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raine-blxssxm · 9 months

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Now for the moment you guys have been waiting for.. Amelia’s backstory/ family life 😈

(I know probably no one has been actively waiting for this, just lemme have my moment with this story I worked hard on writing 🥹)

TW: Death of a family member, child neglect, and the slightest mention of blood!

If you are triggered by any of this, please read at your own risk!

Amelia’s family history isn’t very significant besides her great grandmother formerly being a well known actress in South Park who almost made it to broadway, but died in an accident before she could do so.

At a young age, Amelia strived to do what her great grandmother couldn’t, which was to reach Broadway. Amelia’s parents neglected her a lot growing up, typically leaving the maids and butlers to care for her. They often were on business trips, not leaving a lot of bonding time to develop their relationship with their daughter. Whenever her parents were around, she’d put blood, sweat, and tears into gaining their praise through her acting roles. Due to none of her attempts being successful, Amelia grew an obsession with making her performances absolutely flawless.

As you can probably assume, this is where her phobia of messing up developed. Throughout the years she did theater, Amelia developed into a triple threat (which is someone who can act, dance, and sing). While she wanted to reach her grandmother’s level of fame and to be in Broadway, Amelia had a deeper reason for loving theater. She loved entertaining people and making them smile. There’s also a part of Amelia that hopes her parents would praise her and give her attention again if she gave them a flawless performance while doing something she loved. Whenever she tried, her parents were always the only ones not smiling in the crowd, that’s even if they came to watch her. It drove Amelia crazy. All she could ever think to herself is “What did I do wrong?”. The sad reality is that- her parents will never truly care for her. No matter the amount of acting roles she receives and performs in, her parents will never care because the little amount of care they DID have went into their famous business.

Part of her is aware of this, due to the reasoning behind why she constantly steals money from them for the benefit of herself and people who actually need it (such as Kenny). She steals their money to spite them, as a way to say “You’ve never cared for me so I’ll gradually take more and more away of the only thing you love, money.” This may seem out of character for such a bubbly character such as Amelia, but that’s because she’s in denial. She’s aware that her parents will never love her yet she still can’t help but try to earn their praise whenever they’re in town, she still feels that there’s a chance for them to care about her and for them to be a happy family.

The drawing I made reflects this story because Amelia is reaching out to a light and when you look at the ground of the drawing you can see the silhouette of two people (her parents) kind of towering over some parts of her Ariel costume that will be crucial to another part of Amelia’s story. As for the costumes laid around Amelia, those are to represent the characters she’s acted for in some musicals (you can see the previously stated Ariel costume and the dress in the bottom left corner is Glinda’s party dress in “Wicked”). The reason why I made some of her costumes covered by the shadows of her parents is because I really wanted to emphasize the fact that her parents really don’t care about how talented of an actress she is. Not to mention the light Amelia’s reaching out to is supposed to symbolize the possibility she has fabricated in her mind that her parents can care about her and not treat her like she doesn’t exist.

I really hope you enjoyed reading Amelia’s backstory and the breakdown of the drawing I made ❤️

PS. Reblogs are welcomed (though aren’t forced) + to those who sent some questions, I promise I’ll write some responses soon, I’ve just been busy with family all weekend 💔

#south park #south park oc #amelia south park #south park fanart #south park fandom #south park original character #sp amelia #sp oc #sp #sp ocs #oc backstory #south park ocs #south park amelia #amelia martinez #amelia sp oc

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leclerced · 4 months

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🐈‍⬛ anon here!! !! it’s fine!! it was probably tumblr eating or my signal!’

but like okay okay okay i went down the angel & landoscar rabbit hole and now im thinking of her grumpy/black cat!introverted!street smart bestie!! cause the brain worms are wiggling!! (and i want to preference this by sayjng this is not a self promo at all but more as a treat since i have a baby that’s polar opposite of angel & i think they’d be besties)

but i love polar opposite best friends!! and angel deserves one!! and her and candi would be the most unlikely best friends!! candi is horrible with book smarts outside of english, history, and theater (she majors in technical theater but a triple threat actress in secret). she loves to listen to angel ramble and while angel dresses up and everything, candi lives in black (life of a technician). Usually like oversized hoodie, jeggings or leggings and either her really beaten combat boots or doc martins and she’s always got a backpack/tote on her and has EVERYTHING (candi’s a stage manager they’re basically the theater mom).

candi thrives in social situation even if she hates them. she always knows everything and everything because she’s quiet so everyone just talks around her thinking she’s not listening but she is. candi can usually pick a person apart after 5-10 minutes max of them speaking to her (if they’re willing to look past the major RBF candi has). she loves psychology on the side and is only like 5’2 but is angel’s scary dog privilege outside the grid me thinks. candi speaks in sarcasm and is the only one that can bully/be mean to angel!! cause it’s out of love and never anything serious!! angel knows something wrong when candi ISNT mean!! also candi is hyper independent and loves her space and me time but angel’s (so far) the only one that’s allowed to be physically affectionate with candi and always around her and candi never gets tired or annoyed!! angel actually recharged her social battery!!!

but also angel being like “i forgot this, i forgot that” before lando and oscar can BLINK, candi’s pulling it out her bag and passing it over like “stop being so fuckin forgetful omg???”

just angel with a polar opposite of her as her ride or die!!

im obsessed with this sooo much!!! tbh im the mean friend so i love this a little tooo much. sorry for messy thoughts i was skipping around while writing this !

im thinking ab candy working on broadway after graduating from nyu as soon as you said theater technician. like i can imagine angel being her plus one to the tonys one year when she’s up for an award for being a part of the crew for some musical. like them getting all dressed up and angel is in all white and candi is in all black?? she’s part of the film crew so they get to float along in the background while the stars of the shows get doted on, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. they gossip about all the celebrities they see, whether it’s when angel flies to new york to see candi, or when candi can fly out to see angel at the races.

i can imagine them going out one night and some guy trying to hit on them and candi absolutely destroys the guy with one line and angel just giggles and sips her drink.

angel loves love and thinks everyone should have a partner so she’s offering to set her up with someone every time she sees her, and candi always jokes that angel has enough boyfriends for both of them. angel understands that she likes her independence, but argues that a driver would be perfect because they’re gone ten months a year!!!

i wanna say candi already knows french, maybe she’s from france or spent summers abroad there, so she hears that one of angel’s friends is teaching her and starts to help her learn.

angel doesn’t expect charles and candi to get along the first time they meet, most people are off put by her personality, but they go back and forth, switching between french and english as they bicker through the weekend with grins on their faces.

then one race weekend candi shows up wearing something red instead of all black and angel is like hm interesting that you’re wearing ferrari colors… like i crocheted us matching papaya sets and you didn’t wear it.. but you bought a red corset? and candi’s like “oh uh no this old thing? had it for years.”

candi has a million bags, she’s a bag girlie. i can imagine she has tons of tote bags and it might be the one colorful thing she uses because she gets always buys the reusable ones from the shops she goes to to carry whatever she bought, she likes the reminders of where she’s been! anytime she sees one at a coffee shop or book store, she’s buying it. it’s like a bottom less pit inside of whatever tote she’s got on her shoulder, she has a few studier ones with pockets that she uses when shes traveling and takes the smaller ones on daily trips. candi has anything anyone could possibly need.

i love the idea of lando or oscar getting up to get something while candi is rifling through her bag and they return with it minutes later but angel has whatever she needed. angel’s like “oh thanks baby but candi already got it!” and they’re cuddled up giggling at something on candi’s phone. bf is just like /: why does my gf have a gf

angel is the opposite in every way. purses included. she carries little hand bags that match her outfit. they fit her phone, a tiny wallet that holds her id, her cards, and one of lando’s and oscar’s each in front of her own. she always carries a few travel perfumes, her all time favorite lip gloss (sometimes multiple in different shades) and her newest lip gloss, which everyone except lando understands are two different things. candi carries her favorite gloss around too, just in case angel ever loses hers.

anytime candi and angel see each other after awhile, angel is jumping into her arms even though she’s taller so maybe ir should be the other way around? angel just gets so excited and practically tackles her bestie she missed her so much. candi giving everyone else a cool nod for a greeting but angel always gets a warm hug!!

#ask #anon #angel au #🐈‍⬛ anon

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triplethreattheater · 9 months

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Triple Threat Theater Episode 82:

Howl At The Moon

Films discussed on this episode:

The Howling (1981)

An American Werewolf In London (1981)

Teen Wolf (1985)

Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes

Hosted By: Joe Daxberger & Rian Miller

Subscribe to Triple Threat Theater on iTunes or check us out on SoundCloud.

Follow Triple Threat Theater on Twitter and Instagram.

#Triple Threat Theater #podcast #movies #werewolves #Howl At The Moon #An American Werewolf In London #The Howling #John Landis #Teen Wolf #Michael J. Fox #Joe Dante

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lonely-vault-boy · 1 year

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Genshin but cringy high school theater kids (I might do other groups in the future, but I think this group is super funny)

Dehya:

- make up

- Nilou tried to convince her to get on stage once, but she felt uncomfortable and it never stuck

- killer smoky eye tho (she also loves doing dramatic stage makeup)

Kaveh:

- set design

- “ok we need a power saw, some scaffolding, and ofc I’ll need to be able to pick some paint samples…”

- no concept of the word budget

- listens to show tunes constantly and has multiple musicals memorized

- can’t sing, but that doesn’t stop him from belting along at rehearsal

- constantly bitches abt his artistic vision

Childe:

- solid triple threat, very talented

- only talented guy and therefore plays every male lead

- he’s played a prince so many times you’d think he was one in another life (wink wink)

- gets invited to all the sleepovers bc he’s gay and has anxiety

Nilou:

- dance captain

- she really only joined bc she wanted to be able to dance more often (plus Childe invited her since they were friends from dance class)

Xinyan:

- costumes (and she helps Yun Jin w/ the music sometimes)

- she embroiders so I choose to believe she goes thrifting with with Xiangling and Yun Jin to find costume pieces she can upcycle

Yun Jin:

- she helps score some of her father’s operas, and she uses the school club as a chance to work on things of her own

- she’s like super duper talented. She and Xinyan have sleepovers where they talk abt their ideas and work together

Kaeya:

- he mostly prefers to stage manage from the shadows, but occasionally he joins in w/ a performance

- he’s also completely in charge of pr

- Crepus told him he was proud of him after his first show and he started crying

- Crepus then took him and Diluc out for ihop on opening night

Alhaitham:

- technically he assistant directs, but mostly he just sticks to himself

- his counselor told him he needed an extracurricular on his transcript that wasn’t academic related, so he got dragged into the crew

I’ll add more later, but just know it features actor Venti, Hu Tao on lights, and Collei occasionally helping Tighnari w/ props

#genshin impact #Genshin impact au #genshin impact hcs #genshin impact headcanons #Dehya #Childe #tartaglia #xinyan #Yun Jin #kaveh #alhaitham

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kindheart525 · 7 months

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Name: Triple Threat Nicknames: T.T., Big Star, Daddy's Diva Parents: Sweetie Belle and Tender Taps Siblings: N/A Future Spouse: Bumblebee Future Children: Ghost Light, Curtain Call, Matinee, Damsel Dame Personality: With a heart full of the sound of music, Triple Threat is destined for Bridleway stardom. She has big dreams beyond the small community theater of her hometown, and she is not throwing away her shot to make them come true. However, with all her confidence she is a bit naive to how hard it will really be, as show business can be pretty cutthroat and unforgiving. Plus, the industry does not look very favorably upon mares with extra weight like her, which will put her self-love to the test. She may try to brush it off and love her body anyway, but rude comments and attitudes do get to her. But she will surely defy the gravity of those who try to bring her down, for they can’t stop the beat in her dancing heart! Cutie Mark: A microphone surrounded by hoofsteps and stars, symbolizing her talent in singing, dancing, and acting, and her path to stardom.

Adopted from StreetLightsAtNight

#KindsArt #auraverse #triple threat #tenderbelle #next generation #character bio #my little pony #mlp fim #mlp g4 #fat oc #fat representation #fat

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michaelgruberfan · 2 months

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"Broadway song-and-dance man hits PCPA"

Quintin Cushner / Life & Times Writer Jun 15, 2003 (X)

Before Michael Gruber sang on Broadway, he was an NCAA All-American diver at the University of Michigan.

"I was diving during the Greg Louganis era," said Gruber, 38, referring to the prolific American athlete who medaled in three separate Olympics. "There was really only one more space after his on the team. After the 1984 Olympic trials came and went, I needed to make a choice about whether I wanted to train another four years (for the Olympics)."

Gruber, who performed in high-school musicals, opted to leave competitive diving to focus on becoming a song-and-dance man. He transferred to the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, where he honed his performance skills.

He then moved to New York City and earned roles in the musicals "A Chorus Line," "Miss Saigon," "Kiss Me, Kate" and "Swing." His most prominent Broadway role to date was as Munkustrap in "Cats."

Through July 20, Gruber is starring as Bobby Child in PCPA/s revival of the comic musical "Crazy for You." When not belting out a classic Gershwin brother/s tune, Gruber (as Child) spends most of the play trying to win the hand of local beauty Polly Baker (Melinda Ann Parrett). Guess whether he gets her.

Audience and media reactions to Gruber/s performance indicate that competitive diving/s loss has become the Central Coast/s gain.

A Times review of the play raved that Gruber "gives a performance that recalls musical idols of the Silver Screen, who literally swept their ladies off their feet with graceful dancing."

Starting Friday, Gruber and the "Crazy for You" cast will move south to Solvang to perform in that town/s open air Festival Theater.

"Michael is one of the rare breed of triple-threat performers who sing, dance and act 77 all first-rate quality," said Craig Shafer, PCPA spokesman. "His presence strengthens an already strong cast of resident and guest professional artists and interns on and off stage."

Recently the Times caught up with Gruber via telephone to talk about his life in the arts.

Times: So, do you miss New York?

Michael Gruber: We had two weeks off after the Santa Maria shows and before we moved down to Solvang, so I went home to New York. To be honest, it was like major culture shock. I was used to this mellow environment (on the Central Coast), so I was a little fried when I went to Manhattan. I was very happy to get out here again.

Times: Have you seen much of the Central Coast?

MG: I/m living in Santa Maria right now. I/ve also gone to Pismo Beach and the Avila Valley Hot Springs. They/re great. I/ve gone up to San Luis Obispo and down to Santa Barbara. I/ll have Mondays and Tuesdays off soon, so I hope to do more traveling. It/s so beautiful out here.

Times: Do you mind doing shows outside of New York?

MG: I/m happy to fill in the gaps between Broadway shows by going out of town. I like to get a break from the manicness of New York. Regional theater often has more interesting projects.

Times: After performing in melodramatic Andrew Lloyd Webber shows like "Cats," how do you approach something lighter like the Gershwin-inspired "Crazy for You?"

MG: The audience really informs you of what you can get away with in something like "Crazy for You." They sort of construct your performance by their reactions.

You really have to extend yourself when you/re doing farce, and take some chances. There/s a lot of slapstick, tripping and falling. The audience sort of constructs your performance. A show like this is so fun, but you have to be brave. And so far the audiences have been great. Everybody/s really enjoying themselves.

Times: Do you see any parallels between diving and theater?

MG: I guess being in the zone, and having that kind of concentration is very similar. And both are a kind of performing.

Both diving and acting involve judging. There/s a lot of bias and politics to both. If you/re competing against Louganis, and you did a dive comparable to one he did, he would still likely get the higher score. In theater, it/s the same way 77 a lot of it is mystique.

Times: Do you still have to audition for shows?

MG: Sometimes I/m just offered parts; that/s really what I prefer. Sometimes, if they don/t know you, you have to audition, but I never have to go to cattle calls anymore. They do what are called agent-submissions, where you/ll go to a private audition. Each show is something slightly different.

Times: Do you have any interest in doing television or movies?

MG: They/re such different industries. So much of (filmed) work is by who you know and who knows you. I don/t have any kind of network in the industry. And I/m much more broadly skilled in theater craft.

Times: Is it difficult to have relationships when you/re on the road so much?

MG: I/m not a big relationship person. I have my friends, but I/ve never really dated that much. It/s very hard to pursue relationships in this business. I/ve actually sort of been dealing with that right now, because as I get older I/m starting to want a more serious relationship.

Times: What would you do if you didn/t make your living as an actor?

MG: I/ve been working with a partner on composing some (musical theater) pieces. We/ve done three pieces together and we/re writing the fourth one right now. It takes place in 1975 and it/s called "Vegas Organic."

I/m totally addicted to The Beach (a Central Coast radio station), because that/s the era of music we/re writing for. I love Heart, Steve Perry from Journey, Freddie Mercury and Queen, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith … classic hard rock.

Times: So, I read that you were into psychotherapy? Are we talking Freud?

MG: No, classical analysis didn/t really work for me. I found it too one-sided. And from what I/ve read, classical therapy has not been that successful. It/s not necessarily practical.

The therapist I have now uses gestalt therapy. It/s great. He collaborates with me. We have a dialogue. It involves more problem-solving and is more immediate. But when I/m on the road, I take a break. I don/t want to become too obsessive about it.

Times: What kind of foods have you been eating in Santa Maria?

MG: It/s total In-N-Out and Taco Bell. When I/m late for rehearsal it/s McDonald/s drive-through. It/s bad because my metabolism isn/t as fast as it once was.

Times: What have you been doing for fun around here?

MG: I went out last night to a friend/s house. We watched TV and laughed and talked, drank a few beers and ate a pizza. College student-type stuff. It was a lot of fun.

Times: What/s the future of the Broadway musical?

MG: It/s tough to say, because the economy isn/t so great right now, and people are more careful about how they spend their money. In this type of an economy, and when a Broadway ticket is ,90, people are gonna want to see "The Producers" or "Phantom (of the Opera)." Or maybe they/ll see "Chicago" because the movie was so successful. Those shows will always make a killing.

Producers want a market value. Unless you/re Stephen Sondheim, it/s very hard to get a different kind of musical produced. And even his shows don/t have longevity because they/re not going to bring in tourists.

"Long Day/s Journey into Night," by Eugene O/Neill, would never be produced on Broadway now if it didn/t have Brian Dennehy, Vanessa Redgrave, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Robert Sean Leonard, who are all movie actors. It/s all about the economy. Once the economy improves and rich people start spending more money again, there might be more risky productions.

Times: What role do you really want to play?

MG: I/d like to play George in "Sunday in the Park with George." It/s beautifully written and I relate to its themes, which involve the isolation of an artist.

Times: Are you looking forward to moving down to Solvang?

MG: It/ll be cool. We/re doing five shows a week with no matinees. It/s a cool town and it/s always great to work outside.

Times: What/s your favorite part of doing the show?

MG: I enjoy the contrast of doing the romantic side of Bobby Child and the wacky silliness of Bela Zangler 77 that whole level of being in disguise.

(For part of the play, Child disguises himself as the wealthy Bela Zangler)

There/s a song in the show, "Embraceable You," and it/s the first time Bobby realizes that Polly/s falling in love with him and not Bella. It/s the turning point. He doesn/t tell her who he is because he doesn/t want to lose her.

And he/s realizing where the journey is going, and he doesn/t know how to handle it.

#michael gruber #interview #2003 #2000s

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nocturna-iv · 1 year

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Meet Felix, Vox's personal assistant, bodyguard, and programmer. He's the triple threat for most of his Overlord’s enemies.

Felix has quite a unique story. Before he met Vox —when he was just Ruby—, he was a hacker, breaking into some of the most secure systems in the world. But when he arrived in Hell, he knew he needed a new purpose. A more entertaining and extreme existence. That's when he decided to hack into VoxTek. Vox was so impressed by Felix's skills that he immediately offered him a contract, and Felix has been by his side ever since.

Now, Felix prefers to be non-verbal and avoid interacting with other demons. When it’s necessary, Felix prefers to communicate by connecting to Vox's frequency. To others, it seems that the two of them are only looking at each other when they are actually having conversations. Vox sometimes responds aloud, which further confuses other demons.

Felix's appearance is also quite striking. His body has a texture like paper-mâché and plaster. And then there's his face — a permanent, smiling expression that looks like a theater mask. Some people even believe that he’s using one! But don't let his cheery demeanor fool you.

One of Felix's biggest challenges is keeping Vox's spending habits in check. Let's just say, the Overlord can get a bit carried away when it comes to his indulgences. But Felix is up to the task, making sure that Vox doesn't waste his money on ridiculous things like a land shark clothing store or a record label solely for Alastor's radio shows at 78 RPM.

If you look closely, you'll notice a heart-shaped mark on Felix's chest — that's the mark that shows that he’s Vox’s sinner. It looks like a heart from video games (with Health Points). When Felix is in fights, you can see how the coloration goes down if he’s losing.

It amuses him to try techniques or weapons that he sees in video games, comics, anime, series, and other things. It’s entertaining! Felix has quite a creative streak, and he loves nothing more than cosplaying. But it's not just about dressing up for Felix — he also loves to engage in theatrical combat.

(You can see examples here, here, and here)

Felix loves pretending to be defeated, falling to the ground in a dramatic heap. That's when Vox steps in, shouting “Get up!” and urging Felix to rise once more as if he were a corpse controlled by the Overlord (Like here). Usually, that terrifies the enemies, who flee the place in terror.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel oc #hazbin oc #hazbin hotel vox #character sheet #original character #hazbin vox #oc #look at him!!!!!!!#I love that both Vox and Alastor don't perceive Felix as creepy #but the rest of the demons including Angel feel that he is weird #hazbin hotel felix #hazbin hotel ruby

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unproduciblesmackdown · 9 months

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more info, via a couple of reviews:

"Is this the best, most exhilarating, most close-to-perpetual dancing ever to grace the Goodspeed Opera House stage?

It certainly could be.

The new stage adaptation of “Summer Stock” at the East Haddam theater has plenty to recommend it in terms of the canny script and the hummable songs. But it’s the dancing that leaves the biggest impression.

The show is jam-packed with choreography from Donna Feore, who also directs, that is thrillingly executed by the cast.

We’re talking: Gravity-defying kicks. Head-spinning turns. Male dancers lifting and tossing and catching the female ones. It runs the gamut from Cossack-dance athleticism to soft shoe grace, tap precision to Lindy hop energy.

How the cast manages to sing after executing these (literally) breathtaking numbers, I have no idea.

And how do they make it through two performances on some days? Amazing.

Also amazing: the fact that they do all this on Goodspeed’s small stage without making the space feel cramped.

So, yes, the dancing is phenomenal. But there’s more to the show than that.

This stage version of “Summer Stock” — which is enjoying its world premiere at Goodspeed — is inspired by the 1950 MGM movie starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Writer Cheri Steinkellner, though, has reimagined the piece in many ways, making it better, stronger and propelled by a more modern sensibility. (Steinkellner’s writing credits range from “Cheers” to the Broadway adaptation of “Sister Act.”)

The foundational story, though, remains the same: A no-nonsense young woman named Jane is trying to save her family farm. Her actress sister (named Gloria in the version at Goodspeed) brings her compatriots to the farm to rehearse a show. Jane first spars with and then starts falling for Gloria’s beau Joe, the production’s director.

Steinkellner has also changed up the score, to great effect. While some tunes from the movie remain, she has pulled others that are in the public domain (such as “Accentuate the Positive,” “Paper Moon” and “It Had to Be You”), and she has woven them perfectly into various plot points and important emotional moments.

As director, Feore makes sure the whole enterprise has a dynamic spirit. It’s a story and a production that brims with optimism and cheerfulness.

Leading the cast is Corbin Bleu, who became famous with his work in “High School Musical” and has gone on to star in several Broadway shows, as Joe. Bleu is a true, and truly talented, triple-threat. He has a warm, welcoming presence as an actor; he also brings an authority to Joe so you believe he’s someone the actors respect and will follow. Bleu’s singing is strong and lustrous, and his dancing — particularly his tremendous tap ability — is … wow.

Arguably the biggest scene-stealer here is Veanne Cox, as the wealthy, snooty owner of huge property surrounding Jane’s. The way she trills dialogue can turn anything into a punchline. She can wave her arms about as her character repeats “l’amour” and generate audience laughs. When her character falls for the egoistic actor Montgomery Leach (played by J. Anthony Crane with Barrymore flair), Cox burbles with girlish romantic giddiness.

Danielle Wade does her own take on the Judy Garland role. She gives Jane a swagger and a tough façade that reveals a more human self during the course of the story. Wade’s most important feature is her voice, which is potent whether she’s finessing a ballad or powering through a big number. While she can’t compete with Garland’s renowned version of “Get Happy” (who could?), Wade does a good job in the number — choreographed and costumed in an homage to the original — that serves as the culmination of the production.

Arianna Rosario gets to play an interesting arc at Gloria. At first, Gloria seems to be a blithe, self-centered actress, but she later shows that she is quite the problem-solving producer. Rosario makes the transformation believable, as if Gloria is finally letting her real self come through.

The scenic design by Wilson Chin suggests the various elements of a Connecticut River Valley farm in the 1950s while still allowing room for the cast to burst into all of those big dance numbers. And the costume design by Tina McCartney provides a fun and functional take on country clothing of the era.

I will say that the second act could be tightened up (we don’t need to see so many beats of the rehearsal process), but, in total, this “Summer Stock” is sensational." [source]

(hooray for most directly explaining gloria's overall arc)

and the next review:

"A throwback to the golden age of Broadway and movie musicals, "Summer Stock" is a timeless, inspiring song-and-dance tale of good deeds, fairy tale showbiz, classic romance and backstage intrigue played out to such dazzling effect, you want to freeze frame it, take it home with you and watch it over and over again for pure fun and a let's-put-a-smile-on-your-face endorsement. This is Goodspeed Musicals at its best - old-fashioned musical entertainment designed to deliver by the bucket's load, stir the senses, rhythmically intoxicate you and dance up a continual storm of good cheer that's guaranteed to leave you breathless.

Animated. Airborne. Magical. Sweet-natured. Fresh-faced. Dance happy. It's all here, wrapped up in shiny gold ribbons and signature colors that complement and complete the picture with a technicolor flourish, a big bang and an internal logic that flows with appropriate style, stamina, full command and intent.

Adapted to the stage by Cheri Steinkellner, "Summer Stock" replays that popular let's- put-on-a-show conceit where everything rests of the big opening night, the box-office intake, the big kiss between the leading man and the leading lady and how a complete unknown saves the day right before the final fadeout. Here, struggling Connecticut farmer Jane Falbury decides to let her actress sister Abigail and her actor friends from New York use the family barn as a rehearsal space for their brand-new Broadway bound musical in exchange for doing the daily farm chores to raise enough money to keep the business from going completely under. One slight problem. During rehearsals, Jane finds herself falling for the show's handsome director, Joe Ross, who, happens to be engaged to the show's leading lady - her sister Abigail.

Staging "Summer Stock," director Donna Feore ("Chicago," "Billy Elliot," "A Chorus Line"), who doubles as choreographer, creates a loveable, intoxicating show that reels you in, grabs hold of you until the final curtain and lets you fall in love with every little detail, surprise, plot twist, joke, visual gag, one-liner and tilt of her jolly agenda while she articulates every element of this musical story with thrust, warmth, spin and splendid articulation. Directorially, she pulls it off spectacularly. No wrong moves here as "Summer Stock" catches fire with a spark, a gusto, a shine and a 1950s mentality infused with plenty of imagination, originality, style and flair. More importantly, the production never loses sight of its origins, its functional plotting and its love of musicals of yesteryear despite well-intentioned doses of kitsch, takeaway humor, giddy backchat and story arcs right out of the MGM library of backlot moviemaking. Feore, free spirit that she is, fuels the musical with a sharpened wit and sentiment that works especially well as does her decision to let "Summer Stock" remain rooted in the period from whence it came in terms of staging, development, expression and interaction.

Moving from screen to stage," "Summer Stock" retains only four songs from the 1950 MGM musical. The addition of several new songs to the original version of the score turns the two-act musical into more of a showstopping event and adds clarity, luster and vintage spin to its already proven material, its let's launch into another song and dance routine blueprint and its firm grasp on characterization, story evolution and its happily ever after conclusion. At Goodspeed, there are 28 important, recognizable, smartly placed musical numbers. They are: "Get Happy," "Happy Days Are Here Again/I Want to Be Happy," "Accentuate the Positive," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Always," "Always (reprise)," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "Dig for Your Dinner," "Me and My Shadow," "Howdy Neighbor, Happy Harvest," "Red Hot Mama," " 'Til We Meet Again," "You Wonderful You," "June Night," "Some of These Days," "Joe's Dance," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (reprise)," "It All Depends on You," "Always (reprise)," "Everybody Step," "Lucky Day," "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm," "Hinky-Dinky Parlez Vouz," "It Had to Be You," "Get Happy (reprise)" and "You Wonderful You (Finale)."

Musical director Adam Souza ("42nd Street," "Cabaret," "Next to Normal," "A Grand Night for Singing," "Because of Winn Dixie," "Rags") grabs hold of the "Summer Stock" score and allows it to breathe, gesticulate, excite, envelop and rhapsodize with the golden age sentimentality of MGM movie musicals and the timeless, larger-than-life spirit of old Broadway. Here, every song matters. Every song is important. Every song travels down memory lane. Every song is tuned to the max with sweet, centered, warm-heartedness. Every song fulfills its intended purpose. All of this is complemented by the strong, flavorful sound of Souza's orchestral team, all of whom share his tremendous sense of theatricality, musical interlude, impassioned communication and delight of the actual musical itself. They are: David Uhl (bass), Sal Ranniello (percussion), Liz Baker Smith (reed 1), Andrew Studenski (reed II), Travis Higgins III (trumpet) and Matthew Russo (trombone). As with other Goodspeed musicals, Souza doubles as conductor and keyboardist. As "Summer Stock" zings and pops, pretty music every song unfolds with a contagious orchestral musical glow, matched by the splendid musicality of the entire cast who address the catchy, homespun music and lyrics with perfect harmony, rhythm, phrasing and nostalgic commitment. These elements heighten the on-stage mode of the production, its progression from Act I to Act II, its send offs, its pastiche and its electrifying, barn-raising influence and thwack.

As with any big stage musical, choreography is key to a production's success, its fluidity of form, its artistic expression and its accompanying dance routines. Here, Feore, as choreographer, gives "Summer Stock" a highly personal touch of invigoration and speedy excitement that is tipped and generated with wonderfully elongated inspiration, stamina and determination. This is star quality choreography that peaks, shines and tilts with clever build ups, catchy dance steps and bold, concentrated rhythms, moves and beats that joyfully celebrate 1950's musicals in all their technicolor glory. As storyteller and dance interpreter, she brings great dimension and scope to the piece using techniques, styles, descriptions and an enriched canvas of thoughts and ideas that make their mark most engagingly. Everything that happens on the Goodspeed Musicals stage has been beautifully blocked, rehearsed and staged with such thrust and individuality, no two dance numbers are alike. In fact, once "Summer Stock" catches fire, there's no stopping it. Creating a freshly minted fusion of moods, tableaus, lifts, twirls and swirls, Feore pays homage to the actual vintage look and mindset of the musical, its dance-friendly art form and its free-flowing feel of excitement and exhilaration. Hands pop. Arms move heavenward. Dancers smile and glisten as they passionately ignite into joyful visions of sweetness, passion, frenzy and syncopation. Everyone is lost in the moment illustrating the traditions, the conscience and the power of musical theatre, giving and getting the most out of Feore's phenomenal, ovation-worthy choreography. Trained, drilled and confident, they each get a chance to shine - and shine they do - all making strong impressions that will live long in memory.

Making his Goodspeed Musicals debut, Corbin Bleu, as Joe Ross, a character originated by Gene Kelly in the 1950 film version, creates a "Wow!" song-and-dance-man factor chock full of charm, personality, self-confidence and full-beam, champagne delightness that astounds, cajoles and sparkles with leading man gait and luxury like no other. No matter what he does, he's a proverbial triple-threat (i.e., a player who excels at acting, singing and dancing) who makes everything that happens on stage feel fresh, spontaneous, real, raw and very much in the moment. It's in his eyes. It's in his moves. It's in his expressions. Exhibiting a sweet, contagious rapport that extends far beyond the footlights, it's the performance of the year and one that Bleu exudes with a Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire aura of showbiz savvy, knockabout whimsy, graceful athleticism and sterling encapsulation. "Joe's Dance," a solo dance number in Act II performed by Bleu only furthers that notion.

In the role of Jane Falbury, a role made famous by Judy Garland in the original "Summer Stock" MGM musical, Danielle Wade lights up the Goodspeed Musicals stage with a breezy, intuitive musical comedy performance of real warmth and spirit that is a constant joy to watch. Veanne Cox, cast in the role of the wickedly devious Connecticut farming magnate Margaret Wingate, is jaw-dropping brilliant, using humor, music, dance and melodrama in divinely daft and glorious ways that prompt applause and laughter whenever she's in the limelight. It's a scene-stealing performance so seamlessly entrenched in glee and fiery abandon, Cox, would be the ideal choice to play narcissistic Broadway diva Dee Dee Allen in the 2024 summer presentation of "The Prom" at Playhouse in Park in West Hartford. I'll personally deliver the contract. Other memorable performances are delivered by Arianna Rosario (Gloria Falbury), Stephen Lee Anderson (Henry "Pop" Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey II (Phil Filmore), Will Roland (Orville Wingate) and J. Anthony Crane (Montgomery Leach). A musical escape brimming with delightful songs, engaging performances and full-beam dance numbers, "Summer Stock" is not only a bubbly tonic for theatergoers of all ages, but one that kicks nostalgia into high gear with uncomplicated bliss, fizz and vintage sparkle. It sings. It dances. It pops. It dazzles. Like "42nd Street" which played Goodspeed Musicals last season, it overflows with Kelly/Astaire lightness, punch and precision, sunny vibes and well-played exactitude. The energy displayed here is fast and furious with first-night exhilaration and thrill paired especially well with Corbin Bleu's charming star turn, Danielle Wade's joyous "Get Happy" abandon and Veanne Cox's well-prepped, icy cool villain. This is musical theatre of the highest order - infectious, irresistible, glorious. Its leave-your-troubles-at-the-door/Let's-put-on-a-show mentality accelerates with sparkle and cherry pie goodness. And boy, do we need it now!" [source]

(the reference to jane's sister abigail uses the film's names: abigail becomes gloria in this production, which is the name of abigail's actor in the film, which also mirrors how the role of herb is now phil, also the name of herb's actor in the film)

(also shoutout to providing A Full, Chronological List Of Songs. noting that according to another interview, intermission would be between "you wonderful you" and "june night")

#summer stock #dearth of peak relevant info for our purposes otherwise lol but hey #pressing f for danielle wade's performance Tending to be juxtaposed w/either corbin bleu's or judy garland's #which in fact doesn't always mean their going ''eh comes up short Relative to that comparison but good enough'' but yknow #also that role just isn't gonna be designed to be the most thrilling lol...let's get those character(tm) parts babeyyy #further photos of that preview performance do suggest there's more like midshow conflict b/w jane & gloria vs Only getting along great....#and intrigued here if it's like yeah gloria can be written to have Flaws kiiinda like the film dunking on her though not as much as it #(though not as much as it might've; parallel to orville; relevant to their compatibility lol though in this show it indeed just might not #go for ''conveniently gloria's also always already liked him & orville's just glad someone's being nice to him'' lmao. & in fact yes the #material already in the film was like hm sure could be the queer readings in these ''so you're doing cishettery wrong'' roles here #and going aw man wrt the comedy boys herb/phil & orville/orville not getting to interact more #herb getting to make One reference to kinda being the outsider/misfit even amongst the troupe like hey more abt that? what's your job also #meanwhile yeah you can do something like ''oh gloria has this idea re: being The Star but isn't actually as interested in that Process''#but that then instead of that Just being her at odds w/jane & her coming up short she can have her own arc still #finding out what behind the scenes work she Does want to do; jane & gloria of course ending up being mutually supportive one imagines #rather than jane Just being freer from Dealing With her lesser sister or what have you; whom can graciously enough accept this #and ofc we don't Need the partner swaps for everyone's guaranteed happiness communicated through ''they're not single''#whilest the lack of [oh this backup relationship was here the whole time kind of] does make your potential love triangle trickier then lol #hence perhaps some more significant conflict if you're like kissing your sister's date or what have you & she can't Just(tm) have yours #but then being The Lead can't be the ultimate of All [doing theatre]; having kissing status w/a guy isn't the ultimate of all Arcs/Life #(though noting tim wasn't Relieved if another ostensibly straight romance; a cliche in the modern musical; wasn't shoehorned in there...)#(also the awkward notes about Male Dancers and The Female Ones like alright? supposed relevance Where?)#long post ///

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