That Man and Mystery (rehearsal)

[James Calloway]

Blush of Life, 3 Vitae Remaining

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S88rkpPu8_g for the song!

James Calloway stood in a church, having paid a night-time mass organist a hundred bucks to stick around for a couple of hours. Tonight, he wished to rehearse his singing, his desire to improve and perform having overcome his prudence. So, standing in the empty church with just the organist, who began to play the opening for him to get into key and sang Christine Daae's part, he waited for the entrance of the Phantom to begin his rehearsal. Looking over the sheet music with a smile on his face, he followed it with a practised eye.

The organist began, and Jim listened carefully, relaxing into his work.

In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me and speaks my name
And do I dream again, for now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside my mind...

Jim counted as his entry began, and then came in.

Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind...

He cut it then, not quite satisfied with his work, but getting closer. "Thanks, thanks, let's go again from bar 44..." The organist nodded, and he got ready to begin again. Rehearsal was always the hardest part for him, but this song would be ready soon enough.

  

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-02-11 17:41:22		Jim Calloway rolls 6 to Rehearsal, no 10 again, 1 subtract (1s Subtract)		3, 2, 7, 3, 2, 9		1 success

[Martha Villiers]

With Dillon not far behind her, Martha skipped and limped up to the church. She paused at the door and adjusted her hat. The resonant sound of the organ within confirmed to her that this must be the right place.

Brushing at her gymslip she opened the door to the cathedral carefully and respectfully. Wide eyed, she looked around.

Long since having parted company from the shelter and confines of organized religious worship, it had been sometime since Martha had stepped over the threshold of such a place.

Dressed as usual in her school hat, blazer and calf length gymslip, she used her cane to hobble inside the cathedral.

Looking about with wide eyed innocence, she studied the magnificent interior of the church. Visibly impressed by the glorious gold and stonework.

Waving to Jim as she limped over to join him, she paused a moment to listen to the organist playing and waiting for Jim to invite her closer once he had consulted with the musician.


[[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedr..._California%29 ]]

[James Calloway]

"Okay, okay, let's start at 44-- ah! Give me just a moment, please." He turned, having noticed Martha, and approached her and her guardian. "Miss Villiers, thank you for coming! And Mr. Connery. How are you both tonight?" He smiled; he liked the little Herald and her stoic guardian, even if they had come at the weakest point in his creative process; the rehearsal of a new piece. He wasn't a genius, so he had to work hard at rehearsal. "You've caught me rehearsing a piece. I'm pleased that you've come, though!"

His Beast roared at Dillon, rattling in its cage, but as usual, scanned Martha and found nothing to freak out about. Jim's raging rhinoceros was slowly getting used to the hellhound of Dillon Connery, and he was glad for it.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha gripped at her cane as she kept her own Beast on it's leash. It yapped and growled a little at Jim's impressive presence...but her mental control was sound. Her hold on her leash strong. A momentary frown and she had her steady calm and smile back and ensured her Blush of Life was still fresh for the organist's benefit.

"Good evening, sir! I am well, thank you for asking, sir! I do hope you are too! I see we have caught you mid-rehearsal! I am sorry if we have responded to your invite too soon, sir!" she offers, clearly sincere. "Please don't let me interrupt your practice!" she smiles and leans hard on her cane, "Your organist sounds accomplished!" she praises.

[James Calloway]

The organist smiled at the Herald and said, "Thank you, miss," before going through her music and being generally unobtrusive.

Jim, for his part, simply smiled and said, "No, no, you both are always welcome, Miss Villiers -- and of course, you can call me Jim." He smiled, reminding her of her right to use his first name. He wasn't a stickler for being formally addressed, and the Herald had been most kind to him, having well earned that right. "I just thought I'd see to it that I was ready for my character at that party we're going to soon." He was speaking quietly so that the organist wouldn't hear, but he kept his words coded to protect the Masquerade. The organist was an old lady who was not likely to have a lot of interest in parties anyway. "I think you'll find the costume a lot of fun!"

"Tell me, Miss Villiers, do you sing?" His voice was playful, as if he had an idea.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha nods meekly as she listens and nods even more sweetly and meekly in reply to the question. Playing with a twin tail, she replies, "Yes, sir...I do sing...I play the piano primarily, but my piano teacher simply insisted I learn to sing too...to help with my studies you see." she smiles happily and modestly. "I cannot pretend to great skill, but I do try hard!" she assures, all wide eyed and grips her cane to her chest.

[James Calloway]

Jim smiles and brings the score over, flipping it to the front of the piece. "Excellent! Are you familiar with Phantom of the Opera?" He grinned even wider. "Because as great as my organist is at singing, it is always nice to have a friend to sing with." He was hoping he wasn't presuming, by calling her a 'friend' -- then again, he suspected that the Herald and Priscus Connery would deem it simple, prudent, Masquerade-covering language. After all, using a more formal title for their relationship in front of a Kine would be most foolish.

Even his eyes were smiling as he held the score out for her to look at.

[Martha Villiers]

With a happy smile and small curtsy Martha accepts the offered score and seems to also accept, with a brighter smile, the use of the word friend. She flips over the pages of the score. Taking in the busy chord structure of the tunes and the range of singing skill needed for some of the show stoppers. She had to admit, this was a busier score than some of the tunes she had played and sang recently. Flipping back over the pages in silence she tried to examine the music again...watching for the nuances in the score...checking the notations...taking time to quietly pay attention to the annotated phrasing and dynamics. Watching for awkward shifts in chords. With a playful pout, she knew this wasn't going to be easy, she nods to Jim. "Goodness me, sir!" she laughs meekly, "Well...it is a challenge I shall accept! It will be good practice for me! Which song did you wish to rehearse?" she asks with bright eyes...now relishing the test ahead of her...she shared a smile to Dillon ( Dillon Connery ).

[Martha Villiers]

Always ready to test her skills and practice, Martha nodded. She could see the song would be a test and smiled as she nodded. Twin tails bobbed as she began to study the part in more detail...getting to grips with the phrasing and timing. Already she was humming some of the melody to try to understand the piece. "Yes, please!" she chirps as she looks up from the page.