#spectrum club 7

[ashleywool]

Some thoughts and lessons from my first week on Broadway

(in no particular order)

Insecurities don't magically disappear when you hit The Big Dream. But the Big Dream has made it clearer than ever that my default instinct to downplay my achievements is kind of ridiculous. I need to accept that there's just no casual way to talk about my life right now. There is no pretending that any of this isn't a big deal. It's a huge freaking deal, and I earned it, and it's awesome, and I am no less deserving of its awesomeness than anybody else.

Autistic people have more allies out there than we realize. In advocacy circles, we tend to get rather cynical about what people don't understand, or don't want to understand. But there really are so many people who think we are worth listening to, learning from, and amplifying. There are so many people rooting for us, and actively seeking ways to include and affirm everything we are. They know they aren't going to get everything "right" immediately, and they know we won't always have the emotional energy for the hard conversations, but they are THERE, and they are there because they WANT to be. Yes, even on Broadway.

Fun fact: my first survival job was "Starbucks barista." (Other fun fact: the day I made my Broadway debut, Starbucks Workers United announced a massive strike for the very next day.) One thing that my time on Broadway has with my time at Starbucks is that I never seem to have enough Sharpies. At Starbucks, the Sharpies were for marking cups by hand (yes, I'm that old), and on Broadway, they're for signing Playbills at the stage door. (Like I said, there's no casual way to talk about this stuff.)

I honestly underestimated how much Broadway performers have to eat. It's easy to think most Broadway performers tend to be predominantly thin/buff just because the industry is fatphobic--and don't get me wrong, it totally is--but I also don't think most people really understand how athletic it is to do a full musical eight times a week, and what you have to do offstage to make sure you have the strength and stamina for it. It's genuinely harder than I thought it would be to make sure I'm not at a calorie deficit--and my less-than-stellar autistic interoception means that I can't always rely on "hunger cues" the way most people can. I really do have to PLAN to eat. And eat more than I would usually think I need.

I'm getting a lot better at doing my own wig prep. And I'm very excited about how pretty my hair looks at the end of the night when I release it from the pincurls.

Thanks to Mayte Natalio and Team Choreo, I'm also getting a lot better at learning choreography without a mirror. Poor proprioception is common in autistic people and it's one of my biggest insecurities, so it is always very stressful and overwhelming for me to learn choreography without a mirror, especially if I'm in a large group. It's difficult for me to visualize where I am in space and what my movement looks like in relation to others. But the choreo team knows this about me and helps me find other ways to learn and feel confident in the moves without constantly needing immediate visual proof. And that's something I never thought was possible before.

If I had the authority, I would ban pedicabs. Those things are like sensory assault. And they're RIGHT outside our show (and my bedroom window) every night with their lights flashing and their subwoofers blaring. But as a consolation prize to the drivers, I would equip each of them with a food truck. Let them solicit us and our patrons with chicken shawarma and Nuts 4 Nuts instead. That'll certainly get more business from patrons coming out of a show about autistic people.

[jewish-fanboy]

something i really really love about htdio is how the members of spectrum club 7 cope with thoughts/feelings/situations with their special interests cuz hey i do that too! and i feel like it reflects a part of the autistic experience that is ignored a lot

marideth (my favorite!!) deals with the questions from her dad that she doesn’t want to answer about the dance and the uncomfortable situation in the diner by reciting facts about australia (leading into the song unlikely animals). she also thinks about her feelings for drew through the lens of continents and geography (in the song drift) which makes it easier for her to deal with. AND the way that she ends up talking to drew about her feelings for him is also through facts, when she talks about the history behind formal dances

caroline thinks a lot about her relationship with her boyfriend in terms of her interest in royalty and historical figures (like how all the costumes in the song slow dance are very historical)

jessica plans her conversations with tommy to be about dragons, instead of directly having to talk about her feelings, and she spends a lot of time thinking about dragons and fantasy (“don’t get me started on dragons,” and the way she gets a sword as her prize for being the intergalactic superhero of the formal)

drew talks about his feelings about change and marideth and social situations through the lens of engineering (in the song waves and wires) and especially his thoughts about emotions (“light is made of waves, sound is made of waves, feelings come in waves)”

remy talks a lot about their feelings about identity through his cosplays (especially in the song nothing at all) and how they express all the different facets of their identity and feelings as other people (“when i am sherlock the world makes perfect sense”)

tommy talks about independence and what he wants through his focus on driving (in the song chevy silverado)

mel uses their interest in reptiles to get a promotion in their job and their interest in quotes and literature to make friends (during their conversations with ashley)

i just think it’s really cool to see this kind of thing represented!!

[betterwithbooksthanwithpeople]

happy comic sans meme day to those who celebrate

[thesquirrelqueer]

What is HTDIO?

How to Dance in Ohio or HTDIO is a musical about 7 autistic young adults in a counseling group getting ready for a spring formal. All 7 of them are played by autistic actors. It is based off of a documentary of the same name. The show focuses on the relationships between characters as they prepare for the formal as well as face some of their biggest social fears.

The show had a short run at Syracuse Stage back in 2022 and started previews on Broadway on November 15th, 2023. It is set to officially open at the Belasco Theatre on December 10th, 2023.

Who are the characters?

Remy (played by Desmond Edwards) - The youngest of the group, a genderqueer cosplayer with a budding TikTok channel and a love of fashion. 16, any pronouns.

Caroline (played by Amelia Fei) - A bubbly college freshman who is just getting into her first real relationship. Best friend of Jessica. 19, she/her.

Marideth (played by Madison Kopec) - The newest member to the group, very shy but loves geography and Australia. Oh and just like fun facts in general. 18, she/her.

Drew (played by Liam Pearce) - A senior in high school preparing for college. Loves electricity and electrical grids. 18, he/him.

Tommy (played by Conor Tague) - The "class clown" of the group. Uses humor to cope with being self-conscious. Wants to get his drivers license. 22, he/him.

Jessica (played by Ashley Wool) - The confident best friend of Caroline. Loves fantasy stories, especially ones with dragons in them. 20, she/her.

Mel (played by Imani Russell) - The oldest of the group and the one who has been there the longest. Works at a local pet shop and loves reptiles and self-help books. 24, they/them.

Dr. Emilio Amigo (played by Caesar Samayoa) - The therapist in charge of the group, trying his best to get his clients to break out of their shells. he/him

Ashley Amigo (played by Cristina Sastre) - Dr. Amigo's daughter. Used to be a dancer but due to an injury is back in Ohio helping out with the group. she/her

Johanna (played by Darlesia Cearcy) - Caroline's mother. she/her

Terry (played by Haven Burton) - Jessica's mother. she/her

Where can I listen to/watch it?

Currently there are no video recordings of the show available (yet), but they did release an EP with 4 of the songs on it on Spotify which you can check out here

[dezeart]

Is it fanart if you're in the show?

Here's one of my cast mates in the new musical How to Dance in Ohio which is coming to Broadway this fall! It has autistic, trans, queer, disabled, fat, and poc representation which is pretty cool

[azrantimes]

Posting my silly little edit on here

[morg-among-the-stars]

A few lyrical moments in HTDIO where they just Get It

"So much can go wrong tomorrow by simply being me." - "So Much in Common"

"When I mess it up, when I mess it up..." - "Butterflies" (my favorite HTDIO song at the moment omg)

"But if it's hard, then its worth doing it right!" - "Butterflies"

"Do I only exist on this planet to make someone else feel inspired?" - "Nothing at All"

"If you stay, which people don't normally do." - "Drift"

“Try to decipher each new impossible rule.” - “Under Control”

“Taking authority, some recognition.” - “Under Control”

[abbygrabska]

What I would get the How To Dance In Ohio characters for their birthday!

Marideth: Native Scentless Soap, both the bar and the liquid one, with a receipt so she can return the form of soap she doesn't like, since she thinks soap shouldn't smell like anything at all. and a $100 gift card for Barnes and Noble

Jessica: This fucking book. You know that girl loves dragons, and the color pink

Tommy: Model car kit, this one is just an example of what they look like

Caroline: this one I'm not totally sure about, but she mentions the death of royals a bunch of times in the show so. I'd also place reservations at a cat cafe in Ohio, one close to where she lives

Drew: Stuff to make circuit boards, we know he loves it

Mel: field book about reptiles

Remy: I'd get bestie some sewing supplies so they can elevate the cosplays, and that includes the max amount of money you can put on a Joann's gift card

Just gonna tag the actors that are on Tumblr so they can tell me if these are good

@ashleywool

@wakanda-never

@indigogirl420

@traderjoesfan2008

[thetisming]

so im pretty bored and decided to make this look like an old timey photo for some reason

[ashleywool]

An audience reaction that almost broke me happened during the scene right before "Slow Dancing," where Jessica is quizzing Caroline on her Japanese.

The second word is "hikouki," which Caroline incorrectly translates to "helicopter." But immediately after I said "how about hikouki," someone in the audience shouted "airplane!" (the correct answer). Amelia and I did that thing where we made eye contact and our eyes were like "you heard that, right? yeah, me too."

Oh, and this was during the TDF autism-friendly performance, because of course it was. God bless our neurosiblings.

FUNNIEST AUDIENCE REACTION

Drew said "Do you wanna borrow my book about Pangea?" and someone from the back went "SERIOUSLY?!"

I had TEARS IN MY EYES while trying to stay quiet

[ashleywool]

Possible fanfiction prompt:

A reboot of Gilligan's Island, but the seven castaways are the Spectrum Club 7 from How to Dance in Ohio.

Gilligan = Tommy (friendly, means well, tries hard, but kind of chaotic and likely to ruin things, usually seen in red)

Skipper = Drew (charismatic, good leader, but knows how to delegate when necessary, usually seen in blue, also I just like the idea of him clonking Tommy on the head a lot)

Professor = Marideth (more intellectual than emotional, has a vast knowledge of facts about pretty much everything, most likely to figure out how to do anything...except fix the boat)

Thurston Howell III = Remy (highly influential and well-connected, could be morally corrupt but chooses not to be, the most likely to pack an absurd amount of "necessary" possessions to keep with them on a three-hour tour)

Eunice Howell = Mel (stronger than they seem, wiser than you expect, protective maternal energy, also I just like the idea of Mel and Remy being married because probably what happened is Remy got rich and famous from influencer income and married Mel so that they could afford to leave Paws & Claws and have a better life with adequate healthcare and that's the wholesome queer aro/ace love story we deserve)

Ginger Grant = Jessica (is a star, knows she's a star, knows that you know she's a star, acts accordingly)

Mary Ann = Caroline (sweet, wholesome, has a toxic ex, bffs with Jessica, and people totally like her better than Jessica, but don't tell Jessica)

cc: @traderjoesfan2008 @indigogirl420 @wakanda-never

[betterwithbooksthanwithpeople]

incorrect spectrum club 7 quotes

(things my neurodivergent siblings have said edition)

Drew: “Imagine being in the top 5% [on this test] in the country and not caring.”

Marideth: “Gotta love the Bolivia Salt Flat that you can see from space.”

Caroline: “Ughh, my glittery soul.”

Jessica: “That hurt so bad, but for dramatic effect it was worth it.”

Mel: “I am indifferent, as I am to many things.”

Tommy: “Okay, I got us lost because I didn’t know where we were going.”

Remy: “That’s not a throwback. That’s me right now.”

bonus - Ashley: “I’m unemployed and uneducated. Nothing touches me.”

[thesquirrelqueer]

the rest of the spectrum club seven: *singing about the person they like*

tommy: i want to curl up and diiiiie

[ashleywool]

I'm never going to get sick of How to Dance in Ohio fandom content gracing my Tumblr dashboard.

I love seeing HTDIO become to a cluster of Tumblr users what Rent was to me and a cluster of LiveJournal users back in the day.

I love seeing people delight in something that we took such deep delight in creating, but for years only had each other to delight in it with.

I love seeing people find community in their shared love of something that was created within a community of shared love.

It's genuinely the greatest honor of my life.

This isn't what I came on Tumblr to do today but it sure did make my day. Happy Today Is Friday In Ohio Friday to everyone. Grandma Millennial loves you very much.

happy today is friday in ohio friday

[officialrapunzelfitzherbert]

hi everyone while im thinking a lot abt fantasy high and htdio is this the right platform to share my spectrum club 7 as the bad kids agenda im going to do it anyway

(no spoilers for junior year in this post but there is a junior year exclusive character bc there are only 6 bad kids)

drew: gorgug thistlespring. gentle. tinkerer using his talents to show his love for others. non confrontational but learning how to stand up for himself. the greatest wizard of his age.

tommy: fabian aramais seacaster. confident to an icarus degree. the future of dance. like if a jock was also a theater kid. chevy silverado is the hangman.

mel: adaine abernant. forging their own path. always working hard. kind and quick witted. finds comfort in animals. forgiving on their own terms.

caroline: kristen applebees. hopeless romantic. a little bit chaotic and impulsive but follows her heart and always means well. will do anything for her friends.

jessica: riz gukgak. strategic. will make up an entire relationship to keep up with her friends. book smart. afraid of change.

remy: fig faeth. loves being other people, still getting comfortable as themselves. deeply passionate about what they believe in. rebelling against the system.

marideth: mary ann skuttle. on her puter. same hoodie every day. 900 hours of minecraft. small. everyone is both terrified of her and deeply in love with her.

do you see my vision here

[mellosdrawings]

What's that? I finally took the time to make an actual character sheet for my Yuusona?

Yuu

17 years old, 1st year

They/them, probably on the aro/ace spectrum though they never really thought about it (they do get weird when people show interest in them)

Half Japanese half french

Probably has some flavor of AuDHD

Back home: Before they were kidnapped forcefully moved to Twisted Wonderland, they were the main caretaker of four younger siblings while their parents were busy working. One of their main worry now is whether their siblings are doing alright without them. Their deepest wish is to at least be able to phone call their family to reassure them that they are ok.

Personality: They usually prefer to stand to the side and observe rather than talk and engage with others. They tend to be very prudent with their actions, up until their patience runs out. They're actually pretty perceptive and great at reading others, they just keep everything to themself without realizing.

They make up their absence of magic with their fists and wits. People tend to underestimate them due to their size and quiet demeanor, but they can be vicious and ruthless when push comes to shove. They are not very expressive physically.

At school: Yuu has a terrible focus so they struggle a lot, even when the subject interests them. They are very fond of History of Magic but also hates it because learning a whole world's history in a few months only is a nightmare and a half. They also hate flying with a passion since they are scared of heights. If they could choose a club, Yuu would go for photography and/or filming.

At Ramshackle: Yuu cleans the dorm as a past time, it keeps their body moving while they're thinking about what problem they currently have. They hate cooking though, so when the cafeteria isn't accessible they try to cram themselves in whichever dorm will have them to enjoy someone else's cooking. They aren't very time savvy so they and Grim keep leaving late in the mornings.

Relationships (with Housewardens/OB)

Yuu has a soft spot for Riddle. Unless it's some rule they find completely nonsensical they tend to do whatever Riddle asks. Whenever Yuu comes to class with a clean uniform, it's because Riddle was around to correct their appearance.

Yuu and Leona's relationship is peak siblinghood. Once Yuu figures out that Leona won't act on (half of) his threats, it's over for him. He's one of the first Yuu comes to when they have a problem.

Yuu and Azul regularly try to outsmart each other. At first their interest with Azul is very transactional since he can help with everything Crowley can't be bothered to do (ie give Yuu an actual legal presence in this world) but since they have somewhat similar mindsets they end up getting along very well.

Yuu values Kalim's presence a lot. He's one of the rare pure hearted people at school so Yuu doesn't have to be hyper vigilant around him. It's a breath of fresh air. He is a bit too active for Yuu though, so they tire very fast around him.

"It takes one liar to know another" would be Jamil and Yuu's relationship starter. They had weird vibes from each other from the very start but Jamil did end up underestimating Yuu. Yuu is obsessed with Jamil's hair and regularly takes pictures of him.

Yuu is kinda scared of Vil (in a good way). If they were a tad more outgoing they'd be asking Vil to pose for their camera 24/7. Instead they quietly worship him.

If Yuu could, they'd adopt Idia (and Ortho). Yuu tends to miss their siblings all the time so they get a bit emotional around them both.

Yuu loves to observe Malleus. He's some kind of very strange entity that they can't get enough of and they don't understand half of what he talks about which tickles their curiosity a lot.

Yuu treats Grim like their own cat and plushie. They hold him in their arm as much as possible (until Grim gets tired of it and wanders off somewhere else) because it reassures them. They do fight a lot, a bit like siblings, but they also look out for the other all the time. Yuu sometimes agree to cook for Grim despite hating it.

Relationships (the less fun kind):

Since they're in a world they don't know with students who try to kill them every couple months, Yuu is very defensive in how they approach relationships. Everything starts as transactional and about how "useful" someone can be to keep around. They try to keep even the people they don't really get along with close for this reason.

They are actually very emotional (despite not showing it) so their heart takes precedence over their brain eventually. Despite not being particularly proactive they do go out of their way to help the ones they're close to.