um... you first," Coleen said with a smile. "I... want to get a better hand on this first. I'm not usually good at improv!"
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
((Sorry guys, I got confused on the posting order ><))
Well luckily Nate jumped right in, doing...something. Jane took a moment of watching him in the circle, but after he started miming the cash register she caught on pretty quickly. She was used to working the register at the theater, so it was pretty clear to her. Coleen asked her to start off, though. That might be an issue.
See, remember how Jane liked drama club, but preferred backstage? Yeah, she was not the best of actresses. This was problematic, because usually she could step aside during rehearsals and practices and such. But not now. So she needed to suck it up and do the thing.
Still, best to play it cool. Trying to make herself smile in a way that didn't resemble a grimace, Jane stepped forward. Okay, cashier, the four words, what could she do with that? Jane paused for a couple moments, then stepped forward towards Nate.
The scene set itself in her mind. Nate was working with a cash register at...let's go with convenience store. Yeah. So he's working at the register, when suddenly a woman appears! She walks in aggressively, storming up to the counter with a finger gun. Yet, instead of Jane's finger gun, the woman was holding a real gun. This was a robbery.
So Jane walked forward, her finger gun aimed at Nate's face, and she tilted her head towards the invisible cash register. Gave him a look, nodded at him. Silent, but efficient. No words necessary.
Hopefully.
Well luckily Nate jumped right in, doing...something. Jane took a moment of watching him in the circle, but after he started miming the cash register she caught on pretty quickly. She was used to working the register at the theater, so it was pretty clear to her. Coleen asked her to start off, though. That might be an issue.
See, remember how Jane liked drama club, but preferred backstage? Yeah, she was not the best of actresses. This was problematic, because usually she could step aside during rehearsals and practices and such. But not now. So she needed to suck it up and do the thing.
Still, best to play it cool. Trying to make herself smile in a way that didn't resemble a grimace, Jane stepped forward. Okay, cashier, the four words, what could she do with that? Jane paused for a couple moments, then stepped forward towards Nate.
The scene set itself in her mind. Nate was working with a cash register at...let's go with convenience store. Yeah. So he's working at the register, when suddenly a woman appears! She walks in aggressively, storming up to the counter with a finger gun. Yet, instead of Jane's finger gun, the woman was holding a real gun. This was a robbery.
So Jane walked forward, her finger gun aimed at Nate's face, and she tilted her head towards the invisible cash register. Gave him a look, nodded at him. Silent, but efficient. No words necessary.
Hopefully.
Nate pulled a shocked face at the turn of events, though it was only part acting and more actual surprise. A robbery had never even crossed his mind when he was trying to come up with a scene, and now here he was at the end of a finger gun barrel! Point to Jane for coming up with it!
He threw his hands up in the air, praying not to be shot in his store that he'd looked after all these years. Who would look after all his customers and sell them their bargain priced deals, or take care of cleaning the aisles and stocking the shelves? Who would look after his family?!
"No! No no no!" he pleaded, looking back and forth between the cash register and the crook that wanted his hard earned cash.
"Please!" he said to the robber, eyes darting around in hopes that maybe someone outside the store, such as a blonde woman with a talent for singing, was seeing everything and calling the police right now. Or that maybe some brave soul inside the shop itself was sneaking up behind the crook with a bottle of whisky ($25) to whack them over the head with and save the day. Anything to get him out of this mess!
He felt his eyes welling up with dry tears. Not today, not on his son's birthday of all days!
He threw his hands up in the air, praying not to be shot in his store that he'd looked after all these years. Who would look after all his customers and sell them their bargain priced deals, or take care of cleaning the aisles and stocking the shelves? Who would look after his family?!
"No! No no no!" he pleaded, looking back and forth between the cash register and the crook that wanted his hard earned cash.
"Please!" he said to the robber, eyes darting around in hopes that maybe someone outside the store, such as a blonde woman with a talent for singing, was seeing everything and calling the police right now. Or that maybe some brave soul inside the shop itself was sneaking up behind the crook with a bottle of whisky ($25) to whack them over the head with and save the day. Anything to get him out of this mess!
He felt his eyes welling up with dry tears. Not today, not on his son's birthday of all days!
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Oh, how Coleen hated improv. She hated it so, so very much.
She considered herself a serious actress. She wasn't trying to be prissy about it or anything, thinking she was better or above the other theatre kids. Coleen just meant it in a way that she rehearsed a scene and practiced lines. Improvisation tended to require a razor-sharp wit, and... well, it tended to be funny. She didn't think she was very good at funny. Sad and serious, maybe even sweet, but never funny. The best she was ever able to do was a few deadpan spots.
So when Coleen realized she'd have to jump into this scene sooner or later, it pained her. At least they'd be getting the worst one out of the way for her. She analyzed the situation. Nate was doing... something. She didn't quite place it until Jane held out her finger like a gun, clearly holding up Nate.
Oh, okay. He's like a bank teller or cashier or something.
Coleen reached into her pocket and pulled out... nothing, but cupped her hand as though she were holding a phone. Crouching down behind an imaginary object of some sort, she poked at the 'object' in her hand and then cupped her hand to her ear. "Y-Yes?" She started, practically at a whisper. "Yes! No..."
She paused. How the hell was she supposed to do a 911 call with just 'yes', 'no', 'please' and 'banana'? Weren't they going to ask for the street name or-
Bingo.
"Yes, Banana! Yes! Please!" She raised her voice with a bit of urgency near the end then hung up the 'phone', tucking her head.
She considered herself a serious actress. She wasn't trying to be prissy about it or anything, thinking she was better or above the other theatre kids. Coleen just meant it in a way that she rehearsed a scene and practiced lines. Improvisation tended to require a razor-sharp wit, and... well, it tended to be funny. She didn't think she was very good at funny. Sad and serious, maybe even sweet, but never funny. The best she was ever able to do was a few deadpan spots.
So when Coleen realized she'd have to jump into this scene sooner or later, it pained her. At least they'd be getting the worst one out of the way for her. She analyzed the situation. Nate was doing... something. She didn't quite place it until Jane held out her finger like a gun, clearly holding up Nate.
Oh, okay. He's like a bank teller or cashier or something.
Coleen reached into her pocket and pulled out... nothing, but cupped her hand as though she were holding a phone. Crouching down behind an imaginary object of some sort, she poked at the 'object' in her hand and then cupped her hand to her ear. "Y-Yes?" She started, practically at a whisper. "Yes! No..."
She paused. How the hell was she supposed to do a 911 call with just 'yes', 'no', 'please' and 'banana'? Weren't they going to ask for the street name or-
Bingo.
"Yes, Banana! Yes! Please!" She raised her voice with a bit of urgency near the end then hung up the 'phone', tucking her head.
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 2256
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
They did the thing. It was fun.
Coleen left.
((Coleen continued elsewhere.))
Coleen left.
((Coleen continued elsewhere.))
V8 Characters:
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
Hades Thompson: Scary on the outside, dying on the inside
Ruth Flanagan: Never talk to me or my brother or my brother or my brother or my brother ever again
Vladimir Tepes: Not a vampire, so invite him in
((LOL GDI RICKY))
Jane turned around as she heard Coleen talking behind her. "No!" She cried dramatically, pointing the finger gun at the other girl and gasping, covering her mouth with her other hand.
Then she fell to her knees, milked the cow, and chewed some scenery as she was "arrested".
"Please, no!" She gasped, hands cuffed behind her back.
It went on like that for some time, and good times were had by all.
((Jane Madison continued elsewhere))
Jane turned around as she heard Coleen talking behind her. "No!" She cried dramatically, pointing the finger gun at the other girl and gasping, covering her mouth with her other hand.
Then she fell to her knees, milked the cow, and chewed some scenery as she was "arrested".
"Please, no!" She gasped, hands cuffed behind her back.
It went on like that for some time, and good times were had by all.
((Jane Madison continued elsewhere))
That afternoon on the whole was good fun for everyone involved. Sure the acting got a bit out of control at times, and there was a bit of a lull between scenes as they tried to come up with things to do, but everyone there seemed to enjoy themselves, so that was neat. It was a shame more people hadn't shown up, though.
As the others left, Nate checked his watch. His mom would be home at that hour, and he still had a pretty packed evening ahead of him, so he headed in that direction without delay.
((Nate Turner continued in Mad Dewey Dash))
As the others left, Nate checked his watch. His mom would be home at that hour, and he still had a pretty packed evening ahead of him, so he headed in that direction without delay.
((Nate Turner continued in Mad Dewey Dash))
To clarify, Irene had zero involvement in the vaguely elaborated-on proceedings; as she'd planned to, she left prior to the festivities. She wasn't paid enough for the job, discounting the fact that she wasn't paid at all. Best to seek fortune elsewhere, or at least her odd definition thereof.
((Irene Djezari continued in Not On Target))
((Irene Djezari continued in Not On Target))