#michael cassel group

[d-criss-news]

michaelcasselgroup: It was truly an unforgettable experience as we welcomed Darren Criss back to our shores earlier this month. Accompanied by his electrifying band, the tour thrilled packed houses in Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart and Sydney. Thank you to audiences Australia wide for embracing these special shows, and we look forward to Darren’s next trip down under. 📷 by @ jordankmunns.

[newsbites]

Hamilton the Musical has enjoyed a successful tour of Australia, with stops in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Now it’s off to New Zealand.

[selfindulgentmusicalreviews]

Mary Poppins - Brisbane 2022 - QPAC

Hello Musical Theatre fans! 

So 07/12/22 clocked in as my third viewing of Mary Poppins, and unfortunately seeing shows more than once in the run has started to become a very expensive habit. Strangely though, all three reasons had a different purpose, which usually isn’t the case (and rather, I just go because I enjoyed it so much I wanted to see it again.)

The first was due to some complimentary seats; so why not? 

The second was the planned, intended viewing with the family.

And the third? Well. We found out one of our favourite ensemble members was playing Bert, so we booked some last minute tickets (literally 6 hours before the show started) and went! 

(And, as of Jan 2023, I ended up seeing it a FOURTH time, due to a lottery win. That adventure isn't included here but it didn't change much!)

The Story

Mary Poppins is an excellent show. I went and saw it when it came to Brisbane for the first time in 2012. I have to admit, I wasn’t as impressed back then and came away not really wanting to go this time, but through either age/maturity or just a different cast/different production, I left with a completely different review of it.

The story of Mary Poppins is the same as it always has been - two misunderstood children with parents who have no time for them, so they act out and escape from their boring, strict nannies. In an attempt to open their parents’ eyes, a mysterious, magical nanny comes down from the sky to teach everyone a lesson. A special mention to Bert, the guardian angel jack-of-all-trades that always appears when the kids need him most.

The musical adaptation takes a slightly different turn than the movie, I can only assume for staging and pacing purposes. There are several new songs, and some of the songs from the movie have been changed, and in my opinion, some of the character arcs are a little more blurry. In the movie, the children are quite soft and don’t require such a firm hand to guide them (despite their letter going on about their pranks). They immediately love Mary, and follow her every request. It’s only on Mary’s day off when they’re with their father do things turn upside down. In comparison, the musical children are petulant trouble makers with strong personalities, who are dubious about Mary Poppins even after her introduction (that whole, “we hope you’ll stay” in ‘Practically Perfect’ is definitely sarcastic). They’re still making trouble despite Mary's influence; causing a mess in the kitchen for poor Robertson Ay. It’s definitely better consistency for their characters, given how much the other nannies label them as terrors. Luckily, with strong children, the stage role of Mary is equally as strong and no-nonsense to match.

Jane and Michael get their own miniature character arcs, though I find Jane’s is a little harder to follow. Michael learns to not judge a book by its cover when he feeds the birds, but Jane doesn’t quite come around at the same time and is still afraid of the bird woman. She eventually gets a throwaway line at the end about learning to look beyond what’s at the end of her nose, but we never see it truly resolved, and they’re still fairly judgy about how dirty Bert is as a chimney sweep. 

George Banks is, of course, the man of the show with the most change, as intended by the original source material. We find that his lifestyle is deeply rooted in the trauma he faced as a young child - seeing his parents barely once a week and never being kissed goodnight, and forever being molded by brimstone and treacle (which after a quick google, I’m surprised George even made it to adulthood!) 

One thing I probably don’t agree with and would love to see a rewrite for is the character of Winifred Banks. In the movie she’s a strong-willed suffragette, fighting for women’s rights (but is unable to stand up to or for her husband at home). In the musical, she’s a former actress that left the stage to host dinner parties and luncheons for rich ‘friends’ she doesn’t really know, which is the reason why she can’t look after the children (and ‘all the best people have nannies’.) At the end of the musical, she decides that the acting life isn’t for her, and that she’d rather just concentrate on being a mother. 

Personally, I would love to see her in that suffragette role once more, and like Mr Banks, come to the conclusion that she needs to balance her lifestyle and the parenting with George. In the movie, watching her march and stand up for women, but be completely incapable of standing up to her husband was a fun juxtaposition (though in the movie, this was never resolved either.)

Upon first watching, I found at least one of the musical numbers was a little hard to piece together from a story perspective; specifically ‘Playing the Game.’ To be truthful, I’m still not sure how this song fits; Valentine is broken because the children are fighting over him, and after this (horrifically haunting) number about respecting your toys, Mary Poppins leaves because she can’t help children who won’t listen. While totally relatable and a generally good message, what does this have to do with anything that’s happened so far, and why does THIS particular issue prompt Mary Poppins to leave? The children seem to be following up to this point, and aren’t really resisting her lessons.  

Some minor gripes that definitely don’t detract, but just make me laugh; I’m not sure how okay I am with the ‘Spoonful of Sugar’ essentially being a drug that gets them all high enough to enjoy cleaning. The rest of the show tends to rely highly on metaphor but this one feels a bit off. 

Also, the reason for them being swept up the chimney sweep to meet Bert and the other sweeps will forever make me laugh with how random of an event it is, with no explanation or information about why it happens. 

I suppose, just like Mary, the show makes a habit of never explaining anything ;) 

Musical Numbers and Staging

Mary Poppins incorporates well loved songs from the movie with a host of great new songs that fit the pacing of the stage play. I always find myself with ‘Practically Perfect’ in my head as I leave the theatre (and for days afterwards).

Feed the Birds is always a standout in my mind; a hauntingly beautiful song on a dim stage, with beautiful harmonies from Mary and the bird woman. It never fails to give me goosebumps! 

The choreography is incredible, especially Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - I always enjoy watching the cast rattle off letter after letter, and I’m pleased that we get to see it once more at the end. 

One part I always love to watch is how quickly the park changes during ‘Jolly Holiday’ - from quiet browns and greys and blacks to suddenly brilliant greens and reds and purples (Colours of my Life, anyone?) as the lights come up always has me staring in childlike wonder, marvelling at just how incredible the stage can be. It’s magic moments like those that really make me love the theatre. 

The costuming is brilliant, although if I have one criticism I would have loved to see Jane and Michael’s costumes start to brighten as the musical goes on. They wear greys and browns for the majority of the time (except in Jolly Holiday), but as they start to become happier, better adjusted children, it wouldn’t have hurt to see some of the colour leaching into their clothing as well. 

Leads

For the 2022 run of Mary Poppins, we had Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers as our Mary and Bert. I saw them for two of the three shows I’ve seen, and their portrayal of these characters was amazing. Stephanie’s vocals and Jack’s charm really brought out the magic of these two characters, and their chemistry on stage was a delight to watch. I haven’t seen either of them in any other productions (I don’t think), so it was nice to see some new faces. 

I’ve also got to give a special mention to Genevieve Kingsford and Patrick Whitbread, the understudies we saw on the 07/12/22. Patrick Whitbread was the ensemble member we were there specifically to see, and while I’m completely biased, Patrick played an incredible Bert to Genevieve’s Mary. 

I always love getting to see multiple people in the same roles; they each bring something just a little different that usually offers unique perspectives. 

Patrick’s Bert is goofy. He’s a sweet, lovable dork who pulls faces while he dances, and his portrayal reminded me a lot more of the Dick Van Dyke version of Bert from the movie. Jack plays a much more suave Bert, which is no less endearing and exciting to watch. Genevieve’s Mary was softer than Stephanie’s prim and proper nanny, but that softness didn’t diminish the way she commanded the stage. 

Tom Wren was excellent all three nights - he has such a great smile and it’s such a standout when he goes from always frowning and scowling to these brilliant pearly grins. I absolutely loved Lucy Maunder’s performance; for the character she plays, she does it incredibly well and her vocals during “Being Mr Banks” are absolutely beautiful. 

The children are always fantastic; I got to see three (four!) different sets, and all of them were equally amazing. 

Ensemble

As per usual when I go to the theatre, I like to pay close attention to the ensemble, and see if I’ve seen any of them in any former productions. Some of them just end up sticking and I try to make sure I watch out for them during the shows. Due to the costuming and make-up usually covering faces and hair, I found it incredibly difficult to single them out as individuals on this show. 

There were only a couple of them this time; 

Hayden Baum, Ellie Nunan and Taylor Scanlan I’ve followed through numerous Cats productions. 

Andrew Broadbent - we saw him in Book of Mormon; I’ve been trying to chase him down at Stage Door to no avail; he’s far too sneaky. I enjoyed watching him as Von Hussler and the Policemen - it’s always just nice to see familiar faces. As of the fourth viewing, I managed to get to Andrew at Stage Door! He was the kindest, most polite person I've ever met and I LOVE him very much.

Thanks for reading!

[nothingunrealistic]

A brand-new production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, will premiere in Sydney, Australia in October 2024. The brand-new production, presented by Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group, will be reimagined by Helpmann Award-winning director, Dean Bryant. “Words fail to truly capture the profound impact DEAR EVAN HANSEN has had on audiences and I am thrilled to be partnering with Sydney Theatre Company to create an entirely new version of the show for Australia,” Michael Cassel said. “There are no other contemporary musicals that capture the challenges of being a teenager in such a distinguished way with such a phenomenal score. I can't wait for audiences in Sydney to experience it.” “We're thrilled to be to be partnering again with Michael Cassel Group, this time to co-produce a brand new, Australian production of the multi award-winning sensation DEAR EVAN HANSEN here at Sydney Theatre Company. This will be the first new, original production since the show's phenomenal Broadway debut. This is a real coup for Sydney, and we couldn't be in better hands than with the brilliant Dean Bryant at the helm - one of the best Musical theatre directors in the country and loved by STC audiences after his superb work recently on Hubris and Humiliation and Fun Home'', Sydney Theatre Company's Artistic Director Kip Williams said. 

[datshitrandom]

Darren Criss at Frontón México | July 26, 2023 | 📸 by Liliana Estrada via Michael Cassel Group

[thottybrucewayne]

Speaking of Do the Right Thing, here's some companion films to watch with it!

Uptight (1968) Dir. Jules Dassin ||A drama based on the novel The Informer, Uptight is a film set post-MLK assassination, focusing on a group of Black revolutionaries preparing for a race war and betrayal from within their ranks.|| Like Do the Right Thing, Uptight is about a cast of young Black folks struggling with the society they live in being built on white supremacy and how they navigate that, whether it be through resistance or assimilation. Basically, it is a mediation on Black American identity (Another movie I recommend watching with this one specifically is The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973) dir. Ivan Dixon is based on a play by the same name that deals with the same themes through the POV of a Black former CIA agent)

Cornbread, Earl, and Me (1975) Dir. Joseph Manduke ||"High school basketball star Nathaniel "Cornbread" Hamilton (Keith Wilkes) is the pride of his urban neighborhood, and he appears destined for big things on the court and in the classroom. But a dare leads to a fatal misunderstanding when Nathaniel is shot dead by police who take him for someone who's just committed a violent crime. As police officers try to protect one of their own, members of the oppressed African-American community do what they must in order to find justice."|| This film is the one I feel has the most in common with Do the Right Thing, there are many parallels to be drawn from both Radio Raheem and Cornbread to the way cops are presented in both films. Both tell stories that are unfortunately prescient, a misunderstanding that a Black person pays for with their life is the sad reality of the society we live in. Each film also feels like a time capsule, which makes the reality that things haven't changed that much hit so much harder. Each film paints a sobering picture of Policing, race relations in America, and the demonization of Blackness.

Higher Learning (1995) Dir. John Singleton // A group of incoming freshmen at Columbus University -- including varsity athlete Malik Williams (Omar Epps), awkward outcast Remy (Michael Rapaport), and wide-eyed Kristen Connor (Kristy Swanson) -- struggle to find themselves and adjust to newfound independence. When Remy finds acceptance among a group of neo-Nazis, tensions rise even higher on a campus already divided along racial, socio-economic, and gender lines.// John Singleton's Higher Learning pulls no punches when it comes to the depiction of the banality of evil and the alt-right pipeline years before we even knew how to define it. In the character of Remy, we see the effects of white supremacist dogma coupled with white male insecurity. Like Do the Right Thing, Higher Learning mainly focuses on race relations on and policing. I do think its view of misogyny and gender was extremely lacking and not nearly as fleshed out. (like spoiler alert the Black girl that dies in this barely was a character like she's not very well written at all) but this movie is still very much worth the watch for the discussion of race alone.

La Haine (1996) Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz ||When a young Arab is arrested and beaten unconscious by police, a riot erupts in the notoriously violent suburbs outside of Paris. Three of the victim's peers, Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Said (Said Taghmaoui), and Hubert (Hubert Koundé), wander aimlessly about their home turf in the aftermath of the violence as they try to come to grips with their outrage over the brutal incident. After one of the men finds a police officer's discarded weapon, their night seems poised to take a bleak turn|| I first saw this movie during my freshman year of college and WHEW! It's best to go in with little knowledge on this one but just know it is a VERY hard watch. This black-and-white French film brilliantly tackles police brutality, racism, classism, and the frustrations of youth demonized by a white supremacist system.

[aragarna]

Please rant about the new musketeer movie, I need to know how bad it is on a scale from Michael York to Mathew McFaydden, so I know if it's worth trying to hunt down a cinema or wait till it's out on dvd

Well.... The good news is, there's no flying ship in that one. Not sure where to put it though. It's not atrocious, but it's lacking something. I'm always happy to see my boys, and the cast is good. It is rather entertaining at times, and I'm sure people not as attached to the characters as I am might not be as harsh as me but... I guess I was hoping for more? For better? Why is it that there can't be a single decent modern adaptation?!

The rest under the cut because spoilers for The Three Musketeers: d'Artagnan

First, it's visually ugly. It's all in brown and dark tones. Apparently the weather in France is always bad, ranging from pouring rain to clouds and fog. Even the red robe of the cardinal doesn't pop up! And don't get me started on the musketeer's uniforms. Why is it that every single recent movie wants to make them something that they're not. We *know* what they looked like. Blue casaques with a big white cross. Would it look out of fashion today? Of course! Even slightly ridiculous? Maybe. But Mordious, that's a 17th century uniform! Just play along! So, in this one, it becomes a very dark navy blue long coat with a black cross on the arm. It's actually so indisguishable that you can never tell when they're wearing it or not.

But okay, fine, if it was the only issue, I would have waved it off. The rest of the costumes, though probably not historically accurate, look pretty cool over all. If only they had more colors. Can you believe that there's a costumed ball, with one character wearing an arlequin costume and ... it doesn't even look like rainbow-y!

(can you tell I'm slightly mad at the movie's terrible coloring?)

And overall, I felt it wasn't very well filmed. Like, this isn't just a swashbluckler, it's The Swashbuckler story, so gotta work on those sword fights! Give me some fancy fighting! Work a real choregraphy! I understand that this is not the Errol Flynn era anymore but come on. So their idea to make it more "modern" was to use sequence-shots for the fight scenes. That is not a bad idea, but when there's no real choregraphy to follow, that just makes everything messy and pointless. So yeah, disappointed with the action scenes.

My other major source of annoyment was the lack of character development, or just character moments. D'Artagnan flirting with Constance was fine, but it's *not* the main story. It should have been the friendship between our four heroes. Instead of adding a whole new plot, I wish they'd taken the time with the canon scenes. Show me more why they went from being this close to kill each other, to instant friends ready to die for each other. Making Porthos bisexual is fine. I don't mind modernization of characters, but did you have to tell and show me this very clearly 3 times, but then give him virtually no other line of dialogue the rest of the movie? Romain Duris as Aramis is particularly awesome, but the poor guy is just as useless. The film is such a waste of a good casting. D'Artagnan, the main character, barely gets more time. Where is my ever-resourceful, cunning, smart and quick thinking hero? Young and idealistic but also natural leader d'Artagnan? His scenes with Constance are cute enough (and I don't mind that they got rid of Mr. Bonacieux) but I wanted more bonding with the boys! It's called The Three Musketeers, not My Cute Landlady. François Civil does a decent job but he isn't given the most subtle text...

Athos is the only one that is allowed a bit more development, but he's reduced to be a sappy old man. AAARGH ATHOS IS NOT AN OLD MAN. I do like Vincent Cassel, but the movie comes out 20 years too late for him to be a musketeer. Athos is not old, he is just the only vaguely grown-up one of the group. And come on "I don't have enough will to live to lie." ?! What the Hell?

All the characters feel reduced to a single dimension.

And yes, I do realize that you can't fit hundreds of pages in two 2-hour movies, but still, I feel like there were ways to make the movie better if it had been more character-oriented. The only real good character is the King. He has all the best lines and Louis Garrell is perfect.

Finally, while I don't mind when they take liberties from the original story, I'm not sure that the whole side plot actually adds anything. If you're worried about lack of plots, just develop the exisiting ones instead of rushing them in and out of England, maybe? It's Alexandre Dumas you're adapting, don't tell me there aren't enough twists in that plot!

And what annoys me about that side plot is that it starts with Athos being arrested. Which means that, from the start, they're never all four of them together. Which also means that that one supposedly emotional letter from Athos sounds a bit phony. Why would he care for that young idiot that he met only once?

Let my musketeers be all together, Morbleu!

Anyway, to try and end on a more positive note: it does remain entertaining enough that you're not bored. They filmed in real places - Le Louvre looks actually like Le Louvre - which is always a bonus. Louis XIII is awesome, and all the court intrigues are probably the best parts. And they do have a second movie coming out this December to try and make up for that one. We can expect War! Love! Tragedy! Vengeance! (and hopefully more character development?)

Sorry, that was long. All this to say: meh.

[kinonostalgie]

Murder on the Orient Express (Sidney Lumet, 1974)

As this film begins - the first big screen version of Agatha Christie's famous murder-mystery novel set on a train, the exotic Orient Express, traveling from Istanbul to Calais - it becomes immediately apparent that we are in for something old fashioned and glamourous. The names of the film's cast appear on a pink satin background during the film's opening credits accompanied by Richard Rodney Bennett's rousing symphonic score. The decision to cast huge stars as the murder suspects was an inspired choice with Sean Connery (as a retired Army Colonel) the most famous at the time although having both Ingrid Bergman (playing a Swedish missionary) and Lauren Bacall (as a crass twice married divorcée) brought the film a touch of class as they both represented an era in Hollywood known for it's elegance and glamour. The story's main character - the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot - is played by Albert Finney who physically transforms himself into the role - beady shifty eyes, lathered down greasy hair, a thin very pampered and dramatic moustache, the requisite french accent, a constant stream of bodily tics and extremely annoying countenance. A dream role for an actor to have fun hamming it up which Finney does with great comic delight. The rest of the passengers - a bizzarre group of unrelated characters - who become suspects in the murder of a shady businessman (Richard Widmark) are an aloof Russian aristocrat (Dame Wendy Hiller), her maid (Rachel Roberts), the trian's conductor (Jean-Pierre Cassell), an English governess (Vanessa Redgrave), a Hungarian count (Michael York), his elegant wife (Jacqueline Bisset), the victim's secretary (Anthony Perkins), his valet (Sir John Gielgud), a Pinkerton bodyguard (Colin Blakely) and an Italian car salesman (Dennis Quilley). Helping Poirot in the murder investigation are his friend, the director of the railroad line (Martin Balsam), and a doctor (George Coulouris who had been part of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre). Tony Walton created the interiors of the train and dressed all the stars in stunning 1930s finery. The film's famous denouement, as in all of the Poirot stories, has him gathering all the suspects together and explaining how the crime was committed and then with a malicious flourish reveal the murderer. The film belongs to Finney who easily dominates every scene but there are equally memorable turns by Bacall, Bergman, Hiller, Roberts and Gielgud who within literally minutes of screen time hold their own opposite the bombastic Finney. The film was nominated for six Oscars - Best Actor (Finney), Supporting Actress (Bergman - who won her third Oscar), Adapted Screenplay, for Geoffrey Unsworth's rich cinematography, Tony Walton's magnificent costumes and for Richard Rodney Bennett's marvelous score - he created a waltz which played as the train moved. Great fun and much better than the recent remake by Sir Kenneth Branagh.

[jdgo51]

Fumbles and Failures

Today's inspiration comes from:

Guts, Grace, and Glory

by Jim Grassi

Coaches work hard with players to develop in them the skills needed to protect the ball at all costs. Most NFL teams conduct a regular drill in which the runner scampers past a group of heavy-handed linemen who attempt to knock the ball away.

Fumbles, failures, goofs — whatever you call them — do strange things to a team’s confidence. They can be momentum breakers and can produce lost games — both in sports and in life. On the flip side, however, when too much attention is placed upon these occasional failures, it can cost a good player his confidence and his composure.

What do Michael Vick, Robert Griffin III, Cam Newton, Matt Cassel, Mark Sanchez, and Phillip Rivers have in common? Yes, they are all NFL quarterbacks, and after only 5 games into the 2012 season they all had 5 or more fumbles. Michael Vick had 8 fumbles in this period of time. It is curious that quarterbacks, whom we think of as having gifted hands, lost the ball more than running backs.

How often have you dropped the ball? Maybe you missed a critical appointment at work. Or perhaps you forgot your child’s or even your spouse’s birthday. If we place too much attention on our missed opportunities, we can become ineffective and depressed.

Despite our shortcomings, God can use each of us to build His kingdom.

Step out of your limitations and into the illimitable nature of who God is.

I think too many people feel unworthy because they place too much focus upon their failures instead of on the graciousness of a loving God. Too often we glorify Bible characters and believe that our ability to serve God is less than those “saintly” prophets and apostles of yesterday. It is encouraging to remember that our heavenly Father has equipped each one of us with special talents. He wants us to utilize these gifts rather than be overly critical of our failures. Think about how God used biblical characters despite their imperfections:

Moses stuttered.

David’s armor didn’t fit.

John Mark was rejected by Paul.

Hosea’s wife was a prostitute.

Amos’s only training was in the school of fig tree pruning.

Solomon was too rich.

Abraham was too old.

Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse? So did Peter, Paul —well, lots of folks did.

Aren’t we glad God doesn’t keep an account of our fumbles? He is quick to forgive and forget; despite a bad year He still has us in His lineup next season. He doesn’t require a job interview. He doesn’t hire and fire like human bosses, because He’s more than just a boss. He’s not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry or blind to our need.

He knows how we are formed. He remembers we are dust. — Psalm 103:14

If we are totally in love with Him, if we hunger for Him more than for our next breath, He’ll use us in spite of who we are, where we’ve been, or what we look like.

Step out of your limitations and into the illimitable nature of who God is.

It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. — Ephesians 4:11-13

GAME PLAN

Do you believe that God is able to use you in spite of your failures and shortcomings?

Are you willing to let Him use you through your failures and shortcomings?

Excerpted with permission from Guts, Grace, and Glory by Jim Grassi, copyright Thomas Nelson.

[senorboombastic]

What’s On Michael Portillo’s iPod – End of Year: Cassels

What’s On Michael Portillo’s iPod – End of Year: Cassels

Here at Birthday Cake For Breakfast, we like to get to the heart of what an artist is all about. We feel the music they listen to is just as important as the music they make. In the struggling year of our lord 2022, we’ve had all sorts talk to us about inspirations, including the likes of WITCH FEVER, The Lounge Society, WOOZE and Group Listening! With the year coming to a close, we’ve decided…

[darrencrissarmy]

michaelcasselgroup The phenomenally talented @darrencriss wowed fans in Sydney last night in his first live performance in Australia. The good news – he wants to come back! #darrencriss #michaelcasselgroup 

[d-criss-news]

Michael Cassel Group presents

Darren Criss

5 September | Hamer Hall - Melbourne 8:00 PM Tickets on sale Thursday 27 July, 1pm

$79.90 - $159.90

[keepingupwithlinmanuel]

Hamilton announces ‘exceptionally talented and diverse’ cast for Australia production

In the most anticipated Australian cast announcement in recent memory, the Australian production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit musical Hamilton has been unveiled, with the title role of Alexander Hamilton, originated by Miranda, to be played by relative newcomer Jason Arrow.

Miranda and the original creative team were “very involved” in handpicking the cast, said a spokesperson for production company the Michael Cassel Group. Arrow graduated from Perth performing arts school Waapa in 2016, and most recently performed in the ensemble of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Aladdin.

He leads a principal cast comprised almost entirely of people of colour from Australia and New Zealand. When the show opens in Sydney in March it will retell the story of the American founding father in a “hip-hop musical” which took Broadway by storm after premiering there in 2015.

...

“I am incredibly excited by the cast we have assembled,” Miranda said in an accompanying press release. “While theatres around the world have been forced to temporarily shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have taken this time to bring together a truly incredible ensemble to tell this story.

Led by Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton, this cast has such incredible talent, warmth and power. I know they will thrill and move audiences in Sydney when it’s safe to return.”

More on the cast:

In the context of recent debate around diversity and representation in the Australian theatre industry, with a number of roles for people of colour cast with overseas performers, the Hamilton cast list is significant. Of 35 performers, 33 are from Australia, including three First Nations performers and actors whose backgrounds are African, Mauritian, Caribbean, Asian, Pacific Islander and Latino. Two of the performers are from the US production, with one cast in the ensemble and the other set to understudy the male principal roles.

Playing Hamilton's political rival Aaron Burr is Lyndon Watts, Matu Ngaropo will play George Washington, Victory Ndukwe won the dual role of Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Shaka Cook will play Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, and Marty Alix will play Hamilton's son Phillip.

The three female leads, Angelica, Eliza and Peggy Schuyler will be played by Akina Edmonds, Chloe Zuel and Elandra Eramiha respectively. The sole caucasian lead, King George III, will be played by School of Rock star Brent Hill.

Arrow, who was born in South Africa, said he was moved when he first saw the diverse cast list.

"I didn't think that I would have an emotional response to it but I could feel myself welling up a little," he said. "It's not something you see that often and until you see it you don't realise how rare it is, then it really hits home. This is a moment to be celebrated, it's a turning point."

Here is an interview with one of two Maori principals, Matu Ngaropo. (The other is Akina Edmonds, who is Maori and Asian.)

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Dragon Dancer III: The Night After: Part 2

“We received contact from another Cassell Spy earlier tonight. A woman who goes by the name Zero.”

“There’s a lot of detail. The gist of it is, there’s a river flowing underground in one of the lava tubes created by Mount Fuji when it was active. The combination of the water and the volcanic activity created a nutrient bath for dragon kin. It was sealed away in ancient times by the legendary Izanagi... supposedly. They believe the White King went there to regain her strength.”

“The plan was to drill into the tunnel and dump 5,000 tons of mercury in the tunnel and kill everything in it. Then ignite a thermite bomb after that.”

“Chisei went to supervise the drilling after dropping you off, but by then... one of the Hydra clans rebelled and attacked the Hydra clan members supervising the work. The casualties were... substantial.”

“Did they fail to reach the Light King?”

“No. Apparently, our agent embedded with the group held them off long enough for the Miyamoto clan head to speed up the work and open up the well and dump the poison. Unfortunately, he lost his life in the process.”

My brow furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand. You’d think that the Hydras would have united together in face of such threats?”

“You’ll have to talk to her if you have questions.”

“Where is she?” 

“Laid up. She was injured in her escape. Ended up needed surgery.”

“So what’s the state of Hydra now?”

“They’re down Tachibana, Inuyama, Ryoma, and Miyamoto. Only four clan chiefs left.”

I rested my forehead against the heel of my hand and whispered. “Poor Chisei. Do we know where he is?”

“Last seen at the dig site. But uh... he should be here shortly. Our positions were given away somehow. He knows Ruri is here. They have us completely surrounded.”

“How did that happen?” I whimpered. 

Johann just shook his head.

“Do you think... Ruri... betrayed us?” 

“If he did, it wouldn’t make sense for him to come back here. But... At this point, they’ve got snipers of the roofs, blocked off all the streets. They just haven’t entered the building. They’re waiting for something... or someone.”

“Chisei? How could he allow this?”

Johann just looked at me. “He might like you. But he’s still High Patriarch of the Hydras. Chime must be dealt with... because he’s the leader of the Devils.”

“I thought I told him to stop with all this law and order garbage!” I threw off the covers but Johann caught my arm.

 “Rest. You can’t do anything. Clan Chief Sakurai and Chief Fuma are also here right now. Nono has been handling the negotiations with the owner of Takamagahara. But Clan Chief Fuma and Sakurai are only taking our requests. They’re not promising anything.”

“So... they’re not attacking?”

He let me go. “No... the owner of this place is a long time investor in the Hydras. They owe her a lot of money... and well.. she likes us... for some reason.” Johann’s voice drifted off.

“Why do I feel... suddenly out of control of this situation...? We were picked up by this person who is a friend of Lu Mingfei, here in Japan who also owns the Hydras and provides the perfect hideout? Anjou arranged this?” I asked.

Johann was silent a moment. “Possibly, but she did not present any identification from Cassell.”

“Well...” I sighed. “I can only focus on one thing, so long as we’re safe for now...”

Nono suddenly walked into the room, waving some keys. “Guess what guys?!”

“Nono!” I grinned.

“The owner of the place gave us some keys to get out of here. We can finally leave!”

My smile faded. “But the King’s still alive. Did we get confirmation that White King is dead?”

“Girl, I’m just telling you. You’re the fearless leader.” She pressed my nose with her finger and handed me the keys. 

I couldn’t help but laugh. “No, we’re not leaving yet. But thanks. I still want to talk to Chisei. If we can combine him and his brother, and get in touch with Lu’s girl friend, it’s over for the White King AND the Ghost King.”

“I should talk to Chisei...” The soft humble voice came from the crack in the door. At first, I thought the person standing there was Chisei, but Chisei would never put on such a sad pathetic expression. 

Nono stood up. “What are you doing up! Go back to bed!”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Ruri?” I couldn’t believe it. It was him! But that creepy aura was gone. He looked at Nono the same way a child would look at his mom after he’d had a nightmare. His kimono was too big for his tiny frame, emphasizing his child like look.

Johann turned to him. “How long were you listening?”

He let out a quiet laugh. “Not very long.”

His voice reminded me a lot of that lilt that Michael Jackson had. “I’ll go with you.” I told him.

“No... we need to meet alone.” He lowered his eyes.

“That’s never a good idea. He gets so hopped up on how things should be, that he loses sight of how things actually are. Besides. I don’t think he’ll mind me being there. Both your fates matter to me because we both have depended on you until now.”

“I... was hoping to have killed the King. And I would be able to show him his head... so I could tell him, I’m a friend of justice too...” Chime’s eyes glittered with tears. “But I failed.”

“I wouldn’t call that a failure. You chopped the guys head off. He’s little over powered, R... I mean Chime...”

Nono walked over to him and embraced him. He seemed to be falling apart before our eyes, trembling in panic. “He’s going to devour the world and nothing can stop him. Nothing! Once he gets ahold of the Dragon King’s blood, he’ll evolve into a pure dragon...”

I looked at Johann. “But aren’t they dumping mercury into the breeding ground?”

Chime composed himself. “It’s... not really about that. I just... I just want to see my brother.”

I lifted my head. “Oh. I gotcha.”

“You do?”

Chime looked at me and I felt a lump in my throat. “Blood is thicker than water. I believe you can convince him.” I gave him a thumbs up.

“You do?” He perked up a bit.

“OH yeah...” I grinned. “Your brother loves you.”

“You’re going to make me cry.” He did cry, turning his face into Nono and sobbing like a man who’d lost everything.

I wiped my eyes.

“You shouldn’t throw such words around cavalierly.” Johann said, handing me a box of tissues.

I blew my nose. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

[94pigeons]

I’ve never been mentioned in one of these get to know you better posts before, so here we go!

Get to know your neighbor!!

Tag 9 people you know that you would like to know better.

Top 3 ships:

Carolina/York- Red vs Blue. Local badass and dumbass kick ass. Nearly the entirety of York’s character is just 

BT/Jack Cooper (platonic)- Titanfall 2. Badass survival buddies with a knack for sarcasm and wholesome banter. Also, one is a giant robot, and the other is a smol hoomin. 10/10

Rex/Ahsoka (platonic)- Star Wars: The Clone Wars. These two literally act like siblings?? Its adorable and I love it. Ahsoka has definitely tried talking Rex into pulling pranks.

Last Song

Caesar- The Oh Hellos. Got the mello/fantasy vibes, this group does. Great to listen to on a rainy day….

Last Movie

In Theater: Either Spies in Disguise or the newest Little Women. No idea which one because they were released around the same time. Hmmmmmmm……

At Home- Black Panther

Currently Reading

Fanfic- None atm. Just keeping an eye on a few that may or may not get updated.

Books- I am currently reading three right now. All in or around the same genre.

-Permanence by Karl Schroeder. Lots of Space. A well thought out complex futuristic society. There are two main characters: Rue Cassels and Michael Bequith. Deals with discovery and response to the unknown.

- A Trick of Light by Stan Lee and Kat Rosenfield. Marvel book. Two teenagers find out they have powers and get into trouble. Not far enough in to find a discernible main theme.

-Star Wars: Thrawn by Timothy Zahn. More SPAAACE. Have you seen Star Wars: Rebels? Well, that blue guy was in this book first, then got adapted into the series. Takes place in the Star Wars universe, and also deals with racism and bias. Well written, the character voices are discernible and strong. 

Food Craving…

Soup. That is all.

Thanks to @bladelei for mentioning me! 

I nominate @clonewarsreturns​ @scribbleycactus  @kineticallyanywhere​ @infamouslydorky​ @bananabear50​ @clovis-bray-ate-my-son​ @silverwere​ @one-berzerker​ @alpha-strawberry​

[pbwsports]

The all-time starting five for every NBA Western Conference team

What if the Splash Bros. had Wilt Chamberlain playing center? How many titles would the Lakers have won if Magic Johnson was running the break with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal? Imagine Hakeem Olajuwon and James Hardenteaming up in Clutch City.

We asked our NBA writers to come up with an all-time starting five for every current NBA franchise, along with one additional blast from the past. Only a player's contributions during his time with that franchise were considered. (So, no, LeBron James doesn't crack the Lakers' all-time list ... yet.)

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In this era of "positionless" basketball, traditional positions don't matter quite as much as they used to, so we allowed some flexibility in choosing a lineup -- but you won't see teams with four centers or three point guards. The idea was to dive into each team's history and create a group that could at least potentially share the floor together.

We rolled out the Eastern Conference on Wednesday. Here is the Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks

G: Derek Harper G: Jason Terry G: Rolando Blackman F: Mark Aguirre F: Dirk Nowitzki

Terry joins Nowitzki as the only players on both of the Mavs' Finals teams and was the second-leading scorer on both squads. There's a reason Harper and Blackman, the backcourt for some good teams that just couldn't get past the Showtime Lakers, have their numbers in the American Airlines Center rafters. Aguirre's jersey probably won't ever be retired in Dallas because of his bitter departure, but you can't dismiss his 24.6 points per game in eight seasons with the Mavs.

The toughest cuts: Michael Finley and Jason Kidd, one of whom helped a young German kid find his way in the NBA and the other who helped Nowitzki finally deliver a title to Dallas.

-- Tim MacMahon

Denver Nuggets

G: Fat Lever G: David Thompson F: Alex English F: Carmelo Anthony C: Dikembe Mutombo

You're probably asking yourself the same question I debated for roughly 48 hours: Wait, no Nikola Jokic? There's a good chance Jokic eventually becomes the greatest player in franchise history, but he's just 25 years old.

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Mutombo, on the other hand, is a Hall of Famer and produced probably the most iconic image in franchise history, celebrating the historic upset of the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the 1994 playoffs. Mutombo is the defensive anchor behind a pure scoring lineup that could outgun just about anybody.

English, Anthony and Thompson all averaged better than 20 points a game for their careers, but at their peaks were pushing 30 PPG. Add in a floor general like Lafayette "Fat" Lever to pull the strings, and it could work. Between Fat, Melo and Dikembe, the Nuggets can outname just about anybody, too.

-- Royce Young

Golden State Warriors

G: Stephen Curry G: Klay Thompson F: Kevin Durant F: Draymond Green C: Wilt Chamberlain

Adding Chamberlain to the Durant-era Warriors teams that won back-to-back titles would just be unfair. Can you even imagine how dominant that team would be? Curry, Thompson, Durant and Green already have won titles together -- and now they have one of the greatest big men of all time to drop the ball to down low? Unbelievable. The defense is great, the offense is otherworldly.

It's tough leaving Hall of Famers Rick Barry and Chris Mullin out of this group, but who would come out? Curry and Thompson form the best shooting backcourt of all time. Durant is one of the best players of his generation and Green provides the defensive intensity and glue that has propelled them for years -- plus those four already have played together. There is no stopping this team. A juggernaut for the ages.

-- Nick Friedell

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Houston Rockets

G: James Harden G: Calvin Murphy F: Tracy McGrady F: Rudy Tomjanovich C: Hakeem Olajuwon

Apologies to Hall of Fame big men Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone and Yao Ming, but it's hard to get one center in the Houston lineup these days. Of course, there's no debate about the candidacy of Olajuwon, who remains the best player in franchise history, even after Harden's run of historic offensive production.

Harden is 22 points away from passing Murphy for second on the Rockets' career scoring list, so for now the flamboyant, 5-foot-9 Murphy continues to be the only player who ranks among the franchise's top two in points and assists.

Rudy T is best remembered as the Clutch City-era coach and for the brutal punch that interrupted his playing career, but he earned his spot here with five All-Star appearances during a career spent entirely in a Rockets uniform.

-- MacMahon

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LA Clippers

G: Chris Paul F: Kawhi Leonard F: Blake Griffin F: Elton Brand C: Bob McAdoo

Paul and Griffin authored the greatest and most exciting era in Clippers basketball with Lob City. Paul spent six seasons with the Clips, was first-team All-NBA three times and led the league in assists twice during that span. Griffin was Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star and the exciting, above-the-rim player the franchise sorely needed.

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Brand spent seven seasons with the team and made both of his All-Star appearances as a Clipper. McAdoo started his Hall of Fame career when the franchise was in Buffalo, where he led the league in scoring three straight seasons and was MVP in 1974-75.

Leonard is just 51 games into his Clippers tenure, but his elite production already puts him on this roster. Averaging 26.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists, a healthy Leonard can further validate this choice if he can get the Clippers to the conference finals for the first time.

-- Ohm Youngmisuk

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Los Angeles Lakers

G: Magic Johnson G: Jerry West G: Kobe Bryant F: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C: Shaquille O'Neal

Four of these picks were no-brainers. Johnson (fifth in career assists) teamed up with Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's career scoring leader, to win five championships. Bryant (fourth all time in scoring) paired with O'Neal (eighth in scoring) to win three.

The fifth pick was harder. Is it Elgin Baylor, the greatest small forward in franchise history? Or how about LeBron James, the greatest small forward in NBA history? How about James Worthy, who teamed up with Magic and Kareem and won a Finals MVP?

Ultimately, the pick is West. Baylor never won a ring. James hasn't been a Laker long enough. Worthy would have to play the 4 and you already have Shaq and the Captain on the blocks. The Logo brings shooting and toughness and leadership, and he is extremely important to the franchise as a whole for his post-playing days in the front office.

-- Dave McMenamin

Memphis Grizzlies

G: Mike Conley G: Tony Allen F: Shareef Abdur-Rahim F: Zach Randolph C: Marc Gasol

The question with the Grizzlies: Who should be the final player to fill out a lineup that features the Grit 'n' Grind mainstays called the Core Four? (I'd make a joke about Chandler Parsons' max contract, but I want to be welcomed back to Memphis.)

Based purely on merit, Pau Gasol would be the pick, but he doesn't fit alongside his brother Marc at center and Randolph at power forward. So we will go with Abdur-Rahim, who was a really good player for some really bad teams in Vancouver, averaging 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over five seasons in which the Grizzlies went a combined 86-292.

-- MacMahon

Minnesota Timberwolves

G: Ricky Rubio G: Sam Cassell F: Kevin Garnett F: Kevin Love C: Karl-Anthony Towns

The three best players in franchise history just all happen to be big men: Garnett, Love and Towns. Garnett is the franchise leader in points, rebounds, steals, assists and blocks; he's the only player in NBA history to lead a team in all five categories. Towns (22.7 points, 11.8 rebounds in 358 games) and Love (19.2 points, 12.2 rebounds in 364 games) each put up monster numbers, even though playoff success never came.

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(Side note: Towns is only 14 3-pointers away from becoming the franchise's all-time leader. Seriously.)

Rubio trails only Garnett in franchise history in steals and assists. Since Wally Szczerbiak and Andrew Wiggins were primarily listed as small forwards, the other guard spot goes to Cassell, who played only two years in Minnesota but had a career year and was a second-team All-NBA selection in 2003-04.

-- Andrew Lopez

New Orleans Pelicans

G: Chris Paul G: Jrue Holiday F: Jamal Mashburn F: David West C: Anthony Davis

(Just a reminder: The Pelicans' franchise history starts in 2002, when the team moved from Charlotte to New Orleans. Anything before that belongs to Charlotte, even though it's the same franchise. Got it? Cool, let's move on.)

First, the locks: Davis, Paul, Holiday and West. Now once you get to the wing ... oof. This spot came down to four players -- Mashburn, Peja Stojakovic, Eric Gordon and, yes, Brandon Ingram.

Mashburn, in the franchise's first season in New Orleans in 2002-03, made the All-Star team and was a third-team All-NBA selection. The Pelicans didn't get another All-Star selection from a wing player until this year, when Ingram made it. But with only 56 games under his belt, Ingram falls off this list. Gordon's time in New Orleans always seemed underwhelming. Stojakovic was a key cog on the 2007-08 team that won a franchise-best 56 games, but he struggled with injuries.

Mashburn was limited to 101 games for New Orleans, but his impact in Year 1 was unmistakable and he still sits second on the team's career scoring average list (21.5), behind only Davis.

-- Lopez

Oklahoma City Thunder

G: Russell Westbrook G: James Harden F: Kevin Durant F: Paul George F: Serge Ibaka

There's an irony to the Thunder's all-time starting five, because it features their best sixth man. The baggage of Harden's role looms large, whether he wanted to come off the bench, whether starting impacted his contract negotiations and ultimately facilitated the breakup of one of the greatest organically built superteams ever. That's a lot to unpack.

Hindsight and what-ifs aside, the Thunder's all-time group can stand with almost any in NBA history, and most certainly is among the most stout in the past 20 years. The Thunder have been around for just 12 years and boast a remarkable cupboard of talent: three MVPs (Durant, Westbrook, Harden) and piles of All-NBA and All-Star nods. Maybe one of the best examples of how deep they are is in showcasing who didn't make the cut: Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. Not a bad bench.

-- Young

Phoenix Suns

G: Steve Nash G: Kevin Johnson F: Walter Davis F: Charles Barkley C: Amar'e Stoudemire

No Shawn Marion? No Paul Westphal? No Alvan Adams? No Larry Nance? No Jason Kidd? You can make a solid starting five from the next group of Phoenix legends.

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The franchise's two MVP winners, Nash and Barkley, were locks. Westphal split time as a point guard and shooting guard during his six seasons, but we give the nod at the other guard spot to Johnson, who spent 12 years in Phoenix, and had three consecutive 20-point, 10-assist seasons and five All-NBA nods.

Davis vs. Marion was a tough battle. Both made a pair of All-NBA teams (two second-teams for Davis compared to two third-teams for Marion), but Davis gets the edge as the franchise's leading scorer. At center, Stoudemire stands supreme as his four All-NBA honors best Adams' longevity.

-- Lopez

Portland Trail Blazers

G: Damian Lillard G: Clyde Drexler G: Brandon Roy F: LaMarcus Aldridge C: Bill Walton

As with any conversation about Blazers history, their starting five comes with plenty of introspective sighing and deep what-iffing. Injuries to Walton and Roy abbreviated what would've been legendary Portland careers. But at their best versions, Walton was a transcendent big man with unique skills, and Roy was a gifted scorer with a knack for the moment.

Drexler is a Hall of Famer who led Portland to its best sustained run of success in franchise history. Aldridge is one of the dominant scoring big men of his era, and Lillard will likely go down as the franchise's all-time best. The Blazers are haunted by history and a compulsion to live in the anguish of what could've been, but there is also a beauty to their all-time five. It represents who they are, and forever, what they might've been.

-- Young

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Sacramento Kings

G: Oscar Robertson G: Tiny Archibald F: Peja Stojakovic F: Chris Webber C: Jerry Lucas

A Hall of Fame backcourt of Robertson and Archibald knocks Kings great Mitch Richmond out of one of the two guard spots. Lucas, another Hall of Famer, averaged 19.6 points and 19.1 rebounds in six seasons with the Cincinnati Royals. He gets the center position.

For the forwards, we look at two Kings from the early 2000s, when Sacramento was a perennial playoff team. Stojakovic is still the franchise's leader in 3-pointers made, and Webber averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 377 career games in Sacramento.

It feels weird not to have DeMarcus Cousins on the all-time Kings squad, but when you look back at the franchise's history -- which dates back to the Rochester Royals and their first year in the NBA in 1949 -- it becomes clearer why he doesn't make the cut.

-- Lopez

San Antonio Spurs

G: Tony Parker G: Manu Ginobili F: George Gervin F: Tim Duncan C: David Robinson

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It took about as long as the average Gregg Popovich sideline interview to come up with this squad. These were all easy decisions, considering each player's combination of greatness and longevity with the Spurs. (Kawhi Leonard would have been in strong consideration if not for the lack of the latter.)

Duncan and Robinson are on the short list of MVPs who played their entire careers for one franchise. Ginobili and Parker were essential parts of a dynasty. Gervin was a must-see superstar whose presence made sure that pro basketball stuck in small-market San Antonio.

-- MacMahon

Seattle SuperSonics

G: Gary Payton G: Gus Williams F: Detlef Schrempf F: Shawn Kemp C: Jack Sikma

Payton, Kemp and Sikma, the three players to make at least five All-Star appearances in Sonics uniforms, are the three certain selections here. At the other guard spot, there are strong cases for Fred Brown (who's second in career scoring) and Ray Allen (a four-time All-Star in Seattle), but Gus Williams' key role in the Sonics' 1979 championship and pair of All-NBA picks give him the nod.

Spencer Haywood reached greater heights and Rashard Lewis had more longevity, but with the last spot I'm going with Schrempf, whose versatile and efficient game was ahead of its time in the 1990s.

-- Kevin Pelton

Utah Jazz

G: John Stockton G: Pete Maravich F: Adrian Dantley F: Karl Malone C: Rudy Gobert

The Jazz's arena is located at the intersection of Stockton and Malone, with statues of the legends prominently featured out front, so we figured those guys should make the cut. Dantley was a historically elite scorer for the Jazz, averaging 29.6 points on 56.2% shooting and winning a pair of NBA scoring titles during his seven-season tenure in Utah.

Gobert gets the nod over fellow dominant defensive anchor Mark Eaton because he's a far superior offensive player and rebounder. It was difficult not to include Darrell Griffith, aka "Dr. Dunkenstein," but Pistol Pete was too productive (25.7 points and 5.7 assists per game) with the New Orleans Jazz to be left out. Source - ESPN