Sing! The Performance

( Minutes blur into hours and days and finally, weeks. The Society
finds itself stunned by both a small layer of snow on the ground and the date
on its calendar- December 24th. The day passes with baited breath until late
afternoon finally rolls around. Lodgers bundle up in their warmest coats and
prepare themselves with warmups and suddenly the whole building finds itself
wailing with all the human sirens. People, ordinarily Scientists, find
themselves lost in a world they have never known, divas born today clambering
over each other to transcribe the last of their music to perfect each note in
the hopes of calming their newfound anxiety. Flocks of people exit over the
threshold in a mass exodus of nervous energy, transferring it instead to the
gilded halls of the majestic theater, spilling into the ready room and overflowing
into the dressing rooms.
Curtain Call is upon them. )
Wizardblizzard:
  Early in the
afternoon a young woman arrives at the Society, muffled up in an immense amount
of coats and shawls. Isabella hasn't put in an appearance at the Society since
the day Nex Hyde disappeared. She shivers in the cold air but the way she
shifts from foot to foot betrays her excitement. She joins some of the other
scientists setting out for the Opera House.
Isabella's cue was called and she
walked out onto the stage, carrying a guitar. Reaching the front of the stage,
she then stood and said nothing whatever for several seconds. (A close
observer would have noticed her left hand pointlessly gripping the neck of
the guitar as if trying to strangle it.)
Finally she brought
the guitar round in front of her and began to sing.
(I love these very
old carols. And if the song's not appropriate now, I'm sure it will be before
long.
I hope that will play for you, if not let me know - I've never tried posting
music on the Internet before so I just flung it into my webhosting the way I
usually do with other attached files and I have no idea whether that works.)
Silverliné Carew:
 
( She’d been
dreading this moment ever since Jasper signed her name in pen. She didn’t want
to do it. Ever.  …But now she has to.
Silver makes her
way onto the stage, almost missing her name when it was called. Her organs
quiver in question. She sucks in a deep breath. Here goes nothing.)
Catt Hatter:
 *As Catt watched
the other lodgers perform their pieces, she felt more and more that she had
chosen the wrong songs, and too few. Truth be told she had only prepared one
song, and it was merely a Christmas carol that she had been lucky enough to
remember all the words to.
The final straw on the back of her confidence was laid when Lewis performed.
There was no way she could match that!
Making her decision, she walked back from the stage and past the dressing
rooms.. Sure, some would be dissapointed that they wouldn't hear her sing, but
they would probably be even more dissapointed if they did.
With all the bustle and preparations going on behind the scenes, she hoped that
no one would notice her sneaking out by the stage entrance. A cloak of fear and
embarrassment billowing behind her.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( Her escape attempt is interrupted
by a familiar Tenor. Warm brown eyes study her gently. )
Cold feet, Señorita?
Catt Hatter:
  *Catt turned to
look at him,* Oh, Doctor Alano. Good evening. *She dropped her gaze to the
floor. Cowardice was one thing, owning it was another.
So much for a clean getaway, she thought ruefully.*
Well... my, choice of song, it doesn't really fit with what everyone else has
prepared.
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( He chuckles warmly and leans back
against the wall, gazing out to the stage. )
Ah the repertoire. Most of it is very
serious. ( He sighs. ) We need the variety if we're not going to put the
audience to sleep. I do not think they would mind. ( He glances back down at
Catt, his smile ever so much softer. )
It's okay to be afraid, cariño
You want to know a
secret?
Catt Hatter:
  Only if you want to
tell it. *She said softly. Secrets, they were a delicate and volatile
substance. But also the most precious and trusting.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( He leans in, eyes dancing
playfully. )
I am too!
Catt Hatter:
  *Catt looked at him
confused.* But you're the musician. Performing is kinda, your thing, isn't it?
Dr. de Lezo:
  Ah but I still get scared. We all do!
When I feel scared, I close my eyes
and let the music flow through me.
( His smile widens. )
When you play from
the heart, that's all that matters. Everyone else will disappear.
Catt Hatter:
  I, I just don't
want to let anyone down. *She wrapped her one arm across her chest, looking
worriedly at the ground.*
What if I'm not good enough?
Dr. de Lezo:
  But you won't let anyone down. It's
your song, a part of you, and we love you very much.
( He gestures to the backstage ready
room. )
I'll bet you're the
best one here!
Catt Hatter:
  *Catt raised an
eyebrow at the love comment. She barely even knew what that meant, let alone
how it could possibly apply to her.*
I doubt that, *she chuckled* we've got professional singers
performing.
Dr. de Lezo:
  Ah, but how many are formally
trained? maybe one?
They are just doing
what they know, as are you!
Catt Hatter:
  But people came
here to see good performances, *she said, gesturing to him and his talent with
the guitar.* I doubt anyone wants to hear a total amature like me.
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( At this, he laughs. )
I am a total
amateur. Playing the guitar isn't exactly my day job you know!
Catt Hatter:
  B-but you sound
amazing! *She protested.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( He playfully
pokes her forehead. ) As must you
Catt Hatter:
  *Catt blinked at
the touch.*
But I-! *She was rapidly running out of excuses and she didn't like it.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  Go on! you'll
be magnífico!
Catt Hatter:
  *She sighed in
defeat.* I'm not getting out of this, am I?
Dr. de Lezo:
  I'm afraid not
Catt Hatter:
  Promise you won't
laugh at my singing? *She asked bashfully as her cue was called.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  I would never!
Catt Hatter:
  Gracias, my friend.
*She took a few deep breaths, and walked out onto the stage.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( Behind the curtain, Alano smiles
and nods. As the song draws to a close and the audience showers her with
applause, he does so also.
If he weren't in a
separate room, he may have been the loudest one. )
Catt Hatter:
  *After bowing, Catt
huried off the stage looking quite flushed and breathing hard.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( Without
hesitation, he lifts his tiny well decorated guitar into his arms. A simple
stool sits slightly left stage. A minimalistic prop for such a grand
production, but fitting for his presentation. He can feel the beady eyes
silently judging him from the orchestra pit as his fingers pluck the first of
his many acoustic notes.
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”I love you too
much…to live without you loving me back. I love you too much, heaven’s my
witness and this is a fact.  I know I belong, when
I sing this song…”  As the words come tumbling out, a warmth fills his stomach.  There couldn’t be a truer
sentence. This is clearly music at its core.
He pushes off the stool, twirling with the ebb and flow of the
chords, losing himself in the sound all around him. chutes curl around the
pillars, the golden decorations bursting with giant white lilies. Blue
Camellias spring up around his feet and white carnations grow and spread around
the curtain. As the music swells and the orchestra joins in, the air suddenly
smells sweeter.
”…There’s love above love and it’s mine 'cause I love you,
there’s love above love and it’s YOURS 'cause I love you, There’s love above
love and it’s ours if you love me as much”   As the notes
dwindle in the drafty air, singing long after his lips close, he notices a
softness on their faces.
Are they opening
their minds, or is it just his imagination?)
Madame La Déchante:
  ( When the
carnations wind their way backstage, her heart lurches. It’s a flower she’d
never expected to see again, the relic of a passion long since buried and a
deep ache awakened anew. She takes a horrified step back to avoid the blooms. )
Jekyll1886:
  Lewis was
backstage, mentally going over his next song, when he heard Alano begin to
play, then sing. As the latter continued his number, Weir found himself truly
listening, the chords and words conveying a warm feeling which, for him, turned
beautifully bittersweet. He let it carry him into his own heart, bringing back
memories of those he'd loved and lost. Images and emotions flashed through him
as he thought of the people he knew now. There were some to whom he'd gladly
give all his being, everything he ever was or would be...were the love not
unrequited.
The song ended, and
he came reluctantly back to himself.
He took out his
pocket square and wiped his eyes, then replaced it as if nothing had happened.
The show must go on...
Catt Hatter:
  *Backstage, Catt
gave a shaky sigh of relief. After such a grand performance, no one would even
remember her quavery voice. In fact, she barely remembered it at all herself.
Man, those flowers were pretty.
She'd already performed, right? She couldn't remember. Oh well, if she didn't
hear her name then she must have. Not that anyone would mind either way.*
That was amazing! *She greeted Dr. Alano as he came off stage, smiling
brightly.*
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( He returns the smile with equal
brightness as he slings his guitar back on. )
You see what happens when you play
from the heart?
( He pulls out a small bouquet of
pink roses and the white carnations from the stage and hands it to her. )
By the way, I meant
to greet you after you went on, but the queue's so packed that I couldn't be
there. You were truly magnifico !
Catt Hatter:
  O-oh thank you!
*She said, taking the flowers and smelling them. So she had already performed,
right.* But I'm sure it couldn't compare to having floral accompaniment! *she
teased.* How did you even do that?
Dr. de Lezo:
  Magic!
Catt Hatter:
  Seriously? *Catt
asked in amazement.* You can use magic?
Dr. de Lezo:
  ( With a wicked
grin, he taps his nose twice. )
Catt Hatter:
  *Catt gave him an
"Oh, you." look and chuckled.* A magician never reveals his secrets,
eh?
Jekyll1886:
 The stage was dimly
lighted, nearly dark, as Lewis began to sing. As he continued, it gradually brightened.
((First song here))
As he finished, the stage returned to darkness once more.
== Obtained From ==
Sing! The Conclusion