#i have also had the opportunity to be in person for the newsies to sing patricks mom

[jackmkelly]

:]

am i the last one to make this (possible) connection? very likely. however

although i don’t think it’s specified in the musical it is a fact that Finch’s real name is patrick. i tried to find out why he’s called finch and couldn’t find anything

anyway

in the 1992 version, during carrying the banner where they get their food from the nuns a woman begins to walk among the newsies singing about her missing son

“patrick darling, since you left me i am undone, mother loves you, god save my son”

…anyone else thinking what i’m thinking

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

fic writer review

thanks to @delphiniumblooms for tagging me!!! :D

1. How many works do you have on Ao3?

66 posted and one lonely little draft that's probably never gonna get finished

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count?

102,532

3. How many fandoms have you written for?

including things i've multiple-tagged for related fandoms, 24. but like i said, a lot of that is because of interconnected/related fandoms

4. Top 5 fics by kudos?

tell me more than just the scars i've known - my first Sylki fic that i wrote while extremely frustrated by lack of cell service, it's not my favorite thing i've written but listen: sometimes a girl's just gotta write some whump, ok?

Dream Again (When One's Left Behind) - the one and only Tangled: The Series fic i've ever written. Varian angst and platonic h/c with one of the only alternating POVs i've ever successfully written.

for the bad decisions that we made - the Sylki fic i posted less than two days ago (writing for big fandoms is wild, guys); yet another take on an s2 reunion but this time featuring heart-to-hearts, hugs, and one of my favorite lines of prose i've ever written

Learn Me Right - Newsies sickfic that i'm not incredibly proud of, but it's where i started writing my favorite minor character, so it's cool.

We Are Broken - one of my other Newsies fics, bc yeah i had a phase back in January, and i saw some Wormsies post that gave me an idea.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why/why not?

YES. i always reply to comments just bc i love talking to people, and i also love talking about my fics at any opportunity. also bc i know how nice it is to leave an author a comment and get a reply later on, it's just such a great feeling so i like to be that person :)

6. A fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

eurrgghh probably either Dust & Ashes or we're gonna sing it again and again, bc they ended with MCD, but i really kind of hate both of them in retrospect because i was trying to write them to be canon compliant, but i wasn't familiar enough with canon and they're just... very very off

7. Do you write crossovers?

nope, not unless you count different eras and contexts of Doctor Who stuff as crossover

8. Ever received hate on a fic?

nope again, AO3 culture is very nice and i really love it

9, Do you write smut?

biggest NOPE yet, i don't write it or read it. just.... n o p e.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

no

11. Ever had a fic translated?

again, no. but that would be really heckin cool if one of my fics ever did get translated!!

12. Have you ever co-written a fic?

i'm saying "no" a whole lot, wow... but yeah, no i haven't. i've considered co-writing something with my best friend, but we've never gotten around to it

13. All time fav ship?

i... cannot pick one tbh. it changes with my hyperfixation. right now i have Sylki brainrot lol

14. WIP you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

probably my Gallifrey/DWEU buddy cop au?? i love it, it's my brainchild, but yeah :/

15. Writing strengths?

i've been told that i'm really good at packing a lot of emotion and meta into very short fics, and i'm pretty proud of that tbh

16. Writing weaknesses?

i suck at plot and dialogue can sometimes drive me nuts. i think my biggest weakness as i perceive it is that i find it hard to *not* make things in fics go very fast? like i write everything out that i want in a fic but it's still incredibly short and i worry that it feels rushed, even though other people don't usually think that.

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

uh... the only language other than English that i know is Koine Greek (as in, the specific Greek that the Bible's New Testament was oroginally written in) and it's a dead language, sooooo.......

18. First fandom you wrote for?

Big Finish Doctor Who! (tho tbh i think back when i was 11/12 i wrote some random self-insert stuff for whatever little fandoms i was in back then 😅)

19. What’s your fav fic you’ve written so far?

ohhh i can't choose? usually i'm just most partial to whatever i've most recently written, which right now is for the bad decisions that we made. i think one of my Gallifrey fics, In The Drift, is definitely high on my list of favorites though.

here's my AO3 for anyone who might like to take a look!

tagging @fortes-fortuna-iogurtum and @picnokinesis if either of you want to do this, and anyone else who sees it if you want. :D

[walkingtilwefall]

A “Regina Comet” Review

(I realize this doesn’t really have anything to do with Newsies other than Ben was Davey but I’m not going to start a whole-ass blog for Regina Comet unless there’s a proshot and a cast recording coming)

Spoilers ahoy.

OK...so I saw Regina Comet.

I loved it.

Now, to be fair, I knew I was going to love it. I'd never seen Alex Wyse perform live before but I knew of his extensive Broadway/tour/off-Broadway history and I had seen his beautiful "Avinu Malkeinu" video with Ben and Samantha Massell, so I knew I was in for a treat. Bryonha Marie Parham was one of my absolute favorite parts of "Prince of Broadway" (she and Brandon Uranowitz basically WERE the show for me) so I knew the role of Regina was in good hands. Ben was already a fave of mine going into the show, so I knew I would love him in the role. I've loved Ben in most of the things I've seen him in, even if he was not my favorite Davey (I think his voice and his general demeanor/physicality on stage is far more suited to pieces in a modern/contemporary setting).

So.

The show itself was fun and had a satisfying ending. I liked that the two guys (who never get names) were able to provide something for Regina even though it wasn't what was promised to her in the beginning, and as much as I was rooting for "Man 2" to succeed with Regina personally and professionally, I liked that she finally got the opportunity she had secretly dreamed of her whole life from the REAL first person to really care about what she thought (not that Man 2 wasn't genuine, he just wasn't the first). As someone who began to make their first steps to a better life thanks to a friend from a distant past resurfacing and saving the day (and, tbh, my life) with their kindness, the fact that Regina reached out to someone who fostered her first passion and he offered (after decades!) to be the bridge to her achieving that dream gave me so much joy. I also liked that she became comfortable enough with Other Man and Man 2 to admit where her heart really was, and in admitting that she didn't even believe in the product she was selling (mostly because she was allergic to it), they could free themselves from the project (which they were technically already free from because of what Man 2 did) and showcase what they both really cared about, which was her. They DID write her hit song, it just wasn't the jingle.

Another thing that I really liked was Ben and Alex's chemistry. They've worked together quite a bit before, and IIRC actually DID grow up together (I know their characters did but I wasn't sure how far they personally went back). On the one hand, it made everything so much more real (even more so than the fact that they wrote the piece together), but on the other hand, because their chemistry was so good, it honestly feels like a piece that literally only THEY could do. Like, could I see my other favorite Nice Jewish Boys of Broadway/Broadway-adjacent in this show? I mean, I could see them singing the solos, maybe, but I couldn't see this show working with any other actors (at least in the roles of the men). I think that their friendship and real-life closeness also benefited the solo work they did within the show. I have an inkling that Ben took more of a lead in the songwriting aspect and Alex took more of a lead in the dialogue, and as a writer in all aspects I know there is always a tendency to want to give the best material to oneself, but I felt like whoever was in charge of the songs (which, again, I'm suspecting was Ben) wanted to make both of the solos equally engaging and true to the character/singer. Alex's song (the name escapes me right now) had big "forced to do the group project by himself" energy that I identified strongly with, and Ben's song "Conflict of Interest" was the best horny-anxious-thirtysomething-Jewish anthem since...well, since the existence of Mendel in Falsettos. Not to be crass, but that man (Ben) makes sweet love to every song he sings and that one was no exception. Looking back on that sentence, it almost feels like witnessing that song, having been written by him, is like walking in on a private moment. Anyway, he totally owned it.

I also liked that the female lead character was well-rounded (enjoyed the finer things in life but was also proud of her interest in academic matters and not willing to hide that part of herself), not particularly young (I don't know how old BMP is but I think Regina is supposed to be around 40), not rail-thin, and not a soprano (no shade to sopranos, I just want to be able to sing along with a potential cast recording without sounding like an unbalanced washing machine).

There were only a few things that weakened the show for me. One was that a lot of the songs that weren't solos started to sound the same to me. Not so much musically, but narratively. Like, we get it, you have writers' block and one of you is an overthinker and the other one is a bit of a hornball who isn't pulling his weight. Most of the songs felt like one big reprise that was interrupted by a song that sounded different every once in a while and then went back to exactly what they were talking about before. Another thing that was weird for me was the joke about Regina taking the collective virginities of the Hanson brothers, and how whatever she did with them inspired them to write "Mmmbop." Now, assuming the story takes place in the present and assuming Regina is approaching 40, that puts her date of birth in the early 1980s, so somewhere between the ages of the two eldest members of the band. Both Isaac and Taylor would have been age-appropriate crushes for someone born in, say, 1982. However, "Mmmbop" was first recorded in 1995. If whatever she did with the boys happened in 1995, Regina would have schtupped a nine-year-old (Zac's birthday is in late 1985 so he was probably still 9 when they recorded it) and a twelve-year-old and that would make her a child predator. Not that schtupping a 15 year old (Isaac) isn't creepy, but if she were 13 at the time, it would make him the creeper. I think they could keep the joke if they switched it to a different song that didn't come out at the beginning of their career (like if they implied that she was responsible for a comeback album).

That being said, I do highly recommend the show. I think it speaks to a lot of people even if you're not explicity represented by any of the characters.

[gxrcias-gothgf]

Ms. Artist (Spot Conlon X Reader)

Author's Note: This is the requested Spot x fiesty reader. I based it off of the 92 movie so hope you enjoy! Also I'm going to start doing a tag list so let me know if you want to be on it.

Warnings: violence

—

“It’s a trap! Jack! It’s a trap!” You heard Race yell as you stormed the distribution center. You snapped your head in the direction you heard your friend yelling from. There seemed to be dozens of police men or men with weapons surrounding you and your fellow newsies. 

You heard Skittery, who was beside you, mutter profanities. Bumlets, who was on the other side of you, just sighed and quickly tried to help the younger boys get to a safer area. You were quick to get your hands dirty. 

Fists and weapons were flying everywhere as you tried to fend off the men attacking you and the others around you. If you saw one of your friends struggling, you were quick to throw a punch or kick to whoever was near them. 

“It’s Brooklyn!” Mush’s voice rang through the air as you punched one of the bulls who had a hold of you. You looked at the fire escapes and smiled, sighing in relief. The Manhattan newsies were no longer alone in this fight. You let yourself take a few moments to rejoice to yourself. That was because you didn’t see Oscar Delancey behind you. The boy grabbed a hold of your shirt from the back and harshly tugged you closer to him.  

“You’re not going anywhere kid,” Oscar said as he released his hold on your shirt while simultaneously sending his fist to your face. You felt your lips begin to ache. At the same time your adrenaline started to increase. He managed to get a few more good hits on you before you were able to return the favor. 

You threw a rough punch back at Oscar causing his footing to falter before someone behind him pulled him in their direction. A sigh of relief escaped your lips and you rubbed your jaw. You took this opportunity to turn away and go back to helping out some of the other newsies. When Skittery got punched and fell backwards, you helped catch him. 

“You okay Skit?” You asked before he winked at you. The group of you holding him, pushed him back up and he knocked out the man who had punched him. 

The now large group of newsies overpowered the bulls and you were all left to rejoice in your small victory. You hugged the boys around you as everyone was yelling and celebrating. You turned to the person next to you and saw Spot standing there. 

“Delancey got you good huh?” He asked as he grabbed your face in his hand. You shoved his hand away and gave him a glare. 

“Don’t touch me,” you said wiping the blood away from your bottom lip. He gave you a quizzical look than you gave an eye roll to in return. You tried to walk around him but he stopped you by grabbing your shoulder and pulling you back. 

“Look I’m just trying to make sure you’re not too messed up,” Spot said in a frustrated tone. 

You scoffed in response before replying with, “I’ve been through worse.” It wasn't that you hated Spot. Quite the opposite actually. You just didn't like people acting like you needed to be taken care of when you were more than capable of taking care of yourself. 

“I’m sure you have. Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t check up on you,” Spot rolled his eyes. You mockingly rolled your eyes back. Before either of you could continue arguing, Denton ushered you into frame for a picture. 

—

The next day you along with the rest of the Manhattan newsies and a few Brooklyn newsies sat in Tibby’s. You were sitting next to Kid Blink with Jack talking to you and the other few people at your table. You had made Les sit front of you so you could make a sketch of him. You had a collection of sketches you had done of every Manhattan newsie minus yourself. You now just needed to add Les and Davey to that collection. At the moment you just wanted to do a small rough draft so you could focus better on the final product. You had finished adding the last few details to the sketch when Denton had walked into the restaurant. 

“Good afternoon Denton,” you smiled softly, careful to not move your bottom lip too much. The cut you had received from Oscar was still scabbing over. 

“Afternoon Y/N,” Denton smiled back and handed you the newspaper that had been tucked under his arm. You looked down at it and gasped in shock. There on the front page was the picture Denton had taken the day before. In said picture you stood between Spot and Kid Blink, busted lip and all. You stood up from your seat and took a few steps to show Jack the paper. 

“That’s us,” you muttered as the boys started to surround you. You felt one of the boys leaning on your shoulder looking at the paper as well. Normally you would have shoved whoever it was away and say you aren’t an arm rest but you were too focused on the picture on the front page of the New York Sun. Whoever was leaning on you had gotten up after a moment and moved away from you. 

As the boys started going off on Skittery for being “glum and dumb” you went back to your sketch on the table. Only problem was you couldn’t find it. You looked to Kid Blink who was still in his seat and he pointed behind you. Spot stood there examining your art. He nodded his head and looked at you before handing it back. “You’re really good.”

“Take it easy. It’s a rough draft,” you said as you folded it up and put it in your pocket. 

“I’m just trying to admire your art Ms. Artist,” the boy shrugged with a half smile. You gave a small smile in return as the boys started becoming rowdy once again. They soon pulled you into it when Race threw his arm around your shoulder, pulling you over. 

“Ain’t she pretty? She’s the king of New York,” Race smiled at you. Spot nodded at you as Race spoke making you slightly flush pink. It was quickly forgotten as the boys went back to arguing over the newspaper. 

Throughout the rest of the time spent at Tibby’s you and Spot got to talking and just having a good time. After a large amount of convincing, you had agreed to sit with Spot, Jack, and Davey during the upcoming rally that you newsies were holding. 

—

The boys had just finished speaking at the rally and now Ms. Medda was performing for you all. You smiled as you sat, watching her perform. Spot had subtly put his arm around your shoulder as you were distracted by Medda’s singing. You noticed after a few moments and leaned into his side. He smiled at you and kissed your cheek gently before returning his gaze to the stage. 

—

I'm ending it there on happy note. Hope you enjoyed it!

[newsiepedia]

Where’s the Essay, Mod Strings: All the Songs in Newsies (2017) in Order of Boppability

18. The Bottom Line

Now, normally I like villain songs. They’re usually my favorite songs in any movie, and Be Prepared is one of my favorite songs ever. However, The Bottom Line lacks the oomph of other Disney songs. It’s far too low energy, and the instrumentals are unassuming. Most villain songs make me temporarily on board with a villain’s plan, like “YES! Let’s kill the king in front of his son! Let’s lock this woman in a tower and exploit her for eternal youth!”, but The Bottom Line just makes me go “yuck, a capitalist”.

Favorite line: None, they all suck

17. I Never Planned on You/ Don’t Come A Knockin’

This song makes Jack look like a total creep, and I don’t care for that one bit. It also sounds completely out of character- if Jack doesn’t care for moonlight and poetry, then what do you call his little rooftop duet with Crutchie? Besides that, its vague and repetitive. If this song was excluded, his and Kath’s romance would look infinitely more plausible. The Bowery beauties are nice, though.

Favorite line: “Turns out my beau is just some bum/ Turns out that love ain't blind, its dumb”

16. That’s Rich

Now, before you crucify me, here me out. I love Medda- she’s the best adult in the play by far, and she’s clearly very important. But her song is..... eh. My main bone to pick with it is that it’s outside of the plot- I think it could have done a lot more for her character if Medda’s song had something to do with the newsies. Besides that, I don’t really like the style.

Favorite Line: “Now, listen, sport/ This life's too short/ To waste it on you”

15. Something to Believe in

Look, it’s a sweet song and all, but the lyrics are all off. We know for a fact that Jack and Katherine had something to believe in before each other- Katherine had herself, and Jack had literally all the newsies. Besides, I don’t really like the tune or the instrumentals.

Favorite Line: “And if you're gone tomorrow/ What was ours still will be/ I have something to believe in/ Now that I know you believed in me”

14. Watch What Happens (Reprise)

I don’t particularly like Watch What Happens, but I dislike its reprise for one reason- “go and look it up the poor GUY’S head is spinning!” You people WILL NOT shut up about that line! There are so many other good lines in this song to fixate on, why that one? Besides, I don’t like how quickly Jack gets over Crutchie’s imprisonment.

Favorite Line: “And we’ll tell them straight on/ they let Crutchie go or they keep getting pounded”

13. Watch What Happens

As I said before, I like this song a little better than it’s reprise. The chorus and the last bit are quite nice, and I like how it shows Katherine warming up to the newsies. That being said, I don’t like the tune of the verses, which make it hard to listen to.

Favorite Line: “But all I know is nothing happens if you just give in/ It can’t be any worse than how it’s been”

12. Letter from the Refuge

I like Letter from the Refuge mostly because of how it shows Crutchie’s personality. How he tries to make the newsies feel better before thinking of himself, how he makes jokes to cheer himself up, how he lies right through his teeth, et cetera. Also, the part when he sounds like he’s about to cry always gets me.

Favorite Line: “The end/ Your friend/ ... your best friend/ ...... your... brother/ Crutchie”

11. King of New York

I’m gonna be real here- not a fan of the tap dancing. Like obviously its cool in the filmed musical, but in the audio recording it just sounds really weird. The verses are kinda bad, but Albert makes up for it by yelling “KNOBBIN’ WITH ALL THE MUCKETY MUCKS IM BLOWIN’ MY DOUGH AND GOIN’ DE-LUX” at the absolute top of his lungs.

Favorite Line: “Tomorrow they may wrap fishes in it/ But I was a star for one whole minute!”

10. Carrying the Banner

Ok, now we’re onto songs I actually like. Carrying the Banner has really good energy, and the tune is pretty good throughout. The constant breaks for characters to deliver lines is a little distracting, but at least it blessed us with the best line in all of newsies: “I don’t need the limp to sell papes, I got POISONALITY!”

Favorite Line: “We improves our circulation/ Walking ‘til we fall”

9. The Bottom Line (Reprise)

Now THIS is a villain song. It still doesn’t make me want to side with Pulitzer, but it does an excellent job of ramping up the tension. The Bottom Line (Reprise) takes Pulitzer from being a figure for teens to rebel against to a monster who hopefully only eats orphans figuratively (though now I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s literal).

Favorite Line: “Too bad you’ve no family/ but you can’t have mine”

8. Finale

Finale is a really sweet song. It nicely wraps up Jack’s character arc, and the part where Jack and Katherine kiss warms my cold, unfeeling heart a little. However, it does make it sound like Jack was only staying in New York for Katherine and Davey, which simply CAN’T be right- can it?

Favorite Line: “Don’t take much to be a dreamer/ all you do is close your eyes/ but some made up world is all you’ll ever see/ Now my eyes is finally open/ and my dreams, they’s average size/ but they don’t much matter if you ain’t with me”

7. Overture

The Overture always gets me lit for the musical. It features my favorite parts of my favorite songs, and provides a nice buffer between Finale and Santa Fe (Prologue) when I’m listening to Newsies on the train. It doesn’t have any lyrics, however, and I’m not a fan of that.

Favorite Line: There are no lines lol

6. Seize the Day

Mmm, I love me a good song about revolution! Seize the Day has an excellent tune, and really good lyrics. I don’t dig the tone shift, however- I think I’d like it more if the song was either slow and sweet or fast and angry, not both.

Favorite Line: “And say to the others/ who did not follow through/ you’re still our brothers/ and we will fight for you”

5. Santa Fe (Prologue)

There’s so much to talk about for this song. The melody is gorgeous- I think I like Jeremy Jordan’s more subdued vocals here. The lyrics are so sweet, and they really sell Jack and Crutchie’s friendship. And “watch me stand/ ...watch me run” is such a good line. 

Favorite Line: “Close your eyes/ come with me/ where it’s clean and green and pretty”

4. Brooklyn’s Here

I just love the energy of this song! Its a lot more violent than the rest of the striking songs, and I like that. Its also so dramatic? Spot knows the difference between a kid and a newsie: and its PRESENTATION!

Favorite Line: “Now them soakers is in for a soakin’/ What a sad way to end a career”

3. Santa Fe

This song just has so much emotion to it. Jeremy Jordan sings it so well, and the reuse of a song associated with Jack’s happy place in such a sad time hits hard. The addition of the bridge is also great, and gives even more opportunities for awesome melodies.

Favorite Line: “I need space/ and fresh air/ let them laugh in my face, I don’t care”

2. Once and for All

Oof, I love me some angry boys. This is the song that comes after a major turning point- the boys are a lot more serious, and there plan is much more concrete. There is a soft bit before, but it’s a lot shorter and it follows the same pattern as the rest of the song, so I can give it a pass. Also, the key change, godDAMN, I’m getting shivers just thinking about it!

Favorite Line: “In a few hours, by dawn’s early light/ we’ll be ready to fight us a war” (I love the allusion to the national anthem)

1. The World Will Know

Here it is, folks, my favorite song. The World Will Know is the most upbeat of the four strike songs, and I appreciate that. The tune is boppy, and Crutchie gets some rad lines. But what I like most about this song are the lyrics. They’re all really well crafted- simultaneously showing the newsies’ optimism and their determination to fight it out to the end. I had such a hard time choosing a favorite lyric because they’re all so good.

Favorite Line: “And the world will know/ we been keepin’ score/ Either they gives us our rights or we gives them a war”

[thepropertylovers]

Feature Friday with Jake Coffman

Happy Friday, friends! In this week’s FF, Jake talks about how it’s possible to be gay and a christian, and why he didn’t want to confirm people’s assumptions about him being gay. It’s all very relatable and we found ourselves so invested in Jake’s words. Take a look below to see what we mean…

Where are you from? I grew up in Jonesboro, AR 

Where do you live? I now live in Little Rock, AR!

Instagram handle: @jbcoffman

Age: 26

On his favorite place he’s ever visited: Oh gosh, it’s so hard to decide! I think I’m gonna have to say Alaska – I went on a cruise after I graduated college that ported out of Seattle and ported in Juneau, Skagway, and British Columbia (Canada) and I fell in LOVE. It’s so beautiful up there! I love mountains and cold weather, so naturally I was in my happy place haha. We saw whales and glaciers and a Sarah Palin cardboard cut-out and I ate my weight in complimentary dessert. Perfect trip.

On not hiding it anymore: I feel very lucky as of now because the friends and peers I have come out to have been nothing but supportive. I didn’t come out until I was 23, and a lot of it was because 1) I didn’t want to admit to myself that I really was gay, and 2) I didn’t want to confirm people’s assumptions that I was. I had a real pride issue. I already assumed people assumed I was gay, and basically I didn’t want them to be right. Luckily, I found friends who were very supportive, and my friends who were also gay really helped me by just being there. I haven’t officially “announced” that I’m gay to the world, but I’m not hiding it anymore. If people ask me, I’m honest. It’s something I’d rather happen organically. The only backlash I’ve had has been from a few guys at my church, and luckily it wasn’t true backlash, it came across more as concern, mainly because they just didn’t fully understand. I had the chance to explain it to them, and while they still don’t fully agree, they at least understand and have empathy now. Unfortunately, I haven’t told a lot of my family yet, and that’s my next step, and to be honest I’m afraid of their reaction. But, I know now that I have a solid support system within my friends. I’m grateful.

On making faith your own : I grew up in a Christian home, went to church every Sunday and Wednesday, attended a Christian school up until high school, went to youth group, the whole thing. I had a close relationship with God as a kid, but my faith wasn’t really mine, it was my parents and my peers, I didn’t fully understand it. When I got to college (I attended Ouachita Baptist University, a Christian liberal arts college), I learned what it means to really make your faith your own, and that’s when my relationship with God truly grew and became, in my opinion, real. And I still have that faith today!

On being gay & a Christian: For me personally, the hardest part has been reconciling my faith and my sexuality. Growing up and currently living in the Bible Belt, where a lot of it is old, Southern Baptist ideology, the idea of homosexuality is simply viewed as “wrong”. It took a long time before I started thinking about it for myself, because I “believed” the same thing, but I only believed it because my peers did. Now, I’m seeing it’s harder to explain to people how I’m gay AND a Christian because they just don’t understand (and the ones who don’t aren’t gay, so it makes sense). My hope is that I’m adequately explaining it to them that just because I’m attracted to men doesn’t mean I can’t or don’t love Jesus. My being gay isn’t a choice it’s who I am. I’m not gay in spite of you, I didn’t wake up one day and decide to be gay. I still love God and I know God still loves me, and He always will.

On people who say being gay is a sin: I would ask them why think that? Is it because that’s what you were taught, or is it something you truly believe? I would ask that they explain to me why they think it’s a sin, and then, granted the conversation goes this direction, I would ask if I could tell them my story. Usually when the subject of homosexuality comes up in Christian circles, it only comes down to sex. No one mentions the emotions, no one mentions the longing for true intimacy, no one mentions how unbelievably depressing it feels to grow up truly longing for a long term relationship, or even marriage, and then thinking that it’ll never happen for you because you’ve been told your whole life that the way you naturally feel is wrong and will send you to hell. I would ask that person to put themselves in the scenario where they weren’t allowed to marry the person they love because they were told it would send them to hell. Empathy can go a long way.

On the meaning of church: True church is community! True church is a group of believers worshipping God and doing life together. True church is love and support from your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in times of gratefulness and times of hardship. True church is not a building, it’s not pews, it’s not an electric worship service. It’s community, love, and service. Luckily, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of churches that exude this idea, and I’ve seen and been a part of true church community. It’s a blessing.

On one thing he wished he would have known when he was younger: I wish I had known that being gay is ok. I wish I had known that just because I’m attracted to guys that doesn’t make me a bad person, that doesn’t make me an abomination, that doesn’t directly send me to hell. I grew up with so much anxiety, not just because of my sexuality, but also because of my own insecurities with my weight and my appearance. Because of those insecurities, I hated being in the public eye, and I went years without getting up in front of people to sing and perform (which is what I LOVE to do) because 1) I was embarrassed and 2) I didn’t want people to assume I was gay because I loved to sing and I had a high voice. (I’m teling you, I had a lot of pride and insecurity issues growing up). I wish I had known it’s ok to be me, and that I should be proud of who I was. 

On his first true love: I have my degree in music, and singing and performing is what I’ve always truly loved. I just got done with the musical “Anything Goes”, and next I’m doing “A Christmas Story: The Musical” in December, and “Newsies” in February! (Also I’m trying to keep up with my own personal music, so if you wanna follow along, follow my music Instagram: @jakecoffmanmusic)

On the power of faith & friends: The thing I’m most proud of as of now is how far I’ve come in my life. I lived a lot of my life in fear and insecurity because of my appearance and my sexuality, and now I am much more accepting of myself and I love myself way more than I used to. I don’t fear my sexuality, I don’t get anxious performing in front of others anymore, and I owe most of that to my faith and my friends. I’m extremely grateful to have a faith in God that is my own and for the people that are in my life who have shown me so much love and support.

On his biggest inspiration: Tori Kelly is one of my biggest inspirations, not just musically (and if you don’t know her, listen to her sing because DAMN) but also with how she holds herself. She is one of the sweetest people and also one of the most loving. You can tell through her words and her actions that she truly loves people and wants to the show the real, loving Jesus to everyone she meets. It’s inspiring to me to see someone who knows exactly who they are in their life and their faith, because that’s the kind of person I aspire to be.

[youcantundothepast]

jacob’s family headcanons

I’m going to try canon-era

-#1: Jewish family

-like the best Jews

-but they’re not like hardcore like if-it’s-in-the-Torah-then-it’s-100%-true because times were different when the writing was written and a lot of things have changed

-so they’re devote Jews, but they still have their own opinions and morals

-as Sarah grew older, she became a bit more secular and often have to ask Davey if stuff is Kosher when they’re out with their parents because she can’t remember and doesn’t really care when she’s just with the Newsies or Katherine

-I 100% believe Davey and Les share a bed/bedroom and they’re so close because of it

-afte the Seize the Day fiasco and Davey found out Les had a broken arm, he cried more than Les did

-they just both love each other so much :(((

-not saying Sarah doesn’t love them just as much

-but you get my gist

-Les is actually like super smart, but doesn’t try so he gets like a B+ average (when he can go to school)

-Sarah has to try harder in school because it doesn’t come as naturally to her

-she also has ADD and is very stand-offish about it

-Davey is smart but it’s a little more natural for him which is why their parents decide to have Davey and Les work with the Newsies for money, because they can catch up in school faster (also Sarah is a girl and those times were full of prejudice)

-after their father returns to work, they can stop the Newsie work, but Davey does it every weekend and stops by after school to teach the Newsies about things they didn’t have the opportunity to learn because they couldn’t go to school

-also Sarah patches up all the Newsies clothes as thanks for taking care of her brothers

-Everyone loves her

-also her and Crutchie have the biggest bromance ever 

-because they’re just so caring, but will punch anyone if they harass their friends

-whenever Crutchie comes over, they always have tea 

-(Crutchie would drink tea 24/7 if he could)

-and Spot and Les are pretty close

-Spot has a huge soft spot for the youngest Jacobs, but he won’t say it to anyone

-I mean who doesn’t love Les? 

-did I mention all of the Newsies love the Jacobs?

-on Christmas, Mayer and Esther throw the Newsies a Christmas party (even though they personally don’t celebrate it) because they know a lot of them would celebrate it if they had families 

-and they buy a Christmas tree for the lodging house 

-The Newsies sing non religious Christmas songs and the Jacobs show the Newsies their Hanukkah traditions 

[rhainontheshelves]

Musical Theatre!Rocky

A/N: Please forgive me please!! You have a long-ass bullet scenario ahead of you if you choose to proceed because yo girl doesn't know how to condense rip This is dedicated to an awesome friend, @sanhatation! The feelings might be long past but I promised to write this for you. A short part 2 will be coming to describe the life under the stage lights. Happy Reading! - Rhin

Rocky originally wanted to go to school for dance

Why wouldn't he? He knows he's stellar

But, he also wanted to sing

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be possible for him to get a minor in vocal

Dance takes a lot of effort and practice hours

So he worried and thought about it a lot over his senior year of high school

One day, Sanha approached him with a poster

It was advertising auditions for the school spring play

Immediately, Rocky was interested; acting had always piqued his curiosity but he had never gotten a chance to try it

He accepted the offer

Cue many practice meets with Sanha (who was auditioning as well) to memorize the monologue required

He memorized it quickly, just like any step or note

Pretty soon he made it his own, reciting with sincerity and little hand motions

At one point Sanha wondered if it was even worth it to audition anymore because Rocky was killing it

Come audition day

The director and the people helping him judge were very impressed with this young man they only saw passing the theater to go to the practice rooms

By the end Rocky was virtually guaranteed a spot in the production

He walked out of there the proudest boy alive but also as the most internally dying and relieved it was over with

Because he will never admit it but the audition really stressed him out and he worried over miniscule details

About three days later the director approached Rocky

He wanted to talk about the role he was thinking of assigning to the boy

It was an important part, however it wasn't the lead

"It's your first time." Was the director's reason

This disappointed Rocky a bit but the director had come with a plan in mind

Rocky would also be assigned as the understudy for the lead

The director had some suspicions about the boy casted as the lead's loyalty to the show, so if he did leave Rocky would get the role he really deserved

This pleased both parties and the next day the cast list was posted

A month later, practices were in full swing after school

Rocky was well on his way to getting his part down word-perfect and memorizing the lead's lines

He liked the cast and had made some new friends

The vibe in this group was carefree and fun while still hard-working

That's Rocky in a nutshell so he fit in quite nicely

The only thing that he didn't like was the inactivity

There were plenty of stage directions, sure

places he needed to be and actions that needed to be carried out

but where was the variety?

he thought back to when he was a tot and his grandparents took him to a show

There was dancing and excitement and singing and emotion throughout the whole thing

he wondered what had changed since then

turns out nothing had

he was just in the wrong year

"We switch between musicals and plays every other year," giggled Doyeon, the girl who was casted as the female lead

"You just came a year too late. I'm sure you'll have a chance to do one sometime in the future."

Rocky sure hoped so

First show night couldn't have come fast enough

There were still parts that needed more work, which is normal in any production

But the director felt that this was the most prepared that any of his recent shows had been

certainly not because of how hard some had wanted work to catch up and surpass Rocky

The show went amazingly well but there are always the oopses

aka a couple of props falling apart in the user's hands

Improvisation is a wonderful thing

It seemed like bows came too soon

Rocky stood up at the front of the stage with the rest of the cast, smiling and waving a bit after their final bow

His heart was soaring

The only thing that compared was when he finished performing one of his own choreographed dances and he got a standing ovation

That's when he realized that this was what he wanted to with his life

Fast forward to the last part of 2nd quarter, freshman year of college

He had just finished his homework for a history class and headed down to the theater department to grab audition material for the spring musical

Gotta start early

He gets outside the professor's office and sees someone else is in there

So he hangs around and waits, because he can be patient

He ends up dancing for like ten minutes, waiting, because this meeting is taking a really long time??

The door finally opens and a really happy girl exits

Rocky swears that the hallway gets a bit brighter

She turns around to thank the professor one last time but sees Rocky and almost has a heart attack

She totally didn't notice him there

Now flustered, she rushes away without giving Rocky a chance to see if she was okay

Slightly confused, Rocky just watches her go

The professor is in the exact same boat Rocky is

So they let it go and have a small talk about what the auditions require

For the rest of the quarter Rocky sees the girl in a lot of his classes and comes to the conclusion that she has the same major he does

However, before he gets the chance to approach her Christmas Break rolls around and he's off on the road back home

3 weeks, one memorized song and dance routine later, 2nd semester starts

Musical auditions are at the end of the first week back

and that first week couldn't have seemed slower

Lectures stretched on forever and homework seemed to take twice as long as it usually did

Finally, the last class on Friday was dismissed and Rocky was out of there like lightning

his class ended about halfway through the audition hours r.i.p

He ran as fast as his dancer legs would carry him over to the auditorium

Luckily the line is semi-long so he has time to catch his breath

The line shortens to about half the length it was when another person sprints in

The thudding of tennis shoes makes Rocky look up from the sample script

lo and behold the girl that ran away that one day is bent over a couple of feet away from him

"Are auditions over?" she asks fearfully

"No, I'm the end of the line" he replies

"Okay, good" she comes over to stand next to him in line

Rocky wonders if she recognizes him

she barely got five seconds in before she dashed away so he figures probably not

silence settles

until she curses

"I forgot my music in my room" she hisses to herself, smacking her head

Rocky's mouth runs before she can

"You can borrow mine, I have it memorized anyway"

she stares at him in surprise

"Really?"

"Yeah, here"

"Thank you so much!" Her gloomy mood brightens and Rocky's world does too

"No problem"

By this time the next person is called, and Rocky is torn away from a perfect opportunity to talk to her.... again

The audition goes by fast as always

Rocky stays for the girl's audition

Now or never am i right

She does a great job

Dancing needs a bit of work but that comes with practice

He's still standing in the doorway when she comes up the aisle

she gives him a "why are you still here" look but quickly replaces it with a smile

"You did awesome!" she compliments

"Same to you," Rocky nods

"Nah, I was just average... Thanks again for letting me use your music, uh... what's your name?"

"Minhyuk, but you can call me Rocky if you want to."

Cue the Zelda "object acquired" music because a new friend has just been made: (Y/N)

Rocky walked (Y/N) back to her dorm and got to know her a bit

She indeed has the same major as him

Her dream was to be on Broadway someday

but she's going through a slump rn so things aren't going so hot

Rocky understands; that happened with him and dancing around 7th grade

He promises himself that he'll check up on her and make sure everything's going okay

so he acquires her number before she takes the stairs up to her floor

and proceeds to do just that over the rest of the semester

checking up becomes full-blown conversations complete with memes

and they became best friends

they both got into the production that year

which made them even closer ofc

Summer Break rolls around and (Y/N) and Rocky swear to not let distance separate them

it doesn't

and this friendship continues until Junior year....

when (Y/N) drops out

her parents can't continue to support her financially and she doesn't have enough to support herself

Rocky, of course, is devastated

Where will (Y/N) go? Will she be safe? What about her dream??

He dies inside while helping her move her stuff out of the dorms and into her car

He goes back to cry in his room when her car is finally out of sight

The rest of the day is spent reflecting on every single memory

especially the one where she finally remembered that he scared her that one day Freshman year

"That was yOU??????"

and Rocky realizes that his world is no longer as bright

they continue to message each other

but it teeters out after a few months bc (Y/N)'s working two jobs to pay off her debt

soon Rocky has lost all contact with his former best friend, although he never forgets her

Fast forward a few more years

Now Rocky's graduated with a Bachelors' in the Performing Arts

He just auditioned for a role in Newsies

It fits his skill set perfectly

Acrobatics?? Yas

He's feeling pretty confident until he steps out of the building and someone runs smack-dab into him

He's dazed for a bit but when he asks the person if they're okay, his brain goes on over drive

(Y/N)'s there staring back at him in shock, an audition packet in hand

Rocky grins and immediately encases (Y/N) in a hug, questions falling out of his mouth at a million miles an hour

All (Y/N) does is hug him back at first, but Rocky notices her hesitation so he lets go

"I'm so sorry, it's just been a long time and I've been worried? How are you?"

(Y/N) finally smiles and replies, "I'm just fine now."

the two catch up while (Y/N) waits in line for the female auditions

(Y/N) was on vacation and she overheard someone mention auditions

she had never forgotten her dream

and a small little voice told her that something good would happen there

now she knew what the good thing was

*nervous and awkward blushing from both parties*

(Y/N) was called in before she could say anything else, so Rocky waited for her outside

fifteen minutes later she comes out smiling

She has a really good feeling about it

About three hours later

(Y/ N) has to go back to her hotel so she can pack and catch her flight

Rocky is determined to never lose (Y/ N) again

Bc he realized over lunch with her that his world was bright again and he never wants that to end

So he walks her to the airport, insisting that he see her off

(Y/ N) pretends to mind, but she really doesn't

She really missed Rocky the second she got into her car Junior year

The exchange of cell phone numbers happens once again at the terminal

It takes Rocky a couple of minutes more to enter his new number into (Y/N)'s phone

When (Y/N) looks at his contact, she blushes

it reads: Minhyukkie 😘

it doesn't seem special, but it is bc Rocky was insistent that only his girlfriend could call him that

(Y/N) makes a mental note to ask him about it the next time she sees him

fast forward one last time to the phone call

(Y/N) and Rocky were both super excited when Rocky picked up his phone

They had just gotten phone calls saying that they had been accepted into the production

Their first reaction was to call each other

In fact Rocky was just about to hit the call button when (Y/ N)'s contact popped up

The first five minutes was just screaming tbh

Eventually proper congratulations were exchanged

But it got lost in all the excitement

They would see each other for the rest of their Newsies career

And that was possibly the best thing ever

[flyawayrachel]

Okay so this is gonna be a long post because I have a lot of feelings about a lot of things rn. ~First of all the set is like so pretty and the colors literally transport you back in time, it’s a gloriously crafted and we’ll blended set/lighting design. So well done. I loved it. ~Second, this is a show that for me, was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. They immediately break the fourth wall and I was constantly aware that I was intruding on these peoples lives. I’m typically so engrossed in a show that I forget I’m sitting in a theatre, but something about this show was different and I loved it. ~I got the tour shirt, which my mom bought me b/c she also wanted a coffee cup. ~As we were walking in the theatre attendant pointed out my Newsies bag but I had to inform her that I did not get a chance to see it live because *someone* didn't want to go. Okay onward and forward! ~Carol King man. Sarah Bockel absolutely nailed that role. I heard several ladies saying they liked her more than Jessie Mueller and IDK about that, but she definitely nailed every single piece of that performance. She’s not in the Playbill? She may have just joined the cast but her pic/description was inserted with a slip. ~Liam Tobin needs to just stop, because I’m not a fan of Gerry and so he needs to stop being so damn smooth all the time. Hate to love him I guess. ~Erika Olson, who is pretty new to the professional scene was just too good for me to comprehend. Absolutely​ beautiful voice and wonderful stage presence. ~I could not gush enough about this ensemble. The ensemble is a really important part to the show b/c the play like Little Eva, Janelle Woods, Marilyn Wald, the Shirelles, and the Drifters. So like these super iconic people, singing iconic songs and they have a lot to live up too, and the really hit it out of the part. When the Drifters showed up to sing Some Kind of Wonderful, I nearly had a heart attack because they were so good. I would love to hut each and everyone of them. ~The costumes were really awesome. Especially this one coat that Barry Mann wears that made my sister how with laughter. Also the dresses were so pretty. I want them all. Especially Cynthia’s. ~The guy in front of me was really tall, so I spent the show leaned on my sister and we held hands and got really hype whenever Ben was on stage. ~The orchestra was phenomenal. My sister and I ran up to thank them after the show because they were so amazing. Love the orchestra people. They​ deserve it. ~I love so many of the songs and how they do the songs is really fun but by far my favorite to hear live was We Gotta Get Out of This Place. On Broadway had me feeling some kind of way as well. ~Ben. Fankhauser. Oh. My. God. I have no ability to explain how blessed I feel to have gotten the opportunity to see him live and in person. I can’t believe he was literally right there. I have so much to say about Ben, and Barry in general (who is my second favorite character, I mean Carol King guys). First off: I didn’t get to meet him, the cast didn't do the TalkBack tonight for some reason. The lady didn't actually say why but fate is fate I guess, and the theatre this show is at doesn’t have actual stage dooring so like this lady was like “wait here and hope for the best” we saw him walking across the street and he turn the opposite direction and we sadly stood there as he walked away. He was wearing a rather dapper sweater, just fyi. But you know what? I heard Ben Fankhauser riff in person and I have been cured of all ailments. So for those of you who don’t know much about Barry(Ben’s character, and a blessing to this Earth) he’s a hypocondriac, ladies man, song writer, who married Cynthia Weil, and wrote a lot of freaking fantastic songs. This character fits Ben super well. I don’t really know how to describe it, but like Ben is really good at being a character. Like Barry is slightly over the top, and is often the comic relief in the scene without being labeled as so. He has a lot of really good one liners and Ben nailed each one. You know how Ben just manages to take a line and make it stand out even though it normally wouldn't? Idk how to explain it but I'm now in love with Barry Mann so thanks Ben. I can’t even begin to describe how well Ben fits the character. I was just in love from start to finish. Also I have been blessed with the Fankhauser Piano Playing. Holy bless. I audio recorded it, so if it's any good I might post some Ben snippets when I get the time. During curtain call my sister and I screamed like hell when Ben did his bow and he looked towards where we were sitting (there is no way he could see us thanks to the giant in front of me) but them we screamed "Size the day Ben!" And waved frantically. I'm going to believe he was us and yeah. He also did the little Broadway Cares speech at the end and I feel blessed that Ben Fankhauser spoke directly towards and audience I was a part of. Every time he sung it was like butter. Every worry I've ever had melted away upon hearing his harmonies in Walking in the Rain. He was ridiculously in sync with the orchestra. I could feel it in my soul. Who Put The Bomp was much too short. That song brings back a lot of memories for me and hearing Ben sing it was ridiculous! We Gotta Get Out Of This Place is my favorite song. Ben with a guitar was all I needed in my life, and it was a different type of song than I'm used to hearing him sing so that was great. I've been excited about that one since I got tickets. ~And @pontmarius the nose is indeed as beautiful in real life as it is in your dreams. Even more so, actually. Barry Mann wishes he was a smooth as Ben Fankhauser's nose. (And Barry Mann is pretty smooth tbh) All-in-all I'm glad I pulled an all-nighter the other night, or this never would have happened. I'm so blessed and super thankful that I got to see this show. It's incredible, please see it if you can. I can't believe I just saw Ben Fankhauser in real life.

[onthegoinmco]

DISCLOSURE: I was invited by the Walt Disney World Resort to experience the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, but all opinions and over-use of exclamation points are 100% my own.

The Epcot International Festival of the Arts is back for its second year filling the park with a six week celebration of all forms of art forms from the visual to the culinary to the performing that is quickly becoming one of my favorite events at Walt Disney World.

While this year’s Epcot International Festival of the Arts has even more offerings than last year, the biggest and best change to this year’s Festival  is that the fun continues seven days a week from now until February 19th!

With so much to do and experience at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, I wanted to share my list of ‘Must Do’s’ for your visit to the Festival!

9 Epcot International Festival of the Arts Must Do’s

1. Taste the Culinary Arts

It wouldn’t be a Festival at Epcot with amazing food, and at this year there are even more Food Studios with enticing tastes at stops around the World Showcase promenade.

Not only do the offerings taste amazing they are definitely photo-worthy with unique twists and interesting plating.

This year five new Food Studios have joined the culinary adventure for a total of 13 at the Festival, and you can find the new locations in:

France (“L’Art de la Cuisine Française” or “The Art of French Cooking”),

Morocco (“Mosaic Canteen”),

Japan (“Takumi Table”),

Italy (“L’Arte di Mangiare” or “The Art of Eating”), and

China (“The Painted Panda”). 

A complete list of Food Studios and menus are at The Culinary Arts: Food Studios, but I will be talking more about food soon!!!

2. Be a part of the Art

Also returning this year is the hands-on wall mural (located in the Expression Section which is on the Showcase Plaza Promenade as you are traveling to/from Canada from Future World), where you can pick up a brush and assigned paint color to complete a square of a mural with a certain dragon that is ‘from head to tail, he’s royal purple pigment‘. 

3. Art Walk around World Showcase

Inside of each World Showcase Pavilion guests can find galleries showcasing artwork or relics from that country year round, but during the Epcot International Festival of the Arts guests will find an Art Walk in their Festival Guide that encourages them to visit each gallery to do a relief rubbing of the gallery’s icon plaque.

 4. Unique finds

While this year’sEpcot International Festival of the Arts is really fantastic (I LOVE the water color inspired design), there are some really unique ways to bring home a souvenir from the event in addition to the artist booths.

Two of my favorites are Enemy Ink (located just inside of the building with Starbucks and Club Cool) where you can create a custom Festival t-shirt on-demand in a variety of designs & color combinations and Jortra Jewelry (their booth is located between Morocco and France in World Showcase) offering hand-made jewelry from natural materials melon seeds, orange peels and coffee beans.

5. Fun Photo Spots

Epcot is full of great photo spots, but during the Epcot International Festival of the Arts you can find some really unique ‘Artful Photo Ops’ throughout World Showcase where you get to step into famous works of arts.

You can find them in the following locations:

Italy: The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

Italy: The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci & The Scream by Edvard Munch

American Adventure: Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Gottlieb

France: Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

There are PhotoPass photographers at each location, but they will also take photos with your camera or phone.

6. Free Seminars

During the Festival accomplished Disney artists, guest-perts, and Cast Members impart their professional expertise at complimentary seminars, hands-on workshops, and quick study sessions at the Odyssey Festival Showplace seven days a week.

These Seminars happen at 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm, but space is extremely limited so if there is one that you HAVE to attend make sure you arrive early to grab a seat.

You can find a week-by-week list of free seminars here.

Also, during the Epcot International Festival of the Arts you can find the Animation Academy (YAY!) intermittently from 2 pm – 8:30 pm in the Odyssey Festival Showplace where you can learn to draw Disney characters from Disney artists for FREE!

7. Interactive Workshops

Each week the interactive workshop series offers Festival Guests a unique opportunity to walk away with an enhanced skillset or new understanding of various artistic and culinary techniques from animation drawing and floral arranging to calligraphy, abstract painting and other interesting topics.

All of the interactive workshops ($39 per person plus tax, Epcot admission required but not included, & 15% discount per Annual Passholder or Disney Vacation Club Member) are held in the Odyssey Festival Showplace seven days a week at 11 am to 12:15 pm.

Space in these workshops is EXTREMELY limited, and you will need to make reservations in advance by calling (407) WDW-TOUR to reserve your spot or visit the Odyssey Festival Showplace. Guests under 18 years of age must have parent or guardian permission to call.

You can find a week-by-week list of the interactive workshops and how to book them here.

8. Live Performances

This year there is an increased presence in the performing arts at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts with entertainment on the Fountain View Plaza Stage throughout the day.

We had the opportunity to see the new Art Defying Gravity show, and it is amazing what those performers can do!!!

The Epcot Times Guide, found at the entrance and in retail locations throughout the park, lets you know when you can catch these fun performances.

9. Disney on Broadway Concert Series

The EXTREMELY popular (and rightly so) Disney on Broadway Concert Series take the stage in the American Gardens Theater in World Showplace on ‘Disney Weekends’ (Friday to Monday) bringing a taste of ‘The Great White Way’ to Florida!

The concerts showcase the stellar talents of performers who sing selections from award-winning Disney on Broadway musicals that you will not want to miss!

Here’s the lineup:

January 19-22: Kara Lindsay (NEW!) and Kevin Massey Jan. 19-22, who will perform songs from “Tarzan,” “Aladdin,” “Newsies” and “Frozen.”

January 26-29 and February 2-5: Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White will perform songs from “Tarzan,” “The Lion King,” “Aida,” “Aladdin” and “The Little Mermaid.”

February 9-12 and 16-19: Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland will perform songs from “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Tarzan,” “Mary Poppins,” “Newsies” and “Frozen.”

All Disney on Broadway��shows are included in theme park admission and will take place Fridays through Mondays at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m.  Even though there are three shows a night, GET THERE EARLY!!! I cannot stress how popular these performances are!

New this year are the Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Packages that are available at five participating Epcot restaurants that can be booked online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-7463.

*** BONUS FOR ALL WALT DISNEY WORLD ANNUAL PASSHOLDERS ***

Not only to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders have exclusive Festival merchandise, but they can receive an Epcot International Festival of the Arts print.

Simply go into the American Adventure Pavilion (you will see a sign outside guiding you to enter on the left set of doors), show your valid Walt Disney World Annual Pass and photo id, and a Cast Member will give you the Belle print with an embossed seal. It’s really pretty!!!

You can find out how to book specific experiences and find more information for planning your ultimate day at the Epcot International Festival of the Arts with the official website.

Follow us for more updates:

The post Epcot International Festival of the Arts Must Do’s appeared first on On the Go in MCO.

[kissandwear]

Meet Super Cool Make-Up Artist & All Around Babe, Kris Jung

Raised in the East Bay of California, Kris Jung had always practiced many artistic passions as a child. However, when the opportunity to become a model at the age of 17 arose, Jung became instantly hooked by the fashion world. Little did she know her love of creativity and background in fashion would someday collide, leading her to her career today as a make-up artist.

In her early years modeling, Kris met make-up artist Diane Catorc. After reconnecting at a shoot in 2015, Jung began to assist Diane on jobs. In her first year doing hair and make-up, she found herself working with many of the creatives she had worked with as a model. Jung also found herself gaining much experience, working with large companies like Pottery Barn and Walmart. Today, Kris is her own boss babe creating fresh new looks for clients like Twitter, Instagram, and Levi’s. In her spare time you can find her at home in Oakland (probably eating ramen), writing for her beachy shoegaze solo project Koneko Neko, or kicking back with her precious rescue bunny, Oatmeal.

From her obsession with tiny things to her favorite beauty must-haves, let's get to know more about this super talented beauty babe now!

My style in 3 words...vintage/kawaii/tomboy

My nicknames are...Bunny! My boyfriend also calls me Monkey, not sure why!

My drugstore must-have is…Any product by e.l.f! Specifically their smudge pot in Cruisin Chic. This color looks good on everyone. I use so many e.l.f products it's out of control. Their formulas are mostly sulfate, paraben, and cruelty free, and don't make me break out. Such an affordable and accessible line. I am always recommending their brushes and lip products to clients.

My last purchase was…Yerba Mate SPF 30 Mist by 100% Pure. I was going to the beach and needed to buy $40 organic sunscreen.

My top 3 make-up bag essentials are…Milk Sunshine Skin Tint with SPF 30, K-Palette Kuma Cover Control Concealer, and Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer.

My beauty secret is…Having great skin. I use eye cream twice a day; before applying makeup and before going to bed. The skin around your eye is so thin, it really needs to be moisturized at all times to prevent fine lines. I take very serious care of my skin! I also apply a clay mask once a week, sometimes even twice a week, especially if I'm having a break out.

I smell like…Hair products! I'm an Oribe fiend. I also really love the smell of R+Co products, I swear by the dry shampoo paste. Kenra is also a favorite brand of mine, their products always smell yummy.

I keep in shape by…Shopping! I try to walk to the grocery store and to my other errands, if the weather permits. I just bought roller skates too, so I am hoping that I will have a '70s roller goddess tush before summer!

My de-stress trick is…Food delivery. Caviar or Eat24 cures my blues no matter what. I love ordering my favorite sushi, and eating it in bed while I Netflix. Yes, my laziness is on another level!

My secret talent is...I'm a pretty good cook! I love making my own ramen. I make everything from scratch except for the noodles!

My first celebrity crush was…Christian Bale in Newsies was everything for me and my sister!

The music artist who always gets me dancing is…Prince, of course!

My fashion icon is…Sally Fields as Gidget. I own all 3 seasons of Gidget on DVD. Every outfit she wears on that show was pure gold, and her bangs and mini '60s bouffant were always on point. Her character in the show is to be honest kind of bratty and annoying but everything she wears, I wish I owned.

My guilty pleasure is…Watching RRcherrypie videos on YouTube. It's not really a guilty pleasure, as much as just a bizarre fascination. If you don't know what any of this means, google it! I have a weird fascination with small things.

Right now, I’m obsessed with…Cookies! I like to make my own, but I recently discovered this amazing vegan birthday cake flavor dough called 'Just Cookie Dough.' It has little rainbow sprinkles and you can eat it raw since it's vegan.

My favorite website is…Kollection K. I could browse through their new product page forever. I find all the collaborations with characters in conjunction with the Korean brands like APPIEU and Tony Moly so clever and adorable. Cute packaging is a necessity for me, and I'm a fiend for products!

My favorite TV show is…It's Always Sunny.. but also Rupaul's Drag Race because, duh.

When I have some free time, I…Try to work on all my creative endeavors. I play guitar and sing in a shoegaze solo project called Koneko Neko. Making jewelry, tapestries, and really anything I can decorate my apartment or myself in.

For breakfast...I always have some kind of egg dish. I make some world class baked eggs. A little bit of seasoned arugula greens on the bottom layer, 2 cracked eggs baked on a low heat for 20 minutes, and cheese on top!

My favorite restaurant is…Right now Blind Tiger in Oakland.

My ultimate travel destination is…Korea! The land of beauty and skin care. I've been to Japan once and cherished every minute of it and definitely plan to go back. But, first I need to go to Seoul!

In my career, I am most proud of…Making things happen by my own volition. In 2015, I was struggling with a slow season of (going on 8 years of) modeling. I always wanted to do makeup but was waiting for my time with modeling to slow down. I tried to model and do makeup but I realized I was just kind of wasting my time and energy modeling. I started to assist my favorite makeup artists who became my mentors and building my website and portfolio with test shoots. I owe a lot of my learning experience as a MUA to them. Since breaking out of my role of talent, I have really enjoyed taking my experience in the industry in the truly rewarding and creative realm of it. I have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time and I am very proud of myself for becoming my own lady boss!

The best advice I’ve ever received is…Fake it till you make it babe! I used to feel very self conscious about being the youngest looking person in the crew on a set, and that no one would take me seriously. I have put a lot of dedication into my 9 years in the industry and I've just learned to carry myself and earn people's respect with professionalism.

As a make-up artist, I’ve learned…To appreciate the industry. I have the best job in the world. I used to be jaded on the ways of the industry as a model, but I feel like I've learned to practice freelance karma and it's worked to my advantage.

My goal in life is…To never stop having goals! To be the happiest person I can, and never feel complacent.