#I really don’t want to be labeled the next theater DIVA | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mirkwoodshewolf · 5 years

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You’re still the smartest girl I know; John Deacon x daughter teen reader

*Author’s note*

Hey guys wow my final crunch time at college has kept me REALLY busy with all these final projects that I need to do, so my thanksgiving break is gonna be INSANE with doing all this work that I need to do BUT the good news is is that I had this request done in my downtime that I had, so to the anon who requested this awhile back, I’m SOOO SORRY for getting it to you so late but I hope you love it either way.

I also have updates on a few of my series so I may end up making a post about my writing updates and what all I plan to work on to try and get more organized with all that I have to do. So I’ve got two updates for you guys so I hope you all like this fic.

Warnings: school, mild angst, failing school, FLUFF, Dad!Deacy (cause let’s face it its a warning because he’s FREAKIN ADORABLE!!!) and my unknown knowledge of how Catholic schools work, so if I’m wrong about something, PLEASE send me a comment or an inbox to correct it.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@waddles03

@queendeakyy

@platawnic

@kairosfreddie

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I just don’t get it. My dad graduated with 8 GCE O level and 3 A level in electronics, he’s designed his own amp, and helps with not only the family finances but the band finances too. He’s the smartest guy I know and I share half of his genius, or at least I should.

I needed to sustain at least a 3.50 average to stay in my current Catholic secondary school but with my failing classes I’m barely at a 2.50. It’s not that I don’t try to do the work I do the homework and attend the lectures, it’s just that some of my classes like Geometry and Ancient religions, the teachers make the assignments so confusing.

Even when I would write the papers, they always found something to pick at and I end up with either C’s or even D’s on my papers, even when I would stay up all night skimming through book after book to get the required aspects they ask for. Also their quizzes and exams are so unfair, they would tell us this or that would be on the test, but by the time the test came around, absolutely NONE of the stuff they said would be on it, is on it. Hell they’ve put things down that we haven’t even learned yet.

It was currently Fall break and I spending some time with my family for the holiday trying to get my mind off of school. I was watching over my brothers rough house in the backyard. God they were so lucky they don’t have to deal with the harsh school life just yet.

“So (y/n) how’s school going love?” I heard my mum say. I quickly looked up at her and said quickly.

“School’s fine.” She looked at me skeptically.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yeah mum, everything’s fine.” Then fortunately saved by the bell, the doorbell rang and I immediately shot up and said. “I’ll get it!” I quickly raced to the front door and cracked it open. And there at the door was the mail carrier. He took out of his bag our mail for the day and he said.

“Here’s your mail ma’am.”

“Thanks Gardner, have a good day.” I said. He nodded and walked off the curb and continued down the road with his route. I closed the door and skimmed through the mail. Most of it was bills, some Queen stuff for dad to sign and look over, but then there was a letter from the school sent to me. At this point my heart was racing.

“Who was that?” Oh shit dad. I turned around to see him coming down the stairs holding my baby sister who had probably just woken up from her nap.

“Oh just the mail. Mostly bills this time, but then again what else is new. And there’s some Queen stuff for you to look over dad.” I handed him most of the mail but kept the letter from London University for me.

“Well what’s that?”

“What? Oh this oh it’s just junk mail. Something about 20% interest rate on life insurance from a different company. Damn things are just scams anyway. I’ll shred it dad.” I walked up and kissed his cheek then my baby sister before racing upstairs.

As soon as I reached my room, I closed the door and locked it and leaned against it in a panic. Nervously I opened up the envelope and it read the worst thing I could imagine.

To Miss (Y/n) (M/n) Deacon,

It has come to our attention of your low grades. It is required that your parents come in for a meeting with the Headmaster in regards to your low grades.

At that point my mind went blank as I ignored all that the letter said. Tears formed in my eyes. Goddamnit why did they send this letter? Cause first comes the letter, then the phone calls will follow. I’ve tried so hard to keep my struggles in school away from my parents because I didn’t want them to get involved, that all I needed to do was try better since that’s all teachers seem to push onto me, if not then I’ll make it up in summer school.

I just wanted to prove that I was as smart as my dad is.

So I hide the letter in the folds of my diary knowing that my parents don’t go snooping around it and putting it in the secret place where I know my snoopy brothers can’t get to it (thank god I change places every week) and tried to forget about it. It was then a knock was heard at my door.

“(Y/n)? Poppet is everything okay in there?”

“Uhh—yeah dad everything’s fine.”

“Then why is your door locked?”

“I’m changing clothes dad, I’m meeting Stacy and Courtney for a movie later tonight.” There was a brief moment of silence before he said.

“Alright but at least unlock it. We’ve talked about this before, plus your brothers think girls are gross so I doubt they’d pop in on their sister changing.”

“Okay dad sorry.” Thank god he bought it. I then went over to my phone and tried to make my lie seem real as I called both Stacy and Courtney to meet me at the theater in 15min.

Thankfully since it was the weekend, my parents let me go out later than usual so long as I was back before ten. My dad gave me some money for the tickets and food and we kissed each other goodbye and I drove off to the theater.

I soon met my two best friends and we decided to just walk around the mall instead going to see a movie. It was there I told the girls everything. As they were trying on new stuff from a new store called The Gap, I said to them.

“What am I gonna do girls?”

“Well you know me girl, if I were you I’d just come clean.” Said Courtney.

“Are you crazy?! No way can she tell them about this. Okay chick this is what you do. You answer any calls the school makes and come up with any and every excuse you’ve got.” Stacy said as she peeked over her changing room into Courtney’s.

“Stace, no offense but your parents may buy into that but I’ve met her mum and dad and they aren’t stupid like yours are.”

“Yeah you got a point. Hell I could go to prison for murder and my parents wouldn’t care.”

“Guys hello! Back to me.” I begged.

“Sorry. Well looks like your screwed chickadee.”

“Oh gee thanks Stace.”

“Look (y/n). All I can tell you is that you won’t be able to hide this forever. Just—show them the note and tell them the truth. I’m sure they’ll understand if you explain it to them. And I can back you up about Mr. Crowley. Guy’s a right up arsehole if you ask me. Gave me -20 points because I used the wrong citation for the Bibliography page. And it was only one source that was labeled wrong” Said Courtney.

“Yeah and our Geometry teacher Miss. Ringo, I can barely understand what she’s saying with that thick Dutch accent of hers. Gave me a 30% on our last exam.”

“That’s because all you did was doodle and call her an old bat.” I said bluntly.

“Oh yeah. But oh man you should’ve seen the look on her face on the last homework assignment we had.”

“I don’t even wanna know.” Said Courtney.

“Trust me you don’t.” I vouched.

“Hey come on, let’s forget about school, get you to try on some clothes. We’ll go to the food court and get your mind off of things. Sound good?” Stacy said as she came out wearing a new jean jacket with suspenders underneath. I nodded and said with a smile.

“Thanks guys, you’re the best friends I could ask for.”

“Hey divas in diapers remember? The three musketeers. The triple threat angelz.”

“With a Z because…..”

“We’re bad bitches!” we all exclaimed as we held our right hands out in a fist touching each other’s in a triangle shape. And so that’s how it was, the girls helped me get my mind off of the letter and the stress of school with a good Girl’s day out.

A couple days later I was back in school in my Ancient Religions class. Mr. Crowley of course barely allowed any time for me to fully write down what he had on the board because he immediately went to the next thing. He never once asked if anyone had any questions and if someone stopped him, he’d slam the ruler down on the student’s desk and either ask them to meet him after class, or just give them detention.

“Alright students; I’m going to give you your final assignment for the semester for you to do just before winter break.” Everyone groaned. He had just give us a 10 page paper on how Christianity as a whole effected the Global conquest, and now he’s giving us another essay to do. “Hey, hey, hey, hey! No complaints you miscreants!”

But just before he could continue, the intercom beeped above us.

“Mr. Crowley?”

“Yes?” he said annoyedly.

“Will you please send Miss. Deacon into the office.”

“She’s on her way.”

“Thank you.”

“(Y/n) Deacon.” At that point everyone but Courtney all made the ‘oooo busted’ vocals. I flipped them off as Mr. Crowley made me my hall pass so that I wouldn’t get caught by a teacher patrolling the halls. I grabbed my bag and left the classroom.

I walked down the second floor staircase, down to the main level and turned towards the entrance where the main office was. I walked in and I said.

“I’m (Y/n) Deacon. I was told to come here from Mr. Crowley’s class.” The receptionist said.

“Ahh yes Miss. Deacon. The Headmaster would like to speak with you.” Oh shit. This is probably about that letter. I swallowed nervously and hung my bag further up my shoulder and walked down the corridor towards the Headmaster’s office. It felt like the walkway was getting longer as I walked towards that dreaded office room, that was until finally I arrived at it.

Slowly I reached up and knocked on it. There was a brief period of silence before a low voice said.

“Come in.” I opened the door and there standing at the grand desk was Headmaster Byron. He was a fairly older man (if I had to make a guess I’d say currently around Miami’s age). He was a bit—you now stout shape wise. He was going bald and he wore glasses over his hazel eyes. “Ahh Miss. Deacon please sit down.” I walked in and nervously sat down at the chair in front of me.

“You—wanted to see me sir?”

“Yes. I’ve called you down here regarding a letter I had sent over the fall break. I expected to hear a call from your parents but I hadn’t heard anything back from them. Is there a problem?” Oh god what do I say to him?

“Well I—I guess the mail service was just a little slow. Because we haven’t received the letter just yet.”

“Hmm well that’s unusual. Usually the mail service is properly on time. I mean at least we’re more organized than the American system at least to my knowledge.”

“Yeah guess they must’ve lost it.” I said nervously fiddling with my fingers, anxiously picking at my nails.

“In that case; I can send you with another copy of the letter. But if I don’t hear anything within 24hours expect the first phone call.” I nodded as he handed me the same letter that I had gotten in the mail over the break. I thanked him and quickly headed out of the office. On my way back to class I ripped the letter up into as many pieces as I could before discarding it into the nearest bin and returned to class like nothing happened.

After school I was in my room trying to make sense of the math homework I had to deal with and that’s when a knock was heard at my open door. I looked up and there stood my mum.

“Hey love. So you’re dad’s working late tonight with the band so I’m ordering a pizza for dinner. What would you like on yours?”

“Get me a full cheese and my toppings are sausage and pepperoni.”

“You got it. Doing homework?” I nodded solemnly. “Which class is it for?”

“Geometry.”

“Oh yeah, I remember taking that class. Hardest thing I ever knew. In fact all math was difficult for me. Thank god for your dad though, he was always better at finances than I was. That’s how we met as a matter of fact, I was struggling with my Algebra homework and he offered to help me since we were in the same class together.” Lucky her that she at least had dad to help her, meanwhile I on the other hand had absolutely no one to help me.

Everyone was in it for themselves, not even the teacher was willing to give us tutoring sessions if we didn’t get any of the stuff taught in class. He just expected us to memorize and do everything correctly.

“Say, speaking of geometry did you get the midterm results back yet?” Oh god that’s right. Dad actually skipped out on Queen rehearsals to help tutor me for the upcoming fall midterm exam.

Unfortunately for all that hard work, nothing we had practiced was on the midterm, half the stuff was gibberish to me so I just wrote random answers that I could and I ended up with an F.

“He uhh—he got super busy grading our other stuff that he didn’t have time to look over the midterms. But he said hopefully in the next week or two he’ll get to it.”

“Are you sure?” I nodded and she looked at me skeptically.

“Okay, if you say so. I’ll call you when dinner arrives okay?”

“Sounds good mum. Love you.”

“Love you too.” She kissed the top of my head and left my room. I turned away and tossed my books and homework off my bed and buried my face into my bedsheets and softly began to cry.

Why? Why does this have to happen to me?! Why can’t I just get the damn work? Why do I have to be such a fucking idiot!?!?

Days passed and I still didn’t have the heart to tell my parents that I was failing school. And when the phone started ringing I tried to make an effort to try and answer it before they did, fearing that it was the school.

Some calls it was to which I would make excuses for the school and then tell my mum and dad that it was just boring telemarketers trying to sell us stuff. Other times it’d be Uncle Freddie or uncle Roger calling for Deacy about some Queen business stuff (and of course I chatted with them, I’ve known them ever since I was a baby, plus Freddie was my godfather—or I should say fairy godmother).

But it wasn’t until one day when I came home from an afterschool football game Stacy and Courtney invited me to, that I would pay dearly for the lie that I had been trying to keep.

“Yeah I know and when Bobby finally scored the winning goal I swear it was a one and a million shot he got that!” Stacy exclaimed as we got out of her car and walked up my driveway before stopping at the gate.

“I tell you you’ve got one lucky man right there Stace. Your boy’s gonna go far in football.” Said Courtney.

“All I know is that for the first time in decades our school is finally in the playoffs and that we might have a shot of winning the district championship since 1971.” I said.

“Well we definitely have the best team to get us there. Not to mention the cutest.” Courtney said before snickering towards the end.

“I’ll drink to that.” I said taking a shot of my water.

“(Y/n). Can you come in here please?” I looked up to see my dad standing there by the door. His arms crossed over his chest and I could tell something was wrong.

“Yeah dad I’ll be right there. See you girls Monday then?”

“We’ll save you a seat at the cafeteria before homeroom.” The girls then walked back to the car and they drove off. I opened the gate and trotted up the stairs before standing in front of him.

“Is something wrong dad?”

“Come in the house and let’s talk.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and guided me inside. As we walked through the house towards the kitchen, I could feel the tension in the air. It was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. My mum sat there at the kitchen table looking distraught almost. “Have a seat.” Okay now I was getting a little freaked out.

I sat down and that’s when dad stood behind mum placing his hands on her shoulders.

“(Y/n), has something been going on at school that you’re not telling us?” asked my mum concerned.

“No—why do you ask?”

“Well we caught Robert and Michael reading your diary and—”

“They what!? MICHAEL! ROBERT GET YOUR ARSES DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW YOU LITTLE BUGGERS!!!”

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Language and lower that tone in your voice!” dad snapped at me. “We handled the boys, but it was then we found this.” He took something out of his pocket before unfolding it and placing it down right in front of me on the table. My heart sunk and my throat grew dry.

It was the first letter sent in by my school.

“So we called the school and they said they’ve been trying to get in touch with us. And that you said we didn’t receive any letter the first time around so the Headmaster gave you a second letter.” Mum stated more in an interrogating tone than the concerned tone she had earlier.

“Have you really been failing your classes? And this time don’t. Lie. To us.”

“No!” I exclaimed.

“They said you’re barely holding a 2.50 GPA.”

“Well I—I just….I don’t mean to I-I-I-I….the teachers they’re…..” I kept rambling as I felt tears in my eyes and my throat clenched. “I don’t get why I’m being target.”

“The better question is why did you lie to us!? You’ve known about your grades for what weeks? And you lied to us every time a grade was mentioned! Do you have any idea the level of betrayal you’ve given to me and your mother!?” my dad’s voice slowly raised up in anger.

I tucked away in fear at his intimidating voice. He rarely and I say this with a big emphasis that my dad rarely gets mad, but when he does—oh god help us all. I didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer him.

“(Y/n) (m/n) Deacon answer me when I’m talking to you!” he snapped. I looked up fearfully and ashamed and I did the only thing that was running through my mind.

Run.

I got up and as quick as I could I raced out of the house and down the street. I fucked up. I know, but at this point it was too late. Just seeing my dad get angry with me, I knew he hated me now.

I ran all the way down the street and turned left and ran towards old widow Johannsson’s back garden. I opened the gate that stood around her AC vent and locked the door so that no one could open it. I leaned against the corner of the gate and just sobbed as hard as I could.

All of my fears and sorrow came out as I wept hysterically and choked on my sobs, that’s when I heard my dad’s voice calling out my name. I held my hand over my mouth to try and keep quiet as his voice got louder and louder. I soon saw him through the cracks in the fence as he looked around. Unfortunately a sniffle just had to come out and soon dad turned towards the fence.

“(Y/n)?”

“Please just go away and let me cry in peace.” I choked out.

“That’s not going to happen, now c’mon open the gate.”

“No you—you already hate me.” He scoffed out a sigh.

“Wha—what makes you think I hate you?” he asked in disbelief.

“You only yell when you hate someone. And now you hate me. You hate me that I lied to you. You hate me for keeping secrets. And you hate me because I’m stupid.”

“Hello? What—what is going on out here?” widow Johansson came out on top of her deck and looked down towards us.

“I’m sorry Valarie but—could you give us a few minutes?” she must’ve looked down and saw me because that’s when she slowly backed off and allowed my dad to talk to me again. “(Y/n), love I—I don’t hate you. Yeah I’m upset because you lied to your mum and I but I could never, ever hate you.”

“But you do dad don’t deny it. I kept this from you and you’ll never forgive me. You’ll never love me again because I’m a stupid bitch who can’t understand anything!”

“First of all you are not a stupid bitch. You are a brilliant, smart, beautiful young girl. And I will always love you no matter what.”

“Stop saying that. Please just go away please…..” I trailed off before pleading out one last time. “Please.” With that I didn’t hear another response from him as I continued to softly weep. I could hear footsteps walking up widow Johansson’s back deck and then the back door closed. I looked up and saw my dad as well as widow Johansson gone. I wiped my tears and just curled myself into a ball.

I don’t know how much time passed but I knew it wasn’t long, maybe 5-7 minutes because the next thing I hear are footsteps walking back down the deck and my dad sitting himself down against the gate. It was then I heard a guitar being strummed before a familiar tune was being played.

It was strange to hear it on guitar instead of an electric piano like it was on the record but the tune was easily recognizable, especially when my dad softly began singing the lyrics. And sure he didn’t have as good a voice as my uncles did but—he still made the song count.

Oh, you're the best friend that I ever had I've been with you such a long time You're my sunshine and I want you to know That my feelings are true I really love you Oh, you're my best friend

While it is true that my dad wrote this song for my mum back when a Night at the Opera came out, he also written it for me as well. Because when he first played it for us, he said he wanted a song dedicated to his favorite girls.

So taking the electric piano he practiced and practiced till he knew how to play the tune and since then the song’s been like a comforting lullaby to me. And he’s played and sung it to me ever since.

Ooh, you make me live Whenever this world is cruel to me I got you to help me forgive Ooh, you make me live now honey Ooh, you make me live

You're the first one When things turn out bad You know I'll never be lonely You're my only one And I love the things I really love the things that you do Oh, you're my best friend

Ooh, you make me live

I'm happy at home You're my best friend

He stopped playing and slightly turned towards me. I wiped away my tears and just like it always did, it made me stop crying.

“Guess I still got it huh?”

“Shut up.” I muttered which made him softly chuckle.

“Can you please open the gate love? Let me see my best friend.” He asked. I slowly scooted towards the gate and slowly reached for the handle. I held onto it for a while and I pulled one side down which caused the other side to lift up. The gate slowly opened and there sitting a few feet away from me was my dad. “There she is.”

I sniffled and wiped away the tearstains but I was still afraid to look him in the eye for more than a second. I felt his hand cup the side of my face wiping away the tears.

“Do you think you can talk to me now?” I nodded. “Okay. Now (y/n) please explain to me why you lied to us about your grades?”

“Because I—I wanted to prove myself.”

“Prove yourself about what?”

“That I could be as smart as you. You’re the smartest man I know and you never seem to get stumped about anything. You graduates college with the highest in your major, you’ve built your own amps from old junk, and you handle both our finances as well as the bands. But—the schoolwork I’m given is so beyond hard. I tried my best dad it’s not that I don’t do the homework because I do. I really do, it’s just that…..”

“Hey, hey poppet. Shh, it’s okay. It’s okay.” I sniffled and harshly wiped my tears away but my dad stopped me and replaced my thick sleeve with his gentle but calloused fingers. “I know you do the homework. I’ve seen you do it and so has your mum.”

“But the teachers make it so unfair to learn. They say this or that will be on the test but then something we haven’t even learned yet is what ends up as majority of the questions. Or they’re not consistent with what they want on the papers before giving us a bigger paper the next day after the previous one. Dad I—I’m a failure. And I didn’t want you to be ashamed of having a stupid daughter like me.”

“Oh (y/n),” he scooted closer to me and cupped both sides of my face forcing me to look up at him with teary eyes. “I am in no way, nor will I ever be ashamed to have you as my daughter. You’re my first baby girl and I love you soo much. You don’t have to be a genius like me to be my daughter, because you are smart in your own clever way.”

“But I—I’m failing my classes, how can I be smart when I’m failing?”

“You’re still trying, are you not?” I shrugged.

“I guess.”

“Then that proves your smart. Oh my sweet girl I wish you had come to me about this sooner instead of feeling like you had to hide this from me.”

“I’m sorry daddy.” I softly choked out.

“It’s okay love. Now come here, you deserve cuddles and kisses right now.” I immediately fell into his arms and buried myself into his shoulder. He rubbed my back in soothing circles and stroked through my hair. “We’ll get this sorted out okay? But promise me that you’ll never lie to us about school again, okay?”

“I promise…..never again.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

And they did just that. I showed my parents everything regarding exams, homework and showed just how unfair the work was for me. I showed them my notes and told them what my teachers were really like.

The next day they scheduled a meeting with the headmaster and they talked about how the teachers are treating me and my fellow classmates unfairly with too much work and not unfair teachings of not asking for help.

Now one would think after telling you this I got off scot-free right? Wrong. I was grounded for the same amount of time that I had lied to my parents about school, so that meant over a week and a half of no TV, no after school activities and no phone privileges.

But after getting the teachers fired and currently dealing with substitutes for the rest of the year, whenever dad wasn’t busy with Queen; he made a promise to sit down with me and if there was anything I was stuck on, he’d help me with it. No matter how long it took.

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newyorktheater · 5 years

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What is a gay play? These three very different plays in the first week of the new Rave Theater Festival could all arguably fit the label, but it would mean stretching the definition beyond the normal assumptions.

Stormy Weather

“Stormy Weather” has nothing to do with the 1943 Lena Horne movie of the same name, but it does borrow from Gilligan’s Island (a storm traps the characters on an island, in this case Fire Island) and Boys in the Band (a group of gay men gather for a birthday party), and Naked Boys Singing (there’s nudity, although much less of it and very little singing) — as well as from any number of forgettable peekaboo gay plays that were not as funny or clever or even as sexy as they pretended to be, and in which the acting seemed beside the point.

Tim and Mark, who are both in their 40s, were long-time lovers who recently split up. Tim is in their house in the Pines on Fire Island alone with their teenage daughter Tina, when a storm causes Mark’s yacht to crash, and forces him to take refuge in the house, leading to a series of shouting matches between Tim and Mark which I guess were supposed to be amusing. During the course of the play, we also meet:

Michel, Tim’s houseboy, who spends the entire time shirtless.

Jake, a deckhand on the yacht, who also spends the entire time shirtless.

Bobby, Tim’s new 22-year-old boyfriend (it’s his birthday), who spends some of his time shirtless and pants-less.

Harold, Mark’s new (age appropriate) boyfriend, who spends some of his time shirtless. “I’m Harry,” he says at one point to Bobby. “I can see that,” Bobby says, looking at his hairy chest.

Harrison, Harold’s straight teenage son, arrives on stage shirtless and pants-less, stared at by Tina. Harrison and Tina instantly become an item.

Over the course of “Stormy Weather,” we learn of all sorts of cross connections – Harold is also Tim’s ex-boss, and Mark is Bobby’s therapist – while several characters disengage from their current partners and re-engage with others. I disengaged from it all.

Ni Mi Madre

Arturo Luis Soria III comes onto stage wearing only a pair of underpants, and puts on an elegant white dress, becoming Bete (sounds like Bet-chi) whose first words are: “I love Madonna.Let me tell you if it were another life baby I could’ve been Madonna.” And we’re launched into what initially seems like a drag queen’s stand-up comic routine impersonating an over-the-top would-be diva. She drinks too much, and complains about how her third husband “doesn’t take advantage of my body… When Christmas comes around I’m buying him a GPS system to my vagina .” Bete mentions the word “vagina” or its synonyms more times than any woman I’ve ever talked to.

But it soon becomes clear, when Bete starts talking about her gay son Arturo, that the playwright and performer has created a show about his mother.

That doesn’t make her any less outrageous. “Arturo is an entertainer, the actor, the attention seeker, the ADADGG-C-something—one of those diseases that the American people come up with so that way they don’t beat their kids.”

She calls her son “my heart.” She assigns all her children body parts. Her next-oldest daughter “my appendix. They’re there but they’ve stopped serving a purpose and if they explode, you’re fucked.”

But amid the hilarity – and much of it is quite funny – there is a glimpse of issues of race, class, gender, sexual orientation and immigration that confronted Bete and her son. Bete, the light-skinned daughter of a dark-skinned Brazilian, recalls how her mother shunned her. At one point, Soria portrays Bete imitating his father, whom she calls the Ecuadorian Communist: “There’s nothing wrong with gay people. I don’t have anything wrong with gay people. But no son of mine is going to be gay…people. “

At the end of “Ni Mi Madre,” Bete engages in a ritual seeking forgiveness from her mother, and from her children, and from herself.

The true spirit of Soria’s play — that it’s an odd, outrageous, but deeply felt homage — is summed by the words on the last page of the program: “Call your Mom.”

Sweet Lorraine

I was excited to learn of a play that would dramatize the storied friendship between James Baldwin and Lorraine Hansberry. Both were renowned and influential writers who had great success at a young age, Baldwin with his first novel “Go Tell It on the Mountain” at age 29 , Hansberry with her first Broadway play “A Raisin in the Sun” at age 28. (Baldwin was also a Broadway playwright.) Six years apart in age, they shared a high profile as intellectuals and activists. Both were African-Americans, and both were queer, although Baldwin was more public about his sexuality.

“Sweet Lorraine” imagines James visiting Lorraine in her hospital room in 1965, a week before she died from cancer at the age of 34. They catch up, joke around, discuss politics, debate issues, argue. She admits to being angry with him for not visiting her sooner. They probe each other’s opinions, even about God.

Lorraine: Do you ever wish you still believed in God, Jimmy?

James: The only type of fiction I care for is the kind I write.

Lorraine: Well, I do. It keeps me up at night. I lay in this bed and ponder how simple life would be if there was someone, cosmical, in our corner….

They quote lines from other artists and intellectuals, and from each other’s work – which rings true, or at least is how we would like to imagine them. Inevitably in a play about two real-life historical figures, they drop in little biographical tidbits about one another that, in real life, two best friends would already know, but that theatergoers will certainly appreciate hearing. The maneuvering to get to this exposition is sometimes stilted, but often deftly done.

Lorraine:You sometimes sound just like my daddy.

James: So, he was a wise, incredibly handsome and debonair man?

Lorraine:He was, until good ‘ol American racism killed him too early.

The sweetest surprise in “Sweet Lorraine” is the presence of Valisia LeKae, five-time Broadway veteran, who was nominated for a Tony for her exquisite portrayal of Diana Ross in “Motown.” LeKae had to drop out of Motown after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Here she is more than five years later, portraying a woman dying of pancreatic cancer, which is brave and admirable and reason enough to be happy that this production exists. (She has a fine companion and sparring partner in Christopher Augustin as Baldwin.)

“Sweet Lorraine” is a terrific idea, and my hope is that the creative team continues to work on the play beyond its handful of performances at the Rave Festival.

There are what I consider some mistakes, such as the opening scene of Lorraine talking on the telephone with her ex-husband Robert. She is ranting about “The Drinking Gourd,” a television script about slavery that NBC commissioned from her (years before “Roots”!) and then declined to broadcast. The problem is not that this happened in 1960, five years before the play is supposed to take place (One expects this kind of fudging of time for dramatic purposes.) My problem is that Lorraine Hansberry is presented as foul-mouthed and soap-boxy. The first words out of her mouth are: “Fuck them! Fuck them all!” She calls the NBC executives “white devils” and compares herself to Anne Frank and Emmitt Till and Beethoven trying to create the Ninth Symphony.

It would shock me if any of the sentences in this opening telephone rant come verbatim from Lorraine Hansberry. Did she really curse so much? It strikes me as unlikely; she was the daughter of a proper, proud affluent Chicago family; her mother was a schoolteacher. I’ve read all of her plays, and I can’t remember any of her characters being so loose with four-letter words. But, more importantly, the cursing and self-aggrandizement is symptomatic of a certain uncharacteristic lack of sophistication in the way that the Lorraine of the play expresses herself.

As I wrote when reviewing Imani Perry’s book, Looking For Lorraine,

https://newyorktheater.me/2019/02/15/looking-for-lorraine-the-radiant-and-radical-life-of-lorraine-hansberry/, Hansberry was unquestionably a radical activist, so much so that the FBI had her under surveillance for years. But her impassioned sentences were also elegant, erudite, well-reasoned and witty. Could this really only have been when she put them down on paper?

It’s worth noting that the James Baldwin of “Sweet Lorraine” brings up his homosexuality early and often, complete with campy references. But there is no mention of Lorraine Hansberry’s own queer identity – just a fleeting line about her wanting to see “the end to queer persecution.” It’s well established that Hansberry not only had a female lover but wrote for pioneering lesbian publications, albeit under a pseudonym – a fact that Baldwin surely knew, and a subject that might well have come up in what could have been their last conversation together.

Rave Theater Festival Reviews: Sweet Lorraine, Ni Mi Madre, Stormy Weather What is a gay play? These three very different plays in the first week of the new Rave Theater Festival could all arguably fit the label, but it would mean stretching the definition beyond the normal assumptions.

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demitgibbs · 5 years

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Q&A: An Intimate Evening with Deborah Cox

The South Florida community is invited to a sneak peek into the newest project starring Grammy Award-nominated and multi-platinum recording artist and actress Deborah Cox live at Seaspice, located on the banks of the Miami River. Acclaimed for her starring roles in the hit musicals The Bodyguard, Aida and Jekyll & Hyde, this concert will chart new territory and give you a behind-the-scenes look into Deborah’s latest collaboration. You’ll hear “hits” that you know, new songs that you’ll love and intimate stories from Deborah’s exciting career. Created with renowned Broadway talents Director Richard Jay-Alexander of Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon and Musical Director Joseph Joubert of Motown, The Color Purple and Billy Elliot, this special performance will showcase the sheer beauty and artistry of Deborah Cox like never before. Proceeds from “Arsht Live at Seaspice” support the Arsht Center’s numerous Arts Education initiatives that annually serve more than 55,000 Miami-Dade children and their families.

It was a pleasure to sit down with Deborah Cox and Richard Jay-Alexander (separately) for this Hotspots exclusive Interview:

When did performing become an interest of yours?

It started when I was 11 doing different talent shows and other things, and then I went to a performing arts high school.

What was your first professional gig?

It was my first commercial, and it was for Marvelous Muffins. I was paid $50.

When did you know singing/performing would be your career?

Probably when I was in high school. I was the one that was always tired in first period as I had a gig the night before. It was somewhere around 17.

youtube

You have collaborated with many artists. Do you have a favorite and why?

My favorite is the duet I did with Whitney Houston. The reason for that is I felt like everything came full circle for me as an artist. Growing up I looked up to and admired her so much!

You have received many awards for your efforts in the fight for human rights. What made you decide to use your fame for this cause and has this been rewarding for you?

It’s been really rewarding as it came out of purely organic situations. I had lost a few friends from AIDS, and I had other gay and lesbian friends who were shamed and kicked out of their family’s homes. This made me want to speak up on human rights issues, and I have never stopped!

Your Broadway debut was in Aida, how did this come about and tell us about the experience?

I was literally in between albums and had just given birth to my son. The producers were looking for a new AIDA and I just went for it, and got cast. It rekindled my love for musical theater which I had done prior to my albums.

You were recently in the Broadway Tour of the Bodyguard, which, I must say you were AMAZING in, can you tell me about that experience?

Thanks! It was a very liberating experience. It was the most challenging role to date because I knew what the expectations were and I had to deliver 13 Whitney Houston hits!! What I didn’t know was the discipline this role would require. That meant no wine, tons of water, no coffee and being at my very best vocally so I couldn’t afford to get sick. My only days off were the travel day to the next city. I also felt that it came full circle for me. I was able to pay tribute to a long-time mentor, label mate and friend.

Describe yourself in three words?

Focused, nurturing, and fearless.

What should the South Florida audiences expect from this sneak peek of your new show?

Well, this will be the first time working and creating anything like this with Richard. I decided to work with him because I’ve been a fan of his work with the legends. I was introduced to him through a mutual friend and we clicked. I think everything has to do with chemistry and being able to trust a director that will bring out the best in you. I’m a little anxious about the journey.

I am not sure what kind of show they will get because I don’t know what it is yet. I am so excited that the Adrienne Arsht Center and Seaspice are allowing me to test out this experiment right here at home. I wanted to be able to do a show that really reflected on my influences, my likes and I wanted to share more of my own personal stories. I felt like it was time to get off the dance floor for a moment and bring the audience into my living room!

Part of the proceeds from this concert will benefit the Arsht Center’s award winning arts education programs. As an artist, why do you believe arts education is important for our local youth and students?

It’s Huge to have support for our arts programs. Where would we be without the performing arts? I think our youth need an outlet to express themselves. I also feel that we have to nurture the talent and keep programs growing where they can do workshops and have the opportunity to learn from professionals. The summer programs are amazing. I also think that it’s encouraging for them to know that there are world class artists right here at home and to see themselves as a part of that picture.

What does the future hold for you?

More music, live performances and more activism. I think more now than ever we as artists need to use our platform to bring awareness to some of the things we are most passionate about.

Richard Jay-Alexander – Photo by Bruce Glikas

You started out as an actor and now you are a famous director, do you like one more than the other, and what are the differences, creatively?

I love directing, but I didn’t really see it coming in the early parts of my career. When you fall in love with theatre, all you see is the performances. You’re not aware of all of the other skills that go into the creation of the final product. Leadership is also part of directing and I guess when you add up all the years of being class president, producing carnivals for muscular dystrophy as a youth, and anything authoritative like that, it all seems to add up to this trajectory.

As an actor, you have worked with celebrities such as Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone (those two alone make me want to die and go to heaven), Tim Curry, Ron Moody, and Sir Ian McKellen. What did you learn from working with such superstars?

Wow! What a question! I’ve been a professional in the business for 43 years now, and I’m STILL learning “lessons.” Just listening to you drop those names my mind gets flooded with so many things, but, trust me, I have learned from each and every one of the people I have worked with.

As a director, you have worked with even more celebrities. Do you learn more directing or acting, and why?

Why are you asking these difficult questions? It’s crazy and I feel totally blessed to have worked with as many people as I have. But, I’m also fortunate that I’ve worked with so many people that I have admired while growing up, myself. I’ve recently begun to be referred to as “The Diva Whisperer” and it makes me laugh, but I sort of like it, too. I was dubbed that in a meeting with a great dame named Lisa Sharkey, who is the Senior Vice President Director of Creative Development at HarperCollins. We were in a meeting talking about the possibility of a book deal. Having been an actor, a stage manager, a singer, a dancer, a production assistant, a script reader… ALL of those things come into play every single time I step into a rehearsal with a cast or a star. Being able to jump in and out of hoops, myself, helps take away some of the fear, and puts me on the same playing field as whomever I’m working with.

You have directed shows in some of the most famous Concert Halls in the world. Do you have a favorite, and why?

Okay you’re now “officially” the smartest interview I’ve ever had. You haven’t asked me one repeat question from all the years I’ve been doing interviews. Every single venue is awesome in and of itself, but I must say, Carnegie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl are two of my absolute favorites. Every time I return to either of those, I still get chills.

You are on the Executive Board of one of my favorite organizations: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. When did you get on the Board, and tell our readers why?

Okay, you’re killing me, now! I’ve been on the board since near the very beginning and was there when Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway Cares came together as one. It was a simple decision, really. Our business was being obliterated by the loss of lives and talent. To this day, sitting on that board and being led by Tom Viola, our Executive Director, and a committee of leaders in the theater community is one of my proudest responsibilities.

You are also Camp Director for Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Bootcamp. What made you take this position and is Kristin as super sweet as I think she is?

Being the Camp Director for Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Bootcamp fell in my lap out of nowhere. When we were on Broadway doing “Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway,” I was in her dressing room one night, and she was despondent over the direction her camp was going in. She had dreams and goals for it, and felt they might be off-track. This happens to many not-for-profits in their early years, and, at that point, I volunteered to step in and help her. It has been a joy, and is one of my favorite things I look forward to every year. The kids are high school age and theatre obsessed, so they’re basically ME, when I was that age. Kristin is a marvel and insanely talented. But she cares about proper education, the arts, and helping young people realize that training and having a career can be within your grasp… no matter where you live or come from. This is also why Deborah Cox and I are doing The Seaspice Event which supports The Adrienne Arsht Center’s Arts Education and Community Outreach Programs.

How did your new project with Deborah Cox come about, and what should our readers expect from this sneak peek of your new collaboration?

This is a very happy story. I went to see The Bodyguard on tour when it played The Arsht. I knew about Deborah Cox and her music, but I had never laid eyes on her, on a stage. Everyone knows this NOW, but, that night, I threw my shoe in the air more than a couple of times. I remember thinking to myself, ��SURELY, she’s doing this for me. She can’t possibly do this eight times a week!” Just weeks later, I received an email from a leading producer in New York, named Nick Scandalios (who also sits on the BC/EFA board) telling me that Deborah wants to put together a new show, and expand her wings, musically, beyond her legendary dance & music career. We arranged a meeting… it was pretty magical… and, here we are! We’re in the middle of the process, and we’re exploring all kinds of music, and also her unique background and story. The people who attend the event at Seaspice are going to witness where we’re at mid-process, and how and why we’re trying to analyze and conquer the type of material we want to share with an audience. I don’t believe this is done at a regional level, or a local level, but at a world-class level, and what we arrive at, ultimately, should be able to grace any stage across the globe. Deborah is nervous because she feels people expect a certain something, and they will get that, but, I have assured her that they will join her for the rest of the ride, as we move forward. It’s always scary, whether it’s Barbra, Bette, Bernadette, etc. But, we do it together, and we also have the guidance of a brilliant musical director, who is a star in his own right, and his name is Joseph Joubert.

One of the most fascinating things about Deborah, was learning that she is Canadian. More on that as well as being a mom, a wife, an activist, a dance diva, a friend of Whitney Houston’s, a Broadway star, a Fashionista, etc. when we see you at Seaspice.

Arsht Live at Seaspice (422 NW North River Drive, Miami, FL) featuring Deborah Cox takes place on Thursday, January 31 at 7pm with tickets starting at $75.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/01/24/qa-an-intimate-evening-with-deborah-cox/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/182270897215

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hotspotsmagazine · 5 years

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Q&A: An Intimate Evening with Deborah Cox

It was a pleasure to sit down with Deborah Cox and Richard Jay-Alexander (separately) for this Hotspots exclusive Interview:

When did performing become an interest of yours?

It started when I was 11 doing different talent shows and other things, and then I went to a performing arts high school.

What was your first professional gig?

It was my first commercial, and it was for Marvelous Muffins. I was paid $50.

When did you know singing/performing would be your career?

Probably when I was in high school. I was the one that was always tired in first period as I had a gig the night before. It was somewhere around 17.

youtube

You have collaborated with many artists. Do you have a favorite and why?

My favorite is the duet I did with Whitney Houston. The reason for that is I felt like everything came full circle for me as an artist. Growing up I looked up to and admired her so much!

You have received many awards for your efforts in the fight for human rights. What made you decide to use your fame for this cause and has this been rewarding for you?

Your Broadway debut was in Aida, how did this come about and tell us about the experience?

You were recently in the Broadway Tour of the Bodyguard, which, I must say you were AMAZING in, can you tell me about that experience?

Describe yourself in three words?

Focused, nurturing, and fearless.

What should the South Florida audiences expect from this sneak peek of your new show?

What does the future hold for you?

More music, live performances and more activism. I think more now than ever we as artists need to use our platform to bring awareness to some of the things we are most passionate about.

Richard Jay-Alexander – Photo by Bruce Glikas

You started out as an actor and now you are a famous director, do you like one more than the other, and what are the differences, creatively?

As a director, you have worked with even more celebrities. Do you learn more directing or acting, and why?

You have directed shows in some of the most famous Concert Halls in the world. Do you have a favorite, and why?

You are on the Executive Board of one of my favorite organizations: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. When did you get on the Board, and tell our readers why?

You are also Camp Director for Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Bootcamp. What made you take this position and is Kristin as super sweet as I think she is?

How did your new project with Deborah Cox come about, and what should our readers expect from this sneak peek of your new collaboration?

This is a very happy story. I went to see The Bodyguard on tour when it played The Arsht. I knew about Deborah Cox and her music, but I had never laid eyes on her, on a stage. Everyone knows this NOW, but, that night, I threw my shoe in the air more than a couple of times. I remember thinking to myself, “SURELY, she’s doing this for me. She can’t possibly do this eight times a week!” Just weeks later, I received an email from a leading producer in New York, named Nick Scandalios (who also sits on the BC/EFA board) telling me that Deborah wants to put together a new show, and expand her wings, musically, beyond her legendary dance & music career. We arranged a meeting… it was pretty magical… and, here we are! We’re in the middle of the process, and we’re exploring all kinds of music, and also her unique background and story. The people who attend the event at Seaspice are going to witness where we’re at mid-process, and how and why we’re trying to analyze and conquer the type of material we want to share with an audience. I don’t believe this is done at a regional level, or a local level, but at a world-class level, and what we arrive at, ultimately, should be able to grace any stage across the globe. Deborah is nervous because she feels people expect a certain something, and they will get that, but, I have assured her that they will join her for the rest of the ride, as we move forward. It’s always scary, whether it’s Barbra, Bette, Bernadette, etc. But, we do it together, and we also have the guidance of a brilliant musical director, who is a star in his own right, and his name is Joseph Joubert.

Arsht Live at Seaspice (422 NW North River Drive, Miami, FL) featuring Deborah Cox takes place on Thursday, January 31 at 7pm with tickets starting at $75.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/01/24/qa-an-intimate-evening-with-deborah-cox/

0 notes