#not a very big reason but I do need Reva to have some sort of prior connection to the locals and to a few kid characters | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bellesdomain · 6 years

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Starlight Express 6.0 - Mama the Steamer

Photos 1-3 - Reva Rice as Mama, dress rehearsal Photo 4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Reva Rice, opening night June 2018 Photo 5 - Regi Jennings and Reva Rice, closing night May 2018

OK. so. why.

WHY did they change Poppa’s gender, not Electra? Why do we not have a female Electra? Who asked for Mama? Who thought this a good idea? Where did this even come from? How does this fit the story?

Apparently, they had international auditions, and there were 10. TEN applicants to play this role. I mean, I know they’ve struggled to find performers for Poppa - how many mature black guys want to learn to skate and move to Germany for a role? Do they somehow thing there’ll be more mature WOMEN in musical theatre, prepared to learn to skate and move to Germany? let alone try to maintain the racial diversity.... If they’d spent the last 20 years actively seeking to keep the cast diverse, maybe there’d be enough women who’s previously performed in the show who’s want to come back when they’re in the 30-60 age bracket (and haven’t settled down, had a family, moved career to something where there’s actual opportunities for mature women unlike the vast majority of musical theatre...)

They’ve pulled off an amazing coup in getting Reva Rice to join the cast. But unless she decides to permanently move to Bochum, who’s next? Who is going to replace her? And in this rumoured new UK/English language production, who’ll be Momma there? Who else has the skill set to perform this role? Maybe... 3, 4 other ex-Starlighters that I know of are still actively performing, have the soul voice, and aren’t white. Maybe 3.

Then there’s the role. Poppa’s big numbers - Poppa’s Blues, the Starlight Sequence, and Light at the End of the Tunnel - all fall comfortably in a tenor range. (I’m a trained singer with a fairly good alto range, I can hit Poppa’s notes for the big songs). But there’s also a lot of recit - the story telling conversations, and those are all baritone. The vocal range goes way down there. You can style it out, sprechgesang it, fake it.... But it’s not ideal and not kind to the other characters.

Not Kind? HAVE YOU HEARD THE STARLIGHT SEQUENCE NOW??? Mama is simply in a different key to Rusty. It just cuts back and forth in the most jarring manner. (then poor Rusty’s vocal range is so abused in “I Do” as well....) Reva apparently can’t get those bottom alto notes? Or they decided to mess about with it because of reasons?

Is Mama special for being a female champion steam engine, or is her gender unremarkable? Why does she introduce herself with the “I Got Me” melody, as if she were one of the coaches? (Since both Mama and Coco are Engines, the coaches clearly have a problem with Engines shoving them around, not Men... not all engines are men, so it’s an Engines vs Coaches issue, not Male vs Female. and if Mama uses “I Got Me” because she’s a girl, why doesn’t Coco use it too?)

ANYWAY. COSTUME.

Now bear in mind the first three photos are from a dress rehearsal, and the final image with Andrew Lloyd Webber is from opening night. The difference that is immediately apparent is her wig - in the intervening week she gained a headscarf, and the wig is re-styled to look a lot better. It looks atrocious in the first images, but credit where it’s due, by opening night the wig looks fine.

So Mama’s basic costume, as seen in the race picture, is exactly what I hoped to see. She’s wearing the exact same design as Poppa, bit scaled and tailored to a female cut. The only discrepancies are her under-shirt is painted into more, less the white/grey base but painted an “old gold”, and the neckerchief she wears is more subdued than Poppa’s bright orange. These tweaks are an improvement in my mind, as the costume is more cohesive, less high contrast between the overalls/shirt which isn’t an important detail.

We see Mama’s Blues - she has new set details surrounding her, a dilapidated water tower and bridge behind her (are they to scale? or is the buffer seat to scale? because those elements are NOT to scale with each other....) She’s wearing a grubby old apron - suggestive of Grandma in the kitchen or in the garden at home, this works. We’re seeing her in her own space, in private, hanging out with her friends / adopted kids. You can bet she’s already offered them all some iced water. She takes off the apron as a symbol of getting up, going out there to RACE - which is perfect story telling.

And then it all falls apart. Mama gets a skirt. Because she’s GIRL and GIRLS WEAR SKIRTS. How else would we know she’s a GIRL if she’s not in a SKIRT?!

WHY???

Especially after we’ve already seen her throughout the show (the skirt only appears for Light at the End of the Tunnel) - we know the character, we’re comfortable with her already, but she has to be swathed in a massive amount of fabric to close out the show?

Allow me a brief ramble about skirts in European Fashion History. Skirts have always existed to slow women down. Our ancestors could do so much DESPITE their skirts, not because of them. Little girls have to be careful of their pretty dresses while their brothers climb trees. Girls have to be careful not to have a Marilyn Monroe incident and let their skirts blow up. Skirts are a hindrance to physical activity - even the shortest skater dress skirts, purely decorative, are symbolic of this feminine archetype that women are to be slow, careful, cautious, take care of their appearance, to be decorative, not physically active. (I’m sitting here wearing a dress right now, but if I wanted to mow the lawn, I’d have to change first) Skirts represent the feminine home-maker, the wife, mother, source of comfort and refinement. This is not a negative association necessarily, it’s simply the connection that’s made. Look at our four classic coaches - Pearl the First Class carriage, ultimate in luxury. Dinah the Dining Car - table-service, stylish restaurant. Ashley the Smoking Car - a comfortable lounge car where you can relax and smoke. All three, appropriately, wearing skirts. Then there’s Buffy the Buffet Car - serving quick snacks and drinks, not somewhere to linger, no-frills supplying your needs. For speed and efficiency? No skirt.

So, why does Mama (and Coco, I’ve got a big problem with her design too) wear a skirt? With this symbolism behind the garment, how on earth is is appropriate for an Engine to represent comfort and domesticity? Why does Mama gain this at the end of the show, when her part in the narrative is complete? What further development of her story does this costume change represent?

Why bother?

So in conclusion, I have a big problem with the concept of Mama (as opposed to a female Electra which would have made a much stronger story). I almost love her costume design. And then they ruin it at the end. I’m very sceptical about Mama’s longevity - I think casting will be nigh-on impossible while maintaining any integrity to the character, and I’d much rather have Poppa back than scraping the barrel to find someone approximately appropriate to play Mama in years to come. and sort out those keys.

#Starlight Express #Starlight Express Bochum #StEx 2018 #Poppa the Steam Engine #Mama the Steam Engine

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magiikwoven · 7 years

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A-F for Revas & Warren !!

oc & mun questions │ accepting

A) Why are you excited about this character?

Warren’s just. Fun? I guess. Like he’s not a great person? So he adds a good counterbalance to everyone else. I guess? He’s a fucking disaster but extremely loving. ( short answer: whoops i made me but big & powerful )

On the other hand with Revas, I get really excited thinking about her and her story. How she influences other muses, how she’s touched the world & just how strong she is. Like. She’s just so. Good. She’s sunshine and love. She’s strength and destruction. She’s protective and warm! she’s just!!! fun! she’s fun to write in every verse and i genuinely love her so so so much. & honestly I get excited about her so much because of how far she’s come & how far she’ll go.

B) What inspired you to create them?

I needed a counter for Faron, wrt Warren. Like that’s pretty much it. I wanted someone who wasn’t trusting & caring like him. I wanted someone who knew the bullshit and the grind of immortality that would, & will, eventually help Revas with her own.

Revas has been through a lot of changes. I mean she started as an inquisitor, and i just really loved playing her in game so i was like hOO TIME TO WRITE. And then through time she changed and i just ended up liking her modern shit more and adjusted. also realized awhile ago she’s based on a comic character i came up with ages ago?? her & eludysia??? so that’s Wild.

[ rest under the cut for Length reasons ]

C) Did you have trouble figuring out where they fit in their own story?

Yes & No.

As I’ve said it’s definitely more the struggle of figuring out how to fit them into the story. For Revas, it is her story so it’s easier for me to figure out where and how she’ll react to something in her story. But Warren was definitely harder to figure out where and how he fit into the story. It was. Difficult but then it was like oh that’s Fun. and shoved him in.

D) Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look?

No character or person is ever really Static Appearance for me. Warren’s changed and will probably change a lot? He used to be shorter, and less beefy. But I liked the idea of him being more inhuman and not really fitting in completely so i made him freaky looking.

Revas has definitely changed and changes per verse? Like when she first started out she was very thin & muscular with short hair and didn’t look even close to how she does now. I do enjoy her appearance now tho! I think the one thing i’ve kept in every variation is the facial scars she has.

E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you?

I think I’d probably get along with Revas? She’s sort of like half embodiment of what y’all are like to me? like the Feeling i get from my friends. & also shares some of y’alls fucking shit. Like being a Meme lord. & revas gets along with most ppl so. She’d probably hug me and be like ‘oh hon’?? probably Warren tho? MMMM. I wanna say no? But I probably. Would? Like. mmmm. It’s very complicated sort of feel. Because while I think we wouldn’t it’d be on that degree of sibling esque feels? Like fuck you no fuck you and if someone gave one of us shit we’d be like THE FUCK DID YOU SAY TO MY BRO and brawl a motherfucker.

F) What do you feel when you think of your OC (pride, excitement, frustration, etc)?

Pride. Excitement. Fear? A little. I’m not always proud of my writing. But a lot of the time, if I think of either of them, I am. I’m excited and happy that I made these characters who are actually loved by other writers, by people I love. But I’m always a little afraid that they’re too much or not enough and just general writing fear i think? Like how are they gonna react to this? are they going to hate them? that type of shit but. In general.. I’m really proud of them. Proud of myself too.

#long post #:: shut it commander ( ooc )#thanks for the ask babe #so many thing hoo #niitroglycerin #:: asks

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iimmcrtalis-archive · 7 years

Text

Revas’ Classroom rules.

[ Raven Cycle Verse shit. ]

[bc i feel like writing these down]

“I’ve got thirteen rules for this classroom. You either listen to them, or fail.” Her voice wasn’t as soft as normal. This was, ideally, her teaching voice. First few days would always be edged, and making sure they listened. “First off, You don’t show up? You don’t get a grade. Big ‘ol zero for the day. Miss enough days, and you fail. Excused absences are fine, but you better be prepared to do your make up work, or the zero stays.” It’s a harsh rule, one she doesn’t use often. This school was different, needed to have a good reason to show up.

“Secondly, If you’re going to be late, don’t say anything when you arrive. Just find your seat and see me after class to clear things up. You won’t get a zero for being late, promise.” This, however, was her standard rule. You can be late as you want, but just be quiet about it. “Third; no sexist, racist, or homophobic remarks, kay? Y’all might not have write ups here, but I’ll make sure you get some punishments. And it goes on your record.” Emerald eyes scanned the room, watched some of them squirm. Like she was reading their thoughts when her eyes met theirs. She knew how boys could be. “Four. Missed homework can be turned in at the end of the week. I do accept it late. You will never have homework that takes more than a half hour to do. If it does, talk to me. We’ll work on it. Five ties into this. Same rule applies to tests, but you gotta chill with me during lunch or after school. Your choice.”

She’s still glancing over the room. Noticing some of them fiddling with their phones, some still tangled in headphone cables. “Six. You can use your cell phones for music. Anything else? Won’t work. Trust me, this place is a dead zone,” she sighs, hearing the disgruntled groans of her students. Trust me, same guys same. “Moving on. Seven, You want a good grade? Earn it.”

Back to that hard tone, edged and pointed at all of them. Probably sounds like the rest of the staff. Chip on her shoulder and angry at them for who they are. But she’s not. “Eight! You guys will love this one, promise. You can swear, cuss or whatever you call it. Just no dropping the f-bomb, verbally. In your notes is fine. Also, no calling each other names. Like, no one call each other bitch. You can call me that, I don’t care. But not each other.” She’s sort of walking back and forth at the front of the classroom, not pacing. More like a very watchful raven, waiting to swoop down and tangle with a mouse. “Nine. Notebook checks on a monthly basis. You don’t have to have things word for word. I just want to make sure you’re paying attention. Ten. Do not interrupt me, or my lessons. Get too loud, you get a zero. Whole class gets loud? You all get zeros. You can talk during assignments, just not while I’m teaching. So stay on point, boys.” Any whispers from before soften. “Onto the best ones,” her voice loses its edge, softens slowly. “Eleven. I am here to help you. I have a doctorate in natural science. I’m really good at math, and I minored in history. So, if you need help with any subject, don’t be afraid to talk to me about it. I’m here to teach you, regardless of subject.”

She leans against her desk, sitting on it now so her feet swing. “Twelve! Don’t call me Miss Ramsey. Doctor Revas, just Revas, or Teach works. Didn’t go to school for ten years to be called miss.” Her smile grows, “ and finally. You can bribe me all you want, threaten me, whatever. Doesn’t work. I’m here to teach. You’re here to learn. So earn it. I know you all can. “ She pauses, looking around the room and hopping off her desk. She doesn’t exactly land where one might think, instead further ahead. Floating almost.

“And look, I know I sound like a hardass here. But, really, I can be worse. I care about your success. I do not want you to fail. You will, if you try hard enough. But I don’t want you to, and I won’t let you. You will have enough opportunity to earn your grade. I suggest you take them if you need them. Also if you miss two days in a row, I will call your parents. If you have a problem, come to me after class or school. I will be here till 5:30pm after school. I will not hold you responsible for notes you missed, by the way. If you miss a day, I will give you the missed notes.

Again, I’m here to teach you. Not fail you. Not watch over you for an hour. I’m here to teach. Got it? Good. “

She doesn’t pause for them to ask questions, only takes a moment to count how many are already missing. How many times she’s going to repeat this speech. Aligning faces to names, names to faces. The small little twitches, the different ticks of all her students. The other faculty had acted like she’s new to this. To rich kids and teaching. Both wrong. She was a jack of all trades, really. Doctorate in Natural Science. Masters in Education. Minored in History for her doctorate. Writing a book about the effects of invasive species of plants, and how you can potentially use some of their growing speed to increase the rate of growth of other plants. Potentially. But, there were moments where she would tutor children, or take a job to sub for an absent teacher. And actually teach.

Just like she’d do here. A prideful grin pulled at her lips, grabbing a stool and sitting in the middle of the front area of the room.

“Now, get your notebooks out. First assignment starts now.”

#c: Revas #most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs ( the raven cycle )#:: drabbles ::#gotta give u a taste of revas being a teacher tho man its good.

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