#You Will Be Found from the Dear Evan Hansen OBC

[oftheriverseine]

Jayfeather Doodle Page!! I do a lot of these for characters but I’m particularly proud of this one :D highlighted are some songs I listened to while making these, near the drawings they inspired.

[pardonmydelays]

top 5 musical theatre performers?... and you can't choose lin

i love this question so much! & i'm so happy you said no lin because it's a great opportunity for me to talk about the others! this will be probably chaotic (surprise, surprise) & i will drop clips to prove my point:

PHILLIPA SOO

i don't think any words could describe how i feel about her... the most incredible voice i've ever heard. i would literally die for her, i'm being serious right now. she is one of the reasons i think the off broadway cast album of the great comet is better than the obc one (unpopular opinion maybe but oh well she is MY natasha). i would never be tired of listening to her, she is so precious to me istg. one of my favourite videos is, of course, phillipa singing no one else from tgc (ha! i know you were expecting hamilton! no way, you are getting this one instead):

JORDAN FISHER

i know a lot of people wouldn't agree with me, but i actually think he is incredibly talented. he has a great voice & damn, he can act! i kinda lost my mind when i saw his first pictures as orpheus in hadestown, i also recommend to watch all the clips with him (especially wait for me, my personal favourite), but what i really want to show you is this video of jordan singing waving through a window from dear evan hansen (the fact that he is not only singing the song but also acting here, i couldn't love him any more, he also has the most adorable smile but it's not that important or is it?):

JOSH GROBAN

his voice... for the love of god... i am kinda crazy about him. amazing as sweeney todd, yes, true, but most of you probably know already i am absolutely fucking insane about pierre bezukhov the biggest fucking loser oh god i love him so much (a little disclaimer: i usually listen to the off broadway version of tgc, yes, but i do have playlists with all pierre's song so josh groban is there as well), so it's probably not surprising that i am giving you this today (dust and ashes is, in my opinion, one of the best musical songs ever written):

EVA NOBLEZADA

ngl, i fell in love with her immediately while listening to hadestown for the first time. she is just aaaaaamazing, that girl can sing & definitely can act. also, she is so incredibly beautiful i can't even (i may have a little crush on her). i am always getting super emotional when i watch her, so i want you all to feel the same, watch this video of her & reeve carney singing all i've ever known:

AMBER GRAY

dear fucking god what a voice. first of all, she is definitely my favourite persephone, i mean come on. i am also fucking obsessed with the song charming from tgc which is not surprising to anyone probably. i also found an audio of her singing starchild from ghost quartet & my head exploded (i don't know where it is now but believe me, it exists... somewhere). but this is what you get today:

[to-know-how-it-ends]

Hi theater kids!

I recently had the privilege to see the touring cast of Dear Evan Hansen!! It was beautifully done with a wonderful cast and great set.

Now. I know you all think Dear Evan Hansen is a bit (if not very) overrated. 

You are right. 

However.

I cannot deny that, despite it being overrated, it is an amazing show with stellar vocals, cool set design, and although the plot (and main character, tbh) is a bit problematic, it has some beautiful messages that I really connected to, as well as such gut-wrenchingly beautiful and painful songs that truly hit so hard I had to physically restrain myself from making noise while I was bawling. 

Our Evan, Pierce Wheeler (u/s) gave a different but welcome take to Evan that I didn’t see in Ben Platt’s version. Pierce seemed a lot more excited when talking to his mom and Jared. For example, you know the part where Heidi goes “I’m proud of you already!” In Ben’s version, his response is like a sarcastic-ish. “Oh. Good.” Whereas Pierce’s is “Oh! Good!” He seems like he has a better relationship with his mom, which makes it more painful when he can’t tell her how his day went because he doesn’t want her to worry (Yeah! Yeah... today was... (LONG AGONIZING PAUSE) it was a good day!) and when things eventually fall apart. He has a clear, beautiful voice that clearly conveys his every emotion. He also seemed actually like a high-schooler instead of a 30 year old man. His performance was absolutely amazing, I wish I could replay it in my head a million times. 

I loved our Heidi, Colleen Sexton, who accurately portrayed her exactly as I had always imagined her from listening to the soundtrack, if with, dare I say, a little more emotion than I had remembered. (that being said, I’ve never seen any other cast but this and that one bootleg of the obc) My mom was watching with me, and told me after the show that she related way too much with Heidi. All the songs were beautiful (and painful, tbh) , but to be honest, (and this is a song I’ll usually skip if it comes up on my playlist) Colleen’s “So Big/So Small” absolutely broke me. I related so much to the themes and the topics in the song. There was a recent moment in my life where I was so certain my mom would hate me, but instead, she, like Heidi, said that she will be right here with me. All in all, wonderful performance.

One scene that I really loved was at the end of You Will Be Found where Larry absolutely broke down and just let Cynthia hug him. It was so sweet and so impactful.

The rest of the cast were all wonderful, their voices were beautiful, and the messages of the show left me feeling hopeful, despite how desperate and painful life can seem. 

So yes, Dear Evan Hansen is overrated. But it truly gave me so much validation about the way I’ve been feeling for so long and some really wonderful messages that, even if cheesy, I will hold with myself forever.

 - mimi

[foxgloveprincess]

it’s listening to “you will be found” from obc of dear evan hansen and bawling like a baby hours. 

[love-little-lotte]

15 Musical Theatre Duets That Make Me Believe In Love Again

Hi! This is a follow-up on my other list: 15 Musical Theatre Female Solos That Make Me Feel Things. This time, I’m going to talk about 15 musical theatre duets that make me believe in love again (obviously, as the title suggests). Love songs are beautiful and special, and I always love listening to them. You don’t even have to be in a relationship to really enjoy them. You just have to listen and feel the music and lyrics. 

Musical theatre love songs are a whole different story. I find them more meaningful because they’re part of a story. They help the story progress, as well as provide insight to the characters’ personality. And probably most importantly, these songs help make the audience understand the love these characters feel for each other. 

The following songs are my favorite romantic duets in musical theatre. Romantic duets are love songs sung by two people — usually, it’s sung when they profess their love for each other. I love them to bits, and I love how they made me feel. They’re also fun to sing along to! These songs are, in my opinion, incredibly romantic. They transcend me to a different place, and yes, they do make me believe in love again. Also, let me just remind you, that this is my personal list, so if you don’t agree, well then, you can always make a list of your own. 

(Disclaimer: I arranged these songs randomly to avoid favoritism, so this is not exactly a “ranking” list.)

1. Sun and Moon - Miss Saigon 

I was initially confused which song I would choose from Miss Saigon — this one or “The Last Night of the World.” I eventually chose this one because I liked the lyrics more. They’re so simple, but you can definitely feel the love between Kim and Chris with each word. 

This song is sung early on the show, where everything was going perfectly for the both of them. After spending the night, Kim and Chris fell in love unexpectedly while there is an ongoing war. He’s a soldier; she’s a prostitute. They come from a different world, but they found each other. It’s the perfect love song for them. 

Most memorable lyrics: How in the light of one night / Did we come so far?

2. Tonight - West Side Story

Just like Kim and Chris from Miss Saigon, Tony and Maria from West Side Story come from a different world. He’s a Jet; she’s a, well... Shark by relation? Anyway, this song is also an absolute favorite of mine. The music, the lyrics... are oh-so gorgeous. Even though they’ve only met one time prior to this song, they fell in love at first sight — and they fell hard. Both Tony and Maria were ready to risk their relationship with family and friends to be with each other.  

But before the story went into chaos, this song perfectly described the love they feel for each other. It’s a delightful song, and I love it to bits. I look forward to the day I sing this to a special someone who’s ready to defy everyone just to be with me!

Most memorable lyrics:  But here you are / And what was just a world is a star / Tonight

3. Ten Minutes Ago - Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Ever wondered what it feels like to fall in love at first sight? Well, Ella and Prince Topher can tell you — or rather, sing it for you. This song is just as beautiful as the costumes of this Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella production. Seriously, this is unrelated, but you really need to check out the costumes for this show. It’s to die for!

Anyway, this song is the first duet of Ella and Prince Topher. The music is soaring; the lyrics are romantic; and the choreography is memorable. This song is absolutely marvelous and perfectly encapsulates the feeling of falling in love at first sight (one of my favorite musical theatre tropes). Also, you need to check out the Tony Awards performance of this song! 

Most memorable lyrics: In the arms of my love I’m flying / Over mountain and meadow and glen

4. Take Me As I Am - Jekyll & Hyde

Unlike most of the songs in this list, I haven’t delved into this musical as much as I want to. Nevertheless, I fell in love with this gorgeous song. I have a weakness for sopranos, so of course, this song caught my attention. Christiane Noll, who played Emma in the OBC recording, sounded so, so heavenly. 

Through this song, I got to know Emma and Jekyll’s love for each other. They’re professing their love for each other, promising that they would be on each other’s side no matter what happens. It’s a song that teaches us acceptance and love really go together. Truly one of my favorite romantic song ever. 

Most memorable lyrics: And when despair / Tears me in two / Who can I turn to but you?

5. I’ll Cover You - Rent

This particular song is more carefree and upbeat compared to most of the songs in this list. But that doesn’t make it any less romantic. This song sung by my favorite couple in Rent is the absolute best. When all the other couples are fighting, Angel and Collins just continued loving each other and enjoying the little time they have. They are so sweet, and I totally love their relationship. And this song is a huge testament why. 

It’s a song that tells the audience that Angel and Collins just love being together and that they truly love one another. They were together through thick and thin, through Angel’s sickness until the very end. They weren’t kidding when they sang “I’ll be there and I’ll cover you.” And yes, the reprise version of this song is the definition of pain and sadness. 

Most memorable lyrics: But sweet kisses I’ve got to spare / I’ll be there and I’ll cover you

6. As Long As You’re Mine - Wicked

Whenever I listen to this song, I always describe it as “sensual and intimate.” This song may not be promiscuous or anything like that, but it’s so passionate and sexy in an innocent way. It’s a beautiful love song, and when performed right, truly make me fall in love. The lyrics are perfect for what Elphaba and Fiyero are going through, and the music is beyond catchy.

When they do release the movie version of Wicked — which is probably never at this point — I hope they cast actors who have amazing, off the roof chemistry. This song is one of my favorites, and I would love to see it done well on the big screen. Elphaba’s cheeky last line “For the first time, I feel... wicked” is probably my favorite line in the show. 

Most memorable lyrics: Borrow the moonlight / Until it is through / And know I’ll be here / Holding you / As long as you’re mine

7. Only Us - Dear Evan Hansen

One of the purest romantic songs ever. Though Evan may not be your ideal perfect guy, you can’t deny that this song is plain sweet. This duet between Evan and Zoe is cute and relatable — anyone who fell in love before can identify with the lyrics. And even though you’re not a fan of musical theatre, I’m pretty sure you’re still going to like this fan favorite.

This song is one of my favorite song in “new” musicals. It’s sung by teenagers in the show, but the lyrics and music are perfect to attract younger audiences. It’s a good song to sing along to, and probably a good dedication song for your significant other.

Most memorable lyrics: You and me / That’s all that we need it to be / And the rest of the world falls away

8. Seven Wonders - Catch Me If You Can

The first time I listened to the musical, I was in high school. I didn’t know it was based on a movie. I didn’t know who Frank Abagnale even is! The reason why I even cared about this musical is because of Aaron Tveit, which made me listen to the cast recording, then watch the movie (which is really good). I fell in love with this song the first moment I listened to it. It’s catchy and pure and beautiful. 

The duet is sung by Frank and Brenda in the musical. The lyrics (and Aaron Tveit) are probably the highlights of the song for me. It’s hilarious and, at the same time, really sweet. Imagine having a guy you like say that you couldn’t compare to all the beautiful places in the world because you’re perfect! And then imagine Aaron Tveit singing that to you. But seriously speaking, this song is goshdarn cute and romantic. 

Most memorable lyrics: I’ve been a lot of places / Yes, I’ve traveled near and far / But now I know that home is where you are

9. Happiness - Passion

This is the first song of the musical, and from there, I’m already in love. Giorgio and Clara’s song is simply enchanting. It tells the story of two people just being happy in each other’s arms. We don’t know who they are — as the musical only started — but we just know that they’re completely in love with each other, satisfied and contented.

Indeed, this is one of my favorite love songs ever. It’s warm, delightful, and deeply sensual. Giorgio and Clara’s love story may not be perfect (as we realize later on the show), but this song is perfect for their relationship in the beginning. 

Most memorable lyrics: Some say happiness / Comes and goes / Then this happiness / Is a kind of happiness / No one really knows

10. Say It Somehow - The Light in the Piazza

This musical has one of the best scores ever. It’s astonishingly pleasant to the ears. This particular song, on the other hand, is one of the best love songs I’ve ever heard. In this song, this is when Fabrizio (spoiler alert?) professes his love and proposes to Clara (a different one from the previously mentioned musical). 

Who does not want a declaration of love with a song like this? It’s everyone’s dream — or rather, my dream. It’s a gorgeous song with flawless music and lyrics. And I know you’re getting tired of hearing it but yes, this is one of my favorite songs.

Most memorable lyrics: Say it somehow / Anyway you can / You know me / You are good

11. Something to Believe In - Newsies

The first few notes of this song is already set to make me fall in love, and it succeeds. This love song is amazing and fun to sing along to. It’s catchy (especially the chorus) and above all, romantic. Jack and Katherine are not only friends, but they also know how to work together and that’s important in any relationship. 

Needless to say, this song is the perfect for the both of them. Jack and Katherine truly believed in each other. They’re one of my favorite couples in musicals, so I’m pretty happy that they got a really good song. It’s also one of those songs that you can play for your friends who don’t often listen to musicals. 

Most memorable lyrics: And if I’m gone tomorrow / What was ours still will be / I have something to believe in / Now that I know you believed in me

12. One Second and a Million Miles - The Bridges of Madison County

Honestly, I’m not sure if this is an “actual” love song, but what the hell, I love this song and I’m making the list so I’m going to include it. The entire musical is heartbreaking, but oh-so romantic and beautiful. The songs are exquisite and gorgeous, especially this big song in the second act wherein Robert tells Francesca to leave everything and run away with him. 

It’s a song of reassurance, that whatever the risks they’re going to take, it’s enough because they love one another and they’re going to be there for each other. It’s an incredible song and no matter how many times I listen to the cast recording, Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale’s vocals give me chills every time. 

Most memorable lyrics: And you and I are just one second / Spinning by in just one second / You and I have just one second / And a million miles to go

13. All I Ask of You - The Phantom of the Opera

My. Favorite. Duet. Of. All. Time. I mean, I think most of my followers here are from the “Phandom” so you just know that I have to include a song from this musical. This song is the absolute best, which of course, truly made me believe in love again. It’s beautiful. Raoul and Christine’s relationship is the best, as the both of them love each other very much.

In this song, Raoul promises Christine to be there for her all the time no matter what. He promises his love for her and more. It’s a wonderful and romantic song that has been covered endless times by popular artists outside musical theatre (my favorite would’ve been Josh Groban and Kelly Clarkson’s version). And I swear, if I ever get married in the future, this will be the song that I would play on my first dance with my husband.

Most memorable lyrics: Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime / Say the word and I will follow you / Share each day with me, each night, each morning / Say you love me / You know I do

14. All I’ve Ever Known - Hadestown 

Anaïs Mitchell originally wanted this to be a solo for Eurydice, but I thank the gods everyday that she turned it into a duet. It’s my favorite song in the musical, and it’s absolutely wonderful. For a really long time, Eurydice was on her own and very independent. She didn’t trust anyone. But now, she was ready to open up and love Orpheus with all her heart. 

Furthermore, the choreography in this song is absolutely amazing. It showed the intimacy of Eurydice and Orpheus’ relationship through their dance. It went perfectly well along with the song as well! I love this song very much, and it’s on repeat. 

Most memorable lyrics: All I know is you’re someone I have always known / And I don’t even know you / Now I wanna hold you, hold you close / I don’t wanna ever have to let you go

15. I Have Dreamed - The King and I

Tuptim and Lun Tha are only supporting characters in their musical, but their songs are my absolute favorites. This and “We Kiss in a Shadow” are two of my favorite songs in the musical. Their songs, especially this one in particular, left a long-lasting impression to me. Even though I’m not in love, this song makes me feel like I am. 

My first version of this song is Lea Salonga and Peabo Bryon’s version (which you should really check out if you haven’t!) Their rendition of this song is super good — it’s like you’ve died and gone to heaven. The lyrics are amazing and perfectly written. To top it all of, this song is very romantic, and I love it so much. 

Most memorable lyrics: In these dreams, I’ve loved you so / That by now I think, I know / What it’s like to be loved by you / I will love being loved by you

_________________________

And that brings us to the end of this list. These 15 songs truly made me believe in love again, and I suggest you give them a listen! Who knows, maybe you’d like them as well. 

[secondhand-trash]

Ben Hargreeves(UA)- Family

[Requested]

A/N: Hi, it’s me and I’m in love with Ben. Also, much thanks to the anon who sent in this request because this gave me the motivation that I very much so needed. I may or may not have elaborated on it a lil bit too much but I hope you like it! (Side note: I’m trying to write reader inserts as gender neutral as possible from now on because I feel like it would be more enjoyable for a larger variety of people^^)

Description: (in a miraculous world where Ben was alive)In which we learn about how one went from freinds to family in the span of years.

Word count: 1977

Playlist: 

Fallingforyou//The 1975

Mystery of Love//Sufjan Stevens

Only Us//OBC of Dear Evan Hansen

Still Into You//Paramore

Never in a million years did you think that you would ever come back to this god damn house.

Ever since you could remember, your parents always told you that there was something strange about the man who lived across the street. He adopted seven children out of no where (“Apparently those children were born on the same day to women who had no signs of pregnancy beforehand,” your mother scoffed, “as if that’s even possible.”) and tried to trained them into becoming this group of crime fighting superhumans (“That man is out of his mind,” your father exclaimed, “those are children!”). And so like the sensible parents they claimed to be, they warned you to stay away from ‘that Hargreeves man’ and his ‘Umbrella Academy’. 

And naturally, like any child would, you did the exact opposite of what they told you to. 

It was not on purpose, you never intented to wander near the Hargreeves’ house one day when you went home from school (despite the fact that you might be able to get home a lot earlier if you hadn’t, but as we said before, it was unintentional), you did not plan to talk to one of the kids that lived there (Number six, as you heard his father called him, very odd way to call your child but you guessed that it must have meant that he was the sixth oldest among the seven of them) and you most certainly did not return every day after that just to talk to the boy again (it was simply out of chances that he was there the moment you walked by, at least that’ s what you told them when your parents question you at the table).

As days passed and your small conversations got longer each time, you learned that he indeed has a name (”It’s Ben, actually.” he said when you asked him, fidgeting with his hands as he speak) and the numbers were not actually an indication to the their order of birth. 

You two got closer as days past and he started to tell you more about the Academy. He told you all about his family, about the missions they went on. Curiously, you asked ”So you guys all have powers, right?” 

Ben nodded softly and you said, “can you show me yours?” 

He did not say anything, lowering his head and looked away from you instead. “You don’t want to see it,” he said after staying silence for a while, “it’ll scare you away.” 

You did not question him any further and neither one of you said anything else that day. Sitting next to him in silence, you secretly decided that you would not allow yourself to ever be afraid of Ben, no matter what his power was. It was years later when he finally dared to show you what he was capable of doing and you kept the promise you made to yourself. Upon seeing how nervous he was to see your reaction, you pulled him into a tight hug and reassured him that it did not affect how you feel about him, you had no idea how much he appreciated it.

Days soon became years and the children who talked in front of the doorsteps everyday slowly grew up. You didn’t think anything would change at first, Ben was still your best friend and you two still talked about everything. But then you started to notice that something did change. You found yourself grinning like an idiot at everything he said and you noticed small details that you never paid attention to, like the way he hums whenever he thinks that no one could hear him. It soon came to a point when you realised that you may or may not have fallen head over heels for your best friend. Admitting that to yourself, you soon noticed the many subtle signs that he may or may not have loved you back.

You distinctly remembered the first time he held your hand. It was a cozy autumn afternoon and you were watching the leaves fell in the garden with Ben. You were in your own word when you felt Ben gingerly putting his hand on yours. You looked up at him and smiled. With flushed cheeks, he looked away while gently grabbing your hand in his. You couldn’t help but chuckle and softly pulled your hand out. Ben reluctantly turned his head back at you, a flash of hurt in his eyes. However, his frown soon lifted and turned into a sheepish grin as you fully intertwined your hand with his.

There was no doubt that you went from friends to lovers at that very moment and it was like that’s how things were ought to be. Ben sneaked out at night to be with you whenever he could and you made sure that you always had your windows opened for him. You two didn’t get to do much stuff that couples usually do on dates but it was enough for you just being with him, talking about everything and anything in your room until daybreak.

Despite your best attempt to keep it a secret, it didn’t take long for his siblings to discover that you two got together. You were just about to leave the Academy after being with Ben during the 30 minutes of free time he had each week (a ridiculously short period of time, you would say). 

“I’ll try to see if I can come over tonight, ok?”Ben said, holding your hand. 

“Ok.” You smiled and leaned in to give him a soft peck. Clearly not satisfied, Ben pulled you towards him and kissed you much more firmly on the lips. You chuckled at his rare initiation for affection and kissed him back when the moment was ruined by a loud bang on the door. 

“Hey Ben, do you hav.. Ohmygodimsosorry!” You snapped your head to the door just in time to see Klaus running down the corridor in such a frantic manner that you couldn’t help but laugh. 

Ben whispered in embarrassment, “I hope he won’t tell anyone about..”

“GUYS!!!!! BEN HAS A GIRLFRIEND!!!!!” 

“Never mind.”

Although his siblings teased you relentlessly (it was all in good fun, a bit annoying to have six people doing that though) and you could sense the obvious disapproval from Reginald Hargreeves (at this point, you refused to acknowledge him as their father because despite fulfilling his duty as a caregiver, no father would ever treat his child the way he did), your relationship was strong even when you became adults. 

You did not hesitate even for a little bit when he took out a ring from his shirt pocket and asked you to marry him. The wedding was small and only attended by close family and friends. Your parents were skeptical of Ben at first(and quite shocked that you had been going against their orders for so long without them noticing) but soon came to accept it when they saw how happy you were with him. Reginald, on the other hand, did not even show up at the wedding. It upset Ben greatly, that he had done whatever his father asked of him yet still not earning his approval. That was the moment he decided that it might be time to move on and stop circling his life around his father’s wishes.

You two were 20 by the time you got married. Moving into your own place right away, life got rough and paying the bills could be a struggle sometimes but it was all worth it to be by each other’s side. His siblings would call every once in a while(mostly Klaus and Vanya, occasionally Allison would come by as well) and you would sometimes passed by the old building when you visit your parents at your childhood home but you never step back into the Academy.

It wasn’t until Reginald Hargreeves’s death that you finally returned to where everything started.

Sitting in the grand living room, you held Ben’s hand firmly as an attempt to comfort him. Reginald’s death hit him hard and the awkward silence with all of his siblings did not help easing his nerves at all. 

“I guess we should get this started,” Luther finally broke the silence as he stood up. He went on to talked about a ceremony and the others chimed in about some minor details. You tried to focus on what Luther had to say but you looked at Ben and could tell that he was clearly not listening. You gently squeezed his hand to which he gave you a weak smile and patted the back of your hand to assure you that he’s ok.

“Listen up,” Luther said and you turned your attention back to him, “we still have some important things that we’ve to discuss.” He then turned to look at you, think in silence for a while and said, “I think it might be best that only family will hear about what we’ll be saying next.” 

You stared back at him in disbelief, even a little bit hurt upon getting the hint that you were still an outsider despite being married to his brother for years. 

Klaus was not having none of it, “I mean technically in-laws are still part of the family, right? And let’s not act like (y/n) haven’t been around for ages now.” 

Ben was already in a bad mood and it only got worse upon hearing what Luther just said, “Even dad felt sick when he saw my powers and (y/n) didn’t even do so little as flinch, I saw them as family way before the idea of marriage even crossed my mind.” Ben said, trying his best to contain his annoyance. “I understand that you are concerned but I’m not having this conversation if you’re excluding the one person who have been by my side throughout all these years.” 

Ben’s anger shocked you, he was always so soft spoken and reserved that you didn’t expect him to lash out on his brother(one that he looked up to for so long). Needless to say, his siblings definitely did not expect him to react so strongly and the conversation went dead. 

“I think (y/n) should stay.” Allison said, nodding towards you slightly. Diego didn’t say a word yet he made no move to oppose it either and Vanya bumble something about not leaving anyone out. 

Luther remained silent. Letting out a defeated sigh, "Ok, fine.”

Later that night, you were alone with Ben in his old bedroom. You were unpacking your stuff on his bed when you felt a wave of nostalgia and you couldn’t help but smile when you thought of how far you two had come. 

“Remember when Klaus caught us kissing right here?” You turned to Ben, relieved to see him smile when you brought up the incident.

 “How could I not,” Ben said and sat down next to you, “they didn’t stop talking about it for weeks.” You two just sat together like that for a while and it reminded you of all those times when you were a kid. 

“Earlier back there,” you cupped his cheek as you said, “you didn’t have to defend me like that, it’s fine.” 

Ben leaned into your touch and reached up to hold your hand, “But you are family to me, I won’t let anyone doubt that.”

You stared into his eyes and was warmed by how determented he was. You leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Pulling back, you chuckled at how he still blushes even after being together for years. Despite growing up, you could still see that young boy you fell in love with in the man in front of you. If only you knew that you would find a family in the boy who lived across the street many many years ago when you were just a young child looking for a friend.

[arianne-daniels]

Some Dear Evan Hansen Thoughts

Hi guys. So I figured I might as well talk about this show and the movie, since the movie is such a hot topic right now. This is definitely going to have some constructive criticism about the show, but my goal isn’t to just bash the show or anything. They’re just my thoughts. This is going to be kind of a long post. Honestly, I just wanted to enumerate my thoughts somewhere.

TL;DR: The musical is mildly problematic and the movie is going to drudge up some interesting issues.

So I completely missed the first craze of the show because it came out in the 2017 season, and the only show I cared about at the time was Anastasia. After I watched the Tony’s that year, I looked up Dear Evan Hansen, and found the plot synopsis to be pretty uninteresting and never bothered trying to watch it. At some point, I watched the performance of You Will Be Found on the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and thought the song was the finale of the show.

I finally got around to watching it because I found a bootleg of Jordan FIsher as Evan, and I love Jordan Fisher. So I watched it. For one thing, it took three sittings for me to watch because I kept turning it off when I felt like it was awkward.

I definitely see why it got as popular as it did, especially amongst the demographic it did (which seems to be mostly teens and twenty-somethings). All of the teen characters kind of...lack personality, and therefore it’s really easy to project yourself on to them. The music is catchy—Pasek and Paul have written a lot of super catchy, borderline pop music (see La La Land and The Greatest Showman)—which makes it easy to listen to the cast album. Dear Evan Hansen also seems to have a pretty big social media presence, which makes it seem more accessible than a lot of shows.

But the biggest issue I have with the show is that all of the characters are shitty people. At one point in the show, Jared tells even that Connor dying was the best thing that could’ve happened to Evan, and really that’s...so true?? But the way the show frames it is that Jared saying that is so off the mark. Evan lies constantly and compulsively, tells his mom that she’s not good enough despite the fact she really seems to be trying her hardest, and basically joins this grieving family by manipulating them. It’s kind of fucked up.

And, like I said, the teenaged characters are all kind of blank slates. Even Evan, the main character, doesn’t seem to have many traits besides having anxiety and depression, liking trees (and nature, I guess, by extension), and having a crush on Zoe Murphy. That’s...not a lot to go off of? Like I’m sorry, but if any character should be fleshed out, it should be the main character. What do we really know about Evan, from the show?

Then there are Alana and Jared, who are both basically stereotypes. Alana is the overly ambitious, involved in everything type that shows up in all media about high school. Jared is an asshole nerd. They’re both wildly insecure, but in a very shallow way. They also just completely disappear after Good For You and get absolutely no resolve in the show, which is kind of ridiculous. Like, they’ve been in a lot of the show. I get that the show is about Evan, but he fucked them both over and they should have shown up at least one more time.

Most of what we hear about Zoe Murphy is from I Should Tell Her (which is SO creepy, by the way), but they’re basically just about how she’s a teenage girl. We know she play guitar in jazz band and was abused by her brother. I guess you get a decent look into her mind in Requiem and Only Us, and really I would argue that you know the most about her of all the teen characters.

Connor has the least characterization, which makes sense because he dies like fifteen minutes into the show. His entire character breaks down to “problematic asshole stoner”. And then he shows up as a hallucination of Evan’s for a couple of scenes. Connor is basically just a plot device.

Cynthia and Larry don’t fare all that much better than the teenagers, because Cynthia is basically just a Rich, White Housewife, and Larry is an emotionally distant father. I mean, it works, I guess. And it’s immediately easy to see why they buy into Evan’s stories so quickly, so they’re used effectively, at least.

Heidi Hansen is the character I would say is the most fleshed out, and the only one I found myself empathizing with, even a little bit. Lady is clearly just trying her hardest. Evan kind of treats her like shit, and he says some pretty fucked up stuff to her.

The DEH fandom seems to have projected specific character traits on to a lot of the characters. Which, like, is fair. it happens in all fandoms, fanon ideas becoming so well-known people often begin treating them as canon. I’ve seen it so much in Harry Potter and Percy Jackson I don’t really think it’s weird anymore. But with DEH, like I said, the characters are all pretty blank.

I think it’s going to make the movie really...interesting. I’m very curious to see if any of these fanon things are going to make their way into the movie, given I don’t think the creators live in a bubble. They’re writing new songs (at least the one), which normally I would be skeptical of but there’s a very minimal amount of music in the show.

I also think that this movie actually mainstream is going to cause a lot of internet screaming, in the vein of what happened when 13 Reasons Why was at the height of its popularity. 13RW had a lot of debate about the portrayal of suicide. There’s been some minor discussion about how the aftermath of Connor’s suicide mildly glorifies suicide, but it doesn’t haunt Dear Evan Hansen  in the same way it follows 13RW. I really think that the movie is going to spark that same discussion once again, but on a bigger scale.

I want to end this out by saying it’s a mistake to cast adults as teenagers (which I know is not a hot take), especially with this story. After I watched the Jordan Fisher bootleg, I went and skimmed through one of the OBC (because I do always like to see the original cast) and a boot of Andrew Barth Feldman (because I’m a fan of Mallory Bechtel, I realize that’s a weird reason), and the show really, really benefits from having an actual teenager as Evan Hansen. Watching a genuine teenager fuck with people’s lives by being a moron is a lot easier to stomach than watching Ben Platt do it, because Ben Platt looks like he’s thirty, and it feels so much more deliberate when it’s someone that old. Teenagers make mistakes, and while I know the story is telling us that Evan is 17, looking at a grown ass man completely breaks that illusion.

If you stayed this long, thanks for listening to my incoherent ramblings.

[wings-of-indigo]

So, Waitress is closing and Why I am Happy about that: An Exceedingly long essay Rant about Broadway

Look. Nobody's gonna read this, most likely, but it's 2 in the morning and my brain's been obsessing over Broadway (more than usual, anyway) since communing with my people at intensive this week. So, in the interest of getting some sleep before 8 hrs of dance and shitty high notes tomorrow, here goes.

I love classic, high-school-and-community standard musicals. I love new and experimental musicals. I love Disney film-to-stage musicals. I love institution musicals like Chorus Line, Cats, and Wicked; I even have a soft spot for Phantom. I am eagerly anticipating West Side Story next Christmas (seriously, I have a calander).

BUT.

As I said to one of my fellow dancers during post-class stretch (after noting his insane flexibilty and making yet another resolution to stretch more) I am Sick to GoDAMnEd DEATH of revivals, franchise adaptions, and restagings taking up the Broadway and greater theater markets.

I get why it's happening; I do. Musical theater, even shows that never make it out of Regional productions (Be More Chill, btw, I'm so proud of you bby :'-D ) are REALLY FREAKING EXPENSIVE, not just to stage, but also to develop. Broadway productions nowadays regularly go upwards of TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in costs.

Those costs are more and more frequently being met through funding by large groups of wealthy investors, who can expect basically little to no return on that investment. Only a select few shows that make it to the Great White Way do well enough to turn a profit (let alone the kinds of numbers that Hamilton, DEH, and Wicked continue to make), and more and more shows are closing in defict or once they break even. (Coincidentally, this is probably why we're seeing more and more straight plays on Broadway, especially in limited engagements. They're quicker, cheaper, and still have the same level of prestige.)

It makes sense then to assume that a show linked to an already successful property has a better chance of reaching that break-even mark, or perhaps generating a small return, than a more original idea. It's a surer bet, and we've seen it a lot these past few seasons. Anastasia, Beetlejuice, Pretty Woman, Moulin Rouge, Mean Girls... we get it. We promise. Investors want some security in an extremely and notoriously insecure market before they're willing to lay out the dough.

I get it. Everybody gets it.

And, to be fair, some of those shows are and continue to be GOOD. Tony nominees and award winners, even. But here's the problem: it's boring.

And not because I know how Act 2 ends without getting spoilers on tumblr. Unless they're younger than ten, the population of Broadway-and-musicals fans generally has a good handle on where a show's relevant plotlines are going. It's really not the wanting to know the end that keeps your butt in your overpriced red velvet seat and your eyes on the stage. It's the score, the words, occasionally the choreography, and most importantly the magicians on, off, and backstage bringing those things to life in a new and interesting way.

The antithesis of this, then, is having to watch slavish recreation of iconic scenes, lines, and characters from iconic films, presented Onstage! (TM), now with Bonus Songs! for your reconsumption. (Yes, Pretty Woman, I'm looking at you.)

Hey, I love Pretty Woman the Movie, slightly dodgy messages about feminity aside. I love it as a movie, and I really don't need to watch the knock off version of it, even if it comes in a shiny Broadway package.

Anastasia, and Beetlejuice, on the other hand, work extrodinarily well as musicals because they are NOT carbon copies of the original, somehow miraculously transplanted onto the stage.

Ironically, musicals based on original ideas are actually some of the most successful and well reviewed recent productions. Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, and Hadestown this season are all original works, and well, look at them. (Fishy, huh? Coincidence, I think the fuck not.)

Recently I got to see The Prom on Broadway, the day after I saw Pretty Woman. The contrast between shows and my enjoyment of them was well defined. I couldn't look away from The Prom, despite many of the major story beats being as obvious as our Cheeto-in-Chief's spray tan. I and the entire rest of the theater were completely engaged by what was going on onstage, both comedically and dramatically. At Pretty Woman, I found myself checking the Playbill to see how many songs were left for me to make it through and anxiously comparing the size of my thighs to the dancers onstage to pass the time (ah, pre pro Body Issues, welcome back! We all thought you'd retired!)

Three guesses which show I'd choose to see again.

When I read that Waitress was closing, the first thing I did was panic and start marking pre January weekends where I would both be free and possibly have disposable income (I've never gotten to see the show, and frankly I would like too). My second reaction was, yes, to mourn the closure of a wonderful show, but it was mixed with hopeful anticipation. Waitress had a good long time in the sun, and just like a well lived life, eventually it must and should end. It's better, in my humble student opinion, to live with memories and cast albums (and regional productions) than the stodgy life of a show that's jealously clung to its Broadway berth through the tourist-and-date-night trade (*cough*Phantom*cough*). It's sort of like your 40 something mother taking selfies in booty shorts in an effort to prove she's still 'hip' and in her twenties. Cringe.

Ephemera is the nature of live performance, and probably part of its allure. And just like in the natural world, old things have to end so that new things can become. Waitress closing is a vital part of this cycle.

Broadway has a limited number of theaters. That's a hard and absolute fact. Maybe a quarter of them are effectively taken off the market for new shows by productions apparently cursed with immortality. Waitress has just opened up another spot both physically and creatively for a new project- hopefully something we haven't seen before- and I hope to God, Satan, and Sondheim that it doesn't get filled with another franchise spinoff, celebrity jukebox musical, or -Lin Miranda forbid - yet another revival.

Why the revival hate, though? Aren't revivals an major way to revisit the landmark and important musicals of the past and bring them to a new audience?

Well, yes. They are, especially when they're staged and presented with the emphasis on letting the music and words speak for themselves and giving the actors leeway to work with the material, without the typical levels of Broadway Extra (TM) and creative meddling from the producers. (The recent Lincoln Center staging of A Chorus Line is a good example of the stripped down style I'm talking about.) But even if they have their place, once again, revivals (while valuable and cool and all that) are Something We've Already Seen.

Let's take Newsies for example. A show with a huge fan base (mostly teen, mostly girls) who I frequently see wishing for a revival.

Now, I am a raging Newsies fan. Newsies is the show that got me started on attempting to make a profession out of dance and theater. I can sing both the OBC and Live albums back to front. I may or may not have had embarrassing crushes on certain cast and characters that I will take to my grave (I'll never tell and you'll never know, mwahhaha). So, do I love and worship ever iteration of this show? Yes. Do I wish I had been able to see either the Natl Tour or Broadway productions? Hell yes, with all my heart. Do I wish the Gatelli choreography was in any way accessible for me to learn? More than I want Broadway tickets to cost less than my soul, kidney, and hypothetical but unlikely first born combined.

But do I want a Broadway revival? Hell FUCKING No.

It's over, it's done, and it lives on in reinterpretation in regional and junior productions. Good. That, to be quite honest, is where it should belong.

It doesn't need to be rehashed on the biggest stages, and to be frank, neither do most of the ultra popular revivals that have been happening. (Yes, Ali Stoker is awesome and deserves the world, but Broadway does not need Oklahoma. If you need to see it that bad, go find a high school production somewhere. I recommend the midwest.) Broadway does not need 1776 (even though I am looking forward to it). Broadway does not need a Sweeney Todd revival (even though I want one like I want ice cream after suffering through jazz class in an un-air-conditioned studio on a 90 degree afternoon with no breeze. Seriously, I might be making sacrifices at my altar to this cause in the back of my closet).

Broadway needs musicals that are at least nominally original, and if not, come from something obscure enough (Kinky Boots, Waitress, Newsies) that they can make their own way. Barring that, investors, writers, and directors, please have the courage and decency to take established content in a new direction. Please, I'm begging you. I'd honestly-and-truly much rather sit through something that didn't try to shove the better version of itself down my throat even as it bored and annoyed me to tears. If I'm going to pay $80+ to sit through two hours of something terrible (and less engaging than my dancer body image issues) at least let me get my money's worth in unique horribleness.

[you-will-be-found]

turn your url into song titles 

thanks @fineosaur for tagging me 🖤 i’ll also do four songs each so this’ll be long haha

y 

you change with the seasons - the night café

you will be found - dear evan hansen obc (where my url came from if anyone’s interested)

you only live once - the strokes

your eyes - marsicans

o 

of moons, birds & monsters - mgmt

overlap - catfish and the bottlemen

only friend - wallows

over the creek - george ezra

u 

unbearably white - vampire weekend

uncle albert / admiral halsey - paul mccartney

uncomfortable - wallows

use - sam fender

w 

western kids - hippo campus

when the party’s over - billie eilish

what a catch, donnie - fall out boy

work song - hozier

i 

i caught myself - paramore

i just imagined you - blossoms

ice cream sundae - inhaler

if you know that i’m lonely - fur

l 

ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space - spiritualized

lane boy - twenty one pilots

little dark age - mgmt

loaded - miles kane

l 

let it happen - tame impala

little rabbit - brotherkenzie

lover’s rock - the clash

love it if we made it - the 1975

b  

bad decisions - the strokes

baseball - hippo campus

borderline - tame impala

brakhage - stereolab

e 

electric feel - mgmt

eventually - tame impala

everybody loves you - apre

everything else has gone wrong - bombay bicycle club

f 

from the ritz to the rubble - arctic monkeys

feathers - symphonic pictures

feel - big star

formidable - the big moon

o 

obvious bicycle - vampire weekend

open up your head - sea girls

outside - catfish and the bottlemen

on track - tame impala

u 

used to be my girl - the last shadow puppets

unbelievers - vampire weekend

unworthy of your love - ben platt feat. zoey deutch

utah - brotherkenzie feat. samia

n 

nervous - the neighbourhood

never meant - american football

nine in the afternoon - panic! at the disco

no buses - arctic monkeys

d 

dead boys - sam fender

dracula teeth - the last shadow puppets

dollar bill - hippo campus

dig a pony - the beatles

i’ll tag @alx--turner @textbookx @icanttakethemonmyown @everythingyouvecometomilexpect @glassyeyedandhouse @thatflowerpower @melodycallers @notaprettypoet but feel free to ignore!

[sapphiclecterarchive]

broadway boots on youtube!

bootlegs can be hard to find on youtube because of the weird, copyright-avoiding titles, so here’s a list of all the ones i’ve found:

please send in any links you have to my ask, thank you!

a

amelie (i think obc) (rly high quality) EDIT: this is apparently from the LA run of the show, sorry for any confusion! thanks @musicalfucker and @themeddlinggirl for letting me know!

anything goes (rachel york) (thanks @a-journey-of-selfdiscovery)

anything goes (sutton foster) (potato level quality)

avenue q (not bway) (thanks @thetoxiczombie)

avenue q (obc)

b

bombshell (smash) (concert)

the book of mormon (obc with andrew rannells) (not the best quality but i guess we’re not paying for it)

the book of mormon (nic rouleau)

c

cabaret (2014) (alan cumming, emma stone)

carrie (thanks @thetoxiczombie)

catch me if you can (obc, with aaron tveit) (show starts at 1:20. slightly shakyfor the first two minutes and a slightly obstructed view for part of the show)

charlie and the chocolate factory (jake ryan flynn as charlie) (show starts at 2:56)

d

dear evan hansen

e

evil dead the musical (thanks @thetoxiczombie!)

f

falsettos (2016 revival) (terrible quality)

falsettos (2016 revival) (good quality)

falsettos (2016 revival) (low quality)

falsettos (1993 LA cast) (bad quality because it was recorded in 1993 lol)

g

groundhog day

h

hairspray (andy randy as link)

heathers (original off-broadway cast) (understudy as heather c)

hedwig and the angry inch (andy randy)

hedwig and the angry inch (andy randy v2) (obstructed view)

hedwig and the angry inch (darren criss) (really really clear view? like it’s slightly weird how amazing the view is?)

hedwig and the angry inch (neil patrick harris)

hedwig and the angry inch (lena hall as hedwig)

i

into the woods (obc) (understudy as snow white) (thanks @albanian-asshole!)

j

jersey boys (andy randy) (some parts of the show missing)

k

l

legally blonde (mtv recording) (obc)

legally blonde (off-broadway previews) (christian borle, laura bell bundy)

legally blonde (last obc show)

les miserables (2014 cast) (vimeo) (vid quality isn’t great but audio is a+)

m

miss saigon (obc) (act one) (act two) (thanks @thechaiyac!)

miss saigon (lea salonga as kim) (not great quality)

n

natasha, pierre, and the great comet of 1812 (not sure what cast, i’m not a huge fan of this show)

newsies (obc)

next to normal (obc) (trigger warning, if you’re triggered by suicide, self-harm and mentions of mental illness i would consider reading the synopsis before watching)

next to normal (off-broadway) (brian d’arcy james as dan)

p

phantom of the opera (sierra boggess)

pokemon live! (yup) (with andrew rannells) (not amazing vid quality)

q

r

rent (hollywood bowl) (aaron tveit as roger)

s

saved! (aaron tveit) (thanks @thetoxiczombie)

she loves me (pbs recording)

something rotten (mainly obc w/ rob mcclure as nick bottom)

something rotten act 1 act 2 (obc w/ brian d’arcy james) 

something rotten (previews) 

spongebob (it’s in 5 parts so it’s in a playlist)

spring awakening (deaf west)

spring awakening (obc)

spring awakening (1st national tour)

t

u

v

w

waitress (betsy wolfe as jenna)

waitress (sara bareilles)

west side story (revival)

x

y

z

#

i’ll update this as much as i can, but check out my youtube playlist for more frequent updates :)

[youremysputnik]

what I loved about DEH / Stagedooring DEH

awkward laugh - i don’t remember exactly when this was but i think it was right before only us? (I looked it up it’s during if i could tell her!!) zoe and evan are talking about something and taylor just turned away from mal toward the back of stage and went “hahaha” really awkwardly and i don’t know it was really funny

panic attack - during you will be found, evan drops his notecards and i know the different evans do this differently. taylor started repeating “sorry um... uh umm sorry uh” and then started breathing really hard and i was like “oh no i know what this is nonono” and he basically laid on the stage for a bit having a panic attack until he saw the tie. this moment really resonated with me because it was so real and i know much panic attacks suck

awkward hand touch - during the scene “you’re breaking up with me” when zoe tells evan she’s not breaking up with him, taylor was standing like two feet from mal and awkwardly stepped forward, touched her hands at her sides and went “thank you”, she then returned the gesture and went “don’t mention it” and they both laughed pretty hard it was so funny (i have seen the obc boot in a long time so i’m not sure if this happens all the time)

circle in ywbf - ok this was the moment when i really realized i was seeing this show. this is the moment in you will be found when they all turn around to face evan (toward the end of the song) and he’s in the middle and i don’t know it was so wholesome and loud and i loved it

good for you - during their solos and when heidi, jared, and alana are all singing together taylor would just stand there with his hands over his face looking at the person then they would start walking toward him and he would run

so big/so small looking at each other - i bawled during so big so small but it was specifically the part where heidi just held evan and they looked st each other and cried aHH

connor in sincerely me - it’s interesting to see how evan’s portrayal of connor changes how he is played. during sincerely me alex would run around the stage with huge energy and it’s interesting that that’s not really connor at all

sniffles - damn i thought everyone was exaggerating when they said you can hear everyone sobbing and sniffling. i think the small intimate space of the music box definitely helps that!

did you let go - ok i’m trying to avoid huge spoilers so hopefully you know this already but when this scene happened my friend basically was that new pikachu meme and went 🤭

taylors little evan ticks - I LOVE TAYLOR TRENSCH i noticed he wiped his hands on his pants a lot and rubbed his face and eyebrows! my friend (who’s not at all into theatre) even told me “it’s so cool how he does all the little ticks!”

taylor looking around - so we were sitting middle upper balcony but the music box is so small it still felt like we were right there, plus by sitting there we could see all the social media screens anyway whenever taylor would stand at the front of the stage for like a monologue or a song he would look around and even though we were so high up it felt like he could still see us and stare into our souls

waving through a window vs you will be found - i just,,,, love this show and how similar these two songs are in their structure and how different their situations are!!!

end of only us - i think i only put this because it’s funny knowing taylor and ben’s relationship and then watching the end of only us when evan and zoe kiss anyway next

words fail voice cracks - words fail has always been my favorite song and at the beginning of the song when evan is telling the murphy���s he was lying they look so heartbroken and taylor could barely get the first few lines out because he was crying and his voice was cracking and i sobbed he’s such a good actor

sobbing into mic during so big so small? - i put a ? because i couldn’t remember if it was so big so small but it definitely was at the end of that song i think either taylor’s mic was on and shouldn’t have been or he just usually doesn’t sob there but he let out a few audible sobs and again it really shows how great of an actor he is

michael crying during to break in a glove - i don’t remember ever hearing about this happening before but during to break in a glove michael could barely get some lyrics out because he was crying so hard ansjsnen i love this cast

awkward but touching hug after so big so small - the only reason i wrote awkward is because taylor’s arm was like weirdly squished between them and it around lisa but i couldn’t really come up with another word anyway they held that for a while and if was so cute

evan gets pushed—beginning of waving - ok this was really the moment i realized i was seeing dear evan hansen when alex pushed taylor and he slid and the lights changed and immediately started waving through a window i almost lost it there AND NOTHING SAD HAPPENED YET

sky’s jared NEEDS MORE APPRECIATION - ngl i was very sleep deprived when i wrote most of these notes but i agree sleep deprived christine! he was so funny!!!! please love him!! his laugh was awesome too!! rivaled will’s

MALLORY BECHTEL - her voice was so pretty and nice i love her so much!!!!! “she so cute!!” -my friend

monster that i knew - mallory paused for so long here and it was a really interesting i love her

zoom away bed zoom in table - this is like the first thing that happens, evan’s bed moves off and the murphy’s table comes on idk maybe i was a little sleep deprived but it was kinda funny to me. also ngl i forgot that jlt was still in the cast and that was a very pleasant surprise!!

evan? EVAN - taylor trensch is amazing. he yelled a lot and that’s something i didn’t really see from the clips of the other evan and i really liked it!

not all jazz - i think this was about the yelling again but also it’s such an iconic scene i’m so happy i got to see it

you want to say it again don’t you? very much so yes - sorry, i’m sorry. you say sorry a lot don’t you? yeah sorry.. i mean... you know what i mean. PRICELESS. taylor plays awkward so well sksjejdkenen

larry realizing and crying during ywbf - michael looking around at all the screens and starting to cry when he realizes he can’t deny connor’s death forever was such a good moment!!

jlt and michael hugging - this piggybacks on the last one since it’s basically the same moment but when jennifer hugged michael she was so far up on her tiptoes

social media voices - i don’t know why it caught me so off guard that the social media voices during ywbf were the same as the ones on the recording but it did? like idk i guess i’m just used to the cast recordings being better (?autotune) than actual shows but those voices literally being the exact same threw me off?

also last thing phoenix made a speech for bcefa, they were selling a bunch of things with the proceeds going to bcefa! they were selling the cast taylor wore that night for $500! so i took this picture during that speech because i’ve seen people film then so i’m assuming it’s allowed??? 😉

-

i’m going to put stagedooring on this post too since only two people stagedoored

* we stood for a long time but there wasn’t a lot of people at the stagedoor because i know my school had 250 people there and there were other groups that had to go.

* we were originally supposed to be back at 10:30 but they extended it to 11 so we were able to stay out later!

* i’m surprised some of my friends were willing to stand around but i think they knew this is what i really wanted to do!

* michael park came out first and i was at the very beginning so i was the first person he talked to! all i really did was thank him for such a great show! when he was signing someone else’s playbill i quickly yelled i loved tuck everlasting! not sure if he heard it or not, it kind of sounded like he said “i loved it too” but don’t quote me.

* then lisa brescia came out and we told her how much we loved the show and how thankful i am for them coming out and stagedooring even after such an emotional show and she was like “we do it for you guys!! you’re the reason we do this!!” i love her!!

* i heard later that she actually graduated from a school in my state and someone’s mom actually knew her!!

* i didn’t take selfies with anyone because i heard stage management was really strict but other people were

* honestly i was working myself up to talk to taylor and thank him for everything but then he didn’t come out. i’m going to be writing him another letter soon!

* we waited for a bit longer then the stage manager said there would be nobody else so we walked back :)

* then last night i got both of these notifications: :)))))) taylor liked my tweet and david korins (scenic director) commented on my instagram!!

[musicals256-blog]

Musicals

Message me if you’d like any or have any of my wants. If you need, I can also help you find stuff, even if I don’t already have it. :)

VIDEO Aladddin- BWAY (BCEFA speech from AJ at end)      Adam Jacobs, Courtney Reed, James Monroe Iglehart, Jonathan Freeman Amelie- 2017 OBC A Very Potter Musical A Very Potter Sequel A Very Potter Senior Year Bandstand- OC Be More Chill- Off-BWAY (2018) Roughly 1st 20 mins      Will Roland, George Salazar, Gerard Canonico, Stephanie Hsu, Lauren      Marcus, Katlyn Carlson, Jason Tam, Jason SweetTooth Williams, Tiffany      Mann Bonnie and Clyde- BWAY      Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes The Book of Mormon- Workshop (Sept 1, 2010) The Book of Mormon- OBC (March, 2011) The Book of Mormon- BWAY (2012/13)      KJ Hippensteel, Jon Bass, Nikki M James, Rory O’Malley, Justin Bohon The Book of Mormon- Chicago (Dec 23, 2012)      Nic Rouleau, Ben Platt, Syesha Mercado, Pierce Cassedy, James Vincent      Meredith, Christopher Shyer, David Aron Damane The Book of Mormon- West End (May 29, 2013)      Gavin Creel, Daniel Buckley, Alexia Khadime, Stephen Ashfield, Giles Terera,      Tosh Wangho-Maud, Haydn Oakley, Tyrone Huntley, Ashley Day The Book of Mormon- Costa Mesa (Evening, May 17, 2014)       David Larsen, Cody Jamison Strand, Tallia Brinson, Pierce Cassedy, Jeff      Heimbrock, James Vincent Meredith, David Aron Damane, Christoper Shyer The Book of Mormon- Brazil (2015) The Book of Mormon- Cincinnati (Matinee, Sat April 2, 2016) ‘Orlando’ backdrop needed resetting.      Ryan Bondy, Cody Jamisson Strand, Candace Quarrels, Daxton Bloomquist,      Sterling Jarvis, David Aron Damane, Edward Watts, CJ Pawlikowski, Jacob      Haren The Book of Mormon- West End (Matinee July 20, 2016)      KJ Hippensteel, Brian Sears, Alexandra Ncube, Stephen Ashfield, Richard      Lloyd King, Dean Maynard, Delroy Atkinson, Kelly Agbowu, Philip Catchpole,      Christopher Copeland, Brendan Cull, Joseph Davenport, Jonathan Dudley,      Harry Francis, LLydia Fraser, Tyrone Huntley, Reece Kerridge, Alex Lodge,        Joshua Lovell, Nicholas Mclean, David McMullan, Tania Mathurin, Briana      Ogunbawo, David O’Reilly, Oliver Ormson, Sean Parkins, Stephen Rolley,      Jacade Simpson, Rhys Taylor, Kayi Ushe, Ellena Vincent, Rodney Vubya,        T’Shan Williams The Book of Mormon- Orlando (Dec, 2017) ‘You and Me- But Mostly Me’, ‘Sal Tlay Ka Siti’, ‘I Believe’      Kevin Clay, Connor Pierson, Kayla Pecchioni, PJ Adzima The Book of Mormon- Melbourne (Dec, 2017)      Ryan Bondy, Nyk Bielak, Zahra Newman, Bert La Bonte, Rowan Witt, Josh      Mulheran, Daniel Assetta, Todd Jacobsson, Eddie Grey, Matt Holly, Mitchell      Mahony, Morgan Palmer, Josh Russell, Andrew Broadbent, Augustin Aziz      Tchantcho, Jayme-Lee Hanekom The Book of Mormon- West End (Jan, 2018) ‘I Believe’ lyrics change “FORMER president of the church”      KJ Hippensteel, Cody Jamison Strand Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- BWAY (2017/18)      Christian Borle, Kathy Fitzgerald, F. Michael Haynie, Ben Crawfordm, Emma      Pfaeffle, Alan H. Green, Trista Dollison, Jackie Hoffman, Michael Wartella Dear Evan Hansen- OBC (2016) Falsettos- Revival OC (2016) Falsettos- Revival OC  (2017) Proshot Frozen- Denver OC Hairspray      Andrew Rannells Hamilton- OBC (Act 1) Hamilton- OBC In the Heights- OBC Mean Girls- OBC Newsies- Proshot (2017) Newsies- OBC Newsies- BWAY      Corey Cott Spring Awakening- OBC Spring Awakening (Deaf West)- OBC Tuck Everlasting- OBC

AUDIO Be More Chill- Off-Broadway Revival (2018) The Book of Mormon- Chicago (July 19, 2013)      Nic Rouleau, AJ Holmes, Syesha Mercado, Pierce Cassedy The Book of Mormon- West End (Matinee, Sat Jan 17, 2015) AD 2nd last show      Ashley Day (u/s), David O’Reilly (s/b), Alexia Khadime, Mark Anderson (u/s) The Book of Mormon- West End (May 26, 2015)      Ross Hunter, Brian Sears, Alexia Khadime, Stephen Ashfield, Richard Lloyd      King, Chris Jarman, Hugo Harold-Harrison The Book of Mormon- West End (July 14, 2015)      Nic Rouleau, Brian Sears, Dentee Benton, Stephen Ashfield, Richard Lloyd      King, Chris Jarman, Hugo Harold-Harrison, Ross Hunter The Book of Mormon- (2013/14)      Nic Rouleau, Cody Jamison Strand, Brian Sears The Book of Mormon- West End (July 19, 2016)      KJ Hippensteel, Brian Sears, Alexandra Ncube, Stephen Ashfield, Richard      Lloyd King, Delroy Atkinson, Dean Maynard, Brendan Cull, Joseph      Davenport, Jonathan Dudley, Harry Francis, Joshua Lovell, Nicholas Mclean,      Jacade Simpson The Book of Mormon- BWAY       Nic Rouleau, Brian Sears, Nikki Renee Daniels, Stephen Ashfield The Book of Mormon- BWAY (Evening, June 24, 2017)      Nic Rouleau, Brian Sears, Kim Exum, Stephen Ashfield, Billy Eugene Jones,      Stephen Christopher Anthony, Lewis Cleale, Bud Weber, Marja Harmon,      Delius Doherty, John Eric Parker, Derrick Williams, Tommar Wilson, J. Casey      Barrett, Tallia Brinson, Christian Delcroix, Ben Estus, Oyoyo Joi, Carole      Denise Jones, Ben Laxton, Darius Nichols, Hardy Weaver, Maia Nkenge      Wilson Dear Evan Hansen- BWAY (2017)      Colton Ryan, Olivia Puckett, Kristolyn Lloyd, Garrett Long, Mike Faist, Will      Roland, Michael Park, Jennifer Laura Thompson Dear Evan Hansen- OBC (Evening, Nov 19, 2017) Ben Platt’s final show Dear Evan Hansen- BWAY (March 15, 2018) Alex Boniello’s first show as CM      Alex Boniello, Rachel Bay Jones, Michael Park Newsies- OBC Mike Faist as Jack Kelly      Mike Faist SCORE BOOKS PIANO VOCAL 13 A Very Potter Musical Be More Chill Dear Evan Hansen Found/Tonight Mamma Mia Mary Poppins Rocky Horror The Wizard of Oz West Side Story Wicked Xanadu Young Frankenstein

CONDUCTOR SCORE 42nd Street A Chorus Line American Idiot Annie Annie Get Your Gun Anything Goes Avenue Q Barnum Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Blood Brothers Bonnie and Clyde The Book of Mormon The Boy From Oz Bring it On Cabaret Carousel Carrie Cats Chess Chicago Dreamgirls Evita Hair Hairspray Hedwig Jersey Boys Jesus Christ Superstar The Last Five Years Les Mis Little Shop of Horrors Next to Normal Oliver Once on this Island Pippin Ragtime Rent The Secret Garden The Sound of Music Tarzan Titanic Wicked Wicked (2nd version) Willy Wonka

WANTS Aladdin- Any cast from Australia (V/A) Be More Chill- full 2018 revival cast (V) The Book of Mormon- any I don’t already have (V/A)                                       Nic Rouleau/Stephen Ashfield (V)                                       Melbourne/Sydney cast (V/A) Dear Evan Hansen- Any understudies, Noah Galvin (V/A) Mean Girls- P/V or conductor score Honestly, anything else you have, I’ll probably be cool with.

[ellas-erster]

My most recent NYC experience

I was tired the first day

But I thrifted a ton of great stuff

I found two new-ish pairs of vans in my size

And a bunch of flair pants

(I even thrifted a Burberry shirt fffff)

Next day I walked a loooong way just to get to the NYU store

My grandma and I almost got separated on the subway because the door closed on her as once I was in the train

I saw a ton of cute girls who were both too old for me and weren’t in my league

The next day I spent way too much money on broadway and pop culture stuff

(There’s this really great comic book store that I go to every time I’m in nyc)

I got schmackary’s too!!

O

And

Dear Evan Hansen tickets for like 8 months from now

But like

Still

Then I saw mean girls

And just

Wow

It was mainly obc

Ian played Cady’s dad

Right when the overture started playing I freaked out (but not obnoxiously. I’m civil)

Then Barrett and Grey walked onstage

S h o o k

It was just amazing from start to finish

One joke referencing Russia election interference

And comment targeting boys who ask for nudes and are pervy

And I appreciated them so much

I’m in love with the whole cast

Like

Everyone

Someone in the cast asks me out?

Hells yes I would date anyone in the cast

(Too young to tho Oof)

UHM

ok so (if you’re a newsies stan) you know how Ian Young always spreads his legs reallllllly far when he stands in newsies live?

Yes? Well he did it in mean girls

And I was shook

He was smiling sooo much

And tbh I was watching him, Nikhil and DeMarius A L O T

I LOVE THE CAST SO MUCH OK

I think DMC accidentally said “HA!” Loudly into his mic when he was doing a lift with Erika

‘‘Twas funny

Can I just say

Mathletes 29/10

The best

I was one of the only people to cheer during Kevin G and the Power of Three

Like guys

It’s iconic. Give them love

Even tho BTC wasn’t preforming, Patrick (who played Tyler) is great

Like he’s cute and talented and sweet

UHM so I rushed to the stage door after the final bow

I got to the barrier like right in front of the door so I could see inside

I WAS SHOOK AT THE STAGEDOOR

so it started raining

I met one of the Lulu’s from waitress?????

So it started raining

Oof

So I met Kerry, TAYLOR, Patrick, NIKHIL AND CHEECH

And I got a pick with Nikhil

Made a fool of myself cuz I gave him my full name, then my nick name and he just kinda laughed and then REMEMBERED MY NAME AND SAID BYE TO ME

Then I almost cried ok ok ok

But like wow

It was raining and some of the cast still came out

Actually the sweetest people ever

And just

I loved the show so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much

[beccaboosthings]

1-35 for the musical asks ❤️

Okay I warn you, I have only seen/listened to Deh, Bmc, Heathers, Newsies, Mean Girls, 21 chump street, The Last Five Years (dose that even count?) and a handful of team star kids musicals. I know I’m basically a fake theater fan. I promise I have been meaning to get into others. Don’t hate me haha. So I’m sorry if i don’t know how to answer some of these lol

1. Best cast recording to listen to during a long car trip

Mean Girls

2. Song you’d blast from the top of a skyscraper?

Either “You will be found” or “Disappear”

3. Song that never fails to make you cry?

“So Big/So Small”, “In the bedroom down the hall”, and “A little bit of light”

4. Off-Broadway or Broadway production of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet?

Broadway? Idk haha

5. If you were to make a your own production of your favorite musical with complete creative rights, what would you change?

I would change how much stage time Connor Murphy had. I feel like hes a really complex character and i would have loved to see more cannon him. Even if it just was like how he really treats his family/the people around him.

6. Best song to break something while listening to?

“Good for you” or “Someone gets hurt (Reprise)

7. Hamilton or In the Heights?

I have no clue. In the Heights?

8. Top three Broadway actors or actresses?

Mike Faist, Barrett Wilbert Weed, Olivia Puckett

9. Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, or James Corden as the host of the Tonys?

Neil Patrick Harris

10. Best musical theatre breakup song?

“I’d Rather be Me”

11. Stephen Sondheim or James Lapine?

Idk who they are (Don’t kill me lol)

12. Favorite romantic or platonic duo on Broadway?

Platonic Janis/Damian, Jack/Davey, Veronica/Martha, Michel/Jeremy. And for romantic Zoe/Evan,  Cady/Arron

13. “Waving Through a Window” or “For Forever” from the cast album of Dear Evan Hansen?

“Waving Through a Window” Got me into DEH which I the started to get into other shows so i have to go with that

14. If you were to write a musical, which composer/writer would you like to team up with?

Pasek and Paul

15. What would you say if you met your Broadway fave?

If I met Mike Faist i would probably thank him for bringing such an important character and story to life. I relate to Connor in so many ways and deh has helped me through so so much. So just thank you.

16. Best musical theatre location? Orlanda, Santa Fe, Chicago, or the Emerald City?

Santa Fe. I wanna be a cowboy baby

17. Sally Bowles or Roxie Heart?

Once again I have no clue who they are sorry

18. Role you could play at this very moment and absolutely nail?

Veronica Sawyer. I know all of her lines in all of her songs. Or Racetrack Higgins. I know basically all of his lines. Although I can’t dance for shit so thats a problem

19. Movie stars on Broadway or Broadway stars in movies?

Both

20. What book, movie, or TV show do you think should be made into a musical?

Can we get a Queer Eye the Musical? I would pay good money to see the fab 5 singing and dancing for two hours. They would just critique the audience wile trying to sing and dance.

21. Tap dance breaks or 10-second costume changes?

10-second costume changes

22. Best Broadway Elder Price?

No clue

23. Best meta moment in a musical?

Idk

24. Top three women-driven musicals?

Mean Girls, Heathers… I have no clue for a third. 

25. Are you more excited for Spongebob: The Musical or the Broadway adaption of Frozen?

Spongebob. I used to give it shit but after seeing them preform at the Tonys this year I was completely blown away. I’m sad i didn’t get to see it wile it was running.

26. Best young love song?

“Seventeen” or “What the Heck I Gotta Do” (It gets stuck in my head every time without fail)

27. Matilda or Groundhog Day?

Idk haha

28. Historical event that should be made into a musical?

I have no clue haha.

29. What non-Broadway singer/actor would you love to see in a Broadway show, and which role would you like them to play?

Dodie or Carrie Hope Fletcher as Zoe Murphy. 

30. If you read fanfic, what’s your favorite fanfic about characters from musical theatre?

“Hair Dye” by @indigo-streaks-in-her-hair I reread it all the time and it was the first deh fanfic that i had read. Other then that anything i have ever rebloged on my side blog @becca-winchester26 

31. Dream cast your favorite musical.

I have no clue. I feel like the Deh cast (Both OBC and not) and the Mean Girls cast are already all of my faves put together. Maybe a mix between the two

32. Set design or lighting design?

Set. I’m pretty sure if I’m ever going to end up on Broadway its in set design because i have no other real talents.

33. Favorite empowerment-themed Broadway song?

“Seize The Day’

34. Which Broadway star, from the past or present, would you love to have dinner with?

Mike Faist. Hmu fam ;) XD

35. Favorite musical theatre trope?

Idk haha

[allthingstheater3-blog]

Musical Bootlegs Masterlist

PM me or comment if you are interested in trading 

My wants to be found at the bottom 

Aladdin

OBC

Video

A Bronx Tale

OBC

Video

Closing Show (August 5th 2018) (NFT)

Audio

I was personally at this show and my friend recorded the audio. It is currently not for trade.

Dear Evan Hansen

OBC

Video

Michele Lee Brown as Evan, Olivia Puckett as Zoe and Garrett Long as Heidi

Video

Noah Galvin as Evan (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Noah Galvin Final Performance (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Stephen Christopher Anthony as Evan

Audio

Taylor Trensch as Evan (Alex Boniello as Connor debut) (Trade Only)

Audio

Ben Platt Final Show

Audio

Ben L Ross as Evan Hansen (July 2k18)

Audio

Only Act 1

(Incomplete and will take time to get to you since it’s not on my personal computer)

Performance from August 8th, 2018 (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Current Broadway cast including Lisa and Mallory

Be More Chill

Off-Broadway NYC (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Falsettos

2016 Revival Pro Shoot

Video

Finding Neverland

OBC

Visual

1st National Tour

Visual

Frozen

OBC

Visual

Hamilton

OBC

Video

Heathers

Off-Broadway Original Cast

Video

London Workshop (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Les Miserables

Revival w/t Ramin Karimloo

Video

Mean Girls

OBC

Video

Demarius debut as Damien (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Pretty Woman

Chicago Pre-Broadway (NFT)

Audio

Waitress

OBC

Video

Betsy

Video

Sara

Video

Nicolette (Debut) (Trade Only Extremely Picky)

Audio

Spongebob

OBC

Video

Closing Night

Audio

Angels in America

Video

Wants:

Kathrine Mcphee as Jenna

Noah Galvin as Evan Visual

Pretty Woman OBC (I go see the show in October so recording is coming)

Hamilton West End 

Dear Evan Hansen current cast Visual

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child (OLC or OBC) (Visual)

The Lightning Thief Musical (Audio)

[kathummels-blog]

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: KAT HUMMEL (♫)

1. FEELINGS - HAYLEY KIYOKO

I’m kicking the playlist off loud and proud, by honoring one of the most inspirational out artists currently in the industry. I have so much respect for Hayley for being brave enough to sing about the women she loves, even if society would rather she didn’t.

2. DELIVER - FIFTH HARMONY

I included this song because I love the aesthetics of the music video, and to show some love to a fellow girl group... well, a former one. Don’t worry, Sirens, we aren’t going anywhere.

3.  DEFYING GRAVITY - SUTTON FOSTER/RACHEL TUCKER

(Could I not put this song on here???? Anyway, Kat would probs prefer Sutton but like, Rachel Tucker. Prepare to die when you hear the key change and the ending riffs tbh)

4. FIRST BURN - THE ELIZAS OF HAMILTON

This song combines everything I love: scorned women, pop musical theatre, crazy riffs, and mind-numbing belting.

5. JOANNE - LADY GAGA

(This song is by one of Kat’s idols, but it always makes her shed a tear for her mom.)

6. DANCE IN THE DARK - LADY GAGA

I love this song because of it’s killer bassline and chord progression. I also think of this song as something empowering, even though I know it’s not meant that way. I personally like dancing in the dark and the sense of reckless abandon it gives me. I love the shoutouts to so many idols gone too soon. Find your freedom in the music~ (Deep rooted, but this song also could refer to Kat’s insecurities about finding someone who will love her for exactly who she is.)

7. SOMEDAY - THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME OBC

My hope that we can all find a better world, one not fueled by hate and bigotry, beautifully sung by Cierra Renee. May we all help to create that world someday.

8. STAND BY ME - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

I’m dedicating this one to my girls on tour. I love them all so much. 

9. DRUMMING SONG - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

(The first of several very meta songs, mostly because Florence is what I listen to in order to get my Kat muse going. Drumming Song is very obviously about anyone Kat has a crush on, but noticably about how she never reveals her romantic feelings, just keeps them all in her head. Looking at you, Norah.)

10. WHAT THE WATER GAVE ME - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

(Another song I use to get into Kat’s headspace. I don’t think she’d ever seen the ocean until she went on tour, and I think she sees it as a source of healing and inspiration for her designs, even if she gets sunburnt very easily.)

11. HOW BIG, HOW BLUE, HOW BEAUTIFUL - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

The first time I heard this song, I thought about what it’s like to be on tour. All of the beautiful cities, all of the incredible fans I’ve met... big, blue, and beautiful. Or maybe I’m talking about the Genie from Aladdin.

12. HUNGER - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

I’m including this song because I’d love to cover it. From the moment this was released, I’ve had it basically on repeat. I’m not sure what’s more addicting-- the double meaning of the lyrics, or the hook.

13. PRAYING - KESHA

I’ve always been incredibly vocal of my support of Kesha and her incredible talent, and I’m including this song as a reminder that the bullies always get what’s coming to them in the end.

14. NEW YORK STATE OF MIND - THE SIRENS

Doesn’t my sister have an incredible voice?

15. FOUND/TONIGHT - BEN PLATT AND LIN MANUEL MIRANDA

I love a good mashup, and I love that this song was able to take two such influential musicals and put them together. Plus, Ben Platt’s voice doesn’t hurt, either.

16. FLIGHT - SUTTON FOSTER AND MEGAN MCGINNIS

This is my very public way of asking-- Marley, will you duet this song with me sometime? I’ve always thought of Marley when I hear this one. mostly because their voices are both so angelic, but also because it reminds me of our childhood. There’s something so innocent and sweet about the lyrics-- let me run through a field in the night. I think of lying out with Marley in my childhood backyard, counting the stars and watching the clouds go by.

17. WHEN THE EARTH STOPPED TURNING - CAROLEE CARMELLO

(Another love letter to her mom, Kat thinks this was written for her specifically.)

18. DIAMOND HEART - LADY GAGA

(If Kat had to describe herself in a song, she’d use parts of this and parts of Monster. Sometimes, she feels like she’s putting on the horse and pony show even when all she wants to do is scream, but she doesn’t think she’s a bad person.)

19. YOU WILL BE FOUND - DEAR EVAN HANSEN OBC

I know I already included half of this song in my playlist, but I so desperately wish this song had been around when I was in high school. I play this song nearly all the time to remind myself that no matter what, there’s someone to reach out to, there’s someone to be kind to, and there’s someone who needs to be found.

20. FROM NOW ON - HUGH JACKMAN

My favorite song from the Greatest Showman, I could listen to this for three years on repeat. This song always makes me think of my father.

21. I’D RATHER BE ME - MEAN GIRLS OBC

Janis Ian was my first girl crush, and Barrett Weed has continued the tradition. I was a Janis in high school, and this is a giant “screw you” song that I’d love to sing to some people I went to school with.

22. MONSTER - FROZEN OBC

(A song of how Kat sees herself. Part of her is scared that the bullies were right about her.)

23. POMEGRANATE - THE SIRENS

(Is it vain of her to include the only song on the album she solos on? Oops.)

24. BLUEBIRD - SARA BAREILLES

I’ve always had this song on repeat whenever I feel insecure. It’s so simple, both in the piano part and in the lyrics, but it’s truly beautiful in what it does and what it says. Gather your strength and rise up.