#my friends gave a standing ovation to my cast on the last show that I worked on and

[falasta]

Quick moments that absolutely made my week in Vienna. Even though I am so very, very emotional and sad today -- I really do want to emphasize what an incredible opportunity it was to see this show 6 times before it closed.

--Seeing Riccardo Sinisi ALL SIX SHOWS, which was completely unexpected. Getting to see his Mistoffelees twice!

--Seeing Florian Fetterle in his last show as Munkustrap

--Seeing Alex Snova in his last show as Tugger. Getting to meet Alex Snova after the show and getting the opportunity to tell him how much his Tugger means to us and finding out what a beautiful and gracious person he is

--Getting together with @peterpandiedtoday, @cryptidvoidwritings and @namethat-i-oughttohavetoldyou for an Epic Cats Squad! Especially as the latter came in full gorgeous cosplay as Munkustrap for our last show!

--Sneaking in to ask Gerben Grimmius for an autograph and immediately being asked for our names and their spellings and then having him actually super interested in us and asking about ourselves and our opinions about the show, Vienna vs. U.S. Tour, and finally ending when we admitted we weren't here to see Miss Saigon with a knowing look "Ah You're Hot for Cats!". 😂 Promised he would "look out for us" and he did indeed--got full on blinks from Skimble as acknowledgement at the last show. What an absolute class act.

--Dropping off little notes to the cast at the Stage door earlier in the week and being completely caught off guard when Alex Auler figured out I must be the American who wrote the note and getting profusely thanked while expressing pleased surprise that two of us had flown from the U.S. just to see Cats. He was absolutely lovely and the sweetest (including obviously trying to comfort us being so sad about the show closing).

--Matthew Levick *also* asking if I was "the one who wrote the card" and saying how nice it was. Also he signed my programme with a smiley face!

--Getting to see Matt Levick's final Misto and the long, long applause for him at the end--so well deserved!

--Seeing Barbara Obermeier as Grizabella and the long held applause at the end of both Memories. I cried. It was the best I've ever heard. Her voice is so beautiful and powerful and she is my favorite Grizabella

--Saturday's show where the audience gave a standing ovation long after the kitties had left and on through the closing music

--Aulerstrap Aulerstrap Aulerstrap.

--Alex Auler holding the High Note during Alt Deuteronimus longer and sweeter than usual

--Dominik Hees going up a register during his part of Alt Deuteronimus

--Birgit Arquin was on FIRE for Bomba this whole week. Phenomenal.

--Dominic Hees just basically going feral during the show and wandering into everyone's number whether he was supposed to be there or not

--Riccardo Admetus laying his head in Snova Tugger's lap during Gus

--The Raffish Crew my Beloved

--Nick Li popping out of the Stage Door like a Ray of Sunshine and telling us he was happy to be accosted and "loved going down the line" to sign autographs!

--A fan presenting Riccardo Sinisi with a beautiful drawing of himself as Carbucketty and his being so genuinely touched. Then to have Nick Li lean over and ask "Who is *that*?" with Riccardo responding exasperatedly "That's my FACE" and Nick "Oh I didn't recognize it you look so *young*" THESE TWO I SWEAR

--Talking about the show on the way home only to realize that there are Cats in the Train and we'd better lower our voices and hope we didn't embarrass ourselves

--Getting to see the show with friends and Cats fans. Won't ever forget it.

#Jellicles forever and always #Cats Vienna #Positivity post

[lumoshyperion]

Hey I'm new to your blog! How do you know this much bout cursed child Aus? Do you work in it?

Hi there! Thanks for your message and welcome! I don't work on Cursed Child, but I do talk to a few people who work on the production, and I also work in the same industry? So I just hear a lot from them and from my coworkers within the industry. I was standing in a dressing room months ago listening to the cast on my show talk about the role of Albus being recast, for instance. Anything I don't hear from my colleagues or from the production team/cast themselves, I can also usually just guess based on past experience? I’ve also been lucky enough to see the show across each cast change, right from the very first dress rehearsal, so I’m just... really familiar with the show itself and how it works, I guess?

And the thing about the Australian theatre community is that it's so small. I was at the friends and family dress rehearsal for Year Three and ran into the director and a cast member from one of my previous shows. And later on I found out that a cast member from my current show was there. And so was a producer, director, set designer, and stage manager from a show I'm doing in August. Even just walking through the foyer or standing outside, I saw so many people I knew. Everyone knows everyone who knows everyone.

But even before I got involved in the industry, I was already moving in a lot of the same circles. Even just as an audience member, I was already getting to know people in the industry and putting myself out there. Because the thing about theatre people is that they're so lovely and welcoming? I used to feel really nervous about talking to them after a show, but I quickly realised how much they love talking about their work. If you ever see something and wish you could tell the team behind it how much you loved their work/performances, don't be afraid to message them on Instagram! In my experience, it always means so much to them. And now that stage door isn't a thing and probably won't return for a while, I think your messages of support and questions about their work will mean more than ever before ❤️

ask me questions about year two, year three, and other things!

#I can't tell you how much actors appreciate feedback #my friends gave a standing ovation to my cast on the last show that I worked on and #they didn't stop talking about it for the entire run #theatre people love to talk - and i think right now? #with everything that's happened and everything we lost? #I think we need it. we need to talk about our work again. #we need to joke about how everyone knows everyone #we need to support each other and be supported #2020 was hell for this industry and being back is so precious #and I can't wait for the rest of the industry to get back on its feet #lol rant?? sorry i love theatre v much. #Ask

[show-choir-gal]

How You Two Meet - Dead Poets Society Preference

Masterlist of Masterlists

Guide: Y/N: Your Name Y/F/N: Your First Name Y/L/N: Your Last Name

Warnings: Mentions of death in Gerard's

Neil Perry: You met when you both auditioned for a play at a community theatre Audition day has arrived, but Neil was more nervous than ever. The boys accompanied him into the theatre just in case something were to go wrong. Neil was reading over the audition lines, which come from Romeo and Juliet. The boys were really hyping Neil up in the back of the theatre until an older man came up on stage and got everyone's attention. "Attention everyone. Thank you for coming out for the auditions for Antony and Cleopatra. I truly believe we will have a wonderful cast for such a great Shakespearean tragedy. Ladies, please hand my assistant your paperwork and line up for your audition. You will perform your monologue onstage by yourself and then you will exit and take a seat. We will have a brief break and then begin with the men. Break a leg." He said as he exited the stage and sat in his seat next to the assistant he mentioned previously. One after the other, girls performed their monologues and the boys gawked. But then you got onstage and the group of boys just stopped dead in their tracks. "Hello, I am Y/F/N Y/L/N and I will be auditioning for Cleopatra." You performed your monologue of Juliet II ii 85 with all the passion and strive you could muster. Once you finished you had a standing ovation. You bowed and sat next to a girl you befriended at the audition. The girl auditions finished up and you all went on a brief break so the boys could prepare. "Neil, if you don't go after her, I will" Charlie said cheekily as he elbowed his friend. "That was the most beautiful and talented girl I have ever seen." Neil said as he looked in your direction across the room. It was soon the boys turn and one by one they went across the stage and performed, and then appeared Neil. "I'm Neil Perry and I will be auditioning for Antony." He performed his heart out, reciting Romeo III iii 33. He sat down right behind you. When all the auditions were officially over, the director came on the stage once more, "Brava ladies and gentlemen. Those were some amazing auditions and my assistant and I will have a hard time deciding the roles. This can take up to an hour so just be prepared. You were all amazing but remember that we have to make decisions. See you all in an hour or so."Just as the director and assistant left to deliberate on the casting, Neil turned towards his group of friends who were all enthusiastically giving him 'thumbs ups'. Neil smiled and turned back around. Suddenly you turned to the boy behind you. "Neil, is it?" "Uh, yeah I'm Neil. And you're Y/F/N, right?" "Yup! I wanted to let you know you were amazing up there! I was really invested. You have a promising career as an actor, I can't wait to work with you." You said with a smile as you turned back to the girl next to you and started chatting up a storm. Neil's heart melted at the thought of just simply being around you.

Todd Anderson: You were chilling in Mr.Keating's classroom because he's your dad You were sitting in a desk in the middle of your dads classroom, discussing some novels and plays before his students showed up for the class. You and your dad were discussing the interesting aspects tagged along with Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" when you were suddenly interrupted by a few boys entering the room. "Don't mind them, they like to come early." Your dad said as he waved the boys into the classroom with a smile. "How was Death of A Salesman, Mr.Keating?" Neil asked, knowing he went to see the play over the weekend. "Oh magnificent Mr.Perry. I do wish I could've brought you boys with me but I had some great company with me either way." Your dad as he shot you a smile. "Oh did you bring a lady friend with you?" Knox asked but as soon as those rolled off his tongue you shifted uncomfortably in your seat. "We keep forgetting about this doll in Todd's seat. Who are you darling?" Charlie asked as he looked from Todd to you and winked. Your dad chimed in before you could get a word in, "That is Y/N. She's my daughter. We actually saw the show together." Charlie blushed and leaned back in his seat, trying and failing to make himself seem smaller. "Sweetheart, I know you had some rather bold opinions of the play. Also you can sit in the front so poor Mr.Anderson can sit down." Your dad said as he motioned to a desk near his desk. You looked back at Todd who was staring, he turned and blushed as your rose from the seat you were just occupying. "I am so sorry Todd." You replied as you got up and moved seats. Todd quickly sat down but started to stare again as you began to explain how you felt about the play you had seen with your father.

Charlie Dalton: Select girls are allowed to attend Welton, and you were chosen and played in the schools orchestra Welton was known for only letting in some of the best, and when they were letting up to 10 girls into the school for the very first time, your parents did not hesitate to make sure you got one of those spots. Top of your class, president and captain of several clubs and teams, and first chair in the saxophone section with several professional orchestras vying for your skill made Mr.Nolan not even hesitate to welcome you to the school. You walked into your first class of the day. which was English, with your bag on your back and your saxophone case in your hand. You walked in and everyone turned around and stared at you in awe. "Miss Y/L/N, I was wondering when you would be joining us! You can take the empty seat next to Mr.Dalton and tell us a little about yourself." Mr.Keating said with a smile as you made your way to the empty seat. "I'm Y/N, I transferred from a boarding school about an hour away from here. I am top of my class and I play first chair saxophone." "That's brilliant! I love seeing a bright, young mind in my presence. I see you have your instrument with you, would you liked to play something for us?" "Uhm, yeah I would love to." You replied with a smile as you took out your saxophone and assembled it and tuned it. "This is Flight of the Bumblebee, one of the most difficult songs to play on any instrument." "Do you need someone to hold your music?" Charlie asked, rather enthusiastically. "No thank you, I actually have the piece memorised." Charlie looked sad but immediately perked up when you started to play. You were so engrossed by playing you you didn't notice Charlie making heart eyes and melting as he stared at the beauty in front of him.

Steven Meeks: You're staying your uncle Keating at Welton for the year as a foreign exchange student You and Keating just finished the meeting with Mr.Nolan about the terms and conditions about your stay. It was early in the morning and Keating offered to make you a cup of tea before classes were supposed to start, you agreed and stayed in Keating's classroom. It was supposed to be about another 45 minutes before classes began, so you popped a Beatles album into the record player and was just sitting at Keating's desk and absorbed the atmosphere of an American classroom. You were reading "Catcher in the Rye" as you waited for you uncle to come back to the classroom. You heard some robust laughter come closer to the room and you recognised it as your uncles but there were other voices you didn't recognise. You looked up from the book as soon as the laughter was in the classroom. Your uncle entered with two students by his side, he gave you your cup of tea and looked at the boys. "Mr.Pitts and Mr.Meeks, this is my niece Y/F/N. She's an exchange student from England this year. Can you boys help her around during the day so she doesn't get too lost?" Keating asked with a smile. Both boys were starstruck by the girl in front of them, but Steven was falling in love by the moment. Gerard snapped out of the fit first and elbowed Steven to get his attention back to the real world. "Of course I can Mr.Keating." Steven stumbled out, Gerard just facepalmed as you looked at your uncle and both of you chuckled. Steven finally noticed the music playing, and he may not listen to music all that often but he didn't recognise. "I really like this song, who sings it?" Steven asked shyly. Your eyes went wide open and your mouth went agape, "Do they not have The Beatles here in the States?! Let me show you them, they're AMAZING!" You grabbed Steven's hand and led him over to the record player. Keating looked at you two and back at Gerard with a smile, knowing that look better than any poet he's ever researched.

Richard Cameron: You two competed against one another several times during debate competitions First debate competition of the year was in a few hours. The two teams were in the respective classrooms preparing for the competition ahead. You had to go use the restroom so you excused yourself and walked over to where the restroom was located. You bumped into someone as you rounded the corner. "I am so sorry, I didn't see you there. Are you okay?" The boy asked. "Yeah I'm perfectly fine, just got a little spooked." You replied with a smile as you made eye contact with the boy in front of you, you blushed. He stuck his hand out with a smile, "Richard Cameron, Welton Academy." You returned the smile and took his hand, "Y/F/N Y/L/N, Hamilton Academy. I look forward to seeing you on the debate court." You shook his hand as you winked and walked toward the bathroom.

Knox Overstreet: You tutor his sister back at home Knox was coming home today, his parents told you that before they left to pick him up and bring him home. You were tutoring his younger sister in English and geography. She wasn't bad by any means, but her parents always believed she could do better. You never pushed her too far because she would always reiterate that she is doing the very best she can. You knew how it was to be pushed passed your breaking point and you would never want to do that to a student you tutor. You two took a break and the front door flung open and the sound of teenage boy filled the hallway. He immediately went upstairs and put his stuff away as his parents came into the kitchen to ask how their daughter was doing. In the middle of the conversation Knox came into the kitchen as well. He immediately stopped in his tracks as he made eye contact with you, you blushed as soon as he smiled. "My my, Knox Overstreet, I hadn't seen you since you started attending Welton. You look dashing if I may say so, growing into a fine young man." You said with a smile. "Wow Y/F/N, you look beautiful yourself. Going to be an amazing woman one day." He said as blushed back at you. "Maybe, Y/N, if you're not too busy you could tutor Knox as well. Make sure he doesn't lose his muster during break." His father chimed in. His sister came in unexpectedly and said, "I think he just needs a tutor in general, I'm pretty sure I'm smarter than him." This earned a chuckle from everyone and a blush from Knox and you shot an empathetic glance his way

Gerard Pitts: You met when you were forced to attend Welton by your father, Mr.Nolan, because your grades were slipping "You are attending Welton and that is final, young lady." Your father practically spat at you. You got up in a huff as he escorted you to your English class. "Mr.Nolan, what brings you in here for today?" Mr.Keating asked with his usual smile. He practically shoved you into the classroom, "This is my daughter Y/N. She's going to be attending here because her grades slipped too low for my standards elsewhere. Don't go easy on her." Mr.Keating shot you an empathetic glance, "You may sit next to Mr.Pitts. And rest assured Mr.Nolan, I will help whip her into shape in no time." Mr.Keating motioned to the empty chair with a smile. You walked to the empty seat and sat down. Gerard could not take his eyes off you. Mr.Keating had everyone work on a poem as he came over to your desk to ask you if everything was alright. Gerard was tuning in. "I don't know anymore My mum didn't even want me to come here. I got one C because my friend passed away and suddenly it's the end of the world for my father. You'd think he would care a little more since I'm his only child, you know?" You ranted, letting a single tear roll down your face. Gerard immediately noticed and got a tissue and gave it to you. "Thank you that was really sweet." You said with a shy smile. "Well, I can't let a pretty girl cry when I'm around." He said with a smile filled with empathy.

#dead poets society #dps #dps preference #dead poets society preference #preferences #neil perry #todd anderson #charlie dalton #steven meeks #richard cameron #knox overstreet #gerard pitts #show-choir-gal

[vampiresuns]

Fine Arts and Equally Fine People

1,845 words. In which Cadenza and Dante decide to have a little competition to woo Amparo Cassano, but Dante’s attention is taken away by someone else. Anatole flexes his language abilities for someone, and Milenko runs after a certain Countess.

Cadenza and Dante belong to @arcanecadenza​.

Dante and Cadenza looked at the poster announcing the play they came to see in Vesuvia’s Community Theatre. A painted poster depicting a scene with the characters of the Operetta, announcing “La Cassano'' as the main character above the name of the play. 

“That’s her,” Dante said, Cadenza still silently looking at the poster, her eyes tracing the lines of Amparo’s smile.

“It is. Let’s get in.”

The siblings got inside, showing the tickets they had already purchased, in the standing Yard. Cadenza would’ve preferred to be sitting in one of the galleries, but they had been told by the cast of the play (and Amparo herself) that many of the acts and intermissions were interactive, so a Yard position might be more fun, if they desired to experience the play in full. Besides, the play had already been going for some time, so it wouldn’t be as packed as it was during the first weeks of it. 

“Did you bring her anything?” Dante asked as they handed their coats in the coat check. “I wasn’t really sure of what the exact Vesuvian custom is, and then I thought everyone must bring her flowers, then I didn’t know who to ask and books were not very illustrative on the matter—”

“So?”

“So I brought her a self-refilling pen. Actors need to mark scripts all the time, don’t they?”

Cadenza hummed as she gave a coin to an usher in exchange for a program for the play. “I brought her tea. Asra said she always asked him to brew her some tea when she was over?”

Dante gave her a betrayed look. 

“What? He’s a friend of hers.”

“That’s cheating.”

“I would’ve brought her tea anyway.” 

“That’s still cheating.”

Cadenza decided to focus on the program, which explained the basic argument of the play, had a list of the dramatis personae and the name of whom they were played by, as well as other tidbits here and there. It was useful to take her away from her nerves. Cadenza didn’t exactly know what she was doing, even if she was confident enough in herself. It felt almost like a date without being a date (and with her brother there), not to mention gift-giving had never been her forte. She had been too busy to compose something for Amparo, but she had wanted to. Maybe she would be able to later. 

She hoped she was. She had been beautiful and so sure of herself in her flowing dress; her lips were defined and always curving up slightly, her hands soft as they had brushed with Cadenza’s, telling her how she wished she could make it to the play, not just for herself but for the play’s sake. 

“But I do hope I’m reason enough,” she had added, clearly flirting. Cadenza had told her she would be better company than her brother in a streak of competitiveness, making Amparo laugh. 

Cadenza found herself playing with the corners of the program, dog earring them; she frowned at it and offered it to her brother. 

Her brother didn’t respond. 

“Dante? Dante. Dante.” She rolled her eyes, leaning her shoulder against her brother’s. 

“Uh? Oh, I wasn’t looking.”

A blush began to bloom on Dante’s cheeks, Cadenza giving him a funny look as he began fidgeting, throwing one last glance in the general direction he had been looking, before taking the program out of Cadenza’s hands. Cadenza followed the direction of her brother’s gaze and finally saw him, recognition dawning on her. He was as blond as ever, animatedly talking to a man with dark, bronze brown curls, dressed in black. 

She couldn’t help but to give a curious look to her brother. “I didn’t know you knew Anatole.”

“You know him too?”

“Dante, I’m pretty sure half of Vesuvia knows who he is, but yes, we have tea together sometimes. Well, I have tea, I’ve only ever seen him drink coffee. He’s a friend.” She paused, in the background the orchestra still played. “Where do you know him from?” 

“The palace library,” the program was now completely forgotten in Dante’s hands. “I run into him from time to time, but we never visit the same sections. We talk sometimes, he’s, hm, very charming.”

The play began not very long after, the siblings dropping the subject altogether, even if Dante still seemed to steal looks towards the box Anatole was sitting in. The play was everything it promised to be and more: Amparo had been right, standing on the yard was never tedious, tiring. Something was always happening that took your attention away from standing on your feet — an actor would run through, someone would begin in an Aria in the middle of the crowd, leaving you to wonder when they got there. 

Amparo herself was stunning. Her voice was clear and melodic, capable of softness and drama; when she danced, the stage moved with her, the lights dancing to her lead. She transformed on stage, and Cadenza felt herself be transformed with it.

The crowd clapped, the siblings joining the ovation, and eventually the theatre began being evacuated. The siblings did as Amparo had told them too: they went backstage, announcing themselves. One of the lyricists of the Opera volunteered to go let Amparo know, and as soon as she cleared them, the lyricist came back to guide them through the hecticness which was the backstage of Vesuvia’s community theatre, asking them their opinion on the play. 

“We don’t really have private changing rooms but this is La Cassano, she’s too delightful not to let her get away with a little of this. Not that I need to tell you two, hm?” She said, cheeky. 

Amparo emerged from beyond a curtain. “Zinovia, don’t torment my guests! Only I can do that.” As a hello she winked to the siblings, holding the curtain open for them to come in. “I’m so glad you too could make it! Please, make yourself comfortable.”

The changing room, which was really just a space separated by dividers and colourful curtains, was not very personalised. Zinovia had been right when she said this wasn’t Amparo’s own changing room and in fact had space for more people. It was still cozy, if a little messy, with puffs to sit as well as a patched up armchair. 

Amparo sat in the chair of one of the vanities in the room, wearing a well loved, dark blue robe. 

“I do have my own changing room in the other theatre, so I hope you’re not put off by people announcing themselves in and out. If you’d prefer more privacy, we could always grab drinks afterward, I think I know just the place.”

With the mention of drinks, Cadenza mentioned the tea, saying it was inside the pockets of her coat. Amparo, lightly touching her arm, told her not to worry, she could send someone to retrieve the coats. “It’s nothing, I promise.” 

Before she could do anything, a voice came from beyond the robe. It was Anatole’s. “Are you decent and are you available, Lele?” 

Amparo snorted. “I’m not decent, but I’m wearing clothes, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She opened the curtain with one swift motion. “And almost always available for you two. Cadenza, Dante, these are Anatole and Milenko — my cousins.” 

“Oh, I do know both of you,” Anatole added with a smile.

“I don’t!” Milenko said cheerily. “Hi!”

While Milenko gave Amparo a quick kiss on her temple, congratulating her for the performance, Anatole gave Cadenza a friendly wave, but, to the latter’s amusement, focused on her brother. “Non sapevo che fosse tuo fratello, Cadenza. Dante, è un piacere, come sempre,” he took Dante’s hand to bring his knuckles to his lips. “I also didn’t know you two liked Opera, what a delightful coincidence. Amparo, Lenko, should we all go to get something to drink afterwards.”

Milenko had his head poking outside of the curtains, and was yelling a thank you back at someone. “I have to run.”

Anatole raised his eyebrows at him. Amparo gave him a quizzical, yet amused look “Because...?” She said.

“Apparently the Countess was discreetly watching the play with one of her sisters, and they’re leaving, so I have to go like, right now, I’m going, I’m gone.” 

Amparo’s and Anatole’s attention was taken away from the Alighieri siblings, as they encouraged Milenko and wished him luck, telling him to run fast and to go already, watching him get through the backstage crowd as he turned to yell back at his cousins that Nadia was what beauty itself should look like. Amparo laughed, and Anatole rolled his eyes.

“So,” Cadenza began, sitting on the armchair and straightening the nonexisting wrinkles in her dress, “you talk sometimes.”

“We’ve only talked, Cadenza.” 

“I win then?”

Dante paused. He looked at his sister, then at Anatole, who was talking about something he couldn’t make out with Amparo. “Okay, fine you win.”

“I did say she would find I’m better company.”

Dante didn’t have a chance to argue, because Amparo and Anatole had their attention back on them, asking them if they would like to go for drinks with them afterwards. Neither Cadenza nor Dante found a reason to complain. 

Soon enough their coats were retrieved. Dante took out the self-refilling pen, but Amparo politely declined. “I do mark up my scripts all the time, but I am sure Anatole will find that a little more useful. He collects quills after all.”

“You do?”

“I do,” his smile was inviting, bright, his eyes curious, looking between Dante’s face and his hands.

“Take it then, it’s yours.” 

With Dante’s attention otherwise occupied, Amparo took her chance to sit closer to Cadenza. She played with her own hair, taking it to the side so it fell over her shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said, leaning forward, resting her chin on her hand, her arm propped over her knee. “The tea smells fantastic. Did you enjoy the play?”

“Very much, your singing is stunning.”

Amparo smiled, her playful intensity folding over and away, a quiet kind coming in its replacement as her dark, green eyes scanned Cadenza’s face. “Thank you,” her tongue poked out between her lips when she said ‘thanks’. “I like it very much that you could come. Let me finish changing, and we’ll be on our way, is that alright?”

“Alright.”

“Alright,” Amparo repeated as she stood up, a smile reserved only for Cadenza on her face. 

In the background, the sounds of the backstage crowd of technics, direction and actors blended with Dante’s impassioned conversation with Anatole about the principles of transmutation. Cadenza was sure she had heard Anatole say before that alchemy is nothing he is very versed at, yet he seemed to be holding the conversation just fine. Perhaps she’d ask the next time she saw him, perhaps she’d forget to. Right now, following Amparo as she got behind a divider to get dressed and talk about the play and the rest of their night with her seemed like a much better prospect. 

#the arcana #the arcana oc #my writing #aelius anatole #amparo cassano #milenko #dante #cadenza #sabina's ocs #dantelius #camparo

[mhdiaries]

13 Wishes Twyla Diary

The Sixth of September

When you spend your unlife living in the shadows you get used to seeing things that are missed and missing things that are seen. Lately though, I feel like I’m missing more than I’m seeing, like today, for instance. There is a little garden cemetery not far from Monster High where I like to go and contemplate the simple joys of monsterhood. It has a little fountain with a park bench and a simply ginormous creeping willow tree. It’s like a giant umbrella that casts the most amazing shadows. Most of the time I am the only monster there except on Wednesday when a group of troll ladies show up to play bridge. Anyway, I was sitting in my usual spot today with my back to the tree facing away from the fountain. I heard footsteps and voices approaching. I thought it was probably some monsters coming to pay their ghast respects and I didn’t want to disturb them, so I just sat still. If I am in the shadows and I do not move or open my eyes I cannot be seen. As the footsteps got closer I recognized the voices - it was Lagoona and Gil. They were arguing about something and they stopped right next to the fountain. Now I could have just stepped from the shadow I was in to a shadow somewhere else, but I didn’t. I stayed because I’m a bad monster. I am not going to write down what they said though, because if some other monster ever reads this it’d be like betraying a trust. But I was sad the rest of the day over what I heard. They are both so sweet and make such a great couple that I had no idea they were facing such outside pressure on their relationship. I guess I was looking but not seeing. I really wish they could get this problem resolved, but some things can’t be wished away, only worked through. Eventually Gil left, but Lagoona stayed a little bit longer. She sat for a while, and I could hear her crying. I guess at that point I wanted so much to just run over and hug her, but I couldn’t. I know, I know, I’m a terrible monster, but I didn’t know what to do. That’s not true, I mean the terrible monster part is, but I should have just gone over and given her a hug...epic fail. I waited a bit after Lagoona left and then I left too.

The Tenth of September

Being able to jump from one shadow to another without having to step into the light means that I can avoid talking to other monsters if I don’t want. It’s not that I don’t like other monsters, but I feel kind of awkward sometimes, like maybe I’ll say or do something wrong and embarrass myself. I remember I’d been at MH for a while but I hadn’t really made any friends. Not because the other students hadn’t been nice to me, they were, I just always sort of disappeared before I let them get too close. I remember the day that I got cornered, literally. I was sitting by myself in the very back corner of the creepateria at a table underneath a burned out light that was casting a nice big shadow. I was just eating my lunch and watching when Howleen started walking my way. I sat still knowing that she wouldn’t be able to see me but I didn’t want to leave either cause I was hungry. So she came over and sat right down across from me. She sniffed a couple times and said, “PB&J?” “Eww cam seef me?” I answered with a mouth full of sandwich. “Nah, but I can smell you.” “Nobway!” “Of course I can, I’m a werewolf, and the nose knows. You smell like dust and strawscarry jam.” I started to excuse myself, but Howleen asked me not to, “I really don’t feel like eating lunch by myself - would you mind hanging out?” So I didn’t disappear, I stayed and I made a friend for unlife plus I didn’t embarrass myself even once. #WinWin

 The First of October

Usually Dustin meets me at the door when I get home from school, but he wasn’t waiting for me today. I called for him but he didn’t come. I checked all his usual hiding places: under the bed, behind the doors, in all the corners, but he was nowhere to be found. I started to get worried. I even went outside to look, although he hasn’t been out on his own since the day a big wind flew him into the blackscary brambles. I went back inside and was just about to start making lost posters to hand out around the neighborhood when I heard thump scratch - thump scratch - thump scratch. I looked up and there was Dustin, covered in glitter, double stick tape and beads. He had taken a nap in my craft box, and the end from a roll of necklace wire had wrapped around his foot while the spool had gotten stuck in the box. I would have taken a picture with my iCoffin, but he just looked so pitiful. It took me two hours to get him all cleaned up. I’ll have to save dryer lint for a week to patch all the bare places.

The Fifteenth of October

I went to Howleen’s house for a sleep over. It was cool getting to know her family. I mean I’d seen Clawd and Clawdeen around school, but this was the first time I really officially met them. I wish now I hadn’t waited so long because I feel like I missed out on some good times being so shy. I also got to meet another one of Howleen’s sisters. Her name is Clawdia and she’s going to college in Londoom. She actually wasn’t “there” so we talked to her online with video chat. She is studying to be a writer. She’s really funny and she had everybody in the house cracking up about what it’s like living in Londoom. Clawdeen left and went to fang out with Draculara and Frankie at Frankie’s house, so Howleen and I stayed up late talking. We’ve got like tons in common, we like the same TV shows, the same music - Catty Noir ‘natch, the same kind of styles and we even think the same boys are cute. The one thing that we don’t see eye to eye on is the need to be popular. I don’t care if I am and Howleen feels like is she isn’t she’ll disappear in the shadows of her older siblings. I told her that living in the shadows wasn’t all that bad, but she was totally focused on being in the spotlight. Eventually though she got out of her funk, and we spent the rest of the night watching movies. We had a scary cool time, and I can’t remember when I have ever laughed so hard. When Howleen fell asleep I snuck out and grabbed a late nightmare snack. I got back before morning and woke up to the smell of banana scary pancakes and bacon coming from the Wolf’s kitchen. So much fun and so happy to have a friend! Maybe I’ll try and spend a little more time out of the shadows from now on...maybe.

The Twenty-fifth of October

Most monsters stay away from normies as much as they can, my family not so much. We have what my dad calls a “symbiotic relationship” with normies, only they don’t know it. They think the Boogeyman hangs out under beds and in their closets to scare them, but that’s not it at all. We are “dream eaters” -- well, nightmare eaters, actually. We hide in the shadows and watch for them; then when we see one we pounce! It’s why our eyes glow in the dark so we can see the dreams. Of course we can’t see what’s in the dreams, we recognize them by color. Yellow for happiness, red for action, blue for flying, green for fantasy and lots of in between colors and shades that mix different kind of dreams together. Nightmares are the color of storm clouds, all grey-black and menacing. I only wish my dreams could be pounced on, too, but it doesn’t work that way for us. I dreamed a dream last night that I was on a frightly lit stage in front of the whole school. I was supposed to give a speech and I forgot the topic, so I just stood there looking for a shadow to hide, but there weren’t any. Then every monster started laughing at me. I turned to run and tripped off the stage, which was suddenly at the top of a very tall tower and I was falling an falling and falling. Then I was back on the stage again, and every monster in the audience was giving me a standing ovation. I looked behind me, and there were a panel of judges holding up scorecards.

9.5   9.5   10.0   9.5   4.0

So I started arguing with the judge who gave me the 4.0 and she told me that I flapped my arms too much as I was falling. Then I woke up. I told my dad about it, and he said it was probably just something I ate. Dads are so weird. 

The Twenty-eighth of October

Howleen is not enjoying her popularity as much as she thought she would, and there are shadows in places where they should not be. I am worried, and no monster seems to be listening to me. I must find a monster that will.

#monster high #monster high diary #twyla #13 wishes

[ungodlyobsessions]

Black Friday thoughts!

I saw Black Friday last night and HOO BOY LEMME TELL YA THAT SHOW IS A HOOT, SO STRAP IN FOR A LONG POST

⚠️ THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BLACK FRIDAY THE MUSICAL ⚠️

In-show thoughts:

We got to see Jeff as Tom Houston! Sad to know it was because Dylan was out sick, but it was a special experience nonetheless

Robert fucking dies yet again :(

Uhhhh holy shit Jon can BELT, I could hear him over everyone despite them all having a mic

Kim literally got right in my face and stared me in the eyes, it was fantastic

I thought I was gonna get kicked by Robert and James (though, I wouldn't have minded one bit lol)

Nick Lang was also at the show, possibly noting? He was really sweet and it was nice to see him again

ANGELA IS A BEAST AND HER VOICE IS FUCKING AWESOME, I hope to see her in future Starkid shows!

Kendall was so incredible! Her voice is so beautiful and it's so cool to see someone so young be such a great performer

Curt came dangerously close to running into my feet/legs during portions of the show

Most of the actors ended up getting around 5 or more inches away from me at times

The choreography in this show is honestly on another level, like the formations and little dance solos were just perfection! Hats off to James Tolbert man

The fight choreo in this show is also insane, like it was genuinely worrying watching some of the brawling that was going on lol

There was a moment in the show where our fave dancers (Lauren, Robert, and now James!) got to have their own little time in the spotlight

Jaime is super funny as Sherman Young

There were several leitmotifs and callbacks to stuff from TGWDLM!

There was this really cool set design moment where President Goodman is talking to Wiggly! So basically, the top level of the set has garland on it that fans downwards; Robert held up two large lamps above it to represent eyes, and coupled with the garland it forms the little green bastard's face. Some of the girls were under the garland, shaking it when Wiggly was talking

Curt is like...batshit crazy at some points in this show when he's a mallgoer

Joey is very creepy in this show,, he had an apple throughout the first act that he took one bite out of then handed to a random audience member, not to mention the fact that one of his costumes is all-denim

Lauren is a GORGEOUS villain, like I love Linda Monroe so much, but she is also very good at remaining comedic in the role

I overheard that unfortunately, due to Lauren being sick, she had to cut her solo titled "Adore Me"

PAULKINS PAULKINS PAULKINS!!!!! Also I love the fact that according to Paul they are "very intimate" but not close enough for Emma to label themselves as boyfriend and girlfriend lol

Tom was a very raw and wonderful character, and I actually hope this isn't the last we see of him

It was so refreshing seeing Jeff in a more serious role, and he is honestly such a legend for stepping up so suddenly in addition to his existing roles and writing all of the incredible songs

Getting some insight on how the death of Emma's sister, Jane, affected Emma and the Houstons was really interesting, and with the release of the filmed version I'm hoping there will be more to discover about it that I missed

Kim has such an angelic voice! She sounded beautiful during her duet with Jeff

Corey was killing it, he was so entertaining and captivating during his songs, he's a king

General McNamara reappears! I was so happy to see that man again :,) too bad he fucking dies though!!!

Hot Chocolate Boy, Charlotte, Ted, and Bill all reappear in the end number, and lemme tell you I was ECSTATIC, I missed them all so much

Also, Ted was holding Charlotte's shoulders at the end....👀

Curt was dressed as a guy in a hoodie that was holding lil' Peanut the Hatchetfield Squirrel!

Lex and Hannah's sibling relationship was so touching

Lex's solo, "Black Friday," was stunning, and I'll definitely be learning it once the soundtrack is released

I honestly hate the way Ethan dresses himself lmao, but he's really sweet to Hannah and is a pretty supportive boyfriend

In one of the numbers, I believe titled "Wiggle" or something similar, there's a lot of very good suggestive hip swiveling going on

JEFF BLIM SAID FUCK CAPITALISM

I'm begging for a full-length version of Santa Claus Goes to High School (well not really, Black Friday is enough of a blessing, but the thought is glorious)

Teenage Kris Kringle is actually Robert's best role, don't @ me 😤 Professor Hidgens? Don't know her

The number that I believe is titled "What Do You Say?" is so fucking funny but also awkward and adorable

Jon Matteson as Gary, a lawyer, was super entertaining

I wasn't expecting a cult plot, but you know, I'm not surprised

Out-of-show thoughts:

We sat in the front row, house left

Curt and Kim both said hi to people, but they left quickly and didn't stagedoor due to sickness

Lauren, Corey, James, and Joey all did not stagedoor or even appear afterwards, given their sickness

I showed the members I'd met at Homecoming (Jon, Jeff, and Jaime) the pictures from the day I saw them, and they all said they remembered me! Jon and Jeff both commented that they looked younger in the picture, and Jeff pointed out his makeup lol

I asked Jaime if Mariah ever saw my Greenpeace costume, and she said she showed her a picture of me in it!

I got stickers, the Black Friday pin, a Wiggly doll, and some unused prop stickers that were meant to go on the bags in the show

I talked to Robert a little more after stagedoor and told him I'd watched some of Fanshaw and Crudnut to hear his voice acting, and he said "Oh my God, that's a deep cut haha" but was ultimately grateful for the extra support for his work

There were these two girls in the front with us that were dressed as Alice and Deb as a couple's costume, they were so cute and so sweet

I got to chat with Matt Dahan, and he was talking about how good the music in the show is and how talented he thinks all of his friends are :,)

When Jon came out, people were going "Paul's a-comin'," so the Alice and Deb girls and I all brought up "Steve's a-comin'," and Matt went "Oh God, you guys know about 'Steve's a-comin''??" lmao

The show confirms that Black Friday isn't really a continuation or prequel to TGWDLM, but rather an alternate dimension/timeline

At the end of the show, during bows, the cast gestured to Jeff in the middle, and we all gave him a roaring standing ovation that nearly brought him to tears

During the show, you could tell which of the cast members were sick because they were coughing onstage (though they were definitely being as discreet as possible) and it's just unbelievable how passionate and dedicated these people are.

I'm so honored to have experienced this! I'm eagerly awaiting the YouTube release and soundtrack, and I'm so ready to see what Starkid will do next 🌟

#black friday #black friday the musical #black friday musical #starkid #jaime lyn beatty #jeff blim #corey dorris #angela giarratana #lauren lopez #robert manion #jon matteson #curt mega #joey richter #dylan saunders #james tolbert #kim whalen #kendall nicole yakshe #matt dahan #nick lang #black friday spoilers #black friday the musical spoilers #black friday musical spoilers #ungodlyramblings

[moshymosh]

Somebody to someone

A/N: This just came to me, I’ve been listening to this song all D*mn day, but it's catchy so meh. Enjoy. (Second gif credit: I got it from weheartit. I believe the man is RDJ but if you know who this belongs to let me know so I can credit it. This is a one-shot, Lyrics are in italics, memories/ flashbacks are in bold and italics.)

A/N 2.0: I wrote this at three am, and when I read it over this morning I realized some spelling mistakes so I fixed them. Enjoy. Feel free to send requests or ideas for possible upcoming series and one-shots. Feel the beat of my hear pt 3 will be posted Tuesday/Wednesday depending on where you are in the fine world. That series might be stopping depending on feedback from the third  part when posted

Warnings: Slight angst, fluffy as fuffy can be.

Pairings: Sebastian Stan x Reader, Briefly Sebastian Stan x OC!Sarah

Summary: Y/N and Seb dated for 4 years, 1 year before they broke up they had a son, Anthony. They kept things civil for their child. At a Comic con panel for a Marvel they both starred in, a fan asked for hidden talents. Y/N can sing and play guitar. Singing a special song, the lyrics hit Seb hard causing memories to come flooding back. Wanting Y/N back after all his feelings hit him hard. Will he succeed? 

Song: Listen to it here Prom Queen by, Catie Turner.

Dating someone for 4 years can be a long time, but when splitting up, it makes those 4 years feel like nothing.

Y/N sat listening to the panel introducer, talk about the marvel movie she just starred in with her ex-boyfriend and father to her 4-year-old son. She smiled politely and stood as she was introduced waving to the crowd who cheered loudly for her. When she sat back down she looked back on some memories as they continued to talk about the movie.

“Seb! Where are you?” Y/N asked as she held the three pregnancy tests behind her back as she tip-toed around the kitchen listing to a reply of her boyfriend of 3 years at the time.

“In the office honey!.” came Seb’s response down the hall. Y/N walked to the doorway and leaned against the doorframe taking in the sight of Seb, sitting in the office chair looking at his emails on the wide computer screen. She slid up beside him still holding her hands behind her back.

“Honey, I have something to tell you.” She said sighing deeply. Seb turned in the chair and looked up at her with concern written all across his sharp features. She sighed dramatically and held her hands out with the test firmly clasped in them. She looked at him and smiled widely at the look of shock that now covered his face.

“Are you serious? Are you pregnant?!” Seb asked standing up and hugging Y/N to his chest laughing loudly as he spun her around.

Y/N smiled to herself at the memory, glancing off to the side of the stage where the little boy stood with, her cousin. The little boy, Anthony, held his father’s features. There was no denying that that was Sebastian’s child. Dark brown locks, with equally blue eyes. Anthony was almost like a shrunk version of the man.

She looked back to the crowd as the first fan came up to ask questions to the cast. The line dwindled down as she answered questions that were directed to her, laughing at some of her castmate’s answers and actions.  Soon the last of the fans came up and had the honor of asking the final question. 

“Hi, so I was wondering if any of the cast had some hidden talents that the fans don’t know about?” the shy fan nervously asked as she looked at the group sitting on the stage. Each went through what they thought was a hidden talent, demonstrating some that were easy to. When it got around to Y/N she shyly looked down. Before she could answer a deep voice answered for her.

“Y/N can sing and play the guitar, very well. I mean like very, very well.” Sebastian said as he looked at her, smiling fondly. “When she was pregnant with Anthony, she would sing and play for the little man who had yet to grace us with his presence.”

Y/N lifted the mic to her mouth and smiled as the memory came back to her. “Uh... Yeah, I guess that my hidden talent cause only a few people close to me knew that.” As she looked to Sebastian before she looked to her son. As she did this the crowd started chanting for her to show them. “ Ok. Ok. I need a guitar though.” 

Soon she had a mic stand in front of a stool on the front of the stage. She stood and walked to it, sitting and making herself comfortable as someone in the crew that helped set up the mic handed her an acoustic guitar, that was hooked up to make the sound louder.

“I don’t have an original with me but I do know one song that comes to mind, it’s called Prom Queen by Catie Turner. This song means something to me, and to someone very dear to me. So uh here it goes.” She began to strum the guitar as she started the song.

I'm an iceberg

There's so much more that your eyes can't see

Two girls walk into a party

The one that gets noticed isn't me

I'm holding on

But barely, plagued by teenage popularity

It's a terrible feeling being the ghost on the wall

That's always disappearing

As Y/N began to sing Sebastian suddenly had some flashes of memories, that he hadn’t looked back on for some time. 

“What do you mean you want to leave?!” Sebastian shouted as he looked at the sad woman in front of him. He had just gotten home after a 2-month long filming session that only gave him a week break to spend time with his son and girlfriend before he had to leave for another 3 months. 

Looking back on this memory he couldn’t understand how he didn’t see the look of the woman that was now singing confidently to everyone. She had dark circles under her eyes, her Y/H/C hair had lost its shine, she looked skinnier than she had before. Her tear-filled Y/E/C eyes lacked the sparkle that he loved about her.

“I want to leave Sebastian, I can’t take this anymore. And will you keep your voice down, our son is sleeping, and I just had a 2-hour battle trying to put him down.” Y/N hissed at him, her arms crossing in front of her still full breast, even though she gave birth to their son almost a year ago. “You’re gone for months at a time and I’m all alone taking care of OUR son.”

Sebastian sighed and sat down on the couch heavily. Little did he know most of her things had been moved out already of their shared apartment.

“I’ll be gone tomorrow, I still want to keep things civil because Anthony needs his father.” She said tiredly, disappointed in the man’s lack of fight for his family.

Sebastian looked at her, her hair had some of its shine come back to it, she got back to a healthy weight, but her eyes still lacked that sparkle.

I'm a wanderer

I weave my way by dancin'

In hopes that the cool kids will ask me to stay

I'm invisible to bright lights

Just standing on the side line waiting for a standing ovation

That I know just isn't mine

Listening to her words he felt saddened by them, looking down at his hands. Remembering the memory of taking his son to Disney for the first time.

“Anthony! Slow down! Mommy can’t walk that fast!” Y/N laughed as the small boy tugged at her hand, running on still chubby three-year-old legs. “ Seb?! Honey?! You coming?”

Sebastian had stopped for a group of fans who wanted pictures and autographs. Y/N sighed and looked down at Anthony who had stopped as well looking at his father with slightly sad eyes. Sebastian smiled and took pictures. Laughing at jokes the fans told him. Y/N stood off to the side, now holding Anthony on her hip as she waited for him to finish.

When he finally finished, Anthony was back to his excited self. Whereas Y/N wasn’t, when Sebastian would ask her if she was ok, she would give him a polite smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Sebastian shook his head, trying to shake it from his head. Looking over at his son who was now asleep, lulled into sleep by his mother’s voice this always being the effect her voice had on him, in the crook of Y/N cousin’s shoulder as she held him, rocking side to side softly. The next lyrics struck his heart in a way he hoped it wouldn’t.

It's okay, it's okay

I'll convince myself it's overrated anyway

It's okay, it's alright

The jealousy in my bones won't rattle tonight, oh

It's okay, it's okay

I'll convince myself it's overrated anyway

It's okay, it's alright

The jealousy in my bones won't rattle tonight

“Y/N, Anthony? I would like you guys to meet my girlfriend, Sarah.” Sebastian said, his hand on the blonde woman’s lower back. 

“It’s very nice to meet you. Anthony say hello.” Y/N said, shaking the woman’s hand, with tears in her eyes. Anthony muttered out a small hello. Y/N was hoping that this was a dream, but it wasn’t Sebastian and Sarah dated for 3 months before Sarah was caught cheating with another woman.

'Cause I wanna be somebody to someone

But it all is starting to blur like a dream

Burn the sash and smash that tiara

No, that's not me

I'll never be prom queen

No, that's not me

I'll never be prom queen

No, that's not me

I'll never be prom queen

As Y/N approached the end of the song Sebastian knew he had to have the only love of his life and the mother of what he hopes to be of more of his children. He knew he had to have her back in his life. The last 3 years being almost hell for him, trying to accept that Y/N will never be his again, trying to move on. All of his ways to do this failed.

Y/N sang the last of the lyrics, finishing off the song with the last cord on the guitar. The crowd silent in awe of the melodic voice that Y/N held. “Thank you, uhm. I hoped you enjoyed it.” She got up and walked back to her seat, beside Robert Downy Jr.

“I’d like to say something before we end this panel,” Sebastian said into his mic as he stood up, he walked to where Y/N was sitting previously. “I know this isn’t the right time or place for this but I don’t know when that will be.” He said softly as he looked at his fans, all of which were waiting with bated breath.

“Y/N I know I always haven’t been the best partner, father or friend.” He said looking back to the woman he was speaking to.” When I let you walk out of my life, with my son 4 years ago. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I tried everything to move on, but it never fails that when you smile at me, or you have that love in your eyes for our son, it a love that you use to hold for me. When you look at him like that I fall in love with you all over again.”

Y/N had tears running down her face, her cheeks tinged red as she tried to furiously wipe them away as they escaped her eyes. She looked at Sebastian with adoration in her tear-filled eyes, listening to his words.

“I never stopped loving you, honey. No matter how hard I tried. And…. And… And I don’t know if you still feel the same for me anymore.” He said sadly as he now had tears in his eyes, his voice trembling. “I want you back, I want our family back. I want you in our kitchen in the house we dreamed about, the one that we had our eyes on for the longest time. I bought that house, in hopes of filling it with your warmth, and your cute little snorting laugh.”

He smiled fondly as the woman let out the laugh he just mentioned, shaking her head with her hands over her mouth to block it from tumbling out her mouth. “I want it filled with the love you hold for my son. I want pictures hanging on the walls of our wedding day, pictures of our children’s first days of school. Pictures of them at their high school and college graduations. Most importantly I want a picture hanging where everyone can see, of us with gray hair and wrinkly surrounded by our children and grandchildr-.” He couldn’t finish the word as he openly cried, he cried for the love he held for her.

The whole crowd was crying but gasped when Y/N came up and hugged him tightly, and he sobbed into her shoulder as she held him. When he calmed down slightly he looked up at her “Darling, you are somebody to someone. You’re somebody to me. To me and our child.”

Y/N smiled at him tearfully, the sparkle back in her eyes as she took the mic from him. “I NEVER stopped loving you, Seb.”

Y/N and Sebastian got married a month later, 9 months after that they welcomed their second child, a girl whom they named Catie. After raising Catie and Anthony and their two other children. Their home was filled with the pictures Sebastian wanted to hang on the walls, a month later after they took the picture of the two of them old and gray, surrounded by their children and their 10 grandchildren, Y/N and Sebastian both passed away peacefully in their sleep with smiles on their faces and their hands clasped together.

#sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan x y/n #seb stan x reader #seb stan x y/n #seb stan x you #reader insert

[sammyhale]

J2 VegasCon 2019 Main Panel

*Reminder: Full answers/more context in vids and gifs <3

J2 jump onstage as fans wave pink hearts from the crowd <3

Jensen: Whenever we come out and do one of those jumps, I always wonder if today’s the day one of us blows a hip. 

Jensen’s microphone keeps making a high pitched sound lol. 

They ask how many first-timers are there. Jensen: Okay, well, I’d like to remind you we’ve been on this show for fourteen years, doing these for thirteen and a half. Where were you??? 

Jared: We are five days into our final hiatus. Jensen: Five days into our hiatus beard!

Jensen won’t shave for a few months.

J2 whispering and Jensen cracking up :P 

Jensen reveals that Jared is wearing a party patch (they help with hangovers). Jared puts his leg on Jensen’s lap and rolls up his pant leg to show the patch lol. 

J2 gave the crew party patches at the s14 wrap party.  

Fan asks if they believe in the supernatural in real-life. Jensen doesn’t not believe in ghosts. First to think there’s a logical explanation. But he’s certainly open to the availability that that 1% could be supernatural. Even though he’s never experienced it in real life. 

Jensen explains the difference between unnatural and supernatural. Unnatural = Jared. Supernatural = us

Norton fixes Jared’s rolled up pants which turns a little dirty, naturally :P 

Fan: Which supporting actors have gone on that have had great careers that you’re still close with? The guest star Jared connects with the most is the girl who played Ruby in season 4 ;) Jensen says they knew Sterling K. Brown was a star when he was on spn, that the Force was strong with him. It’s no surprise he’s had the success that he’s had. Also: Well we’re close to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, even though he hasn’t really done much since spn. He’s still cool. 

J2 ran into Felicia Day yesterday and talked about her daughter aww

Jared watched “Wendigo” recently, named a couple of guest stars (assuming Alden Ehrenreich was one of them ;))

A fan apparently rushed the stage, emotional/screaming and upset about wanting an autograph. Some fans tweeted that she has autism. Fans tweeted that J2, Clif, and Creation handled the situation well. At one point J2 left the stage to help defuse the situation. When they came back out after Jared shouted out: “Our member of the family is having a hard time. We all have had hard times.” He wants us all to be kind. The boys are completely fine. (Some details)

Fan: So after the show, will you continue to shave? Boys: Up here not down there... lol

Jensen: We were talking about Jared’s Viking braids. 

Jensen teased about Jared shaving his head like Borja did yesterday for charity. They said they’d have Misha do it lol. 

Answering sincerely, they acknowledge their look will change a bit, to have their own identities. Jensen:  “Dean is the best imaginary friend I’ve ever had in my life. He’ll be a part of me for the rest of my life. But I don’t have to look like him for the rest of my life.” 

Also: “It all depends on what our wives want us to look like.” lol 

Jared wants to go bowlegged. Asks Jensen how it is, to which he replies “airy.” 

Jensen hopes their relationships with cast and crew will last a lifetime and that is what, quote, “fuels us up.”

J2 are signed to do cons past s15 and won’t end for a while :)  

What is Jared most looking forward to after the show? Getting to know our kids, our wives, and ourselves. Also not shaving! 

Jared: I’m excited to be a dad. Spend more time with the kiddos. Is also excited for the boring.  

Jensen’s never known his wife and kids without the show. It’s been a constant. It’s going to be interesting to see where life goes. He’s excited for the opportunity to spend more time with his kids, wife, and friends. To not get on an airplane.

Jensen: I'm looking forward to but have been happy to have professional opportunities go by these past 14 years in order to tell this story. 

Has anything impacted you (professionally) like SPN has impacted us? Jared says he isn’t sure. Even when “off” we can’t remove our “wigs” like Borja (lol) We’re still working! Always!

Jensen said he and Misha will need vocal therapy after the show to get their voices back to normal. Jensen: I tried to emulate JDM as Dean’s father by speaking with this gravelly voice. I didn’t know I’d been doing this for 15 seasons. I’m a lot older than he was when he played my dad. Jared: Yeah, no kidding!! 

Fan: How do demons deposit sulfur? Jensen: *runs around the stage, making farting noises*

What’s on their bucket lists? And the weirdest thing on there? The fan has an accent that J2 both attempt. Jared says (about the accent): “It’s beautiful and I’m jealous of people who speak better than me, which is everyone.”

We have learned Jared doesn’t have a bucket list. Then he says he would love to go on a helicopter ride. He’s never done it before and it’s the small things. Jensen is unimpressed.

Jared: “What I meant to say was...have a...pet...koala...bear...” Jensen: JUST STOP.

Jensen says, “I want to watch my children grow up.”  

Jared says he can watch his children grow up from the helicopter. Jensen quips, “That’s called helicopter parenting.” 

Jared shakes the fan’s hand and asks where her accent is from, repeating that it’s beautiful. She says, “Yorkshire.” He goes, “no YOU’RE sure.” LOL 

The dad jokes are strong today.

For the final season, this is the first year J2 have said to the writers and producers that they would like to be part of the creative process in the direction and the story of s15. J2 have been invited to the storyboarding with the creators in LA for the final season and definitely want to give their input. They don’t know if they’ll listen, and J2 are prepared for that, but nobody’s lived with Sam and Dean longer than they have. They would love to give input that the show and characters deserve. <3

Jensen: “No one knows these characters more than Jared and I.”

Jared: As a fan of the show, I'd like to offer my input.    

Jensen says they watch the episodes in order to give themselves critical feedback. They don’t read comments on social media re: feedback. 

It’s hard for them to watch themselves as just an audience. Including other TV shows like GOT and This Is Us. 

J2 both loved “Death's Door” then realized we weren't in it much. Jensen: Are we weighing it down? Jared: We're critical of ourselves

Fan: Jensen, you were amazing last night [at the concert]. Jared: Oh, if you think he was amazing last night... :P

Fan asks if Jensen really played piano on Dark Angel and any memories from the show?  It was a little of both Jensen and a pro (close-ups are not him playing). It was a VERY difficult song to learn how to play, Chopin he thinks. He has to think hard to dig up funny stories.

When Jessica Alba gets in the boxing ring (with him) she lined up the punch and hit him RIGHT in the nose. (One of the MANY reasons it’s “so jacked up”) He was too young to say “cut! That hurt!” Realizes he doesn’t do that now, either lol.

Another episode he gets slapped, but the actress wasn’t getting the timing for the fake slap right. She was petite so he assumed it wouldn’t be too bad... But he had a WELT on his face. Whole crew went “oof.”

“Scoobynatural” question for the final scene, how many takes? A small crowd had gathered outside across the street. They’re 20 yards away and can’t hear the regular dialogue. But Jensen knew they would get that last line, and he was embarrassed to say the line because those people wouldn’t know the context. 

Jared: They’re so old they’re animating themselves to be on camera! lol

A fan said she lost her favorite beanie in the Bellagio fountain and was asking on recommendations to get a new one. 

Jared gave his beanie to the fan aww. Then Jensen told Jared that he lost his favorite watch, and Jared immediately took off his watch and gave it to Jensen. Jensen cuddles Jared. Jared then tells Jensen he lost his favorite pair of underwear LOL 

Last question: Fan wants to know where Jensen and Jared went during the “French Mistake” episode.  Jensen says they were at a con. Jared says VegasCon! Or maybe it was Balthazar. But Jensen prefers to think they just didn’t show up for work because “they’re asshole actors.” 

Hugs, standing ovation for the boys, J2 give each other and the fans some love before taking off :) (photo credit: x)

Info via: Fangasm, Sarah,  #spnlv, #spnvegas

#j2 #jared padalecki #jensen ackles #spnlv #vegascon #panel sum #long post #shpost

[derekklenadaily]

Dani’s review/synopsis of the first preview of “Jagged Little Pill” on Broadway!

I had the privilege to go to New York City to see Derek’s first preview “Jagged Little Pill” this past Sunday. While growing up back in the early ‘90s, Alanis Morrisette was definitely one of the most known artists in that era, I do remember hearing her music on the radio all time and even sang along to her tunes with my mother in the car. So, when I saw the news that her music was going to be made into a musical, I was very excited. When I saw this musical last summer in Cambridge, MA during their out-of-town run, and my mind was pretty much blown. Before I go any further, sexual assault is mentioned in this review and very slight spoilers is also present.  

Despite the changes for the first preview for the Broadway run, I got to say this musical is more than I ever thought it would be. The opening number just takes the audience by surprise with their exhilarating dancing and them singing fiercely but so passionately. We could feel such a big electric/energy charge in between us audience and the people on stage. It was like being an awesome rock concert, really. Then the music goes softer as we see the family of four comes up to the stage.  

Elizabeth Stanley who plays Mary Jane Healy who plays the mother of Nick and Frankie and a wife of Steve Healy. In the show, Mary Jane is an all star-kind of mother who supports her kids at various things such as sports and school. But outside of that world, she currently is struggling with drug addiction due after having a car accident earlier that year. At the same time, she has difficult relationship with her husband Steve who has been away from the family most of the time and hasn’t had a great sexual relationship with him ever since the car accident incident. Elizabeth is absolutely beyond brilliant in this show. She has a great comedic timing especially the scenes with the family. Her acting and singing is definitely out of this world. I think the last scene (“Forgiven”) before intermission still got me shaking in the boots, because it was so incredibly beautiful, tragic and damn powerful at the same time, especially having numerous voices from the cast blending with hers as they stood behind. I’m definitely certain that the judges for any kind of theater awards will look into that scene and mark her as Best Actress in a Musical. She deserves to get it. I got to say her and Sean Allan Krill’s chemistry was absolutely perfect to form this tragic and destructive husband and wife relationship. They would start as tense - not wanting to touch each other and then lying behind each other back’s (her addiction with pills and him with pornography). Suddenly, Elizabeth and Sean went out of the box even more at one point - I thought they would end their characters’ marriage and slam it with divorce right there in the show. It was absolutely incredible.  

Sean Allan Krill who plays the father of Nick and Frankie, also a husband of Mary Jane. He’s business man who travels and works in his office most of the time. He doesn’t have a very good relationship with Mary Jane because they hadn’t had any sex over a year. So, to feed that sexual drive - he goes on porn sites and becomes addicted with it. Like what I said in the paragraph before, he and Elizabeth has an amazing chemistry. There’s one scene that Sean does it so amazing when he sings “Mary Jane” in Act Two. It’s absolutely heart-wrenching that we can’t help feeling sorry for him and seeing him trying to mend his relationship with her after all that mess they went through.

There are some hidden secrets and devastating moments that each character cannot escape from, whether it’s sexual assault, drug-addiction, and sex addiction. Especially comes to Derek’s character, Nick - who is the good and golden boy who gets all the accolades and praises for his schoolwork and his sportsmanship. But that bubble suddenly bursts when one of his best friends gets accused of sexual assault by Bella (a classmate that Nick has known since sixth grade). Nick faces such a tremendous difficult decision on what to do and how he get through it without getting a scratch off his record. The songs he sings, “Perfect” was jaw-dropping and absolutely heart-wrenching, really. It shows that he is being pressurized by his parents, after being accepted to Harvard and how he is treated like as a hometown hero. “Wake Up” in Act One was absolutely incredible because it shows the depth of his feelings and being pressurized to speak up about what happened that night.  As I watched Derek in the first preview, I found his character a bit more sympathetic than the Cambridge run. I definitely think that he has improved so much with his craft and his work after “Anastasia” and doing countless rehearsals with this show.  

Kathyrn Gallagher who plays Bella, she is absolutely amazing in this role. After her countless researching and watching documentaries of sexual assaults and hearing several survivors’ stories, she definitely put her feet in their shoes to tell their stories on stage. It may be a really difficult and enormous thing to do, but she does it with a tremendous job. There is this scene where Kathryn sings “Predator” is absolutely devastating and heartbreaking but at the same time, it’s so beautiful because there is a dancer named Annelise Baker who interprets Bella’s character on that night. As Kathryn sings this number, she watches herself to unfold to a beautiful human being from into a complete shattered person. I got to give major kudos to Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui who is the choreographer (you may know his work in Beyoncé's music video). Every single dancing movement in the show is absolutely thrilling and exciting all at once. Also, we see several scenes that relates and mirrors her and Elizabeth’s character especially “Uninvited”. Near at the end of the show, Kathryn’s brilliant and such a strong number “No” with Derek and Celia along with the ensembles, it spreads various but incredibly important messages to speak up.

Celia Gooding who plays Frankie - Nick’s sister and a daughter of Mary Jane and Steve Healy. Frankie goes through several difficult situations in this play; one - she was adopted by Mary Jane and Steve when she was an infant and is the only black member in the family. So, she feels bit out of place especially dealing with Mary Jane who doesn’t grasp the idea of Frankie’s identity. Two, she tries to explores with her relationship in between Jo and Phoenix throughout the show and sees where and which her status falls in place. Celia is definitely bold and so much fierce as heck! She brings it all down when she sings “All I Really Want” with Elizabeth Stanley, “Hand in My Pocket” with Lauren Patten and then her solo piece “Unprodigal Daughter”. Her chemistry with Lauren is awesome because you can see how much they complement each other, it’s all very fun and playful. Her chemistry with Antonio was very cute and flirtatious. Lastly, her chemistry with Elizabeth Stanley was incredible because it showed that they had a tough mother-daughter relationship like Elizabeth had this wall up, blocking everything out and Celia tries to take it down by doing such ferocious, daring and bold things. Towards at the end of the show, something tragically happens in the family - we see the wall in between them shift and eventually come down for good.  

Antonio Cipriano who plays Phoenix, who is Frankie’s classmate and befriends her. Throughout the show, we see how their relationship develops. Antonio who was the finalist for the Jimmy Award. He is extremely talented and absolutely brilliant in this production. He’s great comedic timing and has a wonderful chemistry with Celia Gooding. I absolutely love when they sing “Head Over Feet”. It was really cute! I’d love if he had a solo piece in this show because his singing voice is absolutely terrific. I’m so happy that he made his debut on Broadway which he deserves, along with this incredible cast.

Lauren Patten who plays Jo, who is Frankie’s best friend but also with benefits kind of relationship with Frankie. Like I said in Celia’s paragraph, Lauren has a wonderful chemistry with her. They bounce each other off so incredibly well that they have so much fun onstage and even off stage. And I must say holy crap, Lauren is awesome - I can’t decide which will they give a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress in A Musical? Celia or Kathryn? Can’t they call it a tie so they can give it to all three of them? In Act Two - she really gave her all and energy which brought the whole house down when singing “You Oughta Know” that we rose on our feet to give her a standing ovation as the song ended. It was so damn powerful. Holy sheeeetz!

Also, I cannot forget everyone in ensemble - they really bring this show alive and go way above the level of energy and perfection. Seriously, this show wouldn’t work without them - their amazing dance and outstanding singing performances, including even them doing the smallest things in the background in several scenes, they did stellar job to bring elevate the show to go where it needs to go. 

I want to say “Jagged Little Pill” is one amazing show. Much as I love RENT the Musical but I dare to say that it’s so much better than RENT. It is even more thrilling after watching back in Cambridge last summer. It involves with lot of diversity dealing with gender identity and the important messages that we see in the news almost every day such as sexual harassment and many other things that are happening in today’s world. It definitely needs to be heard. Diablo Cody’s (won Academy Award Winner for Best Screenplay for “Juno”) outstanding writing and Alanis Morrisette’s music just blends it together so beautifully to create this musical and put it onstage in front of us. From the choreography, the sets, the lights and costumes, and everything in this show - including the cast, I highly believe they will have major success on Broadway for sure. It’s a possible chance that they will make it to award season maybe next year. Seriously, this show is not to miss, please do go see it. It will be worth it!

#Derek Klena #Elizabeth Stanley #Sean Allan Krill #Kathryn Gallagher #Celia Gooding #Antonio Cipranio #Lauren Patten #Jagged Little Pill Cast #Jagged Little Pill #Jagged Little Pill review/synopsis #previews #txt #danI**

[stillnotcute]

NADDPOD NYC Live

Apparently this show wasn’t recorded so I’m writing down as much as I can so I don’t forget this beautiful night.

- started off with Murph victoriously declaring that Xanathar’s Guide introduced new rules that allows him to kill Beverly with an insane amount of fall damage. Caldwell wanted to see the pdf

- Tonathan barfed at the horrible sight of Beverly’s splattered corpse. Paw Paw tried to eat the vomit

- Moonshine used Animate Dead to bring a chunk of Bev alive as a tiny sentient blob of ground Bev (”BEEFERLY!”)

- Uku cast a ritual to allow the party to communicate with Bev. Bev found himself in heaven where he met Pelor, who definitely didn’t let him drink beer or puff his gigantic God Cigar

- Pelor gave Bev the chance to do one last job as a revenant to stop the Chosen from killing Merrick Highhill and taking over Galaderon. He alluded to two people who could help them but decided not to tell them who to make it more fun

- Bev came back as a revenant missing a face chunk thanks to Beeferly. Moonshine offered to put him back into Bev’s face (“Kill me!” “Oh, he’s saying ‘Mommy’!”)

- Beeferly was instead reshaped into a crow (and renamed but I can’t remember its name) and given to Hardwon, who proceeded to be butthurt whenever someone else commanded it (“I’m very good with animals!”)

- the crew went to Galaderon and learn about the Widow. Jake proceeded to roll straight into the “she’s so hot jokes” and didn’t stop, to the horror of Murph and the audience

- Nathan rolled his divination rolls and one of them was a Nat 20!!!!

- on the train in Galaderon, the party witnessed Old Cobb pursuing the Widow for the cash reward. They realized they could be their potential allies and went after them.

- at some point they rolled the Big Die to see if the beef crow could fly. Of course the dice gods were against Murph and he has to let an animated blob of halfling boy shaped into a crow fly a possum across the train

- Barnaby was definitely side-eyeing everyone

- the Widow summoned several deep gnomes to aid her. Tonathan called out the party for hating gnomes and blasted the gnomes for the unnecessary teehees #notallgnomes

- Moonshine proceeded to murder 4/5 gnomes with an impeccably timed Gust of Wind

- Beverly, running through the train, traumatized all the civilians by screaming “You killed me!” with holy light glowing out of his broken face. One guy apparently accidentally killed his childhood friend in a canoe accident and jumped out the train in remorse.

- There was a second guy who killed his childhood friend in a canoe and also killed himself in remorse? Galaderon needs to ban canoes?

- Bev bonded with the Widow over being revenants (slitting their own throats and screaming REVENANT HUMOR!!!!!!!!!!) and they all pulled up some Zone of Truth chairs, talking things through and forming a plan! The Widow demanded to land the final blow on Galad

- During the Time of Truth, Hardwon offered to petsit Barnaby. Tonathan truthfully said "Never". Hardwon’s, reply: “Truthfully this cuts me deeply. This will be awkward forever. We will never overcome this.” And then there was just a really awkward silence punctuated by the audience’s cackling.

- The team headed over to the church of Pelor where the Chosen had set up an ambush. With the help of surprise rounds and Pass Without a Trace, they OBLITERATED several of them (Murph: “Don’t give your players surprise rounds. Fuck me.”) and badly hurt Galad. Tonathan impressed everyone with Fireball.

- At one point Beverly dove off from the second story towards a statue of Pelor to volleyball himself at a Chosen. He failed his atheletics check but Tonathan gave him his Natural 20 to make this EPIC moment happen.

- Said Chosen apparently also killed his childhood friend in a canoe-related incident but did it on purpose? And has no remorse? The Jamboreen had some rough times.

- Appropriately, said sociopath Chosen was drowned in a canoe by the party. Murph called them all monsters.

- Galad did offer to suck everyone’s dick before he was killed.

- The Widow, who was hit on all day by Hardwon, faded away with the realization of: “My son. My biological son.” (on the train Moonshine realized there was a resemblance and concluded the Widow was Hardwon’s aunt. Hardwon concluded he had a thing for Aunts. Murph and the audience wept.)

- Bev’s dad showed up and everything was super sad and about to be incredibly tragic but Merrick Highhill was given the chance to cast Resurrection on Beverly. Murph let everyone roll to see if Highhill had the spell prepared with a DC of 19. Everyone rolled and did pretty bad...

- TONATHAN TINKLE BACK AT IT WITH THE CLUTCH ROLLS. BEVERLY IS SAVED. Everyone loses it, standing ovations are made, bows are made, Nathan is raised up on an awkward throne of Caldwell and Murph’s arms.

#naddpod

[hokkaidossoul12]

Well...I am an idiot XD + a few other things

So I thought that I had to come to school today (30th) for the pack up from my production, turns out I didn't have to go today so it's all done now. I also thought that today was the last day of the month, I was wrong again, OMFG XD. Anyways... I should tell you all how it went...  

Monday (24th): There were two preview shows for primary schools, they really liked it and the entire cast was tired afterwards.  

Tuesday (25th): This was open night, we have a few faults, a little bit of noise from behind the stage because it was too crowded and people had messed around with the props >: ( anyways, apart from that, everything else went pretty smoothly and the audience was very lively ^^  

Wednesday (26th): This was the fourth show, there was no noise from backstage which was good, the audience wasn't as lively, my family were in the audience including my two grandparents, one of the main characters got a standing ovation for one of the songs that was sung by her (I know where I've been - second act) and I got a laugh out of one of my lines (which was great!), and everything went smoothly again.  

Friday (28th): This was the fifth show, Thursday was a rest night...but everyone was still tired from the last few shows. My mother had come to watch the show again along with one of her friends. A few people had stood up when I had finished my solo for one of the songs I sung (run and tell that - first act) and I also got a laugh out of my line again. Everything went very smoothly yet again.

  Saturday (29th): This was yesterday and there were two shows, in the first one my music teacher was in the audience and had watched me perform, I got a laugh out of my line again and it went very smoothly. Then when the first show was done my music teacher told me to wait for her to come back, I waited for her to come back and when she did she gave me a big box of flowers (they were pink lilies and roses). Then...one the second shows I had decided instead of the normal note that I did for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwFc9MPfWBA, soars to the sky part) which was a C5 (c note in the five octave), I sung an F5 note which made it higher (which is the highest notes I can hit in my chest voice within a song, a note by itself I can hit a F#5, but in my falsetto I can hit a E6 which is getting pretty close to a whistle note register, the whistle note registers are notes around the 7th octave, sorry about me going on a tangent) and when I did the crowd went nuts. Then the rest of the show went very smooth. 

 So...yeah, I am a bit tired from the show but I really enjoyed myself ^^ this also means that I’m going to be back to being a bit more active online :)

#hokkaidossoul12 #status

[xoruffitup]

AITAF’s 11th Annual Broadway Show

It’s surreal that this was my second year attending and I’m sitting here typing up a second recap! It hardly feels like a whole year has passed since last November, as the time has been so full of Adam and SW-related joy. After last night’s show, Sarah (the same friend I adventured to TIFF with) and I reflected that following/loving Adam has brought us so many extraordinary experiences we would never have sought out otherwise. Attending military-oriented events and creating stronger ties with the veterans and service members in each of our lives, traveling to Toronto (and shortly to London!!) together, and cultivating the most unlikely and incredible friendships. It’s been an eye-opening, whirlwind year of new and wonderful experiences - chief among which was sitting in a theatre largely full of military personnel and having each of my preconceived stereotypes challenged.

The group I gathered with outside the American Airlines theatre was even bigger than last year. We had my friends Sarah and MP ( @reylonly​), my dad who usually abhors the “veteran” label and yet - to his own surprise - confessed to being deeply moved by last year’s show, a retired Army nurse and her husband, a cousin I hadn’t seen in ages who’s currently enlisted, and her two friends from the army. Our sizable group was first to queue up outside the theatre, with more than plenty to talk and catch up about while we waited.

(Fun/Amusing Fact: That enlisted cousin I hadn’t seen in ages? We reconnected ahead of this show when she messaged me on Facebook: “Hi! I heard from X family member that you like Adam Driver. I’ve attended AITAF performances before and I’ll be going to their NYC event, if you’d like to come as one of my guests?” Yes, that is my rep spreading through the family and you bet I’m proud. :’’))

We thought we had an idea what to expect from last year, but this year’s show surprised and took us off guard in almost every way.

After entering the theatre and passing right by Joanne (looking hella fierce in a fitted tweed suit), we headed up to the reception. Here came a surprise I was personally AMPED about!! While MP, Sarah, and I waited to go in the photo booth they had, we saw Scott Burns and Daniel Jones come into the reception area! I explained a bit in my TIFF recap post about how The Report (aside from being just a stellar film) really engaged me personally because not only do I have a human rights-related job, but the Executive Director of my non-profit is also renowned for being one of the first high-ranking whistleblowers against the CIA torture program when he previously worked in the Department of Defense. His name is Alberto Mora and after I heard Scott Burns namecheck him in several interviews, I talked to Alberto about his involvement in the film. From that conversation with Alberto came the idea to arrange a staff screening of the film, given its relevance to our nonprofit’s mission. In addition to seeing the film at TIFF, I also had the chance through work to attend the DC premiere of the film last week, attended by human rights advocates, House Representatives, and Senators (most depicted in the film - including Diane Feinstein herself!) who were all clearly riveted by the film and the discussion with Scott Burns and Dan Jones that followed. SO (sorry for this digression but I’M STILL SO EXCITED BY THIS) when I saw Dan Jones mingling, I practically started vibrating with everything I wanted to say to him.

After psyching myself up and angsting with MP for a minute (“But it’s gotta be the right time - I don’t want to interrupt him!”) I went over and introduced myself to Dan Jones, saying I’d been at the DC premiere of the film last week and how powerful the evening had been. Long story short - omg what a chill and approachable guy to talk to! I explained quickly that I work with Alberto and I’ve been looking into arranging a screening, to which Dan said he’d “absolutely love” to help with! He told me how to contact him and holy shiiiit now this definitely has to happen!!

So after that reception highlight, we ate a little more cheese and fancy crackers before heading downstairs to the theater and our seats. And there we needed to hold onto our hats and strain to remain chill, because like some Adam-related VIP guest list, we brushed shoulders with Noah Baumbach and Laura Dern as we entered the theater! WHATTT!! It certainly made my heart glad to see so many of these high-profile collaborators of Adam’s supporting him and taking an interest in his non-profit work. And just to see that they’re all friends even off set!

This year’s choice of play, A Raisin In The Sun, immediately set a much different tone than last year’s True West. While last year included a cast of only 4, with Adam and Michael Shannon lifting the majority of the performance as the brothers-at-odds Lee and Austin; this year included a cast of 9 almost exclusively African American actors, who would share the stage in a rotating balance. But before anything else... the show began with AITAF’s Director giving a rundown of their recent and upcoming programming, before she introduced Adam to speak. Annnnd out onto the stage he strode in a black suit and tie (pushing the boundaries of fashion for real) looking so striking and handsome my brain and heart jumped into an overdrive race with each other alsdfjslfjalsdfj :’)))) (Yes, the first moment when I see him in person still makes my heart fly up into my throat.) Most of the audience tried to leap to their feet to give him a standing ovation, before Adam quickly made some slightly panicked abortive hand gestures and everyone sat back down. We were seated so close to the stage that that proximity was really the best kind of intense <3333

First of all, I want to assure everyone that our bb does look like he’s gained some weight back. I think his face looked a bit more filled out than at TIFF (and boy did he fill out that suit just right). Adam recognized all of the active service people and veterans in the audience, thanked the actors and AITAF staff for making the evening possible, and gave his background speech on AITAF’s purpose, journey, and mission. He also spoke a bit about the play that was selected this year, quickly adding “I’ll let the play speak for itself rather than butchering it with my interpretation.” Everyone laughed and my heart was only barely beating under the adoration because at the same time I was getting such a good look at just how big he is, being so close... Not only the height, but the shoulders in the suit and the giant hands that fly around when he’s talking, then he stuffed his hands into his pockets for part of his speech and that just made him look taller and more attractive and alsdkfjalskdjf sir you should really take my health into consideration a little bit!!! ;___;

Fangirl feels meltdowns aside, there were a lot of other beautiful things happening on that stage. It was stirring to listen to Adam introduce the cast (and pronounce all of their names correctly, thank you) with all the deference this play deserves and a cast to do it full justice. In a setting where the audience was largely comprised of a military demographic that is often considered to embody more conservative values, it was poignant to see Adam using his platform in AITAF to push the narratives further and confront the audience directly - not with what separates people, but to draw out the humanity that makes us all so very alike. That is, after all, AITAF’s guiding mission. 

Skipping ahead for a quick moment - one of the actors in the talk-back after the performance brought up how difficult it had been to fund this play when it was first produced in 1959 because investors feared it was “too black” and wouldn’t resonate with audiences. Last night was the most blatant demonstration of how close-minded such fears were, as the almost three-hour long reading kept the audience entirely enthralled, caught up in the humor and the heartbreak and the enduring human spirit that keeps the Younger family’s pride and love for each other in tact; then followed by audience members standing up to share deeply personal and candid accounts of how they saw their own struggles with searching for identity and purpose between military-civilian spheres, and their own experiences of trauma reflected in these complex, lively characters. 

As much as I so enjoyed internally flipped my shit completely getting to hear Adam speak in person at the beginning, it made me more proud than ever to love him as I do when I watched him step back and pass the stage and spotlight to an insanely talented cast of color. AITAF is a force and space that aims for all voices to be heard, and Adam appeared only just enough to underscore and enable that last night.

I hope I’ve already made the point that the cast were simply phenomenal. This year’s performance felt completely different than last year’s in terms of the energy and mood. Last year, Adam and Michael Shannon filled two hours with simmering frustration and aggression that grows increasingly outrageous until it culminates in violence. Adam and Michael moved freely around the stage a lot. I’ll never forget Adam doing handstands, collapsing to his knees right at the front of the stage and his lush long hair falling everywhere (UGH <3), Adam yelling about toast and stealing TVs, barking like a coyote, and finally choking Michael in the final scene. This year, the 9-person-strong cast barely moved from behind their script stands, and yet the emotional impact they delivered was simply stunning. The immediacy of this reading-style performance is just incomparable. I do see a lot of theatre and really enjoy the medium, but watching actors like last night’s cast put on a performance that’s completely uninhibited - completely instinctive and raw - was simply unforgettable. It cuts straight to the emotional core and deepest layer of meaning within the material and the characters. There is nothing between the audience and the existence of these characters’ lives, and the actors lost themselves in the roles completely. It was simply breathtaking to watch, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to witness it. Falling in to the Adam bandwagon truly enriched my life in ways I could never have expected

While on the topic of things I couldn’t have expected: Chief among them would be (to be painfully honest) voluntarily attending an event geared for military audiences - and even less enjoying and feeling moved by every second of it. I should probably clarify that although my Dad is a National Guard vet, he rarely speaks about the experience because he was drafted straight out of high school. The memories aren’t easy for him when he knows how close he could have been to being sent to Vietnam; alongside (he admitted to me for the first time following last year’s AITAF show) some amount of guilt towards the friends who were sent and lost their lives. My Dad has never embraced the veteran identity - he felt neither a right nor an affinity to it - and a military settings isn’t one I ever pictured myself feeling comfortable in. And yet, a single AITAF performance was enough to achieve their goal in my heart of building bridges and highlighting commonalities between military and civilian spheres. The military identify is multifaceted, and attending last year’s performance was enough for my Dad to unlock some new acceptance or understanding of that aspect of his own identity. It seemed to let him think of that period in his life in ways beyond antipathy or guilt. It was at least enough for him to open up and speak more candidly to me about his experience than ever before. 

This year’s Q&A was moving, deeply personal, and at times painful. And yet there was truly no better showcase for how a shared experience of theatre can serve to knock down all barriers that might have existed between people when they entered that theatre only hours before.

Highlights:

A man who recently ended his service spoke about how much he connected to the character of Walter Lee in the play. Like Walter, he too feels restless and unfulfilled in his (civilian) job, always feeling like he should be striking out for something more meaningful, something bigger, and never feeling right in his current place. For the audience member, this resonated with his own struggle to find meaning in his civilian life as he navigates the transition of leaving the military. This moved the actor who played Walter Lee (Colman Domingo, who had been TERRIFIC - I mean full-on crying several times throughout the reading) to speak about the personal inspirations and experiences he brought to embodying the character for this setting. Namely, trying to support his veteran older brother’s struggle with drug addiction. As Colman spoke candidly about how the experience with his brother had seeped into his performance, at least two other cast members dabbed tears from their eyes.

The most emotionally difficult and yet moving moment shared throughout the whole theater. A man in the balcony asked for advice on finishing a play that he began writing as a means of trying to process and work through unresolved trauma he experienced in combat zones while deployed. He explained with something of a despairing tremble in his voice that he’s reached a point where he feels emotionally blocked - where confronting the memories of comrades dying in his arms simply freezes him and he can’t seem to move any further. The theater was silent as he had to pause speaking for a moment, audibly overcome for a moment in the effort of speaking and sharing this aloud. Since the speaker was up in the balcony too far back for me to see, I was watching the cast and AITAF team on stage. Being so close, I thought I saw something visibly pass over Adam’s face. Later that evening, the cousin I just reconnected with at this event was the one to bring it up unprompted when she asked, “Did you see his eyes when the man was talking about his struggle to write?” So yes, it’s confirmed, I wasn’t imagining that Adam visibly choked up for a moment listening to this audience member. After the commenter was able to finish speaking, a few cast members responded. Adam, after being silent for most of the Q&A, then held his hand out for a mic and spoke up, telling the audience member something like, “In a way, you’re already doing it. You’re already writing. You’re already processing. I don’t think anyone knows what they’re setting out to write or how it will take shape until they do. But you’re already doing the hardest part.” Then, in a touching moment of connection, another audience member spoke up about a veteran writing group he’s involved with whose members seek to do exactly the same thing. The safe space the questioner was so dearly seeking did, in fact, already exist, and the people were there in that theatre to help guide him towards it. 

I didn’t think anything could have equaled my experience at AITAF’s 10th Anniversary show last year - and yet, last night was every bit as powerful of a performance, followed by a Q&A discussion in which audience members bared revelatory vulnerabilities and saw their own struggles through the eyes of others. My group went to a late dinner afterwards, where we continued discussing the performance, the dialogues thereafter, AITAF’s work in general, and (my favorite) gendered attitudes and embedded patriarchal norms within military settings and how AITAF challenges these norms even while being forced to work within them. 

It was an evening of connections of all types - between people, experiences, and insights. I can’t laud AITAF enough for enabling such valuable and productive exchange, and I hope to experience much more of their work in the future.

(And if performed with a showcase or even a side of Adam, that would be even better! <3)

Thanks so much for reading! : ))

#Adam Driver #AITAF #Arts In The Armed Forces #Broadway #driverdaily

[bookworlders]

are you ever going to finish of corporate scandals?

yes! one day! but not today lol here’s a new percabeth au instead! it’s based off the movie The Wedding Date. 

Annabeth’s old camp buddies, Piper and Jason are getting married and the whole gang is reuniting for the celebration. Luke is her ex who broke her heart, and she refuses to show up alone to their wedding so she takes her roommate’s advice. She hires a fake boyfriend. 

part 1

Annabeth checked and rechecked the tickets in her hand. The 5:15PM Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station to Montauk. Platform 7. She had that info submitted to memory from the moment she bought the tickets. Her phone buzzed. Her hand flew to her jacket pocket. A boarding notification. She exhaled, glad it wasn’t the “Hey, this plan is crazy and so are you, I’m out!” text she had been expecting.

“Annabeth?”

She whirled around, dragging her suitcase along with her. Oh gods, he was taller than she remembered. And much more handsome. “Hi.”

“Sorry I’m late, babe.”  grabbed her waist and kissed her.

~

“Honey, I’m home!” Rachel yelled, kicking off her red rainboots and dumping her keys on the dining table. Annabeth waved at her from the couch, motioning to her phone.

“Who is it?” Rachel asked, already stalking across their apartment to the kitchen to rummage for food.

“Piper,” Annabeth mouthed. She covered the receiver, “Rach, if you’re looking for the leftovers from yesterday, they’re long gone.”

“You bitch.” She swung open the refrigerator.

“What—No, of course I’m paying attention, Pipes—Yeah, got it, dress rehearsal is at seven, pictures on Sunday at ten.”

“Bridezilla come out yet?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. Piper was the most laid-back bride in the world. She covered the receiver again, “More like Groomzilla.” Rachel laughed, as Piper continued to rattle off the list of appointments Jason had asked her to pass along to Annabeth. “Listen, Pipes, I have to go. Facetime me during your fitting tomorrow. Love you. See you soon. Bye.”

Annabeth tossed her phone on the coffee table before walking into their tiny, Manhattan-sized kitchen to join her roommate. “How was rehearsal?” Annabeth asked, leaning against the counter as Rachel scarfed down leftovers she managed to dig out of their fridge.

“Terrible. How was your day?”

“Also terrible.”

“Why? Remote wedding planning not working out?”

“No, the wedding is going to be perfect. I’m an awesome bridesmaid even though I’m across the country from them. It’s just, you know, certain people…”

“Luke.”

“Yes, Luke. He’s going to be a groomsman now.”

“Oof.”

“So now I won’t just have to bear seeing him at the wedding. He’s going to be there all weekend for all the wedding prep.”

“I’m sure Piper and Jason will know not to put you in a situation where make you have to interact.”

“Still! I haven’t seen him since he, you know. And this is the first time I’m going to see so many of our friends again since the breakup. There’s no way he’s not bringing a date. I can’t show my face! My pathetic, single face.”

“Then you bring a date! Show up with some hot arm candy and show him.”

“The wedding is next week! Where am I going to find a date?”

“Doesn’t matter as long as he’s hot.”

“Also, if I do somehow meet someone in the next week, I can’t bring them to a wedding. Wedding’s are not first date material. Wedding’s say, meet my parents, I want commitment! And we all know how guys feel about fucking commitment,” Annabeth spat out, “No guy would go to wedding as a first date.”

“He would if you paid him,” Rachel scoffed, “Or slept with him.”

Annabeth smacked her arm, “Stop joking! You know what, I’m tired of talking about this, it’s stressing me out.” Annabeth wrenched open the freezer and grabbed her emergency pint of half-baked Ben & Jerry’s. “How was rehearsal?”

“Lousy. I still can’t believe you’re going to miss my show.”

“I’m coming to opening night!”

“Yeah, but it’s an off-off-Broadway production of Romeo & Juliet I needed you to come every night to fill the house so at least we know for sure we’ll have an audience.”

“You won’t need me. Shakespeare always draw a crowd.”

“This is going to be the worst show I’ve directed ever. Grover got poison ivy, poison oak, and poison fern believe it or not, so I had to find an understudy last minute. I specifically told him not to hook up with his girlfriend in Central Park.”

“I’m sure it will be great.”

“Let’s just hope Juliet doesn’t get poison fern.”

Annabeth was the only one in a crowd of about seventeen who gave the cast a standing ovation, but she didn’t care. In this basement theater of a rec center in Washington Heights, seventeen was basically a full house.

“Great job!” Annabeth said, hugging her roommate and thrusting a bouquet of sunflowers, Rachel’s favorite, into her arms. She and a couple of the actors’ friends and family members had been invited to the ‘cast party’ after the show — aka pizza and soda in another room of the rec center.

“Thanks, Annabeth. You really liked it?” Rachel said, beaming as various crew members patted her on the back as they went to grab pizza.

“Yes! The decision to set the play in a post-apocalyptic, Game of Thrones¬¬-y Verona was so cool. And the actors were phenomenal. Even when that magician walked right onto the stage. The way they improvised—”

“It’s because it’s happened before! People also book birthday parties here and they get the rooms confused! During our tech rehearsal, a clown walked in!”

“Well, your show was amazing. I’m so proud,” Annabeth said, sincerely. “Your cast was great.” Over Rachel’s shoulder she spotted the actor who played Romeo talking with brown-haired woman and man with glasses and salt and pepper hair. “Especially Romeo.”

Rachel beamed, glancing over her shoulder at him, “I know right! Wasn’t he amazing? He’s the understudy!”

“No way,” Annabeth said. His performance had been captivating to say the least. His monologues as Romeo were enough to make Annabeth swoon.

“His name’s Percy,” Rachel lowered her voice, “I love Grover, but I’m almost bummed his poison ivy rash is almost cleared up.”

“How did you find him?”

“Our theater major alumni Facebook group. He’s a friend of Grover’s.”

“And he willingly memorized a lead part’s lines in a Shakespearean play in less than a week?” Annabeth asked, incredulous.

“You know actors, Annabeth, they’ll do anything for a gig. Especially a paid one.” Rachel said, “I have to go talk to my stage manager, go get pizza!”

Annabeth walked over to the table spread with food. Pizza, chips, various dips, soda, utensils and blue cookies? As Annabeth filled a red solo cup with lemonade, her eye wandered back to Romeo. The couple, his parents she assumed, had left, and he was now chatting with the actress who played Juliet.

He was so handsome. Actors always were. Tall, dark-haired, green-eyed. Dreamy. He definitely would still be taller than her in the stilettos the bridesmaids were wearing. If only she could roll up to the wedding with someone like him on her arm…

Annabeth shoved him away, “What are you doing?”

Percy looked at her, confused, “Um? I’m your…boyfriend?”

“We don’t have to start now. Not until we get to the wedding.” Annabeth straightened her blazer. She thrusted his ticket into his hands, and extended the handles of her rolling suitcase, “Come on, they’ve already started boarding.”

Percy followed her, smoothly taking her suitcase from her and loading it up the steps of the train for her. She shot him a look.

Percy lowered his voice, following her through the aisle of the train car, “Any of the other wedding guests could be on this same train, we don’t want to ruin this before it even starts.” Annabeth chose two seats at the back of the train car. She slid into the window seat. Percy lifted her suitcase and his oversized duffle bag into the overhead compartment with ease.

“It’s Thursday and the wedding isn’t until Sunday. The only people heading up there now are in the wedding party, mostly out-of-towners, and they all flew in this morning,” Annabeth said, curtly. She tried to remain cool even though she was feeling so flustered by him. She could barely even look him in the eye. She felt so embarrassed even though this was her damn idea.

“You look very nice.”

Annabeth flushed. “Thank you,” she muttered. Her hair was frizzy after commuting in the midsummer humidity straight from her office building to Penn Station, but she knew she looked good today. She smoothed imaginary wrinkles from her cream pencil skirt.

His hair was messier and curlier than it was the night of the play, contrary to his Romeo’s gelled down locks. He looked so relaxed and cool in a button down with the sleeves rolled up and navy shorts.

“Okay,” Percy said, shifting towards her as the other passengers began to fill up the remaining seats. “Debrief me. What’s my job? Where am I from? How did we meet?”

Annabeth stared at him. “You’re Percy, an actor from New York. We met at my roommate’s show.” Duh?

“Come on, no cool backstory for me to try method acting?”

“No, the most convincing lies are closest to the truth,” Annabeth replied, “And I need this to be convincing.”

“I want a challenge.”

“Isn’t pretending to be my boyfriend enough of a challenge?”

Percy grinned, “Shouldn’t be that hard.”

Annabeth flushed again, “Then why exactly am I paying you $2,000?”

“Like you said, I’m convincing,”

“Please have your tickets out. Next stop is Babylon.”

Annabeth looked out her window as the platform fell away into the darkness of the tunnels. The train gained speed and made its way out of Manhattan.

When Annabeth awoke, the LIRR train was no longer underground, but racing through the tracks of Long Island. The train ride to Montauk was three hours long so the last rays of sun had just disappeared.

Annabeth glanced over at Percy, also was dozing away, head tilted back and mouth fully open. He really was so attractive. Tan, chiseled face with a jaw some women would murder for, but he still had a boyish softness to his expression, especially when he slept.

“Next stop, Montauk.”

Annabeth nudged him. Percy blinked groggily and cracked a goofy grin when he saw her looking at him.

“You drool in your sleep.”

#lol sorry this isnt ocs #percabeth fake dating!au #bookworldersanon #the wedding date #mywriting #percabeth #percy jackson #percabeth au #fanfiction

[letterboxd]

Most Picture 2020.

In which we award the Most Picture Oscar to the most-rewatched of the 2020 Best Picture nominees, and track down the Letterboxd member who most obsessively rewatched the Most Obsessively Rewatched Film in our 2019 Year in Review—Avengers: Endgame—to ask “Why?”.

Once again, we dive into the data on the Oscar Best Picture nominees to name not the Best Picture (respect to Parasite!), but what is the Most Picture, as in, which of the nine 2020 finalists was rewatched the most by Letterboxd members?

And the 2020 “Most” Picture Award goes to… Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Letterboxd member Movie15 has the distinction of having logged Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood the most—a whopping 26 times since its August release, and though he hasn’t reviewed it on Letterboxd, we’ve enjoyed his quest to see Tarantino’s latest in as many Los Angeles movie theaters as possible, on 35mm as often as he can.

Bong Joon-ho’s multi-Academy-Award-winning masterpiece, Parasite, comes next, just 859 views behind—Khoi is the Letterboxd member who has most obsessively rewatched the film to date, with eleven recorded watches. Third place (and almost 14,000 views behind the two leaders) goes to Joker, watched the most (seventeen times) by Kenai Fleck, a hard-core Batman fan.

In fourth place, Little Women. Micah Simmons has logged the film fourteen times (but may in fact be pushing 20 views). On the thirteenth view, “I have nothing to add, except for mentioning a shot right before the scene where Amy does *the thing* to Jo, and there’s a crazy shot that foreshadows *the thing* so well and fuck this movie is smart.” Then come Marriage Story, The Irishman, 1917, Jojo Rabbit and Ford v. Ferrari in that order.

The official Letterboxd Most Picture list reveals the combined number of watches for all members with two or more entries for these films.

The Rewatches We Logged Along the Way

Avengers: Endgame was the Most Obsessively Rewatched Film of 2019 in our Year in Review, which means it had the highest number of Letterboxd members logging it five or more times in their diaries.

Member Max Joseph has the distinction of having logged Avengers: Endgame more times than any other. When we told him we needed to know why, he replied: “I’d be honored to talk about my love for Avengers Endgame!” Spoilers follow in this Q&A with Max (though at this point if you haven’t seen Avengers: Endgame it’s probably only because Max has watched it for you). This interview was conducted prior to the 2020 Academy Awards.

How many times do you think you have seen Avengers: Endgame? Max Joseph: Well, I’ve logged it 26 times as of today. But I also think there are a good three or four watches I didn’t log because I occasionally put it on before bed, and just never logged it. So I’d say my final answer is 29, but that honestly may be lowballing it. I have a feeling that by the time the Oscars roll around, it’ll probably be at 30. I always watch every single film, documentary and short nominated for the Oscars, and thankfully, Endgame was nominated!

What’s your reaction to the news that you are the member who has logged it the most? Kind of shocked! I really didn’t even realize how many times I watched it until you told me! I watch Avengers: Endgame because it brings me happiness, and I love the adventure! When it finally came out on Blu-ray and digital, there were a few times I would watch it multiple times in one day. Then I’d throw something else on, then get upset that I wasn’t watching Avengers. So maybe it isn’t as shocking as I had thought!

What keeps you coming back to it? I love all genres of film. Take this season for example. I love the more meaty and dramatic films like Parasite, 1917, Waves, Queen & Slim. I love comedies like Jojo Rabbit and Booksmart. Animation like Toy Story 4, Frozen II and Klaus.

But, you give me someone flying, turning invisible, super speed… that’s where I live. Superhero movies are just my favorites, and I think the reason I keep coming back to Avengers: Endgame is because besides being a superhero movie—which I just naturally gravitate towards—in Endgame, I get a little bit of every genre and mood. I also like that it’s split up into three acts, and each act gives me what I want in a superhero movie:

Act one is the slow burn, which we never really got in the MCU up to this point. It’s the aftermath of Avengers: Infinity War, and them dealing with the implications and the new normal of the universe. And this gives a chance for the story to build, and our actors to show off, especially Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson. It gives something new to the fans of the franchise and is one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back for more.

Act two is the “time heist” and it is a pure love letter to the fans of the franchise. They revisit some of the best parts of our MCU journey over the last eleven years and mess with it. Is it fan service? Absolutely! But I think they did it right.

Act three is the final battle at the now-destroyed Avengers headquarters. And this was where the slow burn pays off. It is what we’ve all been waiting for since 2008. The grand finale. The culmination of eleven years and 22 films. We are gifted my favorite battle I’ve ever seen, bone-chilling and heartbreaking moments, as well as the most cathartic endings to the most epic story I’ve ever had the privilege to watch, nearly 30 times over.

What have you noticed with each rewatch? Two things: firstly, how unbelievable the visual effects are. I may be alone in this, but I think Marvel has the best visual effects on the planet. By miles. And rewatching this makes me appreciate how much time and dedication was put into making this. So much happened behind the scenes, that I personally don’t really think about while watching it. But after 26 views, I start to think about green screens, the motion capturing, all of those elements, it’s insane! Go on YouTube and just check out all of that work they did visually. It’s beautiful.

Secondly, how brilliant Robert Downey Jr. is. I’ve been saying it for years, but RDJ was born to play Tony Stark. Has he had many other brilliant performances throughout his career? Absolutely. But I think that if he was not cast as Iron Man, this franchise wouldn’t have turned out the way it did. He is the heart of the MCU. And he has so many brilliant moments throughout the film, meets his dad during the “time heist”, the realization of “the one”, even the way he interacts with his daughter, Morgan. It’s truly exceptional work. I think it’s his best performance as Stark.

What is the single greatest scene in the film? Oy, well that’s near impossible. A few standouts are Cap wielding Mjölnir, the scene with Tony and his dad, the reveal of Professor Hulk, thicc Thor, Cap vs. Cap, “the snap”. There are so many! But I think the popular answer is also the greatest, and that is when our Avengers return.

As soon as I heard Sam Wilson’s (Falcon) voice, I lost my mind. And they brilliantly added “On your left” right before all the portals open up. “On your left” is a callback to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. That’s the first line of the movie, and is repeated again at the end. Both times are between Sam and Steve, and it was the same in Endgame. And then you add Alan Silvestri’s score (the song is titled ‘Portals’) which is building and building with emotion, which leads into Cap finally saying…

“Avengers (music cuts) Assemble”… (enter Avengers theme song)

It. Is. Perfection. I have chills as I type this. It was probably the greatest theater experience I’ve had in my life. I was sobbing. Imagine how I was by the end…

What has the overall Avengers cinematic adventure meant to you? I remember seeing the first Iron Man in theaters with some friends in 2008. We all dressed up in suits, because we were at a high school awards show kind of thing, and just went straight to the theater, and we had the best time. From the first moment ’til the end, when Tony says, “I am Iron Man”, then Black Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’ starts playing, my jaw was on the floor. I gave a standing ovation. In a suit. From that moment on, I knew that this was made for me.

It has given me the greatest moments in a movie theater, incredible discussions with friends and strangers, and although it may seem cheesy, some much-needed happiness in some of the most difficult times in my life. I watch these stories because I love them. They mean something to me. They are an important part of who I am.

What would you say to people who say that blockbusters like these aren't ‘real’ cinema? Hahaha! This is a hilarious question, and I’m thrilled that you asked it. I’ve actually had a good 20 people ask me this, and I always said that I’d write something or make a video about it, so here we go…

Let me start off by saying that Martin Scorsese is arguably one of the greatest directors of all time. I love his work, I respect it, and I encourage everyone to watch his full repertoire, ’cause it’s beautiful.

That being said… ‘real cinema’ is a matter of opinions. To me, Avengers: Endgame is just as much real cinema, as The Irishman, Goodfellas, The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, anything. I don’t care who you are, you can be Martin Scorsese, Kevin Feige, one of my friends, a stranger, I don’t think you have the right to tell me what is ‘real cinema’. You can say something isn’t good, or only being made to earn a profit, but you don’t get to say that movies like this aren’t worthy of being ‘real cinema’. To me, they are. You’re more than entitled to that opinion! I just happen to disagree with you, but you’re not wrong by any means. I’m entitled to my opinion, you’re entitled to yours. And that’s what it comes down to. Opinions.

Thicc Thor—keep or send back to the gym? I totally don’t care. Taika Waititi figured out how to write that character in Thor: Ragnarok, and thankfully they continued writing him this way in Endgame. So as long as the writers continue on the path that Waititi sent him on, I’m good. Make him thicc, give him an eight-pack, as long as the character has purpose and the lines flow naturally, I’m more than satisfied with whatever he looks like.

How amped are you to learn more about Natasha’s background in this year’s Black Widow? Finally! We’ve been waiting since Iron Man 2, and it is finally time for the Black Widow movie she deserves! I’m fascinated by the Red Room, which was where she started her training as a Russian spy. They showed us glimpses of her beginnings in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and I’ve always been hungry for more information because it looked really interesting.

I also think that we may finally find out what happened in Budapest. It was first mentioned in The Avengers back in 2012, as a bit of banter between Black Widow and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and has kind of been a mystery ever since. It was actually mentioned again in Endgame. I’m basing this on the San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel. There was a title card that said “Budapest”, so it would make sense that we’re gonna get what we’ve been asking for!

I’m also thrilled because the cast is awesome. Obviously double Oscar-nominated actor this season, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour and one of my favorite actors, Florence Pugh, who had an unbelievable 2019, with Fighting With My Family, Midsommar (one of my favorite performances of the decade), and she topped it off with an Oscar-nominated performance in Little Women!

What do you think should win best picture at this year’s Oscars? Parasite. And it’s not even close. I think Parasite is one of the greatest films I’ve seen in my life. I think it deserves that number one slot on your Top 250 Narrative Features list.

It features the best performance from an ensemble, Song Kang-ho should have been nominated for supporting actor (he should be winning). The production design is fabulous. They literally built the Park family’s house for the film! Hong Kyung-pyo’s photography is worthy of being framed. He created a few shots that are permanently engraved in my head (in a good way). And of course, Bong Joon-ho’s direction flows with emotion and his script is original, gripping and electric. He is the definition of a visionary, at the top of his game.

Parasite is the crowning achievement of the decade and should be awarded as such. It would be the perfect way to end the decade with the first foreign-language film (now titled “International Feature Film”) winning Best Picture at the Oscars. #BONGHIVE all the way!

What do you think will win? My heart says Parasite, but I think it may end up going to something like Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, The Irishman or 1917 (which is in my top ten this year). The easy answer is probably Hollywood because it won the Globe, but that doesn’t always translate into an Oscar.

But if it’s not Parasite, I think it should be 1917. It is a technical work of art from Oscar, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning director Sam Mendes. Roger Deakins outdid himself and is pretty much guaranteed to earn his second Oscar [update: he did!]. Thomas Newman’s score is probably my favorite of the year (possibly of his career), followed closely by Emile Mosseri’s for The Last Black Man in San Francisco and Hildur Guðnadóttir’s for Joker. And George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman should be on everyone’s radar. They’re phenomenal. It’s shaping up to be quite a race this year!

What’s your favorite thing about Letterboxd? I think the reason I love it so much is because it feels like a family. I’ve had such a passion for the cinema for my whole life, and I like to share it wherever I can. But other social platforms (as wonderful as they are), aren’t always the best place to post about every single movie I’ve watched, or a top ten that I make. Letterboxd is the only place where I can let out all of my opinions, all of my thoughts, without feeling embarrassed or like I’m bothering anyone when I say how perfect Avengers: Endgame is. Or if I watch it and spot something new, I can post about it, and have great conversations about what I’ve discovered. It is the place for movie lovers, and it actually helped me love movies more, and to learn more about the crews, studios, and everything behind the film.

#AVENGERS #AVENGERS ENDGAME #letterboxd #most rewatched #most rewatched film #best picture #oscar #oscars #oscar2020 #oscars2020

[mwahahahahahahaa]

Les Mis 10th July 2019!!!

So good! Fantine's voice was amazing (so was everyone else’s, but I just loved Carley Stenson’s voice?)

Things I noticed :

When Valjean sang 'Cosette will have a father now', he paused before saying 'father' and booped her on the nose

He did this again in his death scene, the bopping, can't remember exactly when but it was really sweet. I think it was 'Yes Cosette, forbid me now to die! I'll obey' and then he booped her nose as he sang 'I will try'

When Fantine was being arrested and singing to Valjean about being sent away, she was clutching his shirt and shaking him in anger. I think she spat in his face at one point?

One of the women was reading over Fantine's shoulder before the woman came to steal it

Thernadier in master of the house kept smacking women on the bum and then pointing at someone else, as if I needed more reasons to hate him.

Similarly, Madame Thernadier kept trying to hit Cosette :(

When Red and Black happened, I think Prouvaire had a notebook in front of him on the table? I liked that.

I wasn't great at being able to tell which Amis was which-without specific lines mentioning them it's hard-but at one point a woman came on and was spun around by one of them, so I've decided that was Musichetta (though it could probably also be Bahorel's laughing mistress) (or just a random student but I like connecting it to book characters)

Grantaire was to the side a lot with a bottle, as expected.

When they sang 'don't let the wine go to your brains!' he raised his arms as if to say 'who, me?' and someone else stole his bottle. The minute Enjolras looked away he took another one out from under the table

When Eponine went to get Marius and take him to Cosette, she went to Grantaire first and spoke to him and he called for Marius.

In her death scene, everyone continued as if nothing was happening (apart from Marius ofc) until Grantaire came on, he took some wine from the table and was walking across the stage when he saw them. For a moment he stared before hurrying to get other people to go and try to help, he looked really upset by it. It seemed to again hint that they were friends (which I know isn’t book canon, but a lot of the fandom like the idea including me)

After Eponine died, Gavroche went over and lent his arm and head against the wall with his back to the audience and didn't look up for a while, reacting to his sister’s death.

After Gavroche revealed who Javert was, Grantaire picked him up and carried him round in piggy back. It was really cute. He did this as he sang ‘Bravo, little Gavroche you’re the top of the class!

After Attack on Rue Plumet, when Eponine and Cosette are briefly introduced, they just kept staring at each other through the gate as if they both recognised the other, not just Eponine.

When Valjean was letting Javert go and Javert refused to believe it, Valjean ended up pushing him back against the wall to try and get him to go.

When Eponine delivered the letter, she snuck through the gates when she couldn't see anyone, only for Valjean to come up behind her and grab her thinking, presumably, that she was there for nefarious reasons.

After she gave him the letter and she was turning to go, he grabbed her hat off her head (revealing her long hair) before telling her to be safe.

During Drink with me, Enjolras was at the top of the barricade but was watching Grantaire. When Grantaire was singing and it became clear how upset he was, Enjolras rushed down the barricade and stopped the other student from arguing with Grantaire, and they stood facing each other with the last two lined of the verse directed at Enjolras, before they grasped each other and hugged tightly. They took a while to pull away and it was really lovely

Enjolras was played by Joe Vetch in this performance BTW, he usually plays Feuilly I believe? I'm not sure who played Feuilly instead.

In Master of the House, when Thernadier was singing at the side at one point he refilled a bottle to resell by peeing into it. He then gave it to a drunk guy who didn't seem to notice - but then when they were all toasting at the end, Madame Thernadier switched the drinks so Thernadier ended up with the urine bottle, which he drank from and then threw up. Just what he deserves, really!

In the scene where Marius and Cosette first meet and the Thernadier's recognise Valjean, whilst Thernadier and the others were fighting with Valjean, Montparnasse grabbed Cosette and tried to drag her away (presumably kidnapping her?) but Marius stopped him and punched him in the face.

When Fantine was singing 'Come to me' she left the bed and crawled towards where she thought Cosette was and it was heartbreaking

When Fantine was in the factory and Valjean was trying to leave, she went up to him and kept trying to show him the letter, pleading with him

Also when Fantine tried to get the letter back from the woman who took it, the woman pushed her away and shouted 'Get away from you, you slut!'

During Fantine's arrest, the other prostitutes were gathering around her and trying to check if she was alright and protect her

For Javert's suicide - it really built up to it. He was quite composed and stern for most of the show but after the barricade, you saw him walking around it and seeing all the carnage, before looking for Valjean and trying to get in the sewer. He couldn't lift the grate, but you could see that his uniform was rumpled and undone, and it seemed even more undone as it went on. When he and Valjean were facing each other and Valjean was asking to take Marius to safety, Javert was falling apart, shouting lines. 'the man of mercy comes again and talks of justice' was bitter and mocking, thrown at Valjean like a weapon. Javert wasn't even standing up straight, it was as if he was physically fighting with himself and he could no longer pretend to be the stern upright figure he had been because he had no idea how to deal with Valjean being good. It was really emotional and made his emotional turmoil so clear and heartbreaking, especially as it led into Javert's soliloquy. Whilst the way they show his death might not be the most effective - lights to make it seem like water on the stage, he falls to his knees while reaching up and then collapses on the ground and rolls off stage slowly as it revolves and the lights are whirling round - his acting was amazing.

When Eponine had taken Marius to see Cosette, he spun Eponine round in the air and it was really sweet. 

 I know it happens every production, but the Enjolras death is just. so. impressive. The way they just dangle so still and it’s just??? It must be really difficult and take a lot of skill and every single Enjolras does it???? (I wanna try and do it) Anyway it looks amazing

I’m sure I’ve forgotten a dozen things I wanted to say about how great it was but if I remember anything more I’ll add it. Posting this on the 13th July, which unfortunately is the last day the original production will be shown. The show was amazing and I loved it so much. I wish they weren’t changing it, because honestly it is perfect as it is. 

The cast were also so sweet - I met some of them at the Stage Door (not everyone because obvs some just want to go home). I’d never gone to a stage door before so it was a really exciting experience. They signed my programme which is so amazing! 

Charlotte Kennedy was really sweet in particular, she was leaving and I didn’t want to bother her because it looked like she just wanted to go, but she saw me looking at her and holding my programme and came over and offered to sign it, she was lovely. Joe Vetch was really nice, and pronounced all the names perfectly! Raymond Walsh was also really nice. Dean Chisnall was very friendly and talking to everyone, and Elena Skye was great as well, and Ben Tyler was really nice! Everyone was really nice and lovely and it was amazing to meet them. 

Anyway Les Mis is awesome and the current cast are amazing - I loved them all. I gave them a standing ovation the moment the applause started at the end (usually I’m too anxious and wait until more people are doing it). I hope they have enjoyed their run in Les Mis and that the next iteration is just as wonderful. 

#Les mis #Les Mis London #Raymond Walsh #Joe Vetch #Dean Chisnall #Elena SKye #Charlotte Kennedy #Ben Tyler #Robyn rambles

[mhdiaries]

Diary of Twyla

The real nightmare would be if you read my diary!

The Sixth of September

When you spend your unlife living in the shadows you get used to seeing things that are missed and missing things that are seen. Lately though, I feel like I’m missing more than I’m seeing, like today, for instance. There is a little garden cemetery not far from Monster High where I like to go and contemplate the simple joys of monsterhood. It has a little fountain with a park bench and a simply ginormous creeping willow tree. It’s like a giant umbrella that casts the most amazing shadows. Most of the time I am the only monster there except on Wednesday when a group of troll ladies show up to play bridge. Anyway, I was sitting in my usual spot today with my back to the tree facing away from the fountain. I heard footsteps and voices approaching. I thought it was probably some monsters coming to pay their ghast respects and I didn’t want to disturb them, so I just sat still. If I am in the shadows and I do not move or open my eyes I cannot be seen. As the footsteps got closer I recognized the voices - it was Lagoona and Gil. They were arguing about something and they stopped right next to the fountain. Now I could have just stepped from the shadow I was in to a shadow somewhere else, but I didn’t. I stayed because I’m a bad monster. I am not going to write down what they said though, because if some other monster ever reads this it’d be like betraying a trust. But I was sad the rest of the day over what I heard. They are both so sweet and make such a great couple that I had no idea they were facing such outside pressure on their relationship. I guess I was looking but not seeing. I really wish they could get this problem resolved, but some things can’t be wished away, only worked through. Eventually Gil left, but Lagoona stayed a little bit longer. She sat for a while, and I could hear her crying. I guess at that point I wanted so much to just run over and hug her, but I couldn’t. I know, I know, I’m a terrible monster, but I didn’t know what to do. That’s not true, I mean the terrible monster part is, but I should have just gone over and given her a hug...epic fail. I waited a bit after Lagoona left and then I left too.

The Tenth of September

Being able to jump from one shadow to another without having to step into the light means that I can avoid talking to other monsters if I don’t want. It’s not that I don’t like other monsters, but I feel kind of awkward sometimes, like maybe I’ll say or do something wrong and embarrass myself. I remember I’d been at MH for a while but I hadn’t really made any friends. Not because the other students hadn’t been nice to me, they were, I just always sort of disappeared before I let them get too close. I remember the day that I got cornered, literally. I was sitting by myself in the very back corner of the creepateria at a table underneath a burned out light that was casting a nice big shadow. I was just eating my lunch and watching when Howleen started walking my way. I sat still knowing that she wouldn’t be able to see me but I didn’t want to leave either cause I was hungry. So she came over and sat right down across from me. She sniffed a couple times and said, “PB&J?” “Eww cam seef me?” I answered with a mouth full of sandwich. “Nah, but I can smell you.” “Nobway!” “Of course I can, I’m a werewolf, and the nose knows. You smell like dust and strawscarry jam.” I started to excuse myself, but Howleen asked me not to, “I really don’t feel like eating lunch by myself - would you mind hanging out?” So I didn’t disappear, I stayed and I made a friend for unlife plus I didn’t embarrass myself even once. #WinWin

The First of October

Usually Dustin meets me at the door when I get home from school, but he wasn’t waiting for me today. I called for him but he didn’t come. I checked all his usual hiding places: under the bed, behind the doors, in all the corners, but he was nowhere to be found. I started to get worried. I even went outside to look, although he hasn’t been out on his own since the day a big wind flew him into the blackscary brambles. I went back inside and was just about to start making lost posters to hand out around the neighborhood when I heard thump scratch - thump scratch - thump scratch. I looked up and there was Dustin, covered in glitter, double stick tape and beads. He had taken a nap in my craft box, and the end from a roll of necklace wire had wrapped around his foot while the spool had gotten stuck in the box. I would have taken a picture with my iCoffin, but he just looked so pitiful. It took me two hours to get him all cleaned up. I’ll have to save dryer lint for a week to patch all the bare places.

The Fifteenth of October

I went to Howleen’s house for a sleep over. It was cool getting to know her family. I mean I’d seen Clawd and Clawdeen around school, but this was the first time I really officially met them. I wish now I hadn’t waited so long because I feel like I missed out on some good times being so shy. I also got to meet another one of Howleen’s sisters. Her name is Clawdia and she’s going to college in Londoom. She actually wasn’t “there” so we talked to her online with video chat. She is studying to be a writer. She’s really funny and she had everybody in the house cracking up about what it’s like living in Londoom. Clawdeen left and went to fang out with Draculara and Frankie at Frankie’s house, so Howleen and I stayed up late talking. We’ve got like tons in common, we like the same TV shows, the same music - Catty Noir ‘natch, the same kind of styles and we even think the same boys are cute. The one thing that we don’t see eye to eye on is the need to be popular. I don’t care if I am and Howleen feels like is she isn’t she’ll disappear in the shadows of her older siblings. I told her that living in the shadows wasn’t all that bad, but she was totally focused on being in the spotlight. Eventually though she got out of her funk, and we spent the rest of the night watching movies. We had a scary cool time, and I can’t remember when I have ever laughed so hard. When Howleen fell asleep I snuck out and grabbed a late nightmare snack. I got back before morning and woke up to the smell of banana scary pancakes and bacon coming from the Wolf’s kitchen. So much fun and so happy to have a friend! Maybe I’ll try and spend a little more time out of the shadows from now on...maybe.

The Twenty-fifth of October

Most monsters stay away from normies as much as they can, my family not so much. We have what my dad calls a “symbiotic relationship” with normies, only they don’t know it. They think the Boogeyman hangs out under beds and in their closets to scare them, but that’s not it at all. We are “dream eaters” -- well, nightmare eaters, actually. We hide in the shadows and watch for them; then when we see one we pounce! It’s why our eyes glow in the dark so we can see the dreams. Of course we can’t see what’s in the dreams, we recognize them by color. Yellow for happiness, red for action, blue for flying, green for fantasy and lots of in between colors and shades that mix different kind of dreams together. Nightmares are the color of storm clouds, all grey-black and menacing. I only wish my dreams could be pounced on, too, but it doesn’t work that way for us. I dreamed a dream last night that I was on a frightly lit stage in front of the whole school. I was supposed to give a speech and I forgot the topic, so I just stood there looking for a shadow to hide, but there weren’t any. Then every monster started laughing at me. I turned to run and tripped off the stage, which was suddenly at the top of a very tall tower and I was falling an falling and falling. Then I was back on the stage again, and every monster in the audience was giving me a standing ovation. I looked behind me, and there were a panel of judges holding up scorecards.

9.5   9.5   10.0   9.5   4.0

So I started arguing with the judge who gave me the 4.0 and she told me that I flapped my arms too much as I was falling. Then I woke up. I told my dad about it, and he said it was probably just something I ate. Dads are so weird.

The Twenty-eighth of October

Howleen is not enjoying her popularity as much as she thought she would, and there are shadows in places where they should not be. I am worried, and no monster seems to be listening to me. I must find a monster that will.

#monster high #monster high diary #text post #13 wishes #twyla