#preston Truman boyd

[24601orwhatever]

Got bored heres different javerts as different dogs…

[handsomeyoungscapegrace]

★As I stare into the void/Of a world that cannot hold★

there was a moment during the show where preston truman boyd looked almost christlike when he got up onto the bridge and i havent been able to get it out of my head for two weeks

this is also part of my ongoing journey to force myself to take my time and actually try to make good backgrounds

[determinedowl23]

omg ramin and preston are in the same show my worlds are colliding

[caroleditosti]

'Pirates! The Penzance Musical' is a must see!

[demon4dilfs]

thoroughly impressed by nick cartell and nick rehberger!! Even my bestie who’s not invested in Valvert said she could see it now because of their chemistry

I saw les mis earlier this year but had an understudy as valjean and preston truman boyd was still javert. So glad I decided to go again to catch nick c and see the new cast members

[bikinibottomdayz]

APRIL 10, 2025 RELEASE

All my videos can be found here, full release under the read more!

ORDER FORM HERE

This release includes: Boop!, John Proctor is the Villain, Oh, Mary! with Tituss Burgess, The Jonathan Larson Project, Pirates! the Penzance Musical, Real Women Have Curves

BOOP! March 26, 2025 | Broadway | 4K MP4 (9.78GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Jasmine Amy Rogers (Betty Boop), Faith Prince (Valentina), Ainsley Melham (Dwayne), Stephen DeRosa (Grampy), Angelica Hale (Trisha), Erich Bergen (Raymond), Phillip Huber (Pudgy), Christian Probst (Malcolm Carter), Colin Bradbury (Arnie Finkle), Morgan McGhee (Cheryl King), Anastacia McCleskey (Carol Evans), Aubie Merrylees (Oscar Delacorte), Ricky Schroeder (Clarence), Ryah Nixon (Mascot), Lawrence Alexander (Ensemble), Tristen Buettel (Ensemble), Joshua Burrage (Ensemble), Victoria Byrd (Ensemble), Daniel Castiglione (Ensemble), Rebecca Corrigan (Ensemble), RJ Higton (Ensemble), Nina Lafarga (Ensemble), Gabriella Sorrentino (Ensemble), Derek Jordan Taylor (Ensemble), Lizzy Tucker (Ensemble) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of this new show! Some heads are visible at the bottom but don’t block off anything. Some wandering and unfocusing throughout. Some washout on wider shots. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC6VcZ | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL OCTOBER 2, 2025

JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN March 28, 2025 | Broadway (Previews) | 4K MP4 (8.37GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Sadie Sink (Shelby Holcomb), Nihar Duvvuri (Mason Adams), Gabriel Ebert (Carter Smith), Molly Griggs (Bailey Gallagher), Maggie Kuntz (Ivy Watkins), Hagan Oliveras (Lee Turner), Morgan Scott (Nell Shaw), Fina Strazza (Beth Powell), Amalia Yoo (Raelynn Nix) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of this new production! Minor head obstruction on the bottom, doesn’t block off almost anything. Some wandering and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC7djm | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL OCTOBER 2, 2025

THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT March 24, 2025 | Broadway | 4K MP4 (6.38GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Adam Chanler-Berat, Taylor Iman Jones, Lauren Marcus, Andy Mientus, Jason Tam Notes: Excellent 4K capture of this show during its closing week! Minor obstruction on the far left from the speaker that blocks off very little. Increased wandering and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC6FRS | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL OCTOBER 2, 2025

OH, MARY! March 27, 2025 (M) | Broadway | 4K MP4 (5.52GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Tituss Burgess (Mary Todd Lincoln), Phillip James Brannon (Mary's Husband), Chris Renfro (Mary's Teacher), Bianca Leigh (Mary's Chaperone), Tony Macht (Mary's Husband's Assistant) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of Tituss in the lead role! Some bar and head obstruction on the bottom but doesn’t block off much. Some wandering and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call and the post-show BC/EFA speech, audio is fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC72Ne | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL OCTOBER 2, 2025

PIRATES! THE PENZANCE MUSICAL April 4, 2025 | Broadway (Previews) | 4K MP4 (9.19GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Ramin Karimloo (Pirate King), Jinkx Monsoon (Ruth), David Hyde Pierce (Gilbert / Major General Stanley), Nicholas Barasch (Frederic), Preston Truman Boyd (Sullivan / Police Sergeant), Samantha Williams (Mabel Stanley), Kelly Belarmino (Ensemble), Cicily Daniels (Ensemble), Ninako Donville (Ensemble), Alex Dorf (Ensemble), Rick Faugno (Ensemble), Niani Feelings (Ensemble), Tommy Gedrich (Ensemble), Alex Gibson (Ensemble), Afra Hines (Ensemble), Tatiana Lofton (Ensemble), Shina Ann Morris (Ensemble), Dan Hoy (Ensemble), Ryo Kamibayashi (Ensemble), Nathan Lucrezio (Ensemble), Tyrone L. Robinson (Ensemble), Bronwyn Tarboton (Ensemble) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of this show’s first preview! Some head obstruction on the sides during the second half of the first act, but are mostly worked around. Increased wandering and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC7ScN | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL OCTOBER 2, 2025

REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES April 8, 2025 | Broadway (Previews) | 4K MP4 (8.7GB) | bikinibottomday’s master Cast: Tatianna Córdoba (Ana), Justina Machado (Carmen), Shelby Acosta (Prima Flaca), Aline Mayagoitia (Izel), Florencia Cuenca (Estela), Carla Jimenez (Pancha), Mauricio Mendoza (Raúl), Mason Reeves (Henry), Jennifer Sánchez (Rosalí), Sandra Valls (Prima Fulvia), Zeus Mendoza (Newspaper Editor/Ed Wilson), Monica Tulia Ramirez (Mrs. Wright), Ariana Burks (Ensemble), Omar Madden (s/w Ensemble), Christopher M. Ramirez (Ensemble) Notes: Excellent 4K capture of this brilliant new musical! Some minor head obstruction that almost never blocks anything. Some wandering and unfocusing throughout. Includes curtain call, audio fed from external source. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC8uA3 | ASKING $20 USD NOT FOR SHARING EXCEPT THROUGH ME UNTIL OCTOBER 2, 2025

[bogusbyron]

One day ill make a proper post (or maybe fic) talking about my les mis character details because ive thought about them all pretty specifically, especially for valvert across the diff eras ... my favourite right now is actually the period between msurm & pre-barricade paris...

I am not immune to the preston truman boyd javert stache & had to give him it alongside the little soul patch THING hes got on his chin at Some point.. and i thought his mini-crisis he probably went through post-msurm was a perfect opportunity .

Not aure if ive talked or alluded to it before (ive definitely talked to some people about it) but in msurm it was pretty standard . He had a typical haircut for a balding man of the period (not long and in a ponytail, like it previously was, and how most people draw it) as well as his famous mutton chops....

However following "madeleine"'s arrest, he goes into a homosexual crisis and represses so hard it seeps out the cracks in the box and his style becomes a bit more madeleine in nature, deciding to grow out his hair, moustache and a smaller beard thing on his chin (exactly like how my madeleine has it).

Of course he shaves it off eventually. He does so after finding out valjean is alive again in paris, as he undergoes another mini crisis and gets his shit together (loosely). He decides to keep the long hair, though.

Is it OOC? probably. But. I just want an excuse to give him a dumb moustache ☹😔

[inappropriatestork]

Saw Les Mis today in Columbia. Dragged my aunt along for a matinee because I'm running out of people to coerce into seeing it with me.

I can never remember what I liked/disliked from show to show so here's my rambling, mostly for my own future reference.

I saw the touring show twice in 2023 (in Charlotte and Greensboro), haven't seen it since then. I always write up my thoughts because my memory is crap. (Which is also why my memories and comparisons between this time and previous shows might be entirely wrong, as I may have definitely seen something before but forgotten or not noticed!)

Cast: Nick Cartell (JVJ), Nick Rehberger (Javert), Juliette Redden (Fantine), Delaney Guyer (Cosette), Mya Rena Hunter (Eponine), Christian Mark Gibbs (Enjolras), Jake David Smith (Marius), Kyle Adams (Grantaire), Matt Crowle & Victoria Huston-Elem (Thendardiers)

I admit, I was *kinda* hoping since it's the last day of the run and a matinee, they'd give Nick Cartell the final show and give us Randy Jeter as JVJ like they did last time I saw it. Which is nothing at all against Nick Cartell - he's excellent - but Randy Jeter was *incredible* last time.

Cartell was excellent, though, and no complaints about anyone.

It was the same Thenardier as the two times I saw it in 2023 but I seem to have liked him better this time. Last time I found the Thenardiers a little gratingly American and overly goofy, but they didn't bother me this time.

(Speaking of gratingly American, I still hate "sitting flat on your ASS doesn't buy any bread." Surely Americans know what "bum" means. And the alliteration of "bum" and "buy" and "bread!")

This was a different Javert than before and he was *very* good. I liked the last one, Preston Truman Boyd, but Nick Rehberger may have been *just* a bit better. Can't tell if he's actually older, but he reads a little older than Boyd and his voice was very nice and deep and a bit growly, *and* he was sufficiently desperate and despairing during Javert's Soliloquy. Reminded me a bit of Michael Ball (whose Javert I am slightly obsessed with).

Jake David Smith was good as Marius, though I didn't love him quite as much as Gregory Lee Rodriguez last time. Rodriguez gave Marius just a hint of humor and made him somehow more likeable and then *killed* Empty Chairs.

Christian Mark Gibbs was very good as Enjolras overall, though I didn't love all the acting choices (IDK how much of that is direction vs the actor's decisions).

Which, okay, it was mainly Drink With Me, which I am very opinionated about. An unsympathetic Enjolras might be more canon, IDK, but I like to see him show a little humanity. I'm not asking for David Thaxton or Ramin and Hadley, but a *little* acknowledgement?? This Enjolras came down off the barricade during Grantaire's verse, but then, when Grantaire stepped closer to sing "Is your life just one more lie?" he just kind of stared him down a little coldly, and then Grantaire stumbled away, getting a few comforting clasps on the shoulder from other guys and then collapsing against the wall obviously distraught, where only Gavroche comforted him. Like, could you not pat him on the shoulder real quick or something?

To be fair, Enjolras did show Grantaire a little sympathy later.

Momentary aside to rave *yet again* about Kyle Adams' Grantaire. He was Grantaire both times I saw it in 2023 too and he's SO INCREDIBLY GOOD. I've raved about him in more detail before but it's mostly subtle stuff that you wouldn't even really notice if you don't know Grantaire's story, but he's clearly put a lot of thought into tiny nuances that add so much to his portrayal (and/or gotten very good direction, probably both!). Like he doesn't get that many lines but I end up watching him during every Amis scene more than anyone else, because there's so many tiny details of his interactions with the others, his expressions and mannerisms, everything, that are just spot on.

Anyway, Enjolras did give him a comforting shoulder clasp after Gavroche's death. And I'm pretty sure Enjolras' death was staged a bit different this time? According to my notes last time, anyway.

This time, just after Gavroche's death, Enjolras and Grantaire have a little moment of sympathy, then I think kind of exchanged nods like maybe affirming Grantaire still with him to the end, despite his cynicism? Last time I'm pretty sure Enjolras stood sort of defiantly at the top center of the barricade and then fell to the far side, out of sight, when shot and Grantaire sort of scrambled after him but couldn't reach him before he fell. This time Enjolras was more to one side, and fell on the visible side of the barricade, and *Grantaire* after seeing him fall, was the one to climb to the top and stand defiantly, brandishing his bottle furiously/threateningly at the soldiers before falling near Enjolras.

I definitely don't remember that defiant Grantaire moment before, but I did like this staging, and that little "this is it"/"I'm with you" moment beforehand, which is closer to the canon "do you permit it?" than I remember seeing before.

Other minor things:

-I don't recall noticing this before, but partway through A Little Fall of Rain one of the revolutionaries brought the captive Javert back onstage? It was enough of a kerfuffle of him being manhandled a bit at one side of the stage to be slightly distracting from Marius and Eponine, which made it noticeable. I can't recall if he's normally brought in or already there or what, but it's interesting. It was also enough of a kerfuffle and dark enough that I couldn't entirely follow Javert's movements and expression. I think he seemed to sort of stop struggling and went still and kind of sober when he realized what was happening? I wish I'd had binoculars.

Not sure how to read it, but it seemed perhaps connected to his little moment of grief when he sees Gavroche's body and kneels to check his pulse and then bows his head and crosses himself. Like perhaps in the face of actual death (or innocents dying? though Eponine and Gavroche both eagerly involved themselves in the rebellion, if not to the extent of the students) his certainty of right and wrong and good and evil is maybe beginning to waver slightly even before Valjean frees him? IDK. I can't recall where he normally is for that scene, but the way he was brought onstage was conspicuous and interesting. It seems conceivable that he might, perhaps unwillingly or unconsciously, feel some hint of sympathy for these kids from the gutter like him, maybe?

-I've never seen any Valjean moment (other than perhaps when negotiating with the Thenardiers where Mme Thenardier is aggressively flirting with him or something) played for laughs, but when he was reading Marius's letter to Cosette, he went "now that I know that you love me as...well??" as if shocked (understandably, as he was more concerned about avoiding Javert during the three (3) seconds it took Marius and Cosette to fall irrevocably in love) and got a laugh from the audience.

-Extremely minor but neat: never noticed before during Who Am I, they lit Valjean so he cast two shadows, one to each side, which is perfect symbolism for that scene.

Anyway, it was wonderful as always. Les Mis genuinely is one of my very favorite things in the whole world.

I'm *kinda* considering driving 2+ hours to Charlotte or Charleston just to see it again while it's nearby.

Currently debating whether to watch either the 25th (Ramin and Hadley!) or the Staged Concert (Michael Ball!) before bed. Or possibly read my all time favorite Valvert fic. Or maybe both.

[itriedsohard]

Les Mis US Tour ‘24 Is Beyond Amazing

just saw the Les Mis tour (it’s like my 4th time seeing it live) and can I just say this was my FAVORITE production I’ve seen, SO MANY ENJOLRAS AND GRANTAIRE MOMENTS my heart 😭😭😭, every single cast member sounds incredible literally a perfect cast (Nick Cartell my beloved)(now obsessed with Kyle Adams aka Grantaire)(Preston Truman Boyd as Javert healed me actually) AAAAAAHHHHHHH 10/10 would recommend

[enjolrasling]

I saw the Les Miserables US tour on Tuesday and am still IN MY FEELINGS about it, so here’s a random assortment of somewhat coherent thoughts/rambles/write up/review.

(Note: I saw the entire principle cast except Randy Jeter (who was out) and two ensemble swings. Andrew Marks Maughan was pulling double duty as both the Bishop and Combferre.)

• I didn’t know anything about Nick Cartell going in, but holy fuck, that VOICE. Tone is immaculate. Lungs of fucking steel.

• “Another story must beGINNNNNN” are you kidding me Nick. Who gave you the right to be this talented. Why is this man not more famous?!

• Preston Truman Boyd as Javert - voice is great, nice deep baritone. I wanted a smidge more from him acting wise though (this improved over the course of his performance).

• Nick and Preston sound phenomenal together, their voices work SO WELL.

• Haley Dortch has the voice of an angel and I loved her portrayal of Fantine.

• I appreciated that when Fantine was attacked/arrested all of the lovely ladies kept trying to stop it/help her. A nice staging touch.

• The whole transition into the courtroom was fantastic. Nick with that ending note of “Who Am I?” 🤯 I feel like I heard a few nods to Colm’s Valjean throughout Nick’s performance, this being one, which I appreciated on a cellular level.

• Confrontation sounded sooo good. It is a little goofy looking because Nick is so much shorter/smaller than Preston, which made the whole Valjean-as-stronger-man thing a bit silly. The blocking here didn’t do much for me. But what can you do. However! The “you’ll wear a different CHAInnn!” *cue Present with the chain hitting the stage floor* was fierce.

• It took a minute but Matt Crowle really won me over as Thénardier. Acting choices were 💯 without going over the top.

• There was a lot going on during “Master of the House” and it was a lot of fun, but also hard to catch everything.

• Gavroche was delightful. As usual.

• I’m not sure why Enjolras’ blonde wig was so bad, but it was really distracting. Devin Archer does a very decent Enjolras, but man that wig was not doing him any favors.

• Marius’ entrance was forgettable. I think this was more a staging issue than a reflection on Jake David Smith maybe? All the students kind of looked the same at this time. I had a hard time telling Les Amis apart all night, honestly. Except for Enjolras and Grantaire, obviously, which brings me to….

• Kyle Adams. You freaking fan-servicing national treasure. Cards on the table, seeing reviews of Kyle’s Grantaire was the single biggest reason I decided to catch this tour, and I was really, REALLY hoping to see him in the role. I did not think anyone would ever come close to eclipsing Hadley as my R of all time, but Kyle is right up there in his orbit. Omg that scene stealing little shit. He really put his all into “the drunk one”. Blowing the kiss to E at the end of Red and Black. Continually slapping people with his coat jacket. The dick-bottle in Enjolras’ face. Constantly goofing around with Gavroche. It was all gold. I really appreciate an actor who’s done their homework, and Kyle is very obviously well versed in both the source material and the rabid E/R fan fiction. His performance is a love letter to the fans - to those of us who have cried over the brick, who have watched every musical version we’ve been able to get our hands on over and over again - and I love that for all of us.

• Anyway, back to “Red and Black”. Devin is great, really brings the sassy Enjolras energy. Marius is….kind of forgettable again. Sorry, Jake. Enjolras when he grabs that flag…Devin is really serving.

• “Do You Hear the People Sing” was wonderfully rousing, as always. One of my favorites forever. The transition to the streets was very pleasing. Again, Devin with that damn flag. I might end up shipping Enj with the flag as much as E and R, he’s that passionate with it 🤣

• Delaney Guyer was a perfectly pleasant Cosette. No criticisms, I just haven’t really ever cared about Cosette much as a character. Her songs do very little for me. But Delaney was lovely.

• Mya Rena Hunter as Eponine was somewhat “meh” for me. Her vocals are killer and “On My Own” got one of the biggest ovations of the night, but I didn’t love her acting choices. Or maybe lack there of, it didn’t seem like there were any. I dunno.

• The staging/choreo for “One Day More” was really entertaining. Much better than the underwhelming marching I saw in the 2012 production. Devin serving sassy, dramatic Enjolras with flair and a rifle is a whole ass mood.

• I fucking love the barricade set. Seeing Les Amis climb all over that thing is such a moment. Enjolras literally leaping off the set multiple times. Dude gets AIR.

• Gavroche flipping off Javert was an audience favorite.

• “A Little Falls of Rain” was underwhelming. The staging was a bit awkward and there was no scene chemistry between Jake and Mya. I really wanted to feel something. I didn’t. Just eh.

• “Drink With Me”, on the other hand, was so wonderfully emotional. Kyle’s stying of R’s verse is an angrier, grittier interpretation and I’m sooo here for it. Enjolras goes to console him and R pushes him away. The pain feels so real.

• “Bring Him Home”….Nick. Fucking. Cartell. I have no words. He cast an absolute SPELL over the theater. His breath control is super human. His last “home” note went on FOREVER. Absolutely phenomenal. Hands down best version I’ve ever heard live. Biggest ovation of the night.

• Gavroche’s death 😭 So sad, so well done. It was very striking how he was shot just as Enjolras’ hand reached up for him as he returned. The timing, the lights, sound everything was excellent. Then he crumpled onto E’s shoulder. E handed his lifeless body to R, who was just devastated. I love the relationship they created between Gavroche and R this production. The entire build up of their interactions made this moment so poignant and believable.

• Christopher Robin Sapp really took his 5 seconds of National Guard Officer/Loud Hailer time and absolutely slayed it. I want to see more of this guy in the future.

• The choreo of the final battle was very satisfying. I totally missed Marius getting injured and just mistook him for another student because again….Marius was just not catching any of my attention this tour, lol. The frantic moment between E and R in this scene was so raw and well done by both actors. R reaching for E’s face, clasping hands so very briefly. Ugh.

• Then E with the flag again. This scene is so striking and Devin gives it EVERYTHING. Then R climbing up after E once he gets shot and falls off of the barricade. The way it takes a few moments for R to die after being shot and Kyle freaking Adams makes sure the audience knows it…

• I was lucky enough to see a production with the revolving stage back in the day and I’m really glad I did, because the reveal of Enjolras’ body hanging upside down off the other side of the barricade with the flag is one of those theater moments that will haunt me forever. Enjolras’ lifeless body in the cart just doesn’t have quite that same punch, but it’s timed very nicely with the music swell, and the way his body shifts/almost falls out of the cart when it’s carried away again is quite effective.

• Ok so the sewers. That was cool. I felt like this production used just enough of the screen to really assist the set design without relying on it too much. It worked really well for the orchestration and gave depth to Valjean just dragging Marius across the stage 3 times.

• Thénardier dragging in that corpse by his ankles for “Dog Eats Dog” lol. Matt really showed up for this scene. I think he did a good job of dipping into the “comedic” aspects of Thénardier as well as balancing the really rotten parts - this was a really great rotten part. I thoroughly enjoyed his turn as the infamous innkeeper.

• Javert is such a little drama queen.

• “Stars” was A++++. One of my forever favorites anyway, but Preston took this song to church. Also, I do NOT remember this staging, if it’s what I saw in 2012 (I don’t think so?!) and holy shit. I was not expecting what they did, which got quite a few gasps from the audience. The falling/floating/reaching while holding that last “ONNNNNNN” was a fucking MOMENT. Props to this production set up. Major props to Preston. Just wow.

• The transition from “Turning” to “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was beautiful, and I love love love the candle choreography. When Les Amis blow their candles out….ugh 😭 This number was a bit of redemption for Jake David Smith, who until now had kept slipping into the background. I found his Marius to be a bit uninspired and unrecognizable for the most part. He did not bring much of a presence to the role until this moment. But his vocals were great here, and the anguish felt genuine.

• I don’t have much too say about “Beggars at the Feast” because I was too busy watching no one but Kyle Adams as Major Domo for the entire scene 🤷🏻‍♀️

• But omg the change of Thénardier’s lyrics from “this one’s a queer / but what can you do?” to “this one’s a queer / I might try it too” and then he dips that random wedding guest dude was a giant yes from me.

• Finale left a touch to be desired blocking/staging wise. I remember feeling that way with the 2012 production as well. Les Mis is just such a powerful musical, I feel like it deserves a bigger ending than basically everyone just standing in two lines behind Cosette and Marius. The cast’s vocals made up for the lack of production though. Truly so, so good.

• In conclusion: Nick Cartell has an otherworldly voice and Kyle Adams is the Grantaire we all deserve. I am so, SO glad I got to experience this cast.

[fadedjadedmandarin]

JINKX MONSOON BACK ON BROADWAY WHO CHEERED!!!

[24601orwhatever]

THE ORIGINAL BROADWAY STAGING ALONGSIDE THE RESTAGED US TOUR

which do you prefer? 📷: @bikinibottomdayz + X

[handsomeyoungscapegrace]

Mayor Madeleine said its MY turn on the cunty Javert drawing

[wanderinghedgehog]

I’ve done a similar poll before, but I’ve got another line to try this with, so here we go again

Once again, this is not about your favorite Javert actor overall, but specifically your favorite version of this line. I’ll probably do another big post after the poll is done like last time too. As always, I have thoughts.

[loracarol]

For all that I love Les Misérables (the musical), I've only seen it once on stage; when the local high school was performing it, and I was in elementary school/early middle school. (I don't know why my Mum took us to see it, but some things definitely went over my head lmao.)

So my brother got my Mum and I tickets to see the US tour, and holy shit. Holy. Shit.

Some of the things I enjoyed may be common to the play! Maybe I'm just out of the loop! But I still really liked them! (In no particular order.)

Nick Cartell and Preston Truman Boyd were really good as Jean Valjean and Javert, but I have to give a special shout out to Haley Dortch whose Fantine was exquisite and Randy Jeter who played the Bishop and whose breath control/ability to hold long notes I envy deeply.

Gavroche flipped Javert off at the barricades. 🤣

Is Grantaire caring for Gavroche a common theme in the musicals? Because in this one, Gavroche ran to give Grantaire a hug during one point at the barricades - I think after Eponine dies? And then Grantaire gave Gavroche his coat to sleep under. Later it's Grantaire who takes it the worst when Gavroche dies, and is the one to hold him and take him down from the barricade.

I have a confession… I don't actually know the difference between the different Les Amis. I know that they're popular, and I know some of their names, but I have to double check the lyrics to see who Grantaire was. >>; That being said, they're death scene was really amazing but also probably be very careful if you're sensitive to flashing lights. They had spotlights flash to represent the bullets as each Les Amis died and it was gorgeous and brutal.

Our barricade wasn't a turntable, but the sets in general were really cool. They had a projector screen on the back that they used to great effect, especially during the sewer scene and Javert's suicide.

THE RUNAWAY CART. I have no idea how they did that but it was so well done.

The Turning transition to Empty Chairs at Empty Tables and how each lady in Turning left a candle and then each dead Les Amis picked one up and toasted like it was a cup. Ugh. Gut punch.

The Thénardiers were terrible and hilarious as always. We were high up in the cheap seats, so I couldn't always tell what everyone was doing, but the Thénardiers were always so over the top that I could always tell what they were doing.

Diversity win, one of the worst characters in the musical made canonically bisexual (?) with the lines in Beggars at the Feast changed from, "This one's a queer \\ But what can you do?" to "This one's a queer \\ I might try it too." At which point M. Thenardier started dancing with the gentleman in question and dipped him.

I really could see why Marius would be clueless about Eponine's affections; every time he actually is interacting with her, she's either teasing/friendly bullying him (pick-pocketing his book then throwing it across the street), or helping him find another woman. It's only in her asides/inner monologue that she acknowledges it. It gave very, "boy pulling pigtails" vibes and I would understand why Marius wouldn't necessarily see it.

In general, Marius and Cosette were adorable. His "I'm doing everything all wrong" was pitch perfect and he had the audience laughing.

...I know that J/J (?) Valvert (?) is the most popular pairing, but honestly I came out of the first act wanting an AU where Fantine's illness is less deadly, and she ends up leaving w/ Valjean, and they figure the easiest way to hide is to get married and pretend to be a family; it hides Cosette's parentage, and gives them a cover in Paris; Javert is looking for Single Convict Jean Valjean, not Married Family Man Normal McLoving-Husband-and-Father. And later Javert can join in making them a weird poly trio, as a treat. (Not weird because they're poly; weird because Javert is Like That.)

(...Maybe in a modern AU where Javert gets some major therapy.)

(My first thought was fake-marriage AU where Valjean marries Fantine to get her on his health insurance and then I remembered that that's an American Problem Probably.)

(I'm not saying it would work for all versions of Valjean and Fantine, just in this one.)

The Bishop was with Fantine and Eponine in welcoming Valjean to heaven and that's when I started crying.

In the applause, all the child actors held hands with Valjean and did a bow with him & then he picked up the child!Cosette of the night and carried her. It was adorable. Everything about Valjean and child!Cosette was adorable.

In general everything with the children was so fucking cute.

I already loved the songs, but hearing them echo and reverb in the theater was amazing and I'm super jealous of people who can go on the reg. |D

Just. Ugh. It was so good. I didn't realize how much I missed live theater.

I even bought merch for the first time. 🤣(A keychain and some pins, nothing fancy admittedly.)

I wish every traveling group put out their own soundtrack. I want to listen to these guys 5ever.

[fyeahshelovesme]

cameronadamsnyc: #MoscowMule's? Yes, please! #SundayFunday (x)