It began innocently enough: a cabal of tall, slightly wan-looking indie-rock musicians huddled together, some strumming acoustic guitars, singing demurely of unity.

The sequins did indeed stop well short of the knee, but Ms. Chenoweth demurely wrapped a full skirt around her legs much of the time.

Laila spies two faces, an old woman and a young girl in hijabs, observing her demurely from a window.