1x1 Stars of the Diamante Company (WavePearlxSugar)

@Sugar

(This RP is rated E10+)

Founded 60 years ago, the Diamante Company is renowned throughout the Pokeworld as the "show of all shows", combining acting, music, dance, acrobatics, puppetry, martial arts, stage combat and stage archery, circus acts, and aquatics to create adaptations of folk and fairy tales and original fantastic stories, as well as showcases of their talents for audiences of all ages.

Starting with only twenty performers at first, the company then grew to well over 1,000 performers, crew members, and technicians, with more performers arriving each year to replace those that graduate (eg. move on to the next stage of their careers) or retire (leave the company for other reasons)

The company is very strict about what material gets selected to perform; but this is not to say that they are afraid of venturing into the darker side of folklore--their versions of classic stories are not necessarily the Disney versions!

Critics rave about the company's willingness to take risks, but Brock acknowledges it is sometimes a delicate balancing act between delving into the darkness and keeping the production appropriate for families.

The company is further divided into eight troupes--one of which stays and performs at the Starlight Theater in Celadon, and the other seven crisscross the world performing seven unique shows. Each troupe has their own unique schedule of shows, but occasionally a show may cross over between troupes.

Each performer is given roles based on their strengths, so an acrobat will not be forced to sing, and a musician will not be forced to do complex martial arts.

You play the role of a young performer in the Emerald Troupe of the company--will you join the long list of big stars the company has produced, or will you be limited to embarrassing MyTube videos?

Keep in mind that all forum rules apply.

To join in, sign up here with this info:

Character's name
Character's age (anywhere from age 14 to age 22)
Character's appearance (don't just post a picture, give some description with the picture)
Character's personality/known history
Character's Pokémon (if any)
Characters current skills (what talents and skills your character currently knows how to do well, divided up into music, acting, stage combat, and circus skills. You can learn new skills if you befriend a teacher)
Character's preferred roles (which roles does you character enjoy performing? What roles do they want to try in the future? What roles will they never play, no ifs, ands, or buts?

Known Skill List (so far):

Music:

--Instruments (be sure to specify what instruments your character can play well--you can also learn an instrument from a teacher)
--Singing (be sure to include what part your character sings and a general idea of their range)

Acting:

Stage acting
Comedy
Puppetry
Pantomime
Mimicry (specify what your character can mimic--Pokémon, people, cartoon characters, etc.)
Storytelling

Stage Combat:

Martial Arts
Swordplay
Archery
Ranged weapons (rings, shuriken,etc.)

Acrobatics and Circus Skills

Dancing (both on your own and with a partner)
Sferas (Sferas are basically a pair of marble-sized balls attached to a rope or chain, combining a yo-yo with bolas. They are often spun and twirled to create intricate designs and patterns. This is one of Ash's signature acts--he has even wowed crowds by twirling fire and lightning.)
Trampoline
Jump rope
Hat manipulation
Pokémon skills (specify what Pokémon your character has within reason)
Flag twirling
High diving and hoop diving
Water dancing
Ribbon dancing
Trick archery
Juggling (specify what you use when juggling)
Card manipulation (does your character use playing cards, TCG cards, or both)
Ring manipulation
Balancing
Aerial dancing
Aerial swing (essentially a large glorified bungee cord)
Springboard
Aerial silks

You can learn new skills if you befriend a teacher. You are not limited in how many skills you can pick from any of the categories. If you want to have a skill not on the list, and it would work for performances of folk and fairy tales, and original material inspired by fairy tales, I may put it on the list.


the profiles for Ash, Misty, Brock, and Serena--the four main performers and the ones you will likely interact with most often:

Ash:

Spoiler: Ash's profile and skills

Within the Emerald Troupe, Ash is one of the bravest and most versatile heroic actors. He is a triple threat in music, acting (including puppetry) and stage combat.

Yet for his bravery in trying some of the more risky feats featured in the troupe's shows, Ash will not attempt a feat before an audience until he is confident he can pull it off with people watching.

His theme color is red, but he will sometimes break from it depending on the role he is playing. He has a long list of heroic and comic roles to his credit, his most recent being the role of Alex, the hero of "Moltres and the Hero". (which is very loosely based on the many different versions of the Moltres story)

His known abilities and skills (so far):

Music:

--Flutes and whistles (he will use at least three of his massive collection of flutes and whistles in each show. Fans know this is his preferred family of instruments, and will often send him flutes as gifts)
--Acoustic guitar
--Harmonica
--Ukulele (souvenir from the troupe's first Alolan tour--he is still learning how to play it)
--Autoharp (for entertainment on the road--he only knows a few songs on it so far)
--Fiddle/violin (he has a very technical style influenced by Misty (who he learned to play from) and Serena)
--Trumpet

Voice wise, he is a high tenor with a very clear and powerful voice

Acting:

--Stage acting (preferring to play heroic and comic roles; but will step out of this comfort zone if asked)
--Puppetry (his best known characters are Erin the Riolu and Juno the Pichu)
--Pantomime
--Comedy

Stage Combat:

--Martial Arts (using a pair of knuckles when fighting unarmed)
--Swordplay (his best stage combat skill)
--Archery

Acrobatics/Circus Skills:

--Dancing (both on his own and with a partner)
--Sferas (Sferas are basically a pair of marble-sized balls attached to a rope or chain, combining a yo-yo with bolas. They are often spun and twirled to create intricate designs and patterns. This is one of Ash's signature acts--he has even wowed crowds by twirling lightning.)
--Trampoline
--Jump rope
--Hat manipulation (using his beloved Kanto League cap as the hat of choice, but he has also used a top hat with a red stripe for the act)
--Pokémon skills (his faithful Pikachu Tintri makes an appearance somewhere in every show)

Misty:

Spoiler: Misty's profile and skills

Although her main element is water, and her theme color is blue, Misty still has a fiery spirit that also has a softer side. She is equally at home on both the land and in the water, but she draws the line at aerial acts. But she is not one to play cackling evil queens or damsels in distress--in her mind, girls can go toe to toe with the boys as heroes.

She has a long list of heroic female characters to her credit, her most recent being Undine, the spirit of the water, in "The Hero of Moltres", but she is okay with playing supporting roles and the occasional britches role.

Her known abilities and skills (so far):

Music:

--Fiddle/violin (her trademark instrument--while she started playing classical, she prefers to play traditional tunes from around the world)
--Piano (for entertainment on the road)

Voice wise, she is a mezzo soprano on the alto side, but can dip down into a true alto range.

Acting:

Stage acting
Comedy
Pantomime

Stage Combat:

Swordplay
Light martial arts

Acrobatics/Circus Skills

--Dancing (both by herself and with a partner)
--Flag twirling
--Sferas (she is still learning from Ash, but wants to be able to twirl ice like he does fire and lightning)
--High diving and hoop diving
--Water dancing
--Ribbon dancing
--Pokémon skills (her Primarina Mele has been known to make appearances during aquatic acts)

Brock:

Spoiler: Brock's profile and skills

As one of its star performers and the public face of the troupe, Brock doesn't mind the challenge of playing multiple roles both onstage and offstage. But even though his theme color is green, one of his most iconic and well loved outfits is an ornate purple, red, and gold minstrel costume, which is used both in a character role, and as a narrator/emcee role. Sometimes, the lines blur between narrator and performer as Brock seemingly shifts between both roles in the same show!

He is a performer of many talents that serves as the troupe's emcee and narrator in addition to performances. But he doesn't let the fame go to his head--he will happily play any size of a role, from a bit part to the male lead. This versatility has led him to an ever growing list of roles he has played.

He typically will play minstrel characters, mentor characters, and comic characters when he performs, but he draws the line at water and aerial performances. Music is the closest talent to his heart, but he is an equally talented actor and storyteller, often warming up crowds with tales from around the world.


His known abilities and skills (so far):

Music:

--Acoustic guitar (his main instrument and the one closest to his heart)
--Harp
--Tin whistle
--Alto Pokeflute
--Trombone (for comical moments)
--Euphonium (used for noble and beautiful scenes)
--Various percussion (usually a frame drum to add a beat to Ash's sfera performances)

Voice wise, he is a true tenor, with a little baritone range

Acting:

--Stage acting
--Comedy
--Pantomime
--Storytelling
--Mimicry
--Puppetry (one of his best known characters is Leon the Meowth)

Stage Combat:

--Martial arts
--Swordplay
--Archery (his main stage combat skill)

Acrobatics/Circus Skills:

--Dancing (both on his own and with a partner)
--Trick archery
--Juggling (usually prop gems, but he will sometimes use balls)
--Card manipulation (using playing cards or TCG cards for illusions)
--Pokémon skills (his normal Vulpix Hinata and his Alolan Vulpix Yuki make an appearance somewhere in every show)

Serena:

Spoiler: Serena's profile and skills

One of the Emerald Troupe's newer performers, Serena considers Ash her mentor, although she is venturing out into her own unique voice as a performer. She and Ash are never far apart for very long, and they are often paired together to play the hero and the heroine, as they were in "The Hero and Moltres." Unlike Misty, Serena doesn't mind playing princesses, but prefers playing active female roles when possible (she draws the line at villains).

Her theme color is yellow, but she will often break from it depending on the role she is playing. She has learned some of the same skills Ash knows, and some unique skills her companions do not do.

Her known skills and abilities(so far):

Music:

Fiddle/violin (her main instrument; style is influenced by gypsy jazz)
Acoustic guitar (mainly for entertainment on the road; but she has played it in performance)
Mandolin (her secondary instrument)
Accordion (mainly for enjoyment on the road)
Concert flute (learning from Ash--she only knows a few simple melodies so far)

Voice wise, she is true soprano, making her perfect for heroic roles.

Acting:

Stage acting
Comedy
Pantomime

Stage Combat:

Swordplay
Ranged weapons (rings, shurikens, etc.)
Archery (learning from Brock)

Acrobatics/Circus Skills:

--Dancing (on her own and with a partner)
--Hat manipulation (using her XY hat as the hat of choice)
--Ring manipulation
--Balancing
--Sferas (learning from Ash)
--Ribbon dancing
--Aerial dancing
--Aerial swing
--Springboard
--Aerial silks
--Pokémon skills (her faithful Braxien Krystal appears somewhere in every show)

current shows in the troupe's repertoire (so far):

"Moltres and the Hero" (loosely based on the Moltres fairy tale type--currently performing)
"Brendan and the Giant" (based on the fairy tale)
"The Legend of Kaitou" (based on the folktale)
"Aladdin" (that is NOT based on the Disney version, even though it does have a few elements of the Disney version--Misty makes this very clear)
"Aisha's Fiddle" (a more adventurous and longer version of the folktale)
"The Arrow of the Fey" (an original fantasy adventure based on folklore)
"The Three Musketeers" (a more family friendly version of the classic story--one of the rare times something is based on the Disney version)
"Princess Miranda's Rescue" (based on the folktale)
"The Legend of Whisperwind" (an original fantasy adventure based on folklore--currently performing)
"The Legend of the Rainbow Wing" (based on a Johto legend--currently performing)
"The Faithful Son" (upcoming--based on the folktale)
The Legend of Brian the Breaveheart" (based on the folktale)
"The Prince's Escape" (upcoming--loosely based on the folktale)
"The Magic Grepa Vine" (upcoming--based on the folktale)
"The Legend of the Wave Guider" (upcoming--one of the most requested stories for the company to do)
"The Harmony of Fire, Ice, and Lightning" (the RP's ultimate end goal; this is one of the most prestigious shows that a company like Diamante can perform. Any company that performs this show well is said to be one of the great companies, and have a long and successful run of shows for years to come.

By no means exhaustive or complete--this will be updated as you perform shows and shows are referred to.

 

@Sugar

That looks good! Are there any skills she would want to learn?

 

@Sugar

Let's get going!

The atmosphere in Pewter City's Fireside Theater complex was electric. Out of thousands of aspiring performers that had applied to join the Diamante Company and its seven subtroupes, only 800--a hundred per troupe--had been accepted.

The Fireside was the homebase to the Emerald subtroupe, when they were not touring. The lucky 100 that had been chosen to join would first be formally welcomed into the troupe, and then take a tour of the complex itself.

 

@Sugar

The theater's main auditorium filled up quickly as the new performers filled inside. After a brief welcoming show, they would get to see the rehearsal rooms, training areas, and the living areas. But these were no cramped dorm rooms--they were very nice apartments with all the comforts of home.

 

@Sugar

The lights flash a five minute warning, and then go down.

After a few tense moments a brown haired boy with tanned skin wearing a sparkling green and white costume comes onstage. "Check, testing....everyone hear me okay?"

Cheers come back in reply to confirm the boy's headset mic is working properly. "Okay!" the boy smiles. On behalf of all of us in the Emerald Troupe...welcome!"

He then introduces himself. "I'm Brock--the troupe's emcee and lead performer. This often means I narrate the shows, but sometimes I'll juggle a main role and the narrator."

 

@Sugar

"As members of the Emerald Troupe, you get a chance to show off your talents to people all around the world and right here in Pewter." Brock went on. "It is a lot of work, yes, but most of us wouldn't trade the long hours of rehearsal for the smiles, laughter and cheers we get when the show ends."

More cheers went up. "We mainly perform two types of shows..." Brock explained. "Spectacles, which are scripted performances of folk tales, fairy tales, and original fantasy stories inspired by folktales; and showcases, which are large scale variety-show style performances where we show off our talents. Sometimes they have a theme, and sometimes they don't."

 

@Sugar

"When we receive a new show to perform, you'll come here first." Brock explained. "I'll give you guys a brief summary and a more detailed overview, which includes what acts are involved. From there, we hold auditions for the different roles. Those that get a part and the understudies then go on to do a full readthrough when auditions end a week later."

 

@Sugar

"Rehearsals start after the readthrough." Brock goes on. "Initially, rehearsals happen in some of the training areas, as even those that are just doing an act have to practice too."

He continues "We next move into the theater for final rehearsals before the show begins its run at the theater. Depending on the show, we may also tour once it finishes its run here."

 

@Sugar

When the show ends, you are divided up into groups to be shown to your rooms and tour the facilities. Different groups are taking different routes through the theater and the training complex, but you will all get a chance to see some key destinations and meet some of the main performers.

You find you are in Brock's group, which is assembling by the auditorium's front entrance.

After doing a headcount to make sure all are in his assigned group, Brock leads you towards the living quarters.

But these are no cramped dorm rooms--they are more like very nice apartments, with all the comforts of home.

 

@Sugar

"Everyone--from lead performer to cleanup crew--gets a complex like this." Brock explains. "When you end up accumulating a lot of props and costumes, you'll need the space."

He smiles. "That's and it's always nice to have a home away from home. Every complex has their own character--if you have posters, decor, and other belongings from home, you can put them up in your complex."