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{ reverein talent show }

REVEREIN TALENT SHOW

Welcome to the Reverein Talent Show! This log serves as a mingle thread where everyone is welcome to create their own top-levels and have their characters show off their talents on a glittering stage. If you desire snarky judges commentary or if your character would like a chance at prizes, applications for the Talent Show can be found here. They will be open until September 10th to allow new players a chance to have their characters join in the fun. If you DO NOT want to be judged and your character is not looking for a gig or to join Emet's theatre company, they are welcome to participate as a walk-on performance - no application necessary! Go forth and perform to your heart's content!

Voting and voting guidelines can likewise be found over here. Each audience member is allowed one (IC!) vote. Voting will close on September 13th and the winners will be announced in a separate subthread below. Deadlines may be extended depending on the number of votes and pacing for the log.

I. COME ONE, COME ALL!

Come one, come all! To not just one, but two entire nights all but guaranteed to be worthy of remembering for years to come. Now that the winds have calmed considerably, event flyers have returned in earnest advertising the Reverein Talent Show to be held on the evenings of the 5th & 6th of the month. If anyone should happen to be passing through the Riverside District, they might be approached by performers in bright, elaborate costumes. While it would be quite easy to mistake these performers as Dream Fair organizers, a few inquiries prove them to be representative from the theatre house and part of the talent show staff. These performers will prove most eager to answer questions about the event and will urge everyone to consider entering and sharing their talents before the rest of the town.

A. Bright Lights, How We Love Bright Lights. Whether ushered along or choosing to follow the crowd, the first thing of notice are the dazzling light displays. Faerie lights gather and disperse before the Grand Theatre House, illuminating its façade and the steps leading into its main reception hall. Should one linger within the light display, the colors will shift and transform depending on the guests' moods. Perhaps they turn blue in response to excitement, red if one happens to be attending with that certain special and significant other, or green to indicate the nervous energy that comes with imminent stage fright. If attendees should feel anything truly negative, however, the lights shining upon all who enter may just so happen to flicker out entirely in response.

B. Making Memories. Inside the reception area are a number of small booths offering snacks and drinks as well as unique memorabilia to celebrate the event. Of special note are small contraptions known as "dream lights", not much larger than a writing pen. By focusing one's emotions upon them, the colors of the dream lights can also be changed. Perhaps they might prove fun within the theatre? And indeed, the audience may choose to create a sea of color from their places in the stalls or focus on an appropriate color to cheer on their friends when they take to the stage.

C. Flower Power. Highlighting the entryway is a stunning floral display created by Isabela Madrigal. Mayhap the fragrance of its blossoms will relax and fill all who gaze upon it with happy anticipation for what is sure to come. Still more flowers can be found within the theatre house, highlighting small alcoves and seating areas and framing the stage itself in their brilliance. When combined with a soft white fog and the flickering of distant "starlight", the stage is transformed into a mystifying garden landscape.

II. REVEREIN TALENT SHOW

A. Opening Ceremonies. Once the audience has settled and the lights have been appropriately dimmed, both Emet-Selch and the theatre's director take to the stage. They welcome everyone, making a point to thank the promising talent who have offered their time, and bid all gathered to enjoy the proceedings. Emet-Selch's speech in particular is rather...grandiose and whimsical coming from a middle-aged man with dark circles under his eyes. A certain someone once suspected the Garlean of "taking the scenic route" whenever he chooses to speak, and indeed the man's opening speech sounds almost like a dramatic performance in and of itself. But he will not prove unduly long-winded. Indeed, the two of them soon return to their seats at the judges' table as the lights on stage shift once again and a positively jubilant young faerie flutters out to introduce each act.

B. So You Think You've Got Talent. Performers seeking the judges' approval and either a place in Emet-Selch's theatre company or a chance at earning themselves and their act a short term run at the Grand Theatre House have been asked to arrive to the venue at least an hour before showtime. Backstage, participants can be found tuning their instruments and poring over scripts one final time before being escorted one at a time onto the stage. Curiously enough, there is a distinct deficit of stagehands, and yet the stage and its settings seem to undergo a transformation each time someone new steps out upon it - as if it is morphing to suit their talent. Perhaps the young man in long white robes might know something about how this is achieved?

C. For Whom the Spotlight Shines. After the final judged act has concluded for the evening, the theatre staff offer a reminder that walk-on performances are still being accepted! All one need do is sign up at the reception desk during intermission and make their way to a designated area outside in the gardens to be lead backstage once everyone else is yet again seated. No numbers are required. Indeed, this shall be your own personal moment to shine! Simply walk out on stage when your name is called and introduce yourself to the crowd. Staff members are available to help should you require any outside assistance. And as for volunteers? Well, you've a whole theatre full and ripe for the pickings! Everyone enjoys a little audience participation, right? ...Right?

III. INTERMISSION

A. Culinary Delights. During intermission the gardens behind the theatre are open and illuminated to guests who may wish to sit and chat while awaiting the second half of the show. Fireflies dance and crickets create their own symphony to mingle betwixt snatches of conversation and delighted merriment. A few grills have been set up and attendees are treated to a delicious display as ingredients are minced at record speed and whole fruits and vegetables transformed into intricately carved baskets and tiny sculptures of flowers and beasts. Who ever said it was poor manners to play with one's food, when the results dazzle the imagination? If anyone is truly feeling adventurous, they can even try "fusion" cuisine which manages to meld wildly different foods together into a single dish, some of which may look and smell a bit... eh, suspect... Do you dare?

For those less daring, there is also a candy artist set up in the corner gazebo, able to spin sugar into the shapes of (mostly) local wildlife. Anyone who comes to the booth is urged to try channeling dreamotion into the creation for a special surprise! And as promised, determining the corresponding emotion will cause the creatures to come to life.

Tea Mouse: reacts most strongly to feelings of curiosity and mischief.
Fairy Cow: reacts most strongly to feelings of serenity and happiness.
Coeurl (Tiger): reacts most strongly to feelings of confidence and friendly competition.
Moon Rabbit: reacts most strongly to feelings of affection and appreciation.
Spice Noodle (Dragon): reacts most strongly to feelings of bravery and loyalty.
Flower Snake: reacts most strongly to feelings of surprise and excitement.

B. Step Through The Mirror. The theatre is beautiful, is it not? There is something about it which - almost - seems too much like a dream, however. (Ironic, that!) The architecture matches none of the surrounding buildings, and the number of flourishes and embellishments within it seem needlessly ornate. Could something be hiding beneath all the glitter? If the talent show is not for you, mayhap a mystery would better suit your tastes. Is the theatre's current appearance the result of dreamotion? And if so, just who is expending so much energy for the sake of aesthetics? Could there be a more sinister plan afoot? Is this all an elaborate trap set up by a yet unannounced villain? Who knows! (But...probably not.) If anyone should happen to lean to long against a marble pillar or take an incorrect turn looking for the washrooms, they may just so happen to find themselves breaking through the illusion and into the theatre as it truly should appear. Still a lovely building, no doubt, but a far cry from the gilded metal fixtures and magical overlays that now adorn it. One might even discover some of the theatre students secretly and determinedly working away on revisions for the next installment of their beloved Sharktopusnado.

C. Stage Flight. Backstage everyone is in a flurry preparing for the next set of performances. The lighting needs to be re-checked, the flowers watered, someone's lost their left sock, and exactly ten minutes remain for an 11th hour dress rehearsal. In the midst of the disorganized chaos, a shrill voice rises above the crowd. It seems that one of the bird actors has escaped from its holding cage and has taken up refuge high in the vaulted ceiling amidst an intricate system of pulleys. No amount of coaxing or pleading will convince it to come down, and its trainer is in hysterics. The bird itself appears quite ordinary, yet according to them, the bird is an empath (of sorts) - anyone who attempts to touch it will be zapped with the bird's prevalent emotion. If the bird becomes frightened, anyone too close may scurry away in fear; if the bird is angered, one might forget their task and throw a tantrum instead (why is this bird so important anyway??). The key is to calm the bird down before approaching it. As the trainer tells it, the bird always responds to bad poetry and loves to have its neck feathers scratched. Oh, and its name is "Professor".

IV. AND THAT'S A WRAP

A. Smoke and Mirrors. Following parting words from Emet-Selch and the theatre house director, the lamplight swells and the doors are thrown wide. Pray leave with wonderful memories of all you have witnessed, or should you choose - linger a moment more. The night may be over for the audience, but it's now that the staff and crew members file out into the emptying theatre to begin tidying up and returning it to proper order. Pie filling is mopped up, the curtains are lowered, and the beautiful glittering ambience slowly fades, reverting the theatre to something still very handsome but far less fanciful than it had been a moment before. Any offers of help are gratefully accepted, as there's much yet to be done to get the venue looking as clean as a whistle. And what of the winners, you ask? They need only head over to the judges' table to claim their prizes where they will find one Emet-Selch looking both more pale and more tired than usual, yet also unmistakably pleased with himself.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

II. C. Volunteering for What Precisely?
[Everyone loves a good performance, that much simply goes without saying. And everyone, it seems, takes delight in the unexpected - that moment of anticipation when a volunteer is requested and the most unlikely person of all is ushered forth.]

[Well, Emet-Selch certainly isn't the most unlikely individual, seeing as he is one of the judges and perhaps the one whose favor is the most difficult to obtain. He also has the pleasure of being the most curmudgeonly of the four (his reputation in that regard truly does precede him). And so it is with a muted sigh and a sideways glance to his preferred companion that Emet-Selch trudges up the few short stairs onto the stage, standing betwixt its glaring spotlights before the entire theatre. He seems rather at home, in all honesty.]

[Emet-Selch raises an eyebrow at the one who called him here, carefully neutral. He knows something is about to happen, and determining that "something" and preparing for it is half the battle.]

Well, here I am. What is it that you require my assistance with?

III. A. Coffee (Nap) Break
[Intermission. Emet-Selch is in a relatively uplifted mood, all told. Many of the acts have proven very promising, and much of the music has been skillful and pleasing to the ear. A shame it cannot rejuvenate him as much as he wishes it would, and so he has followed the rest of those gathered out onto the lawn to fetch himself some black coffee, or perhaps something even stronger.]

[Once done, he allows himself ten minutes to review his notes (and yes, he has been tallying his impressions this entire time so that he might refer to them when the time comes to deliberate with the other judges as to whose performance should by all rights reign supreme). He sits at the far end of a table, alone, brows drawn as he stares down at the pages, lines of cursive wobbling and warbling before his very sight.]

[Perhaps he should rest his eyes for just a moment... It may be because of the lighting effects. Should he ask Themis to turn them down a bit? (Of course he won't, however - it would kill the mood.) Soon enough, Emet-Selch's eyes have closed, a hand pressed against his temple. Too many sleepless nights, and the concentration needed to maintain the theatre's full impact have worn him down, and he is teetering on the edge of slumber. If one were to time it just right, they may even be able to watch him jolt himself back to abrupt alertness...]

IV. A. Solaris Theatrical Productions [Open to Applicants]
((OOC: Everyone who applies to join Solaris will be accepted, so long as they show some level of potential. The applications (from an ooc standpoint) in this case are just a formality - unless you actually want your character to be rejected, in which case, please let me know! ♥))

[Following a successful end to the proceedings, Emet-Selch requests that those who applied for a place within his theatre company join him at the judges' table - that is, assuming they've nowhere else to be right away. Although still visibly exhausted, he seems downright cordial as he sits back in his seat, arms crossed and the corners of his mouth lifting ever-so-slightly in approval.]

I suppose some few congratulations are in order. No doubt you've already guessed it - but you've made the cut. Your performances were most stirring, and I would thank you for the time and effort you've put forth into making these past two evenings something bordering on remarkable. Indeed, it has been decades since I have last witnessed anything quite like it.

[It's a genuine compliment; do take it.]

Assuming you are all agreeable, I would suggest that we schedule a meeting one or two weeks from now, that we might begin discussing our first formal production. I've a number of ideas myself, however I think it more beneficial to allow each of you a chance to present your own ideas. We'll make a vote of it. After all, a project is more likely to succeed when all of its players take pride in and wish to be a part of it.

Yet given that many of you possess a commendable ear for music, I would prefer it if we kept this discovery in mind. After all, music may well carry emotions that spoken words alone cannot.

Now then, are there any questions before we part ways?

XIV. Wildcard
((OOC: Go nuts!))

[ Uncle Grumpus has been working very hard♥ zomboi would be so proud if he...understood what exhaustion and extreme effort were. But he's seen people sleep/y enough times now that he understands that sometimes, people just gotta rest! He wonders if Emet-Selch stayed up late? Apparently that makes people very sleepy. He doesn't get why, but...eh.

Seeing Emet-Selch on his way to dozing off just brings a smile to his face for some reason. Maybe he'll just kneel down and peer over the edge of the table at him and watch for a while ]

[Indeed, Emet-Selch's eyes have fallen almost entirely closed.
The weight of his chin balances precariously on the flat plane of his knuckles.
The tight line of his mouth slackens considerably.
His head begins to cant to one side; sliding... sliding...]

[And then with a jerk and a sharp intake of breath he rouses himself again, looking just as tired as before.]

[Likely, this process would repeat itself several more times, yet eventually his bleary yellow gaze sweeps across the other side of the table where tufts of hair and a pair of eyes peer at him curiously like an alligator submerged in water.]

Has no one ever taught you that it's quite rude to stare?

[Sorry, Nanashi. He's too weary to sign at the moment, but he knows it's you. He's not actually angry, either.]

Ouh.

[ N o p e he stares at people while they sleep all the time :D It's perfectly normal as far as he's concerned. If anything, he just perks up when Emet-Selch visibly wakes and starts talking to him.

"You were sleeping," he signs, stating the obvious--without pulling himself up any higher. He just signs by putting his hand up above the table. ]

I was not.

[Emet-Selch shakes his head once. Pointedly. And forces his tired bones to reassemble into a slightly more upright position.]

[There are still people milling about and none of the theatre staff have rushed out looking for him, so it couldn't have been more than a moment since he sat down. Besides, his coffee is still steaming gently.]

[He lifts a hand, motioning slowly: "Is that why you're hiding? Come out and tell me which shows you liked." Not that he'll be swayed by a young undead's opinion, but perhaps it's best not to leave him crouched there on the ground.]

[ "Not hiding! Watching." It may or may not be obvious that he just...walked back stage to see Emet-Selch and happened not to get told he couldn't. oops.

But it's okay! He can answer that question because he has been watching the shows with rapt attention. Talent shows may just be his new favourite form of entertainment.

Unnamed stands up with a grin and signs, motions animated: "I liked the big water! It jumped and fell and everything was wet. And the blanket dance." He doesn't know what aerial silks are, nor does he know the signs for them, but there's only one person who performed with those...so!

Unfortunately all the singing and music performances fell on

deaf ears

~~badum-psh~~ ]

["Watching me work? Why?"]

[He can't imagine it would be terribly interesting. He's done little more than sit and scowl and scribble, after all. (Seeing as he still refuses to admit he was a hair's breadth from slipping into slumber.) Yet at least Unnamed seems to have enjoyed himself thus far, and even found several performances to be excited about.]

["I also liked the 'blanket dance'." he admits, though he remains suspicious of the impish grin Madhuri cast him as she exited the stage. And in fact most of the acts have been quite well-planned, some of the performers going so far as to conjure up dreamotion even beyond that which Themis has provided for the perfect effect.]

["It will be difficult to choose a winner."]

Edited 2022-09-15 15:24 (UTC)

[ "Watching fun," he answers, and it's as simple as that. He's spent his whole undead life watching people do a whole lot of nothing. So getting to see them do stuff? Is something that's never going to lose its marvel. He could watch people living their lives forever.

"What is 'winner'?" he asks, tilting his head at the unfamiliar sign. "Is it good?" ]

[Well, if the boy says so then far be it for him to deny it. Yet explaining what a "winner" is may prove a bit more complicated.]

["Most times it is good. It means you are very, very good at something. Better than other people. Sometimes being a winner means you get a reward. A treat."]

[Emet-Selch considers for a moment, then lifts a finger above his head. Distant theatre lights flicker, but on the table before them two simple humanoid figures appear, chasing one another down the length of it.]

["Have you ever been in a race? The person who runs fastest is the winner." He points at the shade which has already reached the far edge of the wooden surface.]

["Or played games? Or seen two people fight? The person who is better, stronger than the other person is the winner." Such words are accompanied by other brief visions, of children playing tag and hiding behind trees, of two warriors facing one another in battle, of a victor standing before a crowd with a trophy and flowers and all gathered waving their arms in jubilation.]

["The winner we pick will get to put on more shows here because they are very good at what they do. The winner everyone else picks will get a reward because they are well-liked."]

Edited 2022-09-16 15:20 (UTC)

[ That's a lot of explanation with a couple of words he doesn't quite grasp the meaning of, but Unnamed follows well enough. A winner is someone who does something better than someone else.

Definitely the most interesting part of the explanation is the conjured illusions. Unnamed watches those with awe--the last scene in particular. ]

Ouuhhh...

[ "I only played games." And it wasn't as if it was a competition at the time so he can't really speak to what a competition feels like, but Emet-Selch's explanation does raise a question.

"Why is the winner lots of people like not doing more shows? If people like, they can do more!"

It makes more sense in his head for the crowd favourite to be the one to perform more rather than getting a one-time prize. That way they can show off their skill and everyone else can come and see them a lot. ]

[Seeing as Unnamed appears quite captivated by his illusions, Emet-Selch allows the last of them to linger a few seconds longer than necessary just so that he can watch a moment more as the visions of people continue to wave enthusiastically and throw flowers.]

["Most games have winners. Some games even have very big winners. Other times, people agree to just have fun with it and not worry over who wins or who loses."]

[To the question, however, Emet-Selch sits up a bit straighter, head tilting in consideration. It does, quite honestly, make a great deal of logical sense - what the boys says. The performance enjoyed the most overall would no doubt bring in a larger and more enthusiastic audience, but. Like it or not, it also makes sense to allow those who run the theatre and those with experience in the arts to have the final say and to make known their own judgments. After all, the winner will be using their space and representing them.]

[Emet-Selch isn't quite certain how to explain all this in simple terms, however.]

["Some people are putting on shows for their friends, for fun. They may not want to put on more. In the end, the people who take care of the theatre get to decide who puts on shows there."]

["But. Maybe the judges and everyone else will like the same show. Who can say?"]

[ The flower-throwing is especially interesting to him. He doesn't understand why people would do that at the end, the the visual is beautiful. He wonders if he can make some flowers and throw them too--

Right, focus. ]

Ouh...

[ For fun...that makes sense. If they don't want to do it all the time, winning a regular job wouldn't be a very good prize. The other one is much better.

Unnamed nods, satisfied with the explanation.

"I like shows. I can come watch more after today?" Because it would be a shame to have all this only once--and if that's the case, he needs to get back out there and watch! ]

[How endearing of him. If Emet-Selch weren't so tired, he might even look a little pleased at hearing this. Should even one person come to appreciate the theatre, he thinks, this will all have been worth the effort.]

["Yes, Nanashi. Of course you can. That is what the theatre is for. There will be many, many more shows after today."]

["Perhaps a few of them will even be mine. Later on. After I have found my actors."]

Auh!!

[ Oh heck yes, sign him up for more shows. Nanashi is all about comign back here to see more, especially if Emet-Selch has made it. He just has one question:

"What is 'actors'? I can help look! I can look all night all day." ]

Emet-Selch | Final Fantasy XIV | Open to All

Uncle Sleepy (III)

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