8th of Summer, 514
One more time!
It was a phrase Alia heard often. Just one more time, from the top?
She could be starting from the top, the bottom, the right side, the left side, it didn’t matter, no matter what, she would always have to repeat it one more time. She was beginning to suspect that one more time was the stage master’s favourite phrase. He sure did say it a lot.
At least, now, the practicing part of one more time was over. Now, all that was left was a dress rehearsal and then the official start of the show and the official end of one more time. It would be a much needed relief.
Alia walked the path to the Amphitheater slowly, enjoying the shade cast by the trees above the path to the “backstage” of the Amphitheater. In reality, there really wasn’t a backstage, just a small, flat area where actors could prepare to get onstage without the watcher’s knowledge. She could see said area now, with many of the actors already bustling around like ants, preparing this or dressing up in that, getting ready for their part of Mrs. This or Mr. That. By now, the acts seemed pretty regular to Alia, not the rush they used to be.
Alia continued her stroll, wondering why the actors were almost always in a rush. Sure, they weren’t exactly the most organized people ever, or the most prepared, but there was still fifteen chimes before the play was going to start. Not all of the actors had arrived yet, nevermind the people planning to watch the play. It seemed the workers of the Riverfall Amphitheater almost liked being in a rush, that was how often they did it.
Nodding a hello at her fellow actors and setting down what little items she had brought with her, Alia began to hum happily. She was excited for today’s play, because it was something new, different. It was the end of one more time. For the first time in, according to the stage master, a very long time, the Amphitheater was incorporating music into it’s plays. That meant Alia could combine two of her favourite things- Playing mandolin, and acting.
Setting her mandolin case down on the grass, Alia ran over her music and lines one last time to make sure she was ready. She was working as a musician for the first scene and a actor of the second scene. As she unlatched the case and began tuning her mandolin, Alia thought over the upcoming play.
I should really be paid more for this.
Luckily, the instrument was almost always in tune due to the constant care Alia gave it, so it didn’t take long to fix. By then, the majority of actors and temporary musicians had arrived, ready to do their part; whatever it may be. Playing the script back in a pocket of the shiny wood case, Alia ran her fingers through her hair, wondering how long it would be until everyone was here and they could begin. There had been times at which actors had arrived so late that the play was well into the second- or even sometimes the third- act. Then again, those actors had never lasted long. As she had mentioned before, the stage master didn’t take well to lateness- or laziness, as he called it, which partially led to their short-lived careers.
Giving the mandolin’s tuning pegs one last turn, Alia declared the instrument’s sound perfect. She quickly strummed a short tune before returning to the rest of the actors, who were still busy as ever, preparing this and prepping that. Soon the show would start, but there was always something to be done. Leaving her possessions in the latched mandolin case, Alia continued, walking towards a group of what seemed to be the other musicians, all ready for the first act. It was the only act in which Alia got to play, unfortunately, the rest of her time was spent on stage.
Not that she was complaining. Even with the smallest of musical involvements in acting, Alia was happy.
One more time!
It was a phrase Alia heard often. Just one more time, from the top?
She could be starting from the top, the bottom, the right side, the left side, it didn’t matter, no matter what, she would always have to repeat it one more time. She was beginning to suspect that one more time was the stage master’s favourite phrase. He sure did say it a lot.
At least, now, the practicing part of one more time was over. Now, all that was left was a dress rehearsal and then the official start of the show and the official end of one more time. It would be a much needed relief.
Alia walked the path to the Amphitheater slowly, enjoying the shade cast by the trees above the path to the “backstage” of the Amphitheater. In reality, there really wasn’t a backstage, just a small, flat area where actors could prepare to get onstage without the watcher’s knowledge. She could see said area now, with many of the actors already bustling around like ants, preparing this or dressing up in that, getting ready for their part of Mrs. This or Mr. That. By now, the acts seemed pretty regular to Alia, not the rush they used to be.
Alia continued her stroll, wondering why the actors were almost always in a rush. Sure, they weren’t exactly the most organized people ever, or the most prepared, but there was still fifteen chimes before the play was going to start. Not all of the actors had arrived yet, nevermind the people planning to watch the play. It seemed the workers of the Riverfall Amphitheater almost liked being in a rush, that was how often they did it.
Nodding a hello at her fellow actors and setting down what little items she had brought with her, Alia began to hum happily. She was excited for today’s play, because it was something new, different. It was the end of one more time. For the first time in, according to the stage master, a very long time, the Amphitheater was incorporating music into it’s plays. That meant Alia could combine two of her favourite things- Playing mandolin, and acting.
Setting her mandolin case down on the grass, Alia ran over her music and lines one last time to make sure she was ready. She was working as a musician for the first scene and a actor of the second scene. As she unlatched the case and began tuning her mandolin, Alia thought over the upcoming play.
I should really be paid more for this.
Luckily, the instrument was almost always in tune due to the constant care Alia gave it, so it didn’t take long to fix. By then, the majority of actors and temporary musicians had arrived, ready to do their part; whatever it may be. Playing the script back in a pocket of the shiny wood case, Alia ran her fingers through her hair, wondering how long it would be until everyone was here and they could begin. There had been times at which actors had arrived so late that the play was well into the second- or even sometimes the third- act. Then again, those actors had never lasted long. As she had mentioned before, the stage master didn’t take well to lateness- or laziness, as he called it, which partially led to their short-lived careers.
Giving the mandolin’s tuning pegs one last turn, Alia declared the instrument’s sound perfect. She quickly strummed a short tune before returning to the rest of the actors, who were still busy as ever, preparing this and prepping that. Soon the show would start, but there was always something to be done. Leaving her possessions in the latched mandolin case, Alia continued, walking towards a group of what seemed to be the other musicians, all ready for the first act. It was the only act in which Alia got to play, unfortunately, the rest of her time was spent on stage.
Not that she was complaining. Even with the smallest of musical involvements in acting, Alia was happy.
