4 Pages ( Notably – the actress read from the 14 page script. I like that. Some actresses want as little to deal with as possible. Others appreciate supplemental material, like specific direction, examples, and audio examples, to really get into the part precisely as envisioned. She is one of the latter – and those are the most generous creative people- who deliver the most versatile performances. )

Voice style for this project: S’kerrah is generally a lower pitched, whispering, shadowy voice– Character Description: S’kerrah: ( Ess Care – Uh ) Pronounciations:Original ( fictional names) – S’Kerrah:( Ess Care – Uh ) Wikkoth:( Wick – Oth ( as inmoth)) Vocabulary words: Subterfuge:(suhb·tr·fyooj ) deceit used in order to achieve one’s goal.”he had to use subterfuge and bluff on many occasions”Eunuch:(yoo·nuhk ) a man who has been castrated, especially (in the past) one employed to guard the women’s living areas at an oriental court. an ineffectual person. “a nation of political eunuchs”Headsman:(hedz·muhn )a man who was responsible for beheading condemned prisoners.Podunk:[POH] + [DUNK] a hypothetical small town regarded as typically dull or insignificant.”she lived in a Podunk town notable for nothing except the girls’ school where she taught art”

Act II: The Wikkoth Key Keeper Scene 1: “ S’Kerrah’sSubterfuge”

Skerrah: “ Speak.”

[ Vocal Direction: said in an imperious, tone, slightly curt, and annoyed; the ennui of a leader, juggling many weighty tasks, with a lot at stake.

Skerrah: “Really? “

( said bemused, eye brows raised, expressing surprise at this unexpected datum; not in line with her or other’s previous concept of the obstacles facing them; a hint of relief, at the opportunities this development presents; slight eagerness and hopefulness in the tone.)

Skerrah:“ Subterfuge?.” ( said with a frown, as though expecting duplicity from this elder overseer, detecting the aura of her jealously , ambition, and loyalty to Suathra alone – and only out of fear. The tone implies, “ tell me more.”) “Explain.”

S’kerrah: “ I, see,..”

[ Vocal Direction: she contemplates her response, aware that this is sort of a ‘hazing’ process, from the elder Deathshook, testing the mettle of their new leader. With grim resolve, she steels herself for the dangerous mission.

Skerrah: “Very well, ..” ( said, heavy with heart, preoccupied, and taking a deep breath in proportion to the upcoming task)

“ Fail me,.. and you’ll see how dexterous I really am. “10 words.

(Vocal direction: first phrase with a punctuated higher volume and raised tone that drops “ Fail! me

“ with a pause, for a whispered, malevolent threat, that is delivered in a tone that is throaty, callous, and sober. Exposing the tip of the ice berg, on the fury awaiting whomever openly betrays her. ]18 words totalScene 5: “ Sleight of Heel”Voice style: Utilizing the mocking aspect, of your voice* for S’Kerrah’s repartee** with the Headsman and assistant Key Keeper.* (in samples when you are teasing men- speaking as though self-amused, by the awareness that men react to certain subjects, when you approach them from a place of innocence, and they nonetheless appear tantalized*) .

** definitions: repartee: conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies.”he had a quick mind and a splendid gift of repartee”*Definitions: Tantalize:torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.”such ambitious questions have long tantalized the world’s best thinkers” Excite the senses or desires of (someone). “she still tantalized him”

Skerrah: “Alright,,.. I’m here.” ( Vocal directions: Sounding like someone who has been hounded by an enthusiastic nerd, to come and witness their science project, and after doing all the more important things she had to do, finally comes over to see the Science project, with a tone that sounds like resigned to participate in what she expects to be a boring slideshow, which she will endure, only out of politeness. Not disguising her annoyance, because she is unconcerned what they think, and come to expect the mundane from them. First word: rising, then falling, like a sigh, stretched out over a 2 and a half second count second word: rising tone on ‘I’m” , rise, then falling like a sigh on ‘here’. )

S’Kerrah: “I bet every red-blooded male watching me right now, has an erection,.. “ ( Vocal directions: Said with facetious innocence, an observation from a woman that is pure, and didn’t know how men responded to aspects of her femininity*, till recently. A pixyish, statement, that is a direct confrontation – challenging the machismo of the 6 ft 8 380 lb Headsman **. Voice style, similar to the voice sample with the girl too shy to talk dirty. ** like ‘the mountain‘ in ‘Game of Thrones’ *( such as movement, tone of voice, speaking about certain things.) ]

S’Kerrah: “,.. but, unfortunately, …you’re not one of them,..”

(Vocal Directions: First two words, said as though she is musing, speaking her random thoughts aloud; to not telegraph the punchline, coming in the last 5 words; which she lowers her voice to a confidential hiss of a whisper. ) 23 words.

S’Kerrah: “,.. are you: ‘exe-cu-tion-er’ ; you’re a eunuch, aren’t you,..”

( Vocal directions: She says the first two words , in that mockery of whispered seductive voice, which sounds like a thinly vieled hiss from a cobra rearing to strike. Third word: she enunciates each syllable, with a tone that sounds like a scorned woman, disdainfully pronouncing the entire name of a child- ie,.. “ Joseph William Thomas, you come here, right this instant!!” – as though by enunciating each syllable, she is expressing he is the child, and she is the more experienced; her skills in the V’ Nakam Rytu, make his role look inferior.Last phrase: said callously, with condescension,.. her next punchline is also being set up, to come out of nowhere – which suits the S’kerrah; as an unpredictable, master of deception, and striking unexpectedly, like a force of nature. ‘eunuch’ is emphasized, first syllable 2 second count, slightly louder volume on the second syllable. For example: “ You’re a Traiiiiii- Tor!, aren’t you,..”

S’Kerrah: “ha,ha,ha,.. looks like someone already chopped off your head,… didn’t they, mate.”[ Vocal directions: S’Kerrah laughs, as though breaking character, to be honestly amused, at her own joke – The second phrase, a tone, that’s bright, and directly mocking, Third phrase, S’Kerrah shows she doesn’t take him seriously, asking him to agree with her; like she was talking to a drunk person in a bar. An egging someone on kind of tone. For example:“hey, ..you’re a difficult person, aren’t you,… aren’t you though?”22 words.Subtotal 45 words

S’Kerrah: “ I guess ‘feminine wiles’*,.. won’t get me out of this one,…. will they Headsman.”*definitions: wiles: devious or cunning stratagems employed in manipulating or persuading someone to do what one wants.”she didn’t employ any feminine wiles to capture his attention”[ Vocal directions: First 3 words said in an imitation of an over the top seductive tone, – rest of the first phrase, said, as though she lowered her tone to be huskier, and more of a seductive cooing whisper. ‘Feminine‘ is enunciated for a 2 sec count duration, ‘wiles‘ is said with a sultry tone, that sounds like ads for strip joints, – acting sardonic, deliberately irreverent, like a brat, teasing trollish obese men whom she has no respect for. Last 3 words are said like a jeer*; enunciating ‘heads’ of headsman, as though bringing attention to her previous mockery – referencing her statement, about him being a ‘eunuch’ – as the double entendre** when she says ‘headsman’, implying irony, from her vocalized charge that he was not a red-blooded male. *definitions: jeer: make rude and mocking remarks, typically in a loud voice.”some of the younger men jeered at him”** definitions: double entendre: a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.”he was unable to get through two consecutive sentences without a smutty double entendre”]

S’kerrah: “ Let’s get on with it.”( Vocal directions: said sort of like a whispered, mutter under her breath. Like an aside, not meant to be totally directed to the assistant, but more of a saying aloud of what she thinks about this scenario; sounding unconcerned, and like a bored heckler, speaking dead pan and annoyed, from boredom.*( meant to get a rise from the Executioner, to distract him from her upcoming sleight of hand ) ]19 words. 64 words subtotal

S’Kerrah:“ Hmmph,.. is that blade sharp enough? Looks sort of small.” (Vocal Directions: First word is a derisive expression – like an arrogant person in a market, snorting in a judging tone, not only implying the food is of low quality and bad taste, but an affront to the senses; worthy of retort. The second phrase, sounds like a mocking woman, talking to man who doesn’t seem to know how fix his car – casting shade: “ is that pencil sharp enough” said as a jibe to the academic games opponent, who has a dull pencil; question his competency. Eliciting a sense of doubt, in inadequacy in the Headsman.Third phrase: being in a rising tone ( like Jim Carrey, making a dynamic statement with comedic timing and juxtaposition of style) For example: “ Looks! sus-pic-ious.” followed by peevish tone, picking on the minutia of his flaws. )

S’kerrah: “ Will my hair be in the way? “ ( vocal directions: Said, sounding as though she has her hand over her head reaching back to make a pony tail, and has tilted her head 45 degrees forward so that the sound is going down away from the listener at that angle. She is affecting the facetious attitude of being extra obsequious* and compliant, starting a to sound seductive, increasing with the following phrases.)* definitions: obsequious: obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.”they were served by obsequious waiters”

S’kerrah: “My neck is muscular,..” (Vocal directions: leaning forward, voice sounding like it’s directed toward the ground, as someone would sound while talking, then bending their head down to flip their long hair forward. Said as an affirmation: “ I’m very smart.” “ I’m pretty good at racing.” – with a tone, conveying :” You can’t handle me; I am way out of your league. ”)

S’kerrah: “pretty,.. wide,..”( Vocal Directions: She has leaned forward, her cleavage, increases, catching the eyes of the nearby key keeping Wikkoth, whom she is trying to hustle*. There is pause between ‘pretty’ and ‘wide’ – which she says in an expansive enunciation of 3 sec; ]

S’kerrah: “,..at the base,..”[Vocal directions: She has lowered her tone to be a seductive, and slower, mesmerizing tone – a lingering, fore play tone, crescendos* after each word ‘at,.. ‘ ‘the,..’ ‘base,..’ , each with a half sec longer staccato. She has placed the deft heel of her left boot, into the belt of the assistant who is looking where her hands, have spread out, framing the area of her trapezius. Her head is tilted down at her chest, and her voice sounds like its pointing down.*definitions: crescendo: gradually increasing in loudness.”a short crescendo kettledrum roll”* ]

S’kerrah: “,..it might be hard to chop off my head,..”

( vocal directions: said like a girl talking to her boy friend about something he is trying to stubbornly *do the wrong way, but for the sake of his fragile male-ego, is speaking circumspectly about, to ‘suggest’ and lead him to discover it for himself; *demonstrating her intellect far exceeds these cro-magnons.

Observing the entire event as a spectator, without rancor, sees the bumbling efforts of these assistants – unlike the gravitas one would expect at the beginning of an execution. A form of social dominance, displaying she doesn’t feel threatened by them.)

S’kerrah: “ , with such a ,…puny axe- ha, ha, ha,”

[ vocal directions: First phrase: with a girlish eagerness to deliver the punchline. Trailing off, to covering her mouth and suppress giggling for a second -before continuing to the next phrase.

Second phrase: ‘ puny’ saidalmost like a double entendre for his ‘eunuch’ state, A mean, whispered tone. Emphasis on ‘puny’; a disparaging comment. Each syllable enunciated, 2 sec duration.

Third phrase: ( laughter) a condescending mean girl laugh. (Like a villainess; cackling, with malevolence’** *definitions: wiles: devious or cunning stratagems employed in manipulating or persuading someone to do what one wants. ** definitions: malevolence:showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious: “his eyes were glowing with malevolence”‘] ]43 words: Scene 5: 108 subtotal + Scene 3: 18 = 126 wordsScene Epilogue:

S’Kerrah: “ I’ll break his bones,..”[Vocal directions: She begins from a normal speaking voice, and slowly progresses, to full crescendo at the end of the sentence. In this phrase, she sounds devoid of emotion. Saying it like “ I’m going to drink some water.’

S’Kerrah: “,…one by one,…. until his screams,.. are replaced by gurgles. “[Vocal directions: She sounds more intense, the first phrase is said with rising fury, through clenched teeth, said slowly and deliberately paced, to be menacing.Second phrase, after a deep inhale, the following three words are said in a rising tone, ( like Al Pacino, abruptly increasing the volume; as though the increments of volume went from quiet, to louder than usual, implying his ‘Loud ‘ voice is twice as loud. Should inspire others to cower in fear.) Third Phrase: the volume decrescendos* slightly, the tone is similar to the beginning of the sentence.

S’Kerrah: “.. Slaughter the Wikkoth priests,….[Vocal directions: The volume increases abruptly, ( as before), for the first word. Then, in the Second phrase it Crescendos, even more volume than before; sounding like a cold hard challenge – a raise blade of steel. ]

S’Kerrah: “,.. like livestock,… and burn this podunk,..*** to ash!” [ Vocal directions: first phrase drops to a medium volume, relative to the first speaking voice. The last word of the first phrase is said mean, callous, and with derision**The second phrase, volume returns to the highest volume reached thus far, emphasis on ‘Burn!”, the last word said as though it were an ordinary word, that everyone knew, at the same intensity as the previous word ( this).The last phrase is said furiously, like getting rid of the last bits of resentment, and rage for being put in this situation, since the beginning of the mission; as though expressing sheer livid fury, which she feels, and has not expressed, previously, about the Elder Overseers machinations****.***definitions: podunk: a hypothetical small town regarded as typically dull or insignificant.“she lived in a Podunk town notable for nothing except the girls’ school where she taught art”** definitions: derision: contemptuous ridicule or mockery. “my stories were greeted with derision and disbelief”*definitions:decrescendos:  an indication to gradually decrease the volume of the music ****definitions: machination: noun a plot or scheme.]26 words:Excerpt Total: 150 words