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ironforgedrp · 5 years

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♛ ATTENTION THOSE IN THE CAPITAL

𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔤𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔪𝔢𝔯𝔠𝓎 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔟𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔰𝔥𝔲𝔱 𝔲𝔭, 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔣𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔥'𝔡 𝔰𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔦𝔢𝔯, 𝔯𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱, 𝔦𝔫 𝔩𝔦𝔟𝔢𝔯𝔱𝓎 𝔬𝔣 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡𝓎 𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔢.

⊱⊱⊱ as if sensing the coiling anticipation of those awaiting the trial, the days drag by ━ long and hot. when the sun finally rises on the morning of the trial, many wake in the earliest hours to cram themselves into the dragonpits to secure a view of the bloodshed to come. the guards lining the area and those protecting the nobility seem to have tripled ━ no one is willing to take a chance of leaving themselves vulnerable... even knowing that the alleged culprit of so many crimes been caught.

the king and queen of the iron throne perch above the crowd, looking down as the villain of their story is brought forth in chains. they demand Edderion Stark name his champion. He has chosen a young LORD GLOVER. Whispers stream through the crowd, especially among those of the North. house glove was once a primary loyal house to house stark of winterfell... no one is sure where their allegiances lay anymore. the black fin, lord finn volmark, spits at him through a curse, the shouted-down but large man stepped forward and unsheathed his sword.

another ripple through the crowd, this time far louder, as LORD BRANDEN STARK steps into the arena as the iron throne’s chosen champion ━ many in the crowd shocked by the obvious statement that the winterfell heir was denouncing his blood uncle. he is escorted by a woman best known from the local tavern, the broken axe. a confused glance is exchanged between the first mate of stormlands ship eilee’s breath, tala saan, and bastard songstress from the reach, honey flowers. the red priestess scoffs to herself, eyes scanning the crowd’s faces and whispers ━ the barmaid is no longer a barmaid, no longer wearing her apron and marred with dirt and stains of wine and ale, she stands tall next to her daughter in a gown marked with the house stark’s direwolf sigil. on the other side of the winterfell heir, is the stark-turned bard, jon stark, looking particularly out of place next to his serious and seething siblings. the resemblance between the three is uncanny, however, and it quickly spreads that the woman is wylla of house stark, the missing and presumed dead daughter of winterfell ━ risen from the ashes almost as she walks proudly with her daughter to be seated with the rest of the nobility.

⊱⊱⊱ the crowd falls to a hush again as king arryk lannister rises from his seat and holds up a hand to demand the quiet, stepping forward to the edge of the platform that he and his wife are seated upon. in the queen’s arms is their son, prince aemos, soundly swaddled and asleep ━ with a non exchanged between the husband and wife, the lannister queen hands her son to the grand maester who takes the infant prince away from the soon-to-be battlefield. the lannister king’s words are loud, meant for the crowd as a whole, but his gaze remains entirely focused and intent on the disgraced lord edderion stark.

“𝔐𝔞𝓎 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔬𝔡𝔰 𝔧𝔲𝔡𝔤𝔢 𝓎𝔬𝔲 𝔞𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝓎 𝔰𝔢𝔢 𝔣𝔦𝔱.”

with a sweep of the lannister kings arm, a gong sounds through the space and signifies the beginning of the end. there is little hesitation as lord glover rushes across the sand, using his brute size to his advantage. the sound of metal clashing rings through the arena - the arms of branden shaking temporarily against the sudden weight of the blow before shoving off the man he once called his bannerman and retreating a step.

jeers could be heard from smallfolk and nobles alike. no one wanted the glover to prevail. queen kyra baratheon, prince tate tully, lord nicholas lannister, and rychärd harlaw all speculated quietly on the outcome while the lord hand willem clegane and master of war, lord fanghorn, could no longer bear to talk in anticipation of what said outcome would be. lady lynesse hightower suddenly excused herself as she was seized by intense nausea and, honestly, there were only rare moments in westerosi history where there had there been a man so utterly hated as there was at that moment.

branden lifted his longsword in a lengthy arch and landed a blow that knocked lord glover’s shield from his arm, the glover returned with a swing that left a laceration deep into branden’s thigh. the ladies belmore and allyrion audibly gasp, the sister to the lannister king grasping at the edge of her seat and turned her head away for a moment. princess velia arainai, however, noble leaned closer to the action, watching intently as the two fighters separated. both needed to regain their energy; he crowd was becoming more restless and more eager to see this come to an end with the glover man defeated.

they were nearly equally matched; both were strong northmen with experience both in the fields, woods, and against others. each blow was matched by a parry, and every parry was dealt more slowly than the last as it was obvious that both men were running out of steam. the crowd cheered loudly for the heir to winterfell, though it is believed his loudest and most ardent supporters lay in the mormont siblings ━ and it was at that moment when branden saw his opening, a twist of his wrist and the quick, vicious thrust of a skilled swordsman; blade deep into the sternum of his uncle’s champion.

it seemed eons before the cheering ended, king arryk lannister on his feet signalling for quite once more as he announced, with the smallest of smiles;

“𝔩𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔢𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔰𝔱𝔞𝔯𝓀, 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔤𝔬𝔡𝔰 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔧𝔲𝔡𝔤𝔢𝔡 𝓎𝔬𝔲 𝔤𝔲𝔦𝔩𝔱𝓎. 𝓎𝔬𝔲 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔟𝓎 𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝓎𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰.”

#plot drop: kidnapping

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woodlandcrochet · 5 years

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Strength of a Pack Prologue

Strength of a pack

I own nothing but the Plot and idea of this story all characters belong to their rightful owners. I only the OC Characters.

Blood Status

Sansa Stark: Muggleborn

Robb Stark: Muggle

Jon Targaryen: Muggle

Catelyn Stark nee Tully Married to Ned Stark: Squib

Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark: Muggle

Arya Stark: Muggle

Branden Stark (Ned’s older brother): Muggle

Branden Stark (Ned’s son): Muggle

Rickon Stark: Muggle

Lyanna Targaryen Nee Stark: Married to Rheagar Targaryen: Muggle

Benjamin Stark: Muggle

Ashara Stark nee Dayne: Married to Branden Stark: Squib

Brynden Tully; Head of the Auror: Pureblood

Hoster Tully Head of Magical Law: Pureblood

Edmure Tully Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office: Pureblood

Heather Morrison Healer and Herbalist friend/love interest of Brynden Tully: Muggleborn

Daenerys Targaryen: Muggle

Rheagar Targaryen Married to Lyanna Stark: Muggle

Aegon Targaryen: Muggle

Rhaenys Targaryen: Muggle

Sansa looks at her mother and aunt fighting which has become more and more often with Lyanna not like her mother Catelyn and her strange family as Lyanna likes to call them. But more so Lyanna doesn’t think that Catelyn’s children are really her father’s Eddard Stark’s children as many of them show the Tully side to them with little Starks appearances. Sansa closes her eyes and covers her ears trying to stay in control of the power she had with all the fighting going on "STOP IT!" she shouts as balloons popped, glass shattered, and destruction gave way. Screams were heard as Sansa feels her mother cover her protecting her from the destruction "PROTEGO!" Hoster says along with Bryden protecting the people "Reparo" Edmure says flicking his wand about.

Sansa looks out from her mother's protection to see her grandfather, Great Uncle, and Uncle saying strange words and using wands? Catelyn looks around to make sure it was safe and let Sansa out from the protection of her body and just holds Sansa close to her. Catelyn kisses Sansa's head knowing that her life is about to change, and secrets revealed to her Husband's family. Ned looks at his in-laws in shock and turns to Sansa to see her alright with Catelyn who doesn't look shocked at all to what is going on and then turns to Sansa who started all of this. Branden Stark looks around to see everything broken being fix right before his eyes.

"What are you?" he asks Hoster turns to him "We are Wizards and Sansa is a Witch" he simply says Bryden nods "My brother is right and not even the full story Hoster, Edmure and I are Purebloods and from the scared 29 full blood houses" he says Edmure walks over to Catelyn and Sansa to help them up and to check them over. Edmure smiles when he sees they are both okay and hugs them before kneeling to hug Sansa tightly.

Ned looks over to his wife "Why did you never tell me?" he asks Catelyn sighs "I was born without Magic Ned, I am what is known as Squib, Born of magical parents without magic and because of me, Sansa would be considered a Muggleborn unless my father, brother, and uncle can get Sansa to recognize to be a half-blood which is unlikely with the Pureblood government.

Branden Stark crosses his arms "So I'm guessing that Muggleborn is lowest of the low?" he asks looking at Sansa with a concerned look, Edmure shakes his head "No there are others who are below Muggleborns, but" Edmure sighs "We will do everything in our power to Protect Sansa she is our Blood" he explains. Hoster nods "Family Duty Honor" walking over to Sansa and kneels down pulling out a big book from his coat pocket "I always knew that you had magic since the day I found out your mother was pregnant with you" Hoster cups Sansa check and hands her the book "A book on Hogwarts History for you to read and I have many more as well waiting for you" he explains knowing how much Sansa and how quickly she goes threw them. Sansa takes the big thick book from her grandfather and studies it while processing the information. Sansa Stark was a witch threw her mother's side who are purebloods and Sansa herself is a Muggleborn.

Sansa smiles “I guess this would explain the branch I have,” she says Hoster turns to Sansa "What do you mean?" he asks as Sansa touches his wand "I touch a weird wood branch and it spread a wave of warmth thru me and it broke off like it knew that it belongs to me" she explains Brynden looks at Hoster and nods "Expecto Patronuon Go to Ollivanders right away and tell that he has a wand to make" he says to the transparent swimming fish.

Hoster looks at his granddaughter who was already wanting to get into the book and stands "Show me this branch" he says Sansa nods "As long as you tell me about the Magical world" she says

Hoster nods "But of course," he says as Sansa takes his hand and she leads him inside. Brynden turns to the Starks "What do you know about the Weirwoods Tree?" he asks knowing why Sansa would feel a connection to the tree that has never produce a wand in years would choose Sansa. Being a protective Great Uncle that he is and one of the Aurors around with a war brewing he had to know where his enemies are. Richard struggles "Not Much just that the North has always worship the Old Gods and that Starks has a connection to them" he explains

Brynden nods knowing what the truth is about the Weirdwood and the Starks are centuries lost. Hoster and Sansa comes out of the house as Garrick Ollivander a master wandmaker appears "The Blackfish how can I help you?" he asks Brynden points behind him and Garrick turns around to see a young girl with Lord Tully carrying a stick about 13 inches long. "You can make a wand from the Weirdwood Tree for my great Niece" Brynden explains Garrick nods and kneels down "I am Garrick and I make wands" he says holding out his hands for the wood. Sansa turns to her grandfather who nods and Sansa hands over the stick to him. Garrick smiles as he studies and looks at it in certain ways "Hmmmmmmm All I have to do is polish it and have it look like a wand but other than that it's the perfect size for you and I need to find a core as well" he says taking the wood and placing it inside of the bag he brought with him.

Garrick turns to Sansa and looks around at her family sensing fearsome protection for her in her family when he spots a Weirdwood Tree. Garrick gets up and goes over to it “Very interesting, perhaps my family records might hold some answers” he says to himself. Hoster looks at him “Garrick please inform me of the cost of the wand,” he says bring his attention back to Hoster Tully and Garrick nods “I will and I will do some digging to see if my family has ever worked with Weirdwood wands in the past and I will start working on a core for your Granddaughter’s wand” he says and disappears. Brynden shakes his head when Garrick “He is an odd man” he says as the muggles nod in understanding.

Sansa looks up at her family seeing the non-magic and the Magical ones nod in understanding. Ashara smiles and walks up to Catelyn “Looks like I need to tell my secret,” she says Branden her husband looks confused “Ah honey what do you mean?” he asks Ashara smiles “I am also a Squib” she says Catelyn smiles “We knew each other because our family ran in the same circles in the Pureblood world” she says Ashara nods looking down at Sansa “You will have a cousin threw me who will be attending Hogwarts in your year” she says simply. Sansa nods as she rubs her head with her hands feeling overwhelmed at the moment.

Today should have been a normal Birthday for her not being exposed to family secrets and mysteries within her family. Catelyn looks down at Sansa sensing she was feeling overwhelmed with today’s events and it has been a long day as well. Catelyn looks at her watch “Oh look at the time it’s 6 pm it’s getting late” she says Hoster nods and kisses Sansa’s head “That it is,” he says looking at his son and brother who nod in understanding. Hoster smiles at Sansa “I hope you had a very good birthday sweetheart and I will see you soon” he says. Brynden nods walking up to Richard and Lyarra “Is there any place that would hold information about the Connection between the Starks and the Weirdwood Trees?” he asks Richard nods “Winterfell Castle it’s been in our family for Centuries” waving the hands between the Starks “We still own it,” he says Brynden nods “I’ll take a look at it sometime” he says while knowing the one person who might be able to find the answers is Sansa, but there might be something that could give him a hint of anything that might be of help.

Richard nods as Lyanna crosses her arms “Are you sure that it isn’t your bloodline that you should be looking into?” she asks Brynden turns to her “I am sure it’s a Stark bloodline, never in our family has bonded with the Weirdwood and the Last time it has been used was in 1,000 years!” Brynden looks at Lyanna “1,000 years and now Sansa is a witch. According to what I heard from the story is that Witch or Wizard faced off with a creature what us magical folk never seen or heard of and long has been forgotten what it is” he says. Hoster nods “Brynden is right about that part and since that day the Weirdwood Wand has never been made by anyone” he explains crossing his arms.

Catelyn looks between her family and in-laws worried but more so for Sansa who takes mainly after her. Placing her hands-on Sansa’s shoulders and looks down at her with Sansa looking up “Why go upstairs and get ready for bed Uncle Edmure will read you a story” she says Sansa nods as Catelyn looks at the rest of her children “And that goes with the rest of you” she orders as Robb, Arya, Bran nod as Catelyn takes Rickon from Benjamin’s arms and leads the children upstairs with Edmure following them.

Brynden and Hoster flick their wands and all the birthday party supplies were taken down and cleaned up. Ned watches in awe and shock at what just happen and Brynden smirks “One day Sansa will be able to do that and more” he says Hoster nods “I will be sending over more books for Sansa tomorrow” he says Ned nods in understanding watching them with a blank face ready to go have a drink of something strong and maybe a smoke. Hours later when the children had gone to bed and Ned was nursing a glass of Whiskey when Catelyn walks into the Bedroom, her eyes widen and she looks down with worry “I know your upset with me about keeping the secret about my family, but Ned, you have to believe me when I say I didn’t know that Sansa would have magic at all or any of the children would” she states.

Ned turns to her and studies her as if he was seeing her in a new light and nods “I know” he says taking a drink and downing the glass and Catelyn nods as she rubs her hands together nervously “Magic can be a gift or a curse” she says and Ned turns to her “What do you mean?” he asks and Catelyn smiles “If a child suppress their magic it a very dangerous thing Ned and they don’t live beyond childhood and one of the many reasons why I want Sansa to go to a Healer one that my Uncle knows” she says Ned nods “To make sure she is healthy” he says Catelyn nods as she moves into the bed and lays in it. Ned puts down the glass and out the cigarette and gets into bed “So what can you tell me about the story that your Father and Uncle were talking about and why are they so certain that it’s the Starks that the Weirdwood Tree are connected?” he asks.

Catelyn sighs “According to the Story the person who fought the creature with a Weirdwood wand and a giant wolf known as a Direwolf” she says and Ned blinks “The Sigil of House Stark” he says Catelyn nods “Yes the Sigil of Starks is a Magical Giant Wolf that are rare to find and not even Famed Magizoologist know a lot about them” she explains Ned nods “Sansa being a Witch means something Big is coming doesn’t it?” he asks Catelyn bites her lip unsure what to say as she didn’t know much of the current state of Dark Wizards or of the Ministry of Magic but does know that someone evil is coming that she learned from her father, Uncle, and brother. Taking Ned’s hand into her as Catelyn looks him in the eyes “The only thing that matters is that Sansa is safe and loved and that the pack will survive” she says and while Ned doesn’t look convene and Catelyn smiles “Winter will come for all those who threaten Sansa and Family, Duty, Honor. Sansa is the Granddaughter of a Pureblood who is the head of an Office along with being the Great Niece of the Head of Aurors Family will protect Family along with preparing Sansa for the Wizardry world will add into doing our duty in protecting her along with OUR Honor as Starks and Tully will keep her safe” she says kissing Ned’s hand.

Catelyn turns over and turns off the light and goes under the covers of the blankets goes to sleep and Ned puts out his smoke afterward he stripes himself of his clothes leaving only in boxers and curls up next to his wife and goes to sleep.

Tully Manor

Brynden looks out the window into the darkest as the day’s events replayed in his mind, inhaling from his wooded pipe holding the smoke within him for a bit and exhaling it before taking a drink of Scotch and turns back to his brother who is doing the same thing, but unlike Brynden Hoster was reading book titles for Sansa to read. Brynden smirks “Sansa would be a better Heir than Edmure” he says Hoster looks up with his reading glasses and smirks “That she would,” he says and Brynden smiles “But you're also gearing up for the fact of a possible new Pureblood line?” he asks Hoster shrugs “I am noting to tell her to date or marriage she gets free will in her love, but I want to protect her from those who want her harm” he explains and Brynden nods “I agree which is why I am going to Winterfell Castle to look around for clues as to the Stark Secrets and connection to the weirdwood and the Direwolves” he explains and Hoster nods taking a smoke “Good plan, I’m sure Arthur Dayne is already being informed of the reason and will be more than happy to cover for you and me will be doing everything in my power to make Sansa declare as a Half-blood” he says Brynden nods “Wild Goose chase if you asked me, but we have to try” he says.

Edmure walks into the study and spots the Wood Pipes and glasses holding up his hands “I am going to bed” he says not wanting to get involved with smoking and alcohol. Brynden shakes his head at Edmure “I wonder about that boy and Yes I call him a boy because he is not a Man” he says Hoster nods “I know,” he says turning to pile of books “Sansa goes thru books so quickly because she loves to read” eyeing the big pile and Brynden smiles “That should be enough for now” he says simply and Hoster nods and puts down the books and gets up taking another smoke “Pureblood mania is getting worse and more are agreeing with it” he says Brynden nods “So I’ve noticed” turning back to the window “Someone is out there causing war and bring forth a great Darkness with it” Brynden pauses taking another smoke and drink holding for long time letting go and letting the burn in his throat grim “Nothing like we have ever seen before and one that will change effect both the Wizard and Muggle worlds” he explains Hoster nods getting up and stands next to him looking out into the Darkness.

#Ravenclaw/Gryffindor Sansa Stark #Gryffindor Dickon Tarly #Harry Potter and Game of Thrones Mash

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newyorktheater · 6 years

Text

“The Cost of Living” by Martyna Majok wins the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. “The Minutes by Tracy Letts and “Everybody” by Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins were selected as finalists.

This only begins the Season of Theater Awards, which will heat up within the next few weeks. This month is already hot with openings — six on Broadway within the next nine days. I’ve already reviewed eight plays and musicals just in the past week (See below.).

Also below: More on Majok and the Pulitzers, Tony nominations, new shows starring Elaine May, Anika Noni Rose, and Karl Marx; the spectacular new season at the Signature, Patti LuPone starts a new feud, and a parody of Les Miz on Saturday Night Live.

Week in NY Theater Reviews

(Click on the titles to read the complete reviews and/or see all the production photographs)

Amar Ramasar and company in “Blow High, Blow Low.”

Carousel

The new “Carousel” has the most glorious singing on Broadway, as well as thrilling choreography and picturesque sets and costumes that seem lifted from great American paintings by Thomas Eakins and Edward Hopper. It also has a surprisingly dark story whose last half hour has aged so poorly it offers a bizarre mix of the ugly and the precious.

Mlima’s Tale

Elephants might become extinct in 20 years because of poaching for their ivory, we learn from “Mlima’s Tale,” the unusual new play by Lynn Nottage, the Pulitzer prize winning playwright of Ruined and Sweat, which is staged poetically by Jo Bonney, with a memorable performance by Sahr Ngaujah as Mlima. When we first see him, Ngaujah is in a tense crouch, his left arm stretched in the air behind him, his right arm curled below him, like an especially fierce bowler – or a massive elephant with a mighty trunk…

King Lear

“King Lear” begins with a foolish ruler swayed by flattery, and ends with what Royal Shakespeare Company artistic director Greg Doran calls “a strange, profound unease.” Shakespeare’s tragedy is, in other words, as relevant as ever. And Doran’s often visually arresting if rarely shattering production at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater, which stars Antony Sher as Lear, is as good as any to remind us of the Bard’s insights into stormy times, and the self-delusions of the powerful.

Mean Girls

At the end of “Mean Girls,” Cady, the new girl in high school who tries so hard to fit in that she’s become phony and superficial, tells her classmates that she’s learned her lesson: “I wanted everyone to like me so bad, I kind of lost myself in the process.” Had Tina Fey and her collaborators learned the same lesson, they surely would not have turned her smart, funny 2004 movie into the overlong, ill-timed Broadway musical that is currently running at the August Wilson Theater.

Children of a Lesser God

The first Broadway revival of “Children of a Lesser God,” the award-winning, boundary-breaking 1980 play by Mark Medoff about the romance and eventual marriage between a hearing teacher at a school for the deaf and a deaf graduate, is the only show on Broadway whose creative team includes a “director of artistic sign language.” It is the only show on Broadway to project supertitles of the entire script at EVERY performance, and to schedule sign language interpreters regularly. And, above all, it is of course the only show that marks the stunning Broadway debut of Lauren Ridloff, who portrays Sarah Norman, whose language (like the actress’s) is American Sign Language. These are reasons enough to welcome this production, and to consider it pioneering, even as the play it’s remounting feels dated.

Dutch Masters

n “Dutch Masters,” a new play written by Greg Keller and directed by Andre Holland, a young black man meets a young white man on the subway, with unexpected results. In “Dutchman,” the 1964 play by LeRoi Jones (soon to change his name to Amiri Baraka), a young black man meets a white woman on the subway, with unexpected results….“Dutchman” winds up a surreal and merciless indictment of White America. “Dutch Masters” is more realistic, and less harsh, but it too requires a suspension of disbelief, and it too comments on race relations in America. It also adds an observation about class that feels exactly right – showing how race and class can sometimes be synonymous.

Miss You Like Hell

Miss You Like Hell,” a new musical by “In The Heights” book writer Quiara Alegría Hudes and singer-songwriter Erin McKeown, depicts the most American of adventures, the road trip. But this road trip takes place in the America of today, and so the discoveries and self-discovery are edged with some dark realities. Daphne Rubin-Vega, portraying one of her most vibrant original characters since her Broadway debut in “Rent,” is Beatriz Santiago, a Mexican immigrant mother who…insists that her 16-year-old estranged daughter Olivia accompany her on a cross-country trip over the next seven days.

This Flat Earth

Lindsey Ferrentino’s drama takes a more oblique approach than most of the other plays about school shootings that I’ve seen — and I’ve seen too many…The details of the shooting that has the characters reeling are offered in disconnected bits and piece, and kept vague. Instead, “This Flat Earth” largely focuses on the small, subtly devastating (and sometimes amusing!) effects on a handful of characters in the aftermath.

The Week in Theater Awards

The Pulitzer citation for “Cost of Living” reads: “An honest, original work that invites audiences to examine diverse perceptions of privilege and human connection through two pairs of mismatched individuals: a former trucker and his recently paralyzed ex-wife, and an arrogant young man with cerebral palsy and his new caregiver.”

My review : In “Cost of Living,” an eye-opening play featuring a quartet of extraordinary performances, playwright Martyna Majok offers a tart retort to that sappy Barbra Streisand song about the luck of people who need people, and smashes more than one stereotype along the way…”

The play contained one of my favorite moments on stage in 2017:

Katy Sullivan, Victor Williams. In Cost of Living, Eddie gave his disabled wife Ani a bath, and decided to serenade her with a piano concerto. There is no piano in the bathroom, and Eddie never learned to play anyway, much as he wanted to. But he takes her paralyzed arm from the water, drapes it on the bathtub’s edge and plays her like a piano, synchronized with the radio broadcast.

(Majok has been a favorite of mine since I saw her play Iron Bound two years ago.)

More on the finalists:

The Minutes, by Tracy Letts

“A shocking drama set in a seemingly mundane city council meeting that acidly articulates a uniquely American toxicity that feels both historic and contemporary.”

Everybody, by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

“For a contemporary take on a classic morality play that offers a playful and colloquial examination of the human condition in the face of mortality.”

Nominations for @TheTonyAwards will be announced May 1 by @leslieodomjr and @katharinemcphee#TonyAwards2018pic.twitter.com/LWLo10WlyY

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 12, 2018

SpongeBob SquarePants ensemble

Actors’ Equity pushes for creation of Tony Award categories honoring ensembles

The Week in New York Theater News

Elaine May, Lucas Hedges and Michael Cera will star in Kenneth Lonergan’s 1999 play The Waverly Gallery, opening at Broadway’s John Golden Theater October 25, 2018 pic.twitter.com/NUaFQqBqjl

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 11, 2018

.@AnikaNoniRose will star in revival of Carmen Jones, the 1943 all-black musical/opera, at @classicstage June 8-July 29, directed by John Coyle with choreography by @BTJAZCo‘s Bill T Jones! pic.twitter.com/JFNIxw052E

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 11, 2018

Join Karl Marx to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth, in “Marx in Soho,” by the late Howard Zinn (A People’s History of the U.S.) starring Bob Weick as Marx.@sohoplayhouse April 30-May 6, 2018.https://t.co/8ejZzUndCApic.twitter.com/NFTgOgyYzq

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 9, 2018

2018-10 @SignatureTheatr season! Will Eno: Thom Pain (based on nothing) Athol Fugard: Boesman and Lena@dave_malloy: Octet@Lynnbrooklyn: 1.Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undinehttps://t.co/BCqJfEEIGE the Way, Meet Vera Stark Sam Shepard: Curse of the Starving Class pic.twitter.com/eUdZxCCFT3

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 12, 2018

Mike Faist

Mike Faist’s final performance in Dear Evan Hansen will be May 13. Alex Boniello, who was the voice of Moritz in Spring Awakening, will join the company as Connor Murphy two days later.

Donald McKayle, a Tony-nominated choreographer who created classic works of modern dance and was the first African American man to direct and choreograph Broadway musicals, has died at 87.

RIP Milos Forman, 86, Holocaust orphan, Czech filmmaker, Oscar-winning director of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Amadeus.”He was also, briefly, a Broadway director. “The Little Black Book” lasted 7 performances in 1972. pic.twitter.com/wpEsLaC1iv

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 14, 2018

https://www.americantheatre.org/2018/04/06/kiss-me-my-fair-carousel-woman-now-is-the-season-of-our-discontent/

NY playwright @AReyP‘s blunt, funny, wise speech @ATLouisville “…the things other people believed were limiting me—my ethnicity, my queerness, my lack of shame about both—were actually the things that liberated me and made my artistic life possible.”https://t.co/YDCcHggelB

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) April 14, 2018

In London to preform in a gender-switched version of Sondheim’s “Company,”, Patti LuPone sounded off on some of her favorite complaints, seemingly starting a new feud, with Uma Thurman:” I don’t necessarily need to see film actors on stage, because they can’t. Not in my country they can’t….Can I just say, Uma Thurman in The Parisian Woman, anybody see it? Holy shit! I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

LuPone is in London to performed in a gender-switched version of Sondheim’s “Company.”

Cost of Living by Martyna Majok Wins Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Broadway’s April Avalanche. Week in NY Theater "The Cost of Living" by Martyna Majok wins the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. "The Minutes by Tracy Letts and…

#Alex Boniello #Les Miz at a lobster diner on Saturday Night Live #Martyna Majok #Mike Faist leaving Dear Evan Hansen

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ironforgedrp · 5 years

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♛ BRANDEN STARK

↳ details; male, 37. (b. 469AC) ↳ status; pansexual, unmarried, bastard twins evalin & lyanna snow (b.495AC) ↳ faceclaim; viggo mortensen. ↳ hails from; winterfell, the north. ↳ loyalty; house stark, his family.

↳ title; lord of winterfell, warden of the north. ↳ religion; the old gods of the forest. ↳ magical ability; confident greenseer. ↳ spoken languages; the common tongue, a few insults in bastard valyrian ↳ reason in sunspear; after his fathers death he has taken the mantle as head of house stark

♛ PERSONALITY

↳ type; the architect ↳ alignment; lawful neutral ↳ star sign; capricorn. ↳ positives; strategist, loyal, protective, determined, fierce, formidable. ↳ negatives; stubborn, temperamental, narrow-sighted, proud, vengeful, often taciturn.

♛ BIOGRAPHY

↳ family lineage.

when lord rickken and lady alysandra stark announced the birth of their first child, a healthy dark-haired son, it should have been a joyous occasion for all starks and for the northen bannermen ━ but it was overshadowed by the poison of a blood feud. the then babe branden, named in honour of the legendary founder of house stark, would find out as he grew that a horrid fight of jealousy and bitterness of lineage had split his family in two, but he soon learned that his uncle edderion was an unreasonable and bitter man who was simply angry that he was born second. branden didn’t lament the lack of his uncle, he was never there anyway. whilst often taciturn and appearing lost in his own thoughts, the eldest stark was a sponge for all things offered to him; fighting skills, tutoring with the maesters, lessons from his mother on the spiritual aspects of her house, reed, and his fathers house, stark. he never truly understood why as a younger boy, but curious events and visions and other unexplainable things had happen to branden by the time he was ten, and it was around this time that his mother explained to branden that what he truly was, was a greenseer.

rare, but not completely unheard of, branden had been ‘gifted’, as his mother called it, with abilities of foresight. whilst the last known true greenseer had been noted in the history books as a man of house reed - his mothers house, there was also the notion of the three-eyed-raven brandon stark of more than two centuries ago. holed up in his room, the young branden poured over the stories to understand what this would mean for him and his future. when alysandra took branden to see his father, and explained what had come to pass with their eldest ━ it simply bolstered lord rickken pride and favouritism of his eldest. he became obsessed with having branden write down every dream the moment he woke and as branden often muttered and mumbled in his sleep, lord rickken would have the maester or the septa sit over him at night and make note of anything that branden would utter in his sleep. it was on one of these nights that the fates turned the wheel in a way that no one would have expected. in a dream that he wrote about when he woke up, the vague imagery of a living statue carving down branches of an ancient weirwood tree and as each branch fell he described hearing a scream of a name. the names, however, he could not say for the memory was too hazy. he wrote of wolves, two wolves who were not quite twins - one larger, howling at the moon, and a smaller one following suit as the thunk of branches of the godswood became louder and louder. and then, it was a roar of a beast, a gnashing of bloodied fangs and a crown made of snow and ice resting upon each of the wolves heads. he’d woken in a cold sweat, and the journaling of the dream was taken away as the others had been. branden, a young boy who was not sure of the consequences, never took much note of that night ━ of course, he never knew of what he’d muttered while he was dreaming. his father did, though - or he thought he did, and took it as a prophecy that only he was able to fulfil. his son would rule as king in the north, and all would bow to the wolf again as long as he was able to father another child blessed with the gifts of the old gods as branden had been.

this came to pass in another son, brandens younger brother who was born when branden was ten. the sweet-faced young boy named harrion was the last trueborn stark boy that was born and it was clear from early on that he was a boy with gifts like branden. though not a greenseer, as their rarity was high, but a warg; the little stark wolf-boy branden had dubbed him, and rickken was elated. in his mind, his future was set in the lineage and gifts of two of his sons. in truth, branden had been all but blind to his fathers favouritism, but rickken was never cruel to his other children so branden perhaps never noticed. the winterfell heir always had a strong bond with his mother, who when he was older, had revealed that his maternal grandmother was gifted with foresight, not a greenseer as branden was, but a woman of house reed with greensight. they kept that secret between the two, and no one aside from the maester, his parents and the eldest septa knew of branden’s greenseer ability. keeping it hidden for years, he became a master of being able to cope with any side effects; his body would tell him if a vision was to come and he could excuse himself. branden never took much notice of his fathers obsession of any dreams or visions his eldest had, and though they were not as frequent as his childhood, he accepted that his father was simply fascinated by the rarity of his gifts. branden was humbled by it, and he became very spiritual about the old gods and the old ways as a way to thank them.

down the line, a marriage deal was made for harrion with a targaryen girl of a similar age who hailed from dragonstone - the niece of the reigning king maegor targaryen. lord rickken and lady alysandra were quite happy with the match, and though branden only met the young targaryen a handful of times, his brother seemed quite smitten as youngsters often did. branden was into his twenties when all this was coming together, wedding scheduled and plans made - lord rickken elated in thinking that brandens vision from his youth would now come to pass. it was in 494AC, tragedy struck and rattled the bones of house stark when the young lord harrion was up on the turrets of winterfell, looking out to to the sprawling godswood when a violent wind swept from behind him, causing him to tumble to his death, having only turned fifteen years old in the recent days. the layer of grief that settled over winterfell was as thick as a blanket of torrential snow. the funeral, branden could hardly remember, he only remembered his mothers broken-hearted wailing cry and the ache of his lost brother. it was nearly a full year later when another curve ball was thrown to house stark; their perfect heir returned from winter town with two pale, yellow-haired babes... his daughters by a wildling woman, who had abandoned them with a note that simply said the babes were his, she was returning beyond the wall and had no plans to return nor did she wish branden to search for her. he would not let his own flesh and blood starve. joining house stark were the young girls evalin & lyanna snow who grew up raised by the septas and doted on by their father.

growing up in the blood feud between his uncle and father, being a greenseer, the relentless drive of his fathers obsessive ambition and the untimely death of his brother was enough strain on branden. however, come the invitation to the capital for the celebration of the lannister prince, lord rickken’s health took a negative turn and branden attended in his stead. attending the capital for the celebration of the birth of the lannister prince proved to be horrible and the most challenging event of branden’s life as the northern heir. his uncle revealed as traitor to not only his own family but to the iron throne and all of westeros, branden felt the eyes of the entire kingdom turn to him with suspicion and distrust. it was not something he was very fond of, but as a logical man he knew why - it wasn’t though the north had a pleasant history house lannister, but that was one of the reasons why branden approached the lannister king and volunteered as the crowns champion to have his uncle executed for his crimes; the winterfell heir was more than happy to have been the one to condemn him to death. he was fairly certain that his father would scream at him til he was hoarse for entering a trial by combat without formally asking permission, but he had not failed in his duty.

returning home to deliver the news of what had had happened, branden found his lord father’s health had deteriorated rapidly and he was weak, pale, and his mother explained that lord rickken had been in the godswood by winterfell when he was attacked by the guards of his late brothers widow in a failed attempt to retaliate for branden’s victory over her husbands champion. though rickken had made it back to winterfell, he was barely alive. the lord of winterfell died within the week, leaving branden as the new warden of the north. bubbling with rage, he wrote to the crown and informed them of what had happened, and informed them that his lord father had been attacked by the widow of barrowton and, as the warden of the north, he formally requested the crown hold the barrowton widow responsible for her crimes. she was executed by that years end and the branch of the barrowton starks exiled; barrow hall handed to house stout of goldgrass to be castellan over.

branden spent the next months pouring over records, plans and histories applicable to the north - including correspondence with the ruling lord mormont regarding magical bloodlines, which has lead him to wonder if house mormont also holds some power from the old gods. branden is comfortable with the north still loyal to the iron throne, and until given reason otherwise he has no plans to rescind from the iron throne.

↳ personality.

he is nothing if not a proud stark, he is proud of his namesake and of his lineage. he is proud of his father and mother, and proud of himself. though always short spoken branden has a great amount of affection for his siblings and half-siblings, even if he doesn’t say so often. his pride often leads to his anger, or arguments, or even debates over jugs of ale.

he’s a strategist, and a master of slipping by people ━ a habit born of his secrecy in his greenseeing. he wants to bring honour back to the north as his father had always aimed to but his visions for the north are somewhat different now that he has been in the middle of literal political upheaval and chaos. being a father made him softer and more serious, his pride in his house and lands has sanded the edges of branden, the rambunctious young man, into a northern heir worthy of the name.

↳ splitting of the kingdoms.

as most starks do, he held and still does hold a great and many dubious opinions on house lannister, and definitely believes that he would have made a finer ruler should the queens late father had chosen him. however, he cannot honestly say that the north would be better rescinding from the iron throne so eagerly as the other kingdoms have… everything must have a strategy, and a second plan if the original were to fail and that is what his feelings are in regards to the summit. in time, maybe.

he is glad to be the one as the spearhead of the northern party, but he also can’t deny that the north has not suffered under the iron throne and having the crown’s belief in him and his house, despite his uncles treason.

♛ STATUS: TAKEN.

#( queue )#tee.#house stark.#taken.#taken male.#North.

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