#lauren goes to macbeth

[harry-leroy]

In my seat, ready for some Shakespeare - very close to the front. Sounds of battle already going on backstage. Very excited!

[dearest-comma-angelica]

hello i've come to talk about the frown when alexander says 'you're like me' because it's like he's surprised by it, he's just realising it. it's like a question and a statement at the same time. there's so much in that little expression i can't get over it.

oh this look absolutely wrecked me!! it’s such a simple but efficient and layered piece of acting and for what it means for alexander’s character. hamilton craves family and that means likeness — the first thing he does (musical wise, of course) when he gets to new york is seek out aaron burr, because he wants to be like him (graduate in two years then join the revolution). he is delighted and emboldened, gratified by possible when he finds out burr’s in a similar spot, parents wise, to himself: “you’re an orphan, of course! i’m an orphan — god i wish there was a war, then we could prove that we’re worth more than anyone bargained for.” 

but within seconds of meeting burr, he realizes that him and burr aren’t the same. he eventually comes to say — what is in some ways the crucial flaw in their relationship all the way through and why the duel goes the way it does — “i will never understand you.” and we know hamilton aligns family (belonging) with likeness bc of what he says to eliza of the type of life he wants to build with her: “but i’ll never forget my mother’s face, that was real.” 

at the winter’s ball, he meets angelica, and finds someone who’s his kindred spirit as much as he is for her. “you’re like me: i’m never satisfied.” hamilton thrives on being different, on being “the smartest person in the room” and yet here is his intellectual equal in more ways than one. and as angelica says herself, “but alexander, i’ll never forget the first time i saw your face” even if in retrospect if feels like a dream.

eliza is the love of his life — there’s no point in disputing that, not only because of how undeniably true it is, but you can’t do it in a way that doesn’t do a disservice to both her and alexander.

angelica, however, is the person who understands him the most. angelica is the only character outside burr (which like i said, quickly peters out) that alexander compares himself to and in a positive way. laurens, mulligan, and lafayette largely support hamilton — him and laurens are particularly close; lafayette says that hamilton “matches my tactical brilliance” but it is unknown if hamilton would say the same of him — but there’s a reason they’re all blown away by him in “my shot”. he outpaces burr flat out.

not so with angelica. they write and receive letters to each other seemingly at the same sort of pace, length, and humour in “take a break.” angelica gives political counsel. alexander aligns himself with macbeth and angelica quotes lady macbeth back to him. “i trust you’ll understand the reference to another scottish tragedy,” his smile when she notices the way a single comma can change the meaning of a sentence. “the conversation lasted two minutes maybe three minutes, everything we said in total agreement.” the way she understood him from the start and saw herself reflected back in him that he surely saw her in her as well, hence their final look in “satisfied” and the way the ensemble has to physically turn him to look at eliza. the heartbreak that underpins “the reynolds pamphlet” of “angelica, thank god someone who understands—” and her narration of “it’s quiet uptown” for both his and her sister’s grief. 

angelica was truly something and someone special to him in regards to an acknowledged emotional and intellectual connection and a forcibly subdued physical attraction, and it was obvious enough in tweaked songs of the second act of having thomas jefferson taunt alexander about thomas’ friendship with angelica and eliza’s line from “first burn”: “i know about whispers, i see how you look at my sister.”

and i would say it’s this sort of connection and understanding — paired with having to dilute it by circumstance — and the revelry that can come with it that’s the most appealing thing about hamgelica for so many shippers. it certainly is for me, a person who has spent a lot of my life feeling misunderstood or that people couldn’t ‘match’ me, and and i hold the people that do understand/match me in highest regard in my life.

no wonder they long for each other as strongly as they do.

[professorsparklepants]

Top ten historical costumes from any live-action media (the more extra, the better)?

I’m not sure what prompted this, but I’ll give it a whirl. Disclaimer: I like costume history but I do not actually watch a lot of costume dramas. 

1. ELIZABETH TAYLOR, TAMING OF THE SHREW

I adore the accuracy in this movie because it frees up the headspace that nitpicks and allowed me to enjoy Elizabeth Taylor’s beautiful face and beautiful eyes to their fullest, best brought out by the colors of this gown in particular.

2. GAL GADOT IN WONDER WOMAN (2017)

Other people have said why the costume design in this movie is so good, so I will simply state that the costumes are better than the history and that this outfit in particular is my favorite, because it proves they didn’t just stuff her into costume porn at the expense of characterization. 

3. MIA WASIKOWSA IN CRIMSON PEAK

I have never watched this movie because I’m a little bitch but Del Toro goes 100% on everything he does and I applaud him for not being afraid of voluminous sleeves like all the COWARDS in 21st century hollywood

4. CLAIRE FOY IN THE CROWN

IIRC, the coronation dress is literally a replica produced for an unrelated exhibit that ended up fitting Clair Foy almost perfectly, so it’s almost as good as having the real thing. Which is real fortunate, because Elizabeth’s coronation gown is such a dream. The symbolism… the detail… *chef kiss*

5. ELLEN TERRY IN MACBETH

ICONIC. LEGENDARY. SINGLE-HANDEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ME IMPULSE BUYING MY FAVORITE ACCESSORY, A NECKLACE OF THE PROTO-SEQUINS KNOWN AS IRIDESCENT BEETLE WINGS, AT A REN FAIRE.

6. LEA SEYDOUX IN BEAUTY IN THE BEAST

Are her outfits a confusing mishmash of modern princess aesthetic and historical trends? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not. It’s a fairy tale movie and she’s living in a magical castle frozen in time where all the servants look like those weird new wave beanie babies with bug eyes that they sell at the hallmark store. The director could have put her in a sack and I would still be on my knees weeping tears of joy and thanking him for not basing all his visual cues on disney movies. 

7. LAUREN BLACKMAN IN ANASTASIA THE MUSICAL

Listen, I cannot stress enough how MAGNIFICENT this dress is. Russian court dress was already gorgeous but they nailed this. They included the sash and honors. Nobody EVER includes the sash and honors for royalty costumes! That tiara? A replica of one of the real Empress’s tiaras. The lavender color of her dress? Based on the silk used to decorate the walls of her personal rooms in Alexander Palace, where the family died. THIS COSTUME HAS EVERYTHING. 

okay I ran out of steam so that’s all you’re getting have a nice night

[sophielovesbooks]

Sophie’s Queer YA Rec List

Hi everyone! :) I’m back with another list of book recommendations! Yes, two of the books on here cross-feature on my Dark Academia Rec List, but here, the focus is different.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my YA LGBTQ+ Rec List!

Her Royal Highness (Rachel Hawkins)

Listen, we’re starting off strong, because this one is an absolute GEM. American girl goes abroad to a fancy boarding school in Scotland. Also, she’s bi, her roommate is the princess of Scotland and the cutest haters-to-lovers situation ensues!! Read if you like fluffier reads, if you’ve ever been on a year abroad, if you’ve ever wanted to go on a year abroad, if you love Scotland or if you’re a girl who likes pretty girls! <3 (Note: This is the sequel to ���Royals”, but I didn’t read that one either and you 100% don’t need to in order to understand this one.)

As I Descended (Robin Talley)

Okay, now this one is a lot darker. It’s a queer Macbeth retelling, which is a pretty amazing concept in itself. Also set at a fancy boarding school, but in Virginia. The main girls are a closeted power couple who more or less succumb to the darkness in their strive for even more power. This book is super diverse with Hispanic characters, wlw, mlm and one of the main two girls being disabled (though some people have criticised the way she was written). Read if you want a spooky story, if you love boarding school settings or if you love Shakespeare retellings!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Benjamin Alire Sáenz)

This book is a classic of the queer coming-of-age genre, and it reads like one, too! The style is fairly simple, which may take some getting used to, but the author nailed the narrator’s voice, the story is meaningful, the characters feel complex and real and Ari’s fight to accept himself for who he is will break your heart! Set in the 1980s in El Paso, Texas. The two main boys are both Mexican American. And for reasons I can’t exactly put my finger on, this read like a modern-day Catcher in the Rye! Read this book if you want boys fighting to accept the fact that they love boys and complex family dynamics!

If I Was Your Girl (Meredith Russo)

Can ONLY recommend this one! The main character is a trans girl who goes to live with her dad after a traumatic event. At her new school, all she wants is to blend in, but she ends up suddenly popular for the first time in her life and dating a cute boy! This book was definitely fluffy at times, but still dealt with the darker aspects of being trans in this world (trigger warning for depression, dysphoria, a suicide attempt!) Read if, like me, you’re a cis person looking to get a better idea of what it’s like to be trans or if you’re trans and want to see yourself represented! The author is a trans woman herself and the book ends with a really emotional and thoughtful author’s note (that, yes, made me cry).

You Know Me Well (David Levithan & Nina LaCour)

Out of the books on this list, this one focuses the most on LGBTQ+ themes. It’s literally set in San Francisco during Pride Week, and it’s about a gay girl who is madly in love with another girl, but self-sabotages at every turn, and a gay boy, who is madly in love with his best friend, who fools around with him occasionally but doesn’t love him back. One thing that bothered me a bit was the insta-friendship between the two main characters, but I’m here for the gay-lesbian solidarity, and I thought the wlw romance was so cute! Read for a slightly fluffier dual-perspective book with strong LBGTQ+ and coming-of-age themes and a central friendship!

We Are Okay (Nina LaCour)

Oh God, this one. Read only if you are ready to be emotionally destroyed! The main character grew up with her grandfather, and after losing him, too, she feels completely alone. Set during Christmas break of her first semester of college, which she spends on campus in New York. Alone! Until her friend/lover comes to visit and emotionally reconnect with her. Hauntingly and lyrically written, this book is an absolute beauty that had me in literal tears and made my heart hurt. Can only recommend!

People Like Us (Dana Meele)

This one cross-features on my Dark Academia rec list, because it’s set at yet another elite boarding school (yes, this is my thing) and begins with a murder. The wlw themes in this came as a very pleasant surprise! Read if you’re looking for more of a mystery thriller that still includes wlw, but not as the main focus. Personally, I had certain issues with the plot, but the book was still a very engaging, quick and fun read!

Radio Silence (Alice Oseman)

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME! The main character is Frances, a biracial, bisexual girl whose main goal in life is getting into Cambridge. Her friends see her as nothing but a study machine, but secretly, Frances is the biggest fangirl and draws fanart for a podcast called “Universe City”. The book is all about her close friendship with Aled, who turns out to be the podcast’s creator, academic pressure and figuring out what actually matters to you in life. I connected strongly with the themes of working so hard toward certain goals and not being seen by your friends for who you really are. Read if you want the most adorable platonic friendship EVER (between a bi girl and a demisexual guy), internet culture being represented accurately, wlw and mlm and an incredibly relatable main character!

Autoboyography (Christina Lauren)

Tanner is bi and was happy and out when his family still lived in California, but is forced back into the closet, basically for safety, when his family moved to Provo, Utah, where there are more Mormons than non-Mormons. His best friend Autumn convinces him to sign up for a very special class with her in their final year of high school, where the idea is that every student writes a novel. This is where Tanner meets Sebastian and falls head-over-heels! The problem? Sebastian is Mormon and not allowed to be with another boy. Even worse? He’s the bishop’s son! Read this one for two adorable boys actually going through something incredibly hard together and breaking your heart in the process! What I loved about this was that religion was shown in its full complexity, the good and the bad, and Sebastian’s struggle was so realistic! Also, this love story was much more high stakes than the usual “I’m sure he doesn’t like me back!” non-issue and it really drew me in!

I Was Born For This (Alice Oseman)

Another Oseman book!! (Spoiler alert: It’s also very good!) Told in dual perspective. The first one is Fereshteh, who tends to go by the English translation of her name: Angel. The biggest source of joy in her life is the popular boy band “The Ark”, and she plans to go to London to finally meet her best online friend in person, then go to an Ark concert together with her. The second perspective is Jimmy, a trans boy and one of the three members of the band. Things definitely don’t go as planned that week in London, Angel and Jimmy actually meet, chaos ensues. Read this if you’re looking for a fandom-based story that just gets internet culture and also has a very diverse set of characters! But be prepared for this to actually become very dark and intensely emotional at times! (The characters, especially Jimmy, were struggling more mental-health-wise than I had expected, and it wasn’t always easy to read, so be safe, everybody!)

These are the ones I’ve read so far, but don’t worry, I’ll update this list soon with many more! Already on my TBR (and in some cases even already on my shelves!) are These Witches Don’t Burn, Let’s Talk About Love (asexual main character!!), Tash Hearts Tolstoy (another asexual main character!) and I Wish You All the Best (non-binary rep!!!)

[toss-that-can]

I’m a big musical theatre kid and I love casting shows! After Nick said Twisted was in part inspired by the Texas Book Depository scene in Assassins I’ve been thinking about how I’d cast Assassins with the Starkids. I love this show (my favorite Sondheim!) a lot and I love these performers a lot so I had a lot of fun making this! If you like this send requests of show’s you’d like me to cast or reblog with your thoughts!

So here’s my casting:

John Wilkes Booth: Joey Richter

The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald: Brian Holden

Sara Jane Moore: Rachael Soglin

Lynette “Squeaky” Frome: Jamie Lyn Beatty

Samuel Byck: Jeff Blim

Giuseppe Zangara: Clark Baxtresser

John Hinckley: Brian Rosenthal

Charles Guiteau: Jon Matteson

Leon Czolgosz: Robert Manion

The Proprietor: Corey Dorris

A Housewife: Lauren Lopez

Ensemble: Jamie Burns, Joe Walker, Mariah Rose Faith, Corey Lubowich, Brant Cox

Character breakdowns and my justification under the cut

John Wilkes Booth - Male - Lead - Baritenor

The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald - Any gender - Lead - Tenor/Alto

Sara Jane Moore - Female - Lead - Alto-Mezzo

Lynette “Squeaky” Frome - Female - Lead - Soprano

Samuel Byck - Male - Lead - Character voice (any range)

Giuseppe Zangara - Male - Lead - Tenor

John Hinckley: - Male - Lead - Tenor

Charles Guiteau - Male - Lead - Tenor

Leon Czolgosz - Male - Lead - Bass-Baritone

The Proprietor - Male - Supporting - Baritone

A Housewife - Female - Featured - Any range

Ensemble - Any gender - Any range - Need about 6 (including Housewife)

Ok so first things first this show is full of unhinged people and Jeff would’ve killed it in any role.

Ideally Chris Allen would be the perfect Byck but like I haven’t seen any work he’s done lately so idk if he’s still doing the theatre thing who knows.

Brosenthal hopped from The Balladeer/Oswald to Zangara to finally landing on Hinckley. He seemed very fitting as Balladeer/Oswald to me but then I needed more males with angel voices and I trust his angel voice the most and Worthy of Your Love is a very important song to me. Brolden would make a fantastic Balladeer/Oswald so he seemed a good fit and Clark has the CHOPS needed for Zangara’s crazy singing and would look amazingingly close to the real Zangara (besides height OOP).

Joey was immediately Booth for me no questions asked as soon as I started thinking about this. HE HAS THE RANGE! Also I like the idea of him and Corey Dorris being partners bc I feel like we’ve only seen them as enemies/adversaries in the musicals they’ve been in together. Also Corey’s voice would kill me as the chilling Proprietor and I really want that to actually happen.

I was stuck on Moore for a bit bc I feel like there are actresses that can fit her persona but not her voice or they fit her voice but not the necessary persona. I also felt stuck bc when I did Assassins I think I got to work with the best Moore ever so my standards are high. Finally Rachael popped in my head and it’s just an incredible fit. Her voice stole my heart in Trail to Oregon and I would absolutely trust her to rock the shit out of that role and be a comedy goddess.

Jamie has Frome energy and range. Next.

Guiteau is incredibly tricky. He was an incredibly odd and frankly scary man. You need to be able to command a room but also have an unhinged energy, as well as decent singing abilities bc Ballad of Guiteau can get a lil wild (tho more for the Balladeer than Guiteau to be fair). I think Jon has the right range and I think after Black Friday we’ll get to see a more unhinged side of Jon that will further validate my decision here. Also I think he played Hamlet and that’s ultimate unhinged. ALSO HE JUST ANNOUNCED LIKE 30 MINUTES AGO HE’S PLAYING MACBETH LET THE MAN BE UNHINGED YAY!

Tbh I’d probably rather have Robert somewhere else singing tenor but have y’all ever noticed that nearly every Starkid man is a tenor? I need to utilize Robert’s bass range it’s such an incredible talent basses are so hard to come by. Also we’ve only really see Robert be very silly and I’m interested in the serious side of him as a performer, and Czolgosz is a very serious character. He’d probably make me cry and I’d say thanks.

I think Lauren would make me cry my eyes out if I ever heard her sing Something Just Broke. My heart raced and I teared up a bit thinking about it and knew I needed it. Also I think Mariah could kill this role but I ultimately went with Lauren.

Assassins is an interesting show when it comes to its ensemble bc they appear so rarely but are so incredibly vital. I think the ensemble of any show has the ability to make a big dent in making or breaking the show, but that goes even further for Assassins. A lot of the female ensemble parts have a higher range, but the 3 gals I picked also have wild ranges so I trust the shit outta them. I think all 6 of them would blend in well to create the different atmospheres they have to portray throughout time, and they’re also so goofy and fun to match the energy in the Ballad Czolgosz and How I Saved Roosevelt. I also think they’re all capable of delivering the heartbreaking and frankly scary nature of Something Just Broke. Generally I also wanna see more of Corey and Brant on stage bc Brant has the voice of a Disney prince and Corey blows my mind with his performance capabilities in TCB live shows. Also Jamie would probably play Emma Goldman and Lauren or Corey (or maybe Brant) could be Billy/Wanna Sip boy lol.

Can y’all tell I really love Assassins.

[mwritesink]

The never ending shelf of WiPs

(Working titles are italicized. this is my attempt at organizing myself. Includes both Original and Fan Works. Post under a cut as this got long real quick...)

Original Works

“Rebel Songs”: November 1920. Dublin, Ireland. A chance meeting brings WW1 veterans Shannon Maxwell and Lawrence Barton together and into a whirlwind romance. Their first problem? Shannon is an IRA soldier and Lawrence works with the RIC Special Reserve. (currently writing random scenes, outlining, and researching)

“iceskating”: Modern day. Somewhere. Danny Reid is hired by Esmé Caldwell - renowned former Olympic Ice Skater and current coach - to help get her protege back into competitive shape. Jason O’Rinn - scarred, intense, and guarded - is just the sort of man Danny should stay away from, but he can’t turn away from fixing broken things, especially when Jason reaches back to heal Danny’s own scars. (I’ve maybe an eighth done of a first draft. fully outlined. need to do research)

“Red Headed Bastards”: [fictional year. fictional city name]. Lauren Lowfey, marked from birth as an outsider by her red hair, is just trying to make a life. One day she gets a package to deliver at the Aesir Castle that sends her life into far more adventure than she ever asked for or wanted. Outside the city, though, forces are moving to make the first moves of Ragnarok. (need to write scenes, need to outline, need to research)

“Chicago History Poetry Zine Series”: Poetry to inform about significant, and some not so significant, details about Chicago history. (have a set written about Camp Douglas, though several are in edit mode. Need to figure out the best way to arrange and publish. constantly in research)

“My Squire, My Knight”: visual novel idea. Arthurian based. the MC is related to a king allied to King Arthur - leaning towards being the youngest son of King Pellinore -  and is assigned to be a squire to one of Arthur’s knights: Sir Kai, Sir Dinadan, Sir Palomides, Sir Galehaut, or Sir Mordred. The course of the final days of Camelot are changed depending on the path and choices of the MC. (have the ideas, outlining, researching)

“Mad Ladies Ghost Stories”: Visual novel idea. MC is a Paranormal Investigator trying to find and free the ghosts of a haunted mental hospital without joining their number herself. Each ghost is of a woman falsely deemed insane and fell victim to the cures of her time. (have ideas, need to outline, need to do more research than one book)

“Crow Merwin”: Fantasy inspired by the French Revolution, but with more figures who are not white, presumed straight men. (idea there. I had notes from a year ago, but lost them. need to recreate notes)

Fan Works

K. J. Charles series

“The Magpie Lord - Script Adaptation”: for Charm of Magpies series. Writing exercise. Is what it says on the tin, just me practicing script writing by adapting The Magpie Lord by K. J. Charles. (in progress)

“Damned Spot”: for Green Men Series/Secret Casebook of Simon Feximel. Simon and Robert resolve the story of a haunted theatre. At one point Robert gets stage blood thrown on him. I get to indulge in how much I love MacBeth. (in planning)

“Elaphromancer”: for Charm of Magpies series. A Jono/Doug AU, where Jonothon “Chamber” Starsmore and Doug “Cypher” Ramsey are remade for existing in the world of Charm of Magpies. Jono is a magician who works as a fire breather and sword swallower for the Hellfire Freak Show and Circus. His life gets infinitely more complicated than it already is when he encounters a runaway autonomous Automaton who insists on having Jono help protect a political fugitive. Then the Justiciary gets involved. (in planning, opening scenes written)

Jordan L. Hawk series

“Griffin’s Queer Chicago”: for Whyborne and Griffin Series. Collection of one-shots and other shorts speculating on Griffin’s time in Chicago. So far planning to include the following: bed-sharing w/ Elliot [finished!], almost getting caught having sex under a bridge, having outdoor sex in one of the parks, the Columbian Exhibition World’s Fair, hotel sex w/ Glenn, and the Chicago Athletic Club. (In planning, first short finished!!, may be a while until the next one, in research)

“Seduced by the Shark-Man”: for Whyborne and Griffin Series. Fishborne AU. Instead of an Umbre, Griffin and Glenn find a shark-man who says his name is “Fire In His Blood”. He got very lost, ended up in fresh water, and would like to go home. But not without first finding out everything he can about land-dwellers. (the idea is there)

“Jono, Doug, and the no good, very bad haunted adventure”: For Spirits Series. A Jono/Doug AU where Jonothon “Chamber” Starsmore and Doug “Cypher” Ramsey are remade for existing in the world of the Spirits books. Doug and Jono are both Mediums. Jono’s talents reside in Pyromancy, and Doug has a willing “Spirit Guide” named Warlock. Doug enlists the help of Henry, Vincent, and Lizzie to free Jono from a haunted asylum after one of Jono’s seances goes horrifically wrong and he is confined as mentally insane. (in planning, have beginning scenes written)

“SPECTR: Hunter of Demons - Script Adaptation”: Writing Exercise. Practicing writing comic book scripts by adapting the first book of the SPECTR Series. 

Marvel Comics/Movies

“Hellions AU”: Jono/Doug AU. Jonothon is invited to join the Hellions by Emma Frost when he is 14. He and the Hellions get entangled with Doug Ramsey and the New Mutants, which leads to a radically different Jono, and a different Doug. (in outlining, some scenes written)

“Jono Frost AU”: Jono/Doug AU. Jonothon was adopted at a young age by the Frost Family, and followed Emma to the Hellfire Club. Along the way, Jono gets involved with Shinobi Shaw and other 90′s X-Men villains. (in planning)

“X-Force AU”: Jono AU. the NHS catches Jono’s mutation when he is 16 and sends him to Muir Island to be taken care of by Dr McTaggart. While there he becomes friends with Terry and Maddrox and follows Terry to X-Force. Various relationship entanglements ensue as well as morality questions regarding what X-Force does. (Idea is there)

“Excalibur AU”: Jono/Douglock AU. After exploding, Jono is sent to Muir Island, instead of getting an invite to join Generation X. While there, Douglock befriends him, and (along with Rahne) they begin a romantic relationship that goes rocky when Warlock comes back on the scene. (in planning)

“Savior”: personal/fan essay. tying “Savior” by Rise Against to the wreckage of Jono/Paige. (idea is there)

“Guthrie Family Dinners”: personal/fan essay. the implications of the New Mutants and Generation X staying together/breaking up and the number of times each team gets invited to Guthrie family dinners. Sam regularly takes the New Mutants to Guthrie Family dinners, and they mostly stay together. Paige only ever brings Jono over (once, and not to dinner), and Generation X is never really brought back together. (idea is there)

“Holistic Villains AU”: Jono/Doug AU. Jono is nabbed by Clan Akkaba right after his mutation explodes his body and he’s given the Apocalypse look. Taking on the codename Leviticus, he sets out to assemble his own horsemen and become a new Apocalypse for a new age. His Death is the newly revived Doug Ramsey. (in planning). 

“Really a Villain AU”: Jono/Doug AU. Jono was brainwashed by Clan Akkaba from a young age, and has been their agent. After M-Day, he turns himself over to Utopia. Doug becomes interested in him and in his apparent reformation. theme song: Sedated by Hozier. (in planning)

“In the Flesh AUs versions 1 and 2″: Jono/Doug AUS. setting Jono and Doug within the world of “In the Flesh” tv series. Version 1 has both Jono and Doug as PDS and wrangling their lives post treatment. Version 2 has Jono and Leeland (oc child character belonging to @stem-cell who lets me and @nobiliorpomis use) are PDS, and Leeland gets his living father together with his PDS friend. (in planning)

“that one Burnside AU”: Captain America AU. Set in the MCU somewhere. Steve gets kidnapped by William Burnside, a historian of WW2 and the super soldier project who looks uncannily alike to Steve. back and forth pov of Steve’s captivity by Burnside and the other Avengers trying to find and rescue Steve. (the idea has been there for a long while)

Fire Emblem

“Ride Across the River”: Palette Swap AU where Arvis and Sigurd switch roles and families and what happens with the fallout from that. (first few chapters on AO3, in progress)

Dragon Age

“The Salt in the Ashes”: Inquisition AU with Samson as the Inquisitor. somehow I get him and Dorian together. (in hiatus/in progress)

Mo Dao Zu Shi

“Untitled”: mash up with Exalted. Detailing the rise and fall of First Age Twilight caste Solar Wei Wuxian, Zenith Solar Lan Wanji, and the Death Lord “The Yiling Patriarch”. (idea there)

“Untitled”: a Mo Xanyu lives fic, where he and WWX share his body, and freely go back and forth between who’s in control of the body.

Castlevania (Netflix)

“Untitled”: Get Alucard out of the house a bit and rescueing Hector from Carmilla’s clutches. Romance ensues. (idea is there, plus a paragraph or two)

[meret118]

Miranda Fitch’s life is a waking nightmare. The accident that ended her burgeoning acting career left her with excruciating chronic back pain, a failed marriage, and a deepening dependence on painkillers. And now, she’s on the verge of losing her job as a college theater director. Determined to put on Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well, the play that promised and cost her everything, she faces a mutinous cast hellbent on staging Macbeth instead. Miranda sees her chance at redemption slip through her fingers.

That’s when she meets three strange benefactors who have an eerie knowledge of Miranda’s past and a tantalizing promise for her future: one where the show goes on, her rebellious students get what’s coming to them, and the invisible doubted pain that’s kept her from the spotlight is made known.

With prose Margaret Atwood has described as “no punches pulled, no hilarities dodged…genius,” Mona Awad has concocted her most potent, subversive novel yet. All’s Well is a “fabulous novel” (Mary Karr) about a woman at her breaking point and a formidable, piercingly funny indictment of our collective refusal to witness and believe female pain.

[kristenswig]

Best Adapted Screenplay 2017

Winner:

Marjorie Prime - Michael Almereyda, based on the play of the same name by Jordan Harrison

I’m going to tell you some things and then it’s going to be like you’ve always known them. People think you’re quiet, but you’re not. You like confrontation more than most people you, you’re quite good at it. You’ve read everything. You know the Latin names for things. You’re suspicious of technology. You’re suspicious of...this. You worry about not succeeding. You worry a lot and then you worry that your worrying is wearing me down but it’s not. You want to be better with Raina than your mother was with you. You like to travel. You never stop moving. You’re always on your feet. You never ask for help.  

I think the last year you were done, and you kept living for my sake. We went on a trip together, Madagascar. We were going to spend some time on a little island off Madagascar which is itself an island. We planned it together. The campsite was in this very old grove of trees. There was one tree in particular, must have been 500 years old. We didn’t take any pictures we wanted to just remember it. You had a hard time sleeping in the tent. The ground was hard. You were never much of a sleeper. The second night it was right at the light of dawn I woke up and you were gone. You did that from time to time when you couldn’t sleep you’d get up and walk until you were tired. But this was different, it felt different.  It didn’t take me a minute to find you. You were in the tree. They said that you hadn’t been there long. You had used some tent cord. It took four hours to get to the nearest city in that little boat. It was raining the whole time, so I put you in your raincoat. A local boy took us back in his motorboat. The sea was choppy and I had to hold onto you. But you weren’t there. You were gone.

Nominees:

Before I Fall - Maria Maggenti, based on the novel of the same name by Lauren Oliver

Do you remember when you were a little girl how you used to take turns riding all the horses in the stable so that none of them would feel left out?

Call Me By Your Name - James Ivory, based on the novel of the same name by André Aciman

Right now you may not want to feel anything, maybe you never wanted to feel anything. And maybe it´s not to me you’ll want to speak about these things but, feel something you obviously did. Look you had a beautiful friendship; maybe more than a friendship. And I envy you. In my place, most parents would hope the whole thing goes away, pray their sons land on their feet but I am not such a parent. We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster that we go bankrupt by the age of 30 and have less to offer each time we start with someone new, but to make yourself feel nothing, so as not to feel anything? What a waste. I may have come close but I never had what you two have. Something always held me back, or stood in the way. How you live your life is your business, just remember our hearts and our bodies are given to us only once, and before you know it your heart’s worn out, and as for your body, there comes a point when no one wants to look at it, much less come near it. Right now, there’s sorrow, pain, don’t kill it. And with it the joy you felt.  

Heal the Living - Katell Quillévéré, Gilles Taurand, based on the novel Réparer les vivants by Maylis de Kerangal

Don’t take his eyes.  Promise me you won’t take his eyes.

Lady Macbeth - Alice Birch, based on the novella Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District by Nikolai Leskov

Do you love me? Do you adore me?  Could you do without me?  You know I shan’t be parted from you alive Sebastian. Through hell and high water I will follow you.  To the cross, to the prison, to the grave, to the sky.  I’d rather stop you breathing than let you doubt how I feel.

Molly’s Game - Aaron Sorkin, based on the memoir Molly’s Game: From Hollywood’s Elite to Wall Street’s Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker by Molly Bloom

Doug? I’m the woman all of you have always dreamed of. I’m the anti-wife. Instead of making you feel bad about going out every night and gambling, I encourage it. And instead of asking you to cut down on your drinking, I have drinks served to you by models who simultaneously create the impression that you’re the kind of guy who can score a dime piece anytime you want. Do you know who Circe was?  She was the Greek goddess of magic and she gave men feasts and wine and honey and then she turned them into swine.

[hmhteen]

Contemporary Retellings We Love!

Retellings in YA are all the rage, and we totally get why: it’s a chance to see a familiar story told in a new setting, or from the POV of a character who originally didn’t get to snag the spotlight. If you’re looking for a short, sometimes sweet, sometimes swoony retelling list, here are some contemporary spins on classic tales that we love!

 THINGS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN by Claire LaZebnik

THINGS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN is a retelling of the Jane Austen novel Emma. If you haven’t read it, a quick recap: Emma Woodhouse makes it her business to get involved in other people’s business, especially their love lives. But when a match goes awry, she winds up on the outs with the people she cares about most. Things I Should Have Known riffs on Emma’s story with Chloe, a teenager who thinks her autistic sister, Ivy, is lonely, and that having a boyfriend might help. So Chloe sets her up with another autistic boy in her class, named Ethan. But she should have known that Ivy can make her own decisions about what she needs and doesn’t—and maybe it’s Chloe who is needs to find love for herself. 

MEANT TO BE by Lauren Morrill

Shakespeare’s pretty much the #1 guy when it comes to tales to retell, and Meant to Be makes no exception! Lauren Morrill tackles Much Ado About Nothing—a comedy of mistaken identities and miscommunication—when type-A Shakespeare wiz Julia is teamed up with the class clown, Jason, on their school trip to London. But when Julia starts getting texts from a possible secret admirer, she and Jason wind up working together to help her find the culprit…and maybe some romance along the way.

 SECOND STAR by Alyssa Sheinmel

A contemporary Peter Pan retelling where Wendy is torn between Peter, the leader of a young group of rebel surfers....or Jas, his dangerous enemy—sign us up! The premise is unique but fresh...Wendy’s brothers are surfers, and she’s not headed to Neverland, but trying to find them when her life is complicated by Peter and Jas. If you still love love triangles, definitely check out Second Star!

THE SECRET DIARY OF LIZZIE BENNET by Bernie Su

If you didn’t watch the viral Youtube sensation The Lizzie Bennett Diaries from a few years ago, do it now! (Actually, do it as soon as you’re done with this roundup.) The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but with a modern spin: Lizzie is a grad student living at home along with sweet-natured Jane and reckless, feisty Lydia. She becomes a youtube star when her little online journal about her boring little life goes viral, and suddenly millions of people are interested in every aspect of her life, such as: why did Jane and Bing Lee break up? Did Darcy have something to do with it? And most importantly: does Lizzie like Darcy?  

AS I DESCENDED by Robin Talley

As I Descended is a retelling of Macbeth with a paranormal and gender-bending twist! Maria is the Macbeth in this scenario and Lily, her girlfriend—but no one knows they are together. When Lily decides to unseat star-student Delilah Dufrey from her anointed place as the certain winner of their most prized scholarship—a scholarship Maria needs in order to go to college, and to stay with Lily—things turn fatal. In the aftermath of Delilah’s death, Maria and Lily discover the depths they will go to in order to hide their lies—unless the ghosts haunting the school grounds have their way, and reveal them first.

WHEN YOU WERE MINE by Rebecca Serle

Like we said, Shakespeare’s a popular dude to re-imagine, and this last book is a classic. But When You Were Mine isn’t just a retelling of Romeo and Juliet…it’s a retelling from the POV of a character you never meet in the original play! You hear about her though: Rosaline, the girl Romeo loved before he met Juliet that fateful night. In this story, Rosaline and Rob are best friends….and maybe more…until her cousin Juliet breezes into town and with a single look, wins Rob’s heart. But Juliet has a darkness that starts to change Rob from the guy Rosaline knew better than anyone into someone she barely recognizes…and when she tries to pull him back from the brink, catastrophe strikes. Rob and Juliet’s story ends in tragedy, but you may be surprised where Rosaline ends up after all is said and done.

What are your favorite contemporary YA retellings? Let us know in the comments below!

You can read an excerpt of THINGS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN here.

Order THINGS I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN by clicking the links below!

 Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-MillionHudson IndieBound Powell’s

[blondeniffler]

Ok So I Saw Hamilton And Now There's Some Things I Have To Share

First off, it's amazing, it exceeded all my expectations. I have the soundtrack memorized and know this show by heart and I still got chills and my heart was thumping and I was so impressed every song! In Aaron Burr Sir Eliza is on the upper balacany watching Hamilton and they haven't even met yet and she's just up there like yup that's my man Actually through most of the musical she, and Angelica hang up there if they're not in the scene (so does the Hamilbros and others but I just found the significance if his loves watching him through his life so awsome!) His 3 loves as you could call him all help him get ready in the opening number. Eliza pits his coat on, Angelica gives him his book, and Laurens gives him his bag. (I'm sorry I don't have bullet points I'm in mobile and don't want to forget anything) The ensemble is so good! And they keep switching characters or sides in the war so it feels like there's a cast if about a million. They are so fun to watch Satisfied has the same choreography as helpless and if you watch Angelica during helpless you can see her thoughts in Satisfied going through her head. It's amazing and heartbreaking but amazing!!! In Story of Tonight Reprise there's a drunk guy passed out on the stairs being the Hamilsquad and I just thought that was really funny. When Washington yells at his men retreating everyone but one terrified little soldier has retreated and he gives them a salut and his face is just like great this is what I have left. As the war progresses the uniforms of our army become shabbier with many if them ripped and missing sleeves etc and I just thought that was great because it help show our army closer to what it really was I saw the Chicago cast and the Hamilton is SO SHORT! And the Washington is so tall do every time they stood next to each other Hamilton just looked dwarfed in comparison. I loved it, it made me very happy The orchestra is so good and they can just explode at a moment's notice Also I enjoyed being able to see the top of the conductors head sticking out of his little hole King George was great what more can I say During the war The Bullet who later comes back in Hamilton's final duel is shot out of a British gun and barely misses Hamilton, swerving around him when he's at his desk and theirs a cool sound effect of time like slowing down there and The Bullet is already out to get him and Ahhhh Act 1 just builds and builds and you don't think it can get any better and then IT DOES I swear every song could be a standing ovation if they'd just give the audience the time Some times they wait for us to stop clapping and sometimes they'd just move on and the audience would have to stop and we'd just be like no I need to give you more love and appreciation!!! King George can't even get the conductor to cut off when he wants him too after he's lost the war so he throws a little tantrum In Non Stop everything is wonderful and my brain and heart exploded. Also when Washington is singing as the whole everyone comes in with all their different parts the stairs he's on come out into the middle of the stage and the movement on top of the noise is just amazing and I got chills! The transformations of the characters of the people who change parts from act 1 to act 2 is so amazing. Like you know it's the same actor but their completely different and it's just wow 100/10 on their acting skills. I almost didn't recognize the actress who played Peggy when she was Maria Hamilton life immediately goes downhill after saying Macbeth so I guess no one told him not to say the name of the Scottish Play in a theatre The music is so good and haunting in Say No To This like you know stuff is about to go down before it happens The actress played Maria as totally evil. It was an interesting acting choice. You could feel her evilness coming off her in waves Jefferson never just walks, he always swaggers and it's the best Wayne Brady is amazing and can sing sooooo good In Hurricane there's an actual hurricane formed around Hamilton of cast and set pieces that moves in slowmotion in this eiry light that is haunting and incredible Everything goes nuts in Reynolds pamphlet Burn is amazing and I teared up and watched as the smoke rise from Elizas burned letters I knew exactly what count Phillip died on, I was prepared and I still flinched so hard and cried as he died and uuuuugggghhhhh Quiet Uptown is my favorite song because theirs so much pain and healing During quiet uptown the rest of the cast moves around them like normal happy townspeople but they move in slow motion through Hamilton and Elizas greif When she forgives him my life is complete In the Election of 1800 everyone keeps asking Hamilton's opinion and he keeps saying no to them and you can see he's still grieving and I just wanted to run up there and protect him because he doesn't need this right now Burr looks so ready to win the Election and Jefferson looks so ready to lose so when it goes the opposite way Burr looks physically wounded and Jefferson is just like doing a happy dance. In Your Obedient Servant Burr gives Hamilton one price of paper. Hamilton gives back like 6 which are delivered 1 at a time and Burr is just standing there like really? In Best of Wives Hamilton covers up what he's writing with him hand so Eliza won't see it The ending is just to many feelings to put into words Eliza gasps at the end signifying her death and she's finally with Hamilton and I cried and it was great! It's Broadway cares time and some of the money actually goes to the orphanage Eliza founded The show was too amazing!!! I'm so happy

[zipgrowth]

Free Range Teaching and the Technology Teachers ‘Beg For’

When Central Coast Grammar School (CCGS) refurbished a block of classrooms recently, it installed wireless screen mirroring technology in every room. Then the Australian K-12 school did something really radical. “We literally threw out our teachers’ desks,” says Damon Cooper, an English teacher and the director of teaching and learning at CCGS, in New South Wales. “There are just classrooms, and we can teach from anywhere within them.” He explains, “we’ve physically centered the room around the children. It’s not a theory; it’s not a philosophy; it’s not an approach. Literally, physically, the children are the center of the classroom.”

We literally threw out our teachers’ desks.

Wireless screen mirroring, which allows the projection and sharing of device screens without cables, doesn’t just free teachers from worrying about what became of the HDMI cord or which dongle goes with which tablet. It eliminates the need for them to be glued to the front of the room—and the imperative to stand and deliver. Cooper calls wireless screen mirroring a game changer, and he likens it to the introduction of the mobile phone. “It used to be if you were on a call but had to turn down the oven or open the front door, you had to put the phone down to do it,” he says. “With cordless and mobile phones, we can do multiple things at once. Likewise, with screen mirroring technology, we teachers are no longer locked physically.”

Free range teaching is just one of the many benefits of wireless screen mirroring. Australian educator Lauren Sayer has been thrilled to see it move her class in a new, student-driven direction. “As the class researches things, one student will say, ‘Oh, I found this link, and it’s a great resource,’” says Sayer, who also oversees learning technologies at Haileybury, a large, multi-campus school based in Melbourne. “I can ask that student to bring it up on the screen, and everybody can see it straight away and we can have a discussion,” she explains. “Then the next student will say, ‘Oh, I found this!’ And all of a sudden we have this amazing cooperative learning group. Now it’s the students’ discussion, not mine. I become the facilitator. That’s extraordinarily exciting.”

. . . with screen mirroring technology, we teachers are no longer locked physically.

Both Haileybury and CCGS use screen mirroring tools and software by Vivi, an Australian education-focused and educator-staffed company that hopes to bring its successes to schools in the U.S. Central Texas’ Liberty Hill Independent School District, for example, embraced Vivi after investigating several options. “It’s kind of the holy grail of screen mirroring,” says Jay Olivier, Liberty Hill’s Chief Information Officer. “It’s an application that handles video streaming well and works all the time, on any device that I try it on—iphones, tablets, androids, ipads, Windows devices. It works on everything. And it just works.”

Student presentations, says Olivier, which are a recurring tech headache for many teachers, become simple with Vivi’s technology; it boasts an app that connects to any platform. “The students can use whatever devices they’ve been working on,” says Olivier. “They just connect to the room and request access to present their screen out to display. They can also download screenshots, annotate them and take notes on what the teacher is doing.”

To learn more about the seven key questions you must ask and answer when researching a screen mirroring system for your school, check out Vivi's Wireless Screen Mirroring Buyer's Guide for Education.

The app is easy for teachers, too, which was a huge selling point for Haileybury. “With Vivi, there was no learning curve,” says Sayer. “Teachers didn’t have to learn a radical new piece of software, they just had to log in and get going at what they do best.”

And now they can do what they do best from anywhere in the classroom. Untethered, teachers have more flexibility and can be more responsive to their students’ struggles and triumphs in the moment. “A teacher can be running a lesson but still be looking over kids’ shoulders,” says Cooper. “He can say to a kid, ‘that’s really interesting, try this’ or ‘perhaps add that’ without having to interrupt the flow of the presentation.”

ADVICE FOR FUTURE ADOPTERS

Do a pilot program. The technology is easy to use, but it's useful to get teachers familiar with it ahead of time.

Check your infrastructure. Make sure you have the right wireless infrastructure in place before you begin.

Enlist your most adventurous teachers. They'll share their enthusiasm for the technology among your colleagues.

Provide support. Take the time to provide professional development.

Teachers can also stop the flow, if that’s what the moment demands. “Say the teacher is checking on a group in the back of the room, and there’s an issue,” says Olivier. “He can say, ‘Okay, guys, everyone pause for a second. We need to look at this.’ Then he can throw it up on the screen at the front and then have a quick discussion. Or maybe it’s, ‘Hey, everyone, I want you to see what Johnny’s doing; this is really cool!’ And then he throws Johnny’s screen up there.”

Most of the refurbished, teacher-desk-free classrooms at CCGS have a luxurious four screens per room—and most of the rooms can be opened up to a double space—which offers all sorts of possibilities for screen mirroring. When Cooper was team teaching Macbeth to his 10th graders, he was able to display a copy of the script on one screen and play a dramatic reading on another. “At the same time, we were able to do annotations on the script and take notes on a separate document to model note-taking behavior for the students,” he says. “And we could do it all while we were near the children.”

Overall, teachers using this technology offer positive feedback. Sayer says it’s something her teachers “beg for”. Olivier admits he’s actually “a little surprised at how quickly our teachers accepted it, embraced it and ‘couldn’t live without it’”.

Central Coast Grammar School's Next Generation Learning Facility, featuring Vivi's technology.

Untethered, teachers have more flexibility and can be more responsive to their students’ struggles and triumphs in the moment.

Student reactions, however, have been mixed—at least initially. Some students had to recalibrate when Haileybury rolled out Vivi two years ago. “They realized, ‘Oh, my teacher is no longer going to be sitting up front and I can watch Netflix in the back,’” says Sayer. “So the level of accountability increases. But once the students realize this benefits their learning, we see them become more engaged.”

Along with accountability and engagement, student agency has gotten a boost, too, says Sayer. When one student doesn’t understand something, another student has the ability to explain it with an on-screen example. “It’s not just the teacher roving around the classroom; our students are becoming teachers with this technology,” she says. “Student access is my favorite aspect of this.”

Sayer also likes the Emergency Management System that pops up on the screen in the event of a fire drill or lockdown—an idea encouraged by Haileybury and incorporated into Vivi’s software. Indeed, the company actively solicits and integrates teacher feedback into its product development. “Before, if there was a lockdown in the school, you would be waiting for someone to come knock on your door and say, okay, the fire drill is over,” she says. Now, the relevant information is delivered instantaneously. “Teachers and students really like knowing what’s going on.”

More Than Just Screen Mirroring—Vivi also features:

a screen capture and annotation tool

a digital signage system

schoolwide emergency notifications

online portal management

detailed usage analytics

Though he doesn’t yet have data on how it has impacted student performance, CCGS’s Cooper thinks wireless screen mirroring technology will soon become the norm in classrooms because it’s affordable and the benefits are enormous. “It has changed the efficiency of the learning process, and I think it has built a better classroom culture, a better culture of learning,” he says. His favorite aspect of the technology? “I’m more connected to the children, in both a learning sense and a well-being sense. I’m with the children now. They don’t come to my class; we go to our class.”

Free Range Teaching and the Technology Teachers ‘Beg For’ published first on https://medium.com/@GetNewDLBusiness

[harry-leroy]

I AM SO HAPPY YOU ENJOYED MACBETH!!!

I am too! I couldn’t have asked for a better first time live Shakespearean experience, it was absolutely wonderful! I want to watch all of the shows now ahhh :’) 

[thatgirlallison]

2016 in Numbers

I’m late in doing this but here goes. 

10 Movies: LaLa Land, Star Wars: Rogue One, Arrival, The Girl on the Train, The Purge: Election Year, Independence Day: Resurgence, Captain America: Civil War, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Macbeth, The Big Short

20 Books: The One and Only (Emily Giffin), Griftopia (Matt Taibbi), Revenge Wears Prada (Lauren Weisberger), On Writing Well (William Zinsser), American Psycho (Bret Easton Ellis), Your Brain At Work (David Rock), The Woman I Wanted to Be (Diane von Furstenberg), Wherever You Go, There You Are (Jon Kabat-Zinn), The Nest (Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney), The Girls (Emma Cline), The Universe Has Your Back (Gabrielle Bernstein), The Couple Next Door (Shari Lapena), First Comes Love (Emily Giffin), Good As Gone (Amy Gentry), Behold the Dreamers (Imbolo Mbue), The Confidence Effect (Grace Killelea), The Woman in Cabin 10 (Ruth Ware), The Joy of Less (Francine Jay), Night (Elie Wiesel), Born For This (Chris Guillebeau)

29 Shows: The Encounter (2x), The Illusionists, The Cherry Orchard, Heisenberg, Beautiful, An American in Paris, American Psycho (2x), Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Waitress, The Color Purple, Blackbird, School of Rock, Eclipsed, Our Mother’s Brief Affair, Noises Off, Snow White, Marie and Rosetta, Small Mouth Sounds, Oh Hello, She Loves Me, Avenue Q, Tuck Everlasting, The Woodsman, Vietgone, Seen By Everyone, Fiddler on the Roof, The Crucible (There are probably a couple that I’m forgetting.)

I need to see more theatre this year. 

[harry-leroy]

Guys it was GLORIOUS AHAHAHAHA

In my seat, ready for some Shakespeare - very close to the front. Sounds of battle already going on backstage. Very excited!

[harry-leroy]

Okay - some notes because ahhhhh - 

There were so many wonderful things about this production that I have to share because Shakespeare is what we are about on this blog ! 

- First, the weird sister. Yes, just one weird sister, but as three voices possessed in one body and it was HORRIFYINGLY good. 

- Lots of gender switches in this play which worked wonderfully, namely Banquo, and Macduff and Lady Macduff switched roles (more on that later). 

- Kyle Sorrell, who played Macbeth, did an outstanding job. (My only complaint might be that the dagger speech wasn’t super convincing - but after that !!!). He and Alison Campbell (who played Lady M) had this electric chemistry. There’s one point where he starts to lose it and tangos with her on stage, and she’s absolutely horrified. Also, her belt fell off during that scene, I think on accident, but he picks it up and looks like he’s about to beat her with it. I was afraid for my life like snaps and claps for those two. (Also I started crying during “Out, out, brief candle” so like that’s fine). 

- THE PORTER. So I’m in the second row, and there isn’t a seat in front of me because I’m on the end, so it’s all dark, and I hear this laughter behind me. It’s the porter - it’s been so long since I’ve read this play that I’ve totally forgotten about this scene but I am so glad that it’s here. I practically get the whole porter scene performed to me right in front of me, and guys being a groundling is so worth it. Also, there were like three seven or eight year old kids behind me and the laughter was contagious. 

- So Macduff and Lady Macduff! In this production, they decided that Macduff had been blinded in the first battle of the play, so he actually doesn’t get a ton of action, and it is he who is killed with his children, not Lady Macduff. Lady Macduff, on the other hand, stole the hecking show in the second half. There was a point after she was talking with Malcolm and Malcolm decided to be his horny self and she tops him for a moment and it was the BEST thing (he was caught so off guard smh Malcolm calm down son). Also, she gets to behead Macbeth at the end and that’s just *chef’s kiss*. 

- The feast scene could’ve been a little more convincing. I think of that scene as a chase scene, but there wasn’t as much movement as I might have wanted. The most amount of movement was all of the dishes being kicked off of the table, but I wanted him to pursue his visions (and not in a cute motivational sense), you know? Banquo does come in on the balcony in the audience screaming halfway through it though, which was interesting. 

- Speaking of violent and scary things, they went all out with the fake blood in this production, like I was not expecting blood to squirt out of things like that, but it did. I stayed for the talk-back afterwards and they were mopping up the floor behind the actors while the talk was going on it was quite funny. 

- Fleance had a little aviator cap and goggles and like protect this boy, but also at the very end, we see Fleance going up to the weird sister and they hold their hands out to one another, and then it’s blackout! Curtain up! Like ??? !!!! (very interesting way to end that show I loved it). 

If you’re ever in the Phoenix area and can come check out the Southwest Shakespeare Company, I highly, highly recommend it! 

In my seat, ready for some Shakespeare - very close to the front. Sounds of battle already going on backstage. Very excited!