#just like it was before?? donny novitski?? i know a guy??? SO good

[daydreaming-optimist]

I LOVE that you’re bandstand posting today bryn 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💗💗💛💛 there’s always some part of me that’s yelling about it 24/7

(speaking of, idk if I’ve asked before - what are your top songs from the show? 👀)

Jess I will ALWAYS jump at the chance to talk about Bandstand, it is so near and dear to my heart I love it so much (also it's available for rent rn on broadway on demand!!)

As for favorite songs, I really just want to say all of them but I don't think that's allowed lol, so I guess here are my top ones

Right This Way

Welcome Home (both versions!! Obv I LOVE the finale but the piano and instrumentals for the original one are just?? So pretty omg???)

Love Will Come and Find Me Again

Counterpoint/Pie Jesu (underrated MASTERPIECE, this scene/transition doesn't get nearly enough attention for how beautiful it is)

Nobody (the instrumental bit in the middle was my gymnastics floor music my senior year of high school)

This Is Life (again, both versions)

A Band in New York City (especially that bit towards the end where the bari sax and brass comes in while the ensemble is echoing right this way)

Everything Happens (June reminds me of my mom)

Who I Was (because I have to shout out my girl Julia <3)

[itsnowsnz]

The Donny Nova Band baking

I had this idea while baking cookies so enjoy

I choose creps because that’s the only thing I can do alone because I can’t cook for sh*t 

This post also has some JimmyxDonny and WaynexNick (JohnnyxDavy if you squint)

so

Julia was gone 1 hour to teach the kids choir at the church (even after Nick’s warning)

So Donny proposed to the boys to bake something at his place 

They all looked at him like “is he serious??” and were going to decline 

When Donny added that it was to surprise Julia 

They immediatly accepted 

Donny remembered  Michael saying that Julia LOVES creps but Michael could never surprise Julia with  crepes because he couldn’t be trusted around the kitchen 

And actually, neither Donny could be trusted around the kitchen

This guy can only make pasta without burning the kitchen down

But he figured Wayne and Jimmy are good around the kitchen 

After he took the eggs and milk in the fridge, he tried to take the flour

THAT WAS ON THE TOP SHELF 

Donny was sure it was Jimmy who put in there when they cleaned the house 

After 3 minutes of struggle (and cursing his boyf’s name), he finally reached the flour 

That was open 

Flour flied everywhere in the kitchen 

Including on his hair 

And of course, that’s when the band decided to come 

He cursed every god’s name he knows while opening the door 

The band laughed at him to a point Nick was rolling on the floor, tears in his eyes 

Jimmy tried to be a supportive boyfriend™ and tried to not laugh at Donny but seeing him, with a glare and his hair covered  with flour was too much so he started laughing too 

Donny tried to glare at Jimmy but he became too soft for this boi that he couldn’t be mad 

So he just ruffled his hair so the others can have flour on them too

It worked 

So Nick chased Donny while the rest of the band just walked to the kitchen, still laughing 

After Wayne swept away the flour from the kitchen because “WE CAN’T COOK IN A DIRTY KITCHEN,DONNY !”, they finally started 

Nick was supposed to put the flour in a measuring cup 

But he had to make a remark about Donny and his hair

So Donny grabbed an egg and smashed it on Nick’s head 

SO Nick threw the measuring cup’s content on Donny 

Before it goes further, Johnny took the cup,did it himself while Donny and Nick were scolded by their boyfriends “Can you stop being at each others’ throats for TWO seconds ?” “Well, it was Nick who started-” “Shut up Donny, I love you but shut up” “Yeah, shut up Novitski” “It applies for you too, Nick, shut up”

After the flour was on the bowl, it was time to add the eggs 

Davy was supposed to do it 

Even he promised the guys that he can do it and can hold the alcohol well, he craked the eggs on the sink, thinking it was the bowl “HOW COULD YOU THINK THE SINK WAS THE BOWL ?!” “Nick, do I need to remind you this time where you threw up on my shoes thinking it was the toilet” “It’s not my fault your shoes are ugly, Jimmy” “He’s not wrong” “Donny, go wash your hair then you can criticize” “Thanks Wayne”

While they talked, Johnny took new eggs and craked them on the bowl while Davy was drunkely babbling to him and Johnny nodded at him, like what Davy was saying was coherent 

The two couples didn’t notice that, too busy arguing

It was finally the last ingredient, the milk 

It was Johnny’s turn to put milk on the bowl while Jimmy was mixing

They did it calmly while Davy was sitting on the counter, watching them

Of course, Nick and Donny were still arguing and Wayne was just looking at the disaster, done with dealing with children, Grady and Emily weren’t THAT exhausting

Davy wanted to add rhum but Wayne stopped him, knowing that with Davy, there would be more rhum than crepe mixture 

Now that the mix was done, they needed to clean the kitchen up while the mixture rested (Jimmy and Wayne wished they could be this mixture so they don’t have to deal with over grown children that they love too much to even think about leaving them)

BUT Davy and Johnny thought that it would be a good idea to start a fight food

Of course, Donny and Nick immediatly joined while Jimmy and Wayne were still cleaning up 

They both wanted to join in but had a unsaid competition : Which one of the two will go into the fight first ?

Surprinsgly, Wayne lost 

But, it was Johnny’s fault if you ask him

Johnny threw an egg on him, trying to aim at Donny 

Of course, he immediatly turned around, asking who did that while Jimmy was craking up, next to him

Wayne heard Jimmy 

“You found that funny ?” “Of course not, why would you think tha-”

Wayne threw him flour on the face 

So basically, they both joinded but Wayne did first 

When Julia came to Donny’s house for practice, she opened the door and she hears laughing, screaming, and eggs craking ? 

She came to the kitchen and she saw a mess

The boys were throwing at each others, eggs, milk and flour 

She saw on the counter a bowl, what she assumed by the ingredients, with crepe mixture in it 

Then she looked at the boys,with soft eyes, so happy to see them smiling

I mean, she can see them while practicing but she had to be focused so she  can’t really enjoy 

Johnny noticed her “Oh hey, Julia!”

The others boys stopped in their tracks to look at her 

She burst out laughing at their faces and their states, priceless

“Go clean up yourselves up ! I’ll do the crepes”

So they did 

They ate in the living room, Donny and Jimmy curled up on the loveseat, Johnny sitting on a beanbag chair, Nick and Wayne were sitting close on the couch, Julia sitting on the couch, next to them, Davy was seated on the couch’s armchair 

They explained to Julia their former objetive and how they got in this situation

She hugged each of them, thanking them

But she also begged them to never go near her kitchen, which made them chuckle and agreed

Do I need to mention that I spent the entire evening writing it but had so much fun?

I had so many others ideas so that won’t be the last post like that 

Also I thank @somethingtobeholden because they made me think about Bandstand (they know why xD) I use “they” cuz I don’t know your pronouns

[somedayonbroadway]

Have you ever done oe thought about a Bandstand AU? Because I'm now obsessed.

Okay, so I was obsessed with Bandstand for a good six months after they performed at the Tonys. Kid you not, it was the only thing I listened to. For six months straight. And it still hasn’t gotten old.

Quick rant:

Corey Cott deserves a Tony.

Laura Osnes deserves a Tony.

The show deserved to at least be nominated for best musical, if not win the whole thing.

Dear Evan Hansen is great.

But it is nothing compared to Bandstand.

(Also, DEH won best orchestrations against Great Comet… like… what? Did the judges even see that show? DEH had like… a violin, a piano and a couple guitars. It hardly had orchestrations. Great Comet is a ****ing masterpiece of complex, insane music.)

End rant.

Anyways.

Bandstand AU

Characters

Jack Kelly — Donny Novitski (Piano)

Katherine Plumber — Julia Trojan (Singer)

David Jacobs — Wayne Wright (trombone)

Spot Conlon — Davy Zlatic (bass)

Racetrack Higgins — Jimmy Campbell (saxophone)

Crutchie Morris — Johny Simpson (drums)

Albert DaSilva — Nick Radel (trumpet)

Joseph Pulitzer — June Adams

Medda Larkin — Oliver

Bryan Denton — Jo

Specs — Michael “Rubber” Trojan

Okay, so…

Newly back home, Jack Kelly is having difficulty adjusting to life after the war. After losing his best friend from friendly fire, he’s guilt ridden. The minute Jack gets home, he’s bombarded with propaganda that everything would go back to the way it was before. He doesn’t believe that as he is now jobless, is struggling for money, is struggling hard with insomnia and PTSD.

As a composer, vocalist, accordion player and pianist, Jack begins to go to old clubs he used to perform at, only to find he’d been easily replaced. Finding an old friend, Medda, for whom he’d worked with before, he manages to secure gigs at weddings, getting slim money, just enough to eat and pay rent.

After a few weeks, he finds himself slowly losing it. He hears stories of soldiers’ funerals. Those guys came back fine a while ago.

They needed a way to make it stop.

Jack is on the verge of a breakdown. He can’t go a night without a drink. He can’t stop thinking about the war. About Specs.

He can’t get it out of his head.

He’s a genius and he knows it. He’s been musically inclined his whole life. He started playing when he was seven and he started composing when he was nine. And here he is, fifteen years later, still playing weddings. No one’s giving him a job. No one seems to care that he’s struggling or needs to play because if he can’t play, there’s nothing left for him.

But he hears about a contest on the radio. A contest for a swing band to compete in a contest as a tribute to the troops just back from the war.

In a moment of clarity, Jack decides that he’s going to put together a band made up of his fellow vets to shoot for fame and fortune, to show the vets that made it home that there’s hope for them.

So he takes a name that he remembers his best friend mentioned at one time, and he goes out to find a man about to play a gig at a club named Antonio Higgins who Specs had used to call Racer. Racer is a sax player, now studying to be a lawyer. While Race does try to send him away, he realizes that he might need this as much as Jack did and once he finds out that Specs is dead, he can’t say no. He’s doing this for Specs.

Race leads him to find more musicians who served. Spot, David, Crutchie and Albert.

Race doesn’t trust anyone.

Spot is an alcoholic, cracking jokes to get through the day as best he can.

David is OCD. He has clear schedules and plans out every minute of his day.

Albert is a control freak. He’s constantly irritated and just wants everything to be done the right way and for things to work out.

Crutchie lost a leg in the war as well as receiving brain damage in an accident that sent his vehicle flipping three times while he was in the war

Not all of them get along at first. But, for the sack of all of the vets that are losing hope in a post war world where there’s no place for them, they keep it together.

They get through their first gig together. All is well for about two minutes as Race tells Jack he’s glad he decided to play with him and Spot jokes around with Crutchie after Crutchie tells the guys about his meds and how they slow him down, asking him how much slower he can get without being put in reverse. Crutchie is very slow and goofy most of the time, unable to truly remember the events that occurred overseas, but he is a monster on drums. He doesn’t mind the jokes, in fact, he takes a liking to Spot.

It’s after this that Jack tells Albert he needs to come down off the ceiling while playing his solo, claiming that it’s selfish and out of line. Albert argues with him, sparking a bit of tension between the rest of the group. Albert then announced he has a chance to play with Dwight Anson Orchestra. Davey explains that Jack needs to work around his schedule. Albert says that they need to get paid.

Jack shoots back that the gigs they get are where and when they are going to play and he promises to try and give more of an advance in the future.

Once the others leave, Spot with Crutchie, trying to joke with him as he’s taken a liking to the youngest kid of the group, Race approaches Jack and tries to gently explain to him that he needs to learn how to talk to people if he’s gonna be a band leader. This sparks a small argument, almost leading to Race giving up and leaving, only resulting in Jack admitting that he has to do this for Specs.

He explains that Specs’s death was friendly fire and that he’d promised Specs should anything happen to him, he’d check in on his wife. Race advises Jack not to tell Specs’s wife how he died and tells him not to go to trial unless he was prepared to lose. Then he leaves, promising to see Jack for their next gig on Sunday.

So Jack goes to talk to Specs’s wife.

Katherine Plumber.

He knocks on the door before chickening out and turning to leave.

But he’s not quite fast enough.

Katherine laughs at him, accusing him of being too old for ding dong ditch. Jack laughs and shyly walks back, introducing himself as Spencer’s friend. Katherine’s smile fades and she asks him more questions, resulting in Jack telling her he has some pictures that might be of interest to her. Katherine invites him over for dinner.

Explaining to her father the situation, Joseph Pulitzer (yes, he’s very nice in this one. Deal with it.) he agrees to the dinner, telling Katherine that they won’t be great hosts. He tells Katherine to be careful and not to pry, that if Jack wants to tell her more information about Specs, he would.

So Katherine tries to respect the boundaries.

Katherine explains to her father that she feels selfish because sometimes she wishes she could be the same person she was before and that she doesn’t want to be defined as a Gold Star Wife. She used to have a life and she used to be somebody.

She pulls herself together when the knock on the door comes.

Joe welcomes Jack inside and Jack thanks him for his kindness while Katherine jokes that he works hard at being nice and explains that her mother is away visiting her grandparents.

While getting to know each other a little, Jack learns that Katherine can sing but she only sings a church and jokes that if he wanted to hear her sing, he’d have to go to a service. Katherine learns that Jack lost his parents when he was very young and has fended for himself ever since.

Eventually, they get around to looking at the pictures Jack brought. He tries to make the memories light.

But Katherine can’t help but ask if Jack was there when he’d died.

Jack tells her yes.

And Katherine can’t take it. So she excuses herself before dinner has even begun, leaving Jack and Joe to have dinner alone.

That Sunday, Jack finds himself at church, watching Katherine sing beautifully in front of an entire gathering of people.

He catches her afterwards, asking why she didn’t tell him that she got to perform the big finale. He then asks her if she’d like to see him and his band play that night, eventually convincing her that it might be fun.

Joe encourages her to go, telling her that she hasn’t been out since her husband had died. So she goes.

After watching their set, Katherine is surprised to be invited up onstage to sing a standard. She’s incredibly nervous, forgetting the bridge of the song but finishing strong with some encouragement from Jack. She meets the boys. She takes a liking to all of them, telling Davey that his family should be proud, joking along with Spot, immediately wanting to protect Crutchie, much like Spot does.

Jack tells them that he wants to win for the guys who got nothing.

Katherine asks him if he means Specs. And he tries to take it back but she runs off, upset. And Racer tells the guys that she has every right to be a part of this band as she lost her husband in the war. The guys tell Jack that he should try to get Katherine to sing with them.

So he goes to her work the next day. She tries to send him away, claiming she doesn’t need to be saved. Jack counters. “What if I do?” And then he sings her First Steps First before inviting her to rehearsal that night walking away. Katherine tells him on his way out that she’ll be there, on the condition that Jack tells her more about Specs.

At rehearsal, things are a little tense. Katherine quickly finds that Race tries his best to stay out of confrontation, David is constantly questioning Jack’s harmonies and chord progressions, Spot is always drunk, Crutchie is often confused, and Albert is hard to rely on. Katherine loosens up the tension as much as she can, learning the music and getting to know all the boys. She loves talking to Crutchie. She constantly takes Spot’s drinks from his hands and offers him coffee and water. She tries to get Race to open up and Davey to loosen up, while also somehow getting on Albert’s good side.

She finds that once they’re all playing together, things seem a little easier, like they all get along and work well together.

They play at a club in town called Medda’s, playing a song Jack hopes to be a winning song called “You Deserve It”. It’s snappy and catchy and all the boys really enjoy it. After this, Medda asks the band to play the next night and Jack and Kath celebrate with drinks.

Jack then asks Katherine if she’d be willing to take on a stage name, Kathy Pulitzer, saying it had a better ring to it than Katherine Plumber. Katherine doesn’t like this and leaves, unable to handle the idea of losing another part of Specs.

Jack follows her, apologizing after Katherine breaks, crying about how she’ll never see her husband’s body or get to say goodbye.

Jack promises to give her answers if she comes back to the band. So they go tell the guys they have another gig.

The next night, after escorting a very drunk Spot home, Jack expresses his worries that Spot will be wasted on the night of the competition to which Albert replies he has bigger problems and reveals he’d been rehearsing with Dwight Anson and thinks they might have a better song. He leaves, telling Jack he’d be playing with the band that had the better song.

Jack walks Katherine home, angry and scared and exhausted knowing he can’t sleep. He tells Katherine that if it were Specs, he’d be saying how they’d be winning this thing, on their way to New York in some Pullman cars, living the dream.

Katherine shows Jack a poem she’d written that makes Jack feel better. After promising — mostly — not to tease, Jack asks Katherine if he can look through more of her poems. Reluctantly, Katherine agrees.

The next day, Jack returns Katherine’s book with a new song, word for word lyrics to one of Katherine’s poems. He explains that this is the song they need to win. Katherine is hesitant but agrees to sing it.

Going to the contest, the band wins easily, hitting the judges hard with a song with a true story and one that many were too scared to tell.

Ecstatic, the band has a moment of victory before reality sets in.

They’re told that no one is paying for them to get to New York. They’re responsible for travel and getting there doesn’t guarantee them a spot on the broadcast. Jack and Race try to argue, telling them that they have to help them get there because everyone just heard them win, to which one of the producers replies that hardly anyone was listening.

And if no one saw it, it never happened.

(That moment gets me every ****ing time. The lights go out and a spotlight hits every single one of the boys. It hurts so bad.)

Their arguments get nowhere. And they’re left with this crippling news.

Jack falls to the ground in mental and emotional agony. The guys are arguing and getting worked up but Katherine is holding onto Jack, trying to make sure he’s alright.

Jack finally stands and tells them that they’re going to that contest. They have to make it there anyway they can and they’ll take every gig they can get because they have a right to respect.

And all the guys agree.

They’re done fighting for their country. It’s time to fight for themselves.

They take every gig offered to them, writing new songs and winning the hearts of their hometown (Cleveland). They even write a song about their hometown. Everyone adores it.

Jack and Katherine are closer than ever, Jack telling Katherine all the stories about Specs he can remember. He tells her one of his favorite memories of Specs which was when they were playing with some other cats in the army. Specs was playing the drums so fast, telling everyone to go faster and faster until finally he looked at Jack and just told him to sing. And Jack did. It was less of a song than a battle call.

When they write their new song, they begin to perform it everywhere they can as their town loves the song that’s all about them. While they do this, a certain club owner overheard the band talking about making enough money to get to New York. And Miss Medda hatches a scheme.

She asks the band to play more often for more pay and gets the rest of the town in on the game. Jack doesn’t realize what she’s doing.

Davey admits to Albert that his wife kicked him out. Albert offers up his home, igniting the first selfless act any of the others had ever seen from him.

Katherine tried to get Spot to give up the bottle. He refuses.

Spot starts massaging Crutchie’s back every now and then to help him relax and make him feel better after his injury.

In the midst of all of this, Katherine explains to Jack that she has to quit her job in order to make sure she could be at the contest. She says she’d be taking all the overtime and lipsticks as she could before then. She tells Jack how she lied about her mother being away to visit family and how she walked out on her and her father years ago.

And she says she wants to know what happens to Specs.

Unable to keep dodging the question, Jack breaks. He loses it, telling her that she couldn't understand. He’s crying as he recounts every detail in his brain, telling her how it happened, how it was his fault that his best friend was dead.

And Katherine runs away from him, horrified at what she’d just heard.

She doesn’t show up to the gig the next night.

Jack confides in Race who tells him that he’s letting this girl slip away from him. Jack tries to joke about Race not chasing after any pretty girls even though he has plenty of girls lining up to get a kiss from him after shows. Race says that he thought a smart guy like Jack would’ve had him figured out already.

Race lost his partner in the war.

Suddenly, things make a lot more sense.

Katherine stays home with her father, sobbing, explaining that it was Jack’s fault her husband was dead. But Pulitzer tells her that there aren’t reasons for what happens. Everything just happens. He tells her the only thing that matters is what she does next.

Katherine writes a poem and shows it to Jack the next day, apologizing even though Jack says she has nothing to apologize for. She says the same thing goes to him. She explains that she doesn’t know and cannot understand what happened in the frontlines. And this poem was for Jack and the boys.

Jack sets it to music knowing this song is too real and genuine to be played for an audience. So they change the lyrics.

This is the song Katherine would have sung if Specs had come home.

After performing this song for the first at Medda’s, Jack stands up to tell the audience that they won’t make it to New York, getting emotional and telling them that he was no hero and that the wrong guy made it home from the war. Medda stops him and explains to him he doesn’t need NBC when he has Cleveland. She hands him seven tickets to the Cleveland Limited. Pullman Cars. First class.

Jack literally breaks into tears and hugs Medda as tightly as he possibly can.

The band’s going to New York.

Jack gears up the guys for a successful contest while being awestruck and exploring New York City. Jack walks Katherine back to her room after a night exploring. They stop themselves from going into her room together after they both admit there’s more than just friendship between them.

They part ways that night, promising to see each other in the morning.

The next day, they go through preliminaries and are told they’ll be on the broadcast. Jack and Katherine sign the contract and the whole band celebrates until the next night when no one can seem to find Racer.

When Race arrives, two minutes before they’re on, he explains that Jack and Katherine signed away the rights to their own song and would be no more than walk ons if they won.

This just about breaks Jack.

Spot suggests leaving. The rest of the guys agree.

But Jack asks Katherine if she remembers all the original lyrics to Welcome Home, the poem she’d written for her boys.

She says yes.

And they know what they have to do for the soldiers out there to know they’re not alone.

They get on stage and they blow it up.

Crutchie starts the drums. Jack tells him to go faster. Faster. Faster.

Then he looks at Katherine. And he tells her to sing.

Charlie made it home.

Most of him at least .

Had three operations,

But the pain has not decreased .

Al learned to survive.

Means you never trust .

Once you see the worst in man,

Then how do you adjust?

Sean, he cracks a joke.

Claims to be alright .

Drinks a fifth of vodka

In his kitchen every night

And I stand here trying

Like mother Mary

With my private burden

Of grief to carry  

Welcome home my boys

Welcome home my sons

Welcome home my husband

Welcome home my love  

Welcome home

Welcome home

Welcome home  

David’s never free.

Schedules out his day.

Filling every minute

Just to keep the ghosts away .

He could never get

Back the life he had .

Faced with raising kids

Who did not recognize their dad .

Tony made it back to town

Four months ago

Lives to tell the things

No one could bear to know

Keeps his guard up now

A lot goes undiscussed

Focuses on fighting

What he finds unjust  

Welcome home my boys

Welcome home my sons

Welcome home my husband

Welcome home my love  

Welcome home

Welcome home

Welcome home  

Jack, he does his best,

Trying to pretend

What he doesn't talk about

Won't matter in the end

Jack, he made it home

But thinks it wasn't fair

How he made it out

But left his buddy there

Jack, he doesn't sleep

Because the nightmares come

Jack looks for an answer,

Jack, he looks for absolution,

And I'd give up anything

If I could give him some

And I stand here helpless

My arms extended

Knowing full well, darling,

Your war's not ended

Welcome home

Welcome home my husband

Welcome home my love

Welcome home

Welcome home

Welcome home my boys

Welcome home my sons

Welcome home my husband

Welcome home my love

Welcome home

Welcome home

Welcome home

It’s the most honest performance these men have ever given.

Months later, Jack and the band walk out of a movie theatre, joking about how good Dwight Anson Orchestra looked while Sinatra sang their song.

And some girls run up to them, asking for an autograph.

Jack gives them one, telling them to bring their father who served backstage at their next concert.

And then they leave.

They have a gig to get to.

What do you guys think? Wanna see any specific scenes?

For more Mood Boards and AUs, click here!

[dearkatherineplumber]

Bandstand National Tour Review (2/29/20)

I cannot even BEGIN to process how amazing literally every single aspect of my night seeing Bandstand was, but I'll try to share my experience as concisely as possible.

General Thoughts

It was SO INSANE to see a show I've loved for about 2 years now live on stage; it really exceeded my already sky-high expectations

I got to meet two of my closest Internet friends and that was one of the most special points of the evening; Bandstand has literally given me so many new friends 💕

Every show is dedicated to a WWII veteran, and the show I saw was dedicated to my grandfather, thanks to Jenn. My grandfather served in WWII but before the war, he was going to go to the Boston Conservatory of Music because he was an extremely talented trombone player. I felt the connection to him during the show ❤

The orchestra and set design are just phenomenal; the set looks so homey and inviting :)

Playing an instrument on stage is HARD and these guys make it look SO easy!

THE BLOCKING? THE CHOREO? I cannot believe the beauty of it. The scene right before "Right This Way" felt like a shot to the heart; Roxy's paprika scene was just 👌. I love this show's dancing and blocking with all of my heart.

There should be a Tony awards just for tour productions and every single Tony should go to every single member of this cast

The Cast

Zack Zaromatidis (Donny Novitski): his Donny is like, the epitome of suave. I don't even know how to explain it but he makes Donny so real and deep. There's so much behind his portrayal of Donny and it is impossible to not feel for his character. Absolutely amazing performance!

Jennifer Elizabeth Smith (Julia Trojan): HOLY COW! Jenn is a powerhouse! When she sang "Who I Was", I basically felt my soul ascend. "Welcome Home (Finale)" was obviously perfect. Jenn portrays such a confident Julia; I love how her Julia knows what she wants and how she wants to get it. I don't think I'll ever get over her performance.

Lou Jannuzzi (Wayne Wright): AHHHHHH! Chills! His Wayne is so rigid and perfectly portrayed I can't even describe it. The scene where he is compulsively putting together and taking apart his gun- o u c h. His Waybe is just indescribably perfect, so just go see him do it.

Ben Powell (Davy Zlatic): okay who let this guy be this talented?! His Davy is so nuanced! You laugh with him, you fight for him, you feel for him, it's insane. I LOVED his Davy and especially loved his chemistry with Zack and Jonmichael.

Jonmichael Tarleton (Johnny Simpson): HE IS SO GOOD! His Johnny is so sweet and funny but also deep and grounded. The Jeep bit was still just as funny as it always is. Absolutely loved Jonmichael's Johnny!

Rob Clove (Jimmy Campbell): holy heck! The way Rob plays Jimmy is crazy! He somehow manages to make Jimmy seem like a stressed law student and a friendly guy who truly loves the band. I love his Jimmy SO much!

Scott Bell (Nick Radel): somehow Scott makes Nick into a lovable jerk. One minute you're rooting for Nick and the next you're angry at him for some comment he made. Scott makes him so intense and truly showed Nick's true colors, both the good and the bad. So, so good!

Roxy York (June Adams): the MOST fun mom energy! The paprika scene! "Everything Happens"! Her scene with Taylor at the end! Ahhh! She's SO fun but she also shows June's more serious side. I love her June so, so much!

Matthew Mucha/Taylor Okey (Andre Baruch/Oliver): these guys are inseparable to me because of Second Act Snacks but literally every time Matt and Taylor were on stage, my eyes were drawn to them. They play arguably ignored characters but they make you care about the stories. I just loved watching them act and dance and sing ❤

To every swing and ensemble member: I see you! I see you doing insane costume changes, flips, twirls, and having fake conversations in the background. You are the glue that holds the show together and I literally can't fathom how you remember your tracks and all those insane Blankenbuehler moves. Kudos and endless admiration to you 💕

The Stagedoor

Zack: he was literally so kind! He talked to me about my grandfather and how much he loves the show for like, 5 minutes and was just so down to earth. I can tell he really loves the show as much as the #FanStands

Jenn: literally the sweetest! Jenn is such a bubbly person and it's impossible to not smile around her. She and I had been DM'ing all day and to talk to her in person was so amazing. I love you Jenn!

Roxy: the absolute queen herself graced us with her fun mom energy! I loved talking to her about the paprika scene. She is so kind and lovely!

Lou: Lou plays the trombone in the show and it was so cool to talk to him about my grandfather! He was so genuine and I loved getting to talk to him about the show.

Matt and Taylor: again, these guys are inseparable. I made them coasters and Taylor literally came running back over to where Matt and I were to show Matt the coasters. Their reactions are something I'll never forget ❤

Jonmichael: he spent meaningful time just talking to my friends and I about the show and it was just so cool to be able to tell him how amazing his Johnny was!

Rob: SO NICE! I loved talking to him about Jimmy and he was just so humble and patient and genuine. Love him!

Everything about Bandstand was phenomenal and indescribable. The cast is so, so spectacular and you can tell every single one of them believes in the show and loves it like the fans do. Thank you, Bandstand cast, for bringing to life such an important story. 🎹🎙🇺🇸

[bandstand-shitposts]

The Bandstand Album is Hella Complicated

Okay so we all know that the Bandstand cast album is amazing, but do you ever stop to think about how ingenious Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor were when they created the score and lyrics? Bandstand has such an interesting score because it has 3 (4 if you count the opening song, which I'll come back to later) types of songs: 1. Show songs - songs that replace what would be dialogue, if the show wasn't a musical. Donny Novitski, I Know a Guy, Who I Was, Just Like It Was Before Reprise, Breathe, Right This Way, Everything Happens, A Band in NYC, This Is Life (and the reprise), and the Epilogue all fit into this category. 2. Donny's songs - songs specifically written in Donny's style. These are songs that are still songs in-universe. Ain't We Proud, You Deserve It, and Nobody are in this category. (He also did the music for Love Will Come and Find Me Again.) 3. Julia's songs - songs specifically written in Julia's style. These are also songs that are still songs in-universe. Love Will Come and Find Me Again (lyrics), I Got a Theory, and both types of Welcome Home fit into this category. And lastly, 4. In-universe songs - songs that aren't written by Julia or Donny, but are still songs in-universe. Just Like It Was Before, which is supposed to be a chorus song written and sung by the radio station, and First Steps First, which is supposed to be a preexisting standard song, are in this category. And the thing is, Oberacker and Taylor kill it! In the "show" songs that take the place of dialogue, they manage to introduce variety and emphasize character! For example, Who I Was is very poetic and follows the same gentle yet flowing vibe that the songs Julia later writes have (such as the adjusted Welcome Home). Donny Novitski has similar piano-based chords that Ain't We Proud later copies. In I Know a Guy, before every section, you can hear the instrument the next guy plays in the background (for example, while Jimmy and Donny are talking at the beginning, there's a saxophone). The Donny and Julia written songs definitely keep a theme to the point that you can pretty easily recognize who wrote what, and even the in-universe songs are really good at keeping up that "vintage 40's theme". Just Like It Was Before is really great for setting the scene as well as contrasting the public view of the end of the war with the view of Donny and the other characters who were actually fighting it. Even First Steps First is a really cute song to have. Not only does it sound like a legitimate standard (I...actually thought it was a real, preexisting standard song they'd just adopted for Bandstand when I first heard it lol), but it works well enough for them to add a little reprise in later to show the development of Donny and Julia's relationship. Anyways!!! I just really love Bandstand and the score and lyrics and soundtrack are all amazing and compliment the plot perfectly!!! Seriously if you haven't listened to this musical yet I highly suggest it!!!

[johnnysdrums]

Kinds of Messes

Description: Wayne has finally returned home from the war just to have his life turned upside down. His wife and kids hardly recognize him and he has yet to get a letter back from an old high school friend. Rather, he’s gotten a very important telegram.

———————————————————————

“I know a guy. He’s kind of a mess. He made it back home in one piece, more or less. A genius on drums but on brain matter, shy.”

Wayne paused before responding to Donny’s question. He knew the answer to the question almost immediately but part of him didn’t want to utter the words out loud.

Wayne returned from war a changed man, to say the least. He ran his house like the Marine he trained to be. Unfortunately, children do not make good Marines. His wife tried to keep up with his antics but frankly, she was scared. What happened to the fun-loving Wayne Wright she fell in love with?

“He fought a war,” he’d reply, walk-in out the front door to check the mailbox at exactly 3 pm. He’d open the mailbox. Still no letter. Now Wayne was getting anxious.

Wayne and Johnny had promised to write each other weekly after having enlisted and they had done a pretty damn good job. Wayne kept up his end of the bargain more than he did to his wife. Johnny did as well for a bit until the letters just stopped coming. It didn’t get better when Wayne returned. Still no letter. At this point, Wayne would just have to accept the fact that the childhood friend to whom he confided all secrets to had been killed in action.

***

Wayne was watching the second hand on his watch tick past the 9 and towards the 10. When it hit the 12 along with the minute hand and the hour hand hit the 3, he got up and walked to mailbox. He expected nothing but bills and letters not addressed to him. What he didn’t expect was a telegram sent from the war office. He was going to wait to read it inside where he could use his reading glasses but he was too nervous and began to read, his eyes squinting and his hands trembling.

Wayne read the telegram three, four, five times over to make sure the words were real pen and ink and that they weren’t going to disappear on him. Johnny was ok-ish. Alive. Not dead. Wayne immediately rushed inside and called out to his wife.

“I’m stepping out for a bit. I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?”

“To see an old friend. He’s... in the hospital and... Look, I’ve got to go see him. It’s important.”

“Fine but you better be home by dinner.”

Wayne flung himself out the door, hopping into his car and heading straight towards the hospital. The thirty minute drive gave him a lot of time to think. Am I really the closest thing he has to family? Does he not have any cousins or other relatives? Wayne knew all too well about what had happened to Johnny’s family. In fact, had experienced it alongside him. The years of constant abuse and pain. The abuse so terrible that Johnny had to run towards war just to get away. How horrible are his injuries? They said it was an emergency... No, he’s alive. He’ll be fine. I’m sure of it. I hope.

Wayne arrived at the hospital and went up to the front desk to explain his situation. The secretary nodded and took him down the hall to the doctor standing right outside Johnny’s room.

“Mr. Wright, is it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Ah, wonderful. Have a seat, will you?” The doctor gestured to the chair outside the door with the metal back and Wayne sat down. The doctor sat in the wooden one. “So, Mr. Wright. How aware are you of Mr. Simpson’s... condition?”

Wayne tensed at the pause. “Just that it was pretty terrible and that I was his only contact. Do you know why?”

The doctor sighed. “I’m afraid Mr. Simpson does not have family that can take care of him. You appear to be the closest thing he has.”

“Oh.”

The doctor cleared his throat. “Now about Mr. Simpson’s condition. Mr. Simpson was in a vehicle accident. His Jeep flipped three times. He was the only one out of the three men in the car to survive but unfortunately that came with some costs. Mr. Simpson has had three operations on his back so far and hopefully we won’t have to do anymore. Of course, our work isn’t perfect and it appears that Mr. Simpson will be suffering from chronic pain for the rest of his life, not just in his back but in other joints as well.” The doctor paused to let Wayne absorb all of the information.

Wayne stood up having heard enough. “I’m going in,” he said and pushed past the doctor and into the room where a pale Johnny covered in cuts and bandages sat staring at the wall in a puzzled daze, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the blanket. Wayne didn’t hear the doctor stammering behind him about how their talk hadn’t finished yet and that it would be best if Wayne listened to all he had to say.

“Johnny?” he exclaimed quietly so as not to frighten him. Johnny perked up at his name and stared at Wayne for a few seconds before breaking out into a large grin.

“Hiya, there! Nice to meet ya! I’m Johnny Simpson but you can call me Johnny,” he giggled, stretching his hand out to shake. “And who are you? Do I know you? I feel like I should know you. You see, my Jeep flipped three times. Three times, I’m telling ya! The best decision I ever made was holding on to that steering wheel, I’ll tell you that much. And I just had three operations on my back! Can you imagine? The doc says I have a TBI which is a traumatic brain injury, I think. I can’t remember things. That’s because my Jeep flipped three times. Three times, I’m telling ya! So who are you?”

Wayne stood there in shock, unsure how to respond. He didn’t shake Johnny’s hand. Rather, he stared at the man who had become a shell of himself. A shell, how fitting.

“Wayne Wright. We were friends in high school,” he replied in the most formal manner. Johnny didn’t seem to notice.

“High school? Wow that musta been a long time ago. Anyway nice to meet you... William?”

“Wayne.”

“Oh yeah, Wayne! See I forget things because during the war my Jeep flipped three times. Three times, I’m telling ya! So now I forget things. The doctor said I’m outta here though on Sunday. What day of the week is Sunday, again? I’m afraid I don’t remember.”

Wayne felt like he was going to throw up. His best friend may be alive but he sure as hell wasn’t living. He had forgotten everything. And that made Wayne’s head explode into a throbbing headache. “Sunday is in two days.”

“Ah, swell! Say, you got any idea as to when my parents are coming to see me? I don’t remember their names but I’m pretty sure I have ‘em. Parents, ya know.”

Wayne rushed immediately out of the room before Johnny could see the tears beginning to fall down his face.

***

“So, who was the friend?” his wife asked as the family sat around the table eating their lasagna. Wayne was ready to answer but he couldn’t get over the small action that was bothering him.

“Grady, I don’t want to hear you eating,” he said sternly causing his wife to eye him. Grady continued to smack his lips and slurp his pasta.

“Grady, that is enough. Stop it.” Grady just giggled as a response. He grabbed his forkful of food and shot it at his father, hitting him square in the chest. The tomato mess ran down into the pocket of his shirt.

“Grady, what is your problem? You want to do fifty push ups because we can make that happen.”

“Wayne.”

“You need to grow up and get some manners.”

“Wayne.”

“The Marines ain’t gonna coddle you forever.” Wayne froze once he realized what he just said. He left the kitchen and went back to the bathroom to wash the stain out of his shirt.

The stain was just about out when he heard a knock on the bathroom door.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure.” Wayne’s wife opened the door and walked in, quickly closing it behind her.

“Wayne, what happened at the hospital?” she asked, her face plagued with worry.

Wayne took a moment to compose himself before talking. “It was Johnny Simpson. Remember, he went with us on that double date to prom?” She nodded. “He isn’t doing too good. Jeep flipped three times. Three surgeries on his back. A TBI. Can’t remember anything. Didn’t know who I was, didn’t know the days of the week practically, didn’t remember what his parents... did. It was awful, I,” his voice trailed off.

She leaned forward and gave Wayne a tight hug and then moved her hand down his shoulder towards his own hand.

“The doctor says he doesn’t have any other family. That I was the only person they could find that was close enough to him. They’re releasing him on Sunday. The doctor suggested he live with us. That we help him acclimate. I don’t even know if he’d be able to survive on his own,” Wayne croaked as tears began to pour out of his eyes.

Wayne’s wife sighed. “You know we can’t do that,” she said softly.

“He needs us.”

“Wayne, the kids hardly even recognize you anymore. I don’t even recognize you anymore! And I want to fix this. He’ll just get in the way. I’m already stressed enough as it is taking care of you and the kids. We can’t just let some man you haven’t talked to in 5 years come live with us. Especially someone who can, I don’t know, hardly remember his own name! Wayne, you need to be realistic. We can’t take care of him. We gotta take care of you first. I want this to all work out and for that it just needs to be you. No buts. That’s it and you know it,” she stared into his eyes, a frown upon her face.

Wayne wiped a final tear and nodded. “I hope he doesn’t hurt himself out there. Already bad enough the way some of these men are going. I’d hate to lose one who already survived so much as it is.”

“I know, I know.”

***

“So, do you know anyone?” Donny Novitski asked Wayne who clutched his trombone as if it were a lifesaver.

Wayne did know someone. He knew someone who played drums with him in high school. He knew someone who had the most infectious laugh and goofiest grin and was downright the nicest person you’d ever meet. He also had abandoned this someone when he needed him most. But maybe this would give him another chance at life, joy. Maybe it would put his fingers to good use. Maybe it would stir up old memories of the two of them in high school. Maybe it would get him to remember. It was worth a shot.

“I know a guy. He’s kind of a mess. He made it back home in one piece, more or less. A genius on drums but on brain matter, shy.”

***

They were finally having their first practice. The air in the room was already tense as the band members slowly unpacked their instruments, questions about each other’s service experience floating through their minds. Wayne had just put his mute in when the door flung open.

“Gee, is this the right place? I think it is. So glad I made it. I’m Johnny, by the way. I play drums. I think I’m here to be in a band. I don’t quite remember. See, my Jeep flipped three times. Three times, I’m telling ya! And I had three operations on my back. And now I can’t remember stuff. Glad I remembered this, though. Wouldn’t miss it for the world! I have a pencil and paper to thank for that!” he chuckled, scanning the room of unfamiliar faces. Well, mostly unfamiliar.

“Wayne Wright, right? Wayne? Yeah, I had a feeling that was you. I remember you coming to visit me in the hospital. My only visitor. You see, I was in there because my Jeep flipped three times. Three times, I’m telling ya! And I had to have three operations on my back. You were my friend in high school, didn’t you say? Gee, it’s great that I already know someone here. Well, sort of know them. I forget things easily. I should go set up. Nice meeting ya, Wayne!” Johnny smiled as he walked past the stunned man.

When Johnny was turned around and focused on his drums, a wide grin crept upon Wayne’s face. Maybe you didn’t abandon him after all.

[pianistplayed]

things I noticed in last nights Bandstand performance that you all need to know about:

- “tell me about the band, nova”

- zack’s ‘get out’ had me on the verge of tears and watching Jen fall to the ground wasn’t much help with that either

- they cut out a bunch of parts from just like it was before, like “that’s what they tell me...” and the whole scene where donny says what’s the point of me making it back home if I can’t play

- zack’s ‘donny novitski’? Heavenly

- they also cut out a small part of ‘donny novitski’ (they did this to a lot of songs throughout the show) 

- the dialogue in the scene between donny and jimmy was a little fast, but their ‘tell me tonight’ was gorgeous and i love that jimmy was a poc, it really enhanced his character

- davy got so excited to see jimmy and he hugged him for a long time during “jimmmmmmmmmmmy you skinny son of a bitch!”

- jimmy looked SO offended that donny didn’t know davy’s quote was shakespeare

- when davy said “wow nick, you going for teacher of the year?” Nick’s response was “screw you”

- he really squared donny up on “I’m not playing second” and donny backed away slightly and panickedly answer “woah! just you.”

- scott’s nick was very, VERY aggressive and you could really see the fact that he wasn’t trusting of the other guys for a long time

- lou as wayne. that’s it, that’s the comment.

- i laughed so hard when johnny climbed onto the table for “on brain matter...shy.”

- their ‘ain't we proud’ was incredible!

- zack’s donny got a lot more annoyed quicker with nick. you could tell there was a lot of tension there.

- zack was holding a little notebook and he literally threw it to the ground when Johnny asked “what day of the week is sunday?”

- and after that johnny still seemed so confused bc donny doesn’t really answer it. johnny was like “oh....uh, that’s good, I guess I’m not doing anything.”

- he looked at jimmy when he said anyone need a lift and jimmy put his hands up in front of himself and shook his head like he didn’t trust johnny’s driving

- johnny laughed at davy’s giraffe joke confusedly before saying his line

- the dialogue between julia and donny at her door is slightly altered and i kinda liked it

- when Donny walks away, she yells “whatever you’re selling, you’d better work on your sales pitch.”

- they have this dialogue back and forth where Julia really wants him to come in but he refuses.

- “i’m supposed to meet friends-” “you don’t stop on your way to meet friends.”

- he just kept coming up with excuses, like he didn’t want to invade her home.

- also she leaves the door cracked open the entire time. 

- right as ‘proud riff’ was starting, lou dropped something and picked it up very panickedly before checking his watch again and it worked so well in character

- after his wife asks if he helped grady with his homework and he says no, his wife says something to him and looks so disappointed and it hurt

- ROXY👏🏻YORK👏🏻AS👏🏻JUNE👏🏻

- jen’s ‘who i was’ a blessing to listen to. she has an amazing voice and added all these surprise riffs to her songs which was a nice touch to listen to

- during the scene where donny is early to the adams house, roxy acted june as a lot more panicked that they weren’t ready

- when they look at the photo book, julia looks over donny’s shoulder and laughs at the pictures before he talks about them

- ‘just like it was before (reprise)’ was heavenly with roxy singing it, she has an incredible belt 

- johnny and julia had this really sweet vibe the entire show, they were extremely close

- also johnny laughs at julia’s last name when he asks and so does davy

- when donny and julia do their “i don’t need to be rescued.” “what if i do?” jen walks towards zack on her line and stops dead in her tracks when she hears his answer 

- julia and johnny still do the dance during ‘breathe’, but it was slightly varied and at the end she spun him around

- davy looked genuinely upset that julia took his drink from him

- during “because putting up with you is an endurance test” Johnny pokes Wayne in the ear with his drumstick

- jen’s green dress in ‘you deserve it’ is so pretty

- when she came out from her quick change, jen sang the whole first chorus and second verse into zack’s microphone before climbing on top of the piano

- she sang the last chorus to johnny when she was on top of the piano 

- “how do you know about stan kenton?” “michael’s record collection, well...our record collection.”

- when julia was talking about how she’ll never get to manila, donny didn’t face her until he said that she never wanted to see manila

- “take me home, donny nOvA.” donny had this little smirk on his face when she teased him about his name

- donny kept shoving nick before “i’ll knock your goddamn teeth in” and he looked ready to kill him if julia hadn’t stepped in

- after julia said her journal is private, donny kept reaching for her journal anyways

- the scene where the guys push donny’s piano was so damn powerful

- the only thing i didn’t like about jen’s performance was when she and donny were first reading down ‘love will come and find me’, and she obviously knew all the words and stuff perfectly, but i would have liked to see her read it as if it were her first time

- donny’s voice cracked when he was responding to june’s “lady parts”

- ‘love will come and find me again’ was stunning

- they took out julia’s “this is so much better than singing the solo in church” and it made me sad

- julia and johnny hugged for a really long time after they were off the air and only broke away to go take the picture

- when julia was cut off with “sweetie” she looked over to where wayne and jimmy were standing and had this deadly look on her face

- “i can think of something quicker” :((((((

- julia is comforting johnny bc he’s leaning against the platform where the drums are and she’s rubbing his back, but as soon as she sees donny start walking to the front of the stage, she follows him

- and the second he dropped to the ground, she followed with a loud “donny!”

- when singing ‘right this way’, zack gripped so hard onto his dog tags

- when he got to trenches in the rain, he started crying and that set me off

- you could tell that the long pause before “i think we’re entitled to travel first class” was so that zack could take a minute to get himself together bc he was crying hard and you could hear it was affecting the way he sang with all the voice cracks and emotions he was feeling 

- the minute jen joined the guys you could hear her singing and it was iconic

- also i had been wondering for the longest time who did the harmony beside wayne and it’s johnny 

This post is already so long so I’m gonna cut it here and make a dif post for act 2

[rustic-space-fiddle]

Bandstand songs renamed

Just Like It Was Before — big boom big oof (feat. Donny Anxiety)

Donny Novitski — everyone told me I was super talented as a child and now I’m working at McDonald’s

I Know A Guy — welcome to group therapy

Ain’t We Proud — sTRUT

Proud Riff — resist the urge to tap dance

Who I Was — a tardis would be really great right about now

Counterpoint/Piu Jesu - she got some heccin pipes (feat. The Pope)

Just Like It Was Before (Reprise) — SLAY, MY DAUGHTER! SLAY!

First Steps First ��� Donny stop making so many first moves

Breathe — *inhales* i hate you guys less than most people

You Deserve It — you punched hitler, good job, have a cookie

Dwight Anson and Jean Ann — who are these people

Love Will Come and Find Me Again — love is sitting behind you and he’s playing the piano

Right This Way — first class train ticket to panic-attackville

Nobody — *insert YOR NAH MAI DAHD vine here*

The Boys are Back — you thought you’d seen the last of me

I Got A Theory — our river is on fire and that makes us LIT AF

Everything Happens — no nO NO

Welcome Home — *hand hovers over nuke button*

A Band in New York City — SHOTS SHOTS SHOTSHOTSHOT SHOTS (feat. The Donny Sleepova Band)

This is Life — we cant kiss yet

This is Life (Reprise) — we can kiss now

Welcome Home (Finale) — *gives you the finger and launches the nukes*

Epilogue — you can buy tour tickets on www.donnynovaband.com promo code is TROJAN

[nevereacheaven]

Bandstand stuff

aka everyone cried at closing night 

The lights went up on Laura moving around and everyone started applauding then Corey was onstage too and it did not stop 

The ‘get out’ in Just Like It Was Before wasn’t a scream it was more like a yelp that echoed and the second time Corey didn’t even say it there was just the echo

Corey was so into Donny Novitski he went so high and by the end he had tears in his eyes 

Jimmy playing the sax before I Know A Guy lead to almost a minute of applause during which he grinned and acted all cocky

When Johnny jumped on the table during I Know A Guy Corey looked so excited 

Beth could hardly get a line in without the entire audience applauding 

Counterpoint/Pie Jesu was amazing everyone on stage had tears in their eyes and Laura sounded amazing

Laura kept playing the drums while she was singing and Joe looked ecstatic

Love Will Come and Find Me Again was so good?? Laura is so talented and she put everything into the song

At the end of Right This Way every single one of them was crying and they were all lined up and crying freely as they held out the last note and even after the last note ended and it went black the audience was still applauding 

Nobody was great the dancing before Corey and Laura sing again was perfect and each solo was so strong

People went crazy for Davy and Johnny during The Boys Are Back the applause was not stopping

A few people groaned at I Got A Theory because even on closing night people still cannot stand Ohio apparently 

Corey was crying when they gave them the tickets and such for New York and barely stopped in time for A Band in New York City

Speaking of A Band in New York City what a song Corey and Laura’s quick change went perfectly and the whole song was amazing

This is Life was so raw? Corey was almost crying and Laura kept grabbing him and there was a lot of desperation and not wanting to leave each other

Wayne yelling about the contest and his speech about how they aren’t puppets got almost a minute of applause and he just stood there trembling till they stopped

When Corey and Laura finally kissed the whole band jumped and applauded

Welcome Home (Finale) was fantastic. Laura was crying by the third verse but she still sounded so good. Joey was crying by the end and he just stood there sobbing, everyone else was crying a little bit but he really was not stopping. Laura saw him and grabbed Corey and she started crying which made everyone else cry but the audience applauded for three minutes so they just stood there crying

Laura fumbled and dropped her pen and Corey said “Sorry she’s nervous” and they all giggled 

Donny kept trying to put his arm around Jimmy and he kept saying no no no no and shoving him off while laughing

The whole band had their arms around each other by the last scene

When the girl jumped onto Wayne he also went no no no no no no no and everyone was laughing at him

James was wiping away tears through the entire show and he kept making Brandon cry too

The closing speech was beautiful and then there was a proposal!!

Everyone came out to stagedoor and they were handing out dog tags and drumsticks and they were very nice and stayed around for almost an hour after the show

[daydreaming-optimist]

what are some of your favorite lyrics from bandstand?

Ooooh ok this is going to require some thought because I honestly would not change any of the lyrics (I apologize in advance because this might will get long)

ok on second thought now that I've typed them all out I'm putting a cut

"that's what they tell me / why not believe it? / they want illusion / and they achieve it / we all relive the past and never want to leave it / the world is ending / and we're pretending" - Just Like It Was Before

"every horn and clarinet / will be a military vet / and be playing with authority" - Donny Novitski (idk I just really like the way that one sounds)

the whole verse about Frank Sinatra in Donny Novitski

"that was once in a lifetime love / and I know I was lucky to win it" - Who I Was

ok so the entirety of June's part in the Just Like It Was Before (Reprise)

"it's a good thing you're one of the best / because putting up with you is an endurance test" - Breathe

"I look to my left / and look to my right / and see other guys / who fight the same fight / and during those few / short hours a day / the noise in my head goes away" - Breathe

"so take your pearl of a girl / on a whirl and a twirl / 'til her toes start to curl / singing hallelujah!" - You Deserve It (there's just something very satisfying about this line)

"once upon a time, I would wake beside a man / who would make me feel like nothing could take him from me" - Love Will Come and Find Me Again

the entire chorus of Right This Way is a bit long to type out but it 100000% belongs on this list

"we fight for ourselves now / and all of the wrongs will be made right this way" - Right This Way

"it's not fate / no great plan / it's not destiny / putting faith in that cliché / gives your own free will away" - Everything Happens

"now the church will tell you one thing / and your friends perhaps another / but if I were you I'd listen / to your slightly dotty mother" - Everything Happens (this line - and June as a whole - always made me think of my mom and then this ended up being her favorite song in the entire show)

"a girl can meet her boy / it's as simple as / can she come to terms with what she had and what she has? / and I stand here breathless / my mind still weighing / what our choices might be / and yet I'm saying..." - Welcome Home

"now our wait has ended / our years of yearning / and I'm at my doorway / my love returning" - Welcome Home

"they've got more art than Venice / Broadway shows with Ethel Merman / and the cabs are a menace / could've used one on a German" - A Band in New York City

"this is not a Shakespearian scene / to declare my love in a sonnet / it's not Walt Disney's fairytale view / of a time, and we're once upon it" - This is Life (but the original version)

"no one planned for a moment like this / there's no perfect script that provides us / words to say or the answers that might / overcome the past that divides us" - This is Life

"this is life with the craziness of / the reality of / the necessity of / being madly in love with you" - This is Life (Reprise) (*swoon*)

thinking about Welcome Home (Finale) for too long makes me cry so just know that the entire song belongs here, but I will point out:

"and I stand here helpless / my arms extended / knowing full well, darling, / your war's not ended" - Welcome Home (Finale)

[sarahjxcobs]

Y’all I saw  Bandstand last night

Warning this is literally 7 pages worth of writing so long post ahead 

Where do I even begin oh god

Ok so first off the Jacobs theater is absolutely stunning

Like wow

So we were sitting right orchestra like row H or something

We were pretty close to the stage

ThE sTaGe

Oh god it was beautiful

Like the drum kit was so nice

Generally the stage set up was fantastic

Ok so we’re waiting for the show to begin when I hear a group of girls who were sitting behind us freaking out

I couldn’t really hear what they were saying except I heard one of them say something like “Anthony Rapp is here”

I was like holy shit

That ain’t true

Then my friend leans over all excited

She was like “Did you hear them? Anthony Rapp and Lin Manuel Miranda are here!”

I was like HoLy SHIt  

Then a minute for so later I look behind us and there he is

Two rows behind me

Anthony fucking Rapp

Mark Cohen was there

So i’m like freaking the fuck out

Because well

It’s fucking Anthony Rapp

I got into like panic mode

Then all the light go off

Holy shit

Lighting

I’ve said this before but just a reminder

I”M A HOE FOR GOOD LIGHTING

Just like it was before starts off with a bunch of booms and flashes of lights

It’s intense my dude

Donny is yelling at everyone

There's guys running everywhere

Julia is also on stage during this part

She’s looking all cute and happy putting some flowers into a vase

Julia moves the the middle of the stage and one of the guys goes with her

He salutes Julia and she just fucking collapses to the floor

She starts sobbing

It’s completely heartbreaking because you realize that was when she was told about Michael

The Donny moves to the front of the stage when the music changes and the other guys come out in a different uniform and Donny’s like

It’s over

It’s actually over

Then the music changes again and so do all the costumes

My girl Carleigh Bettiol

She’s so beautiful omg

Corey Cott is so cute

All the costumes are so nice like I want one

Donald Novitski

Somebody let this boy sleep

Somebody also give this boy a job

When he yells “GET OUT” it’s really upsetting

Like you don’t really understand it but like he looks so sad

“He’s got a baby face” Yeah so does Corey

Donny tries to get into a fist fight with the club owner who won’t hire him

Donny gets beat up because of this

Don’t beat up Donny please

The PTSD attack Donny has at his piano is so intense

Wow

Corey is such a good actor

I love Donny Novitski

The song

Well also the character

Corey does this little shimmy while singing and it’s really cute

CREAMEEE RISEEEEES

Corey’s little laugh after talking about Frank Sinatra is so pure

The fake

“HE’S SO FLAT UGH”

Donny takes off his button up and is walking around in a white tank top

God that boy looks good

The last rise note

It’s so good

So good

Jimmy aw

Jimmy’s so cute

“I would fire the kid if we wasn’t a player”

Donny runs in

“You can’t be in here. We’re not open yet”

“The back door is”

Donny just tells Jimmy he was friends with Michael and makes Jimmy play a song as he starts playing the piano

I live for playing instruments live on stage

Everyone calls Michael Rubber and it’s funny  

“ He’s better than anyone...when he’s not high…”

“Jesus”

“He’s army too”

“I’ll take my chances!”

“WOAH! He plays at the Rio??”

“No. He drinks there”

Davey is just telling stupid jokes at the bar

So Donny joins in

“ What does an accordion and Hitler have in common”

Oh god Donny

“ One perpetrated years of oppression and humiliation on Polish people and the other one is Hitler”

Davey reads Shakespeare

I love Davey

Nick is a teacher and absolutely hates it

Nick you’re such a bad teacher

Johnny is my favorite

He’s so pure

Ain’t we proud is such a  good song

Donny and Julia finally meet

“Aren’t you a little old for ding dong ditch?”

“Well are you gonna come here or am I gonna have to keep yelling down the street”

Julia invites Donny over for dinner

Every single time Laura starting singing I got chills

Julia’s mom is great

“The paprika shaker lid fell off”

Donny and Julia are going through pictures of Michael and Donny during the war

“We just got off the ship and i’m already ready tan because well, I’m Italian”

“ Michael is Polish so the boys boiling”

Michael was called Rubber because his last name was Trojan HAHA

Julia is a church singer

So ofc Donny shows up to church to hear he sing

She sings like a goddess

Donny is like ‘Holy shit’

So Donny invites Julia to see the Donny Novitski band

While their performing Donny like pressures Julia into singing at the set

First steps first is so slow at first then Donny is like guys speed it up

Davey is like thank god and rocks the bass

“Oh all I could do is teach the children at church”

“Don’t teach”

Donny changes his name to Donny Nova

Julia gets mad at Donny about something he said

He talks to her at her job the next day and fix everything

So Julia joins the band

Breathe is one of my favorite songs

“THEN I’M BREAKING THE RULE WAYNE”

The proud and tall part is my favorite

Donny and Julia are so cute

“Haha Hornagraphy”

I cried at the end of Breathe

You deserve it is such a bop

The dancing is so good

Davey stands on his bass while playing it

Julia gives Donny a book of poems she writes

And he turns one into a song for her to sing

So they sing Love will come and find me for the band competition

They get through and it’s so great

But then are told that the travel and hotel expenses for New York is all gonna have to come from them

That’s a lot of money that the band does not have

Davey gets pisses the fuck off and is rolling up his sleeves and I honestly thought he was gonna fight someone

He did not

But Donny has a really intense PTSD attack

Like the boy completely collapses and is shaking so badly

Yet again a great example as to why Corey Cott is such a good actor

So Julia runs over to him

But everyone freezes and Donny starts singing Right this way

Slowly everyone starts moving again

It’s a really tense moment

So all the boys and Julia get together and decide to book as many gigs as they can because god damnit they are going to New York

Nobody

So good

Back at it again with the amazing dancing

The costumes are so nice

Julia sings upside down at one point and it’s amazing

My queen Laura Osnes is amazing

Johnny’s drumming part was cute

This is such an iconic song

The boys are back

They’re going to new york

Johnny is drumming on Davey’s bass as Davey downs an entire bottle of beer

Wayne’s wife left him so he moves in with Nick

Julia and Donny are at her house and they’re just talking it’s real cute

Julia picks up a ukulele and starts playing I got a theory

Donny joins her and it's cute

God I love these two

They all get so excited when they get offered the extra cash

Johnny the mathematician

“I am not suffering from what some people call alcoholism….I’m LOVING EVERY MOMENT OF IT”

Davey puts his hat on Julia

Julia’s red dress is so cute

Julia gets fired from her job because she wanted to take off to go to New York

Her father left her mom and her

Donny tells Julia everything

Michael and Donny were in a trench when they threw two grenades but Donny dropped his and couldn’t find it in time

Donny got out before it exploded but Michael didn’t

Julia stops coming to gigs and is avoiding the band

Everything happens is such a good song

Julia’s mom loves her so much

Julia talks to Donny and they sort things out

She wrote a poem about the boys during the war

And gives it to Donny

The second she said that she wrote something

I started crying

Because I knew

I knew Welcome Home was starting

I love Welcome Home

It’s my favorite song

So I cried a lot

THe dancing during the instrumental part of welcome home made me cry because it’s so beautiful

ALSO

I DID NOT KNOW WELCOME HOME ROMANTIC WAS IN THE SHOW

I THOUGHT IT WAS A DELETED SONG

BUT THEN SHE WAS SINGING AND SAID HERO INSTEAD OF BOYS

I STARTED CRYING SO HARD

OH MY GOD

When I first heard the romantic version I figured it was about Michael but I seriously think about her writing it to Donny now

Anyway the band ends up not having to pay for New York and it’s great

THE COSTUME CHANGES

I know we always talk about Laura’s but omg Corey’s

He looks so good

Then queen Laura does the spin chance and it's amazing

Johnny looks so good

The train scene is really cool

I love that Julia calls Donny kid

I love how Davey says in my life

Get Davey to a nightclub

Donny loosen up a bit

So Donny walks Julia back to her hotel room

They kiss and honestly it was so pure

I love them

“What a prick”

So the Donny Nova band is performing as the finale of the contest

But the day of the show Jimmy was reading over a paper that the company made Donny sign

It basically says that if they go out there and perform then the company owns their song and can do whatever they want with it

The band gets pissed the fuck off

Like they are mad

But like they still wanna do something

So Donny is like ‘ Julia do you remember every original word to welcome home’

She says yes but if they sing that then they could get blacklisted

They do it anyway

“What I feel for you Julia is true”

Donny and Julia kiss

Welcome home finale

Oh boy

I BAWLED LIKE A BABY

Like I don’t think i’ve ever cried so much in my life

It’s such a powerful song

My parents and friend made fun of me for sobbing

I was a wreck

The epilogue is fantastic

The Donny Nova Band won the competition

They all go to see the movie their song was in

It was a bad movie

Two fans see the band at the end and one girl fucking jumps on Wayne

It’s so funny

God I love this show so much

I cried for another ten minutes after the show because this show deserves so much better

Why the fuck is this closing tomorrow

OK SO AFTER THE SHOW

I got a picture with Anthony Rapp and he is honestly so cute

“Where are you two from?” “New Jersey” “Ohhhhhh”

I was having trouble opening my phone camera and just

Anthony laughs and was like “You gotta get that ready. You gotta be prepared!” 

And “You know you could just slide up and have the camera” “I know but it’s not working” “Oh I see”  

Not much happened at stage door so whatever

Except I tweeted out to Carleigh the other day asking if she could stage door and she liked my tweet

Guess what

My girl pulled through and came out

I love her

So we’re driving home and I check twitter

Lin Manuel Miranda was also at the show

But not only that

My boy

The love of my life

Ben Fankhauser was there too

And I missed him

I’m so upset about that

I literally cried for 30 minutes because I didn’t see him

But anyway Bandstand was amazing and I love it

[loving-jack-kelly]

Today I saw Bandstand, the matinee of September 16

y’all, i entered prepared to cry

I stood in line to get my ticket scanned and snapped the group chat that I was gonna cry

and I cried more than I thought I would

this post ended up as mostly plot details I’m passionate about so wait for the next one for production stuff and acting stuff

I walked in, the theatre was smaller than I thought, but the stage was gorgeous

the set was super simple walking in, and there wasn’t a curtain, so you just saw a super simple bar/club scene, a small stage and counter and the open dancefloor

the back of the “buildings” was open, and you could see through to a brick wall

then the lights were AMAZING

the lighting design alone made me cry probably more than I’m willing to admit, but let’s generously round down to like fifteen

the stage was just barely lit up before curtain, so you could see the set but it clearly wasn’t active, dim lights and almost the ambiance of a closed club, which was perfect

also, they were playing big band swing over the loudspeakers in the background, so it was just lovely and nice

then the show started and oh my god

oh my god

if you’ve listened to the soundtrack (if you haven’t do it’s amazing) you know Just Like It Was Before starts out with The Drumbeattm 

However, the show actually starts with gunfire and bombs falling and slowly getting louder until you’re hearing the dirt rain down, and the lights go up

on Donny and Michael using the stairs of the set stage like their trench, and Julia in the foreground, putting flowers in a vase, completely oblivious to her husband’s coming death

then Donny is having a rough time, almost like he was disassociating, and Michael is trying to get him involved and back in his own head with the “there is a train” bit

Donny yells “Get Out!” and as that happens you realize Michael, who you actually don’t know is Michael yet I don’t think, died and that Julia is his husband because you see Julia get the telegram and collapse

honestly just this song could have it’s own post but anyway

so Donny gets home and tries to find work to the chorus of “It’ll be just like it was before!” and at first he was genuinely happy to be home and optimistic, but he slowly starts drinking more and more and is getting angrier

after the guy says “try the community theatre guild” Donny gets mad and pushes a box out of his hands and get’s beat up by security, which I didn’t realize, and he sings the “that’s what they tell me/why not believe it” section on the ground sort of nursing his bruises, curled up, clearly desperate

and he loses it more and more during the song until he has a really bad flashback (flashbacks get their own section it was so well done) and has a panic attack, which leaves him on the ground next to his piano

but when Andre Barouche gets on the radio, every time the music lifts Donny pulls himself up a little more, until you see him pulling himself together during Donny Novitski

I Know a Guy was hilarious and then it was emotional

Jimmy is a nerd, he wore a sweater vest

He knew Michael before the war, and they used to play together. Also, you learn Michael was killed by friendly fire, but Donny doesn’t elaborate.

also you learn that Michael was known as “Rubber” and I didn’t get the joke until Donny and Julia talked about it later, but it was a condom joke because their last name is Trojan, and apparently Michael has had that nickname since high school

Davey constantly makes Shakespeare references and has the best one liners, although Johnny is a close competitor for that one

Ain’t We Proud was incredible. I’m not usually much of a fan of trumpet solos but Joey Pero managed to convert me. It was insane. All of them were amazing musicians

also, scene transitions usually featured ensemble members dancing across the stage in cute little mini scenes, like a soldier and his girl walking holding hands, only swing dancing. I loved it

So until this point, you’ve only seen Julia, not met her, and Donny promised Michael he’s check on her, but it takes him until then to screw up the courage to go and he almost walks away but she said “aren’t you a little old for ding dong ditch” so he came back. I love Julia and Laura Osnes a lot.

also, for the record, I said I’d cry when Corey and Laura were on stage. I cried as soon as they were on stage. 

Donny’s clothes for the first few songs were loose, like he wasn't eating well or sleeping much, which we knew, but as soon as he was performing again they fit better

Who I Was takes place after Julia invites Donny to come for dinner, and June tells her not to ask about how Michael died because Donny might not want to talk about it

Donny comes for dinner, Beth Leavel shows her incredible comedic timing, and somehow the script and acting are perfect enough that I went from laughing to crying in .2 seconds so kudos to the Bandstand team for that one

Donny 100% tricked Julia into singing with them, he invited her to watch their set and then called her up to sing

but she agrees to join, which leads to Breathe and You Deserve It

awesome fact: in You Deserve It when they sing “I look to my left, I look to my right” they are only talking about each other, everyone dancing to their song freezes

Donny wanted to use You Deserve It as their contest song, but Nick was gonna leave and join the Dwight Ansen Band because he thought they had a better chance of winning, and they get into a physical fight over it. Donny can’t stand the thought of Nick leaving the band created by vets for vets

Love Will Come and Find Me Again is actually a poem Julia wrote that Donny set to music, and Nick stayed with them when they chose that song

They won the Ohio contest! But then they found out they had to pay for their own train and hotel, which triggered another panic attack from Donny

actually, all of them did, but they all showed it in different ways, which was so cool

Donny fell over and was clearly having an actual panic attack, Davey started cracking jokes but very aggressive ones, things like that

Donny starts Right This Way in a panic attack, just like how he sang in Just Like It Was Before

Corey Cott is so talented, everyone is talking about Ben Platt crying while singing but Corey is not only crying he’s on the ground curled up in a ball, breathing weird, crying, and still managing to belt beautifully

The Drumbeat

The Drumbeat is incredible okay it’s so good, and Donny was singing to himself more than anything about the train, because it was a promise between him and Michael, who had been his best friend during the war, that one day they’d make it home and take the train to New York, first class

even when the whole band is singing in Right This Way, Julia isn’t until the final stanza, when she takes her place in line and sings alongside them

Nobody was amazing go watch the Tony performance and multiply that amazingness by like ten

at one point a guy slid on his chair until it was literally on the edge and stopped just in time and he looked very smug about it too

I Got A Theory was adorable, the scene before it was Donny and Julia hanging out and Julia makes up the song on the spot after Donny and her talk about Michael and you learn they played together to get the troops going and Michael kept saying “faster” until he yelled “now sing” and it was both touching and funny

Julia plays the ukulele throughout the whole song again I love her and Laura Osnes

Johnny! My Boy! he’s so good! 

“I’m one of the lucky ones...because I don’t remember” I cried

Joe Carroll’s comedic timing was insane? every one of his jokes landed and it was amazing

even though he’s “on brain matter, shy” he really isn’t and he does the math in his head

after that, Donny is walking Julia home and earlier they fought about her changing her name and going by Adams (her maiden name) and she said no because so much of her life with Michael had been erased she wasn’t erasing his name too

and she pushes Donny to talk about what happened and he Explodes

and this scene is probably where I cried the most, it was just the two of them onstage, no music at all even from the orchestra, gentle lighting, and both of them were sobbing

Donny tells Julia how Michael had been in a trench on a hill for three days, no sleep, with Donny and the rest of the men you saw in the very beginning. Michael had thrown a grenade that night, while it was raining, desperate to make some kind of progress, and Donny had tried to do the same. When Donny pulled the pin, he dropped the grenade, and it got lost in the mud. Neither of them could find it, and Donny yelled “Get Out!” and dove away into another hole down the hill, but Michael wasn’t next to him. He spent the rest of the night trying to keep whatever was left from washing away, but there wasn’t even a body to bury.

Julia ran home and didn’t show up the next night to play, and Everything Happens is right after than, when Donny calls to see if Julia is coming

I still hold that Everything Happens is super important, even more so now after seeing the show. June knows what’s up.

Julia writes Welcome Home as a sort of apology poem to the band, and Donny puts it to music

Donny sings probably about a verse of it alone on stage, and the chorus, and I nearly sobbed audibly 

He also changes the lyrics to be a love song, still Welcome Home but from the perspective of a girl seeing her soldier come home

a good speech from Donny at the VA hall where they perform that version: “I’m sure when we hear them say hero, we don’t know who she’s talking about, cause none of us feel like one” 

Oliver, the owner of one of the clubs, got enough money together with the help of the city to get them to New York and cue a freaking EPIC set change that changed my life I swear but I think I’m gonna make another post about set and lighting bc this one is already long and it’s mostly just plot

so they go to New York and get told they do get to perform, because NBC tricked them so they had to go through another audition before getting to perform, and Donny and Julia have to sign a paper saying they can air the song, and they’re planning to sing Love Will Come and Find Me Again

then comes This is Life, and the entire thing is sung softly in front of Julia’s hotel room door and they were super close and like hugging and it was soft and adorable until they pulled away because they decided they couldn’t have a relationship with the baggage they share about Michael

then right before they perform, Jimmy is missing, and he shows up and reveals that NBC tricked them into giving away the right to Love Will Come and Find Me which is when Donny decides to do the original Welcome Home, the one about what it’s really like to come home from the war

The raw emotion of Welcome Home was crazy. The entire cast was insane. I cried again. Alot.

They don’t actually announce the winner, it goes right from them about to announce it to the Donny Nova Band leaving the movie theater, but you find it it was Illinois who won, but their band is doing well. 

it was so good and now I’m gonna make another post about production and acting because it was incredible but this post is already so long

[seeinganewlight]

what's your favorite song from bandstand?

Oh gosh friend, that is a really hard question. It kind of changes, I have a set of favorites so I’ll talk a little bit about those and why I love them! (I’ll try not to ramble too much, but no promises - also not gonna put it under a cut sorry not sorry #GoSeeBandstand)

Donny Novitski

Donny Novitski (Nova) is a very complex character and clearly he’s struggling a lot and when he hears about the contest he FINALLY feels like he’s actually home and that he can live again, which is…wow it’s only the second song and you’re getting hit with this. What’s also great about this song is that you get to see some of Donny’s humor (and his cockiness tbh) with his comments about Frank Sinatra (omg I died?) and his “bobby socks are swooned at my charms” but something I love is that when he hears about the contest and is thinking of putting together a band, there is not a doubt in his mind that his band needs to be all vets. Music is the one thing that lets Donny escape, it’s the thing that heals him (which is what Andy said he wanted people to leave this show knowing - music can heal people) and he needs a band who can also understand that. Also, I am a sucker for “I want” songs (who isn’t really?) and this is a wonderful one.

Who I Was

This is such a beautiful, honest and heartbreaking song for Julia. This is the first time we hear her sing, and to hear her confide in her mother about her doubts and real feelings involving the war and Michael’s death is a really lovely moment. I’m sure that this song accurately reflects how many war widows then (and I’m sure now) felt. It’s a very vulnerable moment for her, and to have the leading lady’s first song be something this vulnerable says a lot about the show and how the writers were not shying away from anything (we’ll get to that more later) I was talking to @oscarsisaacss about this, the line “And I’m told to be proud, all the news reels and magazine’s practically shout it. But I’m never allowed to admit there is nothing remotely heroic about it” as she says in the next line that was not something anyone was allowed to say. It’s just such a beautiful moment for Julia and Laura sounds incredible on it.

First Steps First

At this point we’ve seen a little of Donny and Julia together and this is the moment when Donny really gets Julia to break out of her shell. Even though they haven’t know each other very long, there is a sense of familiarity between the two and a trust there that comes through when Donny immediately changes the tempo and sings with her. It’s a nice into to their dynamic. AND THEN THERE’S WAYNE WITH HIS FUCKING “SHE DOESN’T REMEMBER THE BRIDGE!?” and Geoff delivers it so perfectly and ahhh it’s just great. Also it’s the first time we see the full Donny Nova Band together.

Love Will Come and Find Me Again

This was the first song I heard from the show and besides Nobody, I would say the most popular/well known of all the songs. Honestly it is just really beautiful and Laura’s delivery of it is so so so lovely. It’ll always be really special to me because I got to see Laura sing it in concert before Bandstand. The way the music builds is amazing, by the time she hits “trouble is the more you deny, the more you don’t even try, the more the world passes by in a haze” you hear the desperation that went into creating this song.

Right This Way

This number is one of the best act 1 finales I have ever seen. (if you don’t believe me, Lin Manuel Miranda said the same thing) Corey’s performance in this song is astonishing, that is truly the only word to describe it. I’ve mentioned this before, but this is the moment when you see how truly broken Donny is. They’ve just found out that they won for Ohio, but they’re told that the sponsors are not helping to pay for their fair or anything to NYC even though that was never explicitly told to them. At this point, after hearing “no” so many times, after going through the war, after constantly fighting to keep himself alive since returning home, he’s been slowly falling apart and this is the moment when you see him break. The intensity of this song is felt through the cast recording, you hear is desperation, his angry, his sorrows, his vices, his hope, his fears - everything. For me personally, this song has some of the most powerful lines in the show. “After 3 years and 8 months of fight my way back” and then the rest of the boys join in with “and losing my faith” as well as the line “we’ve been fighting for far too long” and they all sing together and show that they are not going to be stopped, they are now fighting for themselves and nothing and no one is going to stop them and gosh it is so powerful.

Nobody

This is a wonderful act 2 opener, it’s fun and a huge dance number but it also shows the growth that the characters have gone through since we last saw them. They’re all still hurting and have many fears/vices/demons that they need to fight, but they’re no longer going to let anyone get in their way. They’re determined to achieve their goals and they’re tired of being cast aside and taken advantage of. My personal favorite line is “You know who tells me ‘you don’t have what it takes and you will never reach the top’ ? you know who tells me stop? nobody” also just this song gets me so hype?? and it’s a really good set up for the second to last scene in the show.

Welcome Home (Finale)

This number is singlehandedly the most powerful, moving and heartbreaking scene that I have ever seen in any musical ever. Basically the band has decided that instead of singing Love Will Come and Find Me Again, the song that the producers and everyone else expect them to sing because it’s more hopeful then anything else (right? that was the song they were planning on singing? it’s been 3 months since I saw the show, so that detail is a little fuzzy), after everything they all have been through (Donny and Julia had gotten into quite a fight and she wrote this poem as an apology) they need their stories to be told. They’d already sung a less intense version of the song, but they want to go with Julia’s original poem. They know that since they’re on live tv, they can get cut off at any time, so they need to do it fast so that everyone can hear their message. In this song you hear about each of the guys’ personal struggles in the most raw and honest way. You hear it in what they’re playing. You hear the desperation in Julia’s voice, you hear her struggle with how best to help them because she doesn’t know exactly what they’re going through. Each line is a punch to the gut. They hold nothing back. This was a time when you did not speak about PTSD, mental issues or anything like that, everything was swept under the rug and THEY JUST LAY IT ALL OUT THERE. AND GOD IT IS SO POWERFUL. I have listened to the cast recording dozen upon dozens of times since it’s release and I have cried every single time I have listened to it.

Thanks for reading all of this (if any of you did) and thank you for sending me this messages! Come talk to me about Bandstand whenever!

[ofhalfwaya]

out of hair pins ( ft. nyc! ) for one, happy fourth of july!!!! and secondly, this is my final post about nyc! below the cut contains the ENTIRE story of my trip, from start to finish, including pictures and my full review of Bandstand with Jessica Lea Patty as Julia! i want to thank everyone for putting up with my excited posts yesterday, and thank you for coming on the trip with me as i experience one of the best days of my life! i’m officially back now, and have done all the replies i missed from yesterday. <3 hope you enjoy my story.

Our day began at 2:30am, with my sister, my brother, and myself all running on little to no sleep. We had a 3 hour drive to New Jersey first ( in which we accidentally saw a little bit of Philadelphia when my sister took a wrong turn in Pennsylvania ) to pick up my brother’s girlfriend, then we stopped at Chick Fil A for breakfast first, and then headed to go to Newark, NJ to get on the train to go into NYC.

For one, Newark is fucking hell. All of the roads are confusing as shit and we couldn’t find our parking garage for the longest time. Then, after about 30 minutes of driving around, we finally managed to find our parking garage. We got out, and from there, tried to find the train station and got so frustrated, we rode in an Uber for the first time in my life. ( I didn’t die and the guy was pretty chill. )

So, we finally get to the station! Awesome! And we finally buy our tickets! We go to the track to get on the train, only to find out that we almost got on the wrong train ( THANK YOU TO THOSE WORKERS WHO HELPED US ). We did end up finally getting on the train and heading into the city.

We arrived at Penn Station, and once you get off the train and you go into Penn Station, you can’t see the city yet, you still have to go up an escalator. So, we take a bathroom break and FINALLY, we go up the escalator to go into the city. And yes, I shed a few years once I got outside.

The picture above was the first view I had of the city. God, it was GORGEOUS. I fell in love.

So, our first stop was to the Bernard B. Jacobs theatre where Bandstand is to pick up our tickets for the show! We walked towards that direction, practically in awe of the entire city. I don’t believe anything really happened on the way there, but we ended up making it to W 45th street where the theatre is located. I look over to my right and there it is, the first Broadway theatre I had saw. (I could’ve seen others but I wasn’t paying attention much on the walk there because I was so excited.) I walked inside, and waited in line because these two people who got upset that Laura Osnes wasn’t performing tonight (I understand, but understudies are great), and then the lady at the will call gave me my tickets which I basically never took out of my hands. Below, I got this lovely picture.

I went outside to meet my sister and we ran across the street to the Music Box theatre (it’s honestly directly across the street from the Jacobs theatre) where we took pictures with the Tony Award Winning Ben Platt(TM) poster where everyone in the rush line looked at me like I was crazy (you would act the same way.)

After THAT, we decided to head towards Central Park, in which this Buddhist man stopped my sister and I, forced a bracelet on our hands and to make a donation. (It was weird, I don’t know, but my brother and his girlfriend walked ahead so they didn’t get stopped.) Here are some pictures I took on the way there.

The wonderful Gershwin Theatre, home of Wicked.

Look, I couldn’t help myself.

Then we made it to Central Park, where I have little photos of Central Park, but take some cute selfies.

So, from there, we decided to go eat some pizza for lunch (it was like 12pm by this point in the day)! We ate at Mariella Pizza, which was delicious!!!! The pizza slices were so huge and really really good. Then, after that, we decided to start walking to the Drama Book Shop, which is when, as we passed 48th street, I saw it.

The Walter Kerr Theatre.

If you don’t know, that’s the theatre where Amélie was located during it’s Broadway run.

And the posters were still up.

So, naturally, I screamed and ran over towards it and proceeded to take sad pictures with the posters.

Look, a lengthy fucking review of how incredible the show was. Assholes.

I got so many weird looks, but my pain needed to be felt.

After that entire fiasco, we did walk all the way to the Drama Book Shop, in which I geeked out because the Dear Evan Hansen book and score were already on sale. No Amélie though. Below are the things I purchased.

I bought the Fun Home graphic novel by Alison Bechdel!

And I also bought the script, A Taste of Sunrise by Suzan Zeder. I saw an INCREDIBLE high school perform this script about being deaf at SETC this year. You will actually be able to watch the performance here really soon, but for now, there’s only BOAL, which I ALSO saw and it’s 1000000% worth the watch. The students wrote and directed this show, and it’s about inequality in the US.

So, while I was checking out, the guy who was checking me out was making small talk with me, and I mentioned that this was my first time in NYC and he was so happy???? He was like “oh my god that’s amazing!“ and I told him that this place was one of my first stops because I really wanted to see it and he was like “That’s amazing, really, please don’t be a stranger and I really hope you enjoy your day” and we left but like he was so nice and he probably said more but I can’t remember.

So, then we were walking back towards where we came from because we had reservations at McGees Pub, the one that How I Met Your Mother was based off. When we saw the Hamilton theatre. There’s even a pop up shop that super fucking expensive ($50 for a crop top). I would’ve taken more pictures but there were a shit ton of people sitting on the steps where the cool silhouettes of Hamilton and Eliza are.

So, after that, we kept walking and ended up accidentally finding Times Square? So, here are pictures of that!

We DID go into Theatre Circle!!! But I wasn’t able to buy anything or really get pictures because we were running short on time. But, I went to go ask the guy if there was any Amélie merch left and he was having a really passive agreessive argument with the woman in front of me. He was like ‘take a joke, lady, i was honestly just joking’ and then as she was walking out and complaining about him, he was like ‘you really need to figure out whats wrong with you, m’am!’ needless to say, there wasn’t any merch there.

So we are walking towards the Pub when I see this vendor with framed broadway shows on it. And RIGHT THERE IN THE CORNER, there’s Amélie. $8 later, I owned that sucker.

So we went to McGees Pub, and it was overpriced and not that great, but it’s more of a tourist attraction than anything. I heard the drinks were great from my siblings? They sold HIMYM t-shirts and such. Our reservation was at 3:30pm and we ended up staying until around 5 to rest and have a nice dinner. We started walking towards Times Square again, and it had rained while we were in there. I have decided that rainy NYC is the best thing in the world. It’s so beautiful.

There were a bunch of Broadway theatre’s giving out stuff, and the one that I saw was Chicago, so I took a picture with her!!!

So, while we were on our way to Bandstand around 6, this group of guys starting doing a street show. And they were super coordinated, hilarious, and really looked like they knew what they were doing. One of them flipped over a kid, like, it was awesome. No video though. :( I suck at being a tourist sometimes.

HEY LOOK THE MUSIC BOX THEATRE

So, a story before we get into Bandstand. We were standing in line about 15 minutes before the doors were going to open, and I’m talking to my sister (my brother and his girlfriend didn’t get tickets) about how excited I am, and this guy passes by us and shouts “Enjoy the show!!” and I shouted back that it was my first, and he stopped, turned around and came over to give me a high five and ask us how we like NYC and stuff. He told us about Bandstand and how he saw it and thought it was better than most of the musicals on Broadway right now and such. His name is John, if that matters. Anyway, he shook our hands and went off into the world to go see Waitress.

So, the doors open. And it’s time to go inside. I walk into the theatre and held back tears all until I sat in my seat and saw this view.

Our seats were PERFECT. And I was look at a Broadway stage in a Broadway theatre and I just busted into tears. My sister was laughing (not in a bad way, she was excited) and we sat there and waited for the show to start, basically.

ALRIGHT WHAT YOU GUYS ACTUALLY READ THIS POST FOR: THE BANDSTAND REVIEW. ( I will hopefully not spoil too much, but it is a review so caution ahead. ) I also didn’t listen to the cast album before going, so everything was new.

Holy fucking shit. I don’t even know where to begin?

For one, the opening number (Just Like It Was Before) and Donny Novitski are fucking incredible live. The choreography was amazing, and the liGHTING HOLY FUCKING SH I T THE LIGHTING OKAY I CANT EXPRESS HOW AMAZING THE LIGHTING FOR THIS SHOW IS.

I really enjoyed I Know A Guy, because it was a clever way to introduce all the main characters of the show.

The shit with Wayne (trombone player) and the gun (that whole scene) was terrifying because I understood what it was trying to mean and it made me really scared for his character.

THE FIRST SONG THEY ALL PLAY THE INSTRUMENTS WITH BLEW THE ROOF OFF OF THE HOUSE. IM A TRUMPET PLAYER AND HOLY SHIT THAT WAS GOOD..

Alright, this is definitely what you guys are waiting for: Jessica Lea Patty was honestly incredible. I have to admit that she was really shaky for the first couple of songs, especially those solos. But I’m telling you, the second she got to Love Will Come And Find Me Again, she was solid. Her vocals were so impressive and incredible and her acting is A+++++

OKAY SO GOING BACKWARDS BEFORE LOVE WILL COME AND FIND ME AGAIN

THERE’S A LIGHITNG CUE WHEN HE IS RIGHTING THE SONG

HES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STAGE

AND THERES THIS LIGHT CUE THAT IS LIKE UPSTAGE LEFT AND ITS WHITE

AND A BUNCH OF SOLDIERS COME OUT AND THEY ARE SLOUCHED OVER, PUSHING HIS PIANO INTO THE LIGHT WHILE HE WRITES THIS SONG

I WAS

SOBBING

SO BADLY

Now, let me note: up until this point in show, I was really enjoying the show. It was really good and incredible, but nothing had captured me yet. Like, how to I explain it. You know there’s always that one song when you decide, YES THIS IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE HOLY SHIT IM GONNA DIE.

That was Right This Way for me.

Not even just the song, everything leading up to it. The emotions were running so high and everything was so intense. The guy who is telling them about the preliminary and how they have to pay for it all says something that hits them really hard, and for a split second, the guys are in blue spots, a gunshot goes off, and it’s right back to how it was. LEGIT I STOPPED BREATHING FOR THAT ENTIRE MOMENT. It was such a intense moment I couldnt do it. Right before the drum starts, there a loud explosion sound and it goes from the whole stage being lit up to 6 blue spotlights that are on the veterans, and my heart stopped. Corey Cott is on the ground, and his emotion was so real and genuine, and the faces of the other guys in the band looked so tense with flashbacks that I started crying simply because of that quick change from person to soldier.

then the drums start.

and Corey starts singing, tears streaming down his face, his entire body shaking and you can just see it in his eyes how badly he is dreaming of it and the other guys are listening and they understand and im crying because it all feels so real and genuine and i was so invested that when my sister turned to me to say something, she didn’t because she saw my face.

and while the guys are all singing about this, Jessica Lea Patty is just watching and learning so much and you can see it in her eyes and she was so incredible.

and then they make a line and Jessica isn’t in the line yet, but they leave a spot for her, and then she steps up and then the spoTS ARE ON THEM AND ITS SO GORGEOUS AND COREY NAILED THAT LAST NOTE AND blackout.

I turned to my sister and was like, “Theres not way I’m not buying a t-shirt.” so during intermission, i went, bought a t-shirt, and put it on over my shirt in theatre (and then took the shirt underneath of it off like a pro).

alright oKAY ACT TWO

like i don’t have any specifics to say about the beginning bc i mean it was incredible and jessica was doing so so so good

then the scene where Julia finds out about Michael

Corey Cott was sobbing, like you heard him sob and the entire audience was silent and his voice was the only thing in the theatre and i cant okay

BTW I HAVENT SAID MUCH ABOUT THE GUYS BUT THEY WERE FUCKING GREAT AND PERFECT

Also Beth Leavel?????? YOU’RE AMAZING

Okay so before the show, they guy John told us to remember the song in front of the door

This is Life is that song. Where Julia and Donny are standing in front of her hotel room door in NYC and it’s so teNSE AND THERS SO MUCH LOVE AND THEY’RE NOSE TO NOSE

btw after she sings ‘shake on it’ he goes to shake her hand and pulls her in bC YES

so we get to the contest and they decide to sing Welcome Home the original way.

so they introduce them, the curtain rises, and it’s silent

the entire theatre just goes silent. no one moves and no one speaks

then Donny speeds up the song and they start singing it and they’re all sobbing and i’m sobbing and the crowd goes NUTS. i’m pretty sure we didn’t stop clapping for 2 minutes.

and like the entire ending was incredible and they were amazing and they did so good and they got a standing ovation and it was so incredible

ALRIGHT STAGE DOOR STUFF

so no, i didn’t get any pictures bc i really didn’t wanna make them stay out later than they need to

FOR ONE the family next to me was hilarious. their dad was a typical white dad and was making dad jokes and embarrassing his two daughters and i was living. i made friends and we all talked about how Ben Platt didn’t deserve shitty people on Twitter giving him a hard time

so the first person who came out was the JOEY PERO and he started at the other side which was chill. and then James Nathan Hopkins ( he played Jimmy ) came out!!! and he signed my playbill and told me that he loved my shirt ( I had my Bandstand shirt on ) and to have a happy fourth of the july. BY THE WAY HE RODE HIS BIKE AND PARKED IT AT THE STAGE DOOR AND WE GOT TO WATCH HIM LEAVE ON HIS BIKE. Then Joey Pero came over and I told him that I’m a trumpet player and he was like “REALLY ISN’T IT THE GREATEST INSTRUMENT” and I was like YEAH DUH and it was fucking awesome. Drew McVety ( Oliver ) also came out and he was super chill!! Kevyn Morrow also came out and signed!! THEN JESSICA LEA PATTY CAME OVER AND she didn’t have a sharpie so I tried to give her mind but it didn’t work :( and then she got a gold one, but she never signed my playbill. Thankfully, the family next to me helped me get her attention and she came back over to sign it.

PAUSING BC THATS WHEN BEN PLATT CAME OUT OF THE MUSIC BOX THEATRE AND I SAW HIM FROM ACROSS THE STREET AND HE DID HIS NOSE CRINKLE it was the best moment

but not better than Corey Cott coming out of those doors

I was like the second person he signed, and I automatically was like, “you were incredible this was the perfect first broadway show” and he looked up and his eyes were wide like, “this is your first show?” and i nodded and he was like, “i’m really glad you enjoyed it!” and i told him to have a happy fourth of july, and he seemed surprised and was like, “have a happy fourth!“

then i had to leave bc my siblings were tired but i would’ve stayed out there all night

BUT I ONLY REALLY HAVE ONE PICTURE OF NYC AT NIGHT BC MY PHONE WAS DYING SO HERE

And the final picture, of me in my Bandstand shirt, with my signed playbill. <3 That was a whirlwind.

[graceless-thing]

Bandstand things

• We didn’t have Laura and were super disappointed, but Becca Peterson proved herself more than worthy of the role within her first five minutes of singing

• Corey Cott made such good + specific character choices. Whadda guy Also I didn’t know he played the piano and it was a nice surprise,,, He was really good

• Just Like It Was Before was a spectacular opener, with such cool lighting and imagery and staging… a really cool and real and raw depiction of the war

• The drumbeats sounded whenever Donny was having a flashback and it felt all intense and scary and it was super great

• Corey sang Donny Novitski exactly how he sang it in the OBC recording. The whole Frank Sinatra bit was golden. Also, “one little crack in the door.” *LOUD EXHALE*

• The cast was amazing and everyone had such individual characterization, also they mostly played their own instruments and were REALLY GOOD!!

• Julia’s mom was hilarious. Actually hilarious.

• Condom Jokes

• “What’s the difference between Hitler and an accordian? One caused years of oppression and misery on the Polish people… the other was Hitler.”

• Right This Way.

• On the cast recording, Right This Way sounds like a triumphant, positive song about the future. But onstage, Donny was actually breaking down. He was on the floor and actually physically shaking, there were genuine tears on his face, and it ripped my soul out of my body.

• He yelled “fight my way back” exactly the same way he does in the cast recording and it was chilling

• He didn’t sing “I think we have the right to travel first class”, he spoke it. And it was so humbling and he sounded so broken. Ugh. (I may or may not have an audio,,,,)

• Also??? Every single cast member hit every single note perfectly. There were no voice cracks or anything

• There were several times where a drumbeat or a gunshot sound or a character yelling something emotional, actually scared me. And I jumped really high. And it was sort of embarrasing. I was spooked

• The ladies beside me were talking full volume during the beginning of Nobody and I missed Corey’s whole solo trying to tell them to quiet down, but Nobody was still amazing and I loved it

• When Donny said “I’m sorry” to Julia when apologizing for The Thing, he sounded so sincere and I definitely cried. Also just while he was retelling the whole story of it. Absolutely heartbreaking. HEARTBREAKING

• Both versions of Welcome Home made me cry

• Everything Happens made me cry

• The staging for This Is Life was so moving. The entire song, like, literally the whole thing, they were standing so close and it was so personal and intimate and great

• Julia’s costumes were so beautiful and Becca is so beautiful

• The kiss :)

• When the man from the bar gives the Donny Nova band the money to go to New York, Corey made this little strained noise and started crying and hugged him and it was super sweet

• The staging and lights were sooooo good. IMO Bandstand should have won the award for lighting… it was fantastic. Really poignant and specific choices.

• The choreo was great! And not just the dancing choreo, the staging choreo. A1.

• It dealt with really deep messages in a really thought provoking way

• They let Julia openly feel guilt without painting her as whiny or needy

• A lot of the cast members came to the stage door and Corey came out too, even though it was raining super hard. They were all so sweet. It was phenomenal. Idk what else to say.

[warwidowed-a]

here are my collective thoughts on my first listen at b.andstand on broadway. a lot of comparisons are gonna be made to papermill just because i’ve been listening to it for like six months straight waiting for this transfer, so it’s the version i’m used to. this post is NOT spoiler free, by the way. alright, let’s do it.

opening/just like it was before:

totally new arrangement from what it was at papermill, but i still really like the song

lyrical similarities right off the bat to ‘right this way’

“i’d like a good nights sleep, is that too much to ask?”

“the cream always rises” hmmmm, i see what y’all did there (see: donny novitski)

“you talk in your sleep” “i should have warned ya”

why is this score so lit

“if i can’t play, then what’s the point of making it back home?” have i mentioned today i love donald novitski because i feel like at this point i need to say that

that last harmonizing note fuck fuck fuck

donny novitski:

pretty much entirely the same as papermill

donny has some serious animosity at frank sinatra

i like hearing this song with the full orchestra though it’s lit

“donny needs something to block all the memories and break his insomnia spell” again, hello, i love donald novitski thanks

corey cott could kill someone with that last note his vibratto is killer

scene before i know a guy:

“we’re not open yet” “your back door is”

THEY GAVE NATE HOPKINS APPLAUSE AFTER HIS SAX SOLO I’M SCREAMING

i still can’t believe they call michael ‘rubber’ through most of this show

i know a guy:

the “drivin’ me nuts’ joke is still hilarious

JIMMY YOU SKINNY SON OF A BITCH

why is nick radel me

“how do you miss a b flat? it’s a b flat trumpet!”

THAT LITTLE JUST LIKE IT WAS BEFORE REPRISE

why did they skim wayne and johnny shy though like we got full scenes with davy, nick, and jimmy why not them too??

ain’t we proud:

still a catchy song but not one of my favs

NICK GOT APPLAUSE AFTER THEIR SOLOS HECK

corey fucking cott teaching himself piano for this show and you wouldn’t have even guessed what a fucking champ

post-ain’t be proud, pre-who i was:

i love johnny simpson more than anything in this life i will choose his happiness over mine every time

“how much slower will you get, will they put you in reverse” FUCK

you can hear johnny mumbling “sunday.... sunday” before he asks what day of the week is sunday i swear to god i would die for him

“the high balls are on me” “i don’t get it” “well see, griaffes are really tall”

“how bad was it?” “friendly fire got him” “were you the friend?” what kind O F FUCKING FORESHADOWING

“aren’t you a little old for ding dong ditch” julia,,,,,, julia,,,,,,,

i don’t like that they have that interlude and have julia invite him over a different day instead of just inviting him in right away. i feel like that could be cut out honestly

“i just want to know what happened” “what will that get you?” “i don’t know, sleeping through the night? closing a chapter? maybe just getting out the door?” juliaaaaaaa i’m a fucking wreck it’s fine

who i was:

AHHH I LOVE HEARING THIS SONG WITH THE FULL ORCHESTRA

the dinner scene:

“you look pretty” “well, turns out there’s better cosmetics than cake flour” Me: Fucking Squints(tm)

MRS ADAMS USED TO PLAY THE PIANO

THE DEVILED EGGS

“the top of the paprika shaker fell off” i’m

oh shit since they took donny’s parents out of the beginning number from papermill, his mom died when he was thirteen

julia crying while they go through the pictures i’m fine

JULIA ENOUGH WITH THE  CON DOM JOKES

“your daughter’s voice is beautiful, it’s really high” my god donny

just like it was before (reprise):

the chorus of “donny no” and “what are you doing?” from julia and wayne when he tells julia to come sing with them i’m shrieking

“wait, i gotta transpose” JOHNNY

first steps first:

it’s a bit different than what it was but gd i’d still die for laura osnes’ voice

“no need to be so shy, take reassurance i know how to guide you through the worst steps, first steps first” uh more foreshadowing re: donny

“why don’t you kick it up” “oh, thank god” DAVY

oooh yeah i like this new arrangement

“you want a drink?” “oh i hardly ever drink” “you wanna trade livers” davy please

“the best i could hope is to teach the kids choir at church” “DON’T. TEACH.” i love nick sm 

JULIA ASKING ABOUT WAYNE’S KIDS I’M SOBBING OH MY G OD

JULIA TROJAN IS THE LIGHT OF THIS ENTIRE WORLD AND I WOULD DIE FOR HER

their names are emily and grady btw 

“as far as i’m concerned i’m one of the lucky ones” “yes you are, you made it home” “no, lucky i don’t remember” again, i would die for johnny simpson too

god damn julia’s voice is so soft and sweet i’m dying. the voice laura uses is even softer than her ella voice i just wanna hug her

heck they kept the “parents warn their kids about people like you” line god bless

“oh a wise cracker! you might be watching too many pictures” uh ya did you not get the “avid cinephile” line, donny?

“i don’t need to be rescued” ur goD DAMN RIGHT JULIA

“i’ll give it a thought but there are a lot of things i want to know about michael” “first steps first” oh fuck i see what y’all did there

breathe:

“stop touching my stuff with your sweaty hands” this is literally a band full of five year olds

??? this song doesn’t really do anything ???

they could easily cut this song tbh

it’s pretty much just like them rehearsing for you deserve it

you deserve it:

DID YOU MEAN MY FUCKING JAM SECOND ONLY TO ‘NOBODY’? YEP

this song didn’t change pretty much at all and it’s still a bop

CAUSE WHEN YOU GOT THE CALL YOU STOOD UP PROUD AND TALL AND YOU DESERVE IT

post-you deserve it/pre-love will come and find me again:

donny and julia bonding over music i’m shook

“michael is buried in some place called manila, i'll never get to manila, i never got to say goodbye. a lot of things just vanish with not explanation and i wanna know. if-if he was in pain, i wanna know how his hands were folded in the casket and if-if his uniform was pressed and his hair was combed right and a million other things that keep me up at night” i’m sobbing 

julia takes no shit and i love her so much

“i survived mustard gas and pepper spray, i guess that makes me a seasoned veteran” davy’s jokes oh my god

JULIA BREAKING UP THE FIGHT BETWEEN DONNY AND NICK

“WALK ME HOME, DONNY, COME ON”

awwww julia’s poem

“don’t stay up all night reading them, get some sleep” “eh, gave up on that a long time ago” :////

THE LITTLE REPRISE OF WHO I WAS

“when i lost him it broke my soul. who knew my voice could be one part of the whole? well... perhaps someone does” fuck

“gershwin’s got nothing on you” MRS ADAMS 

“i’ll stay up all night, i’m good at that” again i’m ://///////

love will come and find me again:

laura osnes could step on me and i’d thank her

nothing has changed with this song but fuck it’s so good

right this way:

“bayer-FUCKING-asprin”

holy fuck this song might just win corey cott a tony nomination

ACT TWO

nobody:

AKA MY FUCKIN JAM AGAIN

literally the same nothing changed it’s still a bop

NICK ASKING WAYNE TO MOVE IN W/ HIM

“I JUST GOT A LIVE IN MAID” JFC

i got a theory:

LAURA ON THE UKE

nothing much changed with this song either tbh

JIMMY’S GAY AND HE LITERALLY WATCHED HIS BF DIE WHEN HIS SHIP EXPLODED FUCK THIS SHOW

i said it probably like twice already but i love johnny simpson

julia still having her moment of trying to convince davy to stop drinking ://///

post-i got a theory:

“was it quick? did he suffer? was he trying to save someone?” “you don’t wanna know”  “for a year and a half it’s all i’ve wanted to know. was he scared? what was the last thing he said? were his eyes open?” AND D ONNY SNAPS AT HER IM “

JUST STOP IT”

“i’m still waiting”

oh myg od

they changed michael’s entire death 

donny had accidentally dropped a grenade while they were in a trench and couldn’t find it. he tried to tell michael to get out and he didn’t make it and fuck he’s crying telling this to julia what the fuck has this show done to me

everything happens:

“IT WAS HIS FAULT” JULIA JULIA JU L I  A

i love mrs adams so much

what would julia have done without her

welcome home:

JULIA AND MICHAEL LITERALLY MET IN HIGH SCHOOL DOING THEATRE FUCK ME UP

“you know the first thing he said to me? don’t sing because you need to get the lead, sing because you just need to sing. you know what he said next? the girl who got the lead stuffs her bra with so much kleneex, one cigarette act and she’ll go up” no wonder julia wrote poetry for this guy he was smooth as FUCK

“stop picking up my clothes, if i wanted them in the drawer, i’d put them in the drawer” nick relax

donny singing welcome home i’m in tears

HE ENCOURAGES HER TO WRITE WELCOME HOME AS A LOVE SONG IF MICHAEL HAD COME HOME FUCK THIS ENTIRE SHOW

“sometimes i just think, maybe the wrong guy came home” again, fuck this entire show

a band in new york city:

THE GUYS AT THE VA PAID FOR THEIR TRIP SO PURE

this song is still a bop too

this is life:

idk i like this song but i think i almost prefer “give me a reason”

this also hasn’t changed at all from when they sang it at broadwaycon

but holy fuck do corey and laura sound incredible together

welcome home (reprise):

jimmy campbell: the real hero

“we came, we saw, we said fuck it” DAVY IS ME

THIS IS LIFE REPRISE FUCK F UCK FUCK

WHAT I FEEL FOR YOU JULIA IS TRUE. NO MATTER HOW TOUGH IT IS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES, I NEED TO BE WITH YOU. AND THAT IS TRUE.

I’M SERIOUSLY HOPING THAT THE CROWD CHEERING IS BECAUSE THEY KISSED BECAUSE FUCK YOU GUYS I’M CRYING THAT WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN JUST THE “I LOVE YOU JULIA TROJAN” FROM PAPERMILL HE WAS LITERALLY CRYING AND I’M LITERALLY CRYING

the lyrics changed a bit to welcome home and it still breaks my heart

finale:

awwwww sweet betsy oh my god

donny inviting her and her family backstage to meet her father who served i’m sobbing it’s fine

it’s literally just a reprise of nobody oh god

it could have been a little longer but !!!!!!

okay, so overall holy shit. a lot changed from papermill. dialogue, songs, you name it. i think the book needs a little re-writing and there are a lot of pointless interludes between scenes that could be cut but!!!!!!! holy fuck overall i love it so much. i can’t wait until we get a video boot i need to see this choreography and ESPECIALLY this is life and before welcome home