#how did they get the tony for best choreography

[nanaluvsyouu]

Could you plz write more like a fic about eunseok x reader the last sneak peak you gave :)

part 2

Warning: swearing, angst, bodyshaming, reader being called clingy

Eunseok x fem!reader

also includes shitty best friend Sungchan

Angst

You walked to the dance studio with your hands holding 2 bags filled with home-baked goods for your boyfriend, Eunseok, and his friends.

You smiled as you walked towards the door, only to trip over your own feet and realise that your shoe laces were undone. You put the bags aside and crouched down to tie your laces. You could hear the chatter coming from the dance studio where your boyfriend and his group were practising their choreography diligently.

You got up to enter the dance studio when you heard something that made you freeze dead in your tracks.

"Y/N is so clingy, you're really not missing out on much, Anton, trust me," Eunseok said, snickering.

"Tell me about it, no offence, but it would be so much better if she weren't always there. She's my best friend, but my god, she's so clingy. It's desperate and I hate it. "How's Eunseok, Sungchan? Do you need me to get you food? Do you wanna hang out?" Like, please shut up."

"Oh my God, someone who gets me! She's also always stealing my hoodies like it's not cute, it's also really annoying when she stretches them out like jeez, those are some really cool hoodies, which now are way too big for me." He laughed throwing something- probably his waterbottle on top of his bag.

You felt faint. Your heart was hammering in your chest, and you felt your breathing get heavy. You didn't know what to do, before you could do anything, you heard someone open the studio door, you quickly put on a smile and picked up your bags before being greeted by a very uncomfortable Sohee.

His face lit up with a smile when he realised it was you.

"Y/N! What are you doing here?" He asked, pulling you into a hug. His face dropped when he remembered the conversation that took place in the dance studio. "When did you get here?"

"Oh, just a few moments ago, I came with treats!" You exclaimed, lifting the bags up, sohee smiled even wider as he peeked into the bag and realised you had brought cookies, brownies and carrot cake. He took both bags off you, opening the door to the dance studio for you. You gave him a small smile as you walked in.

The atmosphere completely changed when you walked in. You saw the way Sungchan and Eunseok froze seeing you walk in.

"Y/Nnie," Sungchan called out, "when did you get here?"

"Not long ago, just as Sohee walked out." You replied, taking the bags off Sohee, "I brought treats for you all." You said as you and Sohee started taking the baked goods out of the bag and laying them on the table near the entrance.

You didn't miss the look that Sungchan and Eunseok gave each other. A part of you wanted to run out of the studio and not look back, but the other part of you knew it wasn't the best course of action.

The boys all came running towards the table, and Eunseok gave you a small peck on the cheek. "You're a star baby," he said, smiling at you. You couldn't believe he was capable of talking so horribly about you behind your back and then feigning love and adoration for you in front of you.

You smiled and moved to the side as you let the boys eat the food. You saw Anton in the corner. He looked tense. You couldn't blame him, after all, Eunseok told him about what he felt towards you, Anton's inner romantic probably died.

You didn't realise that Anton had started walking towards you until you heard his soft voice.

"Can we talk?" He asked fiddling with teh strings of his hoodie.

"Sure, what's up?" You asked removing the strings from aroun his fingers, "your blood circulation will be cut off if you kee doing that toni."

He gave you a weak smile.

"Thanks for worrying about me Y/N." A small chuckle left his throat, "I want to talk to you about something that happened today. It's related to you."

"Okay... what is it Toni? You're kind of scaring me."

"I don't know how else to say this, but Eunseok and Sungchan were talking horribly about you."

"Anton just because you've never been able to find a partner doesn't mean you should go around lying to people." Eunseok's voice startled you. You turned around to see him leaning againsnt the door frame glaring at you both.

PART 2 anyone??

[jgroffdaily]

In Broadway bio-musical "Just in Time," Jonathan Groff is a-splishin' and a-splashin' eight shows a week as chameleonic crooner Bobby Darin.

And frankly, you couldn't ask for a better steward of his legacy. On a recent Zoom call from his dressing room, where he keeps a picture of Darin and Liza Minnelli, the affable actor lights up as he expounds on his favorite deep cuts ("I Am") and performances ("The Judy Garland Show") from the "Beyond the Sea" heartthrob.

"Wow, I'm really nerding out right now," Groff says, grinning. "He was such a special performer. I mean, Lucille Ball used to play canasta with her sister and put 'Darin at the Copa' on repeat. There's a video of him singing 'If I Were a Carpenter' with Stevie Wonder on YouTube, and they're going back and forth. He could hold his own with every great entertainer."

Groff, 40, is Tony-nominated once again this season for best leading actor in a musical, after winning the award last year for Maria Friedman's heart-rending revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along." "Just in Time" is similarly emotional as it recounts the too-short career of Darin who, after a lifetime of health issues, died of heart failure in 1973 at only 37.

But the musical is also an infectious showcase of Groff's megawatt charm. He conceived of the production eight years ago with director Alex Timbers and producer Ted Chapin. It's performed in the round at the intimate Circle in the Square Theatre, which has been transformed into a swank nightclub with two separate stages and table seating. Groff begins the show as himself, chatting and dancing with theatergoers as he steps back in time to tell Darin's story.

"The cabaret tables, and me starting as myself, isn't just a gimmick," Groff says. "It feels like an essential way to celebrate the energy and spirit of who he was as a performer."

Groff is beloved by Broadway fans from "Hamilton" and "Spring Awakening," although this is his first time developing a musical from the ground floor. "Jonathan has thought about the show in its totality – his performance, but also the writing and design and choreography," Timbers says. "He's a storyteller that cares about how every element contributes to the clarity of the narrative."

We spoke with Groff about "Just in Time," his career so far and what's next:

Question: Bobby Darin covered many musical theater standards and always wanted to star on Broadway. How does it feel to get to realize that dream for him?

Answer: It feels so special. His son, Dodd Darin, wrote me a beautiful letter saying, “Thank you for keeping my dad’s story alive.” Bobby Darin was so prolific and so ahead of his time. Before “Cowboy Carter" was genre-swapping, he was gaining fame and then immediately genre-swapping. Even for me, I knew “Splish Splash,” “Mack the Knife” and “If I Were a Carpenter.” But I didn’t know they were all sung by the same person, or that he wrote “Dream Lover” and “Simple Song of Freedom.” So I feel really proud to be sharing his artistry with the world again in this way.

There's a quote that's widely attributed to Bobby: "You only die once. You live lots of times if you know how." Looking at your own career, how do you feel that you've managed to shape-shift and evolve?

Every new project feels like a different life. I feel so lucky that last year, I was doing “Merrily We Roll Along,” which was a huge dream. Meanwhile, we had been trying to make the Bobby Darin show for eight years, and we did this final gesture of a workshop while we were doing “Merrily.” The gift of being able to come right back to Broadway in such extremely different projects has felt like living two lifetimes. I’ve always dreamt of being on Broadway ever since I was a kid, so to have as many creative experiences as I’ve had in my last 20 years of being an actor, I really feel deep gratitude.

And what has stayed the same? When you think back to the little boy in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who dressed up as Dorothy in his dad's barn, what has been the through line ever since?

Isaac Oliver wrote me this line where I get to say, “I was twirling in my mother's heels in Amish Country, Pennsylvania.” A thing that has changed is 20 years ago, it was a lot of closeted men playing straight on Broadway. But at the top of this musical, I really get to own who I am as a gay guy. I get to declare exactly who I am, and then take them on the journey of this playboy crooner, who in many ways, was the polar opposite of me. I’m just incredibly grateful to live in a time where I can own that shift live in front of the audience.

The thing that’s stayed the same is that every show is like the middle-school play or performing in my dad’s barn. This is why I relate the most to theater and why I always go back. There’s something primal about the lights going down in a space, and there’s an audience and the performers on stage and the simplicity of telling a story. It’s just my favorite thing in the world.

Was there a moment that really put time into perspective for you, or showed you how valuable life is?

My grandfather died on my 10th birthday. I remember the night before that, we had a birthday party and the whole family came over; all the grandparents and cousins were there. I got VHS tapes of “I Love Lucy,” because I was obsessed with “I Love Lucy.” I blew my candles out, went into the living room, and just sat in front of the TV watching these episodes on repeat. The next day, we got the call that my grandfather died, and my 10-year-old self was wracked with guilt and regret about the fact that I didn’t even say goodbye to him when he left. I was so glued to “I Love Lucy.”

I then became really superstitious about saying goodbye to my dad whenever he would leave to go to work. I would stand in the window and wave as the truck went away in the distance. But that was the first time death really landed for me. I remember seeing him in his coffin and comprehending at 10 that he's not going to wake up.

So what do you hope this next decade looks like for you?

I turned 40 this year, and I had a revelation when I was blowing out my birthday candles: No more wishes, just thank you. Even with the marathon that is opening a Broadway show and then doing a Tony campaign, I don’t feel worried like I used to. By the time you’re 40, you’ve sort of learned who you are and what you need. I’ve found my tribe of people that I love, which makes the whole experience less stressful.

Back in 2007, you said you were so happy doing "Spring Awakening" that you couldn't imagine leaving it. Is it rare to find projects that give you that feeling?

I remember the week of doing my huge, epic fight scene with Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix Resurrections.” I had been training for so long, and we shot it over the course of five days. But I remember standing in the shower in Berlin on a Tuesday, like, “OK, by the time I get to Friday, I will have done it. I will have fought Neo. I can breathe and relax and go out to these clubs.” And then I remember thinking, “No, Groff, don’t wish this time away! Try and enjoy the stress and intensity of this moment. Don’t just fast forward to Friday – that’s not a way I want to live.”

So there are jobs where the end will come and I’ll feel a sense of relief. Not with "Just in Time." I love it so much. I can’t even think about leaving right now; I’m dangerously into it. My friend came to see the show last night and he was like, “Jonathan, I just have this feeling you’re so happy up there, that whenever you leave this, there’s going to be some postpartum.”

I thought that was going to happen with “Merrily” and it didn’t, because we had a real, complete experience. So maybe when I get to the end of this, it’ll feel like a complete experience and I’ll be ready to let go. But right now, I’m Gollum.

[bluwavez]

WAIT FOR IT: KIM DOWON IS THE FIRST K-POP IDOL TO TAKE ON BROADWAY WITH HAMILTON.

He Wants To Be In The Room Where It Happens. The Kpop Star's Second Debut Of 2016.

When Kim Dowon ranked 7th in The New Wave, his fans deemed it a miracle. While they never doubted his talents, they knew the judges didn't favor him for his age or appearance. Kim, turning twenty-one during the show's run, had been training for five years while focusing on singing, rapping, and dancing; he had begun developing a passion for musical theatre, learning the choreography to Newsies to impress the panel of judges during his trainee evaluations.

Growing up in lower-class New York City, Dowon, English name Dylan, would often sneak into numerous Broadway shows with his friends. "I still feel this way, but I always felt the ticket prices were way too high. I wanted to see Westside Story so bad, and my friend was like, "Why don't we just sneak in?" So that's exactly what we did." Ever since then, Kim's love for musicals has only grown.

When Dowon moved to Korea at age 15 to start his K-pop training, he got to do something he never thought he would ever get to do: Take an acting class. "My mom didn't make a lot of money, and the school I went to didn't have a good arts program. So, I really felt like the closest thing I could get to acting was either sneaking into shows or watching movies. When they told me I could take acting classes as a part of my training, I was like, "Really?!" my eyes got big, and I couldn't stop smiling. It was really exciting for me." Dowon would share during an interview with Cosmopolitan.

After DeepDive's lackluster debut, Dowon would be reached out to by none other than Alexander Hamilton himself — Well, his actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda. "I still have no idea how he got my email. Not my manager's, not my company's, no, my personal Gmail account," Dowon says, "He said he saw the video of me doing an In The Heights cover and wanted me to audition for a musical he was working on. I sent him back something like, "You know I'm in South Korea right now, right?" and he went, "It's nothing we can't work out. Send in an audition tape." and I mean...The rest is history."

Lin-Manuel Miranda would confess that he had watched every performance of Dowon on YouTube. "I don't know if it was his charming good looks or his crazy vocal ability, but I knew this was the guy I needed for Aaron Burr."

Kim Dowon, listed as Dylan Kim on Hamilton's Playbill, would be cast as Aaron Burr two weeks later and head off to New York to prepare for his Broadway debut.

Hamilton premiered on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in previews on July 13, 2016, and opened on August 6, 2016. 

Despite Dowon being the first and only K-pop idol to have a successful Broadway debut, his company was rather silent about it. They announced he would be joining the Hamilton cast and taking a hiatus from the group until the show's run ended, ending their comments on Dowon's Broadway debut despite his achievements during his time in New York. Dowon would open a personal Instagram account a week after the show's massively successful opening, making him the first member of DeepDive to do so. Still, it's not like the people following him knew him for his K-pop group — Oh no, that was Aaron Burr to them.

One of his achievements during his time in Hamilton was winning the 2017 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. He was the first and only artist under Angelico to win a Tony award. However, you wouldn't know this because his company did not acknowledge the achievement. During his acceptance speech, which he did in both English and Korean, he thanked his brothers Jisung, Noah, Woobin, Kiwoo, Woojin, and Finn for remaining by his side during this journey and the entire cast of Hamilton for taking him in during this time of his life.

Dowon gave his last performance in Hamilton on July 9, 2017. Tearfully, he told the crowd he wasn't sure when he would return to the stage, but he hoped they wouldn't forget him or the rest of the cast, whom he addressed as his family.

Dowon would return to Korea and DeepDive on August 17th, 2017. He has not performed in a musical since.

[cevans-is-classic]

18+ only, please. Language, sexual themes, beefy Bucky

Masterlist

Sebastian Stan

@sergeantbarnessdoll (sorry it's short, dear, but I hope you enjoy it!)

He texted hours ago hoping you’d be home when he got in. All he could think about was curling up on your couch, cuddling down with some movies and some snacks before taking a very extended nap. Maybe some other fun stuff, too. 

Nap first though, he needed some sleep, possibly food before that happened. 

He smiles when your car comes into view, his driver dropping him off beside it. Every step closer makes his stomach warm with being home, being with you. 

“Hey baby,” He calls out when he swings the door open, “I’m putting my stuff in the bedroom real quick.” The TV is on, the mumble of voices growing faint as he drops his suitcase off. He hears you laugh, a sharp bark, and he grins before slipping into a pair of sweats and making his way toward the living room. 

He hears the music first and pauses in the doorway — it takes a moment to recognize what you’re watching. When the scene shifts and he sees RDJ he laughs — startling you. 

“Dude,” You look back at him, “Oh, Hello.” 

Seb wiggles his fingers. “Hello to you as well.” 

You flush, fidgeting, “Welcome home.” 

He moves through the living room, sitting on the couch behind you. You shimmy until you’re between his legs and he can drop a kiss on your head, “Mind if I ask why you’re watching Civil War?” 

“Yara and I played a drinking game last night for how many times Steve and Tony say each other’s names. We started with Avengers Assemble but made our way to the movies. I got kind of hooked again and had to keep watching them.” Your eyes never stray from the movie, even as your hand reaches back to grab his.

“Right here.” You point at the screen, “They forgot to put your arm on, or CGI it, whatever, but you can see your real arm and lemme tell you -” You lean forward, “Beefy Bucky is the best.” 

“Beefy Bucky?” He squeezes your hand. 

“Yes.” 

Sebastian watches the screen, eyes following Iron Man as he fights against the Winter Soldier. He remembers the choreography of this scene, how many takes it took, and when he’d switched out with his stunt double. 

He follows Chris chasing after him and watches Bucky try to fly the helicopter away.

“Yeah, I got beefy for this movie,” He pauses. “I felt like I had to size up to the others, which thinking about it now, makes no sense. The only one who I was up against, in my mind, was Chris.” 

“Cap is an asshole.” He knows you have a little frown. “Poor Bucky, though.” 

He laughs, “Yeah poor Bucky.” Both of you keep watching the movie playing on and he has to admit it’s been a while since he’s seen it. Everyone did an amazing job and watching Chadwick- it squeezes his heart. 

“Oh! Oh!” You jump forward, “You missed it, ugh. The fucking motorcycle scene. Baby, babe, he literally throws someone off the bike, but my god it’s gorgeous. Bucky is gorgeous.” 

“First off,” He pokes your shoulder, “That’s my stunt double you’re calling gorgeous. Second, you know I play Bucky, right? Me? The man who is currently sitting behind you?” 

“Yes,” You look back at him, “and you’re hot while doing it.” 

He grins at you, raising a brow when you turn around to face him, “You know, when I first saw this movie I was super drunk and told my partner at the time I was going to suck your soul through your dick.” 

Seb jerks a moment, his stomach tightening. “Yeah?”

“Never fucking thought I’d get the chance though, one in a million shot, right?” He didn’t notice you pausing the movie until the music stopped. 

Your hands trail up his legs as you rise to your feet. “You said you read some comics, right?” 

He grabs your hips, sliding his hands up your back as you settle in his lap, “Some. Why?”  

Your fingers trace the collar of his shirt. “You’re too tall.” 

Seb blinks, “What?” 

“Bucky is only five foot nine in the comics, I think? I’ll have to check.” Seb shakes his head, your fingers touching the edge of his jaw. “I think you make a great Bucky, though. Really brings him to life.” 

He squeezes your waist, digging his fingers in until you squirm in his lap. “You’re welcome.” 

That earns him a wicked smile, your tongue coming out to wet your lips. He follows the path, thinking about the feels of your lips against his and how warm your mouth would be around him. He leans forward to kiss your chin, then your cheek, over to your lips.  

You pause for a breath, “On a scale of one to ten how cool are you with me shouting Bucky while you fuck me?” 

Seb hums, brushing his lips over yours. “Let’s find out.”

[rwrbmovie]

RE: intimacy & the intimate scenes

Quotes from interviews on #RWRBMovie about the intimate scenes and the intimacy between Alex and Henry

This post will be updated as content is released

Click here for the other roundups

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Last updated: August 9

From Glamour

Red, White & Royal Blue, the book, is—I'm not sure how to put this any other way—famously horny. For the movie adaptation, intimacy coordinator Robbie Taylor Hunt was enlisted to ensure that physical intimacy between Henry and Alex was told in the best and safest way possible. “He was incredible,” Zakhar Perez says of working with Taylor Hunt. “In London there are these brand of mints called Smints, and we called him the Smint Lord because we would always come up to him and ask for a mint or Listerine strip. I didn't want my breath to be offensive to Nick as soon as we get on set and have to be intimate with each other…” He continues, "A great thing about having rehearsals is that we'd have an hour a day set aside to be with Robbie. It was just like a dance. I grew up in theatre, and Nick's done musicals. We're both very musical people. So Robbie found it easiest to talk to us in musical terms—there's a musicality to intimacy. There'd be lots of counting. Like, ‘1, 2, 3, 4, grab. 2, 3, 4, squeeze.’ That's what was going through my mind as we did it, to get it in your body. Once your body remembers it, you can let it go. The muscle memory is so strong. Then it's just about getting your mind in the game.” Adds Galitzine, “It's a very vulnerable and trusting space. Taylor and I had to rely on each other because we really wanted to tell that story honestly and feel that we weren't hindered by any of our own boundaries that we were setting up. It becomes a sort of wonderful choreography that all serves to facilitate these two young men who fell in love with each other. Robbie was really helpful in educating me in the physical language of the character.”

From GQ

As our tea gets cold and our time draws to a close, we quickly touch on what it was like to film Red, White & Royal Blue’s more intimate scenes. To fight the awkwardness of being surrounded by the film crew, Zakhar Perez and Galitzine would whisper jokes and try to make the other one crack up. “There’s a playful teasing that never veered into anything nasty, which was a lovely dynamic to be a part of,” says Robbie Taylor Hunt, the film’s intimacy coordinator. “But also they just treated each other like colleagues and co-creatives in a really nice, collaborative way.” “There’s so much choreography to sex…ual scenes,” Zakhar Perez says, laughing, recounting the sheer amount of time and energy (and the occasional blow-up mattress) that went into rehearsals. “It’s a crazy thing to be intimate in that way with your friend,” says Galitzine. “And we want people to fall in love with these characters, because their love has to be real.” “Our guards were down during the rehearsals,” Zakhar Perez adds. But as soon as someone would yell “Cut”? “One of us would say something stupid, like, Get off me!” 

From People

When Red, White & Royal Blue got labeled with an R rating from the Motion Picture Association, López admits he was surprised by the stamp. The MPA cited "some sexual content, partial nudity and language" in its rating. "I think I was a little surprised at the R rating just because, while I never was encouraged to limit what we were showing or limit what I was depicting, the scene is what I intended to show. It plays exactly how I wanted it to play," López says of a sex scene between the two leads. The Tony winner explains that he had free rein to include whatever he felt necessary onscreen while depicting the love story: "It's the movie I set out to make." He adds, "I essentially decided to hedge my bets, in that I wouldn't step a toe over the line of PG-13 into R when it came to language, when it came to— there's no violence in the story, of course. But I would just do what I felt was right for the story when it came to the sexuality of the film and let the chips fall where they may."

From Out Smart Magazine

The director explains that giving the film’s sex scenes the royal treatment was an important factor for him. “One of the things in the novel that I knew needed to be in the film was the fundamental truth that these two people have really good sex with each other, they are very attracted to each other, and they find ways of expressing it physically. I inherently knew that there were a multitude of ways that we were going to express intimacy in this movie and that we were tracking the progression of their closeness. They sort of meet-cute and not only go from being enemies to lovers, but one of them is not fully aware of the extent to which he’s into guys before they meet. I thought a lot about the intimacy themes in the movie as a way of bringing them incrementally closer and closer together. “By the time we got to the real lovemaking scene in the movie, I knew that I wanted to create something that was beautiful, loving, and tender. It’s not about maximizing an opportunity to get as much sex in the movie as possible. It’s about maximizing what I’ve got in order to tell the story effectively and honestly, in a way that the people for whom the movie is being made understand that it is being made for them.”

From Hindustan Times

Red White And Royal Blue also features a sex scene that was so empowering in terms of how it chooses to focus not on the body but on the gradual understanding between what two people in love want from each other. Did you always have a specific direction in how you wanted the scene to be shot? My answer to your question is your question! That is precisely how I wanted to shoot it. It is undeniable that these are two beautiful men but what was more important to me was this be a scene of true intimacy between these two characters. I always knew I wanted to shoot those scenes primarily on their faces. I knew that what we would read in their eyes and their faces was much more powerful a storytelling tool than what I could have shown in a wider shot using their bodies, and it allowed them to thoroughly act that scene rather than simply perform that scene. I love that question because the way you phrased that question is exactly the way we talked about the scene- as we planned it with my intimacy coordinator, and as Taylor, Nick and I rehearsed it. Yeah, so you could just your question and turn it into my answer, because that's precisely it.

From TV & Satellite Week

The two leads were equally keen to make their characters’ relationship evolve believably. ‘Nick and I felt a responsibility to bring to life these sexual moments that are in the book in a real, grounded way,’ says Zakhar Perez. ‘The intimate scenes were choreographed and specific when it came to whether it was a moment of passion, or a tender experience. In a relationship you go through different stages, and we got to explore those throughout the film.’

From PinkNews

“I don’t think you can tell the story of Alex and Henry without talking about their very enjoyable sex life,” he says. However, the sex isn't just thrown in for the sake of it, each has a purpose and nuance. López likes to think of the scenes as songs in a musical. "It needs to progress the story, it needs to progress your understanding of the character. If it doesn't, then it doesn't belong," he explains. The two lead stars worked with an intimacy co-ordinator to ensure the scenes were done carefully and safely, but were also realistic. “We need to actually believe that Alex and Henry have really great, connected sex,” López says. “That, as a queer man, was really important to me to convey.”

From Observer

Hollywood has a tendency to shy away from gay sex onscreen. But this movie goes all in. Did you get any pushback about that?�� ML: When I was pitching myself for the job, this was part of my pitch. Basically, “If you hire me, you’re getting this.” I let it be known from the get-go that this was going to be in the film. And, of course, there were negotiations throughout the process of what exactly it would be. But I was adamant from the start that this film honor what’s in the book, which is that these two characters have a very healthy sex life. They are very, very into each other, they have great sex, and a lot of it. So that was important to me.  It was really important to me as well in a mainstream love story. We talked about this as a rom-com and there other times we talked about it as a love story. As a love story, it was really important to me that the audience understand that these two young men are deeply connected—emotionally, intellectually and physically. Their physical connection is a huge part of what binds them. It would have been absolutely the decision I would make if it was a man and a woman. So I was going apply the same storytelling and requirements on my queer film that I think anybody would on a on a heterosexual film. I will say Amazon didn’t give me a hard time on these scenes. I got support. I got notes, of course. But that’s what happens when you don’t have final cut. There was a lot of support for this story being told as we all knew it needed to be told.

From MetroSource

Our sex is beautiful. The way we have sex is beautiful. Our intimacy is beautiful. Consensual sex between two humans is a beautiful thing, and it’s one of the wonderful things about being alive. The book is very steamy, very sexual, and I really love that about the book. I knew that I’d be committing heresy if I didn’t bring that into the film. A sex scene in a movie is like a song in a musical. It really does need to either charm you or teach you something about the characters and move the plot along. The other thing, too, is that you’re asking two performers to do something that is really vulnerable, and you don’t ever want to ask too much of them, and you don’t ever want to make anybody feel uncomfortable or forced into doing something. We were conscientious about how we approached each one of these scenes. I spent a lot of time with my intimacy coordinator mapping them out. We really paid particular attention to what story are we telling with each and every one of these intimacy scenes so that we could turn around and speak to Taylor and Nick and explain to them exactly why we were asking them to do what we were asking them to do. Beyond just sort of the mechanics of the filmmaking, to tell the story of Alex and Henry and not include the fact that they are very passionately, physically attracted to one another, is to not tell the full story of Alex and Henry.

From Windy City Times

Robbie Taylor Hunt was the intimacy coordinator on the film. How important was that for this film? ML: It was essential. I think that if someone doesn't like working with intimacy coordinators, then they are missing the point. Robbie was an important partner in creating this. In essence, it was a way of protecting the actors and making them not just feel, but be, safe. It is no different than working with my director of photography or my costume designer. We use stunt coordinators with stunts, so in the same way, I wanted to use an intimacy coordinator. Robbie helped me articulate what I wanted to show and execute it. He was invaluable to me.

[overlookmax]

i know no one will see this but here are my thoughts about sweeney todd on broadway

(side note: this was my first time seeing the show fully. i knew the story and characters but i had never seen it all the way through)

1. the stage, i was seated on the right orchestra and i could see perfectly. in photos it doesn’t look that way but the stage is really close to the audience. i would recommend sitting in orchestra. the front mezzanine also looked like a good view, i wouldn’t be able to say if it was though.

2. the set was very simplistic which i think fully works for this production. this show focuses a lot on lighting which was so mesmerizing. (theres a reason they won that tony) i’m not an expert on broadway sets and such so i don’t have a lot to say but every set piece is very expertly made and executed.

3. every actor and actress fully embraced their role and did the absolute most with it in the best way possible. the cast really seems like they have fun with their roles. when i was there their was an understudy for the begger woman, mia pinero, and she was absolutely fantastic.

4. the music is incredible. i don’t think i have to convince anyone that anything that stephen sondheim has composed is amazing. most of the songs don’t have big choreography or sets or props or whatever because the actors and actresses are so captivating on their own. it takes so much talent to be able to entertain an audience just on your own and this company just absolutely blows it out of the park. every song was perfectly executed and played out. i’ll talk about my favorite performances by josh groban, annaleigh ashford, gaten matarazzo, daniel yearwood, and more in their own paragraphs.

5.josh groban as sweeney todd- i’ve seen many people say that josh isn’t a good actor/ he doesn’t much emotion when he sings and fully completely 100% DISAGREE. josh is incredible and soo captivating. he’s was a little more animated at times then i was expecting but that doesn’t bother me at all. i truly believe that he was born to play this role. he’s very intimidating as the character (best way i can describe it) in a way i’ve never seen. i always get worried i won’t like the singing in live musicals cause it won’t sound like the soundtrack but josh’s voice is incredible. i love his baritone it’s so unsettling yet soothing which i have no idea is possible. his voice is just so nice to listen to. the way they staged the song epiphany was not how i was expecting but i still absolutely loved it. it didn’t big bold action or lighting or whatever cause josh groban is enough to make the scene just so incredible. i loved his chemistry with annaleigh ashford, they were (despite the murder and cannibalism) so adorable together.

6. annaleigh ashford as mrs. lovett- was her accent cockney? no. was she hard to understand at times? yes. did i mind? absolutely not. they were literal 30 second laugh breaks and chears whenever she was on stage. i honestly can’t even describe how amazing and funny she was. she IS the sondheim it girl. i think she was also born to play this role. she is so ridiculously funny. easily the best performance of the show. with the song by the sea it was literally just them sitting on chairs on stage and yet it was probably one of the best performances. again, the chemistry they have. it takes a lot of talent to make two murderers cute and somehow they do it effortlessly. again again again, annaleigh ashford is incredible.

7. gaten matarazzo as tobias ragg- i get that this so very much stunt casting but gaten is truly great. he’s an incredible actor and singer and you can tell he really loves performing on stage. the relationship between lovatt and toby is so adorable and annaleigh and gaten really make it. gaten really embraces this role and again does the most with it. the ending i was not expecting and gaten really makes it so unsettling and sad.

8. daniel yearwood as anthony- as you know jordan fisher did leave the production sadly but daniel is amazing. i know i’m just repeating the same thing for each person but truly he is great. he’s an amazing singer and really captures the emotion in each scene.

9. maria bilbao as johanna- again just incredible. her singing was mesmerizing and beautiful. i though she was great. i wouldn’t say that she does anything mind blowing but that’s not a bad thing! i loved her i’m just trying not to repeat the same mantra for each character/ actor

10. mia pinero as begger woman- like i said she was an understudy. i think this was her first time performing this role but she was great. she was also very very sweet! i saw her at stagedoor and she talked to a lot of people but she was just so nice and i loved her so much.

11. i’ll condense this and just say that all the actors/actresses were incredible. i wouldn’t say that any person in the company wasn’t good or wasn’t as good as everyone else. the ensemble was just as captivating and mesmerizing as the main characters. at no point in the show was i ever bored.

12. stage door- i was standing directly in front of the stage door behind a few people. only three people came out- josh groban, mia pinero, and jamie jackson (judge turpin) all were very nice and i got all their signatures! for josh and jamie a very nice woman held up my playbill for them to sign and i was able to give mia the playbill myself and told her how incredible she was! i was next to three girls, two were in their twenties and one i assumed was in her thirties since she mentioned having a son. they were all very nice and i talked with them throughout the stagedoor. however behind was a young boy who would not shut up about gaten lol. i’m not trying to complain about him since he obviously didn’t know stage door etiquette but he kept holding his phone above my head and he got really mad at my sister for trying to stand next to me. he was really annoying and everyone around seemed to agree. besides that all the people at the stage door were very very nice and i’m very grateful cause this was also my first stage door

Overall! this show was incredible and i wish i could just sit and watch it over and over again. i’m very glad and lucky i was able to go. i would absolutely recommend any go if they can. being in times square is kinda annoying but the experience is worth it. that’s all! thanks to anyone who read this lol.

[palettepainter]

Did Zephyr and Johnny ever date or was it just a one sided crush sorta situation?? 

Zephyr and Johnny never dated, but I have been thinking about what-if scenarios for if they DID date, ultimately though Zephyr and Clifford click better

Before working on Muppets Tonight Zephyr did singing in local inns and bars - her father was a jazz musician who often frequented those types of establishments to play music, and as Zephyr got older and more confident she'd start singing with them.

I imagine Johnny has been in show business longer than Zephyr has, so before she worked on Muppets Tonight she had a big of an idol/celebrity crush on him, purely harmless.

When she got hired to work on the show she started off largely as just a backup performer, often helping Johnny prep for his songs or helping with choreography for other skits. In that time her crush on Johnny still remained, with how (in my hc, platonically) affectionate Johnny can be with Sal - giving him nicknames, giving him a hug at the end of the Tony Bennett episode - I can see Johnny warming up to her and giving Zephyr the same sort of treatment

And Zephyr, new and marvelled at the world of show bizz, is endlessly flattered by it. But once she starts getting into the rhythm of things, and works with Johnny long enough, her crush fizzles out and the two remain platonic, if occasionally playful, coworkers

I'm not sure if Johnny would have had a crush on Zephyr at any point. Since he always calls people babe/baby (we love a bisexual king) I doubt Zephyr would have been able to tell, at best Johnny would have thought of Zephyr as attractive but again, not sure if he would have developed actual feelings for her before she eventually started dating Clifford

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay-adjacent Visuals: Monster Mash

Geoff Castellucci's cover of Monster Mash was uploaded on the 9th of October, 2021, being of course his Halloween upload for the year.

Honestly I don't really have any thoughts or background info to say at the start here (well I do have stuff to say, but stuff to include as part of my actual video notes/commentary), so without further ado, let's go!

Cool set design! (Shoutout to Layne, Tony, and the rest of PattyCake productions!)

Who's that I spy in the left-hand corner of the screen? 😉

I've watched like 4 or 5 different reaction videos for this video, and of those, only one reactor actually spotted Kathy right at the start of the video (though to be fair, he had the advantage of having the video paused right at the start during his intro, so he had a chance to have a full look at the scene/image). And I'm not calling anyone out here - I also had no clue Kathy was there on my first watch until the end 😂😅

Here's what Geoff said in the description of the video: "I also want to send out a huge thanks to Rick Underwood. This video had to be re-filmed due to several issues with the original footage. Rick did some incredible makeup for the first shoot, but sadly our schedules did not align for the reshoot and we weren’t able to feature his amazing work. Kathy stepped in and tried her very best to make me look like the living dead. I was already exhausted so it didn’t take much." [pfft]

Kathy is also credited with costuming for this video, and did an amazing job! (I will say more about the Backup Geoffs myself, but let's get some more screencaps first!)

Geoff is not just fantastic at doing outrageous/silly/absurd comedic stuff (albeit on the uncommon occasion), he's also great at the more subtle stuff, dry humour, etc, such as his Narrator character (Lead Geoff) in this video!

I really love how the movements progress during each chorus - starting out as four fixed poses in the first chorus, then adding a little bit of movement in the second, then really becoming more like "proper" choreography in the third. Also, the four poses represent different creatures/characters! This one is a zombie...

...then a werewolf/wolfman (like the second Geoff from the right)...

...then a vampire/Dracula (like the second Geoff from the left)...

...and this one I'm not quite sure. Maybe a mummy?

Also not entirely certain who/what Furthest-Right Geoff is meant to be, but I'm guessing Frankenstein's Monster (who, fun fact: Geoff played on and off for 10 years in a show at Universal Studios! (he last performed in the show in 2013))

And yes, we're back at it again with the contact lenses! Dracula/Vampire Geoff has completely clouded eyes, with no iris/pupil visible (how hard is it to see in those I wonder), Wolfman Geoff has the most normal eyes of the three backups/dancers, but he might still have a different eye colour? And Frankenstein's Monster Geoff (or FrankenGeoff, for short) has clouded eyes as well, but I think the actual eyeballs might be a little bit more visible there

Screencaps really don't do this justice. A particular highlight is Werewolf Geoff learning he has hips, and that he can use them! 😝😂

I have not a single damn clue what that tool thing actually is, but it looks cool, and so is the electricity effect here!

"The zombies were having... fun."

"The guests included Wolfman..." (followed immediately by Wolfman Geoff scratching at his ear 😁)

(Also is it just the lighting/angle or does Wolfman Geoff have painted/darkened nails?)

Not to spam you with screenshots (me? never 🤣) but somehow I never fully paid attention to what Wolfman Geoff and FrankenGeoff were doing when Narrator Geoff mentions Dracula 😆

Pay attention to Kathy in the background when the shot cuts back to Narrator Geoff when he hits a subharmonic on "[Dracula and his] son". She twitches! (Totally fair, I'd be doing a lot more than twitching if I was that close to him while he sung in subharmonics! (no not like that, brain out of the gutter please!))

"One two three four five" *CRACK*

Most reactors while watching this: eugh that was creepy!/I didn't like that! 😬😅

Me watching this, even on my first watch: yeah okay sure

Dance solo! But try paying attention to Narrator Geoff during this bit...

He's not only conducting the song, he also seems to be controlling at least some of the Backup Geoffs' movements!

If I recall correctly the comments I read about it, apparently Geoff did the choreography (assisted by Matthew Buckner, aka "Bucky") to a slowed-down version of his cover, so that when the moves were sped back up to normal speed in post-production, it gave it the sort of "not-quite-natural", almost "jumpy" look that you see from the movements in the video (and to think that he would've had to be lip-syncing to the slowed down cover version as well! How weird!)

(Also I'd just like you to know that while writing that previous sentence, I literally started typing "they", in regards to the "Backup Geoffs", as if they were in fact individual people... 😅😂)

"Vhatever happened to my Transylvania Tvist?"

(Also contact lens closeup! Not as cloudy as I thought, but still pretty light in colour)

"When you get to my door, tell them-" *BLOODCURDLING SCREAM*

(Hi Kathy! :D (she's wearing contact lenses as well!))

"Let's dance my darling. Shall we?" (*swoon*)

(Also shoutout to Kathy on the acting job of "extremely dazed and confused", absolutely nailed it!)

(And yes, FrankenGeoff was flossing! 😂)

Even though this had to re-filmed a few times, this still looked like Geoff had a lot of fun with it, and I often can't help but dance along with the Backup Geoffs!

Monster Mash is a pretty damn iconic Halloween song, but Geoff took it and made it distinctly his own, and it WORKED (like always, when it comes to Geoff! 😁). He always makes amazing arrangements, and for Halloween especially he really seems to go above and beyond, for both song and video!

Got a good handful of Geoff covers left for analysis posts, so stay tuned!

[4rainynite]

Sweeney Todd on Broadway

During my birthday trip to New York, I was lucky to see not one, but two Broadway shows! My second one was Sweeney Todd! 

Words could not describe how excited I was to see this show. When I first found out it was coming back to Broadway and watching it on 2023 Tony Awards I was like: I have to see this show!

The opening was hauntingly beautiful! The choreography during ' The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd' was a mixture of the cast scurrying and cowering like rats trying to flee from an unknown evil and rocking back and forth like on a boat. Their voices giving hints of something wicked was upon the play of the Demon of Fleet Stret. And when Josh appeared on stage the audience (including myself) cheered so loudly we didn't even hear him sing his part, so we all shut up so we could hear his beautiful voice.

We all died laughing during 'The Worst Pies in London', ' A Little Priest' & 'By the Sea'. Annaleigh was a delight from her pie making (which would cause a health inspector to burn the pie shop down) Homer Simpson run, and seagull sounds she gave Mrs. Lovett the perfect blend of humor and humor and Lady Macbeth. Josh as Sweeney Todd was just so -AAAHHH! He played his role aa dark and troubled character so well. Sweeney was an innocent man who lost everything only to return and it's all destroyed because of someone else's envy for his lifestyle. Now, he's back and he wants revenge and dragging everyone to heck with him! Gaten, who is famous for his role in Stranger Things played on Tobias's loyalty to Mrs. Lovett's very well. I almost cried during 'Not While I'm Around' that's how good he was! Jeanna was an impressive Begger Woman, who knew Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett were up to some mischief. Daniel and Maria portrayal as the lovebirds Anthony and Johanna in a cruel world was both sweet and yet you feared for their safety. Jamie and John as Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford did a good job of making the audience love to hate them, I couldn't wait for Sweeney to slash them and for Mrs. Lovett to turn them into pies only to be feed to rats for starting the whole chain of events.

One of the best scenes in the musical is when Sweeney slashes his victims with the fake blood coming out and then slide down into the basement - it looked like fun (the slide part, not the slash throat part) and the effect used when Mrs. Lovett opening the oven and how it looked like she was opening the gates of heck - props to whoever came up with that idea and special effects.

I really enjoyed the show from beginning to end. I really hope the next time I go to New York I'll get to see it again!

After, the show I waited by the stage door, hoping to get Josh, Annaleigh, Gaten, Daniel, Maria, and etc. autographs. As soon as Josh & Annaleigh came out the floodgates opened! Fans screamed, shouted, and cried for the two leads. I was so close to them yet so far away. Sadly, I didn't get to them in time. And strangely I was okay with it; I was spending my birthday month in New York the place I always wanted to go, saw two Broadway shows in one day, and my fam came with me. I had a good time!

Until, my godmother came up and told me she got their autographs for me (best auntie ever)!

Like I said before: I was spending my birthday month in New York the place I always wanted to go, saw two Broadway shows in one day, and my fam came with me. I had a good time!

[usagoodnews]

The Expendables 4: The Movie Is Coming With Brave Heroes

Summary

If you are fond of action films then get ready, we are going to tell you about a movie which is full of action. The name of the fourth sequel of the Expendables franchise is Expendables 4. You must have seen all its sequels till now. Let’s talk about this movie, and how the team of action heroes once again come together to save the world from bad guys.

Expendables 4 trailer

Expendables 4 cast

People who are dangerous to the world are part of this group. Every member in this group has his own distinct identity and danger. Let us talk about the brave and fearless people of this group who risk their lives to save people and these people are called when this work is not available to anyone else who has experience in this work.

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone, born in 1946, is an iconic actor, writer, and director. Rising from humble beginnings, he wrote and starred in “Rocky” (1976), launching his career to superstardom. Stallone’s portrayal of characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo made him a symbol of determination and resilience in Hollywood. Beyond acting, he directed and continued to inspire generations with his unwavering commitment to his craft.

Jason Statham

Jason Statham, whose name is Lee Christmas in this movie, is a knife expert and no one can escape his attack. Jason Statham, born in 1967, is a renowned English actor and former competitive diver. He’s best known for his roles in action-packed films like “Transporter” and “Crank” series, where his martial arts skills and charismatic presence shine. Statham’s tough-guy image and remarkable stunt work have made him a beloved figure in action cinema.

He has gushed about how much he loves The Expendables. “Working with Sylvester Stallone is beyond a pinch yourself moment,” he added of his co-star. I grew up watching his movies, and any man who enjoys action movies would never turn down the opportunity to be directed by him, to appear in one of his films, and to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Sly. It’s fantastic. I’ll perform as many as he requests.

Read Also:- What position did Meg 2 Trench movie rank?

Megan Fox

Megan Fox, whose name is Gina in the film, is a CIA agent and also plays Lee Christmas’s girlfriend.

Megan Fox, born in 1986, is an American actress and model. She gained fame with her role in the “Transformers” franchise, known for her striking beauty and charisma. Beyond her blockbuster appearances, Fox has showcased her acting prowess in films like “Jennifer’s Body.” With a career spanning both mainstream and independent cinema, she’s celebrated for her sultry appeal and acting versatility.

Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren, whose name is Gunner Jensen in the film.

Dolph Lundgren, born in 1957, is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He’s famous for his imposing presence and roles in action films like “Rocky IV” as Ivan Drago and “Universal Soldier” as Andrew Scott. Lundgren’s academic background in engineering adds an intellectual dimension to his tough-guy image. His enduring career, physical prowess, and on-screen intensity have made him an enduring figure in action cinema.

Tony Jaa

Tony Jaa whose name is Decha in the film.

Tony Jaa, born in 1976, is a Thai martial artist and actor renowned for his exceptional skills in Muay Thai and martial arts. He gained international recognition for his roles in films like “Ong-Bak” and “The Protector,” where he performed breathtaking stunts and intricate fight choreography. Jaa’s dedication to traditional martial arts and his ability to execute complex action sequences have made him a prominent figure in the world of action cinema, inspiring martial arts enthusiasts worldwide.

Expendables 4 release date

This movie has been premiered in China on 15th September and its release date is different in every country. It will be released in the USA on 22nd September.

(***) The release dates of the movie in some countries are as follows:

ChinaSeptember 15, 2023

Philippines September- 20, 2023

United Arab Emirates- September 21, 2023

Brazil -September 21, 2023

Germany- September 21, 2023

Hong Kong- September 21, 2023

Israel- September 21, 2023

Italy- September 21, 2023

Kuwait- September 21, 2023

Portugal- September 21, 2023

Russia- September 21, 2023

Canada- September 22, 2023

Turkey- September 22, 2023

United States- September 22, 2023

Spain- September 29, 2023

Australia- October 5, 2023

France- October 11, 2023

Japan- January 12, 2024

Questions & Answers Related to The Expendables 4 Movie

Q.1- Who is the villain of The Expendables 4 movie?

Ans:- The villain of this film is Iko Uwais who is a martial artist.

Q.2- where to watch the Expendables 4?

Ans:- You can watch it in theaters as per the release date of your country.

Q.3- when is Expendables 4 going to be released?

Ans:- This movie has been premiered in China on 15th September and its release date is different in every country. It will be released in the USA on 22nd September.

[dwtsfun]

Dancing with the Stars Season 5 Week 7: Rewatch

So after an extended break, I'm back! And we haven't got a moment to spare, so let's get this started. Everyone is doing two individual dances this week, so this is when things start to get real.

Ballroom Round

Helio and Julianne- Tango (Judges' Score=25, My Score=8)- I have to say that I thought this dance was very awkward. Helio's hold was a bit strange and his head position was a little weird. His feet weren't good and it wasn't as sharp as it could have been. It wasn't bad, but there were many technical issues.

Marie and Jonathan- Quickstep (Judges' Score=28, My Score=9)- So I saw some mistakes, but this was Marie's dance, okay! Jonathan choreographed a number that showed Marie off in the best light possible. I would've liked for her to tuck her butt under, but to me, this was her best dance by far.

Mel and Maks- Foxtrot (Judges' Score=24, My Score=9)- A lot of the mistakes that we are seeing this week is due to there being two dances for the couples to learn. It was a good dance. The feet weren't up to par and there were some bobbles throughout (probably a result of them not being completely in sync like CAI said).

Jane and Tony- Quickstep (Judges' Score=24, My Score=7)- Well. Um. It wasn't bad. But it was just super lackluster for me. Her posture was good. But there was no body contact and like everyone else, there were mistakes. I actually agree with CAI about there not being a lot of technical issues with Jane though. She just wasn't exciting at all, and that's what's needed at this point.

Jennie and Derek- Viennese Waltz (Judges' Score=25, My Score=9)- Before I say anything about this dance, I wanna draw attention to how close this cast was with one another. The cheetah (fake) tattoos that they all got for Sabrina was cute and showed so much of what the show is missing right about now. I said it in the last post, but the camaraderie was such a major part of this show. As for the dance, I think it was one of the best dances so far. I didn't feel like the two dances affected Jennie as much as it did everyone else. Her carriage wasn't as strong as it needed to be, especially in hold. But her arms were gorgeous and it was an extremely fluid dance. I just need her to get that strength through her core and everything will be top notch.

Cameron and Edyta- Quickstep (Judges' Score=24, My Score=8)- Oh no. I could tell that this was going to be a really great. Cameron came out with amazing energy. I do think that he lost a little control and he also forgot a good bit of the choreo. It sucks because it had the potential to be the best of round 1. I do agree with Len about some of the choreography choices, especially that last random and unnecessary backbend.

Latin Round

Helio and Julianne- Samba (Judges' Score=27, My Score=9)- This was much better than round 1. Helio was definitely more at ease. There were still a few moments of hesitancy and a couple of mistakes. But, it was a great dance and so much fun to watch.

Marie and Jonathan- Cha-cha (Judges' Score=24, My Score=8)- I think Marie handled this night better than every other celeb. She didn't let the amount of dancing throw her off. She went out there and performed! I would've liked her legs to be crisper and there did need to be more content. But, Marie had a really really good night. And in my second watch of this season, I'm really growing to love this couple so much more. They are FUN!

Mel and Maks- Paso Doble (Judges' Score=30, My Score=10)- Yep. Perfection. I can't say anything else. This is still one of my absolute favorite dances of all time.

Jane and Tony- Cha-cha (Judges' Score=26, My Score=9)- I liked this dance much better. Technically speaking, it was very good. I do think she gave a more lively performance, but she needs to push it further and WOW everyone. So far, everything has been too safe. I do wonder if she had that in her, but I wish we had gotten a chance to see if she did have that final gear in her.

Jennie and Derek- Rumba (Judges' Score=28, My Score=9)- Jennie had a few moments where she hesitated right at the beginning, but this was a divine rumba. Her lines were beautiful and her core was so strong. And she performed it SO well. She was amazing. It was definitely her best dance to date.

Cameron and Edyta- Jive (Judges' Score=27, My Score=8)- Cameron came back and did much better in this round. What I'm most impressed with is his control of his legs during the kicks. Not only is Cameron tall, but like me, he has long legs. They were high and 100% under his control. That is HARD! Some of the transitions between moves could've been smoothed out. But this was a good dance.

My Rankings and Scores Out of 60:

1 Mel and Maks- 55 (25 for foxtrot, 30 for paso) 2 Jennie and Derek- 54 (26 for Viennese waltz, 28 for rumba) 3 Marie and Jonathan- 52 (28 for quickstep, 24 for cha-cha) 4 Helio and Julianne- 51 (24 for tango, 27 for samba) 5 Cameron and Edyta- 50 (24 for quickstep, 26 for jive) 6 Jane and Tony- 49 (23 for quickstep, 26 for cha-cha)

Before I get to the elimination (I don't believe there was a bottom 2 that was revealed this week), I want to say that everyone was much better in the second round (minus Marie but she was good in both rounds). To me, that speaks to the entire cast's talent as it seemed to be mostly nerves that got in their way. With that said, Jane was eliminated. I'm not shocked and it was the right decision. I still wish she got a chance to really go for it as it takes a little bit of pushing from the judges for Tony to push his partner past his own comfort level. That's it though. From this point on, two dances will definitely be more polished and I'm excited to see those. Let me know your thoughts and I will talk to you all soon! And by soon, I mean this week. I gotta catch back up with these posts lol.

[tenaciouspostfun]

Storiestheater review

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In what is one of the best shows I have seen this season, "A Sign of The Times" at The New World Stages is a rapid fire, feel great musical! Set in Centerville, Ohio, the year is 1965 and on this New Years Eve Matt has asked Cindy to marry him. She questions her life, her parents life and where marriage will take her.

The premise here is that change and courage invites Cindy (Chilina Kennedy) to New York City to pursue her career. She ends up living with a budding singer named Tanya, (Crystal Lucas-Perry) on 149th street. It is rough going for the first three months until she is serendipitous in landing a job at Paulson & Co, an advertising company in which she aspires to be a photographer.

What makes this musical so great is the many reasons that make a wonderful musical. The first is the acting: Chilina Kennedy puts in a performance for the ages! Her facial features and the" business" that she gives us reminds me of Mary Tyler Moore, particularly on the Mary Tyler Moore show... corky and spunky, she suffers no fools and is mentally strong. She is also a talented singer and had full command of the audience whenever she belted out a song. Her grace and charm were matched by her dance prowess.

Lucas- Perry too was as brilliant in her acting as well as her singing; sometimes pop, sometimes soulful, her songs came from the heart and resonated throughout the theater. The two actors fed off of each other brilliantly all performance, we believed that they were great friends because their timing was flawless.

Under the glam lighting (Ken Billington), the warm set design (Evan Adamson), the brilliant projection (Brad Peterson) and the deft choreography (JoAnn M. Hunter), the musical moves in tandem, like silk and Gabriel Barre's direction has the show in top form. Under Joseph Church, the arrangements, the choice of each and every song , the placement of the songs hit the show perfectly.

In the turbulent times that faced America, the show touches on the vast protests that were hitting our country at the time: the Vietnam War, racial tension and equality for women, however, the show thankfully only scratches at it and never makes it the main focus. Richard J. Robin, Lindsey Hope Pearlman and music director Britt Bonney keep the show lite and pure making the two plus hours joyful. Even before the start of the show we are treated to old commercials from that era as well as some of the shows that were on television at that time.

"A Sign of The Times" was well thought out, well created. From the casting to the costumes (Joanna Pan), everything works beautifully. Pan takes us back in time from the chiffon dresses, to the short skirts and go-go boots we get a sense and a feel of 1965. In the book we see what the thinking of the people was back then, what was acceptable and what was not in both mores and attitude. Ryan Silverman as Brian had the opinion that it is a man's world, woman were in the background and never given the credit for anything in the work place. How he conducted himself is quite different way than what would be accepted today in the business world.

In the songs and dance we see the many popular dance styles of the mid 60's. In "These Boots Are Made For Walkin" we get a dance that "Austin Powers" made popular with the hips swinging and the arms flailing. In "Call Me" we get a Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds "Singing In The Rain" type dance movement.

"A Sign of The Times" should not be missed! I cannot say enough good things about this brilliant musical; the attention to every song choice will have you singing the songs leaving the theater as I did.

Broadway Bob, www.vocal.com, Medium, www.nimbusmagazine.org, www.broadwayworld.com, www.triviscompany.com, Tony Awards, Broadway, Obie Awards, A Sign of The Times, Rock and Roll Man, Aladdin, The Lion King, Harry Potter, Neil Diamond, Tommy.

Words: 683

[marybeatriceofmodena]

You seem to know so much about phantom and its history in general and this is probably such a stupid question I’m sorry but why the fuck have they closed it on Broadway and the west end? No matter how much I think about it it makes no sense to me that it’s not bringing in enough money bc if people aren’t seeing what are they seeing????? Just close all of NY and London down at this point like ? And now I’m feeling like I should have seen it at least one more time since the news came out but the first time was so perfect I didn’t want to ruin it. But I’ve just been feeling like it’s a publicity ploy? They’re gonna say they’re taking it off then bring it back in 5 years shinier… but no one else seems to think so. Now I’m feeling like an idiot for not seeing it 5 times in a row even though it’s in my back yard.

Anyway. I’m sorry just had to get that out somewhere I’m sorry it was to you

Okay, so, right off the bat - the West End production is technically still running. It's not exactly like the original, but it's still there (and it has a VERY solid cast as of now so I would still absolutely recommend to go and see it if you ever have the opportunity. If you're scared of getting the restaged tour, it's really not that). There are a few differences with staging, the wigs are different from what they used to be, the orchestra has been reduced, some of the choreography is a bit different - but it's largely the same show.

What *did* happen in the West End was that like all productions, it closed during COVID, the cast and crew waited to be able to go back, and Cameron Mackintosh (aka the producer, aka Satan) invited all of them to a Zoom call, where they learned that they were all fired and that they'd be replaced by a new cast and crew. That included people who worked in the orchestra for nearly 30 years, Philip Griffiths who played Reyer since, like... forever, and I'm skipping a bunch. The reason why CamMack did that was to reopen with a smaller orchestra, a few reductions here and there, and obviously, with a younger cast and crew working around, salaries will be lesser on the basis of experience. And understandably, a lot of people didn't want to come back and go through the whole hiring/auditioning process all over again. Philip Griffiths for instance basically went: "Fuck it, I played the role for 30 years and I shouldn't have to audition for it" (and he's correct).

Obviously, COVID has been tough on the arts industry in general, and there are several shows on Broadway who closed as a result of it (the whole deal with The Music Man revival with Hugh Jackman was to make as much money as possible to recoup for losts, because anything that has Hugh Jackman in it or The Music Man itself has always sold very well on Broadway). Phantom was not one of those shows that was struggling, because it's kind of like Wicked, Chicago, Hamilton, or any Disney show in the sense that it will reliably make money no matter what. It's expensive to set up and stage as opposed to, say, Six, but it still very much made a profit.

Cameron Mackintosh didn't really give a reason as to why he was closing it (at least none that I'm aware of, or if there is, it's probably PR fluff), but if I had to make a guess, it's probably going to reopen in a few years, just like the West End production did, but with the reductions I've mentioned above, with a cheaper orcheatra, cheaper crew, etc. and you get a nice little opportunity to have it get nominated at the Tony Awards for Best Revival.

So yeah anyway eat the rich

[trashyspaceprxnce]

Tony Award Thoughts

Brandon Uranowitz coming out of the gate swinging and making me cry with the first speech

& Juliet performance was not giving. i actually like the show but that's my least favourite song it in and i thought it was a weird choice

(The most iconic song they could have done would have been I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman and make the Tony's feel bad for not nominating Justin David Sullivan)

Michael Arden best speech hands down. Obsessed with him what a well deserved win (after being robbed for best direction for spring awakening AND once on this island)

(ok tbh I thought he won for once on this island until i googled it rn??? I guess i got it confused with it winning best revival)

Sweeney, Some Like it Hot and Shucked had the best performances tbh, good vibes and actually showed what the show was about

was SO stressed about best leading actor and was hoping Josh Groban could get his revenge but J. Harrison Ghee rightfully won it!

(people who are still mad about the 2017 Tony's I am here for you)

Also Alex Newell deserved it after being robbed for once on this island as well

Obsessed that we had two non-binary performers win but maybe can we talk about how we should fix the gendered categories??? Especially w/ Justin not being nominated

Also can we talk about best score and choreography not being shown??? what's up with that

"it's good for Lea Michelle that she's presented a Tony that year where there's no script" - what I sent to my friend during the show

tbh i have barely heard of Kimberly Akimbo but maybe I'll check it out? The song they did seems fun

I cannot explain the amount of rage that filled my body when Funny Girl did their performance.... Lea Michelle I am out to get you. Beanie Feldstein if you need someone to fight for you, you can count on me

anyways time to go into hibernation for another year (jk im seeing the Hadestown tour in like two months)

[broadwaybohemians]

I wasn't gonna do any live blogging for the Tony Awards but here we go anyway.

Act 1 thoughts while I watch:

Yay Kimberly Akimbo for wining best scocre!

Leopoldstadt beat out Life of Pi for best costume!?!!! What?!?!! With those puppets in Life of Pi how did they lose?! Jeez

Some Like it Hot beat Camelot, &Juliet and KPOP for best costumes!? Really?!

My feed keeps skipping and it's annoying.

It's so weird to watch an awards show with no skits or stupid monologues or gimmicks. I kinda like that it's just handing out the awards and some clips? Still weird.

New York New York winning best set design! Awesome!!

Okay Life of Pi may have lost out on costumes but at least it won set design! Yeah!!

Lin Manuel Miranda!!! Hello sir!! Handing the Lifetime Achievement Award to John Kander. Interesting choice to do this award in the pre show though. I would have thought this deserves to be in the big event.

Some Like It Hot wins best choreography. As I haven't seen this show and have no idea what the choreography is like I have no opinion really. I was kinda hoping to see Sweeney or KPOP win best choreography thought. Bummer.

Sweeney Todd won best lighting!! WOOO!! SWEENEY WON SOMETHING! I'm so glad!!!

Julianne Hough has no idea what to do without a script and it's kinda funny

The Isabelle Stevenson Award going to Jerry Mitchell for Broadway Bares is making me cry. SO DESERVED!!!!!

Jerry Mitchell's speech. Yup definitely crying now.

Sweeney for best sound design! WOO! I'd have been happy with any of them winning

Joel Grey getting the Lifetime Achievement Award is so wonderful! I love him! And he started his speech with Wilkomen, Bienvienu, Welcome!!

HELL YEAH APPLAUD FOR HIS MENTION OF CLEVELAND PLAYHOUSE!! WOOOOO!! I certainly clapped!!! That's my hometown!!! Playhouse is the best!!!

And that's it for Act 1!

[horsechestnut]

Ranking the 2023 Tony Awards Preformances

1- Sweeney Todd: Holy shit. Just wow. The fog, the atmosphere, the choice to do a group number, the incredible jerky choreography, Josh Groban’s entrance. 100 out of 10, no notes.

2- Shucked: Not my favorite musical, but I’ll give it to them, this was a good group number and a clever medley. Alex Newell’s part felt a little out of place, but I’ll forgive it because god can they sing. 

3- Parade: A duet done right! The staging and acting were both engaging enough to keep my attention, and the singing was incredible. Actually made me interested enough to go listen to the rest of the musical, which should always be the goal of a Tony performance.

4- Kimberly Akimbo: Very cute! I do wish they’d done a group number, but I also love “Anagram” so I wasn’t to upset. Also shout out to the ensemble members who got to sit on stage and play Uno for the whole performance.

5- Some Like it Hot: High energy and lots of fun. Gave all the main characters at least a few lines to sing, and I’m never going to say no to watching a fun tap number. 

6- Camelot: A good attempt, but they couldn’t quite nail it. I get it, none of Camelot’s iconic songs are group numbers, but I think they would have been better served by trying to do a group number anyway and maybe shifting into Camelot right at the end. Still, I liked all the parts individually, they just didn’t flow together well.

7- &Juliet: This was fine. There was some really cool dancing, and it was fun, but ultimately it felt more like I was watching a concert than the Tonys, and honestly “Eye of the Tiger” is not a song I ever need to hear again...

8- New York, New York: Started strong, loved the energy, but was starting to drag by the end. Also I don’t know what was up, but the first guy’s accent was... off. I only realized it was supposed to be Irish about ten seconds before he stopped singing and it was really distracting.

9- Into the Woods: Just... why did you pick this song? If Parade was how to do a duet well, this is how not to. It was basically just two actors singing at each other and occasionally walking around for three minutes. Made even worse by the fact that Into the Woods has good group numbers! Shout out to the Milky White puppeteer though, best part of the performance. 

10- Funny Girl: Even ignoring the drama with this show, this was such a dumb choice. Anyone who was going to go see Funny Girl for Lea Michelle was already going to go and we’ve seen her sing this song so many times before. This is your chance to advertise, show us something we haven’t seen before! Also it just feels rude to the ensemble to not let them do anything when most of them have probably been with the show longer than Lea Michelle has.

11- A Beautiful Noise: This was just a guy singing a song. This barely even counts. Even the audience seemed bored.