2008 Woodie Awards
Masquerade Attendees Transcend Time
Jami Furo
Issue date: 11/4/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment
- Page 1 of 1
On Friday, October 28, the Rollins Role Playing and Gaming Society (RPGS) hosted a masquerade ball in celebration of Halloween in the French House. The event, which took place from nine p.m. to one a.m., was patterned after a traditional masquerade ball. Those attended were encouraged to either dress in costume or in formal wear, and, of course, masks.
The masquerade, however, also contained an element of role playing, reminiscent of the organization's purpose. A cast of eight unique characters attended the masquerade and mingled with the crowd throughout the night. They improvised their parts and only prepared a basic outline of their characters' personalities and a general story line. Each character contained pronounced and exaggerated personality traits, and they interacted with each other and with the attendants of the masquerade according to their own characters' traits.
In the story that goes on throughout the night, the ceremonial mask becomes missing, and everyone is a suspect. Eventually, it is discovered that the butler and the board of trustees conspired together to take the mask.
The story was not like a typical play, however, except when the characters are in front of the crowd performing for them. The characters mixed in with those attending the ball, making everyone a part of the story. While only eight of the people at the masquerade were in character, all became involved in the story because of the format. Like a traditional masquerade ball, there was an unmasking at midnight. Much like New Year's Eve, there was a countdown until midnight, when everyone then removed their mask.
Atypical of traditional masquerades, however, was another event that took place at midnight. After the masks were removed, "Time Warp" from the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" came over the speakers, and the crowd performed the dance, along with the music.
In addition to "Time Warp," the ball featured a variety of music. The music was intended to fit the mood of a traditional masquerade with somewhat of an eerie, circus feel. The play list also included traditional Halloween favorites like the "Monster Mash" and "The Addams Family Theme Song."
The Role Playing and Gaming Society typically organizes role playing games, including live action role playing and table top role playing games.
This masquerade, in part, was a venture outside usual activities for the club. "Hopefully," says Becky Adams, sophomore and president of the Role Playing and Gaming Society, "the point of the masquerade is to put ourselves out there to the rest of campus and prove that we're not just a bunch of dorks that sit around and roll dice all the time."
The masquerade, however, also contained an element of role playing, reminiscent of the organization's purpose. A cast of eight unique characters attended the masquerade and mingled with the crowd throughout the night. They improvised their parts and only prepared a basic outline of their characters' personalities and a general story line. Each character contained pronounced and exaggerated personality traits, and they interacted with each other and with the attendants of the masquerade according to their own characters' traits.
In the story that goes on throughout the night, the ceremonial mask becomes missing, and everyone is a suspect. Eventually, it is discovered that the butler and the board of trustees conspired together to take the mask.
The story was not like a typical play, however, except when the characters are in front of the crowd performing for them. The characters mixed in with those attending the ball, making everyone a part of the story. While only eight of the people at the masquerade were in character, all became involved in the story because of the format. Like a traditional masquerade ball, there was an unmasking at midnight. Much like New Year's Eve, there was a countdown until midnight, when everyone then removed their mask.
Atypical of traditional masquerades, however, was another event that took place at midnight. After the masks were removed, "Time Warp" from the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" came over the speakers, and the crowd performed the dance, along with the music.
In addition to "Time Warp," the ball featured a variety of music. The music was intended to fit the mood of a traditional masquerade with somewhat of an eerie, circus feel. The play list also included traditional Halloween favorites like the "Monster Mash" and "The Addams Family Theme Song."
The Role Playing and Gaming Society typically organizes role playing games, including live action role playing and table top role playing games.
This masquerade, in part, was a venture outside usual activities for the club. "Hopefully," says Becky Adams, sophomore and president of the Role Playing and Gaming Society, "the point of the masquerade is to put ourselves out there to the rest of campus and prove that we're not just a bunch of dorks that sit around and roll dice all the time."