#look i love '21 krupke so much

[grazziella]

i think someone should write krupke

[dorigvbcorvis]

THE MILLSTONE

I once heard that there was a cut scene or scripted but not filmed scene in Glee's Goodbye episode (S3E22) that was between Schue and Kurt...I thought anything done would be a retcon because Schue has done a disservice to all choir members not named Rachel or Finn so this little story came to mind. This is not a prequel to my Song to a Siren (AO3) story but has a lot of the same feelings.

Story Summary: The last day of school and Kurt has to unpack years of baggage  before he can literally move on.  Takes place post NYADA rejection letter.

The Millstone

The 2012 school year was over and the last of a programed system of school bells had concluded. Blaine stood in the doorway to the choir room looking at Kurt.  Most days he enjoyed watching Kurt; his boyfriend's slim frame, the stylish clothes Kurt liked to pick out to wear, or how some of those choices showed off his cotch bulge a little too nicely.  Some days it was the way his pale skin seemed to give off its own light...and ah those blue eyes - What Blaine didn't like was finding Kurt like this; frozen in place with a scrolled letter held tightly against his chest.  It was an easy guess to know what the letter said and this wasn't good news. 

Blaine felt he had to say something, he just needed to rustle up the nerve. "Coming?" He asked, finally breaking the silence - his had buried his hands deep inside his pockets for added security: he had no  idea how Kurt would reply or even if he would.

To his surprise Kurt managed to squeak out a mild toned answer. "Yeah, in just a..." Only that this was all that came out - Kurt couldn't finish his sentence and he remained frozen in the same spot where he had been for over an hour.

In Kurt's  mind he imagined that he could take off in any direction and run forever yet he also pictured that he would be only two steps into that run before he would face plant and crumble into pieces - Why couldnt he be more like Finn?  He took not getting into Pace with ease.  Maybe it was Kurt wanted it more.  Maybe it was just that he came to believe it was assured; Madame Tibideaux did like him;  didn't she?

Finn and Rachel had long since left the choir room  - Exactly how long ago Kurt wasn't sure.  He was stuck; as if being in the choir room he would be able to somehow undo the opening of his NYADA letter and maybe then he could go back to feeling how his highly praised audition would be his ticket out of Lima.  But with the rejection letter out of its envelope the apistevist in Kurt could not escape the reality of the facts.  *We regret to inform you* The words were now permanently etched in his mind.  He felt like he did on the morning that Schue & Miss Pillsbury called him out of his French III Class to tell him about his dad.  Yet for all the emotional parallels he now saw - it remained a mystery why the tears had not yet come.  He was stuck; weighted down by everything that had come before.

Kurt wanted to cry - He wanted to scream actually -He wanted to belt it to the school's rafters like one his lung bursting D6s.  This was not how it was supposed to go.   His boyfriend wasn't offering much in the way of concrete help - clearly he must have some idea of what happened or how badly he felt  - Instead he was making some random comment about Breadsticks.

"We should hurry," Blaine said. "They always run out of French-Fried Ice cream if you are not there to order it..."

Blaine immediately thought to walk this all back.  It wasn't that he was an unsympathetic guy - Quite the contrary,  he knew deeply and inexplicably Kurt was his soul mate.  He had simply heard that come rain or shine Breadsticks was where they all would go after they had opened their letters.  Blaine being Blaine this was where his stomach took over.

Now Blaine was a smart guy.  He figured out from Kurt's immobility, ashen face, and his wide eyed stare -  That this was textbook shock.  What he didnt know was what to do about it.  He knew doting on Kurt wasn't an answer - Kurt wasn't a touchy feelie kind of guy.  Likewise  he knew abandoning Kurt was not an option either - It was an impass where it seemed the best plan of action meant waiting for Kurt to make the first move -  but somehow Blaine knew that this couldn't be right. He decided he had to ask

"Kurt, damn, I know it sucks right now - I know it doesn't at all seem fair - what I need to know what I can do to help you."

Kurt answered the question with one of his own   "What didn't I do right?" he said..he needed to know why.

"You said that they only take 20 - maybe you like #21 and only just missed the cut off"

Kurt found this simultaneously the most reassuring thing he could hear and the most upsetting - To be that close.  But this did not explain Rachel.  He could be happy for her if he wasn't so pissed off about it.

"Rachel fucked up and got in - I didn't - Aiso it may cime as a shock but I have done more community theatre than she has." (*Note* It's implied in Mattress/Sectionals and there is also an 'Into the Woods' cast photo on Kurt's season 3 bookshelf)

"Really?" Blaine didn't doubt this but to listen to Rachel it seemed incorrect.

"Yeah, the music director at the playhouse also runs the Sound of Music Sing Along."

"Acting chops," Blaine said with a nod. "explains why you killed it as 'Krupke."

A single tear manage to fall now as Kurt began to recall a memory. "I was a regular until my Freshman year..."

"What happened - If you don't mind me asking?"

"High School jocks happened - They started harassing me first at school - then one day they followed me home.  They put flaming bags of dog shit on my porch hoping that I would stamp out the fire."

Blaine grimaced in full-on disgust. "Eww!"

"After that incident t-they" Kurt started now to whimper.  "tought it would be funny to nailed all our lawn furniture to the roof and then graffitied the garage with slurs.  I really thought they'd quit after the garage but the next day at school they threw pee balloons at me... after that came the dumpsters.  Then I dropped everything that mattered to me...I made a studio out of my basement so I could at least still perform.  I thought I got my confidence back in glee...but this little reminder [Kurt held up his rolled up letter] tells me it was all for naught"

Blaine couldn't hold back not embracing his boyfriend.   He tentatively placed his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders and not meeting any resistance from this he enveloped Kurt holding him up because  in this moment Kurt indeed started to crumble and break away from his mental snair in this moment too came the sobbing. "Breadsticks can wait...I don't think we should go, and I for sure not going to let you torture yourself being anywhere near..." Blaine stopped short of saying Rachel.  "You are the one who is important here - All this time I thought it was only Karoski...it wasnt it was this school."

Long time they just stood there in the choir room until only soft sobs remained.  They would have held their embrace longer if they wasn't so coldly interupted.

"Ah guys?" Schue's interruption came like the critical stop of a bird flying into a window. He had entered the choir room from his side office. "What's going on here?" he continued in a tone that was both surprised as it was accusatory  "And do I have to remind you about McKinley PDA Policy?"

"Come on Mr. Schue show some sympathy here." Blaine growled.  He wondered if the end of the school year meant Mr. Schuester somehow reverted back to some other form - One where he was now a jerk who didn't have to pretend to be Mr. Nice Guy - "Look, the policy is wrong, everyone knows it isn't enforced fairly and," Blaine made it a point to stress  "Sometime slack is warranted."

"I did cut you some slack - this was my classroom.  But after tonight this room will be The Adult Literacy Room for the duration of summer - I won't have any control over that.  I am here only looking out for you guys."

"Right and a hug is still just a hug Mr. Schue" Blaine turned to Kurt to reassure him. "Are you alright?  It's Schue"

"I  know," Kurt said, glaring at his teacher. 

Despite the clock on the wall Mr. Schuester looked at his watch for the time: 7 minutes to 5 "What are you doing in here this late anyways?"

"Mr. Schue now is not the time...really it isn't"

Kurt had stopped sobbing but now it was taking all his might not to turn hostile.  He is gritting his teeth and clinching his fists and this like most things he did in the choir room went unnoticed.

"What's really going on here?" Schuester asked rephrasing his question into a demand.

Blaine continued to speak up for Kurt. "Even if I were in a position to say anything, which I am not - you wouldn't understand - it's best that you just stay out of it and we'll be out of your hair soon enough."

Kurt was never more in love with Blaine for stepping in talking to Schue this way   But Kurt also knew Schuester all too well; unless you were kissing his ass or one of his favorites he was never easily won over.

As always Mr. Schuester  misread what he saw in Kurt. "I never took you for the sentlemental Kurt, but good for you -but I still will be wanting to close up.  I am heading to breadsticks with Emma - We just heard the great news Rachel was accepted to NYADA - I actually thought you guys would be there to cheer her on."

"Mr. Scheu!?" Blaine exclaimed. "Are you really this insensitive?!"

Kurt gave Mr. Schue one of his classic demon stares, a look that if looks could kill the choir director would be a pile of ash...Many knew Kurt didn't have much to say to his teacher - But many did not know his reason - It was something Kurt purposely kept it to himself.  Right now, if someone were to ask he gladly open both barrels and without hesitation tell how he had so little respect for his teacher that he regarded Schuester as willfully ignorant, petty, and lacking the credentials that a good teacher should have....and worse; he was a man who played favorites and threw everybody else under a bus.   Kurt pleaded with himself that he would not start back up again with the water-works  - He didn't want that, not in front of Schue.

"Is this something I can help you with?" His teacher asked, still remarkably obvious.

"No, not really" Kurt said as bluntly as he could.

"This really is a job better suited for Miss Pillsbury" Blaine added, he had not fully parted from Kurt - He couldn't do that - "It's better that you just let me handle this."

"Whatever, but at Five I am closing my doors - I need you both gone by then."

Kurt finally felt a need to take on his teacher. "You really don't know when to quit do you?"

"Do you think I owe you something?"

Kurt gave a sad half sarcastic laughed.  "Like I could imagine you'd ever listen."

"I don't understand"

"Of course YOU dont understand.  You've always been Mr. Oblivious...The man who thinks everybody loves him...Want to know why you got teacher of the year?  Everybody so just damn grateful you stopped teaching Spanish and gave Mr. Martinez your job...He would have been handed the award only Mr. Figgens said he hadn't been here long enough."

Blaine bit his tongue to avoid laughing out loud...but it was what they all thought.  "Come on Kurt we should go - before you really say something you'll regret."

"Do 'you mean there's more?"

"Do you honestly want a full rebut?  How for nearly 3 years I have been a team player but now I have nothing to show from it  - My dad ran against Sue to save your job and still I got not a damn thing in return - No Instead I was ostracized - made to listened to the guys in here call me names, and I can't tell how old it gets being throw into a dumpster every single morning.

"The guys from this class did this? 

"Yeah, the name calling, the insults,  And I think the only reason Puck stopped throwing me into the parking lot dumpster is because one time I was in uniform and Coach Sue gave him an earful... but then you knew about the dumpter long before that.  If I had dollar for every time you walked passed pretending like everything was normal"

"Ah..." Mr. Schuester was uncharacteristically speechless.  He had always enjoyed being seen as the cool teacher in front of the Jocks.  He never thought he'd ever be called out by one of their victins.  He had bought into the belief the dweebs had it coming.

"I am not done here because there's the not so small matter of the promise you made but had no qualms about breaking it with me - You told *ALL* of us how we all would have a chance to shine."

"Come on, I let you sing plenty," the choir director was certain.

"Name one venue- I will save you the trouble there hasn't been one.  That's why NYADA rejected me - You never once featured me."

"I see you blame me for your rejection do you?"

"You had a part in it, yes - You made a promise - I was just a fool to believe you make it good. Instead the closest I got was being told the only way I would get a solo is if I shaved my legs, drop 20lbs, and wore a dress...all this while being told how much I was not being a team player for saying no...and by-the-way while we're on this subject what happened to that first solo? Huh? That great idea you had just before I left for Dalton - Or were you just blowing smoke up my ass?"

"No, I really did have an idea - It was a James Bond Medley - I wanted it for sectionals I thought you could sing The Spy Who Love Me - But then you transferred -  In retrospect I think that had we done that for Nationals that year we might have placed higher."

"In retrospect you should have just left me alone at Dalton - I would be going to Columbia but at least it would be going to New York."

"But didnt those guys at Dalton almost blinded Blaine." Schuester looked over at Blaine hoping for an ally but Kurt was quick to rebut.

"...And they would not have tried had we been still there - So your point is what exactly?  You make a good play about how you are all about team work and fairness but the truth is you play favorites - Maybe by that measture I should count myself lucky I wasn't yours."  Kurt turned on his heels and headed for the doorway. 

"Where are you going" Kurt's former teacher asked.

"Not to Breadsticks," Kurt said, he was finally free.

.

[nicolekidmanwigfactory]

Do EVERY musical theatre ask

I hate you because I answer in paragraphs but I love you because this will take me forever and I have all night

1. What was the first musical you saw?

I’m having trouble remembering. Not counting animated Disney movies, I guess the Sound of Music for movie musicals and my grade school’s production of Godspell when I was in kindergarten. I had no idea what the show was about I was obsessed with “Bless the Lord.”

2. What musical got you really  into theatre?

In high school, I was an editor of my senior class’ student-written musical parody of the school. At the end of junior year, we’d sketched out the plot and over the summer about 6-7 groups of ten people each wrote their assigned scenes, song parodies, etc. At the start of August, I was chosen, along with one other student, by our director (one of the English teachers) to basically take these collections of scenes and songs and make them into a cohesive, workable show, which included rewriting lines, deleting jokes, etc. We’d meet weekly at the teacher’s house and go over the drafts, consider his input, but the creative control was ultimately ours. 

One of the teachers, who’d been there for more than 25 years and seen every senior production in her time, said the entire show was the second best she’d seen. During awards night, the director told us this show was one of his favorites he’d directed. But working on this show left me obsessed with theatre in general, something I never had much interest in before. I was attracted to musical theatre in particular because I thought the songs selected to be parodied for the show were the weakest part of the show, so I guess I started listening to cast albums to search for songs in an effort to subconsciously fix what I thought to be errors. I did that for prolly the first year after the show.

I told you I answer in paragraphs.

3. Who was your first Broadway crush?

I don’t really get crushes, so I don’t have a first one. When I fall, but I fall hard; it’s not crush area. But I’m a horny person and who I’m attracted to seems to come in phases and right now and I’m very attracted to Brandon Uranowitz and (which came as a total shock to me) Andrew Rannells.

4. Name three of your current Broadway crushes.

Brandon Uranowitz, Andrew Rannells, Jeanine Tesori (she’s a woman but she is GLAM)

5. Name four of your dream roles.

I’ve never had a real desire to perform but I guess Madame Armfeldt, Amy, Phyllis Stone (if I get to sing Ah, But Underneath), Joanne. What can I say, Sondheim’s women are more fun to sing than any role meant for a man.

6. Favourite off-broadway show:

i don’t distinguish between between on and off-Broadway

7. Favourite cast recording.

1970 Company Original Cast Recording. The gold standard for cast recordings in general.

8. 2013 Tony opening number or 2016 Tony opening number?

I honestly don’t remember either and don’t care enough to look them up.

9. Favourite show currently on Broadway.

none of them really speak to me right now, so...Hello Dolly! because I like the score most?

10. A musical that closed and you’re still bitter about. Rant a bit.

Fun Home. 

11. Best stage to screen adaptation?

West Side Story. Steve is wrong when he kvetches about the movie’s switching the places of “Cool” and “Gee, Officer Krupke.” THEIR LEADER JUST GOT KILLED WHY ARE THEY JOKING IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO PLAY COOL THAN TO JOKE AROUND. i’d prefer if the songs were also in that order on stage as well. They already get their moment of post-intermission levity with “I Feel Pretty.” “Gee, Officer Krupke” in Act 2 is excessive. The movie fixes this mistake.

12. Worst  stage to screen adaptation?

I haven’t really seen all that many movie musicals. I don’t know if I would call it the worst but I absolutely hated the Les Mis movie but I don’t know if it’s because i find the show itself over the top or if it was the movie itself

13. Favourite #ham4ham?

never seen them

14. A musical you would love to see produced by Deaf West?

Fun Home. I think having actors who are Deaf parallel the lesbian themes in the show would be a unique take on the show’s portrayal closetedness and parental/child relationships...if that makes sense. it does in my head

15. If you could revive any musical, which one would it be and who would you cast in it?

Assuming it meets all my other requirements, Candide. I don’t have any ideas for who to play whom, but casting must be colorblind, age appropriate, and match the vocal requirements.

16. If you could go to a concert at the 54 below, who’s would it be?

Barbara Cook

17. Do you watch broadway.com vlogs? Which one is your favourite?

Nope.

18. Make a broadway related confession.

I don’t let others know just how much I enjoy the theatre because I don’t want to come off as one of the theatre kids you hated in high school (but secretly admired for their confidence).

19. What do musicals mean to you?

This question is so corny I refuse to answer it.

20. Express some love for understudies and swings!

Danny I just want to be done with this. You do good work understudies and swings. you’re not appreciated enough and when you do go on it’s to the disappointment of the audience who was expecting someone else so good job dealing with that already tough situation to begin with.

21. Best Disney musical:

I’m going based off of the movies and to this I answer Lion King. I liked the stage version when I saw the tour but the movie as a musical is so satisfying and impossible to improve upon (though Shadowland and He Lives in You are great additions)

22. Which Disney movie should be made into a musical?

none. keep them as movies. broadway’s already getting pandering enough

23. Which musical fandom has the funniest memes?

PASSION

24. Name a character from a musical you would sort into your Hogwarts house.

I’m a Ravenclaw according to Pottermore so give me Madame Armfeldt.

25. Name a Broadway star you would sort into your Hogwarts house.

Stephen Sondheim

26. Best on stage chemistry?

Patti LuPone and the scenery

27. A Broadway duo you love.

@jasonrobertclown and @kayleefabulous

28. What book, tv show, movie, biography, video game, etc. should be turned into a musical?

HOWARDS END HOWARDS END HOWARDS END HOWARDS END

29. If you could make a jukebox musical, what artist or genre would you pick?

no

30. Favourite role played by _________________?

Angela Lansbury. Mrs. Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate. It’s not a stage role but she’s a stage legend and it’s my favorite role of hers.

31. What musical has made you cry the most?

I don’t cry at movies or books or anything, so none.

32. What musical has made you laugh the most?

It’s not Steve’s best score by any means, but A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a fucking laugh riot but thankfully, the strength of the show is its book. 

33. Current showtune stuck in you head:

I’ve been mourning the death of Barbara Cook and her “Will I Ever Tell You” from The Music Man is one I’ve been listening to a lot the past two days. It’s lovely and keeps popping back into my head.

34. A musical that has left you thinking about life for a long time or deeply inspired you.

Bridge of Madison County was a show that affected me more than I expected and I think it was because I had just put in my notice for my teaching job so I could return to grad school. The show was entirely about choice and consequence and that was what I was taking from it.

35. If you could perform any ensemble number , which one would you pick?

I wouldn’t. I am a star. 

36. Name a musical you didn’t like at first but ended up loving.

A Little Night Music.

37. What are some customes you’d love to try on?

I don’t really have any.

38. Favourite dance break.

this dance break from “The Story of Lucy and Jessie” in the original production of Follies. It’s Bennett’s best work and even better than the sublime work he did on “Who’s that Woman”

39. Favourite Starkid musical:

don’t have one

40. What’s a musical more people should know about?

Nine

41. What are some lines from musicals you really like?

Basically everything Regina Resnik’s Madame Armfeldt says

42. Name a Tony performance you rewatch and rewatch.

Ring of Keys