Stories from RhyDin & The Rings

The Prince and the Swan
Shanachie Ballet Company
September 6th – September 25th

Cast

The Prince - Rhodes Vasilakis
The Swan - Anthony De Luca
The Queen - Anya De Luca
The Private Secretary - James Willis
The Girlfriend - Brianna Parker
The Stranger - Dante Alvarez
The Moth Maiden - Merethyl Benoit
The Nobleman - Christian Benoit
Spanish Princess - Zahan Granger
Romanian Princess - Marisol LeMarc
Hungarian Princess - Serena Smythe
German Princess - Sofia Aldrich
Italian Princess - Katy Lonergan
Exotic Dancer - Julianne Dodd
The Swans - Corps de Ballet with special guest Peter the Spider

((Please note, names in bold are PCs; names not in bold are NPCs.))

Synopsis

ACT ONE
Scene 1 - The Prince’s Bedroom

The stage is pitch black as the dramatic opening bars of Tchaikovsky's score are heard. As the music grows more sinister the stage lights reveal a giant bed with a royal crest on the headboard. Tossing and turning in the bed, in the grip of an apparent nightmare, is a young Prince. Above him, the subject of his sleep terror is disclosed – a male swan flapping feverishly; dark, menacing and wild.

The Prince jolts awake and his mother, the Queen, enters his room. As she briefly checks his forehead for signs of a temperature, the Prince reaches for her, but the Queen makes it very clear her son should keep his distance and exists swiftly. The lights fade on a dejected-looking Prince.

Trumpets and a livelier tempo herald the start of a new day at the palace. Soon the Prince’s bedroom is awash with attendants who scrub, buff and titivate him as he prepares for royal duties.

Scene 2 – The Palace

Standing next to his mother on the balcony of the palace, the Prince and the Queen wave to the public and undertake a series of neatly executed obligations including building openings, ship launches and statue unveilings. The Prince appears distracted and disinterested but is kept on his toes by the stringent supervision of his Private Secretary.

A young woman enters the palace, dressed in a short, pink puffball dress. Both her outfit and demeanour are instantly at odds with the rigidity of those around her. After ‘accidentally on-purpose’ dropping her handbag at the Prince’s feet, she hovers around him like a bee searching for nectar. As royal duties beckon once more, she and the Prince set-off in different directions. Soon, the Prince’s admirer tracks him down again and he introduces her to the Queen; who makes her disapproval crystal clear.

With royal engagements completed for now, the Queen departs on the arm of one of her loyal male servants. The Prince and his would-be suitor are reunited once more and enter a coquettish game of cat and mouse, as the girl in pink woos the Prince.

Scene 3 - An Opera House

The curtains rise to reveal a stage within a stage. To the left sits a royal box, soon filled with the Queen and her male servant, the Prince and his Girlfriend; and the ever-present Private Secretary – all of whom have come to watch a ballet.

As the show opens the fidgety and assumedly nervous Girlfriend looks set to ruin the Queen’s evening out. Despite attempts from the Prince and Private Secretary to modify unbefitting behaviour, she continues to aggravate those around her.

Her lack of theatre etiquette is shown in stark contrast to the polite protocol displayed by the Queen. As the drama of the ballet heightens, so does the Queen’s disdain. During the closing moments of a duet between the Nobleman and Moth Maiden, the Girlfriend drops her handbag onto the stage. This is the final straw for the Queen who leaves with her entourage, the Prince included, before the performers take their bows.

Scene 4 – The Prince’s Private Quarters

Melancholic sounds fill the almost empty stage, as the lone Prince stands in front of a large mirror. Looking downbeat, with his royal jacket removed, he picks up a spirit bottle and takes a long swig.

The Queen enters to find her son resting his forehead on the floor – a picture of abject misery. Hoping for kind words and comfort, the Prince rushes to her side, but no warmth is offered. Noticing the bottle the Queen urges him to remember his position. A difficult duet ensues in which the Prince struggles desperately for physical affection. The Queen rebuffs him with increasing toughness.

As she tries to leave, the Prince blocks her exit time and again. Thoroughly exhausted after their encounter, the Queen catches a glance of herself in the mirror. She tidies her dress and hair; and straightens up the hunched over Prince, as if to say ‘stand tall and get on with your duty.’

Making a brief a backward glance in the Prince’s direction, we are left wondering what her true feelings might be. The Prince reaches out once more but to no avail. In the blink of an eye she is gone.

Scene 5 – The Street

A woodwind instrument heralds the opening of a fresh scene. Neon lights that read ‘Swank Bar’ above a dark doorway suggest we are well away from the austere confines of the royal palace now. The Girlfriend arrives on the arm of a guy in a suit – who happens to be her ex-boyfriend. As they approach the bar the door swings open and the club owner in a gold jacket charges them entry. The door shuts behind them and through the ‘windows’ we see a small stage, flashing disco lights, and men and women clearly having a good time. Following, just moments behind, is the Prince wearing a trench coat and flat cap and a bottle of poorly hidden alcohol, in his front pocket. He attempts entry to the club but is initially refused; until he coughs up some cash.

Scene 6 – A Seedy Club

Spotting his girlfriend dancing with another man, the Prince tries to entice her away. She’s clearly cross after having been left by herself at the Opera House and is not open to easy reconciliation. As the Prince watches on in frustration, someone in a mac and dark glasses - who looks very much like the Private Secretary – takes a seat next to him.

Racier music is the cue for the evening’s cabaret act. The bar-goers look on as a patently disinterested and unenthusiastic exotic dancer takes to the stage. With a cigarette hanging from her lipstick-stained mouth, she plods through her routine. With the bar’s patrons suitably distracted, the suspicious-looking man in the mac hands over a wad of notes to the Girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend.

As the dancing resumes, so does the Prince’s drinking – as well as his vexation at being sidelined. A scuffle breaks out and the Prince is thrown out onto the street; where awaiting press photographers capture his fall from grace.

Scene 7 – The Street

Lugubrious music fills the air as the Prince performs a solo. Clearly worse for wear from hours of hard drinking, he staggers through a floor sequence, before Swank’s remaining clientele begin to make their way home.

Couples stumble past with arms draped around waists; and the Prince strikes a lonesome figure. Spotting his chance for a night of company with the exotic dancer, the Prince makes his move, but with a shake of the head she turns in the opposite direction.

Again, consumed by his isolation, the Prince continues his sorrowful dance. At once both elegant and awkward, we see the Prince’s inner turmoil represented in his outer physicalisation.

As the club door swings opens once more, the Prince presses himself against the wall of the building. Out steps the Girlfriend and the man in the mac, who now clearly reveals himself to be the Private Secretary. He shakes her hand and presses a handful of pound notes into it; which she tries unsuccessfully to give back.

The Prince makes to follow after her, before changing his mind. With head in hands, he walks back and forth. Suddenly, with the music reaching a crescendo, the Prince looks up to see an image of a swan taking flight. An allegory of things to come perhaps…

As a full moon rises in the sky the Prince sets off in the direction of the swan.


ACT TWO

A City Park

It’s still night-time as the Prince enters a park. A bench, a waste bin and a dimly lit street-lamp are all bathed in moonlight. Discarding his jacket, the Prince walks purposefully towards a lake. He stops suddenly, returns to his jacket and finds a pen. Liberating a piece of paper from the bin, he scrawls a brief message and pins it to the lamp-post with a blob of chewing gum.

Arms outstretched, the Prince again makes for the lake; and now with more urgency. He’s stopped by the appearance of the Swan; who blocks his way.

The Swan embarks on an alluring solo, that entrances the Prince. As the Prince moves closer the Swan appears nervous and agitated. The unsure Prince beats a hasty retreat, before running after him again. Tentatively, the Prince begins to mimic the Swan’s movements.

A large bevy of swans appear on stage, dancing in trios and quartets. The Swan heads up a unison phrase with all the swans, who set about enticing the Prince with gentle yet purposeful undulations of their wings. Simultaneously captivating and frightening the power of the swans is palpable.

A duet between the Prince and the Swan ensues and the aggressive, hostile persona of the swans dissipates. They become more welcoming and start to accept the Prince into their fold. The dancing builds to a climax before all the swans disappear - leaving the Prince alone at the edge of the lake.

The Prince is left dazed and confused, yet undoubtedly newly-energised by his experience. He grabs his coat, tears his note into pieces and runs off…but not before grabbing and kissing an elderly lady who has come to feed the swans!

Euphoric and giddy with excitement, the Prince runs and swoops and turns before rushing off with a new found sense of urgency and anticipation.

ACT THREE

Scene 1 – The Palace Gates

The curtains rise to reveal the outside of the palace. In front of the palace gates is a throng of royal fans, held back by a rope cordon. As a series of Princesses and their escorts from different countries arrive and are ushered into the palace, the onlookers cheer, wave and take photos – all hopeful for an autograph. It is apparent by the guests’ attire that they are arriving for a special occasion.

The Girlfriend is among those who arrive for the ball, and as she enters she takes the private secretary aside and pushes the bribe/money back into his hand. It is clear she will not be paid-off.

Scene 2 – The Royal Ball

A second curtain is drawn which brings us into the inside of the palace. As the guests stand to one side the Prince and the Queen enter the room – the Queen is striking as the only person in red, amidst a sea of black evening wear.

The Girlfriend is eager to dance with the Prince, but the Private Secretary intervenes. The Prince, believing that she did take the Private Secretary’s bribe money outside the seedy club is also dismissive of her, and doesn’t want to engage her in conversation. The Girlfriend is clearly frustrated but won’t give up easily.

A fanfare of trumpets herald the arrival of a mysterious male figure in black leather trousers, shirt and coat. Looking inscrutably like the Prince’s Swan, the shaken Prince surveys him closely. He appears to put everyone, including the Queen, under an intoxicating spell with his intrigue and brazen behavior.

Passionate duets follow between the Stranger and the Hungarian, German and Romanian Princesses. The Spanish and Italian Princess then take turns in leading high-energy group dances.

Tensions between the Prince and The Stranger rising dramatically when the Stranger begins to leads the Queen in an impassioned duet until, during a frenzy of partnered turns, the Prince manages to take the Queen’s place. A pas de deux between the two men begins – referred to within the show as ‘the tango’. The music is melancholic but the duet is full of the physical and sexual tension synonymous with the sensual Argentinian ballroom dance, that first rose to popularity in the early 1900s.

Just as the interplay between them grows more intense the Stranger disappears from the Prince’s clasp. Doubting himself once more, the Prince appears to question his own soundness of mind.

As guests drift back into view, the Stranger appears one final time. Dipping his thumb into a nearby ashtray he draws an ashen line down his forehead and nose - instantly reminiscent of the mark of the Swan.

The Prince’s anguish is tempered briefly, before the Queen reappears and embarks on yet another duet with the Stranger. As though mocked by all those around him, the Prince flees the ballroom.

A rousing competition dance starts up with the women, followed by the men, showing off their dancing prowess. The Prince returns looking harried and angry. When the Stranger attempts to kiss the Queen, the Prince loses all restraint and a furious argument breaks out. He challenges the Stranger, who appears to deny having ever known the Prince.

Confused and angry the prince draws a gun from his pocket and aims at his mother, but it is the Private Secretary who shoots first. However, it is the Girlfriend who has rushed to the Prince’s side who is killed in error.

Cast out of the palace, the dismayed Queen is comforted by the Stranger, whilst the guests crowd around the now lifeless body of the Girlfriend.

ACT FOUR

The Prince's Bedroom

The Prince is dressed in white pyjamas, and bars cover his bedroom window. The Queen, also wearing white, enters the room. She is followed by the Private Secretary and a long-line of women in nurse-like uniforms who all have the same facial features and hair-dos as the Queen.

The stark white outfits and walls are reminiscent of an asylum; and the Prince is subjected to a series of sinister ‘treatments’.

With the Prince in bed, and in a deep sleep, the nurses and Private Secretary take their leave. The Queen takes a short moment alone with the Prince, very briefly touching his hand.

As the Prince slumbers on, swans begin to emerge. First from under his bed, then from all around it. As their movements grow more fervent the Prince sits up in bed. Eyes closed, he reaches an arm out in front of him; as though dreaming.

A sudden beat of the drum, and the swans vanish. The Prince sits bolt upright in bed, clearly shaken. He searches under the bed to no avail and begins an agitated solo, reenacting his night visions. As his hysteria grows the Swan – exhausted and unsteady on his feet - materialises from the very centre of the Prince’s bed.

The Prince climbs back on the bed and nestles under the protective wing of the Swan. Almost immediately, the rest of the swans re-emerge and it is clear they have arrived as aggressors. Sensing their threat, the Swan attempts to move the Prince to safety at the head of the bed, but it is soon consumed and the Prince is set upon.

Summoning his remaining strength, the Swan chases them away and tries desperately to raise the limp body of the Prince. He has lost all hope, when the Prince unexpectedly regains consciousness. The Swan lifts him into a nurturing embrace.

Once again, the swans return, and whilst the Swan tries fervently to keep them at bay it is impossible. He is dragged onto the bed and viciously attacked; whilst the Prince watches on in horror.

Almost as quickly as they appeared the swans disappear into the blackness and the Prince collapses face down on his bed. The Queen, presumably having heard a commotion, rushes in to find the Prince unresponsive. As she falls to the floor in grief, an image of the Swan holding the Prince in his arms once again unveils itself above the bed.

The battle, whether real or ‘of the mind’, is now over.

((As always, feel free to post for your characters below. Also, a HUGE thank you to Josette's player for suggesting this and for putting it all together. We hope you all enjoy it!))

Opening night…

“I’ve never had butterflies like this.” Josie cut a glance to her brother, Isaac, as he was a much needed source of calm in all the whirling emotions as he methodically folded the personal notes Josie penned to all the cast members. Each one created into origami swans to leave in each of the dancer’s dressing rooms before the first show. “I was so proud of them at the dress rehearsal I thought I was going to burst. They’ve all worked so hard bringing this to life.”

The ballerina’s hands were trembling as she tried to fold one herself, but for once it was from a surge of excitement and not the prelude to an oncoming seizure. “This is really harder than it looks. I know you say this is relaxing, but I can’t seem to keep my hands steady. What if something goes wrong? What if Dante has a fit about his leather pants going missing again and he misses his cue?” The ballerina laughed as she slid the paper Isaac’s way. “This is most definitely your forte.”

Isaac’s hand moved from the paper to calmly find her own and give it a gentle squeeze after searching his sister’s eyes just to make sure it was not one of her seizures. “It’s going to be great, Jos. You’re daring to do something different. You have to let it go and let it fly now.” It went unspoken that Dante’s little swan would be delivered by Isaac personally and attached with a knife and a warning. Maybe. Josie would most likely intercept him.

“Tony and Anya took a big chance allowing me to do this.” Josette felt herself begin to relax as she watched Isaac methodically fold the paper into swans. “As soon as Tony said he always wanted to do this ballet, but thought it was was better suited for younger dancers, I knew I wanted to cast him as The Swan. Oh and just wait till you see, Rhodes, Isaac. He’s magnificent!”

“They wouldn’t have done it if they didn’t believe in you and think you were capable. You’ve always been more than capable of making your visions a reality. They saw that in you. Now they are letting you fly.”

Josette brushed a few tears away before it made a mess of her mascara. Thank goodness for waterproof makeup! She’d need it tonight! “You ever have one of those moments when you dreamed of something happening and once it arrives, every cell just vibrates with this expansive sense of joy that makes you feel infinite?” She hugged her brother then in a burst of pure exuberance and murmured a quiet thank you in his ear.

Isaac’s slow southern smile curved and that dogwood drawl took its time in answering as he completed the last swan and hugged his sister in return. “I have just recently become intimately aware of that very same feeling.” A little nod of his head in the direction of the dressing rooms. “C’mon, let’s go deliver these swans before the cast arrives and it’s time for the curtain to go up.”

Josie gracefully rose to her feet to follow Isaac. “I’ll deliver them. You go meet Cane. You can grab a drink at the upper or lower bar before the show. Thank you so much for this.” A pause as she saw a flash of steel out of the corner of her eye. “Isaac Wheeler! You give me that knife right now before Mataya or Irina catches you and then you’ll really be in trouble!”

“I’m going…I’m going. Blade is gone.” Just like that, it vanished in a deft sleight of hand, as did Isaac to go and find Cane’s bike outside and grab a drink as he shouldered his way out the stage door. He fired off a quick text to Cane and winked at his sister. “You got this. Give Dante my regards.”

Josie thought she heard Isaac mutter something about a pompous peacock on his way out and she had to laugh. Dante was Dante, but there was no denying his talent.

She took a moment to appreciate the quiet of the theater, but she knew she was not alone. She felt the support and presence of not only Hortense, The Grey Lady, but of all the vibrational echoes of past performances and performers that graced the stage. She knew that no matter what happened tonight, each dancer would give their all through the run of the show.

She let out a steading breath and gently collected the origami swans. “Okay, Josie. Showtime.”



((Huge Thank you to Tony and Anya’s writers for allowing me to bring Matthew Bourne’s version of Swan Lake to the Shanachie stage and for all of your help! Another huge thank you to my wonderful writing partner, Isaac Wheeler, for writing this scene with me!))

“Do not disturb the Black Eagle!” Dante called out when he first heard the knock at the door of his room. He had been stretching and warming his body up for some time now. Dante Lorenzo
Domínguez-Álvarez was taking his role as the enigmatic and beguiling Stranger with a level of seriousness not seen for many years. “Autographs after the…” Passionate words spilled out as he jerked the door open to find the lovely Josette standing on the other side.

“Estrellita?” He asked with a narrowing of eagle eyes before leaning forward to look to and fro along the hall in case someone was waiting to make a joke of stealing his incredible pair of leather pants…again. It had been quite the laugh…though Dante was determined to find the culprit. Fortunately, the man had several pairs. Or perhaps he looked to see if her brother was waiting in ambush. “I half expected to find your brother ready to clip my wings.” A haughty smirk for the rivalry. “You look radiant.” The compliment coming after he was satisfied no threat loomed and his smile could spread its wings andtake flight. El Tres, as he was also known, leaned forward to give her cheeks a total of three kisses. “I love your outfit…so very fitting for the debut. You look magnificent in feathers.” Quick with a wink for the feathers given one of his many nicknames. “You are excited, yes? Your vision will soon take the stage.” Despite the incredible ego the man possessed he could see the joy and excitement and nerves all within the swirling nebulized patina of Josette’s unique eyes. “Of course you are.” Dante not even giving the ballerina a chance to answer before she offered the freshly folded note.

“You have my thanks Josette.” Taking the origami swan with a light and delicate touch. Though Dante would not give voice to it in this moment, Josette had been responsible for helping to resuscitate a dying career. Everyone at the Shanachie had. He owed her and all of them so very much. “Almost every night Dante Lorenzo Dominguez-Álvarez dances for himself.” Only El Águila Negra could so casually refer to himself (and with his full name no less) in the third person and continue as if it were utterly normal. “But tonight…” Lifting the folded swan with a tinge of reverence. “But tonight, Dante dances for you, Estrellita. We all do.” A pause before she might get the wrong idea about the man. “Now go. The others need you.” Abruptly shutting the door in her face. The Black Eagle meant nothing by it, of course, but he had to prepare…a performance of a lifetime did not just happen by accident.

Dante would watch the first two acts from the wings of the stage. He watched and appreciated Rhodes’ princely performance while silently marveling at Tony and Anya’s boundless strength and effortless grace and Jaime’s sharp-eyed performance as the private secretary. Tony’s performance inspired Dante that more experienced dancers could still have fulfilling careers. The man set the bar extremely high as the Swan. The Black Eagle seemed to be slowly letting go of his fretting over his age. He also learned that up and coming dancers like Rhodes, could rise to dizzying heights with raw talent, the right ballet company and proper support. He couldn’t help but grin as Brianna’s girlfriend so perfectly ruined the Queen’s evening out while Merethyl and Christian perform a perfect duet. He took in the entirety of the performances as both a performer himself, but also an audience member. For too long Dante had forced the perspective his way…but Josette and Cesare, dear Cesare, had encouraged him to broaden selfish blinders and allow others to shine alongside him.

But oh how the Bad Boy of Ballet was built for the role of the Stranger! When the fanfare of trumpets heralded his arrival, Dante stalked upon the stage with shadowed swagger, his movements hinting at his true nature yet played straight enough that not even the audience would be sure come curtained conclusion. The Black Eagle had effortlessly transformed his performance with a swanlike signature. His dance had long hypnotized ballet audiences the world over and so it was the same with those in attendance at the Royal Ball. Possessed of a magnetic charisma, Dante’s Stranger completely owned the space he occupied and those leather pants (he’d worn his own pair…of course) and black ensemble cast him apart and separate from the others, signified him as something unknown and foreign, forbidden…and therefore desired. How could Dante’s good looks, intrigue and brazen behavior not entice and influence all who laid eyes upon him?

He easily conquered Eastern Europe as the sensual Stranger performed passionate duets with the princesses of Hungary, Germany and Romania but it is the Queen of Hearts that Dante had his eyes set on and quickly took action as he began to lead Anya’s crimson clad Queen in a fervent and ardent duet. The black of leather and red of gown blur as the pair underwent a frenzy of turns until Rhodes’ prince managed to take the queen’s place in Dante’s arms and Dante seemed unperturbed by such a change, as if it was intended all along.

The tango suited El Águila Negra quite well with its provincial roots in old Spanish lands, sensual brothels and exotic ports. While not a traditional tango, Dante approached the pas de deux with Rhodes with similar wanton flair and carnal inducement as that Argentinian arousal. The melancholic music clashed with the style Dante brought to the pairing as he made the younger Rhodes work for it both in and out of character. The Bad Boy challenged his fellow ballerino to meet him at the climax of their shared talents with forceful movements, sharp and precise positioning of body and eyes as he let the flow of his movements dictate the story to the audience all the while tormenting the Prince with what could be, denying the man at the apex and disappearing precisely when he was needed most. Dante gripped at the back of Rhodes’ neck to better push and pull, pressed a licentious lean against the man’s back as they wrapped around one another with slowly building frenzy before he disappeared within the larger crowd as they danced in groups.

But Dante could not be denied and appeared once more, thumb dabbed into an ashtray as he passed to mark his face with a sable streak down his brow and nose to give himself the mark of the Swan. The taunting smirk was aimed at the Prince as if the Stranger enjoyed the tug of war between the two men before his attention is once again occupied by the Queen in red. But it was only when he attempted to kiss the Queen would Rhodes perfectly embody a man utterly lacking restraint. But still Dante taunted him, his dance and movements denying all knowledge of ever having known the Prince.

The chaos of the drawn pistols and gunfire sent the stage full of dancers swirling and crowding around the fallen form of Brianna’s Girlfriend. Cast out of the palace, the Queen is comforted alone by the Stranger and Act Three, along with Dante’s performance, comes to a close. Dante Lorenzo Domínguez-Álvarez would leave the stage knowing full well that he had given the performance his all, that he had delivered perfection for Josette and he would eagerly watch and wait for the ballet’s conclusion so they could all celebrate.

Though Tony was familiar with Matthew Bourne's version of Swan Lake, it wasn't until Josette had suggested it that he'd ever considered it for the Shanachie. It wasn't that he didn't like it so much as that they had always chosen to perform the classical and traditional version instead.

The company certainly didn't lack for talent of both the male and female varieties, and it would be good experience for Josette to try her hand at directing. Already an accomplished ballerina, she had come a long way since her first audition; and though she was prone to some sort of medical condition, it had never affected her performance - at least, as far as Tony and Anya were aware. In a way, it had been like watching Josette become a swan herself as her talent and grace had bloomed over the last few years.

Dancers had come and gone, but as far as Tony and Anya were concerned, Josette had become the prima ballerina of the Shanachie. There was no one better than her. Sometimes watching her, Tony felt like a proud papa. Though, in truth, he likely wasn’t old enough to be her father, he had grown fond of the young woman and was glad she had decided to stay with the Shanachie.

That she'd chosen him to dance the part of The Swan had come as a complete surprise. He'd assumed it would be Dante or Rhodes dancing the part and justifiably so. Though Dante had a bit of an egotistical streak, there was no denying the strength and grace he brought to the stage. As for Rhodes, Tony had sensed something of a competition between the two men, which seemed to have only driven them both to give the ballet their best, and he was glad to have them. There had been a few years when the company was first starting out that they’d had plenty of ballerinas, but were sorely lacking in ballerinos. Thankfully, that was no longer the case - at least, for now.

Despite his surprise at Josette’s casting, Tony couldn't deny that he was enjoying himself on stage, even if he did feel a little silly in a tutu made of feathers – but no more silly than the toga he'd had to don as Apollo. It was a little different dancing with a man instead of a woman, but he had worked hard to gain Rhodes' trust, and together they had made it work. Even at the ripe old age of 38, Tony continued to work hard to keep in shape and it showed. Though he might never dance the part of Romeo again, it was obvious he was having the time of his life being back on stage again.

Anya, too, seemed to be enjoying herself in the role of The Queen, even if she was something of a villain in the story. It wasn’t unusual to find little Sofia mimicking her mother during rehearsals, a ballerina in the making. It wasn't often Anya got to dance with someone other than Tony, but somehow she managed to keep The Stranger’s ego in check before releasing him to The Prince for their pas de deux. Sofia sometimes asked why her mama wasn’t dancing with her papa, but her parents only laughed and explained that they were only playing parts in a story. After that, she’d insisted on telling anyone who would listen that her papa was only pretending to be a Swan and that he was really married to the Queen.

Night after night, the audience never failed to find their feet, enthusiastically applauding the company's efforts; and Tony always made it a point to bring Josette out on stage to take a much-deserved bow for her directorial debut. He knew better than anyone how much hard work had gone into the production, not only by Josette but by the entire cast and crew. He was hoping that with a new season coming, he could convince her to direct again. But for now, he was happy to let her enjoy the moment. Only time would tell what tomorrow might bring.

(TW: Homophobia, mention of attempted suicide.)

--


Είμαστε εκεί μαζί σας στο πνεύμα, γλυκό μου αγόρι.

‘We are there with you in spirit, my sweet boy.’

Rhodes Vasilakis kept the handwritten card taped to his dressing room mirror. Nearby, sitting pretty atop a tall can of hairspray, was Josie’s paper crane; he’d gotten the woman’s brother to refold it for him after reading it the night of their first performance. The ballerina’s sweet encouragement had been the perfect balm to soothe the dull ache of the card his mother had sent him along with the tickets she’d returned.

They’d both been placed prominently among the fallout of stage makeup and hair styling products littering his section of the dressing table he’d adopted for the season. Unlike Dante, Rhodes preferred to sup with his peers, happy to share their space and company alike. In fact, it was his camaraderie with the other danseurs and ballerinas built throughout the year he’d been with the Shanachie that he ultimately credited with the healthier, happier state of his mental health, something that had until recently been traveling along rough terrain.

You see, he could greatly empathize with the Prince, whose story aligned eerily with his own on several counts. Fatherless, for starters, and disinterested in the family business. A mother who loved him, but who failed to show it in any meaningful way. A life filled with expectation and the self-loathing that came with being unable to be the person his family wanted him to be. He’d also turned to alcohol, a vice that had ultimately driven him—quite literally—to wrap his vehicle around a pole at high speeds just to escape the pain.

Although the world outside the ballet continued to disappoint Rhodes in so many ways, much like the cowardly sentiment of his mother’s card which he read every night before setting foot on stage (if only to remind himself that he did not need a family who could not accept him as the perfectly imperfect being that he was), he’d found support in spades right here.

The Shanachie was home. These people were his family.

One of the stage hands buzzed through the dressing room at the five, stirring Rhodes from his reverie.

Serena twirled by behind him then, a simple pirouette that ended with her arms draped about his shoulders as though she were a lovely silken scarf. She was wearing the handsome white service cap from his costume at a jaunty angle so as not to displace her neat bun and grinned at him in the mirror.

“Five more nights.”

He smiled, tipping his head so they were cheek to cheek and studied her beautiful reflection a moment before deciding, “That hat looks better on you than it does me.”

Serena’s nose crinkled. After a squeeze to his shoulders, she straightened up and plucked the hat off her head. Half a can of hair spray ensured not a hair out of place. She placed the military cap on Rhodes’ head where it belonged, then gently adjusted the braided aiguillette decorating the right shoulder of the snazzy, royal blue uniform he was wearing.

“I know someone who’d argue otherwise.” When Rhodes raised his eyebrows at her, she did the same, but mimed the action of locking her lips and throwing away the key.

“Serena?” Rhodes questioned curiously, turning in his chair abruptly to face her directly and knocking several things askew on his vanity in the process. The woman slipped gracefully out of reach, even as he snatched at her, like water through his hands.

“Ten minutes to curtain,” she sang at him.

“You’re a tease,” he accused, sounding more fond than anything else. When she blew him a kiss he could only laugh. “I’m hunting you down after the show!”

Rhodes didn’t much care about the disorganized state in which he was leaving his dressing table, but he couldn’t head out onto the stage without first righting the origami swan that had taken a dive when the can of hairspray tipped over. He didn’t need to read Josette’s note again for the encouragement written there to warm him. The bird was reminder enough to see him off with a fierce fire burning in his heart.