#so prep for student theater

[aimmyarrowshigh]

Preparing for AUgust

I'm still determined to salvage 2024 in terms of getting writing done, so I'm prepping for AUgust already. It occurred to me that someone else might be interested in a list of 100 AUs, so here you go!

Accidental Marriage AU

Alien AU

Android AU

Angel/Demon AU

Apocalypse AU

Archaeology AU

Artist AU

Assassin AU

Bakery AU

Ballet AU

Band AU

BDSM AU

Book Store AU

Bounty Hunter AU

Camp Counselor AU

Castaway AU

Chef AU

Child AU

Circus AU

Coffee Shop AU

College AU

Conductor AU

Choreographer AU

Coworker AU

Criminal AU

Cult AU

Dancer AU

Death AU

Demigod AU

Detective AU

Dimension Hopping AU

Deejay AU

Doctor AU

Domestic AU

Fake Dating AU

Fashion Designer AU

Firefighter AU

Florist/Tattooist AU

Gardening AU

Ghost AU

Haunted House AU

High School AU

High School Reunion AU

Historical AU

Horror AU

Hunger Games AU

Immortal AU

Jury Duty AU

Lawyer AU

Library AU

Magic AU

Mechanic AU

Medieval AU

Mermaid AU

Model AU

Modern AU

Murder Mystery AU

Musical AU

Musician AU

Neighbor AU

Office AU

Omegaverse AU

Paranormal Investigator AU

Parent AU

Photographer AU

Pirate AU

Podcaster AU

Porn Star AU

Restaurant AU

Road Trip AU

Role Reversal AU

Roommate AU

Scientist AU

Soulmate AU

Spy AU

Star Wars AU

Student AU

Teacher AU

Theater AU

Thief AU

Time Travel AU

TVA AU

Undead AU

Vacation AU

Vampire AU

Veterinarian AU

Victorian AU

Waiter AU

Wedding Planner AU

Werewolf AU

Western AU

Wings AU

Witch AU

Wizard AU

‘90s AU

‘80s AU

‘70s AU

‘60s AU

‘50s AU

‘40s AU

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I've been dreaming of the Spectator of Diamonds.

The stage is wrecked, the crowd is gone. But,,, the show, it must go on. He is both the actor and the audience.

How does a moment last forever? How can a story never die?

Cater settles into his seat. It’s cushy and comforting, the pillows almost cloud-like as he sinks down, becoming one with them.

The theater--empty, dark--is his domain, his castle. And he, the lone king atop of it all.

Click, click, click!

He looks up, finding that the stage lights have flared on. Glaring, hot. Four figures stand there in masks--yet he can see the echoes of himself in their verdant eyes, the orange hair cropping out from their false faces.

They are he, and he is they.

The set rolls in, setting the scene. They are wooden cutouts painted over and mounted in wheels or lowered on pulleys. Students in the wings operate them, hidden from the audience's view.

Here begins another story, a series of illusions to craft a beautiful lie.

"There's so much to do before the unbirthday party!" declares Cater the First, a crown upon his head. He waves an ornate staff over his followers, directing their activities. "Chop, chop! Let's hop to it, everyone! There's not a second to waste."

Cater the Second, in a hat and glasses, ferries a towering cake, as fake as the rest of the production. He knows the sponge is styrofoam and the frosting is plaster and paint. Still, he handles the dessert as though it is made of gold.

Cater the Third wrestles with a horde of plastic lawn flamingos and hedgehog plushies. Cater the Fourth, on a stepladder, stringing up a banner. The Third hurries past the Fourth, his foot catching on a foot of the ladder and nearly tripping him.

Righting himself, the Third hollers, "Hey, stay out of my way! Couldn't you have picked a better spot to do your work?"

To him, the Fourth coolly replies, "Not my fault you weren't watching where you were going."

"What was that?!"

"You heard me."

"Say that again to my face, I dare you!"

"I just did."

"Guys, guys! Relax," warns the Second, placing his cake down on a table. "The last thing we need is drama on an unbirthday."

"He's right," says the First. His brows draw together, not yet a full frown but coming close to it. "Drop it and get back to your tasks."

They scramble to each other, a flock reuniting and tending to their kin.

Cater has witnessed this scene many times over. The chaos, the mini-quarrels. From a safe distance, he watches, wearing the usual stitched smile.

Always a member of the audience, never the actor.

A longing ache fills his chest.

He wonders if now is a good time to clap, to interject. Make his presence known somehow.

Cater moves to speak, but doubt arrests him.

No—they don’t need me. They don’t want me there. They’re fine on their own. You’ll only make things worse.

The whispers start.

“Something’s off.”

“Something’s wrong.”

“Something’s missing.”

Cater surveys his surroundings.

The theater is empty, save for himself. It does not silence the voices coming from all corners, their murmur easily filling the room. It’s as though there is a full house, minus the bodies.

Just as hollow as he is.

“It’s fine!" he calls out to Nobody. "I’m sure the show will get better. They know what they're doing."

"It's incomplete," the whispers insist.

"We need you, Cater."

He gasps, his attention returning to the stage. The Caters are gone, their masks and propr lying abandoned upon it.

That sounds like...

"Trey."

Him, and the others. Their dorm leader and the duo of irksome first years are frozen mid-party prep. Trey strolls past them and to the edge of their pretend world,

He crouches down and grins. "What are you doing down there?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm spectating, silly."

"Spectating? That's an odd thing to do." Trey leans, offering his hand. "Come on. Heartslabyul isn't complete without you."

Cater stares. "But I… I like it here. It’s familiar.”

It’s safe.

Trey cocks his head. “But you also want to be up here, with the rest of us… don’t you?“

“You don’t get it. I—” Cater wavers. “I can’t, even if I want to. I just can’t, okay?”

Under the spotlights, they’ll see me for who I really am.

Trey watches him carefully. His golden eyes soften with understanding. "You're scared."

"Who said I was scared?" Cater attempts at a laugh. It doesn't come out quite right, petering out too quickly. "You're imagining things."

"I don't think so." He shakes his head. "This isn't you, Cater. You haven't been you for a long while now. I wish you'd be more genuine with us. With me."

"I am!"

Cater speaks louder than he means to. His exclamation hushes the others in the audience, silencing dissent.

For one long, horrible moment, he sees the sadness reaching Trey's face. The hope draining. Coldness overtakes Cater, and his mind goes to the worst places: his friend turning away, leaving.

His vision stings. He blinks, and the tears blur the world and the people in it, the stage and its actors.

His house of cards, collapsing.

It's over.

From the disparaging silence, a hushed voice rises.

"It's okay. You can be yourself," Trey says reassuringly. He's warm, like a blanket draped over his body. "Smile when you want to smile. Cry when you want to cry. Share it all with us. We'll embrace it."

A tear breaks free from Cater. The magic words, dispelling the dam holding his feelings back.

"Ah... Geez,” he mutters, wiping at his cheek. “Y-You're making me sentimental...!”

“I’d say that’s a pretty good start,” Trey chuckles. “… Hey, Cater. I think it’s about time. You’ll join us, right?”

“Hah. Of course…!”

That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

Cater rises and races to the stage. Slipping his hand in Trey's, he holds tight lets himself be hoisted up.

The ground is firm beneath his feet, the lights drying his tears. His heart drums with exhilaration—it feels so right. Like he belongs.

Up close, he should see the set falling apart. The wooden textures, the peeling paint. But it looks more real than ever, with foliage shifting in the wind and the aroma of roses perfuming the air. The stage, expanding.

Cater walks into the waiting wonderland.

"Found him!" Trey announces to the rest of the cast.

The scene resumes, the characters returning to motion.

"There you are, Cater!" Riddle cries out. "I certainly hope you weren't planning on offloading your responsibilities onto your underclassmen... again."

"Pfft!" Ace fails to contain a mocking laugh, his gaze sliding over to Deuce. "Yeah, cuz what kind of idiot would fall for something like that?"

"Sh-Shut up! You'd have wanted to help out your senpai too if you were there!!"

"No worries. I promise no more tricks this time. I'm... too tired for that."

"Cater?" Riddle takes a proper look at him, then narrows his eyes. "Have you been... crying?"

"Yeah. I think... I'll need a moment, Riddle-kun. Sorry, I'm going through a lot right now.”

It is his truth. The joy, and the levity it grants him, overwhelming.

He's finally among them.

Finally Somebody.

[samssims]

Plumbob Prep Academy

Teaches & Students Wanted ~ An August Back to School Prompt List

Shoutout to @sparkiekong for the inspiration

Time to sharpen those pencils and get those backpacks ready because I want you to build a school, staff and all! Fill your sims game with more teachers and students of all ages! ((Teacher friends, this one should be great fun for you!)) Use this as a CAS challenge or a photo challenge! Whatever speaks to you! Use the #PlumbobPrep to add to our community of school staff and use #samssims if you'd like a reblog! I'd love to see what you create!

Starts August 1st!

Build a School ~ The School is on a budget so some teachers share roles, but you can add an extra challenge to yourself and make a teacher for each individual subject if you prefer.

Teachers: - Principal - Art/Drama Teacher - Math/Science Teacher - English/Foreign Language Teacher - Gym Teacher - Teacher's Aid - School Nurse Bonus: Tell me the teacher drama. Which teachers are secretly dating or who hates their neighboring teacher next door?

Show off your sim through their school years!

Student Photos: - First Day of Kindy (Toddler) - First Day of Primary (Child) - First Day of Secondary (Teen) Bonus: Show us their last days and how it changed from the beginning of the year to the end.

Focusing more on the High School/Secondary Stages of school, show off which students would fill certain roles!

Student Positions: - Cheerleading Captain - Sports (of your choice) Captain - Chess Captain - Theater Kid - Prom Court - Valedictorian

BONUS: Put your sims up for public download and I may just use them in the school I am building for my NSB save! And so others can use them to build their own schools too!

Have fun with this! Populate your town with more sims or use one sim and dress them up in different roles. Feel free to add more roles that are not included! Represent Plumbob Prep however you like! However you are inspired, you are correct!

Welcome to Plumbob Prep!

See you soon for the new school year ~

[basilthesnakingthing]

Have been thinking about that Jekyll and Hyde AU that I could possibly make into a real show because the original book is public domain.

My idea is that it would be an asylum/ boarding school/ orphanage for "monstrous children" like changeling children that parents abandon there to avoid a cuckoo bird invader situation, or kids that are just very troubled in a supernatural seeming way.

Other characters I would include are:

Dracula: Going idea is that he's a long time resident of the place (I need to call it something, but it has so many functions, I don't know what to go with.) who Hyde looks up to. But unlike Hyde who is just kind of a menace, Dracula is more of an active bully. He has a posse of other vampires - younger ones that treat him like a gang leader, but in a preppy way, do you know what I mean? The blood thing is treated like dietary thing that only comes up at meal times. Like in households where everyone is used to one kid having an allergy. Nobody mentions it, that's just what he's eating. There's gotta be some silly place they get it from, though. Some half wholesome, half dreary process that matches the vibe. There are nice vampires that aren't rude to Jekyll and his friends and like, try to include them in stuff. I can't have a situation like with Slitherin in Harry Potter where if you belong to one group you automatically act like a jerk for no reason, because I always hated that. But those ones will be background characters.

Victor Frankenstein: Jekyll's best friend. Fascinated by "icky" things like mushrooms and creepy crawlies and dead stuff and how they work. Equally terrified of them in person. Was already attending the boarding school before Jekyll arrived (Maybe I should call it "The [Name] Boarding School For Monstrous Children". Cause even the kids who are living there permanently still go to classes.) Was a star student, especially at math and biology. Made friend's with Jekyll on day one after finding out they had similar interests.

Abraham Van Helsing is a professor and so is Merlin.

Peter Pan and the Mad Hatter are also there, and they're also menaces, although not to the same degree Hyde is. They're friends with the mischievous ghost who haunts the school. They are the theater kids.

Jekyll and Hyde know about each other from the beginning. They're a naturally occurring DID system in this version (as in, there was no serum.) It's not completely realistic because this is a silly cartoon, but I do intend to portray them compassionately and not as a scary gimmick. At first they don't really like each other. Then I'm going to escalate it under the audience's noses until they both break down crying at some point about how the consequences of the other's actions are unfair. They get to the point that they hate one another.

There are two pivotal events that start to make Jekyll start to see Hyde in a different light. One is when the cool teacher, Professor Van Helsing, takes Hyde under his wing and finds chores and other productive activities that the violent alter actually really enjoys. Hey come and direct all your aggressive energy into this one productive task. And because I'm projecting, it works really well. He actually finds it really cathartic. If it's "Prep these items for me" Hyde will come back again in a comically short amount of time, stary-eyed and eager to make you come see his comically large pile of that item. If it's "Rake the leaves from this entire part of the grounds" he will go at it so hard. He will go at those leaves like he's waging war. It's adorable. And two. Dracula picks a fight with them while Jekyll (who would lose badly) is controlling their body. And Hyde immediately takes over and defends them. He kicks Dracula's ass, and the next time they're talking in the mirror, Jekyll hesitantly thanks him. He hadn't thought about how Hyde could protect him in situations like that. And when Hyde is like, "I did that cause I like fighting stuff," Jekyll kinda starts to consider, maybe it's not all bad that he likes violence. At least, not all the time.

(And another thing!)

[3liza]

What is the difficulty curve like for american schooling? What is the usual pass/fail threshold? Here it is 50% with the peak of the bell curve (intentionally set and recalibrated every year) at 70%, so you get at least ±2 STDs of student marks captured between 50% and 90%. Which makes me think the exams/assignments themselves must be more difficult than their american versions. Ive heard that in some schools anything below 70% is an F, can that be true? The exam itself has to be easier in that case, surely

i might be the wrong person to ask, and not only because im not an expert or informed about the details of the current American school system, and im approaching middle age so my experience is now out of date, so maybe an actual teacher can correct me, but my experience in american K-12 education was that everything is made up and the points dont matter. i dont think it's standardized here at all. each teacher had their own grading opinions and some classes i went to were on a curve, some weren't, some were pass-fail, "cool' teachers would often say stuff like "everyone in here has an A right now. the only way you will lose that grade is by not showing up and not doing you work" and then would ding you points every time you fucked up, etc.

i have absolutely no idea what my HS GPA was, never cared about participating in graduation so i didn't go, and I think iirc I graduated late anyway (or they were threatening to withhold my diploma or something?) because of fucking gym credits (i have a connective tissue disorder, exercise-triggered asthma, crippled knees, and POTS, and kept telling adults that the stuff we were doing in PE class was hurting and injuring me, to which they would respond that i was "out of shape"), which my lawyer mother managed to get dropped from my graduation requirements by successfully proposing that my after school activities like dance and semi-pro theater and bartering stable work for horse riding time were sufficiently athletic to quality as PE. she was right btw i was working my ass off. anyway thanks mom. but again this is equivalent to Ryan Stiles successfully arguing that Drew Carey should give him ten points for the improvised limericks about the battle of Thermopylae instead of 3, and then Carey doing so.

TEST SCORES are standardized, and the Bush-era No Child Left Behind reforms turned my HS from a school where you go to class and do schoolwork into a test prep and test taking warehouse over one summer. it was an actual nightmare. i also dont know what my test scores were. probably bad

so basically my experience was that i never knew what my GPA was anyway because i both didnt care, and also whatever counted as a "credit" wasnt standardized either so it was impossible to keep track of. the causative order of these two things could go either way, idk if i didnt care because grades were too confusing, or if grades were confusing just to me because i didn't care.

edit: i also didn't have any friends who knew/were keeping track of what their GPA was during school. people either graduated or dropped out nd some of them got sent to summer school ("bad kids") and we would see the scores marked on assignments when the assignments were handed back, but cumulative, ongoing awareness of "how well are you doing in school officially"? maybe there were really on-the-ball kids who knew this information but if there were i never heard anyone talk about it and had no awareness whatsoever where any of my peers stood in school credit rankings.

[wowcatboys]

Hi! Ur one of my favorite csm fanfic writers, and I hope you have a good day today. Since your request is still open, Im going to take advantage of it haha.... Can you write a headcanon for Quanxi, Power, and Makima where their s/o is a med student and they are struggling to adjust to a VERY busy schedule with almost no time for socializing outside of school and internships? There are also times where they sleep at 1:00 a.m. and wake up at 5:00 a.m., which is probably because I procrastinate A LOT and Im still wondering how I am still alive today.

Hi!! Thank you 🖤 I hope your studies are going well! (and dear LORD babe please get more sleep if you're reading this go to bed RIGHT NOW)

(Fem pronouns for Quanxi, GN for Power/Makima)

Quanxi

Quanxi isn't particularly social herself, so she struggles to understand why you miss parties with your friends or getting dinner with your family. After all, you're working hard towards a career you're passionate about, and the two of you have a good thing going. What more could a sweet, driven girl like yourself want? Still, she doesn't like seeing you stressed, so she makes it a point to get you out of the house on weekends. "You can do this later," she tells you, shutting your textbook despite your protests. "All your friends are already at the restaurant, and we'll only stay for a little while." She ensures you slip a little time for yourself in your packed schedule, even if going out to bowling alleys or movie theaters with your friend group isn't her favorite. At least she gets to hold your hand the whole time.

She's a master at taking care of her girl—Quanxi always makes sure that you're comfortable, even three hours deep into test-prep. She knows your favorite source of caffeine and keeps it on-hand 24/7. Whenever she notices your eyes start drooping, she wordlessly places a tall glass at your elbow, placing a quick kiss on the top of your head. If it's cold, she grabs a blanket and your favorite socks. If it's been a few hours since lunch and you're blatantly ignoring your rumbling tummy, Quanxi pops out to grab your favorite take-out. You never have to ask; she just knows what you need, and provides it without delay.

Though Quanxi worries about your sleeping habits and demanding schedule, she knows you're an adult and can manage yourself. She doesn't nag or chide you if you're putting your studies first, and forgetting to shower every now-and-then. She does what she can to help, and she always, always tells you she's proud of you. Whenever you're ready to scream at the paper you're writing or about to cry into a pile of flashcards, she gently rubs your shoulders. "Hey," she says, "You're working hard. I'm so proud of you." Maybe to anyone else it wouldn't seem like much, but Quanxi is so sincere and tender as she works the knots out of your tired shoulders. Her quiet words are almost always enough to give you a second wind.

Despite her policy to let you do your own thing, Quanxi does get after you if she notices you procrastinating. She knows you need a break sometimes, but she also knows if you put off your work too long you'll be ten times as stressed when you're staring down a looming deadline. "Hey, cutie," she pinches your cheek, gentle but insistent enough to make you scrunch your nose up. "You better hit the books." If you protest, she raises an eyebrow at you. "You know I'm right. Just work on it for a little bit, and then we can cuddle and watch your favorite show or something." As you pass her by, grumbling about your workload, she smacks your ass for good measure. It's usually enough to make you smile back at her, and stop complaining.

Quanxi buys you a set of scrubs in your favorite color. "So my girl won't forget about me, even when she's busy," Quanxi teases, and you roll your eyes. You reassure her with a kiss that of course you'd never forget about her, and she ruffles your hair fondly. It's your favorite set of scrubs, and you wear them almost twice a week.

Power

Power absolutely. hates. your jam-packed schedule. In her opinion, you should be devoting all that time to her! After all, you two could be having so much fun! Why dedicate hours to your internships and classes when the two of you could be out getting soft serve, going to fairs and winning goldfish, or eating exclusively the meat at monjayaki restaurants? She despises the fact that she has to share you with your studies. With a little help from Denji, though, she leaves you alone to do your work. If you ask her to scope out date locations, she's eager to hit the city and plan a perfect date for you two. Just bribe Denji with a handful of Family Burger coupons and he's willing to chauffer her. You get a nice, long day of peace and quiet to cram your studies into and, as a bonus, you get to look forward to whatever date spot Power's deemed a necessity to visit, whenever you've got the ever-rare free afternoon. The cramming might seem counter-intuitive, but it actually helps you get things done faster. It's harder to procrastinate when Power's asking for constant updates on your progress, eager for you to be done so she can have you all to herself.

Whenever you're settled on the couch for a study session, Power comes to cuddle up with you. She'll splay out across your lap or nuzzle her chin into the space between your neck and shoulder. She summons every single ounce of self-control she has to stay quiet and still, so you can keep studying. At first it's pretty difficult for her to resist the urge to poke your face or put Meowy on your head, but as she gets used to the quiet, she finds she starts to enjoy these gentle, low-key moments with you. Sure, she prefers being hyper and loud, but silently nestling into your side and soaking up your warmth is pretty nice, too.

Thrilled to have knowledge about something you're studying, Power is always eager to tell you about blood. How it feels when she's directing its energy, the way it almost hums beneath her fingertips as she molds it to her will. It's not something you'll find in any textbook, and your professors probably won't quiz you on how blood "feels"—but it's still fascinating stuff. Whenever you're diving into the specifics of how blood flows through the heart or mapping out arteries and veins, you tell Power about your studies. You listen eagerly as for every fact you give her, she tells you something about blood that you'd never find in any textbook.

Power absolutely insists that you get enough sleep. Pulling an all-nighter is simply not an option. "My human," she commands, closing her hands around your shoulders, " 'Tis time for us to go to bed." If you protest, telling her you'll come in a few hours, she pouts and shakes her head firmly. "Not an option! You must rest, and I must have someone to cuddle with." She'll physically pull you into bed if she has to. If you have to get up early to finish something, she'll begrudgingly allow it, but going to sleep together is non-negotiable.

All of your notes and flashcards are littered with Power's doodles. It's her way of cheering you up when you're three hours deep into studying the brain. Little scribbles of stars and hearts and hammers (don't ask), or sketches of Meowy doing impossible things like fighting a supervillain or rolling up some sushi. She's not the best illustrator but her pictures definitely have heart, and they do the job of cheering you up splendidly.

Makima

Makima's no stranger to a busy schedule, so she completely understands your struggles. For her, maintaining a planner is a must and she'll gladly help you start one. She gets you a plain faux-leather journal, your name embossed on the cover in gold. Inside is a neat chart laying out the week in precise detail. There's a spot for to-do lists, due dates, progress trackers for big assignments. She's also included reminders to eat, stretch, and drink plenty of water in the margins. She really thought of everything, and if you end up using the planner to its fullest extent, it pretty much kills your procrastination problem. (It's much easier to get things done when it's broken down into efficient, day-by-day steps for you.) Pay attention, and you'll find new comments from your lover packed inside the margins. Simple things, like "Be sure to eat something nutritious today" or "Remember, you have to be at your internship an hour early on Tuesday.", penciled in her neat handwriting. It's not an "I love you"—she struggles with those—but for Makima, the simple care is close enough.

Outwardly, Makima is sympathetic when you lament that you've got no time for friends and family. She nods her head and frowns when you tell her it's been three weeks since you've gotten to go out on the weekend, and assures you that you'll be able to hit an izakaya or bowling alley with your friends soon. Inside, though, Makima likes that your busy schedule keeps you from interacting with people too much. This way, she gets to have you all to herself. Makima loves that you have precious little free time, and that you spend most of it on her. The less other people get to claim your attention, the better.

Instead of eating on her lunch break, Makima dedicates that hour to you. She comes by your place to share a quick lunch, or drives you to your internships. Even if it's only a twenty-minute car ride and a quick kiss before you hurry into your internship building, decked out in scrubs and eager to learn, Makima cherishes this rare time with you.

Sunday afternoons are scheduled date times. No matter what might be going on at work, Makima pushes it aside to spend the day with you, and she expects you to do the same. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just getting coffee together or walking the dogs down a new path is enough. What matters is that the two of you, despite your demanding workloads, have time that's just for each other. She's not happy if you try to blow off your scheduled date to study. It's her favorite part of any week, so expect her to act cold for a few days if it's taken away from her.

Makima respects your work ethic, and she's incredibly proud of you. She makes it a rule not to bring her personal life into work—that would just make you a target—but she's hidden a photo of you, beaming at the camera in your scrubs, in her office. Whenever she's stressed, she pulls out that photograph and reminds herself how impressed she is with your hard work and diligence. It's enough to help her refocus and get her own work done.

Makima knows you're busy, so she likes to take care of your needs. Often, there's a healthy lunch she's put together for you in the fridge, a full bottle of filtered water in your bag, and a fresh notebook on hand in case you run out of paper. She prides herself on anticipating your needs. It sends a surge of satisfaction through her when you start to ask a question: "Darling, have you seen my—" only to cut yourself off as she holds up whatever you're looking for. She hands it off to you with a barely-there smug look and quick kiss to your nose. Now, if only she would look after her own daily needs with such dedication...

[kaihuntrr]

FLOWER HUSBANDS FIC: Coral Reefs and Cigarettes (working title) Prologue designs!

ALRIGHT! Hello everyone, in this post I’ll be sharing (and talking!) about the development of my multi-chapter fanfiction flower husbands au, based on @vyeoh ‘s punk x prep au! I’ll be starting off with the characters we meet in the prologue; the divorce quartet!

We open the prologue at the tail-end of last life, aka one of their school years. I wanted to focus on this, as while the fanfic is on the re-budding relationship between Scott and Jimmy, the side plot focuses on friendships, and of course, the friendship in mind are on the Divorce Quartet.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at these designs!

(I used a more simpler style so I can get these concepts across!)

The designs of the Quartet as a whole are supposed to mimic their soulbounds/ besties and with each other! I wanted each of them to have a distinct style but also keep them connected. It’s a tough challenge (considering I always do fantastical designs) but I think I did pretty well!

Moving unto them individually, I can talk about their character and designs! Starting with

Scott S. Major.

The richest and smartest kid in school

Has a reputation (family) in the area

Studies marine biology + gardening

He’s usually sweet, but approaching him is a nightmare. Imagine a Regina George-type character but a lot more sassy and open with his remarks

He loves to spoil his friends

DESIGN

Cold colors with a red and gold contrast

Keepsakes of his “alliances” (important relationships) as accessories (Jimmy’s poppy, Pearl’s moon necklace/belt chain), has yet to receive something he could use from Cleo and Martyn

Feminine outfits + heels are a go-to for him (is still a bit short)

The preppiest looking one out of the four

His body type is petite! (He’s still the dominant one in the relationship tho)

Pearl Moon.

The “newest” of the four (a nod to her being introduced in Last Life)

Has been friends with Scott before high school online

Art student

Loves studying the stars/ constellations

Lanky and tall

DESIGN

Muted red tones with a dark blue and green contrast

Heterochromia eyes

Lesbian + graphic design is my passion pins (from Cleo) on her polo shirt (mimicking Scott’s blazer(?) )+ moon hairpin (from Martyn)

Hoodie has a wolf skull on it ;)

moon/star-inspired makeup (done by Scott!)

Cleo Zombie

The one who hypes up the chaos/ also the most grounded

Could kill you, doesn’t hurt a fly

Not entirely sure what they’re studying

Sportsy! Probably basketball

Interested in zombie-type fiction

DESIGN

Green (mimics Martyn) with blue and orange contrast

Nonbinary choker and pendant + dog tags from a relative

The most “jock” out of all of them, the black shirt has a ribcage design

Blue orchid from Scott, jacket from Martyn, piercings from Pearl (well, scheduling them to get it)

Large/ bulky

Martyn I. Woods

The friendliest and most sociable

Theatre kid (obviously), loves the dramatic

Jokester/ class clown

Loyal to a fault

Has information on every student due to his social skills

DESIGN

Green with white and black contrast

Dogwarts (his theater group, now disbanded) bandana ;)

Studded white belt and chains from Scott, white boots from Pearl, and hasn’t received anything from Cleo yet

Mimics Cleo with the vest

Average, some muscle

STOKED to introduce you all to the beginning of this story, who else is excited? >:D!

(ps, if y’all have ideas for the title of this work I’d love to hear some!! I need it lol)

[ririya-translates]

Suzu Orimaki's Story

Huge apologies at how delayed this post has been. This is Suzu's concept art short story (original). It was written by Shin Towada (lead game writer) with concept art by Lownine.

I had another version posted earlier to Twitter closer to Suzu's birthday (Jan 19) but it was a difficult time for me so I wanted to post the cleaned up version @otomemories so kindly helped me out with editing. Please check out her NejiKisa doujin translations! This story takes place before the first play so spoilers are quite minimal.

A young man is brought to the gates of Univeil by an image of true radiance he once saw shining on its stage. He is guided by this brilliant aura until this moment when the theater he has so admired stands before his very eyes.

The sun’s rays beam down heavily on him, as if piercing through the bright blue sky. He leans against the railing, his body bathing in warm light. His name is Suzu Orimaki and he’s a brand new student at Univeil Drama School.

The weather is as sunny and lively as Suzu himself. He has always had an eye-catching brightness to him- one strong enough to make him stand out from his fellow Quartz classmates just by being there. His exuberant energy alone is enough to earn him a promising new future as a Jack. After a long day of grueling classes, he has finally earned himself a break.

“This place really is amazing…” Suzu mutters to no one in particular with a slight turn of his head. Towering above him is a large art fixture. At Univeil Drama School’s all-boys dormitories, every class resides in a separate dorm, each designed with a distinctly different style by various well-known artists. The unique features of each class are conveyed through architecture that overflows with imagination, and of course, the Quartz dorm is no exception. The outer glass walls can be seen filled to the brim with sunlight, and near the top of the building stands the Quartz namesake, an enormous crystal designed to look as if it were piercing the heavens. Suzu enjoys the rooftop not only because it grants him the ability to spot other people, but also for its brilliant view of the entire city that his campus resides in- Tamasaka, built halfway up the side of Mt. Oodate.

“Another busy day today…”

A winding downward path stretches from the school to the station. It’s filled with a mixture of shops and restaurants, as well as time-worn buildings shadowing the city’s days as an old post town-- relics of a bygone era. A town like this entices not only residents, but also thousands of tourists flocking to see the city's symbol, The Tamasaka Troupe. Of course, Univeil is considered a part of this as well.

Long ago, Suzu himself had made the long climb from the station up this hill to see a Univeil performance. His vision shifts from the town back to the campus’s theater.

“.....”

Suzu backs off of the railing, pushes against the ground with the tip of his left foot, and then smoothly spins around. After happily surveying the scenery, his face tightens and a powerful voice comes from his lips.

“All right!” Pushing his toes up against the ground, Suzu waves his arms high above his head. As his feet hit the floor, the momentum gives his powerful steps a burst of energy. Jumping, falling, jumping, falling… a rhythm begins to form. In the back of Suzu’s mind, he visualizes the dance moves an older student demonstrated for him. Doing his best to recreate it, Suzu continues to dance. However…

“Ahh! It’s no use!” Suzu grasps his head in his hands and arcs himself backwards. He just can’t seem to get his movements to match correctly.

“Hah… I really can’t figure this out without him. But we’re running out of time until the newcomers' performance…” Suzu leans against the railing once more, this time with his head held low.

Univeil holds five performances a year. In the first one, the Newcomer's Performance, first-year students are required to take the stage as leads. In less than two months of prep time, he would be standing on the Univeil stage- the very same stage that once enraptured him from the audience.

“I’m not gonna lose to something like this!” Suzu screams while forcibly extending his drooped body.

“Wha-!?” Someone meets his shout with a surprised gasp.

“Hmm? That voice…” He bends down over the railing, leaning down to take a look at the person gazing up towards him. Their eyes collide.

“Yonaga! I thought it was you! Hey!”

“Hey, Suzu.” It’s another one of his fellow Quartz first-years. Soshiro Yonaga’s face softens as he looks up at Suzu. He is the type of person to face anything and everything with complete seriousness; his vivid imagination allows him to delve deeply into his creativity, but he often struggles with caring too much about trivial things. To Suzu, he's a classmate and a familiar face.

“Oh, are you by yourself, Suzu?” He asks as if looking for someone.

“If you’re looking for him, he’s not here.”

“Ah, I see. He wasn’t in the practice room, so I thought maybe he’d be out here with you.” The conversation continues without either of them ever specifying the name of the person in question, but they both know that they are thinking of the same person. He’s another Quartz first year with a delicate demeanor that’s the polar opposite of Suzu’s. He has the full potential to become a Jeanne. The three of them were often together as a trio.

Yonaga is his childhood friend who always seems to be worried about him no matter how busy things get. Unfortunately, Yonaga's attempts to help often end in him being helped instead which often upsets him. Suzu, on the other hand, sees this person as a partner in crime who always encourages him when they're paired up together as Jack and Jeanne. Even the dance Suzu did just moments ago was meant to be performed with another person at his side. More than anything, it's a friendship where they can inspire each other to improve. After thinking about Yonaga’s words for a moment, Suzu remembers something.

“Oh, right! He went to the music room.”             “He did?” Yonaga asks, subtly pressing for more details.

“Yeah, for singing practice! Man, he’s incredible…no way I could hit notes that high! He’s different even from the other Jeannes!”

“Uhh, y-yeah…” Praise for his childhood friend seems to make Yonaga uncomfortable.

“How’s it going on your end? With practice and stuff?” Upon hearing the conversation be redirected towards himself, Yonaga’s head suddenly droops like a wilted flower.

“Otori… was saying a bunch of things again today.” “What? You too!?” “Huh? He talked to you as well, Suzu?” Otori is yet another young man who shares both their year and class. He is one of Quartz’s top students, but during rehearsal, he is as critical and irritable as he is handsome.

“Man, he sure is sharp…”

“The things he says are definitely accurate, but he always says them so harshly…” Yonaga seems to take Otori’s criticisms far too seriously for his own good.

“Don’t worry too much about it, man! Just think about how good it will feel to prove him wrong! You’ve got this!” Upon hearing Suzu’s encouraging words, Yonaga lifts his head.

“You’re right. I’ll go practice too.”

“Alright!” Suzu exclaims with energy as he watches Yonaga walk away with fresh determination, finally able to return to his solo practice after the change of pace. Batteries recharged and full of newfound energy, he decides to take in one last glance at the rooftop view before heading back to the dance room.

“Hmm?” Suzu narrows his eyes at another student making his way to the dorm. There’s no mistaking it-- it’s the friend that he and Yonaga were referring to earlier. But he isn't alone; standing off to the side is a tall boy donning the same uniform. It’s none other than his nemesis, Otori, who upon noticing his friend, quickly starts walking in that direction. Suzu has a bad feeling about this.

“That jerk…” With a strong push off the railing, he leaves the rooftop and flies down the stairs towards the dorm. His friend, walking while deep in thought, has yet to notice Otori, who is just a few steps away from closing the distance between them. “Heeey!” Suzu’s loud, booming voice hits his friend’s ears and snaps them back to attention. Their eyes meet.

“I was hoping we could practice together!” He quickly blurts out. The other student’s eyes go wide as he senses something is amiss.

“Sure, okay.” Without looking back, Suzu’s friend quickly runs off towards him while Otori furrows his brows with a harrumph. He was definitely planning to throw around the same heartless words he had aimed towards Suzu and Yonaga, and glares at Suzu in frustration over having his plans thwarted. Suzu only responds with a laugh as he and his friend make their way back to the roof.

“Ah, so that’s why you looked so nervous!” After hearing Suzu explain himself, his friend quickly understands the situation and thanks him.

“Having a rivalry with a classmate is one thing, but… this is more like straight-up harassment, don’t you think!? We’re all working on the same performance, so what’s the point of getting in everyone else’s way? We should all just do our best, you know? Suzu lets out a sigh as his friend nods and approaches closer. After hearing his kind voice, all the previous anger feels silly now.

”I did mean it when I said I wanted to practice, though! Do you wanna?”

“Sure, let’s do it.”  

Up on the roof, their two silhouettes begin to dance. The dance that was so unsure before begins to burst full of energy between the two of them. In the back of Suzu’s mind, he recalls the image of the Jack Ace dancing on stage with the charming Al Jeanne. 

“I knew we could do this!”

Hearing Suzu’s brimming happiness, his friend laughs and wipes the sweat off his forehead. Suzu laughs back. There's a pounding in his chest like he's never felt before.

[wiltedprayers]

Lewis Nixon as a poetry movement: The objectivists.

so, I thought it'd be nice if I did a little analysis of Lew's character through different periods of poetry— to be more precise, modernist poetry (late 19th century-mid 20th century). Nix was a socialite and Yale student, so he probably went on to study the classics and more cemented poetry movements like Renaissance poetry and (maybe) the English romantics. however, considering the nature of his character (and I am talking about the HBO dramatized version, not the real-life Lewis Nixon), I think he'd be more interested and moved by the contemporary poets of his time (early 20th century). this is especially because of their disruptive philosophy regarding poetry: the avant-garde movements of the time (which included poetry, but also extended to theater, film, and plastic art) were many, incredibly present in the politics of the period, and brought a new perspective to the study of poetry that remained throughout the century.

the objectivists, which were not exactly a 'movement' and more of a small group of like-minded individuals, believed in the sincerity and objectification of poetry: they treated the poem as an object and had an intelligent approach to their writings, greatly inspired by the previous Imaginist movement and the history contained within their poetry.

the core group of objectivist poets consisted of Louis Zukofsky, Carl Rakosi, Charles Reznikoff, Basil Bunting, Lorine Niedecker, William Carlos Williams, and George Oppen. they were most present during the 1930s.

their poems were characterized by line breaks that disrupted a normal speech rhythm and had deliberate syntactic fragmentation (something present in 19th century Emily Dickinson's poetry, for example). they weren't inherently absurd (like Dada poetry) and usually touched heavily on political topics, given that most of them were left-wing and/or Marxists. they exploited small and everyday words like 'The', 'Is', and 'A'.

excerpt from Louis Zukofsky's "'A'—22":

why do I think Nix would've enjoyed their poetry? well, for one, I think he would've appreciated the innovation and simple wording used to convey strong emotional points; Nix, unlike characters like Webster, doesn't believe in flowery language and always came across to me as a concise, fast man. he held no love for his years at Yale and always looked at things from a different perspective which, in my opinion, is what made him such a fitting intelligence officer. I think Nix would've been attracted to the objectifying nature of this type of poetry; seeing the poem as a real thing in a way in which it allows us to be sincere with ourselves.

it's worth mentioning that most objectivists came from poverty or marginalized backgrounds, which greatly influenced their writing. naturally, there'd be a real dissonance between Nix and these topics for obvious reasons, but there's no reason to think he'd be put off by them. if anything, I see Nix as a learner, an observer, a very curious man. this is all conjecture of course, but treading into more modern and avant-garde art movements seems like something he'd do in an attempt to distance himself from his structured 'prep school' type of education. while Nix is not precisely a rebel, he's also not one stuck in ancient conventions, and he's not afraid to defy authority (see his reticence regarding sobel and sometimes sink, his approval of Dick's fake patrol, etc). he'll adapt very nicely to social etiquette because that's the environment in which he was raised, sure, but he doesn't really care for it.

excerpt from Carl Rakosi's "In What Sense I Am I", which I think fits Nix’s character rather nicely:

we can see the disjuncture in the way Rakosi presents his sentences, purposefully creating an organized mess of his paragraph to make his poem seem like its building itself off piece by piece; this is just so incredibly Nix in my opinion.

another poem, this time a piece by Lorine Niedecker:

once again, the structure of the poem is loose, and very short. It's concise and to the point; Niedecker's use of "Ah" also showcases the objectivist poetry style, one where everyday expressions and simple sounds take center stage.

to wrap this up, I think Lewis Nixon (as a character!) would be much inclined to a certain type of poetry present mainly in the modernist period of the early 20th century. one that's disruptive, innovative, and contemporary, that isn't afraid to focus on an intelligent use of prose by the poet; this poetry movements (imagism, objectivism, and early confessional poetry) are very tied to their sociopolitical context, and fundamentally change the discipline, which will continue to evolve artistically throughout the rest of the 1900s.

if you'd like me to analyze other BoB (or even the Pacific) characters through poetry and art, please let me know! gotta admit, I wrote this in a frenzy at 3am because I just could not stop thinking about a fictional character's likely poetic inclinations. would appreciate any kind of contribution on this subject too! this is, of course, just my opinion :) feel free to disagree!

[ginger-grimm]

DESCENDANTS NEW OCS

Hello, yes, new OCs that I have been workshopping with a lot of help by Poppy so here you go hope you enjoy! Fair warning some of them exist on vibes only and they're all being put into Petra's story.

Arminta "Minty" Liddell, daughter of Alice Liddell of Alice in Wonderland fame

- is a whirwind of trouble but everyone loves her (well, mostly everyone)

- is a proper Brit through and through, loves her tea time

- is roomies with Willa Darling and besties with Tabitha Andrews

- Ben Beast endgame

- is forced to face the Queen of Hearts somewhere in the trilogy, though it will be more on the side

- has the kookiest style that Evie immediately comes to appreciate (she reminds her of Dizzie)

- can never stfu unless she's around Ben, suddenly she never learned how to talk

- Tee puts a spell on her and Ben to get him some courage to drop Audrey faster because he means well but really shouldn't be trusted with magic

- loves little tea cakes and macaroons

- is on student council

- knows how to read tarot

- good with...substances

- always wearing outrageous heels

Tabitha "Tabby" Andrews, daughter of Tiana and Naveen

- is also on student council

- OC ship endgame

- baker officianado because of course

- coffee addict

- is a genuine sort of person, gets along with mostly everyone

- has a fiercely protective instinct, especially over Minty and later Falk

- green is her color (she got it from her Mama)

- track runner and damn good at it

- successful at many things but in that effortless way

- very much a romantic

- has a collection of stuffed animals in her room, don't ever touch them unless you're Minty or want to lose an eye

Falk White, son of Snow White and Prince Florian

- Tabitha endgame and you better believe it

- the epitome of beauty at Auradon Prep

- can't turn the girls away fast enough

- took a level in Prince-ness

- is an athlete but one of the nicer ones, does track with Tabby and used to play Tourney before coming to find it too violent

- tea lover in training (Minty leaves him a tea of the month box in his room every single month)

- can't cook for shit but really tries, it's not his fault everthing he touches burns

- has seen the worst horror movies without flinching

- is good at decorating

- animals flock to him

- will be poisoned by step-granny

Juniper "June" of Agrabah, daughter of Jasmine and Aladdin

- literally the cutest person you could ever meet

- bit of a ditz, but she gets by in school

- tried bringing a tiger to the dorms but had to give him to the zoo because obviously pets can only be as big as dogs

- the Princess to be

- won several beauty contest and loves doing makeup and costuming

- theater nerd

- roomies with Tabby

- no endgame yet, dunno who to choose

- always hides underneath blankets when forced to watch horror movies

Tagging all of my Descendants moots: @come-along-pond @dancingsunflowers-ocs @daughter-of-melpomene @ginevrastilinski-ocs

[kiefbowl]

so happy you're changing careers, i always hoped you'd be able to do something more exciting :) i admire how these things don't seem to intimidate you, because to me the job market is terrifying lol

if you don't mind me asking what did you go to school for, and would you have picked something different nowadays?

Film and Video, and maybe I would have. I think my time at college was not well mentored, a realization I had throughout college as I met more people who had parents, teachers, etc. who helped prep them for their time in college (for better or for worse) and as the vision of what I was "supposed" to be doing in college came into clearer focus. When you're six months from graduating, kind of terrifying if I'll be real! But I'm 1000% positive my story is not unique. If I had been better prepared to be a student trying to gain experience to enter the job market, I would have probably studied something else OR I would have used my time better in my degree to actually prepare for that career. I probably could have been happy doing video things, it's just by the time I was close to graduating, the idea of hustling when I never really hustled before terrified me out of trying. In retrospect, I probably could have done it with more support and, as I said, mentorship. There's also so little of the world you know, that sometimes the things you learn you could be doing, it's the eleventh hour in your second semester senior elective. How was I supposed to know people could study classics and launch that into a career of teaching or museum curation if I'm just learning about it now studying greek and latin roots in my etymology class for funsies?

I think we send kids off to college much much much too soon. I wish we had a culture, infrastructure to allow under 25 year olds to do odd jobs while building their social circle and prioritizing partying, traveling, having fun. In my dream world, a 19 year old could work part time as a barista, pay for an apartment with a roomie, spend time doing whatever weird theater/art/music career they think they want, have time to get into politics at a local level, and start putting money away for retirement, and just doing fuck all so that they can think about what they want to do and experience some real life decisions. They can learn "oooh I like customer service but I hate retail" or "oooooh music is something I want to do as a hobby, and playing shows sucks assssss" or "oooooh this internship at my mom's work isn't so bad, I'm not afraid of an office" or "ooooooh this intership at my mom's office sucks asssssss and I wonder what life on a boat is like" or w/e.

Then when you understand the value of money a little better, have a clearer idea of how you want to spend your life, you can go to college if it suits you.

[prideandparchment]

10.10.23.

Did not make much progress yesterday (I had classes all day and I was babysitting during the evening) but turns out there are two more required readings to get to before Thursday...

Peter Handke: Offending the Audience - reading (10.09.)

Kricsfalusi Beatrix: Metadráma vagy színházi esemény? - read (10.09.)

Plautus: Amphitryon - read (10.09.)

Culturpolitics during Socialism in Hungary ('60-70s, TTT) - prep for presentation (10.10.)

Theater and industrial/fine arts - prep for presentation (10.11.)

Ungvárnémeti Tóth László: Nárcisz - read; prog. (10.11)

Gothár Péter: A Filozófus - watch (10.11)

Paulo Freire: Pedagogy of the Oppressed (excerpts) - read (10.12.)

Stuart Hall: Culture and Identity - refresh my memories (10.12.)

Augusto Boal: Theater of the Oppressed - read (10.12.)

Jacqueline Lo and Helen Gilbert: Toward a Topography of Cross-Cultural Theatre Praxis (excerpts) - read (10.12.)

Jean LeGwin: After Appropriation (excerpts) - read (10.12.)

UNI PREP TO DO - WEEK 5 07.10.23.

prog. = in progress, done [Most of these are in Hungarian, but I put the English titles of those that have one on here.]

Peter Handke: Offending the Audience - reading (10.09.)

Kricsfalusi Beatrix: Metadráma vagy színházi esemény? - read; prog. (10.09.)

Plautus: Amphitryon - read; prog. (10.09.)

Culturpolitics during Socialism in Hungary ('60-70s, TTT) - prep for presentation; prog. (10.10.)

Theater and industrial/fine arts - prep for presentation (10.11.)

Ungvárnémeti Tóth László: Nárcisz - read (10.11)

Gothár Péter: A Filozófus - watch (10.11)

Paulo Freire: Pedagogy of the Oppressed (excerpts) - read (10.12.)

Stuart Hall: Culture and Identity - refresh my memories (10.12.)

Augusto Boal: Theater of the Oppressed - read (10.12.)

I will update you as I make progress.

[philhoffman]

Phil was such a kind man. When I think about all the ways I miss him so much, sometimes it’s those little moments that jump out the most. Some reporters might’ve given him a reputation as a sort of closed-off, curmudgeonly guy, but that’s because they were pains in his ass who asked him stupid questions—he really did love meeting people and talking to strangers and being part of the world, not as a famous actor but just another human.

Helping a woman out of a taxi on the icy street during a blizzard. Sharing a quiet moment with a stranger watching the sunset on the edge of the city. Reading the bus schedule for someone whose glasses were too smudged by the rain to see it themselves. Taking a class of theater students from his hometown out to talk about acting and the Bills. Paying an extra more than she’d make on set that day out of his own pocket so she could go home instead of working in the heat with her baby. Stopping someone just to tell them how beautiful their dog was. Helping calm down an anxious toddler on his flight. Met a fan on the subway and ended up walking her all the way to her door to make sure she got home safe, all while asking questions about her job and herself. Giving free tickets to the staff of a cafe where he spent hours prepping a role. Paying the cab fare for a stranger who got mugged, after making sure he was alright. Laughing at a joke he overheard in a bookstore. Sharing lighters. Offering the time and a big smile.

Those are just a few of the moments I can remember off the top of my head, which are a fraction of the ones I’ve heard, which only include the stories people have been kind enough to share—not to mention the hundreds, thousands more that exist in people’s private thoughts and hearts. He was just a really good guy, at the end of the day.

[justforbooks]

The career of the actor Andre Braugher, who has died of lung cancer aged 61, was benchmarked by two performances in police dramas a generation apart. In the groundbreaking drama Homicide: Life on the Street, from 1993 until 1999, he played Detective Frank Pembleton, whose drive immediately made him the anchor of an impressive ensemble cast led by Yaphet Kotto and Ned Beatty. He drew a younger audience with the comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-21) as Captain Ray Holt, who takes over a chaotic homicide squad and whose intensity again makes him the heart of the show.

Braugher’s deep, resonant voice and seemingly effortless control drew the respect of all he worked with. David Simon, creator of Homicide and The Wire, said: “I’ve worked with a lot of wonderful actors. I’ll never work with one better.” His classical training, at the Juilliard School in New York, made him a regular at the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, and indeed his portrayal of Henry V in 1996 won him an Obie (the off-Broadway equivalent of the Tony awards).

He brought the projection of the stage to the small screen. Pembleton was the master of “the Box”, or the interrogation room. He explained to his rookie partner in Homicide (played by Kyle Secor), it was “salesmanship … as silver tongued and thieving as ever moved used cars, Florida swamp land or Bibles. But what I am selling is a long prison sentence.” He dominated those small scenes, but the episode Subway, with Vincent D’Onofrio as a character pushed between subway trains, who will die once the trains are separated, was a two-hander whose intensity might have come from the stage of Beckett, Pinter or Mamet.

In Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as Holt, he played it straight in two senses. The adage of comedy being funniest when played straight gained resonance from Braugher’s ability to show the audience with a gesture or line-reading that he, like you, got the joke. But Holt is also gay. His gayness is never an issue, except as motivation for his progress within the police. It was as if Pembleton were stepping into Kotto’s “Gee” Giardello, a black man with an Italian father who was determined to rise in a white-dominated department.

This drive reflected Braugher’s own background. In the tough neighbourhood of Austin, on Chicago’s West Side, both his parents worked for the government; his father, Floyd, was a heavy equipment operator for the state of Illinois, and his mother, Sally, worked for the US Postal Service. He recalled he might have “pretended I was hard and tough and not square”, but he won scholarships to the Jesuit St Ignatius College prep and then to study mathematics at Stanford University, California. After walking into a student production of Hamlet, and playing Claudius, he decided he wanted to act.

Another scholarship took him to Juilliard. He graduated in 1988 and almost immediately was cast in a TV revival of Kojak, as his assistant. His first film role came in Glory (1989); he was so impressive as the educated Thomas Searles, forced to serve as a private soldier in the all-black regiment commanded by his white friend, that Hollywood came calling, but the parts were standard stereotyical roles. His father had questioned how a black actor would make a living, and Braugher later explained: “I’d rather not work than do a part I’m ashamed of.”

He played the lead in a TV movie, The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (1990), playing Robinson, the first African-American player in major league baseball, who earlier in the 1940s, as a US army lieutenant, had refused to ride in the back of a segregated bus; and appeared in another TV film, The Tuskegee Airmen (1995). He was an egotistical actor in Spike Lee’s Get On the Bus (1996), about the Million Man March on Washington DC the year before. In 1998 he won his first Emmy award for playing Pembleton; he was nominated 11 times, and won his second in 2006 for his role in the miniseries Thief.

After Homicide, he starred as a doctor in Gideon’s Crossing (2000-01), as a cop in Hack (2002-04), as a car dealer in the comedy-drama Men of a Certain Age (2009-11) and as the captain of a submarine which goes on the run after he refuses to obey orders to fire nuclear missiles in Last Resort (2012-13). He had another series of remarkable two-handers in a recurring role as Hugh Laurie’s psychiatrist in House, was a defense attorney in episodes of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and voiced Governor Woodchuck Coodchuck-Berkowitz in the animated comedy BoJack Horseman.

He made the most of supporting roles in films such as Primal Fear (as Richard Gere’s investigator), Poseidon (captain of the sinking liner), Salt (as the US secretary of defense) and most notably as a New York Times editor in She Said (2022), covering the Harvey Weinstein scandal. He also starred in 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002), the story of the unionisation of Pullman railway porters, who were always called “George” by passengers.

Braugher admitted that his career “could have been larger, but it would have been at the expense of my own life”. He lived in suburban New Jersey with his wife, the actor Ami Brabson (who played Pembleton’s wife in Homicide). He said he wanted his three sons, Michael, Isaiah and John Wesley, raised in a “true context”, away from being a movie star’s offspring in Hollywood.

He is survived by his wife and sons, his brother, Charles, and his mother.

🔔 Andre Keith Braugher, actor, born 1 July 1962; died 11 December 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[silverredtail]

-OH MY GOD!! BULLSHIT AU INCOMING!!

-Okay okay okay, so school au right?! Macaque-king of the theater program- if he's not lead he's a big character or master of the backstage always has his hands in everything cause he loves the stage and the other kids who have the drive and passion for it. Incomes wukong and the other preps and asses who suddenly wanna audition and be a part of the "magic" cause "oh my god it's just like that one episode/show/movie!!" Makes all of macaques fellow students feel so isolated when this was their space to shine. They had the fucking courts and hallways. Que some high school musical bullshit where macaque puts these preps through the ringer of the theater life, the heavy equipment, the long hours of lighting and blocking and he's not afraid to bully. He's the jock on this stage and he's got a bite to his bark. One by one they leave because they won't be disrespected/it's too hard/ this isnt fun at all...all but the biggest stubborn bitch mac's crossed paths with.

-✨Wukong, star jock, biggest bully cause he's clearly the best, and school massive douche of a prankster✨(Only cause we're going really Disney channel with this au)

-Macaques equal when it comes to weight they can throw around and what they can take. Wukong doesn't break at all, carrying stage peices like it's nothing, actually singing good, standing still out of pride and stubbornness more then anything. But with how loud he is and how above he thinks he is- it takes macaque literally screaming in his face "YOU FUCKS HAVE EVERYTHING! EVERY PEICE OF THE SCHOOL TO RUN BUT THE PLACE WHERE OUTCAST LIKE US CAN FEEL LIKE PEOPLE! AND YOU INVADED IT LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE WERE LIKE A DAMN TV SHOW!" Then wukong kinda breaks alittle, blinking at his punkish/gothish rival in a new light, never seeing the other gets so emotional. "Oh..." "YEAH OH!! Why the hell do you think I've been trying to get you assholes out of here!! This is barely a fraction of the abuse you give us on the daily!"

-But!!!! The worst part is that wukong is good right?! And he doesn't even understand what's technically happening so two things could happen depending on what theme we're going for yeah???

-Either 1) wukong stops coming, gives the loners their space and actually stands up for them outside the theater as well. Opening night he's there frontish row cause you know...he wants to see what macaque sees..not see it for how the other jocks do..and then he slips backstage to offer Mac roses or something and they can start anew in a healthier way.

-Or the more dramatic 2) wukong doesn't quit the show. He's lead and with him there they get a whole new crowd interested in the theater program and macaque has to deal with it...but at least wukong is taking it more seriously. Till the big day..where wukong relaizes as he peeks out of the curtains that all those people..all watching, all waiting...he doesn't get to hide among the team or sit out when he fucks up...he's the lead, if messes up he ruins the whole show. Que his massive stage fright freak out so close to show time

-But macaque isn't a complete ass and he's had plenty of his stage crew who have stage fright..so he pulls wukong aside to a dark quiet space and they have a tender moment there..something along the lines around

"What if I fuck up?!"

"When has that stopped you before peaches?"

"It's nothing compared to this!!!"

"It's not so easy now huh?"

"no..i-I don't think I can do this..."

Which ya know...shows macaque just how bad this is running deep if Wukongs going to bail and humble himself that badly ya know?

-Which is another branch of things that could happen. Macaque doing the simple things of pulling wukong from the show..they have understudies for a reason. Sure they may suffer since the crowd came to see wukong but he's seen panic attacks..and this is the cusp of a big one..one wukong might not recover from.

-The other being the more cuter but again silly movie thing.

"I'm the lead too...just focus on me..just like in practice. The lights will be so bright you won't be able to see them and it will just be us out there..I won't let you mess up..and after, were all going out for food? I'll pay for an extra desert for you."

[purple-ambrosia]

Reimagining “Velma”

I’ve been seeing a lot about the new Velma show on Twitter, and I kind of wanted to take a stab at possibly reimagining it to be truer to the gang while still attempting to do something different.

@omegagorilla made a great Tiktok about how it’s important for characters that are so iconic to keep their fundamental traits and stay recognizable. The show is still coming out, but so far it feels like there’s a bit of a disconnect. The show could have come up with characters unrelated to the Scooby-Doo franchise rather than relying on the property, but with the way that animation is being treated by streaming services, a totally new IP would’ve come with a higher risk of cancellation or receiving less marketing. The Velma show has come out at a time where we’ve seen many shows, especially animated ones, be dropped quickly with little time to find their footings. We’ve even seen some be scrubbed off the Internet entirely. So what setup could have let us see a fresher take on the gang while also letting them stay familiar?

College.

Having the gang go off to college would allow the show to a) explore its adult rating without sexualizing high school students and b) create a setting that poses new opportunities and trials for the gang. This also means the writers have some wiggle room to adapt the gang as they find themselves as new adults. And as a lot of us know, finding ourselves doesn’t come without hardship.

The show opens with Velma still as our primary focal point, but she’s a sophomore in college rather than a high school student. The gang lives in a college town with a good school, but the school is just large enough that they can all avoid each other for the most part. Velma studies hard and mainly keeps to herself. After the gang split up, she’s scared to put herself out there again and start making friends. Part of herself justifies it because she knows she’ll go elsewhere for graduate school, then somewhere else when she has to find a job.

The only one that knows she likes girls is Shaggy. After Fred and Daphne first got together in high school, the two felt pressured to have their own relationship. It didn’t last after Velma blurted out that she might be in love with Daphne when Shaggy tried to kiss her. They were lucky that their “relationship” had only lasted a couple of weeks and one date to the movie theater. Fred and Daphne couldn’t say the same, because when they finally broke up, Daphne transferred to a prep school across town for her junior and senior year. She promised to keep in touch, but the longer the school year went on, the more time it took for her to respond to Velma’s texts. Fred became more focused on trying to get a wrestling scholarship, and that left Velma and Shaggy to rely on one another.

Velma mainly sees Shaggy between exams, usually for meals or to pick him up after he gets too high at a party. She would never tell him, but she likes knowing someone still needs her. Sometimes she catches a glimpse of red hair and some of the parties Shaggy goes to, and her heart pounds so hard that she can’t breathe.

Fast forward to sophomore year, when a girl is found dead on campus. Velma and Shaggy are just coming back from the dining half when they spot the crowd. They push through to the yellow police tape, and for the first time since high school, the gang is all in one place again.