The Song of a Canary in Crisis

Phoenix Stage
1
Emu
That was great, you guys!
Our morning practice was so wonderhoy!
2
Tsukasa
Yes, it was.
I thought the scenes with your canary were particularly notable, Nene!
3
Tsukasa
You've captured your character's namesake cowardly nature very well!
4
Emu
Yeah, I thought so too!
The director always looks really grumpy, but he said your acting wasn't bad!
5
Rui
Staying up at night to practice seems to have been worth it.
6
Nene
...
7
Emu
Nene...
8
Rui
Is what he said about your singing bothering you...?
9
Nene
I was really happy when he praised my acting...
10
Nene
I knew that my acting still needed a lot of work and had to do my best as I practiced moving forward...
11
Nene
But I felt that I was able to produce some results today because all of you helped and gave me pointers.
12
Nene
It felt that way until...
13
Nene
Until I was told that my singing just “simply won't do”. That was a huge shock...
14
Tsukasa
Nene...
15
Emu
I bet it was...
16
Emu
You sang so beautifully, Nene...
And you've been putting more effort into this show than any we've done before.
17
Nene
Yeah...
18
Nene
I think I was feeling more confident about my singing than I realized...
19
Nene
That might've been why I was expecting to receive more comments about my acting compared to my singing...
20
Nene
I mean, I practiced my singing.
But if someone asked if I worked just as hard on it as I did with my acting, then probably not.
21
Nene
Even so, I'm practicing harder than I ever have for the real thing. But still...
22
Nene
Was I really that bad...?
23
Nene
(I've been worried ever since then...)
24
Nene
(Yes, I took a break for a while...
But I still should have more stage experience than most people my age.)
25
Nene
(And yet...)
26
Nene
(With each performance, Tsukasa just keeps getting better and better. Before I realized it, we were pretty much on the same level.)
27
Nene
(But that also has to do with me having a lot of confidence in my singing...)
28
Sakurako
You've proven that you may be worthy of being our rivals. But you'll need to maintain this standard for your next show!
29
Nene
(Seiryuin specifically acknowledged me for my singing. I became convinced that I was good at something. That I had talent...)
30
Nene
(Even though my acting still leaves a lot to be desired, I was sure that my singing would more than allow me to keep up with those two...)
31
Nene
(Maybe a little too sure...)
32
Nene
(But...)
33
Director
As for your singing, it simply won't do at this rate.
34
Nene
(I have to do something...)
35
Nene
(Because if I don't, my canary won't come to life. Not only that...)
36
Nene
(My dream of becoming...)
37
Rui
Nene, are you okay?
38
Nene
...
39
Nene
I don't wanna put on a half-baked performance...
40
Emu
What?
41
Nene
Emu's right.
To me, singing means everything...
42
Nene
It was the one thing I thought I was good at. My only talent. So...
43
Nene
So...
44
Nene
I need to figure out something before the show...
45
Nene
I have to find a solution...
A way to really sing like a canary...!
46
Tsukasa
Nene...
47
Nene
(My acting is at best average.)
48
Nene
(I'm keenly aware of that fact.
Which is why I've been working so hard on other things to make up for it. Still...)
49
Nene
(My singing...)
50
Nene
(I don't wanna lose to anyone there. So...)
51
Nene
(I have to do everything I can.)
52
Nene
Sorry, you guys!
53
Emu
Wait, Nene, where are you going...?
54
Nene
E-Excuse me, sir... I apologize for disturbing you during your break! I was hoping to discuss what you told me just now...
55
Nene
When you said my singing “sticks out”, what did you mean exactly?
56
Rui
She certainly seems motivated...
57
Tsukasa
Yes, she does.
58
Rui
However, it is nice to have someone comment on her singing.
59
Rui
To be honest, I don't really know how to criticize someone's singing since I'm not all that knowledgeable.
60
Tsukasa
That's understandable. If anything, Nene was essentially our troupe's singing instructor.
61
Emu
I mean, she's easily the best singer out of all of us!
62
Rui
Very true. But the Phoenix Stage places an emphasis on both singing and acting...
63
Rui
Unlike when we put on shows by ourselves, we have an opportunity to work with some experts.
64
Rui
It's a chance to learn things that we normally wouldn't.
65
Emu
Oh...
66
Rui
Nene stands to grow quite a bit through this show.
67
Emu
Yeah...
68
Emu
Nene has been practicing super-duper hard for this show.
69
Emu
Which means she's gonna sing really, really, reeaally amazing during the show and become an extra special Nene!
70
Tsukasa
Yes...
71
Tsukasa
We can only provide her with some words of encouragement, but let's help her however we can. Then...
72
Tsukasa
We can look forward to hearing just how much more beautiful the Cowardly Canary's birdsong will become!
73
Emu
Yeah!
Several dozen minutes later
74
Director
Okay, let's begin our afternoon practice.
75
Director
Let's pick up from where we left off. The scene by the lake...
76
Nene
(I'm glad I was able to talk with the director during our break.)
77
Nene
(Still...)
78
Director
Frankly, Kusanagi, you're just not seeing the big picture for this show.
79
Nene
The big picture...?
80
Director
As I mentioned earlier, your singing sticks out.
81
Director
If it were you singing alone up there on stage, Kusanagi, you would undoubtedly be able to put on a moving performance.
82
Director
However, it would not be as the Cowardly Canary...
83
Director
But as Nene Kusanagi.
84
Nene
...
85
Director
Unless you change the way you sing, the scene where the canary sings will not be a scene from “The Happy Phoenix” but your own personal recital.
86
Nene
Wait, what you're saying is...
87
Nene
The way I sing could end up completely ruining our show...?
88
Director
Precisely.
89
Director
This isn't going to be an easy problem to solve since it will likely involve breaking some old habits.
90
Director
However, becoming aware of such habits is difficult. For as long as you remember, they were probably what your mind considered “normal” or “right”.
91
Director
This process can take quite a toll...
But if you wish to keep moving forward, you'll need to start by figuring out what your habits are.
92
Nene
(I never thought to see things from that sort of perspective until now. I always thought that my singing style suited me really well...)
93
Nene
(But...)
94
Director
However, becoming aware of such habits is difficult. For as long as you remember, they were probably what your mind considered “normal” or “right”.
95
Nene
(If the way I sing now may ruin the show, then...)
96
Cast Members
Oh, they're starting.
I can't wait to see the scene with the Great Eagle.
97
Cast Members
Yeah, me neither.
98
Nene
Huh...?
99
Omori
“Now, my friends, hear me sing.
Your eyes shall glimmer with hope as I bestow upon you the courage to rise!”
100
Omori
“And dance up a storm!
Until the gloomy shroud over this forest is lifted!”
101
Omori
“♪————~~!”
102
Nene
...!
Next Chapter: What Goes Into A Show