coming back on here to say how I will never get over how we got robbed of a Mandy Patinkin Dust and Ashes

Actress and Author, Lara Parker, of Dark Shadows, Passes at 84

Lara Parker, who found the role of a lifetime at just 28 years old when she was cast by Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis as the beautiful, vengeful and altogether evil witch Angelique Bouchard Collins, died October 12 in her sleep in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer. She was 84.

Her death was announced by producer Jim Pierson of Dan Curtis Productions, on behalf of Parker’s family.

“I’m heartbroken, as all of us are who knew and loved her,” said her Dark Shadows co-star and longtime friend Kathryn Leigh Scott in a statement. “She graced our lives with her beauty, talent and friendship, and we are all richer for having had her in our lives.”

Parker was born Mary Lamar Rickey on Oct. 27, 1938, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her father, Albert, was an attorney, and her mother, Ann, was active in civic groups.

She graduated from Central High School in Memphis and attended Vassar — she roomed with Jane Fonda there — and Rhodes College in Memphis, where at 19 she served as Wink Martindale’s assistant on his WHBQ-TV show, Dance Party. She then earned a master’s degree from the University of Iowa.

Parker, who also authored four popular Dark Shadows-related novels from 1998-2016, arrived on the supernatural soap opera in 1967, not long after Canadian actor Jonathan Frid had been cast as vampire Barnabas Collins. Frid’s storyline changed the show from a moody, Gothic Jane Eyre-type serial into a flat-out horror show.

During breaks in production, Parker acted on Broadway in September 1968 in Woman Is My Idea, which lasted just five performances, and in the early Brian De Palma film Hi, Mom! (1970), starring Robert De Niro.

And toward the end of the daytime serial, she and fellow castmembers including John Karlen, Kate Jackson, David Selby and Grayson Hall appeared in the poorly received MGM film Night of Dark Shadows (1971).

In 1972, Parker relocated to Los Angeles and went on to appear on episodes of such shows as Medical Center, Kojak, The Rockford Files, Police Woman, Kolchak: The Night Stalker (as a witch) and The Incredible Hulk, where she played David Banner’s first wife in a flashback sequence in the pilot.

In her later years, Parker turned to writing and teaching — her novels include Angelique’s Descent (1998), The Salem Branch (2006), Wolf Moon Rising (2013) and Heiress of Collinwood (2016). The books proved popular among Dark Shadows‘ still-devoted, conventions-attending fan base, as well as devotees of romance and horror genre novels.

Parker kept in touch with her co-stars including Scott, Selby, Roger Davis, the late John Karlen and others throughout her life, particularly once the conventions became annual events in the late 1980s through the 1990s and up to the 50th anniversary celebration in 2017.

Many of the original cast, including Parker, recorded a series of Dark Shadows audio dramas in the 2000s released by Big Finish Productions. They also reunited for a “Smartphone Theatre” Zoom-style, Covid-era performance of A Christmas Carol in 2021 and, on Halloween night 2020, a YouTube/Zoom Dark Shadows cast reunion.

Parker is survived by second husband Jim Hawkins, daughter Caitlin, sons Rick and Andy, and their wives Miranda and Celia; and grandson Wesley.

Broadway Divas Tournament: Round 2A

Jayne Houdyshell (1953) "JAYNE HOUDYSHELL (Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn). Broadway: King Lear; A Doll's House, Part 2 (2017 Tony nomination); The Humans (2016 Tony Award); Fish in the Dark; Dead Accounts; Romeo and Juliet; Follies (2012 Tony nomination); The Importance of Being Earnest; Bye Bye Birdie; Wicked; Well (2006 Tony nomination and Theatre World Award). Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater: The New Century; Playwrights Horizons: The Pain and the Itch; The Public Theater: Well; Roundabout Theatre Company: The Language Archive; MCC: Relevance; Manhattan Theatre Club: The Receptionist; Shakespeare in the Park: Much Ado About Nothing. Jayne has received two Drama Desk Awards, two Obies, and the Lily Award. Regional credits include classical and modern plays at Yale Repertory Theatre, MacCarter Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and many others. Film: The Humans, Little Women, The Chaperone, Everybody's Fine, Changing Lanes, Garden State. Television: "Only Murders in the Building," "The Good Fight," "Evil," "Law & Order: SVU," "Elementary," "Blue Bloods."" - Playbill bio from The Music Man, February 2022

Stephanie J. Block (1972) "STEPHANIE J. BLOCK (The Baker's Wife) Broadway: The Cher Show (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award winner), Falsettos (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony, Drama Desk nominations), Anything Goes, 9 to 5: The Musical (Drama Desk nomination), The Pirate Queen, The Boy from Oz, Wicked. Off-Broadway: Brigadoon (Encores); Little Miss Sunshine (Drama Desk nomination); By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (Drama Desk nomination). Film and television: "iMorcecai," "Bluff City Law," Rise, "Madam Secretary," "Orange is the New Black," "Homeland," "It Could Be Worse," "Stephanie J. Block Live From Lincoln Center" for Great Performances on PBS. She currently co-hosts and co-produces "Stages Podcast" with Marylee Fairbanks and can be accessed wherever you get your podcasts. Twitter and Instagram: @stephaniejblock." - Playbill bio from Into the Woods, September 2022.

NEW PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA UNDER CUT: ALL POLLS HERE

"Despite her beating out Jan Maxwell, my beloved, I feel no lingering bitterness because Jayne Houdyshell is one of those divine character actresses who elevates every project she's in. Her Music Man nomination came as a wild surprise, but looking back, it just makes sense. She was exactly what we needed post-reopening."

"Once again, I am asking which of you is going to be contributing to the Send DroughtofApathy to London this Summer to See SJB in Kiss Me, Kate Fund? They released a little promo for it, and damn she looks good. Why is everyone going to the West End to do their shows? Do them here so I can see them, dammit. Who needs the West End and their strange tastes anyway?"

SIR MICHAEL GAMBON (1940-Died September 27th 2023,at 82,Pneumonia).Anglo-Irish actor forever remembered by millions of Harry Potter fans as Professor Albus Dumbledore,in the last 6 films of the Harry Potter film franchise.

Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career, he received three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four BAFTA Awards. In 1998, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.

Gambon appeared in many productions of works by William Shakespeare such as Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Coriolanus. Gambon was nominated for thirteen Olivier Awards, winning three times for A Chorus of Disapproval (1985), A View from the Bridge (1987), and Man of the Moment (1990). In 1997, Gambon made his Broadway debut in David Hare's Skylight, earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination.

Gambon made his film debut in Othello (1965). Other notable films include The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), The Wings of the Dove (1997), The Insider (1999), Gosford Park (2001), Amazing Grace (2006), The King's Speech (2010), Quartet (2012), and Victoria & Abdul (2017). Gambon also appeared in the Wes Anderson films The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Gambon enhanced his stardom through his role of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film series from 2004 to 2011, replacing Richard Harris following his death in 2002.

For his work on television, he received four BAFTA Awards for The Singing Detective (1986), Wives and Daughters (1999), Longitude (2000), and Perfect Strangers (2001). He also received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Path to War (2002) and Emma (2009). Other notable projects include Cranford (2007) and The Casual Vacancy (2015). In 2017, he received the Irish Film & Television Academy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2020, he was listed at No. 27 on The Irish Times' list of Ireland's greatest film actors.Michael Gambon - Wikipedia

Spring Awakening Broadway: Where Are They Now? (Part 2)

It's been 18 years since Spring Awakening opened on Broadway. In part 1 I looked up what the original cast members are doing today, and here in part 2 I'll be looking at all of the actors who joined the cast after the show opened.

Kyle Riabko Melchior

Went straight from the Broadway production to the first national tour. Later starred in Hair on Broadway and Close To You: Bacharach Reimagined (pictured) in the West End. He is currently composing music for children's television through a production company called Can-Land Music that he founded with his wife.

Hunter Parrish Melchior

Appeared on Broadway again in Godspell but has otherwise largely stuck to TV roles, most recently in The Other Black Girl (pictured.)

Alexandra Socha Wendla, Ensemble (u/s Wendla, Anna, Martha, Thea)

Returned to Broadway in Brighton Beach Memoirs and Head Over Heels. Is currently starring in the Broadway production of Wicked (pictured.)

Blake Bashoff Moritz

Went straight from Broadway to the first national tour. After that, he moved away from acting and now lives on a farm.

Emma Hunton Ilse

Was in Next to Normal on Broadway and the national tour, as well as the national tour of Wicked. She is currently on TV in Good Trouble (pictured.)

Drew Tyler Bell Hanschen

Continued in his longtime role on The Bold and the Beautiful (pictured) until 2010. Since then, he doesn't appear to be acting and it's not clear what he's been doing since.

Matt Doyle Hanschen, Ensemble (u/s Melchior, Hanschen, Ernst, Otto, Georg)

Later briefly played Melchior in the first national tour. Has returned to Broadway several times in shows like War Horse and The Book of Mormon, and won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a musical for his performance in Company in 2022 (pictured.) He has also released solo albums. He most recently starred in Sinatra: The Musical.

Blake Daniel Ernst

Has had a few acting roles since, most recently in the movie Dicks: The Musical.

Andrew Durand Georg (u/s Moritz)

Has appeared in several other Broadway shows including Head Over Heels and Shucked (pictured.) He is currently in Dead Outlaw off-Broadway.

Gabriel Violett Otto

Appeared as a contestant on The Voice in 2016 (pictured.)

Amanda Castanos Martha

Had a handful of appearances at theater festivals and on TV shows like Blue Bloods (pictured), but doesn't seem to be doing any acting in recent years.

Caitlin Kinnunen Thea

Returned to Broadway in The Bridges of Madison County and was nominated for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in The Prom (pictured) in 2014. She recently appeared in The Magnificent Seven off-Broadway.

Emily Kinney Anna (u/s Wendla)

Appeared on stage again in the national tour of August: Osage County but since then has been doing a lot of TV, most notably on The Walking Dead (pictured.) She has also released several albums as a singer-songwriter.

Kate Burton Adult Women

She continues to have an extensive film and television career, with notable roles on shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal (pictured), for which she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She returned to Broadway in 2017 in the play Present Laughter.

Kristine Nielsen Adult Women

Has since been nominated for the Best Lead Actress in a Play Tony in 2013 for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2019 for Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus. She most recently appeared in the TV show The Gilded Age (pictured.)

Ken Marks Adult Men

Has appeared again on Broadway in shows like Spider-man: Turn off the Dark and most recently in Take Me Out (pictured.) He is currently in Dead Outlaw off-Broadway.

Glenn Fleshler Adult Men

Has returned to Broadway in shows like Guys and Dolls and Death of a Salesman. He also has extensive credits in movies like Joker and TV shows like Billions (pictured.)

Tony Carlin (u/s Adult Men)

Returned to Broadway over a dozen times since, as well as off-Broadway in shows like The Trial of an American President (pictured.) He most recently appeared in Days of Wine and Roses.

Eryn Murman Anna, Ensemble (u/s Wendla, Ilse, Anna, Martha, Thea)

Has done some regional theater, including playing Wendla in San Jose Rep's production of Spring Awakening (pictured) before later marrying the actor playing Melchior, with whom she started the band 5j Barrow. She now also works as a massage therapist.

Jenna Ushkowitz Ensemble (u/s Anna, Martha, Thea)

Notably appeared on the TV show Glee. She returned to Broadway in Waitress (pictured) and has won two Tony Awards as a producer.

Alice Lee Ensemble (u/s Wendla, Ilse, Anna, Thea)

Notably appeared in the off-Broadway production of Heathers (pictured.) Competed in the reality singing competition Rising Star. She has had TV roles on shows like Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and most recently did voice acting for My Adventures with Superman.

Jesse Swenson Ensemble (u/s Melchior, Hanschen, Otto, Georg)

Returned to Broadway in The Addams Family. He has now moved way from acting to become a writer and filmmaker.

Matt Shingledecker Ensemble (u/s Melchior, Hanschen, Ernst, Otto, Georg)

Went straight to the first national tour as Georg. Since then, he's appeared on Broadway again in West Side Story and on the national tours of shows like Wicked and Les Miserables (pictured.) He is currently performing in the musical The Wedding Banquet in Taiwain.

Morgan Karr Ensemble (u/s Moritz, Hanschen, Ernst, Otto, Georg)

Now a successful indie pop musician performing under the name Morgxn.

Zach Reiner-Harris Ensemble (u/s Moritz, Hanschen, Ernst, Otto, Georg)

Seems to have moved away from acting but still makes appearances as a musician.

Pod-Together Day 2 Reveals 2023

Fashion is the Armor [text, audio] (Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars - All Media Types) written by wanderingjedihistorian, performed by kbirb Summary: It’s not that Fox would have reconsidered things with Bail and Breha if he had known about…this. It’s just that if someone had told him he needed to go shopping for a “proper prince consort wardrobe” and that said shopping trip would make him long for the days of babysitting Senators…well. He’d have figured out some way to avoid this part.

Through Thin Walls (9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)) written by noxsoulmate, performed by Juulna Summary:“Hey, so please don’t freak out–”

In the next moment, Carlos could hear a thud, followed by a curse, and he was pretty sure the guy had just hit his head somehow. Carlos winced in sympathy.

“Sorry! Sorry, it’s just your neighbor here.”

“Dude,” came the reply, the voice sounding rough, probably from all the crying. “Way to give a person a heart attack. Also, creepy much?”

“My apologies. The walls here are basically paper with some paint slapped on. So uhm… noises are somewhat muffled but… not really, I guess.” ~*~ 3 times Carlos only heard his neighbor’s voice, 2 times TK lusted over a certain officer, +1 time it all melted together.

Captain Jack Books (Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken, Newsies: The Broadway Musical! (2017)) written by TrebleMaker07 and Shakespeare_stole_my_url, performed by Shakespeare_stole_my_url Summary: Jack Kelly is the proud owner of Captain Jack Books; however, business is down and the Delancey brothers have expanded. How will he keep Captain Jack Books relevant? And who is the cute guy that keeps coming around?

Fashionable Lectures, composed and delivered with Tact and Titillation (Lilywhite Boys Series - K. J. Charles) written by vinia, performed by jennisaisquoi Summary: The Marchioness of Cirencester seeks advice from her best friend, the Countess of Moreton.

Sk8 Infinity: Winter Break (SK8 the Infinity (Anime)) created by Syr, Opalsong, and Cantarina Summary: EM: It’s another episode of Ambiguous Robot and Earnest Hero Watching Anime, the podcast all about anime, fandom, and what shows are worth spending your short hours on this earth watching, and the drama they create along the way. I: Today we’re talking about Sk8 Infinity: Winter Break, the prequel series to SK8 The Infinity. And no, don’t ask us why it’s called that. This is just the anime nonsense that we are here for.

Old Words, New Mission (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America (Movies)) written by poppetawoppet, performed by GhostCwtch Summary: In which 'Til the end of the line' resets all the other code words.

Nearly Enough (Hornblower - C. S. Forester) written by Sanguinity, performed by Luzula_podfic Summary: Over the course of two wild days and two wild nights in Kingston, Hornblower must choose which he wants more: command of the Retribution, or Lieutenant William Bush.

admiring flowers (Hannibal (TV)) written by Koschei_B, performed by Dr_Fumbles_McStupid Summary: Will's not a goddess, but he gets kidnapped by the Reaper all the same.

At the End of All Things [text, audio] (Transformers: Prime) written by autobotscoutriella, performed by Gilraina Summary: At the end of the war, Optimus goes in search of something still missing.

when all the roads you took came back to me (บทกวีของปีแสง | Be My Favorite (TV)) written by Kiranokira, performed by pieces0fstars Summary: In a timeline where Kawi and Pisaeng are both famous and secretly dating, a jetlagged Kawi sits on Pisaeng's lap during a livestream and accidentally outs them to the public.

It’s in the last fifteen seconds of the live while Pisaeng is promoting an upcoming appearance at a local music festival that a sleepy weight drops into his lap, changing the entire direction of not only his life but Kawi’s, too. Sweetly and adoringly, Kawi winds both arms around Pisaeng’s neck, puts his face on Pisaeng’s shoulder, and whines, “Pisaaaeeeng, you weren’t there when I woke up.”

Once More Into the Void (Teen Wolf (TV)) written by melly_diamond, performed by thilia Summary: Derek Hale has moved on with his life; he has a wife and child now, has rebuilt the Hale house, and is living contentedly in Beacon Hills. For a while. Until a long-buried evil rears its ugly head and chooses a new target to torment; Lorelei Hale, the nine year old daughter of Derek and Sasha Hale. And when no one, anywhere, can seem to rid the little girl of her interloper, a plea goes out into the supernatural world for their final option, a mysterious being - shaman, exorcist, magic-wielder - known only as M. to save her. Who is M.? And is he the answer to all their prayers or a whole other problem in itself?

Heaven, I'm in heaven...

Script below the break

Hello and welcome back to The Rewatch Rewind! My name is Jane, and this is the podcast where I count down my top 40 most frequently rewatched films in a 20-year period. Today I will be discussing number five on my list: RKO’s 1935 musical comedy Top Hat, directed by Mark Sandrich, written by Allan Scott and Dwight Taylor, and starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

American dancer Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) comes to London to star in a show produced by his friend Horace Hardwick (Edward Everett Horton). The night before the show opens, Jerry’s tapdancing in Horace’s hotel room awakens model Dale Tremont (Ginger Rogers) in the room below. She calls the manager to complain, who calls the room above hers, and Horace answers the phone. Because he can’t hear over Jerry’s dancing, he leaves to see what the manager wants. Tired of waiting for the noise to stop, Dale storms upstairs to confront the dancer. Upon seeing her, Jerry immediately falls in love, and the next day he starts following her around in a mildly creepy but mostly charming way. However, he never tells her his name, and when Dale learns that her friend Madge Hardwick (Helen Broderick)’s husband is staying in the room above hers, she naturally assumes that Jerry is Horace Hardwick. All of this results in much confusion, hilarity, and of course, dancing.

Top Hat was one of the many old movies that my mom introduced me to in 2002, and it has been among my favorite films ever since. I had already seen it several times before I started keeping track, and then I watched it five times in 2003, three times in 2004, three times in 2005, once in 2006, once in 2009, twice in 2010, three times in 2011, four times in 2012, once each in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, twice in 2020, once in 2021, and once in 2022. This was the first Fred and Ginger movie I ever saw, and while I’ve since watched and enjoyed all nine others multiple times, none could top Top Hat, in my opinion.

This was the fourth film that Fred and Ginger made together, but only the second in which they had starring roles, and the first that was written specifically for them. Two of their previous films – 1933’s Flying Down to Rio and 1935’s Roberta – gave them relatively small parts, although their scenes were unquestionably the highlights. In Flying Down to Rio, they got fourth and fifth billing and are barely in it, but they caused a splash with their one dance number, and an iconic duo was born. They got second and third billing in Roberta, in which they basically function as the B romantic pair, with Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott as the A couple. Fred and Ginger’s first starring roles had been in 1934’s The Gay Divorcee, which was an adaptation of the Broadway musical Gay Divorce. Critics of Top Hat (including Astaire himself) complained that it was basically a rehash of The Gay Divorcee, and like, I can see their point: both films have a weird mistaken identity story and feature essentially the same cast filling very similar roles – with the notable change from Alice Brady to Helen Broderick in the “Ginger’s older relative/friend” role. But while I also enjoy The Gay Divorcee, somehow I feel like Top Hat just works better. The story makes at least a little bit more sense, and they didn’t devote a quarter of the runtime to a single interminable musical number like The Gay Divorcee did with the frickin Continental… although The Piccolino came dangerously close to replicating that. After Top Hat, Fred and Ginger made five more films with RKO in the 1930s: 1936’s Follow the Fleet, in which they were basically the B couple like they had been in Roberta, although they did get top billing in this one; 1936’s Swing Time, which is mostly very good and would probably have made it onto this podcast if not for that one blackface number; 1937’s Shall We Dance, which I kind of slept on for a while but now I think is probably my second favorite of theirs, although the ending drags a bit; 1938’s Carefree, possibly their weirdest movie, which involves hypnotism; and 1939’s The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, which I find to be disappointingly forgettable. Then, after 10 years apart, they reunited for MGM’s The Barkleys of Broadway in 1949, which is basically Fred and Ginger fan fiction and it makes me so happy that it exists.

While there were lots of other dancing musicals being made in Hollywood around this time, the Astaire/Rogers ones feel like their own genre, and not just because of the stars. I think a big part of what makes Top Hat feel like the quintessential Fred and Ginger film is the supporting cast. Edward Everett Horton, Helen Broderick, Erik Rhodes, and Eric Blore were each in at least one other Fred and Ginger movie, but this is the only one that has all four of them. Edward Everett Horton excelled at playing the kind of guy who thinks he’s in control of every situation, but actually has no clue what’s going on, and he’s especially in his element as Horace Hardwick, convinced that he can get to the bottom of everyone’s strange behavior while never suspecting that he could end all the confusion just by meeting Dale. Helen Broderick delivers wisecracks in a brilliantly dry, cynical tone that contrasts with Horton’s bumbling to great comedic effect. Their characters don’t seem to have a very functional marriage, but they also don’t really seem to mind that. Typically the “haha, married couples hate each other” types of jokes really irritate me, but Horace and Madge are such ridiculous characters that it’s actually kind of funny when they do it. And then there’s Erik Rhodes, whose absurdly over-the-top Italian characterization in Top Hat and The Gay Divorcee so offended Mussolini that both those films were banned in Italy. Personally I feel like Top Hat’s portrayal of Venice as a giant white soundstage is probably more insulting to Italians than a guy doing a bad accent and being silly is, but I don’t know, maybe it’s still offensive. To me, as a non-Italian, I just think Erik Rhodes is very funny as Alberto Beddini, the dressmaker whose clothes Dale is modeling. He has some truly excellent lines, like, “Never again will I allow women to wear my dresses!” and “I am no man; I am Beddini!” Despite his declarations of love for Dale, he is extremely queer-coded, while also interestingly being one of the most masculine characters in the film, which is…kind of the opposite of how male characters are typically queer-coded. So Alberto is very silly but also quite fascinating. Eric Blore was in half of the Fred and Ginger movies and he’s always hilarious. In Top Hat he plays Horace’s valet, Bates, who always refer to themselves in the plural (“We are Bates, sir”), so the next time someone complains to you about this so-called newfangled trend of young people messing with pronouns, feel free to point out that at least one middle-aged man was doing that way back in 1935. One of my favorite exchanges in the movie is when Horace is trying to explain to Bates that Jerry seems to have gotten into a perilous situation with a woman by saying, “He has practically put his foot right into a hornets’ nest” and Bates respond with, “But hornets’ nests grow on trees, sir.” “Never mind that. We have got to do something.” “What about rubbing it with butter, sir?” “You blasted fool, you can’t rub a girl with butter!” “My sister got into a hornets’ nest and we rubbed HER with butter, sir!” “That’s the wrong treatment, you should have used mud – never mind that!” It has nothing to do with anything but it makes me laugh every time. This supporting cast adds a silly, somewhat Vaudevillian aspect to Top Hat that no Fred and Ginger film would be complete without.

Of course, Fred and Ginger movies are better known for a different somewhat Vaudevillian aspect: their songs. It’s very interesting to watch Top Hat from a musical history perspective because it was made before the advent of the book musical – that is, a show where the songs are fully integrated into the story and used to tell a specific narrative. The songs in this movie do sort of advance the plot, but the lyrics are generic enough that they stand alone completely out of context. It’s kind of a bridge between the disjointed songs and scenes of vaudeville and the continuously flowing story of book musicals. All the music in Top Hat was written by the legendary Irving Berlin, including two solo numbers for Fred: “No Strings (I’m Fancy Free)” which is what Jerry is dancing to in the hotel when he disturbs Dale, and “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” which is part of his show; and three numbers for both Fred and Ginger to dance to: “Isn’t This a Lovely Day (to Be Caught in the Rain)?” for soon after they meet, before Dale thinks that Jerry is Horace, “Cheek to Cheek” when they’re in love but Dale is conflicted because she thinks he’s married to Madge, who is confusingly encouraging them to dance, and “The Piccolino” after Dale finally learns Jerry’s true identity. Both Astaire and Rogers were significantly better dancers than singers, but typically Fred did most of the singing, and the only song he doesn’t sing in Top Hat is the Piccolino, apparently because he didn’t like it, so Ginger sings it first and then an offscreen chorus repeats it. My favorite number in the film has always been “Isn’t this a Lovely Day (to Be Caught in the Rain)?” because I love the way Jerry starts dancing fancier and fancier and is pleasantly surprised that Dale can keep up with him, and it’s fun that Ginger got to wear pants for once, and I also just really enjoy that song. There was a time soon after I first fell in love with this movie when I tried to make saying the word “lovely” a lot part of my personality, mainly inspired by this song. I truly enjoy all the numbers, even if I do think The Piccolino goes on a bit too long, although, again, it’s not nearly as painfully long as The Continental in The Gay Divorcee, which it’s clearly meant to pay homage to. But Fred and Ginger’s most famous dance number – certainly in this film, and also probably in any of their films – is “Cheek to Cheek.” It is pure, breathtaking magic, and even knowing about the major drama with Ginger’s dress in no way detracts from that.

I’ve heard a few different accounts of the dress drama with slightly conflicting details, but what they all seem to agree on is that Ginger Rogers insisted that a low-backed, light blue, ostrich feather dress would look perfect during the “Cheek to Cheek” dance, and pretty much everybody else tried to talk her out of it, but she refused to back down until they were all forced to concede. And she was correct, it looks incredible, although if you’re watching closely you can see some feathers falling off while she dances, which was the main objection to the dress. Fred Astaire was reportedly extremely annoyed about the flying feathers, although he betrays none of that to the audience, and afterwards gave Ginger the nickname “Feathers,” which he continued to call her for many years. My interpretation of this is that it started as kind of an insult when he was genuinely upset about the incident but evolved to become more of a term of endearment, although obviously I don’t know for sure. As far as I can tell, apart from the occasional disagreement, Fred and Ginger got along pretty well in real life, although the studio sometimes invented or exaggerated stories about them fighting to try to generate more buzz. Personally I don’t think that was necessary; their talent spoke for itself, and audiences would have flocked to their films whether or not there was conflict offscreen.

One thing that I don’t like about old movies is that in general, most of the people who worked on them were deceased before DVDs were invented, which means that the special features are often lacking. I have watched Top Hat with commentary, but it’s by a film historian and Fred Astaire’s daughter who was born after this movie was made. It’s mostly the historian talking, but every once in a while Astaire’s daughter shares a memory of her father, and every. single. time. the historian responds with, in the most patronizing tone of voice I’ve ever heard, “Thank you for telling us that” and I hate it so much. But one thing that I did learn from the commentary that I definitely wouldn’t have noticed if nobody had told me is that Lucille Ball makes a very small appearance in this movie as a worker at the flower shop in the London hotel. She has a couple of lines, but even though I’m used to watching her in Stage Door, which was only made two years after Top Hat, I absolutely would never have recognized her. So that’s kind of fun.

Now, when it comes to watching Top Hat from an aroace perspective, even I cannot deny that this movie in general, and the “Cheek to Cheek” number specifically, is extremely romantic. The main storyline is Jerry immediately falling for Dale and flirting with her until she falls for him, and then her attempting to suppress her feelings when she thinks he’s married to her best friend. But somehow, even watching it as a young teen who had no idea that I was aroace, this felt different from other romantic films I’d seen. I remember feeling irritated the first time I read a description of Fred and Ginger’s dancing as their version of making love because “ugh, why do people have to make everything about sex?” It took me a while to realize that not only is that an apt description, but it’s also part of what drew me to them in the first place. Because despite the way the terms “making love” and “being intimate” are now used almost exclusively as synonyms for “having sex,” they don’t necessarily have to be. There are other ways of experiencing and expressing love and intimacy besides sex. It’s just that our allonormative society puts sex on such a high pedestal and portrays it as the One True Form of Intimacy that all other forms are devalued to the point that often they feel barely worth mentioning. And I do feel like when some people talk about Fred and Ginger this way, what they’re implying is “Their dances were the Hays Code era version of sex scenes.” And, granted, it’s quite possible that that was the intent. But nothing about their dancing is inherently sexual, and yet, it would be hard to deny that it’s extremely intimate. So as someone who craves non-sexual intimacy, in a world where that concept almost seems oxymoronic, it’s so encouraging to see these characters express that. Of course, I don’t want exactly what they have – for one thing, I’m a terrible dancer, despite my one year of tap lessons in 2nd grade. And for another, what they have is way too romantic for me. But although I could never have articulated this at the time, just seeing this example of extreme intimacy coming in other, non-sexual forms as a young obliviously asexual person was so important. It gave me some armor against the onslaught of allo- and amatonormative messages implying that sexual relationships are inherently more valuable and valid than any other kind of relationship. Top Hat ends with the implication that Jerry and Dale are about to get married, so I guess we’re meant to infer that their relationship will eventually become sexual, but I don’t see how anyone could watch this movie and still think that a sexless marriage consisting of dance numbers like “Cheek to Cheek” would be any less valid than a sexual marriage. Like so many of my favorite movies, it’s not exactly ace representation, but it’s easy to imagine many of the characters in Top Hat as ace, and often that’s as good as it gets.

While the subtle and probably unintentional message that sex doesn’t have to be the end all be all is great, the main reason I love this movie is because it’s just a lot of fun to watch. I’ll be the first to admit that the plot is a little ridiculous and doesn’t make a ton of sense, but I also have to admire the lengths they go to in order to maintain the mistaken identity for so long. Like the part when the London hotel manager tells Dale that Horace Hardwick is the gentleman with the briefcase and cane on the mezzanine, and Horace steps behind a chandelier before Dale can see him, and while she’s trying to get closer, Jerry runs up to Horace and says that he has a phone call, and Horace hands Jerry his briefcase and cane and rushes off, so Dale will see Jerry alone holding a briefcase and cane and therefore still think he is Horace. Or when Horace just happens to be in the bathtub when Dale comes into their room in Italy. Or how Jerry tells Madge that he’s met Dale so she doesn’t think she needs to introduce him. It’s like simultaneously the most far-fetched, bizarre plot imaginable and also kind of brilliantly executed, and I love it for that. And even if the plot doesn’t work for you, this movie is still worth watching for its truly phenomenal dancing by one of the most iconic pairs in Hollywood history.

Thank you for listening to me discuss another of my most frequently rewatched films. When compiling this list, I was very surprised to discover that Fred Astaire would only appear in one film, since I consider him one of my faves, but I hope he would at least be happy to know that that one film is in my top five. Next week, I will be talking about another Old Hollywood musical that I watched two more times than Top Hat, for a total of 33 views, which stars a man who is often compared to Fred Astaire, although I feel like, apart from being dancers, they were very different. So stay tuned for that, and as always, I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “I make more money than…than…than Calvin Coolidge! Put together!”

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The Stunning But Also Wild & Intriguing Brunette Actress 👩 In Acting Today

Wilde was born Olivia Jane Cockburn in New York City on March 10, 1984. She grew up in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., while spending summers at Ardmore in Ireland. She attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C., and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, graduating in 2002. She derived her professional surname from Irish author Oscar Wilde, and began using it in high school to honor the writers in her family, many of whom used pen names. She was accepted to Bard College, but deferred her enrollment three times to pursue acting. She then studied at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin. For a short time, Wilde's family also had a house in Guilford, Vermont.

known professionally as Olivia Wilde, is an American actress, director and producer. She played Remy "Thirteen" Hadley on the medical-drama television series House (2007–2012), and has appeared in the films Tron: Legacy (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013), and The Lazarus Effect (2015). She made her Broadway debut in 2017 as Julia in 1984.

Her first film as a director, the teen comedy Booksmart (2019), received critical acclaim and won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Her second directed feature, the thriller Don't Worry Darling, was released in 2022.

Please Wish This Stunning But Also Wild Brunette Actress Of Hollywood's Cinema 🎥 & TV 📺, A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

YOU SHOULD KNOW HER

SHE IS QUITE THE WILD 1 ON CAMERA 📷 & OFF

& SHE IS NOT TO BE TRIFELD BEHIND THE SCENES

THE 1 & THE ONLY

MS. OLIVIA JANE COOKBURN  AKA OLIVIA WILDE 👩

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊TO YOU MS. WILDE 👩 & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME 

#OliviaWilde #HouseMD #TronLegacy #TronUprising #TronEvolution  #Quorra #GhostbustersAfterlife #DontWorryDarling

ok so controversial? question what is your opinion on the anastaisa broadway musical made in like 2017?

Lol not controversial at all, I didn't see it.

That being said I do know that the supernatural element is taken out in favor of a more down-to-earth, communist evil (thank you author's note on that one Zuko is the lost princess fic). Bare in mind that's all I know about it and here it goes

Pros: it makes the story more believable. Like, had Anastasia really survived, somehow, the execution, the people who would have tried to prevent her from claiming her heritage would have been the communists, not some kind of zombie warlock. It's probably also a bit easier to stage in a theater.

Cons: it makes the story more believable. I'm not watching Anastasia because I want a historical drama about real-Anastasia having escaped and being chased after by the bolcheviks. I'm watching Anastasia knowing full well she died, and my suspension of disbelief is made easier by the fact there are fantastic/supernatural elements in there, too.

So really it's all about what you're expecting from the story. Maybe there is something that makes the musical a complete heresy or a marvelous gem, but since I didn't watch it...

Now though the fact that the Grandmother is voiced by Angela Lansbury and Rasputin by Christopher Lloyd make the movie the best version anyway. I don't make the rules.

Not Just a First Love - 1/? | Dirty Dancing (2017) fanfiction

A/N: I just watched this remake of Dirty Dancing tonight, and while the original is better, I still got engrossed in this one and felt the need to change that ending! Who knows when I'll update again, but I'll be more inclined to if I get positive feedback! Check it out if you're interested! This first chap is just a tweaked version of the ending scene of the movie, but I have many more ideas for where this could go. Enjoy.

...

Synopsis: Nothing is ever by chance. Johnny Castle believes that especially when it comes to Baby.

...

Chapter 1 -

The play brought tears to her eyes, especially the choreography, and she knew why. It wasn’t just because the production took inspiration from her first novel of the summer her life changed forever.

It was the reason the dancing was so special.

It was…Johnny.

Ten years had passed. They’d gone on their separate paths, and though it was heartbreaking at first, they’d both moved on – she became a doctor and he found his true calling on Broadway. She was engaged now, that wedding just a month away now. And yet, as excited as she was for those upcoming nuptials, she felt those feelings of love and anticipation fade to the background as she was drawn back into the fairytale drama the summer she turned 18 had been.

She’d fallen in love for real that summer, and she could almost taste what that had felt like, watching the dancers and seeing the story unfold.

Inevitably though, the play ended and people started to exit the theater. She was the last one there in fact. Still wiping tears from her eyes at the memories the production had brought to the forefront of her mind and heart, she almost missed the individual whose mouth fell open at the mere sight of her.

She was older now, wearing make-up with a longer hairstyle, but there was no mistaking who she was. Just like him, looking a bit more dapper in more sophisticated clothing and something akin to bangs draped across part of his forehead.

“Baby?”

She gasped and turned around.

“F-Frances, I mean.”

He cracked a grin, the same one that made her weak at the knees at 18.

“You recognized me,” she said, smiling tremulously.

“Your face is on the back of your book,” he confided, and her smile widened. “Obviously I’ve read it a hundred times.”

She blushed.

“A hundred times, huh?”

And they stood there, bashfully smiling, living in the moment for as long as it would last.

“The play was incredible,” she said, breaking free of the web she was getting tangled in. “I noticed your choreography right off the bat.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She giggled. “Took me back.”

“Well, your book was the inspiration…and that summer. That summer changed everything for me, Baby.”

He was so serious now that she didn’t bother to correct him.

“For me, too,” she added.

“I never thought I’d make it on Broadway until you convinced me.”

“It definitely took some convincing.”

“Your words stuck with me.”

Her heart beat faster.

“Your dancing stuck with me.”

She licked her lips.

Then, from behind her a man came down the aisle, muttering to himself about something. Johnny wasn’t paying much attention, but Frances recognized who it was immediately.

“Frances, for god sakes, what is taking so lo-”

“Charlie,” she said warmly, ignoring his increasing temper. “I’d like you to meet Johnny. Johnny Castle. He did the choreography for the play tonight.”

Charlie blinked, confused, and then shook Johnny’s extended hand.

“Pleasure.” Johnny smiled. “And who are-”

“Charlie is my fiancé,” she said, avoiding eye contact from both men for a few brief moments.

“What a lucky guy,” Johnny said, and there was no mistaking how strained his voice was.

“Yeah. Right.” Charlie turned to Frances and whispered something that appeared to involve something quite urgent.

“Okay, I’ll be right out.”

He sighed, didn’t bother to look at Johnny again, and strutted back up the aisle into the lobby.

“He seems delightful,” Johnny commented, and she allowed herself to laugh.

“He’s just stressed, under pressure…I’m sure you know what that’s like.”

“I do.”

A brief moment of silence, and then—

“Well, I should g-”

“I should probably let y-”

A chuckle followed by a smile.

“It was good seeing you again, Johnny. Truly.”

He leaned in for a hug, and she gave it to him. More than, actually. She sunk into it, breathed it in, breathed him in, and was transported to another time.

When they parted, tears were in her eyes again.

“You still dance?” he asked. “I know that’s not in your bio.”

She laughed.

“I take a salsa class once a week just down the road from here. It’s all the time I can spare as a d-”

“Doctor,” he finished. “Sure.” He smiled. “Well, keep that up. Don’t ever stop dancing.”

He winked, and she felt them again. Butterflies.

“Goodbye, Johnny,” she said at last, forcing herself to turn towards the exit.

“Bye, Baby,” he called back, and she smiled to herself on the way out. No one ever called her that anymore, and she wouldn’t let a single soul…except him.

i only got into TBoM and Falsettos in 2020 but I 100% resonate with reading every mcpriceley fic on ao3 because i’ve done the same thing. i would KILL to see the book of mormon on fucking broadway like that’s probably on my life bucket list. and, oh my god, falsettos is like the only musical i’ve routinely cried over :( the proshot essentially DESTROYED me

The Falsettos 2016 revival is truly a work of art, William Finn's lyricism is one of my favorites of all time. It's neurotic, it's intricate, it's some of the smartest I've seen. Every day I still have to Google the words and phrases he uses and I've been watching it since 2017 (along with bom). The staging is gorgeous, using play blocks taken from a bigger box and using it exclusively as the set design and furniture to show how immature all of the characters really are. They're not in the real world, they're still playing with blocks. That is until the second half of the second act where the first real piece of furniture we see is (spoilers I guess) Whizzer's hospital bed. The tragedy finally brought them all back to reality and their petty family drama suddenly looks like child's play.

"No Way Out" (1950) is a brilliant noir film debuting the acting career of legendary Sidney Poitier and starring an excellent cast that includes Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell, Stephen McNally, and Mildred Joanne Smith. The movie also features Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis in their first film together. By 1950, black actors with significant roles in Hollywood films were still uncommon, particularly in non-stereotypical roles such as medical doctors. Moreover, the Race Era was ending, so the opportunities for black actors mostly faded. However, a year before, James Edwards starred in "Home of the Brave," and Juano Hernadez starred in "Intruders in the Dust," which set a new trend for black male actors in Hollywood. In addition, the presence of Mildred Smith as the supportive and loving wife living in a middle-class family added to this new narrative. These subtle differences were giant leaps for Hollywood as it was risky for them to show black people other than stereotypical servants, field hands, mammies, Uncle Tom's, or slow-talking dimwits. So how does "No Way Out" differ from some of its precessors? "Home of the Brave" is about a black man in a war setting. "Lost Boundaries" and "Pinky" had a 'passing for white' theme with different story premises. "No Way Out" tells the story of a black man in a white man's everyday world as a professional. Darryl F. Zanuck produced the 1949 film "Pinky" and enthusiastically backed "No Way Out" after reading Lesser Samuels' script and soon assigned Joseph L. Mankiewicz to add his expertise in filmmaking. Zanuck wanted both movies made as they dealt with two different subject matters of black life. The search for a suitable actor for the black doctor Luther Brooks was a nationwide search by Zanuck and casting director William Gordon. Several dozen actors auditioned, but eventually, Gordon selected 23-year-old Poitier for the role. Ruby and Ossie Davies starred in the Broadway and American Negro Theatre play, "Anna Lucasta" for the West Coast road company, while Potier played lead in the Eastern show. However, the head of the American Negro Theatre of the New York Actors Guild, Fredrick O'Neal, was among the biggest supporters of the movie. He remarked: "It's the most honest (scripts) I have ever read on the subject. The resemblance between this story and life is strictly truthful." Overall, this movie has many layers, and if you're critical like I am, you'll see many social components addressed on race, class, and patriarchy. It's a beautiful cinematographic film with intense emotion and drama. The film dives into how hate blinds people from the truth, even when their life depends on it. Richard Widmark did a superb job in his challenging role as the hate-filled low-class criminal mourning the death of this brother and the symbolic end to his truths. And Linda Darnell, the bewildered damsel trying to figure out the world around her while struggling with her prejudices, did an excellent job in the movie. I highly recommend this film and all of its glory and energy. You will be satisfied. Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz Writers: Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Lesser Samuels, Philip Yordan (contract writer) Starring Sidney Poitier, Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell, Stephen McNally, Mildred Joanne Smith, Dots Johnson, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Harry Bellaver, Stanley Ridges, Maude Simmons, Amanda Randolph Storyline When a white patient in a hospital dies under the care of a black intern (Sidney Poitier), the victim's racist brother (Richard Widmark) seeks to destroy the doctor's career. Although the hospital's idealistic Chief Resident (Stephen McNally) tries to diffuse the escalating tension, the victim's ex-wife (Linda Darnell) seems to go along with the vengeance-seeker until she realizes she's on the wrong side. https://www.daarac.ngo https://www.daaracarchive.org/2017/09/no-way-out-1950.html Available on Blu-ray (Region B only). https://www.amazon.com/Way-Blu-Ray-combo.../dp/B07BX6Q789 Available on DVD (Region A), but it's out of print. Also, on streaming services. https://www.amazon.com/Way-Out-Fox-Film-Noir/dp/B000CNE08S

⸻  STEVEN YEUN. HE + THEM / have you ever     heard of  I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW by johnny cash, well,     it describes JAY SONG to a tee! the 37 year old, and YOUTUBE PERSONALITY/YOGA TEACHER  was spotted browsing     through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know     them? would you say  HE/THEY are  more petty or more ADAPTABLE  instead?     anyway, they remind me of peaceful meditation, badly timed and very stupid jokes, scribbled pages in a well worn journal and house plants wherever they can fit, maybe you’ll bump into     them soon! 

time in notting hill ; returned 5 years ago.

tw: cancer

ABOUT.

Name: Jay Song (Song Jae-eun) Nicknames: None Age: Thirty-seven Date of birth: July 10th 1985 Birthplace: Busan, South Korea Occupation: YouTube Personality & Yoga Instructor Romantic/sexual orientation: Heteroromantic/heterosexual

Born in Busan, South Korea, but moved to London when he was 5 as his remarried to journalist from there.

Became a total drama geek, he was in every school production and constantly taking part in talent shows, as well as getting the ferry out to the mainland for auditions.

Spent years trying to follow his dream but didn’t manage much other than a toothpaste commercial and a multitude of extra work (but he was totally that kid from that toothpaste commercial, you know the one, with the annoying jingle that everybody always sung, when your character was only a kid themselves… yeah, that one). The final nail in the coffin came when he lost out on an audition to one of his best friends.

Decided to try and make it on Broadway instead and moved to NYC on a whim with barely anything to survive on —- he’d always loved the US and so he’d be getting the best of both worlds. He got nowhere and instead worked multiple jobs at coffee shops, diners, etc. Took a long stint at TGI’s in Times Square and kind of lived for interacting with the customers.

Eventually got a job as a city bus tour guide, which apparently he was great at, and also met his soon to be wife.

They launched a family YouTube channel through the channel she already had, along with their two kids Dea and Xavier, and it soon became pretty big, amassing around 5 million subs in the end.

Then Jay got diagnosed with testicular cancer, he pushed the whole family away and dealt with it himself, going into remission a little over a year later following surgery and chemo.

Went on a trip to where he was born, spending some time on discovering himself, he embraced Buddhism and explored the fact he had some days where he didn’t feel 100% male. That’s when he started to identify as a demiguy.

Got divorced from his wife, even though they definitely still loved one another, and then moved back to London —- Notting Hill to be exact. After six months or so back home he launched his own channel talking about his experiences during his life and what he’s been through.

He’s also a yoga instructor and holds a weekly class at Club Yoga.

Can be petty as hell, but is a total goofball and spends his life “playing up to the camera”.

HEADCANONS.

coming soon...

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

- ex-wife. - step-siblings (0/2). - cousins on step-mothers side. - best friend. - close friend/s. - high school ex. - ex since returning home. - neighbours. - people he went to school with. - fellow parents (kids are 9 & 11). - people who attend his yoga class. - fans of the family YouTube channel/his channel. - hook-ups. - first failed dates (2017+). - drinking buddies. - work out buddies.  

Broadway Divas Tournament: Round 1A

It is a deeply painful truth that five-time Tony nominee Jan Maxwell (1956-2018) never won what she deserved. One of the most critically acclaimed actresses in this city, she was the second actress after Angela Lansbury to receive nominations across all four categories, and the fourth to achieve two in a single season. Her work included A Doll's House (1997), Lend Me a Tenor (2010), and Follies (2011). She famously quit the off-Broadway production of  Entertaining Mr. Sloane because Alec Baldwin was an abusive dick, and she was an icon who didn't tolerate that shit. Jan died in 2018 from complications due to breast cancer. She was 61. And the Broadway League did not dim the lights for her as they had done for so many others. Two theatres went "rogue" and dimmed them anyway in her honor.

A legend among character actresses, Jayne Houdyshell (1953) is a five-time Tony nominee who did win what she deserved, earning her first Tony for The Humans in 2016. She featured in twelve Broadway shows, including A Doll's House, Part Two (2017), The Music Man (2022), and Follies (2011). She will return to Broadway this season in Lincoln Center's Uncle Vanya, making it lucky number thirteen. Jayne can also be seen on Only Murders in the Building where, spoiler, she gets murdered.

PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA UNDER CUT:

"I cannot stress to everyone how much I love and miss Jan Maxwell. Of the three dead blonde women on this poll tournament, she is the one people forget because she was an *actress* first, and a singer after, and musicals and musical divas dominate the conversation. But for those of us who know the theatre, we know Jan Maxwell, and we know the stage is dimmer because she is gone. In Follies, Bernadette Peters was The Star. But Jan was The Actress. And oh, was she ever."

"Now that is a Broadway Baby of the highest caliber. Jayne Houdyshell is a beloved character actress with a fantastic and robust career. She's done it all: musicals, plays, regional, touring, Broadway, and everything beyond. With all the Follies drama backstage, Jayne stayed in her lane, unbothered, unconcerned, and living her best damn life."

ANNE HECHE (1969-Died August 12th 2022,at 53.Injuries sustained from a Car crash).American actress who came to recognition portraying twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love on the soap opera Another World (1987–1991), winning her a Daytime Emmy Award and two Soap Opera Digest Awards. She came to greater prominence in the late 1990s with roles in the crime drama film Donnie Brasco (1997), the disaster film Volcano (1997), the slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), the action comedy film Six Days, Seven Nights (1998), and the drama-thriller film Return to Paradise (1998).Following her portrayal of Marion Crane in Gus Van Sant's horror remake film Psycho (1998), which earned her a Saturn Award nomination, Heche went on to have roles in many well-received independent films, such as the drama film Birth (2004), the sex comedy film Spread (2009), Cedar Rapids (2011), the drama film Rampart (2011), and the black comedy film Catfight (2016). She received acclaim for her role in the television film Gracie's Choice, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and for her work on Broadway, particularly Twentieth Century, for which she received a Tony Award nomination.In addition to her film and stage roles, Heche starred in the comedy drama television series Men in Trees (2006–08), Hung (2009–11), Save Me (2013), Aftermath (2016), and the military drama television series The Brave (2017).She had a brief relationship with  American chat show host,Ellen DeGeneres.and during her last few years,frequently battled mental health issues and drug addiction,the lattert of which is suspected to have played a part in her ultimately fatal car accident on August 5th 2022.dying a week later on August 12th.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Heche

What’s your favorite musical? (Or too 3)

ooh thank you for the ask! this is a great question! im definitely about to write an answer that is way too long

something to know about me is 1) i was big into three of the Big Four musicals about six years ago, it's not important which ones those are but unfortunately they were an important part of my formative years. Heathers is the only one i still especially care about, it's a good show! and 2) i am a big starkid/tcb fan, i've seen almost all of their stuff. that being said, my taste in musicals is incredibly basic.

my #1 favorite is probably gonna have to be Spies Are Forever, because wow it's just so good. i love the set design, the costuming, the songs, the plot... i also got to see the cabaret show they put on in 2022 and having MK Wiles (and the rest of them, except Joe Walker, sadly) thirty feet away from me was a godlike experience. i'm kind of thinking i want to watch it again just to find all the parts when the whole cast is onstage at once, because they did that whole show with EIGHT people and it's not something you notice unless you know to look for it! insane

#2 is gonna have to be Heathers, it's been in the back of my head for six years so i think i have to award it a spot here. the songs kinda never get old and it's really good fun. i'm also a sucker for Alice Lee

and #3, i'll go with The Lightning Thief! i saw this one in like 2017 (wow has it really been that long) and it was just so good. the writing holds up shockingly well, it's a solid pjo adaptation that nobody ever talks about, the songs are a lot of fun and there's a lot of humor and good character choices that just make the show so charming

honorable mentions: every other starkid show, but especially Starship, Twisted, and TGWDLM, my other favorites! and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, which is not a stage musical, it's a jukebox-musical-drama-comedy primetime NBC show, but it's got some incredible talent and i've been having a lot of fun watching it again. ALSO a good one for fellow Alice Lee fans.

there are a lot of shows i need to see still! i especially want to catch Spamalot while it's back on broadway, and i keep meaning to sit down and watch Chicago, and i'll take suggestions for other stuff i should listen to!

thanks for the ask!