Melanie Schultz

Melanie (or simply just Mel) is a supporting character in A Performer's Life Beyond the Drapes. They are part of the School of Music, and are a skilled string musician.

Throughout the novel, they are shown playing Madame Morrible in Wicked, The Wicked Stepmother in Into the Woods, and Madame in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella.

Appearance
Mel has shoulder-length bleached-white hair with a blue ombre (which is frayed at the ends), and emerald-green eyes. It is later revealed that their true hair color is black and their real eye color is dark-brown (they wear green prescription contact lenses).

Due to being genderfluid, Mel maintains a mostly androgynous appearance (though most people are able to recognize them as physically being female). Their usual wardrobe switches between masculine and feminine, though they sometimes don clothes that seem almost a mix of the two.

Personality
Mel has a quiet and cool personality, speaking politely to everyone. They are called the second-quietest person in the Block (losing that title to Elizabeth), as they seem to enjoy staying in the shadows rather than join everyone else's games.

Similar to Kathy, Mel is a musical genius; unlike her, however, they are skilled with string instruments (namely the violin). They are able to play the violin, viola, cello, harp, guitar, and bandura with ease. In most talent shows, they perform with Kathy (a main example being when they perform the Downton Abbey theme together).

Because of their genderfluidity, Mel feels somewhat uneasy when around new people (they are unsure of how people will react to them), though they try to suppress this. Though not having really dealt with any bullies, they fear that other people will look down on them.

This later goes away after they befriend Elena, who tells them to express themself and shoot down anyone who tries to disrespect them. This advice inspires them to change their appearance, bleaching their hair and switching to colored prescription contacts, and expressing themselves through their music.

Though wanting to pursue a career in music, both Mel and Kathy continually try out for musical productions. Due to their white hair and deep voice, Mel is mostly cast in older roles, which they don't mind (they don't want the lead roles, only a speaking part).

Similar to Max, Mel has a liking for horror movies, but only the PG-13 ones.

Elena Anderson
In the beginning of the story, Mel describes Elena as an old acquaintance. However, it is later revealed that they were very good friends, and still are after many years. Elena accepts Mel's identity completely and helps boost their confidence. At one point, Mel even explains that Elena was the one who inspired them to change their appearance.

They are noticeably distraught after Elena's death.

Katherine Abernathy
Katherine and Mel have been friends since elementary school. Meeting during a talent show, the two have been inseparable ever since. Once Mel came out as genderfluid, Katherine immediately took to calling Mel by their preferred pronouns (although not without the occasional slip).

It's implied throughout the novel that Katherine has developed romantic feelings for Mel. She states several times that she loves Mel, and even tells Greta that she thinks of Mel as her "special other". However, it's never revealed if Mel is aware of Katherine's implied feelings for them, or even if they reciprocate these feelings.

Max Fanheart and Greta Watkins
The three seem to be on good terms with each other. They feel confident around the duo because of their acceptance of their (Mel's) identity. Though they don't hang out too much, Max and Greta (along with Elena, and Michelle) often hang out with her and Mel in the music room.

Michelle Docherty
Mel likes Michelle because of her bravery in expressing herself. Though they don't hang out too much, Michelle (along with Max, Greta, and Elena) joins Mel and Kathy in the music room.

Gender Identity
Mel is genderfluid, a gender identity best described as a dynamic mix of boy and girl. A person who is genderfluid may always feel like a mix of the two traditional genders, but may feel more boy some days, and more girl other days. Being genderfluid has nothing to do with which set of genitalia one has, nor their sexual orientation.

Trivia

 * The name Melanie comes from Mélanie, the French form of the Latin Melania, derived from the Greek  μελαινα (melaina), meaning "black, dark". The surname Schultz is a variant of Schultheiß, an occupational name derived from Middle High German schultheiße, meaning "mayor, judge".
 * Mel's surname comes from Christoph Waltz 's character from the film Django Unchained, Dr. King Schultz.
 * Mel is of Asian descent, and was adopted as an infant by a white family of German descent.