#I think Carla's magic is more versatile | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

laissezferre · 5 years

Photo

theatre review: phantom of the opera, manila cast: jonathan roxmouth, meghan picerno, matt leisy

jonathan roxmouth as the phantom

jonathan roxmouth's phantom would best be described as "the phantom that you would get if you poured pepper labeled 'joj' and salt labeled 'ramin' in a single shaker, shook it til the control of one and the style of another mixed together, and pulled the cap so it could spew out something truly incredible". jonathan's voice is powerful and overwhelming but always in control. not a note was out of place. there were multiple points in the show when i just thought, "this is ridiculous, this is so good". he handles the role, at least vocally, with such care and control. he goes from booming to soothing and vice versa without much preparation, and he pulls it off. and i haven't even talked about his vibrato. after "music of the night", i just knew--this character, this tour, and the future of this show, is in good hands.

between singing and acting, jonathan is very much a singer. even when he's supposed to be screaming--or at parts when most phantoms have resorted to screaming--he's still singing, he's still holding that note.

jonathan's phantom and meghan's christine have a palpable chemistry. unlike my first viewing with carla and ian as the leads, jonathan's phantom gives raoul a run for his money. it's not exactly lnd-levels, but the phantom this time around had better chances. he really uses his height to loom over christine, and christine's reaction to him is this odd mix of fascination and terror.

if i have to have one gripe about jonathan, it would be his vulnerability, or lack thereof. the phantom acts so powerful in act 1, and i don't think he ever really got off that pedestal for act 2. i felt like his energy and commitment fizzled out in act 2, and he was kind of going through the motions. while i was watching jonathan, i kept remembering ian jon bourg's phantom, and how he looked so utterly depleted by the end. ian was large but he looked so small when he curled in on himself, he didn't have anything more to give. i didn't feel that way about jonathan. my reaction towards him was more of "i'm sorry you didn't get the girl", instead of "i'm sorry these were the cards you were dealt, i'm sorry you've been alone for so long, i'm sorry you've never felt love".

meghan picerno as christine daae

i really love how meghan picerno thinks as she acts. you can almost see the speech bubbles floating above her head as the scene goes. every line has a corresponding expression on her face, and it's not the amateur acting kind, it's more of being always in the moment. right off the bat, you know that she's an intelligent christine. in the hannibal rehearsal when the backdrop falls and everyone's panicking, she stays very still while looking around the stage, thinking, assessing--and you get the feeling that christine daae has a good idea about who's fooling around in the opera house.

meghan puts that same thoughtfulness when it comes to her singing. everything has an intention behind it. her singing improves rapidly in "think of me", but when she gets to the cadenza she becomes uncertain, feels it out, and then goes for the money note. meghan has a solid range--her singing has power, and she's also able to tap that lower register to create solid low notes. i've also never heard "my soul began to soar" so sweetly. both meghan and jonathan are versatile and can sing powerfully when it's called for, and add variation when needed. sometimes though, the experimentation doesn't go very well. "wishing you were somehow here again" was a mix of singing, exclaiming, and gasping. just as you would get into the melody, she sing-speaks, and then breathes at unnatural points in the song. i guess it would boil down to people's preferences and their tolerance for "musical expression", but that part didn't work for me.

meghan wasn't kidding when she said in interviews that she wanted to portray christine as strong. she is so aggressive! matt leisy's raoul plays off of her, and because they're both imposing, it sometimes looks like they're well on their way to a domestic. in the rooftop scene, christine dominates the conversation. raoul is trying to comfort her and convince her it's not real, but christine is having none of it. her gestures were screaming "believe me! i'm not crazy!", and i genuinely thought that they were gonna have a row. this forcefulness doesn't just apply to raoul or to the phantom, it also applies to her father. normally in "wishing", christine sings about how she misses her father, but with meghan, i got the impression that she was frustrated and was beating herself up for still missing her father.

also, it may just be me reading into it too much, but i feel like meghan's christine doesn't take well to being comforted. she'll receive comfort, she'll allow herself to be patted and petted, but there will be no visible relief in the set of her shoulders. this kind of makes her seem cold, especially with raoul. in fact, christine doesn't even look at raoul much in the dressing room. instead, she's facing the audience as she reminisces about her childhood--this leads me to think that meghan's christine doesn't start out already smitten with raoul. the falling in love comes later in "all i ask of you" and christine becomes a very eager kisser and audibly sighs into the kiss.

meghan isn't a particularly graceful or playful christine. she's very serious and at times, physically rigid on stage. in il muto, i wanted badly to shake her and tell her, "girl, loosen up, you're supposed to be playing in a comedy". also, meghan didn't join the dancers in hannibal, and the few steps she did looked stiff. i don't know how much of her stiffness is intentional, if it's a manifestation of her fear of the phantom, because she really is terrified of the phantom to the point of paralysis. she's utterly terrified in the rooftop, in the masquerade, in "twisted every way"--in all those scenes there were moments where she bends over and becomes non-responsive to raoul's attempts at comfort.

but despite her fear, she's still able to go head-to-head with the phantom. she snaps and answers him angrily in the final lair. when she sang "it's in your soul that the true distortion lies", i thought she would follow with a growl. when she shields raoul from the phantom, they stare each other down, which is a sight to see because of their height difference, but she gives as good as she's got. she does soften a bit when the phantom allows them to leave. raoul is pulling her to go but she resists repeatedly--not in a “let me spend more time with him" way but in a "we can't leave him here!" way. while there was no chance that she was going to stay with the phantom, she still couldn’t help but be concerned for him.

matt leisy as raoul de chagny

i first saw matt leisy's raoul when he was sharing the stage with ian jon bourg and clara verdier, and i have to say, his portrayal there is startingly different from when he acts with meghan and jonathan. this time, his raoul is less commanding and more floundering. you can see how he's not in control of the situation and how frustrated he is for always being one step behind the phantom. this is not the calm, in-control, dignified raoul that we know. he's absolutely out of his depth and he's pissed. he's not whiny, but you can tell he's rattled. in "notes ii" when christine is already sitting on the chair and he's convincing her to be the bait, he's almost begging her, like it's him who will lose his mind if this doesn't end. and when christine refuses, he angrily goes off at the phantom.

despite that intensity, he never roughhouses christine, but it is sad to see that christine doesn't actively seek his comfort. that's why their "all i ask of you" isn't as dreamy and romantic. while christine does love raoul, it's the phantom who's able to evoke stronger reactions from her (more fear than desire, but still), and it's very much clear that this is christine and the phantom's show. matt, and his voice, disappears in the background. in "wandering child" when all three leads are on stage together, you can really feel that raoul is the third wheel in the scene, and his words are barely heard.

in "final lair" when christine kisses the phantom, matt's raoul looks away and closes his eyes, like he can't bear to see the love of his life kissing another man. i usually check where the phantom puts his hands during the kiss, but matt's turning away was so striking that i just had to look at him.

some other things

overall, i really liked this production and noticed a few things that i wasn't able to because i was sitting nearer this time. the broadway costumes are absolutely gorgeous. i really love the softness of the pink in the star princess costume. this is also the first time i paid attention to carlotta's hannibal skirt--it's as intricately designed as christine's and i prefer it's red-black-gold combination.

i zoned out during notes i and prima donna but don't i always.

there are also some cute blink-and-you-miss it moments. when christine is asked to sing, monsieur reyer is displeased and thinks they’re wasting time. when he says "from the beginning of the aria then", he shows christine the score and when she looks, he snaps it closed in her face. but after the performance, he is seen chatting with christine and he kisses her hand as he exits.

in the don juan rehearsal, christine and piangi also have a moment. when piangi is being scolded for not getting the melody right, christine mouths to him "you can do it". i'm not sure if piangi acknowledges it, but christine goes back to facing meg.

so... yeah, that’s how my evening went. this is the fourth time now that i’ve seen poto, and it’s just as magical as the first time i saw it seven years ago. there are classics, and there is poto, and there’s a reason that it’s managed to run as long as it has on broadway (les mis, i love u, but u have strayed from the path, padawan). it just has a strong sense of identity and no amount of watered down touring shows is going to misplace the brilliant original. the future of poto is bright, and with this cast, it is in good hands.

have a look at my other review: ian jon bourg, clara verdier, matt leisy

#phantom of the opera #phantom of the opera manila #poto manila #jonathan roxmouth #meghan picerno #matt leisy #reviews #thoughts

46 notes · View notes

cartoonfangirl1218 · 5 years

Text

Minor EoA character zodiacs

So I decided to go ahead and try some of the zodiac signs for EoA characters. But I really liked @pizzansunshine‘‘s argument for the main six’s Possible zodiac signs so I decided to do minor reoccurring characters. Which was pretty hard I’ll admit. The zodiac signs can be overlapping so you can agree to disagree with what I think is the best fit for the characters. Anyway, enough of my babbling, here’s what I have. https://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com

Luisa Libra

Strengths: Cooperative, diplomatic, gracious, fair-minded, social

Weaknesses: Indecisive, avoids confrontations, will carry a grudge, self-pity

Libra likes: Harmony, gentleness, sharing with others, the outdoors

Libra dislikes: Violence, injustice, loudmouths, conformity

People born under the sign of Libra are peaceful, fair, and they hate being alone. As we see, Luisa is a very sociable person from being friends with the palace staff to joining the local Olaball team. She’s like an understanding Abuela to everyone she meets.

Partnership is very important for them, as their mirror and someone giving them the ability to be the mirror themselves. Francisco and Luisa have the sweetest, closest relationship in the series. They are equal partners with respect, trust and love for each other.

These individuals are fascinated by balance and symmetry, they are in a constant chase for justice and equality, realizing through life that the only thing that should be truly important to themselves in their own inner core of personality. Luisa stands firm to following her heart and her beliefs and the Abuela-bear claws come out when she faces someone who is a lying, cheating jerk. Lord Elrod from Princess Knight for example.

Francisco Pisces

Strengths: Compassionate, artistic, intuitive, gentle, wise, musical

Weaknesses: Fearful, overly trusting, sad, desire to escape reality, can be a victim or a martyr

Pisces likes: Being alone, sleeping, music, romance, visual media, swimming, spiritual themes

Pisces dislikes: Know-it-all, being criticized, the past coming back to haunt, cruelty of any kind

It’s a sign connected to music, so Pisces reveal music preferences in the earliest stages of life. They are generous, compassionate and extremely faithful and caring. Pisces are never judgmental and always forgiving. They are also known to be most tolerant of all the zodiac signs. I don’t have to say this but I willl, Francisco’s eternal love is music and we have seen that he is such a kind man when it comes to looking at both sides of a problem and never gives an unasked for judgement.

Deep in their hearts, they are incorrigible romantics. They are very loyal, gentle and unconditionally generous to their partners. Pisces are passionate lovers who have a need to feel a real connection. Like I said with Luisa, the two show an absolute loyalty and devotion to each other. It’s clear Francisco only has eyes for his wife.

Inspired by the need to make changes in the lives of others, they are willing to help even if that means to go beyond the boundaries. This zodiac sign is compassionate, hard-working, dedicated and reliable. Pisces are selfless, they are always willing to help others, without hoping to get anything back. As we learned in the last Día de los Muertos episode, Francisco was a secret vigilante at a time when nobles weren’t allowed to be in danger just for the sake of protecting his kingdom.

Prince Marzel and Princess Marisa Gemini

Strengths: Gentle, affectionate, curious, adaptable, ability to learn quickly and exchange ideas

Weaknesses: Nervous, inconsistent, indecisive

Gemini likes: Music, books, magazines, chats with nearly anyone, short trips around the town

Gemini dislikes: Being alone, being confined, repetition and routine

Expressive and quick-witted, Gemini’s are sociable, communicative and ready for fun, with a tendency to suddenly get serious, thoughtful and restless. They are fascinated with the world itself, extremely curious, with a constant feeling that there is not enough time to experience everything they want to see.This is a versatile, inquisitive, fun loving sign, born with a wish to experience everything there is out there, in the world. I swear I didn’t just choose Gemini because they were twins. Marisa and Marzel, Marisa specifically, were interested in looking to the human world and were the most willing to mend the fued. Since the joining, the two clearly enjoy hanging out with Elena and co. and learning a little more about life of the shore.

Daria Scorpio

Strengths: Resourceful, brave, passionate, stubborn, a true friend

Weaknesses: Distrusting, secretive, violent

Scorpio likes: Truth, facts, being right, longtime friends, teasing, a grand passion

Scorpio dislikes: Dishonesty, revealing secrets, passive people

Scorpio-born are passionate and assertive people. They are determined and decisive, and will research until they find out the truth. Scorpio is a great leader, always aware of the situation and also features prominently in resourcefulness. As we’ve seen as commander of the reef, Daria is a take-charge woman and when she puts her mind to it whether it is sabotage or protection, she puts her whole effort into it,

Scorpios are known by their calm and cool behavior, and by their mysterious appearance. People often say that Scorpio-born are fierce. They are excellent leaders because they are very dedicated to what they do. Scorpios hate dishonesty and they can be very jealous and suspicious, so they need to learn how to adapt more easily to different human behaviors. What motivated Daria’s actions in Tides of Change was that she wanted to protect Coronando from the human threat so you can say that is dedication to her work though misguided. Plus we see how Daria is not one to quickly spell out her thoughts, preferring stern glares like when Elena arrived unexpectedly at the palace. Also the grudge she held against humans even when Elena proved that they weren’t out to get them but wanted to be friends.

Princess Valentina Aries

Strengths: Courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate

Weaknesses: Impatient, moody, short-tempered, impulsive, aggressive

Aries likes: Comfortable clothes, taking on leadership roles, physical challenges, individual sports

Aries dislikes: Inactivity, delays, work that does not use one's talents

Aries are continuously looking for dynamic, speed and competition, always being the first in everything - from work to social gatherings. You'll rarely meet an Aries who isn't capable of finishing several things at once, often before lunch break! Valentina is a fire sign, and as the website suggests, she does look for a competition even if it was really unneeded. Yet Valentina just has a natural exuberant personality and need for action. And as we’ve seen, she has many talents from Olaball to wizardry so she is constantly on the job working for her people. No wonder they call her their savior.

Rafa de Alva Taurus

Strengths: Reliable, patient, practical, devoted, responsible, stable

Weaknesses: Stubborn, possessive, uncompromising

Taurus likes: Gardening, cooking, music, romance, working with hands

Taurus dislikes: Sudden changes, complications, insecurity of any kind, synthetic fabrics

Practical and well-grounded, Taurus is the sign that harvests the fruits of labor. They feel the need to always be surrounded by love and beauty, turned to the material world, hedonism, and physical pleasures. What we often see as stubbornness can be interpreted as commitment, and their ability to complete tasks whatever it takes is uncanny. This makes them excellent employees, great long-term friends and partners, always being there for people they love. Rafa can be stubborn like when she was insistent that she couldn’t help Sofia or that her Navidad traditions were the best or even just passing Avaloran traditions to Mateo under the threat of death. But she is also a very caring individual and a natural leader for her village, and a stable, loving influence in Mateo’s life. And to me, she seems very much a homebody who’d enjoy gardening and the like. Perhaps herbs for magic potions like her father had taught her.

Carla and Prince Alonso Leo

Strengths: Creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous

Weaknesses: Arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy, inflexible

Leo likes: Taking holidays, being admired, expensive things, bright colors, fun with friends

Leo dislikes: Being ignored, facing difficult reality, not being treated like a king or queen

Leos are dramatic, creative, self-confident, dominant and extremely difficult to resist, able to achieve anything they want to in any area of life they commit to. There is a specific strength to a Leo and their "king of the jungle" status. Self-confident and attractive, and their healthy sense of humor makes collaboration with other people even easier. They are ambitious, creative and optimistic and once they dedicate to their work, they will do everything just right. As we’ve seen that while both are initially very lazy people, Alonso and Carla can be committed to a cause when they put their mind to it. Alonso as he starts to reinvent himself as a better prince while Carla won’t let ghosts or Shuriki or Elena or anyone in her way on her quest for power. And while neither are very joking, both are comedic characters,

Family matters won't be the first thing Leo will think about when they wake up in the morning or lie to bed at night. Turned to themselves for the most part, they tend to become independent as soon as possible. Still, a Leo will do anything to protect their loved ones, proud of their ancestry and roots in good and bad times. As we’ve seen, both are independent but Alonso does have a need to make his dad proud while Carla does care enough about her father to keep following him around and has some sort of admiration for her mother.

The best possible situation they can find themselves in is to be their own bosses or manage others with as little control from their superiors as possible. Leos love to be surrounded by modern and trendy things, and although money comes easy to them, they spend it less responsibly than some other signs of the zodiac. Eh less responsible can be the first thing one thinks of when it comes to Alonso and Carla, for sure. And a love of luxury too. And we have seen that Carla really really hates when people tell her what to do so she is just a Leo to the core to me.

Olivia Aquarius

Strengths: Progressive, original, independent, humanitarian

Weaknesses: Runs from emotional expression, temperamental

Aquarius likes: Fun with friends, helping others, fighting for causes, intellectual conversation

Aquarius dislikes: Limitations, being lonely, dull or boring situations

Aquarius-born are shy and quiet, but on the other hand they can be eccentric and energetic. However, in both cases, they are deep thinkers and highly intellectual people who love helping others. While Olivia is still growing and her personality still developing, I think she could be an Aquarius due to her energetic nature and her pursuit for wizard knowledge. Wizardry takes many years but she clearly has the devotion to studying time. She wanted to learn right away and without delay. Plus she wanted to do it for a good cause and to help people.

Doña Paloma Capricorn

Strengths: Responsible, disciplined, self-control, good managers

Weaknesses: Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst

Capricorn likes: Family, tradition, quality craftsmanship

Capricorn dislikes: Almost everything at some point

Capricorn is a sign that represents time and responsibility, and its representatives are traditional and often very serious by nature. These individuals possess an inner state of independence that enables significant progress both in their personal and professional lives. They are masters of self-control and have the ability to lead the way, make solid and realistic plans, and manage many people who work for them at any time. They will learn from their mistakes and get to the top based solely on their experience and expertise. Well I think this sums up her character pretty well as she implies with most episodes that she deserve everything based solely on her expertise and fits with how she made everything she had from the ground up.

Not only do they focus on the material world, but they have the ability to use the most out of it. Unfortunately, this element also makes them stiff and sometimes too stubborn to move from one perspective or point in a relationship. They have a hard time accepting differences of other people that are too far from their character, and out of fear might try to impose their traditional values aggressively. Kinda the whole plot point of Masks of Magic that she wanted the Feast of Friendship her way. More out of her own selfish ego than fear though.

Capricorns will set high standards for themselves, but their honesty, dedication and perseverance will lead them to their goals. They value loyalty and hard work over all other things, and keep associates with these qualities close even when they might be intellectually inferior. Concentrated and resourceful, this is someone who gets the job done, doesn’t mind long hours, and commits to the final product completely. Fits with how she and Esteban built up Avalor’s economic growth and also the only explanation to me on why she had hired Carlos (Sorry Carlos. Maybe you are smarter than I think).

Armando Virgo

Strengths: Loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical

Weaknesses: Shyness, worry, overly critical of self

Virgo likes: Animals, healthy food, books, nature, cleanliness

Virgo dislikes: Rudeness, asking for help, taking center stage

Virgos are always paying attention to the smallest details and their deep sense of humanity makes them one of the most careful signs of the zodiac. Their methodical approach to life ensures that nothing is left to chance. Virgos are excellent advisors, always knowing how to solve a problem. This can make them helpful and extremely useful to have around, but also brings out their need to search the problem in everything and everyone around them. As chief of staff, Armando is the go to person for any problem as we see in All Kingdoms Fair and Model Sister- how handily he fixed everything. He’s very detailed and always has what Elena needs to do her royal duties. Also Virgos are sensitive and critical of themselves just as Armando is, amplified by Santos’ insults.

They will care for people they build a solid relationship with, treasuring them for years and nurturing them in every possible way. An intimate friendship with a Virgo is always earned by good deeds. They are very dedicated to their family and attentive to elderly and sick people. They understand tradition and the importance of responsibility, proud of their upbringing. Armando is such a mama’s boy and an abuela’s boy by how fondly he talks of his time with her in the village. He treats the royal family as his family too and we’ve seen his loyalty to them by reminding Esteban of his roots in Secret of Avalor to saving Elena/Mateo/Naomi/Gabe from chonopos.

Scarlet Turner Sagittarius

Strengths: Generous, idealistic, great sense of humor

Weaknesses: Promises more than can deliver, very impatient, will say anything no matter how undiplomatic

Sagittarius likes: Freedom, travel, philosophy, being outdoors

Curious and energetic, Sagittarius is one of the biggest travelers among all zodiac signs. Sagittarius is extrovert, optimistic and enthusiastic, and likes changes. Sagittarius-born are able to transform their thoughts into concrete actions and they will do anything to achieve their goals. Freedom is their greatest treasure, because only then they can freely travel and explore different cultures and philosophies. Scarlet loves the sea and traveling like she loves air and since she was so adaptable to moving around for work and enjoyed it so much, I think it makes her a perfect Sagittarius.

Because of their honesty, Sagittarius-born are often impatient and tactless when they need to say or do something, so it's important to learn to express themselves in a tolerant and socially acceptable way. Sagittarius is very fun and -born love to laugh and enjoy the diversity of life and culture, so they will easily acquire many friends around the world. They are generous and not one of those who lecture. When it comes to family, Sagittarius is dedicated and willing to do almost anything. In the beginning of Captain Turner Returns, you can say Scarlet was a bit tactless when she was sure that Naomi would get used to leaving Avalor and ignoring all of Elena’s attempts to get them to stay. Yet her family is very important to her like when she tried to get a job at home so she could stay with Daniel and Naomi more and eventually giving in to staying in Avalor.

Now a lot of this is my own speculation. Craig did say that Carla will be revealed to be more complex than she seems. It doesn’t seem like Victor will have the same treatment, but I think Carla’s development will reveal a little more of his character since he was the one who raised her and cares for her.

Victor Delgado Cancer

Strengths: Tenacious, highly imaginative, loyal, emotional, sympathetic, persuasive

Weaknesses: Moody, pessimistic, suspicious, manipulative, insecure

Cancers are very emotional and sensitive, and care deeply about matters of the family and their home. While this is a bit of a stretch, I say that Victor is a bit emotional such as his deep feeling of hurt at Esteban’s betrayal, and his anger towards the world.

Cancer is the sign of family and these individuals care about family bonds and their home more than any other sign of the zodiac. Also a stretch but just based on the fact that he is caring for Carla alone and she is the only one he treats with some decency and very unlikely for him to betray her.

Lack of patience or even love will manifest through mood swings later in life, and even selfishness, self-pity or manipulation. They are quick to help others, just as they are quick to avoid conflict, and rarely benefit from close combat of any kind, always choosing to hit someone stronger, bigger, or more powerful than they imagined. Oh yeah, if we follow this Victor defiantly did not get enough love growing up. He sees himself as a victim even though he committed treason, he is a manipulative thief to his former friend’s family and thinks he can play with the big guns of Shuriki and Fiero.

#zodiac signs #elena of avalor #long post #character analysis #prince alonso #princess valentina #victor delgado #carla delgado #luisa flores #francisco flores #armandk gutierrez #rafa de alva #scarlet turner #olivia #prince marzel #princess marisa #daria #doña paloma

3 notes · View notes