#( and now I have a some other me proshot clip

[fitzrove]

Musical questions! 28, 29, 30?

[To celebrate 400 followers I'm finally answering all these from my drafts :D]

28. What's a musical that you saw ages ago that you're still not over? What about it made you love it so much?

If watching a video counts as "seeing": Tanz der Vampire. I saw posters and ads on the street for the Helsinki 2016 production... but that was after it was already over, in April/May!!!!! I was so curious about it but forgot after the initial wondering. Then that summer I went to a two-week language camp/course in the UK (my first time abroad without parents!) where we were singing Total Eclipse in the music room and an older "camp counsellor" girl from Germany told us it's actually from a musical, and that night I took it as my sign to look it up and ended up watching sooo many clips on YouTube over and over for the rest of my time at that course, and eventually the whole 2005 proshot with English subs.

Something about it spoke to me in a way no other musical had before - I mean, I had liked POTO for years, that summer I also started listening to Hamilton, but neither of those rattled in my head to the same obsessive degree as TdV did <3

It came into my life at a special time, has come and gone since, and whenever I get back to it, it still hits the hardest out of any show I've ever watched. Whether it be the epic orchestral rock score (I'm not like an über Steinman fan but I like his stuff), the level of emotion (some would say melodrama <3) and the way the show itself has come to symbolise a lot of things to me over the years (freedom to leave an environment you're not happy in and remaking your life elsewhere; freedom to be yourself and go after what you want even if it goes against what's conventional or societally acceptable; the world belonging "to the shameless and the wicked" and the rest of us just having to roll with it). So yeah >:)

I've now seen TdV live three times: once in Stuttgart in autumn 2021, and twice in Hamburg this summer (2024). It wasn't perfect but it meant a lot :') I've also met Aris Sas and he liked my headcanons and hot takes, and wished me the best in my life and my studies 😭🙏

29. What's a musical that you used to really like but don't anymore? What made you fall out of love with it?

I think I'm falling out of love with Wicked!! It was one of the first shows I saw live (back in Finland) and that production left a lasting impression on me, but after seeing it in London twice (heheh) I think I'm satiated :') I will still want to see the movie though! I probably just won't have the energy to engage that much with the hot takes it will probably spawn kslsls. Plus I hate the discourse that the movie is stirring up about how the book is better and that should've been a movie instead dkkdldls. I think the book is kind of terrible and takes itself too seriously. Plus the sex scenes are bad bad bad bad....

Anyway - still like the musical, I think I have just overlistened to it and I don't usually find too much to "chew on" in the fandom space :D Especially since I don't know/care about Wizard of Oz lore 😭

30. What's a musical that's grown on you since you first saw it or listened to it? What made you appreciate it more?

Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling.......... I still think it's terrible but I keep making friends with people who know that it's inaccurate (and don't really care about defending its honor skkskd) and still love it for being camp 😭 I used to have a very negative view of it but now I can just listen to Du bleibst bei mir on repeat, enjoy wholeheartedly and pretend it's the whole show 😌 obligatory mention that I met and took a pic with Wietske at the Les Mis München stagedoor this year 😭😭😭😭🙏🙏

[droughtofapathy]

The Gilded Age's Broadway Divas: Susan Blane (Laura Benanti)

Newly widowed Susan Blane has one purpose on this show, and apparently it's to get railed by a younger man and then get chased off by his mother and have her heart broken. Again. And then we never see her again. The end. Justice for Susan.

Now, I will preface this by saying that Laura Benanti lands outside my scope of interest--she's a little young for my tastes. However, I've always been amused and delighted by her performances, and I appreciate how raunchy she is, even if the quirkyness can be a bit...much at times. Laura is a five-time Tony nominee who won in 2008 for her role as Louise in Gypsy alongside Patti LuPone.

Starting off young, Laura Benanti made her Broadway debut at eighteen as the understudy to the late great Rebecca Luker's Maria in The Sound of Music, and eventually replaced her. She's had roles as Cinderella in Into the Woods (2002), Candela in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and Eileen Sherwood in the Encores! Wonderful Town opposite Donna Murphy, our beloved Mrs. Astor.

#1: "Wouldn't it be Loverly?" My Fair Lady (2018)

Lincoln Center is soprano territory. As one of the classical soprano dying breeds, Laura took over the role of Eliza Doolittle from Lauren Ambrose in the recent Broadway Revival. Her Eliza was older than most (Laura was on the cusp of forty when the took the role), and a delight, I must say. This show is, of course, a classic, and as such is dated like a classic. The production did attempt to give Eliza more agency, and it seemed to go over fine.

As Susan Blane spends most of her time in the white clothing of Newport, I just kept thinking about the Ascot Gavotte the entire time. The ladies of Newport would fit right in at the racetrack.

Fellow soprano Kelli O'Hara has also played this role in a different Lincoln Center theater back in 2007.

#2: "Model Behavior," Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2011)

A critical failure despite its stellar cast, this show closed in less than three months, but nevertheless earned Laura a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk. Watching this masterclass of a breakdown, you can see why. Set in 80s Spain, the show features Candela, played by Laura, who's freaking out because her romantic interest might be a terrorist. But other than that, he's perfect. She sure knows how to pick 'em...

Tension behind the scenes between leading lady Sherie Rene Scott and Diva Patti LuPone made things a little...well. Anyway.

#3: Laura Benanti & The Skivvies - Passion Massion (2014)

So, I'm gonna be honest, I was going to go with a different Skivvies video, but then I saw Sexy Fosca, and I am baffled, horrified, and delighted.

The Skivvies is a hilarious cabaret group that performs, as you can imagine, in their underwear, and they have guest singers come on, also dressed in lingerie and other underthings. Most of their guest singers are working theatre actors, but sometimes we get Laura Benanti. She was a Skivvies regular for a time, and has a collection of comedic clips you can all enjoy on your own time.

#4: "Vanilla Ice Cream," She Loves Me (2015)

Broadway sopranos pass around roles like hot potatoes. Kelli O'Hara played Amalia Balash in the 2001 concert, and while some members of the cast transferred to Broadway five years later, Kelli was already in The King and I, and since Broadway has like four sopranos of this age that they rotate around, enter Laura Benanti. Though the show and her role was largely overshadowed by a little show called Hamilton that season, the production has a PBS proshot I'd recommend watching.

She Loves Me is yet another adaptation of an early 30s Hungarian play that was also the inspiration for You've Got Mail, so if you've seen that, you know the plot of this. (Side note: Gilded Age's Katie Finneran had a small role as Maureen, the Nanny who runs off with the kids' mother(?) I've never seen it, and that plot wasn't in the musical.)

#5: "So Many People," Saturday Night (2010)

If you thought we were going to get through Laura Benanti without a Sondheim, guess again. While Audra McDonald and Donna Murphy were part of the Ladies in Red, Laura Benanti instead gave us the other oft-sung cabaret number of Saturday Night in the Joanna Gleason dress, only reversed in color. Look it up and you'll see what I mean.

Laura was the last person to perform before the Ladies in Red segment, and thus isn't often remembered. But I remember. (Incidentally, "I Remember" is the song she sang for the Sondheim 90th.)

LINK TO MASTERPOST

[notebookmusical]

Hi! How are you or have you been? I'm so sorry I haven't replied. I meant to for the last few days but I guess I got too tired. It has nothing to do with you at all..sometimes I just get overwhelmed with replying. I'm so glad you're excited about your trip later this month. I hope you have the most amazing time!

Oh wow cool. I'm sure plays are good but some of them seem so dramatic at times and at least with musicals, the songs break up the drama lol. I forgot that I also watched the play proshot or film that Jeremy Jordan was in called American Son which was a drama and that was good. Cursed Child was in the middle and not too serious either which I think are better..but I guess it would just kinda be like watching one long serious movie with no songs. Stereophonic has songs too so I think it will be easier not to get distracted or lost I guess. I hope you love it and I'm really interested in the band recording an album plot as someone who loves music. But I think something like the play that goes wrong which is a comedy would be fun as a play too. Haha omg..that would be awful to fall asleep during a show haha. That also reminds me to ask you if you have or would ever walk out of seeing a show? Its something I would never do but apparently people do it all the time haha. I feel like that happens because they go in blind or something which I haven't really done either. What about you?

It's really hard to say who I would cast in the SMASH musical cuz they already had Broadway actors in the show haha. Like Megan Hilty seems like the perfect Ivy so idk and it would take me a while to think of a good Karen. That's such a cool fun fact omg. Christian Borle was also great in his role and would be tough to replace in my opinion. I haven't given it much thought but what about you? Definitely someone with a lot of stage presence and star power. I am excited for it cuz I love the tv show and songs mostly and think it has potential to be good.

I totally get what you mean about the cast in a show and it is interesting to me. I think Moulin Rouge is sorta like that with Aaron It's also a reason stunt casting exists too. I do agree the leads make this show good and I honestly haven't thought about the show or music since I heard it but I will always love Jeremy. I still sing Outsiders and the Notebook frequently though so idk maybe you're right. I thought if read the book it might make me like it more but for you it's the opposite lol. I do see why the other version is more appealing based on Florence music, the casting and the Hadestown vibes. I've read a few general reviews and people seem to like it. I think I'm going to watch the Bonnie and Clyde proshot this weekend so I'm excited for that!

I still do wanna read the book though at some point and that might be the reason why I like Outsiders so much honestly. It has made me revisit that story that somehow means more to me now than it ever did. I honestly don't remember much of the book but it made me wanna do a reread lol. Idk if you will be able to rush for it cuz I hear the fans or lines are crazy but I would be so jealous if you did and curious what you would think, but it makes sense you wanna read the book first and watch the movie to compare. I think it does change a few things but like in a Newsies way or maybe it just sorta reminds me of it for some reason lol. I've actually seen a few stage clips and the staging does look really cool. I think I would definitely see this and Gatsby if I could but I have to hope for a bootleg.

Ooh I think what I would revive is such a hard question. My main or original answer would have been Sweeney Todd and that is another show I would definitely wanna see live..and with Aaron ugh...but I have seen some of the bootleg lol. The new Ragtime cast seems great though and I hope that would transfer to Broadway at some point. I like the idea of Gypsy with Audra that's coming too and then there's Sunset Boulevard with Nicole Scherzinger. Also the last five years is finally coming to Broadway and I'm interested in that cuz I'm unsure of the casting at this point. I think generally something like Hairspray could be fun and I always like West Side but I guess the last revival wasn't good. Next to Normal recent cast would also be a good choice I think if it went to Broadway. There have been so many good revivals lately though like Merrily, Sweeney, Into the Woods, Company, Parade and Camelot to name a few. What about you? I'd be curious to hear your choice. I will send more in a part 2.

hi friend!! i'm good! how are you? 🤍 don't feel bad at all, i always love hearing from you — whether that's immediately, or five months later 🤍

august is going to be a busier month for me too, so really, no pressure to reply right away — i know you've mentioned doing shorter asks too, which is also totally fine! we do not have to do very long asks all the time! whatever you want/feel comfortable with is okay 🤍

i'm a big fan of proshots in terms of making theatre accessible but i am so bad at remembering to watch them ... i totally forgot about american son, and i still haven't seen cursed child. i also still haven't watched the come from away proshot and i love that show. oops. it took me until earlier this year to finally watch the waitress proshot. and... i have actually walked out of two shows before, fun fact. one of them was because of a family emergency and the other one ... well, i fell asleep at a show, we left at intermission since it was ap/ib testing season and i was super stressed and was definitely just like "i'd rather rest at home than see a musical" only to find out my mom's car got broken into! it would take a lot for me to leave a show early i think, unless the show's content was like harmful/disturbing/triggering/etc., i don't think i really would leave a show early unless it was for health reasons or an emergency! there are shows where i try to go in blind if i can! like i'm going into oh mary as blind as i can be — i have very little recollection of cats (especially not this new production), and i've decided not to look into stereophonic (and have also not listened to stereophonic since pre-tonys) any further so i can go in as blind as i can be! there are shows i've gone in completely blind for: oklahoma (i know...), hadestown, the play that goes wrong, kiss me kate — obviously some tryouts i've seen (come from away, jasper in deadland, bliss, austens pride)... i'm sure there are others that i'm just forgetting about but i do really love seeing shows blind (or as uninformed as i can be).

i have no idea who would be a good ivy/karen! i do think it'd have to be some brand new actors (younger ones), but i can't think of someone who would be perfect for ivy, or karen, or anyone really. i feel like i don't really know any of the "young" people on broadway anymore 😭

and yes! i love aaron but i really wish he would leave moulin rouge 😭 i've heard he isn't as tuned into this role as he used to be / is kind of just there which makes me really sad, but also he is just too ... old for it! and i'd love to see some new faces at moulin rouge. i think liam pearce would be great in it! i also actually really want to see him as orpheus (same with john cardoza). i'm in a bit of a reading slump (and also taking a break from classics until i finish my current one) but i really want to get to the outsiders before the year is over and then i can finally get into the musical!!!!!!! i still haven't seen the bonnie & clyde proshot either although i really like it (but i do think jeremy is too old for clyde now — just like i think he was way too old for jack kelly in the newsies proshot haha). unfortunately i'm not able to see it this time :( just no time in the schedule but it is touring! i know they're starting off their tour in tulsa oklahoma, which is super cool! (it's also why i didn't prioritize it this trip)!

god i am SO jealous of everyone who is seeing NYCC ragtime... like seething with jealousy actually! i saw a regional production of ragtime (which i also went into blind! and SOBBED through the entire show) here in seattle and loved it so much. i'm super excited for gypsy with audra and am curious to see who they'll end up casting (i would love for it to be joy woods especially since i don't know how much longer the notebook has on broadway). i'm so :// about the last five years casting! i really, really wish they had cast a jewish actor for jamie. and i also just think that the last five years is such a small, intimate show that it's going to be hard to adapt on a broadway stage. but maybe i will be proven wrong!

west side would be fun with a good cast and well, completely unlike the mess that was that revival 😭 !! i would loveeeee a next to normal revival and that would get me on a plane immediately. and yes i do think we've been very fortunate in revivals lately! i've been on a merrily kick lately, like i simply have not been able to stop listening to it. but i'm always on a sondheim kick 🤍

i feel like i'm always like i want a revival of something and then the show was on broadway less than ten years ago. but god, i would kill for a the bridges of madison county revival with katie rose clark and aaron tveit. i think i would love to see a the wild party revival and a drowsy chaperone revival (god i love drowsy), crazy for you, the secret garden and a chorus line!

see you in a bit for part two! 🤍

[lilshocker8]

Hello!! I’m a huge fan of Refuge Rulers and I have a question about it, but I’d like to share what made me think of it and create a Tumblr account to ask you in the first place.

I was watching random Newsies clips last night and one of the videos was from the proshot - the part in Carrying The Banner where you can see all the guys spaced out on the structures (hopefully you can picture that, it’s early in the number). When the Newsies from the outside boxes move into the middle structure, I happened to notice that with Jack and Crutchie in the center was Albert, Buttons, and Finch - very coincidentally the Terrible Trio in your series!

So my question: How did you decide on the different friendships within the Newsies?

I really enjoy how unique they all feel in how they interact with each other, and I appreciate the spread of ages across all of them, too.

Love your writing, keep the great work!!!

Hi!! :D Oh my gosh you created a Tumblr account just to ask a question I am so flattered ^///^ And very happy to answer it!

Yes, I know what part you're talking about! I've watched the proshot so many times I can play it in my head on command now xD Though I somehow managed to miss that it was the Terrible Trio standing with Jack and Crutchie during that part! That is so fun, thanks for pointing it out :D The Trio are one of my favorite friendships in the series (up there with Morris and the Rich Kids) - I can't wait to write their backstories and show how they came to be in canon ^^

Behind the scenes, though, I wish I could say I had some big plan, but I really didn't xD I never really intended to post Summer, 1899 since I was just writing it for me, so I didn't worry too much about setting background details at first.

I worked out ages for the kids and general personality beats based on their lines in the show/role in Refuge Rulers, and then I just started writing and let them tell me who the friend groups were! Romeo and Race stuck together, the Trio immediately latched onto each other, and Mush and JoJo bonded in that way that kids stuck with much younger children around tend to~

Once I saw who was spending time with who, that's when I began digging deeper into the friendships and building them up into what is ultimately in the published story! And of course I also worked on those kids who *didn't* naturally fall into any friend group, like Henry (one of my favorite kids now - he's got a POV coming up in Chapter 5 of Solitary Situation that gives more insight into his whole situation), Tommy Boy (the hanger-on to the Trio who doesn't quite fit with them due to how perfectly they slot with each other), and Elmer (the new kid still finding his footing within the group).

I hope that answers your question! And thanks for asking it, I love getting to blather about my process xD I hope you'll continue to enjoy this silly little world ^^

[aintnolionpridelands]

Give me pain if that’s what’s real                             It’s the price we pay to feel

[sevenkittensinatrenchcoat]

I Found a 1987 Amsterdam Gumbie Cat So We’re Comparing Vienna-based Productions Again

I’ll start off by saying that there are a lot of things I’m uncertain because none of these four recordings are in super-good quality. Zurich is great for a pre-internet bootleg and I could see most of the Amsterdam stuff okay, but Vienna and Paris have very dark lighting that sometimes causes characters to disappear into the void. Vienna and Paris are proshot, so there are also Editing Choices that don’t always benefit me. Amsterdam and Zurich were filmed by people who seemed to share my priorities a bit more.

Anyway, here’s some stuff:

First, Misto Blurrily Grooms His Chest Fur

Admittedly, in Vienna that’s only what I think he’s doing when viewed from very far away while the old videotape is glitching.

I’m a bit more certain that it’s happening in Paris, but it’s hard to tell from a screenshot.

Zurich turns his Blank From a Distance face to the camera while cleaning himself up.

Amsterdam Misto does a bit more grooming than the other three and I think one of the kittens on the ground makes fun of him for it.

Then they strike poses, though in the case of Vienna and Paris I’m mostly just assuming that that’s what they’re doing, because those versions are in a close-up on Munkustrap at this point.

Zurich Misto is easy to see.

Amsterdam is at a bit of an odd angle, but Misto does the Most Dramatic of Poses

And now, Munkustrap has to Handle It:

Vienna Munkustrap gives Misto a Look mid-transition.

I think Paris Munkustrap barely turns his head in Misto’s direction.

Zurich Munkustrap makes it perfectly clear that this is Jenny’s Moment.

Amsterdam Munkustrap turns his blurry head towards Misto in confusion while Misto figures out that he fucked up.

And Misto Reacts Accordingly:

“Damn it.”

“Guess I’ll just crawl around down here then”

Paris Misto disappears offscreen as the camera stays fixed on Munkustrap.

Zurich Misto is sad :(

Amsterdam Misto melodramatically collapses on the floor in despair. His is the closest reaction to 1998 Misto that I’ve seen so far.

There’s a bit of a pattern with Vienna, Amsterdam, and Zurich, so it probably applies to Paris too, that after realizing that he fucked up, Misto drops to the floor and kitten crawls over to the car to do his magic thing. The big difference is that Vienna and Amsterdam drop in response to Munkustrap’s Look, while Zurich drops before that happens and crawls to Munkustrap before receiving said Look. So, Vienna and Amsterdam have big Disappointed reactions to what happened, while Zurich has this emotional moment before he knows what’s going on. Zurich Misto is clearly a Vienna-based Misto. This is still technically the same scene, but the timing gives it a completely different vibe.

After this, Zurich and Amsterdam both show Misto crawling towards the car and signaling for the cats sitting on it to move out of the way, not getting a whole lot of respect in the process. But, Amsterdam Misto seems annoyed with everyone getting in his way, while Zurich Misto acts like he’s been rejected. They end up in the same situation, but they’re emotionally in different places, so Amsterdam Misto is less hurt by the whole thing.

Now, I also found Amsterdam 1987 Bustopher Jones, so I’ll definitely make a thing out of that too. These clips of Amsterdam appear to be from the same show, so is this a full recording that’s out there somewhere? If it is, gimme. I must obsessively catalog Misto history.

[emptymasks]

Would you mind compiling a list of any and all non-English musicals with english subtitles that are free to watch. (Specifically, the ones in German first because many have been recommended to me) Please and thank you!!

Someone asked something similar a couple of days ago so I have a playlist for all non-English language musicals in full on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLBkeZOvj5B8bSgfsMiGBnF_OnmqTbDdW and now a new one just for all non-English language musicals with English subtitles in full on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLBkeZOvj5B9Bpc4XYhZhPEEPpSkWKgQd. That does only cover the one that are on YouTube though, and there are a few on archive.org I've archived on there as they've been taken down off YouTube. I also have this previous post with links to only the German language musicals with English subs that also has a bonus list at the bottom for musicals performed in Germany and Austria that are performed in English instead of German: https://emptymasks.tumblr.com/post/657802955494490112/do-you-have-a-list-of-all-the-specifically-german

I update the playlists regularly and I also have playlists for some individual musicals that contain clips, trailers, interviews and other videos that aren’t full productions.

Still, I will make another masterlist here, copying the info from my German musicals with English subs post and adding here also the ones in French and Russian and Hungarian. As before, There’s multiple versions for some musicals and if you want my personal correction of which to watch, based on the quality of the video, accuracy of the subtitles, and overall cast and design, I’ve put a 💙 emoji next to them. Actually, I’m putting a 💙next to all my favourites that I’d recommend the most.

The list got a little long so it’s all under the cut to save dashboard space. Also because of the amount of links on here, it won’t show up in tags so I’d appreciate reblogs to help share this around.

3 Musketiers 2003 Original Netherlands Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZjmVCRE56g&list=PLLBkeZOvj5B9Bpc4XYhZhPEEPpSkWKgQd&index=12 Language: Dutch Cast: Bastiaan Ragas, Tooske Breugem, Pia Douwes, Stanley Burleson, Henk Poort

1798: Les amants de la Bastille 2012 Original Paris Cast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMw_L6SO_kE (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: French Cast: Louis Delort, Camille Lou, Rod Janois, Rozane Le Texier, Sébastien Agius

Adam et Ève: La Seconde Chance 2012 Original Paris Cast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G__nbD2j5s (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: French Cast: Cylia, Thierry Amiel, Solal

Cléopâtre, la dernière reine d'Égypte 2009 Original Paris Cast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwftdW6FIYc (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: French Cast: Sofia Essaïdi, Florian Étienne, Christopher Stills

Death Note 2015 Original Japanese Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD-kRYVQuuE (A different one. There’s an English album but never been an English production so this video is the English audio to the Japanese video. Places where there is no English audio it’s in Japanese with English subtitles.) Language: English & Japanese Cast: The description lists the Japanese cast and English dubbed voices

Death Note 2015 South Korean Production (Boot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dbgA5Pf-nk Language: Korean Cast: Kim Junsu, Hong Kwang-Ho

Demon Onegin / Onegin’s Demon 2016 Original St Petersburg Production

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGVTEkk4R2s (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: Russian Cast: Ivan Ozhogin, Vera Sveshnikova, Sergey Khudyakov, Anton Avdeev

Les Dix Commandements 2001 Original Paris Production (Proshot)

https://archive.org/details/les-dix-commandements-1080p-hd-eng-subs Language: French Cast: Pedro Alves, Daniel Lévi, Ginie Line, Ahmed Mouici, Yael Naim, Ginie Line

Dracula the Musical 2008 Graz Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaJvTmz-zPw Language: German Cast: Thomas Borchert, Lyn Liechty, Jesper Tydén, Uwe Kröger, Caroline Vasicek, Robert D Marx

Elisabeth das Musical Original 1992 Vienna Production (Proshot) 💙

Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76uePPIQDGk Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-f_VmMS5m0 Language: German Cast: Pia Dowes, Uwe Kröger, Ethan Freeman, Viktor Gernot, Andreas Bieber

Elisabeth das Musical 2002 Essen Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGz4qseaxDs (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: German Cast: Pia Dowes, Uwe Kröger, Carsten Lepper, Jesper Tydén, Claus Dam

Elisabeth das Musical 2004 Budapest Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvFbSQXyf2Y&list=PLLBkeZOvj5B9Bpc4XYhZhPEEPpSkWKgQd&index=74 Language: Hungarian Cast: Janza Kata, Szilvester P Szabó, Földes Tamás,  Bereczki Zoltán , Dolhai Attila, (Hungarian names are written Surname Firstname, the opposite way around to English names, the same way around Japanese and Korean names are.)

Elisabeth das Musical 2005 Vienna Revival (Proshot) 💙

Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8z-yyGqF8 Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsBMeHKTNc8 Language: German Cast: Maya Hakvoort, Máté Kamarás, Serkan Kaya, André Bauer

Elisabeth das Musical 2013.03.22 2nd Vienna Revival (Boot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwYzPnRo_Cw&list=PLtk7Oj-CH4vbXdc_zdFaonDlWhdk4SQfD Language: German Cast: Annemieke van Dam, Mark Seibert, Kurosch Abbasi, Anton Zetterholm

Der Graf von Monte Cristo 2009 Original Swiss Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_IQRRZmZlI Language: German Cast: Thomas Borchert, Carsten Lepper, André  Bauer

Jesus Christ Superstar 2014 Swedish Area Tour (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJSch0uRSqs&list=PLLBkeZOvj5B9Bpc4XYhZhPEEPpSkWKgQd&index=62 (Not an original ‘European musical’, those familiar know it’s an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical original performed in English, but wanted to include it on the list. It’s a wonderful version. It’s not the original English lyrics as subtitles, but the Swedish lyrics translated back into English, though if you know the musical well you won’t need subtitles I suppose.) Language: Swedish Cast: Ola Salo, Peter Johansson, Gunilla Backman

The Last Trial (Lege Artis Version) 2016.10.15 Russian Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdcqNA9qb_w Language: Russian

The Last Trial (Ruslan Gerasimenko Version) Russian (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZEXlB3tzL0 Language: Russian

Mozart das Musical 2015 Vienna Revival (Proshot) 💙

https://archive.org/details/mozart-2015-vienna-proshot-kuipers-seibert-borchert-act-1-eng-subs Language: German Cast: Oedo Kuipers, Mark Seibert, Thomas Borchert (It used to be on Youtube until it was take down a few months ago. The copy on Youtube is 360p and so pixilated I’d say it isn’t watchable, but I’d downloaded the old 720p HD video from Youtube a while ago so I’ve put it on archive.org where you can stream and download it and it shouldn’t ever get take down.)

Mozart L’Opéra Rock 2010 Original Paris Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfdnnheqQcw Language: French Cast: Mikelangelo Loconte, Florent Mothe, Solal

Mozart L’Opéra Rock 2011 Paris Production (Proshot) 💙

https://archive.org/details/mozart-lopera-rock-2011 (Also has embedded Korean subtitles, sadly the only version of the Proshot that exists has these subtitles on, there is no version without them.) Language: French Cast: Mikelangelo Loconte, Florent Mothe, Solal

Notre Dame de Paris 1998 Original Paris Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es9BRBnmvug (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: French Cast:  Hélène Ségara, Garou, Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Patrick Fiori

Rebecca das Musical 2011 Stuttgart Production (Boot) 💙

Act 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYkT1Rh7Zvo Act 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buudlB9-pYk Language: German Cast: Jan Ammann, Christina Patten, Pia Douwes

Rebecca das Musical 2012 Stuttgart Production (Boot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2kGxht2iW0 Language: German Cast: Jan Ammann, Denise Jastraunig, Femke Soetenga

Roméo et Juliette 2001 Original Paris Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moTppPrTN4I (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: French Cast: Damien Sargue, Cecilia Cara, Tom Ross

Roméo et Juliette 2004 Hungarian Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikESnkpQBR8&list=PLLBkeZOvj5B9Bpc4XYhZhPEEPpSkWKgQd&index=58&t (Subtitles are not embedded, you have to turn them on with the caption option) Language: Hungarian Cast: Dolhai Attila, Szinetár, Dóra, Szilvester P Szabó, Bereczki Zoltán

Roméo et Juliette 2005.10.23 Russian Production (Boot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNNmWiQW8gA Language: Russian Cast: Eduard Shulzhevsky, Еvgenia Ryabtseva, Pavel Maksimov

Roméo et Juliette 2010 Paris Revival (Proshot) 💙

Act 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hdqPtynKYJfrXu_D-YDzDXhTUqvGO3BB/view?usp=sharing Act 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zesioGd69EzlVtO5Rso0AupJo4D4wiS4/view?usp=sharing (From _gloire_magyar_ on Instagram) Language: French Cast: Damien Sargue, Joy Esther, Tom Ross, John Eyzen

Le Rouge et le Noir 2016 Original Paris Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKReiqcaZ64 Language: French Cast:  Côme, Haylen, Yoann Launay, Julie Fournier

Rudolf: Affaire Mayerling 2009 Vienna Production (Proshot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoAln45mjgo (It is also on Youtube in 1080p HD but without subtitles. I've considered taking these English subts and putting them on the 1080p video if anyone is interested?) Language: German Cast: Drew Sarich, Lisa Antoni, Uwe Kröger, Wietske van Tongeren, Claus Dam

Tanz der Vampire 2005 Hamburg Production (Proshot)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOzoxa2hNcI Language: German Cast: Kevin Tarte, Jessica Kessler

Tanz der Vampire 2011 Berlin Production (Boot) 💙

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvA7SeErpGg Language: German Cast: Drew Sarich, Amelie Dobler, Anton Zetterholm, Marc Liebisch

[faded-florals]

I recently discovered Mr. Hadley Fraser (like it seems a lot of people did) after watching the POTO anniversary special on YouTube. I am now in love and sad I've missed all these years and moments with other fans of this incredible voice (and of the apparent epic bromance of Hadley and Ramin??). Do you have a "new Hadley fan" starter kit, or any fun things with Hadley and Ramin? I think I've already exhausted the meager offerings of YouTube and I'm desperate! LOL

I felt much the same as you when I first started seriously following Hadley about a year ago. Really the only things you’ve missed out on are anything that had to be seen live, which I imagine most of his fans also missed because a good percentage of us just don’t have the means to see him live in London. That said, you have so much awesome Hadley content to discover! It can be hard to find at times, but the good thing is that he is so talented that pretty much anything you can dig up is almost guaranteed to be good, at least as far as his specific contribution is concerned.

Here is a list of suggestions for Hadley content you can consider as my “Hadley Fraser Fan Starter Kit”:

Follow Hadley on Twitter and Instagram. He doesn’t post daily, but following him on Twitter is the best way to stay up to date on whatever projects he’s currently working on. He also posts some nice pictures/videos from time to time, and you can catch even more content of him by looking at the posts he likes/replies to. If you want even more you should also be following his wife, Rosalie Craig, on Instagram. (She is an absolute goddess in her own right, I’d recommend you follow her either way!)

I have two posts that cover some of my favorite shorter Hadley videos, which I would consider “must sees” for any new fans. This is also where you’ll find the majority of the Ramin/Hadley content, if you’re interested in that. You can go here for my post about songs, and here for my favorite videos.

Follow Tumblr blogs which post Hadley content. Not to toot my own horn (toot-toot) but I post a lot of original Hadley content in the form of gifs, commentary, ect. My blog is basically a Hadley fan blog masquerading as a POTO blog at this point. It’s like 50/50, and I hope the wonderful people who follow me mainly for POTO don’t mind too much! Some other blogs I’ve seen regularly posting Hadley content are @elithewho, @notaperfectworld, @alittlepawblog. You may also like to look through some older Hadley blogs that have great stores of Hadley content, like @hadleyfrasersource, @haddersnoodles, and @againstatroubledsky.

Join the Hadley Fraser group chat on Tumblr mobile. There’s a nice little active community of Hadley fans here on Tumblr. I can send you the link if you can’t find it.

I have put together a ~2.5 hour video of clips from proshot video content of Hadley, including TV, musicals, and plays he has been in, which I call the Hadley Fraser Fan Stream. I don’t want to post the link publicly, but if you would like to see it just send me a message and I’ll drop you the link!

I have been slowly building my collection of full length videos/audios of Hadley, and I do have some links that I am willing to share with other fans. If you’re looking for something in particular, I may be able to help you find it! Again, send me a message.

I think this should be enough to get you started! Welcome to our little community of Hadley fans here on Tumblr, it’s great to have you with us! 💖😊

[erikahenningsen]

Underrated musicals and plays you should check out

Happy quarantine everyone! I’ve been thinking about making a post like this for a long time now and what better time to do it then when we’re all stuck inside.

INDECENT

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Indecent is a play by Paula Vogel. It recounts the controversy surrounding the Yiddish play God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch, which was produced on Broadway in 1923, for which the cast of the original production was arrested on the grounds of obscenity. God of Vengeance was the first kiss between two women on Broadway.

Why should I check this out? The writing is beautiful and the structure is seamless, balancing emotion, comedy, music, and drama effortlessly. It’s one of the best-directed shows I’ve ever seen (the direction rightfully won a Tony Award). Each actor plays several characters (and several play their own instruments) brilliantly and distinctly. Jewish culture is front and center, and there there is a canon WLW couple in both Indecent and God of Vengeance. Indecent is hilarious one moment and devastating the next. You will not be able to stop thinking about this play after watching it.

How can I watch this show? Indecent has a proshot available on the PBS website, or you can ask me for a link to my copy of it. 

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? Yes.

COME FROM AWAY

Play or musical? Musical. 

What’s it about? Come From Away is a musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It is set in the week following the September 11 attacks and tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) real Gander residents as well as some of the 7,000 stranded travelers they housed and fed.

Why should I check this out? Come From Away is one of the best-written musicals I’ve ever seen. The pacing is perfect and every person in the cast plays at least three different characters seamlessly. The music is incredibly unique, as it is heavily influenced by Newfoundland folk music. You will laugh. You will cry. You will have the music stuck in your head for two weeks. The only problem with watching Come From Away during quarantine is it will make you want to give the special people in your life a hug.

How can I watch this show? Come From Away is currently playing on Broadway, in the West End, on tour across the US, and in Toronto, Melbourne, and Sydney. There are several video bootlegs that aren’t hard to find. 

Can I buy the text? I don’t think so. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Is there a cast recording? Yes.

CHOIR BOY

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Choir Boy is a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who is best known for co-writing the Oscar-winning screenplay of Moonlight, the movie based on his play, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Choir Boy follows Pharus, a gay teenager at an all-black, all-boys boarding school. Pharus has just been elected the lead of his school choir, a very high honor. Though Pharus is lauded for his vocal talent, his classmates do not all respond well to his flamboyance and confidence. Choir Boy is a story centered on relationships that asks what it means to be a young, gay, black man in America.

Why should I check this out? One of the most devastatingly beautiful pieces of theatre I have ever seen, Choir Boy is overflowing with fantastic monologues, hilarious one-liners, and gorgeous a cappella songs with some really dope step choreography. Tarell McCraney is the master of writing heartfelt, realistic romantic and platonic love between men of color. 

How can I watch this show? Choir Boy is gaining popularity as a regional show. Unfortunately there is no video bootleg in circulation, and although I am absolutely positive MTC has one, there is no proshot. There are a lot of official clips on YouTube and if you message me privately I can give you an audio recording of the show. 

Can I buy the text? You can buy the pre-Broadway version of the play. We have not been successful in finding a Broadway copy of the text, although I do have one I got at flea that was part of a Tony voters package.

Is there a cast recording? No, and I’m mad about it.

THE WRONG MAN

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? The Wrong Man started as a concept album by Ross Golan, and he expanded on it to create a 90-minute musical. Duran, a man down on his luck in Reno, Nevada, meets Mariana at a bar one night. They become romantically involved and make plans to leave Reno together. However, Mariana's violent ex-husband has just been released from prison, and when he finds out about their relationship, he frames Duran for murder.

Why should I check this out? The Wrong Man is completely sung-through and it is bops on bops on bops. There is not a dull song in this show and the orchestrations (by Alex Lacamoire of Hamilton fame) are gorgeous. The choreography (by Travis Wall) is my favorite I have ever seen. Joshua Henry, Ciara Renée, and Ryan Vasquez can sing literally anything. This show also did something really unique where they had Ryan Vasquez play the role of Duran once or twice a week.

How can I watch this show? There is a video bootleg that is NFT until July 15th, but I can give you the master’s information if you’d like to purchase it now. Message me privately for audio. 

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? Not yet. We’ve gotten some hints that there may be one coming soon. You can listen to the concept album, but it’s quite different from the show and I’d recommend listening to the audio first. 

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? The Scottsboro Boys is a musical with a book by David Thompson, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the Scottsboro Boys trial.

Why should I check this out? The Scottsboro Boys is one of those shows that sounds like it wouldn’t work at all (and I think that unfortunately is most of the reason why it did so poorly on Broadway) but is actually brilliant. It is one of the sharpest, most poignant pieces of satire I’ve ever seen. The balance of comedy and the heartbreaking subject matter creates an incredibly powerful pieces of art. I saw a small regional production in a black box theater and it’s still one of my favorite things I’ve ever seen.

How can I watch this show? You may be able to catch this show at a regional theater. I think there may possibly be a bootleg, but I’m not sure if this is in circulation in any digital form. I don’t personally have audio of the show, but I’m sure it’s out there. There are some official clips on YouTube. 

Can I buy the text? I don’t think so.

Is there a cast recording? There is an Off-Broadway cast recording and a London cast recording

ANGELS IN AMERICA: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? I know it is a bit crazy to be calling Angels in America underrated as it has been around forever and literally won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Pulitzer and the revival won the Tony, but I feel that it’s underrated on tumblr and among young people. Angels in America is a two-part play (individually titled Millennium Approaches and Perestroika) by Tony Kushner. It a complex, often metaphorical, and at times symbolic examination of AIDS and homosexuality in America in the 1980s. Certain major and minor characters are supernatural beings (angels) or deceased persons (ghosts). The play contains multiple roles for several of the actors. Initially and primarily focusing on a gay couple in Manhattan, the play also has several other storylines, some of which occasionally intersect.

Why should I check this out? The camp! The drama! The comedy! The devastation! The OG comedy featuring Mormons. Iconic monologues and dialogue. The entire play is about eight hours long, and I would have happily sat through it with no breaks. Nobody will ever write a more epic play. 

How can I watch this show? The most recent revival was filmed by the National Theatre when it was in London. I’m not sure if there’s a way to stream it online but I have a copy I can link you to. There’s also a Broadway revival bootleg. 

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? N/A

A STRANGE LOOP

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? A Strange Loop is about an usher at The Lion King on Broadway who is also named Usher, who is writing a self-referential musical called A Strange Loop. Usher is an overweight, overwhelmed “ball of black confusion” trying to navigate without a compass the hierarchical white, black and gay worlds; his family’s religion, which condemns him for his sexuality; and an entertainment industry that isn’t interested in what he has to say. He’s also having an existential crisis as he deals with questions of reality, illusions, perceptions and identity. His biggest fear is that he’s stuck in an endless cycle of hopelessness where change is not possible.

Why should I check this out? It’s hard to talk about A Strange Loop with people who haven’t seen it because it is truly unlike any other show I have ever seen. It starts out seeming like a musical comedy about identity, but it gets more intense as the show goes on until you’re crying next to a stranger and wondering how the hell you even got there. It’s brilliant.

How can I watch this show? Unfortunately there is no video bootleg, but you can ask me for an audio. Some clips are available on YouTube.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? Yes. I recommend reading this as you go along so the songs make more sense because they’re pretty wild out of context (they’re pretty equally as wild in context). 

SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Global Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter—and Paulina’s hive-minded friends.

Why should I check this out? School Girls is one of the funniest plays I have ever seen. The writing is so smart, and the show deals with racism (both on an interpersonal and worldwide level), colorism, body image, sex and gender, class, and inequality.

How can I watch this show? PBS recently released the proshot on their website. I don’t have a ripped copy yet, so if anyone does have one please send it my way. Regional theaters have been doing this show as well.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? N/A

13

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school.

Why should I check this out? It’s Jason Robert Brown, so the music slaps. It’s the only Broadway musical ever with a cast and band entirely made of teenagers. Plus it has baby Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies in their Broadway debuts. 13 walked so so many other musicals about teens could run.

How can I watch this show? There is a video bootleg that’s not hard to find. I’m sure there’s audio in circulation as well.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? There is an Broadway cast recording and a West End cast recording

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Secret Life of Bees is a musical by Duncan Sheik and Lynn Nottage based on the novel of the same name. Haunted by memories of her late mother and abused by her father, 14-year-old Lily Owens runs away with her friend and caregiver Rosaleen to the South Carolina town that holds the key to her mother's past. There, Lily meets the Boatwright sisters, who take her in and teach her about beekeeping, honey, and the Black Madonna. Lily also discovers that the truth about her mother is closer than she thinks.

Why should I check this out? The music is so gorgeous. It’s one of my favorite Duncan Sheik scores. LaChanze is amazing at everything she does, and Elizabeth Teeter and Brett Gray are stars you need to be looking out for. 

How can I watch this show? There is no video bootleg. You can message me privately for an audio.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? No, but I really wish there was.

AMERICAN PSYCHO

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? American Psycho is based on the 1991 novel of the same name and written by Duncan Sheik and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman, lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. The cast is filled by the detective, the fiancée, the mistress, the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary. This is a biting, wry comedy examining the elements that make a man a monster.

Why should I check this out? Listen, I won’t lie to you. There is a reason this musical is underrated, and that reason is because it is not good. But I love it. The fun comes from the knowledge that this campy, ridiculous, obscenely bloody show was on Broadway (briefly). Duncan Sheik went off the rails and wrote a techno musical! How can you not love that! Benjamin Walker gives the performance of his career and he did it mostly in his underwear! Heléne Yorke creates a character so grating you find yourself begging Patrick to kill her! They somehow got Alice Ripley AND Jenn Damiano to do this shitshow! I will maintain until the day I die that nobody can top American Psycho’s act one closer. 

How can I watch this show? There are a couple of video bootlegs of the Broadway production, as well as some official clips on YouTube. I have an audio of the West End production that I can share.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? There is tragically no Broadway cast recording, but there is a London cast recording. 

[glassprism]

Which non-replica production is the best in your opinion and why?

I’ve not been fully satisfied with any non-replica production to date - partially because, uh, I haven’t seen many of them (darn you Estonian, Finnish, Serbian, and Bulgarian productions for not having enough decent footage), partially because most of them are either too close to the replica or too far (very far, in some cases).

But sure, here’s a ranking of all the non-replicas (again, because I know I’ve done this before, but there have been some new ones since and also I have deeper thoughts):

Czech production - So first, yeah, this is basically a slightly tweaked version of the replica. The costumes, the sets, much of the blocking - it’s very similar to the original, just with some minor changes here and there. But, this also means it’s a very solid, enjoyable production, which is also helped by the fact that they have pretty decent cast.

Hungarian production - Like the Czech production, this one veers a little too close to the replica (I watch non-replicas to see differences, not to see a cheaper rehash of the replica). It also gets knocked down because of some questionable costume choices, blocking choices, and having some really boring Phantoms. On the other hand, they had great sets and seem to have gone out of their way to make Christine a stronger character, so points for that.

Norwegian production - At this point we start to reach the realm of “Uh, haven’t seen a whole lot of this production”, but from what I did see of the Norwegian production, it was basically a massive improvement in all ways from its source (the Romanian production, which... well, see my thoughts below). The costumes were more glamorous, the blocking now incorporating (as far as I can tell) a mix of the Romanian and original, the deformity was really oomphed up, and the cast was terrific.

Estonian production - A most mysterious production, as most of what I’ve seen are short, scattered, proshot clips gathered from various behind-the-scenes videos. From what I can tell, the production is lacking in some areas (like costumes), but it makes up for it by making some really interesting changes (such as shifting the timeline and a heavier emphasis on the R/C relationship). I’m not sure what my opinion is on it, I just know I want to watch it.

Polish production - I’ve made it clear before that this is basically a cheaper, more boring stage version of the 2004 movie and I am not a fan. But you know what, considering some of the productions that came later, it’s not that bad. They improved the Christine wigs (compare this to this). The singing is better (compare Paulina Janczak in the original and in the revival). The chandelier crash is EPIC. They had the balls to do this. So you know what, maybe it isn’t so bad.

Gothenburg production - Yes I am keeping this separate from the Finnish production, so sue me. To be upfront: this production has a lot of problems. The costumes are just sad (but with a bit more glamor than the Finnish one IIRC, so points for that). The sets range from awesome to WTF. Why does their ‘Music of the Night’ have the Phantom standing 10 feet from Christine and singing to the audience?? However, they had a great cast and the gumption to make some interesting tweaks to a song or two, so you know what, brownie points.

Finnish production - Basically all the criticisms above, except that their cast was more boring, people were singing too fast, and why are they still hiring this guy, please get new blood.

Restaged UK/US tour production - I have written extensively on my thoughts about the restaging, so to keep it brief: bad costumes, bad blocking, bad characterization, bad interpretation overall. But good cast, I guess? And one point for casting diversely.

Romanian production - Why is the Phantom holding a gun. Why is Christine wearing the Victoria’s Secret of dressing gowns. Did Christine jump out of a window during ‘The Mirror’. Why does the Phantom use Christine as a body shield. I have so many questions.

Serbian production - All I possess is an audio, some photos, and a trailer, so... why are the sets so minimalist, why is the deformity so boring, why is Christine wearing a rose-patterned dress with a giant rose crown, whose idea was it to give Elissa a giant poofy hat and then have Christine hold it because otherwise she’ll look stupid, why do people keep putting tango dancers in ‘Point of No Return’, why is the monkey box so threatening. Is this madness or brilliance. Nobody knows.

Bulgarian production - The heck is this production.

[hannahlovestheatre]

A RANT ABOUT RENT LIVE AND HOW GOOD IT WAS

Okay so I need to stand on a soap box real quick to make a point. Please read the whole thing. I feel like Rent Live not only needs to be reviewed but is the perfect example for what I am about to say. If you have a problem with this, thank u next.

Let me ask you a question. How many people do you know named or are probably named Sarah? How about Taylor? Maybe Alex? Okay, now that you have a number in your head think about this: are they all exactly the same? Same hair color? Eye color? Body type? Do they all play soccer? Do they all love the same kind of music? Are they all the same race? Same sexual orientation? Is your answer no? It should be. They are all different yet special in their way.

Now let's look at Rent. We have Rent, the Broadway musical (which is actually a reincarnation La Boheme, an opera with a lot of other versions as well!!! It all comes full circle) ; Rent, the movie; and Rent Live. All share a name but none of them are the same. They are all special in their own way.

Rent, the Broadway musical, is one of if not the most revolutionary musical to hit the Great White Way. Without it, Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen and The Prom and The Band's Visit and Fun Home probably wouldn't exist. It inspired artists to cross the borderlines and expressed the true meaning if love and being a part of a community, a family. It inspired composers like Lin Manuel-Miranda do even make musicals. It swept the Tonys, it won the Pulitzer prize, it ran for a very long time. It was so important that they filmed a pro shot of the final performance. However, that proshot was not a one take deal. They pre filmed some stuff to get those epic close ups, like the beginning of Out Tonight. Again, it was crucial to the world of theatre.

Next we have Rent, the movie. It was filmed as an independent film, kinda like how The Last Five Years was. They got most of the original cast to reprise their roles. Tracie Thoms and Rosario Dawson swept in to save the day. They are honestly the best Joanne and Mimi that I've seen. Tracie has played Joanne literally everywhere: in the movie, on Broadway, and at the Hollywood Bowl. And it was also a good thing for Rosario to put on her resume. The actual movie itself cut and rearranged the order of songs from the musical and doesn't focus much on being in the 90s but the present day. There's nothing wrong with that, but the creative team wanted this Rent to be it's individual being. People that see the movie might have only seem the movie and not the Broadway musical. When they see it's mostly the same cast, they got excited and were looking forward to seeing the other Rent. It's not the same Rent, but it's called Rent and is similar to that other Rent, but it's not that Rent. It's like Rent the II.

And as of yesterday we have Rent III, Rent Live. Now I get it. Technically this wasn't live as in broadcast live and everything you saw was happening in real time and that sucks but also thank God they filmed that final dress or it probably wouldn't have happened at all or at least not in the way they planned. The whole concert version they released clips of would have been what we saw for those 3 hours instead of the full out production that we deserved to see. People would have stopped watching right away if they only got to see poor Brennin in a wheelchair and the cast just sitting there in the same spot watching with the live audience they have in front of them. But ya know what? It was still live. They did'nt lip sync or animate themselves to be CGI dancers. They sang live, they moved live, they had a live audience. That's why it's called LIVE THEATRE. It is happening in front of a group of people. This was also the first live musical that had an issue that prevented them from putting on the production as is. Grease Live had some weather and audio issues but guess what? They added pre filmed video and audio to fix that!!!! Tbh, I would not be surprised if they stop broadcasting it live and make it live meaning LIVE theatre in front of a LIVE audience that you prerecorded and show the world on whatever night.

The cast was unlike the other two in the sense that it was part Broadway performers, part music artists, part actors and dancers that can sing, and one phenomenal drag queen. If you want my opinion, Valentina is tied with Wilson Jermaine-Heredia as the best Angel. For someone who has never done anything like this, she did a hell of a job and was literally perfect in the role. Vanessa Hudgens, again in my opinion is probably the best Maureen. Her Over the Moon soars over any other one I have seen from the costume to her comedic timing to her commitment to the whole damn thing. She killed it. We also got see Jordan Fisher live his lifelong dream of being the first POC Mark and he did the role justice. The way they wrote Mark's monologues and made him feel as isolated from his group as friends as we've seen him was BRILLIANT. Especially at the top of Act 2 where they incorporated Seasons of Love into the plot, something that was not done in the other Rents which was literally genius. It was where I shed my first tear. Then we have Brandon Victor Dixon who did the best I'll Cover You Reprise EVER. I thought Michael McElroy was the best before last night. I was a wreck when Brandon did it. He is definitely one of the knots that binds these things together. And then we have Tinashe, Mario, and Kiersey Clemons. These three did their roles justice as well. I think Tinashe was up to par with Rosario's Mimi but her Mimi was definitely the most believable because she played it so young, she is supposed to be 19 but also a little coy and super sexy, which she did. Mario's vocals popped off and he definitely showed how much of a jerk Benny is. And Kiersey had a rocky start in my opinion but still played a great Joanne that had the perfect amount of spunk, sass, poise, and intelligence. Oh and don't get me started on Keala Settle. That woman took me to theatre church to bless the lord of blessing us with her talent. They rewrote Paul to be a woman named Cy which to me felt so raw.

And now the censorship thing. Idk what everyone else saw but I saw the same risque and edgy components of Rent that the Rent I and Rent II. The lyric changes were obvious ONLY TO THOSE THAT KNOW OF THE OTHER RENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. And the changes they did make were seamless. On these main broadcasting networks, you cannot say shit, fuck, dildos, expose bare asses, be overtly sexual, etc. etc. unless that creative team anticipates a lofty fee and a potential lawsuit. They were only able to cross a certain amount of lines before it got out of control. The final line was clearly mucho masturbation. They had things taken away from them and saw it as the perfect opportunity to really make this Rent the 2019 Rent that is different from the other 2 but doesn't try to be the most superior of the three we know of.

Do you see what I mean though? All of these things are called Rent but none of them are the same or trying to replace the other creations. Sarah A isn't trying be better than Sarah B who isn't trying to beat Sara, the one without an H at the end of her name and the same applies to any new adaptation of a book or movie or musical. Every time this happens, that same story is trying to be expressed to an audience that needs to hear it. This messed up world we live in now needs to see a place where people are loved and accepted and are a part of a tight knit community. Rent does exactly that.

So the next time you see that ______ Live is happening or _______ the Musical is happening or a certain musical is getting a film adaptation, don't compare the two as one entity. Call it _____ II or the Sara without an H at the end.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[heigoeswrong]

The Goes Wrong Extended Universe (GWEU) Masterpost

There’s 3? Maybe 4 people who have a love for Mischief Theatre strong enough to make a fandom so I’m making this for anyone who has been hearing about things like The Play That Goes Wrong! Anyone is free to message me for the TPTGW 👢and BBC recordings for PPGW and CCGW :’) It’s under a read more since there’s a substantial amount of info and links in this, so enjoy!

Background: The GWEU is a term I made up (lmao) to encompass everything related to the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society (Also known on Bway as Cornley University Drama Society and the Goes Wrong Show as Cornley Drama Society), a fictional drama society made up of both inept and unfortunate actors/stagehands/ASMs that put on productions that don’t go according to plan. It was created by Mischief Theatre, and has (at the moment) three theatre productions (one upcoming), two proshot recordings, and one tv show.

Main Characters in CPDS (Actors in Brackets): Chris Bean (Henry Shields), Robert Grove (Henry Lewis), Jonathan Harris (Greg Tannahill), Sandra Wilkinson (Charlie Russell), Annie Twilloil (Nancy Zamit), Dennis Tyde (Jonathan Sayer), Max Bennett (Dave Hearn), Trevor Watson (Rob Falconer/Chris Leask).

Current and Upcoming GWEU Productions (in chronological* order):

The Play That Goes Wrong - Live Theatre (Currently on: Off-Bway, West End, US Tour. Previously on: UK Tour, Australian Tour, Bway)

Trailer

Preview Clip (Royal Variety Performance 2015)

Peter Pan Goes Wrong - Live Theatre & BBC Recording (Currently on: West End (2019 Christmas Season). Previously on: UK Tour, Australian Tour, West End. BBC Recording (2016) cuts around an hour from the play and changes some scenes for time but is a proshot.)

Trailer

Preview Clip (BBC)

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong - BBC Recording (Aired 2017. Moves away from traditional theatre style to a more sitcom-like feel; was still mostly filmed live but you do not see the audience and there is green screen usage/camera SFX.)

Trailer (first few minutes of the show)

The Goes Wrong Show - TV Show (Apparently airing Autumn 2019, and is filming the last episode live in Manchester on the 11th of July. Get tickets here to be part of the audience. Goes back to the traditional live theatre style, with some strategic camera cuts. Consists of six 30 minute ‘mini-plays’ in the same style as TPTGW.)

BBC Article

Magic Goes Wrong - Live Theatre (Opening Dec 14, 2019. I don’t actually know a lot about this one, but it is in collaboration with Penn and Teller and part of Mischief Theatre’s year long residency at the Vaudeville Theatre on West End.)

Preview Clip (HRH The Prince of Wales birthday)

Preview Clip (BBC Comic Relief 2019)

*Mischief Theatre doesn’t care about when their shows are set which makes my life hell and since I don’t have a concrete air date for the Goes Wrong Show it could come either before or after Magic Goes Wrong. Also, from three clips posted Magic Goes Wrong doesn’t seem to actually include members of the CPDS, so I don’t know how it’ll tie in but we’ll just have to see.

I also didn’t include The Nativity Goes Wrong script, since it only concerns two of the characters from CPDS, but you can buy it here from Bloomsbury.

Other Mischief Theatre productions that are not part of the GWEU:

The Comedy About A Bank Robbery (West End)

Groan Ups (September 2019, West End)

Lights! Camera! Improvise! (No current productions)

Mischief Movie Night (Spin-off of L!C!I!. No current productions)

-

That’s all I have right now that won’t make it boring, but I did make a wiki if you want to dive into Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society lore with me, like how according to the timeline Chris Bean has been at university for nine years because Mischief Theatre never thought anyone was going to put effort into this :)) It’s here and I have four pages up so far but I’ll try and get everything I know up there at some point! I actually just made this for fun but anyone who comes across this goes ‘yo that’s kinda cool’ then great! Join me and my two friends in hell :)

[elflady]

I feel kinda weird because I think that with other shows I’ve really loved, the closing wasn’t as final, you know? Like, when Fun Home closed, I was sad, but I knew there was the tour, and also that I’d probably have a chance to see Beth and Michael and Judy in other things (which I mean, I’ve run into Beth multiple times since then plus seeing her in Angels, and Michael has tweeted me). With Falsettos, same thing, and I knew I had Brandon’s 54 Below show in the future, stuff like that, where I wasn’t just saying goodbye to the entire production forever. Even freaking In Trousers got a BroadwayCon panel, so I was able to connect with a production I wasn’t even alive to see, and same with the 54 Below Applause reunion.

But I guess, since the Angels cast is a combo of British/Irish actors and movie stars (other than Beth, bless her), who I’m not likely to just run into on the street or at 54 Below like Chip Zien or Michael Cerveris, and who I probably won’t see perform live again... and there’s obviously not a tour... it’s just so suddenly over, and there’s not likely to be a production on this scale in a long damn while, and there’s no cast recording to listen to over and over. I’m hoping some more boots will come out of the woodwork, but still... I won’t really be missing the play, I’ll always have the play, whether in proshot or HBO DVD or 1993 press reel or regional productions or written form, but... it’s mostly the actors, I guess? Or at least, the actors inhabiting their characters... Like these people swoop in and impact you so dramatically, but then suddenly they’re just gone, like I was lucky enough to speak with all of them at least a bit about how much their performances meant to me, but that I won’t have the opportunity to do that again??? AGH!!! I guess it’s still fresh, but I’m kinda struggling with this...

I guess I don’t have enough experience, like I’m so used to being impacted like this by long gone productions and media and artists, listening to cast recordings and reading interviews and watching bootlegs and press clips, even with music and movies and TV shows, most of the things which have impacted me most have been from the 70s and before, so I didn’t have to deal with them ending, they already had, and I almost never had the opportunity to directly interact with that media like I have with this production (or at least, just getting to see them perform was enough).

Before now, my being obsessed with Angels in America wasn’t as connected to reality and actual human connection, I had no expectation of being able to tell Stephen Spinella how much I love Prior, and it’s different having not seen him live. Same with HBO, like if I saw Justin Kirk in person I would have a freak out, but I don’t have that same need for him to know how much he affected me, even though in concrete terms he probably changed my life more than this production did... though I guess the need is less because the impact is less fresh? Also maybe because he wasn’t slaving away in the same way as Andrew was, since he wasn’t living as Prior for a year, night after night after night, pouring his whole soul into the role. Like, I felt so connected to Andrew and James in particular because of how much of themselves they devoted to this play, how I feel like not only did we share the experience when I was in the audience, but I saw in them my own experience of living and struggling with the play and thinking about every word and every motivation and every idea and every emotion, like they were changed by it the same way I was, like it was as sacred to them as to me

Oh wow this is a long ramble and doesn’t make much sense, but it did help me grapple with some stuff... and anyway, I’m sure with a bit of time I’ll feel more closure... well, off to the Bethesda Fountain to brood about it some more...

[notebookmusical]

Hi! Ya I totally agree that festivals are probably exhausting especially if you went to all days. I've always kinda wanted to go to one though and I like that there are a lot of different artists. I've always wanted to go to Outsidelands or maybe Coachella one day just to see what it's like and for the experience so it's still cool that you got to go! I'd be worried about the weather too.

So music for me is a lot easier than watching TV shows. I try to and basically listen to everything cuz I like all genres and always listen to new music. I am pretty familiar with most artists. If you recommend some artists you like, I will definitely check them out and add it to my long list haha. So I like everything but my favorite artists are the ones who I've loved for a long time and sometimes kinda from the beginning of their career. My top two are Taylor and Twenty One Pilots though..for their music, and being in the fandom, which are the only two that are like that where I'm obsessed and know a lot about them. Taylors my favorite and they are my sister's favorite. Then Paramore and a Canadian artist called Lights are two more I've been a fan of since like 2009. Then other alternative or emo bands like MCR, Panic at the Disco and Fall Out Boy..but it's not really my everyday music anymore. My favorite kind of music is alternative. I'm also a big fan of The Smiths and The Cure's music and the guitar in their music and their lyrics. Best Coast and Soccer Mommy are two other artists where I love pretty much every single song from them and some of my favorite artists ever now..and I was also kind of a fan from the beginning. The lead singer of Best Coast actually just put out her own solo album last week so that's something I've been playing recently. I also love all of Hayley Williams solo music and Best Coast and Soccer Mommy are kinda similar to Paramores music if that helps. I also like Beabadoobee who opened for Taylor too. I'm also a fan of pop music..and any like singer songwriter girl I will pretty much check out. I loved Carly Rae's last albums and Tori Kelly just put out an EP. I've been a fan of Kelly Clarkson for a long time too and her last album was so good. I'm also a fan of anyone from 1D. I like Sabrina, Gracie, Maisie, and anyone who Taylor recommends usually, like Haim and Phoebe too. I'm excited for Olivia Rodrigo and Holly Humberstone's albums. I also love Broadway and musicals a lot lol. Also Jeremy Jordan is in a band now called Age of Madness and I liked every song from the EP. The only genre I don't really care for is EDM Rap or country..but I still enjoy girl country artists too.

The Barbie house recreated on stage would be so amazing!!! That's so cool that you talked about Smash with someone while you were there haha. I loved the music on the show and omg I forgot about the Bombshell musical. The only thing I kinda knew about the Some Like it Hot musical besides the Tony wins and the plot from the movie was apparently they reused the song Lets Be Bad in the show.

.I think Newsies would be such a cool show to watch live and I like all of the casts too anyway. I missed Waitress on tour but I would have wanted to see that one too. It's another show where all of the cast is good but each performer makes the character a little different. I liked Jessie, Sara, Katharine McPhee and Nicolette too from clips I saw. Drew Gehling and Jeremy were the best Pommaters to me. I wonder who was the cast for the proshot and when it was coming out.

The Notebook musical sounds interesting though with the sets and stuff. Hopefully they can improve it when it does come to Broadway. Movie adaptations are always kinda tricky or cash grabby too, and then it's hard to put songs in or they end up forgettable..or they change it a bit from the original movie .Something like The Bands Visit, Legally Blonde, Waitress, and Beetlejuice and Moulin Rouge are ones I thought worked pretty well. Also did you hear about or what are your thoughts on the new Gatsby musical? It's starring Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada!!!

hellooooo friend! i was telling everyone i know that i'll never do another music festival again, but then my best friend was like "wait but i really want to go to one someday" so i guess i am going to at least one more music festival in my lifetime. the things we do for the people we love! i think outside lands might be chiller than lolla, so i'm thinking i might do that with her at some point depending on the lineup? the lineup this year looks really good; i was looking at it a while ago before landing on lolla — there's a bit of overlap with lolla artists (including my girl holly!!) but there's also conan gray, who i'd love to see live, and inhaler (who i saw live earlier this year), and samia (who i wish i'd gotten to see earlier this year, but things just didn't quite work out). music is also easier for me than tv shows! especially since i can listen to them while i work! i like beabadoobee — she was fun to see live at lolla! she's actually coming to seattle in a few days i think, but i decided to pass on her concert just because i've spent too much money lately (especially on live music). i'm so so excited for holly humberstone, i feel like i've been waiting on her debut for ages. some other people i've been listening to lately are: griff, grace enger (who is opening for maisie on her us tour; her album just came out yesterday), cate canning, gretta ray (who has an album out next week), claire rosinkranz (who opened for maisie's aftershow), the japanese house, renee rapp, charli xcx, haim, muna, lily kincade, clairo, isabel pless, del water gap, lizzy mcalpine, etc.! i had no idea that jeremy jordan is in a band now; i'll have to go look it up later! ooh i didn't realize that! i haven't kept up with SLIH at all but i've had friends go and say it was amazing, and the choreo was beautifully done! i just have not really been paying attention to broadway lately </3 i loveeee drew gehling's pomatter; i know some people think he got stale near the end but i was always charmed by him haha. i do have a soft spot for drew though because he was in roman holiday! i've seen links for the proshot floating around but i've never seen it; i really should sit down and watch it some day. ooh yes! all the ones you listed were great movie → musical adaptations, and i'd also add once, sing street, and amelie to list (among others)! i think it's just like ... the newer/more recent ones feel very ... underdone/cashgrabby/like they're just churning out musicals to have them if that makes sense? i am very intrigued about the gatsby musical, especially since there's two — it'll be a very "wild party" situation again i think! i'm very curious to see how jeremy jordan and eva noblezada play off each other (esp. since he's quite a bit older than her). i actually really love gatsby; my english teacher was phenomenal the year we read gatsby and made me really appreciate analyzing text/annotating/etc. more! i cannot waittttt to see the costumes and set (i'm a very visual person!) what about you? what do you think of it?

[notebookmusical]

Hi!!! I totally missed talking to you too! I would love to hear about the performance or festival! It sounds super cool and I've never been to one. I hope it was amazing. I totally agree that the surprise songs are a nice bonus and how it makes every show different and special no matter what. I totally agree about the Folklore dresses..they are my favorite next to Speak Now. Unfortunately I didn't get to go to the Paramore show the other night which is a huge bummer. It just didn't work out at the last minute. But I finally saw the Barbie movie last night! It was pretty good. There were some things that surprised me still even if I got stuff spoiled. I loved all the pink stuff and the Ken stuff. It managed to be funny but also kinda heartfelt and real. Like even America's speech..even though it felt on the nose at times, it was kinda nice to hear her say it in a simple relatable way and it did make me think about being a woman. It had a lot of good themes and ideas but almost felt like two different movies...and I guess because of the two settings. It made it a little different than what I expected though and I don't even know what I was expecting either. I loved the I'm Just Ken song and scene! It makes me happy that he got to sing in another movie again haha. I guess they are still working on a La La Land stage version but I haven't heard anything else about it. I'm curious what other kinda songs could be in your musical version. I could definitely see a welcome to Barbie land song and maybe a song for Weird Barbie. I could see it being similar to Mamma Mia I guess. I love Megan Fahy as a choice and I loved her in the Bold Type and then I found out she was in Next to Normal. I'll watch the videos you posted too. Gavin Creel and Jen Coella seem perfect haha. I was lucky to see Gavin as Cinderellas prince/wolf in Into the Woods last month and he was funny so he'd be great in this. That's so awesome about getting Hadestown tickets! I'd definitely say it was one of my favorites in the last few years and to see live. I haven't actually listened to the new Sweeney Todd yet but I guess I'd recommend the original cast with Angela Lansbury as Mrs Lovett, but I've also seen Patti Lupone. For Rent, sometimes I just like hearing the songs compared to watching the show..like you can get most of the plot from the cast recording even if you're unfamiliar. That is sooo cool about Newsies!!! Did you get to see Jeremy Jordan? I've seen the proshot a ton of times anyway but I'm so curious. I also enjoyed and would recommend SMASH since we are talking about musical shows lol. But Schmigadoon was the same way with all of the references and stuff. Also who did you see in Waitress? I still watch the Tony's and try to keep up with it but I feel like the revivals were better than new musicals this year or that's what I was familiar with and I didn't listen to any cast recordings. I used to always do that before the Tony's with any new show but I didn't this year..but I will eventually. It's really hard for me to know who should win Tony's since I usually like most musicals. The only ones that I don't really like are the bio ones that's also jukebox cuz they all seem similar to me. I have a musical sideblog so I do try to keep up with it and I love all your gifs. You have great taste in musicals. I love anything Sondheim and those are great picks. Spring Awakening is also a favorite of mine! I forgot the rest of your list but I think I'm familiar with most of them. Also that's pretty cool about the Notebook musical and I'm sorry it wasn't good. Maybe some things shouldn't be a musical and I can't really imagine the songs translating well or how many songs it would be but at least you liked the actors. I'd be curious to hear more about it if you wanna share! I thought it could have potential with Ingrid Michaelson. I think I saw a clip of Joy Woods singing Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop if I'm remembering correctly and her voice is so good!

hellooooo friend!! i went to lollapalooza last week, which was my first music festival and it was a lot, but also really fun! i definitely am not an outdoorsy girl, and i was not as prepared for chicago summer heat as i should've been. i lowkey had more fun at the aftershows (for sabrina carpenter, and maisie peters), and i think if i was to do lollapalooza again, i'd probably just do aftershows and maybe not do GA for all 4 days, but just one day? there were a few sets where i was like "... i probably would have a better view and have more fun watching this on the hulu livestream", which is a little bit unfortunate, but you live, you learn! it was actually kind of scary watching so many people around me pass out, and i just ... do not think i am a festival girlie! which is fun because i have bumbershoot coming up, but it's not really a big music festival, just a very small one in seattle and i'll probably just hang out with the crafty things instead (unless the people i'm going with really want to listen to the music)! i got to see some of my favorite artists though, and it was just really, really lovely — especially holly humberstone, because i don't think i'll get the chance to see her for a while (unless she tours to seattle with her new album)! i don't think i've asked you this, but aside from paramore and taylor swift, who else do you like to listen to? 🤍 i'm sorry about paramore :( i thought of you earlier! i got a notification on my phone about cheap paramore tickets in seattle tonight and i was like oh .....! i almost caved and got tickets but i am 1) still run down from chicago/lolla + 2) i spent money on tickets this morning! but eeeee i'm glad you got the chance to see barbie!! i do agree about it feeling a little clunky / like two separate movies! i don't know what i had expected from the barbie movie, but i definitely didn't expect that! ugh i'm already thinking about how beautiful a barbie musical set would be (can you imagine the barbie house?) maybe something by jason sherwood or beowulf boritt? i just think it would be so fun!! and yes — love love love meghann fahy! she also sang a bunch of kerrigan-lowdermilk (who wrote sam brown) songs back in the day that i really like, like say the word i'm so jealous you got to see gavin in into the woods! the tour didn't come to seattle :( i've only heard the best things about gavin, and one of my close friends loves gavin creel so i was like "oh he'd be a perfect ken!" i think they finally announced the sweeney todd revival cast recording release date, so i mightttt hold off and wait till then, and then go backwards and listen to angela lansbury! i did not get to see jeremy jordan in newsies, but i have seen him live — he came to seattle with betsy wolfe to sing with the seattle symphony a couple years ago! i saw newsies on august 9th, 2014, actually (what are the odds), with corey cott, liana hunt, and ben fankhauser! i like the proshot, but i think i'm more partial to the casts i saw (and i think that jeremy and kara and ben and akb were all a little too old to play teenagers at that point)! although my favorite cast is probably actually an amalgamation of the first national tour cast — stephanie styles as katherine, joey barreiro as jack (i've actually seen him as jack twice; once on tour and once regionally), and i think i've just loved every davey i've seen! i love smash! i was talking to someone in chicago about it, actually — they were sitting at the table next to ours and i just struck up a conversation about lolla since they mentioned someone i really love and we ended up talking about broadway / smash and it was really fun! i always say i'll do a smash rewatch and then i never do, but the music is just so good! i'm super curious to see what happens with the smash musical (bombshell musical?) they're supposedly working on.

with waitress, i saw betsy wolfe & drew gehling twice on broadway, desi oakley twice on tour, and i saw alison luff & mark evans on broadway three times! my jenna ranking is probably alison then desi then betsy, and i just really liked how alison and mark played off each other (i have a soft spot for mark from when he was in the play that goes wrong). but i think my favorite jenna overall would be nicolette! i kind of stopped paying a ton of attention to waitress after it closed on broadway though! i also feel that way with this last tony season! i feel like everything now is just either a revival (no shade to revivals), or an adaptation, or a jukebox and it is very rare that an adaptation feels ... complete to me now rather than just a cash grab. it's just very disheartening, as someone who loves theatre! if/when you feel comfortable coming off anon, i'd love to follow your sideblog (and/or your main blog), but that's totally up to you! always happy to chat with you on anon 🤍 i got to see a sunday afternoon on the island of la grande jatte again in chicago, and i had a good little cry! i'm such a sondheim girlie. and that's okay; not all musicals are winners/will speak to me! i think the notebook musical just felt very ... cashgrabb-y? it did make me cry though, so there's that (not that it takes much to make me cry)! i think the songs were just kind of ... forgettable, which really sucks because i like a lot of ingrid michaelson's songs! joy woods' voice is BEAUTIFUL, and john cardoza really just stood out to me! i remember sitting in the theatre and thinking to myself "this man needs to be orpheus someday" and then went to look at his insta and realized he covered epic II from it! i was so so happy when he was cast in moulin rouge as christian; i've heard some clips of his christian and i really like him too! i think the set was beautiful too; i remember being really impressed by the rain scene! i wonder if they've reworked it for broadway, and what will be the same!