#HOW HAVE I NEVER LISTENED TO THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST BEFORE | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

d-criss-news · 1 month ago

Text

Darren Criss on Bringing Robot Love to Broadway With ‘Maybe Happy Ending’

Chances are the multi-talented Darren Criss is as cross-eyed as the rest of us are with the twists and turns his career has taken over the past 13 years. In 2009, he began in television with six years of Glee, playing the lead singer of the Warblers, and helping power a Warblers focused soundtrack album to Number 2 on the Billboard album chart. Then in 2018 he switched fromsinging to spree killing, giving a stunning, steel-plated performance as Andrew Cunanan in Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. That got him a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy and set people to thinking there might be a serious actor lurking inside that singer.

Before that could be settled, the singer reemerged, as a replacement in a Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, raking in $4 million during his three weeks. That was followed with an Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theater and a stint in Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Belasco Theater.

Two years ago, the actor was back when producer Jeffrey Richards hired him for some deep-dish David Mamet drama, American Buffalo. Now Richardshas returned Criss to the Belasco, and singing, for an original Broadway musical, Maybe Happy Ending—a very original musical, in that it’s about the love life of robots in Seoul circa 2064.

You’ll not find much of that Glee guy you know and love in the character Criss plays in Maybe Happy Ending, a lonely Helperbot robot who putters aimlessly about his tiny apartment, listens to jazz and devotes all his TLC to a favorite pot plant. That changes swiftly when a female form of Helperbot, Claire (Helen J Shen), drops by to borrow his charger. Sparks fly, then conversation, and inevitably a kind of amorous connection.

Despite the nuts and bolts, what we have here is basically a rom-com, with a charming book and score by a couple of NYU classmates.

Actually, there are two books and two scores, one in English, one in Korean. Will Aronson, 43, of New Haven, composed the music, and Hue Park, 41 of South Korea wrote the lyrics. Once they did that, they put their heads together and wrote “connecting tissue”—a play in praise of love’s rejuvenating effects. Even robots at the end of their warranty are susceptible.

Evidently, Hue won the toss because the Korean version premiered first—in Seoul, where the story is set—and proved to be such a success that stateside productions were put together. The English edition made its first U.S. appearance two years ago at Atlanta’s Alliance Theater, where The New York Times’ Jesse Green deemed it “Broadway-ready.” Thus, we now have a live-action robot show going strong on West 44th.

The terror of doing this kind of production, Criss confesses, is that actors are afraid they’ll look like cartoons of their character, taking big, blocky robot steps around the stage. “The show has no listed choreographer,” he tells Observer. But he feels he has that situation well in hand. He and director Michael Arden “have taken a particular interest in making sure the physicality is distinct,” he says. “And I’d be remiss not to mention a teacher at Juilliard, Moni Yakim, who had some Zoom discussion with us about this.

“It’s kind of a cocktail of those three things: Moni’s suggestions, Michael’s pursuit of perfection and my own interest in physical theater. It’s a skill set that I’ve never been able to utilize—at least to this level. When I was in college, I took a semester off so that I could study physical theater at the Accademia dell’Arte, the performing arts school in Arezzo, Italy.”

A cast of four inhabit the show: Dez Duron, Marcus Choi, Criss, and Shen. You may detect a little kinetic energy between Criss and Shen. That’s because they both attended the University of Michigan—albeit, not at the same time. “She graduated about two seconds ago, and I may have graduated a little longer ago than that,” concedes Criss.

“She graduated two years ago, and 10 years ago my name was up on the marquee at the Belasco Theater. And to be able to come back to the Belasco—but this time to share that billing with a fellow Michigan grad—is a very special moment for me. I’m now the upper-class man to the freshman of Helen J Shen. This is her Broadway debut. It’s a big moment for her, and getting to see her through that on stage—to call that a job is really a special thing for me.”

The enthusiasm Criss brings to the stage is practically palpable—and he still remembers where it came from: encountering Robin Williams at an impressionably early age in the 1992 animated Disney flick, Aladdin, in which his outrageous Genie-jiving was almost heart-stoppingly hilarious.

“I was probably six or seven—and I noticed how this audience connected with each other and with this Genie on the screen. I was very taken with that idea, and I wanted to give people what this Genie was giving them. Then, I found out the voice of that Genie was Robin Williams, who was such a prominent figure out in San Francisco, where I grew up. That made it an accessible concept: ’Oh, Mr. Williams is an actor. I’d like to be an actor, too.’ So I hopped right on it.”

#darren criss #observer #helen j shen #michael arden #robin williams #uofmichigan #maybe happy ending #maybe happy ending bway #press #nov 2024

29 notes · View notes

sparrowsortadrawzzz · 8 months ago

Text

LEMME JUST RANT ABOUT URINETOWN FOR A SECOND NOW THAT MY ROLE IS OVER CUZ ITS SO GOOD-

see the crazy thing about urinetown is the paralells. like, we don't see Hope as this master manipulator, yet...she is???? she went to the most expensive university in the world for it?????

it first occurs in follow your heart, she practically plays with his feelings to get him to like her back (see her validating his feelings and using the "Why, my heart was saying the same thing just the other day!!" card), and from there, yes, the two are genuine, but you gotta admit, in follow your heart is she does use a bit of a persuasive direction.

then we see her manipulate again in the end when she leads the poor to UGC headquarters and. yknow. kills everyone 💀 she eventually becomes worse that her father by denying them any other option than. die from lack of basic needs, and leads their demise. ALSO SHE COULDVE AT LEAST LISTENED TO THE RESEARCH?? CONTINUED IT??? AND SAVED EVERYONE LIKE BOBBY AND CALDWELL WANTED?????? anyways-

also, Caldwell and Bobby were the same at one point. they had to have been. a poor boy in the midst of crisis has dreams to help the people of his community, so he rises up with the support of his people, and becomes a martyr...sounds like two people, doesn't it?

ALSO², PENNY AND CALDWELL ARE SO TRAGIC????? this young woman (who is perhaps a prostitute just to get by) and (probably) poor boy are in love, and once the water table drops and keeps dropping, they take a chance to give into their feelings and have their night together, which leads to their daughter Hope being born, and once that happens Caldwell has possibly already started his revolution, company, and rise to the top. so he takes their daughter (possibly so that she doesn't have to go through what he went through as a child), makes her promise to never tell Hope who she is, and becomes this hard, cold shell of a man he used to be, becoming someone Penny doesn't even recognize anymore. she doesn't love Cladwell, she loves Caldwell, the dreamer who once cared for all the people. and that's probably why she calls him such, to try and get her beloved back.

also erm lockstock how dare you just reject barrel like that-

HARRY AND BECKY ARE TOGETHER???? AND ARE ACTUALLY RABID??????? couple goals <33 /j

who tf is tiny tom, like, is he Harry and Becky's kid????

im obsessed with imagining what Penny and Caldwell were like before UGC

REMEMBER WHEN OUR NIGHT WERE STARRY????

arent you sorry..? (translation: "Are you sorry about loving and listening to me?")

..sure, I'm sorry.. (translation: "You probably want me to say I'm sorry for loving you because you no longer love me, and regret me.")

im not sorry.. (translation: "I STILL FUCKING LOVE YOU AGHHH-")

JUUUST UNNNNSOUNDDDD (translation: "WE STILL LOVE EACH OTHER AND NOW ONE OF US HAS TO DIE-")

all the original broadway cast photos are 2001 crunchy 😭

HAIL MALTHUS

making fun of and calling out the government and twisted cops >:)

the harmonies make me wanna ascend

okay that's all for now 💀💀💀

#the sparrow squawks #urinetown #musical theatre #urinetown musical #theatre kid

51 notes · View notes

doloresdisparue · 6 days ago

Note

In some of your recent posts, you mentioned a Lolita musical? I didn't know there was a musical! Is there a place to listen to it/watch it??

- Someone who finds the book interesting, and deeply loves music

HELLO YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. If the Lolita musical has a million fans, then I am one of them. If the Lolita musical has ten fans, then I am one of them. If the Lolita musical has only one fan then that is me. If the Lolita musical has no fans, then that means I am no longer on earth. If the world is against the Lolita musical, then I am against the world etc etc. Here's my tag in case my elaboration makes you curious

It's called "Lolita, My Love" written by Alan Jay Lerner with music by John Barry. It premiered in 1971 and promptly flopped so hard that they canned it during tryouts before it even had a Broadway premiere though it has been critically praised since.

(Not since Carrie: forty years of Broadway musical flops by Ken Mandelbaum)

Lerner rewrote the script six times with significant changes in the different versions and you can look at most of them only through the LIbrary of Congress where his papers are preserved. In essence there are three versions. Philadelphia (very little information available), Boston (this version has a soundboard recording of the audio for the entire show on youtube from a preview show) and post-closing (this is where he cracked the code). The post-closing version was obviously never staged by Lerner BUT it was the main basis for the 2019 revival showing put on by the York Theatre and directed by Emily Maltby (one of the few women to direct an adaptation and while I don't think that is at all necessary for a good one she did a phenomenal job). It was a special event that only ran for a week and had no costume, no stage design and everyone with scripts in hand but it's the closest to a real production that has ever been done. Unlike the original 71 production it also did not cast any children and did not require them (or anyone) to be semi-nude. Dolores was played by an actress in her early 20s (Caitlin Cohn) who proved you could put on the show without endangering kids perfectly well.

The significant change between the Boston script and the Revival version (which takes small things from all scripts but is largely based on his final draft) is the (re-)addition of Dr. Ray as a framing device. To adapt the novel format to the stage Humbert is continuously telling his story to Dr. Ray who is interviewing him for his case. She (they cast a female black actress for the role in the revival) questions, interjects and overall holds the audiences hand a little when it comes to working out just how unreliable Humbert is. I like the Boston version where he talks directly to the audience but I fear we as a society have proven that we need a Lolita adaptation that holds peoples hands at least a little. Another delightful aspect is that, just like in the book, Humbert is actively using his medium against the reader/audience. Dr. Ray is always on stage as Humbert essentially directs the rest of the show to present his version of the story to her. At certain points light and music cues tell the audience that he is clearly making things up, Dolly starts moving like a marionette and talking as if she is hypnotised. Meanwhile he switches seamlessly between the interview and participating in the action, directing the ensemble, setting the scene so to speak

but sometimes the action freezes or the lights abruptly come on when she interrupts him, immediately jarring the audience to attention in case they got a little too carried away in his catchy songs.

It's also a production that has a profound love for Dolly and, to my knowledge, the only adaptation that made the conscious choice to let her survive. Erik Haagensen, who put together the script, talked about how her death was never in any of Lerner's drafts and he wouldnt have included it if it was because it was so important to him to spotlight that she was a survivor and she still had a life after her abuse and honor the pehmomenal strength it would have taken her to get to that place at all because she is NOT broken and her life ISN'T over and that was important to him. I do understand and respect Nabokov's choice to go full tragedy but it's another reason the musical is close to my heart. I also cannot talk about this show without noting its distinction of featuring perhaps the worst line in musical history ever sung by a human being (saying this affectionately since it does its job of making you scream):

I could talk forever about other choices and the individual songs but this has gotten long enough I think. But feel free to hit me up (and this goes for anyone else too) if you want to talk more about it!

TL;DR: There is currently no way to watch "Lolita, My Love" as there is only an audio recording of a preview for the 1971 show, not a video and the archive recording of the revival (which exists!) is not publicly available (presumably for legal reasons). At least 2 songs are on Spotify re-recorded by commercial artists (Going, going, gone and In The Broken Promise Land of 15) as well as a purely instrumental version of the title theme (Lolita by John Barry) which i adore. The scripts are in the Library of Congress and potentially buried in other places but I have not found them anywhere online, though you can look at all the lyrics and small summaries of the action of each song in "The complete lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner" by Dominic McHugh and Amy Asch, which is widely available.

#ask #anon #lolita my love #alan jay lerner #john barry #musical #broadway #emily maltby #caitlin cohn #erik haagensen

10 notes · View notes

to-know-how-it-ends · 1 month ago

Text

Outsiders Thoughts

Hi! Been a while since I've actually posted something, and I had the extreme honor of getting to see the Outsiders like 2 and a half months ago, and now that I've had more than enough time to process it I figured I would put down my thoughts! I'm going to start from the beginning, then keep going. Forgive the numerous parentheticals -- I absolutely loved this show and can't shorten my review. I had been listening to the cast album since it came out, looking at all the posts, hoping but never considering that I would actually be able to go. I got a gift of tickets to go with a friend and it was an AMAZING experience.

First thing's first -- important to note that I am not from New York, so Broadway culture in general is very interesting to me. Most shows I am lucky to see come on tour. It was very wild getting to see everyone's faces and the details on stage so clearly even from a mezzanine seat, something that isn't very normal for me and was awesome.

Anyhow, so I got in line with the person I went to see it with, put on all my bracelets I had made for the cast (I was kinda sad because both my Ace and Paul bracelets broke [several times haha] but what can you do) and went into the theater. That night we saw most of the original cast, except for Josh Strobl as Johnny (flawless-- I'll get to that later) and Milena Comeau as Ace (also fantastic). The ushers were really nice, and one of them complimented my outfit which made my night (among other things -- again, we'll get to that later). We sat down and listened to the music that plays before the show starts. I saw in a post by @throwing-in-the-towel that multiple songs play, but something must have been weird or it was on loop because I'm fairly certain I heard Jesus Was A Cross Maker about 10 times in a row (things happen!).

Anyhow now for the actual show where my thoughts will be more rambly

It was so cool to see Brody on the tire before the show started. No clue what he's writing in there, but he was QUITE focused on what he was writing. I could see people in orchestra trying to wave at him, which I think may have been kind of rude but I also don't know

anyway so the show started but there's no turn your phone off please, blah blah blah warning so it was kind of startling when it started, that's okay though because it definitely pulls you in

Tulsa 67

Tulsa 67 was just -- so amazing. I saw what I saw from watching the Tonys, but seeing the choreography in person was AMAZING. I constantly was hyperfocusing on one or two of the dancers (Especially Daryl Tofa and Milena) throughout the show which might have caused me to miss some things but I think that's okay because it was astonishing

Seeing the screen fade to Darry and Soda in the beginning made my heart drop into my stomach. I don't even know how to explain it. I wanted to cry 20 seconds into the show, because these characters felt so REAL

The introduction to Josh Strobl's Johnny was when I knew he was fantastic, just the way he carries himself is SO johnny. His voice was so sweet, I fell in love with the character that I loved so much in the book all over again.

The scene where Bob and the Socs beat up Ponyboy felt kind of like BAM because it's not something I expected to see right after the opening number. That being said, it makes sense plot-wise so it worked. Kevin William Paul as Bob was so Menacing (the capital was intentional) like he TRULY hated greasers. It's hard to sympathize with a guy like that -- kinda wish they showed more about how his heart could be "good" but also understand why they didn't. First act is pretty much solely Ponyboy's perspective.

Grease Got A Hold

LOVED the introduction to all the characters. They seemed so genuine, Jason and Brent have such amazing chemistry as stage brothers, and Daryl as Two-Bit was hilarious.

His like cracking up for a solid 10 seconds before he says "got one of their hubcaps"

was a little sad at the reducing of Steve as a character, but also I get it in terms of the plot -- it doesn't change the story much.

the choreography in grease got a hold is so good. Truly. with all the gravel everywhere, truly adds to the grittiness of the show. I knew how it looked partially because of the performances that are on youtube and from the tonys, but the way they make use of the set is so cool

Josh Boone's stage presence as Dally is unmatched. Seriously. Get this man a Tony. I'll get to more of this later, but wow. And his riffs in Grease Got A Hold. don't even get me started.

daryl's delivery of "you better bet your life" is different from the cast recording but in SUCH a good way.

I always love the part that's a-capella with the claps because it reminds me of come from away. can't really explain it, it just does and I love it

everyone making fun of Darry when he sings his verse -- cracked me up

Also jason schmidt -- just wow. what a performance. he has such a hold on you (if you'll forgive the pun) the moment you see him because I feel like you can tell that he's so much more than an airhead/flirt/etc. from the get-go. jason's portrayal of him is so perfect.

how physically affectionate the gang seems with each other

Runs in the Family

someone give brent comer a tony

no seriously he was fantastic. there isn't much movement in the song, but you don't need it. you can feel his pain. his frustration. they could never make me hate Darrel Shaynne Curtis

AND HIS VOICE. actually my favorite in the entire show

when the gang comes in and Ace is like "hey Darry got any chocolate cake", and the gang is all scooching together with big old smiles on their faces watching tv while Darry's scrubbing the kitchen

all of darry and pony's interactions are laced with so much tension, it's palpable. and darry's inherent mistrust of dally is very real

that being said -- dally is A LOT nicer in the musical. like no way would he hug pony and johnny in the book, or outwardly say how much he cared about them, even if you know that's how he felt. I do like how he's portrayed here but it is very different.

Great Expectations

love the whole scene beforehand

the 544 pages thing cracks me up

they all have such good brotherly chemistry, but I also feel like Jason Schmidt could have chemistry with a brick wall -- seems like he is the reason the brothers all mesh so well together

when they all look up at the train sound -- ahhh

Now for the song -- WHOA

okay so I was obsessed with the song when it came out, but after listening to it many many times I got kind of less excited about it. HOWEVER. Seeing and hearing great expectations live was an out-of-body experience. The harmonies! The high notes! The fact that Two-Bit and Ace look like they're floating. I truly can't put into words how beautiful that scene is.

the scene with Dally and Johnny made me cry, a little, but that's not hard to do lol

feel like this is poor theatre etiquette because I am like 99 percent sure you are not supposed to laugh when Johnny's like "I think he might kill her" but people were laughing and I was like seriously?!

the amazing chemistry between josh boone dally and josh strobl johnny. never seen sky but I hear his and josh boones chemistry is fantastic as well. josh strobl feels so ethereal as johnny. don't know if I'm explaining it right, but his voice is so sweet, he really feels like a kid.

the way Johnny physically pushed Dally away from going into his house, curling into himself afterwards, and how sad Dally looks after that

Friday at the Drive-In

I love emma pittman. i will probably say this several times. her stage presence is remarkable.

choreography was stellar as always

two-bit and steve seemed like on visibly hostile terms with Paul. like paul kept whispering to the other soc boys and looking back at two-bit and steve, and they kept being like Paul! paaaauuul! it was very entertaining

love the dynamic of the Soc girls. Cherry is so joyful, Marcia just looks happy to be there, and Bev is there with her happy snappy smile while she's looking at all the greasers like they're dirt

Ngl i'm kinda bored of writing thoughts for every song and I've been working on this post for a month lol so I'm just gonna give basic thoughts

two-bit's scream in justice for tulsa absolutely broke me. every time I think about it -- same effect.

at the second great expectations bit in far away from tulsa I started crying, it was so beautiful and I knew it was coming but like! the power in those voices!

Little Brother is probably my favorite scene in the entire show. josh boone's grief as dally is SO palpable -- and the background vocals also made me cry.

In the scene before stay gold soda genuinely looked like he was having a panic attack and darry and pony both looked so scared

I did not know how much I needed josh strobl singing stay gold

in the cast album I can't hear it as well, but live I heard the gorgeous harmony by daryl and brody for "everybody loves to judge us" and I may be wrong but daryls part of the harmony sounds almost exactly like the tune for "they say there's strength in numbers" in great expectations. do with that as you will

SO yeah the show defied my expectations, it was brilliant, I was in tears by the end, but we left our seats as soon as it ended because we were in the mezzanine and I wanted to get a spot at the stagedoor. The cast were so kind and genuinely gracious and excited to talk to the people at the stagedoor (including me). I wish I had said more but I was kind of starstruck -- I gave the cast the bracelets that I had made. The people that came out that night were kevin William paul, Kevin csolak (this was when he was still in the show!), melody , josh strobl, sarahgrace, emma , brent comer, daryl tofa, milena and jason . their reactions to the bracelets were so sweet! Emma did a little dance with hers, lol, and you can see it for a split second on one of her vlogs which was so cool to see after the fact. kwp was so kind, he complimented my magen david necklace and I believe I melted. Daryl was there but I missed him -- sg was signing my playbill and I was talking to her so he moved on the the next person and kept going -- which makes sense! I was so glad to see him though and he seemed really happy. I gave the rest of the bracelets I made to emma who said she would give them to the cast members who didn't come out (thank you emma!).

BUT

The next day, my grandmother and I won the suffs lottery and got to go see that show (which I'll post about later) and I got out to stagedoor there while the outsiders stagedoor was in full swing across the street. people were SCREAMING. The suffs cast had some guests come in so they didn't come out so early on, so I was like, why don't I cross the street, see if I can thank/express my awe to some cast members I didn't get to meet last night while I wait for the suffs cast to come outside. AND I DID! I got to meet josh boone, who I extolled my highest praise to (I was probably babbling lol) and he was SO KIND, and I met daryl tofa and we had a fun conversation about friendship bracelets and took a picture which was amazing. Fully did not expect that that was going to happen that night.

Long story short the outsiders is amazing and definitely one of my favorite musicals ever with such a sweet and talented cast. go see it if you can!

#the outsiders musical #mimi musical review #theatre kid #josh boone #josh strobl #jason schmidt #brent comer #emma pittman #daryl tofa #sarahgrace mariani #melody rose #kevin william paul #kevin csolak #milena j comeau

8 notes · View notes

greensagephase · 5 months ago

Note

So I had wrote out a massive paragraph talking about different songs that I hoped might inspire you for Nonviolent Communication regarding Gabriella and Miguel… However, tumblr had other ideas and decided to reload and delete all of my hard work.

So first things first, highly recommend you check out the song Happy/Sad by Nathan Lane featured in the Adams Family Movie where Gomez is singing to Wednesday about growing up because to me it reminds me of how Miguel would react to Gabriella and we all know Miguel is very Gomez coded.

Secondly, because tumblr’s cruelties, I just said fuck it and rather typing out every single song for you to go back and forth listening to I just made a playlist.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/74RQFVEFTmHizHTshKg5dS?si=mFg1O5fHTLy226vYohjnUw

Here is the link to it, I made it especially for you.

Last thing before I go.

Y/N x Miguel especially for NVC…

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.

Trust me.

Rue... I'm sitting here first of all, feeling so touched about the playlist!!! As Dr. Doofenshmirtz (Phineas and Ferb) once said, if I had a nickel for every time someone made a music playlist for one of my writing projects, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird (AWESOME) that it happened twice!!! EEEEEEEE, THANK YOU OMG!!!!!!! You're the second person that's made one for me in almost 10 years (the first being my best friend for an old fanfic back in the wattpad days)!!!

Second... Rue!!!!!! I swear there's only like 13 songs I don't recognize at all, but the rest are in my liked songs already!!! The following songs: - "Isn't She Lovely" - "Your Song" - "Slipping Through My Fingers" (OH MY GOD HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT THIS SONG FOR NC!?!?!?! IT BREAKS MY HEART EVERY TIME, I'M LITERALLY CRYING RN 😭😭) - "Butterfly Fly Away" - "Chiquitita" (no bc how do you know I'm a big fan of ABBA???? I love them and this song!!!) - "Thank You For The Music" - "Tu Sangre en Mi Cuerpo" (girl, you listen to Pepe Aguilar?? I'M SHOOK!!! And now I'm imagining Miguel and Gabby singing this together, brb... gonna go cry again😭) - "Matilda" (no, the way I was listening to this song the other day and thinking about Miguel??? "You can let it go/you can throw a party full of everyone you know/and not invite your family, cause they never showed you love" and "you can start a family who will always show you love/you don't have to be sorry for doing it on your own" tell me this isn't Miguel!! 😭😭I was already thinking of adding this one for a future chapter) - "Beautiful Boy" - "Yellow" - "The Scientist" - "Rivers and Roads"(I heard this one again a few days ago while on shuffle, and I was thinking this would be a good song for NC, hehe!) - "Promise" (this Laufey song always gets me omg) - "Pluto Projector" - "Heart To Heart" (one of my favs by DeMarco) - "Are you Lonesome Tonight?" (one of my fav songs by Presley, period!! Always gets me emotional) - "Ma Belle Evangeline" (The Princess and the Frog is one of my fav princess movies ever (probably the second; it switches with Rapunzel; depends on the day) and I love this song by Ray!!) - "Recuerdame" (YOU CAME STRAIGHT FOR ME WITH THIS ONE AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT ADDING IT BUT THEN DECIDED AGAINST IT BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS GOING TO CRY HARDER IF I DID😭😭😭😭)

these songs literally have me like this rn ⬇️

ALSO NOT "CHASING CARS" PLSSSSSS THAT SONG ALWAYS MAKES ME WANT TO CRY WITHOUT FAILURE - it's nearly 1am and I'm listening to it now and trying not to cry about it (again) AHHHH BUT YOU'RE SO RIGHT - IT'S FITTING!!!

I'm def adding some of these, Rue!!!!! Thank you for making this playlist for me, I'm so happy right now 😭😭 This was so sweet of you!!! Also, I'm sorry Tumblr messed up your post!! I've seen some people complain about tumblr doing that to them, it sucks!!!

But THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I LOVE THIS PLAYLIST!!!! I hope you're having a wonderful week so far, Rue!!! 💕💕🫶🏼🥹

Alondra❤️

#literally crying rn over some of these songs #i'm gonna go lie down and cry myself to sleep now #but no this playlist is WONDERFUL AND SAD BUT I LOVE IT SM!!!#Thank you Rue!!!!!#nonviolent communication #miguel o'hara #atsv miguel #spiderman 2099 #across the spiderverse #miguel spiderverse #miguel spiderman #asked and answered

13 notes · View notes

imagitory · 28 days ago

Text

Review: Wicked (Part One)

Fellow Ozians...I am happy to report that as of five hours ago (yeah, it took me over four hours to write and edit this!!), my mother and I have seen the film adaptation of the first act of the Broadway musical Wicked! I have been both so excited and anxious anticipating this movie ever since it was first announced -- that excitement rose to a fever pitch seeing the footage released to the public, and at long last, I've finally seen the full movie!!

For those of you who wish a spoiler-free review, I will just say this film surpassed all of my expectations. And my expectations almost had to be high for something inspired by a beloved film like The Wizard of Oz, let alone for a musical that is so dear to my heart. This movie celebrated and embraced all of what Oz is -- not just the Schwartz musical, but the original book, the Maguire novel, and the 1939 classic -- while still bringing a fresh, new, and different kind of color to the material that makes it stand apart on its own merits. Its messages were timely, its visuals were incredible, and the level of talent in every conceivable area from casting to costume and scenic design is in the stratosphere. This film truly defied gravity...and everyone, theater fan or not, needs to see this.

For those of you who want to read a more comprehensive, spoilerific review, check under the cut! 💚

The Good!

+Maybe it's appropriate that we start the "good" section with our Good Witch, Ariana Grande as Glinda. I have to admit, I was initially skeptical when I heard she'd been cast, as I was afraid that she -- like Emma Watson, Pierce Brosnan, and Russell Crowe before her -- had been chosen for the part for her fame and not for her appropriateness for the role. After all, my main frame of reference for Ariana Grande was as a very talented mezzo-range pop singer with a great belt who often didn't enunciate her words very well. I had no idea if she could play a role that was designed for Kristen Chenoweth, the quintessential over-the-top, comedic first soprano. Thankfully after seeing the released clip of What is This Feeling?, all of my worries were laid to rest, and after seeing this film? Quite frankly, Ariana ate and left no crumbs with this performance. Her vocal range was only matched by both her comedic timing and sympathetic performance. Throw verbal slings and arrows at me if you want, but I actually think Ariana even did better than Kristen Chenoweth did in making Glinda a relatable character, rather than just a punchline. Glinda's resentment of Elphaba's relationship with Madame Morrible and longing to prove herself to the sorceress was really well accented here, and the instant regret Glinda feels upon learning Elphaba stuck her neck out for her with Madame Morrible and yet was just about to enter the Ozdust dressed in the "ugly" hat Glinda gave her was palpable. More excellent acting from Ariana came in the opening scene where Glinda returns to Munchkinland, and you can see the visible flickers of pain in her expression seeing everyone rant about how no one will mourn "the Wicked Witch" and the Munchkins pulling the wooden witch set to be burned into the town square. I always felt this subtext before while listening to the song and seeing the musical, but I felt Ariana embraced the interpretation I'd always had in my head that when Glinda sings of how "the Wicked's lives are lonely" and when the Munchkins sing that "the Wicked cry alone," Glinda envisioned herself as the truly wicked one...because now, in this moment, the two most important people in her life are gone, and she's left to mourn them alone, with no one else likely ever to know her suffering.

+Ah, but yes, I can't talk about our Good Witch without bringing up our "Bad Witch," Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. I never had any doubts about Cynthia's casting after seeing her performance in the biopic Harriet and hearing her sing in the revival cast for The Color Purple, and as I knew she would be, she was absolutely fan-friggin'-tastic. Elphaba has been one of my favorite Broadway musical characters from the time I was in middle school, and Cynthia just brought so much passion, courage, sass, and compassion out of her. It just made me fall in love with Elphie all over again. When I was young, there was a period where I stopped singing solos in public -- it was right around the time when my voice changed, and to top it off, I'd had my self-confidence completely eroded by a Severus-Snape-esque Drama teacher, so I really wasn't up for putting myself out there for people to judge me. Point being, the very first song I sang at an audition in high school after this stretch was The Wizard and I, which was the one song that I identified with more than any other at that particular time in my life. Cynthia's performance of The Wizard and I brought all of those wonderful, soaring feelings rushing back to me -- I wanted to just throw my arms out and sing along with her at the top of my lungs. And yet no matter how good that performance was, it paled in the face of her finale, Defying Gravity. My GOD, GIRL!! Admittedly half of what made it so strong was Cynthia's heartbreaking performance as Elphaba realizing her whole image of the Wizard was a lie and that powerful righteous anger that bubbled up in response to it, but her vocal performance cannot be understated. I've listened to the CD track of Cynthia singing Defying Gravity a good five times just while typing this out, and I swear, my heart takes flight every time I reach the end.

+I have to put a separate bullet point attached to both of the prior ones just to point and scream at the amazing chemistry these two actresses had throughout the entire film. The casting of Elphaba and Glinda in particular is so crucial that anything wrong with their performers, either as individuals or as a pair, would've sunk the entire project. But in every single scene these two women were in, they both stole the show. They were peers and equals in every sense of the word. I never once felt like Cynthia was overshadowing Ariana or vice-versa -- they both shone like stars, separately AND together, and their rivalry-turned-friendship came across so believably. One of the single biggest changes I loved was in the Ozdust Ballroom scene when Elphaba starts dancing. In the show, it's oddly silent and uncomfortable, with Elphaba just looking weird as everyone stares at her, but in the movie, there's much more of a hostile, bullying air to how everyone surrounds her. There's actual mocking in their body language and lines, and yet Elphaba knows she can't run off crying: she's fenced in by this bubble her classmates have formed around her. So she just grits her teeth and dances to no music, pretending she doesn't care -- and so Glinda, rather than just stepping in and acting weird herself so as to show support, is also standing up to the others bullying her. Her "friends" even tell Glinda to stop and she says no. She isn't just using her own popularity as a shield around Elphaba -- she's really sticking her neck out, potentially sacrificing her own dignity and respect from everyone in the future, the way Elphaba stuck her neck out for her with Madame Morrible. Glinda had always envied Elphaba for being in the sorcerer's seminar, but Elphaba was willing to put that on the line for Glinda's sake -- now Glinda is willing to give up the social acceptance Elphaba had always envied on the line for Elphaba's sake. I believed that Elphaba and Glinda truly loved each other in this film. Without that, this film would never have succeeded.

+I have to give a nod to Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero too. Fiyero quite frankly is a character that I feel needs a really good actor to play him, because truthfully he gets much, MUCH less development than either of his female co-stars. In the wrong hands, Fiyero can come across as too much of a "boy toy" that Glinda and Elphaba fight over and that Elphaba gets as a "prize" over the more popular and traditionally feminine Glinda because she's "not like other girls." But in this film, Jonathan and the screenwriters did a nice job accenting how Fiyero -- unlike a lot of the student body of Shiz -- approaches Elphaba with no preconceptions. Elphaba's immediately defensive about her "verdigris" when meeting Fiyero, and he's just like "*shrug*" Later on, after Elphaba is "Galindafied," Fiyero tells her she doesn't have to act like that. And finally, when Elphaba puts everyone to sleep with the poppies (BEST! CHANGE! EVER, OH MY FRIGGIN' GOD, THAT IS GENIUS, WHAT AN AMAZING HOMAGE TO THE ORIGINAL BOOK AND FILM, WHY THE HELL DIDN'T THE OG MUSICAL DO THAT?!), Fiyero is the one who immediately busts out the lion cub and proposes setting him free. Yeah -- FIYERO does it! NOT Elphaba! AND THAT IS PERFECTION! Why? Because Fiyero is the rule breaker. He's the one who's been kicked out of multiple schools, the one who thinks nothing matters. Elphaba is the one -- at this point anyway -- who has always tried to color inside the lines: to be the dutiful older sister, to be the star student, to prove herself as worthy to Madame Morrible and the Wizard. And all of this is why Elphaba finds Fiyero attractive!! In the musical, this element can so often get lost -- oftentimes there's so much focus on why Fiyero chooses Elphaba over Glinda, but not nearly enough on why Elphaba loves Fiyero. And to soften this love triangle's edges further, Fiyero honestly never acts likes he's that romantically into Glinda. He doesn't actually act that romantically interested in anyone besides Elphaba, because in the beginning, he's so locked in his "nothing matters but knowing nothing matters" chain of thinking that he's sort of just breezing through and flirting casually with everyone. (As a side, Fiyero may have never been straight in either the musical or book, but here? This boy is a pansexual icon and I stan him so hard.) But yeah, Fiyero is kind of taken out of his laidback, playfully nihilist fog by Elphaba, and that's ultimately why he becomes smitten with her. He's not choosing Elphaba over Glinda, because truly, Fiyero never actively chose Glinda. He was kind of just shrugging through the whole "You're perfect; you're perfect; so we're perfect together" bit. But with Elphaba, she got him to care. She got him to engage, and think, and feel things strongly, and honestly give a damn about both himself and the real world for once. And Fiyero's display of this by wearing a poppy in remembrance of both Dr. Dillamond and the memory of bonding with Elphaba and then giving it to her before she left was really tactfully done.

+I bet you're thinking I'm going to talk about the Wizard or Madame Morrible next, but you're wrong! I'm actually going to talk about Dr. Dillamond. I completely forgot that Dillamond was voiced by Peter Dinklage until I saw the credits, but DAMN, were Dillamond's scenes powerful in this. Obviously Dinklage is a talented actor, and that helps, but there were also some really good new additions to the script in his scenes that just put them over the top. The first big change that I really like is that the song Something Bad -- a song I quite honestly never liked that much, compared to the rest of the soundtrack -- had its context changed from Dillamond talking to Elphaba alone in his classroom to a private meeting in his home with other Animals. To be honest, the original scene in the musical always felt a bit forced since I had trouble seeing a stately, sophisticated professor and mentor like Dr. Dillamond talking to Elphaba like she was a peer and confiding his fears about the growing fascistic state to one of his students. In this case, though, Elphaba merely overhears him talking with other adult Animals and then talks to Dillamond about it afterward, which makes much more sense. The song was also changed so that Dillamond now only lets out a "baa" by accident at the end, rather than twice, which makes it much more chilling, whereas in the original musical, it's played as both eerie and a little bit funny. But yeah, other additions include one of the Animals talking about leaving now while they still have a voice and Elphaba getting angry at her fellow classmates when they're not even going to say anything after Dillamond got ushered out...even earlier, near the very beginning of the movie, we see after Elphaba loses control of her powers that the carved image of the Wizard was put up to cover a collection of scholarly-looking Animals...and yeah, considering our current political climate, this couldn't be more relevant. I'm so friggin' delighted that a movie musical has decided to lampshade its relevant messages and themes for a change, rather than blatantly ignore them. *side-eyes the HELL out of Beauty and the Beast (2017)*

+Okay, okay, NOW I'll talk about the Wizard. I immediately loved the casting of Jeff Goldblum in the part, given that he does have that kind of approachable, adorkable quality despite being an older man, and given how many Apartments.Com commercials I've seen him in, I knew he could play a salesman, which is exactly what the Wizard is at his core. Goldblum did such a great job playacting as this artsy, paternal "Uncle Walt" showman-type who's become so eccentric and lonely because of the role he's placed himself in, but (unlike Elphaba) is not willing to sacrifice that role and the worship and acclaim he receives through it, even if it means he'll never be truly himself or loved for who he is. If anything, he's willing to double-down on that role and tell even bigger and more damaging lies just to hold onto the conditional "love" of Oz's people. His little replica of Oz with the TBD-colored brick road leading to the Emerald City was such a cool idea, as was his little replica of both himself and Elphaba, which I really hope will be played up for angst in the second part. >D Another great element of the Wizard in this film -- that yes, was largely from the stage musical but was plused so much here -- is that the Wizard's "magic" is in truth very mechanical. His mask is controlled by levers and gears; his model is full of electric lights; his entire Emerald City, in fact, is filled with electric lights. In truth the Wizard's "magic" is only a cold imitation, his servile monkey soldiers are all identical in appearance, and all of this comes from the mind of a man from a patriarchal, colorless world that's nothing like our beautiful, untamed Oz. This makes a perfect contrast for Elphaba, whose magic is borne of her intense compassion and righteous anger on behalf of the Animals of Oz. It is truly nature and traditional femininity at war with machinery and toxic masculinity.

+The supporting cast all around was pretty damn good. I might have one nitpick below, but acting-wise, everyone had amazing chemistry, and the script really did its best to add more material for all of the major relationships that still felt very true to the original musical. We see more of Elphaba and Nessarose's childhood, building up that there were good times and that some of Elphaba's "outbursts" were in defense of Nessa (which is something great to accent in Elphaba's character!! That her power often comes from righteous anger not for her own sake, but others!). We see Elphaba helping Dr. Dillamond pick up a broken vase of poppies and replant them after his interrupted lesson, touching both on why Dillamond takes a liking to her enough to trust her with his worries about Oz and on Elphaba's inherent compassion for the struggles of Animals. We see Morrible and Elphaba practicing magic together, with Morrible deliberately trying to encourage Elphaba's righteous anger, which ends up being the key to unlocking her powers. We see Boq not being the least bit uncomfortable about or coddling around Nessarose despite her being in a wheelchair, even while he's so clearly just spending time with her because Glinda asked him to, which explains part of why Nessa takes to Boq so much.

+On that note, I L-O-V-E how the filmmakers depicted Nessarose!! One of the aspects of this musical that has not held up over time is their rather ableist depiction of Elphaba's younger sister. In the original musical, Nessa's frailty and helplessness is emphasized just about every time she appears, from Elphaba originally being ordered to board with Nessa like a servant so she can tend to her to Boq just twirling her around to simulate dancing with her at the Ozdust. But here, Nessa has agency -- she wanted to "start over" at Shiz without Elphaba or her father around, and she starts up a conversation with some other students immediately after arriving. Elphaba's outburst in the musical was initially a bout of over-protectiveness in response to Nessa being taken out of her care, but here, it's Elphaba standing up for her sister after the headmistress tries to wheel her chair away without Nessa's consent and despite Nessa's objections. Sure, there's some tension between Nessa and Elphaba, and obviously there's a lot of favoritism by their father toward Nessa, but the film accents how sympathetic Nessa is, rather than how fragile she is. And to top it all off, they cast Marissa Bode, an actress who actually uses a wheelchair in real life, to play Nessa!! In just about all productions of the original musical, Nessa has been played by abled actresses who used a wheelchair as a prop, rather than as a real mobility aid, and this change is so beyond refreshing.

+The design of the practical sets in this film is -- for lack of a better word -- breathtaking. The level of detail, the mix of influences, the use of color and texture...all of this could only come from people at the absolute top of their field. And yet these choices were not skin-deep -- sure, it looked pretty, but there was function and feeling to every visual. From the stained glass reflecting different colors onto Elphaba's face when she dreamed over the Wizard "degreenifying" her to the old world influences in Shiz University's architecture emphasizing its age and elegance to the little circular window in the cafeteria door creating a "halo" around Glinda's head in What is This Feeling? to the swanky, illicit Ozdust ballroom being literally "underground" by being hidden under a lake full of fish...this all took a lot of vision and thought, and the finished result tickles both the creative and intellectual side of one's brain. I honestly can't wait to listen to audio commentaries from the scenic and costume designers about their creative processes for this film.

+Oh yeah, and can we talk about the costumes?! Obviously yeah, they look really pretty and it's clear that a lot of good materials and a healthy budget went into their creation (which is so refreshing *eyes TF out of Disney again because seriously WTF is up with the new live-action Snow White's cheap-ass Halloween costumes?*), but there's also so much character put into the costume design, even in the most minor, bit-part characters. One of my favorite aspects is how the Shiz students have a standard color palette (blue/gold/gray), but they can mix and match costume pieces to make everyone more of an individual. There are skirts, pants, shorts, pants with a half-skirt on the side, skirts with pants underneath, skirts with tights, sweaters, jackets, vests, hats, scarves, glasses, colorful socks, trainers, heels, Mary Janes...everyone can be comfortable and make their own statement about the character they play, even if they have no real lines, and I just LOVE that!! It accents all the more how Oz should be a very diverse and colorful place, and yet it's currently persecuting and marginalizing the Animals that once helped make it so diverse and colorful.

+The DANCING, HOLY FRIGGIN' SHEEZ. What is This Feeling? is where it shone the most, but I still have to scream about it, because the whole sequence is just so unbelievably good. The integration of step dance gave the whole number such an amazing rhythmic quality, almost making the ensemble the glue that sews Glinda and Elphaba's rivalry together. And yeah, from an allegorical sense, that's ingenious! Because think about it -- Elphaba wouldn't resent Glinda so much if she wasn't so universally praised and beloved by the public at large, while Glinda wouldn't feel she has so much to prove and feel like Elphaba is stealing her thunder and spotlight if it weren't for society's expectations. I was actually really bummed to find out the step dance rhythm isn't in the recording found on the Wicked film CD, because that element added so much to my love of the sequence. The dance choreography in the other scenes was impressive too, I just really had to gush about that main one.

+I knew this film wanted to do justice to the original musical, but I had no concept of just how much it would pay loving homage to the 1939 film and the Oz books too!! This film leans into the dark tone of Maguire's original novel more than the original musical ever did, especially in its political messaging -- I'm sorry, I don't see the musical ever having the Munchkins haul out a wooden witch figure to burn in effigy, and not just because doing so on stage would be dangerous. Besides that, though, we have some of the credits using the same font as the original Wizard of Oz's title screen; Glinda at one point yanking out some "ruby slippers" for Elphaba to try on in the Popular sequence; Elphaba smuggling the lion cub out of school on a bike that looks suspiciously like Miss Gulch's; and at the end of The Wizard and I, we see the Deadly Desert that surrounds Oz (referenced in the books), as well as a rainbow in the far-off distance! Oh, yeah, and did I mention that Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel have cameos during One Short Day and they actually take a moment to embrace the girls playing their respective parts?! My heart!!

The Not-So-Good...

+There were a few points where I felt the music was stretched out a bit too much, just for the sake of either showing off the singer's voice and/or sets and costumes or for the sake of being different. I get changing the end of What is This Feeling? because you're trying to surprise your audience and any fans of Wicked will know how the original song goes, but there was no need to stretch out Popular with two extra "la la la la"s before the grand ending. I also feel the break in One Short Day with Kristen and Idina did go on too long -- as happy as I was to see them, that kind of cameo is best done in moderation, especially when one considers anyone watching this either now or in the future who don't know who the hell either woman is.

+Compared to their co-stars, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible was the weak link singing-wise. She played the role superlatively from an acting perspective, and to be fair Madame Morrible is more of an acting part than a singing part in the musical, but compared to Cynthia, Ariana, Peter Dinklage or even Jeff Goldblum, her singing voice just wasn't on pier with her acting.

+Although the film decided to show Elphaba's childhood, which was yet another great idea, it missed out on the opportunity presented to them to introduce the Wizard supposedly being able to read the Grimmerie and being the Chosen One of the narrative earlier on. As devastating as it was for Elphaba to learn the truth about the Wizard not being able to cast magic or read the Grimmerie in the film, it would've been so much worse if the film established that this narrative was such a lucrative and prevalent lie that even children were indoctrinated in it.

Yeah, that's really all I can conjure up in regards to critiques! This film truly was an amazing, beautimous ride, and I loved every minute of it! Please, do yourself a favor and go watch this film! Watch it multiple times! I sure intend to! We need films like this -- ones with powerful, timely themes, chock-full of talented performers, and meticulously crafted by passionate artists that aren't afraid to buck convention. We don't have to accept limits because someone says they're so, and this film knows that. Big-budget movie musicals rarely make bank and almost never live up to their source material, and yet this film is proving this preconception wrong. That deserves to be celebrated! Celebrate it with your money at the box office, and let's shake things up in Hollywood! Let's prove that we don't want an artificial imitation of magic, but something real. Something with real sets, real vision, and real talent -- like this film. Jon M. Chu, I look forward to seeing the second part of this masterpiece next November, but in the meantime, I hope you know your future is unlimited! And to all of you, "thank goodness" you stuck with me this long to read all this...now please, fly off to your closest theater and watch Wicked! You won't regret it!!

Overall Grade: A+

#wicked (2024)#wicked #reviews #opinion #oh boy here i go #analysis

8 notes · View notes

elizacarlsonwrites · 1 month ago

Note

Thoughts on the upcoming title Wicked? Not sure if you've heard about it

(Pretending for the bit that I haven’t already been talking your ear off nonstop about this movie for Months)

Somehow this turned into the whole story of my obsession with Wicked, so here goes:

I have loved Wicked (musical) since I was maybe somewhere in the range of seven to ten years old or something (who knows for sure, I’m notoriously bad with the concept of time at this point). My mother had the CD from when she had seen the (I think) original Broadway cast, so the music was always Around as I was growing up. I remember also being quite fascinated by the cover art. At some point I was also quite fascinated by the Wizard of Oz stories and film, so that played into it as well, but eventually I’d effectively stolen the CD for myself (it’s still in my room at home somewhere, but I’ve just bought a second copy at a secondhand book store so I can give the original one back to my mother however many years later… whoops) and would listen to it All The Time.

The only memory I have of the first time I saw Wicked (it was a touring production) is a vague image of G(a)linda entering in the bubble, but I loved it. When I was twelve my family did a Broadway family trip and my grandfather surprised my mother and I with front-row seats to Wicked (we called him when we got there and found out and I couldn’t stop crying). I Vividly remember the smoke billowing out over us from the stage in Defying Gravity and As Long As You’re Mine and positively sobbing my way through For Good. It’s quite possible I’ve never been the same.

(I used to collect the big special programs with the fancy photos for Broadway shows, so the one I got at Wicked has been thoroughly studied and obsessed over in the years since then.)

Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to have seen the show twice more (once with you over the summer and once with my family). (As a side note, it was Really fun to watch you react to seeing it for the very first time having only heard the soundtrack before - very happy you enjoyed it too, which I’ve already told you and will say again despite that.) I will also take this opportunity to say that Mary Kate Morrissey’s Elphaba has my heart forever. I was so enthralled by her performance. But. That’s another topic.

I’ve always related quite strongly to Elphaba in my own life for various reasons, and have found a great deal of comfort in the show over the years. So. This musical will always be very dear to me.

All this to say that I love Wicked very much. In all seriousness, I was extremely nervous about Wicked (movie/movies) initially for numerous reasons but especially because I’ve been burned by adaptations before and Wicked is Very Important to me personally as well as being tied for my favorite Broadway musical of all time. I’ve since decided to look forwards to the movie as its own separate thing from the show, and that I really am quite curious and excited to see how it will translate to the screen. It is a true favorite of mine, and it at least seems like a great deal of care has gone into the movie(s), so yeah. Interested to be seeing the story and the songs in a whole new form! I am now having a lot of fun, personally. This is basically the cinematic event of the year for me. I will be at the theater at the earliest possible opportunity, bursting with excitement and probably wearing a witch hat.

So there’s an incredibly long ramble of my thoughts! What are your thoughts on the upcoming title Wicked? :)

#wicked #wicked (2024)#asks #really didn’t mean for this to get so long… oh well #is it really something i’ve written if there aren’t far too many parentheticals

3 notes · View notes

alwaysbeyondhope · 7 months ago

Text

I’m in the Lempicka discord server. I was scrolling through and one person commented about Sunday’s closing show and said she was sitting next to someone who had never seen it before, and how strange that experience must have been, to see it for the first time on its closing.

I don’t know if I was that person, but I did see it for the first time on Sunday 5/19. I’ve been struggling with finding the right words to describe it, and I’ve been angry with myself about it, but I think I can muddle my way through it now.

I don’t like to be “spoiled” before seeing a show, especially one I’m really invested in. So I didn’t go out seeking audios or videos or plot points or summaries or anything for Lempicka. Originally I was going to see it with my sister on 5/25. And then I had plans to get more tickets and see it more times. Getting tickets to closing was a separate panicked adventure.

What I knew of Lempicka before walking into the Longacre theater on 5/19: Woman Is; sapphic love; Polish-American art deco painter; I knew it would be my new obsession

Walking in and seeing all of the community, younger and older queers, all emotional, crying, rallying around each other…I had never been in an environment like that before. Never. And I felt a bit out of place because I didn’t know the show like they did, I didn’t know the actors and characters and creative team. I didn’t know the fans. I felt out of place, but I also felt welcomed, if that makes sense.

I had gifted my second ticket to someone who had been very involved in the fan community, so they talked with me, introduced me to other people. Let me cry on her shoulder, grab her hand during Act II when Things Happened and I wasn’t at all prepared for them.

I was sobbing at Unseen. I sobbed through most of this show - when I wasn’t laughing or having a very real Gay Panic moment for Amber Iman (seriously she took my breath away and it punched me in the gut).

These were body-wracking tears. Holding myself, shoulders shaking, trying to be as quiet as possible as I was thrown down this emotional rollercoaster, this beautiful and heartbreaking and innovative show.

I didn’t know what to do with myself at intermission. I mostly just stood while Rosie talked with other people. I spoke with her a little about shared trauma. They listened to me, I listened to them.

Second act killed me. Like I didn’t know anything, it was great and then it was painful and then it was over and everything hurt. Everything hurt.

I want so much more for this musical. I want it in the West End. I want a proshot. I want the cast album to win a Grammy. I want like fifteen different lyric tattoos from this show, three fine line outline tattoos of naked women, I want this show to take off and I want Broadway producers to go fuck themselves and learn a proper lesson.

I don’t know what I meant for when I started this post. Probably not where I ended up. But I’m too exhausted and devastated to think clearly. And I never clean up tumblr posts because why, it’s my own brain dump. Anyway. Please cry with me about Lempicka but also understand that I’m a baby about it and I don’t know much more than one closing performance but my love for it is there.

#lempicka musical #lempicka #musical #personal #Broadway

13 notes · View notes

xxghost-zombie-jesus · 5 months ago

Note

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSICAL. BEETLEJUICE, HEATHERS, MEAN GIRLS, HAMILTON, OR DEAR EVEN HANSON

oh, thank you for the question!

before we get to that, though, out of them, which is your favorite musical?

okay, back to the question; its really honestly a tie between beetlejuice and heathers! i know its kind of a cop out but i have my reasons!

first off, i have never seen dear even hanson nor mean girls, so neither of those really were in the running, though dea does have a couple of songs i listen to, despite not knowing the story behind them (warriors amvs rise up)

my feelings about the hamilton musical are... mixed. while i really do enjoy the musical, and think that it was great for many actors of color to get roles they wouldn't typically get, and mixing so many genre of music that again don't typically end up on broadway, i'm not actually a fan of lin, or the changing of history to make it seem 'cooler', or the fandom as a whole.

as for beetlejuice and heathers...

heathers the musical i found during a really difficult period during high school and i really did identify heavily with both veronica and jd, and i loved the original movie when i had seen it. i think the music is great, i do enjoy some of the changes made from the source material, and i think everyone in the (i think) world premiere cast recordings is amazing, especially veronica's actress (barrett wilbur weed iirc). its one i constantly go back and listen to. its also the first, ah, slime tutorial i went out and looked specifically for because i wanted to see the whole thing. all in all its got a special place in my heart.

as for beetlejuice, i dunno i just think how it takes the source material and twists, breaks, and changes it to be its own thing -- much like the cartoon -- is really fun. yes these are the same characters in basis, but are they really? its a lot more upbeat and lighthearted and just all around fun and silly. i think the costuming and set-work are really cool, too. if you couldn't tell, i really like this musical, i really like playing sandbox with this specific set of characters, and i love their dynamics. plus the music is really really fun, too, and again i constantly go back and listen to it.

if i really do have to pick though, hmm, i'll probably have to go beetlejuice, just because it inspires me and i have more fun with it than i do heathers, but it really is hard to pick.

#asks from the recently deceased #veej's rambles #im not going to tag every musical that was mentioned bc i hate when people do that tbh #thank you so so so much for the ask!

5 notes · View notes

sillyname30 · 1 month ago

Text

Darren Criss on Bringing Robot Love to Broadway With ‘Maybe Happy Ending’

The star of the new musical on learning to move like a machine and how he first caught the acting bug.

Despite the nuts and bolts, what we have here is basically a rom-com, with a charming book and score by a couple of NYU classmates.

#darren criss #maybe happy ending #observer

6 notes · View notes

kkkimagine · 1 year ago

Text

RUMORS

Summary: since you started dating Miles, rumors were normal at your pace, but this new rumor is going to go too far

pairing: miles.42 x Reader

you can listen to the songs the Reynolds pamphlet, burn and first burn from the musical Hamilton, I was inspired by those songs

my first imagine, don't be too hard on me, my first language is not english, sorry if there are grammar mistakes

Rumors ran fast at this school, especially about someone like Miles, who had his own reputation as an untouchable bad boy. For the same reason, that made you, Miles's girlfriend, his untouchable girl, rumors about him always reached you quickly, either because a friend of yours will tell you about it, you'll hear it in the hallways or Miles himself will tell you , this time you were not surprised more than any of the previous ones without knowing how big the rumor would become.

- Did you hear what they say in the corridors? - asked your sister, Gwen Stacy, walking next to you to get to the cafeteria - apparently someone says that Miles has some very strange behaviors.

- And by that you mean what? - You said leaving aside what you were looking.

- By this they mean that they have seen him slip out of classes, more than normal, leave his room very late at night, after that he arrives with somewhat suspicious bruises on his body - your sister said, looking at you somewhat worried - It all sounds weird really, maybe you should talk to him.

- don't worry, Gwen - you sighed a little too loudly, stopping your sister - I trust him, besides, people always create ridiculous rumors about Miles' life, they're just curious.

Right at that moment you felt like arms wrapped around you.

- Hello, ma - you heard that voice with an accent that you liked so much - we have class together, I was thinking that we could go together.

You turn your face to Miles's and give him a small kiss on the cheek before nodding.

- buenísimo, well then let's go - he said taking your hand and then he turned to Gwen - see you later, Gwen.

You pulled his hand when you felt that he had spent enough time looking at your sister and together they started walking. You noticed that he was somewhat nervous as the two of you walked, strange.

- By the way, I noticed that you haven't answered my texts, mami. Anything to say? -

-Oh sure, I forgot to tell you that my phone died, I took it to be repaired but it will be ready on Monday, so you'll just have to wait to get my encouragement messages back - you smile, bothering your boyfriend's existence a bit.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Two days later you calmly walk through the halls of the school happy that it was finally Friday for three very good reasons, number one: there was much less time left to get your cell phone back, you felt a little disconnected from the world without your cell phone by your side, number two: you could go home for the weekend and be a lot more relaxed which brings you to the last and most important reason, number three: you were pretty tired of the gossip you've endured all week because of the new rumor about Miles, you can't understand how this rumor kept going around everywhere. But this morning the whispers were louder, more people staring at you, more people whispering as you passed them, more people naming Miles and judging the boy, this is starting to tire you, when all of a sudden you see a group of guys looking at a cell phone and you can hear as a boy said.

- Miles Morales had a torrid affair and they recorded him right there -You furrowed your eyebrows noticeably, this is the last straw, Miles would never be capable of doing something like that, you knew it, you were about to tell the boy to shut up when you heard someone call you.

- Y/n I finally found you - you saw one of your friends running towards you quickly, then she took your arm and led you towards an empty classroom - you have to see this.

She handed you her phone that had a paused video, you touched the video to start it and you saw Miles's face.

- nah man the rumor against me it's a connection to the thing that I sneak around a lot, that for purposes of fuck me, you know - you saw your man talking with his typical coolness and relaxation, you smiled but the next thing you heard broke your heart - My real crime is a amorous connection with a hot Puerto Rican who hasn't been called Y/n for a considerable time, you can't blame me.

And the video stopped there, with the idiot face Miles was making, a face that didn't even really look like him.

- and that's not all, many conversations appeared that apparently belong to Miles with that girl, somewhat risqué - your friend showed you the screenshots of several conversations, you couldn't believe all this, at what moment? You never thought that Miles would do something like that to you, he never showed that he would be capable of doing that to you - I'm sorry, darling.

You looked at your friend with red eyes and you couldn't stand her looking at you like that, you took your bag and ran out of that place. Upon reaching the corridor full of teenagers you felt that everyone was looking at you and whispering about everything, you were short of breath while you walked quickly looking for a way out of this place, while you passed by the people you could hear parts of the video and the surprised words from some of your classmates

"for a considerable time, you can't blame me"

- damn -said a girl, quite surprised by the tone she used

"that for purposes of fuck me, you know"

- booo - muttered a group of boys in unison, they looked even offended hearing all that.

"My true crime is a love affair with a hot Puerto Rican who hasn't been called Y/n"

- No - shouted a boy who saw you just after having reacted so effusively, their eyes looked at you with pity, they all seemed to look at you with mercy.

A girl running with her cell phone and saying to a boy - Have you see this? - with Miles's voice blaring at full volume.

And you just thought "I have to get out of this place" while listening to all the whispers around you.

Damn!

Boooo!

Have you see this?

Everything came together in your mind, closer and closer to crying when you stopped short when you saw a scene that broke you a little more inside.

- I came as soon as I heard - your sister shouted as she got closer and closer to him, to Miles. You hear someone murmur next to you "all that way just to talk to him after what he said?" Making your hair stand on end because you knew this couldn't be good.

- Gwen, thank God I have to explain what I'm trying to do here - he tried to get closer to her.

- I'm not here for you, Morales - with that he stood paralyzed in the middle of the hall looking at my sister, the circle that was made around them let out an "oh" of surprise for this - I know my sister like I know my own mind, you will never find anyone as trusting or as kind.

Miles looked at her guiltily and you just felt like yelling at him too, but not now.

- I love my sister more than anything in this life i will choose her happiness over mine every time - she got closer to him with a gloomy air - Put what we had aside, i'm standing at her side.

Then she turned around and finally said to Miles, who was practically frozen in place.

- You could never be satisfied, God, I hope you're satisfied - with that she walked away from Miles and passed by your side, but since she didn't realize you were there you quickly ran towards the school entrance door and you breathed in the air outside as if you were breathing for the first time.

After being there for a few minutes, you decided to go to your apartment, you walked through New York with a face full of tears not caring if you looked like a mess, your mind felt like a mess right now. When you got to the apartment you knocked, since you had left the keys with your suitcase, in your school room, your mother opened the door and when she saw you she smiled but when you jumped on her crying she got worried, she took care of you and talked to you until she had to go to work, when you were alone you decided to look at all the letters and drawings that you had kept in a big box in your room that said "memories of Miles" when you saw all that you cried harder looking at all the empty promises in which you had believed everything This weather.

- I'm re-reading the letters you wrote me, I'm searching and scanning for answers in every line for some kind of sign and when you were mine - you said to yourself trying to find the words you would say to Miles when you saw it, but nothing seemed enough.

You felt enough sadness for this moment and the sadness turned to anger the more you read and watched, determined and angry you walked to the landline of the apartment, you took it and dialed Miles's number after a few rings he answered you with an "ah?" Since he did not have this number scheduled.

- I couldn't say that I expected this, Miles, defending your name when I heard the rumors I supposed that they were again ridiculous people's imaginations, apparently not - you heard how Miles held his breath when he heard your voice - do you know what's ridiculous? The fact that I saved every letter you wrote me, from the moment I saw you i knew you were mine, you said you were mine, i thought you were mine, that was my mistake Miles, believe in you and in your damn mouth .

- mami, I need to talk to you - but you didn't even want to hear his voice right now.

- don't call me like that, you know what? I always thought my sister was a little crazy, but now I understand that she was right, do you know what Gwen said when we saw your first call arrive? She said "be careful with that one, love, he will do what it takes to survive" I think it was truer than I thought.

The silence of the call felt worse than anything he could have said...

- I don't want to see you again Miles, thank you very much - you said hanging up the call. After that you went back to your room taking everything that had something to do with him, photos, gifts, clothes, whatever and you started to put everything in a box, that took you all afternoon, you realized that really had a lot of things that belonged to Miles in your room, you decided that you would give one of your friends the box so they could deliver it to him, instead of having to do it yourself, you didn't think you could see Miles again time.

After that you took again the box of letters and drawings that Miles had given you, if you kept seeing all the words and illustrations of love that he had given you, you would never get over it, you had to burn these memories, burn the letters that might have redeemed him, you saw them one last time to sit by the window of your room and you began to burn the first letter you received from him, the paper was still burning in your hand when you looked down and saw him going up the fire escape from your building, you moved away from the window trying to close it without succeeding fast enough as Miles reached the window preventing you from locking yourself in your room.

- We have to talk, Y/n - he said when he saw how you moved away from the window.

He entered through your window while you reached the farthest corner from him, he made a feint of approaching you when you pointed at him angrily.

- Don't take another step in my direction i can't be trusted around you - Miles seemed hurt by your coldness and you noticed how he looked guilty towards your red and swollen eyes.

- mami, all this has an explanation - he even seemed desperate to explain everything to you, the only problem is that you didn't want to hear it anymore - I just couldn't let this rumor get so...

You didn't let him finish while you threw him one of the stuffed animals that he had given you a long time ago.

- Don't think you can talk your way into my arms, you can't do it anymore, I don't want to hear lies anymore -

Then you felt your hand burn a little since you still had the card that was burning in your hand, you released it and it fell to the floor where Miles looked at it confused.

- I'm burning the letters you wrote me, you can stand over there if you want - you took the box that had his things and put it on your bed - I also want you to take your things with you when you leave my room and my life , I no longer want to know anything about the web of lies that is this relationship.

- No, Y/n you don't understand, if there are lies in this relationship, it's true - Miles explained trying to make you understand the things that were happening, but you just looked at him incredulously, not knowing how he dared to say it like that after all - but not the ones you think, it's something dangerous.

You started to laugh out loud, in your laugh there was not a hint of humor, but at this moment you preferred to laugh rather than cry.

- dangerous? Now you're going to tell me that Miles, please, I know what the lies are - you told him with an aggressive tone, while he saw your face - the lies are in a video that everyone has seen, the lies are the kisses, the loving words, hugs, gifts, looks of love, promises and above all, the biggest lie is the supposed love you have for me, Miles, those are the lies.

- don't say that Y/n - he began to speak more coldly because of everything you said - I know what it seems like but there is something very difficult to explain why I have to do this, I don't even date a Puerto Rican woman in my life, you know.

- you're wrong, I thought I knew what you did and felt Miles Morales, now I understand that I don't know shit about you, I don't know who you are, I have so much to learn - then you looked at the ashes on the ground and sighed - I'm re-reading your letters and watching them burn.

Miles felt his heart heavy with anguish, he doesn't know how he was going to solve this problem, he doesn't know why he had to listen to what his uncle Aaron said in the first place.

- You're the only one who really knows me, ma, the only one who knows how I always feel - your boyfriend whispered trying to solve this problem, even if it's letting you know how important you were in his life.

It took all your courage and willpower not to throw yourself at Miles and hug him, you still loved him but you couldn't forgive this, the lies weighed heavier at this moment.

- don't fuck with me, Miles, you published the messages that she sent you, you told the whole world how you brought this girl into your bed - you said with some tears falling down your cheeks - you laughed while you told your friends.

- I was trying to clear my name because of the rumors that were going too far, Y/n, try to understand, everything about the girl is a lie - he told you a little defensively.

- Oh yeah? Oh really? Well, in clearing your name, you have ruined our lives - you told him on the verge of disaster again, unable to believe that he was being so cynical - don't tell me that clearing your name matters more to you than saving your relationship, because I can't find the sense of lying about a fake affair to get rid of a rumor.

He began to breathe faster as he walked desperately around your room trying to find a way to make you understand without telling you anything about the prowler thing.

- the world? I told the whole world according to you, Y/n? Well, the world was playing meddling in my life, I couldn't find another way, the world had to... - You couldn't even let him finish, you were boiling with anger thinking about what he was capable of saying just to excuse himself.

- Well, I don't understand Miles, why did you have to say that to the world and not tell it to the only person who knows you Miles, supposedly me - you pointed it out again and began to say aggressively - The world have no right to my heart, the world has no place in our bed, they don't get to know what I said while you were explaining to me all the things that you didn't have time to explain in the famous video, the world shouldn't matter so much to you when you should care about the people you lose while you explain to them your life.

You walked away from him again as if he had a very toxic disease, as if you were disgusted by the man you loved with all your heart just a few hours ago.

-I had never realized it but behind that relaxed attitude that you show everywhere you are always observing how everyone is looking to capture something from your life and you are paranoid in each expression how they allow you - and you began to throw more of the old things at him that they reminded you of how much he supposedly loved you - you, you, you.

He dodged everything you threw at him and tried to find the words that would calm you down, but he could never tell you that he was the prowler and he had to focus on something bigger so no one would suspect.

- everything has an explanation, just let me talk -

- You and your words, obsessed with your secret, the secret that you are not able to tell me - you cried no matter that he was there looking at you - since you could never be honest with me Miles Morales, you forfeit all rights to my heart, you forfeit the place in my bed you sleep in your lonly room instead with only the memories of when you were mine.

Your heart broke saying this but you were so sick of him not being able to tell you the truth, always hiding something, you couldn't live like this anymore.

- I hope that you burn, Morales - he looked up at your face with a lot of sadness in his eyes.

- It's all part of a plan, I just can't explain everything to you now -

-Heaven forbid someone whisper "He's part of some scheme" Miles - you said even laughing as you approached him to aggressively point to his chest - that nobody notices your incredible plan to undo the rumor that practically said that you were dating someone according to me people told it, don't make me laugh.

This time he was the one who walked away from you looking upset and disappointed, which annoyed you even more. What the fuck could he be disappointed in after all he did and said?

- all those people who whisper, Y/n, you don't know how that shit is, all day long the usual bastards whispering -

- oh i get it, your enemy whispers so you have to scream I AM THE MOST MACHO, I HAVE TWO WOMEN AT THE SAME TIME CLOWNS, surely that's what you wanted to imply, I don't even know why I'm surprised - then you remembered how everyone whispered where you went - I know about whispers, Miles, follow me everywhere, with every rumor, with every new bruise on your body, with every new fight, every time you go out with my sister.

Upon hearing the mention of Gwen, you saw how he tensed up quickly, clearly he was going to deny anything which made you explode for which you yelled loudly in his face.

- I see how you look at my sister - Even you were surprised by the way you said it, but you weren't sorry - Don't, I'm not naive, I have seen women around you, don't think I don't see how they fall for your charms all your charms

Miles looked up at the sky and then ran his big hands over his face, tired and exhausted from this conversation, before saying coldly.

- It's not my fault that they get close, I just want you by my side, mami -

- I think I don't believe you anymore, Miles, after all the evidence has been seen by the whole school - you smiled sadly, you hated what Miles had done, what he had said, and above all you hated that after all this you still loved him - I don't want to know anything else, Miles, I want to sleep so take your things and leave me alone.

- You can't say that, ma, I love you - he said taking your face and getting closer to him - you are the best part of my life.

All of your courage you used to step back and tell him emotionlessly.

- I'm erasing myself from your life, Miles, I don't think you understood that - you told him without expression on your face, letting him see that you were very serious, then you put the letters and drawings that he had given you on the other box that was on your bed, knowing that you would not have the courage to burn the others -Let the students wonder how Y/n reacted when you broke her heart, do not record another video saying how you destroyed my soul to preserve your fame as a great man.

You turned your back on him and kept saying the things that you would know would make him leave your room and, although it hurt so much to know what would happen, your life.

- And when the time comes explain to your family the pain and embarrassment you put your girlfriend through, because she doesn't come to dinner anymore, she's not going to call anymore - you dropped some tears remembering mom Rio who had behaved very kind with you always - And I still wondered when will you learn that only what you think matters? only what we think matters!

Then you remember the letters, messages or nights in which he let you know that he was yours.

-If you thought you were mine.... Don't - and with that last sentence you heard how your window closed and when you turned around neither Miles nor the boxes were there, tired you walked to your bed and went to bed letting out more tears of sadness.

Miles went back to the window without you noticing and promised himself to fix this problem.

After that Gwen entered your room, and went to your bed to hug you while you cried uncontrollably.

- oh love, you have in a relationship with an Icarus he has flown too close to the sun - which only made you cry more, because you knew she was right - everything will be resolved, baby, I'm on your side.

#miles x reader #miles 42 #miles morales #the prowler #miles x y/n #miles x you #gwen stacy #across the spiderverse #imagine #Spotify

34 notes · View notes

sunshine-embry · 5 months ago

Text

Because I need to yap part 2

Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/sunshine-mari/757294549550891008/just-because-i-need-to-yap-about-my-opinions-3

I'm not going to explain what this is again 🙄

Halloween: I really like both versions of this song :)

The Broadway instrumental, specifically adding the saxophone is really cool to me :)

I don't like how the Broadway version combined the first chorus and second chorus and got rid of the Jeremy and Brooke conversation.

I really the part they added to the end, foreshadowing that Rich sets a fire (and burns down the house)

Do You Wanna Hang?: I think we can all agree this song is uncomfortable, and thus the following I'm about to say doesn't mean I support sexual harassment or like this song.

Don't kill me, but I actually kinda like this song?? I don't know how to describe it, but I kinda relate to it? (I have been sexually harassed before 😞)

Besides that, I actually really kinda like the conversation part they added in the middle. Idk why, I just do.

That's enough of that.

Michael In The Bathroom: It's kinda the same in both versions?? I mean, I kinda like the Broadway version better but idk why.

The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set A Fire): When I first listened to the Broadway version, I didn't really like it. I don't exactly remember why, but I think it was because of Broadway Jenna?

Now it is my preferred version. We love the smartphone hour girls <3 That's about it though.

The Pants Song: I fricken love the Broadway version. I think it might be because during the conversation between Michael and Jeremy's dad, a guitar cover of Michael In The Bathroom plays.

I just wish my vinyl of the Broadway cast of BMC (only during the pants song) didn't come completely scratched when I got it 😒

The Pitiful Children: Where do I even begin?

First, I really like the electric guitar added in the Broadway version at the beginning.

The new lyrics are fine. They go along with the story better, but I prefer the original lyrics.

Also JASON TAM'S SINGING VOICE IS SO FRICKIN GOOD WTF. (I just wish the voice he does matched better with it 😞)

The conversation between Jeremy and Jenna makes me laugh so hard wtf. ALSO, SPEAKING OF JENNA, THE RIFFS SHE DOES IS SO GOOD WTF LET ME HAVE THOSE VOCAL CHORDS.

Also you can hear Jeremy and The Squip during the last chorus singing together better in the Broadway version.

Also, I love the random addition of Rich in the end. It's so fricken funny for no reason, I'm literally laughing while thinking about it (no offense, it's just funny to my broken humor brain)

I think that's it?

The Play: Once again, this is just six minutes of talking 😔 (Also I never listened to the two river version, but shhh 🤫(I might make a separate post of all of the song references in this tho bcuz I am mentally unwell))

OH also btw I like how Christine's voice at the end smoothly transitions into a synth.

Voices In My Head: Can we all agree that all of the characters in BMC need to go to therapy 🤠

Anyway, the new lyrics in the second verse are fine. All of the changes are just fine. idc about the Broadway version that much, but I do like how Jeremy asks out Christine using bowling alley performance arts even though it sounds like he's saying it sooo quickly to fit in with the rythym 😭

What I DON'T like however, is that the beginning sounds sped up so I think I accidentally bumped the tune thing or whatever on my record player because that is the only way I listen to the Broadway version.

I also like how Rich's lisp is more pronounced.

Jerem'ys WOOHOO MAKES ME SO DAMN HAPPY WHAT?

The Squips sounds like a vaccum in the Broadway version

"You ready?" MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT!! JUST TWO WORDS MAKES ME START CRYING WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? /srs

I cry at the end every time

Ranking

Idk, a ranking of all the songs in both versions because this isn't long enough.

Two River Ver

Upgrade

Halloween

Do You Wanna Ride?

The Squip Song

Michael In The Bathroom

The Smartphone Hour

The Pitiful Children

Be More Chill Part 1

More Than Survive

I Love Play Rehersal

The Pants Song

Two-Player Gae

Be More Chill Part 2

More Than Survive Reprise

The Play

Voices In My Head

Do You Wanna Hang?

A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into

Broadway Ver

Loser Geek Whatever

Upgrade

Sync Up

The Squip Song

The Smartphone Hour

I Love Play Rehersal

Michael In the Bathroom

Halloween

Do You Wanna Ride?

Do You Wanna Hang? (Again, I don't support sexual harassment. Read the blurb about it above for details why it's at number ten)

Be More Chill Part 1

The Pitiful Children

More Than Survive

The Pants Song

Be More Chill Part 2

Two Player Gae

The Play

Voices In My Head

A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into

I you want me to go in depth about my opinions, maybe I will in the future, maybe I'll never bring this up again.

#be more chill #bmc #bmc musical #/nbh #i yap too much

2 notes · View notes

ivysangel · 11 months ago

Note

drop the mean girls review! my friend wants to go see it and i need to know how much to mentally prepare myself

sunnie (@fic-over-cannon)

Okay, so I need to preface this by saying I'm a huge Mean Girls fan. I've seen the movie dozens of times. I've seen the show on Broadway once and left the theater begging my mom to take me again, and then I cried when the show closed before I could see it again. I've also seen the Mean Girls sequel on multiple occasions (unfortunately). I'm also a fashion lover, music lover, and the enjoyer of some tasteful political incorrectness in a movie like...Mean Girls (2004). I'm not a movie buff or an expert critic, but I am a girl who has spent hours putting Rachel McAdams’ Regina George on mood boards and listening to Taylor Louderman's performance of 'Someone Gets Hurt' from the Mean Girls Original Broadway Cast Recording. With all of that being said, here's my review.

(proceed with caution: spoilers and supreme level hating, cw: mentions of weight)

First of all, the pacing just felt kind of off? I think it's because there were so few scenes set outside of the high school, and I think that has something to do with them cutting 9 songs from the original soundtrack and even the ones they kept; some were still cut short. Which took away some of the best parts of the movie. For instance, Gretchen's part in 'Meet the Plastics' was one of the most memorable parts of the soundtrack, and it was cut down to the one introductory line that wasn't even delivered by her, Karen's part, too. How are you going to call the song 'Meet the Plastics' and only have Regina sing it? I'd also like to mention that in the original song, there's a line that Regina sings, she says, "I never weigh more than 115," and they change it to "that filter you use looks just like me." now, there are two explanations for this, first, they wanted to keep it going with the social media theme which runs rampant throughout the entire movie or they wanted to be mindful of what they put in the movie considering the audience consists heavily of women and young girls. However, there is so so so much emphasis on Regina's weight during the entire rest of the movie (like, I honestly feel more than normal, but I'm not sure) that if it is the latter, it just completely defeats the purpose of removing that line, so I'm really hoping it's the former.

Cady can't sing, or at least I just found her voice, so...not good? Something about it just wasn't giving nuh uh. She also wasn't a convincing mean girl, a convincing socially awkward, not-aware teen girl who had been homeschooled her whole life? Yeah, she nailed that, but a MEAN girl, nope, not convincing at all. This is also where the pacing was off to me. I felt like she was a mean girl for 0.5 minutes, and that, paired with the fact that she just wasn't convincingly mean? Didn't really do it for me.

They also made most of the insults more palatable? Which was fine at times. Like yeah, you should probably refrain from saying slurs in the big year of 2024, but trading social suicide for "socially ruinous," What the hell? How old are we? I just think it's a little funny bc the word suicide isn't okay (apparently), but Kevin G performing a song where he talks about how he basically uses geometry to be good at sex is more appropriate? Like, I don't know what the thought process was, how they decided on what was getting put on the chopping block and what wasn't.

Also, Gretchen gets a solo, and ik it's in the musical, but it feels so incredibly out of place in the movie, like SO out of place. Also, Gretchen is Latina, apparently? Which isn't a problem in the slightest, but it's just mentioned once and never referenced again ever...like at all...not even in passing. They threw in the "this was a gift from my abuelito" for brownie points and called it a day.

Cristopher Briney is one of the most unattractive men I've seen in a while, which is why it's so hard to see so many close-up shots of his face since he's supposed to be the super heart throbby Aaron Samuels that these girls are fighting over. "Cady, tell him his hair looks sexy pushed back." he has a prematurely receding hairline; let's keep the hair down while he still has it. Also, he has no singing lines in the movie, which is so...bc he has them in the original musical. The ending of the original version of 'Someone Gets Hurt' is sung by both him and Regina. Like you hired an ugly man who can't sing to play the sexy heartthrob in a musical? Oh ok.

The fashion was so genuinely terrible. I was mortified. MORTIFIED, I TELL YOU. Regina making fun of other people while she was walking around in #those outfits. I can't even begin to describe what she was wearing half the time, but it was so bad. Ironically, the outfit she wore when she was shunned was like??? one of the more palatable ones, along with her prom dress and the outfit she wore during the burn book scene, which was a nod to Rachel McAdams' Regina George (that was cute). But the outfit she was first shown in...those ugly fucking shoes???? The furry black sweater and highlighter green pants???? What the fuck is going on!!! Everyone was dressed head to toe in shein and cider, and it was obvious. I think the problem with a lot of remakes these days is they develop costumes using trends from a specific era of social media, but those trends so quickly go out of style. Micro trends are the reason why shows and movies set in high school almost never hit the nail on the head, that and the fact that they use influencers as guidelines for how teenagers act when most of us are normalish? idk that's a whole different convo.

i kinda tuned in and out after the gym scene, like idk man i was just mad at that point. I guess I should list some redeeming qualities now?

Tim Meadows reprising his role as Principal Duvall was amazing ofc; his comedic timing is great, and kudos to him for acting through one classic, one flop, and one box office banger that should've been kept in the drafts. Avantika is beautiful, stunning, amazing!! There was nothing about her acting as Karen that really did it for me, but I love her so bad I can't hate on her. Reneé Papp is a fantastic singer like who's surprised? No one? Exactly. They also got Megan Thee Stallion and Chris Olsen to make cameos in tiktoks during the movie, which was funny. It had its good moments, but I really just think for me personally, as an enjoyer of both the original movie and the original musical adaptation, this fell so so so flat. Of course, my opinion doesn't reflect the opinions of everyone, and you may very well love it!! I do definitely urge you to listen to the original versions of 'Meet the Plastics' and 'Someone Gets Hurt' because those are so very good; also, Auli'i Cravalho's rendition of 'Revenge Party' was very good, and I really like Jaquel Spivey as Damian.

Anyway, that's it!

update: forgot to mention the extremely obvious product placement and the way they changed one of the lines in revenge party from “what’s regina doing, what’s regina wearing, is she dating aaron” to “what’s regina doing, what’s regina wearing, is she texting aaron” which is totally harmless but it irked me so bad bc they’re trying sooooo hard to be with the times or whatever and it just ??? like !!! they’re trying TOO hard bc dating was perfectly fine in the context of the plot that’s why it was put there in the first place!!!!

another update: more pros, principal duvall still has a hand injury (funny i like it) AND TINA FEY REPRISING HER ROLE!!! BIG PRO!!! also there’s literally a whole song in the og musical dedicated to the plastics realizing they’re sentient beings that don’t have to rely on regina…and they just cut that out lol? also listen to the og revenge party bc there’s a whole bit where regina cheats on aaron and it’s wildly different in that version (it was better and funnier too) but like i said…they made the movie more palatable.

#★ sunnie ★#★ messages from friends ★

5 notes · View notes