#mookie simon

[novemberthewriter]

good bones (or, an exercise in letting go) [1300 wds]

genre: literary/dramedy

[cw: surgery talk, body image, colorism, fatphobia, depression, negative self-talk, emotional neglect, strained relationships]

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Mark ‘Mookie’ Simon, age 30, will break his first bones under the care of Doctor Armand in Tijuana, Mexico. He will have four osteotomies of the jaw over six months while Dodie plays caregiver (yes, paid). Dodie’s unbothered because it’s not skin bleaching or a black market butt lift or something else equally heinous, but also Very Bothered Enough to give Mookie another rendition of Why You Wanna Play With Your Face So Bad from the driver’s seat as they head to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

And yet again, Mookie tells her, We don’t all have good bones.

Dodie’s a good enough friend that she'll accept a half-story as long as she can monitor him. Mookie’s grateful. He’s still figuring out how to give her the whole truth. 

The PR reason is that he wants a competitive edge. Mookie is better known as Hennesse Williams, fast-growing queen of the Atlanta drag scene, and he wants to expand his horizons. He considered the staple practices: the buzzcuts for better wig placement, the spanx for a smoother look in skirts. What was wrong with something more permanent? He still can’t find an answer. Even little old ladies get chin lifts, tattooed brows. Gertrude can save at the Clinique counter and Mookie can save time contouring to look like he’s got a Disney Tarzan jaw. 

The true reason is a bit more involved.

It goes back decades.

The Weight had been the monkey on Mookie’s back (and belly, and hips, and arms, and everywhere) since birth. The Simons of Southern Georgia, USA were always markedly svelte; Mookie was nothing like them. Sure, he had the same twang and hazel eyes and tawny skin, but his facial features stretched wide, his frame and family bones buried deep under fat. It didn’t take long for him to figure out that whatever gene made the Simons energetic, ambitious, and burn off soul food like nothing had skipped him over. His childhood was spent in the solace of the N64 while Dorothy had the nerve to start singing and the gall to be good at it. 

[DOROTHY ANNE enters stage center. She is twelve years old. The stage is the Apollo, the Ole Opry, the hearts of most Simons and the world over. MOOKIE is her younger brother. He is eight years old. MOOKIE exits stage left and becomes a glass child.]

[MOOKIE wonders if there is such a thing as a glass parent. He lives with his folks yet he knows nothing about them.]

It had been many years of being grudgingly taken on tour when a blessing came to him in the form of vaudeville. (One can’t repeatedly visit New York without falling into its oldest theatre traditions.) Vaudeville became drag. Drag begot a creativity and athleticism he’d never known was possible for someone like him. Newly seventeen and now those bones that'd bent under the weight of himself and his sadness were suddenly carrying Mookie through a new chapter.  Gave strength to Hennessee, a larger-than-life character who was so very cathartic to become. Strength on his own small stages, performing for people of all ages who loved him. Strength in the streets to evade the people who sought to hurt him for finding himself. The biggest blessing: meeting Miss Dodie James.

[DODIE JAMES enters stage right. She is eighteen. She is a copper-skinned snark machine, a super-fan, and is more than happy to be Mookie’s right hand woman.]

But Dorothy was twenty and Nashville wanted her for good, so her managers  Mookie’s glass parents went with and sent him to stay with a half-dead great-aunt in ATL. He kept contact with Dodie, grew a name for himself in Georgia, kept his sights set on a forever home in New York one day. 

It was a letter from Dorothy that changed everything.

Mookie was blindsided. Her crooning and cowboy fringe had been so separate from his glitter and cocktail pantomime for so long. Read a few words with shaking hands, thought, You have everything. You don’t need me, too. Changed his address and his name and now he’s changing his face.

He’ll finally move to New York. If another Simon ever sees him again, their eyes will slide past him just as they’ve always done.

(He knows in his bones this is how it’s meant to be.)

The Tijuana condo has two bedrooms but Dodie’s bunking with him. Just for now - now that she knows everything. 

It’s the night before the first surgery. 

It starts with this, Dodie says from her side of the bed. Then you nip and tuck, nip and tuck till you’re the Black Ken Doll From Hell. What happens when we both die and they gotta identify you?

Mookie closes his eyes. They don’t know me for my smile. They can check my teeth. 

+++

[The stage is MOOKIE’S SKULL – pitch black, pain-free room. The buzz of a BONE SAW reverberates. MANDIBLE floor shudders and breaks under pressure.]

Recovery is this:

-A wired jaw

-Dodie doing all the talking in Tijuana (Mookie S.O.B.S., which means he Spares Others from his Broken Spanish)

-Dodie tending his wounds 

-Endless milkshakes and purees and Peridex mouthwash

-Extended time to shop floor show ideas

By night he falls asleep sweating under fans with 'novelas in one ear and a Bronx accent in the other (Dodie never moved into her own room).

When he gets onstage as Hennessee again he’ll have much to answer for. He deliberately kept the reason for his leave vague but he knows someone will put two and two together before he returns to American soil. (Queued media posts can only tide fans over for so long.) With this liquid diet he’s lightening up so much, too, and so having a snatched face and waist will make Hennessee the talk of Midtown. It’s all enough material for several shows over and Mookie’s pushing his pen overtime in this condo. (His jaw aches with the urge to practice aloud more than anything. Properly, not the ventriloquist dummy murmuring he can do through the wire right now.) He has way too many puns about mental gymnastics. 

[He, MOOKIE SIMON, grown-ass glass child, is she, HENNESSEE WILLIAMS, drag superstar and legendary gaywright of the 21st century. She is in Baja California with ten journals and a dry erase board and she’s not afraid to use them.]

The page on the bed between two friends comprises the scribblings of madmen. Mookie can’t tell where his ideas end and Dodie’s begin. He writes ‘Operation MB’, gives her room to work. Quickly gives her a metal grin – she’s just drawn Brain Surgery Cavity Sam instead of Full Body Cavity Sam.

Isolation got us on the same wavelength, Mookie writes.

Dodie shakes her head. We were already there. 

And that’s another thing to contend with: he's not sure when Dodie crossed over from best bud to collaborator – but he's not complaining. Who better to create with than someone who's supported him from jump? Something about her vagabond nature made her latch on.  Over the years he’s learned about her foster upbringing. How it'd hardened her in some ways, softened her in others. She doesn’t talk about her birth folks much like Mookie doesn't mention his family. Yet the whole of her has always seemed so transcendent. Mookie's trauma is written on his face when he's not on stage, and he's sure his friendship with her is predicated on her being the only one who can handle it. Maybe that's phrenology, that messy old way of thinking things are so set in bones. Maybe emotions are a bit malleable, like cartilage. Maybe Dodie just sees a person; a being made of ever-moving parts.

[The stage is MOOKIE’S SKULL. It’s newly renovated but it’s still not all that pretty. DODIE is strangely at home here.]

[niallodonohoe]

C's Recap - Lavallee on Vancouver Canadians 2023 Northwest League Championship - "A testament to our organization and players"

#VanCanadians #MontysMounties #AtTheNat #BlueJays #LosAzulejos

Vancouver Canadians manager Brent Lavallee proclaimed on Media Day that the Canadians “will be the best team in our organization to start the season” in 2023. They would be not only the best team in the Blue Jays farm system but in the entire Northwest League as they defeated the Everett AquaSox in four games to capture the NWL pennant. The pride of North Delta, B.C. shared his thoughts on the…

[mookiecopeland]

(Mookie Copeland [formerly Dj AnArchy])

[andredoodlz]

Also I did a whole line of minty's heritage...

Just for fun? Yeah just for fun

Minty is acually half werewolf or "wolfsbane" in terms of my world

I'm sorry if something confused you! I'll be happy to answer questions!

[mysticalhearth]

W

Waiting for Godot - Broadway - November 24, 2013 (Opening Night) (Lanelle's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Aidan Gemme (The Boy), Billy Crudup (Lucky), Ian McKellen (Estragon), Patrick Stewart (Vladimir), Shuler Hensley (Pozzo)

War Horse - West End - February 27, 2014 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MKV (HD) CAST: Sion Daniel Young (Albert Narracott), Josie Walker (Rose Narracott), Alistair Brammer (Billy Narracott), Alex Avery (Captain Nicholls), Steve North (Ted Narracott), Tom Hodgkins (Arthur Narracott) NOTES: Multi-cam pro-shot broadcast live to cinemas as part of National Theatre Live, Includes interval interview and documentary. 

War Paint - Broadway - March 11, 2017 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Patti LuPone (Helena Rubinstein), Christine Ebersole (Elizabeth Arden), John Dossett (Tommy Lewis), Douglas Sills (Harry Fleming) NOTES: Beautiful HD capture of the Broadway transfer. Some changes for Broadway from the previous Goodman Theater production. Excellent performances from the entire cast with clear picture and great sound throughout; very good video. 2 DVDs. A War Paint - Broadway - April 29, 2017 (Matinee) (NYCG8R's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Patti LuPone (Helena Rubinstein), Christine Ebersole (Elizabeth Arden), John Dossett (Tommy Lewis), Douglas Sills (Harry Fleming) NOTES: The master gets caught during Face to Face. You can hear someone say “TURN IT OFF”. Blackout during that part. Wasted - Southwark Playhouse - 2018 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Matthew Jacobs Morgan (Branwell Brontë), Molly Lynch (Anne Brontë), Natasha Barnes (Charlotte Brontë), Siobhan Athwal (Emily Brontë) We Are The Tigers - Off-Broadway - March, 2019 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Lauren Zakrin (Riley Williams), Wonu Ogunfowora (Cairo), Jenny Rose Baker (Kate Dalton), MiMi Scardulla (Reese), Kaitlyn Frank (Annleigh), Cathy Ang (Mattie Wheeler), Celeste Rose (Chess), Zoe Jensen (Farrah), Sydney Parra (Eva Sanchez), Louis Griffin (Clark) NOTES: Starts at the beginning of "I Just Wanna" and missing part of "Mattie's Lament." The theater was really full tonight so there are a good number of heads in this video, but they are worked around to the best of my ability. This is a super small theater (less than 160 seats) and at times the cast members were definitely singing to the camera and honestly giving their best performances because of it. All of the things on the upper level (the bathroom, the pathway, and the kitchen) are captured perfectly, and the zooms on the lower level (the living room and bench) look good as well. Obviously because this is a murder mystery kind of show the lighting can get a little bit dark, but my camera handles low lighting incredibly well. This is honestly the best video you could expect from this venue We Will Rock You - Germany (Cologne) - August, 2005 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Alex Melcher (Galileo), Vera Bolten (Scaramouche), Brigitte Oelke (Killer Queen), Martin Berger (Khashoggi), Michaela Kovarikova (Meat/Oz), DMJ (Brit/J.B.), James Sbano (Pop/Buddy/Bap), Harald Tauber (Teacher), Willemijn Verkaik NOTES: Multicam proshot We Will Rock You - Utrecht (The Netherlands) - October, 2010 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: John Vooijs (Galileo), Marjolein Teepen (Scaramouche), Pia Douwes (Killer Queen), Paul Donkers (Khashoggi), Floortje Smit (Meat/Oz), Ruud van Overdijk (Brit/J.B.), Rutger le Poole (Pop/Buddy/Bap) NOTES: Good capture. Heads in the way, but also a lot of good close-ups. Dubble DVD! We Will Rock You - West End - February 11, 2003 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Tony Vincent (Galileo), Hannah Jane Fox (Scaramouche), Sharon D Clarke (Killer Queen), Alexander Hanson (Khashoggi), Kerry Ellis (Meat/Oz), Nigel Clauzner (Brit/J.B.), Nigel Planer (Pop/Buddy/Bap) The Wedding Singer - Broadway - April 1, 2006 (Preview) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Stephen Lynch (Robbie Hart), Laura Benanti (Julia), Matthew Saldivar (Sammy), Kevin Cahoon (George), Rita Gardner (Rosie), Amy Spanger (Holly), Richard H Blake (Glen), Felicia Finley (Linda) NOTES: Includes pictures of outside of the theatre and playbill. This was before the changes were made to the production. Blackouts throughout the show. The Wedding Singer - Off-West End - March 1, 2020 (Matinee) (Closing Night) (Highlights) (queenofthedead's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Kevin Clifton (Robbie Hart), Rhiannon Chesterman (Julia), Ashley Emmerson (Sammy), Andrew Carthy (George), Sandra Dickinson (Rosie), Tara Verloop (Holly), Jonny Fines (Glen), Erin Bell (Linda), Lori Haley Fox (Angie), Andy Brady (David Fonda), Nathan Ryles (Harold Fonda), Jordan Crouch (Donnie), Aimee Moore (Tiffany), Simon Anthony (Shane McDonough), Paris Green (Donatella), Vanessa Grace Lee (Donatella’s Mother), Morgan Jackson (Mookie), Ellie Seaton (Crystal) NOTES: 38 minutes of act 1 of the closing performance, unobstructed. Welcome To The Club - Broadway - April 8, 1989 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Avery Schreiber (Milton), Bill Buell (Gus), Jodi Benson (Betty), Marcia Mitzman (Carol), Marilyn Sokol (Arlene), Sally Mayes (Winona), Samuel E Wright (Bruce), Scott Waara (Kevin), Scott Wentworth (Aaron), Terri White (Eve) NOTES: Filmed during previews. Well filmed from the balcony. Mostly a full stage shot. Some generational loss. Wenn Rosenblätter Fallen - Oberhausen - June 13, 2016 (Rumpel's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Pia Douwes (Rose), Anton Zetterholm (Till), Annemieke van Dam (Iris)  

West Side Story - Hollywood Bowl - July 19, 2016 (SJ Bernly's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Jeremy Jordan (Tony), Solea Pfeiffer (Maria), Karen Olivo (Anita), Matthew James Thomas (Riff), George Akram (Bernardo), Drew Foster (Action), Jose Moreno Brooks (Chino), Anthony C Chatmon II (A-Rab), Kyle Selig (Baby John), Mike Schwitter (Big Deal), Jeff Smith (Diesel), Kevin Chamberlin (Krupke), Jennifer Sanchez (Rosalia), Erica Dorfler (Consuela) NOTES: This concert version of the show is abridged with shortened scenes, simple costumes, and no sets or choreography, but Jeremy, Solea, and Karen are absolutely phenomenal with soaring vocals and emotional performances. Very well captured with no dropouts, no obstruction, and no washout. The stage is filmed directly most of the time; the screens are occasionally filmed, usually when the actors are not onstage. It’s filmed in 16:9, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent. Includes curtain call and playbill scans. West Side Story - Leicester Curve - December, 2019 (queenofthedead's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Jamie Muscato (Tony), Adriana Ivelisse (Maria), Carly Mercedes Dyer (Anita), Ronan Burns (Riff), Jonathan Hermosa-Lopez (Bernardo), Isaac Gryn (Action), Damian Buhagiar (Chino), Ryan Anderson (A-Rab), Alex Christian (Baby John), Dale White (Big Deal), Michael O’Reilly (Diesel), Beth Hinton-Lever (Anybodys), Darren Bennett (Lt. Schrank), Christopher Wright (Krupke), Christopher Wright (Doc), Darren Bennett (Glad Hand), Mireia Mambo (Rosalia), Abigail Climer (Consuela), Thea Bunting (Graziella), Katie Lee (Velma), Richard Appiah-Sarpong (Pepe), Dominic Sibanda (Indio) NOTES: Missing 7 minutes at the beginning. No dropouts and no obstruction. West Side Story - Second Broadway Revival - February 23, 2009 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Matt Cavenaugh (Tony), Josefina Scaglione (Maria), Karen Olivo (Anita), Cody Green (Riff), George Akram (Bernardo), Curtis Holbrook (Action), Joey Haro (Chino), Kyle Coffman (A-Rab), Ryan Steele (Baby John), Tro Shaw (Anybodys), Steve Bassett (Lt. Schrank), Lee Sellars (Krupke), Greg Vinkler (Doc) NOTES: Stunning production of this revival. Josefina and Karen still steal the show. The cast was on fire and there was a lot of energy in the audience as it was the first performance on Broadway. There are some changes from the DC run, which work better. Beautiful production and capture with no obstructions. West Side Story - Second Broadway Revival - November 16, 2009 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Matt Cavenaugh (Tony), Josefina Scaglione (Maria), Karen Olivo (Anita), Wes Hart (u/s Riff), George Akram (Bernardo), Eric Hatch (u/s Action), Joey Haro (Chino), Kyle Coffman (A-Rab), Brendon Stimson (u/s Baby John), Joshua Buscher (Diesel), Mike Cannon (Snowboy), Kaitlin Mesh (Anybodys), Steve Bassett (Lt. Schrank), Lee Sellars (Krupke), Mark Zimmerman (s/b Doc), Lindsay Estelle Dunn (Velma), Michael Williams (u/s Pepe), Kaitlin Mesh (Zaza) West Side Story - Third Broadway Revival - January 6, 2020 (Preview) FORMAT:  MKV (HD) CAST: Jordan Dobson (u/s Tony), Mia Pinero (u/s Maria), Yesenia Ayala (Anita), Corey John Snide (u/s Riff), Amar Ramasar (Bernardo), Dharon E Jones (Action), Jacob Guzman (Chino), Kevin Csolak (A-Rab), Matthew Johnson (Baby John), Tyler Eisenreich (Big Deal), Ahmad Simmons (Diesel), Daniel Ching (Snowboy), Zuri Noelle Ford (Anybodys), Thomas Jay Ryan (Lt. Schrank), Danny Wolohan (Krupke), Daniel Oreskes (Doc), Pippa Pearthree (Glad Hand), Lorna Courtney (Rosalia), Gabi Campo (Consuela), Marissa Brown (Francisca), Alexa de Barr (Graziella), Madison Vomastek (Velma), Gus Reed (Gee-tar), John Snide (Tiger), Carlos Gonzales (Pepe), Ricky Ubeda (Indio), Roman Cruz (Luis), Israel del Rosario (Anxious), Michaela Marfori (Nibbles), Marc Crousillat (Juano), Sheldon True (Toro), Stephanie Crousillat (Teresita), Marlon Geliz (Estella), Satori Folkes-Stone (Margarita), Uni-Seng Francois (Minnie), Jennifer Gruener (Pauline) NOTES: Wideshot. Stage right is slightly obstructed due to where the master was sitting. Good audio. SD M4V (567.0 MB) West Side Story - UK Tour - May 23, 2009 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Daniel Koek (Tony), Hazel Gardner (u/s Maria), Jayde Westaby (Anita), Edd Post (u/s Riff), Dan Burton (Bernardo), Aki Omoshaybi (Chino), Ged Simmons (Lt. Schrank), Martin Chaimberain (Krupke) When We're Gone - Joe's Pub (2014) - March 12, 2014 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Gerard Canonico (Todd), Jeremy Kushnier (John), Luke Wygodny (Ashton), Hannah Whitney (Rosie), Eric William Morris (Colin), Bradley Dean (William) NOTES: Concert performance.   

The Wild Party (Lippa) - Encores! Off-Center - July 17, 2015 (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Sutton Foster (Queenie), Steven Pasquale (Burrs), Brandon Victor Dixon (Black), Joaquina Kalukango (Kate), Miriam Shor (Madeline True), Talene Monahon (Mae), Ryan Andes (Eddie) NOTES: Excellent HD capture from the Encores Summer Series! The cast was terrific and full of energy giving everything they had. Great to see these songs performed again by this caliber of talent! A The Wild Party (Lippa) - Off-Broadway - 2000 (Highlights) (Press Reel's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Julia Murney (Queenie), Brian d'Arcy James (Burrs), Taye Diggs (Black), Idina Menzel (Kate), Alix Korey (Madeline True), Charles Dillon (Oscar d'Armano), Kevin Cahoon (Phil d'Armano), James Delisco Beeks (Max), Todd Anderson (Reno), Jennifer Cody (Mae), Kena Tangi Dorsey (Dolores), Felicia Finley (Rose Himmelsteen), Peter Kapetan (Sam Himmelsteen), Lawrence Keigwin (Jackie), Charlie Marcus (The Neighbor), Kristin McDonald (Nadine), Raymond Jaramillo McLeod (Eddie), Steven Pasquale (Cop), Megan Sikora (Peggy), Ron Todorowski (Kegs), Amanda Watkins (Ellie) The Winter's Tale - West End - November 26, 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Kenneth Branagh (Leontes), Dame Judi Dench (Paulina), Miranda Raison (Hermione), Jessie Buckley (Perdita), Hadley Fraser (Polixenes), Tom Bateman (Florizel), John Dagleish (Autolycus) The Winter's Tale - West End - November 26, 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Kenneth Branagh (Leontes), Dame Judi Dench (Paulina), Miranda Raison (Hermione), Jessie Buckley (Perdita), Hadley Fraser (Polixenes), Tom Bateman (Florizel), John Dagleish (Autolycus) The Witches of Eastwick - UK Tour - April 4, 2009 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: James Graeme (Clyde), Marti Pellow (Darryl), Poppy Tierney (Jane), Rachel Izen (Felicia), Rebecca Thornhill (Sukie), Ria Jones (Alex) NOTES: Beautifully filmed from the balcony, with a great mix of close-ups and full stage shots. Crystal clear. Widescreen. The Wiz - NBC Live! - December 3, 2015 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (4K) CAST: Shanice Williams (Dorothy), David Alan Grier (Lion), Ne-Yo (Tinman), Elijah Kelley (Scarecrow), Uzo Aduba (Glinda), Queen Latifah (The Wiz), Mary J Blige (Evillene), Stephanie Mills (Aunt Em), Amber Riley (Addaperle) NOTES: A live production of the 1975 musical The Wiz produced for television; excellent video. A+ The Wizard of Oz (Webber) - First National Tour - September 28, 2013 FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Danielle Wade (Dorothy Gale), Jamie McKnight (Scarecrow/Hunk), Mike Jackson (Tin Man/Hickory), Lee MacDougall (Cowardly Lion/Zeke), Jacquelyn Piro Donovan (The Wicked Witch of the West/Miss Gulch), Cedric Smith (The Wizard of Oz/Professor Marvel), Robin Evan Willis (Glinda the Good Witch), Charlotte Moore (Aunt Em/Munchkin Barrister), Larry Mannell (Uncle Henry/Philippe/Head Guard) NOTES: Nice capture of Andrew Lloyd Webber's re-imagined classic; no obstruction and very little washout; a few quick dropouts in act one and a couple in act two, only last about three minutes all together; filmed in 16:9 with a mix of wides, mediums,and close-ups. The Woman in Black - West End - July 8, 2001 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Christopher Ravenscroft (Arthur Kipps), Sebastian Harcombe (The Actor) The Woman in White - Broadway - November 30, 2005 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Adam Brazier (Walter Hartwright), Angela Christian (Anne Catherick), Jill Paice (Laura Fairlie), Lisa Brescia (Marian Halcombe), Michael Ball (Count Fosco), Ron Bohmer (Sir Percival Glyde)  

The Woman in White - West End - February 25, 2005 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Maria Friedman, Michael Ball, Adrian der Gregorian (u/s), Oliver Darley, Jill Paice, Elinor Collett (u/s) NOTES: Nice video with good closeups and zooms and great sound. Woman of the Year - Broadway - March 27, 1982 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Lauren Bacall (Tess Harding), Harry Guardino (Sam Craig), Eivind Harum (Alexi Petrikov), Roderick Cook (Gerald), Grace Keagy (Helga), Jamie Ross (Larry Donovan), Marilyn Cooper (Jan Donovan), Rex Everhart (Maury) NOTES: Good color video with clear sound with some generation loss, but a nice video. B+ Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Broadway - December 29, 2010 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Sherie Rene Scott (Pepa), Laura Benanti (Candela), Patti LuPone (Lucia), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ivan), Justin Guarini (Carlos), de’Adre Aziza (Paulina), Danny Burstein (Taxi Driver), Nikka Graff Lanzarone (Marisa), Mary Beth Peil (Pepa's Concierge/TV and Radio Announcer), Samantha Shafer (u/s Woman at Train/Ana) NOTES: Also includes press reels, cast/creative interviews and video of David Yazbek singing songs from the show.

  Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Broadway - January 2, 2011 (Matinee) FORMAT:  MP3 (tracked) CAST: Sherie Rene Scott (Pepa), Laura Benanti (Candela), Patti LuPone (Lucia), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ivan), Justin Guarini (Carlos), de’Adre Aziza (Paulina), Danny Burstein (Taxi Driver), Nikka Graff Lanzarone (Marisa), Mary Beth Peil (Pepa's Concierge/TV and Radio Announcer), Samantha Shafer (u/s Woman at Train/Ana) NOTES: Also includes press reels, cast/creative interviews and video of David Yazbek singing songs from the show. Wonderful Town - Television Production - November 30, 1958 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Rosalind Russell (Ruth Sherwood), Sydney Chaplin (Robert Baker), Jacquelyn McKeever (Eileen Sherwood), Joseph Buloff (Mr. Appopolous), Dort Clark (Chick Clark), Jordan Bentley (Wreck), Cris Alexander (Frank Lippencott), Jack Fletcher (Night Club Patron), Michele Burke (Helen Wade), Ted Beniades (“Speedy” Valenti), Isabella Hoopes (Mrs. Wade), Ray Weaver (Shore Patrolman), Gene Carrons (Violet), John Wheeler (Officer Lonigan), Don Grusso (Fireman) Wonderland - Broadway - March 23, 2011 (Preview) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare), Darren Ritchie (The Victorian Gentleman), Karen Mason (Edwina) NOTES: Very limited trade 3:1 at the master's request. Wonderland - Broadway - April 2, 2011 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare), Darren Ritchie (The Victorian Gentleman), Karen Mason (Edwina) NOTES: Beautiful bright capture of this short lived show that only played 31 previews and 33 performances. I thought this show was very enjoyable and fun with great music. Great performances and voices from the cast! A+ Wonderland - Broadway - May 12, 2011 (juniper47's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare) NOTES: Filmed in widescreen with very few obstructions except for a head blocking the farthest corners of downstage stage left and right, but very little is missed there. Very good video and excellent picture and sound. Wonderland - Broadway - May 12, 2011 (juniper47's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Janet Dacal (Alice), Kate Shindle (Mad Hatter), Carly Rose Sonenclar (Chloe/Ellie), Edward Staudenmayer (The White Rabbit), Karen Mason (Queen of Hearts), Darren Ritchie (Jack the White Knight), E Clayton Cornelious (Caterpillar), Jose Llana (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Danny Stiles (Morris the March Hare) NOTES: Filmed in widescreen with very few obstructions except for a head blocking the farthest corners of downstage stage left and right, but very little is missed there. Very good video and excellent picture and sound. Wonderland - UK Tour - June 10, 2017 (Matinee) (bestworstcase's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Rachael Wooding (Alice), Francesca Lara Gordon (u/s Mad Hatter), Naomi Morris (Chloe/Ellie), Dave Willetts (The White Rabbit), Wendi Peters (Queen of Hearts), Stephen Webb (Jack the White Knight), Kayi Ushe (Caterpillar), Dominic Owen (El Gato/Chesire Cat), Ben Kerr (Morris the March Hare) NOTES: DVD menu states June 6 2017 matinee, but all other evidence, even the master's weebly claim it's June 10 2017. Good video! Wonderland (Beth Steel Play) - Hampstead Theatre - July 14, 2014 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Unknown NOTES: Livestreamed April 2020. The Worst Witch - West End - August 22, 2019 (Matinee) (wheredidtherockgo's master) FORMAT:  MTS CAST: Danielle Bird (Mildred Hubble), Rosie Abraham (Ethel Hallow), Molly-Grace Cutler (Miss Bat/Piano/Guitar/Cello/Dulcimer), Meg Forgan (Fenella Feverfew/Bass Guitar), Rachel Heaton (Miss Hardbroom), Rebecca Killick (Maud Spellbody), Emma Lau (Drusilla Paddock), Megan Leigh Mason (Miss Drill/Guitar/Drums/Percussion/Clarinet/Bass Guitar), Polly Lister (Agatha/Miss Cackle), Consuela Rolle (Enid Nightshade), Lauryn Redding (Griselda Blackwood/Sax) NOTES: A very good show! It’s a show aimed more toward kids so there was a lot of kids in the audience. An amazing performance by Polly Lister as Agatha/Miss Cackle in particular. The Wrong Man - Off-Broadway - November, 2019 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP3 (untracked) CAST: Joshua Henry (Duran), Ciara Renée (Mariana), Ryan Vasquez (Man in Black), Amber Pickens, Anoop Desai, Debbie Christine Tjong, Julius Williams, Libby Lloyd, Malik Shabazz Kitchen, Tilly Evans-Krueger NOTES: Near perfect HD capture of this new Off-Broadway show with fabulous performances by the whole cast. There is some wandering throughout but overall a very centered orchestra video with extremely vivid colors. Please do not post screenshots of this video on Twitter ever. Gifs on Tumblr are okay after the NFT date, but don't go linking things to actors and shows. Das Wunder von Bern - Hamburg - July 6, 2015 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Ruben (Matthias Lubanski), Vera Bolten (Christa Lubanski), Patrick Imhof (alt. Richard Lubanski), Marie Lumpp (Ingrid Lubanski), Patrick A. Stamme (alt. Bruno Lubanski), Elisabeth Hübert (Anette Ackermann), Florian Soyka (alt. Paul Ackermann), Robin Brosch (Sepp Herberger(Bohse), Jogi Kaiser (Tiburski/Putzfrau/Adi Dassler), Tetje Mierendorf (Pfarrer Keuchel), Alexandra Farkic/Franziska Trunte/Esther Mink (Wunderfräulein), Dominik Hees (Helmut Rahn), Mark Weigel (Fritz Walter), Dennis Henschel (Berni Klodt), Robin Koger (Horst Eckel), Matteo Vigna (Max Morlock), Hendrik Schall (Toni Turek), Matt Cox (Werner Kohlmeyer), Daniel Therrien (Ottmar Walter), Giuliano Mercoli (Josef Posipal), Fabian Kaiser (u/s Karl mai/Fußballartist), Dominik Kaiser (Hans Schäfer/Fußballartist) NOTES: This video was recorded right after some changes on the show were made (doesn't include the new song which will be published on 11th July, 2015). Full show; beautiful picture quality and nice close-ups but rather shaky in the beginning/end of both acts Das Wunder von Bern - Hamburg - July 23, 2015 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Tanja Schön (u/s Christa Lubanski), Patrick Imhof (alt Richard Lubanski), Marie Lumpp (Ingrid Lubanski), David Jakobs (Bruno Lubanski), Shari Lynn Stewen (alt Anette Ackermann), Patrick A Stamme (alt Paul Ackermann), Mark Weigel (Sepp Herberger/Bohse), Michael Ophelders (alt Tiburski/Putzfrau im Hotel/Adi Dassler), Tetje Mierendorf (Pfarrer Keuchel), Alexandra Farkic (Wunderfräulein), Amaya Keller (Wunderfräulein), Franziska Trunte (Wunderfräulein), Dominik Hees (Helmut Rahn), Florian Soyka (alt Fritz Walter), Hendrik Schall (alt Berni Klodt), Robin Koger (Horst Eckel), Matteo Vigna (Max Morlock), Fabian Kaiser (Toni Turek), James Cook (Werner Kohlmeyer), Daniel Therrien (Ottmar Walter), Pasha Antonov (Josef Posipal), Adrian Fogel (Kar Mai/Fußballartist), Dominik Kaiser (Hans Schäfer/Fußballartist) NOTES: "Julius" as Matthias Lubanski. Full show. Great picture quality and beautiful close-ups, though some little obstruction due a railing. The last few minutes of both acts are shot blind without zooms but still capturing the action on stage

[tulirps]

aeden

ailis

alexander

alia

alice

alisha

aloysia

asra

atlas

atticus

august

aveline

baekhyun

bailey

benjuamin

bentley

berlin

binx

blair

blake

blythe

bokang

booker

brian

briella

caeser

calliope

cameron

carson

carver

cassidy

cerberus

chaeyoung

chanmi ohn

chanmi seo

charlotte

chiiko

chloe

choa

cicero

clover

cody

colin

crystal

curtis

dahee

dahlia

dalhwan

dana

daniel

daniella

dawon

deborah

declan

dia

dionysus

dominic

dongil

dongjoo

dongwoo

dorian

doyoung

dustin

edith

effie

eilonwy

elias

ellie

ellis

elodie

elouise

emery

emma

enid

eris

eros

eunbyul

eunmi

evangeline

evelyn

finn

ganwaro

gayoon

ggenevieve

george

gibang

gillian

gilligan

ginger

giovanni

graham

gray

greta

gunho

han bin

haru

harvey

haylen

hazel

heath

helios

hero

hollis

hunter

huxley

hyesu

hyuna

icarus

ike

ilhoon

ilsung

in pyo

ipsae

iris

isobel

jack

jae eun

jaejin

jaewoo

jared

jasper

jax

jay

jeongdae

jeongyeol

jeongyoon

jericho

jikyu

jinhai

jisoo

jiyoon

joey

johanna

jolene

jolie

jonathan

jooheon

jude

juhwan

juno

junseo

kace

kaia

kaiji

kanikka

kasumi

keegan

keiji

kelly

kelsey

kitae

koda

kris

kwangsik

kyle

kylo

kyuchul

kyungsoo

lee

leia

leilani

lilei

lito

loren

lorna

lottie

lourdes

luca

lucille

lucinda

luna

lydia

lysander

malee

mara

marnie

mary jane

mason

maximillien

megumi

mercy

mileena

mingyu

minhee

minjun

miso

miyeon

mookie

morrigan

muriel

nadia

nari

natalie

nessa

nicky

nihoon

nike

nikolai

nilson

noah

noelle

nolan

nona

norman

north

nova

nyla

nyssa

nyx

olivia

orella

orianna

otto

pan

pandora

petra

pippa

pokpui

polaris

puck

ramona

rayna

renee

rhiannon

robin

rosanna

rowan

samuel

sangmi

sangtae

satana

sawyer

seungri

seyoon

shae

shiloh

signe

sihoo

simon

sofia

solbi

soojin

sophie

sora

spencer

sunday

sungmo

sutter

syris

taejoon

taekyeo

taeyeong

tali

tate

thea

tit

trevor

trini

valkyrie

victoria

viggo

vincent

violet

voth

wilhelmina

willow

winston

solfgang

wonho

woojin

wyatt

xiaolu

yeji

yena

yeojin

yeong-ki

yeongho

yingtai

yohan

yoko

yoseon 

yuliya

yuqi

yvette

zephyr

zoe

[levitikon]

I’ve been tagged by @lestogrifoni (thanksss!) to list 10 songs I’ve been listening to recently:

• senza di me - gemitaiz x franco126 x venerus

• the heart asks pleasure first - michael nyman

• hide and seek - imogen heap

• la nostra pelle - ex-otago

• let in the light - moderat

• mystery of love - sufjan stevens

• la nostra fine - andrea laszlo de simone

הקנאה - yoni bloch •

לב חופשי - mooki •

• mykonos - fleet foxes

I am tagging @sappholovesemily @nihilproject @schein1 @nobeerreviews 💖

but I’d literally tag anyone really, that’s so interesting ✨🌻

[rkyoona]

LET’S GET C.R.A.Z.Y ~!

Hello mookies (tehehe) how are we all? ‘Tis I Simone coming at the dash with an April Eval call of sorts. I’ll be also doing one on Sungmin too. For this eval Yoona will be doing Crazy by 4minute and we would love some people to join so if you’re interested please let me know either in im or on twitter (@knkamalu). I’m more than happy to make this just dancing with no vocals or include vocals ^_^

HYUNA: open SOHYUN: yoona GAYOON: open JIHYUN: open JIYOON: moonbok @rkvok​

[tabloidtoc]

Us, April 22

Cover: Kate Middleton Prepares To Be Queen 

Page 1: First Look -- Lupita Nyong’o promoting Us in NYC 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- Dresses with Bows -- Danai Gurira, Rosamund Pike, Hailee Steinfeld, Ahna O’Reilly, Dua Lipa 

Page 3: Sara Sampaio, Zendaya, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gina Rodriguez, Gwen Stefani 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Alessandra Ambrosio vs. Molly Sims, Jasmine Tookes vs. Morgan Stewart, Kathryn Newton vs. Olivia Culpo 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Jameela Jamil defending Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift using her lyrics to respond to a stolen car crashing into the gate of her home, Kelly Clarkson on daughter River Rose, Kevin Hart on his wife’s porn search history, Bebe Rexha on not basing who she dates on gender 

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Country Music Awards -- Carrie Underwood, Chrissy Metz 

Page 11: Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph 

Page 14: Katy Perry, Tiffany Haddish, Cardi B and sister Hennessy Carolina 

Page 15: Avengers stars Paul Rudd and Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds on the set of The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, Dakota Fanning 

Page 16: Celine Dion, Melissa McCarthy, Justin Theroux and rescue dog Kuma 

Page 17: Game of Thrones premiere -- Rose Leslie and Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke and Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet and Peter Dinklage

Page 24: Baseball’s best butts -- Bryce Harper, Michael Conforto, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts 

Page 25: Aaron Judge, Kevin Kiermaier, Trea Turner, Enrique Hernandez 

Page 26: Stars Are Just Like Us -- John Leguizamo, Alessandra Ambrosio 

Page 28: Hollywood Dads -- Gavin Rossdale on his three sons 

Page 29: Justin Verlander on his daughter with wife Kate Upton, Simon Cowell on his son Eric, Ray J wants another baby with wife Princess Love 

Page 30: Love Lives -- Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks everlasting love 

Page 31: Jordin Sparks’ favorite boys are husband Dana Isaiah and son Dana Jr., Piper Perabo’s husband Stephen Kay makes her amazing oatmeal, Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fiser have such busy careers it’s not always easy to spend time together 

Page 32: Hot Hollywood -- Shawn Johnson and husband Andrew East are expecting their first child 

Page 33: Britney Spears has voluntarily checked into a wellness center, Felicity Huffman takes responsibility for her actions in the college cheating scandal, VIP Scene -- Alyssa Edwards, Alexander Skarsgard, Julia Stiles and Preston Cook, Irina Shayk, Geena Davis, Wanda Sykes, Kevin Kline, Janet Jackson and Janelle Monae and Lil’ Kim 

Page 34: What’s in my Bag? Peta Murgaroyd

Page 35: Food -- Please try a vegan diet 

Page 36: Cover Story -- Kate Middleton is getting ready to be Queen Kate 

Page 39: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry -- getting ready for their baby in their new home 

Page 40: What it’s really like for Angelina Jolie’s kids 

Page 42: Kim Kardashian West on her style evolution 

Page 44: Game of Thrones A to Z 

Page 48: Style -- Rain wear -- Heidi Klum, Jenna Dewan, Karlie Kloss 

Page 50: Beauty -- Earth Day 

Page 52: Us Musts -- Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart on their new show 

Page 54: Elle Fanning on Teen Spirit 

Page 55: Ryan O’Connell on Special, Macklemore’s Hot Tracks, Buzzzz-o-Meter -- Kanye West, Rachel Lindsay, Gwyneth Paltrow 

Page 58: Fashion Police -- Cynthia Erivo, Lena Dunham, Meghan Trainor 

Page 59: Bella Thorne, Amy Sedaris 

Page 60: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Daymond John

[aboysbestfriendishismum]

@iariotact tagged Meg to answer a few music questions. She was thrilled to do it although she was expecting to be given a special nametag or something to wear during the process and was a little disappointed when I explained 😂

1: A song you like with a color in the title:

Purple rain by Prince

2: A song you like with a number in the title

Edge of 17 Stevie Nicks

3: A song that reminds you of summertime

The Power by Snap, it reminds me of last summer, car singing and drunk coreographies around campfires. The previous months had been hell but things started to get a little better right during summertime. The guys were making new music, I met this girl from Idaho who probably hated me, Mike and I were getting closer... well, that's what it looked like at that time.

4: A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about

Since I'd rather forget, I won't mention any songs. And there's none anyway, there's no music when I happen to think about him, only silence and void...

5: A song that needs to be played LOUD

Immigrant song by Led Zeppelin

6: A song that makes you want to dance

Push it Salt N Pepa... don't judge!

7: A song that makes you happy

Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder

8: A song that you never get tired of

Free bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd

9: A song that you would 😍 played at your wedding

Please, I won't get married!

10: A song that is a cover by another artist

The mother of all covers: All along the watchtower by Jimi Hendrix

11: A song that you would sing a duet with on karaoke

A duet "with" the song? With the original performer? With somebody random? Well, I'd love to sing I got you babe by Sonny and Cher with Angie. That would be rich.

12: A song that makes you think about life

Ain't got no - I got life by Nina Simone

13: A favorite song with a person’s name in the title

No, I won't say Angie ha! Barbara Ann by The Beach Boys

14: A song that you think everybody should listen to

Alive by Mookie... ehm, I mean by Pearl Jam. It's like one of the best songs I've heard in a long time.

15: A song by a band you wish were still together

Well, I love Eddie but... Stardog Champion by Mother Love Bone for obvious reasons

16: A song by an artist no longer living

Little sister by Elvis

17: A song that makes you want to fall 😍

Love hurts by Nazareth reminds me I'd better not fall in in love at all

18: A song that breaks your ❤️

With or without you by U2

19: A song that you remember from your childhood

Crocodile rock by Elton John

20: A song that reminds you of yourself

I just don't know what to do with myself by Dusty Springfield

Thank you 💕💕💕

[the-melodious-screams]

I looked through the notes and was inspired to copy all the names that where mentioned. I find it to be an interesting look into humanity.

Bathtub, Tubbs, Rupert, Mustard, Flea, Tigger, Deen, Oski, (another) Tigger, Prince Wesley, Garfield, Sandstone, Moose, Holly, Maya, Simon, Seven, Gumball (who says howdy), Wilbur, Dikkie (useful as a table), Oliver, Karel, Clover, Rusty, Spooky, Ronald, Sissy, Snapper, Soda, KG (Klas-Göran), Mouse, Killi, Bananas (aka The Boy), Chief, Mooki, Peanut Butter (aka Fat Boy), and Money

oh to be a chunky orange farm cat 

[clickyourradio]

Fuelled by long drives across desert landscapes taking in California, Nevada, and Texas, Bradford’s own Mookie + The Bab are an all-acoustic indie-folk group whose acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, layered vocals, and occasional trumpet capture the sound of the American Southwest – yet remains true to British working class roots.

Moved by climate emergency, floods, fires, desertification, and exploring organic sounds with rousing harmonies, multi-instrumentalists Abi Otway, Marc Otway and Conor Magi’s Americana-Yorkshire folk blend is steeped in nature, emerging from their unique bond after many years making music together and travels playing festivals internationally and across the UK.

Due to close personal losses and other traumas 2020 bestowed, the music is reflective, yet often hopeful; stories sung with the wild heart of tales told by Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills, Nash or contemporary influence Lumineers. To discover where Mookie + The Bab’s adventures will take them next, come along for the ride; follow them on social media and sign up to their mailing list via the website.   About 'Passing Through' Inspired by the shared experience of being confined to spend each day in the same place with the same person; the song weaves flowing melodies through lyrical themes of relationships and the passing of time. “Passing through” is a reflective acoustic indie/folk song that develops into a foot stomping duet with an organic and earthy band accompaniment featuring mandolin and violin played, and only recently self- taught, by lead vocalists Abi and Marc.

[don-lichterman]

UFC Vegas 57: Tsarukyan vs Gamrot | 6th Round Post-Fight Show

UFC Vegas 57: Tsarukyan vs Gamrot | 6th Round Post-Fight Show

Bloody Elbow fight expert, Zane Simon is here, joined by his co-hort, Mookie Alexander. We recorded for you on Saturday, June 25th, 2022, with a breakdown of the UFC Vegas 57: ‘Tsarukyan vs. Gamrot’ 12-bout Fight Night event, which took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. June M. Williams The guys have hot takes, possible next fights, as well as reactions to the overall event in the player…

[djlyer]

SMarching it Up! April 5, 2022

It looks like this is spring and that it’ll be a slow melt so hold on!  This set’ll give you something to listen to while you do.  Lots of new albums out and hopefully a whole bunch of touring.  Stay safe, get Vaccinated!

Tame Impala - The Slow Rush B- Sides and Remixes -Is it True (Four Tet Remix) 

Mooki - BLACKSHEEP: eight trials - High Roller 

J.C. Campbell - Lately -  The Racist 

Nina Simone - ‘Nuff Said! - Why? (The King of Love is Dead?)

Stereophonics - Oochya! -  You’re my Soul 

The Tragically Hip - We Are the Same - Coffee Girl 

Kathleen Edwards - Dogs and Alcohol EP  - Dogs and Alcohol 

Fire & Smoke - Single - La route

LCD Soundsystem - Electric Lady Sessions - home 

Pony Girl - Foreign Life - Demon Dream 

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Unlimited Love - Tangelo 

[ropeadope]

Jazz In Europe | Dekel Bor in Tel Aviv

Jazz In Europe is a multi-city LIVE tour headed up by guitarist Dekel Bor and some rising new voices on the European scene. The series is broadcast on JazzTimes, Shure, and Ropeadope Youtube and Facebook channels, with the first six episodes landing in the ‘most viewed’ spot on JazzTimes. Dekel Bor’s performances are intimate and electrifying, and his curation of special guests is unique.

In July Bor takes the series to Israel in July for four very special episodes:

July 8 - Prolific Pianist and Composer Anat Fort joins Dekel and very special guest vocalist Mira Awad. Anat has played with Matt Wilson, Perry Robinson, Chris Cheek and Paul Motian, and has been the recipient of numerous commissions and grants, most recently the Prime Minister Jazz Composers award. Mira Awad was born in Rameh, a Palestinian village in the Gallillee, released her albums with Universal & Sony, and has collaborated with Noa, Idan Raichel, Andrea Bocelli, Steve Hackett & Bobby McFerrin.

July 15 - Dekel is joined by one of the world’s best-known oud players, Taiseer Elias, with very special guest Mooki, who headed the band Shabak Samech and is considered one of the top rock stars in Israel. The combination of these two legends promises an inspiring improvisational set.

July 22 - Special guest Yasmin Levy’s seven albums have topped global charts and won the BBC World Music Award and the Edison Award in Holland. She sings many of her songs in Ladino - according to UNESCO - one of the most endangered languages in the world, It was the language of the Sephardic Jews and has many influences from Spanish, Hebrew, Aramaic, but also from Arabic, Turkish as well as Greek, Portuguese and French.

July 29 - Vocalist Ester Rada’s cross-cultural sound is a deep reflection of the Israeli born Ethiopian’s heritage. Compared by global press to Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin & Lauryn Hill, and hailed by Alicia Keys, Rada is already shifting cultural currents around the world.

Jazz In Europe provides an intimate live experience available globally, at this interesting time in history.

from ropeadope https://ift.tt/3ymydOU via IFTTT

[marypsue]

Imbalance, 3 / ?

Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five / Part Six / Part Seven / Part Eight / Part Nine / ?

I’m also on AO3 as MaryPSue!

...

The sun sets over the park.

As the light bleeds out of the sky, it bathes the world in red. The treetops, just beginning to turn, burn brilliant autumn colours in the low light, their shadows lying long and black and unnaturally stretched across the grass, striping it with darkness.

The shadow of the hill enfolds the place where, earlier that day, a man had died.

The sounds of traffic from the streets surrounding the park filter through the trees, but otherwise, the only sound is the soft soughing of the slightest of breezes through the tops of the trees. If you listen too long, it can start to sound like a voice.

In the grass, at the very top of the hill, a purple plastic gem glints in the last glorious rays of sunset. Behind it, in a perfect circle about six inches across, the grass is withered and yellow.

As the sun sinks, the circle of yellowed grass creeps, ever so slowly, almost imperceptibly, outwards. And for a moment, the still air around the hill smells faintly of smoke.

...

Usually, Liliana only lights incense out of habit, or because she likes the smell. Tonight, though, she mumbles a blessing she only remembers half the words to as she lights a stick of Full Moon and then, as an afterthought, every candle she owns. It’s not a small number.

Liliana’s never gone in much for actual witchcraft. Heck, she’s even on the fence about the Goddess the others seem to think is the biggest deal since Simon Cowell. But there’s definitely something in nature that’s more powerful and stranger than anything she can understand, and right now, she’s feeling pretty willing to try anything that might get her on its good side.

The room around her slowly fills with warm light and the soothing, thickly sweet smell of the incense. Liliana can feel the tension starting to bleed out of her shoulders as she sinks onto the couch, tucking her feet up beside her.

“What a fucking day,” she says, to the cat who jumps up beside her. Mavis opens her mouth and yawns agreement, her tiny sharp fangs snapping shut before she butts her head against Liliana’s ankle. Liliana leans over, gives Mavis a scritch behind the ears. “You ever accidentally kill a guy by dropping an el cheapo decorative knife almost on your own foot? Of course you haven’t, you’re a cat. You don’t even have opposable thumbs.”

Mavis prpts in acknowledgment and twists her head into Liliana’s scratching fingers. Across the condo, there’s a series of whines, and then a scrabbling, clicking sound and a thunk as Mookie hurls himself headfirst at the baby gate keeping him locked in the kitchen.

Liliana huffs out half a laugh, pushing herself up off the couch. “All right, all right, little guy,” she says, padding over to the kitchen entryway to give the labradoodle a pat. Mookie nearly loses his mind when he sees her smiling over the gate, barking wildly and then spinning around in smaller and smaller circles until he trips over his own two hind legs and falls over in a heap. He looks up at Liliana, panting happily, and she can’t help but laugh.

“Yeah, you’re a good boy,” she says, leaning over to give him a good scratch on the neck. Mookie’s eyes slide closed, his tongue hanging out of his mouth in sheer, canine joy as Liliana ruffles the fur under his collar. “You’re my very best boy. And if I let you in here with the candles you and the condo would both be on fire in a microsecond.”

The hiss starts quiet, almost too quiet for her to notice, but it grows. Liliana turns around, opening her mouth to tell Mavis to wait her turn, she’ll get more ear scritches, but stops.

Mavis’ ears are back, one paw up and batting at the air with a fistful of needle claws, her mouth wide and lips curled back to show off her teeth as she hisses at - nothing. A patch of shadow in the corner, over the shelf with the succulents and Liliana's resin dragon-and-fairy figurine collection (not to be mistaken for the resin fairy figurine collection or the resin dragon figurine collection, which are scattered all around the condo). Where Liliana hadn’t lit any candles.

On an ordinary day, Liliana might chalk it up to Mavis being stir-crazy and try to find her mouse on a string where she’d almost definitely batted it under the couch. Today, though, Liliana takes one look at that patch of darker shadow, and nearly trips over her own feet running over to scoop Mavis up off the couch, ignoring the chunk Mavis takes out of her arm as she backs away towards the kitchen.

“I gotta warn you,” she calls, feeling equal parts ridiculous and terrified, Mavis spitting and squirming in her arms, “I’m a very powerful witch! And I’m not scared to whip up some magic and go all Joaquin on your ass!”

The shadow hangs in the corner, like shadows generally do.

“Shoo!” Liliana shouts. “In the name of the Goddess I banish thee! Scat!”

The shadow doesn’t shift, doesn’t grow lighter, doesn’t actually change at all. But Liliana could swear she hears something, just on the edge of hearing - a soft, resigned sigh, and a dry whispering, like dead leaves rubbing against each other, or fabric rustling.

Mavis chills the fuck out, flopping forward in Liliana’s arms. Behind her, Mookie lets out a confused whine.

Liliana lets out a long breath of her own, finally realising that the warmth on her arm is blood dripping from the checkerboard of scratches Mavis decorated her forearm with.

“Shit,” she mutters, dropping the cat to the floor. Mavis makes a little indignant sound and stalks over to the couch, flopping down right in the middle of it with a little cat huff and a floof of dark fur.

...

Rowan briefly looks up from the Book of Shadows when a shadow flickers across the light from his desk lamp. Seeing nothing that might have cast it, he snaps the book closed and heads over to the kitchen. Moments later, his apartment is filled with the smell of burning sage.

The shadow moves on.

...

Indigo is changing the set for her insulin pump when the kitchen lights all flicker, then dim, like a brownout. She very carefully finishes placing her set on her thigh, tucks the cord under her skirt and up through her waistband, and clips the pump in place onto the skirt's waistband before reaching for the salt shaker sitting on the table beside her.

The lights return to normal. Indigo stands for a moment anyway, with the salt shaker at the ready, before concluding that whatever just happened is over.

Her hands shake only slightly as she grabs her phone.

...

Storm is lying on his bed, blankly rewatching the raw footage for the next video in his most recent Let's Play, when his phone lights up and buzzes itself nearly off the bed beside him, throwing an eerie blue light onto the stippled popcorn ceiling above his head.

For the briefest of instants, a shadowy figure is visible there, haloed in the blue light.

Storm grabs his phone, reads Indigo's warning, and taps out a few characters, a string of emojis that would mean nothing to anyone not already familiar with banishing charms. He fires them back at Indigo.

The bedroom's darkness loses some of its inexplicable menace. The shadow is gone. Storm is, once more, alone.

...

Joaquin's shift ends late. Well, actually, Carlos' shift ends late. But it's Joaquin who's left to lock up the truck and trundle it home in the gathering dark. Which just figures, honestly. That jerk just needs to get a different job if he really hates working at the food truck so much. Or at least start letting Joaquin know ahead of time if he has to skip a shift! Joaquin gets it, shit happens, and honestly he didn't feel much like going to work after this afternoon either, but he's beyond sick of this.

He does kind of get why Carlos keeps coming back to work at the food truck, though. Joaquin'd really have liked to apply for a game design internship this summer, but - it's not like you can just look your dad in the eye and say 'I'm gonna let your dream fall apart so I can go after mine'. Especially not when school's so expensive to start with, and you really need that summer job, and the truck has to be open as many hours as possible to make enough to pay for all the repairs after Joaquin and Taako accidentally blew it up, and...

On the other hand, if their dad ever actually tasted Carlos' cooking, he'd probably kick him out of the truck himself. Joaquin loves his bro, really does, but he's never met anybody else who can make authentic street food that's less appealing than Taco Bell. Maybe if he spent less time showing off and more on the actual food - 

Joaquin shakes his head, and slams the utensil drawer.

The streets are weirdly empty tonight, and the setting sun casts long, creeping shadows from the buildings across the cracked asphalt. The sunset through the haze drips bloody down the tall glass buildings of downtown. Joaquin slides the metal shutter closed over the order window with an uneasy feeling he can’t quite put his finger on. It might just be the changing wind - autumn’s sweeping in with a rattle of dead leaves - but he can’t shake the jittery feeling that he should be preparing for something. That something big’s coming.

He glances back over his shoulder once, as he’s climbing up into the cab, and that’s when he sees it. Stretched out along the middle of the street, stark in the red light, is the shadow of a person.

But there’s no one there to cast it.

Joaquin throws himself into the driver’s seat, and slams the door behind him, breathing hard. He glances back behind him again, but the shadow is gone.

...

Marial shuts down her laptop and blinks in the sudden dark. 

When the afterimages start to clear, she squeezes her eyes shut and flicks on her desk lamp, wincing at the light leaking through her eyelids. She’s really stayed up too late this time, but she managed to hack through a thousand words of essay and she’s actually starting to see the shape of what she’s trying to say, now. 

It’s definitely time for bed, though, or she’s going to be a zombie in the morning. Well, more of a zombie than she already technically is. One day maybe she’ll get tired of making jokes about how she’s (very, very technically) already come back from the dead once, but today is not that day.

...tonight? Does two AM count as day or night, anyway?

Marial sighs, decides she’s given her eyes long enough to adjust to the ambient light, and opens them. 

The dead guy is sitting on her desk.

Marial doesn’t scream. She smacks both hands over her mouth, swallowing down the shriek that threatens to spill out. Everyone else on the floor is asleep - okay, every other sane, organized person on the floor is asleep - and if she screams and wakes them up, she’s not going to have a lot of friends around here. 

By the time she swallows down her shout, though, the dead guy is already gone, the neon of his tracksuit fading into the afterimages still flashing when Marial blinks. Dimly, she thinks she hears a voice, whispery and faint just on the edge of hearing, mutter, “Shit.”

It’s two in the morning and the world doesn’t feel quite real anyway. It’s two in the morning and the poltergeists in those shitty ‘inspired by true events’ movies never vanish and mutter ‘shit’ when the protagonist opens their eyes to see them inches away. It’s two in the morning and nothing makes a lick of goddamn sense and a guy just died in front of her this afternoon for no apparent reason and Marial’s pretty sure she almost died too and why the fuck not.

“Hello?” she asks the empty air above her laptop and a little to the right. “Hey, are you a ghost? Is there some Beetlejuice shit going on up in here?”

The only response is the whirr of her computer’s fan suddenly clicking off, the light that shows it’s charging coming on with a sudden burst of blue.

“Look, this is twice now,” Marial says, sounding bolder than she feels. She pushes her chair out from the desk and stands, slowly, still half-expecting some burn-scarred claw-handed freakazoid to pop out of nowhere and start making terrible puns at her. The dorm stays still and silent. “If you’re trying to get my attention, could you like leave a note or something, instead of popping up right in front of me? I’m trying to not have another heart attack.”

The silence is deafening.

Marial turns in a slow circle, in case the dead guy has popped up behind her while she’s been talking, but there’s no sign of ugly 80s neon. “Is that what this is about?” she asks the thin air, the shadows that cling to the corners of the room. “Some Final Destination baloney or something? Are you here to reap my ass? Because I gotta tell you, if that’s what you’re here for, you better get used to disappointment, because I’m not going fucking anywhere until I get my degree!”

She realises too late that her voice has been rising. She’s almost yelling. 

There’s still no sound and no movement in her room.

“Fuck it,” Marial mutters under her breath, and throws the door open. The kitchenette is just on the other side of the shared living space. To get there, she has to walk past the dead guy sitting on the couch. “Oh, fuck off! That’s it, tomorrow I’m getting some sage.”

The dead guy blinks out of existence as soon as she opens the door, with a sound that, if she didn’t know it was probably coming from a ghost, Marial would call a frustrated huff.

“Yeah, and don’t come back!” Marial says, and one of the other three doors leading into the common area creaks open, Sylvie’s head poking out around it with an accusing glare.

“Who the fuck are you yelling at at two in the fucking morning,” Sylvie demands.

Marial blinks.

“I have no idea,” she admits. 

Sylvie’s glare narrows. 

“Go to bed,” she snaps, before yanking her head back into her room and slamming the door behind her.

Marial sighs, running a hand through her hair as she pads barefoot over to the kitchenette and rummages in the spice cabinet until she finds the salt shaker. 

The line of salt she draws across the threshold and the windowsill of her bedroom doesn’t actually make her feel any safer, but she pretends it does anyway as she bundles into bed. It takes everything in her not to pull the covers up over her head.

...

Refuge is somehow both exactly and not at all as Lucretia pictured it. 

There’s something ironically fitting about her coming here, to a place with a name that means ‘a place to shelter’. A place to hide. 

Not that she’s hiding. There isn’t a single person at the Bureau of Benevolence who doesn’t know exactly where Lucretia is. But - her friends, her family, have gone their separate ways, finally settling into their lives on this plane as they never truly did under the influence of the voidfish. 

They’re finally making this place their home.

And Lucretia? She can’t stand another moment hovering in the skies above this world, making decisions about how best to help its people, save its people, without being part of it. She needs her feet on the ground, for once. She needs to touch this world that she helped save, that she’s helping to build.

Maybe, if she’s lucky, she’ll find a place there for herself. One that isn’t so remote. So distant.

There are all kinds of reasons to start here, in this town that time forgot, and no reasons at all. But something that Merle had mentioned when the boys had told her about how they’d reclaimed the Chalice has wedged itself sideways in Lucretia’s mind. And now, a little over a year since the Hunger’s defeat, she’s finally starting to feel like she can breathe again. Like the world won’t fall to pieces if she isn’t up there watching over it, stitching it haphazardly back together. 

Lucretia finds her old travelling clothes packed neatly in her trunk from the Starblaster, too worn and utilitarian for Madame Director to be caught dead in. They don’t quite fit the same as she remembers - though it’s been so long, she lost so many years to Wonderland and to her own stubbornness, can she really be surprised?

Her old red robe is stuffed in the bottom of the trunk. She pulls the red cloak free from the trunk and holds it out in front of her, at arm’s length, for just a moment too long.

Then she folds it carefully and returns it to the trunk where she found it.

She packs a bag, and takes her staff (no magic within it now but what she channels through it, though any vagabond who thinks that makes six feet of solid oak harmless will quickly learn their mistake), and gives Avi the coordinates, and for the first time since the moonbase was created, she rides a cannonball down to Faerun.

And that's how Lucretia finds herself standing in front of the sign welcoming her to the mining town of Refuge. It's changed some from what the boys had described, she notes, with a flicker of pride - the sign now bears the legend BY THEIR SACRIFICE WE ARE MADE FREE.

She stops only long enough to pay her respects to Mayor Cassidy before making her way to the place she came to see. One of the brothers is sweeping red dirt from the steps of the temple when she approaches. He looks up as Lucretia climbs the steps, and smiles.

The temple doors swing open under her touch.

The light inside the temple is...different, somehow. Softer, paler, and yet also brighter, making it hard to see. When Lucretia looks out the windows that line the temple's main room, all she can see is a perfect, even white.

The woman seated on the altar at the far end of the room looks up as Lucretia approaches, brushing long, silvery hair back behind her ear and laying the knitting she'd been working on down into her lap. Lucretia draws herself up to her full height as she reaches the altar, holds her shoulders back and her head high.

"Lady Istus," she says, and the woman seated on the altar smiles.

"Lucretia," she says in response. "I wondered if I'd be seeing you. Won't you sit down?"

...

"I have a question."

"Yeah Dad, shoot."

"When does Magn- no, Merle. When does Merle get to play?"

"Well, because you just asked that question, probably - probably in the next mini-arc."