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Monday, April 24, 2017

2017 WRITE: PEOPLE: Jane, Plain Jane: Part 6 I can't believe it!

The writers group at Nara's Nook has started a learning and production project using the guide book "The 90-day novel," by Alan Watt.  To contribute to the project without spending the time on a novel, I am writing a short story or small play using some of the guidance from the book.  
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Metaverse events, current and upcoming

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    Part 6 I can't believe it!

    I did the audition!   And I didn't vomit.   I can't believe it!.   I did retch a couple of times, but I didn't eat anything all day.  So I didn't have anything to vomit with. 

    I had to go in early on Saturday afternoon to get ready.  Hermione was there and she gave me a few practice runs before I got into costume.  I was playing Beth, a plump lady of about forty-five. 

    "You sit at that table," she told me, indicating a table at the front of the stage, off to the right side of the stage.  "That's stage right in our speak. The action will be at the center table and you'll be looking there.  The waiter will come up on the other side and give you your cue.   You face the audience and say your line."
      
    I looked out at the empty house and imagined an audience watching--that was one of the times I retched.  "And don't be mousy-timid with it.  You want to say it loud enough to fill the house.  It is probably the best line in the whole scene, so you want everyone to hear it.  Especially the people in the back row."

    She went to the back row and I did my line a few times.  I started off a little timidly, but Hermione told me to stop thinking of myself and talk to the last row, where she was.  

    "Think about that lady in the back row--you don't want her to miss that line,"  Hermione insisted.  And I really didn't.  So I talked to the lady in the back row and Hermione was satisfied.  

    Then Hermioine took me backstage the ladies' dressing room.  And there was the vomitorium.  With a real sign.  And it looked like an old sign, so I don't think they made it just for me.  Damn!  I didn't know that other people vomited from stage fright.  I thought it was just me.

    "Yeah, there's the vomitorium.  Just like I told you.  You think your the only one who gets stage fright?  Stop thinking about you so much.  Think about the people around you.  Think about playing your role."

    I didn't need to vomit right then, so l let Hermione start helping me with my make-up.  It took a lot more make-up than I thought it would.  Funny thing about make-up.  I watched myself in the mirror growing more and more matronly.  And by the time I finished with make-up and putting on my padded costume, I began to imagine that I was plump, matronly Beth.   That was really weird.   Not plain Jane right now.   

    In the restaurant scene, we are all in our places before curtain time.  That keeps me from having to walk across the stage without stumbling.  I had to sit there and look like I was sipping wine.  But nobody was going to notice me, so that was typecasting.  

    Just for a moment they would notice Beth, the plump matron with the grey strands in her black hair.  She would get a momentary spotlight and her fifteen seconds of fame as she said her line.

    And she did!   Loud enough to be heard by the back row.  Loud enough to have been yelling at the kids for fifteen years. Loud enough to be heard in the back row, if there were anyone there.  I couldn't see, because the house lights were off and the footlights were in my eyes.  

    And I didn't even feel like vomiting.  Or maybe I did, but Beth didn't.  Or maybe I was too distracted about getting that line all the way to the back row.  Or maybe because it was just a rehearsal and there was no audience watching to see if I screwed up.  

    But now what do I do?   Hermione is going to ask me to be in the show.  I know she is because I did a pretty good job.  Or rather Beth did a pretty good job.  And she wouldn't vomit over being out in front of people.   She's been around.  

    But I still don't know what to tell Hermione.  I have run out of excuses.  And I really can do it.  Or rather Beth can.  I won't vomit on stage.  Maybe before, but not onstage.  

    But I would be scared shitless.  Why would I put myself through that?  I don't know.  I really just don't know.

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    This (the multi-part series including this part) could be a short story or a one-act play for one or three actors.  I relinquish all claims to the copyright and declare all work by my under the title "Jane, Plain Jane" to be in the public domain.   

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    • The writer's meeting at Nara's nook is on Mondays, 6 PM California time. 
    • HG address: 
    • world.narasnook.com:8900
    • In a virtual world connected to the Hypergrid:
    • put the HG addrress in the Find bar of the world map, click Find, TP
    • If you are not connected to the Hypergrid: 
    • visit Nara's Nook and find out how to join Nara's virtual writer's colony.

    Related

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    News and Notes

    The Hypergrid WIP Show

    • The Hypergrid WIP is a one hour "show & tell" of works in progress or recently completed. 
    • Everyone is invited.  Building, scripting, promotion, entertainment-- whatever you are working on.
    • Selby will be doing test video capture of presentations in voice.  These may be posted on YouTube.
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    • Presentations are in voice and text.  
    • For text presentations, best bring the text in a notecard and paste it into chat.  
    • Voice presentations may be captured in video.  
    • Stills and videos from the show may appear in this blog and elsewhere.

    Next WIP show

    • Next WIP show: Sun. April 23 Noon SLT 
    • Cookie II location (fourth Sunday of the month)
    • Cookie II location (fourth Sunday of the month)
    • HG address below: paste into the World Map next to Find. Click Find, TP
    • grid.kitely.com:8002:Cookie II 
    • in Kitely: paste into Nav (top) bar of Firestorm, Enter.
    • hop://grid.kitely.com:8002/Cookie II/68/369/22
    • Pandora Location: (second Sunday of the month)
    • Pandora allows presenters to run high threat OSSL functions.
    • world.narasnook.com:8900
    • Put the line above in your World Map next to Find.  Click Find. TP
    • At Narasnook, use World Map to search for Pandora

            Previous Articles from the WIP show 

            HG links-- depending on your interests 

            Communities in the virtual worlds

            Radio in the virtual worlds

            Metaverse beginner help

                                  Schools in virtual worlds



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