#music box theater

[stephenlang-slang]

Stephen in Aaron Sorkin’s Broadway play A Few Good Men as Colonel Jessep.

[possumcollege]

💀What a lovely night!💀

Metal Movie Night at Music Box.

[madonna-of-the-wasps]

The most fun

[germ-t-ripper]

08JAN24 Celebrating "January Giallo" with them sick Severin boys.

[voidoftheeyes]

I gave myself 6 characters lmao

My brain has been cycling hyperfixations like crazy, so have this

[as-kind-as-summer]

I finally have a minute to sit down so I'm going to yell about the Lord of the Rings musical for a bit! I'll put everything under a cut so people can avoid spoilers! Pic of me in my cute hobbit-ish outfit first 😊

So disclaimer first, hopefully I'm remembering everything correctly but I recently started a new job and can't take any days off in my first 90 days but desperately wanted to see this show. So I worked a night shift, drove 6 hours, and by the time everything was over I'd been awake for ~21 hours. And also everyone who knows anything about this show is long. Like we were sitting in act 2 and I couldn't remember if they'd sang The Road Goes On in act 1 because it had been two hours ago by that point 😂All this to say, if I misremember please forgive me and feel free to correct me!

My friend and I had the most amazing seats for this show! I'd been debating whether or not I wanted to go through the trouble of going to see it with work and all but then I got an email because apparently I'd signed up for the Shakespeare Theatre's 30 under 30 program and that made everything worth it. I'll post a picture below but we sat second row in the center section on the end of the stage right side. In the picture you can see the stairs literally came down about six inches in front of my feet. I'm not usually a fan of sitting so close but with how immersive the show was it was perfect.

(Obligatory photo with the playbill because I will always be a theatre nerd at heart)

Starting at ~15 til, the actors all started coming out and wandering the audience, just talking to people and having a good ol' time. Again I'm such a sucker for immersive performances and despite being terribly awkward this was still very exciting.

With everyone wandering around and then the show just sort of starting with no big to-do, it really felt like you're a part of the story. Like 'oh I really am here at Bilbo's birthday party.' Again just a really good time, I think it added another really great layer to the show.

I know I just keep saying how fun this show looked but honestly it looks like such a great time and like every single actor on stage is having the best time. The choreography isn't anything terribly complicated but it just looks fun. Also we saw this on a Wednesday at the evening performance which means there would've been a matinee earlier and you never would've been able to tell. I've seen shows where you can tell the actors are going through it during their second show of the day(and rightfully so) but I wouldn't have had a clue if I hadn't known the schedule. Really just such an amazing cast.

The puppetry was phenomenal! I'm not typically freaked out by puppetry but I had a visceral reaction to those Nazgul puppets. Don't know what it was about them but I was legitimately unnerved. One came up next to me and I did not care for it at all. Pretty sure the people behind me were chuckling every time I cringed but like honestly so fair 😂

So I only found out about the existence of this musical in June and it was absolutely my accident. After seeing the trilogy in theaters, I fell back in hard and was just like 'huh I wonder if there's a stage version of this if not there should be' and googled it on a whim. Pretty much been listening to the London soundtrack on repeat since then but there were a lot of songs that I felt very eh about on the soundtrack that are loads better within the context of the show. Like a lot of the Elvish acapella songs being actually just background to the action that happened onstage felt a lot more natural than listening to them on their own.

Speaking of songs I liked more, Lament for Moria was absolutely beautiful. I hate to compare casts because I think every actor brings their own unique take to the role but that was just a song that I wasn't terribly fond of on the London soundtrack. But the actor that played Gimli in this version had an absolutely gorgeous voice. I was telling someone I always assume actors in a show will be able to sing because obviously they've been cast but there are still times where someone opens their mouth and I'm stunned and this was one of them.

I really enjoyed the set design a lot. I love the current trend of having a simple versatile set with smaller pieces that are wheeled on from time to time. Also, such a sucker for turntables and platforms. I don't know what it is but I think it's A+. Also the climbing wall grips in the back so Gollum could climb up and down were fantastic! Such a simple solution but I think it worked so well. I could see them since we were so close but the way they were painted, I'm guessing they blended in really well further back and the effect would've been amazing.

Obviously even at nearly 3 hours long this is still a wildly condensed version of these stories but I was still disappointed that almost all of Two Towers was cut out other than Treebeard. This of course isn't unique to this production, just the way it's written. I don't think it necessarily detracted from the story since most of the action and important bits do take place in Fellowship and Return of the King but Two Towers is still my favorite so this is a personal gripe mostly haha.

The costumes were all great, a lot of it felt sort of generic fantasy-ish but I love generic fantasy-ish costumes so I was happy. However, I thought the orcs costumes were so cool! Especially with the new(? I'll be honest with y'all I have not read the books(yet) and I feel like I heard about this being the ending somewhere. Not sure if they changed it for the movies and the ending of the musical is the actual ending? anyway) ending they were very neat!

I'm also such a sucker for instruments being played onstage especially when it's the actors doing it and especially when a lot of them are playing multiple different instruments. I just will never get over the talent.

I think I've said most of what I wanted to say so I have to talk about Now and For Always. Since my first listen, Now and For Always was my absolute favorite song. Like hyperfixated listening for hours on end kind of favorite song. I just think it's so beautiful, the harmonies are gorgeous, and it really embodies what these stories were about. I saw the snippet Chicago Shakespeare posted before I went and I was iffy about if I'd like it. I could not have been more wrong. The way it was so slowed down, having the rest of the cast standing around Sam and Frodo, the delivery of the last verse from Frodo to a sleeping Sam? I'm tearing up just thinking about it again. Like that's what it's all about, you know? The tenderness and kindness in the midst of horrors. The true power that friendship has to carry you through the absolute worst of things. I don't even have more words, it was just such a beautiful and touching presentation and it's going to stay with me for a very long time.

Oh no wait I did have one more thing to say, they tried to make me like Denethor and no one will ever make me like Denethor! Denethor hater for life, all my homies hate Denethor. I'm sorry, I know they used the explanation of 'he's too close too Mordor it's poisoning his mind' nope don't care. The best thing Denethor did was set himself on fire, change my mind.

All this to say, I had the most amazing time and I am forever grateful I found this production when I did and had the chance to go see it. I don't think it's for everyone, as like 'duh obviously' as it sounds I think you really have to enjoy both LotR and theatre. The people behind us were snickering from time to time because there were some things that were kind of goofy. Most of it was at the weapons, they're definitely on the cheaper side but it's a regional theatre and I'm sure they only had so much budget. You have to be able to suspend your disbelief when seeing any show but especially this one. Forget what you know from the books and the movies and just go in with an open mind. It's a spectacle, it's goofy, it's serious, it will absolutely wrench your heartstrings if you just let yourself be open to it. Everyone is obviously so passionate about what they're doing and it made for such an amazing show, highly recommend to go see it if you get the chance 💜

[itsawritblr]

Christine hitting that high note at the end of "Sing for me!"

Me about this kitten and Erik about Christine:

[deniz-mehtap]

Gerçek sanatçılar asla ölmez ♾...

[marry-me-mello]

As someone who has played ms darbus in a school production of HSM….

FUCK YOU (affectionate)

as femboy coach (roach) bolton....

DRAMA QUEEN (affectionate)

Bro my best friend's ex is Troy so I'm playing his DAD so at least you didn't live through that

[atopvisenyashill]

too many years lost in history

aka i have the songs from six the musical stuck in my head and since it’s kind of a “playing into the stereotypes to interrogate the stereotype” take on the wives of henry viii, i thought the dramatic takes on the characters would mesh well with the mistresses (and wife) of aegon the unworthy. also i need something to do with my hands when as i listen to all the asoiaf audiobooks lmao

naerys targaryen

falena stokeworth

merry meg

(pretend it says daughters and not sons since they had all girls) (justice for merry meg, aly, lily, willow, rosey, and all smallfolk everywhere)

cassella vaith

bellegere otherys

barba bracken

missy blackwood

bethany bracken

jeyne lothston

serenei of lys

sorry i struggled with her lol, she and falena have the least amount of characterization so far. i’m excited for her though, just because of all the witchiness surrounding her, she has to have some interesting layers!

okay now everyone sing with me let’s go:

SO THEY HAD NO CHOICE

(*characters singing in background* SO WE HAD NO CHOICE)

BUT NOW ITS US ALONE

SO THEY HAD NO CHOICE

(SO WE HAD NO CHOICE)

WE’RE TAKING BACK THE MICROPHONE

IM GONNA RAISE MY VOICE

(WE’RE GONNA RAISE OUR VOICE)

GEORGE SAID WE ALWAYS NEED YOUR LOVE BUT NOW ITS TIME TO RISE ABOVE!

if you wanna know the songs, in case any of the lyrics interested you (go listen to six pls i love it):

every queen gets one song, and then there’s a song that introduces the holbein portraits and hans holbein, an intro song, and then two songs at the end where they realize they should stop fighting & imagine their lives if they’d been able to choose their paths.

naerys - catherine of aragon’s song “no way”

falena stokeworth - anne boleyn’s song “don’t lose your head”

merry meg - jane seymour’s song “heart of stone”

cassella vaith - catherine parr’s song “i don’t need your love”

bellegere otherys - anne of cleves’ song “get down”

barba bracken - anne boleyn’s song “don’t lose your head”

melissa blackwood - jane seymour’s song “heart of stone”

bethany bracken - katherine howard’s song “all you wanna do”

jeyne lothston - group number “haus of holbein”

serenei of lys - catherine parr’s song “i don’t need your love”

my lil ending song - finale group number “six”

[if-only-angels-could-prevail]

anytime someone points out a movie is showing at the alamo drafthouse in chicago my favorite thing to do is immediately mention the local theater where the same movie is showing

[procrastinationaccount]

Watching a good production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch would genuinely fix Kiriona

[saint-starflicker]

I must say I find it mildly entertaining that every time I come across a musical poll on your dash or vice versa we have NEVER had the same opinion on them

The mild entertainment is reciprocated! 😁

[igixri]

i think will wood's the normal album is a just well-crafted and cohesive work of art and great fun to listen to all the way through. like i know its kind of divisive because the albums he did as the tapeworms before are more maniac and arguably more creative and then he shifted his musical style afterwards to more toned down stuff but i think that just makes sense because the normal album is tighter + more focused + reflects what he was doing before but at the same time is a culmination of the musical style he was going for with everything is a lot and self-ish. and like i used to be allergic to "listen to the album in full" so now that im into it ive got a newfound appreciation for albums that make me think oh hell yeah this is an Album. these songs are in conversation with each other. and it rocks

[lithuanianking]

Theatre Q and A!

Hi! If you don't know me allready I'm illya (not really) and I've been doing theater for over 10 years and as of last Tuesday (at the time of this post) I've been offered a contract for a payed role at just 15!!!

My peers and castmates offten ask me questions on theater stuff like for example just today this kid from a recent show just asked for audition feedback,my classmate asked me what is like to allways play villans and etc.

So I've decided to host a little Q and A on here! 50% because I wanna help and 50% because I can't shut up about theatre.

So ask away! It could be advice (I have some stellar audition tips), what it's like to be in a show,roles I've played or literally anything! So yeah!

Ask away!

[cashthecomposer]

Man idk, honestly it's cool that you're passionate about sondheim, but people are allowed to like things differently from you, for different reasons/values. It doesn't necessarily make them idiots. If you are a teacher, just calling someone out on ignorance is one thing, (i.e. ignorant people thinking history/math/arts isn't important etc...) but not seeing how you might be hypocritical in this instance (by not acknowledging people with different lives & impact each work would have on them in the present) is kind of ? Needlesly defensive? And unless someone is actively harming you or others it just seems ? Kind of like a dick move. Like there is no need to be elitist and pressure people to vote the way you want them to. Idk just my two cents. Peace ✌️

The contest isn't "which musical has the biggest fandom", or "which musical do you like the most", or "which musical had the greatest impact", it's "best musical". Tell me that you- and several hundred other people- honestly believe, from a subjective and well informed viewpoint, that a tongue in cheek Starkid musical is better than the greatest show Sondheim ever wrote by his own admission, and I will eat my hat.

Actually, yeah, it is harmful for a musical that legitimately changed the course of theatre history to be demeaned in this way, as that will no doubt lead those uninformed voters to feel validated in their ignorance, and unfortunately not explore this great work.

Also, if you think Sunday is elitist, clearly you haven't actually watched/heard the show... 🤦

I mean, it literally is about the mundane, and the beauty in the everyday. It is the opposite of elitist. I highly recommend giving it a listen.

The fact that you so grossly misunderstand Sunday, its vision, and why I so defend it, just goes to show the ignorance here. It's sad, but not unexpected.