#taz: live in chicago
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I don't think there's a scene where Mickey Mouse takes a shit.
Griffin McElroy
#quotes#quote#griffin mcelroy#taz#taz live#taz vs moby dick#taz: live in chicago#mcelroys#the adventure zone#profanity
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Happy Candlenights!
Hereâs a list of all the TAZ Candlenights episodes that I could find! Feel free to tell me if I missed any.
Ep 29. The Crystal Kingdom - Chapter One
The Adventure Zone: Candlenights in Tacoma!
The Adventure Zone: Live Candlenights 2018 Spectacular
The Adventure Zone: Holiday Brawl in Chicago!
The Adventure Zone: Live at Emerald City Comic Con!
And hereâs a Spotify playlist of all the episodes!! Now you can burn your Candlenights bush while being festive!! I also recommend reading The Worst Candlenights Ever by @kravkalackin to really get into the holiday spirit đŻď¸âď¸âď¸đđłđĽ
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EDIT: apparently the first spirit breakers wasn't a live show. oops.
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Choices Chapter 2: Like a Shot
Ricky takes Esther back to her apartment. On their way out, they are attacked by a rival gang.
Warnings/Promises: gang-typical violence, food mention, fluffy-flirty Ricky
Word Count: 4800
Chapter 1: Valentine's Day
Friday, February 15, 1929
Bridgeport Township
When Esther came down the stairs the next morning, Starks was waiting for her with a cup of coffee and a map.
âIs it⌠spiked or-â Esther nodded at the cup.
With a smile, he handed it over. âJust plain coffee. I promise. Milk and sugar are in the kitchen, along with breakfast.â He popped open the breezeway so they could cross to the other side of the house.
When they reached the kitchen, Esther recognized the small space from her brief entrance the day before. In the hustle and bustle of moving her in, sheâd missed its quaint details. Mrs. Anne sat at the small table against the door-side wall, darning some socks while Mr. Jim peeled potatoes. She pointed out the sugar on the far counter, and Starks grabbed the milk bottle from the ice box next to the back door. The stove in the corner easily radiated heat through the room. It was very welcome with how damp and drizzly it was outside. And, from the kitchenâs position behind Wardlowâs office, the oven probably seeped warmth into the wall right behind his desk. The large table island in the middle of the room was prepped with platters of toast, eggs, bacon (which Esther politely avoided), and a small plate with a pat of butter.
It was then, with the soft scrape of Mr. Jimâs knife, and the clink of plates and utensils, that Esther noticed how quiet the rest of the house was. âMost of the guys headed out early to prepare for the Bull Session,â Starks noted. âAny other morning, it would still be this quiet for anybody recovering from a late night. Or a busted head.â
Mrs. Anne tsked, flicking her eyes from Starks to Esther to point out the womanâs alarm.
âAh. A busted head is just a hangover.â He laughed nervously, dipping his head in apology to the housekeeper. âNothing too violent.â
âOh,â Esther breathed in a sigh of relief. But she also observed how Rickyâs eye had not improved. It was still swollen and red around the lid and underneath. The purple bits from last night had settled deep into his skin. It looked painful. Her staring was interrupted by his placing the map on the counter.
A pigeonâs-eye view of Chicagoâs city plan was outlined into regions. Names were labeled within each square. Some areas were clear of writing. Esther assumed they were neutral territories. Especially considering one of them contained the police station. Perhaps. Or maybe they were areas of flux as the crews acquired and lost ground. Stars on the map marked âbusinesses.â
Starks pointed at the square encompassing the townhouse just south of the cityâs center. And then to Howls former locations. âWeâre obviously here. But, as you can see, we have neighbors with conflicting interests. On the lakeside: Kenny Omega and The Fatherâs House. Everybody calls it Feathers. Itâs a church front with a casino in the basement fellowship hall. Heâs our biggest customer for hooch to keep his patrons spending.â
âWhy feathers?â
âSome kind of angel pun, I think. Thatâs from before I joined the racket up here. Up here by the tracks on our northside is Chris Jericho and Jazzies. Heâs got guys in the police force, so his casino is almost never raided. And definitely never shut down. We hire musicians from Jerichoâs music shop front. Not often. But it keeps him happy.â He let the information settle. âNow, to keep you happy. Where am I taking you today?â
Esther looked over the map before pointing. âHere.â
His eyebrows arched. âYou live in Jade territory?â
âI didnât care who owned the block. Most people donât. All that matters is that the rent is cheap, and itâs mostly quiet.â She frowned. âI thought Jade worked for Taz?â
âYeah, but she came in with some land she won for herself as a display of her skills.â He shrugged. âWe should probably go, but I canât leave this around. How quick can you memorize it? Donât worry about the exact dimensions and street names; the borders change too often. And youâll get the gist of territories as youâre present for business meetings.â
With one last long look, feeling the Torriosâs interest on her back, Esther soaked up the information on the map. There were a few overlapping areas she wanted to ask about. But she knew Starks or Wardlow could fill her in later. Her apartment building looked so far away on the map. But it had only taken minutes to drive yesterday. She looked over the streets closely to make up for the blur of turns that sheâd missed during her escape and then during the move. âAlright, I think Iâve got it.â
The oven door creaked as Starks opened it, washing the room in a swell of heat from the rabid flames inside. With the rush of air, he had to force the map into the opening so it would catch. One corner ignited. Then the miniature flame ate its way to the other side. He kept watch until the page was ashes before closing the door.
âNow we just have to borrow one of the cars and get moving.â He shared a nod with Mrs. Anne, who retrieved their coats from the hooks in the hall.
âOne of the cars? Itâs not that far of a walk. We could-â
He chuckled. âItâs cold out, Doll. Why shuffle through the snow and rain when you could travel in style?â He was amused by her agreeing smile. âWelcome to the Wardlow way of business.â
The car in question was sleek in design. But complicated to start. One of Fordâs Model Aâs, as Starks identified, it still started with a crankshaft in the front grill. Starks insisted Esther sit in the front passenger seat during the process. After many a grunt, and a few curses under breath, the motor purred to life and off they went.
To cover up for his earlier struggle, he had no shortage of questions. Esther shared how her family had always lived on the outskirts of the city, out in River Forest. Her fatherâs bakery out there did well. But his back was broken in a driving accident; he had been crossing the street when a speeding car came careening around a corner. He couldnât knead the tougher doughs, but her mother and brothers helped out. She was the first to move into the city center when seeking her fortune. And Starks shared how he was the first from his family to leave the state of Louisiana. But he deflected around the reasons for his move. Something about a job. Esther didnât press.
The conversation eventually came to a lull. Starks hummed, then began to guide the car to the curb.
âIs everything alright?â Esther had been watching him adjust levers and press the different pedals, but it was a lot different from the old van she had sometimes driven for the corner grocer. This would be nothing like those deliveries.
âWanna take the wheel for a bit?â
âOh, no. Iâll have a lesson about-â she waved her hand over the dash, âall of this when the roads arenât so slick.â She breathed a sigh of relief when he guided the car back into the minimal traffic. Because of the weather, there werenât as many booths out by the street. Mostly ones selling something hot to eat or drink while the rest of the businesses kept their wares inside. Passerbys huddled against the cold and moved quickly as they dared over the icy sidewalks and slippery streets. Esther was glad for the car. âI have to admit, I kinda like being driven around. Thanks for beinâ my chauffeur.â
Starks tipped his hat, making her laugh. âMy pleasure, miss.â
As they crossed the invisible threshold into Jade territory, Starks slowed their carefree clip down to a casual cruise. The speed blended in with the calm bustle of pushcarts and older cars. Also, his conversation was loose, distracted, while he kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. The buildings, slowly dipping from brick-built to brick-faced, and barely managed to decrepit, crawled by Estherâs window. When Cargill took over, she had initiated several projects to strengthen the community, usually meaning a bustle of builders. To Esther, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. If anything, it was quiet. Probably too cold out for the work teams. Mentioning this made Rickyâs grip on the steering wheel tighter.
Estherâs friend was just walking up to the front door of the building when Starks brought the car to a stop. The mere sight of the blonde, who embodied the flapper trends when she could, made her heart leap. She didnât wait for him to open her door. She was out like a shot with a squeal mirrored by her friend, Mary.
âI saw all those men yesterday but didnât see you. Heard about the raid, and then the shooting at Billâs and thought the worst. But here you are!â
âOh, there was a lot of⌠Yes. Everything worked out. Iâm alright. And! I got a new position that came with a new place. But in all the rush, I forgot a few things. You donât still happen to have my motherâs scarf, do you? I couldnât find it last night and I-â
Mary beamed and laced her arm with Estherâs. âYes, I do. It was perfect for my date last week.â They shared a giggle. âDidnât work out more than for a free meal, but come on up while I find it and tell me about your new job.â She eyed the man at Estherâs side. âIs this your new boss? Are you a boxer, Mister-?â
âStarks.â He took her outstretched hand and lightly kissed her knuckles. âRicky Starks. And no, to both questions. We have the same boss, and Iâm⌠clumsy.â He lightly touched his eye. When she laced her other arm in his, he gladly let her take the lead.
âIâve got a cousin that lives up in New York,â Mary said, leading them up the stairs. âWhen her mother was doing poorly, she came home for a while and taught us girls some exercise from London, and how to punch like she learned in the Bronx.â She shadowboxed outside her door. âMaybe Esther can show you a few pointers. I taught her everything my cousin showed me.â
They shared a laugh. Maryâs room was across the landing from Estherâs. It made for easy check-ins, mutual sewing assistance, shared meals, and the best moments of developing city sisters.
âWould either of you like some tea?â Mary swept from one side of her living space to the other in her quick way. âIâm going to make me a cup.â
Esther almost shed a tear with the realization of how much she would miss her friendâs daily hustle. âIâm alright, dear. Though Mr. Starks might need some. It wasnât as warm in the car as he thought it would be.â To emphasize her point, he held up his hands and dramatically tried to unbend his half-frozen fingers. It made the women laugh; Mary uproariously, in her way. âIn that case, we should hurry. You havenât moved your sugar, have you?â
Their easy dance in the small corner kitchen, no more than a stove with a pair of burners on the top and a small counter, caught Starks in wonder. Mary rushed between the stove top and the cabinet of cups over the sink to one side while Esther handed her things. He likened it to watching fireflies in Louisiana; lightning up in as many corners of a grove as possible. Esther moved like⌠the only thing he could think of was the way sugar poured smoothly into a cup of something warm. Such a cup was placed in his hands while he did his best to keep up with Maryâs ceaseless conversation.
âSo, whereâs this new secretary- stenographer job?â
Esther sat by Starks on the low couch while Mary took the chair. âItâs downtown a bit. Comes with an apartment and everything! Maybe you could visit- oh. Maybe not. The boss is⌠a little shy.â
Starks caught her disappointment. He flashed a smile. âWe have parties sometimes. And we never turn a pretty face away from the door.â
While her friend flushed, Esther breathed with wondering what sorts of parties could be held at the townhome. If they could actually be held at all, or if Starks was just being kind. She used the breath to blow steam off her tea. âI hope this one lasts for a while. Itâll be nice to have something steady. Howâs my spot at the corner grocerâs?â
âHeâs so sweet.â Mary swirled the spoon in her tea. âHis younger son is even nicer, though not around often. He took over the deliveries since Joshua left for school. Delivers on foot, and in the Harriganâs car. Did you know the van finally gave up the ghost? And you remember the Harrigans, right? Got that little tot whoâs got great aim for kicking people in the shins. Thatâs them. And Mr. Brazer, thatâs my boss, Mr. Starks, heâs so easy-going. Wonât let me lift more than a bag of apples if he can help it, the dear. Iâve already started to memorize the common customers. Which oneâs like what kinds of lettuce, if we ever get any. Which ones keep asking for oranges. And which ones I have taâ keep an eye on their kids. One lady- did you ever meet Mrs. Folle? Has a little girl who knocks over my carrots, I swear, every time they come in. Little carrot-topâs got a thing for watching them go everywhere, I guess. So, what all will you be secretary-ing?â
Starks passed a hand over his eyes. How did Esther ever keep up with this girl?
âI have to admit, Iâm a little fuzzy on the details. But as far as I can tell, Iâm going to be taking notes during meetings. That way the boss or any of his associates can read over them and keep updated. Iâm assuming anyways; I havenât actually started yet.â When she glanced at Ricky for help, he stammered out some half-baked story about how Wardlow was blessed with a strong income, and Estherâs work would help him dish the charity back into the city.
âThat wonât be so bad. And youâll be out of the cold. I get frozen every time someone opens the front door. Youâll be working days instead of nights like you used to, Iâm sure. Iâm so happy for you!â She reached over and lightly swatted Estherâs knee. âItâs exciting. A fresh start. And hopefully quieter than your last two places. Wolves⌠or Howls; whatever it was called.â
As Mary continued to chat, Esther and Starks shared a look. Nothing about this job was quiet, and they both knew it.
âLet me get that scarf, before I forget.â Mary finished her tea with a flourish. Spinning out of her seat, she hurried from her boudoir to her closet, to the box of hats and things under her bed. It ended up being in the first drawer of the boudoir, passed over in her haste. Esther began cleaning up the cups and saucers. When everything was put away, her friend was suddenly soft-spoken.
Mary handed over the scarf, letting her hand linger over Estherâs. âHey, donât forget me while youâre living in the heart of downtown and surrounded by all that elegance. Okay?â
âI could never. When my days off roll around, Iâll write. Who else could I get into mischief with?â
Ricky slid his hand into the crook of Estherâs arm. âMaybe we can all go out dancing. Dance the night away and not come back till dawn!â He winked at Mary. âIâm sure I can find another coworker who can lead you in a quick Charleston if youâd like.â
âWhew, any time!â
They shared a giggle and a hug before Esther and Starks went back to the car.
Outside, Ricky nodded. âNice girl. Friendly.â He caught Estherâs eye. âBut sheâs a wild two-step, that one. Iâm glad youâre more of a small, sweet cup of coffee.â
With a confused smile, Esther wrapped her motherâs scarf around her neck. âOdd compliment, but Iâll take it.â
He was just taking her hand to give it a squeeze when Esther was distracted by movement over his shoulder. The street was oddly empty. Except for a car accelerating towards the building. Ricky spun to face it as the motorâs roar reached him.
âGet inside.â He shoved her towards the steps. âDoes it lock?â
Esther pulled on the handle. âIt already is.â
Starks grit his teeth with a grunt. âGet into the alley. Hide behind anything sturdy that you can find and keep your head down. Donât come out again until itâs quiet.â He watched as she ran and hid, then rushed to the back of the car. The button inside the trunk popped open the hidden shelf, revealing a machine gun. With only moments until the car would be in range to fire at him, he ducked behind the sidewalk-side tire.
Bullets riddled the street-side of the car. Glass broke into the seats, and more broke in the buildingâs first floor. Starks aimed over the hood, making the attacking bullets pause. But his gun jammed. With a curse, he dropped down to his knees. The bullets continued to fly as the carâs tires squealed and he dug around in his pockets. By the time he found his revolver, two men had jumped out. One kicked the gun out of Starkâs hand. A short fight broke out.
Despite it technically not being quiet yet, Esther risked a peek. One of the men was tall as a giant, broad shouldered, and with well-combed blond hair. He grabbed Ricky by the scruff of his neck to pull him to his feet, then pinned his arms behind him. The second, shorter and younger with dark hair, blew on his knuckles. With a grin, he landed a solid punch to Starkâs stomach. Esther almost cried out to see him double over, again and again, as the assault continued. A third man, with a lionâs mane of long blond hair, gave a whistle from his position in the car. He waved his hat before putting it back on his head. The long feather stuck into the band caught on the door.
To Estherâs horror, the two assailants dragged Ricky to their vehicle. It was still sputtering and chugging, ready to go whenever the feather-hat leader knew they were good. Starkâs limbs made one last effort to prevent the inevitable. The young man shoved them in one by one and shouted something. They sped off, creating a tidal wave in the muddy slush on the road.
Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest.
Nobody had screamed when the first-floor windows broke. But she knew the neighborhood would be buzzing soon enough.
Rushing to the sidewalk, Esther gave one hard look at the car. It was in rough shape. Not like she could operate it anyway. She took a second to orient herself. Then broke off into a sprint. She kept that morningâs map in her mind. Which blocks to turn at. Which ones to avoid, just in case.
The cold didnât matter. Her running created a heat that kept her going. When she finally arrived at the townhome, she was sweating.
Wardlow had just arrived back with some of the men. âEsther! Whatâs wrong?â He caught her as her lungs gave out. âCatch your breath. There you go. Whatâs happened? Whereâs Ricky?â
âTaken.â She swallowed a mouthful of air. âThree guys. Young guy. Tall and blond. And their leader with long blond hair.â She motioned a line beside her head. âLong feather in his hat.â
At Wardlowâs side, Spears and Joe hissed. Spears punctuated it with an extra growl. âJericho. Bastard probably wanted to know what Starks overheard.â
Joe kneeled next to Esther. âThe young guy. Dark hair?â When she nodded, he winced. âWhose side is Guevarra on? Just last month he had switched back to Friedmanâs crew.â
âWe canât riddle that out right now.â Wardlow passed her shivering body to Joe. âSpears, behind the wheel. Sorry, boys, the dayâs not done yet. Martin, check the hatches. Are we loaded? Good. Iâm joining you on the hunt.â He turned back to the pair, brushing a sweaty lock off Estherâs forehead. âHoney, youâre gonna be alright. And so is Starks. You did good. Joe, get her inside to Anne before she catches cold. And watch the house for further backlash. This shouldnât take long.â
The car was already speeding off before Wardlowâs door shut. The rushed growl of it raised Esther.
âThe car! Itâs back at the apartment. âCouldnât drive it so I ran andâŚâ
Joe hushed her, carrying her into the house. âItâs alright. Weâll send somebody for it.â
âItâs all shot up-â
âWeâll handle that too. Mrs. Anne, some hot water and some assistance, please.â
While the housekeeper and Joe hurried around to dote on Esther, she fought to remember every detail of the kidnapping. It somehow felt worse than if theyâd just shot him in front of her. And now Wardlow was out there. Everyone was in danger.
âHand that to me, dear. Thatâs it.â Mrs. Anne gently untangled the scarf from around Estherâs neck. âIâll put it in your room.â
She could have tossed it into the fire for all Esther cared. In her mind, this was all her fault.
Joe watched the guilt rise on her face. âListen to me. Nothing of this is because of you. Itâs the game. Itâs a rough game, and not every side plays fair. Weâll get âem. One way or another.â He patted her shoulder. When she mentioned the building windows he tutted. âCargill will cover them. Weâll send someone around to check. If she doesnât handle it, weâll replace them. Donât worry yourself anymore and get some rest.â
But she couldnât. She refused to leave the front parlor, even when Joe tried to get her away from the windows. âThey wonât come here,â she breathed. âThey got what they wanted.â
It was the longest two hours of her life. Ares never left her side. He rested his snout over her shoes, only moving when Mrs. Anne covered her up with a blanket. Then he placed his head in her lap, calmly watching her while she petted his fur. In that time, her heart rate slowed down to a hesitant patter. Outside, it began to snow.
Mrs. Anne was just bringing another cup of tea when Joe burst into the room. âThey brought him to the back door. Heâs alive-â
She was off like a shot. When she arrived at the kitchen, Starks was lying across the center table. The sight stopped Esther in her tracks. His eyes werenât open. His breathing was ragged. And, where his shirt had been cut open to survey the damage, his ribs were already spotting with deep purple and black bruises. His face didnât appear to have any more damage to it besides a busted lip. Mr. Jim was holding up his left arm, observing a cut along his forearm.
âThey threw him in the rubbish outside?â When he received confirmation, he nodded. âNothing malicious as the rest of him. Just a cut from a bottle. Pass me the bandages.â
Spears noticed Esther first, and more from Joeâs entrance than her sudden appearance. He leaned down to Starkâs ear. âLook alive. Miss Garnierâs here.â
With a stunted groan, Starks opened his eyes. âHey, mon cher. Iâm glad youâre alright.â
She took half steps towards the table. âAnd Iâm glad youâre mostly in one piece.â
Mr. Jim prodded at some of Starkâs ribs, making him shout. âHave to check to see if theyâre broken. Hang tight.â
Esther offered her hand for him to do just that. He did his best not to break her fingers.
Finally, Mr. Jim nodded. âYouâre one lucky sonava- âscuse me, Miss Garnier. Heâs always been the luckiest man Iâve ever met. And tonightâs no different. Now whereâs the rest of those bandages?â
The expression on Estherâs face didnât agree with Mr. Jimâs observations. To her, Starks looked half-dead. To his detriment, thatâs how he felt, but he slapped on a smile for her sake.
âBeen in tougher scrapes than this, Doll.â He grinned, then winced as a bandage was wrapped around his forearm. âMight take me a minute to think of one, but Iâll get there.â When Esther managed to smile back, he gave her hand two weak but reassuring squeezes. They held the moment in silence as the kitchen bustled around them.
Wardlow eventually stepped close. Gently, he broke their hands apart. âWe should really get you to a bed. Everyone ready to move?â
Starks was asleep before they were halfway up the stairs.
\\*//
Esther sat up with him most of the night. She saw to his bandages and kept a cool compress on his forehead to prevent fever. At first, Mrs. Anne had protested. In her opinion, someone needed to be sitting up with her too. But Esther persisted.
All night, she thought about the steps and the choices that had brought her here. She was out of the cold, making more money than she could have ever imagined, yes. But she had cowered from bullets twice now. Saw two people she cared about become victims of this way of life, losing one of them. She wouldnât lose this one. Not tonight. The realization that she cared about Ricky, in this new budding way, rattled her lungs. And what of Wardlow? He had come back more haggard than Esther could imagine anyone looking. Did he consider this business worth it?
About midnight, a soft knock sounded at the door.
âMiss Garnier?â Wardlow poked in his head. His boyish grin made her return a smile. After quietly entering the room, he pulled up a chair. âMrs. Anne will have my head if I let you sit up all night.â
âI wonât be able to forgive myself if I donât.â
âYes, you can. And you should.â Wardlow eased out a sigh. âYou saved his life, you know?â
âAfter putting it in danger in the first place.â
He frowned. âYou did no such thing. This⌠disagreement is older than your tenure here. If they hadnât nabbed him while he was with you, they would have come to the house for him. Or would have done it downtown.â He leaned closer to her. âYou got to us in the nick of time. You knew exactly which details to give us so we knew who had him. Jericho was waiting for us when we arrived at Jazzies. If you had tried to operate the car, or had hesitated in any way, it would have been a corpse they tossed out to us. But it wasnât. Heâs alive. And I know, when he wakes up, Ricky will thank you for it.â
She wasnât sure when it started, but Esther reached up to wipe away her tears. âItâs not my fault.â
âNo. Not in the slightest.â He offered her his handkerchief. âYouâve had a rough start in this life. Rougher than most. But you donât have to stay in it.â The soft, almost brokenness of his voice startled her. âIf you want out, I can see to it. I can move you anywhere you like. New York, Atlanta. Hell, Iâll set you up in London if youâd like.â He tried to flash her smile, but it was too heavy with unwillingness to stick. âJust say the word.â
Again, Esther took stock. Her nerves were shot. More danger for her and the crew was on the horizon. And more than anything she wanted to forget the whole thing. But then she looked at Ricky. She remembered how he had left his family for this life. His haggard breathing made her want to see him healed up. She looked at Wardlow. How much his eyes begged her to stay, despite what heâd said. And how kind he was trying to be for her.
âI canât leave,â she finally said. âHow can I? You boys need all the help you can get. Besides, I havenât even had my first day on the job. Canât quit what I havenât started.â
Wardlowâs face lit up. âIâm- that is good to hear.â He took her hand, giving it two reassuring squeezes. âNow, you really must go to bed. Can you trust me to look after him till at least morning? Youâll be able to watch over him better if youâve rested.â
The invalid in question seconded that idea with a loud snore.
Esther laughed into her hand to muffle it. âAlright. I trust you.â She squeezed his hand back as she stood. âIâll see you in the morning, then. Goodnight.â
âGoodnight.â
She was asleep seconds after her head hit the pillow. And she didnât wake up until Mrs. Anne brought her a breakfast tray the next morning.
\\***//
Chapter 3: Learning and Healing
#original series#1920s au#aew fanfiction#ricky starks#oc esther garnier#chris jericho#jake hager#sammy guevara#wardlow#samoa joe#shawn spears#dante martin
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Honestly actual play criticism is fucking wild, even when you get out of the crunchy angry Stop Having Fun dudebro criticisms, although I find those to be pretty toxic.
But like, on the "not toxic, just baffling" end of things, there's a gaming podcast I listen to that can be fun sometimes BUT also has the wildest "Well obviously Critical Role is scripted and planned out in advance because that's just good storytelling, no I haven't watched CR" takes that ignore how this show can sometimes have episodes that are SIX HOURS LONG, which. Look. I like Critical Role. But six hour long episodes is not really good storytelling and I think a major draw of it for me is that it's fairly crunchy but the players are charismatic and good at improv, unlike me who plays the face in my Shadowrun group and once froze up out of sudden social anxiety trying to play out a social roll I did extremely well on. I'm not tuning in for the brilliant narrative pacing of the shopping episodes, I'm there to watch Travis die inside while everyone else buys potions and annoys the NPCs.
One of the hosts also cited The Adventure Zone as an example of "the LAification of Actual Play," a thing he contrasted with his preferred approach, "the New York roleplaying podcast sensibility," because obviously New York and LA are the only two places in the United States and the McElroys have no regional influences outside of Los Fucking Angeles, not a single one.
(It is possible he actually addressed this later in the panel but I decided to skip that episode after the "TAZ has the same sensibility as CR and we're lumping it in with our imagined Los Angeles sensibility of actual play" statement because a. It was a recording of a live panel discussion and I don't like those very much anyway and b. I am a tired woman from Chicago trying to entertain myself while cooking dinner, and life is too short to listen to New Yorkers bitch about LA, The Only Other City, when talking about a type of performance that doesn't even require everyone to be in the same country.)
Occasionally I take a peak at DnD Podcast Criticism Subreddits out of morbid curiousity and by god you will find people out there who hate entertainers with every fiber of their being. If they're not playing exactly one-to-one with DnD rules and if they even ATTEMPT comedy or drama dudes online in these miserable little circles shake with rage. I totally think criticism towards a lot of DnD shows is fair, it's great to want the shows you listen to to improve, but good lord
If you talk like this about DnD shows online I know in my heart of hearts playing a tabletop game with you would be misery incarnate
#actual play#meta#critical role#the adventure zone#like. it really sounded more like 'LAification' was a way of saying Shows More Popular Than Mine That Do Live Tours.'#also. ALSO. just wanna say. improv was invented at Hull House in Chicago and NONE of this shit would be the same without improv#yeah yeah your 'improv is shitty' jokes aren't wrong I've seen some truly dire improv#but most actual play media has an element of improv even if it is on the more planned out and polished end of things#LA and NYC have good improv groups but we did it first#kaesa additions#âwhy do you listen to this weird podcast kaesa?â well listen.#where else do I get an elaborate breakdown of all the the lore of Golett and Golurk (golem-themed pokemon) from a Jewish perspective?
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It was such a wonderful night I cannot wait for you guys to hear it đ
#personal#mbmbam#my brother my brother and me#justin mcelroy#mcelboys#mcelroy#griffin mcelroy#taz#the adventure zone#travis mcelroy#mbmbam live#mbmbam chicago
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So face reveal I guess but hereâs my Aubrey Little cosplay!!!
And the venue looks sweeet
#taz liveshow#taz#the adventure zone live#the adventure zone#aubrey little#become the monster#chicago
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Hello It's my First Post And first time Using Tumblr I will try my best to upload Nice Content.
#apex legends#console#gaming#minecraft#pc games#playstation#pubg#steam games#taz#chicago#content#videogames#live streaming#first time#love#respect#follow#like#enjoy#happy#first day#picture of the day#viral#trending#call of duty mobile#cod#ps4#gaming hustle#hustle#gamingvideos
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Does anyone want a free ticket to the Chicago Adventure Zone Live?
My friend isn't able to make it!! I have one ticket and it's yours if you want it, dm me
For this Wednesday!!! Nov. 13th!!!
Spread this please I really don't want it to go to waste!!!
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I really wanted to get tickets to the Chicago MBMBAM show but the tickets sold too fast and I had like 3 financial whoopsies that just didnt put me in a place to be able to buy them so soon. I did, however, just buy pretty decent seats for the TAZ show which I'm still very stoked about (:
#text post#nessa says#taz#the adventure zone#my brother my brother and me#mbmbam#chicago#live show#fandom#become the monster tour
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just got TAZ tickets đđđ
#iâm so fucking happy theyâre doing taz in chicago this year#mbmbam wouldâve also been awesome of course#but christ iâm excited to see taz live
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allelitewrestling- Brian Cage v Powerhouse Hobbs - AEW Dynamite
We donât think @BrianCage will forget about that Team Taz ambush when he faces @true_will_hobbs TONIGHT on #AEWDynamite live in Chicago.
Donât miss tonightâs action-packed AEW Dynamite at 8/7c on @tntdrama đ§¨
#brian cage#will hobbs#team taz#tony schiavone#taz#ricky starks#hook#aew#all elite wrestling#posted on: 9.1.21#instagram: aew#promo: aew on tnt
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Starship (Rewatch #4, 9/30/2020)
YouTube publish date: April 30, 2011
Number of views on date of rewatch: 4,171, 828
Original Performance Run: February 11-23, 2011 at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Chicago
Ticket price: $25
Director: Matt Lang
Music and Lyrics: Darren Criss
Book: Brian Holden, Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Joe Walker
Cast album price and availability: $8.91 on Amazon and iTunes
   Release date: April 29, 2011
Parody or original: original content, inspired by Starship Troopers, The Little Mermaid, and Alien
Main cast and characters:
Bug - Joey Richter
February - Denise Donovan
Commander Up - Joe Walker
Taz/Buggette - Lauren Lopez
Tootsie Noodles/Pincer - Dylan Saunders
Mega-Girl - Meredith Stepien
Junior - Brian Holden
Roach - Brant Cox
Specs - Julia Albain
Krayonder - Joe Moses
Musical numbers
Act I
âI Wanna Beâ Characters: Bug, Roach, and Ensemble (playing inhabitants of the Bug World)
âGet Back Upâ Characters: Taz, Up, and Starship Rangers
âLifeâ Characters: Bug
âHideous Creaturesâ Characters: Starship Rangers and Bugs
âKick It Up A Notchâ Characters: Pincer, The Mosquitoes, and Bug
âStatus Quoâ Characters: Bug
Act II
âThe Way I Doâ Characters: Tootsie Noodles, Mega-Girl, February, and Bug
âBeautyâ Characters: Roach and Bugs
âKick It Up A Notch (Reprise)â Characters: Junior
âBeautyâ Characters: Company
Notable Notes:
This production won the 2011 âBest New Workâ award from BroadwayWorldâs Chicago theatre awards
Starship is Starkidâs first show that they produced independently from the University of Michigan! The show opened in Chicago, where the following few shows were produced before a majority of the most active members moved to Los Angeles prior to The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals, which opened in 2018
StarKid had their own short segment on MTV that highlighted certain aspects of the production such as Crissâ music and the puppetry (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlnIXIGrjVg). At that point in time, Darren Criss was already a television favorite due to his role as Blaine Anderson on Glee, who joined the cast during its second season
The showâs cast album debuted at number one on Billboardâs Top Cast Albums within three days of its release and at the 134th spot during that weekâs Billboardâs Top 200 chart (x)
The opening sequence features cameos from other StarKid members such as Chris Allen, Tyler Brunsman, Richard Campbell, Britney Coleman, Arielle Goldman, Devin Lytle, Lily Marks, Nicholas Joseph Strauss-Matathia, and Brian Rosenthal.The same sequence was narrated by actor Bob Joles (AKA Man Ray in Spongebob Squarepants)
***Fun Facts provided by Abby:
Nick and Dylan think the worst StarKid song is âHideous Creaturesâ
During a rehearsal, Joey told Nick that he thought the choreography for âBeautyâ was boring. Then Nick asked him, âDo you want to choreograph the number?" and then walked out of the room.
There was a theoretical sequel to Starship in which Taz and Up arrest Spaceclaw but get injured by an explosion. Up ends up in the hospital because of his injuries, and while Taz waits for him to heal, she has flashbacks of when they first met and the missions they went on together (Tazâs quinceaĂąera, etc.)
Lauren: I'd like to imagine that Taz has that same hairstyle just in a big quinceaĂąera dress
Once during rehearsal, they were all in a bad mood during âBeautyâ. Darren wanted to surprise the cast with a visit, so he burst into the theatre singing the song and was just met by silence
At LeakyCon 2014 on Orlando, StarKid were invited as guests and performed a staged reading of a one-act sequel to Starship called Starship: Requiem.
Official synopsis: The story follows the adventures of Mega-Girl the robot and her half-witted Starship Ranger husband. The newlyweds are sucked into a black hole of trouble when they go to visit Mega-Girlâs human-hating family, including her overbearing mother-unit, her jealous sister-unit and the return of her hunky ex-boyfriend-unit. (x)
Cultural Context: 2011
The productionâs MTV segment aired a little over a week after Gleeâs âOriginal Songâ episode, which featured Kurt and Blaineâs long-awaited first kiss [rip Pavarotti]
Prince William and Kate Middleton get married
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 premieres on July 15th
BeyoncĂŠ announces her pregnancy during her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards
âFridayâ by Rebecca Black gets released in March
In early May, President Obama announces that Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. forces
New York becomes the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage on June 24th
The 9/11 Memorial Museum opens to the public on the tenth anniversary of the attacks
Content Analysis:
During my time on social media, I have found that Starship is one of the StarKid shows that gets discussed the least. Up until the showâs debut in StarKidâs history, the only shows theyâve done were AVPM and AVPS, both major viral hits, and MAMD, which reached popularity partly because it was released after StarKid became known for AVPM. Coming off of their great and unexpected successes with these productions, one would think that there would be a bigger fandom for Starship. Itâs their second show that is based on original content rather than being a parody, and the production quality is the strongest in their repertoire, considering the funds they gained from their album sales for MAMD and their growing merchandise sales for their Potter musical series.
Personally, itâs one of my favorite StarKid shows because of the production quality and because the performances are so strong. Joey Richter makes a perfect leading man, and seeing how his general abilities as a performer have grown since MAMD has been delightful. His vocal range got stronger and more pronounced and he has a very confident stage presence, especially since Starship was StarKidâs first production independent of the University of Michiganâs monetary assistance and performance space. Lauren Lopez and Dylan Saunders do such an incredible job at playing two completely different characters themselves within the same show. Saunders plays Tootsie Noodles, a lovable idiot with a heart of gold who falls in love with a robot of all things, while also playing Pincer, the villainous instigator of the plot. Lopez has a similar about-face in character portrayal. She plays Buggette, a bug whoâs in a helpless one-sided romantic relationship with Bug, and then two seconds later Lopez transforms into Taz, a kickass Latina Starship Ranger with excellent comedic presence and the undisputed leader of the group before Up regains his confidence as commander.
Starship is very unique in that about half of the characters in the show are portrayed by puppets, which themselves are incredibly designed, but unlike other productions that use puppets, they do not detract from the actorâs performance of the character. StarKid did a very good job in ensuring that the puppets are not a gimmick, but rather a compliment, to their individual actorâs portrayal of the character. All actors who play puppet roles do such a great job of vocalizing their character that, despite the design of the puppet not having the ability to change facial features, make the puppets feel so alive that itâs almost like watching a live-action animated movie (the good kind weâve yet to experience, not the Disney kind). If there is any one thing that Starship represents for the company as a whole, itâs that character creation and embodiment make up the heartblood of the performances. Aside from the vocal performances, the facial expressions and physicality of the performances add so much to the puppetry performances, even when the focus on the character isnât their physical representation but their dialogue and place in the plot. Regardless of whether or not the recording is emphasizing the puppet itself during a scene, the actor controlling the puppet is using perfect facial expressions and has matching body language with the puppet, which not only helps the actor stay in character, but gives more life to the puppet itself.
While I am eternally grateful that StarKid to this day ensures that their musical productions are put on YouTube for free, there are two very clear downsides that make themselves especially present in the recording. One is that, unlike in live theatre where any audience member can choose who and what to look at onstage at any given time, the camera is the one dictating what each audience member can focus on. Generally speaking, that isnât too much of a detriment as most of the shots StarKid uses tend to showcase the most important characters during each scene, which any audience member would do if they were to attend a production live, but because StarKid members are so adept at character performance, it really makes me wish that I can look more at the ensembleâs performances during group scenes, or secondary characterâs reactions during smaller scenes in which their character may not be the main focus.
Another thing was the general editing style. Though it did not necessarily take away anything from the performance itself or make watching the recording any less enjoyable, there were some editing choices that I felt were too distracting for what the scene called for in the show. For example, when Crayonder mentions to Taz that he thinks that Commander Up has âgone softâ since the injury he sustained in the Robot War, twice does the camera pause on his face and a record scratch and âboooooâ track is heard overlaid onto the scene. I understand the comedic nature of that bit in retrospect, but for a viewer, regardless of whether or not they are watching the show for the first time, itâs very distracting and forcibly shifts the audienceâs focus on the story and the characters to a one-off joke. For a first-time viewer, that editing choice especially does not have as much impact as it does for a recurring viewer, as at that point in the story, the audience is only just being introduced to the characters and has no personal connection to Up and his backstory, making the effect of the joke less successful. As well, throughout the recording, and during the first act in particular, the show has a lot of quick and experimental cuts in the frame that I feel donât allow the audience to sit enough with the action and the performance happening onstage, instead making the audience pay more attention to quick facial gestures rather than allowing the audience to take in the performance of an individual actor or an entire scene as a whole. Overall, the editing just reminds me that I am watching this beautifully done live-performance through a screen rather than being there for the performance in person, and lessens the potential impact of the recording as a whole.
Regardless of the editing, Starship still has some of the best character performances and musical numbers in StarKidâs production history. One that really stood out for me during this rewatch was Denise Donovanâs portrayal of February. Her character gets introduced as a classic ditzy character who initially doesnât have a lot of agency in the story, but through good writing and likable performance, grows into the most sympathetic and dynamic character in the show. Donovanâs performance makes February more human than the trope she represents, and plays off her character so well that her jokes make her more endearing than a throw-away character thatâs used just for laughs and a love-interest. Starkid tends to do this with a lot of the trope-y roles that they write for their productions . The writing and the direction have a very unique way of taking seemingly predictable, one-dimensional characters and fleshing them out into entire human beings with backstories and arcs, making their comedic impact all the more enjoyable because the audience genuinely likes them.
#@TeamStarkid#for my independent study#starship#team starkid#starkid productions#starkid musicals#starkid#musical theatre#musicals#theatre#@stillunsteady#thank you!
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Last night at the TAZ liveshow Griffin mentioned having lived in Chicago for a while, which naturally drew cheers.Â
Attempting to drag him, his family pointed out heâd decided to move away after enduring just one Chicago winter. Griffin protested âthat winter lasted, like, eleven months.â And while I know the intent was to turn the audience against Griffin Iâm pretty sure everyone sitting in that theater empathized hard with that feeling.
#taz liveshow#we have all felt the fourteen months of winter somehow being crammed into a twelve month year#what is fall i've heard tales of it but it sounds like a fairy story#mcelroys
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GOD the mcelroys just posted the TAZ live show I went to in Chicago and Iâm fucking dying all over again, please go listen to it
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What got you into D20 and TAZ? ((congrats on the 1.2K!!!))
AHH thank you!!!
Itâs a wild ride tbh.. So I got into mbmbam in January 2019 because I had a crush on a girl who recommended it. Then in April they released tickets for their live show, and when I was buying them they were also selling TAZ live tickets and I was like âwtf is TAZ?â
So then I started listening to TAZ and finished Balance by July. After I finished I tried to watch as many animations on YouTube as possible, and Fantasy High kept showing up in my recommended section.
By August I had a Dropout subscription and was able to watch the entirety of Unsleeping City as it was released... and then in November I saw the McElboys live in Chicago... 2019 basically changed my life(:
I LOVE YOU WITH MY WHOLE HEART THANKS FOR BEING SO NICE & SENDING ME SOMETHING IN MY ASKS
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