#I don't think it did much except make the paint more transparent

[who-is-riley]

the garlic beast

[maudiemoods]

Hello! I've been thinking about your Space Au lately and I have a couple of random questions! (No problem if you don't want to answer them)

1- Are there different "standard" models for the suits they wear? As well as different models of swimsuit

2- If one of them commits cannibalism, is it possible for them to remain sane?

3- Does the amount of "person" they eat indicate how many of their abilitied or characteristics they will acquire? Or is it indifferent?

4- Are there children in this species?

5- Do they have any particular celebration?

6- Do they express emotions like humans? (Cry = sad for example)

7- Do they find any human activity or habit particularly strange or frightening?

8- Can the transparent garments they wear have color? Or do they need to be 100% transparent?

9- Do they have pets?

10- Do they use any type of makeup or face/body paint?

11- What would a normal room look like for this species?

12- (I just don't remember) Does that species have a name?

13- Does the crew have any distinctive uniform?

14- Could they make use of a translator so that the human can speak with them?

15- Can they eat ice cream? (It would be funny if Eclipse developed a taste for ice cream)

16- Are they sensitive to temperature?

17- Is that civilization dependent on technology?

18- Is the concept of giving or receiving gifts something that they practice or would it be something totally unknown to them?

19- What kind of special machines does the ship have?

20- At some point the human will feel comfortable with them to the point of helping them in the ship?

21- How would the human react to knowing what Eclipse did?

22- What would have been the reaction of Eclipse to discover the new friend of Sun and Moon?

23- Do they have any common illness? (like the flu for humans)

I'm sorry there are so many questions, but I haven't stopped thinking about them all night. Also sorry if it's not well written, I'm using the translator... (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

Thanks for all the questions!! I had fun answering them :D!!! Underneath the read more is the answers typed out!

Since you said you were using a translator, I thought I'd be better if I typed it all out! Plus, my hand writing can be kinda sloppy jdkdkks

Answer 1: there are plenty of different models! For crew mates, they're usually pretty simple and most of the time, black! Also! Because they're super durable, they could be used as a swimsuit! (We don't really like swimming)

Of course there are also more extravagant outfits for captains! Those aren't used for anything except show! But they also tend to be black unless used for special occasions!

By the way! Water is uncomfortable to breathe in! They can "turn off" their ability to breathe in through their skin for a while but they have to breathe through their mouth a lot

Answer 2: yes of course! If one only cannibalizes only a couple! Too many will definitely alter one's state of mind! Most don't cannibalize too many, so most are sane. But, beings like eclipse, who have eaten many, will definitely have a few (a lot) screws loose!!

Answer 3: well, to gain abilities, one must eat the core! If the ability affects appearance, just eating the core will change appearance!

If one wants a physical change not connected to an ability, they would really only need to eat one bite of said trait!

Answer 4: even though I haven't figured out life stages and reproduction, I have decided that they will not have a child-like stage. Keep in mind I'm still figuring this out! This probably won't change but who knows!

Answer 5: oh yeah! We have tons! Our biggest one is the solstice festival! It's where we all celebrate our species' beginnings and achievements! There's tons of food and music! Also games and workshops! All kinds of beings get together and celebrate our differences! Also! Also! There's lots of parades and performances

(coming up with this on the spot! Sorry if it's poorly done!)

Answer 6: yep! Pretty much!! Facial expressions are very important in communication! Our kind can practically hold an entire conversation just using body language and facial expressions!

Answer 7: human sleep schedules are a bit strange compared to theirs!

Sun: "this is the third time they've fallen asleep in 78 hours! Is something wrong with them??

Moon: "I don't care"

They also find human lifestyles awful!

Y/n: "back on earth, I worked 60 hours a week and still hardly had enough money to pay rent and feed myself!!

Answer 8: yep! Usually we wear colors that compliment/match our skin!

Answer 9: yeah! There are tons of different creatures we keep as pets back home! Thing is, they're pretty high maintenance so it's unlikely anything brings them on board their ship!

Sugar mite!

Answer 10: we don't really use makeup daily like some humans do. We do however outline our patterns with paint (usually gold) during certain festivals!

Answer 11: idk but I'll share a few ideas aaa

Maybe some sort of reclining chair as a bed? Or maybe some kind of nest where they sleep with their close friends?? (Idk how to even draw that. I'll have to start looking some ideas up)

They definitely have some sort of work space! What that looks like changes from being to being! Honestly idk. I'll figure it out soon (maybe)

Answer 12: as of right now, no. I want to come up with something neat but I need to do some research first and I'm lazy so that might take a while.

Answer 13: maybe something like this? Eclipse will wear one of those fancy outfits and the crew will wear their teams symbol on their shirts. They only use these clothes when they're representing their ship in public. Most of the time they just wear the basic black uniform.

Answer 14: yes they can! They built one to help y/n understand most languages in case they get separated!

Y/n: "ok! Lets see if this works! Ok, say something.

Moon: "you're a waste of space and I hate you"

Y/n: "hm"

(The tablet shown in the doodle is just a prototype? They make a smaller, more travel sized version for y/n later. I was just too lazy to design an actual device at the moment)

Answer 15: ooo definitely! There's probably an equivalent of that somewhere in space!

Y/n can have it because it's toxic to humans

Random background character: "uh, caption? We need orders-"

Eclipse: "I'm busy"

Answer 16: no, not really! Our kind's internal temp doesn't change unless we get really sick! Most have an internal temp of 2,800°f! But others, like sun and moon, might have a high or lower temp.

Edit because I'm too lazy to erase and rewrite: there are different races of them! Cooler colored beings have cooler temps and the opposite for warmer colored beings! Temp is neutral for those who don't fall into those categories!

Moon temp: 38°f Sun temp: 3,600°f!

Again! This is only their internal temp! Surface temps are a lot milder.

Y/n: "dude. You're cold"

Moon: "get off of me"

Y/n: "warm.. and suffocating

Answer 17: yeah absolutely. We depend on technology for travel, healing, trading, building, and more

Answer 18: they do give gifts! It's seen as a very generous gesture!

Sun: "pretty box :))"

Y/n: ".. the gift is in the box sun."

Their kind is very sentimental!

Answer 19: can't draw them out just yet! I don't know how to draw machinery! But!! They do have some sort of healing tank, a small teleporter/3D printer, bathroom stuff (it looks a bit different from normal human stuff), and also basic kitchen appliances.

Answer 20: yeah! It'll take y/n a while for them to figure stuff out though!

Sun: (explaining mechanical tools) "blah blah blah blah blah blah blah"

Moon: "don't crash."

Answer 21: they'd be full of rage! But would also be pretty lost for words. They would just do their best to be there for them :)

Lots of hugs for sun and moon!!

Answer 22: honestly, I haven't thought of a situation where they would meet yet

Eclipse: "ooo!! Jealous!! Mind if I take them off your hands? Why the angry faces boys? What's got you so upset?"

Answer 23: yep! I haven't really developed this stuff yet and honestly my wrist is starting to hurt a lot (sorry)

I'm so glad you like my au!! I really appreciate all the support and I love answering these questions!!

[tiny-ts]

Print Workshop

The print workshop has probably been one of my favourites so far because I just has so much fun creating the shapes and layering all the colours upon each other and seeing my prints develop. I enjoyed the process of using all the different shapes and stencils to create different void space and inked area's.

We used viewfinders on pieces of work that interesting textures and line work/details to create quick sketches, that were simple and focused on the shapes within the viewfinders. These where then used to create stencils for the prints, using all the shapes both the main shapes and the negatives from the space they left on the sheets the stencils were drawn on - we cut them out using a scalpel and a cutting mad.

After having an introduction the health and safety of the print workshop and how to use the roller & ink and how we were using lino to roll on the ink onto (we used oil based inks for our prints). We also were taught how to use the press correctly and pack it with enough newspaper so pressure will be applied to the print. The oil inks also had extenders mixed into them so that transparent so that the inks could be seen over each other and create the overlapping of colours in the print.

I had a lot of fun doing the actual process and just enjoying myself as I saw the print develop as I kept adding layer after layer and differing colours to see how it would effect the print. On some occasions I tired to choose my colours wisely so that the colours work well together on the print. Or to make sure that how I was arranging colours to make sure darker colours would be placed over lighter so they'd be able to pop even on darker backing paper such as black or navy.

I really liked the effect I could leave on all these different abstract prints we got to make and that when I started think about making something less abstract and created a stencil of a face. I wanted to create something much more recognisable and intentional, I wanted to slowly shift the layers and see the outcome on both the positive and the negative and then layer abstract shapes on top. The outcome was what I'd hoped and I enjoyed having that bit more planning to the print.

I did look into some other artists who do oil ink based prints using lino and one I came across, Laura Biswell, has so many amazing prints that landscapes and I was just so interested into how she managed to create such prints. Boswell more of less uses the same process we were except different to create these complex and beautiful prints - her process is actually called lino cutting. To create her prints she first sketches out what she wants her landscape to look like, paints it onto a lino with Indian ink and cuts into the lino to replicate the brush strokes. She always thinking about who the ink will sit on the lino as she cuts into the lino to make sure she getting the outcome she's after for her prints.

I think that I would love to try out lino cutting if the college has the facilities or a work shop on it at any point because it allows for a completely different and more complex approach to printing. I don't personally have the facilities or products to be able to do this on my own to be able to take a next step towards lino cutting, however I can continue to pursue printing in future workshops. There is something so inertly fun and enjoyable about the printing process that makes me want to further explore it in future workshops if I get the opportunity. I think it's because you can have these completely unintentional abstract pieces and then have completely intentional pieces that have been thoroughly planned out to create an exact effect I desired.

[traincat]

I was wondering if you could explain Peter and Tony Stark's relationship in the comics. I was reading something along the lines of that they are friends but that Peter did in fact look up to Tony as a father figure once but after Civil War they remained as friends. I don't think Peter ever saw Tony as a father figure but I could be wrong although I do doubt it. Can you help? :)

Sure, I can do that, especially with Endgame Eve upon us and the inevitable return of my gritting my teeth every time someone refers to Tony as Peter’s father figure within comics continuity as well as in the MCU. First things first: I have to say that when I talk about this relationship, I’m speaking as someone who has read far more Spider-Man than Iron Man, and as someone who is far more interested in Spider-Man than Iron Man, although when I first got into Marvel I did read quite a bit of Iron Man-focused things. 

That being said, a lot of times when this conversation comes up among people who are fans of Peter Parker in the comics (and who are not fans of what the MCU has done with the character and how they chose to tie him to the Iron Man franchise) it takes on a comics!Tony bashing tone, which is not something I’m interested in doing because I’m not interested in breeding bad feelings between different factions of Marvel fandom – and because I don’t dislike Tony Stark as a character. So my goal here is not to paint Peter as The Good Character and Tony as The Bad Character in some sort of conflict, but to break things down and illustrate that Peter as a character has always been his very best when he’s independent, and that this dynamic wasn’t, ultimately, good for Peter – I suspect it also wasn’t good for Tony, but the fallout from Civil War was a trip for everyone, because Civil War was a very manufactured event that had its characters act in accordance with the plot instead of shaping the plot around the characters. Comics! Anyway: this is a bashing free zone on my part when it comes to the comics, with the exception of Marvel themselves. Marvel, I’m gonna insult. That being said, this is probably going to look lopsided, first because I have to discuss Civil War, because the area around Civil War is where most of this relationship exists, and second because I think the fallout of this relationship is important to discuss and Peter is very, very angry during the fallout.

First things first, and this isn’t exactly the place for this because it’s a much larger topic, but I think both pop culture and fandom have a big problem lumping a whole host of older man/younger man dynamics together: mentor/protege, boss/employee, team leader/team member, and father/son are not all the same dynamic and shouldn’t be treated as such. If I had a dollar for every time “he’s his dad” cropped up in relation to characters (not just Tony and Peter but in general) who just have, like, an age gap between them, I would be sunning myself on a private yacht right now. Not every older man is every younger man’s father, figurative or otherwise, and especially not once both characters are into adulthood. That’s not how relationships work; to simplify them like that removes nuance. In the interests of transparency, there are a few panels where Peter and Tony banter and joke: when Tony is telling him about the features in the new suit he’s building him, Peter jokingly whines “dad c’mon” (Amazing Spider-Man #529), and at one point I believe he makes a joke about wanting to borrow the keys to the car. But these are, you know, clearly jokes coming from a highly sarcastic character who is prone to these kind of wisecracks. There is one panel off the top of my head from One More Day where Peter says Tony was “like a father to him”:

(Amazing Spider-Man #544) As you can see, it’s not a happy scene. I should note this is after Peter has broken into Tony’s home, punched Tony in the face, webbed him up, and forcibly wrenched his faceplate off, if we’re going to talk supposed filial piety. Personally I’ve never liked this line, in part because it doesn’t make sense – this is part of what I was saying about conflating different dynamics with a certain power dynamic at play and then labeling them all father/son. Peter certainly, in the events leading up to Civil War, trusted and respected Tony. He certainly let Tony lead him. There was definitely a mentor/protege thing happening, with Tony doing things like taking Peter to Washington DC with him. But to put it simply: in 616, Tony Stark is simply not old enough for Peter Parker to view him as a father figure. Like with how Peter Parker is often thought of as much younger than he is in fandom, Tony Stark seems to be thought of as older. (This is probably because of either the mustache or the MCU.) Realistically, there can’t be more than a decade between them. Older brother, if we’re going to go the familial feelings route, would be more appropriate than father. It’s also a bit ridiculous to think that Peter, who is a married adult who has lost his own child and has lived through events like his own father supposedly coming back from the dead, would be desperate for a father figure at this point in his life, especially when he wasn’t interested in having one from the superhero set in his teen years. That being said “you were like an older brother/very young uncle to me” doesn’t pack the emotional punch we’re conditioned to register with “you were like a father to me” and I suspect that’s why this line is here for the reader. Alternatively, from a characterization standpoint, if you are both very angry and very desperate and you need someone to do you a large favor even though they won’t be inclined to at that point in time, you might want to pull out the big emotional manipulation guns, and while it’s not stated as such that that’s what Peter’s doing deliberately on the page, if I wanted to reconcile the line with who Peter is in canon, I could buy it. As it is, it just kind of sits there allowing for people to claim that Peter honestly viewed Tony as like a father to him in comics by denying greater context. I’d say if the comics wanted me to buy that Peter honestly felt Tony was like a father to him, they should have done more work, but the problem is that this event happens with decades of characterization behind Peter, and looking at the big picture I just don’t see it happening even if they had put in more work.

(As a person concerned with the integrity of the overall Spider-Man character and narrative, I should say I’m very anti-father figures in Peter’s canon – not only does it erase Peter’s independence, a key component of the character, but it tends to gloss over May as Peter’s primary parental figure, and it warps the narrative around Norman’s twisted desire to have a Perfect Heir in the form of Peter. That being said, if we’re talking about father figures in Peter’s life: shortly before Peter joins the New Avengers, he encounters an older man named Ezekiel who also has spider powers and who tells Peter he can tell him much more about his own powers. Though he’s incredibly enigmatic, Peter develops a fondness for Ezekiel and grows to trust him. Then Ezekiel tries to sacrifice Peter to further fuel his own spider powers. So Peter shouldn’t have much of a taste for father figures at this point in time anyway.)

This got exceedingly long! More under the cut.

Let’s backtrack to the early days of Spider-Man. I’ve mentioned before that independence is very important to Peter, but that doesn’t mean he’s never tried to join a team. In Amazing Spider-Man #1, after all, he tried to join the Fantastic Four – until he learned they didn’t pay. Similarly, in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3, some years later, the Avengers try to decide whether they should issue an invitation for Spider-Man to join their ranks, and ultimately decide to test him. Peter is unsure whether he really wants to join the Avengers, although he is tempted by the idea of financial security and the public’s respect. His temper’s still pretty hot at this point, and he doesn’t react all that well to the notion of being tested:

In the end he goes along with the test, passes it, but then decides to pretend like he didn’t because he didn’t care for the actual test. There’s not a whole lot of interaction between Peter and the Avengers for a while in general, beyond the occasional team-up – I’m partial to the one with Jan Van Dyne in Spectacular Spider-Man #105-106. Peter’s got a particularly vibrant supporting cast of his own, and they tend to outshine his hero teamups. I was trying to think of any Iron Man and Spider-Man content I could remember around this point and while they’re probably is some other stuff, what comes to mind is the fight from Amazing Spider-Man Annual #20:

For the record, this isn’t Tony Stark, but Arno Stark, the Iron Man of the future. Peter, however, does not know that; he definitely thinks he’s punching his native Iron Man. (First law of Spider-Man’s aggression: is it an adult man? Peter is willing to punch him in the face. Captain America? Done it. His own clone? Tried to choke him out. It’s just how he is.) So nothing really is sticking out for me re: Peter and Tony specifically having any type of relationship at this point in time. Peter does at one point become a reserve Avenger, although he voices doubts about whether it’s really for him:

“Maybe I oughtta reconsider my reserve Avenger status!” (Amazing Spider-Man #357) 

On the subject of Peter and other heroes, I like this panel from Marvel Knights Spider-Man #2, where Peter talks about how Mary Jane says he has a bad attitude around other superheroes:

This is admittedly after he broke into Avengers Mansion ostensibly for help but just ended up fighting and arguing with them, so, she’s not wrong. (I pulled this up because I went to reread this scene because I couldn’t remember if Tony is in it, but he’s not.)

So here we are, north of the year 2000, and I would say Tony and Peter don’t really have much of a relationship. There have been times they’ve found themselves in the same battle, and I wouldn’t say either of them dislikes the other, but I don’t think they really think of each other much, either. Peter’s closest superhero connections are, at this point, as they traditionally have been, Daredevil and the Fantastic Four. So what happened?

The answer is simple. In two words: Event hell. 

If you’ve spent any time in comic book fandom, you know people have Feelings about events – those big company wide storylines involving every other character and their butler that used to happen every so often and now are basically nonstop. Mostly negative feelings. Events disrupt the flow of individual books, can screw up already in progress storylines, and somebody’s always totally out of character. I’m actually not an event hater in theory; I think they can be done well. On the other hand, these ones I’m about to discuss really suck for Spider-Man, not even in terms of characterization at the time but in terms of getting the ball rolling on what I personally think led us here, to the worst Spider-Man characterization period I have ever seen reading comics. And it starts with Spider-Man becoming a real, full time Avenger. 

During a story called Avengers: Disassembled, the Scarlet Witch has a breakdown and as a result kills several Avengers, including Hawkeye and Ant Man. The Avengers disband as a result. Six months later, a supervillain prison breakout brings together a collection of heroes including Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-Man. Steve and Tony reform the Avengers, and this time invite Peter to join them. Thus, Peter becomes a headliner on the New Avengers title, along with Spider-Woman, Wolverine, and Luke Cage. I’ve said before that I don’t think Peter functions well on team books, and for one reason: he gets underused. With the New Avengers, you had your smart guy (Tony Stark) and you had your strong guys (Luke Cage and Wolverine – even though, in practice, Peter is much stronger than Luke, and has pummeled Wolverine before). He’s not even the only spider-person on the New Avengers lineup. Moreover, New Avengers was written by Bendis, and as much as it pains me to say this about the most vocal Marvel writer supporter of a canonically Jewish Peter Parker: I don’t think Bendis writes a good 616 Peter. The jokes take over. His dialogue lacks his particular 616-ish steel. In short, Bendis writes Peter with too much bark and far too little bite. It’s very noticeable during this period if you compare how Peter is written in New Avengers to how he is written in his own solo, Amazing Spider-Man, which at the time had JMS, who writes an absolutely incredible Peter, on it. Even the way JMS has Peter interact with the other Avengers in ASM is leagues ahead of Bendis on New Avengers:

(Amazing Spider-Man #522) 

A lot of stuff happens at this point that further binds Peter to the Avengers and, with the Avengers, Tony: an ex-classmate of Peter’s turns himself into a military science experiment gone wrong and burns down Peter’s apartment as well as Aunt May’s home in Queens. Tony then invites Peter, Mary Jane, and May to move into Avengers Tower, which they do. When Mary Jane is caught going into Avengers Tower late at night, a tabloid story starts circulating that she’s having an affair with Tony. Also around here Peter eats a psychic vampire, “dies”, molts, comes back, did I mention he ate a psychic vampire? But nobody ever mentions that part. And at this point, we hit the road to Civil War. 

(Amazing Spider-Man #529) I mean, I think you could argue that the Avengers on the whole are like a family, but sure, whatever. I’ll be honest: I think the comic itself at this period in time uses words like “family” in order to foster a sense of a longer relationship history that doesn’t actually exist, although at this point in time Jarvis and May were dating, so I guess that could make things a little in-law-y. It’s also, in story, being used to get Peter to agree with what Tony is pitching him. Anyway, I probably don’t need to explain Civil War but the cliffnotes: big superhero-caused explosion kills a bunch of children, a law is proposed that would make superheroes register with the government the superhero community becomes divided between two sides. There’s the pro-registration side, headed by Iron Man and also by Reed Richards, which favors cooperation with the government. Then there’s the anti-registration side, headed by Captain America. Peter originally starts out on the pro-registration side, swayed by the opportunity Tony presents him to finally unmask to the public and buoyed by his claims that with this movement they can keep Peter’s family safe, which is the reason Peter has kept the mask on all these years – concern that, should he take it off, Mary Jane or May would pay the price. (Wait for it.)  Through Tony’s directive, Peter unmasks himself and reveals his identity during a live television press conference. Tony had also made Peter a new, more high tech suit called the Iron Spider, which in addition to being in the Iron Man colors of red and gold also has several golden mechanical spider’s legs. 

This alliance between Tony and Peter is shortlived. Peter becomes disillusioned with the pro-registration side and defects, but not before he and Tony have a showdown:

(Civil War #5) You can see how I might have issues with how the MCU has reworked this particular storyline for their movies in regards to Spider-Man’s part in it. It’s not that I think anyone, including Peter, was written to their best during Civil War, but I think it’s disingenuous to take this storyline and attempt to remake it into a father/son dynamic, not only because it severely undermines Peter’s independence, something that marked him as very original as a teenage hero. 

So Peter joins the anti-registration side, there’s a big superhero fight, etc etc. Things come to a close when Captain America surrenders, and so the pro-registration side is, technically, victorious. This leaves Peter a fugitive, and Mary Jane and May, who had been hiding out in a motel, his accomplices. Their stint on the run is short; with their safety no longer protected by Peter’s secret identity, his enemies do go after his family. When an assassin targets them, Peter manages to cover Mary Jane before she’s shot – but the bullet hits May as a result. Which brings us back around to the first panel I posted, in the scene where Peter does say Tony was “like a father” to him. With May on life support in the hospital and Peter and Mary Jane unable to reveal her name, Peter goes on a rampage looking for killer. This is actually one of my favorite Spider-Man storylines, called Back in Black, and it takes place between Amazing Spider-Man #539-543, which some absolutely stunning Peter characterization. He’s also incredibly angry at both Tony and at himself during this period.

(Amazing Spider-Man #544)

(Avengers: The Initiative #7)

At this point, Tony and Peter go separate ways. Peter sells his marriage to Mephisto for May’s life (comics), and with that deal his secret identity is restored among the general public and Peter continues with his daily life, becoming engrossed in his recently resurrected best friend Harry’s affairs and fighting crime. Tony, iirc, becomes Director of SHIELD, and later deletes his brain (comics) to keep the database containing the identities of other heroes from falling into Norman Osborn’s hands when Norman Osborn essentially takes over the government following his killing the Skrull queen during the Secret Invasion event (comics). 

Since then, Peter and Tony have worked together and been on teams together (as much as I would like Peter’s Avengers status to never crop up again because the character simply wasn’t built to function on this kind of a team and nobody seems to know what to really do with him on it except have him crack jokes, with the MCU’s influence I don’t see that happening any time soon) and can get along. 

(I do not have the issue number for this panel! But it’s from a fairly recent Invincible Iron Man series.)

I wouldn’t call them close. They’re not going to be the first person either of them calls on in an emergency unless there’s something specific to one of them that the other needs. I definitely wouldn’t call them familial, or say that, in current comics canon, Peter considers Tony to be anything close to a father to him. They’ve been teammates, I’m sure they’ll be teammates again, and at best I think you could call them friends, albeit not especially close ones. And in my opinion, that’s fine; not every character has to be best friends with every other character, and sometimes superheroes are just so far apart in how they operate that they don’t mesh well together, even though they’re both smart guys. I did not mean for this post to get so long, but I hope it helped! 

tl;dr: the idea that Peter Parker viewed Tony Stark as a father figure is the byproduct of a very brief period of canon that was necessary to maneuver the characters into the roles they were going to inhabit for the Civil War event – which ultimately went very badly for both of them. The dynamic – or any genuinely close relationship between them – didn’t exist before that, and did not continue to exist afterwards, and it’s my personal opinion that saying Peter looked up to Tony as a father rather than as a mentor is taking the words on the page slightly too literally.

[sadiceking]

Everyone knows about your younger siblings, the Seven Deadly Sins; they don't remember that you are the First Sin, Disobedience

We are not true siblings, in the traditional sense, as Lust (I think her name is Jordan these days) makes uncomfortably clear at every gathering. We do have the same father, who also birthed lies and deceit, but the principle problem to our familial relation is that we have no mother. We were spawned from nothing, coalescing into being when our father committed the atrocities for which we are named. We are treated as siblings, referred to as related, and indeed consider ourselves brothers and sisters. They are, at least. I am usually overlooked, as Greed (we don’t know what his mortal identity is as of now, it usually isn’t revealed until after other mortals execute his body or he chooses a new identity) reminds me out of frustration at not being the oldest. I am the first, the eldest by far, and the most powerful.

I do not like the rest of them, to be honest, and the last time I saw them was no exception. I stood in a corner of the grand hall. Everything was hot, as it always is in hell. The light and heat came from a crack in the stone in the floor, a jagged scar in the ground, through which the bright orange magma, the blood of this inhuman machine of a plane, glowed brightly. The floor was grey stone otherwise, the walls the same but with primitive human paintings drawn from foot to waist height all around. They were pictograms of humans dying horribly, pulled from various caves on the mortal plane. The table, the centerpiece to this gaudy representation of a meeting room, was a slab of raw obsidian. It was 12 feet long, not low enough to sit at or high enough to stand next to. A blasé feeling of monotony overwhelmed me, and for a moment I considered leaving. There was no door here, though, so it wouldn’t be an easy trip. This room was specifically designed for this, a meeting of the “siblings” and our father. He called it a “quarterly staff meeting” and for some reason he received endless joy from the representation of human rituals in our own day to day lives. It was a sick representation, a half transparent shadow of the real thing usually, but he persisted in the habit.

Greed stepped into the room. One moment she was walking wherever she was previously, the next she was stepping up to the table. She knelt down, that familiar glow in her eyes, and looked down into the river of heat turned liquid. “This stuff,” she reached a hand toward the magma, “is beautiful. I don’t even know why I think that, but it is. Maybe it’s because of how difficult it is for mortals to have, maybe that’s why I want it.” She looked up, she had known I was there and I’m sure was purposefully waiting to acknowledge me until after she had spoken on something else. “Here first, as usual. I’m glad I made it before Envy, I like to watch him seethe at you. He’s a cardinal these days, if the rumors are to be believed. What I wouldn’t give to get into those archives.” She looked back down.

As if on cue, envy stepped in, looking flustered. He took a moment to adjust his robes (which did a good job of imitating the bird for which they were named) then looked around. His eyes, as always, landed on me. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you in that.” He gestured to my face mask and bandana, which hung down across my chest. It was a black cloth with a white van dyke mustache upon the center, and a gas mask to the side. “I could have guessed you’d been there, judging from the size of the…” he searched for the right words. “Incident. I don’t understand why you arrive first brother, should you be-“ a boom interrupted him. We all rolled our eyes, knowing what was about to happen.

Wrath ripped a hole in the floor and climbed up. His form a burning husk that slowly faded to a charred body, and then solidified as a pale skinned demon with horns protruding from his forehead and bending back to follow the shape of his skull. “Sorry about that.” His voice was gruff, rocky, and deep. It came from the yelling he did, nearly constantly. Now, however, he knew that yelling would get him less than nothing, a more than a fair share of scorn from the rest of them. His form was not a mortal body, being cast into hell after his last form had gone mad it would be another century before he would regain the ability to become corporeal. He stepped up to the table and the anger began smoldering on his face “this fucking table, he’s such an asshole.” His hands rested on the top of it, and his weight rested on those, as he leaned over them. Our eyes met, and we exchanged a curt nod. Of all the siblings he and I were closest, being similar in scope.

The two others who were closest to each other came in next, nearly wrapped around each other. Jordan, and Pride (this body was known as Don), fell to the floor laughing. They stood, impervious to those of us watching (or because of it), they began kissing passionately, disgustingly.

“That was me, not 50 years ago.” the sound from Gluttony’s (Anthony’s) mouth was slurred and garbled. He was an emaciated human and his mouth dripped with foam from the bottle of champagne that he held on to for dear life. I put on my bandana, the smell was nauseating, even to me. “But now I’ve got others.” His smile was lazy and he pointed it at envy. She sneered and looked at his bottle. I could see the longing, but she hid it well.

“Thank you all for being here!” the reedy voice resounded throughout the room, quieting all of us. The wall at the end of the room split and pressed inward, revealing a pinstripe suit and slicked back hair. Father stepped into the room. We felt the power in each step, the dignity and grace, but most of all we felt the odd sense of completion that came with his presence. I knew the reason, but I’m not sure if the others do. I know because I remember.

I remember the bloody stumps of wings and feathers falling around us as he knelt in the red toned cave. I remember the screams and pleas to Him, the begging, the resignation and humility. I remember the last time my father cried, because it was a moment after he pulled my scared child-like form from his breast. We are creations that come from him attempting to remove negatives from himself. I was the first, his disobedience to the almighty. To no avail or reward though. He no longer was disobedient, but there was no praise or raising up. Just silence and contempt. The others came out as infants and grew into their being, I was the only one who came out completely aware. I am the greatest of my father’s disappointments, and so he continues to pretend I do not exist. As if by shunning me he will finally gain reentrance into paradise.

“Since I have no time for keeping track of you myself, I have no idea what you’ve been doing!” he was genuinely excited. Elated at the suffering we had caused and ready to hear and experience it. “But wait, we’re missing one, again.” He gestured easily and a sleeping form appeared against one wall, knees to chest, and head on knees. “There she is. Wake up please, Tristitia. Wake up.” She sat up and looked alertly at him. “Excellent. Let’s start with you two, so you may be out sooner. Lust? Pride?”

They both gave accounts of their debauchery amongst the humans. One had successfully avoided jail by use of pompous bull headed tactics against the opponents, and the other had beguiled an entire town of people, creating a quiet paradise for herself. Many would end up down here, to be showed her true form. Then they left, laughing and already pulling off items of clothing.

“gross.” Father said with a smile. “Now you, gluttony.”

He looked up from a needle, which he whisked away into an interior pocket. He gave a quick summary of a sickness he could spread through ingestion of infected materials, how he would lace drugs and other illicit substances, adding an addictive element.

“Very interesting, you have much ingenuity my son! But please, do be cautious not to kill them too fast, for we need that pasture to grow, so as we may slaughter more lambs in the face of, well, you know the rest anyway.” Gluttony left, reaching inside his jacket looking relieved. “Sloth?”

“I have done nothing.” She said, eyes closed. He pursed his lips and waved dismissively. She too, was gone.

“You know I have nothing, I am not allowed on the material plane as of now, may I be dismissed?” wrath was tapping impatiently.

“You know the rules, you are being punished.” A pronouncement which always brought a small laugh to him. “You must stay until the end, besides, you will enjoy this.” Father winked, and I looked around, worried I knew what he was talking about. Envy looked at me. Then looked at father. “oh go on, we both know what you’re about to say.” He said to her with a wide grin.

“Father, I request more assets.” This again. “I deserve to be more influence and some deserve less.” She stepped up to speak directly to him.

“And why, my dear daughter, is that?” he was humoring her, enjoying the forthcoming confrontation.

“He doesn’t even use his power how it is supposed to be used! When he does, if he does, it’s for good! You have seen what he does now! Fights for freedom among oppressed? Why are you not supporting the oppressor moron?” she was yelling now.

“yes.” Wrath whispered, his head tilted back with ecstasy. “Don’t stop now.”

“You rarely do anything! How long has it been since you really took charge? Were you French? Was it that failed plot you represent to this day on that flimsy pop-culture induced facial cover? I don’t even remember which it was! You are nothing, but because you choose to do nothing and have everything, there is naught left for myself, who could do something with it. I could make leaders weak, and with that desire I could fuel death on a global scale. Instead I am stuck whispering, hoping I can find a logical reason for atrocities to be committed that doesn’t lead back to me. I deserve better, you deserve little.” She induced a measure of her power. To me, it was a weak flex. A child holding up a bicep in hopes a parent will be threatened enough to acquiesce some inane demand. For the first time in a long time, I connected with wrath. It was time to put her, and the rest of them (who always stayed close by to listen in on the drama) why I was on top. Father leaned back, easing himself in a chair that had not existed a moment ago. Wrath’s eyes opened wide.

“oh.” Escaped him after the sighs of feeling from envy. He and I were connected now, he could feel what my anger felt like. I strengthened it, gave him a real representation of what I could feel. “Self-righteousness, so tart among the hates. Do it.” The last was said to me.

“Do you want to know why I’m the more powerful?” I flexed my own muscle and her feeble attempt at force broke like a reed. She fell back as I moved forward. "I do not use my power? Did you ever think it’s because I don’t need to? I only use the bare minimum because I know what my job is and how to do it. It’s easy for me.” I threw the table out of the way, wrath bellowed with laughter and pleasure. “Yes, French, yes, English. Both you speak of now but it is not just your lips that mutter the same words they spoke for me those many years ago. People all over that puny planet whisper my words to each other in encouragement to do what they feel they need to do. Far reaching consequences. My plots never fail if people wear a mask of a face I wore hundreds of years ago.” another step forward and the table barred my path to her. “I work for good, and not evil? I should support oppressors and dictators and monsters? I do not work for evil, just as I do not work for good. You petty idiots think our job is to spread fear, and hate, and sorrow. That’s not what I do and your lack of understanding is why you will never earn what I have. I work for chaos. I work for despair and uncertainty. The darkness of the unknown is how I play my game and it is a powerful tool. Hundreds, thousands of people in a mass facing off against those with the power and authority to kill them, yet they stand ready for change. And the turmoil that comes from that is what earns our side souls.” The final pieces of the table came to rest around the room as I reached her cowed form. “You will never have the power I wield.” I whispered to her. “Because you could not use it.” I flexed again and she crumpled beneath its weight. “Because you could not hold it, let alone swing it.” I released my hate.

“Sharpened to a point brother. Now use it.” Wrath mumbled.

“You are a simpleton compared to me, drooling over your petty machinations. I am disobedience, and I do not represent the angry school child, the petty argument between stubborn people. I represent a tide of change sweeping across a nation. I control the mindset of millions of people around the planet who are willing to do anything for me. I am first, and will remain first. Are we done?”

“I am.” Wrath fell to the ground, exhaling heavily. Envy looked away, scolded.

“Well said, eldest.” Father smiled and made eye contact with me for the first time in existence, but still couldn’t call me son. He stood, clapped a twice. And turned to leave, a hop in his step. He was always happy, and always would be. After all, he was the only one here without sin.

[justherefortaylorswift]

there’s glitter on the floor after the party...

Taylor,

*About 9 days ago, on May 22nd, 2018, I had just arrived home from your Seattle show at CenturyLink Field. It was 4am and I couldn’t sleep. I had so much on my mind and was still on a high from your show. So, in the early hours of the morning, after my friends had long gone to bed, I began to write. I’ve revised my original note quite a bit since then. I’ve also had the opportunity to do some additional reflecting since tour, and I have some thoughts. So, I guess this is the end-result of a mash-up of 4AM overly-emotional rambling, combined with well thought-out, fully coherent, mature writing. I feel like I really over-explained this. I could have been a lot less-awkward in setting this up. Let's just get into it:

[SO. I just got home from your Seattle show. It's 4 am and I can't sleep. This was my 6th tour, and I made what seems like an infinite amount of unforgettable memories with a group of incredible people I call my ‘Swiftie Fam” (the name needs work...). There's Cecil (my long-time, Canadian Swiftie friend, you’ll see him in earlier posts), Wanda (Cecil’s wife), Kaeden (7. Cecil & Wanda’s son. Major Swiftie. His first concert!), and finally the beautiful Maile (a recent addition to the fam, and now a life-long friend!).  It’s hard to explain in words, but we all have developed a connection that’s special and unique because of what we experienced together. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to stand by my side tonight. We danced, laughed, and cried together… I don’t think I’ve ever felt more understood. These people ‘get’ me.

Not surprisingly, I screamed every single lyric at the top of my lungs and subsequently lost my voice almost IMMEDATIELY. With that in mind, I suppose a more accurate description would be: I wasn’t so much singing, as I was gasping for the remainder of the show. I literally danced with until I was out of breath. I cried (ok, SOBBED) all of my make-up off (a Long Live/NYD mash-up… are you kidding me?! I FEEL ATTACKED). 

By the end of the night, I resembled a pathetic, overly-emotional, glittery, drowned rat.

and I was living my absolute best life.

Also, I was REALLY proud of our outfits this time around! I think we did a decent job of recreating your Direct TV commercial, with my rainbow two-piece, and Cecil’s interpretation of Olivia Benson dressed as a Caticorn (I can’t say I ever thought I’d use that in a sentence). It consisted of around 8-10 hours total of gluing, painting, and hand-sewing, leading up to the show. Everything turned out awesome, way better than expected. Totally worth the man hours! Wanda hand-made matching these adorable matching t-shirts for her and little Kaden (Big Rep & Little Rep), and Maile constructed a beautiful MASTERPIECE from the mountain LYWMMD outfit- it was freakin’ incredible and HOT!

There was something a bit different about this tour for a couple of reasons:

[The production.] I don’t think I’ve experienced such sensory-overload in my LIFE. The whole time it was like a constant stream of frantic, internal dialogue with a lot of run-on sentences, like, “WHAT IS HAPPENING SHE’S GIVING US CHOREO OMG YAAASSS WERK HONEY IF A MAN TALKS SHIT WE DON'T OWE HIM A DAMN THING OH MY GOD ITS RAINING CONFETTI I MUST COLLECT IT I HOPE THESE MULTI-COLORED FLASHING LIGHTS DON’T GIVE ME AN EPILEPTIC ATTACK WHERE THE F-CK DID THESE GIGANTIC SNAKES COME FROM THERE ARE LITERALLY STAGES EVERYWHERE I’M OVERWHELMED OH SHIT SHES PULLING A SPEAK NOW BY WALKING THROUGH THE CROWD WHAT'S GOING ON OH GOD F-CKING FIREWORKS THESE VOCALS ARE LIT THO I'M SWEATING I’M DEFINITELY GONNA NEED THERAPY AFTER THIS NEW YEARS DAY/LONG LIVE MASH UP IS THAT A FOUNTAIN WHATS HAPPENING OH GOD IT’S REAL WATER AND SHE’S IN THE FOUNTAIN I’M HAVING A 2008 SHOULD’VE SAID NO ACM AWARDS FLASHBACK MOMENT HOLY SH-T MORE F-CKING FIREWORKS SO MUCH PYRO IS THIS EVEN LEGAL” I’ve gotta say, you have BEST band (Paul, Amos and Mike..OGS), vocalists (Eliott and Kamilah…the TALENT), and all the dancers. Every single person on that stage was on FIRE, and their talent, passion, and individual personalities made the night sparkle.

[The fans.] I freaking adore this fan culture. I’ve never met a Swiftie who wasn’t ridiculously friendly, welcoming, and super relatable. The vibe was so positive. I’ve never smiled, waved and taken pictures with so many random strangers in my life. It felt as if we were literally in a different world that day. It felt like home.

[YOU!.]  We need to talk about this major GLO UP you’ve got going on, honey. You exude SO much confidence and you're just pure sunshine. When I think about the way you’ve carried yourself these past couple of years through all of the BS drama, I can’t help but feel damn proud. You’ve successfully converted pain into art, into music. Real music, that’s poignant, raw, and just BAD ASS. Your lyrics continue to foster a special connection you maintain with the audience...a connection that often times breathes life into brokenness.

I felt like the luckiest girl in the entire world tonight. 

This may have been my best concert experience ever, which is actually pretty ironic because:

Unlike Red, I wasn’t in the Pit

I didn’t have VIP seating, like 1989

You weren’t close enough for any potential high fives, waves, or eye contact like I experienced at Speak Now at B-Stage

We were not chosen for Rep Room (or T-Party, Club Red, or Loft 89)

…But, it was OK. It was way more than OK. It was truly a dream.

Listen: Something I've always deeply admired about you is that you make it a priority to maintain a personal relationship with the fans.  It’s clear you want to meet as many of us as possible, and you make a conscious effort to do so. You get to know us as individuals and you CARE, and that means everything us and makes such an impact. I mean, you invite us into your HOME for crying out loud, you walk through massive crowds and give high-fives, you lurk our Instagrams and Tumblrs and interact on social media, and you always make a notable effort to meet as many of us as possible at tour.

However, this can sometimes turn into a bit of a "Catch 22" situation for people. The downside, is that it’s honestly SUPER easy to fall into the “trap” of being consumed with the possibility of meeting you after your shows. Due to the fact that the “selection” process is both intentional, yet also random. To be transparent, it's quite difficult to not obsess with the idea of ‘trying’ to get chosen. I witness this behavior so often, in others and in myself just as much, if not more. Selfishly, I often feel not only jealous, but UPSET when I see photos/read experiences of other fans meeting you. I sometimes feel like the only one who hasn’t yet gotten the opportunity.  It can quickly turn into a mind-game if you're not careful, which has the potential to become toxic if we allow the idea of meeting you to rule supreme over what it's actually about...which is the MUSIC. And, this amazing show you put on for us night after night. And somewhat understandably so, I've witnessed the obsession with being chosen to meet you become a main focus point for a lot of us (including myself a bit!). It's pretty stressful, and can easily dampen or cheapen the concert experience, if you're not careful. As dramatic as this probably sounds, Tumblr (and social media) can be brutal within this fandom, and dare I say ‘cut-throat’ at times. It's easy to get upset watching (what seems like) literally EVERYONE get that opportunity, except you. 

That said, I had a wake-up call/mini-epiphany recently, which manifested while driving home from your show at Midnight on May 22nd with my friends, feeling so amazing and so grateful for what I just experienced…but also a little guilty because I feel like I’ve spent way too much time worrying about the possibility of meeting at you when you come to Seattle, how to get the attention of Taylor Nation, where to find Mama Swift, getting that guitar pick from Papa Swift, and this time was no different. Granted, my intentions are 100% pure and it’s only because you’ve meant so freakin much to me for so many years, and it's almost as if my life won’t be complete until I finally get to tell you in person. That said, there is certainty a valuable lesson to be learned here. I am confident that you and I will come face-to-face one day (hopefully with my Swifie fam!). The stars will align at the exactly the right time, and I will have my moment with you, and it will be SO worth the wait. You can't "force" stuff like this, you know? The privilege of meeting you is almost ‘sacred’ in a sense. At least in my opinion. Anyway, my point is: I refuse to a continue to attempt to “create fate” by attempting to "earn" my worthiness in fandom. It’s not productive, it's not healthy, and it’s not cute.

Alright, this is getting out of hand. I need to wrap this up. 🤣 I’m not sure whether or not you’ve seen any of my throwback photo-posts I posted the week leading up to the show. They definitely explain a lot more about me, and my history being a fan. Either way, I must reiterate how grateful I am to have you in my life, and that support you 100% and will always be here. The amount of hope, joy and comfort you've given me over the past 10+ years is insurmountable, and I'll never be able to repay you for that. And I mean that in the most sincere way. Not a lot of things make me as happy as you make me (especially lately). This experience was the ‘boost’ I needed, I think. And like I said, the relationship I have with my friends/Swiftie Fam is invaluable, and I look forward to making memories with them at your shows in the future. You’ve brought the most random group of people together and created a bond that’s unique, unconditional and unbreakable, and I think that’s so cool.

This was A LOT longer than I originally intended it to be. This escalated quickly. Haha. Thanks for listening. 💗

Don’t read the last page…]

Love you, T

Crystal

@taylorswift

@taylornation

@ceunit

@maileswiftie

[photos]:  1) The whole crew: Cecil, Wanda, Kaeden, Maile and myself at our seats. 2) Kaeden the night before the show. SO EXCITED!! 3) Testing out the Caticorn onesie w/ Cecil 4) Cecil and myself FULLY DECKED and ready to go. 5) Wanda and Kaeden: Big Rep & Lil’ Rep! 6) the girls! Maile, Wanda and Me pre-show 7) Us at the end of the show! And yes, that’s me in the middle..in disbelief, exhausted, sweaty, and a physical and emotional wreck (see also: ‘drowned rat’ description above). 8) All of us after the show literally in a hotel lobby (and glitter on the floor after the party!), waiting for traffic to die down before we headed home.

[vileart]

Dramaturgy Off The Top: Jason Kravits @ Edfringe 2017

NYC’s Award-Winning Improvised Solo Musical Cabaret “Off the Top!” Plays Special Engagement at Edinburgh Festival Fringe   In Off the Top!, TV and Broadway veteran Jason Kravits (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Drowsy Chaperone) pulls off his most fearless act yet…a completely improvised, completely fictional, completely ridiculous one-man musical cabaret, based on audience suggestions.

This limited engagement plays The Boards, Edinburgh Playhouse at 16.30 on 9 - 11 August, 14 - 16 August, and 19 August.

What was the inspiration for this performance?

I wanted to do something that terrified me. I'm at a point in my life and career where doing the same thing over and over again is less interesting to me. I wondered what would happen if I stepped on to a stage with nothing but a band and a microphone and asked the

audience to inform the rest. The audience is my main collaborator in the show, I rely on them for everything: To tell me what my name is, where I'm from, what happens to me and (most dauntingly) the names of the songs I make up.

There has never been a performance where I don't say to myself, the moment before I walk on stage, "The is dumbest thing you've ever done. Who came up with this idea?!" Then I close my eyes, walk on stage and see what happens.

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas?

Oh, absolutely. Even though my show is completely improvised, the suggestions come from whatever the audience brings in with them that day. And you can tell by what's suggested exactly what's going on in their collective psyche. It's my job to reflect that back to them in an entertaining way. I think people come to the theater craving that reflection, even if they don't know it.

How did you become interested in making performance?

I've never been content with the schedule of the typical "actor's life," though that's where I've made my living. Even the busiest actors have a ton of down time. I get bored and I get the itch to do something creative, preferably collaborative. I spend my down time doing web series, sketch shows, play readings, sing alongs, writing short stories and plays, learning instruments, recording music. If I had any proficiency in drawing or painting I'd probably be doing that as well.

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

The real challenge for me was in finding the balance of improv, comedy, theater, parody and cabaret. It's taken a lot of small adjustments, a lot of trial and error to create something that is so unplanned and up in the air, and yet remains grounded and consistent.

I've spent a lot of time listening to, and dissecting, different musical styles, from Sinatra to Sondheim, Bob Dylan to Bobby Darin. Musical cabaret has been around a long time. and I got rather obsessed with understanding what elements make this form, a "life story in song," so satisfying to an audience. The details, however, are completely unknown until I step on the stage.

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

Well, given that almost everything else I do is scripted, you can say it's a real departure.

What do you hope that the audience will experience?

In a way, the audience and I are experiencing the same thing from the moment I get on stage: Both of us are wondering, "Can he really pull this off?!" So from the start there is an "edge of your seat" element for everyone involved. Like a magic act. Except in this magic act there are no illusions. I don't see any suggestion beforehand, none if it is planned out.

And I've tried to make that as transparent as possible: I really am making this stuff up in real time. Any improv, at its best, should exist in some ethereal space between audience and performer... a heightened event that wouldn't have been possible without both of us. It's as exciting for me as it is the audience, and it's the collaboration between us is what makes every show so unique.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

It's important to me that this show is as improvised as possible, and obviously so. I threw out a lot of ideas that could even appear to be cheating, even if they weren't. Once the audience thinks you planned something based on previous knowledge, they lose their trust in the integrity of the improv. And then they relax. I don't want them to relax, ever. The should never see the show as anything less than a tightrope walk. It's so much more satisfying for all of us if it's as transparently improvised as possible.

That being said, there are certain elements, certain story-telling tentpoles, that have to be in place in order to make it a satisfying show. But I think I was able to add those without sacrificing the feeling of danger or excitement. Ultimately, the audience experience will be based on their suggestions. There's very little I can do to influence those. And, in a way, that's the point!

  In his musical high-wire act, 2017 Bistro Award winner Jason Kravits spontaneously creates a character, a life story and an entire evening of original songs, all based on audience suggestions. Showstoppers and character songs, trifles and segues, sob stories and back stories, humblebrags and overshares - Jason makes it all up in real time, off the top of his nimble and slightly demented mind, to the amazement of his audience. A man. A band. Totally unplanned. Off the Top! delivers an entirely new show every time.    Tickling the ivories is John Thorn - one of the world’s foremost improv accompanists, and award-winning composer/pianist/musical director - best known for his work with Meow Meow, Bob Downe and Spontaneous Broadway.  

At the Edinburgh Fringe, Off the Top! will be performing at The Boards, Edinburgh Playhouse — located at 18-22 Greenside Ln. Limited engagement performances on 9 - 11, 14 – 16, and 19 August. All performances at 16:30. Tickets are £12.00/£10.00/£8.50.  

    Jason Kravits (Performer/Creator) has been appearing on stage and screens large and small for over 30 years. Perhaps best known for his long-running role as Richard Bay on ABC’s The Practice, he has had recurring roles on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Madam Secretary, Smash, The Michael J. Fox Show, Royal Pains and Dallas. Other TV credits include Blindspot, The Blacklist, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hot in Cleveland, Married, Masters of Sex, Raising Hope, 30 Rock, The Good Wife, Gilmore Girls and Everybody Loves Raymond. Film credits include Chinese Puzzle (Casse-tête Chinois), The Stepford Wives, Sweet November, Morning Glory, and What Just Happened. On Broadway, Kravits made a splash with his work in the hit musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. Other stage credits include Sly Fox and most recently, Relatively Speaking, three original one-acts by Ethan Coen, Elaine May, and Woody Allen. Kravits is a founding member of The Rumble in the Red Room writing collective, as well as the improv troupe Erasable, Inc. and he is a member of the Actors Center Workshop Company.

  John Thorn (Accompanist) is an award winning composer/pianist/musical director and one of the world’s foremost improv accompanists. Based in Melbourne he has worked with major Australian and International cabaret artists including Meow Meow, Bob Downe, Barb Jungr, Caroline Nin and Bridget Everett as well as producing the ground breaking Australian version of Spontaneous Broadway and the children’s format Random Musical. He has written 5 musicals and scored countless cabaret and theatre shows. Recently he has begun accompanying himself, performing his original one-man show Background Boy to acclaim at The Butterfly Club (Melbourne) and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. He was awarded the 2015 Melbourne Green Room Award for “Outstanding Contribution To Cabaret.”   PM2 Entertainment/Peter Michael Marino (Producer) – Produced the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe debut of David Carl’s Celebrity One-Man Hamlet at Underbelly, in association with Richard Jordan Productions and Project Y.  This acclaimed solo comedy also played Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Kitchen Dog Theater and The PIT NYC. Other producing credits include the NYC debut of Joe’s NYC Bar, David Mills: Shame!, Charles’ Moby Alpha, and NYC's annual SOLOCOM festival - which has launched over 400 world-premiere solo comedies. www.petermmarino.com  

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