#The Renaissance Theatre Company

[caroleditosti]

'From Here,' Poignant, Uplifting Musical, Theater Review

'From Here' is a poignant, uplifting musical about finding oneself with friends and family to stave off the darkness of hate and fear in a hovering reference to the Pulse Night Club shooting in Orlando, Florida

(L to R): Blake Aburn, Julien Aponte in From Here (Matt Murphy) From Here, the musical by Donald Rupe, with arrangements and orchestrations by Jason M. Bailey, is a framed story told by the delightful narrator, Daniel (Blake Aburn), a gay man in Orlando, Florida. Daniel journeys us through his relationships with his selected family of friends and lovers, as he confronts his estrangement from his…

[matildazq]

Review: The Duchess of Malfi, Babes with Blades, Chicago

[hlficlibrary]

Hello, can you please recommend me some fics (over 5k) where they play in the school/university Theater and they have to kiss on stage / stage kiss

and some fics with the same think but they don’t like eachother. It would be amazing if you could recommend both (normal or friends and enemies or rivals) thank you so much!

Hi, anon! You're very welcome! Unfortunately, there really aren't that many fics with stage kisses and most that I could find don't happen in a uni school play. I kind of figured you were really after the stage kiss thing though, so here are some that have a stage kiss in them...

Thespian Sweetheart by orchidsinnewyork

Harry definitely was not. He’d stopped listening.

Across the room, someone had caught his eye. 

The stranger’s light brown hair fell into wisps, framing his mask. His cheekbones could be seen even with half his face covered, and his slender fingers were brushing along the buttons of his coat. He was smiling even though he had no one in company. He seemed to glow as he stood under a chandelier, the fragments of glass reflecting bursts of light onto his frame.

Harry had never seen someone like that before. He’d been staring for too long, completely ignoring Count Paris as his gaze focused on the stranger. And he hadn’t realised it until the stranger turned his head, and their eyes met.

Harry saw his lips part, and curled into a small smile as he removed his mask. Staring back at Harry were a pair of brilliant blue eyes, twinkling at him like twin stars. The stranger winked at him, and his head felt giddy. 

Uni AU where Harry participates in a Theatre production, and is supposed to perform a stage kiss that winds up becoming quite real. Featuring awkward encounters, insane dreams, OT5 and peanut butter.

whatever you feel like doing in this moment by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou

Louis gets all that he's ever wanted during his favourite game at their group's weekly improv show.

You Look So Wonderful in that Dress by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

Best friends Louis and Harry are the stars of an English Renaissance theatre troupe that travels the countryside performing history and morality plays. Louis plays all of the male lead roles, and opposite him, Harry plays all of the female lead roles. They've been secretly in love with each other for as long as they've been friends, and the manager of their company, Niall, has finally decided to do something about it.

[cbk1000]

Hey, what are you into right now (movies, books, series)? Or even not right now, but in the past, outside of Merlin? I feel you have wicked taste, and I’m desperate for a new hyperfixation. Please, some recs if you have them!

Hey, anon! Sorry; I spaced on answering this.

I don't generally watch a lot of movies or TV shows, because I prefer reading. TV is generally for when I want to shut my brain off and just be entertained, so I wouldn't call a lot of what I do watch good. But if you haven't seen them yet, Our Flag Means Death and Sense8 are both really good shows. Both were pretty popular on tumblr at one point or another, so you may have already seen them, but if not, I really recommend giving them a go. Also, this is dated now, but it still holds up as a sitcom: I've spent most of my recovery rewatching Frasier, which I saw as a kid when it was first airing in the 90s. Ditto Third Rock from the Sun, which still makes me laugh, no matter how many times I've seen it.

This is a video game, but I've been playing an RPG set in medieval Bohemia that's really scratching my nerd itch; it's called Kingdom Come. It's very immersive and has been keeping me company the last couple of weeks while I get to the point in my recovery where I feel well enough to do more than lay in bed staring at my tablet, but am not quite yet a fully functioning human.

As for books, I'm finishing up a historical mystery series, 'Brother Cadfael' by Ellis Peters, set in medieval England during The Anarchy. I've thoroughly enjoyed it and am sad to have only one book left.

I just started rereading 'The Wolf Hall' trilogy by Hilary Mantel, which follows the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell during Henry VIII's reign. I found the trilogy very gripping and difficult to put down my first time through, and though I've only just started the first book again, it's having the same effect, even though I just read it a couple of years ago. Definitely check out a preview of this first, though; I love Mantel's unique style, but I know a lot of readers find it difficult.

I read 'Shadowplay' by Joseph O'Connor a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. This follows Bram Stoker during his time as a manager at a London theatre, his struggles with his writing (he didn't really find commercial success until after his death), and the experiences that led to 'Dracula.'

For the last couple of years I've been making my way through most of Guy Gavriel Kay's work, which I recommend if you like poetic, historically-inspired fantasy. I started with 'A Brightness Long Ago', but I recommend picking whatever time period that interests you personally (the Sarantine duology, for instance, is set in an analogue of the Byzantine Empire; 'A Brightness Long Ago' evokes Renaissance Italy, and then 'Under Heaven' and its companion 'River of Stars' imperial China).

Ditto with Terry Pratchett and his Discworld, a hilarious satirical fantasy series. I started with 'Guards Guards' and read the City Watch books and then moved on to the books featuring the witches. Special shout-out to his 'Nation', which is not a Discworld book, but is one of the best novels I've read in years.

I've also been immersed in Arthurian literature and heaps of non-fiction about the Plantagenet reign for the last few years. My favourite work of Arthuriana is probably 'Idylls of the King' by Tennyson. It's gorgeous and haunting. 'The Plantagenets' by Dan Jones is a good, accessible introduction to that period of history if you're at all inclined to non-fiction. He's a historian, but it's not a stodgy, academic text.

I hope there's something here for you!

[uwmspeccoll]

Shakespeare Weekend

William Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice, is volume twenty-three of the thirty-seven volume The Comedies Histories & Tragedies of William Shakespeare, published by the Limited Editions Club (LEC) from 1939-1940. The play is believed to have been composed between 1596 and 1598, and is mentioned in Francis Meres's commonplace book in 1598. James Roberts, the printer for Shakespeare's theatre company, entered the play in the Register of the Stationers Company on July 22, 1598 and he printed the text as a quarto for the bookseller Thomas Heyes in 1600. This first edition's title page states that the play had already been acted "divers times" by the company. The Roberts/Heyes quarto became the basis of the text published in the 1623 First Folio, which adds a number of stage directions, mainly musical cues.

The LEC Merchant of Venice was illustrated with reproduced watercolors by the Greek-born French artist Rene Ben Sussan, who became a principal illustrator for LEC publications through the 1950s. In a description of the six illustrations he did for this edition, Ben Sussan writes:

The principal character in The Merchant of Venice is not Antonio, the merchant, but Shylock; therefore Shylock is portrayed on the frontispiece. . . . The plate in the first act shows the heinous figure of Shylock confronting Antonio, and Bassanio the image of perfect friendship. In the second act a merry scene of Venetian carnival and Jessica's elopement are depicted. The third illustration shows fair Portia, personifying all the beauty and intelligence of the Renaissance, and Bassanio about to choose a casket. The fourth shows the Court of Justice, the Duke surrounded by Magnificoes, Shylock and Portia in the tense contending moment of the trial. The last plate is an illustration of the garden in Belmont -- the night, the musicians, Jessica and Lorenzo express the romance, Launcelot the merriness of the epilogue.

The volumes in the set were printed in an edition of 1950 copies at the Press of A. Colish, and each was illustrated by a different artist, but the unifying factor is that all volumes were designed by famed book and type designer Bruce Rogers and edited by the British theatre professional and Shakespeare specialist Herbert Farjeon. Our copy is number 1113, the number for long-standing LEC member Austin Fredric Lutter of Waukesha, Wisconsin.

View more Limited Edition Club posts.

View more Shakespeare Weekend posts.

[scotianostra]

Happy birthday Scottish actor Jimmy Yuill, born March 6th 1956 in Golspie, Sutherland.

Yuill is another of those Scottish actors that has been in an abundance of shows, and will be known, but not as a household name.Fans of the Crime drama series Wycliffe will know him best as DI Doug Kersey, in almost every episode, I will come back to that later.

Known mainly as an actor on the stage Jimmy began in 1976 in The Jesuit at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. After, as he put it “some joyous years” working on new plays and classics countrywide he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1983, as Snug in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ended his time there, in 1987, as Young Wackford Squeers in Nicholas Nickleby on Broadway.

In 1988 he joined Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre Company for Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It and Hamlet directed by Judi Dench, Geraldine McEwan and Derek Jacobi, respectively. Also for RTC, Sicinius (Coriolanus); Telygin (Uncle Vanya) and Kent in Richard Brier’s ‘King Lear’.

Other roles include Toby Belch in Twelfth Night and as Henry IV parts1&2 at the Bristol Old Vic; In 2013 Jimmy played Banquo in ‘Macbeth’ at the Manchester International Festival and the following year at the Park Avenue Armory, New York. Most recently Jimmy played the Old Shepherd in The Winters Tale at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End – both productions directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh.

Jimmy Yuill, while always being busy treading the boards, has also found plenty time to appear in many TV shows, they include, in the 70’s The Mackinnons, The Omega Factor and the TV film A Sense of Freedom. in the 1980’s Eurocops and Boon and the 90’s mainly in Hamish Macbeth as Lachlan McCrae and the aforementioned Wycliffe. Into the new millennium he is a s busy as ever in the mini-series Monsignor Renard, A Touch of Frost and a recurring role in 14 episodes of Eastenders as Victor Brown an old frien of Ian Beales. Jimmy also appeared in several episodes of The Bill as D.S. Cottrell.

Yuill has had a longstanding friendship with Kenneth Branagh and has appeared in some of the Irish actor/directors films, including, Much Ado About Nothing, Frankenstien and As You Like It.

I said I would return to Wycliffe, where Jimmy starred in all but two episodes. The series was cancelled after that because Jack Shepherd, who played Wycliffe, refused to continue in the title role when the producers had sacked Yuill “for insurance reasons” after he contracted life-threatening meningitis during filming, and then would not reinstate him even though he made a full recovery. He says he owes his life to Shepherd with whom he was sharing a house while on location, and who rushed him to hospital in the middle of the night. Shepherd and the rest of the cast and crew felt so betrayed that they decided not to make any more episodes once filming of the current series had finished.

Along with Richard Briers he is one of only two actors other than Branagh himself, to appear in all five Shakespearean films that Branagh has directed: Yuill has worked as a performance consultant on a number of productions, and also as a producer.

More recently Jimmy has been in the movies Artemis Fowl , Kindred and my pick The Road Dance, which is set in The Outer Hebrides just before World War One. He also popped up in the Scottish dark comedy series Guilt, There are no pdates on his work in the past three years

[pynkhues]

Do you have post-Emmy predictions or thoughts for Snook's career?

Oooo, I'm actually not too sure? She's such an incredible actress, and I'd really love her to hit the A-list, but her choices even since Succession started and her star rose have been kind of odd ones? Like Pieces of a Woman was such a bit part for her, albeit one in an interesting art house movie, Run Rabbit Run saw her as the lead in a pretty terrible psychological thriller, and The Beanie Bubble? Just - - yeah.

Really odd choices.

I do suspect her career has likely been impacted a bit by the fact that she moved back to Australia, married another actor who has a steady, ongoing gig (Dave Lawson's a part of the core ensemble in Utopia which is a very good and very funny sitcom here!) and has had a baby, to say nothing of the pandemic, and I think she's perhaps still feeling out herself what she'd like her career to look like.

That said, I thought it was really smart that both Sarah and Jeremy have gone back to theatre for their first major roles post-Succession, and Sarah's move I think is particularly smart strategically given it's a Sydney Theatre Company production being performed on London's West End, which kind of relaunches her in theatre in two different spaces.

Sydney Theatre Company is a huge deal in Australia and a world class company - Cate Blanchett and her husband, Andrew Upton were co-artistic directors there for a number of years, and it's a home for many of Australia's best actors like Rose Byrne, Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving, Heather Mitchell (my beloved!!). Sarah already had a relationship with STC prior to Succession - having played Joan of Arc in the STC production of Saint Joan in 2018 - so for one of her first major roles after the series to be back at the Company does really feel like both a homecoming and an opportunity to ascend within the theatrical elite in Australia. The production though that she's in being in the UK's West End I feel offers that two-fold as well.

Getting back into STC though I think opens her doors again to local connections, particularly with the Cate Blanchett set and given Blanchett's been moving steadily into producing in Australia, I could see Sarah being cast in one of her productions? Hopefully a film, given The New Boy and Shayda were infinitely better than Stateless, haha.

In my experience with actors in Australia, the ones with young children tend to lean towards theatre residencies and TV because it's (generally speaking) better / more flexible hours and steadier work, and in many ways, Australian TV is having a bit of a renaissance right now with shows like The Newsreader, Deadloch and Boy Swallows Universe, so I could absolutely see her headlining a mini-series? Perhaps a literary adaptation?

I'd love to see her in something from Jane Campion, Jennifer Kent or Goran Stolevski, and I think all three are a possibility - Goran probably least at this stage just because he's such a new voice.

I think she'll probably pop back up in some US films and TV, and I think she'll probably land a few really meaty ones, but I do kind of think she might be more likely to work between Australia and the UK in the future? I couldn't quite tell you why, and I could be wrong, but yeah. I guess my prediction is that she'll have an incredible career, but I don't necessarily think it'll be US-centric post-Succession, or tremendously high profile.

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Remembering David McCallum- Scottish actor and musician.

David McCallum, who became a heartthrob in the hit series ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ Dies at 90 💔 So sad a fine actor a great talent and a true gentleman.

An experienced character actor, he found fame in the 1960s as the enigmatic Illya Kuryakin. The British actor who played the mysterious secret agent Illya Kuryakin alongside Robert Vaughn’s Napoleon Solo in the 1960s hit spy drama The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was a secret international counterespionage and law-enforcement agency called U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement). The series premiered on September 22, 1964, and completed its run on January 15, 1968. The role turned the actor into a global sex symbol.

The success of the James Bond books and films had set off a chain reaction, with secret agents proliferating on both large and small screens. Indeed, Bond creator Ian Fleming contributed some ideas when the series was being developed, according to Jon Heitland’s book, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of a Television Classic (special introduction by Robert Vaughn)

David McCallum took his place among one of the most iconic casts Hollywood ever assembled, nothing in the film’s title, The Great Escape, He was playing naval officer Eric Ashley-Pitt in the 1963 Second World War epic about the mass escape of British and Commonwealth POWs from German Stalag Luft III camp, through another POW turn in Colditz (1972-1974).

David McCallum with Steve McQueen on the set of the WWII epic. The Great Escape brought him to a US audiences. (Image: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

In 1975, he had the title role in a short-lived science fiction series, “The Invisible Man,” and from 1979 to 1982 he played Steel in a British sci-if chiller “Sapphire and Steel” (1979-1982). Over the years, he also appeared in guest shots in many TV shows, including “Murder, She Wrote” and “Sex and the City, a romantic comedy-drama television series filmed in New York.

Later, in the 2000s as an eccentric medical examiner on “N.C.I.S.” he reached a new audience as Dr Donald "Ducky" Mallard, the medical examiner in US TV drama NCIS. McCallum was known for playing a pathologist on the hit CBS TV programme NCIS, which went on to generate several spinoff series, for twenty years. NCIS is the third-longest-running scripted, non-animated primetime television series in the U.S that is currently on air.

He was a true Renaissance man — he was fascinated by science and culture and would turn those passions into knowledge. For example, he was capable of conducting a symphony orchestra and (if needed) could perform an autopsy, based on his decades-long studies for his role on NCIS.

The Scottish-born actor died in New York on Monday 25th September 2023. He lived in Manhattan. David Keith McCallum was born on 19th September 1933 in the Maryhill (Scots: Maryhull - Scottish Gaelic: Cnoc Màiri) area of Glasgow, to a father who was the first violinist for the London Philharmonic and a mother who was a cellist.

David won a scholarship to the University College School in north London and took up the oboe with a view to a classical music career. Thus he originally pursued a career in music, training on the oboe and studying for a time at the Royal Academy of Music, though he soon left and enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After RADA he started performing with repertory theatre companies.

David McCallum was drafted into the British military in 1951 and served two years, including 10 months in what was a small-arms expert. Not long after his discharge, he signed with the Rank Organization, a British production company, and began acting both in movies and on television.

David McCallum a classically trained musician, created arrangements of popular songs of the day alongside a few original pieces and made four albums with forward-thinking producer and composer David Axelrod. Those groovy productions have been sampled a lot by trip-hop artists and more. In particular, “The Edge” from 1967’s

“The Edge” from 1967’s Music: For those who might have heard this song sampled elsewhere, you could have heard it in various places. From Masta Ace (“No Regrets”) to John Legend (“Actions”) his original was used in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, the 2017 film starring Ansel Elgort.

Check out the video below and listen for that familiar intro:

David McCallum - From The Man from U.N.C.L.E. to NCIS, and all performances in between, he was a multifaceted talent during 7 decades and 100 films and TV shows a True Legend.

R.I.P David 💔

1933-2023

#DavidMcCallum #Scottishactor #Britishactor #U.N.C.L.E. #IllyaKuryakin #TheGreatEscape #navalofficer #EricAshley #NCIS #secretagent #Edge #music #Ducky #DoctorMallard #actor #talent #gentleman #Legend #ripdavidmccallum

[novuit]

I need to ramble about my cardverse AU. I was daydreaming about it alot while "redesigning" Arthur's Queen of Spades outfit 🤲 I might actually draw cardverse or expand on this because I have so many things to explain about

Spades

This kingdom is known for many things: fashion, pollution, modernism, technology, clocks and their obsession with lions but the most famous would be the royalty. Arthur III, while he has never been crowned unlike King Alfred, is the first ever Queen to have power over a kingdom (especially while there's a king) as kings are the only ones who can rule. He has terrorized politicians, own white lions as pets, psychologically torture/execute people, wearing black lipstick (this is something relevent with the Hearts Kingdom) and having more power than the King. Though it's a kingdom known for fashion, it also has strict laws over what's reserved only for royalty or such as lion fur/skin (the wealthy are an exception) and the colour purple, which dates back to Roman times, though recently, the colour purple has been seen on products and companies if it has been officially favoured by the Queen Arthur III. So if you visit the Spades Kingdom, don't wear any purple or lion. (Idk where to add this so I'm adding it at the end but this is just some fun fact that I love and want to talk about more: were no records of any other royalty nor relative named Arthur even though he's titled as the third Arthur to be royalty. He added it himself. because 3 is his favourite number 💀. He would execute one politician - either for dinner or to import to the Diamonds Kingdom - for every day the government wouldn't make him the third Arthur and ofc by the 8th day they were getting understaffed from this so in the end, they allowed him to be titled Queen Arthur III.... He is so petty and a menance but it's something that would likely happen lmfao).

Hearts

Though, their royalty was never as known as the Spades, it is well very known for their aesthetics, music, art, romance, history and sports. Many of their architecture hasn't been modified since the renaissance era and in some areas, even the attire hadn't changed. The Hearts are very particular on makeup and attire so , they even have not-so-secret unspoken lipstick code which may not be as relevant to the common people anymore, it is more important on royalty. Many artists, writers and historians go there to make a living while others may go there for romance or the pretty architecture as many romance stories are set in Hearts. The Prince, Feliciano, is labelled as 'the face of Hearts' by Heartians but internationally as a romantic icon (sometimes a sexual icon but idk I think that would be King Francis IV). The Spades are fond of Feliciano for embracing modernism and doing things that would be frown upon for Heartian royalty like not abiding to the lipstick code (but thats okay for him to break the rules because he's the favourite out of the Heartian royals).

Clubs

Many people would think the Clubs Kingdom would be filled with greenery and nature by their symbol of a three-leafed clover but in reality it is a very snowy. The reason behind the clover may be from an old Cluban folktale or their obsession with luck and magic. The Clubs are famous for their competitiveness, tourism, and their strong belief in luck and magic despite having the most science labs/schools in the world. The King, Ivan the First , is always seen shirtless and smiling - a standard for Cluban royalty to show their health, luck and strength against harsh snow weathers.

Diamonds

Being known for their wealth, they are known for their films/theatres, mining sites, heavy surveillance, vast greenery, prestigious schools and famous cuisine. It is a kingdom many people go to for either their wealth or education meaning you'll find alot of aspiring actors, cooks and archeologists studying here (and rich snobs, though, you'll find those kind of people up north). They have plenty of famous cuisines that originated there that enjoyed around the world like Ligone Fries and Burgers, but they have their fair share of really questionable dishes like: shepherd-dog pie, human steak and cub stew (they are not as common nowadays, but there are no laws on what you can't eat in the Diamond Kingdom so you can eat these). The King - Francis IV - is always either oversees, or in small villages talking to locals. The Diamonds are stereotyped as very snobby, paranoid poshos, but in reality they are really laid back and hospitable.

Jokers

The Jokers are forbidden land that hadn't been "claimed" by any of the kingdoms. They either prank or hunt down people who are seen as threats to the land and therefore are depicted as savage barbarians. Not much is known about them and are usually either villains or silly goofy pranksters in many stories. The information known about them has been rumored to be destroyed and possibly also forgotten by Kingdoms.

[shakespearenews]

Rauch had been told that the three pinnacles of theatre as a popular art in the Western world were Greek tragedy, English Renaissance drama, and American musicals. As a senior, he founded his own theatre company, and mapped out a mashup of “Medea,” “Macbeth,” and “Cinderella”—one exemplar of each style—so that they could be performed simultaneously. It was a way of seeing what they had in common, and how theatre could return to its populist roots.

---

After that production was over, Rauch, Carey and their friends, calling themselves the Cornerstone Theater Company, drove to North Dakota, where they recruited locals to put on “Hamlet” in an old vaudeville theatre. At one point, Carey took over pouring drinks in a bar so that the owners could perform. The locals they recruited worried that Shakespeare’s language was too arcane, so the company modernized it, converting “arrant knave” to “downright prick,” for instance. (They ultimately changed that one: “downright prick,” they were told, was something “smart-ass college kids” would say. A rancher suggested “horse’s rear,” and that went into the script instead.)

---

Rauch stayed in L.A. for fifteen years. He left in 2007 to become the artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, one of the country’s oldest and largest repertory-theatre companies, in Ashland, a small town just north of the California border. Rauch promised to expand its repertoire to include non-Western classics and to diversify both the company and the staff. He also announced a project called American Revolutions: The United States History Cycle—thirty-seven new plays to be written by a diverse group of playwrights and loosely modelled on the scope of Shakespeare’s collected works. Within a decade, actors of color made up around seventy per cent of the company, and they were putting on adaptations of Indian, Chinese, and Latin American classics alongside their Shakespeare productions. Meanwhile, American Revolutions, overseen by Alison Carey, achieved wide renown.

[beardedmrbean]

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2. The ultimate insider's guide to getting an EU job

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3. Night train will connect four European capitals from spring 2024

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6. 'King Charles III': A relevant 'alternative history' play comes to Brussels

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One of the strangest houses in Brussels stands in the quiet Rue du Métal in Saint-Gilles. Built in Flemish Renaissance style, the brick building is decorated with elaborate ironwork and a massive wood door. A sign half buried in wisteria reads Ecole de Peinture. Read more.

[aezyrraeshh]

the entire activity section for luna please >:^) <3

ty ty for the ask bones <333

oc asks

📚 BOOKS: Do they like to read? What kind of books do they like?

luna is an avid reader actually! it's one of her favorite past times-- sitting in the comfortable place with lots of pillows around, reading a nice novel, she is all for it!

she is type of person to give every book a chance, though she is not known for her patience, so if the book is not to her liking within 40-50 pages she won't read it any further.

i imagine luna's favorite type of books is something that will keep her on the edge of her seat, wanting to read more and unable to tear herself away from reading more and more until the book is finished. she doesn't have a favorite genres per se, she reads almost everything, fiction and nonfiction (despite her protests she does read sappy romance novels too).

2. 🏹 BOW AND ARROW: What’s their preferred weapon, if anything?

rapiers! she likes how they feel in her hand. close second is dueling sword.

3. 🎪 CIRCUS TENT: Would they ever go to a music festival, a Renaissance fair, a holiday parade, or some other large communal event? Would they dress up to fit a theme? What would their favorite part of it be?

hmm, that depends. she doesn't like places that are too crowded, and you usually wouldn't find her there for she is prone to having migraines because of the loud noises, and i'll be honest she doesn't see the appeal of going to either of these events, but if someone very (and i mean, very) dear to her wanted to go there, she would begrudgingly agree and she won't admit it if she had a good time. she wouldn't necessarily dress up to fit the theme, but she would dress up to look nice.

4. 🎧 HEADPHONES: Do they like listening to music? Do they prefer going to live shows or listening to stuff prerecorded? Do they make playlists?

she loves listening to live music, but performances is what she likes the most about it. hearing the story unfold through a song while a dancer or an actor does something to bring the story to life even more is something that luna greatly enjoys.

5.🎤 MICROPHONE: What does their voice sound like? Do they have a notable accent? Can they sing, and if so, what would they sing at a karaoke night?

voices is the hardest thing for me but she sounds somewhat similar to leliana from dragon age!

she can sing, and her voice sounds very soothing when she does, but luna doesn't do it too often. she used to sing to and with her brother, but.. these times have long passed unfortunately.

6. 🎨 PALETTE: Are they artsy? Which art medium do they prefer?

i wouldn't call her artsy to be completely honest, she appreciates art, but she had never had a desire to try it herself. she is more of a collector of art, so to say-- she buys or commissions a painting from an artist and that's it.

7. ♟️ PAWN: Do they like board games or games of strategy?

she does, from time to time, depends on the company. she is all for playing some chess with her friend while drinking fine wine and eating fresh fruits. she's usually laid back, however, she can get quite competitive and it never ends well lmao.

8. 🎭 PERFORMING ARTS: How do they feel about theatre? Can they act? Would they ever watch a musical or a play?

as i said in the 🎧 she loves watching stories unfold in front of her, so yeah, she enjoys theatre very much.

listen listen, she is an emissary who was raised in the.. not very nice environment so yeah, luna can act just not in the "theater acting" type of acting sadhjsdaj.

9. 🎷 SAXOPHONE: Can they play any musical instruments? Do they prefer the sound of any particular instrument?

she knows how to play harp since it was and still is the instrument the sound of which she loves the most. her half sister was actually the one who taught luna how to play it. they are not as close as they had been, but they are connected by something at lest even if it just the sound of a lonely harp.

10. 🎾 TENNIS: Do they play any sports? Are they particularly competitive?

luna is not exactly sporty except for her combat training and she prefers lazing around but if anyone points it out, she will deny being lazy and say that she is working, and the wine is just there for concentration.. ://

11.🧵 THREAD: Can they mend their own clothes? Have they ever knitted, embroidered, or the like?

luna had to pick that skill up when she started travelling around, it was hard at first, because she wanted to be good at it immediately, and when it didn't work out.. yeah, ahem. but even if she threw a couple of tantrums, she did learn how to do it, and now luna can mend her clothes no problem dsajkdsjak

12. 🎮 VIDEO GAME: Do they play video games? What kind of games do they prefer?

well, since the pathfinder world doesn't have video games, this is just a big au, but i think she would like visual novels and interactive fiction. there is lots to read and she can control the main character's decision, i think she would see the appeal!

[lodecoen-showcase]

Biography of Lode - photo of Lode at 2 years old drawing a train with his left hand with a stick in the sand. And yes, his hair was that light blonde.

ENGLISH TEXT: © Lode Coen 2024

Lode Coen, was born in 1952, in Antwerp, Belgium, the  land of Rubens, Jan van Eyck, Magritte and Tintin. He hails from several generations of artists in his family: i.e. theatre makers, actors, musicians, composers and fine artists. 

He is left-handed and started drawing when he was about two years old.

In secondary school, he studied classical languages, Latin & Greek.

In 1972, he was accepted to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He studied graphic design. He started his career, designing posters for the theatre and television in 1976.

He is an early adopter, always eager to learn new skills. He purchased his first Mac in 1984. This led in 1987 to an extended 10-year stay in Silicon Valley. He worked on many pioneering projects: video games, interactive movies. 

As art and design director for Digital Pictures he managed a team of about 12 people and multimillion dollar budgets. He became an expert in CGI, special effects, 3D and UI design.

Back in the EU he founded his own company to create digital designs for IT companies in Silicon Valley for 18 years. Clients included Sun Microsystems, AMD, Intel, Bausch&Lomb, Pfizer, Oracle, Yahoo, PayPal.

For about 40 years he has taught at art and design academies throughout Europe, the U.S.A. and China. He was the president of Sint Lucas College, School of the Arts, in Antwerp (400+ students).

Lode studied Chinese for 10 years and this led to a tour in China. He gave lectures about his art and design practice in 20 top art universities in 10 major cities in 2016. He loves Chinese calligraphy. He is also well versed in Tai Chi and Qi Gong.

Since his retirement in 2017, he went back to his old love: creating fine art, but with the most advanced digital tools available.

His activity gained momentum in 2020. He won the Leonardo da Vinci Award in April 2023 in Milan. An ever growing number of awards, prizes, publications, exhibitions followed.

This culminated in winning the First Prize ‘Lorenzo il Magnifico” at the Florence Biennale in October 2023. Resulting in an exhibition at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts in January 2024.

Coming up: Galerie Espace Vision’Art, will host his solo exhibition, curated by Paul-Enzo, in the centre of Paris in December 2024. In October 2024 he is selected to participate in ‘Capsule Art Collection 4. Contemporary insights’, in Rome, curated by Dr. Monica Ferrarini. Also in October he will participate in the ‘Bienal de Arte’ at the MEAM in Barcelona, curated by Fondazione Effetto Arte.

Quote from Circle Foundation for the Arts—“Lode Coen's art is characterised by an exquisite fusion of elegance and surrealism, resulting in captivating and visually stunning imagery. Within his work, Coen has crafted a distinct visual realm where beauty, mystery, and the unexpected converge to form extraordinary compositions. While renowned for his mastery of CGI and Special FX, honed in the realms of both Silicon Valley and Hollywood, Lode Coen draws his primary inspiration from the Renaissance era.”

ITALIAN TEXT: © Lode Coen 2024

Lode Coen è nato nel 1952 ad Anversa, in Belgio, la terra di Rubens, Jan van Eyck, Magritte e Tintin. Proviene da diverse generazioni di artisti nella sua famiglia: vale a dire registi teatrali, attori, musicisti, compositori e artisti. 

È mancino e ha iniziato a disegnare quando aveva circa due anni. Alle superiori ha studiato lingue classiche, latino e greco. 

Nel 1972 è stato accettato alla Royal Academy of Fine Arts di Anversa. Ha studiato graphic design. Ha iniziato la sua carriera, progettando poster per il teatro e la televisione nel 1976. 

È un early adopter, sempre desideroso di apprendere nuove competenze. Ha acquistato il suo primo Mac nel 1984. Ciò lo ha portato nel 1987 a un soggiorno prolungato di 10 anni nella Silicon Valley. Ha lavorato a molti progetti pionieristici: videogiochi, film interattivi. 

Come direttore artistico e di design per Digital Pictures ha gestito un team di circa 12 persone e budget multimilionari. È diventato un esperto di CGI, effetti speciali, 3D e progettazione UI. 

Tornato nell'UE ha fondato la sua azienda per creare progetti digitali per aziende IT nella Silicon Valley per 18 anni. Tra i clienti figurano Sun Microsystems, AMD, Intel, Bausch&Lomb, Pfizer, Oracle, Yahoo, PayPal. 

Per circa 40 anni ha insegnato presso accademie di arte e design in tutta Europa, negli Stati Uniti e in Cina. È stato presidente del Sint Lucas College, School of the Arts, ad Anversa (oltre 400 studenti). 

Lode ha studiato cinese per 10 anni e questo lo ha portato a un tour in Cina. Ha tenuto lezioni sulla sua pratica artistica e di design in 20 delle migliori università d'arte in 10 grandi città nel 2016. Ama la calligrafia cinese. È anche esperto di Tai Chi e Qi Gong. 

Dal suo ritiro nel 2017, è tornato al suo vecchio amore: creare belle arti, ma con gli strumenti digitali più avanzati disponibili. 

La sua attività ha preso slancio nel 2020. Ha vinto il Premio Leonardo da Vinci nell'aprile 2023 a Milano. Sono seguiti un numero sempre crescente di premi, riconoscimenti, pubblicazioni, mostre. 

Ciò è culminato con la vittoria del Primo Premio "Lorenzo il Magnifico" alla Biennale di Firenze nell'ottobre 2023. Con conseguente mostra all'Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze nel gennaio 2024. 

Prossimamente: Galerie Espace Vision'Art, ospiterà la sua mostra personale, curata da Paul-Enzo, nel centro di Parigi nel dicembre 2024. Nell'ottobre 2024 è selezionato per partecipare a "Capsule Art Collection 4. Contemporary insights", a Roma, curata dalla Dott. ssa Monica Ferrarini. Sempre a ottobre parteciperà alla "Bienal de Arte" al MEAM di Barcellona, curata dalla Fondazione Effetto Arte. 

Citazione da Circle Foundation for the Arts—"L'arte di Lode Coen è caratterizzata da una squisita fusione di eleganza e surrealismo, che si traduce in immagini accattivanti e visivamente sbalorditive. All'interno del suo lavoro, Coen ha creato un regno visivo distinto in cui bellezza, mistero e inaspettato convergono per formare composizioni straordinarie. Sebbene sia rinomato per la sua padronanza di CGI e effetti speciali, affinata nei regni sia della Silicon Valley che di Hollywood, Lode Coen trae la sua ispirazione primaria dall'era rinascimentale." 

[lboogie1906]

Maceo Pinkard (June 27, 1897 - July 21, 1962) was born in Bluefield, West Virginia. He was a lyricist and music composer that emerged from the Harlem Renaissance. Some of his best-known works include “Sweet Georgia Brown,” the Harlem Globetrotters theme song, and the Broadway musical, Liza. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.

He graduated from the Bluefield Colored Institute at the age of 16. He toured with his band, only to end up in Omaha. He published his first song, “I’m Going Back Home,” and founded a theatrical agency. He founded Pinkard Publications, now a music publishing firm in New York City and he formed his publishing firm, Maceo Pinkard Music. He was the first African American to own a music publishing firm. He was hired by Shapiro, Bernstein Company, with whom he published his first major hit, “Mammy O’Mine.”

He moved to New York City. He wrote many songs that were recorded by famous artists such as Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald.

He wrote and produced the Broadway musical, Liza. It was the first Black show to play on Broadway proper during the regular season. Liza was a comedy and was shown at Daly’s 63rd Street Theatre and moved to the Nora Bayes Theater. It ran for 172 performances.

He co-composed his greatest hit, “Sweet Georgia Brown”. “Sweet Georgia Brown” was recorded by other artists including, but not limited to: Ethel Waters (1923), Bing Crosby (1927), Louis Armstrong (1928), Cab Calloway (1931), Harry James (1939), Thelonious Monk (1941), Nat King Cole (1943), Oscar Peterson (1945), Charlie Parker (1947), Ella Fitzgerald (1956), Benny Goodman (1956), Cole Porter (1960), Ray Charles (1961), The Beatles in their album Ain’t She Sweet (1962), Sarah Vaughan (1963), Carmen McRae (1964), and Dizzy Gillespie (1967). #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[frontmezzjunkies]

The Stratford "Something Rotten!" Ensemble Delivers Farcical Fun in Fantastic Abundance

#frontmezzjunkies is at the #StratfordFestival to review: #SFSomethingRotten! by #KareyKirkpatrick #WayneKirkpatrick #JohnOFarrell @stratfest d: #DonnaFeore w/ #MarkUhre #HenryFirmston #StarrDomingue #OliviaSinclairBrisband #SteveRoss #DanChameroy

Mark Uhre as Nick Bottom with members of the company in Something Rotten!. Stratford Festival 2024. Photo: Ann Baggley. The Stratford Festival Theatre Review: Something Rotten! By Ross “Welcome to the Renaissance“, indeed! Captivatingly sung by the jauntingly minstrel, joyfully delivered by Jeremy Carver-James (Citadel’s 9 to 5) standing tall on his soap box, the energy and excitement of this…

[droughtofapathy]

I am loving this new Sondheim Renaissance we are living in. Since we lost Musical Theatre God, New York has seen Company (Broadway 2021), Assassins (Off-Broadway 2021), Anyone Can Whistle (Carnegie Hall 2022), Into the Woods (Broadway 2022), Sweeney Todd (Broadway 2023), Merrily We Roll Along (Broadway 2023), Here We Are (Off-Broadway 2023), The Frogs (Concert 2023). And soon we'll have A Little Night Music (Concert 2024), Follies (Carnegie Hall 2024), Gypsy (Broadway 2024), Old Friends (Broadway 2025). What more do we need?