haunted theatre au psl

[showbaka]

Truly, this challenge could have only been trusted with a future star such as myself! No wonder I got dragged into this. Even this theatre and the ghosts residing in it recognize my talent!

[Is how Tsukasa chooses to make himself feel better about his predicament. Not that he hasn't done his fair share of panicking and would continue to do so, but panicking wouldn't solve this. Yes, this is but a stepping stone in his career!

One he isn't too thrilled about and never could have predicted, but a still a stepping stone. The only thing that would get him out of this mess would be his skills as an actor. But there is the whole issue of getting visitors to stick around long enough to act. The place is creepy. Signs of abandonment are showing as its popularity declined over the years with no one wanting or able to take care of it. Even Tsukasa has to admit it looks different from how he remembers. To make matters worse, his attempts to draw in visitors have been doing the opposite. He can reach people with his voice, he can interact with the props and theatre, but no one has managed to see him. All of his rehearsals end up backfiring with visitors panicking about the theatre being haunted and leaving as fast as possible.

His shoulders fall as he watches a group of people do just that. They whisper to eachother about how the ghosts here are a lot louder than they imagined and...kind of annoying for a ghost? No one sees Tsukasa stagger back at the insult as if injured.]

I'm not a ghost!

[Even if he is transparent, and can't get hurt, he's definitely not a ghost! But his shouting does the opposite and the visitors leave the theatre empty again other than of Tsukasa and the actual ghosts.

The stage lights turn on, flooding the auditorium and stage in a dazzling light. In that moment, Tsukasa can almost see the same sparkle it had when he and Saki visited. There's laughter as some of the residents of the theatre emerge to perform one of their favorite shows. Scrambling off the stage, Tsukasa meanders and starts tidying up where he can--dusting the shelves, rearranging items, bringing belongings to the lost and found that no one ever visits. He still tries to avoid the ghosts when possible. They're the reason he's in this mess.]

A welcoming and neat appearance will attract more of an audience!

[And no one in their right mind would visit a haunted theatre at this hour!]

Comments

[showbaka]

[Sitting next to Mafuyu, he starts sorting through the sheets.]

This is the oldest one. The theatre had its first show in the early twentieth century. The first show they had is about an aspiring musician who has to go on a journey and learn to sing.

[depressured]

I see... I'm not familiar with it, but...

[ She glances down at the sheets. ]

Starting off with an aspirational sort of song wouldn't be a bad idea.

[showbaka]

[He nods, looking down at the sheets in thought.]

It has several energetic and hopeful songs. On the other hand, something more melancholy that reflects the theatre's current state might work better.

[depressured]

Then we should aim for bookends. If you start melancholy, the final song of the medley should be hopeful or triumphant.

[ Maybe the ghosts would appreciate it ending on an upbeat note. ]

[showbaka]

I like that idea!

[He starts laying the sheets out on the stage to make them easier to sort and read.]

Ending it on a hopeful note with the same musical would be a fitting dedication to the first show.

[depressured]

Mm, I agree.

[ She glances down at the sheets, thoughtfully. ]

Which one is your favorite show, Tenma-san?

[showbaka]

Ah-- It's this one!

[He gestures to one delicately placed down towards the end of the row.]

It's called The Happy Phoenix. Are you familiar with it?

[depressured]

I'm afraid not. Presumably, it's about a phoenix?

[ Well. Yes. ]

[showbaka]

It is! The protagonist is a boy named Rio who is on a quest to save his mother who was cursed to sleep by the witch of the northern forest. He is trying to capture a phoenix to use her heart and break the curse, but he only has a pitiful bug-catching net!

Would you like to read it?

[depressured]

His mother...

[ Something furrows in her brow, ever so slightly. ]

... Ah. Well, it sounds interesting, so I think reading it couldn't hurt.

[showbaka]

[He notices even though he's not sure of the reason behind her response.]

Only if you have time and want to! There are a few monologues in here I think we could use, and I could notate them if that's easier.

[depressured]

That would be a big help, thank you.

[ If there's a reason, she's apparently glossing right past it. ]

Like I said, I won't be of much help as a performer, but being able to provide the accompaniment should work. And in order to do that, we'll need to be on the same page of what we want the audience to experience.

[showbaka]

Of course!

[His eyes flit down to the sheet in thought.]

I'm sure the ghosts have plenty of frustration. They might feel helpless, that restoring this theatre and performing for the living is something beyond their reach. I think having the audience experience that would make an optimistic ending more powerful.

[depressured]

[ She nods, also thoughtfully.

Helplessness. Frustration. She can understand that much, the moment where she'd asked Miku if it was fine to finally give up. And the vigorous efforts of the other three to reach her. To pull her forward and keep her from disappearing.

To be a part of granting someone else that kind of hope sounds a little too lofty, but... ]

Then we're going to need to find some monologues about that sort of thing. Frustration. Helplessness. Nearly succumbing to despair. But also about finding the strength to keep going, regardless of the source.

I've seen some of your shows, Tenma-san. I think you're capable of being their mouthpiece, so to speak.

[showbaka]

[He doesn't respond at first. He's staring at the page in deep thought. Maybe he's been unfair to the ghosts. It must be more upsetting than he can imagine wanting to connect with an audience, entertain them, only to repel them. To feel helpless while things crumble around them...

Mafuyu's encouragement snaps him out of it and he smiles.]

I won't let you or the actors of this theatre down, Asahina-san. You have my word as a future star. I can think of several monologues that fit that criteria.

[depressured]

[ There's the very idle thought that she doesn't really have that many expectations for anyone. There have been far too many expectations for her to answer for her to expect anything from anyone else, beyond Kanade's insistence that she'd create a song to save her one day.

Tsukasa will succeed and Mafuyu will help him, because if they don't get through this, it's going to be highly inconvenient for a lot of reasons.

... And, maybe, because there's no reason not to help him or the ghosts. ]

Can I ask you to pick them out, then? Once we have those, we can pick the music to best amplify them and then we should be able to start practicing in earnest.

[showbaka]

Yes! I would be happy to pick them out, it won't take me long at all and will be a good opportunity to refresh myself on the material.

[And Mafuyu is going to all this effort. It's the least he can do.

There is so much at stake. He's worried, about the theatre, his fate, how much rests on their ability to perform a successful show. Despite all of his concerns, now that they're planning it, he's excited.]

This play will be unlike anything I've ever done before. It's sure to be spectacular and unique!

[depressured]

... Truthfully, I thought you would have been a lot more stressed about this.

[ And yet he's all but sparkling. ]

[showbaka]

Ah…

[She’s right. His smile falls into something more sheepish.]

I won’t deny that I’m stressed and worried. I want this to work out for the theatre, but I also don’t want to be stuck like this indefinitely. But now I feel like now we have a way to do that! I couldn’t have done it without you. I’m very glad you’re here.

[depressured]

...

[ There's a part of her that still feels something like warmth to hear that sentiment. Even though it's not as though he knows the truth about her.

But, still... ]

Well, I wouldn't have known if Mizuki hadn't told me. For now, let's do our best to get through this together.

[showbaka]

That may be true, but you still made the choice to come here.

[She could have shrugged it off or ignored it. It says more about Mafuyu to Tsukasa than he admits.

He nods, striking a pose thanks to his newfound optimism.]

Let us put our all into this show!!!

[depressured]

Mm, let's do it.

[ This is probably a montage, of Tsukasa picking out viable monologues and explaining each play's premise to Mafuyu so she can offer input on which song to sample and then she'll start piecing together a potential medley.

It gets to be very late. Oops. ]

[showbaka]

[Even though they've been working on it for hours, the time has passed Tsukasa in the blink of an eye. He hasn't had this much fun since being cursed and trapped here. His stunned voice echoes when he checks the time backstage.]

EH?! ASAHINA-SAN, HAVE YOU CHECKED THE TIME?!

[depressured]

[ A pause, to fish out her phone.

... Ah. ]

... I'll need to tell the circle I won't be online tonight.

[showbaka]

[Online?

Tsukasa emerges and stares, baffled and concerned.]

You were planning to stay up later than this?