#josie whittlesey | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

gentlebeardsbarngrill · 7 months ago

Text

05/02/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast & Crew Sightings; Taika Waititi; Claudia O'Doherty; Dominic Burgess; Eliza Cossio; Erroll Shand; Watch Party Reminders; Fan Spotlight: Cast Cards; OFMD Colouring Pages; Stede & Ed (Calvin & Hobbes); MerMay Prompts/submissions; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika;

= Cast & Crew Sightings =

= Taika Waititi =

Taika is in NYC with Rita for more TypeBea launches! Additionally, the Met Gala happens to be on May 6th, will they be showing up again this year?

Img Src: Rita Ora's IG Storys

Img Srcs: DailyMail

= Claudia O'Doherty =

Our dear Mary, Claudia O'Doherty has peeked her head out again! This time with cooking suggestions and a podcast! Check her out on the latest episode of @douboyspodcast. Listen here

= Erroll Shand =

Just Erroll in a priests outfit with the song "Reflections" by Diana Ross & The Supremes.

Img Src: Erroll's IG Story

= Dominic Burgess =

Dominic got to slay on Palm Royale this week! Check out that suit! Bonus --Once again, I am a sucker for cat content, any cast member that shows their pets I'm posting it. Check out these adorable babies of our dear Jeffrey Fetterling.

Img Src: Dominic Burgess' Twitter

== Eliza Cossio ==

One of our dear writers, Eliza Cossio just so happens to have co-written a spin off of Felicity called "Felicity In Space". It's available on her Instagram here: tinyurl.com/FELICITYINSPACE

Img Src: Eliza's IG

== Watch Party Reminders ==

Palm Royale picks back up May 9 via @LCWebsXOXO with the lovely @/dominicburgess approx. 4pm EDT/9pm BST/1pm PST!

= Wrecked =

Last 2 episodes of Season 1 is on the docket for tomorrow! Don't have access? Reach out to me on @gentlebeardsbarngrill on tumblr, or @aspirantabby42 on twitter.

Days: Apr 29 - May 3

Times: 3:30 pm PT / 6:30 pm ET / 11:30 pm BST

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

Tonight is non other than Josie Whittlesey, aka Hellkat Maggie, and the reason we have OFMD in the first place! Thank you so much @melvisik for spotlighting her!

Img Src: @melvisik's Twitter

= OFMD Colouring Pages =

More colouring pages by @patchworkpiratebear! And it fits with the MerMay Theme! I would love to print out a whole books worth of these once they're done!

Img Src: @patchworkpiratebear's Tumblr

= Stede & Ed (Calvin & Hobbes) =

A new fan spotlight tonight features our very own darling @blakbonnet! She's been making these awesome Calvin/Hobbes redraws with Stede and Ed for a while now, and she was kind enough to let me share them with you in the recaps! If you haven't seen them already, please check them out on her blog! Theres's so many to catch up on so we'll be seeing more each day for a bit!

Src: @blakbonnet's Tumblr

== Mer May Prompts ==

There's prompts going on every day from the @saveofmdcrewmates and @bizarrelittlemew's MerMay Bingo and it's taking me a bit to get permission to share, but I'll share when if/when I can! A few of our crewmates are going strong with the themes!

= Spanish Jackiez =

Our talented @erostheartist had this submission for Mermay Day 1. I love the idea of The Swede as a merman <3 Visit them on their blog for more artwork!

= Plunder =

Today's SaveOFMD MerMay Day 2 prompt was "Plunder" -- and as always, @blueberreads never ceases to amaze with the awesome pixel art they make! The very important plant booty even makes an appearance-- and that tailcoat swoosh! I love it! For more pixel art awesomeness, please follow them on their blog!

In addition, @erostheartist had some gorgeous ideas on Plunder with Izzy Hands and jewelry, check out their post here to learn more about this piece.

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies! It's finally Friday tomorrow! I hope you all are finally going to get some rest and relaxation this weekend. We could all use some! I'm gonna go into a bit of a heavier topic tonight, so if you don't have the spoons please don't worry about reading it right now (or ever). I've noticed a big rift going on in the fandom. Whether its on twitter, or tumblr, there's definitely a lot of contention between various groups of fans. I'm sorry if that's stressing you out-- I know it can be really hard to see that kind of thing, especially when we put the time and effort into putting ourselves out there and trying to find a safe space ship we can belong to. Obviously I can't speak to the entire fandom, but the way I've been trying to process what's going on is I think we're running into some Post Cancellation-Fatigue/Aggression. When we were getting regular content from the show, or we were fighting to get the show back more, even if there were some differences between parts of the fandom, it still felt at least somewhat cohesive with some random outliers. That mutual fight for the show isn't as strong now, and the only content we get is BTS from Samba or some of the other lovely crewmembers, and I think it's starting to weigh pretty heavily on people. Sure, there's always been some contention, but a lot of folks have expressed that it's felt a lot stronger the last few days and I have to agree. Have you ever seen those cat videos where there are three cats -- two are focused on one another, and then another cat sneaks up from behind and scares one of them, and then the startled cat starts fighting the other one that wasn't involved? That's what your behavioural specialists would call "misplaced aggression". Same with if your two cats are fighting, and then you try to interrupt, and they scratch you--it's not caused by you but that aggression gets directed at you. That's kinda how it's feeling right now. There's something bugging all of us on some level (and its not all the same thing) and that's translating into frustration, and being modern times we can express those frustrations online-- and maybe not worded in the best way, and suddenly we've got this huge blow up of contention between groups. Now, I may be misreading it, but I've seen this happen in a few other fandoms post cancellations, and it feels similar.

How do we navigate that kind of change? Well, it's not easy. Fandoms are supposed to be fun. They're supposed to be a relief from stress and help us escape the crazy shit going on in this world.

You're allowed to want to just relax and have fun. You're allowed to love your blorbos, and your pairings, whether they follow canon or not ( just like anything in life, don't force them on others if they don't want them). You're allowed to have fun and learn new things and enjoy all of the wonderful things that happen in the show, as well as how many positive things have happened from it's existence.

That being said, you don't owe anyone your energy and mental health-- so if you're not feeling great about a particular group, or chat, or server, or whatever you're in, remember to be kind to yourself and prioritise your happiness. There's a reason there are block buttons on most social media-- not everyone gets along, and you shouldn't have to sacrifice your peace for the sake of other people's frustrations.

There are going to be groups that feel extremely strong one way or the other, and they're going to want you to pick a side. If you find that you identify more with one side, and you feel comfortable and accepted with them, then by all means, find your new safe space ship! If you don't want to pick a side, if you just want to love your blorbos and listen to all the different fun meta going on-- that's okay too! Look for people who share that same ideal-- and aren't as worried about one way or the other.

Hell, if you're enjoying the hell out of all the crazyness going on-- then that's fine too you bringer of chaos, you do you <3. I will repeat this lovelies-- this is supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be an escape, not an added stressor.

Do you need a few days away from the internet? Go nuts! Go outside, lay in the grass, drink your favorite drink and eat your favorite snack. The internet will be here when you get back. This show that brought us all together is about love, kindness, acceptance, learning, growing, making mistakes, forgiveness, support from our friends and family, redemption, and breaking the paradigms that society wants so badly to hold us down with. Those are the things we need to remember and cherish. This show taught us that there are very few situations that are irredeemable with effort, if people are willing to try. It taught us that where we are now doesn't have to be where are in a day, or a month, or a year, or 10 years and nothing is set in stone. We can change our own circumstances if we need to. It's perfectly reasonable to be upset that our safe space ship is having some troubles right now, and I feel it just like everyone else, so I get it. But-- just like the show tells us, nothing stays the same forever, and things can get better. Things can mend. Fandoms can mend, friendships can mend, relationships can mend. Or they can be severed and allow for those involved to move on. Whatever YOU need to do for your peace is okay and valid (we just ask that its not purposefully causing harm to others). You're allowed to prioritise yourself and your happiness.

If you need to talk, or vent, reach out to like-minded crewmates (you're welcome to message me but I may be slow due to work stuff, but I'm happy to listen and talk when I can!)

No matter where you are, no matter how you're feeling, you are loved.

You are doing your best, and you will get through these harder times. Remember to be kind if you can, and give yourself grace too.

Sleep well lovelies, I hope tomorrow is easier for you <3

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Tonight's theme is "silly", because we all need a little sillyness in our lives.

Gifs courtesy of the stupendous @ofmd-ann and marvelous @darkinerry <3

#daily ofmd recap #daily ofmd recaps #ofmd daily recaps #ofmd daily recap #taika waititi\#dominic burgess #eliza cossio #felicity in space #erroll shand #claudia o'doherty #ofmd mermay 2024 #ofmd mermay

66 notes · View notes

newyorktheater · 5 years ago

Text

Cindy De La Cruz as Marie, with video game-playing Mateo Ferro as her younger brother Butchie

In “The Siblings Play,” a teenage girl and her two brothers are left to raise one another in a Harlem apartment where the rent is past due, after first their father and then their mother abandoned them. But the story is more complicated than that. We discover an essential truth about this family as the play unfolds and in flashbacks: All members of the family abandon one another in one way or another, not just the parents, but in all cases the abandonment is only temporary; the love is permanent.

In a way “The Siblings Play” itself had been abandoned – temporarily. Beginning previews at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater on March 3, and scheduled for an official opening on March 18, it shut down after the performance on March 14 — as has every other play in New York on order the authorities to curb the spread of the pandemic.

But that last performance was recorded – and is being offered online through April 5th to patrons who purchased tickets to the canceled performances, as well as to new viewers for $15 a ticket.

I was invited to watch it online to review. I suspect this worked better live. Understandably, the camerawork doesn’t rise to the level of the stage-to-screen recordings we’ve gotten used to on platforms like Netflix. A clue as to why the theater went to the trouble of offering it online seems embedded in the playwright’s note in the (virtual) program, which reads like a poem.

“The story we’re sharing here today is about survivors, not victims,” Ren Dara Santiago writes. “I wrote this play to heal heroes. And heal myself, and each of you.”

“The Siblings Play,” which marks playwright Santiago’s

professional debut, is heartfelt and well-intentioned. The production is first-rate, with some really fine performances in the five-member cast. And, not incidentally, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, which over the past quarter century has offered much splendid theater, deserves the support during this perilous time. Yet, though others will surely respond more enthusiastically to the message of healing, my problems with the play were not limited to the sudden change of medium. I more admire the effort than fully embrace the results.

And much is admirable. The language of “The Siblings Play” has the authentic-sounding rhythms of the streets of Harlem circa 2010, and the issues with which they grapple are certainly widespread. The characters are each vividly etched. Mateo Ferro stands out as Butchie, aka Marian and Mars, who has the most on the ball – at 13 years old, he has learned computer coding on his own, he’s an exemplary tennis player; he’s the hope of the family. But he’s also the baby of the family, and his siblings baby him, and worry about him, which he resents. There are riveting moment as well between the two other siblings, Cindy De La Cruz as Marie/Rie-rie/Sweet-pea, and Ed Ventura as Leon/Lee/Chookie. That they each are given several names is the playwright’s clever hint that each is struggling with their manifold and sometimes conflicting identities, trying to grow up, trying to navigate between their roles as children, siblings, breadwinners and protectors. It’s telling that they keep on telling their parents not to call them by their childhood nicknames.

The Siblings Play, which was in previews Off-Broadway, will now be offered pay-for-view online.

Since much of the point of the play is to emphasize how responsible the children must be to take care of themselves, Dalia Davi as Lenora and Andy Lucien as Logan have the more challenging roles as the irresponsible parents. It’s a credit to both the writing and the acting that they don’t come off as monsters, but as people grappling with their own demons. Andy Jean’s costume for Davi – a bright red dress with too much bodice showing –gets right at her character.

While I was watching “The Siblings Play,” it occurred to me that its subject was similar to Bess Wohl’s play last year, Make Believe – siblings who have to fend for themselves, because of parental neglect. Where “Make Believe” was elliptical, however, “The Siblings Play” is akin to blunt-force trauma. The characters spend much time yelling at one another, which of course families do, but it’s tedious enough when it’s your own.

I’m not sure whether “The Siblings Play” precisely fits the 1950s genre of kitchen sink drama, but there is a familiarity to the pile-up of contemporary family problems that, perhaps paradoxically, often makes the play feel awkward and old-fashioned.

“The Siblings Play” is partially redeemed by its performers, even though we no longer get to see them in the flesh and the glory of live theater. They will appear, though, in live (albeit remote) post-show conversations. (See below.)

The Siblings Play

Written by Ren Dara Santiago Directed by Jenna Worsham Scenic design by Angelica Borrero, costume design by Andy Jean, lighting design by Zach Blane, sound design by Michael Costagliola Cast: Dalia Davi as Lenora, Cindy De La Cruz as Marie, Mateo Ferro as Butchie, Andy Lucien as Logan, and Ed Ventura as Leon. Running time: About two hours Tickets: $15 “The Sibling Play” is online here, through April 5

There will be post-show live performances on selected dates via Zoom. March 26 at 5pm – A Conversation with Director Jenna Worsham and cast members on how this play speaks to their own personal experiences.

March 31 at 3pm – A Conversation with David Kener and Monica Caballero from Counseling-in-the-Schools with Playwright Ren Dara Santiago.

April 2nd at 5pm – A Conversation with Robert Pollock from PEN America and Josie Whittlesey from Drama Club with Playwright Ren Dara Santiago

The Siblings Play Review: Harlem Kids Taking Care of Themselves, In a Debut Play That’s Moved Online In “The Siblings Play,” a teenage girl and her two brothers are left to raise one another in a Harlem apartment where the rent is past due, after first their father and then their mother abandoned them.

0 notes