Cipher Challenge
Before the Curtain Rises
This Challenge follows the backstage work required to coordinate scenery, props, lighting, sound, and performers during a theatrical production.
Ciphertext
R UWVMV WIRMCV EVCLMU XQMC EVYQPV KIV WOPKRLM FQBVU. TVULCMVPU TVWLTV DILWI DRXXU, YOPMLKOPV, HXRKYQPFU, RMT IRMT HPQHU FOUK VMKVP QP XVRBV, KIVM KIV HPQTOWKLQM KVRF DQPGU QOK DIVPV VRWI LKVF WRM DRLK. ERWGUKRCV UHRWV LU OUORXXA XLFLKVT. R XRPCV HLVWV KIRK XQQGU ULFHXV YPQF KIV ROTLVMWV FRA IRBV KQ YQXT, PQXX, YXA REQBV KIV UKRCV, QP UVHRPRKV LMKQ UVWKLQMU KQ HRUU KIPQOCI R TQQP. KIV UKRCV FRMRCVP KOPMU KIV HXRM LMKQ R UVNOVMWV QY WOVU. R WOV LU KLVT KQ RM QEUVPBREXV VBVMK, UOWI RU R XLMV, R FOULWRX EVRK, QP KIV WQFHXVKLQM QY RMQKIVP RWKLQM. XLCIKLMC, UQOMT, FRWILMVPA, RMT HVPYQPFVPU FRA RXX TVHVMT QM KIV URFV FQFVMK. WRXXLMC KQQ VRPXA WRM VSHQUV R FQBLMC UVK; WRXXLMC KQQ XRKV WRM XVRBV RM RWKQP DRLKLMC LM TRPGMVUU. KIV HPQFHK WQHA PVWQPTU KIV RCPVVT UVNOVMWV UQ KIV UIQD TQVU MQK TVHVMT QM FVFQPA RXQMV. WPVDU PVIVRPUV KIV HIAULWRX WIRMCV RK R UXQD HRWV EVYQPV RKKVFHKLMC HVPYQPFRMWV UHVVT. VRWI HVPUQM PVWVLBVU R PQOKV RMT R PVUHQMULELXLKA. UHLGVT FRPGU QM KIV YXQQP UIQD DIVPV UWVMVPA EVXQMCU, RMT XOFLMQOU KRHV FRA LTVMKLYA URYV VTCVU LM XQD XLCIK. HPQHU RPV HPVUVK LM WQMULUKVMK XQWRKLQMU RMT WIVWGVT RCRLMUK R XLUK. DIVM UVBVPRX HVQHXV FQBV R IVRBA OMLK, QMV HVPUQM CLBVU KIV WQFFRMTU UQ YQPWV LU RHHXLVT KQCVKIVP. YXALMC UWVMVPA PVNOLPVU HRPKLWOXRP TLUWLHXLMV. XLMVU, WQOMKVPDVLCIKU, FQKQPU, EPRGVU, RMT RKKRWIFVMK HQLMKU RPV LMUHVWKVT, RMT KIV RPVR EVXQD LU GVHK WXVRP. MQ QMV RUUOFVU KIRK R HLVWV QBVPIVRT LU URYV FVPVXA EVWROUV LK IRU WQFHXVKVT HPVBLQOU HVPYQPFRMWVU. WIRMCVU KQ UWVMVPA QP XQRTLMC RPV WQFFOMLWRKVT KQ KIV HVQHXV PVUHQMULEXV YQP KIV UAUKVF. VFVPCVMWA UKQHU RMT RXKVPMRKV HPQWVTOPVU RPV HPRWKLWVT EVYQPV KIVA RPV MVVTVT. WQUKOFV WIRMCVU, VMKPRMWVU, RMT VYYVWKU RTT KPRYYLW KQ KIV URFV MRPPQD HRUURCVU. R HVPYQPFVP FRA XVRBV QMV ULTV QY KIV UKRCV RMT MVVT KQ RHHVRP QM KIV QKIVP DLKILM FLMOKVU. TPVUUVPU RPPRMCV CRPFVMKU LM QPTVP, FLWPQHIQMVU RPV KPRMUYVPPVT, RMT TRFRCVT YRUKVMVPU RPV PVHRLPVT EVKDVVM UIQDU. NOLVK WQFFOMLWRKLQM FRKKVPU EVWROUV ERWGUKRCV MQLUV WRM PVRWI KIV ROTLVMWV QP FRUG RM LFHQPKRMK WOV. MQK VBVPA WIRMCV WRM HPQWVVT RU HXRMMVT. R DIVVX FRA ZRF, R HPQH FRA EV FLUULMC, QP RM RWKQP FRA EV TVXRAVT. KIV KVRF TVWLTVU LM RTBRMWV DILWI VXVFVMKU WRM EV QFLKKVT RMT DIQ IRU ROKIQPLKA KQ IQXT KIV HVPYQPFRMWV. VBVPAQMV FOUK GMQD KIV PVBLUVT HXRM. TOPLMC R HPQEXVF, UIQPK UKRMTRPTLJVT FVUURCVU RPV FQPV OUVYOX KIRM UVBVPRX HVQHXV QYYVPLMC VSHXRMRKLQMU RK QMWV. RYKVPDRPT, KIV WROUV RMT PVUHQMUV RPV RTTVT KQ KIV UIQD PVHQPK. DIVM KIV UVNOVMWV DQPGU, KIV ROTLVMWV UVVU R MVD HXRWV DLKIQOK UVVLMC KIV XREQP KIRK WPVRKVT LK. KIRK RHHRPVMK VRUV LU HPQTOWVT EA WRPVYOX XREVXLMC, PVHVRKVT WIVWGU, WXVRP ROKIQPLKA, RMT HPRWKLWV OMTVP KIV URFV WQMTLKLQMU RU KIV HVPYQPFRMWV. ERWGUKRCV WQQPTLMRKLQM LU XVUU REQOK UHVVT KIRM REQOK FRGLMC FRMA UFRXX RWKLQMU HPVTLWKREXV VMQOCI KQ IRHHVM URYVXA KQCVKIVP.