#nick and matt lang

[nogooddeetz]

i would just like to thank starkid for making one silly little zombie apocalypse musical with a sort of kind of potential couple in it and then deciding to make that couple soulmates who find each other in every timeline because we all love those random boring corporate man and crabby barista against her will woman so much that we want to see them find each other in every universe

[automaticheartcrusade]

The hype I have for Starkid’s Cinderella’s Castle is ethereal. I am SO excited, and this is coming from a person who favors the Hatchetfield content. But the minute they announced it and said it was a dark fairytale version of Cinderella with puppets? I was immediately hooked. I’m sold. Especially with how good the Otho and Lumberaxe man puppets were in Nightmare Time season 2. And Jeff Blim, the goat who’s behind every song from the Hatchetfield series is writing the songs for this show, and the goats Nick and Matt Lang…the writers for the Hatchetfield series as a whole are writing this show. There’s so that I can’t wait for. I can’t wait to finally see two black leads, I can’t wait to see the puppets, I can’t wait to hear the music (I’ve listened to three demo songs and they slap), I can’t wait to see all the cast slay their parts, I can’t wait to see how dark it is and cry at the angst. I can’t wait to see the set and costume pieces like OMG late July can’t come soon enough, and I know they won’t disappoint.

[wigglys-dikrats]

uh oh it’s npmd theory time with grey who didn’t get enough sleep last night ~~

so

a post earlier got me thinking

it talked about how npmd had too neat an ending and it didn’t make sense that ruth and richie, being pete’s best friends, weren’t even mentioned after their deaths and there was no mourning for them

we all know how miss holloway made a deal with the lords in black to receive immortality in exchange for everyone who gets close to her forgetting any part of her story they learn

my theory is that the lords in black placed the same curse upon the town of hatchetfield

if anyone is killed by the lords in black (or dies as some part of their schemes) their loved ones immediately forget them

it would explain how nobody really cared when max went missing

‘it’s hatchetfield. people go missing every day’ because they are immediately forgotten about

now you could argue that tom didn’t forget jane when she died and her soul was transferred into their car via a spell from the black book - and maybe that’s because that was unplanned on the lords’ part

maybe they didn’t mean for it to happen so their forgetfulness spell didn’t work

(whether or not jane dies in every timeline remains to be seen, the langs have stated it’s not one of those fixed points that has to happen, like emma and paul meeting or ted dying)

this theory also brings back the ever-intriguing point i can’t stop thinking about: maybe the events of npmd were fabricated by the lords in black

maybe they wanted all of what happened to happen

they were pulling the strings from the beginning

they knew grace would eventually be the hero, and only wanted steph to kill pete for their own enjoyment

npmd felt like it ended on a huge cliffhanger, for me anyway

there are a lot of unanswered questions and something about this story feels unfinished

[northboreas]

Highlights from the Hachetfield Series Recap livestream for those who couldn't make it this morning:

- The Recap of all the Hachetfield lore also came with a game where the cast had to summarize each story, answer trivia questions, and avoid getting tokens

- The chat got to be apart of the game by donating to the kickstarter to help the players

- Each summary or question answered wrong got you one token, and getting 5 tokens made you a Clivesdale Chemist, there were also sudden death rounds

- Mariah Rose Faith listed all of the NPMD characters in her summary and only forgot about Ruth

- Joey Richter forgot the name of the Hachetfield High mascot Zeke despite playing Ezekiel the nighthawk in Nightmare time 2 (he named that bitch chauncy)

- Will Branner said he's a Black Friday stan :)

- During the blackout in one of the NPMD shows Nick Lang was sitting in the audience, when he stood up to address everyone else Angela's friends thought he was just some random guy

- "Jamie, we gotta go to church" --Joey Richter out of context

- Lauren Lopez later joined the stream and called Mariah a misogynist for forgetting about Ruth

- Then James Tolbert chimed in with "I love women"

- Everyone bullied Jon Matteson on stream and accused him of cheating multiple times, #freejon2025

- Curt Mega didnt have pants on during the recording of Nightmare time episode 1 (The Hachetfield Ape Man), he showed off the picture to the livestream

- To the question "Will we ever see Lucy Stockworth again?" Matt Lang said "No, I think her story is finished"

- Joey Richter got every single summary correct, he carried ngl

- Snoozle town (A song in Watcherworld) was recorded by Angela Giarratana in a closet

- During Black friday the cast started a prank club and destroyed Jon's life by giving him a fake cease and desist letter from Andrew Lloyd Webber's estate because Jon was promoting Cats on twitter at the time

- There was talk of Starkid having ideas for an immersive theatre experience based off of Blinky

- Nick lang once did the whole TGWDLM show with blocking entirely by himself just to time the length of the show

- We got MULTIPLE Diane cameos!!!!

- Jeff Blim was the first to get 5 tokens, he got saved from being a Chemist by telling a story about writing the Time Bastard theme

- Everyone teamed up halfway through the game and then still proceeded to get The Witch in the Web summary completely wrong

- There's a cut song from Black Friday called "Everywhere I Look I See My Dad" and the president was going to sing it while in the Black and White

- Jamie Lyn Beatty once pitched an ending for Black Friday where after "What If Tomorrow Comes" all the lights went out and you could hear Santa's sleigh

- They spun the wheel for sudden death and it landed ON THE CHAT. WE BECAME CLIVESDALE CHEMISTS.

- We saved ourselves by raising 415k for the kickstarter and became Nighthawks once again

[pintsofguinnesmakeyoustrong]

NPMD best line deliveries

oh shit! oh fuck!! i didnt think thered be a skele'uhn here ?!? im so fucking scared of skele'uhnz!!!

dont frighten him pokey you nasssssty boy

were going to jail...and with my luck no one will even B O T H E R making me their bitch...

🐦 heyus the thing about a bãrbĕqüe...it brings folks together...from awl wawlks of laife...theyres a storhé behand everyh burrghurr...everyh kehbahhb...

but I...called God a sonofa B word...who am iaieEUGHAHuhuuuh...

[hatchetfield-scarecrow]

I honestly love how Starkid wrote the Lords in Black. Cause usually eldritch gods in media are completely cold and dismissive of humanity and don’t even acknowledge them, but the Lords in Black are full of energy and love tormenting humans and treating them like their toys, and I think that’s so fascinating and arguably more terrifying.

[aliceisaperson]

Nick during that one scene in Jane’s a Car vs Matt talking about Hey Melissa

What I’ve learned is that these men just really like fucking with us

[th3b4dk1dzz]

With the remount of TGWDLM, let us not forget that the name Paul Matthews is a Pun.

And what do Paul Mathew International transport?

MUSICAL THEATRE SETS

[man-down-in-hatchet-town]

THERE'S A CASTLE ON THE HILL, AS THE STORY GOES...

As promised, some initial thoughts on the things I loved about seeing this show. Spoiler free, since most of us haven't gotten to see it yet, and under the cut since I do wax a bit poetic...

Cinderella’s Castle is, in a strange way, an exercise in irony. The show is a retelling of an ancient story that is beloved and recited throughout so many cultures, and yet somehow feels completely fresh. The modern take on glam-punk lighting, a score infused with styles from 80s synth to anime, a high fantasy set with the costumes to match, the spirit of Jim Henson lingering through both the puppets and some larger and intangible vibe, a script combining that Starkid humor and Hatchetfield darkness with a whole different style of speaking… all of these beautifully executed elements melted together into something that I’ve never before seen. To take a tale as old as time and make it unique is no easy feat, but Starkid did so with magic and charm to spare.

Like any good Starkid show, Cinderella’s Castle is relentlessly dynamic: fun and tragic and exciting and just-plain-silly, with many twists and turns and character moments will make you gasp or cheer just as often as you laugh. It simply rollicks. The story clicks right along, especially in act 2, but the characters are so distinct and fun that I found myself almost wishing the Langs had sacrificed their plotting and pace just to spend more time hanging with every single member of this ensemble of personalities.

And that’s also a tribute to the actors themselves. Jeff is David Bowie reborn as the impish and fabulous narrator. Jon and Joey bring Hop A Lot and Crumb to life with so much charm and presence that they practically had the audience eating out of their hands from the very first second. Like, seriously, you will not believe how invested you will immediately become in these talking animals. Kim’s Fairy Queen is as radiant and terrible as promised; her portrayal of immortal inhuman power compels and commands and stands fully distinct from the Lords in Black. Lauren and Mariah are delightfully disgusting as the vile but deeply lovable troll step-sisters; you can feel the fun they’re having practically radiating off of them. Curt’s Tadius is dryly funny and put-upon, but also provides a vitally grounding and centering presence in the larger-than-life world of the Lands That Are. His big scene with Bryce is probably my favorite part of the whole show. James Tolbert is nothing short of an absolute STAR as the Prince, stealing scene after scene after scene with ease and charm and more jokes about genitalia than I think any of us expected. Angela once again displays a completely different facet of her never-ending range, exuding such elegance and control even in trollish filth that I do fear that the kids on the internet are going to start calling her “mother” with greatly increasing frequency. "Facade" was an absolute highlight of the night. And of course Bryce anchors, propels, and heightens every scene she’s in with such apparent ease you forget she’s been rehearsing for weeks and isn’t simply Ella herself. Ella is this world’s bruised, brave, and angry heart, and you will absolutely root for her every step of the way as she wrestles with who she is and learns what it means to claim her own power.

This was Starkid’s biggest budgeted show to date, and you could tell. This group of Michigan Wolverines and friends have accomplished incredible things since the Very Potter days of a single door and some cardboard columns, and I’m so proud of how far they’ve come. And yet Cinderella’s Castle, the fifteenth musical in the fifteenth year, still retains some of that core Starkid magic that I’ve always believed boils down to love. You can so often see that love emanating from the performers on a Starkid stage: love for the show, for their friends, for their craft, for the audience’s energy pushing them through. And the sense of love and support and community radiating from the audience is just as palpable. The man sitting behind me last night was at his first ever Starkid show, and afterwards he remarked in awe how that was the best audience he’d ever been in. And all that love isn’t unearned—it is built and it is nourished by a proud history of creativity, of song and of dance and of laughter and tears. And Cinderella’s Castle, I think, is going to prove an installment worthy of both Starkid’s past and future.

Starkid family, Bogs Hollow grants thee Starlight.

[dragons-and-princes]

Before people start sowing more Discourse over Cinderella’s Castle, let me remind you that the entire premise is rooted in Classic Fairytale Tropes. Specifically One-Dimensional Villains, Good and Evil Magical Creatures, and Shapeshifters, in this case.

Historically, yes, the origination of Trolls likely has unsavory roots -I’m not claiming it does or doesn’t because I’m no expert- and potentially they could’ve used some other magical creature, but Trolls are essentially the staple of evil (and if its not trolls, its Ogres) in fairytales along with the wicked stepmother trope.

[They also show up in other Cinderella retellings such as Ella Enchanted! So I think it’s unfair to criticize Starkid as if they wrote the script in bad faith.]

Keeping with that note, it’s also very common for the Gorgeous, but evil, Stepmother to use magic to hide her true self but shapeshift into her true form during nefarious deeds to show that she may be beautiful but she’s wicked on the inside; this is portrayed both in novels and media as a quick and straightforward to convey a message to the primary audience for fairytales (usually children lbvs) that a character is BAD. [Think Ursula using magic to steal Ariel’s voice and masquerading as a desirable human, but turning into a giant version of her Squid form during the final confrontation.]

I’ve seen arguments that the Stepmother and Sisters being Trolls using human flesh to hide amongst the villagers as humans is Transphobic, but there is no suggestion that the trolls stop being women when they reveal themselves as trolls. There’s quite a few lines between the trolls about the the stepmother being a woman such as a joke about painful labor with one of the girls, and how romance between men and women is different between humans and trolls

I know in our current day and age, nothing can exist on the internet without someone calling it problematic or picking it apart; and that’s the price we all pay for putting ourselves out on a public forum, especially as artists.

But I think it’s important to use critical thinking and media literacy with these things. It’s also important to sometimes just take a day and enjoy things as they are, flaws and all, because you know there were was no ill intent behind its creation and the musical has only been on the internet for a day.

Let it settle before you start tearing it apart, please.

[elvenarcher0106]

My biggest takeaway from Cinderella's Castle

[isogenderskitty]

obsessed with the fact it took the langs about a year to go from “wow this is such a cool idea, someone should make this! oh well” to “OH WAIT WE HAVE A PRODUCTION COMPANY”

[moss-g0blin]

im convinced that jeff blim and the entire cast put something in the cinderella's castle album, because i heard one bit of neon on an instagram post and now im listening to the entire album going absolutely feral. someone needs to explain themselves.

[northboreas]

Highlights from TGWDLMR's Final Countdown stream for those who missed it:

- The stream began with more behind the scenes interviews + some bloopers, with people like Paul Gabriel, James Tolbert, and Juliet Park speaking about TGWDLM.

- Nick Lang confirmed that there will be 16 Preformances for four weekends, doubling TGWDLM's run so everyone will get the chance to go see it. The show will be preformed in Los Angeles at the El Portal!

- Q&A time! First question was "What does the blue slime in TGWDLM taste like?" and the Langs said "It tastes like terror, horror, absolute divinity & godhood."

- "So like a wildberry celsius." - Matt Dahan

- Nick and Matt confirmed they've had many ideas for Charlotte Sweetly NMT stories. Most notably one where Charlotte kills the president and it's revealed she's always been an undercover assassin that CCRP experimented on. Hoooooly shit.

- "Every single character down to the Greenpiece Girl has a story written for them."

- To the question of would Ted commit to Charlotte if he was ever asked, Joey Richter said "Yes. 100%. Ted's whole arc in TGWDLM is realizing, 'Oh shit, I love this woman.'" Nick then confirmed that Charlotte wouldn't want or reciprocate that commitment.

- "How does Pete get infected in TGWDLM?" "When he had JUST spoken to Steph for the first time, he goes to beanies, gets his hot chocolate, drinks it, and dies. OR. Steph and Pete are walking to school together, Steph dies right in front of him, and then he dies."

- When asked about what happened to Steph's mom, Nick and Matt alluded to how Solomon Lauter had used The Black Book to become the Major, and that "The price for making a deal like that would be the thing you love most."

- The Langs know who Lex's father is, It's no one we've met yet. But they said Lex wouldnt be happy with the answer.

- "Does Ted regret becoming a sleezeball?" "I think Ted regrets everything about his life."

- "Who's your favorite LiB?" Matt and Paul said Pokey, Joey said Tinky, Lauren said Nibbly, & the Langs also said Nibbly because of a story they wrote that they havent shared yet.

- "The Lords in Black are immortal, and so they never gain wisdom. They're petulant children. Spoiled, petulant, everlasting children." - The Langs talking about the LiB.

- Nick lang has never heard of Ao3, but apparently Joey Richter has

- SAGE CAMEO !! DIANE CAMEO !! NEMO CAMEO !!!! SO MANY CAMEOS BECAUSE ITS THE FINALE !!!

- Mariah Rose Faith did 7 canonballs before joining the stream

- After more people joined they did tarot readings for the cast & for people in the chat! (If you're seeing this, Happy Birthday Elliott Bang!)

- Most notably: Corey Dorris got The Hunter [Max], The Alchemist [Hidgens], and The Fool [Ted]

- Matt Lang got The Watcher with a Thousand Eyes [Blinky], The Witch [Miss Holloway], and The King in Black [Wiggly]

- Nick Lang got The Collector [Sherman], The Merchant [Frank], The Man in Great Haste [Man in a Hurry!]

- Joey got The Artist [Ziggy], The Blade of Truth [General MacNamara], and The Father [Bill]

- "Lauren, I've got something I need to tell you, I'm pregnant” -Joey Richter out of context

- Nick Lang also pointed out that Corey got the Ted card for his reading and Joey pulled the Bill card. Billted shippers how are you feeling?

- Last but not least, some (paraphrased) writing advice from the Langs:

- "Tell your story to as many people as you can, you'll work out the issues as you tell it. An audience is the other half of the process. Without an audience, your story isnt done. When you show others, you might realize your work is better than you think it is."

- "If you want to be a writer, you actually have to write. When we were growing up, we never put pen to paper. Every single writer has to go through that period of knowing they'll never know what theyre doing until they actually do it, you have to try. You'll eventually figure it out. The sooner you can start, the better."

- We ended the campaign by counting down the last seconds, and we managed to raise 642k, with 9,575 backers. It has been a joy and an honor to have watched this project get funded in real time and to see everyone's excitement for TGWDLM's return.

- Thank you to everyone who donated, and thank you to Starkid for continuing to do insanely cool things. The apotheosis is officially upon us!

[booigi-boi]

I don't know why I'm so surprised that every Lang sibling is so talented and knows how to draw

[automaticheartcrusade]

I think Hatchetfield fans need to realize that realistically speaking, it’ll be a good LONG while till we get nightmare time 3. Like at best I’m expecting the first episode of NT3 to drop either mid…maybe late 2025 or early 2026. Not only does it take forever to write since it’s hours worth of content that’s being written by only two people, but then there’s the filming and editing process, which hasn’t even begun yet as far as we know. Not to mention that it all depends on what Starkid wants to focus on. For Nick and Matt, they have made it clear that they’re working on getting The Lands That Are off the ground, with the pro shot release of Cinderella’s Castle coming early 2025, and we don’t even know what they plan to do after that.

So yeah, nothing wrong with being excited or wanting NT3, but I do think people need to keep these things in mind and stop demanding it as if it’s right around the corner, cause for now it ain’t y’all. 😭