Masquerade of Shadows: Main Story (Part One) + The Symbolism Cabinet
- Mickey Fingers
- 19 hours ago
- 12 min read
And a Remembrance Wrapped in Song: “In Pieces” (Remastered)
Welcome back to Mickey’s Corner, darlings.
This week, the curtain lifts on the Main Story of Masquerade of Shadows, our dark fairytale cabaret ... page by page, track by track.
We’re sharing the first half of the storybook zine today, paired with a Symbolism Cabinet full of hidden meanings, mirrored truths, and lyric-woven secrets. No art yet; But there are spoilers ... just the delicious, dreadful unraveling of the show’s first day.
🖤 Also featured this week:
💔 In Pieces (Remastered) ... our raw, grieving single in memory of Mikey
📻 A new Eclectic Wonderland radio show: “In Pieces: Broken Things & Beautiful Hearts”
🎁 And a whisper of what’s coming for the holidays…
🕯️ Back in the Dark Fairytale: Main Story, Part One
We’re back in the velvet-draped world of Masquerade of Shadows... a dark cabaret fairytale stitched together with song, shadow, and soul. This week, we’re unveiling Tracks 1–16, the first half of the Main Story, the section that follows the Prelude in Velvet. Think: those classic storybook albums you’d spin on a rainy afternoon, square and sacred, with tales unfolding as the record crackled.
What’s Inside:
🎭 Main Story, Part One — narrative slices that pair with Tracks 1–16 of the album
🗝️ The Symbolism Cabinet — a companion archive of symbols, story clues, and hidden threads
📚 Linked Reading Flow — full guide below to the Prelude in Velvet, The Playbill, and Masquerade of Shadows album
💿 Bonus: We’ve embedded clickable albums so you can listen while you read... just like the old days, only gothier and giddier.
How to Read It:
This is a sneak-peek zine edition... perfect for following the story while we finish the final art and layout.
🪞 Mirror Format: Each track gets a double-page spread, one page with time of day, location, characters, and symbolic art notes, and one page with the story text
🎨 The final book will feature full illustrated art + a highlighted lyric opposite each story page, printed in that iconic 8.5” x 8.5” square format
🎭 TRACK-BY-TRACK ... THE STORY BEGINS
Masquerade of Shadows opens with a whimsical overture and ends with a cracked mirror, a waltz, and a whispered promise. In between, we move through nightmares and dreams, chapel bells and cabaret spells, whispering lullabies and haunted confessionals.
The songs are arranged as one continuous musical journey, each track builds upon the next, unfolding over a few twilight days and one ill-fated séance. The cast and chorus voices shift as the curtain lifts, revealing one secret at a time.
This first zine includes Tracks 1–16, covering Day One through Three of the Masquerade timeline. The second half (Tracks 17–34) will be released in next week’s zine drop.
Each entry includes:
The track title and timecode
A scene summary
The main characters present
A notable quote or lyric
A short logline
A suggested time-of-day or mood
This portion of the story includes:
The Picnic Scene
The Stitch & Bitch
The Charity Ball
The Puppet Master’s first appearance
The Queen’s mirror trap
The First Séance and “The Truth Beneath the Rug”
⚠️ Spoilers included: these are designed as a companion to the full album. The final book will include illustrated versions of each scene.
🎭 The Symbolism Cabinet
“Every mirror has a crack. Every string has a blood-knot. Every story has a symbol buried in the floorboards.”
This special companion section is your curator’s cabinet of metaphor and meaning, a cryptic visual guide to the world behind the curtain. While the zines focus on story, this bonus section invites you into the symbology of Masquerade of Shadows.
These motifs appear throughout the lyrics, the book, and the story art, layered with intentional meaning, both overt and hidden. Some are magical, others psychological. Some you’ll spot immediately… and some will only reveal themselves the second or third time through.
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This section includes direct references to plot points, reveals, and metaphorical meaning from Masquerade of Shadows. If you haven’t read the story yet, consider this your invitation to return later. (Or keep going if you’re like us and love a good peek behind the curtain.) (Link For More Below: SPOILER ALERT!)
🕯️🔥 Symbolism Cabinet Contents
Below are selected symbols from the book’s Symbolism Cabinet. For the complete illustrated version (with headers, quotes, and art prompts), Purchase the full book after release or visit GALAVIOLET.COM
(Spoiler Free Version Below)
1. The Mirror
Represents perception, illusion, and self-image.
Used by the Puppet Master to manipulate memory and desire.
Symbolic of internalized blame, dissociation, and the shattering moment of clarity.
Shattered Mirrors & Reflections Identity, illusion, and self-awareness. Mirrors show who you are… or who someone wants you to be. Celeste’s mirror becomes a battleground, with Petal’s shard as the catalyst for truth.
2. Thread & Strings
Represents control, legacy, fate, and trauma.
Red thread = ancestral trauma / manipulation.
Cut strings = personal awakening and reclamation of self.
Puppet Strings & Blood-Thread Control, trauma, inheritance. The Puppet Master’s strings aren’t just tools... they’re blood-bound, tangled in generational pain, secrets, and survival. Every character either fights them, pulls them, or learns to sever them.
3. Music Boxes
Capture the lullabies of the ghost girls.
Symbolize innocence, repetition, lost voices.
Destroying them is an act of release and defiance.
Stolen voices, trapped souls. The Queen uses them to silence the ghost girls’ lullabies, preserving youth, beauty, and pain for her own vanity. The music boxes are both relic and warning.
4. Masks
Explore identity, roles, and the persona we adopt for survival.
The Puppet Master’s half-mask reveals and conceals intent.
The final act unmasks the deeper truths of each character.
More than disguise, they’re survival, religion, hierarchy. The Queen and the Elites hide their sins behind ceremonial masks, reinforcing a false virtue. The Puppet Master’s half-mask reveals and conceals. The final act unravels the masks each character wears, by force, by fire, or by choice.
5. Curtain / Tent
The line between story and audience, illusion and truth.
The tent is the stage of manipulation, but also revelation.
Final line: “The curtain doesn’t close without him.”
6. The Promised Circle (The Six)
Celeste, Beauregard, Charlotte, Violet, Jasper, Thorne.
Represents chosen family, broken trust, and found voice.
The reunion signifies breaking the cycle and reclaiming truth.
7. The Queen’s Funeral Dress
Passed through many hands: burden, beauty, control.
Hidden poisons and tears stitched into its seams.
Represents inherited trauma and the illusion of virtue.
8. Ghost Girls’ Lullabies
Fragments of truth whispered through sound and dreams.
Each lullaby is a memory locked in a loop until released.
Echo through multiple tracks as warnings and laments.
9. The Velvet Escape
A term for dissociation, fantasy, and the false comfort of illusion.
The Puppet Master uses it to seduce the six back into sleep.
Beauregard rejects it in the final act.
10. Twin Flame Waltz
Represents the soul’s mirrored truth and earned love.
The track marks the emotional and narrative climax.
Danced in full presence, not fantasy... a real love earned through fire.
11. Sealed Scrolls & Hidden Letters {Extras & Sunday With The Puppet Master}
Truths that were never supposed to be read. Messages sealed in secrecy...
love letters, Sunday letters, confessions, scattered like breadcrumbs. Some open doors. Others burn bridges.
💠 More symbols appear throughout the book, including:
👑 SYMBOLIC ROLES
1. Saints & Sinners:
Icons of reverence… or corruption. Saint imagery is weaponized by the elite to sanctify control. But true sanctity is found in rebellion, confession, and the honest reclaiming of one’s story.
2. The Crown:
Not just royalty, it’s the weight of power, legacy, and manipulation. The Queen wears hers in mourning and pride. The Six must decide if they’ll inherit the throne, or destroy it.
3. The Promised Circle:
The original dream. Six friends, six gifts, one bond. Their childhood promise is the only thread strong enough to withstand the unraveling... if they choose it.
🌒 HIDDEN CODES & WHISPERS
4. Petal’s Mirror Shard:
The turning point. A final act of love, sacrifice, and defiance. Left behind in Celeste’s dressing room .. a portal and a weapon.
5. Sunday Letters: {Extras & Sunday With The Puppet Master}Written in the hum between worlds. These messages live on the edge of consciousness, from one who was once possessed to one who remembers. Some may be addressed to you.
6. Blood-Thread Puppets:
Ritual dolls tied to control spells. Some are literal. Some… are us. Especially in the tent.
7. The Voice Beneath the Floorboards:
An echo, a secret, a warning. Heard only when the room goes still. Is it yours? Or his?
(Link For More Below: SPOILER ALERT!)
🖇️ [LINK TO SYMBOLISM CABINET]
📚 READ, LISTEN, EXPLORE
You can read the new zine drop now — Main Story, Part One (Tracks 1–16) — and peek inside the Symbolism Cabinet, where we’ve started unpacking the hidden meanings behind key scenes, characters, and lyrics.
🌀 Spoiler Note: The Symbolism Cabinet contains raw symbolic breakdowns from the book — including mirror lore, Puppet Master cues, and ghost girl details — so read it after the zine if you prefer to go spoiler-free.
✨ This Week’s Links
🎟️ Playbill (Credits + Cast)
Full album credits, character pairings, Puppet Master clues, and story fragments from the cast & crew.
📖 Prelude in Velvet (Pre-Story)
The first chapter in the Masquerade book. Meet the Promised Circle, the Queen, and the first mirror left behind.
🎭 Main Story, Part One (Zine)
Read the Zine » (Tracks 1–16)
First half of the Masquerade musical. Follow the picnic, the puppet’s escape, the Queen’s seduction, and the secrets beneath the rug.
🗝️ Symbolism Cabinet
From cursed music boxes to cracked reflections — explore the recurring symbols woven into the story and sound.
🎼Libretto Character Parts & Lyrics»
🎼 “In Pieces” — A Song for Mikey 💔
This week, we’re releasing a remastered version of Gala Violet’s “In Pieces” in loving memory of Mikey — Tea's baby brother
Mikey left us in 2016, the kind of loss that shakes your soul loose and rearranges your insides. For years, I didn’t have the words to even begin to process it. But this song… this one has been there in the background the whole time... evolving alongside my grief, healing, rage, surrender, and love.
The original demo was born out of a breakdown. I remember sobbing in my car, trying to explain the unexplainable to someone who’d never felt that kind of loss. I blurted out: “I just don’t want to be here if he can’t be.” And instead of judgment, I was held.. by music, by breath, by grace. That’s when the melody came through. That’s when the words started pouring in.
“I’m not ok, but I’m not done.”
“If I can still sing, then I’m still here.”
“And maybe that’s enough.”
💿 “In Pieces (Remastered)” is cleaner now, less raw than the original but still tender. We used the new mastering template from Masquerade of Shadows to make sure the shimmer was balanced and the bass didn’t swallow the nuance. It’s imperfect. But it’s real. And it’s honest. And for me... that’s sacred.
I don’t know what you’re carrying, dear reader. But if you’ve lost someone… if your grief still breathes beside you some days… if you’ve ever yelled into the void and felt nothing echo back… I hope this song gives you even a sliver of space to fall apart and still stay. To be held. Even in pieces.
🕊️ Available Friday, Nov. 14 on DistroKid.
A special thank you to Michael, who encouraged me to remaster this track and reminded me how needed it is. Thank you to Mickey Fingers for helping mix the original and to Gala Violet for always being my outlet when the words are too much.
-Tea
📻 ECLECTIC WONDERLAND RADIO SHOW:
“In Pieces: Broken Things & Beautiful Hearts”
WDRT 91.9FM • Nov 12, 2025
This week’s episode is a love letter to the broken and beautiful... a radio show about grief, addiction, memory, and music as medicine. Featuring the remastered In Pieces and a closing set for Mikey
🎄 UPCOMING: GALA VIOLET HOLIDAY SAMPLER
🎁 “Two Shots of Nog & a Shame Spiral” – Out Black Friday
Yes, darlings. We’ve got something absurd, jazzy, and wickedly nostalgic cooking for the holidays. A Dysfunctional Holiday Sampler with original tracks like:
🎤 “Merry Whatever, You Filthy Animal”
🎤 “Let’s Hook Up Again (Like We Did at the Christmas Party)”
💋 Coming soon to all streaming services.
Stay tuned for mistletoe mischief and barstool blues.
🪄 NEXT WEEK IN MICKEY’S CORNER:
📚 Masquerade of Shadows – Main Story, Part Two (Tracks 17–33)
🎭 Character Stories (More Spoilers)
🎼 Mixtape Spotlight: The Turkey Drop!
🖤 More holiday chaos
🎭 Links + Listen
A fairytale unwinds best in order…
Ready to enter the tent? Below are the recommended chapters and listening guides to fully experience Masquerade of Shadows the way it was designed...
as a dark cabaret storybook set to music.
These are zine-format previews of the final book. Bookmark and follow along as we release each section. The album is fully streaming now, listen track-by-track as you read, or take it in like a theatre performance.
📖 Story Sections (Zines)
1. The Playbill
A full show bill: meet the Promise Circle, the ghosts, the Queen, the Puppet Master… and the team that brought them to life.
2. Prelude in Velvet
Where it begins: the dream, the loss, the tent, the velvet. One crack in the mask and it all begins to bleed.
3. Main Story, Part One
From the Dreamkeeper’s Spell to the séance behind the curtain. Follow the first half of the musical scene by scene.
4. Symbolism Cabinet
Mirror shards, sealed scrolls, blood-thread puppets, saints, masks, and more... decoded in one place.
5. The Libretto (Lyrics)
Every word sung, spoken, or whispered. Includes full album lyrics with character voices labeled, scene numbers, and highlighted refrains. This version matches the final Book layout, not the DistroKid version.
(More coming soon: Part Two, Character Stories, Post-Story, Sunday with the Puppet Master…)
🎧 Music Links
Listen to the Album:
[🔗 Bandcamp]
Featured Singles:
– “Twin Flame Waltz”
Listen To The Full Album
Every track. Every ghost.
All 34 songs in sequence... from the flicker of the first flame to the final broken mirror.
Whether you listen on the chaise longue, on a midnight drive, or in your ritual bath of glitter and defiance, this is the complete Masquerade.
Clickable Albums
🎵 Masquerade of Shadows (Full Album)
🎵 Singles: Picnic for the Wicked, Mirror Mirror (On the Ceiling), Boom Boom Boom
(Album covers embedded, each one clickable.)
Playbill Video
This isn’t just a title sequence ...
It’s a conjuring.
A flicker of candlelight…
The curtain drawn back just enough to tempt you forward.
We wanted it to feel like the record storybooks of our childhood ... with shadow puppets, flickering text, and a whisper of danger.
Behind the Scenes:
📰 Mickey’s Corner: Making of Masquerade of Shadows
🎙️ Eclectic Wonderland Radio Specials:
[🔗 Indie-Fy (Babbling Buffoon )]
[+ Turkey Drop)] ← next week’s feature!
✨ Final Notes + What’s Next
The mirror cracked, but the story sings on…
Masquerade of Shadows is more than a musical. It’s a spell, a seance, and a love letter to anyone who has ever tried to break free from the roles they were assigned. These sneak-peek zines are just the beginning.
What you’ve seen so far:
The Pre‑Story: a tale of longing, betrayal, and prophecy, whispered before the curtain rises
The Main Story, Part One: the first 16 tracks, and the six dreamers caught in a game they didn’t design
The Symbolism Cabinet: decoded motifs, sacred objects, and the mythos behind the masquerade
The Playbill + Lyrics: cast, creators, and the complete lyrical script that carries the show
🖤 But the curtain doesn’t close without him…
Coming next:
Main Story, Part Two: Tracks 17–34, including the reveal of the Puppet Master and the unraveling of the spell
Character Stories: “What We Know” vs. “What the Puppet Master Knows”
Post‑Story & Moral: the final reckoning, the waltz, and the truth that broke the mirror
Sunday with the Puppet Master: a journal entry, a mixtape, a possession, a scrapbook of forbidden threads
These pieces will be released weekly leading up to the final book launch.
💿 Also Coming Soon…
The Dysfunctional Holiday Sampler
For the beautifully broken & bitter-sweet. Releasing Black Friday.
Indie‑fy {Better Than K‑Tel} (The Babbling Buffoon)
This week’s Eclectic Wonderland mixtape: indie, weird, and better than K‑Tel.
📻 [🔗 Listen to the Show]
Next Week: Turkey Drop (Preview of Holiday Songs)
A special Eclectic Wonderland Thanksgiving mixtape: warm, weird, and a little bit Audities.
📻 [🔗 Listen to the Show]
Thank you for being here. Thank you for listening. Thank you for choosing to peek behind the curtain.
We’ll see you next Sunday… with the Puppet Master.
💋✨
—Tea & Mickey
Velvet Umbrella Records
🎪 Gala Violet presents: Masquerade of Shadows
🕯️ Final Word from Mickey
“This isn’t just an album. It’s a masquerade stitched from trauma, laughter, ghosts, and the fire of making art when everything else tried to stop us.
We’re so glad you’re here. Take your mask, step into the story, and let the shadows dance.”
-Mickey Fingers
✨ About Mickey Fingers
Mickey Fingers is the co-creator of Velvet Umbrella Records and Gala Violet.
A multi-instrumentalist and engineer-producer, he moves between drums, guitar, bass, piano, and synth with ridiculous ease, building worlds inside Ableton Live.
Equal parts mystery and mischief, he’s a steady hand in the chaos and a spark in the shadows.
You’ll find him behind the curtain, buried in reel-to-reels and synth smoke.
📖 A Glimpse Behind the Velvet Curtain
Exclusive zine-style previews of the Masquerade storybook.
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