#In the Light: a Faustian tale

[theatre-stuff]

Theatre songs that make me absolutely euphoric:

30/90 - Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Another Terrible Day - The Lightning Thief

Behind Closed Doors - In the Light: A Faustian Tale

Boho Days - Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Brooklyn’s Here -Newsies

Carrying the Banner - Newsies

Chant - Hadestown

Come to a Party - Dogfight

Come to Your Senses - Tick, Tick, BOOM!

Dare to Dream - In the Light: A Faustian Tale

Ex-Wives - SIX

First Date/Last Night - Dogfight

Gee, Officer Krupke - West Side Story

Goodbye - Catch Me if You Can

Guns and Ships - Hamilton

Halloween - Be More Chill

Hey Good-Lookin’ - Dogfight

I Can Do Better Than That - The Last Five Years

I Was Born This Morning (The Cicada Song) - Joe Iconis, Things to Ruin

In the Light: In the Light: A Faustian Tale

King of New York - Newsies

Livin’ it Up on Top - Hadestown

More - In the Light: A Faustian Tale

More Than Survive - Be More Chill

Moving Too Fast - The Last Five Years

Never Heard Nothing - Joe Iconis, Things to Ruin

No Reason - Beetlejuice

Non-Stop - Hamilton

Once and For All - Newsies

Partner in Crime - Tuck Everlasting

Picture Show - Bonnie and Clyde

Rise or Fall/Act I Finale - In the Light: A Faustian Tale

Run Away With Me - The Mad Ones

Satisfied - Hamilton

Say My Name - Beetlejuice

Screech In - Come From Away

Seize the Day - Newsies

Sextet Montage - Tick, Tick… BOOM!

Some Kinda Time - Dogfight

The Next Ten Minutes - The Last Five Years

The Room Where It Happens - Hamilton

The Schmuel Song - The Last Five Years

The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set a Fire) - Be More Chill

The Squip Song - Be More Chill

The Whole “Being Dead” Thing - Beetlejuice

The World Will Know - Newsies

This World Will Remember Me - Bonnie and Clyde

Times Are Hard for Dreamers - Amélie

Tomorrow Begins Today - In the Light: A Faustian Tale

Top of the World - Tuck Everlasting

Voices in My Head - Be More Chill

Wait For It - Hamilton

Wait For Me - Hadestown

Watch What Happens - Newsies

What I Know Now - Beetlejuice

What the World Needs - Ride the Cyclone

When He Sees Me - Waitress

When I Drive - Bonnie and Clyde

Word to the Wise - Hadestown

[yepthisiskay]

Listen to this amazing musical. Join me in making this fandom grow!!

[writewithkay]

New one shot !!

—> overture

—> canon compliant

—> General

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51213472

[kingcael]

Prologue: In the Light

[aaaaaa-musical-trash]

“why am i whole when i am in his arms” look me in the eye and tell me that’s heterosexual

[doyouknowthismusical]

[chloecorvid]

I only just stumbled on "In The Light; A Faustian Tale" tonight and... WOW what a hidden gem of a musical! I hope it moves forward and gets bigger traction because this is gorgeous.

[smollsmule]

Rules: answer and tag people you want to get to know better and/or catch up with!

tagged by @dearheartdont (thanks for the song rec btw, its soooo good)

Favourite colour: Always changing, if I am honest. Currently a dark, cool but rich green-turquoise. Like when you're preeetty sure it's still green but you can see it's dreaming of blue (phtalo green in the right light I guess)

Last song: Hard to say as I am actively listening to a playlist writing this. Last one I conciously put on though, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Bauhaus. What can I say, I just love their sound.

Last movie: Coraline. I had... mixed feelings abt going to see it with everything that's going on, but we had already paid for the tickets ages ago so the damage was done in a way. It was my first time seeing it fully and Laika did not disappoint, it might be my favourite film of theirs now (still have to see Paranorman though!!)

Currently reading: Krabat by Ottfried Preußler. I read it ages ago when I was a kid and a lot of it went over my head, so I'm relistening to the audiobook rn and really loving it. The story is based on a Sorbian folk tale and it definitely reads like that, which is p great. Faustian, spooky, people turn into crows. What more can you ask for?

Currently watching: Agent Carter. A dear friend introduced me to it recently and yeah... they were right (so right). I'm not necessarily the bighest fan of the more Marvel-y aspects of it but I still enjoy it overall.

Currently craving: Scones :(((((( I really need to make another batch soon.

Tea or coffee: Tea, all the way. I feel like I missed the coffe train growing up and then one day everybody was living off the stuff and I hadn't got the memo. My current go-to is earl grey with a dash of milk (oat milk is also great for this), but I am known to enjoy the ocassional herbal or fruit blend (christmas tea my beloved).

Tagging: whoever feels like doing this, honestly no pressure at all

@tinktoe @bybdolan @snarky-synesthete

[alectoperdita]

A Striking Match

Rated: M Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Pairing: Jounouchi Katsuya/Kaiba Seto Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aged-Up Character(s), Fake/Pretend Relationship, Background Relationships, Enemies to Lovers, Matchmaking, Crossdressing, Mixed-Race Character, Bigotry & Prejudice, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Class Differences, Tokyo (City), 5+1 Things, Romance, Getting Together, Awkward Dates, Sexual Tension, Eventual Smut, Mild Sexual Content

Most people are overjoyed to land a matchmaking date with one of Tokyo's wealthiest and most eligible bachelors. Not Shizuka, though. But he's also one of her firm's biggest clients. Fearing that it might negatively impact her career if she turns him down, she begs her older brother to crossdress and take her place.

Katsuya isn't enthused to pretend to be his sister. But for her sake, he can play the part for one measly date. He's sure he'll never see Kaiba again afterward, especially after Kaiba sees through the act. Yet he soon finds himself entering into a curious arrangement with the man.

Or the five times Katsuya crossdressed on a date with Kaiba Seto and the one time he didn't.

@yearoftheotpevent January prompt: fake dating

Katsuya pressed the pen tip above the signature line and paused. He looked up at Isono and asked, "You think this is a terrible idea, don't you?" Isono looked even more out of place in Katsuya's kitchenette than Kaiba did last night. In the dark of night, Kaiba could have been a mirage or some evil spirit that followed him home—something Katsuya could have easily written off. The offer, now backed by legal paperwork and a surly assistant(?) in the cold light of day, seemed more of a Faustian bargain than a fairy-tale whim. Isono cleared his throat and straightened the sunglasses he'd jolted askew. "It's not my place to question Seto-sama's decisions." Katsuya laughed and shook his head. A black blot grew ever larger from the ink bleeding out of the pen. "Yeah, I'm with you. This is probably a terrible idea."

Read Chapter 1/8: The Arrangement

[yallemagne]

That person is using the old-ass academic take that Dracula himself represents homosexuality (as something predatory) and Jonathan is the self-insert who is disgusted by Dracula and therefore homosexuality (so he represents homophobia).

By that logic, TPODG is a homophobic cautionary tale against homosexuality because Dorian is gay and therefore represents homosexuality while being the shittiest man alive who dooms people.

And Basil, who is also gay, is PUNISHED with death for his same-sex love.

Like, we can make wild logical jumps too, bucko.

Me: *responding out loud* "Yeah, Dorian is Gray--"

Me: *perishes*

Spoilers spoilers!

Yeah, Dorian is gay, and he is just the worst little twink to walk this planet Earth. He murders Basil for confessing his homosexual feelings to him. HE DESTIEL-CONFESSIONS BASIL. If that isn't some internalized homophobia. Hell, I think murder is pretty external.

Now, am I saying you can't like Dorian? Nah, you can have gay characters be awful, it's only fair. Be gay do crime. But like you can't deny there's some homophobia in the depiction of Dorian. Basil is painted in a slightly better light, and I think that could be because he's sexless. He's a repenting gay while Dorian is an evil sinful gay. Dorian is the very picture (haha zing) of what lawmakers in the Victorian era thought of gay people, just an unstoppable force of debauchery.

And holy shit, if they really think Dracula is 100% homosexual, why does he assault so many damn women? Why is his main deal enslaving women for his nefarious purposes? He took one bite out of one twink and people think he's a gay icon. He's really just a rich cunt who used his wealth and power to get whatever he wanted for hundreds of years until a ragtag group of young queer adults and their grandpa kicked his ass with paperwork and soliciting. And sharp knives.

And like? Dorian killing Basil? Basil idolized Dorian and that might have contributed a bit to Dorian's narcissism, but what really led to Dorian's downfall was him literally selling his soul in a Faustian bargain and then indulging every dirty impulse he ever had. Unlike with Basil Confession, Jonathan killing Dracula is not punishing the Count for being gay, he's reclaiming his life after it was nearly completely destroyed by an abusive older man. Jonathan is a white-haired genderqueer twink who tag-teamed with a hot cowboy to murder his ex sugar daddy, he does not deserve this disrespect.

[brutalage]

I am your servant. [ he's being false-polite. like the really bastardy version of saying 'at your service :)' when what you mean is 'i'm going to be incredibly inconvenient for you :)' ]

THE HALLS OF STONE ARE QUIET . his mortal servants , gone about their duties for the evening . many a woman warming a noble's bed . he is a different man today than he was decades ago , and he would be another one a decade from now . a different banner to fly over a distant land . somewhere else , far away . these people , long forgotten . a meal , unsavory . golden knives ran slick against teeth ------ crimson veins , their lives , digested . the fire dies cold in the hearth .

and that was all until he would return , ever the king .

such stories were always passed down . so ancient , from one tongue to the next . when he was king , and king again , and again . when the world had forever known of his wicked name . there then came the written word . no longer were these stories ever held by village elders & sage wanderers , eager to tell tales . battles could be forever alive . the horrors of war , ever fresh , like ink of page . even the deeds of mythic heroes & dastardly monsters , now a joy to keep on one’s shelf .

a great plague had passed through europe , sparing few . a rampant , raging disease , vile in its merciless holds . and yet , vandal savage remained untouched . gloriously so , the picture of health . his hair , dashingly curled from an untied braid , his skin , an fine bronzed velvet . a glint in his darkened eye . nothing suggested sickness . and to other men , the lesser , the filthy , were desperate to tear him asunder . what was it ? whatever was it that had protected him from this such a deathly pox ? alchemy ? prayer ? a faustian bargain , as kit had so written ? none of those things , of course .

vandal closed his book for the evening , and blew out his candle . this strain had ground his plans to a half . unexpected , but well worth the study , in the mean time . wispy spirals of smoke filled the shadowy room , only to curiously dance , illuminated . the candle sparks itself to life once more , vandal staring suddenly . even in the halls , did the hearth illuminate . something beyond his will had happened . an ethereal trick .

the man’s voice is knife-slick & dreadfully smooth . a niveous vision in horrifying white . bone-pale . if it could be called a man ------ a beast of a guest within the house of another beast . for whatever it was , it might’ve been all of man’s horrors distilled into a vague , human-like shape . subtle here , severe there .

there are three distinct clacks of teeth . vandal cannot see them all , only one , and what a ghastly smile it is .

“ I am your servant , “ speaks the mouth , bones pushing against pale lips , grinning in shadow . a single , small candle for light still dances . he is not scared — vandal savage fears no man , and yet again , he notes that this , perhaps , is no man , indeed . wondering if it would bleed , should he slit its throat ( as the need arrives , and lords , how it does ) . but he isn’t one to question why such a being would creep into his castle . he knows why he is being watched . has seen it in the eyes of every innocent he slaughtered . a raising of the blade against tender skins . the screaming , the pleading . a scene of slaughter unending , mercilessly unyielding in his cruelty . a hand sick with want , and a thirst that could never be quelled . endless . endless , as they say , is ever the wants of men . and vandal savage dreams in crimson . he dreams of carnage , an empire built atop the corpses of his enemies . as things should be . as they once were .

“ and not even the etiquette to say good evening . my dear corinthian , wherever are your manners ? “

@nightmarecountry | DEATHLESS .

[theatre-stuff]

I cry about each song from In The Light individually in hopes that it convinces everyone to listen to it

More under the cut

Prologue:

An intriguing opening, and I mean that in a good way. The initial vocals are quite ethereal and make you curious, then the story begins and you’re hooked. My first listen went like Oh? Oh. Oh.

I highly recommend.

Let Go of Me:

Protagonist song. Jeremy Jordan.

Aside from that, I am of the opinion that it’s clever writing. There are some allusions to other songs in the lyrics and some figurative language that gives me beautiful mental images. If the first song wasn’t enough to convince you that it’s a good album, there are so many others that could win you over.

Behind Closed Doors:

This one I like a lot. It’s grown on me quite a bit. There are so many fun elements and parts that draw you in. The lyrics are hospitable and make you feel like you’re being welcomed and introduced to their little corner of the world.

More:

It’s More. Under the cut. I think I’m funny. Anyway.

This is a peer pressure song and as someone who isn’t easily swayed by peer pressure, I would give in. It has such an interesting sound and the two characters here have such an intriguing dynamic.

She’s Not Me:

Very powerful song. So much emotion. Kind of reminds me of She Used To Be Mine from Waitress because it has a similar feeling of longing and it’s perfect. Crying.

Tomorrow Begins Today:

The emotion. The storytelling. The combination of reminiscing and looking to the future. It emulates ✨🌌 And the harmonies. Please.

This song in particular also has amazing animatic potential and I need it to be popular among the musical theatre community solely for that reason.

The Man I Know:

A look at the past. A little bit sad, a little bit angry, a little bit hopeful, a lot emotional. Ciara Renée gives it her all. If I could sing? I would belt this song all the time because it gives me feelings.

Dare to Dream:

It’s a romance duet but also includes an ambitious woman and gets stuck in my head often.

I’m not afraid to drop names. Antonio Cipriano and Solea Pfeiffer. If you are a fan of either of them and haven’t listened to this song or album, do yourself a favour and remedy that soon. Your ears and soul will thank me.

Rise or Fall/Act I Finale:

Vocals? ✓

Story? ✓

Catchiness? ✓

This is the type of Act I finale that has you shaking in your seat then leaves you in a near-catatonic state during intermission. Once again, I would sing this all the time if I had the ability. It has so much energy and carries a lot of emotion. So much fun to listen to.

He Is No Man:

Haunting and ominous, but not in a way that makes the listener feel uncomfortable. It’s comfortably unsettling, and a really interesting emotional journey.

Sign, Shake, Spit:

Lyrical bookends. I love it so much. You go on a journey and there’s a lot happening and it’s all tied together by the lyrics. The way this song is constructed is just amazing.

Catch the Moon:

The high notes. I am a puddle on the ground. The allusions to the other songs. Perfect for the character’s narrative. The emotion behind the words and the feelings being expressed is a lot to process, but it’s meant to be.

In The Light:

Title song. 11/10. I can imagine a large choir singing this and it makes my soul happy. It would also be phenomenal as just an orchestra instrumental. You have to listen to it to know what I mean. It’s among my favourites from this album.

The Man I Know (Reprise):

A great use of a reprisal. In the context of the story, it’s heartbreaking and bittersweet and very powerful. So much emotion and so little time to convey it.

Her Embrace:

How many times have I said emotion? Because it’s one more time. This is one of those songs that you could make fit any mood. It could be bittersweet. It could be a love ballad. It could be a song you listen to for lyrics or just for vibes.

In terms of what it means to the story, oh my goodness. No I will not elaborate. There is a plot summary on their website. Amazing. I need this on a stage now.

The album is linked below. Listen through your preferred music platform. It’s worth it.

[yepthisiskay]

i started listening to in the light it’s so good oh my god

YESS dude it’s such a good musical and literly no one talks about it, im the #1 fan!!

It’s so small that it has like 3 posts about it and half the ppl who listen to it don’t know the characters names, it also only has one fic written for it on ao3 (it’s literly written by me) but it’s soo good and ppl need to listen to it.

[catboyloghain]

8, 27, 36, and 94 for spotify wrapped !!

This Hell by Rina Sawayama

In The Light from In The Light: A Faustian Tale

Curses by The Crane Wives

Love Ain’t by Eli Young Band

[aaaaaa-musical-trash]

you know that post that’s like ‘men will say they’re fighting demons and the demons are bisexuality’? that’s johann faustus

[angelelysium]

(via Dreamquest Art Board Print by RobertMKAngel)

Another work inspired by the work of HP Lovecraft, this time the dreamquest of unknown Kaddath, in which tale the ‘hero’ of the story travels via chemical means to R’yleh, but whilst he is there one of the cthonian creatures inhabits his consciousness. This pea under a different cup game is a recurrent theme in Lovecraft’s work, like in the case of Charles Dexter Ward where Ward is possessed by the ‘spirit’ of Joseph Curwen, a necromancer of dark repute and ancestor of Charles’. And so it is, with those deep in the lore that the body is but a host and physical death a temporary inconvenience.

This also parallels with the idea of the Faustian pact, where you want immortality but find that in making the deal you ultimately lose yourself.

In this I tried to get a sense of the exit from the body, a parallel if you like to ‘going into the light’ that many who have had ‘near death experiences’ report, along with the sense of foreboding and wrongness of the piece.