#so. i may have just read a certain v sad scene in mj

[toastbaby]

If you ever need some fluffy thoughts, think about:

Katniss and Peeta slowly growing back together, developing their physical and emotional connection one step at the time

The first proper kiss they share without any cameras around

Peeta's reaction to when Katniss says 'real', after all those months/years of thinking it's not

(Also Peeta learning that the stuff that happened in CF, like the book making, nights together, the rooftop scene, the beach kiss, were real)

Katniss' reaction to when she realizes that Peeta does still love her even after everything they've been through

Katniss singing to Peeta

Katniss telling Peeta one day 'we should get married' (or alternatively, Peeta says that and Katniss is like 'I thought we were married already. But sure, let's do it')

Katniss and Peeta feeding the toasting bread to each other, sealing the deal with a kiss. (Only their closest ones were present, despite certain people's insistence that the ceremony should be filmed for everyone to see.)

Peeta's reaction to when Katniss reveals she's pregnant

Katniss' reaction to when their first born finally gives her first cry, safe and healthy, after all those months of worrying

Peeta holding his baby girl in his arms for the first time, happy tears threatening to spill

grandmentor Haymitch meeting the baby for the first time, seeing the tired but happy parents whom he almost considers his own kids, and thinking maybe there's hope in this world after all

[thatgirlintheaudience]

Jagged Little Pill: Our New Musical

Spoilers ahead and WARNING: review contains references to drug use and sexual violence 

Act 1: 

Is this the best overture of all time? Yes, yes it is. I don't care. The second it started I screamed like what a rush of energy. That harmonica, damn Alanis. And then as it began and the chorus came out, I already started crying. Just a rush of emotions in one minute. It was crazy. I love when they say “around and around” and they move their finger in a circle. I just think it’s cool and I love this choreography and ensemble so much. Like, the chorus is such a driving force in this show. I cannot praise them enough. And Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s choreography is just breathtaking. Totally unique and inventive. Nothing like I’ve seen on Broadway before. Enter the Healy family (I love them!). 

All I Really Want just explains the frustration Frankie and Mary Jane feel at the world and at each other. It is crazy how perfectly Alanis’ music fits into this story and into 2020. This is a huge credit to book writer Diablo Cody who created the Healy family and this story to match with the music. Bravo! Let’s just say when each song started the man behind me said “Wow” every time. Like he realized how perfect each song went with the story/character. Just a reminder that I did see this show in its world premiere in Boston so I went in knowing certain things and may compare both productions. “I’m frustrated by your apathy” is such a good line. And they changed the lyric to “spiritual woman” and they lift up Ebony Williams as the spiritual woman. And when Frankie says, “what I wouldn’t give to find a soul mate,” MJ looked like aw I really want a soul mate for my daughter. And when Frankie says “here can you handle this?” she holds up a sign saying “fear doesn't belong in our schools.” Then when Frankie says “all I really want is a wave length” she’s sitting at the table with MJ and reaches over for her hand as if she is desperately reaching for her mother’s attention and affection. And then Frankie and MJ basically have a belt off and boy do I love it. Although I miss when MJ would stand on top of the chair and belt because that was awesome. Now she runs up to the front of the stage. And then the commotion builds and MJ takes her pills which is when the song dies out and she sighs in relief. 

In Hand in My Pocket they clap and have a dance break. It’s really fun. Before Smiling we see MJ desperately trying to refill her prescription and being denied. It’s a really heartbreaking scene because she is so desperate and she says “no, I’m just a mom who got in a fender bender” like she tries to deny her addiction and pretend she is fine. Then she goes to the Connecticut Muffin and meets three snobby town moms. Shout out to Laurel Harris who plays one of the moms, the school teacher and Jo’s mom. She's perfect in every role and as a member of the chorus. Anyway these moms are totally obsessed with appearance and after this MJ meets with her drug dealer and Smiling begins which is a song that is performed backwards. Yes, backwards! It goes through MJ at the Connecticut Muffin, the grocery store, soul cycle, and ends at home when she drops her pill bottle and Steve picks it up. It is such a challenging number but it totally pays off for the look and emotion it gives. I mean, Ezra Menas jump ropes backwards! C’mon now. 

In Ironic, when Frankie is reading her piece out loud all the kids are making fun of her because nothing is actually ironic and Phoenix is just fed up and sticks up for her. The spotlight is only on him when he is watching Frankie and I find it really cute. And when Frankie goes “it’s like meeting the boy of my dreams and then meeting his…” and Phoenix goes “I’m not seeing anyone.” Wow, my heart. And then their voices join together and it is like angels singing. I’m obsessed, can’t you tell? I feel like I could have used a Phoenix in some of my English classes, you feel me? SO UNSEXY. Sorry, I just love this song and Sean Allan Krill’s voice is beautiful. When Steve sings, “I can feel so unsexy to someone so beautiful” he’s at work and looks at a framed photo of MJ. Ugh. In Boston, they looked at their bodies in the mirror which I missed because I think that really justifies the song, but I’m just glad they kept it in because it’s a great song and I recommend listening to Alanis’ version as well as Alanis’ version of all these songs. 

So before Perfect we have a scene between Nick and MJ. This scene as well as placing Perfect in act one was a change for Broadway and I thought it worked better. MJ is decorating their Christmas tree and has the manger scene out when she reminds Nick about how much he loved the lamb when he was little. MJ tells him how she believes he is the only thing she has done right in her life as she reiterates later in the show as well. When singing Perfect, Nick decides to go to this party and I saw it as his act of rebellion. He later states in the show something about “why does he have to be the perfect, steady person that everyone leans on and relies on?” When MJ reads his note about leaving for the party she sits on the couch and sadly looks at the lamb. :( And what a perfect (lol) song for Nick to sing and Derek just executes it with so much emotion. “Why are your cryingggggg?” Ugh!

For the party they sing So Pure. Yes! So basically, Bella, Andrew, Phoenix, Nick and Frankie show up at this party although the Healy kids and Phoenix are not party kids or that experienced with parties. In this scene we can see Bella clearly intoxicated and Andrew dragging her around and leading her off stage. Meanwhile, Phoenix and Frankie leave the party. Phoenix and Frankie sit on a swing set as they introduce their family lives to each other. Phoenix reveals he has a single mother and a very sick sister. When Frankie asks him if he could change his family, would he? He replies that he wouldn't change his family, but himself. If only he could be a better person maybe things would be different. Frankie agrees completely and they sing That I Would Be Good. Cue me shouting that this may be my favorite performance in Broadway history. I’m a huge fan of this song and to have it paired with this story and these characters is just EVERYTHING. Just gonna shout out Antonio because not only does he play Phoenix but he is also in the chorus and he sings like this! Talent! And Jo’s part in this? Don’t even get me started. We see her mom putting her in these girly clothes and when Phoenix goes “that I would be loved” Jo replies, “am I loved?” ...Did you hear my heart break? And the crack and rawness in Lauren’s voice when she goes, “even when I am oooooverwwwhelmmmmed.” Plus Jo sings “Everything is fucked when you’re not here” which I think shows how much she loves Frankie and relies on her. Then the 3 of their voices together. It's just magic. I highly recommend this show! And I just want to shout out how well I think the show represents their teen characters. All the teen characters are so multidimensional and are each going through their own set of troubles. They are seen as human beings who are just as flawed as the parents. 

WAKE UP. WAKE UP. Okay, maybe this was my favorite performance? Who can say at this point? We now know Bella has been raped by Andrew and that Nick was a witness and didn’t stop it. Jo and Frankie go to Bella’s house, where Kathryn Gallagher gives a haunting rendition of the events that happened at the party leaving the audience silent. When Frankie confronts Nick, he explains how Bella was drunk and how she can be dramatic. MJ comes in and also explains to Frankie how these things happen all the time and we need to be responsible for our own actions. Cue the song. The chorus taunts Nick in this song and it is like the voices screaming in his head. They also show Bella and Andrew talking to the police. Then for Broadway they brought in these moving walls. So during this song, MJ and other characters are being pushed on these walls. Frankie also sings a part of Hands Clean in this number, another song that corresponds to Bella’s experience. It’s a number that just builds and gets chaotic and when they start singing, “get up, get outta here, enough already” and it just ends with WAKE UP. WOW. Wake up, talk about a relevant 2020 message. 

Forgiven is an absolutely smashing act one finale. Elizabeth Stanley is truly giving the performance of a lifetime. Her voice is insanity. It is sad I did not know her before this show. When they are shouting “sinner” and “witch,” Bella comes in and stands in the center as the chorus surrounds her and MJ watches. There is also red lighting. This also takes place in a church. And it starts snowing and the whole cast comes out and it is just so powerful. 

Act 2: 

Act two starts with Hands Clean (an amazing song) and Not the Doctor as MJ and Steve go to therapy. Steve really opens up about how MJ is an amazing woman and mother. Then Phoenix and Frankie come out and both couples, but mostly Frankie and Phoenix sing Head Over Feet which is such a good song and scene. Celia and Antonio’s chemistry is amazing and they are so cute. Don’t believe me, then watch this insanely adorable music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHilyL6YfYU Also they are climbing the swing set ladder during this number and the swing set literally spins in a circle as Frankie hangs off of it living her best life. It is just a pure cute number. 

So after this spoiler: Frankie and Phoenix have sex and Jo sings Your House as she walks in on them. And Your House is done acapella! Jo tells MJ and Steve leading to a huge fight between Frankie and her parents and she leaves for New York City and sings Unprodigal Daughter. Honestly, it is heartbreaking watching Jo experience Frankie’s betrayal. I believe it is at this moment that MJ and Steve have a huge fight where Steve yells, “No wonder she {Frankie} hates you.” Elizabeth and Sean are amazing together and this fight was so raw and real. Sean recently said that 95% of his performance relies and is in response to MJ/ Elizabeth which is so true. Anyway when Frankie  arrives in NYC, a person comes up to her and sings “You from New York, you are so relevant.” This is a line from So Pure and I thought it was cool how they sneaked that in. I’m not sure if Alanis meant the line to be sarcastic or real but I understand both interpretations. Anyway UNPRODIGAL DAUGHTER is everything. If you have ever fought with your parents, hated your small town or wanted to run away to be with people who understood you, this. Is. your. Jam! And Frankie sells it, I mean this song was meant for her. She’s in NYC  with all these cool, understanding people and they lift her up at the end like she is a queen on the throne. And the band, THE BAND, is onstage rocking out!!! The band is amazzzzing. They were having so much fun. 

Bella sings Predator which is a song written for the show. This scene details Bella at the party, only Heather Lang is playing Bella as Kathryn watches it happen. Lang specifically dances as MJ and Bella. Throughout act one, she gets real close to MJ and is acting as her conscious/addiction. MJ watches this scene as Bella lays on the bed and is then replaced by MJ as we have found out that MJ was also raped in college. It is a haunting number. There is also a scene when Bella asks MJ how long it took for her to feel normal again and she fails to give her an answer. 

You Oughta Know. I will say: believe the hype. But honestly believe the hype about the whole show, not just this one number. So Jo comes to get Frankie from New York and she starts this number quiet and then it builds up and the chorus and band come out. Everyone already knows how amazing this song is but Lauren really does elevate it to another level and brings a whole extra layer of emotions. Her dancing and frustration and singing with the band rocking out is just an awesome experience. There is red lighting and it is just a killer moment. 

At the end of this song Frankie gets a text about her Mom and we see MJ on the couch overdosing. She sings Univinited and Heather Lang dances in this number. Elizabeth’s voice and just her movements and shaking in this scene is unbelievable. And just the backing vocals and music make it so powerful. It just sounds like a war and battle between MJ and her addiction. Bella also sings parts of this song which I found fascinating. The connection between Bella and MJ is explored more on Broadway. Also when MJ overdoses, the lights flash three times. So the lights flash and we see Steve finding MJ, then lights flash we see Nick on the phone, lights flash, there’s a doctor putting an oxygen mask on MJ. This was a new addition to Broadway I believe and I loved it. They do a similar thing in Hedwig and I just love it. 

When they arrive at the hospital, Steve cannot believe the drugs MJ was on and refuses to believe she was a drug addict. He asks the doctor, “does she look like a drug addict to you?” And the doctor replies, “what do you think a drug addict looks like?” The audience felt that line. It is so true. This can happen to anyone. Mary Jane is filled with so much emotion. Steve really does love MJ and I love the backing vocals in this. Krill is amazing as Steve. “No” is powerful. Each person that sings stands in the middle and is touched by other chorus members. And all the signs are powerful and then Nick lifts his that says: Stand with Survivors. And can I belt like Kathryn? I wish. Then it ends with them standing in a line at the front of the stage and and Nick and Bella sing “it’s easy not to, so much easier not to”. Just the reprises of Wake Up in multiple songs gives me shivers. Wake Up drives so much of the show. I think before No there is a scene with the chorus members on their phones tweeting and texting nasty things about Bella and then they hold their phones out to the audience. I think this is just a reminder of how much social media and technology has changed us and how we have to remember to be nice!

Then MJ and Frankie make up during Thank U. Thank U and You Learn are just the two best songs to end a show with. They are filled with so much healing, and hope which is exactly what this show is about. And when MJ is sending the new Christmas letter she goes, “yeah I’m pretty messed up” and then she goes, “no, I’m perfectly imperfect.” We say this all the time to ourselves but we have to start believing it. No one is perfect. We are all perfectly imperfect. We all put up these appearances and try to hide our sadness from the world. There is so much human beings go through and if you are a human being you are going to love Jagged Little Pill. It is a human story. It is healing and powerful and makes you feel all the emotions. It ends with Frankie grabbing MJ’s hand. It is a beautiful show and I think very person on this planet should see it. If you wanna talk about this show (or any show) or about the stage door, feel free to message me. Thank U Jagged Little Pill and the Jagged Little Community.