Name: Shush Mumzy
Gender: Female
Species: Earth Pony
Approximate age: 20
Picture and/or Description:
Spoiler: Shush with and without her makeup and mime outfit
Background:
Shush Mumzy grew up in a traveling circus, her father was a magician who taught her several tricks and encouraged her to make her own. Her mom walked the highwire, and while Shush always loved to watch, was too afraid of heights herself to be able to try it. She enjoyed life in the circus, and spent a lot of time with the other performers, learning about them and listening to them, even though she herself couldn't talk, the other ponies said that she was expressive enough without words. She learned to write at an early age, still needing to express herself through words when actions and impressions failed her at times. Despite her inability to speak, it never stopped Shush from making friends and enjoying life with those around her.
Being part of a traveling Circus, she got to travel and see many things her entire life. When she was very young, her parents took her to see some street performers, telling her about how ponies didn't act in just circuses, but there were theaters for other kinds of shows and performances that ponies did on street corners such as this. Shush loved the show, but became enamored with a type of clown she saw, one who did not make a sound even when he fell or was startled. She loved it that he didn't need to make a sound to make his performance great. It showed her that through expression and movement alone, she could show who she was and share ideas or fears. His movements and expressions were his voice, and she became determined to share her own voice in the same way. Her parents told her that he was called a mime.
Shush began to study miming almost immediately after seeing that performance, though she still practiced illusions and other tricks as well. Shush was soon able to participate in acts in the circus, and did her own act to draw in customers from the street. Over time she collected enough skills in miming, juggling, and illusions to have her own show in one of the smaller tents. Shush loved being part of the circus, but over time began to feel that she should travel on her own, knowing that while she was still learning at the circus, could learn to improve her act even more traveling on her own and learning from other ponies. Shush finally decided to leave the circus for a time, hoping to improve her skills and learn new tricks outside of that world. Shush recently made her way to Ponyville, and has set up camp just on the outskirts.
Personality: Shush is a little more reserved when not preforming, but isn't afraid to be out and about meeting new ponies. She enjoys learning about others professions and loves to do tricks and little acts to make ponies smile or laugh. She's adventurous by nature and is always interested in learning as many things as she can.
Cutie Mark:
Shush Mumzy's cutie mark is three stacked juggling balls, representing performance. Growing up in a traveling circus, she was constantly around other performers, not just her parents. She spent a lot of time learning magic tricks, and making up her own, with her father. She also spent a lot of time with the clowns, learning how to make ponies laugh. One day while everyone was getting ready for the next big show, she was out passing around fliers to advertise. Few ponies seemed to be taking them though, so she decided to practice some of the smaller magic tricks she'd been taught, and work on her juggling. While working on her juggling, a couple of ponies stopped to watch. Shush began to practice some magic tricks with the balls, making them “disappear” and causing them to seemingly float. Shush had soon gathered a small crowd of ponies and run out of fliers. She was so busy during her performance that she didn't notice until after she was done, and it was pointed out to her by one of the ponies who had first joined the crowd, that she'd gotten her cutie mark. Three juggling balls.
Use:
Both forum RP and Shoutbox RP
Other:
Shush carries a notepad and pencil with her in order to be able to communicate through words, and also has a notebook filled with preset phrases to quickly tell ponies things (such as her name) when they would have a hard time understanding her just through gestures. She has a small cart that she keeps her supplies in for her performances, which are a combination of miming and illusions, while throwing comedy into the show. When planning a long performance, she will often carry this cart with her. Otherwise she has saddlebags that she keeps her supplies in.
Shush cannot do actual magic but WILL be using illusions like we see in shows today. That means that some of her tricks will seem like magic and I will NOT be explaining how she does them, though I will be studying how some tricks are done in order to keep up with the character. There are some things that have been used in magic acts through the ages that could possibly conflict with equestrian technology. I will ask an RP mod before using them in any role play, but would prefer to keep as much of her performances in the illusionist area as secret as possible.