#Real Virtual Theater

[broke-art]

Macaque x Fangirl reader

"You must be my biggest fan." The hooded storyteller leaned down next to your seat. "I hope that journal isn't to steal my stories." He gestures to the open notebook in your lap.

"What?! No! No of course not." You promised hurriedly. "Your stories are so good but, they're yours. I couldn't tell them half as well. No I'm-" paused trying to collect your thoughts. You certainly had been taking notes but not to steal anything. It's just the story reminded you so much of someone.

The hooded figure smiled indulgently.

"And who is that?" He asked clearly meaning the sketches next to your notes.

Some heat flared to life in your cheeks.

"Oh that is my depiction of the six earred Macaque." You explained ensuring to keep your eyes glued to the journal. "He was the brother of the monkey king? Played a super important role." You rambled. "Actually your story reminds me of-" the words died in your throat as you saw his grin slowly turn into a slight frown.

"You.....you know about the six earred Macaque?" He said slowly.

You nodded slightly.

"He's my favorite. It's really unfortunate how he died." You mumbled with a shrug.

The figure seemed to flinch a bit but when you looked at him he pasted on a grin that felt a touch forced.

"Sooo....you're a fangirl?"

A blushed burned at your cheeks and you tensed.

"I wouldn't call it that!" You shook your head adamantly.

The figure chuckled.

"Hey it's nothing to be ashamed about. Although-" He sat next to you thoughtfully touching a hand to his chin. "Why does my story remind you of him?"

You blinked.

"Uhm well it's pretty well known that when Sun wukong and Macaque parted ways it wasn't under the most...ahem....amiable conditions."

For a moment you thought you heard the man mutter under his breath, 'No kidding' But you couldn't be sure.

"But Macaque was still pretty renowned in his own way and when they did work together they were virtually unstoppable!" You slipped into explanations and gushed about how cool you believed the monkey brothers were.

That was until your own brother ran into the theater.

"Y/n! I can't find Mei or the others any-" He stopped short suddenly and summoned his staff.

"Macaque. I should have known."

"Wha-"

"Get away from my sister. Now." M.k growled twirling the staff.

A low chuckle sounded behind you making you stiffen and slowly turn.

The man pulled back the hood to reveal a black monkey with purple eyes and a wicked grin.

"Ohohoho sister huh?" He looked at you with a risen brown and you felt your gut twist in knots.

"So... Fangirl." He addressed you stepping towards you. "Ready to meet the real deal?"

"I said-" Gold flared around M.k just before he launched at Macaque. "Get back!"

You screamed and raised your arms as purple and gold magic clashed and the resulting sonic blast threw you back into the bleachers.

"Careful there, bud." Macaque's mockery reached you just as your shadow morphed under you. "Wouldn't want someone to get hurt !"

At the last word the shadow opened a portal in the floor.

With a gasp you reached for M.k as you fell only to see him lunge for you.

"Y/N!" He shouted only for his fingertips to just brush your own before the world vanished into a void of black.

You came to with a groan touching a hand to your head.

"M.k you've got some explaining to do." Pigsy groused somewhere in the background as you got your bearings. Slowly, as the world righted yourself you spotted your journal.

You picked it up carefully as M.k dashed out the doors for some unknown reason. You flicked through the pages and froze on your latest page.

'To my biggest fan. Thanks for coming to the show. Was nice to hear someone remembers me. ' - Macaque.

You blinked and despite yourself you smiled slowly. Perhaps you really were a fangirl.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

I saw your post where anon asked "what is sex" and you responded "sex is anything you want it to be sex" and it reminded me of a discussion I had in a class about theater production. During the pandemic lockdown many production companies in my city, both big and independent companies, started doing virtual theater via Zoom and there were a lot of purists clutching their pearls because "it's not Real Theater if it's through a screen". We were debating in class wether it counts or not as Real Theater and I said "virtual theater is theater the same way sexting is sex, if it brings you pleasure then it counts" and the professor almost spit his coffee.

extremely true and also the people whining about virtual theater not counting are wieners. just btw.

[soon-palestine]

So it turns out that Elons trip to Israel wasn't just for kosher theater and an IDF propaganda tour.

A secret meeting took place while he was there that went virtually unreported by any news media outlets.

In attendance was Netanyahu, Musk's tour organizer, investor Omri Casspi, Brigadier General Danny Gold, Head of the Israeli Directorate of Defense Research & Development and one of the developers of Iron Dome, Aleph venture capital funds partner Michael Eisenberg, and Israeli cybersecurity company CHEQ CEO Guy Tytunovich who is ex-israeli intelligence unit 8200.

The six men talked about technology in the service of Israel's defense, dealing with fake content and anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli comments, and the use by non-democratic countries of bots as part of campaigns to change perceptions, including on the X platform.

The solution Musk was presented was the Israeli unicorn CHEQ, a company founded by ex-Israeli intelligence unit 8200 CEO Guy Tytunovich that combats bots and fake users.

Following the meeting, Elon signed an agreement with cheQ, and apparently, the reason for the quick closing of the deal was Elons "direct involvement" with the company.

Now. What they won't tell you.

Israel is primarily responsible for the creation of bots. There currently exists dozens of ex-Israeli intelligence firms whose sole purpose is perception management, social media influencing/manipulation, disinformation campaigns, psychological operations, opposition research, and honey traps.

They create state of art, multi layer, AI avatars that are virtually indistinguishable from a real human online. They infiltrate target audiences with these elaborately crafted social-media personas and spread misleading information through websites meant to mimic news portals. They secretly manipulate public opinion across app social media platforms.

The applications of this technology are endless, and it has been used for character assassination, disruption of activism/protest, creating social upheaval/civil unrest, swaying elections, and toppling governments.

These companies are all founded by ex-Israeli intelligence and members of unit 8200. When they leave their service with the Israeli government, they are backed by hundreds of billions of dollars through Israeli venture capital groups tied to the Israeli government.

These companies utilize the technology and skills learned during their time served with Israeli intelligence and are an extension of the Israeli government that operates in the private sector.

In doing so, they operate with impunity across all geographical borders and outside the bounds of the law. The Israeli government is forbidden by law to spy on US citizens, but "ex" Israeli intelligence has no such limitations, and no laws currently exist to stop them.

Now back to X and Elon Musk.

Elon met with these people in secret to discuss how to use X in service of Israel's defense.

Elon hired an ex-Israeli intelligence firm to combat the bots…. that were created by another ex-israeli intelligence firm.

Elon hired an ex-israeli intelligence firm to verify your identity and collect your facial biometric data.

Do you see the problem yet?

Israel now has end to end control over X. Israel can conduct psychological operations and create social disinfo/influence campaigns on X with impunity. They now have facial biometric data from millions of people that can be used to create and populate these AI generated avatars.

They can manipulate public opinion, influence congressmen and senators, disrupt online movements, manipulate the algorithm to silence dissenting voices against Israel, and they can sway the US elections.

When the company that was hired to combat the bots is also Israeli intelligence…

Who is going to stop them?

Cyberspace is the wild.west. There are currently no laws on the books to regulate foreign influence on social media. There is nothing to stop them from conducting psychological operations and disinformation campaigns on unsuspecting US citizens. These companies operate with impunity across all geographical boundaries and there is nobody to stop them. But don't take my word for it.

For anyone wondering what the end game is for this, it was recently verbalized by Vivek Ramaswamy here on X. To narrow and completely eliminate the gap between what we say (think) in private and in public. In practice, the thought police of the future. And X is actively working on it.

[letteraddressedtothefire]

✨ Pre-Birthday Preparations Timeline for Xavier: A Global Celebration of Our Star Prince ✨

As Xavier's birthday draws near, the fandom is buzzing with excitement across the globe! Our community has been hard at work since May, creating memorable ways to celebrate our beloved Prince of Philos. From our CN Star Sisters to Xavier’s Little Stars, the love for our Light has transcended borders, uniting us in preparing for his special day.

Aside from our international cupsleeve events, here’s a sneak peek of some of the highlights of our preparations:

⭐️CN Star Sisters and Global Little Stars gathered heartfelt written and audio messages to be sent to a satellite in honor of Xavier.

⭐️Collaboration with the elemeo food app, where fans could collect points (wishing stars) to help fund Xavier’s birthday.

⭐️Announcement of personally-sponsored 100K boarding passes with Xavier’s image at Beijing Capital International Airport.

⭐️Donation of 2 solar street lights to rural areas.

⭐️Xavier’s Little Stars symbolically purchased and named twin stars in the sky “Starhunter and Moonchaser” in Xavier’s honor.

⭐️Another symbolic buying and naming of a star in the sky "Xavier-Lumiere" with its own star website and virtual reality access (personal project).

⭐️10+ shopping malls were rented for Xavier's birthday with giant LED screens, interactive photo walls, and decorations.

⭐️The Stellaris fan site was launched to unite Xavier’s global fanbase.

⭐️Milk tea collaboration kicked off, distributing 6,000 custom cup sleeves across 20 stores.

⭐️A personally-funded tree-planting project in Sabah, Borneo.

⭐️300+ Xavier billboards across the globe, including LED light shows, giant screen previews, sky curtain screens, LED office buildings, and LED screens on one of the most crowded subway tunnels in China.

⭐️The “Seeds of Hope” (tree-planting) and “Nourishing Hearts” (food for the needy) fundraising campaigns were launched by Xavier's Little Stars.

⭐️A personally-rented yacht where 6 other Xavier stans were invited to celebrate.

⭐️Ferris Wheel collaboration

⭐️52 movie theaters to broadcast Xavier videos before every movie on October 16th.

…and more!

This celebration is more than just a birthday party— it’s a symbol of the unity, passion, and light that Xavier has brought to all of us. Swipe through the supporting graphics for a full timeline of events and stay tuned for even more projects, events, and surprises that will make this celebration truly unforgettable! Let’s keep shining our light for Xavier. 🌟

The real countdown starts on September 16, leading up to Xavier’s birthday on October 16. Celebrate with us!

Thank you to every Star Sister, Little Star, and Global Stan for making this celebration shine as bright as Xavier himself! 🌟

Disclaimer: these projects and events are fan-hosted and not affiliated with the official Love and Deepspace game.

[jbaileyfansite]

Interview with the Los Angeles Times (2024)

“This is where all the cruising happened.”

Jonathan Bailey and I are standing in Pershing Square on a bright, blustery spring afternoon, nearing the end of a homemade queer history tour of downtown L.A.: One Magazine, Cooper Do-Nuts/Nancy Valverde Square, the Dover bathhouse, the Biltmore Hotel and this, the city’s former Central Park, a haven, since before World War I, for “fairies” and “sissy boys,” servicemen on leave and beatniks on the road.

“Is it still happening now?” he asks.

“Probably not as much,” I venture.

“Well, you let me know if it’s happening,” he teases, a mischievous smile lighting up his face.

Bailey understands the uses of the charm offensive. As Sam, the handsome Lothario of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s delightful pre-”Fleabag” curio, “Crashing”; Anthony, the romantic hero of “Bridgerton’s” second season; and John, the jerk of a protagonist in Mike Bartlett’s love triangle play “Cock,” the English actor, 36, has swaggered up to the precipice of superstardom. With roles in such studio tentpoles as “Wicked” and “Jurassic World” on the horizon, he may just break through. Yet he delivers career-best work in Showtime’s queer melodrama “Fellow Travelers,” as anti-Communist crusader-turned-gay rights activist Tim Laughlin, by leaving behind the self-assured rakes and tapping a new wellspring: soft power.

Tim may be, as Bailey puts it, “an open nerve,” but as it turns out, the devout Catholic and political naïf — who falls for suave State Department operative Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Matt Bomer) just as Sen. Joseph McCarthy tries to purge the federal government of LGBTQ people — is formidable indeed.

Stretching from the Lavender Scare to the depths of the AIDS crisis, in scenes of tenderness, cruelty and toe-curling sex, Bailey’s performance communicates that little-spoken truth of relationships: It takes more strength to submit than it does to control. The former demands discipline, courage, trust; the latter requires only force.

“In ‘Bridgerton,’ [Bailey] is like a Hawkins Fuller character — he is very sexy and has lots of power, has that kind of confident charisma that absolutely is not Tim at all,” says “Fellow Travelers” creator Ron Nyswaner.

But any doubt about Bailey’s ability to mesh with Bomer, who boarded the project early in development, was put to bed with the actors’ virtual rehearsal of a meeting on a park bench in the pilot. “‘Well, that’s a first,’” Nyswaner recalls an executive texting him. “I cried in a chemistry read.”

‘Am I inviting people in?’

Bailey grew up in a musical family in the Oxfordshire countryside outside London, and this, coupled with an appreciation for the morning prayers, choir practice and Mass he attended as a scholarship student at the local Catholic school, fed his precocious talents. (“I loved the performance of it,” he laughs. “Not to diminish the celebration of religious process, but I did love the idea of wearing a gown.”) By age 10, he’d appeared in the West End, playing Gavroche in a production of “Les Misérables,” an experience he now recognizes as an encounter with a queer found family — albeit one shadowed by the toll of the AIDS crisis, which peaked in the U.K. in the mid-1990s.

“When I’m asked about my childhood, there’s so much I don’t remember, and I think that’s true of anyone who’s been in fight or flight for 20 years,” he says. “I would have been in a cast of people whose friends would have died in the last seven years. I think of where I was seven years ago. I had all my gay friends then. It’s only retrospectively that I can retrofit a real gay community around me [in the theater], that I just wasn’t aware of [then].”

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, American and British culture presented queer adolescents with a bewildering array of mixed signals. As beloved celebrities came out in growing numbers, and the battle for marriage equality became a central locus of LGBTQ political organizing, the media continued to propagate harmful stereotypes of gay men as miserable, lonely, perverted or worse — and, Bailey remembers, callously turned George Michael, arrested on suspicion of cruising in a Beverly Hills restroom in 1998, and Irish pop star Stephen Gately, who revealed his sexuality in 1999, fearful he was about to be outed, into tabloid spectacles.

No wonder Bailey, like many LGBTQ people of his generation, should feel the “chemical” thrill of “validation and acceptance” during London Pride at age 18, then embark on a two-year relationship with a woman in his 20s.

“Dangerously, if you’re not exposed to people who can show you other examples of happiness, you think that’s the easiest way to live,” Bailey says. “It’s funny. You look back and you can tell the story in one way, which is that I always knew who I was and my sexuality and my identity within that. But obviously at times, it was really tough. I compromised my own happiness, for sure. And compromised other people’s happiness.”

Disclosures about his personal life have become particularly thorny for the actor since the premiere of “Bridgerton,” the blockbuster bodice-ripper from executive producer Shonda Rhimes.

“The Netflix effect does knock you off center completely,” he says, recalling the experience of finding a paparazzo waiting outside his new flat before he’d even moved in. “Suddenly, you do start having nightmares about people climbing in your windows... Even now, talking about it makes me feel like, ‘Am I inviting people in?’”

He is also critical of the media for churning out headlines about the smallest details of celebrities’ private lives, often detached from their original context. In an interview with the London Evening Standard published in December, Bailey described a harrowing encounter in a Washington, D.C., coffee shop in which a man threatened his life for being queer — and, in recounting the experience, offhandedly mentioned the “lovely man” he’d called, shaken, after it happened. Although Bailey acknowledges that the original story handled the subject with aplomb, he felt dismayed that more attention wasn’t paid to the intended warning about rising anti-LGBTQ sentiment: “The only thing that got syndicated from that story was that I had a boyfriend, and it wasn’t true,” he sighs. “It was kind of depressing, if I’m honest.”

Still, Bailey, who once turned down a role in a queer-themed TV series because it would have required him to speed along revelations about his personal life he wasn’t ready to make, is prepared to embrace the power of vulnerability when it feeds the work. Although a member of his inner circle expressed doubts about “Fellow Travelers’” steamy sex scenes, for instance, the actor intuited that they were what made the project worth doing: “I was like, ‘I’m telling you, they are the reason why this is going to be brilliant.’”

‘He’s changed my trajectory in my own life’

To those who would complain about the state of sex in film and TV, “Fellow Travelers” is the perfect riposte. All of it matters, from Tim’s first flirtation with Hawk to the finale’s closing minutes, because the series, at its core, is about the importance of soft power: the strength required to bend, but not break; to adapt, but not abandon oneself; to survive without shrinking to nothing in the process.And depicting that through sex, specifically gay sex, makes “Fellow Travelers” radical indeed.

Bailey understands that baring so much comes with certain risks. When I tell him that research for the story has filled my algorithmic “For You” feed on X (formerly Twitter) with speculation that his onscreen relationship with Bomer has a real-life element, he notes that “shipping” fictional couples and costars alike has long been part of Hollywood fantasy. But he bristles at the implication that he and Bomer are anything but skilled actors at work.

“I would love for people to know that the success of our chemistry isn’t based on us f—. It’s actually about us leaning into the craft,” he says. “It’s a vulnerable situation to be in, talking about it on record. I don’t want to rob people of their thoughts. But I do have a set of values, and as an artist, you don’t need to be f— to tell that love story.”

Underlying that craft, Bailey adds, is the confidence to speak up, as with one scene in “Fellow Travelers” that was adjusted because he said, “I don’t want to be naked today.” He learned to use his voice the hard way: In his early 20s, he recalls, he was once “bullied” on set when “someone was threatened” by him and vowed to himself, “I’m never going to do that to someone. I’m never going to allow that to happen.”

This impulse to direct his influence in support of others has blossomed further with “Fellow Travelers.” On the day of our interview, Bailey enthuses about an upcoming meeting with legendary gay rights activist Cleve Jones and shares his idea for a docuseries recording the stories of elders in the LGBTQ+ community while they are still here to tell them. He describes lying in a hospital bed on set on World AIDS Day, in character as Tim, surrounded by gay men who had lost friends and lovers during the crisis, and finding himself thinking, “What do I want to leave behind?”

“I think he’s changed my trajectory in my own life,” Bailey says.

This is, perhaps, the most common reaction I know to diving deep into queer history — the understanding that we, like our forerunners, are responsible for shaping the queer future, whether in politics, society or art. No one is going to do it on our behalf.

As we stand on the nondescript corner now named for her, I relate the story of the late queer activist Nancy Valverde, who was arrested repeatedly while a barber school student in the 1950s on suspicion of “masquerading” because of her preference for short hair and men’s clothing, and later successfully challenged her harassment by the police in court.

“What a hero!” Bailey exclaims, wondering at Valverde’s bravery. “The thing that’s so interesting with power battles is, ultimately, identity is the thing that gives you the most strength and power in your life, isn’t it?

“Because that’s one thing people can’t take away from you: who you are and how you express yourself.”

Source

[cyphyree]

bestie what did you call those fucking parrots??? "bloodthirsty parakeet satirical caricatures of the Mussolini facist regime" like... what?? genuinely confused, could you explain it to me?

Yeah! Tbh I read this post that made the connection, and thought “damn that made sense actually.” They explain it really well:

(Og post for ask context)

To add on:

The parakeets carrying Himi to the great grand uncle were passing through the world of their ancestors and were tearing up about it. It relates to the above post about fascists glorifying the mythic past

The parakeets held up signs with “Duch” when rallying around their king. This might be a reference to the Italian word “Duce” (meaning “duke” or “leader”). Mussolini is known as Il Duce (“The Leader”), and the term is virtually inextricably associated with him

Parakeets symbolize a variety of things, but in this case may symbolize mindless herd mentality

The culture of the parakeets is very militaristic—even the way they walk is a march—as well as nationalistic. It parallels the show of Japanese nationalism at the start of the movie

When Mahito wakes up in the parakeet kitchen, the chef is gleefully preparing to cook him. It’s almost as if he expected Mahito to celebrate the fact too, but regardless the parakeet doesn’t care about the massacre of others because the victims will serve their regime. Someone I know has a more personal reading of this scene, and they connect it to how, historically, oppressors would celebrate their atrocities as some great deed while the oppressed watched and suffered. The parakeets only cared about their own “greater cause”

Ive seen people also say that the parakeets are stand-ins for the Japanese fascists, German fascists, or human fascists in general—but whatever the specifics may be, the parakeets do seem to represent fascism.

Maybe when the parakeets escaped the underworld and turned into normal birds, it’s their wish being fulfilled: they’ve become their ancestors they glorified so much. They returned to the “great mythic past,” but as it turns out, the “great mythic past” is a great big lie, and probably different from the glory they imagined.

Alternatively, they coveted the peace and simplicity of their ancestors, but they were trying to achieve that through violent and militaristic means, and felt justified in doing so

Alternatively, the parakeets like the pelicans were trapped into this fantasy world, and forced to play roles to parallel the wars of humanity. When they finally escaped, both they and Mahito are free to live as themselves in the real world.

Maybe I’m wrong about some details or missed something, but yeah, that’s where “bloodthirsty parakeet satirical et cetera” came from

[lonelylonelyghost]

Re-watch of The Spirealm. Episode 30

Ah yeah. The iconic "Theater Gay vs Math Gay" moment

Friendship in the umbrella is the key that we've found along the way or something, idk

Well, she's a proper spoiled brat, but she seems to genuinely love her boyfriend. I don't know how to feel about her... She is a human I guess

I like her

The stairs in the forest - it's my favourite thing!!! I'm obsessed with those images, even managed to find several in real life

yey!

YOO-HOOO!!!

"It said that in a village where it rained incessantly, crops were about to fail. The villagers, in their ignorance, heard of a method: chopping off someone's head and hanging it in the yard would make the torrential rain stop.

The villagers, believing in this superstition, selected a child. The village school teacher tried to dissuade them from this foolish act, explaining that the village, situated between the mountains and the sea, was naturally rainy. the villagers, unwilling to listen, insisted on sacrificing a child.

The school teacher, determined to sacrifice himself in place of that student. The ignorant villagers wrapped the teacher's head in white cloth and hung it high..."

First of all, who even came up with this method? Who told the villagers this? I need to have a few words with them.

Second of all... So, like - the superstition was correct? Because it worked, didn't it? The rain stopped immediately...

And third of all, I can't believe that Gao Dawei canonically based this entire Door World on some random popular internet search. This dude used Bella Swan's research method lmao

:)

oh great...

"Have you ever thought that the world inside the Doors is real? And everything we're experiencing now is an illusion."

"Of course, I have. But I can't figure it out."

"If it were you, would you choose a real but scary world or a virtual but safe world?"

"I'll choose wherever you are."

And he'll be true to his word...

Ah, my heart...

They're so cute together....

"Ruan-ge, I don't have the courage and guts to face everything inside the Door. If I have to experience the world inside the Doors again, I'd rather die. Dead as a door nail."

But as much as it hurts, I understand her decision. The Door world is terrifying, and in order to have a slightly higher chance (and not a guarantee!) of passing her 6th, she'll have to experience the horrors of other Doors time and time again. I don't know what I would've chosen if I were in her place...

But it still hurts, it hurts, it HURTS! Why did I even start this re-watch???...

"I'll help you in the Door, Zaozao."

"Nonsense. You've passed a low-level Door alone so far and Li Dongyuan sacrificed his life to save you. How can you protect Tan Zaozao?"

"Because there is nothing I could do about Li Dongyuan's death. I don't want to lose another friend!"

"You're not saving her, you're just going to die with her!"

"Isn't that what being friends mean?"

"The meaning of friendship is to live for each other, not die for each other."

😔said the person who will not heed his own advice...

And now we feel guilty for the argument...

≧ ﹏ ≦

"Cheng Yixie, you're risking your life! Why won't you ever listen to me?"

"Ruan-ge, I'm sorry."

"You're just drinking poison just to quench your thirst, do you know that?"

"If it works, I'll drink the poison. If Qianli can quench thirst, then it'll be enough."

Yixie and Qianli, these poor babies! 😭😭😭

They are really such different characters, that's why I still had doubts at the time that it was the same actor, even if I already noticed the specific camera movements

🐱and🐶

oh nononononono

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[asordinaryppl]

A3! Main Story: Part 4 - Act 16: Crossing Paths - Episode 17: The Script, The Actors, And...

Izumi: They should be here soon, right?

Tsuzuru: They should. They called saying they’d be a little early–

Tsumugi: Is someone coming?

Tsuzuru: Seems like the KICS kids want to tell us something…

Tsuzuru: We also gotta talk about their play, so we decided to hold a meeting at the dorm.

Tsumugi: Discussing a brand-new troupe’s debut, huh? That sounds like fun, can I sit and listen in?

Izumi: Of course.

[Doorbell ringing]

Tsuzuru: Oh, looks like they’re here.

-

Towa: We’ve been selected to be in the rookie bracket!! This is the notification email!!

Tsuzuru: Ohhh.

Izumi: That’s great!!

Tsumugi: You even got a message from Yukio-san.

Towa: In my reason for applying, I wrote that I was so inspired by a play that I started my own troupe and asked the play’s scriptwriter for a script.

Towa: Since I wrote that we’re all beginners and we want to learn everything, starting from the basics, he sent us some words of encouragement.

Izumi: He wrote here that he can relate to you.

Izumi: (I think my father also directly asked Hakkaku-san, so the part of Towa-kun that acts as soon as he thinks of something might’ve been relatable to him.)

Tsumugi: Good for you.

Tsuzuru: Yukio-san will be giving basic acting instructions as something like an advisor.

Izumi: Seeing as he’s also a member of the board of directors, it’s probably not allowed for him to be involved in directing.

Tsumugi: But I think this increases the scope of the things KICS will be capable of doing.

Tsuzuru: We talked about this before, but have you decided on what you’d like your play to be about?

Keiku: Virtual stuff.

Kureha: We got to talking about how it’d be good if our play had a point of view that switches between reality and a virtual world.

Ibuki: There are not a lot of troupes that take this direction, and we thought it might be a good fit for us.

Towa: We were talking about how we all have online friends, and that there’s not much of a difference between them and friends we have in real life.

Towa: So we thought it’d be nice if we created a play with that as its theme.

Ibuki: Also, we want it to be more than just a simple play by sprinkling some dance in.

Tsuzuru: Some dance?

Kureha: We thought it’d be more interesting for the audience that way, rather than just acting.

Keiku: Plus I’m good at this.

Tsuzuru: I see…

Towa: But, even though we’ve come up with so many ideas, we haven’t figured out how to realize them yet…

Izumi: That’s something you’ll have to think about along with the director, so let’s just gather ideas for now.

Tsumugi: Exactly. You should start by showing that this really is what you guys want to do. Especially because this is your debut.

Tsuzuru: I guess it’d be similar to SSR Family in terms of atmosphere.

Tsuzuru: Putting aside how far we can go for now, I’ve got an idea for the direction I wanna take, so I’ll try to put together a plot.

Towa: Thank you very much!

Izumi: All that being said, even with Tsuzuru-kun writing for you, a play needs more than actors and a script to be a complete performance.

Izumi: It’s time you started looking at the more technical side of things.

Kureha: Are there more things we need?

Izumi: For starters, there’s setting a budget, and you need to find a theater and staff to support you.

Izumi: Then, the director will need to decide on a production plan, and they’ll need to properly communicate with everyone involved…

Izumi: You’ll also need someone to coordinate your practice schedule and actually run your practice space…

Ibuki: Won’t your daddy do that for us?

Tsumugi: Yukio-san’s more of an advisor, that’s not exactly in his list of responsibilities.

Towa: Then, should I do it?

Tsuzuru: I think that’s gonna be difficult when you don’t know left from right.

Izumi: Hmmm, I’d be happy to help, but I’ve got the preparations for the Winter Troupe’s performance to take care of…

Tsumugi: We’d be the ones in trouble if you were to leave us, Director. But how about asking Banri-kun instead?

Tsumugi: He has experience thanks to working as the Director’s assistant, and, since it’s Banri-kun we’re talking about, I’m sure he’ll be able to adapt to all kinds of situations.

Tsuzuru: Ah, he was also an assistant for Hyakka’s performance a while ago. That’s a good idea.

Izumi: True, I think Banri-kun has gained enough experience to be entrusted with directing a production… And the virtual theme is also a perfect fit for him.

Izumi: We’ll have to hear what Banri-kun thinks too, but what do you guys think?

Towa: Banri-san from the Autumn Troupe, right!? I’d be SO happy if he accepted!

Ibuki: We met him at the workshop, didn’t we? Why not.

Keiku: He’s pretty strong, so I’m game.

Kureha: We’ll be in his care.

Izumi: Then, I’ll ask–

Towa: No, we should be making this request ourselves!

Tsuzuru: Woah… That pushiness of yours is great.

Tsumugi: Communication is key in theater, I think that’s a good idea.

Izumi: I’ll leave it to you guys, then.

Towa: Okay!

previous episode | masterpost | next episode

[tixdixl]

Let the nerds talk, lel <3 🗣️: Who’s the one that will ramble on about their highly specific interest while the other just sits back and nods along?

So since you specified in the server that you wanted to see which ship would fit this the most, I'm gonna be so real- this is Pas d'Action.

We know that Rook is not only one to speak very openly about his thoughts, but that he has many, many thoughts about the things he is passionate about. We know from both book 6 and book 7 that this man can and will talk your ear off if he feels safe and comfortable, OR when he feels like he needs to take his shot.

...And somehow he managed to find a partner who loves to listen, so much so that it's their job! And as eccentric and odd and obsessed as Rook is, René will enjoy and bask in every single moment that he is gushing, waxing poetics, and even verbally giving an essay about the things in life that he adores and/or has criticisms about.

While I haven't gotten around to writing the ficlet yet, I actually imagined that the date where Rook realizes that he's found an incredible catch is when the two of them are out, enjoying each other's company. He begins gushing about filmography and musical theater (as we know he is want to do) ans midway through he stops. Completely. And he apologizes because he's realized he's spoken without restraint for a long time, and that René hasn't really said much since he started. But they place a gentle hand on his shoulder and inform him that they don't just want to listen to him just to get info off of him- they want to listen to him because clearly he feels free and is enjoying himself. (Because you know... themes of freedom and authenticity are at virtually every crux of their developing dynamic.) He sort of does that sprite he does when he's surprised, before smiling at them and putting an arm around their waist. And when he asks them if they would like him to continue, they simply nod with a smile and gesture to him that the floor is his.

Prompt

Tag list: @ramshacklerumble @rainesol @elenauaurs @thehollowwriter @blithesharem

@cyanide-latte @boopshoops @starry-night-rose @theleechyskrunkly @lumdays

@inmateofthemind @the-trinket-witch

[hometoursandotherstuff]

2003 very modern farmhouse is an interesting architectural design. It's in Iowa City, Iowa, has 4bds, 5ba, and is $2.75M. It doesn't look like much from the front. Those windows are beautiful, and look at the pond. But, you have to see the middle courtyard.

From the front hall you enter the rotunda.

The living room isn't extremely large like most similar homes, but it's cozier. The feature wall is nice.

Nice home office. I like the built-ins. But, if you want privacy, there's no door.

In the courtyard, the house turns round, (sort of), with walls of windows and a pool.

Round table in the dining room looks crowded. Can you get a regular long one in here?

Comin' around the bend to the kitchen. This is a little weird.

The kitchen's big, but it seems cold, especially with the stainless steel counters. Were those 4 built-in shadow box display niches necessary? You need a ladder to dust them, put up new stuff & change the bulbs.

The windows from inside, and a narrow, weak looking staircase.

The main bedroom has quite a few glass walls. The main en-suite bath is large and very Zen- look at the fountain in the corner. Unless it's a fancy urinal.

Huge walk-in dressing room w/laundry.

Secondary bedroom is a good size and has a nice little niche for a lounge.

Very large bedroom. It may be in the attic, b/c there's a staircase on the left.

Nice black shower room.

Lackluster home theater.

Game room and a gym. Meh.

What a depressing lap pool room. Also, in the corner it says "virtually staged," so is there, or isn't there, a real pool?

Look at that long building that seems to be attached to another one. I wonder what that is. It has 1.87 acres of land.

[garmgeyr]

Updates to Concept

// My writing process for Gallagher has been something of an experiment, so I've been making changes and trying new things continuously over the past 6 months. I haven't really made any official notes about it, but at this point, he's far enough away from my initial concept that I thought I should bring up the changes for those who might still think I'm writing him that way. Especially with the lore event and the potential to interact with new and old faces on the horizon.

This all, of course, is subject to change over the next several months now that Mr. Reca has been officially introduced and I wait for hoyo to prove or disprove a connection between them.

(Some mild 2.2 and 2.6 spoilers below)

First off, now that we know that Mr. Reca was likely the director for the Penacony main story, this opens up the possibility for Gallagher, as a virtual character, to have been created by Mr. Reca specifically for the story with the Trailblazer, and that Gallagher doesn't have any real connection to Mikhail or Penacony's history. This would mean that everything about him, not just parts, is completely fabricated and that he's basically Mr. Reca's OC for his Penacony fanfic. Cool concept, however, this possibility has me screaming into a cup (/neg) when it comes to RP.

None of my current HCs involve this theory. I'm simply putting it here as a disclaimer in case you see me completely rebuilding my concept for Gallagher in 3 or 4 months.

Changes in bullet format:

I'm no longer writing Gallagher as an avatar for an off-screen History Fictionologist. From now on in my writing, italics won't denote this faceless History Fictionologist's thoughts or make any sort of separation between character and creator. Gallagher is simply Gallagher.

My current concept is that Gallagher the character and Gallagher the History Fictionologist are one and the same. His persona and history are half fabricated, his appearance is entirely fabricated, and he's the figure responsible for creating the story about the Watchmaker and his legacy. A new NPC (Ligeia) in Paperfold Academy talks about "a group of History Fictionologists" kidnapping Sunday, and while this rumor is about Sunday disappearing from the Grand Theater and not from Dewlight Pavilion, the fact that the Death of the Crow readable that she references is found in Dreamflux Reef in 2.2 instead of the Grand Theater gives me reason enough to believe that the "group of History Fictionologists" is indeed Gallagher. Likewise, this now gives a steadier foundation for connecting him to other instances when a "group of History Fictionologists" is mentioned, such as the attack on the amusement park. For the record, I don't necessarily think that "Gallagher" is an individual or a collective. I believe that these rumors are just imperfect reflections of "his" influence.

Related to the above, I write Gallagher akin to a spirit of Penacony. The person we see in the story is 1) Trailblazer privilege and 2) a mode of communication. How he appears changes per person, and I've already begun to reference in threads this idea that he may look like Gallagher the Bloodhound or Gallagher the Drinksmith to one person, while at the same time appearing like a statue of a Hound to a passerby. His appearance is nebulous.

Gallagher, like the Origami Birds and other memetic entities, only shows himself to others when he wants. He doesn't "live" like an ordinary person and is more like an on-off switch, appearing when he's needed and disappearing when he has nothing to do. Like a Memokeeper, he can exist like this outside of Penacony, and I've completely gotten rid of the idea that he'll change his identity and name if he goes elsewhere. Felt weird for me to write. Gallagher is Gallagher.

Post-2.2, Gallagher the character is "dead" in Penacony, but in GH he's still kicking around. I'm updating what I wrote back in July about how he exists and doesn't know why to say that he hasn't changed, but everyone else's memories of him have. Everyone who had contact with him should believe that he's dead or gone, but he can still be found in Penacony if one looks hard enough. For those who never met him in canon, it doesn't really matter. To them, Gallagher's story never happened, so meeting a drinksmith named Gallagher would just be like meeting any other random person. For those who did know him, however, I'll leave it up to the mun to recognize him post 2.2 or not. Enigmata obscures memory and perception, so in most cases he will be merely "the bartender" or "the Bloodhound" until the other character sees through the fog and calls him by the name they know him by. After which, he'll appear to them as Gallagher.

To simulate the idea of fictionalized history, I'll be writing Gallagher's posts exclusively in past tense starting with the next thread I start. Usually I match my partner's tense, but in this case, I want to capture the concept of something that has already happened and been recorded, but has been edited in some way afterwards.

I think that's all for now, inb4 I come back in 2 months to completely rewrite this

[frankie-the-bad-guy-lupelli]

I think I’m gonna buy a VR headset. I ain’t much of a video game guy, but I hear you can get like a virtual movie theater thing goin’ on. And what can I say, Beat Saber looks real fun.

[pjsk-story-summaries]

Wonderlands x Showtime Main Story Summary

TL;DR: Tenma Tsukasa, an egotistical aspiring actor, auditions for a cast member position at Phoenix Wonderland. He is picked up by Otori Emu, an optimistic dreamer, at the run-down Wonder Stage. They encounter the mysterious director Kamishiro Rui performing alone within the park, who upon invitation into the troupe also brings along his shy childhood friend Kusanagi Nene.

The four of them work to put on a show, but disaster strikes when Robonene runs out of battery halfway through the show. Tsukasa yells at Nene out of frustration, sparking Rui to leave the troupe.

Tsukasa goes to the SEKAI to reflect, where he finds Usa-chan, one of the plushies, crying. Through his attempts to cheer her up, he finally remembers the true reason he wanted to be a star: to make others smile, especially his dear younger sister.

Tsukasa apologizes to Emu and Nene, who both decide to rejoin the troupe; however, Rui is not convinced. The three of them put on a new show in the SEKAI that ultimately causes Rui a change of heart, officially re-forming Wonderlands x Showtime.

Official English Youtube upload / Song (The World Hasn't Even Started Yet) / Animation

Chapter 0: The story begins with Tsukasa narrating about the show he had seen as a little kid with Saki, sparking his dream to be a star that makes everybody smile. After a hard cut to the present day, we find Tsukasa preparing for an audition at Phoenix Wonderland. Saki comes up to talk to him, which eventually reaches her asking why he wanted to become a star in the first place. Tsukasa can't remember. Suddenly, his phone flashes with the new Untitled song, transporting him to SEKAI. Miku and KAITO introduce themselves and the place, but Tsukasa denies it all.

Chapter 1: Tsukasa arrives at his interview. He introduces himself with his standard stardom speech, shocking the interviewers but catching the ear of a certain onlooker. A short time later, Tsukasa receives his acceptance letter with arrogant pride. Both Rui and Nene overhear him talking to himself about it, but don't interact. Kigurumi (Mascot) leads Tsukasa over to the Wonder Stage, much to the latter's disappointment. Suddenly, Emu leaps down from the rooftop and reveals she's the one who invited Tsukasa.

Chapter 2: Emu had specially requested Tsukasa after he failed the initial audition. Tsukasa is less than impressed with the current state of the run-down stage and lack of an audience. He tries giving Emu his autograph before leaving, but Emu tackles him instead, saying she had made a promise to do shows at this stage specifically. Suddenly, the stage projector switched on to reveal Miku. When trying to call and resign, Emu finds Untitled and clicks it, sending the both of them to SEKAI.

Chapter 3: Tsukasa encounters Mikudayo, who soon reveals herself to be the actual Miku. She pushes him into the show tent, where KAITO and Emu are preparing for a show. The Virtual Singers explain the concept of SEKAI. Tsukasa insists he knows what his true feelings are, but the Virtual Singer's aren't so convinced. Usa-chan, a talking stuffed rabbit, also introduces herself. Tsukasa panics and passes out.

Chapter 4: After regaining consciousness, Tsukasa demands to leave the SEKAI. Emu promises to help find Tsukasa's phone only if he promises to do shows at the Wonder Stage with her, to which he reluctantly agrees. Back in the real world, Kigurumi attacks Tsukasa for "kidnapping" Emu, intimidating him to the point where he fears going back on his word to help her out. Tsukasa and Emu then set off to find more cast members. They find some small robots, who lead the pair to Rui's performance.

Chapter 5: Rui begins telling the tale of an alchemist who loves theater. However, his story is cut short by Security chasing him out. The next day, Tsukasa learned the strange performer is a new transfer to his school. Rui had been waiting for him on the rooftop, following his movements with a drone. Impressed, Tsukasa offers him a spot in his new troupe as director. Rui declines.

Chapter 6: Rui explains that he wants to do the shows he wants to do, ones that exist to make the audience happy. Tsukasa affirms that he'd perform any role given to him "to 12,000% satisfaction". Rui catches a glimpse of Nene walking down below. He decides to accept the offer, if and only if Tsukasa would take one other member. Later, Tsukasa takes Rui to the Wonder Stage and introduces him to Emu. The two instantly hit it off.

Chapter 7: Rui introduces the other two to Robonene. Tsukasa is hesitant on the concept, but after Nene's display of skill, he reluctantly agrees to accept her in (though he's more worried of losing the limelight than anything else). Afterwards, Rui and Nene chat about the new adventure in front of them.

Chapter 8: Tsukasa and Saki chat. When things take a melancholy turn, Tsukasa begins reciting script lines to cheer her up. Saki thanks him and talks about how he always used to do shows like this when they were little, especially with a small bunny plushie. The next day, Tsukasa brings the rest of the troupe the newly completed show script, along with a proposal for a troupe name. It was bad and immediately shot down. Through Emu's ramblings, Rui suggests naming their troupe after the different worlds the stage can become through showtime. Emu adds an x to represent the multiplying wonderlands, giving birth to Wonderlands x Showtime.

Chapter 9: Rui runs over the script with everyone and suggests some extreme stunt ideas, much to Tsukasa's horror. Nene tells Emu about Rui's history with this, and how most people avoided him afterwards. Despite the outlandish ideas, Tsukasa and Emu warm up to them. Later, Nene comments on how much happier Rui looks now. The next day, the troupe works together on the show. Emu suggests going to "that place" to look for inspiration and sends the four of them to SEKAI.

Chapter 10: Rui immediately begins analyzing the SEKAI and wanders off. KAITO gives Tsukasa and Emu advice while Miku greets the real Nene hiding somewhere else. Nene's too shy to have a conversation, however. Before the four leave SEKAI, Miku again questions what being a star means to Tsukasa, who's true feelings are still unknown.

Chapter 11: Wonderlands x Showtime finishes rehearsals for their show. Emu thanks Tsukasa and the others for performing shows with her here at this stage. Rui and Nene stay late to rehearse a little longer. The next day arrives, and the show begins.

Chapter 12: The play starts off as a hit! Halfway through Nene's song, however, Robonene loses power and crashes into Tsukasa. They try their best to recover, but any momentum they had gained was lost. The play was ruined.

Chapter 13: Tsukasa lashes out at Nene for the mistake. Rui tries taking the blame instead, while Emu desperately tries keeping the peace. Despite Rui's insistence, Tsukasa continues his outrage. Nene runs off. Rui tells Tsukasa that "you can't stage great shows alone", and that Tsukasa's selfishness means he will never become a star. Rui officially quits the troupe. Later, Rui goes to apologize to Nene for making her join the troupe. Tsukasa goes to the SEKAI for advice.

Chapter 14: Tsukasa runs into Usa-chan crying. Though his dance only made things worse, he managed to distract her by immitating Emu's wonderhoy. He spins it to form an improv play and invites Usa-chan to join along, to which she happily agrees. After playing for some time, Tsukasa notices the name "Saki" written under her foot. Tsukasa finally realizes the SEKAI is full of things from his memories, and a memory of him cheering up a sick Saki in a hospital room. Tsukasa finally remembers his true wish to make others happy, and how grateful he is to have met the other members of Wonderlands x Showtime. Tsukasa resolves to set things right with them.

Chapter 15: Tsukasa finds Emu by the ferris wheel, so they ride together. Emu tells Tsukasa about how her grandfather had built Phoenix Wonderland and the Wonder Stage specifically, but had sadly passed away a year prior. Emu's family would save the Wonder Stage if Emu managed to attract enough visitors by the end of spring break, but since their show only made everyone sad, she'll have to say goodbye to it. Tsukasa tells Emu that she's a part of everyone needing to be happy and asks if they can try to save the stage one more time. Back at the Wonder Stage, Nene went to retrieve Robonene and reminisces on how much she'll miss theater again.

Chapter 16: Emu and Tsukasa find Nene singing on the stage. Nene runs away, causing the two to chase her around the park. After Emu catches her by jumping from a gate, Tsukasa formally apologizes for what he said and asks if she would want to rejoin the troupe. Nene tells the two about how she had messed up the lines of her performance when she was young and became too anxious to stand on the stage anymore. Tsukasa tells her that making mistakes is how we get better, and that he's truly sorry for yelling at her for trying to learn. Nene officially rejoins the troupe.

Chapter 17: Nene reveals she and Rui are neighbors and takes the two to meet him. They find him continuing the story of the alchemist on the street: the alchemist had found acceptance through their shows, though short-lived. The townsfolk and alchemist simply thought differently, so they left, leaving the alchemist all alone once again. Tsukasa tries to apologize to Rui, but he doesn't believe he's changed yet and leaves. Emu and Nene don't want to give up on him, either.

Chapter 18: Rui walks around the streets, remembering the fear and harsh words of his past classmates over his show ideas. Suddenly, Emu, Tsukasa, and Nene ambush him and send them all to SEKAI. They begin a play made specially for him. A traveling troupe consisting of an arrogant showman, stubborn clown, and shy songstress meet a lonely alchemist and invite him to the troupe. The alchemist builds a doll for the songstress to sing behind and other inventions. However, when the doll broke during a show, the showman lashed out and broke apart the troupe. A cute fairy had reminded the showman of his true desire to make people happy through shows, driving him to make ammends with the rest of his troupe. Though the clown and songstress agreed to come back, the alchemist didn't believe him. The three decided to make a play to show him their true feelings. KAITO asks Rui what he thinks will happen next, to which he questions if they thought this would really work through just a monologue. Fortunately, the alchemist is now here to help them improve.

Chapter 19: Suddenly, Tsukasa's phone flashes as Untitled changes into a song: The World Hasn't Even Started Yet. Tsukasa asks if the others would sing it with him, since the song is just as much theirs as it is his own. Afterwards, he thanks Miku and KAITO for their help before returning to the real world. Emu finally tells the others about the fate of the Wonder Stage, but they realize there's still hope to save it. They put their show back together and begin saving the stage once again with an enthusiastic wonderhoy!

Chapter 20: All of their remaining shows went spectacularly, even though they had to do so many in a row. Their efforts had paid off, however; the Wonder Stage was officially saved! Wonderlands x Showtime decides to keep putting on shows there, too. The story ends with Emu and Tsukasa's laughter echoing in the distance, all the way into SEKAI.

Card Stories: Tsukasa / Emu / Nene / Rui

Virtual Singer Chapter 1 (Pre-Chapter 0): Miku, KAITO, and the plushies prepare a show to help Tsukasa remember his true feelings. Miku runs off to put on the Mikudayo costume to match with the plushies. There's one of KAITO, too, but he refuses to put it on. Tsukasa finally arrives in the SEKAI, but Miku is now stuck in the Mikudayo costume.

Virtual Singer Chapter 2 (After Chapter 4): Miku is disappointed she couldn't put on a show with Tsukasa and Emu, so to cheer her up, KAITO puts on a magic show for her. KAITO teaches Miku some magic tricks after. Miku is a bit sad that the show has to end, but KAITO reminds her that without an ending, there can be no beginning.

Virtual Singer Chapter 3 (Concurrent with Chapter 14): Usa-chan is upset Tsukasa didn't remember her. Miku and KAITO decide to put on a show to cheer her up, but it doesn't work to well. Tsukasa arrives in the SEKAI halfway through, but before the Virtual Singers can greet him, they find a crying Usa-chan already talking to him. Miku goes to help, but KAITO stops her, opting to watch things play out instead.

Virtual Singer Chapter 4 (After Chapter 20): Wonderlands x Showtime goes to SEKAI to thank the Virtual Singers for their help, and to ask if they could watch one of their shows for inspiration. They decide to put one on in the flying train. Emu and Miku fall out the window, so Tsukasa, KAITO, Rui, and Nenerobo save them.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Comeuppance yes injury - God forbid. by u/Evilvieh

Comeuppance yes, injury - God forbid. I want to take a moment to express that while I think Harry and his lovely wife Fang are ghastly people, I in no way wish them to come to physical harm. If I read the virtual room here aright, that’s the general feeling on this sub too. Comeuppance yes, injury - God forbid. I snark freely on their security theater because I think it’s based on delusion, not actual threats of violence. I’ve seen no evidence that they face any kind of danger different from the general ones that celebrity brings. I’ve seen no expert interviewed that they are in any kind of imminent danger. As the attacks on young Princess Anne, and Presidents Reagan & Ford proved, not even the finest security can prevent determined nutjobs. Luckily those aren't thick on the ground. The Aspartames like to bleat on about some online crap bags who were jailed for posting vile things about Mrs Mountbatten-Windsor. But the Kotzbrocken never lifted a finger against her, (unless I am misinformed?) and of course that was in Britain, where you can be prosecuted for speech, so of course they are jailed while in the US they might not have been. After seeing the unintentionally hilarious Scooter Goober™ scene in their NetfFlIx infomercial and all the shots of them before and since not wearing seatbelts, I think their “safety” concerns are a) real to him because she’s whipped up his innate paranoia and b) spurious from her because she just wants the entourage and whoop whoop arrivals. It seems to me that many people more famous than them get by with a more… reality-based security plan than the ruinous “billionaire” style 4 point 24/7 one they have now. If they want to throw money down that hole rather than getting proper therapy, a good fence and a better perspective of their relative importance in the Universe, that’s just another in a string of fine choices that have lead to their present situation. He was told about the consequences of quitting the royal job, and he had a year to come back. He chose another path. It’s not the taxpayer’s duty to defray the costs of his personal choice. I’m not sure why he feels particularly threatened in the UK, an unarmed society? Anyway that's my current thinking on this. Any counter arguments, fact correction, or insights would be appreciated. post link: https://ift.tt/7fSJq9n author: Evilvieh submitted: February 29, 2024 at 06:40PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[empty-movement]

Hi!! Super appreciate everything you guys have done for the community! I’ve recently been watching the musicals and was wondering if you think there’s any chance of an Apocalypse Saga musical?

Vanna here! Gonna be real, virtually impossible at this point, IMO. During the BRS show there were lots of little allusions to a third. Ikuhara and Yoshitani talk about it in the program interview (FULLY TRANSLATED COMING SOON), Akio's actor mentions the possibility in the curtain call, Ikuhara vaguetweets it, and ALSO, cool story:

The behind the scenes on the BRS musical include Akio and Anthy's actors discussing that he had special lines for the end of the final show, and he does--but they are not on the Blu-Ray cut of the show. Why? Well, on the last day, they streamed *both* the afternoon and evening shows, and on the last show, a major stage component failed. (The curtains drop to reveal the projector.) Only half the curtain falls. IMO this kinda makes for its own neat emergent narrative about the fakeness of Ohtori, but because of it, they don't use the last show's ending in the Blu-ray, so he doesn't have his extra line.

The version on the Blu-ray already includes a bolded line not in the series:

The illusion you cherished in your memory…I exploited that. The years you spent clinging to hope, not growing up, were useful. Soon… eternity will shine down from the inverted castle above. But the path you must take is no longer being prepared for you. You graduate, now.

The dialogue from the last show they performed goes this way (it's the version I had the better copy of, so when we showed folks the musical before the BR dropped, this was the version folks saw!)

The illusion you cherished in your memory…I exploited that. The years you spent clinging to hope, not growing up, were useful. But soon… the castle above, and the road to eternity… …will shine upon Tenjou Utena. The path you must take is no longer being prepared for you. You graduate, now.

TELL ME THAT'S NOT A 'NEXT TIME ON' HOOK

Look, I'm not an expert on Japanese musical business culture, but I had the help of some folks that are in the acquisition of this thing, and they basically assumed another was in production based on this amount of telegraphing, and it seems very likely it was, since the musicals have uniquely almost the same cast from one to the next.

Then covid happened. At this point, it's very unlikely to happen, I think, and certainly not with the original cast they had access to. Given Ikuhara's overall reticence about making the musicals at all, I don't know how eager he'd be to change up a formula that worked so well by trying to recast/etc, and covid FUCKED UP the 2.5 scene in Japan. I have long since stopped anticipating an Apocalypse show, which is really sad because I would have LOVED to see how it was executed, and given the incredible escalation in budget and scope from the first musical to the second, it felt inevitable at the time. (The StuCo musical was in a 250 seat theater and the BRS one was in a 1000 seat theater, insane shit)

[leemillion]

CALLING ALL PRESTON GOODPLAY LOVERS (aka me)

IM MAKING A PLAYLIST

FOR THE ONE AN ONLY 😌

AND I NEED SONGS THAT REMIND YOU OF HIM. WHETHER THAT BE DIFFERENT STAGES OF HIS LIFE (canon or headcanon) OR YKNOW JUST WHATEVER GIVES YOU THE ✨VIBES✨

I’D LOVE SOME OUTSIDE OPINIONS ON THIS

HERE’S THE SONGS I ALREADY HAVE IN ORDER:

Introduction to the Snow - Miracle Musical (gives me the ✨vibes✨)

Look Who’s Inside Again - Bo Burnham (Think it would describe his childhood. At least a part of it)

Am I Supposed To Apologize? - Maria Mena (It’s %90 percent here because of a few short lyrics that would imply him discovering his love of theater. The other %10 is because I have a headcanon he’s a child of divorce parents.)

My Play - AJR (C’mon man it seems pretty self explanatory if you’ve listened to it. Plus it adds onto the divorced parents theory)

The Main Character - Will Wood (It’s literally him. C’mon man. The vibes. Also you cannot tell me he wouldn’t be a huge Will Wood fan.)

Hard to Be the Bard - Something Rotten! (He’s a writer✨ An artist✨ It can’t possibly be easy 😔)

Soldier, Poet, King - The Oh Hellos (Now this one is more the Performance Trio as a whole but still. Preston is the poet, obviously 😌 while Nerris is the soldier and Harrison is the ruler.)

I/Me/Myself - Will Wood (Because he's just so ✨gender✨ Plus if you headcanon him as gender-fluid it makes this even better.)

Oh No! - Marina & The Diamonds (A desire to succeed. To make it big in this world. He knows what he wants and he won’t stop at nothing to get it. He definitely has a fear of failure. And who’s to say he doesn’t feel like he’s the worst? He already acts like he’s the best. Who’s to say that’s not a cover up?)

Everybody Loves Me - OneRepublic (Consider this the beginning of Preston Goodplay’s Good Play. He finally has a performance piece that people seem to like. He’s finally getting the love and attention he so deserves 😌 But at what cost?)

Non-Stop - Hamilton (Turns out his new performance is the only thing people seem to want. So why not just keep writing up new ideas for it? Sure he’ll eventually run out. But right now’s not eventually! He’ll just have to keep coming up with new ideas for it! Thing is it’s getting a lot more stressful than he intended.)

Left Brain, Right Brain - Bo Burnham (Oh Y’know just that one scene where he’s arguing with his own fucking reflection. Unsure whether he should sell out and give the people what they want, or follow what he wants with the risk that no one would like it.)

Show & Tell - Melanie Martínez (Ok this is getting ridiculous. They’ve started showing up to his practices and commenting on HIS writing process. It’s overwhelming. But what can he do about it? They’re his target audience. Well his only audience but still-)

Everyone is Dumb - Mazie x Everybody Likes You - Lemon Demon (Seems self explanatory. Everyone actually pays attention to him now. They’re excited for his performances. Everyone likes him. But they’re also stupid. It’s a stupidly simple performance that’s virtually the same every time. Yet they never get tired of it. Yes they like him, but is it worth it if this is the reason they like him.)

Shine A Light (Reprise) - Heathers (Oh y’know just the silly little nightmare he has :,D And then the hallucinations of his own reflection laughing at him. Plus him pulling out that prop knife uh- was he just being dramatic or??? Like he did have a bit of a psychotic break, man’s was hallucinating. How do we know he didn’t think the knife was real? Like was he actually trying to- y’know? Seriously is he ok-??)

Are You Satisfied - Marina & The Diamonds (He talks to David for a bit. And something’s called to question. Is he satisfied with this? He’s worried about his future yes, but then again what’s the point of making art if he doesn’t actually like it himself. It’s pointless. And he realizes no one else should get a say in what he wants to create. It’s his problem. No one else’s.)

Drama Club - Melanie Martinez (Honestly just doesn’t give a shit about anyone’s opinions anymore and that’s kind of a good thing. Even if they hate it. “Any reaction, positive or negative, is still a reaction :D” As tomatoes are pelted towards him. Honestly a healthier mentality than he had before. And I think that’s the end of the Preston Goodplay’s Good Play section of the playlist!)

Recess - Melanie Martinez (I’m here for Preston’s grandmother raising him and teaching him everything she knows 🗣️🗣️🗣️ Stg every lyric fucking fits. Also I think this could apply to his new mentality of “Fuck you it’s my art not yours I do what I want.” A nice little summary to the fiasco that is Preston Goodplay’s Good play.)

Mirror Man - Jack Stauber’s Opal (Mostly just gives me Preston vibes. His desire to become famous and what not.)

Art Is Dead - Bo Burnham (Vibesss man. “I am an artist, please god forgive me. I am an artist, please don't revere me. I am an artist, please don't respect me I am an artist, you're free to correct me. A self-centered artist. Self-obsessed artist. I am an artist. I am an artist. But I'm just a kid. I'm just a kid. I'm just a kid, kid. And maybe I'II grow out of it”)

Finale (Can’t Wait To See What You Do Next) - AJR (Honestly just thought it’d be cool to have the last song in the playlist be called Finale 💀 But I think it’s a nice little summary of his character. A final bow if you will 😌)

Anyways that’s about it. If anyone else has suggestions or input on the songs already here feel free to! Hell if you happen to disagree with anything feel free to. I love discussions about things I like :D Also feel free to suggest songs that you think I should add 😌 Gonna go pass out now baiiii