#the lead actress was also in what we do in the shadows

[inkyself]

HAE SUNG: What if this is a past life too, and we are already something else to each other in our next life? […] See you then.

Past Lives - Celine Song

[sserajeans]

just for a moment

hanni pham x fem! reader

synopsis: you and your co-star are tasked to make a song for your web drama's soundtrack. your co-star happens to be a childhood friend whom you've had history with.

genre + others: lsrfm! reader, idol au, childhood friends to lovers, friends to lovers, fluff, second chance ish?

notes: not requested, PLS READ THE LYRICS IT'LL MATTER!!!!, how i look delaying yail update 😂😂, also yes another hsmtmts inspired oneshot, pics from @/wiotas

"what do we even fucking write about?"

"y/n..."

"sorry..."

how did you get here? glad you asked!

it's the year 2025, and a team of producers at hybe are on the works for a minor project: a web drama promoting support for the lgbtq+.

you've talked about how odd it was to your best friend, and groupmate, yunjin.

"probably good for publicity, girl. like 'make everyone know we're not homophobic!' kinda thing." was all she had to say about it, which was likely true anyways.

you were convinced the casting was done at random honestly, but it was obvious they wanted a mix of groups to garner more attention. and that landed you the lead role with, you guessed it, ms. hanni pham!

why you two when you each had members who fit the actress role better? well, that's where you thought the random part came to play.

filming wasn't much of an issue. you were comfortable with hanni, and you two worked well on and off screen, just as expected considering your history. the director even pointed out your "remarkable chemistry", but she didn't have to know why it was that way.

as a matter of fact, you guys were about to wrap up in a few days. it was a wild past couple of weeks, but it was nice to get to spend more time with hanni again.

i mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like you two cut each other off when you moved to korea, but the talking definitely decreased, and the filming made up for lost time!

now, on one of the last days of filming, your respective managers sat you two in a conference room together, and dropped the news that you'd have to compose a new song just for the web drama's soundtrack.

the task in itself didn't bother you at all, and you were sure it didn't bother hanni too. you two were experienced in songwriting and composing, your names on a couple of song credits to count, so this was actually much easier than acting.

the issue was that you had enough going on for certain... feelings to resurface.

you see, the plot of the web drama hit a little too close to home for you. i mean seriously, childhood friends with feelings for each other, but couldn't take things further due to complications, then having to work together acting in some play.

it sounded a lot like your story.

hell, they even had your character do swimming! the same sport you excelled in back in australia.

the only reason nothing has gotten too awkward on that note yet, was because of your other labelmates being there like boynextdoor's leehan, minji and danielle, even your fellow members kazuha and yunjin.

with them around, you got to reconnect with hanni, but with a couple safe boundaries! now that you two were tasked to work on something alone though? you were scared things were going to be different.

so that's what brought you two here, together, in the music room. hanni seated facing the table with a pen and paper, you on the floor with your guitar in hand.

you were strumming to any chord shape that could come to mind in hopes of finding a melody that you could build off of, and hanni was tapping the end of her pencil on her forehead for any word, lyric, or rhyme that could work.

nothing came.

so engrossed in your respective tasks, the two of you didn't notice a shadow behind the translucent door, so when a knock came, you levitated off the floor for a millisecond, and hanni let out a soft yelp.

"hey you two~"

huh yunjin.

"how are my besties doing!" she came in doing a little dance, first walking over to check on what hanni was writing before landing on the floor beside you.

"we're stuck." you muttered, head against the wall behind you.

"oh... i see." yunjin shrugged her eyebrows in confusion, because she had just came from peeking over at hanni's notebook and was 100% sure she had lines written down.

"well, let's see... you got the genre down that suits the two of you so there's that. romance obviously sells, so there's that too. maybe you guys should try... writing while in character?" yunjin did her best to help the two of you, as the mutual best friend and seasoned singer-songwriter. "or if there's an experience you guys have had before, that would definitely help. real raw emotion ya know?"

"anyways," the eldest huffed and got up from the floor, messing up your hair and hanni's before heading for the door to leave the room. "i gotta get going. you two don't come home too late okay?"

you and hanni nodded before resuming. after a couple minutes, you realized that maybe you two will have to be communicating more if it meant writing a song together.

"hey han, do you have anything written?" hanni froze for a second before turning around on her chair.

truth was she did. she wrote them down specifically as yunjin started telling you two to write based on experiences.

"i... uh... kind of? just a couple lines, i don't know how i feel about them though."

"can i take a look? might help a bit."

"oh yeah... sure..."

there was a hint of hesitance in her voice, but it'd look awfully suspicious if she scratched out lines right before you'd check.

"ah..." the initial reaction was surprise for you, and a million thoughts came racing through your head.

"yeah! it's nothing much... but i figured it was better than nothing...."

"no yeah! for sure! i'm kinda getting the vibe, wait here." you turned around and picked up your guitar from the floor and took a seat beside hanni. "uhm... okay let's try... this?"

you freestyled a riff on your guitar, allowing your fingers to move on its own to play what felt right. it resulted in one of the most simple yet enchanting melodies that seemed perfect for your song's intro.

"hey that sounds perfect! i love it!" hanni cheered and gave you a thumbs up. "okay so... since you're doing your little guitar intro, perhaps we have the first line written in your character's point of view?"

"sure... okay... uhm..." it took you a couple seconds to think of something, or to get in character on the spot. but then you remembered yunjin's advice.

an experience you guys have had before.

"uh... how's this..." you fiddled with your hands as hanni nodded along, telling you to go on with your suggestion. after about half a minute, you had a two-liner with some sort of melody that matched your guitar intro. "i fell in love with the only girl who knows what i'm about."

hanni froze for a second, which didn't go unnoticed by you, but continued nodding along as she wrote down the lines. "i like your voice in this genre."

"oh..." you looked up from your guitar and faced her side profile as she was still facing her notebook. you felt your face warm a little, but not too much for it to gain color. "that's a lot coming from you. i have your lee mujin service episode on loop."

hanni smiled, a sight you'd never get tired of seeing. "a fan, huh? which part's your favorite?" she turned to look at you, a smirk on her face to mask the flustered and proud version of herself having received praise for her work from you of all people.

she continued writing a line underneath yours, a sudden burst of inspiration coming over her.

"probably lucky."

of course it's the song about being in love with your best friend.

she chuckled at your answer. hanni wasn't dense, and she knew you weren't either.

okay maybe you were, just slightly, but you pick up on context clues.

but point is, she knew what that implied, and what everything that came between the two of you the past few weeks could've felt like for you.

but just as she was getting somewhere, her train of thought was interrupted by your "burst of epiphany", as one would call it.

"oh hey, hear this out. i think it sounds like chorus material." you tapped her shoulder and positioned your hands across the frets of your guitar. you sounded a lot happier, more energy than you did earlier in the day as you finally got a feel of what to write and play.

when we're underneath the lights, my heart's no longer broken, for a moment, just for a moment

in that moment, hanni's mind rushed with too many emotions. objectively, the melody was beautiful. your voice made it better, the guitar felt like it had a voice of its own, and the lyrics. god, the lyrics.

she knew for sure you felt what she felt.

the two of you stayed in that music room a couple more hours, discovering a new type of comfort in a person the other has always known. like reading a book you've had forever, and feeling a newfound joy in a character that has always been there.

by the end of the day, you and hanni seemed to have switched roles, your guitar in her hands, and her notebook in yours.

you were finishing up a final copy of the first half of the song along with chords in case you'd forget the sound. there was also a copy of the both of you singing on your respective voice note apps. (which, unbeknownst to you, would be on repeat for hanni later that night.)

"here we go." you sighed, it took a lot of effort trying to make handwriting like yours legible. you've always hated it. teachers back in elementary all throughout high school would always mark your papers low despite almost flawless answers, just for your handwriting.

"i've always liked your handwriting..." hanni muttered as she admired your written work, unknowingly smiling to herself.

"oh.. thanks. i've always hated it."

"i know." hanni looked up at you, observing the sheepish smile on your face. she knew all about why you hated it, and she understood, but to her, it was an art. a part of you. she thought, "that's why i like it."

there was partial truth into that. besides it being a funny add-on to hanni's compliment, it's always been her thing to love stuff about you that you hated, even if it was something as small as handwriting.

back when you two were together (or whatever that was you had back in australia before you left, neither of you stuck a label on it), she'd always talk long speeches about how your handwriting was an art. something so significantly you that you shouldn't change, and that even if you hated it, she'd love it twice as much in place of you.

as you two shared a couple more laughs, a notification popped up on both of your phones. yours first, then hanni's a second later.

a snort accidentally escaped your system as you read the texts. "sorry.. is it yunjin?"

hanni let out the loudest laugh before nodding and exchanging phones with you to read what the older sent to the other. it was the same message in different forms, panicking to get you home before chaewon freaked out and took it out on yunjin, then proceeding to fear minji and her "wrath".

despite laughing at your member's worry, the two of you stood up to pack up, which really didn't take much anyways. you slid your guitar in its case, hanni hid her notebook in her bag.

walking out of the room to the lobby together side by side was probably the most stomach-churning activity of the day. and you literally had to write a love song about each other with each other. but there was something in the way it felt when your hands touched.

as you reached the part of the building where you finally had to part ways, the two of you faced each other. both expecting something, but not quite sure with what they were expecting.

"i.. uh... it was nice to reconnect today." she started off, awfully awkward at it too.

"yeah... it was..." you smiled, hand reaching for the back of your neck to scratch. a nervous habit. "i'll let you know if i think of anything tonight."

"yeah, same here." hanni nodded back, though a pinch of disappointment evident on her face. maybe she was expecting more, or maybe it was too soon. "see you tomorrow?"

"yeah... see ya." you slowly turned around, head racing.

should you say something? should you save it for another time? would it make things awkward tomorrow?

screw it. live in the present, right?

"han... for the record, my heart does still stop when i see you."

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss and Cat Cohen Will Lend Voices to GWYNETH GOES SKIING in Edinburgh and Utah

Gwyneth Goes Skiing is headed to Edinburgh Fringe this August, and will also make its international premiere in Utah.

Darren Criss will provide the singing voice of Terry Sanderson alongisde Edinburgh Comedy Award Winning comedian, actress and singer Cat Cohen, who will lend her voice  as Gwyneth Paltrow on the vocal track with hits including I Wish You Well and See You In Court. 

Darren Criss is best known for playing the role of Blaine Anderson in Glee (alongside the real  Gwyneth Paltrow!). In 2018, he was awarded Emmy and Golden Globe acting awards for his  leading role in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Criss has also starred  on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Hedwig and the Angry  Inch. 

Edinburgh Comedy Award-winner Cat Cohen’s live comedy performances combine stand-up  comedy with cabaret-style songs. The comedian, actress, and singer’s first Netflix comedy  special, The Twist...? She's Gorgeous, was released in 2022. As an actress, she has appeared on  comedy series such as High Maintenance, Broad City, Search Party, and What We Do in the  Shadows.

Criss and Cohen digitally join Trixie Mattel who makes a special on-screen appearance as  Gwyneth Paltrow’s mother, Blythe Danner. They are seen alongside the original Gwyneth Goes  Skiing cast - Linus Karp as the Goop-founding, Door-Sliding, Shakespeare-In-Loving, consciously uncoupling Hollywood superstar Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Martin as her nemesis, Terry  Sanderson, a retired Optometrist from Utah.  

The world debut of Darren and Cat’s voices will be back where it all began, Park City, Utah. The  now-infamous location of Terry Sanderson and Gwyneth Paltrow’s collision in 2016 will play  host to the US transfer of Awkward Productions and Pleasance Theatre’s runaway hit. Gwyneth  Goes Skiing’s transfer to The Egyptian Theatre marks the first international transfer for Awkward  Productions’ work. 

Gwyneth Goes Skiing, which is a co-production between Awkward Productions  and the Pleasance Theatre, returns to the slopes after two sold-out and critically-acclaimed runs  in London. This silly play-with-music marks Awkward Productions’ return to the Fringe  after Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story had a sold-out run in 2023. 

Gwyneth Goes Skiing recounts the collision in 2016 on the slopes of Deer Valley and the court  case seven years later that enthralled the world. This very silly story of justice, betrayal and  optometry makes the audience the jury, asking them to decide who's guilty and who's gooped.  Gwyneth Goes Skiing features a whole lot of fiction, a sprinkling of verbatim lines from court  transcripts and delightfully catchy original music by Leland (RuPaul’s Drag Race; Cher’s  Christmas; Troye Sivan’s Something To Give Each Other). 

Performance Information The Egyptian Theatre, Utah  Thursday 16th – Sunday 26th May 2024  328 Main Street, Park City, Utah 84060 https://parkcityshows.com

[p5x-theories]

What We Know About Cattle

(as of the third beta; last updated 1/22/24!)

Ruferu (which has previously been translated to English as "Luffy", though this may not be accurate), codename Cattle, is an owllike creature with amnesia who finds and recruits the protagonist (Wonder) as a phantom thief at the start of the game. He knows a lot about the Metaverse, including how to change hearts, but doesn't know why he knows these things.

In the Metaverse, Ruferu is a very short, humanoid figure with a beak, as pictured above. Like Mona, he's also able to turn into a car. Outside the Metaverse, Ruferu is a talking owl, whose speech isn't comprehensible to most people, though the exact distinction for when someone is able to understand him hasn't been made clear. People with the MetaNav on their phone seem to be able to understand him whether or not they've been inside the actual Metaverse.

The codename "Cattle" is one he picks for himself, though he says he doesn't know why. It's most likely a reference to his Persona, who was a cattleman before he became an outlaw. The Megami Tensei wiki also notes that “His code name in Japanese (キャトル, kyatoru) means the English word "Cattle," but is also the Japanese representation for the French word Quatrelle, which is the spoken aloud alternate name for the Renault 4 or 4L... which serves as the basis of the vehicle Ruferu can transform into."

His Japanese voice actress is Ai Nonaka.

Ruferu is a Confidant of Wonder's, though his Arcana is unknown. Its progression seems to be at least partially tied to story events.

At the start of the game, Ruferu follows Wonder around, and decides to recruit Wonder when he sees Wonder is the only person in the train station to react to a woman jumping off a building. When Wonder accidentally enters Mementos, Ruferu finally introduces himself, helps lead Wonder out of the Metaverse, and teaches him how to fight. He later explains the Metaverse, shadows, Personas, and changes of heart to Wonder.

His amnesia seems to be tied at least loosely to Mementos and the Palaces, as he regains a bit of his memory after they steal the first Palace ruler's Treasure. Ruferu seems determined to steal the other six Treasures he can sense as well, to fully regain his memory, but recognizes he can't do it alone. He's happy to have Wonder and Motoha on the team, though he comments Motoha's a bit noisy for a phantom thief.

While Ruferu is able to sense Palaces, it's not through smell like previous characters, but rather through sound. Ruferu can hear the "voices of the human heart", and follow those to a Palace, particularly if they've identified the Palace ruler in advance.

Ruferu's role unsurprisingly seems to parallel Morgana's in the original P5.

While Ruferu is a bit serious, and seems to be the unfazeable type who knows a lot and isn't caught off-guard by a surprise, he's not usually overly rude or condescending. He doesn't take his teammates' help for granted, and actually asks Motoha and Wonder whether they want to continue working with him after the first Palace, rather than assuming.

He also doesn't seem to be embarrassed easily, and has no problem letting Motoha pick him up if he can't see something, or letting Wonder hold a phone out to him so he can talk on it. He can come across as just a bit childish, not in an immature way, but in how he interacts with others due to his small size.

Above all, he seems to be focused on his work as a phantom thief. He doesn't seem to particularly care what his teammates' motivations for working with him are, as long as he has them, but personally is very goal-oriented and will pursue any obstacles until he finds a way around them.

His Persona, Rob Roy (based on a Scottish outlaw and folk hero), is already awakened at the start of the game. He has Fire and Healing skills, and resists Fire while being weak to Wind in the third beta.

Notably, while he's well-versed on how the Metaverse and phantom thievery within it works, he hasn't stolen a heart prior to the first Palace, and in general, his know-how doesn't seem to extend to things related to the Velvet Room. While he accepts the cognitive teammates quickly after Wonder explains what a "Phantom Idol" is, he doesn't quite understand them, and immediately says Wonder can be in charge of them even before Wonder is established as the leader.

In combat, his melee weapon is a pair of tonfa, while his ranged weapon is a blowgun. His highlight attack is shown from 0:14 - 0:25 in this video.

[paralleljulieverse]

70th anniversary of Mountain Fire Liverpool / Leeds / Bournemouth / Birmingham 30 performances (18 May 1954 - 12 June 1954)

This month marks the 70th anniversary of a significant, if curious, milestone in the early career of Julie Andrews: her 'straight' theatrical debut in Richardson and Berney's Mountain Fire. A notorious flop, Mountain Fire lasted barely 30 performances in a month-long provincial tryout, closing ahead of a planned West End bow. The play would likely have sunk without a trace were it not for the fact that its female lead was on the cusp of international stardom.

While the ill-fated Mountain Fire was on the road, it was formally announced that Julie Andrews had been signed to helm the Broadway cast of The Boy Friend (Chit Chat 1954, p. 8; Mackenzie 1954, p. 4). The stark contrast between the disastrous failure of Mountain Fire and the star-making success of The Boy Friend has become part of the mythology of Julie Andrews' career. Even the Dame herself is fond of playing up the angle. "I had done one bomb in England," she recounts in a 1966 interview, "an incredible disaster...between Cinderella and The Boy Friend. I accepted a very limited engagement, thank God, and played a Southern belle from Tennessee...I can't tell you what went on. It was a disaster" (Newquist 1966, p. 141).

Four decades later in her 2008 memoirs, Julie was still cringing over the experience:

"The truth was, the play was not good, and although the company tried to make it work, we all sensed it was going to be a flop. I also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that had the eminent London critic Kenneth Tynan seen my performance, it would have been the end of any career I hoped to have. Mercifully, Mountain Fire folded out of town" (Andrews 2008, 160).

Legitimate, at last!

Self-deprecatory humour aside, Julie actually received very good notices for her efforts in Mountain Fire. The Stage declared: "Julie Andrews scores a particularly fine dramatic success in her first serious portrayal, as the ill-starred Becky, bringing rare maturity to the difficult and exacting role" ('American folk play' 1954, p. 10). The Liverpool Echo similarly enthused: "Julie Andrews scores a personal triumph as the young girl and, in her first 'straight' role, reveals herself as accomplished an actress as she is a singer" (H.R.W. 1954, p. 5). While the Yorkshire Evening Post opined: "Julie Andrews gives a beautiful and moving performance as the luckless Becky" (Bradbury 1954, p. 8). Though the production might not have panned out as anticipated, Mountain Fire was a strategic step in Julie's ongoing pivot from child stardom to adult performer. Much was made in show publicity about Julie’s "graduation" from juvenile entertainment to mature dramatic fare:

"Brilliant stage and film children are always a little heartbreaking. So few of them amount to anything after they have reached the colt stage...One of the most happy exceptions is Julie Andrews--the once plain little girl with buck teeth, a slight squint and pigtails who astonished us all by singing operatic numbers in a sweet, clear coloratura when she had reached the ripe age of 12...Now, Julie is to make her debut as a straight actress in a new American play to be presented here by Peter Cotes...called Mountain Fire...Cotes says: 'Julie has a wonderful role and I believe her to be a young actress with great possibilities.'...[A]s she has both singing and dancing to do in her first straight play, this might well be the chance of a lifetime for grown-up Miss Andrews" (Frank 1954, 6).

'A hill-billy Bible story'

Mountain Fire couldn't have represented a more "grown-up" change for Julie. Billed as a "new play with music in 14 scenes", it was the latest offering from rising American playwrights -- and cousins -- Howard Richardson and William Berney. The pair had scored an early success with Dark of the Moon (1945), a fantasy verse play about witchcraft, love, and social intolerance in colonial-era Appalachia. They followed with a second collaboration, Design for a Stained Glass Window (1949) about religious persecution and martyrdom (Duncan 1966, p. S-7; Fisher 2021, p. 248-49).

Mountain Fire trod similarly heavy dramatic ground with a mix of religion, Southern Gothic stylings, and social commentary. Described by one critic as "a hill-billy Bible story", the play was an allegorical retelling of the Abrahamic legend of Sodom and Gomorrah with the "cities of the plains" transposed to "rival colonies of mountain dwellers" in the backwoods of eastern Tennessee (Mackenzie 1954, p. 4).

The scriptural elements of human wickedness and divine retribution were adapted into a laundry-list of stock Southern vices: a Hatfield-McCoy style feud, moonshine, teen pregnancy, arson, murder and, even, a Ku-Klux-Klan lynching ('New American Musical' 1954, p. 12). Punctuating this cavalcade of backwoods iniquity was a series of Greek choric tableaux where Lucifer and the Archangel Gabriel, dressed in mountainfolk mufti, debate the spiritual problems of the characters on stage.

At the heart of this heady mix, Julie was cast in the "Lot's wife" role of Becky Dunbar, a winsome but headstrong teenage mountain girl described in the script as "grow'd up wild as onion weed" (Richardson and Berney, 1954, Act 1, Scene 2, n.p.). Becky finds herself pregnant after a brief dalliance with Joe Morgan, a charming but unscrupulous travelling salesman. She is torn between her passion for Joe and her moral duty to Lot Johnson, a virtuous widower who marries her because "it's the Christian thing to do" (Richardson and Berney, 1954, Act 1, Scene 5, n.p.).

Julie often jokes that "You've never heard a worse Southern accent than mine" (Newquist 1966, p. 141) -- and the script's hillbilly argot certainly would have proved a challenge to her crisp Home Counties consonants and rounded vowels. Becky's very first line, for example, is: "I ain't been gallivantin', just skimmin' rocks at Turkey Creek" (Richardson and Berney, 1954, Act 1, Scene 2, n.p.). Not exactly typical RP phraseology!

On a less challenging note, the show also featured a series of musical interludes with ritual dances and allegorical songs. Sporting titles like "Lullaby to an Unborn Child", "The World is Wide" and "Oh, It's Dark in the Grave", the musical numbers may not have been cheery toe-tapping ditties, but reviewers typically singled out Julie's singing as an all-too-rare highlight.

"Julie Andrews..prov[es] her undisputed musicianship by taking one song on high E flat, solus, and in perfect tune," marvelled one reviewer (Bradbury, 1954, p. 8). Another chimed: "We are inclined to think poorly of Becky until we realise how well she is to be played by Julie Andrews...Sodom and Gomorrah...seem to sweeten because of her presence... and she sings very pleasantly on the few occasions afforded to her" ('Midland entertainments,' 1954, p. 17). Given the Biblical source material, the story of Mountain Fire could only end in grand tragedy. And, lo, by play's end the backcountry villages have been consumed by fire and our poor Julie is turned to salt. If naught else, the last scene of Mountain Fire certainly gave Julie a scenery-chewing finale for her straight dramatic debut:

LOT (Offstage): Remember the warning, Becky! Don't look back! The hoot of the owl is heard. BECKY starts up the hill. She stops, hesitates, almost looks back. Music builds. Again she goes forward, stops, almost looks back. Music continues to build. The third time she turns and does look back. Music crescendo. The lights dim, then rise again. BECKY has become salt. She lies motionless reaching towards JOE. Blackout CURTAIN (Richardson and Berney, 1954, Act 1, Scene 2, n.p.)

From Sodom, Tennessee to the Scepter'd Isle

The background saga of bringing Mountain Fire to the stage was almost as feverish as the storyline. The play began life in 1950 when Richardson and Berney completed their first working script under the original title of Sodom, Tennessee.

The play was initially optioned by Jack Segasture, a 23-year-old would-be Broadway producer who had managed Richardson and Berney's previous work, Design for a Stained Glass Window. That production proved a misfire, closing after just 8 performances, but Segasture was keen to back the playwrights for a second attempt at Broadway success (Watt, 1950, p. 47). 

In the summer of 1950, Segasture mounted a series of workshops of Sodom, Tennessee at various regional Pennyslvania theatres (Talley 1950, p. VI-13). Reviewing one of these early work-in-progress performances, the critic for Variety ventured that "with some doctoring, [it] may have possibilities for Broadway, where it is headed" ('Review: Sodom Tennessee', 1950, p. 40). In late-1950, Segasture announced that Sodom, Tennessee was set to start rehearsals the following January ahead of an anticipated New York opening in the spring ('Set Broadway", 1950, p. 26). Robert Perry was contracted to direct, with Robert Lowery and Jean Parker in discussions for the leads ('Film player,' 1951, p. 57). However, in April 1951, Segasture was suddenly drafted into the Army, and plans for the production were promptly scuttled ('Producer drafted,' 1951, p. 15C).

Over the next few years, various attempts were made to resurrect Sodom, Tennessee, but with little progress. In mid-1953, a lifeline came in the form of a pair of second generation producers: David Aldrich, son of famed producer, Richard Aldrich -- a.k.a. Mr Gertrude Lawrence to fans of STAR! -- and Anna Deere Wiman, daughter of Dwight Deere Wiman and heiress to the John Deere family fortune (Shanley, 1953, p. 10). Wiman had come into a sizeable inheritance on her father's death and she effectively bankrolled much of the production's initial $80,000 investment (Franklin, 1953, p. 9-E). Wiman and Aldrich tapped Peter Cotes -- a British director who had scored a recent New York success with A Pin to See the Peepshow -- to take on directorial duties (Calta, 1953, p. 14). They also invited Pulitzer-prize winning composer, Lamar Stringfield, to write the musical score ('Stringfield asked,' 1953, p. 7). At one stage, the producers were allegedly in discussions with none other than Marilyn Monroe to make her Broadway debut in the role of Becky but, wisely perhaps, she declined (Winchell 1953, p. 19).

In early 1954, plans for Sodom, Tennessee underwent a dramatic change. For reasons unknown, Aldrich was suddenly out of the production team. In his place, director Peter Cotes was promoted to co-producer status with Wiman. Possibly because Cotes was British, it was decided to relocate the production across the Atlantic and launch the show in the UK ('News of the theater' 1954, p. 6). Another factor was that production costs were lower in the UK than New York, something which would see the American Wiman remain as a London-based producer for several years (Hatwell 1957, p. 19; Wilson 1956, p. 10). Additionally, Richardson and Berney's earlier work, Dark of the Moon had enjoyed a fairly successful West End run in 1949, so the producers possibly reasoned that the new show might fare similarly well with English theatregoers (Darlington, 1949, p. 5).

Either way, Sodom, Tennessee was now set to make its world premiere in England -- though still with hopes of an eventual New York transfer ('Romantic comedy,' 1954, p. 17C).

'Not fit for the marquee of a British theatre'

Once the production team hit London, they set about preparing the play for its British bow. The first thing to go was the title.

Up until 1968, British censorship laws required all plays intended for public performance to be submitted to the Lord Chamberlain's Office for review and approval (Shellard et al, 2004). It seems the Lord Chamberlain did not approve of a play called Sodom, Tennessee, "an immoral name not fit for the marquee of a British theatre". Initially, the production team toyed with Brimstone as an alternative title, but finally settled on Mountain Fire (Talley, 1954, p. VI-5).

It was also decided that the show needed a musical overhaul. Some incidental music had been composed for earlier iterations, including piecemeal efforts by Lamar Stringfield. One or two of these pieces were retained but, for the most part, the producers opted for a new score. For this task, they contracted Stefan de Haan, a young German musician and composer who had come to study in the UK after the war and stayed on to work with various regional orchestras. De Haan not only composed a new score for Mountain Fire, including three new songs for Julie, but also signed on as music director and conductor (Bradbury 1954, p. 4).

Other key creative appointments were Michael Stringer as set designer and Daphne Kiernander as choreographer. Stringer came to the project fresh from working on the hit Rank comedy, Genevieve (1953), and a host of other film and theatre productions. He designed darkly stylised sets for all 14 scenes of the play, as well as orchestrating special effects for the final destruction sequence (Bishop 1954, p. 8). Kiernander was a classically trained ballerina who had performed as a principal in many West End shows and revues before shifting to choreography. For Mountain Fire, she created two set dances, broadly patterned on 18th century folk dances, and oversaw general staging for the songs ('Chit Chat', 1954, p. 8).

In early April 1954, Howard Richardson and William Berney arrived in London to help make revisions to the script. They also served as dialect coaches for the cast (Talley 1954, p. VI-5). During this early rehearsal period, Julie worked closely with Cotes' actress wife, Joan Miller who, as Julie relates, "tried to help me find the nuances that were needed for the part" (Andrews 2008, p. 171). Indeed, to hear Cotes tell the story, "Julie Andrews...was taught how to act by Joan Miller" and it was "Mountain Fire and Joan Miller between them [that] gave Julie the much needed groundwork..to erupt onto the Broadway stage" (Cotes 1993, p. 23). Not sure Moss Hart would agree, but anyway... Later that month, Cotes and Miller hosted an official launch party for Mountain Fire at their South Kensington home with local theatre and high society luminaries in attendance (Candida, 1954, p. 2). The show's schedule was set with a month-long tryout starting on 17 May in Liverpool, followed by one week runs in Leeds, Bournemouth, and Birmingham. The show's London opening was scheduled for Wednesday, 16 June at the Strand Theatre, Aldwych.

In mid-April, the tour was formally announced with ticket sales opening immediately:

"On May 17 at the Royal Court, Liverpool, Peter Cotes and Anna Deere Wiman will present the world premiere of Mountain Fire by Howard Richardson and William Berney. Making her debut as a straight actress in this play will be 18-year-old Julie Andrews. Other leading roles will be played by Jerry Wayne, Andrew Cruickshank, Gillian Lynne and Charles Irwin. Music for this production has been composed by Stefan de Haan. Decor will be by Michael Stringer, and choreography Daphne Kiernander. Peter Cotes is directing, and following a short tour the play will be presented in the West End" ('Chit Chat: Mountain Fire' 1954, p. 8).

'Every night it was a new show...'

The function of an out-of-town tryout is to put the finishing touches on a show ahead of its official "big city" opening. Cast and crew get to see how the play is working with live audiences and revise things accordingly. In happy cases, the tryout is a relatively easy process of fine-tuning elements and smoothing out wrinkles. In other cases though, the process can be far more tumultuous. Seth Rudetsky (2023) relates that New York theatre-folk popularly joke, "if Hitler were alive today, his punishment should be doing an out-of-town tryout with a show that's in trouble" (p. 152). Even Adolph might have blanched at the Mountain Fire tryout. A sign of early trouble came days out from opening when the producers suddenly announced a 24-hour postponement of the Liverpool premiere from Tuesday 17 to Wednesday 18 May (H.W.R. 1954, p. 4). Rehearsals had revealed serious structural issues with the show and the production team needed every hour they could muster to hammer it into shape.

Worse still, the key creatives couldn't agree about the source of the problems and how to fix them. Director Cotes believed the biggest problem was the script and he wanted major rewrites. For their part, Richardson and Berney felt the musical sequences were at fault.

Jerry Wayne, who took the male lead of Joe Morgan, recalled:

"[W]e ran into trouble with the American authors. They objected to the musical numbers that had been written into their story. We opened at Liverpool on a Thursday night as a musical. Then we were told to cut out the musical numbers. On Friday night we opened at 7.30 as a straight play. With the music cut, the curtain ran down at 8.15" (Greig 1955, p. 9)

The songs were duly reinstated, but competing revisions were trialled to staging and orchestration. In her memoirs, Julie relates:

"Our director couldn't decide whether he wanted the orchestra in the pit or onstage, or no orchestra at all. This was a play, after all, so he then thought maybe one instrument, a guitar, would be enough. We tried the show a different way every night" (Andrews 2008, p. 160).

Another member of the cast, Neil McCallum, similarly recalled the snowballing desperation of the tryout tour:

"Everyone hoped it would get better, so the authors and the director got together and decided to revamp the whole show. They kept writing new scenes every day...every night it was a new show until not even the cast recognized it...Pretty soon the authors and the director weren't speaking. Two days later the authors and the backer weren't speaking. Finally, no one was speaking" (Tesky 1954, p. 6).

A comparison of scene synopses printed in programmes for Mountain Fire across its month-long tryout reveals the extent to which the production altered across performances. During its first night in Liverpool, the show was comprised of three acts and fourteen scenes. The following week in Leeds, it was still three acts but down to only ten scenes. In Bournemouth, it was back to three acts with fourteen scenes. By the time it got to Birmingham, the play was suddenly just two acts with thirteen scenes!

'Call down fire and brimstone...'

Given the panicked disorganisation that plagued the tryout, it should not surprise that reviewers took a rather dim view of Mountain Fire. Indeed, other than praise for Julie and fellow cast members, critics were mostly scathing in their assessment of the show -- with notices getting progressively more brutal as the tour continued:

The Liverpool Echo: "When the new play, Mountain Fire, opened with a dissertation by the Angel Gabriel and Lucifer on the delights of being good and bad, it was obvious that this world premiere at the Court Theatre last night would provide something unusual -- and so it proved. But whether this modern parable of Lot's wife will meet with general approval is problematical, because in attempting to lighten high drama with a smattering of musical numbers plus one or two dances, the American authors, Howard Richardson and William Berney, have achieved a curious hotch-potch which is neither one thing nor the other" (H.W.R. 1954, p. 5).

The Stage: "The Liverpool audience could be forgiven for their puzzlement over this provocative, somewhat bewildering, production, which rather inclines to fall between the two stools of allegorical drama and musical entertainment, lacking the virtue of anything in the way of a hit tune" ('American folk play' 1954, p. 10).

The Yorkshire Observer: "Symbolism on the stage is meat only for those who can stomach such food and, it is difficult to live on meat alone. So it might be that Mountain Fire which, in the second week of its production, is now at the Leeds Grand Theatre, might easily die as quickly as the symbolical fire it portrays, no matter how brilliant the cast" ('Symbolistic musical' 1954, p. 6).

Birmingham Daily Gazette: "Mountain Fire, a somewhat disastrous item which arrived at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, last night, is an odd mix of sex and religiosity which, I fear, will prove seriously offensive to many...The whole thing is meant to be an allegory, with a deep application to our atom-bomb age. But it is all expressed in such appallingly banal language that it leaves one convinced that the underlying thought must be equally banal...One can only have sympathy for the very talented performers who struggle with this material" (Mackenzie 1954, p. 4).

Evening Despatch: "Howard Richardson and William Berney are evidently generous-minded men. In their play, Mountain Fire, at Birmingham Theatre Royal, they include murder, two burials, the Ku Klux Klan..., Lucifer, the Archangel Gabriel, religion and, of course, sex...Directed by Peter Cotes, this is a bewildering story of sin among the backwoodsmen of Tennessee...Somewhere in all this there may be a moral. At first I found it difficult to keep up. Eventually I gave up trying" (Holbrook 1954, p. 6).

The Birmingham Mail: "The conscientious critic of the drama will find that there are certain troublesome questions which are created in the mind by Mountain Fire, the new play by Howard Richardson and William Berney. How, for instance, did it come about that it reached the stage of the Theatre Royal at all and how is it that next week it is to occupy the stage of a West End theatre, however short its tenure there may be? What is more to the immediate point is how one ought...to deal by way of notice with so poor an offering. Ought one to call down fire and brimstone or, refusing to treat the piece seriously, as did many of the audience last night, rend it with ridicule?" (C.L.W 1954, p. 4).

'Mountain Collapses'

With this level of bad press, the prognosis for Mountain Fire was bleak. Ticket sales were sluggish and the cast often found themselves playing to half empty houses. Even worse, audience members were increasingly audible with their displeasure. As Neil McCallum relates:

"One of the lines at the last of the play is 'Lot, don't turn back.' Came a voice from the audience, 'I don't know about turning back -- I want my bloody money back.' In the interval, the ushers were mingling with the audience saying, in ringing tones, 'isn't it terrible...don't you wish you hadn't come?'" (Tesky 1954, p. 6).

By the final week in Birmingham, the writing was on the wall and producers decided to avoid what would surely have been a critical and commercial bloodbath in London. On Thursday 10 June, barely 5 days before the show was scheduled to open at the Strand, Wiman and Cotes issued a joint statement saying they were cancelling the West End premiere of Mountain Fire:

"In view of the inadequate public response during the tour of the play, it would be unfair to the authors and the actors and other members of the production that it should open in London, at least without substantial variations" ('Play is off', 1954, p. 3).

The decision to cancel a major production so close to its premiere was not without precedent, but it was sufficiently rare to garner widespread press attention, generating a slew of punning headlines. "London douses 'Mountain Fire'," trumpeted the New York Times (1854, p. 13). "Mountain Collapses" blared the Kensington News ('Theatre Notes' 1954, p. 2). And "Mountain Fire Out!" declared the Daily Post (Daily Post London Reporter 1954, p. 1)

Mountain Fire had two further performances to complete its Birmingham run, and once the curtain came down on Saturday night of 12 June, the production staggered to its sorry close. Richardson and Berney had already taken early departure back to the US, unable to watch the show's final demise. Cotes similarly retreated to London and refused for many years to even discuss the play. Producer Anna Wiman insisted on staying to the very end. "No cast has been more loyal than this one," she declared, valiantly talking up a future for the show. "[I]t's not the end...I believe in this play and I am determined that it shall have a successful run in London. It will have a new director and a new atmosphere" (Mercury Staff Reporter 1954, p. 1.) The following March, a 'news in brief' snippet claimed Wiman was "still trying to lease or buy a theatre, with the Bill Berney-Howard Richardson play, Mountain Fire, as first on her production schedule" (Walker 1955, p. 61). But a year later, she would admit defeat, having lost the full extent of her £40,000 investment in the show (Wilson 1956, p. 10).

In the end, it wasn't just the UK production of Mountain Fire that sank. The play itself effectively vanished with little appreciable after-life. The script was never published, nor is there any record of it being registered with a theatrical licensing company. Only one further staging of the show ever seems to have taken place: a brief five performance run in May 1962, under the play's original title of Sodom, Tennessee, at the Little Theatre of the West Side YMCA in Manhattan ('Premiere,' 1962, p. 14). Billed as the show's "New York premiere", it didn't attract much attention and there are no published reviews. After that, the play's trail comes to a complete halt.

If it weren't for the show's status as a footnote to the career of Julie Andrews, Mountain Fire would likely have been completely lost to history. Even at the time of its cancellation, reports were already framing Mountain Fire as a blip on the way to Broadway success for Julie:

"Julie may have missed a West End appearance, but she is to be compensated by a Broadway lead in The Boy Friend when the show goes to New York in the autumn" ('Theatre Notes' 1954, p. 2).

Within a year or two, Julie's stardom was the principal frame of reference for any mention of Mountain Fire. It even became something of a boast for those behind the ill-fated production .

In 1956, when Julie was riding high on the success of My Fair Lady, an Alabama newspaper crowed that local playwright William Berney "discovered Julie Andrews [when] he was in London...casting his play Mountain Fire...Julie 'was it' so far as Berney was concerned, and a happy unknown made her bow" (Caldwell 1956, p. E-1). Not to be outdone, Howard Richardson was also soon talking up how his "plays have sent many actors and actresses on their way to fame including...Julie Andrews...who played one of her first roles in Richardson's Mountain Fire during its London [sic] run" ('New York playwright' 1959, p. 14).

All of which only proves the popular adage that, where failure is an orphan, success has many fathers!

____________________________

Who's Who of Mountain Fire

While Julie was undoubtedly the biggest star associated with Mountain Fire, the show included a roster of established and upcoming theatre talents, many of whom went on to bigger and better things:

Principals

Jerry Wayne as Joe Morgan (1919-1996): Born in Buffalo, New York in 1919, Wayne was a recording vocalist of some note who even hosted his own CBS radio show in the 1940s. He came to London in 1953 to play the lead role of Sky Masterson in the West End production of Guys and Dolls, marking the start of a British career. He appeared in the 1955 film musical, As Long as They're Happy and made several TV appearances in the 1960s. In 1967, Wayne married the novelist Doreen Juggler and graduated to a second career as a theatre and recording producer. Collaborating with his son Jeff, Wayne had notable success with the 1978 concept album, Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. Wayne passed away in Hertfordshire in 1996 ( 'Jeff Wayne' 1996, p. 24).

Andrew Cruickshank as Lot Johnson (1908-1988): Born in Aberdeenshire, Cruickshank initially pursued civil engineering before turning to the stage. He made his professional debut in Shakespeare repertory and joined the Old Vic in 1937, playing notable roles such as Banquo in Macbeth, opposite Olivier. During WWII, he served in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, earning an MBE. His varied career included significant roles in the West End production of Inherit the Wind (1960) and the National Theatre's Strife (1963). His best know role came courtesy of television as Dr. Cameron in the popular BBC series, Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962-71). In later life, Cruickshank wrote a number of plays, and was president of the Edinburgh Fringe Society. He died in 1988 ('Andrew Cruickshank' 1988, p. 310).

Charles Irwin as Sheriff Bates (1908-1984): Born in 1908 in Leeds, Irwin began his career in variety shows and became a comedian and vocalist on radio in the 1930s. He worked extensively in regional theatre and appeared as a character actor in films such as The Third Man (1949), A Tale of Five Women (1951), and Mystery Junction (1951). In later decades, he transitioned to television, appearing in popular series like Danger Man (1960), International Detective (1961), and The Saint (1962). Irwin passed away in November 1984 in Salisbury.

Gillian Lynne as Edith Higgins (1926-2018): An influential figure in British theatre and dance, Lynne was born in 1926 in Bromley, Kent. She began her career as a ballerina, dancing with Sadler's Wells, the English National Opera, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Lynne subsequently moved into choreography, working on many successful West End musicals. She was best known for her collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, where her choreography was instrumental to the success of shows such as Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. In recognition of her contributions to dance and musical theatre, Lynne was made a Dame Commander in 2014. She passed away in 2018 at the age of 92 (Dex 2018, p. A13).

Richard Ainley as Gabriel (1910-1967): Ainley was born in Middlesex in 1910, the son of famed Shakespearean actor Henry Ainley. He debuted on stage with Martin Harvey's company, before going on to work with the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells. His first film role was in As You Like It (1936), followed by notable roles in The Tempest (1939) and Above Suspicion (1941). Severely wounded in WWII, Ainley had to abandon his film career and could only continue with occasional stage roles. Later, he focused on broadcasting and adjudication, briefly leading the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the early 1960s. He passed away in 1967 at age 56 (Coe 1967, p. 23).

John Barclay as Lucifer (1892-1978): Barclay was born in 1892 in Bletchingly, Surrey. A tall man with a booming basso baritone, he trained as an opera singer and toured widely with various companies, including D'Oyly Carte. He appeared in several films, including The Mikado (1939) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941). In the late 1950s, Barclay moved to the US, where he pursued a late career playing strong and menacing character parts in film and TV. He passed away in 1978 at the age of 86.

Supporting Players

Molly Glessing as Miss Deedy Sparks (1910-1995): Midlands-born Glessing began her career in variety in the 1930s as a singer, dancer, and comedienne. She rose through the ranks to become a featured player in comedies and pantomimes. During the war, she gained popularity as a radio player and ENSA entertainer. After marrying a US serviceman, she relocated to California. Dividing her time between the US and the UK, Glessing continued to work in stage productions and amassed numerous character credits in films such as Charlie Chaplin's Limelight (1952), and TV shows, including The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962) ('Glessing" 1996, p. 33).

Lois McLean as Sadie Ollis (1927-2013): Canadian-born McLean studied drama at the University of Alberta and performed for several years with the Everyman Theatre Company in Vancouver. In 1950, she moved to the UK where she continued to perform, while studying theatre production with the Glasgow Citizen's theatre. In 1953, McLean started work as a manager for Peter Cotes and he cast her in various productions including Mountain Fire (Narraway 1954, p. 34). The pair also collaborated on a book, A Handbook of British Amateur Theatre. In the late-50s, she wed Indian-born lawyer, Birendra Jha and returned to Canada to start a family. McLean continued to perform and teach drama in Edmonton.

Esme Beringer as Old Sarah Johnson (1875-1972): Born in London to artist parents, Esme Beringer was a celebrated stage actress who made her professional debut in 1888. Known for her athletic physique and swordsmanship, she excelled in breeches roles, including playing Romeo, Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Prince and the Pauper. An enthusiastic fencer, she taught classes during WWI and starred in Shakespearean roles post-war. In later life, Beringer moved into character parts both on stage and in film. She died in 1972 at the grand age of 96 ('Esme Beringer' 1972, p. 16).

Neil McCallum as Skilly Sparks: (1929-1976) Born in Canada in 1929, McCallum moved to the UK to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Following graduation he appeared in a number of stage shows, scoring his greatest theatrical success in 1956 with the West End production of The Rainmaker opposite Sam Wanamaker. In the 1960s, McCallum became a familiar face on British television in series like The Saint (1963-64) and Department S (1969), as well as voicing characters on Thunderbirds Are Go (1966). Transitioning behind the scenes, McCallum became a scriptwriter and producer of some note, helming a number of TV series for the BBC before his untimely death from a cerebral hemorrhage in 1976, aged only 46 ('Neil McCallum', 1976, p. 11). As detailed by Julie in the first volume of her memoirs, she and McCallum embarked on a serious, if short-lived, romance during the production of Mountain Fire (Andrews, 2008, p. 161ff).

Jerry Stovin as Zeke Higgins (1922-2005): Born in Unity, Saskatchewan in 1922, Jerry Stovin served in the Canadian Army where he got the acting bug performing in military entertainments. Following the war, he went to Carnegie Tech to study drama, and moved to Britain in 1955. There he carved out a successful career in radio, television, and film, often playing American roles. He passed away in 1978 at the age of 86 (Peacock 1975, p. 7).

Harry Quashie as Ephraim (1914-1982): Born in Ghana, Quashie originally came to the UK to study law in 1939. He started to act in university theatricals and soon gave up his studies to pursue an acting career. He performed in a wide range of stage, radio and TV dramas and was a founding member of the Negro Theatre Company which helped pave the way for Black theatre artists in Britain. In the 50s, Quashie had character parts in several big screen features notably, Simba (1955), Safari (1956), and, The Passionate Summer (1958) ('Gave up law' 1947, p. 1; Bourne 2021).

John Sterland as Eb Higgins (1927-2017): Another Canadian actor, Sterland was born in Winnipeg to English parents. He came to the UK on a RADA scholarship, before joining the West of England Theatre Company. In a long career, Sterland racked up scores of stage and screen credits including A Countess from Hong Kong (1967), Performance (1970), Ragtime (1981), Bad Medicine (1985), Batman (1989), and The Tudors (2007). Married for many years to fellow actor, June Bailey, Sterland passed in 2017 ('John Sterland' 2017, p. 12).

Creatives

Howard Richardson (1917-1984): Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Richardson graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1938 and earned his M.A. in drama in 1940. After serving in the Army, Richardson co-wrote Dark of the Moon with cousin and frequent collaborator, William Berney. The play opened on Broadway in 1945, running for 318 performances. Despite frequent efforts, both in collaboration with Berney and as an individual playwright, Richardson would never match this initial success. In 1960, he earned a doctorate in 1960 and embarked on a career as a drama professor, working at various colleges throughout the US. He passed away in 1984 ('Howard Richardson', 1985, p. 34).

William Berney (1920-1961): Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Berney graduated from the University of Alabama, where he was active in drama. He later attended graduate school at the University of Iowa, where he started writing plays with Richardson. After graduation, Berney worked in advertising in New York, while pursuing his scriptwriting career on the side. During this period, he co-wrote several plays with Richardson, including Design for a Stained Glass Window (1950) and Protective Custody (1956). Berney moved to California around 1960 to write for television, but sadly passed away in Los Angeles in 1961 after a brief illness, aged 40 ('William Berney' 1961, p. 23) .

Peter Cotes (1912-1998): A theatrical polymath, Cotes -- who was born as Sydney Boulting in Maidenhead, Berkshire -- was part of a noted artistic family. His parents ran a theatre company and his brothers John and Roy Boulting became important filmmakers in British cinema. Initially an actor, Cotes shifted his focus to theatre production and directed the original production of The Mousetrap, the world's longest-running play. Other notable successes as director included the West End productions of The Children's Hour (1951) and A Pin to See the Peepshow (1952), and, in film, The Right Person (1955) and The Young and the Guilty (1958). In later years, Cotes wrote books and helmed a number of theatre companies. He passed away in 1998, at the age of 86 ('Peter Cotes' 1998, p. 35).

Anna Deere Wiman (1920-1963): Born in Illinois, Wiman was the daughter of successful theatre producer Dwight Deere Wiman, and heir to the John Deere family fortune. Educated by private tutors, she trained as a ballerina in Paris until a cycling accident ended her dance career. She then shifted to theatre management, initially working under her father. After his sudden death, she inherited a fortune, allowing her to become a self-funded theatre producer. Moving to London in 1954 with Mountain Fire, Wiman remained in the UK where she produced several West End productions, including The Reluctant Debutante (1955), Dear Delinquent (1957), and The Grass is Greener (1958). Despite her professional successes, Wiman struggled with alcoholism. She tragically died in 1963 at her holiday home in Bermuda from a fall down the stairs while under the influence. She was only 43 years old. ('Obituary: Anna Deere Wiman' 1963, p. 27.)

Stefan de Haan (1921-2010): Born in Darmstadt, Germany, de Haan was a gifted musician who trained in Berlin and Florence, before coming to the UK to study composition at the Royal College of Music. Following graduation, he initially gained prominence as a bassoonist, performing with various ensembles and orchestras. His compositional work includes a range of chamber music and orchestral pieces, often highlighting his expertise with woodwind and brass. His influence extended into music education, where his works are still performed and studied today. De Haan passed away in 2010, aged 89 (Bradbury 1954; 'Stefan de Haan' 2024).

Daphne Kiernander (1921-1998) Born in 1921, in East Preston, West Sussex, Kiernander was an accomplished dancer who rose to fame performing in various West End reviews and musicals such as Bobby Get Your Gun (1938), Let's Face It (1942), and Piccadilly Hayride (1946). She moved into choreography working on a number of stage and TV productions, including Such Is Life (1950) and Puzzle Corner (1953) for the BBC, and the Old Vic's 1955 production of The Taming of the Shrew. In the 1960s, Kiernander retired from dance to marry and start a new career in business and marketing (​Powell 1962).

Michael Stringer (1924-2004) One of Britain's most successful film art directors, Stringer developed a passion for cinema early on. After serving as a RAF pilot in WWII, he trained with Norman Arnold at Rank Studios. There he scored notable success with one of his first independent assignments, Genevieve (1953), and followed it up with other popular Rank titles like An Alligator Named Daisy (1955) and Windom's Way (1957). His success in Britain led to international offers, working on big productions such as The Sundowners (1960), In Search of the Castaways (1962), and A Shot in the Dark (1964). Stringer went on to a distinguished Hollywood and UK career, bringing his talents to a long and diverse list of films, including Fiddler on the Roof (1971), which earned him an Oscar nomination, The Greek Tycoon (1978), The Awakening (1980), The Mirror Crack'd (1980), and The Jigsaw Man (1983). Stringer passed away in 2004. (Eyles 2004, p. 43).

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Peacock, B. (1975). 'Jerry Stovin is busy.' The Leader-Post. 18 July, p. 7.

'Peter Cotes, 86, producer and director of 'Mousetrap'." (1998). The New York Times. 18 November, p. 35.

'Play is off: inadequate support during tour.' (1954). Daily Mail. 11 June, p. 3.

Powell, E. (1962). 'She turns from show business to shops.' The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express. 30 March, p. 18.

'Premiere of "Sodom" Friday. (1962). New York Times. May 12, p. 14.

'Producer drafted, 2 plays in doubt.' (1951). Daily News. 28 March, p. 15C.

'Review: Sodom Tennessee, Guthsville, Pa. Aug. 29.' (1950). In Beckhard, R. & Effrat, J. (Eds). Blueprint for summer theatre: 1951 supplement. John Richard Press, pp. 40-41

Richardson, H. & Berney, W. (1954). Sodom, Tennessee: A play in three acts. British Library, Lord Chamberlain’s Collection of Plays 1954/37.

'Romantic comedy set for October.' (1954). Daily News. 12 March. p. 17C.

Rudetsky, S. (2023). Musical theatre for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.

'Set Broadway showing of "Sodom, Tennessee".' The Chattanooga Times. 19 November, p. 26.

Shanley, J.P. (1953). 'New team follows in fathers' steps: David Aldrich, Anna Wiman to offer "Sodom, Tennessee" as first play in Fall.' New York Times. 3 July, p. 10.

Shellard, D., Nicholson, S., & Handley, M. (2004). The Lord Chamberlain regrets : a history of British theatre censorship. British Library.

'Stefan de Haan'. (2024). Musicalics: The classical composers database. [Website].

'Stringfield asked to pen music for "Sodom, Tennessee".' (1953). The Knoxville News-Sentinel. 4 June, p. 7.

'Symbolistic musical at Leeds Grand.' (1954). The Yorkshire Observer. 26 May, p. 6.

Talley, R. (1950). 'An imaginary Tennessee won is site for "wicked" new play.' The Commercial Appeal. 8 October, p. VI-13.

Talley, R. (1954). 'British actors must learn how Tennessee hillbilly talks.' The Commercial Appeal. 18 April, p. VI-5.

Testy, H. (1954). 'New twist to success story: Neil McCallum on ladder to acting career.' The Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. 11 August, pp. 3, 6.

'Theatre Notes: Mountain Collapses.' (1954). The Kensington News and West London Times. 18 June, p. 2.

Watt, D. (1950). 'Ailing Harrison can't stage play.' Daily News. 7 February, p. 47.

'William Berney, 40, Coast playwright.' (1961). The New York Times. 25 November, p. 23.

Wilson, C. (1956). 'Now Miss Wiman is on "The Ball"." Daily Mail. 20 April, p. 10.

Winchell, W. (1953). 'The Main Stem Lights: Marilyn rejects role.' The Pittsburg Sun-Telegraph. 8 December, p. 19. ©2024, Brett Farmer. All rights reserved.

[bethannangel]

I finally got all my notes down and somewhat coherent from the Livestream Q&A at Alamo Drafthouse screenings.

I have no clue if these are repeat answers from previous Q&As because I avoided them to not be spoiled more about the movie

- Glen invited his sophomore year creative writing teacher to the Texas premiere (May 15th). He asked his teacher if he could write screenplays in class instead of poems or prose. The teacher was very supportive and would bring in Linklater screenplays to go over.

- First meeting with Adria, Linklater says to Glen “I don’t want to tip the scales but you should really meet her.”

- They meet, Glen says the actress to play Madison had to be someone the audience could see themselves throw everything away for. And Glen saw that Adria is that kind of woman. Both Glen and Adria were in the middle of Dry January (Rick joked “what’s that?” And Glen replied “you’re always in dry January”) and Glen is like yes I want to work with you and we should celebrate so they decide to get one tequila and then five hours later they are sloshed calling for rides.

- They consulted with Adria about Madison’s choices and possible dialogue. They joked how she was an unofficial writer of the movie.

- Linklater said he wanted Adria and Glen to lead the conversation on the intimate sex scenes and Adria would come in with references of artistic/tasteful photos and they incorporated them into the film. She specifically mentioned the sock pull and wine scene were referenced in the photos. She said she’s never been given the opportunity to give this much input to scenes she’s working in.

- They did all these references and had fun thinking of way to put these intimate scenes together but when it came to film there was a pause moment of realization that they had to be the ones in these scenes

- During pandemic Glen brought the article to Linklater and Rick is like yeah I’ve read it before and Glen is like there’s a story here. They had to make a decision to verge from the truth to get a really good story out of it. Once they made that decision, the creative flow just flowed. Spent a few hours a day on zoom talking about it and putting the script together

- Talked a bit about Skip Hollandsworth and his book about the Austin serial killer and joked with Glen about doing a movie about that

- Rick would talk on the phone with the real Gary Johnson when they were in preproduction. He said that they were planning on having him visit the set, but he quickly passed due to a pulmonary thing.

- Glen said he likes his chair of actor for now and being a director would be far in the future. Rick said Glen is a storyteller and he’ll work on anything that he deems a good story. Glen said he’s in the right place, learning from the right person.

- Glen was in charge of the costume. Rick hadn’t seen a lot of the costumes until day off because they were putting finishing touches on the script late in the game. The stylist nicknamed the red headed character Tilda Weasley and when he was fully dressed had a moment of “oh no, I think I’m attracted to Tilda Weasley”

- No costume was on the cutting room floor. Each of the costumes were inspired by the article directly. There were a few more ideas in the script writing process, but those were narrowed down to what we see on the screen by the time they got to shooting.

- Glen shadowed a film studies professor (Friend of Rick’s) who also got to read the script and told them that they needed to keep the pie line in the movie because it didn’t make it to one of the final drafts.

- The interviewer (even said this may be in poor taste) asked Adria about her recent project Los Frikis. When she spoke about it, she had so much love and passion in her eyes about this project and she said that they would be heading back out on the festival circuit with it.

[come-along-pond]

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CHALLENGE. day three - march 8th. “IN MARCH I’LL BE RESTED, CAUGHT UP AND HUMAN”

Happy International Women’s Day! Women have influenced society from its beginning, and a large part of that has been through literature. We want to know what quote/s by women represent your OC! Or even, what quotes or lyrics does your OC use to ground herself. Feel free to use any female-made quote, it doesn’t have to be from poetry or a book!

(Some) of my OCs + the Speech from Barbie.

It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong.

You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can't ask for money because that's crass. You have to be a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other people's ideas. You're supposed to love being a mother, but don't talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people.

You have to answer for men's bad behaviour, which is insane, but if you point that out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.

But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.

You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.

I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don't even know. - Barbie 2023

gif credits bellow

@blondewhoregifs

taglist: @arrthurpendragon @bravelittleflower @ginger-grimm @dancingsunflowers-ocs @foxesandmagic @shrinkthisviolet @witchofinterest @wordspin-shares @oneirataxia-girl

Send an ask/message if you wish to be added or removed!

[marypsue]

Blood will out for WIP game?

[from this meme]

Thank you for asking about this one, because it's one I haven't really talked about on here and I'm very glad to have the excuse!

I wrote Lost in the Shadow of the Vampire, which is one of the most self-indulgent things I've ever posted: a piece of semi-meta semi-fan-fiction, where a (fictional) actress working on a (fictional) reboot-slash-sequel to 1987 cult classic The Lost Boys starts to suspect that one of her costars is actually becoming a vampire like the ones in the movie. It was a complete blast to write, and I had so much fun figuring out what the fictional reboot-slash-sequel would be about that I decided that I'd just go ahead and write it.

Since the premise is that this is a movie, a 2015-ish all-female reboot slash sequel ignoring all the other sequels, I tried to come up with a plot hook that would let me introduce new leads and change the time period, while honouring the vibe (without just ripping off the plot of the original) and calling back to the original, but also respecting which actors from the original would actually be likely to come back (and which actors from the original are still, uh. Alive). Also, I wanted a girl gang of vampires who have unfuckwithable style and vibes.

So. The premise of Blood Will Out is that, shortly after she turns eighteen, Kate Fischer, the biological daughter of Star and Michael Emerson, starts turning into a vampire. Since she was adopted as a baby and has had no contact with her bio family until very recently, she has absolutely no idea what's going on - but her sister Jamie does. And, because of what Jamie had thought was a very convincing blog-form webnovel and interactive ARG but is now looking like it's actually just the blog of an actual real-life vampire hunter, they have a line of communication to one Edgar Frog.

Unfortunately, this ends up raising more questions than answers. Was there something sinister behind the string of tragedies that struck Kate's birth family and left her orphaned? Was her becoming a half-vampire really biological destiny, or does someone have plans for her? And, once she finds herself drawn into the orbit of a trio of captivating vampires who're more than willing to accept her as one of their own, does she even want to go back to human? Will Jamie get her sister back, or lose her forever?

Does the world need another female-OC-centric TLB fic? Who knows? Who cares? I haven't written one yet, and I'm having fun. (Also, I have a big reveal in mind for the third act that I haven't seen anyone do before, and is positively evil. I'm excited about it.)

I've posted one small sample here, but here, have another:

“Where the hell were you.”

Kate closes her eyes for a second. Like she’s tired. Jamie knows better than to buy that. It’s past midnight. This is prime Kate active hours.

“I’m serious, Kate. I woke up – alone, in a strange city, in California, by the way – and you were just gone. No note, no text, your phone here on the desk -”

Kate sounds defensive, not meeting Jamie’s eyes. Good. She should feel guilty. “Don’t shit yourself. You fell asleep. I was bored. I took a little walk.”

“A little walk down to the Boardwalk, Kate?”

And now Kate doesn’t look like she feels guilty at all. Just kind of flatly angry. Jamie absolutely doesn’t feel a little silver wiggle of apprehension about that. “So what if it was?”

Jamie can’t find words. So instead, she settles for letting her face and her upturned hands do the asking for her. “So what if – Kate. Kate. We agreed. Neither of us goes down there alone. Do I need to remind you that you had to lock yourself in your room for nine solid hours because you accidentally saw a nosebleed? Do you know how many people -”

“Nobody died and I didn’t eat anybody,” Kate snaps, yanking out the chair by the little desk and dropping into it with her front pressed against its back and her legs splayed out to either side. She presses her chin into her hands on the top of the chair back, so the next words come out as a muffled grumble. “Not like you could’ve stopped me if you had been there, anyway.”

The silence that descends around and between them is abrupt and icy.

Kate shifts uncomfortably in the chair, looking everywhere but at Jamie. Like she knows she’s crossed a line. But she doesn’t seem any too ready to apologise for it. “I know you don’t like thinking about it, Jay. But it’s true. If I did go off the deep end -”

Jamie only realises she’s been frozen perfectly still in place when she tries to unclaw her hand from around the TV remote. “I wouldn’t let you. I won’t let you.”

“Jamie…” Kate’s eyes shutter, for a moment, before she finally looks Jamie in the eye again. “You could get hurt. I. Might hurt you.”

Jamie meets her gaze with one of her own, steady and, she hopes, fearless. “You won’t.”

Kate breaks first. She shuts her eyes, rolls her head back on her shoulders, and grips the chair back, leaning back as far as her arms’ reach will let her. “Ugh. Do you think Mom’s found our note yet?”

In answer, Jamie holds up her phone. Kate flops her head forward again so she can look under her mess of dark curls and see the notifications that fill up the screen. Can see that Jamie’s had fifty-eight missed calls and a hundred and two unread texts.

“I think she’s found it,” Jamie cracks.

Kate groans, long and deep and heartfelt, and lets her head flop backwards again.

She starts getting out her laptop as Jamie’s crawling back into bed. Jamie watches her face, the hard set of her stare, as she sets it up on the desk and boots it up. Now that Kate’s back, the wild anger – and the fear that had driven it – are starting to settle again. But there’s a slow, deep, sucking dread starting to take their place. The matter-of-fact coldness, the who-cares attitude earlier – that’s not Kate. At least, not the Kate Jamie knows. And the longer this goes on, the more often this new, cold version of Kate seems to slip to the surface.

But. Even this new, cold version of Kate still doesn’t want Jamie to get hurt.

That has to count for something.

“Kate?” Jamie says, pulling the covers up around her head so she’s looking at her sister through a tunnel of duvet.

Kate makes a wordless noise of acknowledgment without looking up from the laptop screen.

“You’re going to go back to the Boardwalk without me, aren’t you.”

That actually does get Kate to turn around. To look Jamie in the eye. “Jamie -”

Jamie doesn’t give her a chance to speak. She doesn’t really want to hear her sister talk about losing control again. But more than that, she just doesn’t want to have to hear Kate lie to her. She doesn’t want to know if Kate could do it with her eyes steady on Jamie’s and not a hint of guilt in her face or her voice. “Not tonight, okay? Just…don’t go back there again tonight.”

Kate rolls her bottom lip between her teeth, something in her stare softening.

“Not tonight,” she agrees. “Everything’s shut down by now, anyway. Now come on, Jay. It’s almost one AM. You’ve gotta be up early tomorrow if we’re gonna have any time before dawn makes me useless.”

“Your messed-up sleep schedule’s rubbing off on me,” Jamie grumbles good-naturedly, as she lets her head sink back into the pillow and her eyes drift shut. The bed’s never felt so warm, so soft. Despite her nap earlier, she really is tired.

“Oh shit, I hope not,” Kate says, sounding worried. And then, warmly, “G’night, Jamie. Get some sleep.”

Jamie drifts off to the sound of her sister’s fingers tick-tick-ticking over the laptop’s keys.

[transamorousnetwork]

The Best Trans Girlfriend: Played By Nava Mau

I’m very near the end of gushing about Netflix’s Baby Reindeer. Just two more things need mentioning about this wonderful show. It’s wonderful because, as mentioned in the last post, Baby Reindeer reveals underlying causes keeping nearly all trans-attracted men in the shadows.

Primary among those causes is self loathing. Self loathing is as common among transgender women as it is among trans-attracted men. Which is one dimension across which both groups represent perfect matches.

But that’s another story; one I’ve shared many times. In this story, I want to focus on Teri, the transgender character played by Nava Mau. I’m going to crush a little on the actress too. So bear with me.

Alright, here we go.

Trans women and the power they possess

Speaking of crushing, this blog asserts over and over that trans women possess a unique power. Especially when they embrace all that they are. I’ve seen trans-attracted men literally transformed for the better because of that power. This power also partly explains why trans-attracted men who enjoy the pleasure of actually dating a trans woman finds himself so smitten to the core.

Teri, whom Donny, Baby Reindeer’s main character, meets on a dating website, is exactly the kind of trans woman I’m writing about. She’s self assured, measured and clear-headed. It helps, of course that she’s a therapist. Which also tells us she’s got some baggage herself. Therapists become therapists for a reason. And really good therapists are really good for that same reason.

Anyway, Teri’s at first open minded. She’s eager to get to know Donny, even though he’s presenting a totally bogus version of himself. That’s because he’s deeply shameful of his attraction. Which is interesting because Nava Mau is gorgeous in the extreme. And, to me, totally passable.

That doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. For a trans-attracted man dealing with his shame, however, it would seem Teri is a great match because she looks convincingly like a cis woman. Still, Donny tries Teri’s patience. She sees right through his lies, but goes along anyway. I presume she’s hoping to meet the real Donny eventually.

^^Nava Mau (Instagram)

Trans women: helping the men helps you

Which brings me back to the power of trans women. Listen ladies, if you want to be with a man, many such men exist who will love you out loud exactly as you are. But many more need some training. If you’re willing to, helping a guy get through his shame can create a lasting, deep love.

It also, however, can lead to disastrous outcomes. Which is why I advocate a particular approach to relationships. One that first starts with the relationship with yourself. Get that stable and it’s really easy to create any kind of relationship you want. Including with a guy. But if your relationship with yourself is wobbly, you can’t access that power, that focus that literally can turn a man into a prime relationship candidate.

There’s no reason a trans woman who wants to be with a man can’t be with one. But disempowering beliefs will put the kibosh on that goal every time. Those who tell positive stories – about themselves, about their man and their relationship – can literally create the ideal relationship from one that seems deeply flawed.

After all, we all meet our matches in the moment we meet them. That means every relationship we get into is a match. We might not like what that relationship contains, but isn’t it true that in every failed relationship we are the common denominator? That means we and we alone can change the relationship, because we are the focus of it.

And if that’s available to us, why keep running through guys? Why not instead choose a guy and walk with him through his struggles? Maybe he’ll do the same for you.

Bring on an ass kicking

This is what Teri tries to do. And for a while it works. But then Donny does something so freaking disgusting, even I was shocked when it happened. I won’t ruin the show with a spoiler. I’ll just say for Teri, it was the final straw. Later in the series we see her again, dating another guy.

Nava Mau surprised me as an actress. I was confused when she first appeared because my radar pinged her as trans, but she passed so completely. Her acting, however, really won me over. It was so passionate, so spirited. So raw. I wonder if she drew on her own experiences dating men. Looking at her Instagram profile, she may be into women. If that’s the case, she’s an even better actress.

I particularly enjoyed that the show portrayed her as a professional, with her own home and her own life. What also surprised me though was when she and Donny’s stalker squared off in one espisode, I expected Teri to beat the living daylights out of that girl.

That wouldn’t have been consistent with the plot though. So I can see why her character didn’t give that crazy stalker an ass kicking. Still, many of the trans women I’ve met not only are smart and capable, they’re more than willing to bring an ass kicking to the table if necessary. Which is another thing I admire about certain trans women: they’re tough. They have to be given what many go through.

It’s just too bad so many let what they go through also shape their expectations, especially in the dating realm. Which is why I started this blog.

Meeting our match isn’t coincidence

Now let’s be clear. Plenty of trans women like Teri exist in the world. Read that again men. If you’re not meeting them, it’s because you’re not a match to them. They have things going on. While you may find them on online dating sites, I don’t think they’re at bars. So finding them means letting go of preconceived notions about how to date. It also means letting go of the idea that you know where to find her.

Meeting such women usually means such connections happening by “chance”. People like that term “chance”. “Coincidence” is another word they love. From The Transamorous Network’s perspective, however, chance and coincidence aren’t real. What’s really happening when a trans woman suddenly appears on our path is in that moment we’ve allowed our desire for relationship dominate expectations that such a relationship isn’t possible.

In other words, the Universe is showing us that what we think is impossible is, in fact, possible. Which explains why usually, when such meetings happen, the girl is with someone already. It’s not that she’s meant for us, she’s meant to show us what’s available; when we let go of stories keeping what’s available on the horizon.

I say if you want a transgender partner, the best approach is letting it happen naturally, not trying to make it happen. Trying to make it happen brings us matches matching ALL we are – warts and all. Better to let it happen in divine timing, a timing that also allows us to become better matches.

So that when our match does show up, the match has more of what we want than what we don’t.

[blogquantumreality]

So I wanna talk about Orla Maguire (TBoMT)

I've been re-watching the series along with @ayalaatreides (thanks to Teleparty!) and I'd forgotten a lot of the Season 1 stuff so I was somewhat unprepared for the Shit Gets Absolutely Real in S01E06 ("The Test").

Spoilers ensue, so I'm putting the rest under a Read More:

What I love about this episode is it digs into the very real challenges Kyra will face as a Tri-ling in the magical world she's only just begun to navigate via Professor Maxwell's school in River City, and the series personifies those challenges in the form of Orla Maguire, an elf:

Melanie Zanetti (Orla's actress) just nailed the menacingly benevolent way she approaches Kyra.

She's all smiles, but you can just tell she's ready to stab Kyra in the back at the slightest opportunity, and boy, does she get that chance this episode!

And she grabs the Shadow Cloud, after which she espies Peter across a park and chooses to let it out there:

And right here, this is where she crosses the Moral Event Horizon.

She purposely moves the cloud near Peter.

I believe this was deliberate, because doing this sets Kyra up for two equally bad alternatives:

She takes her mind off the Shadow Cloud threat and will have to rush and save Peter, failing the test, or

She fails to save Peter and ends up letting the Cloud go on to do further damage before containing it.

Kyra, luckily, knocks Peter out of the way and distracts him while Imogen manages to vacuum the cloud up using a magical artifact.

But regardless of the outcome, thanks to Orla Kyra was doomed to fail this test anyway, and we see that the reason for this is due to deep-seated prejudices that still exist within the magical world of TBoMT:

These prejudices play out in the relative socioeconomic positions of the Maxwell School students:

Imogen's and Darra's parents are hinted to be quite wealthy, given Orla's remarks about generous donations to the Department of Magical Intervention (also, noteworthy is that they're all full-blooded elves).

Lily's (a full-blooded fairy) father Sean Reegan (also a fairy) is at this point hinted to be a high official in the DMI (we later find out he's the Director of the DMI - effectively the Minister for Magic).

Ruksy's family situation isn't elaborated on by this point. However, given that she is treated the same as Lily, we can conclude that Ruksy's family is probably the equivalent of magical middle class.

But Kyra is a Tri-ling in a world where any mixed-ancestry magical people are regarded with suspicion at best, and her father is a policeman - good at his job, but hardly a rising star destined for fame and fortune.

So this firmly puts Kyra at the bottom of the socioeconomic hierarchy, a situation which Professor Maxwell sympathizes with, being a half-ling himself. He also remarks (anviliciously, perhaps, but some things need to be said) that it means Kyra will have to work twice as hard to be considered as good as the other students.

To bring this back to Orla, it's impressive how well this episode uses her character as a vehicle to show the extent of discrimination Kyra will face, and how prejudice against her can easily lead to abuses of magical power in ways that could hurt Kyra or her friends.

I'm purposely avoiding spoilers for Orla's later character arc, but feel free to bring those up if you've already seen the entire series and want to discuss! :)

[baggebythesea]

Queens of the Horde - Tumblr exclusive curtain call

"Aaaaaaaand scene," Double Trouble said and bowed deeply. The audience applauded politely. Double Trouble did a little wave, and the curtain opened behind them, showing the rest of the cast smiling and waving at the audience.

"That concludes the final act of our show 'Queens of the Horde'," Double Trouble said to the audience. "Please, give a hand for our lead actresses, Glimmer and Catra!"

Beaming, the two queens stepped forward with Adora in tow and bowed deeply.

"Tell me," Double Trouble said. "What was it like carrying the narrative."

"Too much like work," Catra said. "But at least Sparkles was cute when she was mopey."

"I got to play the bad girl AND the hero," Glimmer said with a smug smirk. "It was great."

"And how about you, Adora," Double Trouble leered. "What do you think of the ending?"

"Can't hear you over the sound of me hugging Catra and Glimmer for a MONTH!" Adora said, burying her face in Catra's fur.

"And let's here it for our breakout characters," Double Trouble went on. "Jack and Frosta, also known as 'Jack Frost' or 'Snowbunny'. Thank you!"

An enthusiastic Frosta dragged a blushing Jack with her to the middle of the stage. Jack attempted a bow, but before they knew it Frosta had scooped them up in a big kiss, to the 'Oooh's and 'Aaaw's of the rest of the cast.

"How does it feel, knowing that the readers think you're the cutest thing of the entire fic?" Double Trouble asked.

"Darn tooting we are," Frosta grinned while Jack looked at the floor without being able to answer.

"What will you do now?" Double Trouble pressed on.

"We're off to a well earned vacation," Frosta said. "Did you know that Jack has never seen a hot spring? I'm taking them to Mystacor."

"You don't have to tell them that..." Jack mumbled, not looking at the audience.

"Sorry, you're just so adorable when you're flustered," Frosta teased as they stepped to the side of the stage.

"And a big hand for our lovely support characters," Double Trouble cried. "Bow, Scorpia, Entrapta, Lonnie, Netossa, Spinnerella, Perfuma, Mermista, Sea Hawk, all the rest of you, let's give them a big hand... don't set fire to the set, Hot Stuff."

The stage filled up with people as everyone tired to fit in - or in the case of Kyle, tried to hide behind the rest.

"I for one am very proud of everyone," Bow said. "This has been a great show."

"Go us," Mermista said with dry voice and snuffed out a torch Sea Hawk was secretly trying to light.

"DID SOMEONE SAY SWIFT WIND?" the flying horse said has he landed with a crash on the stage, forcing people to flee.

"And let's not forget our Villains," Double Trouble went on as Swift Wind was ushered off the stage. "Can't have proper drama without a good antagonist." Stiffly and without acknowledging each other's presence, Hordak and Shadow Weaver walked up on stage. They glared at the audience for a moment without bowing.

"Now when the fic is over, what's your thoughts?" Double Trouble asked.

"My part was mercifully short," Hordak grumbled.

"Exactly the flat melodrama one could expect from a story staring Catra," Shadow Weaver sniffed. "I am however deeply disappointed in Micah's daughter who wastes her potential on this kind of drivel."

"It's called romance," Glimmer leered, holding Catra and Adora tighter.

"I know what I said," Shadow Weaver said and left the stage with a harrumph.

"The author wishes to thank all of us for doing a great job," Bow said, entering the stage and reading from a letter. "With a special shot-out to Jack for being a really considerate Original Character (the author has been kinda shy about writing those before so thanks for easing them into it) and a special fuck-you to Catra for being emotionally complex and making the fic ten chapters longer than it would otherwise have been."

"Can't let that fucker have it too easy," Catra smirked, while Frosta and Glimmer high fived the flustered Jack.

"The author also wishes to thank the audience," Bow went on. "Every like, reblog, kudos, read, comment, piece of art, spotify-list, tv-trope entry, theory, 'damn you'... It has been an incredible journey, and your engagement has made it all worth it. Thank you so much."

"They are just fishing for more comments, aren't they?" Lonnie sighed.

"Never deny an artist their curtain call," Double Trouble smirked.

"There sadly won't be a sequel," Bow went on, reading from the letter, "but if it were, it would have been about taking down Horde Prime with cunning and teamwork, and the author doesn't feel up to another multiple chapter story of that magnitude."

"Go read 'Queen Glimmer - Supreme ruler of the universe' for that kind of story," Glimmer quickly piped in.

"Then what will be the author's next project?" Double Trouble asked.

"Well, obviously they need another big Glitra project," Catra immediately said. "I know they had an s1 story planned awhile back..."

"...or maybe some Glimmadora?" Adora blushed. "A sequel to Glimmer's hero?"

"Or perhaps another entry in the 'Baker and the Biker' series?" Bow hopefully said.

"All excellent options," Glimmer grinned. "And of course 'Glimmer dates everyone' is still woefully incomplete."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Catra said with an eyeroll. "The author has a type."

"So do you," Glimmer said with a sweet smile, causing Catra to turn away her face to hide a blush.

"And 'You even taste like Glitter' will keep update monthly," Bow explained. "Apparently something big is planned for two or three chapters from now."

"Will Catra finally pop the question?" Glimmer teased.

"Shut up, Sparkles," Catra muttered.

"I heard they are taking a stab at original fiction," Double Trouble helpfully said. "A short story about creepy princesses, and then something with mermaids?"

"What?" Glimmer said in indignation. "Why would they want to write about a dumb mermaid instead of me?"

"Because mermaids are, like, awesome," Mermista said with a little smug smile.

"Right you are, my oceanic blossom!" Sea Hawk rumbled and put his arms around her shoulders. She rolled her eyes and moved a bit closer to him.

"Yeah, whatever," Catra said with an eyeroll of her own. "We all know they'll write about a pink princess named 'Flimmer' in half a year or so anyway."

"That's trademark violation!" Glimmer gasped.

"Hate to break it to you, Glimmer," Bow said with a gentle smile, "but you are not the first pink princess in history."

"No, but I'm the best," Glimmer countered.

"You'll find the author's original fiction at Writer's Café and Royal Road, pen name Bagge," Double Trouble quickly interjected. "However, they promise that they won't give up on fanfic either. There will be more Glimmer stories to come."

"There'd better be," Glimmer sniffed.

"Anyway," Double Trouble said, while the cast took another deep bow. "Thank you everyone - cast and readers alike - for sharing this journey. Tons of fun were had, and there will be more where that came from. Keep making fandom great and have a grand ol' time."

They looked straight at the audience.

"And scene."

[anonymous-dentist]

o que você recomendaria para quem quer assistir e ler sobre coisas sobrenaturais? sua criatividade (principalmente em breaking dawn) me fez me interessar pelo assunto, mas sou meio estúpida para procurar essas coisas 👉👈

First few seasons of Supernatural (2005), watch more if you want to suffer and experience true Purgatory

I'm also Literally always inspired by The X-Files even though that's kinda more aliens and government conspiracies than supernatural creatures, but I remember there being a haunted doll episode that LITERALLY traumatized me lol

Another REALLY GOOD movie and show would be What We Do in the Shadows. That's vampires and some werewolf stuff, but what really shines is the spin-off show, Wellington Paranormal. PEAK FICTION!!!!!

And then there's the best movie ever made of all time real not clickbait, Evil Dead 2. Aka, the best movie ever made of all time real not clickbait. It's demons and shit, actual peak fiction. It's the movie that blasted its lead actress with 50+ gallons of fake blood to the face for a full like ten second blood blast

And, if you like that, there's actually a Broadway musical of the Evil Dead! I saw a local production of it on the day of the QSMP Festa Junina event and ended up missing the First Spiderbit Date Ever because of it, but that's fine because the show is PEAK!!!

For ghosts, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is a REALLY good manga! I own a couple volumes, it's REALLY GOOD! (even if what i've heard about recent things has been. bad lol)

For the Unknown, I gotta go with Color Out of Space (the movie, I don't like the short story)

For demons, and I'm sure you've heard of this one, you HAVE to play Faith: The Unholy Trinity. It's SO GOOD!!!!!!!

And, for general just Scary Things, literally anything by Junji Ito

But, really, I got most of my supernatural stuff right from my own head. It's basically a mixture of what I think would be cool and what would scare me personally with a dash of real world superstitions. I like to do some folk research first, just for fun!

[yeahiwasintheshit]

Saw that movie, X, that came out earlier this year and it’s clear they’re going for that retro 70s exploitation movie vibe, and if that’s the only thing they wanted to do with this movie, than it worked, I guess. Problem is there wasn’t anything else to any of these characters. It was all very surfacy. Nothing deeper about these characters, but since It was only an exploitation movie, then I guess I shouldnt expect more? idk. Now knowing they are planning a whole expanded universe with this character, maybe they’ll do more with the person(s) who survive in those other movies? i suppose, (trying not to spoil anything) but on its own, I didn’t get much of anything out of this. I wasn’t bored, but I wasn’t too invested in who these people are.

And the main actress Mia goth was fine. I think she did an ok job, a little flat and one-notey, but I feel like they were going for that. I just didn’t really buy this character living in that time. Like the main thing for me is they shaved her eyebrows off, and they have a lot of blue eye shadow on her, and it just makes her look comical or homicidal. And they never mention it. Like I was waiting for them to say something like, “ok honey were about to film your porn scene, it’s time to draw on your eyebrows, it’s such a shame you can’t grow them yourself” but like... it’s just never mentioned. All that’s mentioned about her is that she REALLY wants to be a star. It’s literally the year 1979, and we’re to believe that a person who watches TV and the movies in 1979 is so motivated to being a big star that would they would just walk around with no eyebrows? No big celebrity in 1979 was in movies or TV with no eyebrows, and to think she would think not having eyebrows was ok, didnt feel true for her character, in that time setting. It was just so distracting. It just didnt ring true to any of these characters in this time in history that no one would mention it either. Especially since they are about to film a scene in a porn movie with her. Like she wasnt trying to be famous in like some sort of underground horror movie scene, where maybe you can get away with no eyebrows, she wanted to be a star star, and it just made no sense why she would not draw on eyebrows. I was so distracted by that lol

It was shot well enough, and had some interesting scenes, like there was one over head view of when maxine was in the pond with the alligator, (Chekhov’s alligator? Lol) to me that built some tension, but overall, I felt there were no stakes for these people because right at the beginning, in the first few frames of the movie, we see there was a bloodbath at the farm. We don’t know who or what, but we know most if not all of the people we will meet will die, and for me I don’t really like that kind of framing. It deflates tension almost immediately.

There was also a couple really cheesy kills, like the one in the barn. It was so obvious what was going to happen, it made it uninteresting and a little eye rolling (no pun intended) to watch. Tho there was a cool shot, right before that kill, when the camera pans all the way on the floor and we see what’s right in front of the person and we know what is about to happen next. That was great bit of leading the audience, and built some tension, and when that thing happened I really got the willies. Cause I felt it too lol

Other than a couple scenes that were kinda good, I really didn’t get much out of the movie. I didn’t find any of these people likable or worth rooting for. It’s not that they were bad or evil people, it’s just they were pretty one dimensional characters. And even the villains were kinda dumb. Like there was an interesting scene at the beginning when maxine is in the house and old photos on the wall are shown to her, there was something there. I was intrigued to know more, but they didnt really build on that, and when they kinda reveal the villains motivations theyre really muddled and kinda weak. I felt a few times watching “why?” and there was no really interesting reason.

I also didn’t really like how much the “age” of the older couple was used as a device to elicit horror and grossness from the audience. The makeup on the old people was really pretty good but it was clear it was makeup and it made me wonder why are they putting old age makeup on people instead of just hiring old people (later found out it was the whole prequel/ sequel thing, I guess) But they go out of their way to illustrate that the old people are gross, and they are gross for having sexuality, or having sexual feelings and eventhough they do horrible things because of it, the mere fact of their sexuality was presented as being gross, which again was more of a distraction and kinda off putting.

Idk, I think they wanted this movie to be like really cutting edge and cool, but its kinda vapid and empty. Like the idea of an exploitation movie lends itself to being sort of one dimensional and empty. (pile on the kills and boobs and nothing else than all is good? no) but it just never went beyond that. Maybe they will with the other movies, idk, but im not sure i care enough to find out.

[dryams03]

▷Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3

Chapter 2 — Chapter 3 — Chapter 4

They didn't stop looking at each others eyes, the salty breeze ran around them, and the waves danced calmly. After a few moments, they instinctively embraced as if their bodies were urging them to.

—Thank you very much for wanting to help me, Evil. —Sasha expressed, looking into his eyes.

—You don't have to thank me, I'm as well receiving your help —he replied, releasing her and turning with a smile to look towards the jungle. —Now we should focus on finding a place to live in.

—Do you have any ideas? —Sasha tilted her head slightly as she asked.

At that moment, Evil extended his arms forward. Suddenly, the wind's force increased, moving his hair and clothes. It also lifted the sand to waist height. Evil's shadow expanded, merging with the shadows of the trees, forming a black snake-like creature. It slithered around the trees, Evil snapped his fingers with both hands, and a sphere of darkness began forming from the dark serpent. It enclosed a large portion of land, trees, and rocks, finally, the pale man lowered his arms, and Sasha approached slowly, standing beside him.

—And now what? —Sasha said, gazing at the black sphere. At that moment, Evil applauded softly, and a flash of light illuminated the ball from within. The shadows dissipated, revealing a beautiful wooden house predominantly white, with a yellow triangular roof and stairs leading to a small balcony. —Wow! That was amazing! How did you do that? —Sasha was impressed and enthusiastic.

Evil chuckled and placed his hand on Sasha's head. —Those are my powers, little one. Now let's go inside. —They both entered the house, however, Evil's mind couldn't stop thinking about his father, his mother, losing what he loved, his solitude. He looked at Sasha warmly, pondering what he was supposed to do. Every time he loved something, he lost it, friends, family. Would he be alone again? Perhaps Sasha was just another loss, or maybe, just maybe, this strange mermaid would finally be a gain. These thoughts were torturing him from inside, and he found himself standing in the middle of bedroom, with an empty gaze.

—Hey, how did you make such a comfortable bed? —Sasha indicated, lying down and running her hands over the mattress. Sand from her feet and salt clinging to her hair adorned the scene, where the main actress, the unaware girl, was in full nudity.

Evil turned his gaze toward her, a bit surprised. —Hey, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you're... —His comment was interrupted by Sasha's scream. She didn't understand why her body lacked the characteristic scales her species used for coverage. Immediately, she grabbed a sheet and covered herself.

Then Evil removed his coat, tie, and shirt, leaving the first two on the couch and handing the shirt to the trembling girl. Afterward, he turned, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. Sasha placed the sheet aside and dressed in the shirt, which covered her to her thighs. However, something buzzed in the mermaid's mind. She couldn't stop looking at Evil's muscular body; his marked back and arms evoked a sigh from her.

—Well, we need to find you some clothes —explained the young man, turning around with a serious expression. He snapped his fingers, and shadows enveloped Sasha. A few seconds later, they dissipated, leaving the girl wearing a white checkered shirt over Evil's, blue jeans, a pearl necklace, and turquoise-colored sneakers. —There are books on the living room shelf. You can read while I clean this room, then I'll go hunt something.

—Okay, but could you catch me a stingray? The venom from their tails tastes delicious. —She said with a cheerful expression, looking at Evil's face and swaying her hips side to side.

Evil started laughing a bit and then placed his hand on Sasha's head. —Is that a common meal for your kind? It's quite peculiar.

—No, actually, I just love it. My father used to criticize this habit of mine.

Sasha then sat down and took a book from the shelf, reading passionately, but the sound of the door opening caught her attention. When she looked up, she saw Evil ready to head out for fishing.

—Wait a moment, please! —She hurriedly got up and stopped him by grabbing his arm. —I have to warn you about something. There are three rulers on this planet, three kingdoms, and you must be very careful with them.

—Alright, anything else I should know? —he asked, turning around.

—Yes, the first king is named Poseidon, the ruler of the northern and southern seas. In his realm, we mermaids and tritons live. Generally, it's a peaceful place you can go if needed.

—Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

—The second king, Dand, rules the central seas. In his domain live the Fangs, less evolved versions of my kind. They struggle to breathe outside water and have big claws and fangs. I recommend not going too far into the sea.

—Don't worry, I can take care of myself.

—The third and final king, Fog, is the dominator of all the planet's lands. His race, the Taken, are beings that can inhabit both land and water. They're like a strange species of reptilian men. I'm not very informed about their customs, but I understand there are some limits if you visit.

—Wow, you seem to be well-informed. Thank you very much. Now I'm off. —Evil headed toward the sea and began swimming before submerging.

As night fell, Sasha grew increasingly worried since her friend hadn't returned yet. To distract herself, she started rummaging through Evil's belongings. She found a large, heavy, black book, with silver ornaments, a diamond skull adorned the cover. When she tried to open it, a small electric shock burned her fingertips.

Half an hour later, Evil returned, leaving some fishes in the kitchen and heading to his room, where he found Sasha.

—What happened? —He looked at her fingers, noticing their condition. —Did you take my book?

—What? What book are you talking about?

—It's meaningless to pretend. I can trace the origin of those burns. —He approached and took her hands, healing her fingers slowly. —That book is my father's diary. I took it secretly when I was 15. He doesn't use it anymore, so he didn't notice its absence. Even today, I haven't been able to open it.

—Thank you, I'm sorry for getting into your things. Did you have any problems while you were out? —Her fingers were healed, and Evil stood up, looking at her.

—No, I had no problem, everything was quiet.

Afterward, they cooked and had dinner together. They chatted a bit and eventually went to sleep. But despite the sense of security they felt, creatures from the jungle observed them, malevolent beings searching for something from these young individuals.

[p5x-theories]

What We Know About Cattle

(last updated 6/4/24!)

Ruferu (which has previously been translated to English as "Luffy", though this may not be accurate), codename Cattle, is an owllike creature with amnesia, who finds and recruits the protagonist as a phantom thief at the start of the game. He knows a lot about the Metaverse, including how to change hearts, and says it's because he's from the Metaverse.

In the Metaverse, Ruferu is a very short, humanoid figure with owl features, as pictured above. Like Mona, he's also able to turn into a car. Outside the Metaverse, Ruferu is a white owl, whose speech can't be heard by most people. People with the MetaNav on their phone seem to be able to understand him whether or not they've been inside the actual Metaverse, and Ruferu himself says it has to do with having desires, as people who have given up their desires can’t hear him.

The codename "Cattle" is one he picks for himself, though he says he doesn't know why. It's most likely a reference to his Persona, who was a cattleman before he became an outlaw. The Megami Tensei wiki also notes that ���His code name in Japanese (キャトル, kyatoru) means the English word "Cattle," but is also the Japanese representation for the French word Quatrelle, which is the spoken aloud alternate name for the Renault 4 or 4L [...] which serves as the basis of the vehicle Ruferu can transform into."

His Japanese voice actress is Ai Nonaka.

Ruferu is a Confidant of Wonder's, and its progression seems to be tied to story events. Unlike other Confidants in this game, Ruferu only has ten ranks listed (as of Version 1.2).

At the start of the game, Ruferu follows Wonder around, and decides to recruit Wonder when he sees Wonder is the only person in the train station to react to a woman jumping off a building. When Wonder accidentally enters Mementos, Ruferu finally introduces himself, helps lead Wonder out of the Metaverse, and teaches him how to fight. He later explains the Metaverse, shadows, Personas, and changes of heart to Wonder.

His amnesia seems to be tied to the Metaverse, and specifically the Palaces, as he regains a bit of his memory each time he comes in contact with another Treasure. Ruferu is determined to steal all seven of the Treasures he can sense, to fully regain his memory, but recognizes he can't do it alone. He's happy to have a team, and is sometimes exasperated by them, but overall seems to respect their contributions.

While Ruferu is able to sense Palaces, it's not purely through smell like previous characters, but also through sound. Ruferu can hear the "voices of the Collective Unconscious", and follow those to a Palace, particularly if they've identified the Palace ruler in advance and have information about their misdeeds.

Notably, while Cattle's well-versed on how the Metaverse and phantom thievery within it works, he hasn't stolen a heart prior to the first Palace, and in general, his know-how doesn't seem to extend to things related to the Velvet Room. While he accepts the cognitive teammates quickly after Wonder explains what a "Phantom Idol" is, he doesn't quite understand them, and immediately says Wonder can be in charge of them, even before Wonder is established as the leader.

Ruferu's role unsurprisingly seems to parallel Morgana's in the original P5. In the P5 Collab, other characters comment on their similarities, though both Morgana and Ruferu take offense to this.

While Ruferu is serious, and seems to be the unfazeable type who thinks things through and is rarely caught off-guard by a surprise, he's not usually overly rude or condescending. He doesn't take his teammates' help for granted, and actually asks Motoha and Wonder whether they want to continue working with him after the first Palace when he remembers there are other Treasures, rather than assuming.

He also doesn't seem to be embarrassed easily, and has no problem letting Motoha pick him up if he can't see something, or letting Wonder hold a phone out to him so he can talk on it. He can come across as just a bit childish, not in an immature way, but in how he interacts with others due to his small size.

However, while he maintains a dignified air, and talks like a bit of an old man, he's not entirely above silliness. He seems to care a lot about food, particularly meat, and is devastated when he doesn't get to eat what they ordered at Ashouken. His tendency to use big and obscure words sometimes leads to confusion from his teammates as to what he's saying. He's also very protective of his taste in fashion, taking extreme offense when someone insults his hoodie.

Above all, though, he seems primarily focused on his work as a phantom thief. He doesn't seem to particularly care what his teammates' motivations for working with him are, as long as he has them, but personally is very goal-oriented and will pursue any obstacles until he finds a way around them. To this end, he tries to be upfront with information (though he will occasionally keep something to himself if it's incomplete, or he thinks it may mislead the others) and generally strives to keep their efforts moving forward.

Cattle's Persona, Rob Roy (based on a Scottish outlaw and folk hero), is already awakened at the start of the game. He's categorized as a Fire type, and resists Fire while being weak to Wind.

Rob Roy is a Rescue Persona, meaning he focuses on healing companions, and his trait gives teammates stat buffs when he heals. His fire attack skill is standard, while his single target heal skill becomes more powerful the lower the teammate's health is, and his multi-target heal skill increases teammates' healing effect. His passive skills make it so when he attacks, he buffs companions, and his healing ability is boosted by his own max health value.

In combat, his melee weapon is a pair of tonfa, while his ranged weapon is a blowgun. His Highlight is shown from 0:14 - 0:25 in this video, and heals the whole team and buffs their attack.

His recommended card sets are 1) 2 of Cups (Love) + Page of Wands (Acceptance), 2) 4 of Coins (Power) + Page of Coins (Growth).

The game recommends teaming him up with 1) Panther, Key, and Okyann, 2) Closer and Mont.

[americanah]

“Making mistakes, winning or losing a loved one is growth. I have no regrets!" Lili Reinhart always loves what she chooses.

After the sixth season of "Riverdale”, Lili Reinhart jumped onto Netflix with his latest film "Look Both Ways", and also shot the exclusive cover for the September issue of BAZAAR Taiwan at the same time!

Many actors are afraid that the popular evergreen role will be played for a long time, and then there is no way to get rid of its shadow. But Lili Reinhart isn't afraid to be thwarted by her own success. She's both Betty in "Riverdale" and herself. The frivolous and absurd teen dramas in the eyes of others are regarded by her as the most precious training ground, and she plans to refine what she has learned in the past six years into more eye-catching works. The topic of "choice" in the new film "Look Both Ways" seems to be a portrayal of Lili's life along the way: she moved to Los Angeles alone to pursue her dreams, was troubled by tsunami-like anxiety, and stumbled on the road to success. There are always too many in my mind. "If...", but she always loves what she chooses, chooses what she loves. Whether it’s publicizing her mental illness or her sexuality, as a role model for Gen Z, Lili never shys or regrets; if she can’t tell the truth with such an influence on social media, then young women who look up to her can. How to confidently walk the path you want to walk? Lili said that as long as you follow your heart, even if there is a slight bump on the road, you will accept it at the short end, and then go to the next place contentedly. So, what is Lili planning after the broadcast of "Riverdale", which will have its finale next year?

Harper's BAZAAR (HB for short): The sixth season of "Riverdale", which is currently on the air, introduces more fantasy and musical elements. Do you enjoy shooting these novel and even fanciful plots?

 Lili Reinhart (LR for short): You have to appreciate the creativity of "Riverdale", very few shows can explore such a variety of story types at the same time! The addition of unpredictable supernatural elements and multiverses this time can make audiences feel interesting and exciting at all times - especially "Riverdale" has a season of 22 episodes. For actors, the unexpected surprises every time we receive a script not only allows us to take risks with the audience, but also gives us a lot of space to try different performances.

HB: What have you grown the most since you started filming Riverdale?

LR: As a performer, "Riverdale" has given me a place where I can practice with peace of mind. When you play the same character for so many years, it's natural to face various plots and try to deal with them in different interpretations. During the six years of filming "Riverdale", I was forced to find change and continue to grow in a stable working environment. Today, I feel confident about the challenges of performing in the future, and it's all thanks to Riverdale.

HB: Speaking of growing up, the movie "Look Both Ways" starring you is finally out! How was your first filming experience as a leading actress in a movie?

LR: Filming Look Both Ways was definitely one of the best experiences of my life! I feel extra confident despite being the lead actress and executive producer this time around; it's not just because I'm well prepared, all the incredibly talented cast and crew are more than willing to take the time to sit down and talk about each The relationship between the characters and the details of the scene arrangement.

HB: "Look Both Ways" takes Natalie's "unexpected pregnancy" as the intersection, and imagines how two completely different paths, whether or not to have children, will affect her life. How do you understand Look Both Ways' interpretation of young women making choices for themselves?

LR: It's beautiful that Natalie can choose whether or not to have a baby. The overturn of "Roe v. Wade" (editor's note: meaning that current American women are not allowed to have abortion rights) certainly makes "Look Both Ways" seem less real, especially for young women like Natalie who live in Texas, and now You cannot decide whether or not to have an abortion. You will be forced to have children, whatever the consequences. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, our director, Wanuri Kahiu, sent me a message that the film had to endorse pro-choice. We firmly believe in this. It's outrageous and disturbing that many women living in a particular state can't make choices about their bodies.

HB: What valuable inspiration do you think Gen Z can take from Look Both Ways?

LR: Many young people are living under enormous pressure under the global epidemic, and they feel sad and confused because they have missed what should be the best years. We have to be careful in social situations, which makes it extra difficult to make friends or maintain good relationships. For the future, we face too many unknowns. I hope that "Look Both Ways" can give the audience hope and believe that there are still many beautiful possibilities in the world. When the road seems rough and difficult, you must believe that the universe is pointing you to the right path, and everything will eventually come to the bridge and straight. I know it's hard not to get caught up in a pessimism - I’m still suffering from depression and severe anxiety myself -- but like Natalie, it's a little more comfortable when we believe that things are going to get better.

HB: Like Natalie, you moved to Los Angeles at 18. Ever wonder what life would be like now if you stayed in Ohio?

LR: Before moving to Los Angeles, my parents and I lived in North Carolina. I moved there when I was 16 because of my father's job. Honestly, I would be very unhappy if I were still living in North Carolina! Since I grew up wanting to live in Los Angeles, my time in North Carolina made my anxiety worse. No matter what job I get, it's hard to keep doing it because I'm always thinking "I don't want to be here", "This is not where I should be". Being able to move to Los Angeles to pursue my dream is something I'm grateful for to this day.

HB: What “what ifs” in your life make you think over and over again?

LR: I often fantasize about where I would be if I hadn't been in Riverdale, if I hadn't moved to Los Angeles, if my parents hadn't supported me as an actor? Every trivial choice in life has shaped who we are today, but I have no regrets. Every time I make a mistake, get rejected, win a victory, or lose a loved one, it makes me grow a little bit—even in the worst of the darkest moments.

 HB: You currently have 28.8 million followers on Instagram and have publicly discussed your mental illness. Can you give Gen Z three tips for healthy online community use?

LR: 1. Only follow accounts that inspire you or put you in a good mood.

2. Remember that privacy is a good thing, and some good moments just need to be remembered for yourself.

3. There are many accounts discussing mental health on the Internet. If you are also suffering from mental illness, you may wish to take a look at their practical advice!

HB: What's your next step?

LR: The final season of "Riverdale" will begin filming this fall and wrap up next summer. At the same time, for the past year and a half, I have been in full swing through my own production company, Small Victory Productions. I think the world is a stage where I can do my best. But at this moment I just want to rest and take advantage of this summer to travel around, get together with friends and family, and enjoy the short peace before the storm hits again!