CASTING CALL for Open Thread: The Bowery

This is an experiment.

I'm interested in starting a thread set in the Bowery -- New York's tenement district in the 1890s. Granted, it lacks the glamor of the ever-popular prince/princess, Lord/serving girl, rich heiress threads. This would be a hive of struggling humans trying to keep their heads above the water in a crowded city. But, then, if Charlie Chaplin could produce sweet, romantic images on film of two hoboes sharing dinner out of an old tin can, then maybe this could work, too.

Please consider joining if you're willing to get your hands a little gritty Familiar faces are welcome, but any newbies who are lurking and waiting for another open thread to come along are doubly encouraged to leap into the fray.

And here is where the experiment comes in -- what I've started here is a kind of "platform" or "holding pen" where people can assemble and introduce themselves during the course of the next week. The introductions can include:

- Details about your character
- Preferences about how frequently you post
- Pet peeves
- Your personal interests
- What you may be looking for in a posting partner

The thread won't start for a week, giving people a chance to pair up (or triple up -- and these are initial pairings, things can always change)

Social chat is fine here, too -- whatever it takes to make everyone feel comfortable together, overcome shyness, etc.

At the end of a week, if anyone has expessed interest, what we'll hopefully establish is:

- A plot or a few plots
- Rules of play (basic courtesy, really) to be determined by the preferences/peeves/limits of any players who join in

For now, there is no plot. And no nitpicky demand to be 100% accurate with history, although do try to recognize some limits (people in the Bowery were poor, often immigrants who didn't speak English or know America that well -- don't have them drinking champagne and going out to dinner, please). Feel free to explore your own imaginations.

If anyone has questions, feel free to pm me. Or feel free to post them publicly here.

I'll add another post later to flesh out the setting a little.

Cheers,
AriO

The Setting and the Characters

The Bowery was a neighborhood teeming and multiplying with life as wave after wave of immigrants arrived in New York's lower east side and crowded into tenements with apartments separated by such thin walls that people could hear everything their neighbors did: the fighting, the fucking, the crying babies, the rowdy carousing when there was something to celebrate.

Ties of family were close, but at the same time people worked as hard as they could to get out. Men sweated down on the docks and in factories, women sweated in the garment shops or ventured into the theaters, earning a living on the stage and just as often in someone's bed.

Sordid, perhaps, but not completely inhuman. There was misery but also affection. Choices were limited but not nonexistent. Money was tight, but this didn't always mean suffering (although, all too often, it did). And still, people lived.

Many of them drawn to this city by the hope of a better life; just as many wishing they could escape it once they'd seen it up close. And...on a good day....finding someone to take comfort with.

As of April 10, 2004, our character list is:

Females:
Arioso -- playing Tatiana Ivanov, 23, Russian, cook in a restaurant. Posting: Usually daily and weekends.
Jessalynvix -- playing Nita Dewolf, German, housekeeper. Posting: Daily
cati -- playing Karina Maki (Riihimaki), 26, Finnish, widowed with a son (Mikko), runs a bakery kiosk by day, whores at night
Lady Mel -- playing Andria, sells produce

Males:
Prometheus -- playing Olaf Peterson, or Ole, of Swedish origin, 30-45 (is this age still right?), will start out as a dock worker. Posting: 2-3 posts per week, no weekends.
DustyWolfe -- playing Petruska Sarkov, 23, Czech. Posting: Anytime except early in the day.
Greyknight -- playing Johann Grundemann, of German origin (but born in the Bowery), 24, dockworker for the past 8 years. Posting: 3-4 times per week.
Rockin Roland -- playing Dieter, a tavernkeeper settled in the "New Land" for about 12 years. Posting: Usually daily or every other day.
Subo -- Johann Zimmer, German origin, 40, rental agent who collects rent on behalf of the bank and absentee landlords.

Pairings that seem to be in the works thus far:

Jessalynvix and Dustywolfe
Lady Mel has expressed interest in Greyknight.
All others, to my knowledge, are still up for grabs!

Our setting will be an outdoor street market, although of course once we all get settled, we can definitely embellish at will.

I'd like to take part in this story.

My character: male 30-45, sweedish background. married or in a relationship. maybe with someone from different ethnic background to create some tension. could do a triangle plot, some humor, lots of feelings.

posting schedule: two-three time a week no weekends,

Pet peeves: one line posts, crude language when it's not in character. excessive violence and degradation if it's not in character.

Personal interests: building a story with sex in it, not a story built around sex.

lots of feelings and dialog.

Posting partner:female(s) that aren't' afraid to put some words in my characters mouth so that the story moves smoothly, and who will accept same from me. Someone who will challenge me to compliment her post and who will enjoy the same challenge from me.

Take all this with a grain of salt, I'm easy

Prometheus2

Welcome Prometheus!

Sweetie, don't say things like "I'm easy"...you'll get me all hot and bothered

Thanks for jumping into the game with a possibility for a great character I love the flexibility you've left, as well as your straightforward explanation of hopes, likes, and dislikes.

In the spirit of adding to the list (and keeping you company...watch out, my hands tend to wander ), this is my idea for a character:

CHARACTER:
Female, 20-25, just off the boat from Russia and with very little English. Will most likely be looking for work wherever she can (garment making, cook for a household or restaurant, housekeeping in a hotel, etc.). Has arrived with her parents, grandparents, and numerous siblings, so the apartment will be crowded.

My interest is to explore how a story can unfold within certain constraints. The lack of English will make communicating a challenge (here I'm borrowing from a thread that another SRP player, McKenna, developed that involved a romance between two people who didn't share the same language). I'd love to play around with developing an attraction or budding interest completely without dialogue. Actions, not words.

And the large family crammed into a small apartment will make any sexual encounters a huge challenge Since I'm not into the incest gig.

FREQUENCY OF POSTS: I'm also in the 2-3 times per week category. Weekends are good for me, can often get in some posts then. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the hectic, won't have any time for Lit days.

PET PEEVES: Ditto on the one-line posts. I'm not a fan of someone else writing too many words into my character's mouth, and I feel rather awkward writing words/action for someone else's character, but this becomes less of a problem as I get to know someone. I get sick to my stomach at humiliation. But the number one pet peeve is a writing partner who up and disappears without warning for weeks at a time. That's just plain rude.

POSTING PARTNER: Prefer male but will also consider writing with a woman if we click. I value above all else someone who is good with the mutual respect thing and who doesn't have any hidden agendas about making my character do things that I've said I don't want to do. Would love someone who has a taste for vivid imagery and rich description.

But like you, Prometheus, I hope I can be flexible

Looking forward to seeing if we have any other takers

" . I'd love to play around with developing an attraction or budding interest completely without dialogue. Actions, not words. "

Click to expand...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hmmmm.... Show not tell, could prove to be very interesting especially with a tall blonde Swede just come down from the mountains. ufda,

Hee hee

My dear, with a tall blonde Swede just down from the mountains, I think show AND tell would prove even more interesting


AriO

.

* Bumping for the daydreamers *

Hi McK, Love to have you join us, we'll promise to take it slow. any others out there?

"Female, 20-25, just off the boat from Russia and with very little English. Will most likely be looking for work wherever she can (garment making, cook for a household or restaurant, housekeeping in a hotel, etc.)."

Click to expand...

and she's flexable folks, what more could one want...... get in here!

I'd like to give this a go lol.

Let's see my character's name is Nita Dewolf she is in her very early twenties though if you look at her you would think she should be at home safe and sound tucked away from anything bad. She has been in the bowry for about 2 or 3 years her english is improving but German is her first langage she cleans the rich people's houses to help keep her family in there home. At this point in time she is trying to keep from turning into a woman she would hate herself for being to keep her family in there home since she is the sole support since her family keeps loosing their jobs because they are being made the scap goats.

Posting
I'm around daily so if there is a need I can post otherwise I'm easy going on that.


Pet peeves I don't like to many words or actions being put into my characters mouth and yes the just up and leaving is annoying.


What you may be looking for in a posting partner
I'm not sure yet I've not written with all that many men in the past could prove interesting I suppose I will just sit back and see what happens.

Welcome Jess!

Woo hoo! Another lady Ex-sssssssssssssss-cellent!

Jess, it's an absolute delight to have you join us here. Please make yourself at home And if you know anyone else who might want to join in, please hound them!

Like this...

MCKENNA!! What's the idea of staying on the sidelines when you could jump in the game, darling? Surely you're not going to keep all that talent bottled up?



Prometheus....how you doin' today? Set any fires lately?

Okay all you lurkers....who else is ready to come play?

Cheers,
AriO

Good morning AriO, no fires ..yet I even managed to make toast without burning it .

Welcome Jess, looks like we got us a triangle

Now if McK were here we'd have a quarterly quartet of quardangularly quatrains.

thank you both and hehe I have Dusty waiting to set up a character

If I may.....

Rob is a 23 year old Chzekoslavakian immigrant whom has been in the United States for several years. He has many secrets, but those will be unraveled and revealed as the threads gets starts. (I dont kiss and tell ) Okay, got to stop myself before I write too much lol

Posting.... I can post anytime except early in the day.

Hmmm... I don't mind someone putting words or actions into my character's mouth to move a scene along, because I hate being at a stand still in a scene. It annoys the hell out of me.

Pet peeves: Excessive violence and bad language. Degradation and the like is just uncalled for...

Posting partner: I prefer female of course.... and from the looks of it I might get that

Dropping a line

Saying hello and I'm interested in joining. If that's alright with everyone already welcomed.
Interests include vivid writing and a fertile imagination. I don't mind putting words in my char mouth as long as it's not too many. Dislikes include the one liners,bad language unless called for in the post,and put downs. But not too much else.

I post about 3-4 times a week usually early in the morning. Only bad days for me are Sun,Mon,and Tues.
As for a posting partner I have no preference except someone that will write. I try to answer as soon as I possibly can.

Character:
20-30 year old male born and raised in the bowery. German parents and many siblings. He knows more english than his parents and sibs. Works down on the docks trying to make ends meet and find his own way.

me too please...

Count me in as a Scandinavian prostitute please...always need those ! Details to come.

Woo hoo! Welcome Greyknight and cati

Fan-tabulous!

Greyknight, your character sounds simply wonderful -- I like the second-generation twist.

And cati, indeed, please help us increase the number of Scandinavian prostitutes touring the Bowery! You can never have too many

A hearty welcome to all....soon we can start talking about potential plots, and whether or not we want the action to take place in one tenement building that all these folks live in, or on a particular block in the neighborhood, or find some other setting where our characters mix and mingle.

What do people like, anyway? Close quarters? Or the chance to wander out through the streets?

Cheers,
AriO

A hearty welcome to Dusty, Grayknight and cati That makes six, a sexy sextet.

welcome welcome to the newcomers


Well... How about... hmmm a street market? People have to eat and buy things, even it's a bag of rice....

Or a tavern.... or boxing match (they had alot of those back then, lots of gambling and such)

I am very new to this, I have never posted but have been reading several threads. May I join in also?

This is a brilliant beginning, AriO. An original, like you.

To be realistic, I'm ideally suited to play a character who explains her past, becomes aroused by a man, licks her lips - and then gets flattened by a stray meteorite. In other words, I'm sustainable-relationship-challenged. A Lit rarity, to be sure.



I'll be watching, though. You kids play nice.


Edited to add: Welcome, Lady Mel. Stop by Rick's Rooftop where the first drink is free; after that, I recommend just running a tab. The owners, Hunting Tiger and Ariosto (that's with a "t," not to be confused with Arioso who started this thread) rarely attempt to collect, and the bartender Turk is a basically a man-shaped hunk of testosterone with a blender and carved abs.

Welcome Lady Mel!

Woo hoo! A real live, honest-to-goodness de-lurker

Please do come right in...make yourself at home...get acquainted with the gang. shereads is our resident social facilitator and conversationalist extraordinaire. And she looks real mean in a leather, back-laced corset, too

Feel free to introduce a character when you're ready. And eventually, the gang can decide if we want to set up a central plot, a scene setting, or just dive in.

Cheers,
AriO

Don't forget his shiny dome shaped head, shereads. One look at his head, and I'm a pool of wetness.

AriO, this thread looks promising. I only wish I had more time on my hands, so I may join you, ermm I mean, join your thread.

<waving hello to all the participants>

I'll just join McKenna on the sidelines and cheer you on. Should I wear my cheerleader's skirt?

Welcome to the newbie. Im really excited about this story thread as well. Market sounds good..hmm maybe a marketeer/prostitute?

My character's name is Karina. Works a bakery kiosk in the market by day. Whores at night to supplement her income. She has a young son of two years. Lives with a cousin and her family. She is kind, with the classic heart of gold, but ruthless when she needs to be. She is also a money lender.

My character is a slender brunette in her early 30's her name is Andria, she works in the Market with her brother selling produce. She longs to meet a young man to fall in love with and she dreams of making a name for herself, yet share her passions and dreams with someone. She finds herself being a shy woman with hidden passions just waiting to be surfaced by the right man. Will she ever find one to sweep her off her feet????

Greyknight would u like to pair up?

To market....to market!

Great idea, Dusty

It allows for a little hustle and bustle, plenty of opportunities for contacts, exchanges, fleeting glances, flirtations.....ahhhhh, such a delight to be surrounded by all you creative folks!

As for you, Ms. chanaud...

::narrowing my eyes suspiciously::

you, sitting on the sidelines in a short little cheerleader's skirt...with McKenna? Now how do we know that there won't be any hanky panky? Especially since you keep mentioning Turk's sexy dome Now, if I see him show up here outside of Rick's, I'll know something suspicious is going on!

Cheers,
AriO