[AUDITIONS Open Post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

The little stage in the cafe is bare, with a small table of generic props set by the steps leading up to it - some looseleaf papers, a small ball, a box, a few long-stemmed flowers. Susan and Nina have pulled a long, narrow table to the center of the room, parallel to the stage, and set up chairs for the two of them and Bacchus; Susan has added little notebooks and pens at each space. There's fresh coffee in the corner, and a kettle full of hot water next to an assortment of teabags. Copies of a little sign have been tacked up here and there, listing the order of operations: Tell us your preferred role. Auditions will include the following, in order. First: MONOLOGUE; Second: COLD READ; Third (optional) TALENT [swordfighting, singing, dancing, etc.]

The room is set up primarily for Susan, Nina, and Bacchus to observe the auditions, but since the cafe is a common space, they've not blocked it off - anyone can stop in to observe an audition or two, unless the person auditioning has requested an empty room.

Once everything is ready, Susan throws open the door for their first contender.

Comments

[ravkanwitch]

Whenever it's her turn, Nina walks up to the stage and stands in front of Susan and Dionysus/Bacchus(?). "Hi. My name's Nina Zenik," she says, with a very demure little curtsy. "I'll take whatever role you'd like to give me -- but maybe wait until the talent section."

Her monologue is from the Komedie Brute, an extremely popular play put on by Kerch players in Ketterdam on a yearly basis. It's perfect for Nina because the majority of the play stays the same every single year but various bits and pieces change from year to year. She plays Mister Crimson in a scene where he's convincing the townspeople to trust him and she easily turns her natural charisma on, also shaping her body and her movement so that the way she moves and gestures is more masculine and pronounced. There's one part of the play that always requires audience participation, so she steps into the audience for a second and in an entirely different voice calls "Mother, Father, pay the rent!" -- then with a swift hop back onto the stage, as Master Crimson, she replies "I can't, my dear, the money's spent!" and in a surprise twist, throws gold coins in a small shower over Susan and Dionysus, as called for in this scene. She's a very skilled and charismatic actress and the small amount of improvisation she's doing is boosting her performance. As such, her cold read is great and still rather impressive, but not as thrilling as her monologue.

Finally, her talent. She rustles around for a moment and shuffles back onto the stage with something hidden behind my back. "I had to read the summary of The Wizard of Oz because I wasn't familiar with it, but if we can't find any flying monkeys..." She's cobbled together a small bone skeleton with articulated wings attached and with a wave of her hand, it's ominously and gracefully flying around the room, flapping its wings. It's rather creepy, since it looks almost alive with the way it's flying and looking around the room -- but she seems thrilled by it, a small flush developing on her face from using her Grisha abilities in such a coordinated, intense way. The flying monkey lands and takes a bow. She drops into a deep curtsy this time and solemnly tells them, "Thank you for your time and consideration."

[vineleaves]

Dionysus is beaming as he applauds her. Whenever she comes back to retake her seat at the table, he wraps an arm around her in a half hug and gives her a little kiss on the side of her head. “That was so good, my dear! Both the acting and the puppeteering!”

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Exceptional," Susan murmurs to Nina. "Though one must wonder why you didn't choose to audition with your turn as the traitorous handmaiden?"

[ravkanwitch]

Nina returns Dionysus' hug -- then flushes slightly, mostly out of reflex. But she flutters her eyelashes at Susan. "I wouldn't want to dredge up old animosity at such a productive time."