#i think shes a very good regina and i think karens actor does a very good karen too

[just-spacetrash]

💋

[reclusivedouche]

Riverdale Thoughts: 3x06

PEEP SHOW! Please, I am the Barchiest of stans so like yes to all of it. Anyway, thoughts.

Jughead is not interesting to me rn if he's not with Veronica and since that's currently over... (Also like I better see him kiss Ethel properly at least ONCE omg before Tabitha comes back ofc bc Tabitha)

What I wouldn't give to have a window's view into Archie Andrew's bedroom wow

50's Archie is honestly the best Archie, it's so good

Betty and Veronica should kiss again in the 50's as a treat.

Also, Archie and Jughead have to kiss before the show ends to complete the circle or else!!!

Surprise Evelyn Evernever is really out here saying things like "lezzie" honestly Toni should punch her.

Can you dig it?

Cheryl's face of both gay excitement and gay fear when Toni asked if she could show her some appreciation.

It lives in my head rent free forever now

I did absolutely rewind mid episode to watch that part again bc idk it was giving everything.

50's Toni is so hot

Is Fangs Elvis yet?

There is no difference between Cheryl, Evelyn, and Midge and Regina, Gretchen, and Karen. Don't @ me

I love new Midge tbqh

I'm tired of Julian, he was only fun for like one episode lmao

Someone should top him so he can cum to jesus

Veronica is really that bitch and I am here for it like yes absolutely allow me in your room to peep on the hot carrot top next door

I need to see Veronica and Jughead hook up properly once PLEASE

Dan and Blair got to (IN AN ELEVATOR)

I am not sure what order I'm remembering all of this in

Betty not feeling the lingerie at first is me anytime I buy something different from what I usually where so it just sits in my closet for eternity

Toni and Betty should kiss also

I'm gonna need Archie and farmboy Reggie to also kiss at some point as they are actually boyfriends

Anyway, the cringe dialogue about maybe ending up in our rooms at the same time was incredible

Archie saying he's excited is too adorable

Still thinking about how he snatched Betty's teddy bear to cover his boner when she felt up his thigh

Incredible really

Oh and also, why is Frank? I'm so over him completely. He sucks. Just let Mary do all of the parenting. More Molly!

Frank was at least hot with the like beard this mustache is not it

The gifsets of Archie and Betty undressing for each other in the window are my everything rn

As are the ones of Cheryl and Toni kissing!!!!!!

Does this mean the episode where they are going to bone is coming soon?

Please say yes

Back to the window stripping - what are Frank and Hal doing that they both barged into those rooms at the same time

I'm telling you the white men in this season are up to some shit. Principal Warden Norton, Francis Dupont Werthers, MAYOR Clifford Blossom, Basketball Coach Uncle Frank, HAL

God for some reason Hal

A terrible actor

TBK should've been Hal or his twin bc he is also a blossom so like why do the coopers not have twins Hal??

It was so disappointing but whatever I digress

Even tho I hate Hal

Also save Ethel?? We just threw her back to the sisters and? We've moved onto comics from the murders.

BRING BACK MY GIRL

Give her a proper full season storyline for once ffs

You give Kevin things and he's not even remotely interesting at all

Loved and episode with no Kevin tbqh

Anyway, the ending with Archie and Betty getting caught is in my top like 3 endings rn

One is the very precious moment where Archie ASKED if he could kiss Josie (it was adorable they are my crackOTP okay)

I think I've stopped thinking about this episode and instead am thinking about the whole show

We must stop before I never stop

I hope Archie and Betty kiss soon also

[violetwolfraven]

Crossover Headcanons

((I know I have requests in my inbox but I just had to get this out of my head. Also I probably won’t be posting those requests for a while because my writer’s block is only barely starting to lift, so...))

Anyway this is gonna start off from one perspective and go to more later. Enjoy. 💜

Tw: past death, nightmares

...

So this is a... spin-off? Of the reincarnation au? An alternate timeline? A variant? Whatever it is the newsies are reincarnated and remember their past.

Also somehow most of them are going to the same college here, (I’m not going to say which one because I don’t want to research colleges right now) even if they’ve got a wide range of majors.

There’s only one dorm building even if people are only allowed to share a room with someone of the same gender.

This works out well for Elmer, because he’s pretty happy to be rooming with his boyfriend, Buttons.

But then he gets up to the floor their dorm is on and almost drops the box he’s holding.

Because it’s fuckin her. His national-level math nemesis since 11th grade. They’ve only faced off twice, the first time with her team winning and the second with his winning, but they’re each the only one who can beat the other in a math competition.

Elmer can see the shock in her eyes as she recognizes him and shouts YOU and then she’s stomping over to him aggressively enough that he’s pretty sure she wants to throw down physically.

Jack (who’s also on that floor with Davey) figures that too, and steps in front of him before she gets too close, but that girl acts like she doesn’t even notice him and shouts I WAS HALF A SECOND BEHIND YOU SOLVING THAT PROBLEM!

Elmer is kinda terrified but he defensively shoots back well I still solved it first and moves around Jack because this is his math nemesis and his fight.

The girl scowls at him for a couple more seconds then just sticks out her hand to shake, and Elmer realizes that he doesn’t actually know her name beyond the surname he’s seen on the back of her mathletes jacket. She introduces herself as Cady Heron.

Elmer Kazprzak, he responds, and Cady looks like she’s trying not to laugh, but he figures that’s probably fair, with how ‘Elmer’ was a common name in 1885 but not so much in 2003.

Jack clears his throat so Elmer introduces him but forgets that this isn’t their high school so things like oh this is Jack. He’s basically my dad. are weird.

Cady definitely thinks it’s weird but she doesn’t question it. Instead she just asks where Elmer is living, and it turns out, of course, he and Buttons are right next door to her and her roommate, Karen.

(I say Cady is living with Karen because Gretchen wanted to live with Regina and rules be damned Janis is with Damien.)

Elmer isn’t completely sure he’s not going to get murdered in his sleep but he guesses if he could handle the 1899 Newsboy Strike and World War I he can handle Cady Heron.

Meanwhile Katherine is going to Harvard so Sarah is rooming with someone she’s never met and she’s a little nervous.

And in stomps a girl who declares I’m a lesbian and if you have a problem with that tell me now so I can switch dorms.

And Sarah responds with my girlfriend out at Harvard would be pretty pissed at me if I did have a problem with that.

The girl lets her guard down, explains that she comes from a small town, and says her name is Alyssa Greene.

After that little bump, they get along good. Alyssa explains that her girlfriend, Emma, registered late and couldn’t get a dorm with who she wanted.

And Sarah’s just kinda like wait Emma as in Unruly Hearts Emma? Alyssa’s just like yeah!! I’m so proud of her!!

Sarah brags a bit about how Katherine is studying to be a journalist with a specialty in queer stories and long story short they become besties and eventually Alyssa introduces Emma for real and Sarah introduces Smalls and Sniper.

Emma and Alyssa are a bit thrown by the whole nickname thing but hey whatever now they have a Lesbian Club!

They do meet up with the boys occasionally but the Lesbian Club meets on a video call with Katherine every Saturday.

Anyway Jack meets Janis in art class and initially they kinda think each other is weird because their styles are very different but then they get in an actual conversation and get along amazingly.

Jack is definitely a fan of Janis’s philosophy of when someone hurts your friends you attack and grind your foe into the ground.

Janis tells her new bestie about Cady and Damien (and Regina, Gretchen, and Karen, though she still keeps Cady and Damien closer than the former Plastics) and she’s honestly shocked by the amount of friends Jack tells her about.

She does recognize some names, though. Romeo and Damien are both theatre majors and they’ve become friends.

But anyway Jack and Janis are like. Super good friends. Art buddies. Mlm/wlw solidarity. Protective friend pals.

Janis is pretty surprised when she introduces him to Cady and they’ve already met, and apparently oh fuck your math nemesis is Jack’s Elmer???

Jack’s just going oh fuck Elmer’s math nemesis Cady is Janis’s Cady???

Also Regina met Spot and Sarah at the gym and now they meet up with a few other people every other week to throw down like their own personal fight club.

At first Regina was just angrily trying to fight with no technique, but don’t worry, Spot and Sarah teach her.

There weren’t a ton of out gays at Northshore High, so yeah the Mean Girls crew definitely gets along with the Newsies crew out of solidarity.

Janis and at least one of the Plastics but I can’t choose which one(s) join the Lesbian Club.

Meanwhile Race is super hyped to meet Emma cause like I choreographed a dance to your song wanna see???

Emma is flattered but kinda weirded out and she mentions her friend Angie who’s a dancer too and Race is just *error 404*

Cause of course he saw the news story and knows Emma knows these 4 big Broadway stars but it just. Hasn’t connected until this moment that she like has their numbers.

He tries not to freak out too much cause he knows that’s weird but Emma eventually goes do you wanna meet her? And Race goes do I wanna meet her? She’s only my IDOL!! she’s been dancing like 20 years and she’s still got it!!

Emma calls Angie partially because she likes her new dancer friend and wants to make him happy and partially because she wants to prove to Angie that people do appreciate her zazz and despite how she was just a chorus girl until a few months ago this random boy from New York has been a fan since he was 12.

Angie can’t exactly fly over at the drop of a hat but she watches some videos on YouTube of Race dancing and like holy hell this kid is good. And his friends are too but this kid right here has zazz off the charts.

When she finds out he’s an orphan she’s lowkey can I adopt him??? but then she finds out he already has an adoptive mother and it’s Medda Larkin.

Medda Larkin who did more than a few shows with Angie when they were young but left Broadway to open her own theatre.

They fell out of touch years ago but still follow each other on Instagram and stuff.

But Angie shows Barry and Dee Dee and she’s super excited like remember Medda Larkin??? THIS IS HER ADOPTIVE KID AND HE’S AMAZING

And they watch YouTube clips of Emma’s new friends in high school shows and like wtf these kids are fuckin talented why aren’t they on Broadway???

They almost tell Emma to tell her friends to drop out of college and come straight (haha not that straight) to Broadway but Trent is like wtf no education is important.

Whatever the actors aren’t that relevant.

Sarah has a nightmare about her death one night. And with the others it’s not as big of a deal because they’re all rooming with each other, but Sarah’s roommate isn’t one of them.

She thinks Alyssa is asleep so she calls Katherine crying about how scared she was, how guilty she felt to be leaving her brothers and friends and Kath without a goodbye.

And Alyssa isn’t quite awake, but she’s awake enough that she hears Sarah whisper about how everything is just so stupid complicated. I shouldn’t be afraid of dying when I’ve done it before—when we’ve all died horribly—but I still am, Kitty. I can’t stop being afraid.

Alyssa is out of it enough that she falls back asleep, but when she wakes up she knows what she heard. That her roommate thinks she had a past life and died and implied that all her friends did.

Emma notices she’s acting weird and when she asks what’s wrong she tells her.

They both know it sounds crazy, but...

Emma tentatively points out some weird things about their friends from New York.

She’s study buddies with Race and occasionally he points something out she got wrong on her history homework. Something so small and inconsequential that it would’ve been almost impossible for him to know unless he was there and remembered from experience.

Smalls and Sniper have a habit of jumping apart if they were so much as holding hands and someone walks in on them, even though they come from a mostly accepting city with an accepting friend group.

That whole group straight up skipped history class the whole week they were learning about World War I and refused to make up the work.

They bring the half-baked theory to Janis who immediately remembers all the times she’s seen Jack draw small war-torn towns in France and dirty city streets and an outdated skyline as if seen from a rooftop, all of them too detailed to be anything but directly copied from something Jack has seen before.

But the question is if they’re drawn from a reference photo or a memory.

Cady realizes, upon hearing the theory, that Elmer and Buttons never take her up on offers to come to football games because they don’t like the noise.

More specifically, she remembers the look on her nemesis/frenemy’s face when he said he didn’t like fireworks.

Aaron notices that Davey always solves math problems by hand. He never uses a calculator unless someone reminds him it’s an option. And half the time, he defaults to using his right hand with terrible handwriting even though he’s left handed. Almost like he was raised with the whole ‘left hand devil’ thing, which doesn’t make sense because he went to a public school; not a religious one.

Damien realizes that Romeo has a habit of correcting the costume department, like he knows the period clothing for Hello, Dolly! better than they do. It annoys the hell out of them because upon some research, he is always right.

Regina notes how Spot and Sarah fight like they’re fighting for their lives in a street brawl. She knows that because she started taking karate in an attempt to win fights. She noticed months ago that her friends use technique that’s barely sustainable, like they’re just trying to stay alive until they can run or backup comes.

However all this is just fun and games, a crack theory they’re all mildly creeped out by but don’t really believe, until Gretchen finds it.

An article on the Newsboy Strike of 1899.

There’s a copy of the Newsies Banner, written by Katherine Plumber, which references strike leaders Jack Kelly and David Jacobs.

But they could write that off as just a creepy coincidence if not for the photo.

It’s the one Katherine and Darcy took that first day, which is in black and white and not the greatest quality, but clearly shows a lot of familiar faces.

A later story by this Katherine Plumber documents lives of street kids with interviews from kids with the same odd nicknames as the group they know.

Regina was the most cynical about this theory and even she can’t deny it now. There’s just too much evidence.

Especially when Karen finds Crutchie’s obituary, but Regina stops her from showing it to anyone else because that’s just too creepy.

The Mean Girls crew and Alyssa and Emma are... unsure if they should confront their friends about this, because a) this is freaky and b) the newsie gang is clearly still harboring trauma due to their deaths.

Plus, as Damien points out, being gay was illegal in 1899. Do you think they want a reminder of how they had to hide their feelings for each other back then?

Emma and Alyssa share a knowing look because they know what that’s like.

In the end Karen lets it slip when she asks Davey a question about her history homework involving World War II, mistakenly believing he was there.

Davey naturally questions her about it and she spills the entire story about how Alyssa heard Sarah’s phone call and they figured everything else out from there. She even shows him the article with the 1899 photo and the Newsies Banner.

And... shit, there’s a lot of memories behind that picture. And that’s them, over a hundred years ago, when they were kids and they weren’t all the same age like this time around.

The old Davey looks so big compared to Romeo and Elmer and god was Specs tall for a 15-year-old.

Davey didn’t even meet Smalls and Sniper in this lifetime until they were 16, but in that picture they’re only 13 and they’re so small.

A sidenote on Katherine has a picture of her in a hairstyle he hasn’t seen her in since 1917.

It’s a mixture between ptsd and nostalgia and Davey can’t decide whether to freak out or be happy.

He takes the article to Jack and tells him about how Gretchen found it and their non-reincarnated friends know.

Jack’s silently cursing the fact that he really should have been more careful with what he drew around Janis, but it’s kinda a relief that they know, honestly.

He shoots a quick text to the group chat and then turns his phone on do not disturb mode while he sits Janis down for a little chat.

He doesn’t go into graphic detail, but he does tell her an abridged version of everything. How they were basically a family and all lgbt+ in the early 20th century and how they died before their time and got a second chance.

It’s more than a little freaky for Janis, but it does explain a lot.

Such as how Jack demonstrates on a dare that he can still do some parkour because once upon a time, he used it to run from the cops.

Elmer tells Cady he’s so quick at math because he used to have to calculate change quickly and later had to help Jack and Davey come up with battle plans based on numbers vs tactics and terrain.

Regina definitely trusts Spot’s combat advice a lot more now because he was essentially a gang leader as a teenager and it has literally saved his life.

Race admits to Emma that her song made him cry because... in this lifetime he might not have had to be closeted, but in his last he was constantly worried about getting arrested or worse if people found out not just about him and his boyfriend, but his friends. His family.

Emma may or may not collaborate with him after that to write a song about how much it hurts to be closeted for your own safety and how much better it feels to be free to be who you are. Race dances in the music video and many of the other newsies make appearances but it’s mainly him and Emma. Spot and Alyssa cry when they see it. Damien does, too.

Who am I kidding everyone cries.

They get like 4 million hits on YouTube and it’s amazing.

The title is probably In the Light or something.

Also Cady, Aaron, Kevin, and Elmer form their own college level mathletes team and no one can beat them.

(Kevin’s not as close with the main group literally only because I don’t know that much about him as a character.)

(Also Stacy, Kailey, and whatever their boyfriends’ names are might be there somewhere but I don’t know them either.)

Katherine does get to meet the new kids in person eventually. And also I didn’t mention this earlier but Specs goes to Harvard too and he comes to visit too.

The power when the Lesbian Club finally gets to meet all in person? Unparalleled.

:)

[dxntloseurhead]

Here's a "random asks, even if you haven’t reblogged any meme." How would you dreamcast Mean Girls if you where only allowed to use actors from Six? You're allowed to stop at just the female roles, but if you want to do every role I'm totally here for it.

okay so i have no idea if you just mean current actresses but bc you didnt specify-

cady: i had a lot of troubles deciding this, but i think andrea macasaet would be a good fit! if her boleyn is anything to go by, she can play both the “innocent, sweet, does-no-wrong” and “bratty, bitchy, rude” parts very well, which would be crucial to cady’s character since she starts out nice and ends up becoming, in aaron’s words, a clone of regina as she progresses into becoming more and more of a plastic.

janis: courtney stapleton. i think i’ve said this fifty million times, but i cannot get over how great courtney!janis would be, both bc she’s actually wlw and bc she just has That Badass Energy (if she’s not still in deh by the time mg west end comes around i can totally see them casting her)

regina: alicia corrales-connor, bc as babey as she is i bet she could play an absolutely BOMB regina (that’s a good thing btw!! bc i think slang terms can get a lil confusing for some bc sometimes they mean two things that are literal opposites of each other). she could absolutely play the “queen bee” type if she wanted.

gretchen: i thought really long and hard on this one, and honestly i think the only person who really comes to mind is anna uzele. i can’t explain why, i just think she could play gretchen well.

karen: i also took a long time with this one, and i think maybe christina modestou? i don’t know, i can’t explain it either.

i also decided to just stick w/ the main female roles but like. feel free to rb with your own thoughts! thanks a lot for this, it really made me sit and think!

[vld-writing-for-all]

Headcanons for the paladudes + Matt Holt who have an s/o who loves musical theatre (everything from Mary Poppins to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to Hamilton to Heathers) :)

Fun fact: I’m actually seeing Hamilton this Wednesday so this is a surprisingly relevant ask and I’m very excited to write this.

-Paladins + Matt w/ S/O who loves musicals-

Shiro

He’s never been huge into musicals

He saw the movie Grease and he liked it but that’s about it

Like he could appreciate them and all the work and talent needed to make one but he’s not into it

But when his S/O reveals their love of musicals, he looks into it a little bit more

Even though it’s not his thing, he’ll still take his S/O out to see shows to make them happy~

He saw Book of Mormon though and he cried laughing so after that he’s way more open to musicals in general

Will occasionally be caught humming “Turn it off”

Thinks it’s endearing how his S/O sings along to musicals, and may even join them with some songs

Keith

Keith: “wtf is a musical”

before his S/O he legit didn’t even know what a musical was

once he finds out, he isn’t obsessed, but he is intrigued

He doesn’t like all musicals. Most of the Disney musicals he’s not a fan of, and he’s not huge on most “classic” Broadway either.

I know everybody says that Keith would love Heathers and all that but I actually see him really enjoying both Falsettos and anything by Sondheim (Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, etc.)

He likes musicals that tell stories~

Will occasionally listen to soundtracks with his S/O

It’s gonna take a lot for him to sing along, but if it’s just him and his S/O in the car or something and they put on a soundtrack he likes he may partake in singing

Okay so Keith’s voice actor is a good singer which means KEITH is a good singer

And now I’m picturing Keith singing “You gotta die sometime” and my heart is breaking so thanks

Lance

Lance is a theater kid and you can fight me on this

He has a folder full of bootlegs on his computer at home

Probably got cast as a lead once when his school did a shows and he still talks about it

can you blame him tho

When he finds out his S/O likes musicals as well he totally freaks out

Constantly sings along to soundtracks with his S/O

They each have assigned parts in each show as to who’d they play and they also cast the rest of the paladins as well and try to get them to sing along

They can’t really ever get anyone else to join in except Matt and Hunk but hey at least they tried

Lance is Hamilton trash and he’s seen the bootleg like 7 times

His dream role is Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson 

He knows the soundtrack by heart

He’s also a really big fan of In the Heights, since a lot of the themes of family in that show hit him close to home

And Mean Girls (he wants to be Karen). And Spongebob the Musical. And-

You get the point.

He and his S/O dress up as a different musical couple each year for Halloween.

Hunk

His only knowledge of musicals is what Lance told him

So, a lot

While he would never want to be in a musical acting or singing, he still enjoys watching them 

His two favorites are Spongebob the Musical and Be More Chill, since they’re all about friendship and he likes how lighthearted they are.

He also really enjoys Lion King, mainly for the costumes and imagery used.

He’s pretty open to new things, so he’d be more than happy to look further into musicals if his S/O was interested in musicals.

He’ll listen to them rant and rave about different shows and cast recordings all day long

And of course he sings along. He may not know the words, but he sings along~

Pidge

Surprisingly, she’s very interested in musical theatre.

But not for the music or the storyline or the acting or anything like that.

She’s in it for the sets.

It never fails to amaze her how tech directors can transform a tiny stage into an ocean, or a battlefield, or a castle, or anything else, really.

She’s mostly a fan of lighting design. Seeing how the crew uses lights to enhance the show and display terrain is fascinating to her

So if her S/O was interested in musical theatre, she’d be more than happy to go to shows with them. 

Sure, they may be obsessing about different things, but it’s still always a very fun date night~

Like Hunk, she enjoys the musical Be More Chill, since the use of synths and technology is really cool to her. 

Master of bootlegs. You want one? She has it.

Her and her S/O will just sit and watch bootlegs if they’re too busy to go see the show in person

Matt

Okay so we all know that Matt’s a dork

And while he’s not a theater kid

He will do anything for his S/O

So when he finds out that his S/O likes musical theatre he almost immediately starts listening to soundtracks

He likes musicals that use a lot of rock elements, like Grease or School of Rock.

He also really likes anything by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

He tries to rap along to Hamilton to impress his S/O 

He fails.

He does his best to belt along with his S/O to soundtracks whenever they’re cleaning or in the car.

It’s just goofy fun, and he really enjoys watching his S/O tackle a song that has multiple parts

Takes his S/O to New York just so they can see Musicals.

Also loves Mean Girls. He sings along as Regina and confuses the heck out of his S/O

What makes it even better is that he can’t sing

Here you go! Thanks for the request, hope you enjoy~

[ploppythespaceship]

Once Upon A Time Rewatch & Catch-up - Season 6A

The first time I watched the show, I gave up at some point during this arc, but I don’t remember exactly when. So at some point this isn’t strictly a rewatch, it’ll be the first time I’m seeing this.

Also, I can’t actually tell if they intended this season to be clearly split in two or not, but I’m gonna stick with the half season format for now.

Good Things:

I’m glad Archie is back. I missed him.

I really like most of the new cast and major guest actors this season:

Giles Matthey as Morpheus/Gideon (he looks like a perfect mix of Rumple and Belle)

Hank Harris as Dr. Jekyll

Karen David as Jasmine

Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin

Oded Fehr as Jafar (a fair recast of Naveen Andrews from the Wonderland spinoff, who as I understand was also excellent)

Craig Horner as the Count of Monte Cristo (even as a one-off character, I really enjoyed his performance)

Faran Tahir as Captain Nemo (ditto)

Also, shout out for not whitewashing any of the Aladdin characters.

I enjoy the concept of the Land of Untold Stories, and it’s a good way to link multiple realms. Stories and characters from things like Jekyll and Hyde, Count of Monte Cristo, Jules Verne, etc. feel much less out of place now.

While I overall dislike the direction Rumple/Belle has taken, I do appreciate that they’ve actually broken them up. And I'm so glad they aren’t trying to paint Rumple’s behavior towards her as acceptable in any way. The show makes it clear that while the situation is messy and complicated and there is no simple answer, Belle is completely justified in leaving him, as well as in all her actions to defend her child.

The sleeping curse on Snow and Charming’s heart that only lets one of them be awake at a time is really clever and really heartbreaking.

I have mixed feelings about the Wish Realm, but overall it’s a really fun concept. It’s not anywhere near the level of similar episodes in other series -- I still think Buffy’s “The Wish” is the best of the best -- but it’s probably the most entertaining episode the season.

Meeting Robin from the Wish Realm is the biggest oh shit moment, and my jaw actually dropped with excitement. That’s a great mid-season finale cliffhanger.

Bad Things:

Overall, the acting has gotten quite bad. While most of the main cast is still good, as are the major guest stars, the one-off characters -- I almost want to call them NPCs, the guards and sailors and townspeople and so on -- are very bad. They have very few lines, but those lines are delivered so poorly that they’re distracting.

Listen... I know Sam Witwer is a good actor. His performance as Davis Bloom on Smallville blew me away. But his version of Mr. Hyde is... bad. It’s real bad. I think he’s trying to sound like Bane from The Dark Knight Rises? But he ends up just being weird.

The Evil Queen as the main villain.

Splitting Regina into her good and evil halves is an interesting idea for maybe an episode or two... but it doesn’t work for an entire arc. And it doesn’t really make sense for the character, really. Regina removes the Evil Queen, but her personality seems the same as ever. That removal hasn’t changed her in any way? No one thought this through.

Additionally, the Evil Queen never really has a plan. There’s no endgame or ultimate goal, which means there’s no overarching plot. We just wander aimlessly from one episode to the next to the next, and it’s rather dull to watch.

And then it just... ends. She’s gotten rid of very matter-of-factly, with no buildup. It ultimately makes the entire first half of this season feel pointless.

Regina and Zelena’s relationship does not make any sense, and their sibling squabbles are so nonsensical. Usually because Regina has perfectly valid complaints, while Zelena’s whining about nothing, as usual. It always seems like they’re trying to paint Zelena as sympathetic, but they don’t ever know what to do with her to make it happen.

I feel like they killed Jekyll and Hyde a little too soon. There wasn't time to do anything interesting with them.

What actually is a Savior? What creates a Savior? Does there have to be a curse involved? Is every Savior paired with one unique villain, or can there be multiple? Why is Aladdin one? Is being the Savior something you choose or something that happens to you? The idea of multiple Saviors is a really interesting concept that they never bother to explain.

They spent all of last season worrying about Zelena caring for the baby, and rightfully so! She’s evil! She raped Robin for that baby! She has zero rights to the kid! But now that she’s actively being evil again, we suddenly don’t care that she has the baby? Regina should be desperate to get Robin’s baby away from her.

Why are Rumple and the Evil Queen a thing?? It might make sense for evil Regina, but Rumple wouldn’t cheat on Belle, even if she has broken up with him. Even to manipulate her, it seems to be going too far.

[thotticus-finch]

Musical Review: Mean Girls (2017)

“Mean Girls”–the new musical by Tina Fey, based off the 2004 film (also penned by Fey)– had its very first preview tonight in Washington, DC. I’ve been looking forward to this for months as a huge fan of the movie, but I recognize that this show is effectively a ROUGH DRAFT and DOES NOT represent what the final Broadway production could look like in any way. As such, my review could differ from others as time goes on and things I write about now may very well not exist/get drastically changed by next week’s shows. Here we go:

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For starters, it wasn’t bad. The songs were generic at times, but when they weren’t, they really shined—my favorite was a number called “Revenge Party” toward the end of act one (I assume that’s the name, since the Playbills did not have a song list). The choreography was also really fun to watch and the set was very dynamic, with a combo of DEH-like movable screens and traditional moving set-pieces. Of course, they crammed (almost) every memorable line of the movie in there, albeit sometimes a little forcefully–one I noticed specifically was “She doesn’t even go here!”, though that could just have been the actor’s delivery. I thought Taylor Louderman, Regina George’s actress, tried too hard with her role at first, such as by forcing a very “valley girl” accent, but had eased into it by the end of act 1. Barrett Wilbert Weed killed it as Janis. Damien (Grey Henson) was also fantastic, and I wouldn’t be surprised if either were nominated for supporting actor/actress, and I was glad to finally see the former live after being a Heathers fan for so long. Erika Henningsen was a very good choice for Cady, though I wish she had more information about her transition into a plastic, from her own conscience. It falls a little flat there, but in exchange it humanizes Gretchen and Karen, the other plastics, in a way that I found to be an excellent touch, dealing with mental illness and self-esteem issues, which, I didn’t quite expect.

My biggest issues were story and pacing. The first act lasted two songs too long. Revenge Party, where they start to plot RG’s downfall is where I thought Act 1 should have ended. Story-wise, I can see how it wouldn’t serve as an act-closer, but it’s so big and loud that it might as well be.

Story: an abridged version of the movie, done pretty dang well. Best musical/book worthy? Nah. Not in this state. If you hadn’t seen the movie, or were at least familiar with it, you’d be totally lost. It’s a mess for new viewers, and that’s gonna be what kills it on Broadway. It’ll only last as long as people who grew up with it will see it, which is only gonna be like a year or so. It doesn’t have the instant appeal of Heathers or Legally Blonde that will keep people beyond its generation interested. If it jumped to Broadway as-is, I’d give it a year; however, this is the type of show that would make a KILLING on tour, and that’s exactly what I think they’re going for. They’re gonna put it up in NYC, have it get a few tony noms and general buzz, and then when it closes they’ll use the headlines to advertise it across the country.

My final two complaints are of the book. The content has been heavily modernized to include social media. Thus, given it was written by someone who is almost 50 years-old, there are many scenes that awkwardly pander to millennials/young people like “how do you do, fellow kids?”. That, and Tina Fey really could have come up with new lines instead of rehashing them ALL from the movie. Not to say their inclusion was bad, (except from what I mentioned above), but this was a prime opportunity to write some new, relevant material. The only new zinger that stuck with me was RG mentioning that the president blocked her on twitter.

All-in-all, it’s a decent rough draft. It isn’t immediately memorable besides a few songs, but I totally expect them to have a much more polished show by the time they reach Broadway, as long as they keep the cast. It’s a great, albeit condensed, version a classic, but could have longevity issues if the pacing and awkward modernization isn’t remedied. Rating wise, I would give it a C+ | 3.5 Stars | 6.7/10.

If you can, do see it while it’s in DC! It’s very fun and I plan on seeing it once it hits NYC as well.

[efnewsservice]

Highlights from the Mixed Cast panel at Storytelling Con, Barcelona, April 22, 2017

Please note I missed the first 10 minutes of this panel... 5AM is early to get up on a Saturday :)

Favorite scenes for each actor:

Gil:  “I guess I have to go with meeting Ariel.  I’ve had some nice scenes but that was really the special one.  It was the first scene that I shot.  Walking down the stairs and seeing Ariel and falling in love.”

Sean:  “It’s difficult to pick one because there are lots of scenes that I enjoyed.  But there is an episode [4.17] where I’m riding a horse down a street in New York.  And obviously you can’t ride a real horse on concrete because it’s dangerous.  So they have this pretend mechanical horse which is just a big rocking horse and they put it on a truck and they drive it down the street.  So I’m on a big pretend rocking horse driving down a main street and there are all these people in Vancouver looking at me going what is that guy doing?  And I was like... I’m Robin Hood.”

Beverley:  “My favorite scene was in Red Handed, when Ruby was just about to attack Peter and I threw the cape on her... that was so exciting because we were outside in the snow it was beautiful it was tense and we were fighting and I had to throw the cape on her and turn her back into Ruby.”

Bex:  “I have two favorite scenes.  My first one I love the scene with Zelena and Regina in the episode... I love all the stuff that explores the relationship between the sisters.  And there was one episode in season 5 called Sisters... there was a very emotional scene with me and my sister and our mommy when she made us hold hands and close our eyes and we remembered that we had known each other all along.  That was my first one and my second one was the musical which you haven’t seen yet!”

Gil sang A Whole New World to Deniz as if he was Ariel.

Bex best moment as the Wicked Witch:  “My song in the musical was so much fun!  I don’t even know what to do with myself.  I keep looking at the calendar is it May 7th yet?  That was the best moment for my character because in this song it tells my character’s whole story in one three and a half minute song.  One of the best days of my life.”

The most touching moment filming scenes:  

Gil:  “Getting to kiss Ariel.  Multiple times.  I was like ‘can I get one more?’  They are like Gil it doesn’t need to be an open mouthed kiss.”

Bex:  “One of the most emotional scenes I shot was when I had to give up my baby to Robin and Regina because I was hurting her and I had to surrender her that was really...”

Beverley:  “When they were going through the gate back to [the Enchanted Forest] and I had to say goodbye to Roland.  [...]  I was holding the baby and I kissed his head that was very touching.  Raphael is a gorgeous little actor.”

Sean:  “Obviously working with Raphael.  I started working with him before I became a dad... because I was a child actor myself I felt very protective over him.  It was one of the first days I was filming with him I had him in my arms and he was only 5 at the time and I have lots of nieces and nephews and I’m very touchy feelly and I kissed him on the head.  We weren’t filming and he turned around and said ‘did you just kiss me?’  And I was like yes, yes I did.  I’m not sure if I’m supposed to do that... why is this strange man kissing me... from day one we had a really strong bond, we got along very well.  He’s just a very sweet boy and I love him.”

Faustino:  “When we have these little glimpses of nature cutting in.  We were shooting a scene [in 3.02] by the river with Snow White and Charming and all the dwarves and in comes a deer.  Just starts walking.  Walking ... walking and we’re just kind of doing our scene and the deer is in the scene.  Everyone at that point was .. and then at that point the deer was right there and Ginny goes ‘oh my god’ ... and on the wedding scene we had some birds that snuck in the building while filming we had those glimpses of nature setting in...”

Deniz:  “I was always a big fan of the cartoons of Aladdin and on the first day we actually got to do the scene where I fly in and Jasmine’s in the hourglass and Jafar’s there with the staff and I’m in the cartoon I’ve watched four hundred million times...  And I got to be Aladdin and save her...”

What do you love most about Once Upon a Time:

Gil:  “That I got to play a Disney prince.  Because honestly I was shocked that I got that part.  I feel honored and humbled.”

Deniz:  “That I got to work with all these lovely people.”

Faustino:  “I love the message.  It’s a message of hope and ah that message is represented through all of you.  Thank you.”

Bex:  “The best thing about Once Upon a Time is how it’s brought all of us together.  The fandom has created a community.  Like no matter what happens we’ll always have each other.”

Beverley:  “I love that it took these fairy tales that we all knew as children and then gave this life and history which connected all of us together.  And that it’s international.  The cast is international and now we get to travel the world and have this international community.”

Sean:  “I just like that I get to wear leather head to toe all day and they pay me.”

Will Zelena be a good person or will she just be a wicked witch:  “I think Zelena is going through a massive transformation... I think becoming a mother has made her heart softer.  You’ll see throughout the rest of the season what happens with Zelena’s relationship with Regina but I think no matter how redeemed my character becomes there always be a little bit of wicked in there.”

What UK food does Bex miss the most:  “A good bloody cup of tea!  Like a proper cup of tea with milk and sugar!  Like a lady!”

For Sean:  What do you like most about playing a Disney fairy tale character?  “Well I thought of Robin Hood as a character by itself before Disney made a Disney movie of Robin Hood.  I just liked the fact that I got to play a ...  just getting to play the legend of Robin Hood.  It’s just one of those characters that any male actor would really enjoy.”

What do you think about fans that follow you around the world [at conventions] are they crazy?: 

Bex:  “I think it’s amazing that people get on a plane to come and meet us.  It’s mental.  We are very very honored and it really means a lot to us.”

They were asked to dance the Macarana.  Bex attempted to decline saying she needs more coffee but Beverley made them all get up and do it.  The editor at this point is having 1990s PTSD flashbacks...

Favorite same sex love interest for your own characters:

Sean:  “I don’t want to disappoint the gents here because they’re strapping men every one of them but I’d have to say my old pal Colin O’Donoghue.  When he raises that eyebrow I just fall to pieces.”

Gil:  “Aladdin here.  He’s got long hair .... something to grab hold of....”

Deniz:  “I’d have to go with the one and only Prince Charming.  He’s the prince of Charming.”

Faustino:  “Charming absolutely.”

Beverley:  “I just feel strange because I’m a grandmother... of course Zelena would be number one but my tied for number one ... Jasmine ...”

Bex:  “I think Zelena might have a crush on Belle.  She’s so little!  I can pick her up she’s so cute!  In really life I think Rebecca Mader would go for Lana Parrilla we’re not sisters in real life so it’s not wrong.  It’s not weird.”

How long does it take to become the Wicked Witch:  “Three hours.  Seven coffees.  And lots of snapchat, twitter and instagram.  But once the green makeup is on it can stay on for 17 hours and then it takes half an hour to take off.  And then I look 16 at the end because it’s taken all the skin off.”

Who is your favorite scene partner:  

Beverley:  “I love hanging out with Archie and Geppetto.  We have a nice little trio and the three of us [talk a lot].”

Gil:  “Again there are just so many to choose from.  I’m going to say Joanna who plays Ariel.  Though last time I was up there I got to work with Karen David and she was absolutely wonderful.  Do you want to trade?” [to Deniz]

Deniz:  “Karen David’s my answer.  Actually no Jafar.. Oded is so fun to work with.  He’s so evil and so lovely in person.  It’s kind of cool to see him switch.”

Faustino:  “Since I play dwarf I’m going to say my dwarf brothers.  Because we have a lot of fun all the time.”

Sean:  “I can’t pick one person.  All of us became good friends.  Bex is like my sister, Colin is like my brother, Mikey Raymond-James who left the show a little while ago is one of my best friends.... it’s a tie.  Lana obviously ... I can’t pick between all of my favorites.”

Bex:  “Lana Parrilla!  Two reasons I like working with my sister the most.  One when we’re in character we play and each take is different.  And number two she makes tea like a British lady.  I spend a lot of time in her trailer drinking her tea and eating her chocolate.”

If you could play any other character:

Sean declines to answer because they were all well cast.  “I’m very happy I got to be Robin Hood because I think I would have been a terrible Queen of Darkness.”

Bex doesn’t want to play anyone else but her.

Beverley:  Rumple.

Deniz:  “I’d like to play Zelena for a day.  Just for a day.  One day get green...”

Gil:  “Prince Charming because he’s gotten to do way more episodes than me.”

Faustino: “Hook, that’s an interesting character.”

[turkeycd0-blog]

Watch Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next" Video Reference "Bring It On," "Mean Girls," "Legally Blonde," and "13 Going on 30"

Well everybody, Ariana Grande's "thank u, next" music video has finally arrived. After weeks of teasers that started with kissing cousins and ended with the news that Ari's former Victorious costar would be in the video, the full, entire thing is here for our viewing pleasure (with tons of outfit inspiration to go around, BTW).

Yes, it's as good as we all imagined. As we knew already, the "thank u, next" visuals reference four iconic 2000s movies: Bring It On, Mean Girls, 13 Going on 30, and Legally Blonde.

And, whew, she packs a lot into a song that's originally only three minutes and 26 seconds long (the video itself is more than five minutes). Here are all the movie references you missed while watching "thank u, next," out Nov. 30. Let's break it down by movie, shall we?

1. Mean Girls

Ariana's love for Mean Girls is well-documented — when she was a kid, she even recreated scenes from the movie with her friends. Now, she's doing essentially the same thing in the "thank u, next" video, where she dresses up as Regina George, brandishing a Burn Book of her very own alongside the Plastics — actor Elizabeth Gillies (as Cady), childhood BFF Alexa Luria (as Karen), and cousin Courtney Chipolone (as Gretchen). Of course, we can't forget the actor cameos in the kick-off portion of the video that we've already seen, including original Mean Girls stars Jonathan Bennett (who played Aaron Samuels) and Stefanie Drummond (who played the girl Regina punched in the face — it was awesome).

In the video, the Mean Girls moments abound. She dons the "Jingle Bell Rock" Santa outfit along with the other Plastics as they perform the number. And who pops out to be Amy Poehler's "cool mom"? None other than Kris Jenner herself, momager extraordinaire.

Some other hidden moments? As a fan noticed in the behind-the-scenes footage, Ari's version of the Burn Book appears to include a reference to her ex Big Sean: an old photo of the two of them together. And another fan noticed that on his page, she wrote, "Could still get it."

The video shows that all of Ariana's exes (Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, and Mac Miller) get a spot in the burn book — including Pete Davidson. You can read on his Burn Book page that she has written, "Sry I dipped," seemingly confirming that she's the one who broke off their engagement.

2. Bring It On

When Ari takes on 2000 cheerleading movie Bring It On, she's clearly in it to win it.

In the video, she remakes the Rancho Carne Toros into a team with uniforms featuring the acronym "TUN" (for "thank u, next," of course) and the East Compton Clovers become the "Lovers." Many of her friends play cheerleaders on both teams: the Clovers are comprised of Ari's backup dancers Nekai Johnson, Luz Remigio, and Patience Aquart, in addition to friends and fellow musicians Tayla Parx and Victoria Monét (who are also cowriters on the song). The Toros, on the other hand, include Colleen Ballinger, Courtney Chipolone, Daniella Monet, and Alexa Luria.

Cliff, Torrance's love interest, is played by former Victorious costar Matt Bennett. For their music video reunion, the pair recreates one of the film’s most iconic scenes — acting out when Torrance and Cliff compete in a teeth brushing/dancing battle.

Along with bringing her “thank u, next” motto to teeth-brushing, Ariana goes on to recreate the moment Torrance listens to a taped song that Cliff wrote for her. Holding a pair of red pom-poms above her head, the singer does her best Rancho Carne Toros dance routine. Among the other memorable scenes recreated from Bring It On, include Ariana’s version of the half-time cheer-off between the Toros and Clovers. Her version includes the two opposing cheer teams coming together for a finale that has them kicking their way to the video’s conclusion.

3. 13 Going on 30

13 Going on 30 is probably the movie we saw the least of in Ari's teasers leading up to the release, but there's plenty to love about the movie in the actual "thank u, next" music video. Ari, of course, plays Jenna Rink (who Jennifer Garner plays as an adult), the 13-year-old turned magazine editor in the 2004 romantic comedy.

Jenna's iconic dollhouse makes an appearance in Ariana's music video, as does Ari in a wedding dress — joined by her friends as bridesmaids. But wait, another Ari as Jenna pops out with a brunette bob, carrying her big dollhouse to the front porch steps. She lets a single tear fall before the magic sweeps her up into Legally Blonde land.

4. Legally Blonde

Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods in Legally Blonde is a role that Ariana was clearly born to play. She matches the outfits and props perfectly, from the memorable bright orange Macbook to all the fuzzy pink things she can manage. Ariana's dog Toulouse also gets his time to shine, when he lays out on a pool float like Elle's dog Bruiser in Ari's teaser images.

In terms of cameos, in this part of the music video, the major one is Jennifer Coolidge, who reprises her role in the movies as Paulette Bonafonté. Paulette joins Ari's Elle in the hair salon as they bend and snap their little hearts out. Ari also talks over her boy troubles, in a thinly-veiled reference to Pete Davidson and his alleged BDE. "I mean he was really cute, you know. It was really big," Ariana contemplates, as Paulette sits in front of her.

Paulette then ruminates, "I've only gone out with one guy who had a big front tooth and I liked it because he never got anything stuck in the front...teeth. But, have you ever gone out with someone who had no front teeth at all?" To which Ari replies, "No."

We also get a lot of other Legally Blonde recreated scenes, including Ariana coming to campus in all pink, and her lounging on the lawn studying — and one eagle-eyed fan has already spotted that the book she's reading is titled "Immigration and Refugee Law and Policy." Best of all? Paulette reunites with the original delivery man who played her love interest in the movies. True love!

All in all, "thank u, next" is as fun and stocked with more references than we could have ever hoped for. It's hard to imagine anything could ever top this major moment in music video history, but Ari apparently is already thinking about what's next. She tweeted on Nov. 30, "can i drop another song after this i’m bored."

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Source: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/watch-ariana-grande-thank-u-next-video-bring-it-on-mean-girls-legally-blonde-13-going-on-30

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

Tony Awards 2018: Taylor Louderman Becomes the Queen Bee of Broadway (Exclusive)

Taylor Louderman, nominated for playing Regina George in Mean Girls, is one of ET’s Standout Performances on Broadway.  

In the Broadway version of Mean Girls, Tina Fey’s musical adaptation of the 2004 teen film that she also wrote, Regina George and her cohorts Gretchen Wieners and Karen Smith make their long-awaited entrance on a high school cafeteria table during the show’s fourth number, “Meet the Plastics.” And just like that, the show belongs to Taylor Louderman, Mean Girls’ newest queen bee and 2018 Tony nominee for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

Backstage, however, before making her debut, Louderman takes her time transforming into the high school teen. “I am not even ready at all by the time everybody else is starting the show,” the actress reveals to ET, still in street clothes when the production gets underway. But soon, the makeup is applied, her hair is done and the clothing is on. Louderman is joined by Ashley Park and Kate Rockwell (who play Gretchen and Karen, respectively) as they gather around the cafeteria table in their “power poses,” before hair supervisor Joshua First does a final fix of the hair and Louderman’s dresser Andrae Gonzalo -- yes, the former Project Runway contestant -- gives a tug on her pants.

“Kate and Ashley will put their hands on my legs and that’s when I start feeling it, but it’s not until the music hits that I really feel it,” Louderman says, no longer a small town girl from the Midwest but the most beloved and feared high school teen on Broadway.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, and later growing up outside of St. Louis, Missouri, Louderman started acting at the age of 10, playing the title role in a local production of “Annie.” She eventually worked her way from regional theater gigs to Broadway, where she made her debut as Campbell in the musical adaptation of Bring It On, which was followed by Wendy Darling in NBC’s Peter Pan Live! and back to Broadway in Kinky Boots.

“Did I ever think I would be getting to play Regina George on Broadway? No!” gushers Louderman. The 27-year-old actress could not be more humble or different from her onstage persona, adding, “I’ll take the challenge.”

Not only does the original film about a homeschooled girl entering high school and navigating the tricky relationships between teen girls have diehard fans who have been anxiously awaiting the stage version, Louderman is taking on an iconic character originated onscreen by Rachel McAdams, an actress who has emerged from a generation of teen actors to become an Oscar-nominated performer and someone Louderman reveres. “I really look up to her,” she says. “This is unreal to get to play a role that she originated.”

Not only that, but Louderman also gets to work with Fey, who has been very hands-on with the production, sitting in on auditions (“She was very kind and gave me a laugh,” Louderman recalls) and working closely with the actors throughout rehearsals and the show’s Washington, D.C., tryout. “It’s been really cool to see how focused she has been and how her ego has never gotten in the way,” she says of Fey, who has taught her and her co-stars a lot in this process. “The best idea always wins, and that’s what makes such a successful product.”

Having starred in another teen film-turned-musical, Louderman is no stranger to the anticipation and demands of transforming a beloved story for the stage. “It’s challenging, but also really, really rewarding,” she says, acknowledging that “people have expectations.” But what sets Mean Girls apart from Bring It On, she says, is Fey’s writing. “It’s just so smart, so witty and so funny. You’re getting all your favorite moments from the film.” The same set-ups are there, but the punchlines are different. “She’s changed that. She is still giving you those moments for us to relive, but in a different way, so you’re still surprised.”

Ultimately, for Louderman, being part of the Mean Girls production is “the coolest thing I have ever done,” she says, adding that she’s relishing the opportunity to share the story’s underlying message about female empowerment and support for one another to young people. “I didn’t really realize I would have the opportunity to do that with this show. That has been something that surprised me and feels really good. You’re sort of giving back to society through this fun and witty performance.”

The 2018 Tony Awards hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles will be handed out live at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 10, starting at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

 STANDOUT PERFORMANCES ON BROADWAY:

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Tonys 2018: The Crossroads That Led Nathan Lane to ‘Angels in America’ (Exclusive)

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