#corey lubowich director of all time
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spent last night wondering if I was losing my Spies hyperfixation. But then I rewatched the Mary Kate Wiles bts and realized that part of the arm clasp rehearsal from the digital download bts is in this video and. yep I am still afflicted






also bonus! the tickle torture scene (straight version)


#god bless you mary kate wiles thank you for this piece of history#Im not an artist but it feels like having another angle on the arm clasp and gun pose might be useful?#also just every time I think about this fucking arm clasp I lose my mind#corey lubowich director of all time#lauren lopez choreographer of all time#probably gonna do another post with favorite moments because I love this video#spies are forever#tin can bros#owen carvour#curtwen#agent curt mega#saf#tcb
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The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals (Rewatch #11, 11/20/2020)
YouTube publish date: December 23, 2018
Number of views on date of rewatch: 4, 394, 741
Original Performance Run: October 11 - November 4, 2018 at the Matrix Theater in Los Angeles
Ticket price: General Admission - $37, Priority - $69 Â Â Â Digital Ticket: $15 Â Â Â Rush Ticket via TodayTix: $18
Director: Nick Lang
Music and Lyrics: Jeff Blim
Book: Matt Lang and Nick Lang
Cast album price and availability: $9.99 on iTunes    Release date: December 23, 2018
Parody or original: original content, slightly inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Funding: $127,792 by 3,419 backers via Kickstarter (x) Â Â Â Original Goal: $60,000
Main cast and characters
Paul - John Matteson
Emma - Lauren Lopez
Ted - Joey Richter
Charlotte - Jamie Lyn Beatty
Bill - Corey Dorris
Professor Hidgens - Robert Manion
Sam/General McNamara - Jeff Blim
Alice/Greenpeace Girl - Mariah Rose Faith
Musical numbers
   Act I
âThe Guy Who Didnât Like Musicalsâ Characters: Ensemble â La Dee Dah Dah Dayâ Characters: Ensemble âWhat Do You Want, Paul?â Characters: Mr. Davidson and Paul âCup of Roasted Coffeeâ Characters: Nora, Zoey, and Emma âCup of Poisoned Coffeeâ Characters: Nora, Zoey, Hot Chocolate Boy, and Ensemble âShow Me Your Handsâ Characters: Sam, Police Woman, Police Man âYou Tied Up My Heartâ Characters: Sam and Charlotte âJoin Us (And Die)â Characters: Charlotte and Sam
   Act II
âNot Your Seedâ Characters: Alice and friends âShow Stoppinâ Numberâ Characters: Professor Hidgens âAmerica Is Great Againâ Characters: General McNamara and Ensemble âLet Him Comeâ Characters: Ensemble âLet It Outâ Characters: Paul and Ensemble âInevitableâ Characters: Paul, Ensemble, and Emma
Notable Notes:
The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals won 12 2019 BroadwayWorld Los Angeles Awards (x)
Best Musical - Local
Choreography - Local: James Tolbert
Costume Design - Local: June Saito
Director of a Musical - Local: Nick Lang
Featured Actor in a Musical - Local: Robert Manion (Joey Richter and Corey Dorris were the other two nominees in this category)
Featured Actress in a Musical - Local: Jaime Lyn Beatty (Mariah Rose Faith was also nominated)
Leading Actor in a Musical - Local: Jon Matteson
Leading Actress in a Musical - Local: Lauren Lopez
Lighting Design - Local: Sarah Petty
Musical Director - Local: Matt Dahan
Scenic Design - Local: Corey Lubowich
Sound Design - Local: Ilana Elroi and Brian Rosenthal
Cultural Context: 2018
The #MeToo movement originated by Tarana Burke gains international popularity on social media
The revival of Queer Eye premiers on Netflix
Beyoncé headlines Coachella (#Beychella), becoming the first black woman to do so for the music festival
Megan Markle marries Prince Harry
Avengers: Infinity War opens in theaters on April 27th
Content Analysis:
The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals has the most original concept of a musical I can think of for any piece of musical theatre, on Broadway or off. It is a musical that is focused on Paul, a guy who, believe it or not, doesn't like musicals, but due to a mysterious zombie-like infection brought to his town, Hatchetfield, finds himself stuck in an apocalyptic scenario in which anyone can be infected by a hive-mind that forces anyone it infects to behave as if they were in a musical. Because of this, the only people who actually perform musical numbers in the show are those around Paul who are infected with this musical disease, which makes each musical performance all the more dramatic, as well as allows for the acting of the main characters to be much more at the center of attention than they would normally be if the characters were expected to sing out their feelings as if the audience were watching them develop through the lens of a traditional musical.
The strong book and emphasis on the characterization of the small main ensemble highlights the incredibly strong performances by the actors. The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals is an interesting work in StarKid's repertoire in that the characters represented onstage are the most 'normal' characters the audience has seen in a StarKid universe. By now, the Starkid audience is used to seeing either parodies of well-known works, such as Harry Potter or the DC comic universe, inventive imaginings of other universes or periods of time, such as Starship or Firebringer. Yet, this production emphasizes the kind of characters and settings one sees in everyday life rather than the characters one sees in a sci-fi novel or fantasy world. The characters are played to represent a specific type of character often seen in media, and specifically mimic horror movie tropes with a comedic twist. For example, Professor Hidgens represents the off-kilter scholarly type, Paul is the everyday man dragged into the evil schemes of an unknown being's plot, Emma is the relatable final girl, etc. Yet, these character types and what they represent mirror the kind of everyday people we see in reality. Sure, they are written and played with comedic intent but their lives and place in the plot are human enough that the audience does not need to make the make-believe leap of connecting with non-human or glorified human characters-these people ARE human. Emma is an intelligent woman whose adventurous life turned into one full of grief for her sister and finds herself stuck in a terrible job in the hometown she tried so hard to get away from. Paul is a simple man playing the reluctant hero, but whose heart and genuine care for the people he is close to reminds us of the best of humanity when our society is constantly filled with examples of our worst behaviors. Bill just wants a relationship with the daughter he's drifting away from, Charlotte just wants her husband to love her, and Ted is there because, let's be honest here, we all know a Ted.
The characters also happen to be played by actors the audience would not expect to play that specific character type. For example, Joey Richter is known for playing lovable, funny, and relatable characters in StarKid's works, yet in The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals, he plays the most morally repugnant yet incredibly hilarious characters in the show and he plays that part so well and so convincingly that it's hard to believe he's actually playing against his type. Jaime Lyn Beatty, like other StarKid works, performs a strong, comedic character type as she always does, yet her performance as Charlotte has the most dynamic internal life of any character the StarKid audience has seen her play.
The most notable performance comes from Jon Matteson who plays Paul. His role as the protagonist, who is onstage nearly the entire, time holds the piece and the universe of the story together so perfectly. His dry delivery and incredible comedic timing work so well for the character that it feels as though you can go up to Matteson right after the finale and expect to talk to Paul himself because he embodies the role so well. Mattesonâs performance feels so natural and honest that it's heartbreaking, even for the most fanatic musical theatre nerd, to watch him realize that he's fallen victim to the Apotheosis and turns into the thing he hates the most-a musical theatre character.
A horror-comedy musical is a hard thing to pull off, especially on a budget that was almost entirely crowdfunded, and even harder to execute successfully, which is why the only few commercial horror-musical comedy staples I can think of at the moment art Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeney Todd, and to a certain extent, Heathers. Yet the consistent hard work that goes into creating a StarKid musical and the unique environment that process produces makes anything seem possible and destined for success. The level of creativity going into this production company and the work they create as a team is something that just cannot be done with traditional musical theatre as seen on Broadway because of such large overhead and emphasis on creating a profit rather than creating art. There have been and will continue to be many different creative teams making unique musicals for the general public, but taking into account global accessibility for all demographics and concept originally, The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals proves StarKid continues to take the lead and doesnât need the exclusion of any demographic in order to do so.
P.S. Happy Black Friday! Donât forget to get in line to buy your Wiggly dolls ;)
#@TeamStarkid#the guy who didn't like musicals#tgwdlm#hatchetfield theatrical universe#hatchetfield universe#htu#team starkid#starkid productions#starkid#starkid musicals#musical theatre#theatre#musicals
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******** VERY IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ ************
So ... I think this is the first original post Iâve written in four whole years of having this Tumblr, but I legitimately canât think of a better reason to break my internet silence! For those of you who have been living under a rock/have an actual life outside of social media, the Tin Can Brothers (Corey Lubowich, Joey Richter and Brian Rosenthal) are currently in the midst of Kickstarting their latest project: a 10 episode webseries/podcast called âThe Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eyeâ! This project is sure to be incredible and you can find out more specific details by following the link below!!Â
The Tin Can Brothers are the same guys behind the smash-hit musical: âSpies Are Foreverâ, which has amassed hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube (if you havenât seen it yet, itâs pretty dang good, and you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd3aJl930YE&list=PLlF0gFzOX4tD1KJ5ZEnvhD55Qhnz-K0X2)!Â
This year, they also released their first ever short film, âFlopstoppersâ (again, you can watch it for free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lipp_4fco3w).Â
On top of Kickstarter campaigning, theyâre currently uploading weekly episodes of their hilarious one-act play, âThe Solve-It Squad Returnsâ. You can watch the first six scenes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEA0hNs0M98&list=PLlF0gFzOX4tDiqbhfmx5036ZFKD6LAoQN and/or you can purchase the show in its entirety (along with Behind the Scenes content) here: https://www.tincanbros.com/stage-productions!Â
Marketing aside, these guys are wholeheartedly committed to producing consistent, quality content that their fans can access easily and cheaply. Their work is witty, original and extremely engaging! Additionally, their projects always include badass female characters with distinctive personalities and independent motivations, who are allowed to be vulnerable AS WELL AS strong; just like real human beings! As a long-term fan of the TCB, Iâm 100% positive that âWayward Guideâ will live up to these standards!
However, at the rate that the Kickstarter is moving, âWayward Guideâ is NOT currently projected to be fully funded by its final day (24/09). If it doesnât reach its $100,000 goal, it ainât happening! No cards will be charged, no rewards will be given out, and itâll be like the whole concept never existed! But YOU can change that! By donating just $1 (approx 70p for my fellow Brits), youâll be helping this project come to life! If you donate $5 (approx ÂŁ3.80) youâll not only play a key part in the creation of âWayward Guideâ but youâll also receive exclusive updates on its progress, right up until its release; all for the price of a Starbucks! There are additional rewards available at increasing price tiers, so the more you donate, the more you will receive! At the moment, the Kickstarter needs to be making around $4000 per day in order to reach its goal! Itâs a lot of money, but Iâm confident we can do it! As Tescos say - Every little helps!
And if this hasnât got you convinced, hereâs a list of the people who we currently know to be involved in the project, and some things you may know them from! (Additional cast members are constantly being announced as various Kickstarter goals are met, so this list is by no means definitive):
- Benji Dell is Director of Photography!Â
If youâve watched âFlopstoppersâ or the âSpies Are Foreverâ Kickstarter video, he was also DP for both of those! His work is BEAUTIFUL and based on what Iâve seen of him in the âFlopstoppersâ BTS featurette, he seems like a really chill guy!
- Chuck Criss is Composing!Â
Heâs in the band âComputer Gamesâ, along with his brother, Darren, who you mayyyy have heard of before! Heâs also in indie rock band âFreelance Whalesâ. His musical style is EXTREMELY cool, and if you watch the Kickstarter vid for this project, you can hear some of his tunes first-hand!
- Corey, Brian and Joey!Â
In addition to writing and producing âWayward Guideâ, the Tin Can Brothers are taking an even more active role! Corey is also going to be directing the project, whilst Brian and Joey will both be acting in it!
- Mary Kate Wiles!Â
You may know her as Tatiana from the TCBâs previous project, âSpies are Foreverâ, or from her prolific work with fellow internet comedy group, âShipwrecked Comedyâ! (âKissing in the Rainâ, âPoe Partyâ and the upcoming âCase of the Gilded Lilyâ) She also appeared as Lydia Bennet in Pemberley Digitalâs Emmy Award winning webseries âThe Lizzie Bennet Diariesâ, and has enjoyed starring roles in the short film âI Ship Itâ, and in the webseries âMuzzled the Musicalâ amongst many others! (Basically sheâs done almost everything there is to do and Iâd be here all day listing her credentials!) She also has a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcw3_LYw-SuTdOaWjEJSvHQ, which you should definitely check out because sheâs great and posts weekly! Sheâll be taking a lead role in this project as podcast host, Artemis Schue-Horyn, and I for one, canât wait!
- Steve Zaragoza!
Steve was an original member of the popular YouTube channels,âSourceFedâ and âSourceFedNerdâ, which have amassed over 2 million subscribers in total! Heâs also starred as Iggy DeLacey in Pemberley Digitalâs âFrankenstein, M.Dâ and has recently appeared in some Disney Channel and Disney XD shows. Heâs a new addition to the TCB universe, and is sure to be wonderful!Â
- Dylan Saunders!
Youâre sure to know Dylan from his work with Team StarKid! Heâs appeared in the âVery Potterâ trilogy, âStarshipâ, âHoly Musical B@manâ and, most recently, âTwistedâ! I think we can all agree that he has one of the best voices on the planet, and heâs also one of the most laid-back and friendly guys Iâve ever had the privilege to meet! Iâm so excited to see him working with these guys again!
- Joanna Sotomura!
Another Pemberley Digital star, Joanna appeared as the title character, Emma Woodhouse, in the series âEmma Approvedâ! Sheâs also a new addition to the TCB world, and I canât wait to see more of her!
- Jon Cozart!
Yep, thatâs right - âPaintâ himself is going to be involved in this project! Jon is probably best known as the creator of âHarry Potter in 99 Secondsâ, a.k.a one of my FAVOURITE videos of all time! Heâs amazing and extremely creative and you should definitely subscribe to his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Paint
- Nick Lang!
One of the founding faces of Team StarKid, Nick has been involved in some way in pretty much every creation of theirs to date! Also, he once taught my Dad a magic trick, which my Dad has never managed to accurately recreate. Further proof that Nick is the best!
- Clayton Snyder!
Youâll probably remember Clayton from his wonderfully intense portrayal of Fyodor Dostoyevsky in Shipwrecked Comedyâs âPoe Partyâ (as members of Shipwrecked have said, he was basically in his own movie). Also, heâs Ethan Craft from âLizzie McGuireâ so thatâs pretty dang cool!
- Sinead Persaud!
A founding member of Shipwrecked Comedy, Sinead has co-written, produced and starred in every single one of their projects to date! Last year, she appeared as sassy ghost, Lenore, in âPoe Partyâ, which was a perfect role for her! In this, sheâll be appearing as a âMacabre Mortician/Taxidermistâ, which is an EVEN MORE PERFECT role for her!Â
- Titus Makin Jr!
Titus has done a looottttttt of TV work over the years, (like seriously, so much!) but youâll probably remember him best as David the Warbler from âGleeâ! Heâs also got a budding music career going, so heâs very talented! Another TCB newbie!
- Tara Perry!
Perhaps youâll remember Tara from when she coughed a lot and was reallllly into trees on Shipwrecked Comedyâs âPoe Partyâ. If not, she also played boss lady, Vivian DeMarco, in the Tin Can Brothersâ short film âFlopstoppersâ! Iâm also pretty sure that I saw her once in an art gallery in Glasgow, but was 100% too scared to approach her, so who knows?
- Gabe Greenspan!
If youâve been keeping up with the Tin Can Brothers recently, then youâll for sure know Gabe from their most recent show, âThe Solve-It Squad Returnsâ! He plays a complete a*sehole called Keith, but somehow manages to still make him loveable! Also, heâll be appearing in Shipwrecked Comedyâs upcoming âThe Case of the Gilded Lilyâ, so keep your eye out for that!
 - Ashley Clements!
Ashley is probably best known for her titular role as Lizzie Bennet in Pemberley Digitalâs, âThe Lizzie Bennet Diariesâ. Other webseries sheâs appeared in include âPoe Partyâ and âMuzzled the Musicalâ (as a well-dressed villain both times)! Most recently, you might have seen her in the Tin Can Brothersâ âThe Solve-It Squad Returnsâ where she acted opposite Gabe Greenspan. Sheâll be doing that again and itâs sure to be hilarious!
- Corey Dorris
Youâll probably best remember Corey as Big Tallywacker in âMAMDâ, Yaxley in âAVPSâ, Kingsley Shacklebolt in âAVPSYâ and the Grandpa in âThe Trail to Oregonâ! When I saw the show in New York, his character was called âOlâ Man Riverâ, which is, in my opinion, the BEST NAME HE COULD EVER HAVE HAD! Heâs also Juilliard trained which is prettttyyy cool!
- Sean Persaud
Another founding member of Shipwrecked Comedy, Sean has also co-written, produced and starred in each of their projects, along with his sister, Sinead. He played the titular role of Edgar Allan Poe in âPoe Partyâ last year, where he exhibited his uncanny ability for deadpan hilarity! Heâll be playing a âDesperate Pastorâ in this project and I canât wait!Â
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND DONATE IF YOU CAN SO THAT THIS PROJECT CAN HAPPEN!!!
#tin can brothers#tin can bros#starkid#team starkid#shipwrecked comedy#spies are forever#flopstoppers#shipwrecked#solve it squad#poe party#gilded lily#joey richter#brian rosenthal#corey lubowich#mary kate wiles#chuck criss#glee#pemberley digital#lizzie bennet diaries#ashley clements#tcb#firebringer#lauren lopez
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I love One Step Ahead for all the obvious reasons (gay angst), but also because it is so packed with little storytelling moments. Also it just seems exhausting. So much happens in that song:
1. Motorcycle chase (with office chairs)
2. Boat chase
3. Staff fight
4. Sword fight
5. Vigorous musket loading
6. Run up the staircase
7. Hang glider chase
8. Fistfight
9. Run halfway down the stairs again
And the entire time they are doing all of this, they're belting out a vocally demanding song. I mean, no wonder Curt Mega had to take a breath during that final note. That's a feat of endurance. I simply would've passed out and died.
One Step Ahead is one of my favorite setpieces of all time. In anything. Ever. It is so impressive, and it is even more impressive when you realize this was done by a tiny little independent company with the theatre budget equivalent of $1.50. Unreal. It should not be possible.
And the thing is, One Step Ahead is the perfect narrative counterweight to A1P1 (Spies Are Forever). The amount of thought they put into this is just stunning. Because here's the thing: A1P1 is also incredibly physical. For most of the song Curt and Owen are on the move, they're going up the ladder, they're fighting goons, they're going down the staircase, they're running.
But more importantly, Curt and Owen are touching a lot in A1P1. And yeah, that's fun in a swoony curtwen vibes way, but its also incredibly important to the narrative. They are touching a lot, and when they aren't touching they are standing just a little bit too close together. Its subtle enough that you initially dismiss it as a stylistic choice, but once you have the full context it is remarkably intimate.
Those are important details- like the way Owen has his arm around Curt and is literally holding his hand when they're talking to Cynthia. Its meant to tell us that they are together. In the romantic way, yes, but also they're just aligned, working together, on the same page. They are partners here. They literally have each other's backs.



And that's down to Curt Mega and Joey Richter selling the absolute shit out of these roles, and genius choreography by Lauren Lopez, and Corey Lubowich being the director of all time.
The digital download BTS has a part with Joey and Curt rehearsing the bit where they do the hug, and right after that they're trying to figure out what cool action poses to move into and Corey says that he wants to see something with them "connected," which is just... yeah, that's the perfect word to describe what is going on in A1P1. These two are connected.
So then we get to One Step Ahead. At the very beginning, Curt does the arm clasp with Tatiana. The first time they did this, Curt had a flashback of Owen. Owen was still his partner in his heart. But this time that bond is severed. Curt thinks of Tatiana as his partner now.
We get into the action of the song, and Curt and Owen do not touch. Even when they are very physically close together, there are weapons between them. In A1P1 they had lots of moments with their backs turned to each other, trusting each other, working perfectly in sync. In One Step Ahead they are facing each other head on. They are literally and figuratively fighting. They are breaking up.
The only moment during this sequence where they are actually touching each other is when Owen slaps Curt, Curt punches Owen twice, and they do that lock up move. They're only touching to hurt each other now.




And its so subtle and well executed that you don't really think about the parallels between these two scenes the first time you watch them. But you feel it on an emotional level. They had about ten minutes to establish the relationship between these two, and they used that ten minutes so effectively that the staircase scene ends up hitting like a ton of bricks.
Just. I love this show. I love how much TCB and Curt Mega and the rest of the cast care about this show. I'm so grateful they keep coming back to it. I cannot wait to see what they do with these scenes for Spy Another Day.
#spy another day#spies are forever#owen carvour#agent curt mega#tin can bros#curtwen#saf#tcb#tinlightenment world tour#saf rants
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genuinely my favorite part of this entire stream is when they're talking about how they added Spy Dance last, and Corey says something like "because if you actually think about it the ending of the show is really sad." and just gets the most thoughtful look on his face
It reminds me of the tinlightenment stream where they rewatched the staircase scene, and everybody else is cracking jokes about how horny the show is (valid) but Corey is like watching intently and mimicks the lowering the gun from Curt's head to his heart bit
idk man, director of all time, nobody does it like Corey Lubowich
today feels like a depressed pandemic spies are forever reunion livestream kind of day
#although I do stand by feeling like... a little bit ripped off that a2p7 tries so hard to get comedic again#and doesnt allow the incredibly sad thing that happened any room to breathe. so it sorta retroactively weakens it a bit imo#but still!! i get what they tried to do and love how much corey cares about that
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Holy Musical B@man! (Rewatch #5, 10/6/2020)
YouTube publish date: April 13, 2012
Number of views on date of rewatch: 2, 128, 328
Original Performance Run: March 22-25, 2012 at Chicagoâs Hoover-Leppen Theatre
Ticket price: Free by lottery [x]
Director: Matt Lang and Nick Lang
Music and Lyrics: Nick Gage and Scott Lamps
Book: Matt Lang and Nick Lang
Cast album price and availability: Released April 13, 2012    âThatâs What I Call Starkid!, Vol. 2â on iTunes $9.99 *features most songs    âHoly Musical B@man!â on Bandcamp for no minimum price *features two songs: âHoly Musical B@man!â and âRobin Sucks!â [x]
Parody or original: parody, babey!
Main cast and characters:
Batman/Bruce Wayne - Joe Walker
Robin - Nick Lang
Superman/Clark Kent - Brian Holden
Alfred - Chris Allen
Sweet Tooth - Jeff Blim
Commissioner Gordon - Lauren Lopez
Vicki Vale - Julia Albain
Musical numbers
Act I
âHoly Musical B@manâ Characters: Narrator and Company
âDark, Sad, Lonely, Knightâ Characters: Alfred, Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, and Company
âRogues Are Weâ Characters: The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Scarecrow, The Riddler, and Mr. Freeze
âRogues Are We (Reprise)â Characters: Sweet Tooth, Evil Mother Goose, Evil Sherlock Holmes, Evil King Arthur, Evil Huckleberry Finn The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Scarecrow, The Riddler, and Mr. Freeze
âDynamic Duetâ Characters: Batman, Robin, and Company
Act II
âRobin Sucksâ Characters: Ensemble
âThe American Wayâ Characters: Superman, Batman, Sweet Tooth, and Company
âTo Be A Manâ Characters: Batman and Superman
âSuper Friendsâ Characters:Â Â Batman, Superman, Robin, Spider-Man, Green Lantern, and Company
Notable Notes:
âThatâs What I Call Starkidâ and the âHoly Musical B@manâ two-song album are the last cast recordings from StarKid available on Bandcamp
   *Fun facts provided by Abby:
Matt and Nick were having difficulty writing Jokerâs character so they cut Joker out of the show and replaced him with a made-up character, Sweet Tooth. They later found out that Sweet Tooth was an actual Batman villain
âCalendar Man, your days are numberedâ was a line of dialogue that Matt Lang dreamed about and then put in the show
Jeff Blim only got about 8 out of 10 candy gags correct during any given performance, so the recorded production edited together multiple nights of his performances so that they were all be right for the released production
Cultural Context: 2012
The first Hunger Games movies opened in theaters and the last Twilight movie gets released
So does The Avengers!
StarKidâs second tour, âApocolyptourâ, begins a month after the YouTube release of HMB!
Whitney Houston is found dead in Los Angeles on February 11
On May 9, Obama becomes the first president to vocalize his support for gay marriage in the United States
Content Analysis:
Holy Musical B@man! has a very solid plot, enjoyable musical numbers, and great characterization, which makes the overall performance very entertaining. However, one of the theatrical traits that it lacks is a solid voice and consistent tone from the book. There are moments when I found myself unable to stop laughing, such as Robin and Batmanâs duet, âDynamic Duoâ, or any time Lauren Lopez as Commissioner Gordon talks, but in between very strong scenes and numbers were moment of dialogue that felt rushed or lacked the comedic depth that StarKid usually has in their productions.
The character that really stood out for me was Jeff Blimâs StarKid debut character, Sweet Tooth. Blim has very strong facial expressions and a unique vocality to this specific character that really personifies the classic superhero villain that comic books, especially DC, is known for. The offstage death of The Joker at the beginning of the show subverts the expectation the audience has for a Batman parody but uses Blimâs character's manic personality and very clever candy puns to balance out Batmanâs childish broodiness that Joe Walker plays so well.
Nick Lang as Robin was perfect casting. The natural size difference between him and Walkerâs Batman made each scene with them, whether itâs comedic or dramatic, all the more effective because of the difference in physicality and Langâs kind of British/Transatlantic emphasis he puts into the characterâs voice just works for his comedic performance. The scene in which Batman and Robin meet for the first time is my personal favorite scene and a comedic standout moment in the show that contains the perfect balance of parody and sincerity.
Generally, the physical gags of the show are also reliably and consistently funny, as they make fun of the superhero genre for both comic books and movies while heightening the comedic aspects because of the performances deliberate lack of special effects to make certain moments or action sequences more realistic. One example is whenever Superman files-rather than being extra and having Brian Holden (who makes a very funny Superman, by the way) actually fly using a rigging system or using lighting and sound effects to create the stage illusion that heâs actually flying, heâs just carried by a stagehand dressed in all black while holding himself up in a Superman pose which is way funnier than it should be, but works so well because himself and the other actors plays off the gag so well. As well, the fighting sequences are intentionally underplayed or themselves a parody of the traditional high-action, realistic movie sequence fighting that the audience has grown accustomed to, especially from Batmanâs character who relies only on his physical fighting ability and super-realistic weaponry.
Before the show fully began its performance, I feel like the light-hearted parody of the toneâs show was communicated very successfully by Corey Lubowichâs set design. The minimalist set pieces were very practical for such a small performance space and stylistically fit in with every scene that they were present in, making them perfect for multifunctional use and fast scene changes. The stylistic background is also very well done, as itâs not too simplistic to not have an effect and honors the traditional comic book/early 1960s superhero tv show feel while also not being too distracting. The split levels of the stage are also great for both dramatic and comedic effect, and it adds depth to the physical performance while also strengthening the effect of certain physical gags throughout the show.
Though this particular production does not have the strongest book in StarKidâs repertoire, I feel like the performances and the overall tone of the show definitely succeed in making this production a distinctly StarKid show. As a long-time StarKid fan, I can see elements of the original AVPM-era vibes of the performance, can compare the growth of the performance quality and production quality of their work from their earlier University of Michigan based shows, and witness the seeds of the future production characteristics seen in their more recent works such as The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals and Black Friday. I feel like if I were to periodize certain StarKid eras, Holy Musical B@man! would be the beginning of an age reminiscent of Disneyâs experimental era. While HMB isnât a blockbuster musical, so to speak, the fact that this show was the second of their independent shows away from U of M lets the audience see how they began to grow as a production company who has a very distinctive, cult-classic voice in the theatre community.
#@TeamStarkid#for my independent study#holy musical b@man#I will die defending the intellectual validity of musical theatre and of starkid specifically#hmb!#hmb#team starkid#starkid productions#starkid musicals#starkid#@stillunsteady#thanks abby!!!#musical theatre#musicals#theatre
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