#YET ANOTHER sparks concert that should have been filmed

[carcarrot]

losing my mind

[oopsiedoopsie23]

The princess and the drummer | Rook x reader

A/N: Soooo I sort of drifted away from the prompt but I actually liked how this turned out so forgive me my loves. Also, wouldn’t mind doing a part 2 to this so let me know if ya want one <3

Prompt: Rumours spiral when the reader, a famous pop star, is spotted getting drum lessons from a certain drummer ;)

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea Y/N, you have press starting soon for your album and we really need to control what the press is saying about you before then, being there will do nothing but hurt your image right now.”

“Mhm...mhm...”

“Y/N are you even listening to me? I’m trying to save your image, you know?”

You sighed as you took another sip of your beer before putting your phone back to your ear.

“Look, all I’m doing is hanging out with my friends before their concert tonight, it’s fine, I don’t see how that could possibly end my career.”

“I’m not saying that this will end your career...”

“Perfect! So if it doesn’t end my career then I don’t give a shit.”

You end the phone call before quickly downing the rest of your beer.

“Damn girl who the fuck did you just kill?”

You turn around and see none other than your best friend himself, MGK, in what you like to call his prime element, joint in one hand, microphone in the other, wearing expensive clothes that he was definitely gonna strip off 5 minutes into his concert.

“What makes you think that I killed anybody?” you smirked as you took the joint out of his hand. “The fact that you just downed that beer and sounded like you wanted to shoot whoever you were on the phone with, in the balls.”

You laughed, almost choking on the smoke coming out of your lungs as you hand the joint back to him. “Trust me, I wanted to do a lot worse to that fucking idiot.” You roll your eyes, “My manager says that they’re the best publicist in this stupid ass industry, but they seem more like a fucking babysitter with a stick up their ass, to me.”

This time it was Colson’s turn to laugh. “C’mon dude forget that shit, you can keep us company during sound check.”

You nodded, accepting his invitation, following your best friend through the  venue’s small hallways and staircases leading to the stage.

“Damn Col, this is a dope ass venue.” you whistled, the venue was definitely smaller than you were used to but with all of the lights and screens set up, it created an atmosphere that felt almost euphoric.

“I know, it might not be one of the arenas that you perform at but this is something else.”

You turn around, ready to smack Colson for his slight dig at you when you hear another voice interrupt you,

“Hey sweetheart, heard you were about to kill someone over the phone earlier!”

“Rook...always the gentleman.” you smile as you take the beer from his hands.

The two of you stand in silence for a bit, admiring the venue and each taking small sips of your beers.

“Do you know how to play the drums?”

You almost spit out your mouthful of beer as you begin laughing.

Rook can’t help but join in as he watches you fall to the ground, clutching your stomach from laughing so hard. “What? You seem like the type of girl to kill someone in their sleep so you must play the drums at least a little bit.”

“I sing fucking pop music Rook, and what is it with everyone calling me a murderer today?”

“In my defence, your music gives off more of a ‘sweet but psycho’ vibe and not much of a ‘pop princess’ vibe.”

You watch as the drummer smiles wide, as if he’s about to laugh at his own joke, before stretching his hand outward slightly, like he’s offering you to take it.

“C’mon even pop stars can learn how to play the drums.”

You blush slightly as you take his hand, allowing him to lead you up another set of stairs that led to the drum set.

“So...this is my home.” you giggle as Rook picks up one of his drumsticks using it to point to each part of the drum, explaining what they do, you were so entranced by him and his passion for the instrument that it takes you a few minutes to notice that he was still gently holding onto your hand.

It isn’t until he leaves to grab more beer that he lets go of your hand. You can’t help but feel as if your hands miss the warmth and gentleness of his as you’re sitting in his seat holding his drumsticks, awaiting his return.

“Y’all motherfuckers need to get a room.”

You spin in the seat, glaring at your best friend who was leaning against the wall, seemingly watching you.

“First of all, you look creepy as fuck, second, you know that we’re just friends.”

Colson smirks at you before taking a sip of whatever poison he was drinking, “Then why were the two of you holding hands the whole time?”

You blush as you realize that you weren’t the only one that had noticed.

“Hey I got one for you too, in case you wanted one.” 

Rook carefully sets the beers on the ground before turning to you.

“What are you smiling about?”

“The fact that after this lesson, I’m gonna give you a run for your money.”

Rook laughs and you can’t help but feel your heart skip a beat as you see how wholesome his smile is.

“Okay then, let’s see what the pop princess can do on the drums.” 

“I thought that I was more of a psycho than a princess?” you smirked

“Well it depends on how much you give me a run for my money, princess.”

You swear that you almost fall off of the chair at the nickname. Rook notices your slight surprise and takes the opportunity to stand behind you and wrap his arms around your shoulders so that he was able to put his hands around yours on the drumsticks.

Your breath hitches as you move your head up so that you were looking back into his eyes. 

You watch as his eyes slowly scan down your body, from your eyes to your lips, to your cleavage that you knew you were giving him a better view of, from your positions. You smirk as you take advantage of his surprise to grab the sides of his face, pulling him downwards so that both of your lips collided. 

You felt electricity go throughout your body. It was as if you could feel a spark buzzing throughout your body travelling from your lips to your feet. You felt his hands slightly graze over your hips and you try your hardest to hold back a moan.

“Hey Rook, if you’re done tongue fucking my friend can we do our sound check now?”

The two of you stop kissing and look down to see Colson smiling at the two of you, phone in hand, with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

You were on such a high from your make out session with Rook that it took you a second to realize that Colson was filming the two of you. Rook immediately noticed you tense up and put his hand on the small of your back, trying to calm you down.

“Kells are you filming this shit?”

“Hell yeah dude, I’m live right now, I want to make sure that we have a video of this so we can play this shit at your fucking wedding!”

You groan and put your head in your hands, knowing that Colson’s video of you and Rook was definitely going to cause an onslaught of articles written about the two of you. And just as you were about to reach for your beer, as if it was clockwork, your phone began buzzing like crazy.

You sighed looking back up at Rook, who was still looking down at you, watching you with worried eyes, with his hand on your back.

“It’s all over the websites isn’t it?”

“You bet your ass it is! What in God’s name were you thinking? You’re a pop star for fuck’s sake not some groupie! I told you that you should’ve just stayed home! I knew that you were gonna do something to mess all of our hard work up!”

You didn’t know if it was the fact that you were 2 or 3 beers in, or if it was the fact that you still felt a buzz of electricity coursing through your veins but you had enough of this bullshit publicist and were ready to actually put them through a fucking grave like everyone thought you would.

You stood up, grabbing your beer, holding your finger up to Rook, signalling for him to give you a minute before walking away slightly so that you were behind a wall, safe from prying eyes and Colson’s drunk livestream.

“Listen up you little shit, I’m sick and tired of you thinking that I will do whatever the fuck that you say, and treating me like I’m some precious pop star. When you said ‘our’ hard work I think that you misspoke because the only work that’s been done is me working my ass off, making music that I don’t even like and pretending to be someone that I’m not!”

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that from now on, I’m gonna do the shit that I want, not giving a fuck about what the press will say in the stupid fucking interviews and...you’re fired.”

“Wha-”

“Tell my manager to find me a better fucking publicist.”

You end the call, before leaning against the wall, trying to catch your breath.

“Should I call the police to report a murder?”

You look to your side and see Rook looking at you with worried eyes.

“I think that I might have to throw away my phone to get rid of the evidence.” 

Rook chuckles before stepping in front of you and taking both of your hands in his. “You know, we never really got to finish our drum lessons.”

“So does that make me a psycho or a princess?”

“I don’t know I haven’t decided yet...I think that we need to finish where we left off first, to help me make a decision.”

You roll your eyes as the two of you connect lips once again, reigniting the sparks that were flying.

“You do know that all of the fucking websites are going to be saying that you were making out with some mystery drummer right?”

You can’t help but burst out laughing, as you wrap your arms around his neck,

“The princess and the drummer...I like the sound of that.”

-----------------

Let me know if you want a part 2 my loves :)

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Rock and roll the night away!

What better way to escape than getting lost in music? Headphones on, thoughts off - nothing like some good bops to help get you through the day.

KK Slider's been looking into expanding his musical repertoire so he's been playing around with different genres in hopes of creating a brand new sound. And that's how rock and roll night came to be!

Joining us on this musical adventure are Sonja, with her siblings Robbie and Tiffy, and cousin Bubba. It's been ages since Daisy Jane and I have last hung out with Sonja so it's nice that she and her fam dropped by for a visit. I've hung out with Robbie and Bubba a handful of times while this is the first time I've met Tiffy.

Sonja's been meaning to stop by the camp for a while but life has gotten busy. She also wanted her dad and stepmom to come along too but then something came up so they were unable to make it at the last minute. Same thing for her grandma, though to be honest, camping isn't really her thing so it's probably for the best that she didn't come.

Old Thelma Lou may come across as a cantankerous old lady but she really is a nice person once you get to know her. Underneath that rough exterior is a protective, dedicated, and tough mother figure who wants what's best for you, even if she kinda has a hard time showing how much she cares about you. We video chatted with her before the concert and she's still the same old Thelma Lou, keeping an eye on her children, grandchildren, and their friends in her own unconventional ways.

We also chatted with Buzz and Skeeter, both who are doing well. The reason why they weren't able to join us at the camp is because Skeeter's pregnant again. She and Buzz were going to have a boy last fall but there were complications and the baby was stillborn. So far things are moving along smoothly, but to be safe, Skeeter's on strict bed rest. In about four months, Sonja, Robbie, and Tiffy will have a little sister!

Sonja has been busy working on her graphic novel, which she plans to release in the fall. She's a freelance graphic designer and illustrator, known for posting relatable and funny comics online. I love her art - it's got a sketchy and loose style that's sorta minimal yet super expressive. When I got into digital art, I took some inspiration from Sonja's work by using pencil brushes for line art and the gouache brush for coloring.

After working in the studio for hours on the book over the past several weeks, Sonja felt she could use a change of scenery - which was the main reason why she wanted to come to the camp. She also wants to get back into using traditional mediums like painting so she brought along some canvases and paints. The great outdoors is perfect for finding inspiration when you're in a rut!

Robbie runs a fix-it shop in Elmstown with two of his friends. His specialties are clocks and anything that has a lock thanks to his grandma and dad - Thelma Lou likes collecting clocks and Buzz's a locksmith. He's the reason why the family saves so much on repairs - Robbie and his friends can pretty much fix anything! Elmstown is pretty far but I'm keeping his business card in case I need something fixed like my computer since that'll be more cost effective than sending it to the store where I'll probably get overcharged.

It's a good thing we have Robbie here to help KK Slider with the equipment. He had some old amps and guitars that he'd been meaning to get fixed but since they were custom made, it's hard to find parts that need replacement. Thankfully, Robbie never leaves home without his toolbox and with his magic, we were able to improve the stage setup.

Bubba's still living with Thelma Lou, though he's in the process of moving out to his own place. He's not leaving Rayetown though, just moving to the other side of town so he can be closer to the post office. Along with delivering packages for the citizens of Rayetown, Bubba's also a drummer and occasional lead singer for The Cogwheels, a local band that regularly performs at the Chili Bowl.

Thelma Lou and Bubba have a sweet relationship. He's the oldest of the Harp grandchildren through Thelma Lou's daughter. His parents pretty dumped him on Thelma Lou's doorstep when they moved halfway across the country, which wasn't very nice of them. His mom and grandma have a stormy relationship so that explains why Thelma Lou's kinda overprotective of him, and in return he respects her a lot. Recently though, Bubba and his mom have been keeping in touch sporadically - thanks to Uncle Buzz and Aunt Skeeter. As for his dad though, since he walked out on his mom, he hasn't heard from him in years, which he feels is probably for the best.

And there's Tiffy, the youngest (so far) of the grandchildren. She's seven and a half years old and likes to sing and dance. This is her first time being away from home for a couple days so she's pretty excited about it. Plus, she gets to spend time with her siblings, something she always looks forward to since they live far from home. By the time she was born, Sonja and Robbie had already long moved out of Rayetown. Up until Tiffy came along, Sonja and Robbie rarely visited home, a deliberate choice that they both kinda regretted but at the same time felt it was necessary.

Tiffy's looking forward to the new baby - and she's absolutely certain that things will work out this time. She was really bummed about what happened with her brother, especially since she always wanted a little sibling. Buzz and Skeeter had been trying for years to have another kid - they didn't have Tiffy until about six years into their marriage - and that was after being told many times that they missed the boat. It's a good thing they didn't give up or else Tiffy wouldn't be here today!

While helping KK Slider set up for the concert, we also went sightseeing outside the camp. Now that the weather's warming up and the sun's staying out longer, we can venture further out. The first place we went was the mountains, where Sonja was inspired to pull out her canvases and paints. She's been working on landscapes and backgrounds so it was the perfect opportunity. Since she had a lot of fun doing that, I figured we could do the same in other places outside the camp like the woods or the meadows.

As they were testing out the equipment, KK and Bubba were jamming out while Tiffy danced. She definitely inherited Buzz and Skeeter's dance skills! Tap dancing and ballet are her favorites and she definitely wants to branch out to other forms of dance. Her parents are looking into more dance classes for Tiffy, which she's excited for. One of the reasons why she's looking forward to having another sibling is so she can have a dance partner in the future. Imagine, Tiffy and her little sister, dancing together!

Later, Robbie joined in on the jam session, playing the bass. Apollo, Static, and Cherry joined in as well, and before we knew it, all of them were writing new songs that eventually became the setlist for the concert! Sonja later got into the jam session after Daisy Jane showed her around the cabin and her studio. I sense a collaboration between the two in the near future...

Around 5 we finished setting up for the concert and began preparing for a barbecue dinner. By the time all the food was set up, it was time to rock and roll! I have to say, KK and the campers really outdid themselves with the stage setup. It was a mix of performances by KK Slider and jam sessions by us. The concert was an awesome experience!

In the span of one hour, Bubba and KK wrote Road Ode. KK came up with the intricate melody that's a perfect fusion of his signature sound along with elements of classic rock. Bubba came up with the lyrics, taking inspiration from his relationships with his mother and grandma. Easily one of the highlights of the night.

Apollo sang lead on a number he co-authored with KK Slider titled Old Man Blues. It's a bluesy rock and roll tune with a catchy guitar riff that's stuck in my head as I write this. The light show visuals really add to the vibe of this song, elevating it to another level.

Static and Cherry performed Heavy Metal Ballad as a trio with KK Slider - another song that was just finished today. The song was actually three different compositions that merged into one. Cherry has been playing around with a cool heavy metal beat for a while. She had a good thing going on but had trouble turning it into something, so she put it aside in hopes of finding the right spark to kick it off. Static came up with lyrics for the chorus, originally through a little ditty he called Lightning Muses. And like Cherry, he had something but couldn't figure out what direction he wanted to take it. Then along comes KK Slider, who saw the potential in these two wildly different compositions. Somehow, with his verses and additional melodies, he created an instant hit!

In an unexpected surprise, KK Slider got Daisy Jane and I on to perform a new KK original as well as a couple songs from Lilac and the Cadillacs. The new song, Sky Blue Twilight, is a collaboration between me, Daisy Jane, and KK Slider. It was something we came up with a while back, and I had almost forgotten about it until today. I'm pretty rusty from songwriting but working on this piece was pretty fun! I really should get back into writing music...

Sonja, Robbie, and Tiffy also joined Bubba on stage for another new song, titled All That Rock 'n' Roll. Tiffy sang lead vocals with Sonja on the keys and Robbie on bass. Along with being a fantastic dancer, Tiffy's a great singer! I filmed the whole thing for Bubba so he can send it to Thelma Lou, Buzz, and Skeeter. I have to say, KK Slider and Bubba make a great songwriting team!

Another fun song is Violet Blaze, an upbeat rock and roll tune by KK Slider, Candi, Kabuki, and Spike. KK Slider really outdid himself on that guitar solo! With riffs like that, there's no other song fitting to be titled Violet Blaze. What one can't put into words, music expresses it - one just has to listen and feel.

And of course, in between the new songs were KK Slider classics, but remixed. It's amazing how changing up the genre can give well known songs a fresh makeover! That's what I love about KK Slider's music - the versatility. In terms of reinventing his sound while staying true to himself, I'd say KK Slider succeeded with flying colors!

Aside from Tiffy and the early risers, the rest of us have been rocking and rolling way past midnight. I'm still a bit buzzed from the concert, which just ended less than an hour ago, so I'm gonna unwind for a bit before going to bed.

[cxhnow]

CHLOE X HALLE AREN’T HOLDING ANYTHING BACK

It all started with a mood board.Back in December 2018, sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey, along with their younger brother Branson, wanted a weekend away — a “free your mind retreat,” in Halle’s words — to get some creative juices flowing. They hopped in Chloe’s Mini Cooper and headed to Palm Springs; 48 hours later, they left with 15 new songs and the spark of an album. Once home, they took that spark, plus a few old magazines, and created the mood board for what would eventually become their second album, Ungodly Hour. “There was a specific phrase that we were drawn to: ‘the trouble with angels,’” says Chloe, 22. “We didn’t know what we liked about it, but it stuck out. We picked a bunch of edgier images, including nude women and nude men to symbolize baring our souls and being naked in the music… After we finished the album seven or eight months later, we looked at the mood board and we had articulated everything we wanted to.”

Released on June 12, Ungodly Hour has received rave reviews for the sister duo. “Chloe x Halle shed their innocence with grace, as they do with everything else,” wrote Pitchfork, while Rolling Stone called it a “beautiful example of sisterly solidarity.” The album is a powerful, hit-filled record that’s made for the dance floor, while also seeing the duo — who were 19 and 17, respectively, when their first album The Kids Are Alright came out in 2018 — at their most provocative yet, both lyrically and visually. The album cover shows the sisters in matching latex mini dresses by Venus Prototype, standing intertwined, with gleaming metal wings protruding from their backs. “This album felt a lot darker, a lot naughtier than our usual selves, so we wanted to mirror that in the album cover,” says Halle, 20. “We wanted to show that we are strong and powerful and sexy. The latex did just that. Then the thing with the wings is to show that yes, we can be angelic, we can be fragile, but at the same time we are strong and built to withstand anything. And as a woman, you can be all of the above.”

On a recent morning in June, the sisters are dressed down in comparison to their hyper-stylized cover, but no less put together: Chloe wears her hair pulled back with large silver hoops and a glossy red lip, while Halle sits next to her in a ruffled turquoise blouse. The fact that they are camera ready at 9:30 a.m. — on a summer Friday, no less — is not surprising, given the pair’s reputation for professionalism (they are, after all, graduates of the Beyoncé School of Media). They answer each question thoughtfully, rarely speaking over each other or showing signs of disagreement; the only time the Zoom call — a notoriously chaotic interviewing vessel — gets vaguely off track is when their mom calls a question from another room (and even then, they swiftly mute their side of the chat).

The pair’s politeness, however, should not be confused for passivity. In both their music and in their beliefs, Chloe and Halle are quick to speak truthfully and clearly about what they believe in. Ungodly Hour was originally supposed to be released on June 5, but following the death of George Floyd and riots against police brutality that followed, they decided to push it back a week. “We were collectively mourning, in a way,” explains Chloe. “It felt very heavy in that week, especially. Being young, Black women, we feel very attached to what’s been going on. L.A. is usually always sunny, and it didn’t help that the sun was gone that week. We really felt it from all angles. We didn’t want the attention on us at that time.”

Instead, like many of their peers, they took to social media to make sure their voices were heard. “With all the things that we stand for and trying to bring about change and justice, we have to use our platform to speak up,” says Halle. “I’m proud to be a part of this generation. We’re not afraid to speak up and let our voices be heard. We are demanding justice. We are demanding basic human rights. Our skin color should not be a death sentence. Every time we see our peers speak up, we speak up right with them because we have to. It’s our duty as young Black women.”

When the pair eventually did release the album, its critical acclaim was met just as wholeheartedly with mass appeal; here was an album from two young Black women totally in control of their power (in addition to writing and performing, Chloe also produced nearly every track on the record). In extremely online terms, there was no choice but to Stan. “We have seen a lot of positive comments about the album, and that makes us so happy because this has been so important to us to release this project, especially during this time when we really feel it can be a healer,” says Halle.

With 13 songs that tackle topics ranging from heartbreak to the pressures of fame, creating the album was especially healing to the singers themselves. “In the beginning, we [held back] a little bit, but then we were like ‘screw this, we’re going to bare our souls and our hearts,’” says Chloe. “Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she was baring her soul and you connected with it. You felt, ‘She’s going through this, I’m going through this, and this music is for me.’ We want to create music like that.” Two major themes of the album, Halle adds, are the notions of confidence and vulnerability, as well as how they intersect. “The ideas are married to each other; sometimes you feel great and other days you are not so great,” she says. “For the album, we wanted to combine the two so that when you listen to it, you feel like you’re going through the phases of your life.”

Halle was in the midst of a new phase of her life — the starring role as Ariel in the live action remake of The Little Mermaid — when COVID-19 sent her back home from London, where she was in her third month of rehearsals, to quarantine with her family in California. But even with the album under their belts and the country essentially at a standstill, the creativity flowing within the Bailey household hasn’t stopped. Now that the album is out in the world, the pair have focused on creating groundbreaking at home performances, practically all of which have gone viral immediately after. “We realized that the possibilities were endless when we did the Dear Class of 2020. I was in awe like, ‘This looks like an actual concert.’ After that, the bar was set.” In the performance, the duo perform their hit “Do It,” swathed in white and crystals and shrouded in a circle of strobe lights. Between the cinematography, the choreography, and the overall perfectionism of it all, you’d never guess it was filmed in their backyard.

“After that, the bar was set,” says Halle. “And I can’t wait to keep raising that bar with my sister.” [x]

[edgewoodrp]

Congratulations and welcome back, Zoey! You have been accepted as your desired character, Bridgette Kingsley. Please be sure to complete the steps listed on the New Member checklist and send in your account within the next 24 hours.

Welcome to Edgewood. There’s no place like home.

OOC INFORMATION

Name (or alias): Zoey

Age: 23

Pronouns: She/her

Timezone: EST

CANON CHARACTER APPLICATION

Character: Bridgette Kingsley

Gender & Pronouns: n/a

Sexual Orientation: n/a

WRITING SAMPLE

TW: Drugs

Bridgette tapped her foot on the ground as she stared into the mirror. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she gazed into her own chocolate brown eyes. There she was yet again, in the bathroom of some grimy club peering into her distorted reflection. Another night wasted. Wasted in a sense that she wouldn’t be sober until sunrise and wasted in a sense that she’d never get this time back. It didn’t matter though. Anything for the high, right? Anything for the exhilerating feeling of magic flowing through her veins, right? Anything to get the giant weight of anger, disappointment, and the crushing feeling of being unremarkable and dull off her chest, right?

You weren’t always like this, she reminded herself. This wasn’t her fault. It was their fault. They were the reason why she did this to herself night after night after night after—

Bridgette screamed when she found out what the Council would do to her and how she’d be punished for the forseeable future. It wasn’t a pretty scream. It wasn’t like how girls screamed in horror films or rom coms. It was gutteral, feral, and furious. It made you wonder if she was a werewolf instead of a witch.

“What the fuck?” At first she felt confused. She didn’t do anything wrong. Not exactly. “What the fuck?!” Bridgette spat the words. “How dare they! How fucking dare they! They’re going to fucking condemn me to a life of being a useless, pathetic, mundane human being!” She didn’t think all humans were useless or pathetic, but in that moment, she’d rather die than become disconnected from magic, something that made her her.

“Who the fuck do they think they are, trying to control me?” She wasn’t sure who she was shouting out. She wasn’t sure why she was throwing glasses. It was like her body was operating on autopilot. Bridgette was already in so much trouble that it didn’t matter if she threw a few glasses and overturned a table. It didn’t matter if she threw a chair against the wall. She slammed her fists against the door over and over again as she screamed in outrage. She threw a tantrum as if she were a child, except that she never threw temper tantrums as a kid. She always got what she wanted and this was the one time she couldn’t charm her way out of it.

When they bound her powers, Bridgette never told anyone, but she felt like a cord was being cut. She felt a hollowness and an emptyness that was far worse than any heartbreak she’d ever experienced. Despite the weird weightlessness she was experiencing, there was a great and terrible pressure in her chest. A part of her was forcefully removed. They resigned her to living trapped inside Edgewood, forced to study at UW Edgewood. She was no longer allowed to live the life she wanted, the life she planned. She would never admit to anyone that she cried that night.

She barely even recognized herself when she looked in the mirror. She wasn’t the same girl for what seemed like ages, but then Pixie Dust was Bridgette’s saving grace or so it seemed. She was so desperate, it didn’t matter the cost. It was the very reason why she was in another bathroom in the back of another seedy club on another night before she’d have to go to work again the next day. Ever since she lost her powers, she was chasing a feeling. She could be in her own little world, remembering what it was like when she was young and things were easier. She owed it all to that little pink drug.

The Council’s punishment was meant to teach her a lesson and force her to think about her actions. She was supposed to change her ways and become a much more respectable witch. Instead, Bridgette would only bide her time, dreaming up scheme after scheme to get back at them. For now, it’d only be a dream.

Bridgette would think of different schemes, trying to find the best punishment to fit the crime. Sometimes, she’d imagine them on fire as terrible as it sounded or tying a rock to their leg and throwing them into the lake. Other days she imagined them as a bunch of bumbling fools who had no memory of who they were, quite possibly a fate worse than death. She wasn’t an inherantly dark or murderous person, but she could never find the right words to say to let the Council know how much she despised them.

Bridgette lifted her head and looked back into the mirror again after taking in the pink, sugary substance. If someone didn’t know better, it looked like candy. She ran her hands down her face, wiped any trace of drug away, and pushed her hair back. She gripped the sides of the counter top and inhaled deeply. She pulled back the corners of her mouth, putting on a big and bright smile. She flashed those perfectly straight white teeth. She frowned and then smiled again. She laughed. She put on a surprised face, opening her mouth up wide. She smiled again.

She turned her head towards the door when there was a knock. “Give me a minute! I’m almost done!” she said, grabbing her lipstick. She ran it over her lips and then fixed her hair so not one strand was out of place. She smiled again in the mirror, as if that would make her happier or make the drugs work faster. Bridgette slung her bag over her shoulder and opened the door, grinning ear to ear as she greeted her friends. Bridgette walked down the hall with her friends, throwing an arm over one of their shoulders and heading for the main room of the club. The lights flashed and the music was blaring. Her heart began pounding in her chest as the drugs started to take their effect on her. Pretty soon, she’d feel a high that she’d never feel with any ordinary drug. This one was pure magic.

“Oh my god, you better not have started without me!” one girl whined. “If you get wasted before us, it’s sooooo not going to be fun.”

“I swear to Goooodddd, if I see Jasper hanging out with Sophia again, I’m just going to fucking scream!” another girl said, staring at her phone. She swiped left and right as she scrolled through the people on Tinder. “She’s just such a fucking bitch. Like, no one’s fucking decked her. Everyone fucking knows she’s a ho.”

“Bridgey, were you able to get those tickets to that concert next week?” another girl asked as she took selfies of the group.

“Yeah, bitch, you know I did!” Bridgette replied. “It’s next Saturday and we got tickets for the pit, so you know what that means!” She smirked and waggled her eyebrows as she shimmied her shoulders. Put on a happy face.

“Ooooh! We should go get some Chinese after this!” another girl said, not realizing the time. Nearly every restaurant would be closed by now.

“Wait, Bridgey, I thought you were going to be the designated driver tonight,” another girl said, pouting her oversized lips.

Bridgette mentally rolled her eyes as the girl called her Bridgey. She didn’t always like these girls, but they knew how to have a good time and it was an excuse to go out and get high instead of being depressed and high in her apartment. Plus, most of them knew some great places to party. They had their perks and for now while she was trapped in this town, she might as well live her best life and stick with the crew she got. It was better to hang out with these clueless hens who barely knew a thing about her than to be with anyone else who truly knew her.

“I know, but I kind of thought I’d be going home with someone else tonight, if you know what I mean,” Bridgette replied. “And besides, I was the designated driver last weekend.” It wasn’t technically a lie. She was supposed to be the designated driver last week, but instead she threw back three shots as soon as they got to the bar before anything else could happen. “Maybe you could do it since you can’t hold your tequila?” She gave her friend a sickeningly sweet smile that was borderline snide. The other girl let out a huff and was about to protest.

“Who wants to do shots of tequila?!” Bridgette half yelled so the rest of the girls could hear her. Her squad all looked at each other and screamed in excitement as they all ran for the bar. She did a round of shots and then leaned her head back as the blood began to pound in her ears. Everything sounded tinny and hollow. As she looked around, the whole world melted like a burning candlestick. It was like the mirror in the bathroom where everything was distorted.

Only this time instead of all the dirt and filth of the glass, Bridgette began to see every color in existence, or so she thought. It was like everything was in a kaleidescope. Different colors and crystals and auras. And, after all the shots she did, time didn’t seem like a real concept anymore. Bridgette was light as a cloud and felt free as a bird. Everything she saw and heard was a burst of highly saturated colors. Everything was bright and airy. It didn’t mattter what she saw, only that feeling that it gave her. Nothing could ever replace real magic, but this came pretty damn close.

She wasn’t sure how long she was out or when and how she got home or if it was even her home. Somehow, Bridgette landed herself of a couch. Whether it was her own or someone else’s, that didn’t matter. A some point in the night, she did another line of Pixie Dust, just to get herself through the night and into the next morning. Sometimes, she’d take some of it during the day to get through her shifts before going right back into it at night. She just needed that high, that spark in her veins, to get through the day. Anything for the familiar sensation of magic in her blood, a reminder of better days and simpler times. 

That was all that mattered.

[cottagethings]

self-quarantine activities

1. Complete a puzzle: The more pieces the better! Feeling extra saucy? Take on a Rubik's Cube. More of a word person? Crossword puzzle!

2. Start a journal or blog. Sure, it can be about the coronavirus, but it could also be about a specific interest from chess to cheese. 

3. If it won't bother your neighbors: Dust off that old instrument and practice.

4. Text all your exes just in case you have one more thing you wanted to get off your chest.

5. Write poetry. Perhaps you can craft a haiku for Mother's Day, or something without a specific structure. Just try it!

6. Watch all the really long movies you’ve avoided until now.

7. Download Duolingo, or a similar app, and teach yourself a foreign language.

8. Finally read “Infinite Jest,” “Les Miserables” or even “The Stand.” Go all in and read “Ulysses.” You got this. 

9. Meditate. Try lying down with your eyes closed, palms up and while focusing on your breath. Or spend 20 minutes sitting crosslegged and repeat a soothing word to yourself in your head. (The latter is more like transcendental meditation.)

10. Face masks, moisturizer, oh my! Treat yourself to a 10-step skin care routine you don’t have time for during a normal work week.

11. Look at pictures of puppies.

12. Put together the most attractive charcuterie board possible, but you can only use foods you already have in your fridge and cupboard.

13. Take note from "Tangled" star Rapunzel, who has an entire song about how she's spent her days alone in a castle. Activities included in her ditty: Ventriloquy, candle-making, papier-mâché and adding a new painting to her gallery.

14. Write actual letters to family and friends. After that? Write thank-you notes to service people who you remember went out of their way for you.

15. Learn calligraphy. YouTube can help.

16. Finally read the rules to those long and intense board games you've never played with the family. Encourage the family to play.

17. Put on a soap opera. Mute the sound. Create your own dialogue.

18. Have a space in your home where all of the tupperware goes? Organize it and actually match lids to containers.

19. Try on all your clothes and determine whether they “spark joy” á la Marie Kondo.

20. Better yet, go through this process with your junk drawer and supply shelves. 

21. Have a roommate meeting about how to be more considerate of one other, especially while you will likely be spending more time together. Bring baked goods.

22. Bake those goods.

23. Watch the films that won Oscars for best picture.

24. Watch films that won Independent Spirit Awards for best picture. 

25. Watch films that critics say should have won those aforementioned awards.

26. Read all the New Yorker issues piled on your desk.

27. Will Tom Hanks into recovery from coronavirus by watching every Tom Hanks movie chronologically. 

28. Knit or crochet.

29. Use Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts or Marco Polo to video chat with your long-distance friends.

30. Try out at-home aerobics or yoga videos. Consider downloading a fitness app with curated workout playlists.

31. Look at yourself in the mirror. Attempt a self portrait with pencil and paper.

32. Take a bubble bath (bonus: Add a glass of wine).

33. Make a classic cocktail, from negronis to Manhattans and aperol spritzes. Don't forget the garnish.

34. Coloring books: They’re not just for kids.

35. Take time to reflect: What have you accomplished in the last year? What goals are you setting for yourself in the next year?

36. Write a short story or get started on that novel.

37. Actually try to reproduce something you see on Pinterest. Probably fail. Try again.

38. Clear out the family room and camp indoors with all blankets, popcorn and scary movies.

39. Finally get around to fixing that broken door knob and loose tile or cleaning scuffed up walls. 

40. Acquire a foam roller and treat yourself to some physical therapy. 

41. Pretend you're 13 years old and fold a square piece of paper into a fortune teller you put your thumbs and pointer fingers into. Proceed to tell fortunes. 

42. Learn how to braid (fishtail, French, etc.) via YouTube tutorial..

43. Throw out all your too-old makeup and products. (Tip: most liquid products have a small symbol on them noting expirations, usually six months to a year. This includes sunscreen!)

44. Interview your grandparents (over the phone, of course) and save the audio. Can you create an audio story or book with that file?

45. Go through your camera roll, pick your favorite pics from the past year and make a photo book or order framed versions online. 

46. Go on a health kick and learn how to cook new recipes with ingredients you may not be using already, from miso to tahini.

47. Create a Google document of shows or movies you’re watching and share it among family and friends.

48. Make a list of things for which you are grateful. 

49. Have your own wine tasting of whatever bottles you have at home. Make up stories about the journey of the grapes to your mouth.

50. Work on your financial planning, such as exploring whether to refinance your loan or ways to save more money. 

51. Perfect grandma’s bolognese recipe.

52. Make coffee, but this time study how many beans you use, which types, how hot the water is, how long it brews and whether any of that makes a difference.

53. Buy gift cards from your favorite local businesses to help keep them in business while we quarantine.

54. Watch “Frozen 2,’ which went up early on Disney Plus. Another new movie on the streaming service: "Stargirl." 

55. Write a book with your family. Pick a character and each member writes a chapter about their adventures. Read aloud to each other. 

56. No March Madness? Have a Scrabble tournament. Or Bananagrams. Pictionary, anyone?

57. Get into baking with "The Great British Baking Show," but your technical challenge is baking something with the ingredients you have on hand (that you didn't already use in the charcuterie board).

58. Indoor scavenger hunt.

59. Alternate reading the Harry Potter series with your kids and cap each one off with the movie.

60. Dye your hair a new color. No one else needs to see it if you don't like it.

61. Read Robert Jordan’s 14-book “Wheel of Time” series before it streams on Amazon starring Rosamund Pike. 

62. Write a play starring your loved ones. Perform it via a video call app. 

63. Go viral in the good way by making a quarantine-themed TikTok.

64. Rearrange your sock drawer. Really.

65. Stop procrastinating and do your income taxes.

66. Make lists of all the museums, sporting events and concerts you want to visit when they finally reopen.

67. Get into comics with digital subscriptions on your tablet, like Marvel Unlimited. 

68. Rearrange your furniture to make it seem like your home is a totally different space. 

69. Practice shuffling playing cards like a Poker dealer. Be ready for employment opportunities once all casinos open back up.

70. Organize your spice rack alphabetically or get crazy and do it by cuisine.

71. Teach your dog to shake. Hand sanitizer optional.

72. Memorize the periodic table. You never know when that will come in handy.

73. Order and put together some IKEA furniture. Time yourself.

74. Get a free trial of a streaming service and binge-watch as much as you can before it expires. 

75. Apply for a new job. You have remote work experience now. 

76. Learn a new style of dance via YouTube, from bellydancing to breaking.

77. Update or write your will and organize your affairs. Yes, it sounds melodramatic and morbid but let’s face it: This is a task many of us avoid because we never have the time. Now we do.

78.The parades have been canceled but you can still make corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day.

79. Bring out the Legos. Build your house inside of your house.

80. Watch the "Star Wars" movies in this and only this order: Rogue One-IV-V-II-III-Solo-VI-VII-VIII-IX.

81. Two words: Coronavirus beard! Grow it, moisturize it, comb it, love it.

82.  Learn the words to "Tung Twista." Get them so ingrained in your brain that you can rap them as fast as Twista can. Impress everyone. 

83. Been meaning to get some new glasses? Try on new frames virtually on sites like GlassesUSA.com.

84. Attempt things with your non-dominant hand, from writing to brushing your teeth. Prepare to be frustrated.

85. How many words per minute can you type? See if you can get speedier by taking a typing course.

86. Prepare to verbally duel a bully who wants to discuss the evolution of the market economy in the Southern colonies, by memorizing Matt Damon's "Good Will Hunting" speech. 

87. Learn origami. Make cranes for your loved ones.

88. Stretch. Work on your flexibility. It's possible to get the splits back, right?

89. Try to speak in pig Latin. Or, "ig-pay, atin-Lay."

90. Talk to your plants. How are they doing? Make sure they are getting the amount of sunlight they should be. Check their soil. Water if necessary.

91. Deep condition your hair and put paraffin wax on your hands. Enjoy your soft hair and nails.

92. Consider donating money to food banks to help families struggling to get meals.

93. Write a song. If you want to make it about your time inside and put it to the tune of "My Sharona" and replace "Sharona" with "Corona," do what you have to do.

94. Study the art of beatboxing.

95. Try moving in super-slow motion. It's OK to laugh at regular speed.

96. You know how there are dozens of ways to wear a scarf, but you only wear it the one way? Learn the other ways.

97. Learn Old English words. Pepper them into your conversation. Wherefore not?

98. Try on a new shade of lipstick. See how long it takes your partner to notice it.

99. Take deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

100. Sleep. Get lots of it.

[holdyourbreathuntilyouseelight]

The Bodyguard - Chapter 5

Summary: Magnus is a dancing popstar sensation whose popularity continues to climb. Alec, an ex-Secret Service agent, is hired on as a professional bodyguard in charge of Mr. Bane’s personal security by insistence of Magnus’ manager. Despite their initial differences, Magnus finds himself falling for Alec the more time they spend getting to know each other and relies on him for more than physical security as his safety gets threatened. Loosely based on the 1992 film The Bodyguard.

Rating: M

Genre: AU, Everyone is Human AU, Celebrity!Magnus, Bodyguard!Alec, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Romance, Eventual Smut, Mutual Pining

Author: holdyourbreathuntilyouseelight

A/N: So sorry I disappeared for a few weeks there - I am suffering from intense occupational burnout and compassion fatigue and I'm doing my best to work overtime while battling it so it's been taking up all my brain power. Hoping things calm down soon and I can better focus on this story.That being said - here is another chapter. Things get a little more exciting from here on out! Malec is coming soon ;) Thank you for sticking with me and this story! You guys are amazing.

Click here to read on AO3.

Previous chapters on tumblr: Prologue // Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 // Chapter 4

"Hit, hit, duck. Good." Alec directed, nodding in approval as the group hit their target clearly. "Luke, great form. You're getting good power with those hits. Keep your wrist straight."

Luke nodded and kept hitting the cushioned martial arts dummy in front of him.

Alec held these training sessions when he could, when they had a day or two between shows or Magnus was busy in dance rehearsals. Some of the security team he had hired on his own, but some had come from Magnus' original group. Naturally, those original people didn't have a lot of formal training in combat or disarming opponents, so Alec took it upon himself to prepare them. If something happened and Alec wasn't there, he wanted to make sure everyone was safe and knew what to do. He had night patrol keeping an eye on the floor they stayed on every night, even with Alec in the bedroom over from Magnus, and regularly stationed guards in positions around the venue. He needed them to be able to act efficiently and effectively in the event someone who did not belong tried to intrude.

The benefit concert Magnus was performing at tonight was a very small club, with not much room to place people, and Alec felt more nervous than ever at the idea of the team not being fully prepared to tackle down a dangerous suspect in the event it came up.

So far, the tour had been uneventful for actually coming across a suspicious person, but Alec knew that streak of luck was just that – luck.

Luke wiped the sweat off his brow as Alec paced by him while observing the room.

"You really don't go easy on us, huh?" Luke asked, taking a deep drink from his water bottle.

Alec smiled. "Not my style. Best way to ensure progress is to challenge. You've all come a long way in a short time."

"You're a good teacher. To be honest, Alec, I wasn't sure about you in the beginning, but you've been what we didn't know we needed. Magnus included. He probably will never admit it to you, but I can tell he's glad you're here."

Alec chuckled. "He definitely will never admit it. But thank you. I hope so. His safety is my ultimate concern, but it is easier to protect him when he lets me."

Luke was watching him closely, a spark of mischief in his eyes, and Alec wondered what he had said that made him look at him in such a way.

"You get him though. Even though I know he puts you through your paces. Something about the two of you works."

Alec regarded him skeptically. "Don't tell me you're joining the fans in 'shipping' the pair of us."

Luke laughed. "I didn't say that… but I haven't seen Magnus so smitten in all my years of working with him. You're good for each other."

"You guys are seeing things." He turned to the rest of the room, grateful the others weren't eavesdropping on the conversation. "All right, everyone! Let's practice some disarming!"

Luke smirked as he swept past him to head to the mats on the other side of the room.

Alec shifted uncomfortably at his spot on the sidelines, trying not to let Luke's comment nestle in his mind and manifest into hope.

The venue was small, smaller than Alec anticipated, and it made his anxiety jump upon seeing people filed around the block and the realization that it was in anticipation of the big night.

Magnus, of course, looked thrilled by the turnout, flipping through social media to see the posts from excited fans.

"Are we there yet?" Magnus asked, peeking through the tinted windows in an attempt to see how close they were to the hall.

"We're going through a back entrance, Magnus, to get you in past the crowd and where you're needed." Raphael explained.

"Alexander, will you relax? You're setting off my anxiety and I don't even  anxiety." Magnus said, placing a hand on his bouncing thigh.

Alec's leg stilled, surprised to find it had been moving of its own accord, and grimaced. "Sorry. I'm not looking forward to trying to keep things under control with this crowd."

"You worry too much, darling. It'll be fine. It's just a bunch of enthused people ready to donate and support the LGBT youth. Remember that that's why we're here."

Alec swallowed at the feeling of Magnus' fingers drawing circles on the inside of his knee. He tried to remind himself that Magnus threw pet names around easily, that it didn't mean anything.

"We're here. Stay." Alec said quickly, jumping from his seat as soon as the brakes kicked in and near-stumbling out of the car.

"Sit. Roll over." Magnus imitated, collapsing back onto his seat with his usual dramatic flair.

Alec ignored him as he set the security team in motion, clearing the main area and gesturing for Magnus to follow when the time came.

Magnus bounded after him, a little too much like a rogue puppy, and Alec tugged him to remain by his side while the others did their usual sweep.

"Honestly, Alexander. Why don't we clear my dressing room first? Or the rehearsal hall? Waiting around is so boring."

"And deprive myself of extra time in your extraordinary company?"

Alec missed Magnus' sarcastic reply, too intent on what was being said through his wire.

"Repeat that please." he said stonily, gripping Magnus' arm and immediately backing him to a nearby corner to block him in.

"Alec, what—"

But he heard it through the speaker then.

"It's like the others you showed us. Magazine clippings of letters to make up the words. Whoever it is, they know Magnus is here."

Alec closed his eyes, exhaling slowly, as Magnus gripped his jacket from behind. He jerked it back when Alec went to move.

"They're here?" Magnus asked hoarsely.

"Not necessarily. Just that they know you were coming. I… I don't like it." Alec admitted lowly.

Magnus pressed closer to him, even as Alec gave directions through his headset. He felt stupid for poking fun at Alec's anxiety now, when that was all he could feel rushing through his veins. He had been getting too comfortable, thinking that Alec's presence was more of an insurance policy, and that, even worst case scenario, Alec's position would scare off any half-assed stalker. It had been weeks since something happened.

It meant this person was for real, and they clearly meant business. They were following him through the tour; they had photos of him in his home, and then had posted a message at the Chicago venue, and now here.

What did they want from him? Why were they doing this?

Magnus felt Alec relax, even minutely, and pulled himself out of his thoughts to listen to him.

"No sign of any other danger or anyone out of the ordinary. If the person planted that today, they're gone now. It doesn't mean they won't come back tonight." he added. "Magnus, you should think about cancelling."

"Cancelling my appearance at the benefit?" Magnus asked just as Raphael came in the room.

"Alec! We can't cancel this late. Magnus would be ostracized. There are hundreds of people lined up outside who have been hanging around all day just to get a chance to be close to the stage he is on! It would kill his reputation, not to mention plummet the charitable donations…"

"Look, I don't like it either. I respect what this is about and what the fans want, but I am trying to keep Magnus safe!" Alec argued.

Magnus placed a hand on his arm. "Alexander. You said before… giving this person power, by showing that they've gotten to me, or putting a spotlight on them, is exactly what they want. Isn't cancelling because of one letter doing that?"

Alec met his eyes, considering his words, before sighing. "You have a point."

Raphael clapped his hands together. "Magnus is right. We wouldn't want to make things worse."

Alec ignored him and turned his full attention to Magnus. "This place is tight quarters and going to be crammed with people. I won't have as easy of access to you if things go south. Are you absolutely sure you want to go forward with this? This isn't like Chicago—we know before you're on stage that your safety is at higher risk. That they found a way in here before even we did and before the audience was let in. That isn't a good sign. It shows far too much eagerness for my liking, and there's nothing to say they won't attack once you're on stage solo and an easy target."

"I can't let the fans down, Alec. I want to do this." Magnus told him earnestly.

He nodded finally. "Okay. Let's get you to your dressing room. I want a better look at this letter."

He kept a hand wrapped around Magnus' bicep as they moved through the hall, eyes darting to every corner more than ever, and he prayed that whoever dared to threaten Magnus was long gone.

He didn't like the idea of how much bolder they were getting. It could only spell danger, and he would be damned if he let anything happen to Magnus while he was around.

Magnus tried to keep the underlying fear off of his face as his team worked away at getting him prepped for the show.

He didn't want to make a scene, or set off anyone else's fear, but he was panicking on the inside. The letter had been enough to send a shiver down his spine.

BANE BASTARD

YOU HAVE EVERYTHING

I HAVE NOTHING

THE TIME IS COMING WHEN YOU SHALL DIE

He didn't understand what the person wanted. If they wanted him dead, because he 'had everything', killing him wasn't going to let this person have his life or whatever they claimed was 'everything'. He knew that stalkers weren't necessarily rational, so maybe they did think that would happen.

Either way, the text certainly seemed to suggest some sort of psychosis, which did not make him feel excited about his decision to move forward with the benefit. But if running away was what this person wanted, he'd be damned before he gave it to them. They weren't going to take away one method he knew how to pay back his fans for their support over the years.

He was not going to run scared. He trusted Alec to keep him safe and the rest of the team. Even with Alec's warnings that it wouldn't be easy if something did happen.

Magnus couldn't remember a time he had seen Alec as tense as he was now. His eyes would not stay on one place for too long, and he seemed fidgety, which was not the norm for him. Magnus could see through the reflection in the mirror Alec's thumb nail digging deeply at the stretch of skin between his thumb and index finger on the opposite hand.

Magnus frowned. Alec's nervousness was offsetting his own stress even more, and that was the last thing he needed before he went out on stage to put on an upbeat, fun performance.

"Alexander. Can you go take a walk or something? Your presence is raising my blood pressure."

Alec scowled. "I'm not leaving. Your safety is at an increased risk. I don't want to take any chances."

"Well right now, you're risking my sanity."

"That's your problem."

Magnus moved to get out of his chair, ready to get up in the bodyguard's face, but Raphael pushed down on his shoulder to keep him seated.

"Alec. Talk me through your conversation with the police earlier." Raphael said, leading Alec away from the room.

"Raphael…" Alec started to warn, but the manager cut him off.

"He's surrounded by multiple people from his team—not a prime time to attack. As well I've… just summoned Luke to stand guard in your absence." he said as he typed in his phone.

Alec reluctantly followed Raphael, shooting a last, somewhat-hurt expression towards Magnus, which made Magnus immediately regret making a fuss.

He knew Alec meant well, and that he was stressed because he was worried about his well being. It was unfair of Magnus to punish him for it. It was incredibly difficult to relax and not think about the impending danger when the person meant to stay calm and collected was clearly freaking out but he couldn't exactly blame him for being worried.

One of his tour assistants came into the room then, carrying a collection of snacks for the group.

"Magnus, you should have something before you go out there. You need your energy."

"I can't, Iris. I feel too sick to eat." he admitted, though he accepted a water bottle gratefully.

She rubbed his shoulder supportively. "That bodyguard of yours has certainly made things harder for you."

Magnus narrowed his eyes. He remembered why he didn't always get along with the woman. She tended to jump right to blaming others or pointing a spotlight at negativity. He had known her from one of the group homes he had been in in his late teens, and back then they had quite a bit in common. She hadn't had an easy life, and, after he had gotten his big break, they had run into each other and she managed to pull at his heart strings when she was honest about how much she was struggling to find her footing. He offered her a job and she had been working with him ever since.

Since she was a tour assistant, she managed a lot of the administrative pieces Raphael passed off to her, like rearranging travel plans or confirming venues, meet and greets, and the like. It wasn't an easy job – it was a lot of problem solving and reorganizing previously established plans – but she seemed to do well since Raphael didn't complain about her any more than he complained about anyone else.

Magnus knew his success was only capable with a group of talented people in the background, often overlooked and underappreciated by the general population, but Magnus never shied away from rewarding them for their hard work whenever he could. Spontaneous gifts, all-inclusive resort vacation getaways, and of course a handsome paycheque to boot. He had never gotten into the business for the money—but given how little he had growing up, it was incredible to have the power to do so much.

Not to say he didn't still indulge himself too—that went without saying. But he also gave large portions to various charities and used his fame for things like that night's benefit to raise money for others.

Magnus dragged his attention back to his staff member. "Alec is… intense, but he means well. He just has a good habit of getting on my nerves. Nothing I can't handle."

Iris forced a smile, clearly catching the subtle reprimand. "My apologies, Magnus. He just seems to not know when to back off. I'm only trying to look out for you, after all these years, as you've done for me."

Magnus nodded. "I know. I appreciate your concern. Perhaps you should go check with Raphael before the show starts; see if there are any last minute emergencies that need handling."

She bobbed her head in acknowledgement before slipping away and out of the room.

Meliorn moved forward to finish his make-up, and Magnus left the offered food untouched.

Magnus let his team finish their aesthetic prep before being fit for a mic. It wasn't long before he was walking towards the wings of the stage to prepare for his entrance.

Unsurprisingly, Alec was behind him like a shadow as soon as he got close enough to the stage.

"Magnus…" He grabbed his wrist before he could pass, and Magnus found himself turning into the curve of his bodyguard's arm.

"Alexander."

Alec closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly steeling himself for what he was about to say. "Look. I wanted to apologize, for before. I know this whole thing is stressful, for you more than anyone. I am hired to keep you safe, and I take that job very seriously. By not keeping my fears underwraps, I'm aiding in your discomfort, and that isn't fair of me. I'm sorry."

"Alexander." Magnus said, squeezing his bicep. "Thank you but I should be the one apologizing to you. I know I have a short fuse, but I shouldn't automatically take it out on you. Like you said, this whole thing is stressful. I know you're only stressed because you care, and I appreciate that."

Alec finally smiled, the first he had seen in a while, and Magnus found himself mirroring it.

"Magnus Bane, everyone!" the announcer's voice suddenly cut through their spell, and Magnus awkwardly stepped back out of his embrace. He didn't remember when he had started leaning into Alec so heavily.

"Ah, excuse me."

"I will be right here, just in case. I won't take my eyes off of you." Alec promised, and the sincerity in his eyes had to be what caused a shiver to roll up Magnus' spine.

Magnus stepped out onto the stage with his usual flair, greeting the crowd with his typical enthusiasm before the music started and he got into place.

Normally, his concert venues were larger, so he'd have a full band and back-up dancers/choreographed routines happening. The stage was too small for all of that, so it was just a solo act this time around, which made Alec all the more nervous.

He stayed watchful on the sidelines, scanning the crowd, keeping his promise to not let his eyes stray too far from Magnus.

Magnus was dancing along the central piece of the T-shaped stage, the audience on either side grabbing for him like he was a shower of cash they were trying to catch from the air. He would wiggle his fingers at them, brushing at a couple hands, but any time anyone got too close, he'd skip away with a playful grin.

Alec couldn't help his lips turning up at the corners at the sight. Magnus was totally in his element on stage, any stage. No one would be able to guess he'd spent the last couple hours with the growing fear that his life could be in danger at any moment.

Alec was jerked from his thoughts abruptly when an audience member finally managed to get a good hold on Magnus' hand, holding him in place and nearly causing him to lose his balance and make nice with the floor.

Alec was moving before he was even conscious of his decision, grabbing at his mouth piece to instruct the others that were nearby, but Magnus caught his eye and sent him a warning look. He raised a hand to get him to pause, moving his body with it to make it look like part of his routine, as he continued to sing like nothing had changed.

Magnus managed to get his hand free and swept away, moving to the other side of the stage to pay attention to that crowd.

Alec exhaled. He was really glad Magnus was only one of a few guests. He couldn't stand this anxiety for hours on end.

Magnus did a few more songs, a slow ballad among the more energetic ones, but it was his second last one that went downhill.

Due to the packed crowd, Alec's security team was stationed as close to the stage as they could be without being squashed by the over-enthused audience, but somehow, they still weren't close enough.

One person, with the help of a couple friends, managed to climb onto the stage when Magnus' back was turned.

"Underhill!" Alec hissed into his mouth piece, but even he could see the blonde man was struggling to get through the packed bodies to get to where the fan was now dancing on stage.

Magnus, ever the actor, simply smiled brightly and twirled the person, but Alec could see the underlying fear growing in his eyes.

"Get him out of there!" Alec shouted, poised ready to run on stage, but Magnus was raising his hand in a stop motion in his direction again and Alec paused mid-step to wait.

It was against his better judgment, but he wanted to respect Magnus' autonomy, and he knew he'd never forgive him if he ruined the show with his overprotective nature.

But then another friend of the group managed to make it on stage, with others following, and Magnus' mic was near-ripped from him as they tried to get a handful of the star and snagged the wired contraption well off of him in their haste.

Magnus' eyes were full of fear now, especially when, in his attempt to get away from them, he lost his footing and fell off the stage.

"Magnus!" Alec shouted, racing out there at lightening speed and shoving through the gleeful group on stage with no remorse. They scattered like mice, and he tried not to feel pleased.

Magnus had been caught by the ecstatic audience, their screams and cheers roaring in Alec's ears like white noise now, their arms holding him up like he was attempting to crowd surf at a rock concert. All he could hear was Magnus' broken protests, asking to be put down, for them to stop, although, for anyone else, it likely was getting swallowed up in the excitement.

Alec leapt off the platform and tore through the group of bodies to get to Magnus. Underhill, Garroway, and the others were helping thin the crowd as Alec finally caught up to where the star was.

He shoved the hands off of the star and pulled Magnus into his arms bridal style, Magnus' arms latching around his neck while he buried his face in his shoulder, trembling all over.

Hands still were desperate to get a handful of the celebrity, reaching in the crammed space to tug at his shirt, hair, whatever their hands could reach.

"Get your hands off of him!" Alec snarled, sounding more animal than man, and he used his shoulder and broad body to knock anyone in his path aside as he made his way to a clearing.

He didn't care if he was sending the more stubborn people stumbling. Served them right for caring more about the thrill of touching their so-called idol than respecting his personal space and safety.

Once free from the crowd, Alec spoke into his headset.

"Raphael, I need the car running and ready. Back exit. You have sixty seconds or I'm grabbing the nearest cab."

There was panic on the other end, Raphael demanding to know if Magnus was okay, but Alec didn't know how to answer that.

"I've got him. He's safe now." Alec said, which caused Magnus to look up at him.

Alec's heart clenched in his chest at the tearstains on Magnus' face. His grip on his neck loosened, fingertips brushing softly at the nape of Alec's neck, and his eyes were trained on Alec's hazel ones.

Alec leaned his forehead against Magnus' as they came to a stop at the back exit.

"I've got you." he murmured before opening the door to the night air.

Continue to Chapter 6

[dudedrops319]

Dooley Noted - A musical journey through the mojo of a Toledo bluesman

(original version can be seen at https://toledocitypaper.com/feature/dooley-noted/)

Dooley Wilson is frustrated.

It’s 9:57 am on a cold Saturday in December and he is supposed to start playing at 10 o’clock. He has only just now stumbled out of the Toledo tundra into the cozy confines of the Glass City Cafe, which has booked him for its popular Bluegrass Breakfast music series.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” he cries out in the direction of restaurant owner Steve Crouse, who assures him everything is fine. Wilson looks pained as a brief flash of flame passes over his smoldering dark brown eyes. No, it’s not fine. He was scheduled to start playing the blues at 10 sharp, and now he’s going to start late. And a professional should always be punctual.

Undaunted, he swallows his disappointment and, within 10 minutes, he has everything set up at the front of the restaurant which serves as the stage. Upending his battered Cunard Queen of Elizabeth canvas bag, he sorts through the contents— Halls menthol cough drops, a bottle of slippery elm supplements (“Just in case my voice goes out”), a bottle of Deja Blue water, a glass vase that serves as a tip jar and a power strip.

He plugs the power strip into his amp, a well-loved 1965 Fender Bandmaster. And then out comes the artisan’s tool— his Jay Turser electric guitar. It doesn’t have a name or anything; it’s a utensil to serve the stew of blues (“It’s a cheapo guitar, but it’s MY cheapo guitar,” he muses). He’s almost ready. He asks, and a cup of hot black coffee is delivered. After the obligatory microphone check, he sits on the edge of a worn tan suitcase and readies his guitar. It’s time to go to work.

Soon the Glass City Cafe fills with the sound of the blues— and Wilson is lost in ecstasy. He’s sitting atop the worn tan suitcase, choking the guitar neck, his angular carved-in-stone features a mask of concentration, fingers and knuckles gnarled from a lifetime of plucking strings. There’s no setlist, no backdrop, no real plan. Just a working man with an instrument sharing the gospel of what he believes is the greatest music that exists. Wilson plays the blues as if his life depends on it.

And maybe it does.

From C.J. to Dooley

Dooley Wilson does not take toast with his mozzarella cheese omelet, favoring potatoes instead. Sitting in the Glass City Cafe months later— this time as a patron— he is a bit more relaxed than he was when he played here. He still doesn’t smile much. Wilson isn’t grumpy, he just carries himself with an intensity that’s disarming. You get the feeling that he doesn’t want to be here. That’s because he lives to do one thing: Play the blues. And when he’s not playing the blues, by gum, he wants to be playing the blues.

But for now, he’ll tell his story. Now 45 years old, he was born C.J. Forgy, in West Lafayette, Indiana to James and Sandy Forgy. His parents split when he was two years old and he went to live with his maternal grandmother in Maumee. An only child, Wilson describes himself as an “artsy kid” who spent hours in his room drawing and writing.

“Everyone thought I was going to be a visual artist,” says Wilson, taking a sip of his coffee. “But along with writing, over the years I’ve let those skills atrophy,” he says, with a regretful sigh. “But I don’t know; I’m thinking about taking up drawing again for its therapeutic value.”

So what sparked his obsessive devotion to the blues? It started as musical hangups often did in the ‘80s— with a cassette. At 15, Wilson, who was teaching himself guitar and whose musical tastes at the time ran towards Led Zeppelin, walked into Camelot Music in the now-long-gone Southwyck Mall and spied a tape from Columbia Records called Legends of the Blues Vol. 1. There was something about that tape that spoke to him.

He picked it up and looked at the back. As-yet unfamiliar names like Bo Carter, Blind Willie Johnson, Charley Patton, and Leroy Carr stared out at him from the tracklisting. Robert Johnson— he knew that name from an interview he’d read with Jimmy Page and he was fascinated by the infamous story about Johnson reputedly getting his blues talent while making a deal with the devil at a crossroads. Maybe it was the ghost of Johnson himself speaking to Wilson that day in Camelot Music. All he knew is that he had to buy it.

When he got home, he popped the tape into his boom box, and something in the universe shifted. At that moment, C.J. Forgy ceased to exist and the bluesman named Dooley Wilson was born.

“That anthology started this mystique and passion I had for this music,” says Wilson, in between forkfuls of omelet. “It just spoke to my angst-ridden soul at the time and I had never heard anything so authentic, so human, so real. Take Son House’s song ‘Death Letter,’ which is on that anthology. It’s taken from his 1965 Columbia session and it’s just this amazing song about how a man gets a letter saying that the woman he loves is dead. It’s just…” Wilson often trails off when he talks about the blues; yet another reason why he’d much rather play you a song than talk about it.

From that fateful moment, the blues wasn’t just a preferred style of music to listen to or to learn to play… it became, at that time, a life choice.

“I decided I’m going to devote my life to being some kind of bluesman like Fred MacDowell or Son House,” says Wilson. “It became much more important to me than making a living. If you weren’t dead and black, I couldn’t be bothered to listen to you.”

Henry & June

By the way, where did that name Dooley Wilson come from? Wilson smiles broadly with a touch of sheepishness. He was setting up one of his earliest gigs, at the famous East-side haunt Frankie’s, and his buddy Lance Hulsey (currently the leader of Toledo rockabilly outfit Kentucky Chrome)— who Wilson played with his first band, a heavy metal project called Harlequin— said that the promoter needed to know what to call him… and C.J. Forgy didn’t exactly sound bluesy. So the young musician, right there, decided on the name Dooley Wilson in homage to the actor and musician of the same name, famous for playing the character Sam in Casablanca. Dooley Wilson is now his legal name. He cashes checks with that moniker.

With a new name under his bluesman’s belt, the then-recent Maumee High School (Class of 1992) graduate needed a band that would let him explore the blues the way he wanted to. The result was Henry & June, a heavy blues ensemble that Wilson formed with his good friend Jimmy Danger. They got the band name from a recently released biopic of Henry Miller, one of Wilson’s favorite authors.

“I was obsessed with the blues at that time, but I’m still incapable of playing it correctly,” says Wilson, draining his coffee cup. “I was really struggling to learn how to play blues the way it was meant to be played.”

But even as he worked to unravel the mysteries of Deep South blues, Wilson was experiencing something unexpected: Success. Henry & June had released a single called “Going Back to Memphis” on Detroit label Human Fly Records, and the song was attracting a lot of heat. The popular band The Laughing Hyenas— which featured former Necros member Todd Swalla, who would go on to play with Wilson in his later outfit Boogaloosa Prayer— were big fans of the song and were trying to get Henry and June signed to Touch and Go Records. Some cat named Jack White, who had a little band called The White Stripes, also was a big Henry and June fan and began covering “Going Back to Memphis” in concert.

“We were kind of a hot, cult thing on the scene in Detroit,” says Wilson, thanking the Glass City Cafe waitress as she refills his coffee. “Jack White wasn’t the only cool person in Detroit who knew who we were though, of course, he became the most famous one. Judah Bower of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion put out a cover of the single on his side project called 20 Miles. I heard The Von Bondies used to cover ‘Going Back to Memphis.’ It’s a really fun, simple, dumb song.”

And then right when things started to go well for Henry & June, it all went wrong. The blues were supposed to feel like freedom and suddenly Wilson and the rest of the band began to feel decidedly trapped.

“Jimmy in particular felt like things were getting stagnant,” says Wilson. “Things were going good for us but it started to feel like we were just going through the motions. It was creative claustrophobia.” And so the band, at its peak, unceremoniously broke up.

“We were just dumb kids. We had no idea what we were doing with our little garage band. Looking back, that may have been the worst decision of my career. But when you’re young and dumb, you don’t realize that; you just think ‘Well, I’ll just do the next thing that comes along.’”

Today, Henry & June is fondly recalled as an early part of the Detroit music resurgence of the latter 20th Century. While The White Stripes, Kid Rock, The Detroit Cobras, and various Detroit rappers, from Eminem to Insane Clown Posse, put the Motor City musically back on the map, Henry and June remains a small part of that legacy. Copies of “Going Back to Memphis” routinely go for more than $100 on eBay, and the song was recorded live by The White Stripes for their DVD concert film, Under Blackpool Lights.

And no, Wilson hasn’t received any royalties. It all worked out for the members of Henry & June, though. Drummer Ben Swank is now the top A&R guy at Third Man Records, Jack White’s label. The band did a well received reunion back in 2010 in Toledo and everyone is still cool with one another. But in rock-n-roll and the blues, time waits for no one, so Wilson was off to new projects and new adventures.

And those adventures would lead to him nearly lose his mind.

On a wing and a Boogloosa Prayer

Brushing off the ashes of Henry & June, Wilson decided to further buckle down and get more “authentically bluesy.” He quickly formed a new band with Ben Swank and guitarist Todd Albright, that went through various names such as Dime Store Glam and Gin Mill Moaners. They sat in for many nights at the long-gone-but-never forgotten Rusty’s Jazz Cafe.

“I was spending all of my disposable income on that watered down whiskey at Rusty’s,” said Wilson. “Rusty’s was an amazing little place.” After a while though, he got restless and decided he would get as real as the blues could get and move to New Orleans.

“I wanted to see if I could live as a street performer,” said Wilson. “I had this rather naïve idea that I could possibly make a living at it in that town. I suspected it was the place on Earth where you might encounter people doing this kind of music.”

So Wilson moved to New Orleans, virtually homeless, busking on the streets of NOLA. Meanwhile, The White Stripes were starting to get their first big taste of international notoriety and began introducing “Going Back to Memphis” to a whole new audience due to their frequent covering of the song in live gigs.

“There I am trying to get lunch money down in New Orleans, and suddenly The White Stripes and the whole Detroit thing started to blow up and I’m trying to be Mr Authenticity down in effing New Orleans,” says Wilson, shaking his head incredulously. “My career is awful. I always zig when I should have zagged.”

But New Orleans proved to be an artistically fruitful time for Wilson. He met true, dyed-in-the-wool blues players who were playing incredible music from their souls. Nobody had record deals or anything that could get in the way of making direct, honest music. Many of these men and women were homeless or living off the grid; something Wilson describes as “an anti-American dream.” He talks enthusiastically and excitedly about that time in his life.

“These were some of the greatest living blues artists. There was a guy named Augie Junior who was simply incredible. I had never heard anything like him. There was this woman named Lisa Driscoll who played the washboard. People called her Ragtime Annie. And…”

Suddenly Wilson stops in mid-sentence and a hollow expression crosses his face. He stands up, sets his coffee cup down, excuses himself with a hurried “I’m gonna step out for a minute” and before uttering another word, he’s left the Glass City Cafe. A few minutes pass and he returns, wiping his forehead.

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes, sitting back down. “It’s just…it’s hard talking about this. I just got a little overwhelmed talking about some of my departed friends.”

He steadies himself with a sip of coffee that’s starting to go cold, as he’s eager to move on to talk about his other great band, Boogaloosa Prayer. Formed after moving back to Maumee fresh off a year in New Orleans, Boogaloosa Prayer, which Wilson says “was one of the best things I ever did artistically” came after stints in short lived bands like The Young Lords, and The Staving Chain.

Boogaloosa Prayer, an aggressive blues rock outfit featuring in part his old friend Jimmy Danger and Maumee drumming legend Todd Swalla, garnered quite a devoted following, playing in both Toledo and Detroit. The band had momentum behind them that recalled the Henry & June days. Then one hot summer night in 2006 at the now-shuttered Mickey Finn’s Pub, Wilson’s demons got the better of him.

Sporting a shaved head and a sickly frame that was skinny even by his normally lithe, sinewy standards, Wilson cracked onstage during the show. He ranted incoherently, couldn’t perform any songs, and couldn’t remember any lyrics. To everyone who was there, it was a harrowing experience.

Today, Wilson is reluctant to talk about the incident but he acknowledges it happened.

“I can say that I had a horrible psychotic breakdown and it had an impact on my life,” says Wilson, a bit guardedly. “At the time I had several severe emotional stressors in my life. A toxic woman in my life was stalking me. I had a business deal that was crushing me under the pressure. Plus, Boogaloosa Prayer was breaking up at the time because Swalla was moving to California. It all led to that time in my life.”

Following his breakdown, Wilson spent some time in a psychiatric ward, and lived in his aunt’s attic as he attempted to rebuild his fragile psyche. He eschewed traditional psychotherapy and refused meds because he’d seen too many of his friends “get hooked on those damned things.” Through a lot of hard work, meditation, and support from his friends, Wilson says he “totally got well again” and he hasn’t had any mental health issues since— thank goodness.

“Losing your sanity really puts a damper on your life.”

Still walkin’ down that road…

Wilson now lives in what he calls “a shack,” though it’s actually a carriage house out on a property in Maumee. The place smells of incense, a bit cramped but cozy abode, filled with guitars, amps, books on Buddhism, and novels by Charles Bukowski. Exactly how you would expect Wilson to live. This is not the living quarters .of a typical 45 year old, but it is definitely the home of a bluesman— and that’s all Wilson ever wanted to be. He plays gigs around the region and works as a “factotum” (his term) helping out family members and friends with projects. He’s completed an album and is currently trying to figure out how to release it. Love? Not interested.

“I have the kind of personality where I just do better alone,” he says simply. He may be alone but he’s not lonely. He has the best friends in the world in his life, even if most of them are dead. Son House. Sonny Boy Williamson. Bo Carter. All those great blues artists of yesteryear he counts as his personal friends, and by playing their music and his own songs inspired by their influence, Wilson is a happy man.

On that cold December day at the Glass City Cafe, Wilson utters a line that captures his essence: “Oh, I’m Dooley Wilson. Don’t mind me.” But, about that, he’s wrong. Mind him. Pay attention to Dooley Wilson. Pay close attention.

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[idolizenews]

APRIL SCHEDULE

Each schedule post provides a snapshot into the way the company is marketing your group as a whole, the expectations they have for your involvement in the industry, and so forth. They’ll range from fun things like CF deals to run of the mill events like fan parties, concerts, or rest time. We’ll be varying things across the board and using this as a way to tease upcoming plot lines for groups. Schedules illuminate the often difficult realities of being an idol, and because of that we award +5 exp / + 5 sp to those who complete a 350+ 4/4 thread or a 500 word solo. Solos must be completed during the three week run of the schedule, but threads may be finished after the end of the prompt provided they were started well in excess of the end point (e.g. finishing up a reply or two after is fine, but posting the starter right before the next prompt goes up is not). These needn’t be taken extremely literally when threading and are open to tangential preparation threads and other flexibility.

OLYMPUS

Time to break out the cheesy smiles and, on top of that, your social skills. As the new faces of Korean Tourism TVC, Olympus will be demonstrating both slightly stilted acting, English, and high public notoriety by filming a series of short public service ads with the tagline “Have you ever ____.” The tourism campaign begins each video with the boy asking “Have you ever,” in an open ended way with a delightful closeup, before segueing into attractive foreigners doing various basic Korean tourism things, mostly bringing the boys back for another awkward question or two at the end, or interspersed. They are, after all, way too busy preparing for an upcoming comeback to traipse around Seoul all day long. Its the best of both worlds for everyone, and demonstrates that huge brand power for which they - and Midas- have become known. References are here.

JINX

In a surprise move that likely speaks more to the individual brand power of the girls and of Midas in general, rather than to the group as a whole, the girls are taking on a Pepsi CF this month, with a surprising chance to showcase the fresh and sultry vibes for which they have become known. What begins as as surprisingly bright and sunshine-y concept for spring quickly shifts into their usual “friendly party girl bathed in neon” vibes. With the throwback reminder to one of their bigger hits as the backing track, fans are wondering if the sudden uptick in promotion of the group indicates a comeback on the horizon- one for which they have been all but foaming at the mouth. For the girl’s it is at least certain to mean a payday and assurance that dissolution isn’t yet on the horizon- right? A reference can be found here.

TITANIUM

Like labelmates Aurora and JiNX, the boys are landing a brand deal this month with a commercial to film for. However, in distinct juxtaposition to their sister groups, image has been forsaken in favor of marketability, perhaps out of awareness of a need to demonstrate flexibility with such a highly conceptual group, and perhaps out of a pure, good old fashioned Midas money grab. Whatever the case, their comeback preparations and promotions will be interspersed with filming and occasional promotions for the brand ToniMoli, for which they will notably be filming a CF, reference here.

AURORA

It’s at first a surprising collaboration for a photoshoot- Aurora and MAC. The brand isn’t known for their sweetness and demure purity in the same way as Aurora, after all, but once the girls hit the set in soft naturally waved hair, minimal makeup, and pure white dresses, it all makes a lot more sense. It definitely speaks both to their brandability and to their inherent image, at a time when Borealis are wondering about the new girl group on the horizon, and how the recent influx in the girl crush trend will impact Aurora’s public popularity. It almost seems to be indicative of Midas taking a stand in support of the branding of the girls, marking out a line between the sister groups. The reference for this Grazia shoot can be found here. 

NEON

Neon’s showcase debut is coming on fast, and planned to hit  hot and hard. Perhaps (largely) due to their background with Midas and the level of exposure the trainees have been afforded prior to debut, the debut has a lot of buzz around it, speaking back to memories of sister group JiNX, though it’s not clear yet if they’ll be experiencing the same rapid sprint to a first win. They’ve certainly got attention out of the gate, however, hitting hard with a “teen crush” concept that hits the present trends right on the head. All in all the girls should been feeling rather good about themselves in the moment, and should be working hard to ensure they don’t experience a dip in momentum before they really get going.

HEAVEN

Heaven’s promotions are going well, as ever, though they’re lagging on the charts generally speaking. Unlike some of their other more experimental recent releases (notably Starry Night, which peaked at #1 on the charts) at this point Windflower is having trouble skirting the edges of the top 10, sparking concerns from the company that they might have departed too far from their successful formula, or tried to change things up too late. Nonetheless, they’re happy to provide fans with content they’re sure to eat up (and maybe they’re hoping to push a few “aren’t they relatable and talented” articles out into Pann in the process)  with a Tipsy Live performance! Of course, members have been instructed to thoroughly water down that soju and play up the cute tipsy, not get sloppy - or worse yet, scandalous. The comeback is creating a bit of an ambiguous atmosphere around the girls, especially with rumors of a summer debut for the new group beginning to spread. A reference link for the Tipsy Live can be found here.

POIZN

A photoshoot is the name of the game for this schedule, for the boys of POIZN. It’s a safe way to promote pretty faces without letting them talk too much and thus get themselves into trouble. They’re on a tight leash for all interview portions and behind the scenes work, because 99 isn’t in a place to be affording more scandal at the moment. If you’ve been in scandals lately, you can expect you’re not going to be getting many solo frames, and you’re likely to be positioned towards the back in group shots. It’s a bummer but that’s the industry for you.  At least it’s a relatively painless schedule, and a reference can be found here. 

IMPERIAL

Imperial has a contracted commercial to film, though perhaps the timing isn’t ideal. Members can expect those with less individual scandals will be pulling the majority of the screen time, given that it’s a good time for 99 artists to be laying low, especially with hopes of a new debut on the horizon in summer. Still, a commercial like this is bound to bring same positivity to the table, some money into your pockets, and an opportunity to further up your brand stake. It’s not the most glamorous shoot, but it’s certainly relatable, and Imperial needs to be playing that card pretty intensely right about now. A reference for the CF is here. 

INDIGO & CHERRY BOMB!

Is it any surprise their two most brand friendly groups are, at the moment, collaborating? Of course not. Sketchers was willing to pay out the atrociously high appearance fees and the benefit is sure to be there. The commercial is a moody piece that suits both groups, though of course the whole thing will feel entirely overwrought during filming. With the recent boost to CB! In their well received Peekaboo comeback, it’s a good chance for MSG to remind the public they’re housing two impressively well received acts- even if both of those have historically floundered to find their footing. Hopefully this will provide a stepping stone to a solid year for both groups, though of course it would be rather difficult for indiGO to do anything but succeed at the moment - CB! hasn’t been as lucky.  A reference commercial can be found here.

1NFERNO

MSG is putting a lot of emphasis on 1nferno with this comeback, pitting them against Titanium as their comeback dates overlap and their promotional periods will as well. The boys are going to be facing down not just one Midas giant, but two, as Olympus has a comeback at the end of their promotions as well. They’ll be guesting on Weekly Idol  in the upcoming weeks, which will give them a much needed boost in attention. There are rumors that MSG is going to be paying more attention to Vlive for the group in order to push overseas promotion and attention, seeking out staff who can subtitle content in Chinese and so on. The pressure is on to scoop a few weekly win trophies from Titanium before Olympus makes their comeback, but it remains to be seen how that will work out. Still, the planning is a clear vote of confidence from MSG, or at least a great opportunity to media play a rivalry and get more attention from it.

MAYDAY

With CHERRY BOMB! in the midst of a (somewhat surprisingly) successful comeback (after a lackluster 2018) and “girl crush” quickly rising as the name of the game in terms of trends, MSG is eager to show that MayDay can do more than just the cutesy surrealism that has (admittedly) not quite paid off so far. The result is a very charming cover of CB!’s Red Light, suits and all, though the brightened surroundings and natural cuteness of the girls selected for the group in the first place lend it a flavor all their own. Filming the cover this week is sure to be a fun task, and one that will be ultimately uploaded to the group’s slowly growing Youtube page. The choice to add the sparkling under eye accents, to lighten the make up, and to overall apply a softened ‘MayDay’ vibe to the cover is one that will likely help it appeal to their fans for sure, but might read (mostly to testy CB! fans with suspicious eyes on the girls) as a watered down attempt.  Reference link is here.

ATLAS

Atlas has an interview and photoshoot with none other than Dispatch, this month, to talk about a few specific things. First and foremost on the agenda is, of course, the hot topic that is their rising popularity on a global scale. From a nobody group in a nothing company rife with scandals to the mega hits they are today, Dispatch is eager to take a look at the career that has captured the interest of millions. Secondary to that is the upcoming family concert, the first the company will have ever held, now that they have the sister group Jawbreaker on the roster. Some say it’s far too premature, particularly considering Jawbreaker is only nominally considered a KJH act, but surely the boys will support their juniors for the sake of company press and income.  

JAWBREAKER

Jawbreaker will be promoting their upcoming KJH family concert on the popular KBS Kiss the Radio show. They’ll be performing live versions of a few of their hits across the years, and will be given a number of interview and talk segment corners to run with. It’s a good chance for them to talk up their rejuvenated career, pay some attention to how blessed they’ve been for a second chance, and to drum up some further excitement and interest for the upcoming concert. After all, this is an important chance for them to prove themselves as members of the KJH team, despite not having trained under the company or been there for even quite a year yet. It’s widely known that KJH took a big chance on the girls, and this concert will be their opportunity to prove that it is paying off.

NITRO

Nitro’s Vlive series continues filming it’s next entries this month. Under the moniker of NITROus, it’s proving a great way to drum up support amongst fans of the group and shows them in a more relatable way.  These episodes will continue from the prior filming set and will take on a holiday motif the boys are sure to enjoy (references here). Simultaneously, throughout the month the subunit members will have been chosen and be hard at work preparing for their unit debut.  They’ll be thrown quickly into preparations with little warning, as KTM doesn’t like to play around once they’ve made a decision on such things. It’s not clear yet if Nitro will be afforded the same multiple unit situation as Nightmare, but it’s at least certain that the company has higher hopes for the success of the Nitro unit.

XLNC

KTM is hard at work this month across the board, preparing for unit debuts, working towards establishing V-live series, adn, for XLNC, a long overdue step into the Japanese market. Japanese fans have been begging for  XLNC to release a formal Japanese debut for ages, and KTM has finally decided that the time is right,  preparing endlessly for a debut that is sure to bring them a good deal of attention on the island nation. XLNC has a strong core fandom in Japan and their particular brand of music has always performed well on the Japanese charts, so this is liable to be a big, important step for them. Hopefully they’ll be able to live up to the hype and, at the same time, be able to transfer some of that good reception back to the Korean audience.

NIGHTMARE

KTM has seemed intent on feeling out as many possible concepts as possible with the units. The first group was treated to a lackluster reception, despite taking on an image that’s worked well for other groups in the past, perhaps forecasting the shift in trends as we’re seeing today. The second unit performed a bit better- either due to increased exposure to Nightmare’s unit concept by that time, or due to the more aggressively trendy electropop sweetness of the track. The final unit has been delayed in their release and assigned a more girl crush approach, as KTM takes note of upcoming debuts in Neon and the general trend towards the crush series of concepts (girl crush, teen crush, and so on).  The rest of the girls are given some time to rest this month, as the final unit undergoes more strenuous preparations.

[sjjms]

pretending | part 6

pairing: yugyeomxreader length: 2k words genre: fluff summary: escaping

preview part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9 part 10 final

3 Weeks Later

“Who are the company covering for?” You ask Jaebum, your glare reaching out to intimidate him into telling you. You could have asked Yugyeom then again, you would have had to force the answer out of him as well. “Did you think I would really believe it was just me and Yugyeom?”

"The whole group…” Your eyes widened, now that made more sense. But seriously? All of them? You did not expect that.

“How come I’ve never seen any hints of it?” Literally, none of the members ever showed their interest in relationships, you’ve been too busy to notice probably.

“Because we are good at hiding it. The amount of idols that have probably dated secretly without being allowed to, is something you couldn’t even count.” The elevator stopped in its tracks, the doors opening up to reveal the grey painted bricks close to the dance studios. You wondered why you had followed Jaebum down here, maybe it was to catch a glimpse at Yugyeom without his sling. He had been officially allowed to take it off and go into physical therapy, he sounded so excited when he had called you over the phone this morning. “Have you given Yugyeom an answer to his question yet?”

Ah… that answer. No. You were going to keep him on hold until you knew for sure. You didn’t have to get married right away after getting engaged, but you felt that pressure slightly. “I like the way things are now.”

“Hiding away is no healthy relationship. When is your dating news going to break?” The question was when were they? You’d been hiding your relationship for two years, you wanted to keep it that way. You still could, many celebrity relationships were kept hidden, only the main events were known like marriage and pregnancy announcements.

“I have no idea, possibly after the drama has finished. That’s what the deal was…” Unless you were caught again, which was more than likely to happen, however, there are reporters that do take photos but say nothing and release them after the dating news. You appreciated those people because they gave you at least a little privacy. Even if it wasn’t going to last for long…

“Are you ready to go to Japan?” The drama was shooting some of its scenes in Japan for the first episode, you were interested to see how the scripts would turn out. But you would be glad of the break afterwards, you had decided to take a break for a few weeks to visit family. It would be perfect timing if your dating news broke out then. “Have you and Yugyeom made any plans for exploring Tokyo?” It was also a coincidence that the group had a concert there around the same time, so you would be travelling with the seven members. The fansites were going to have a field day, maybe you could disguise yourself as a staff member. Then again, it was on the official schedule.

“Not yet. I hope we do even if we go out in the middle of the night.” You hoped. But currently you had no plans with Yugyeom, maybe you should just drag him out. “How long will you be staying for?” You couldn’t remember exactly if they had concerts just in Tokyo or other cities as well. You’d spent so much time memorising scripts, relevant information like that you could no longer remember.

“4 days, 2 days of concerts and 1 day of filming. Then we can use the last for exploring.” You nodded as you approached the studio, there was also music blasting from the speakers.

“Do you ever get annoyed when he plays this music?” Jaebum asks laughing to himself slightly.

You shook your head, “I tune him out, so I don’t recognise any of this right now.” Realising the words that you spoke, you immediately became embarrassed. “Please don’t tell him, I said that.” You laugh at yourself for saying everything. “I really need to get some sleep.” You whisper.

“I won’t. Maybe you should just go home and sleep if you have no schedule.” Jaebum suggested. It was a good idea actually, but you needed to stay around the company, you liked having people around you constantly. But it had only been something that occurred recently.

“Tell Yugyeom I’m in the music studio.” You turned around in the opposite direction, a slight yawn came from your lips. You decided to take the stairs to tire you out even more, so when you got to the studio you would fall straight to sleep.

Opening up the door, you spotted Yugyeom sitting on the sofa reading through something. “I thought you were practising.” You smile, glad to see him here. Yugyeom looks up from his paper, smiling at you back. His arm moved, opening up to let you in. “I heard your music playing.”

“Someone else must be playing it or it was the last song played last night.” You nodded sitting down next to him. “You look tired, sorry I haven’t been able to visit.” His lips pressed against the top of your head. “Lay down in my lap.” You put your head in his lap, it felt oddly strange but satisfying looking up this way at him.

“It’s okay, we’ve both been busy.” You whisper you close your eyes starting to fall asleep.

Yugyeom glanced down at you, he smiles warmly, seeing how fast you had fallen asleep. You must have been tired, he wondered what you had been doing recently. Hearing the door to the studio open, Yugyeom’s eyes looked up “Is she sleeping?” Jaebum whispers.

“She’s exhausted, what exactly is in the script to make her this tired?” Yugyeom wanted to see the script for himself to see how bad it was. Which network was producing this drama?

“Her character is supposed to be fluent in Japanese.” Yugyeom glanced down at you, when you set your mind to something, you exhausted yourself doing something. This last happened when you created a dance for a special event, you weren’t dating then, but it was one of the times Yugyeom helped you out a lot.

“She never rests,” Yugyeom whispers, his fingers brushing your cheek as you slept quietly.

“She’s thinking of taking a break after the drama, maybe you should do the same.” What was he hinting at? Yugyeom knew the dating news could be released any time after the drama, as far as he knew there was nothing on the schedule for the latter half of the year except a comeback in November. “It will give you a chance for your shoulder to fully recover.”

“Fine…” Yugyeom mutters, he wasn’t happy but the recovery would be worth it when he could do everything again. “What time are we going to the airport?”  

“Just come to the company at 7 with your bag. I’ll see you later.” Jaebum closed the door quietly just in time as another artist walked past. As much as Yugyeom wanted to let you sleep here in his lap, he needed to move to the computer so only you one on show. It wasn’t suspicious if only you were sleeping in here, they would think you had been working on music.

X

The Next Morning

Your eyes flickered up as the cold air entered the car, Aera and Daeho were the first people to get out to then allow you to follow you. Your face was covered with a mask as you stepped out into the open, why did it have to be so cold this morning? You saw the familiar faces of the group, all wearing masks as well. They were probably in the same mood you were in, tired.  

“It’s too early for this.” You mutter, Yugyeom smiles under his mask. “Does your shoulder hurt?” You saw him flinching a little, his kept on moving his other arm to touch his shoulder. His manager had to carry his bag for him. “Did you take your medication this morning?”

“I took it. Physical therapy is taking its toll.” He was slowly coming off the medicine, you could see he wasn’t liking it at all. He couldn’t rely on the muscle relaxers all the time otherwise it would turn into a problem.

“Don’t push yourself too hard, it won’t make you heal faster. Did you bring some painkillers?” You could always go buy some from the pharmacy for him, you always made sure to bring those when going abroad, just in case.

Yugyeom smiles under his mask, you could always see his cheeks rising which made it contagious. “You worry about me too much. I made sure to pack everything.” You knew he would have touched you then if he could. Fansites were just a few meters away from you, they took pictures of every moment.

Jinyoung walked over to the two of you, “I would stop staring at each other and separate now.” Jinyoung politely put, you bowed to them both to make the occasion more formal and turned around to walk away with Daeho and Aera.

“Try not to just mingle with Yugyeom, Jinyoung saved the two of you,” Daeho whispers as you enter the airport.

“His shoulder is hurting, am I not allowed to ask if he is okay?” You never liked this side of the relationship. You were being pushed into secrecy again, but everyone knew you and Yugyeom were best friends. The odd gesture would be acceptable right?

“Let’s just avoid them until we board,” Aera replies, we arrived at the check-in station waiting to be received by the lady who stood there smiling.

“Shall we go eat something before we board, I’m really hungry.” You mutter, you wished you had brought some fruit with you to eat. You could have even stolen some fruit from the company.

X

News Article: The female actress/singer Y/N was spotted going to got7’s concert in Tokyo. She was seen in attendance as she is also a part of the jyp family.

“For crying out loud! I'm in Japan for filming!” You yell out in frustration, Yugyeom snickers sitting around the table as Daeho read out the article to you. “Does all my free time have to be reported now?”

“Yes, when your a person named to watch out for this year,” Daeho replies, you really did regret at times being involved in the public eye. Especially when you were with Yugyeom, rumours could be sparked and proven in seconds.

“Let's just escape for a day. On our own.” You were deadly serious about this, your eyes stared at Yugyeom, facing him and only him. “We can go anywhere, it’s busy outside, we’ll be able to blend in. I’m fluent in the language.” You just wanted one day with Yugyeom out in the open, without being recognised. Was it too much to ask for? Maybe it was…

“I want to do it,” Yugyeom whispers looking up to you. You could feel Daeho shaking his head behind you but when you turned around he wasn’t.

“You have one day. If you get caught, I will not be able to help you.” Daeho mutters. Your eyes widened in surprise, he said okay to it. Daeho rarely let you do something like this. “Make sure to be back here before we’re supposed to leave the hotel to go to the airport.”

You picked up your mask from the table, pulling the two elastic bands around the back of your ears. “Glasses?” You picked up your round lenses also placing those on your face. Were you recognizable or not? Walking over to the long mirror, you weren’t even able to recognize yourself. This felt weird maybe you should do this more often. You could get away with going anyway with this disguise. Turning around Yugyeom was already wearing his mask and a crossbody bag on his good shoulder. He looked strange carrying it this way round, then again this could have been the way he always carried it.

“What?” Yugyeom looked down at his outfit but then he noticed you were staring at the bag, “This is the way I usually wear it. Okay… we’re going now.” Yugyeom took your hand straight away and pulled you out of your hotel room.

“It feels like we’re running away even when we have permission.” Your thoughts no longer felt trapped, you could do anything you wanted today. Nothing and no one was going to stop you. “Where should we go to first?”

“Just follow me.”

[fayewonglibrary]

"Faye Unusual" Beijing Concert (2004)

Faye Wong, who just won the "Most Popular Outstanding Singer in Asia" award at the 6th CCTV-MTV Music Festival, met with the media at the Beijing News Building for her "8.28 Faye Concert in Beijing" to be held in a month.

When Faye Wong released her album 'TO LOVE' in October last year, she did not carry out any publicity activities in Beijing. This time she finally came out in person and took a lot of media interviews.

Before the press conference, dozens of photographers' long lenses were already lined up like a snake. When the main character finally appeared, the shutter sounds and flashes did not stop for a time.

After a brief introduction to the concert, it was time for the media to ask questions. Unexpectedly, the first question was directed at the heavenly queen's love life. A reporter asked Faye how she felt about her "complicated love life". As soon as the question ended, Faye didn't even have a chance to speak yet, there was already an uproar in the media area. A reporter condemned his colleague, shouting “DON'T ANSWER!” and “NEXT QUESTION!” easing the tense atmosphere and Faye smiled.

Unlike her slightly indifferent style in the past, Faye always smiled when answering questions this time. But her language style was still "cool". For ambiguous questions-such as "How do you feel about XXX?" or "What do you think is the most XXX?" --- she succinctly replied "Never thought about it" or "Don't know", which made the poorly prepared reporters scratch their heads.

When someone brought up anorexia rumors and asked if she became too thin because of the concerts hard work, she asked sharply: "Do you really think I am thinner or are you just following what others say?" Then she emphasized, "I don’t think I’m getting thinner and actually I didn't lose weight. Please don’t worry.”

The upcoming Beijing concert is the fifth stop of Faye Wong’s tour. The organizer obviously attached great importance to this performance, making great efforts to stop counterfeit tickets, and announced at the press conference that ticket sellers who dare to counterfeit this show will taste the bitter consequences of "high cost, full risk, and no gain".

In order to make the heavenly queen happy, the organizers also specially invited fans to participate in the event. They dressed up in different past styles of Faye Wong and presented Faye with a special "priceless check" and said that they would support her for a lifetime. Faye was in a good mood and said with a smile, "I hope this check will last a lifetime."

Q & A

Beijing News: Do you have any special feelings when you return to your hometown Beijing for a concert this time?

Faye Wong: It feels very special. I'm always very nervous to hold a concert in Beijing. It is not particularly easy. I am afraid that I'll mess up. (laughs).

Beijing News: Will there be any special content for this concert dedicated to fans in Beijing?

Faye Wong: There will not be. The setlist is similar to other places. The stage will not be particularly fancy, mainly just singing.

Beijing News: In the past, you sang non-stop to the end and seldom talked. Will you be different this time?  

Faye Wong: Everyone knows that I don’t know how to use words to create an atmosphere. This is not my strength. I think it's best to use singing and music to interact with fans. I can't do anything else. My fans know this very well.

Beijing News: How many songs will you sing at the concert? Will there be Cantonese songs?

Faye Wong: There are about 30 songs, a few in Cantonese.

Beijing News: You covered Pu Shu's "Those Flowers" at the Shanghai concert before. Will there be any covers this time?

Faye Wong: It will be "Those Flowers". (Why?) I like it. I don't know Pu Shu, perhaps we can meet someday, but I especially like this song.

Beijing News: Did you participate in the styling of the concert?

Faye Wong: I didn't pick the clothes myself, but I oversaw the designs.

Beijing News: I heard that you still have no guests for this concert. Why? Shouldn't it be natural to invite your good friends, such as Na Ying and Sun Nan, to come for support?

Faye Wong: I hope that the entire process of my concert is done in one go, especially for the consistency of the music arrangement. The presence of guests interrupts this feeling and it’ll be meaningless. I am not going to have a lively, joyous concert, so my concert has never had guests, and this time is no exception.

Beijing News: Another feature of yours is that you never return for encores.

Faye Wong: An encore should not be a prearranged thing. The natural process should be impromptu and should not be arranged in advance.

Beijing News: You don’t seem to be excited in concerts?

Faye Wong: I didn't like live performances much. I love the feeling of being in a recording studio more. But I am used to it now. There will always be a period of time during each concert that's very engrossing and to be able to stimulate the emotions of fans, I really enjoy this part.

Beijing News: The host mentioned that this year is your 15th anniversary since you have entered the world of singing. Is there any special commemorative significance of holding a tour at this time?

Faye Wong: No, I never thought about it. The past is gone, there is nothing to remember. Saying how many years I have been in the business or if I want to withdraw from the music scene by holding a memorial performance or something, I personally do not like this concept.

Beijing News: Is Zhang Yadong still the music producer for this concert?

Faye Wong: He didn't follow me on this tour after finishing my work in Hong Kong. He may come back to watch this time in Beijing, but he will not participate in specific operations.

Beijing News: Zhang Yadong and Lin Xi are two people of extraordinary significance in your music journey. You laughed about your relationship with Lin Xi at the CCTV-MTV music festival and said that you were a "married couple". And Zhang Yadong suggested that you should cooperate with other excellent producers after your last album was released. Can you talk about your collaboration with these two people?

Faye Wong: My collaboration with them... I can see the sparks when we work together without me saying a word. For the next record, I hope to work with both of them and I believe we will create something new.

Beijing News: "2046" is about to be released. As one of the stars, what do you think about this film?

Faye Wong: I haven't seen the final version of the film, so it is hard to comment.

Beijing News: Is there any other filming plans for this year? Is the new album prepared?

Faye Wong: No movie plans this year and the new record is still in preparation.

------------------------------------------------------------------

SOURCE: NETEASE // TRANSLATED BY: FAYE WONG FUZAO

[mfmagazine]

Debby Ryan

Article by Kelli Kickham

Photo by Everette Perry

The life of an 18-year-old girl usually centers around boys, graduating high school and wondering "what next?" For teen star Debby Ryan, things are a little different. You probably know her from her role as Bailey on The Suite Life on Deck, and now she's getting ready for the premiere of her new show Jessie this fall. Ryan's pretty face has graced the covers of many teen magazines. There's plenty more to come from the talented young actress. She's known for her impeccable comedic timing and adorable smile, both of which she carries with an extraordinary level of poise. Rumor also has it that she bakes some pretty amazing pastries and plans to own a jet-pack sometime in the future. So, you may be wondering, "How can I even start to get to know the ins and outs of one of teen America's favorite stars?" Aw, I'm so glad you asked! Trust me, you've come to the right place.

You decided to pursue acting as a full-time career when you were 10 years old. That's a young age to be making any life decisions. Can you remember the thoughts that were going through your head when you made the decision "Yes, this is what I want to do"?

I realized that every amount of work and sacrifice was worth that moment: sitting by a velvet curtain, pulsing with the adrenaline of preparing to get lost in another world, and take people with me. I wanted to use every minute of free time between school, chores, dance, and homework to immerse myself in that realm. I found myself captivated with spending hours studying characters and acting styles, running lines, go to bed early so I could rehearse before school. That, to me, was better than going to the mall, and worth not having free time.

The Suite Life on Deck is all but wrapped up. Are you going to miss your cast mates? Did you make any friends you think you'll keep in touch with?

Of course. I realized I talk to at least one person or another from Suite Life almost every day. When you work with a group of people for 9 to 12 hours for three of some of the most monumental years of your life, it would be pretty hard not to form bonds. You see so many sides of these people, more often than family sometimes. Honestly, the cast and crew of Suite Life was such a diverse collection of people with so many different skills and experiences; I'm very excited to see where everyone goes from here.

So, moving on to the present-day, congratulations! You are starring in the show Jessie where you play the lead role as-- you guessed it-- Jessie. How are you feeling about the new show?

I'm proud- watching this artful machine with my name on it. Disbelief- that I get to come to work everyday and do what I do. Restless- always looking for some way to make it better. Anxious- can't wait to show my fans what I've been pouring my heart into for the last seven months. Developing this project was some of the most fun work I've ever done. Now that we are in production, it's not only meeting, but actually exceeding my exceptions. It already feels like a family, of such talented people. I get to tell such funny stories, on gorgeous sets, in amazing clothes, alongside talented people. What else could I possibly ask for?

Do you relate to your character at all?

Yeah, I mean, one of my favorite things about this role is that I get to play someone who was raised sort of similarly to my own upbringing. Except Jessie is a much cooler version of myself. She's sweetly strong; confident in her strength that she doesn't feel the need to try and prove it all the time. Plus, she's a funny chick. You know, we both babysat growing up and it seems to have really helped prepare us for the roles we've just found ourselves in. Jessie, as the nanny of 4 crazy kids with the world at their fingertips. Myself, at the helm of a young cast who's brand new to the sitcom world. We both grew up around the military world, and family is very important to us. Both Jessie and I have been encouraged from a young age to find our strength, and fight for the things we believe in.

All the Debby Ryan fans out there already know that singing is a huge passion for you. Do you get to do any writing or singing for this new show?

I always loved to write, and express myself through art. As I watched my brother Chase channel his passions into music, my words started to come with rhythms, and melodies. I'm most interested in the writing/producing side of music, but I can't go five minutes without singing or humming something. Plus, sometimes I write a story that I just need to tell in my voice. That's how "Open Eyes" and "Made of Matches" both were, even though they're insanely different...and Yes, I do get to work on and sing the theme song. Plus, we may or may not work some of my hobbies into the show, as well as how the cast and I have been spending our time [jam sessions!] but Disney and I have established that Jessie is not a music show.

When you work on your music, where do you look for inspiration?

I don't look for it. I couldn't. I never want to sit down with the intention of writing a song. That's when it becomes forced and contrived, and not art and expression. A lot of my writing comes from my acting; feeling what others are feeling and telling someone's story. Come to think of it, last night I wrote lyrics from the perspective of someone whose heart I've watched get broken. I see the situation as it is, why he does what he does, where it leaves him, but sometimes you need to blind yourself of the full view. When I look at him, alone by his own hand, and start to feel his cold of loneliness, trying to chase it away with unfulfilling sparks, holding too tightly and smothering the embers, and letting go the second the orange starts to fade, because it's all or nothing in his fairytale mind, and he's so afraid of being left again.. when my heart starts to break for someone, that's where I get the best songs.

Alright, so we know you're a busy girl. Moving from one TV series to another, working on your music career... assuming that you have any time to do anything extra, what do you do with your spare time? Any hobbies or interests that we might not yet know about?

Well lately, I've been obsessed with taking my kids on cast excursions. Glow in the dark mini golf, breakfast, Disneyland, etc. I go to concerts with my friends, download records, make playlists for my friends, and write about these experiences in my music blog, whoisdebbyanyway.tumblr.com.

Do you have any actresses that you look up to? Have you had the chance to talk or work with her/them?

Emma Stone, Tina Fey, Sandra Bullock, Zooey Deschanel...Growing up, I watched a lot of Amanda Bynes. There's something about a girl who can lose themselves in a role, comedy in particular, in such a ridiculous but genuine and earnest way. Smart, professional, directably, and fearless. Also, I totally see Tina Fey's business sense as a road map to my ideal career. I met Emma Stone at a premiere very briefly, and was enamored by her approachability. Some people fake it on screen. She's genuinely relatable, but still inherently cool. Zoe Saldana's that way as well. That's such a cool balance.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you've ever been given (career oriented or otherwise)?

Learn. Always listen. Ask questions. Soak it all up and use everything as a lesson and an opportunity to become better in every area. Also, learn multiple sides of your trade. I never learned certain things as an actor until I sat in the editing room on Suite Life after work, or the writer's room on hiatus, or shadowed a director during other people's scenes.

You're doing great with family-oriented shows on the Disney Channel. Are you hoping to branch into other genres?

I initially wanted to be in independent drama films, but I fell in love with multi-camera sitcom style. The older progression of what I do would be something like The Big Bang Theory or Friends. But I would like to branch into another genre of television: I watch a lot of NCIS, so something like that, or Psych or the Warehouse. That feels like a mini-film, with plenty of drama and splashes of comedy. Also, I've discovered randomly enough how much fun I have with my hosting gigs. As far as films go, ultimately, I'll be kicking butt in a fast paced action adventure.

What would be your dream role?

A sort of rogue modern-day superhero. Lara Croft, James Bond, Hit Girl, Indiana Jones' -hybrid chick. If Emma Stone's character in Zombieland had a setup like Catwoman.

Do you ever have trouble balancing your career and your personal life?

I learned early on that one of the biggest tools you need to be a successful actor is the understanding that you will have to give things up on one side to keep your priorities on the other side. I'm a person first. A daughter, sister, granddaughter, and friend first, and I have to be willing to say no to exciting or important things and keep promises to loved ones at all cost. It's all about balance, and you can never find the perfect one, but you should never ever give up trying.

Ok, you're a talented actress and singer, but let's talk about some things outside of your career!

Okay. I bake some pretty mean gluten-free brownies. ..from a mix, but still.. they're mean.

Do you have any pets?

Yes. My nugget Presley was the best 17th birthday present ever. He's a toy poodle, and totally converted me to a little dog person. I've been wanting a Siberian Husky or a lab, but I saw him and we pretty much fell in love. He's strong and tough and doesn't quite know he's a little dog, and I'm determined to keep it that way. I bought him a spiked collar, and whenever he goes anywhere, he walks or runs on his own four feet. And our family has a sweet older Yorkie named Daisy.

If you were able to be any animal, what would it be? Would you be domesticated (cared for, pet, spoiled) or wild (freedom, fighting, killing-for-your-food)?

Wolf. I'm definitely a pack animal, and I'd rather go hungry than be sustained by something canned and set in front of me.

Do you like to read in your free time?

Yes. I used to read a lot more when I was younger; now, it's more like I collect books with hopes of absorbing them through osmosis. Just began Frannie and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. Salinger's tone is so cool. I'm usually into Shakespeare and C.S. Lewis, where you do a bit more translating of words and concepts, but this book vibes conversationally offbeat. Actually, the book was a gift. On the inside cover, it explains that, with the way I use words, I'm reminiscent of a modern day Salinger.

When it comes to things outside of the acting/music industry, who do you look to for advice or guidance?

My brother, Chase. He's got a great head on his shoulders and doesn't mind telling me the things I don't want hear, in a way where I can receive them.

Let's say you're taking an astronomy class, and as you're looking through the telescope you see a star not in the book. "Wow," your teacher explains-- you've discovered a brand-spanking-new star. What will you call it?

Wow, I'm honored. Go me, with my little telescope...I'd name it 'Galadriel', or 'a UFO'. "Hey look, up there! What's that star?" "Oh, that's 'a UFO'." "NO WAY!" "yes way. Debby discovered 'a UFO', last week. She saw it with her own two eyes." "gnarrllyyyyy!"

Another scenario: The world is being torn apart by a war. It's a war between ninjas and pirates. Which side do you choose?

Ninjas. They're agile and shifty, and I use words only when necessary.

Now you've chosen your side, a regular human name just won't do... what will your alias be?

Redemption.

There are a lot of young girls in the world who feel lost-- be it about family, relationships or what they want to do with their lives. Do you have any words of advice or encouragement?

I don't think you ever fully figure yourself out, because you are always growing and changing. Own that! Find the joy in surprising yourself. Explore the world around you and finding out how you feel about what you see. Try out new hobbies, styles, foods, cultures.. see what sticks. Its natural if you don't know just yet what you stand for, but you need to know what you stand against. Have an anchor so life doesn't toss you around. It's good to have a mentor who has achieved what you want to achieve. They can help you so much and you can learn from their mistakes.

[angstymarshmallow]

Dear Mom ii.

[A little note: I needed something to help me cope with this week Freshman chapter. Though re-blogging and using gifs help, I also find this very therapeutic 😏. Hope it helps you too. Keep calm and choice on!]

Dear Mom,

Another couple weeks of spring have flown by and yet I’m starting to forget my place in the universe. I think about all the things I’ve accomplished since starting at Hartfeld, all the friends I’ve made and all the adventures I’ve had - but none of it seems to matter anymore when everything kind of feels like it’s falling apart. Like we’re falling apart.

I can feel the pressure now more than ever. It’s so bad that even Professor Atiyah can see it too. When we met to discuss my novel, I think she saw a lot that I didn’t want to show her. Somehow she’s managed to see past my facade. She’s finding all the little chinks that I’ve been trying to hide in my armor. She gives me this look that adults give you when they think they understand everything. Then her next words makes my heart sink because it’s what I’ve been fearing for awhile. She told me all my latest chapters are missing something - its usual umph…its spark. She says they lack detail. Somehow, she’s seeing all the wear and tear from college.

If Professor Vasquez could see me now, I dread what he’d say. He’d probably curse me for not being able to channel all my emotions productively. He’d probably toss my papers back at me and demand that I do them over until he’s satisfied. But he’s not here, and I’m struggling to remember what he’s taught me. I half-stumble through the rest of our conversation; admitting to Professor Atiyah that I wasn’t sure where I was headed anymore. I wasn’t sure where I wanted it go. She tried to comfort me in her own small way; giving me her weary adult advice, but it barely dulls the unsettled feelings I have.

So much has changed in one semester.

Chris is so busy that he’s rarely ever home anymore and when he is it still feels like he’s not here. He’s been propositioning the Second Chance Scholarship to the student council. It’s all he talks about and he barely makes time for anything else. I’m beginning to think it’s some sort of obsession for him, like he’s trying so hard to beat Sebastian at his own game that he doesn’t care about anything else. The rest of me knows that’s silly; he just wants to do something good for Hartfeld and its students. He wants to leave his mark, and give people like Zig a second chance in life. I can respect that but not at the cost of our friendship. He’s forgetting the little things until they become big things. He forgets his chores, our meet-ups by the cafe, friday movie nights - and recently he made up some lame excuse not to come with us to Kaitlyn’s concert. He called the whole thing dumb. Dumb. We’re his friends, we’re supposed to support him no matter what but I don’t like the idea of my own experiences being chalked up as dumb in comparison very well. I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to read this and tell me that it wasn’t his intention, and that he means well. You’re going to say I shouldn’t give him such a hard time - but I’ve tried being patient. I’ve tried being the supportive friend. I’m proud of him for doing something so important, for working tirelessly  - but I’m starting to feel like we don’t matter anymore.

James isn’t doing much better either. He’s been gone for less than two weeks and already I miss him. I miss his advice, his eerie wisdom for his age and our casual meet ups that didn’t revolve around work. I know he’s trying to get settled into the Hollywood world; its demands and its sacrifices - but no matter how much he misses Hartfeld, he’d miss this opportuntity more. Our last skype call together didn’t end well. He muted himself when he thought I wasn’t looking. I know that doesn’t sound like much but I was in the middle of sharing my ramblings about our lives, all the drama and all the tension that’s been slowly stifling us. I know his work is important - but aren’t we important too? Don’t we deserve to be noticed? It’s not often that we get to talk, and I wasted all this time venting on my end with nothing but an invisible wall between us, and his shifting eyes that followed the movement of his fingers on his keyboard. We’re supposed to be able to talk to each other - no matter what, except all I can hear from him is his own constant struggles with his movie adaption. What about my own struggles? 

Kaitlyn’s the worst of it. You know me mom, Kaitlyn and I are inseparable. Normally I’m the one defending her when our other suitemates get mad at something she says or does. I deflect the snide comments with humor or brush off any kind of antagonistic behavior. She’s important to me, and nothing anyone else says should change that. But now I can barely come up with a reason to defend her anymore. She’s been spending a lot more time with her bandmates, and a lot less time with us. And by the time she gets home, we’re already getting ready to start the next day. Abbie’s right to be worried; the Kaitlyn we know now is barely recognizable. Where’s the fun-loving, hilariously adorable Kaitlyn that I used to tell everything to? We used to spend a lot of nights together, staying up late to watch horror-films, bundled in blankets and laughing at their poorly developed plots. Or the week we spent switching through different clubs in our desperate attempt to find our own place to fit in on campus. Now that she’s found her own niche, it’s just sad because I don’t see the rest of us fitting. I don’t see myself in it. I miss her, the old her.

At least things are going well for Abbie and Tyler. They’re still the only constant ship that’s sailing in our lives. Abbie spends a lot of time with Tyler and vice versa; so one is never really around without the other. I think if they ever broke up, I wouldn’t have anything worth coming home to anymore. Recently, we finally had some time to catch up, we were over due for some serious girl-talk when Abbie confessed they crossed that final intimate barrier. I’m happy for her, but the surge of jealously is hard to ignore when I can’t seem to find any luck in that department. But at least there’s still something good left at home.

Zig’s the most recent addition to our little group. Well I wouldn’t call him so much of addition except that he keeps popping up everywhere. He’s a surprisingly good listener even though I shrugged him off at first as not the type. He’s so interesting; a bundle of mysteries just waiting to be unraveled. I really hope this Second Chance scholarship works out for him. Even if he isn’t doing it for himself; maybe some day he’ll find a reason to. 

Remarkably out of everyone, Zack’s looking more and more like the greatest friend of the year. Whenever I’m feeling down - he’s already there, sketching by the roof or poking his head in my room when the door’s open. He’s there - ready and willing to listen to me. We give each other advice, and lean on each other for support. Sometimes we don’t even exchange words, sometimes neither of us wants to, and just sitting around each other, watching tv is enough. Sometimes the silence is all the comfort we need. 

There’s only a couple weeks of spring left and yet I can’t shake the feeling that the worst of it is yet to come. Maybe it’s because everything’s been so hard lately that I feel this way. In any case, I just can’t wait for the rest of the semester to be over.

Yours truly,

X.

[humanistauno]

A Tale of A Prince: Daniel Padilla’s Life Story

by: Katrina Leuterio

Daniel Padilla is a Filipino recording artist and a famous actor, also known as the “Teen King,” a tag that is the result of his massive popularity with Filipino teenager. Daniel Padilla was born Daniel John Ford Padilla, on April 26, 1995, in Manila, Philippines, to Rommel Padilla and Karla Estrada. His parents were full-time entertainment industry professionals. His uncles were well-known actors too. Thus, having been born into a family that was deeply rooted in the entertainment industry, Daniel was fascinated by show business from a very young age.

However, his family life was not as ideal as it seemed from a distance. His parents divorced when he was a kid. His mother raised him all by herself, and his father married another woman. Daniel has seven half-siblings from his father’s side and three half-siblings from his mother’s side. The bitterness between his father and mother kept Daniel away from meeting him for a very long time, and he met his half-siblings from his father’s side only after he turned 16.

He accompanied his mother to most of her shoots and got fascinated by the entertainment world. He became determined to build a career in the industry in his early teenage years. He lived in Tacloban for a year and studied there. He then registered as a student of the ‘AMA Education System.’ However, he had already started working as an actor, and his academic commitments often clashed with his acting projects. His mother did not allow him to stop his studies to pursue acting, and Daniel had to finally opt for the home education program of ‘Angelicum College.’

It is said that Daniel had earlier expressed his desire to go back to school, as he did not like acting initially. It was talent manager Douglas Quijano who sparked his interest in acting and compelled him to try his luck with ‘Star Magic,’ a popular youth talent agency in the Philippines. In 2013, Daniel was introduced to the media as a member of the ‘Star Magic Circle’ and received immense mainstream exposure.His family had many entertainment industry professionals, and that helped him find a footing in the industry. He made his acting debut as a 15-year-old teen in the soap opera ‘Gimik 2010.’ His performance received immense accolades and earned him the leading role in the 2011 series ‘Growing Up.’ The success of the series helped him achieve further fame in the industry, and he appeared in a number of similar TV series such as ‘Got to Believe’ and ‘Princess and I.’ Apart from starring in a few successful Filipino films such as ‘She is Dating the Gangster’ and ‘Crazy Beautiful You,’ he has recorded and released three “double-platinum” albums. He has also won several awards for his performances over the years and enjoys being referred to as the “future of the Filipino entertainment industry.

His career received a major boost in 2012 when he bagged a role in the soap opera ‘Princess and I,’ which quickly became one of the most popular soap operas in the Filipino industry. Riding high on success, he made his film debut with ‘24/7 in Love’ in 2012. The film was a huge success and his pairing with his co-star Bernardo became iconic. The pair came together yet again in the same year, in the film ‘Sisterakas.’ The film was showcased at the 2012 ‘Metro Manila Film Festival.’

By then, Daniel had become confident about his music skills. The success of his film and TV projects made him believe that he should work on his first musical endeavor. In May 2012, he released his self-titled debut album, ‘Daniel Padilla.’ It became a major local success, and within a year of its release, it was declared a “double-platinum” album.

His video for the song ‘Nasa lyo Na Ang Lahat’ became a national rage. It featured as one of the top three Filipino videos of 2013 and won several awards.In March 2013, Daniel released the first single of his sophomore album ‘DJP’ in ‘My Music Store Philippines.’ He released the album on April 16 the same year. The album surpassed his previous effort, in terms of success, and was declared “platinum” within a day of its release. On the very next day, it was tagged as a “double-platinum” album. Following the encouraging success of the album, Daniel embarked on his concert, ‘Daniel: Live!’ This was the first concert that was broadcast live on ‘Sky Cable’s pay-per-view service.

In April 2014, Daniel released another album, ‘I Heart You,’ and it debuted at the top of the ‘iTunes Philippines’ chart. It was marked as the highest-selling album of the year by ‘Odyssey Music & Video,’ and in less than a month, it was declared “platinum.” Within a little more than a month of its release, the album became a “double-platinum” album.

In 2014, he appeared in ‘She’s Dating the Gangster,’ a film which earned tremendous success. It was later declared as one of the highest-grossing films of the year. In April 2014, Daniel went international with his music and held a mega successful concert with Yeng Constantino in Dubai, followed by gigs in London, Rome, and Milan.

In December 2014, he earned a “star” at the Filipino equivalent of the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame.’ In the same month, he was named as one of the top 10 OPM artists on the ‘Year in Music’ list released by ‘Spotify.’

In January 2015, Padilla held a concert in Dubai, titled ‘Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo Live in Dubai.’ In February 2015, ‘Nickelodeon’ tagged him as their ‘Global Slime Star.’ He thus became the first Filipino actor to receive the honor.

In the same year, he starred in a film titled ‘Crazy Beautiful You,’ which became one of the highest-grossing films of the year. In mid-2015, he starred in the series ‘Pangako Sa 'Yo’ and it quickly became one of the most-viewed Filipino TV shows. His third studio album, ‘I Feel Good,’ consisted of 13 songs and was declared “gold” within the first week of its release. ‘Odyssey Music & Video’ marked it as the top-selling album of the year.

He then held a concert in the US, along with several other Filipino stars, titled ‘ASAP Live in New York.’ He also promoted his film ‘Barcelona: A Love Untold’ during the concert. He was paired opposite Bernardo in the film, and it was the first time he had acted as an adult on screen. The film received rave reviews and became one of the highest-grossing films of 2016.In 2017, he appeared in the successful romantic comedy ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ and the series ‘La Luna Sangre.’

Daniel Padilla is also widely known for his philanthropist endeavors. He donated to the victims of ‘Typhoon Haiyan’ and held a free concert to help the affected families. Daniel has been the face of several brands in the Philippines, such as ‘KFC,’ ‘Honda,’ and ‘Nescafe.’

Being born in into such prominence has its own advantages and disadvantages, but he says he likes to focus on the positives. The 20 year old Daniel Padilla can sing, play bass and act. But even as the teen idol is experiencing this fortune, it has its own pitfalls. He said in interviews before that he is concerned about being careful of what he says and that it can be very limiting for him. The famous joke he made about having recess as his favorite subject since he wasn’t that good with his lessons sparked some backlash on the actor, citing how the statement is careless given how influenced and impressionable he can be to the youth.

[i-only-blow-bubbles]

This is my last day of being 20-year-old Sabrina. In just hours, I will be gone, and a 21-year-old version of myself will take my place.

I haven’t been itching to turn 21, but for most 19 and 20-year-olds, that’s all they look forward to. They want to be old enough to drink and go downtown. While that sounds fine and dandy, I don’t think it’s worth waiting to be over with being 20 to get there. I think age 20 has its own value.

After all, it’s 20. Twenty. It’s a new decade. It is the beginning and base of what will be my twenties. Even just saying it is lovely. It can be crisp; twen-ty. It can be quick; twenee. And it’s got a nice ring to it. Twenty. 

I didn’t want to rush through this past year to get to 21. I wanted to savor each and every moment, to which I did and to a fault. Now, I’m in love with 20-year-old me, and I’m sad to let her go. It’s been a year of self-discovery, and it sounds cheesy. I know. But I don’t care. 

View this post on Instagram

twenty.

A post shared by Sabrina LeBoeuf (@_sabrinakaye) on Dec 15, 2018 at 8:27am PST

It all began with Spiderman: Into The Spider-Verse. On my birthday, my friends brought me as a fifth-wheel to Alamo Drafthouse (It’s okay, I forgive them) to see the animated film. I never had a particular interest in Spiderman, being a Batman fan, but the movie blew my mind away. 

The movie spoke to what it meant to discover yourself. (If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you doing?!) Miles Morales had to navigate becoming Spiderman when there were so many other Spidermen telling him how it should be done. But none of the previous methods really worked out for him. He eventually figures that in order to fully become Spiderman, he can redefine what was previously done. He can take the spark he’s been given and turn it into something revolutionary.

This is what kicked off my 20. Mesmerized by the pretty picture and the heartfelt story, I was determined to take my own spark and actually do something with it. I would take charge of my identity and convictions. This would be my 20. 

And now I can say that it truly was.

Throughout the year, I explored my cultural identity more. I went on to visit Panama after an 8-year hiatus and wore the traditional dress of my culture. Then I took things a step further and applied to study abroad, giving me five months to speak Spanish in the new year. 

I grew comfortable in my appearance. I cut off my pink hair, grew it out, and embraced my curls for once in my life. I even went an entire month without taking a hot tool to my head, something I don’t think I’ve ever done. I took more pictures of myself because I wanted to be more comfortable and confident with how I looked. I also wanted to document what 20-year-old Sabrina looked like.

I made sure to capture not just the good days, but also the bad. Makeup, no makeup, hair done or hair poofed out. Silly faces were optional, and tongues were out a lot. I don’t even like how I look in all of them, but at least I know the pictures are honest. Here are a select few.

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Love and fear were the greatest emotions that followed me around in all shapes and forms. Out of curiosity, I explored them. I wrote love songs, both happy and sad, and so did my favorite artists. Marina released Love + Fear, and Taylor Swift released Lover. I met JoAnn, talked with her every week for five months and I wrote a 10-page piece on what it means to be in love and how to deal with fear. I made myself face my fears, and I overcame a few of them. 

I started going to events by myself and enjoying my solitude. I went to concerts, ballets and more. Every week, I took the trip to downtown and took pointe classes for the first time. I stopped limiting myself from things I wanted to do just because I had no one to go with, and I’m so glad I did. 

I embraced spontaneity and made things work as I went along. The UT School of Journalism sent me to the Online News Association conference in New Orleans, and I managed to go without missing too much from my classes. On top of that, I started a second degree studying radio-television-film this past spring, and now I’m already 80% done. 

In my work life, I was presented with so many new, exciting opportunities. I started off the year writing about technology for Spiceworks and Austin culture for Austin Woman magazine. This blossomed into another magazine internship at Texas Connect over the summer and freelance work for Austin Woman. This past fall, I was lucky enough to write for The Daily Texan on both the news desk and the life and arts desk. Now, I’m looking forward to blogging for Texas Global as I study in Spain, and I’m praying for an internship this summer.

Beyond all the things I did for myself this year, the universe introduced me to exquisite people.  I met JoAnn while I still worked at the Campus Computer Store. Saba stepped into my life when we became partners in a journalism class. I met my amazing editors and fellow writers. Marina went with me to see the bats for the first time. I had the opportunity to learn from fabulous professors. At least three times a week, Dr. Scott opened my eyes to media studies, and Kevin Robbins challenged my writing ability and my basketball skills. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Professor Paul taught me how to feel graceful in ballet class.

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The list continues forever. I can’t say it enough. Twenty has been the best year so far. It was emotionally rich, technicolor and inspiring. These big, fluffy words only touch the surface for how much I’ve loved being 20-year-old Sabrina. 

Thank you so much to everyone in my life. I know this year would not have been what it was without you. I shall treasure the memories always, and I will do my best to treasure you that much more.

So that’s it, then, huh?

This is 20-year-old Sabrina signing off, excited to see **how in the world** twenty-one can top what a wonderful year it has been. 

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  Twenty - This is my last day of being 20-year-old Sabrina. In just hours, I will be gone, and a 21-year-old version of myself will take my place.

[newyorktheater]

Michael Luwoye takes over the title role of Hamilton on Broadway, on the same day that Sara Bareilles, the creator of Waitress, takes on the lead role as Jenna, Peter Jöback the title role of The Phantom of the Opera. All have performed these roles on Broadway before.

Two reports show a nudge towards more diversity on Broadway, and elsewhere in New York theater as well — more nonwhite theater artists on stage, younger theatergoers in the audience. Details below, along with news about Leslie Odom Jr., a video of the American Theatre magazine panel discussion with directors Anne Bogart, Rachel Chavkin, Liesl Tommy, and Anne Kauffman; news and a slideshow about “Angels in America” cast. We bid goodbye to Javier Munoz in Hamilton, and watch while Bernadette Peters says Hello, Dolly. And, while there’s news (yet again) about harassment and high ticket prices, as well as fear’s effect on creativity, we are happy to end with Sarah Ruhl explaining her preference for happy endings, even though they’re not in vogue.

The Week in New York Theater Reviews

John Lithgow Stories from the Heart

John Lithgow, a Tony winner for his very first Broadway show in 1973, has decided to devote his 24th to the reading of two old short stories, Ring Lardner’s “Haircut” and “Uncle Fred Flits By” by P.G.Wodehouse. But “John Lithgow: Stories By Heart” differs from your basic library storytelling hour…Lithgow doesn’t just read the two stories; he performs them…Before each story, Lithgow also tells us at some length why they matter to him. These amount to something of a memoir of his father, and it is no denigration of the short stories to say that Lithgow’s well-told personal anecdotes are what provide much of the heart in Stories by Heart.

Pursuit of Happiness

What makes us happy? The clear if indirect answer in “Pursuit of Happiness” is a lot of laughs, since that’s what the Nature Theater of Oklahoma, a notoriously inventive downtown theater company, provides in their new theater piece. “Pursuit of Happiness” is a bizarre and hilarious hybrid of physical comedy and surreal Hollywood parody, which swings wildly from the Wild West to the Iraq War, and from wondrously slapstick to borderline offensive to surreptitiously insightful.

The Hendrix Project

It’s New Year’s Eve 1969, and a dozen fans are in the balcony of the Fillmore East watching a concert by Jimi Hendrix and his electronic blues trio, Band of Gypsys, nine months before Hendrix dies. That is a summary of “The Hendrix Project,” running at BRIC through January 14, as part of the Under the Radar Festival. That is also more or less all there is to say about it. We in the audience spend an hour watching the fans in the balcony as they watch the concert.

Mikaela Bennett as Acquanetta in the opera “Acquanetta”

Acquanetta

“Acquanetta,” [is an opera] inspired by a cult horror film of the 1940s, “Captive Wild Woman,” and by its alluring and mysterious star, who went by the stage name Acquanetta. The most charitable thing I can say about the opera, which is running through January 14 at the Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center, is that Mikaela Bennett’s performance as Acquanetta provided some occasional sparks, and Deborah Artman’s lyrics were at times intriguing, but  “Acquanetta” was simply not for me.

Disco Pigs

Enda Walsh, best known in the U.S. for the Broadway musical “Once,” first gained fame as the playwright of a furious burst of a play he wrote in five days about two intense and inseparable teenagers who share a birthday and a private language….Luckily, there is an energetic rhythm and vividness to Walsh’s prose that two good actors can make more accessible with their bodies, turning the language visual and physical. Colin Campbell and Evanna Lynch (best known as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films) do just that.

Mankind

Mankind [is] a fun comedy that turns berserk about a future world in which women are extinct…O’Hara’s premise is promising, his inspiration laudable, and his stated intentions honorable.. But, ultimately, “Mankind” is muddled. If it does establish the tone of a satiric cautionary tale, it’s not always clear what it is satirizing or what it’s cautioning against.

The Week in New York Theater News

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Beth Malone (Fun Home) will play the Angel at select performances of Angels in America. Also joining Nathan Lane and Andrew Garfield in the cast are: Patrick Andrews, Glynis Bell, Amy Blackman, Curt James, Rowan Ian Seamus Magee, Mark Nelson, Matty Oaks, Genesis Oliver, Jane Pfitsch, Lee Aaron Rosen, Ron Todorowski, Silvia Vrskova and Lucy York.

The two-part play opens at the Neil Simon on March 25., 2018.

Encores Off-Center season at New York City Center:

Songs for a New World, Jason Robert Brown Jun 27 – 30

Gone Missing, book by Steve Cosson, music by the late Michael Friedman Jul 11 and 12

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, by Micki Grant and the late Vinnette Carroll Jul 25 – 28

  Bette Midler’s ended her run in Hello, Dolly on January 14.   Bernadette Peters will be taking over the role of  Dolly Gallagher Levi on January 20th.

  Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr

Leslie Odom Jr. Will Sing at the Super Bowl LII on February 4, the second year in a row that original cast members of Hamilton appear during the premiere football game of the year

Crowds remain white and female and primarily tourists, but younger people and New Yorkers are making up a larger portion of the Broadway audience, according to the Broadway League’s report, The Demographics of the Broadway Audience for the 2016–2017 season. There were 13.3 million admissions to Broadway shows. New Yorkers – 22 percent, highest in 15 years (tourists 61 percent) Under 25 – 25 percent Female – 66 percent Playgoers tended to be more frequent theatregoers than musical attendees. The play attendee saw nine shows in the past year; the musical attendee, four. About half of respondents said they purchased their tickets online, although those who live outside the U.S. were more likely to buy their tickets in person.

Theatergoers reported personal recommendation as the most influential factor when it came to selecting a show to see. Other factors included the music, having seen the movie, internet listings and having seen the show before.

Thirty-five percent of all roles on Broadway and in the 16 largest non-profit theater companies in New York City went to actors of color and disabled actors, according to a another report, conducted by AAPAC (the Asian American Performers Action Coalition, Ethnic Representation on New York City Stages 2015-2016. (Details here) That is better than the average over the ten years that AAPAC has been conducting the study.

  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/theater/2018-kleban-prize-winners.html?utm_content=buffer22fcd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The Kleban Prize, named after the Tony-winning lyricist of A Chorus Line, along with $100,000 apiece, was awarded to Alan Schmuckler (“Diary of Wimpy Kid The Musical”) and Amanda Yesnowitz (“Somewhere in Time”),  for their lyrics, Christian Duhamel (“My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend”) for his libretto .

Google Starts Vetting Broadway Ticket Resellers

  Blockbuster shows are finding new life Off-Broadway

Can a filmed performance, even live streamed, do justice to live theater? 

Why Fear may be killing your creativity

Panel discussion with directors Anne Kauffman(Marvin’s Room), Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812), Anne Bogart (SITI Company), and Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed)

Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin has acquired the archives of Arthur Miller, from his first play “No Villain” (1936), written when Miller was at the University of Michigan, to “Finishing the Picture” (2004), produced just months before his death.

USA. Roxbury, CT. 1962. Playwright Arthur Miller at his desk with daughter Rebecca.

From the Arthur Miller Archives

Inside the Battle for Arthur Miller’s Archives

The Ransom Center has bought the entire archive for $2.7 million, following a discreet tug-of-war with the Miller estate, which tried to place the papers at Yale University despite the playwright’s apparent wishes that they rest in Texas.

For her latest play, Adrienne Kennedy, 86, wrote while angry, which is how she’s written for 50 years. “Things are just boiling inside me. I keep a lot of notes and then suddenly it emerges. Every word.”

On first day of the final COIL festival, Performance Space 122 has a new name — Performance Space New York — new website , new logo, &and a newly renovated space, under a new director Jenny Schlenzka. But the same Twitter name — @PS122

The Artist Co-op (TAC) will be holding a conversation on sexual harassment in the theater, moderated by Claire Karpen, with Diana Oh, Shakina Nayfack, and Alexis Williams, on January 19th, 2018, 12:00 PM 2:00 PM, in person at 500 West 52nd Street, and on Facebook Live. There will be an on-site community counselor.

Art is not sacred – the abuse of power must end – by R.M. Vaughn in The Globe and Mail

  Howard Sherman: Should we really be celebrating record-breaking Broadway box office results?

(That’s why I think that the statistics should emphasize attendance figures, not box office receipts.)

His final performance today: Thank you @JMunozActor for performing in @HamiltonMusical from the get-go, & for speaking out on issues that matter. pic.twitter.com/BrGY0Y3H30

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

Playwright Sarah Ruhl

Sarah Ruhl on Happy Endings

Happy endings are not in vogue…

It could be that I wrote more happy endings once I had children. I was looking less at the afterlife and more at the ground. Tolstoy said, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” And so Tolstoy furthered the myth of unhappiness as a marker of uniqueness. What if happy endings are also unique unto themselves; and each search to find them as rare and singular as the proverbial snowflake.

Hamilton, Waitress, Phantom Cast New Leads. Broadway’s Getting More Diverse. Week in NY Theater Michael Luwoye takes over the title role of Hamilton on Broadway, on the same day that Sara Bareilles, the creator of Waitress, takes on the lead role as Jenna, Peter Jöback the title role of The Phantom of the Opera.