New Students (tag anyone who still wants in)

Rapunzel smiled at Ariel and continued to play with her dress before chuckling and pulling her to sit down. She followed her constant glances to Eli and then tilted her head questioningly at her. She decided to leave it, knowing it was none of her business. She crossed one leg over the other and listened to Belle and Vlad talking about the different male characters in the play.

He hesitated for a moment as she explained the characters. "Well, since I assume this play is going to be PG rated, then I don't mind being Demetrius" he shrugged with a smirk.

"Oh yes, we are keeping it PG," Belle said with a nod. "Well," she glanced down at the cast list before handing it back to Elijah. "It looks like we have one pair of lovers cast." She looked up at Flynn, his brown eyes like kelp in the summer sun.

"I'm certain you don't." Vlad muttered under his breath at Flynn's comment. Aloud, he added "If only we could find the second pair of lovers so easily."

Jim grabbed the cast list from Belle once she handed it to him and ran his eyes down the list. "So... we are definitely going to need a Theseus, so Esmeralda's character has her lover" he frowned and continued to read on. He didn't think there would be enough people to fill in all the parts.

Flynn glanced at the teacher, knowing of his quiet mutter. He smirked. So the vampire definitely had a grudge against him, surprisingly. He coughed a chuckle before rubbing his chin and glancing at Belle, seeing she was looking at him. He grinned at her before looking over at Eli once he started talking about the play.

"I'm afraid this is where we hit a problem, Elijah. We most of the boys in our class have already chosen a role, the ones that are old enough to try their hand at a play like this. And I am not willing to ask anyone to take on more than one role at a time. That is adding too much pressure on the performers." Vlad explained with a heavy sigh.

"Yeah that's what I was thinking" he sighed and looked at the cast list. "What about if I audition for a role?" he frowned, knowing it would be a lot of work, but how else were they supposed to continue on? He glanced at Vlad before looking over at Ariel, seeing her in her 'fairy costume'. He grinned at her before raising his eyebrows questioningly, wondering why she was in her costume already.

Ariel looked seeing eli was looking at her as she gave him a look back before turning her attraction back towards Rapunzle. Feeling a bit weird that he was looking at her in a dress of all things, sure he's has to deal with her in a skirt all day but a dress.

Jim raised an eyebrow as she gave him a look before smirking and turning back to the list.

Vlad raised an eyebrow at the boy's question. He had known that Elijah didn't seem very eager to act in the play when the class first discussed the idea. Now, he had to say he was proud of him for stepping up like that.
"The director actting in his production? I've heard of such cases in the cinema. I see no reason why we can't try that here. What role would you like to take on?" Vlad asked him.

"To be honest... any. I don't mind, as long as we can fill up some parts" he shrugged at Vlad. "If we need a Theseus, I can do the part..." he glanced at Esmeralda. "Or another male role" he shrugged again and looked at Belle, "any ideas?" he asked, she seemed to be an expert on the characters.

Aladdin was surprised when Elijah volunteered to audition for a role. Granted, it was because there were so few males involved in this production, but it was still stepping out into the open, which Elijah didn't seem too fond of doing. "Good ol' Eli in the spotlight, huh? That should be fun," Aladdin teased. He didn't mean it in a malicious way, of course. Aladdin may be mischievous, but he wasn't that mean-spirited. "Any claims on Puck yet?" he asked Belle, who seemed to be the closest thing to a walking index when it came to the characters.

"I thought you were going to play Puck, Aladdin." Vlad reminded him, a hint of confusion in his voice.

As Belle glanced at the list, her brow furrowed. Vlad was right; not all the parts could be filled. Raising her hand, she asked a question that could change the casting, "If possible, perhaps we can omit parts that are not as important? Perhaps the focus could be on the lovers and the fairies, that way not so many people can be forced into roles. Like change Esmeralda to Titania? The only actor character we can have is Bottom, seeing as he is important."

"That is...very clever, Belle. A creative solution you have there. If we were to do this, how many scenes would be cut out of the performance?" Vlad asked her, clearly impressed.

Belle grabbed her volume of Shakespeare plays. The book was as thick as an average paperback, with fine paper. She flipped to "Midsummer Night's Dream", looking at the scenes that would be cut. "Regarding cut out all together, only two. We can take lines from scenes with characters and place them into the appropriate setting. So, really, the cast would be...Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, Oberon, Titania, Puck, Bottom, and the fairies."

Belle grabbed her volume of Shakespeare plays. The book was as thick as an average paperback, with fine paper. She flipped to "Midsummer Night's Dream", looking at the scenes that would be cut. "Regarding cut out all together, only two. We can take lines from scenes with characters and place them into the appropriate setting. So, really, the cast would be...Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, Oberon, Titania, Puck, Bottom, and the fairies."

"I see. This does help. Perhaps, for the sake of making the cast work, we may have to try your little plan." Vlad reasoned, tapping one finger on the curve of his jaw.

Jim glanced at Aladdin with a smirk after he teased him before returning his attention to Belle and Vlad as they discussed the casting. He raised an eyebrow, "so then which part shall I play? Or... is it all under control?" he asked, unsure of what was happening.

"Well, by doing things this way, there are three male roles to fill. Lysander, Oberon, and Nick Bottom. Which of them would you like to try out for, Elijah?" the vampire asked the young man.

"So Nick Bottom is an important character, huh?" he chuckled and sighed, knowing that Puck turns Bottom's head into an ass in the play. "I guess I can play Nick Bottom then... I don't think anyone else would want to" he smirked at the thought and glanced at Aladdin with a grin, knowing he'd get a kick out of that.

"Then I will applaud you for your choice. It was good of you to offer to take on a role to help. I'm proud of you." Vlad informed the boy with a smile.

Jim glanced up at Vlad and hesitated when he said he was proud of him. A small smile formed on his lips, "thanks" he nodded slowly before he glanced down again as his smile faded, a small frown replacing it.

Vlad had noticed the way Elijah reactted to his praise. He seemed...uncomfortable with it. The Count knew it wasn't really his business as to why, but it was a bit unusual to him.