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erikahenningsen · 4 years

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Underrated musicals and plays you should check out

Happy quarantine everyone! I’ve been thinking about making a post like this for a long time now and what better time to do it then when we’re all stuck inside.

INDECENT

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Indecent is a play by Paula Vogel. It recounts the controversy surrounding the Yiddish play God of Vengeance by Sholem Asch, which was produced on Broadway in 1923, for which the cast of the original production was arrested on the grounds of obscenity. God of Vengeance was the first kiss between two women on Broadway.

Why should I check this out? The writing is beautiful and the structure is seamless, balancing emotion, comedy, music, and drama effortlessly. It’s one of the best-directed shows I’ve ever seen (the direction rightfully won a Tony Award). Each actor plays several characters (and several play their own instruments) brilliantly and distinctly. Jewish culture is front and center, and there there is a canon WLW couple in both Indecent and God of Vengeance. Indecent is hilarious one moment and devastating the next. You will not be able to stop thinking about this play after watching it.

How can I watch this show? Indecent has a proshot available on the PBS website, or you can ask me for a link to my copy of it.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? Yes.

COME FROM AWAY

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Come From Away is a musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It is set in the week following the September 11 attacks and tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. The characters in the musical are based on (and in most cases share the names of) real Gander residents as well as some of the 7,000 stranded travelers they housed and fed.

Why should I check this out? Come From Away is one of the best-written musicals I’ve ever seen. The pacing is perfect and every person in the cast plays at least three different characters seamlessly. The music is incredibly unique, as it is heavily influenced by Newfoundland folk music. You will laugh. You will cry. You will have the music stuck in your head for two weeks. The only problem with watching Come From Away during quarantine is it will make you want to give the special people in your life a hug.

How can I watch this show? Come From Away is currently playing on Broadway, in the West End, on tour across the US, and in Toronto, Melbourne, and Sydney. There are several video bootlegs that aren’t hard to find.

Can I buy the text? I don’t think so. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Is there a cast recording? Yes.

CHOIR BOY

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Choir Boy is a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who is best known for co-writing the Oscar-winning screenplay of Moonlight, the movie based on his play, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. Choir Boy follows Pharus, a gay teenager at an all-black, all-boys boarding school. Pharus has just been elected the lead of his school choir, a very high honor. Though Pharus is lauded for his vocal talent, his classmates do not all respond well to his flamboyance and confidence. Choir Boy is a story centered on relationships that asks what it means to be a young, gay, black man in America.

Why should I check this out? One of the most devastatingly beautiful pieces of theatre I have ever seen, Choir Boy is overflowing with fantastic monologues, hilarious one-liners, and gorgeous a cappella songs with some really dope step choreography. Tarell McCraney is the master of writing heartfelt, realistic romantic and platonic love between men of color.

How can I watch this show? Choir Boy is gaining popularity as a regional show. Unfortunately there is no video bootleg in circulation, and although I am absolutely positive MTC has one, there is no proshot. There are a lot of official clips on YouTube and if you message me privately I can give you an audio recording of the show.

Can I buy the text? You can buy the pre-Broadway version of the play. We have not been successful in finding a Broadway copy of the text, although I do have one I got at flea that was part of a Tony voters package.

Is there a cast recording? No, and I’m mad about it.

THE WRONG MAN

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? The Wrong Man started as a concept album by Ross Golan, and he expanded on it to create a 90-minute musical. Duran, a man down on his luck in Reno, Nevada, meets Mariana at a bar one night. They become romantically involved and make plans to leave Reno together. However, Mariana's violent ex-husband has just been released from prison, and when he finds out about their relationship, he frames Duran for murder.

Why should I check this out? The Wrong Man is completely sung-through and it is bops on bops on bops. There is not a dull song in this show and the orchestrations (by Alex Lacamoire of Hamilton fame) are gorgeous. The choreography (by Travis Wall) is my favorite I have ever seen. Joshua Henry, Ciara Renée, and Ryan Vasquez can sing literally anything. This show also did something really unique where they had Ryan Vasquez play the role of Duran once or twice a week.

How can I watch this show? There is a video bootleg that is NFT until July 15th, but I can give you the master’s information if you’d like to purchase it now. Message me privately for audio.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? Not yet. We’ve gotten some hints that there may be one coming soon. You can listen to the concept album, but it’s quite different from the show and I’d recommend listening to the audio first.

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? The Scottsboro Boys is a musical with a book by David Thompson, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the Scottsboro Boys trial.

Why should I check this out? The Scottsboro Boys is one of those shows that sounds like it wouldn’t work at all (and I think that unfortunately is most of the reason why it did so poorly on Broadway) but is actually brilliant. It is one of the sharpest, most poignant pieces of satire I’ve ever seen. The balance of comedy and the heartbreaking subject matter creates an incredibly powerful pieces of art. I saw a small regional production in a black box theater and it’s still one of my favorite things I’ve ever seen.

How can I watch this show? You may be able to catch this show at a regional theater. I think there may possibly be a bootleg, but I’m not sure if this is in circulation in any digital form. I don’t personally have audio of the show, but I’m sure it’s out there. There are some official clips on YouTube.

Can I buy the text? I don’t think so.

Is there a cast recording? There is an Off-Broadway cast recording and a London cast recording

ANGELS IN AMERICA: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? I know it is a bit crazy to be calling Angels in America underrated as it has been around forever and literally won the Tony, Drama Desk, and Pulitzer and the revival won the Tony, but I feel that it’s underrated on tumblr and among young people. Angels in America is a two-part play (individually titled Millennium Approaches and Perestroika) by Tony Kushner. It a complex, often metaphorical, and at times symbolic examination of AIDS and homosexuality in America in the 1980s. Certain major and minor characters are supernatural beings (angels) or deceased persons (ghosts). The play contains multiple roles for several of the actors. Initially and primarily focusing on a gay couple in Manhattan, the play also has several other storylines, some of which occasionally intersect.

Why should I check this out? The camp! The drama! The comedy! The devastation! The OG comedy featuring Mormons. Iconic monologues and dialogue. The entire play is about eight hours long, and I would have happily sat through it with no breaks. Nobody will ever write a more epic play.

How can I watch this show? The most recent revival was filmed by the National Theatre when it was in London. I’m not sure if there’s a way to stream it online but I have a copy I can link you to. There’s also a Broadway revival bootleg.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? N/A

A STRANGE LOOP

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? A Strange Loop is about an usher at The Lion King on Broadway who is also named Usher, who is writing a self-referential musical called A Strange Loop. Usher is an overweight, overwhelmed “ball of black confusion” trying to navigate without a compass the hierarchical white, black and gay worlds; his family’s religion, which condemns him for his sexuality; and an entertainment industry that isn’t interested in what he has to say. He’s also having an existential crisis as he deals with questions of reality, illusions, perceptions and identity. His biggest fear is that he’s stuck in an endless cycle of hopelessness where change is not possible.

Why should I check this out? It’s hard to talk about A Strange Loop with people who haven’t seen it because it is truly unlike any other show I have ever seen. It starts out seeming like a musical comedy about identity, but it gets more intense as the show goes on until you’re crying next to a stranger and wondering how the hell you even got there. It’s brilliant.

How can I watch this show? Unfortunately there is no video bootleg, but you can ask me for an audio. Some clips are available on YouTube.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? Yes. I recommend reading this as you go along so the songs make more sense because they’re pretty wild out of context (they’re pretty equally as wild in context).

SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY

Play or musical? Play.

What’s it about? Paulina, the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school, has her sights set on the Miss Global Universe pageant. But the arrival of Ericka, a new student with undeniable talent and beauty, captures the attention of the pageant recruiter—and Paulina’s hive-minded friends.

Why should I check this out? School Girls is one of the funniest plays I have ever seen. The writing is so smart, and the show deals with racism (both on an interpersonal and worldwide level), colorism, body image, sex and gender, class, and inequality.

How can I watch this show? PBS recently released the proshot on their website. I don’t have a ripped copy yet, so if anyone does have one please send it my way. Regional theaters have been doing this show as well.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? N/A

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, young Evan Goldman grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school.

Why should I check this out? It’s Jason Robert Brown, so the music slaps. It’s the only Broadway musical ever with a cast and band entirely made of teenagers. Plus it has baby Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies in their Broadway debuts. 13 walked so so many other musicals about teens could run.

How can I watch this show? There is a video bootleg that’s not hard to find. I’m sure there’s audio in circulation as well.

Can I buy the text? Yes.

Is there a cast recording? There is an Broadway cast recording and a West End cast recording

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? Secret Life of Bees is a musical by Duncan Sheik and Lynn Nottage based on the novel of the same name. Haunted by memories of her late mother and abused by her father, 14-year-old Lily Owens runs away with her friend and caregiver Rosaleen to the South Carolina town that holds the key to her mother's past. There, Lily meets the Boatwright sisters, who take her in and teach her about beekeeping, honey, and the Black Madonna. Lily also discovers that the truth about her mother is closer than she thinks.

Why should I check this out? The music is so gorgeous. It’s one of my favorite Duncan Sheik scores. LaChanze is amazing at everything she does, and Elizabeth Teeter and Brett Gray are stars you need to be looking out for.

How can I watch this show? There is no video bootleg. You can message me privately for an audio.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? No, but I really wish there was.

AMERICAN PSYCHO

Play or musical? Musical.

What’s it about? American Psycho is based on the 1991 novel of the same name and written by Duncan Sheik and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. In New York City in 1987, a handsome, young urban professional, Patrick Bateman, lives a second life as a gruesome serial killer by night. The cast is filled by the detective, the fiancée, the mistress, the coworker (Jared Leto), and the secretary. This is a biting, wry comedy examining the elements that make a man a monster.

Why should I check this out? Listen, I won’t lie to you. There is a reason this musical is underrated, and that reason is because it is not good. But I love it. The fun comes from the knowledge that this campy, ridiculous, obscenely bloody show was on Broadway (briefly). Duncan Sheik went off the rails and wrote a techno musical! How can you not love that! Benjamin Walker gives the performance of his career and he did it mostly in his underwear! Heléne Yorke creates a character so grating you find yourself begging Patrick to kill her! They somehow got Alice Ripley AND Jenn Damiano to do this shitshow! I will maintain until the day I die that nobody can top American Psycho’s act one closer.

How can I watch this show? There are a couple of video bootlegs of the Broadway production, as well as some official clips on YouTube. I have an audio of the West End production that I can share.

Can I buy the text? No.

Is there a cast recording? There is tragically no Broadway cast recording, but there is a London cast recording.

#why did this take me two hours to write #i'm gwen and i approve this message

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somekindofnightrp · 5 years

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Pull Me Right Up By the Fire and I’ll Show You What Home Means Now (SL with @IsntThatMuchFun, @JustCantExplain, and @ToANewThing)

Kadin: -Moving in with Sin wasn’t something that I’d really even had to think twice about. There was more to it than just the logistics. It made sense. That was definitely true. It was well past time for me to get out of my best friend’s guest bedroom. She was an extension of my family here in America. I thought I’d left everyone behind back in London, and in a way I had. My parents and brother still lived there. It had been a long time since I’d been able to go back to see them, but having someone who made Los Angeles feel like home made it a hell of a lot easier to handle.

I figured it would be an easy enough process, but I was amazed at the amount of material I’d managed to collect between the hoarding I’d done in the spare room at Shaun and Elle’s house and the storage unit I used for my photographic equipment. It wasn’t that all of it needed to be moved right away, but I wanted to give my friends enough room to start preparing for the baby that was well on its way by now. The things in the storage unit could mostly wait or stay in place. I just needed to get myself moved in.

The girls had called in their friend Ian to help move boxes, and I’d managed to rope Calliope into coming to help me with some of my equipment. Out of everyone I knew, she would best understand how to handle some of the more delicate pieces of machinery and how to set them up once we got them moved in. She’d been with me on so many photoshoots, I was pretty sure she could have shot herself if she’d been able to get the camera set up for it, though I knew she enjoyed having a photographer. I’d enjoyed the times I’d gotten to work with her and Sin too.

It was going to be interesting living full time with my favorite model, even if I’d been working with Calliope longer. I was still a little nervous about all of it, though. I’d never lived with anyone I’d been in a relationship with, and the two of us were busy. We were rarely home at the same time, but at least this would give us the chance to make the most of it while we could.

I pulled a box out of the trunk of my car and looked across as Sin was walking into the building in front of me, jogging to catch up to her side and steal a kiss off her cheek.-

So, what’s a gorgeous woman like you doing with such a dork?

Sin: *I was a little nervous. I wasn’t used to sharing my space. And here I was. Helping my boyfriend to move in with me. But to be fair, I knew that this was going to be our home. He didn’t really have anywhere to call home, except Ray and Shaun’s place. And with them expecting a baby, I knew Kadin wanted to get out of their hair. It only made sense for him to come here. I knew the likelihood of us spending time together was going to be slim to none, but I wanted him here.

It had taken a little bit of work to get used to his schedule, but we had done it. We were aware of the limitations we had, but we also knew that we had to make our relationship a priority. It was why we spent every moment we could together. We wanted to cherish the time we were in the same city together. It was why I was okay with him moving in.

He claimed to not have much stuff to move in, but I wasn’t going to chance it. I also knew that Calliope was still living out of a hotel. I was hoping all of that was going to change. Kadin had asked about me and Ray helping her to find a place to stay, and I had an idea. Kadin hadn’t been sold on it, but I knew it wasn’t going to be a problem. Ray and I had a friend that was currently looking for a new roommate.

Kadin had said that Callie didn’t do well with guys. But I figured Ian would be okay. There was no way he was going to hit on her. In all the years that Ray and I had known him, he hadn’t ever gone out with a girl. I figured he was either gay or asexual. Neither was a problem. I knew he wasn’t going to hurt her. If anything, he was just going to get protective over her.

I couldn’t help but let out a laugh as Kadin pressed his lips to my cheek. The question was harmless, even a bit rhetorical. We both never saw what the other saw. And we were constantly asking what we saw in the other. And the truth was that he was just a part of my soul. I didn’t know how to answer it. I almost always gave him the same answer. It wasn’t something that was ever going to change.* You saw me when I was invisible. What are you doing with a nerd like me, Kade?

Kadin: -I could only laugh at her question. To anyone looking in from the outside, Sin was way out of my league. I was the one who didn’t belong here on paper, though I knew she would disagree with me if I brought it up. She was part of me. That was all I knew for certain, though there were times it was hard to put it into words.

I just pulled her in closer to my side before I let her walk on into the building before I replied.-

I’m being the luckiest guy on the face of the planet. That’s what.

-I could hear the sound of a car pulling up behind me, and I knew we were expecting some help with getting everything moved in, though I wasn’t certain if it was Ian or Callie that was pulling up until I turned around. There was some ulterior motive in inviting them both to help out. There weren’t so many boxes that I couldn’t handle it myself. I mean, I’d basically been living in one room since I’d come to Los Angeles.

Callie needed a place to stay now that she was here, though. She wasn’t going to be able to live in a hotel room forever, and Ian needed a roommate. Normally, I would have been a little shy about having one of my female friends move in with a guy, but all of the girls were pretty sure that Ian was gay and just hiding it from everyone. Whether he was or not, he didn’t date anyone, he just hung out with all the girls and minded his own business. He was respectful of all of them, even if his sense of humor as a little sarcastic. Overall, they trusted him, which meant I trusted him too, even though I hadn’t spent tons of time with him since we’d met. I just hoped that it was going to be what was best for my friend.-

Callie: ~This was different. I knew the situation I was walking into. I had originally been asked to come help Kadin move into Sin’s place. But I was absolutely aware of the fact that Kadin had a plan about my living situation. I was still in the hotel, and he hated it. He would rather I be in someone’s spare room. But I wasn’t ready to force myself upon anyone else.

There were still nights that the terror got to me. I kept reliving the night that everything happened. The night that everything had been taken away from me. I wasn’t sure how long it was going to last, but I had been weary of taking another step into moving in with someone. This was rough enough on me. I wasn’t entirely willing to go through that with someone else.

But I was also ready to move on with my life. And living out of a hotel was not what I wanted to be doing. I had looked at getting an apartment, but they were too tiny for what I wanted. And I felt like being alone was only going to isolate myself even more. I needed a roommate.

Sin and I had talked about her friend Ian before. It was someone she felt safe about. And that meant a lot to me. He had been looking for a roommate, but she wanted to give me the chance to meet him first. That’s what all of this was about.

I took a breath as I pulled up to Sin’s place. Her and Kadin were still outside, but both seemed to have a couple of boxes in their arms. I had boxes too, just a different kind. Grabbing the pizza boxes from the passenger’s seat, I made my way up to the two of them.^

Move Kade in first. Then the two of you can bang each other everywhere. Public indecency is a thing, you know!

Kadin: -I snorted out a laugh when I heard Callie’s comment and leaned in to steal a kiss from Sin’s forehead before I greeted my friend.-

Well, hello to you too, Callie. You’re going to have to promise not to call the cops on me for groping my girlfriend in public.

-I shook my head and used my back to open the door and hold it open for the girls. They both had their arms full. So did I, but I could do this much for the two of them. My mother would have murdered me if I hadn’t at least gotten the door for a lady even if she wasn’t here. I also used my elbow to punch the button to call the elevator since it didn’t think any of us were going to feel like slogging up the stairs with everything we had in our arms.

It seemed like everyone was here at the moment except for Ian, and he was due to be here any moment now. I just hoped that the two of them got on well enough to ensure that she was going to have a place to stay besides a hotel soon enough. Maybe this time next week we would be moving her things into a new apartment.-

Ian: -I’d never been to Sin’s place before, but I had her address plugged into the GPS. I trusted it enough to get me where I was going in a huge place like Los Angeles. I might have lived here my entire life, but there were entire sections of the city I’d never been to in my life. It was common enough. Most people stuck to their own neighborhoods and daily routines pretty closely around here.

Usually my life was pretty quiet. I went to work, came home, read my books, watched the movies I liked and kept to myself. Sometimes I went out with the girls from work, but they were the only ones I every went anywhere with. I knew they thought I was hiding something about myself from them. I wasn’t dumb, and I figured it was a pretty widespread belief that I was either gay or just not interested in dating anyone at all. The latter was more or less the truth. I couldn’t see any appeal in the life that a lot of guys around here led. They’d go out with a different girl every night. It just felt kind of empty to me.

But I was looking for a roommate. The last guy I had lived with was a disaster. He was in and out at all hours of the day and night, bringing people over at whatever time, blasting music. Besides all that, he was a slob. When he’d decided to move on to some place bigger, I couldn’t hide my excitement. But that still left me holding the bag on the rent on my own. I could swing it, but just barely, and if I wanted to have any extra money at the end of the month, I was going to have to find someone to split it with me.

I knew they wanted me to meet their friend. I’d been told about a half a dozen times she was going to be here and that she was looking for a place to stay. If she was anything like a decent human, she’d have been an improvement over the last one. I just had to hope that I was what she was looking for too. I knew I wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I kept to myself too much. I stayed home instead of going out. I could be outgoing enough if I was around people I was used to, but if I wasn’t, I could clam up pretty tight.

I parked in front of the building when the GPS told me I had arrived where I was supposed to be just in time to see the Kadin and Sin along with someone I’d never met before disappearing into the lobby. It must have been Calliope, even though I’d never met her before. I let myself out of the car and jogged up to the entrance just in time to let myself walk up behind them as the elevator doors dinged open.-

Hi there…

Sin: *I could only laugh at Callie and Kadin. They were a trip together. That’s for sure. They had a unique relationship. That was for sure. But I loved the two of them. I was glad Kadin had talked Callie into coming down here for that first shoot. And I was ecstatic that she decided that this was where she wanted to be. We had a family here. And it wasn’t just Ray and Shaun. There was Rydia, Nate, and Ian. We were all a small family. We supported each other when it was needed. And we were always there for each other.

It was something I was hoping Callie fell into as well. I gave Kadin a quick kiss after we waited for the elevator. But it was the voice coming in through the doors that made me jump out of my skin. I wasn’t sure why I was so surprised by Ian being here. I had asked him to come help. Mainly as a way for him and Callie to get a feel for each other. I was kind of hoping he adopted her as a baby sister. She needed someone that was going to protect her.

But it was the fact that Callie had turned white as a ghost as Ian walked in. She didn’t do well with being startled. Most of us knew that fact, but it was something I hadn’t had the time to tell Ian about. And most of it was her story to tell.*

Jesus Christ, Ian. Scare the shit out of everyone, why don’t you?! ^Shaking my head, I gently nudged Callie.^ He’s the one I was telling you about. Nice guy that doesn’t like the females. He’s looking for a roommate that isn’t a piece of shit. Callie Mead meet Ian Lucas. Ian… Be nice to Callie. She’s just moved down here from Napa. She’s Kadin’s best friend. She needs a place to call home since she’s decided she’s done with Northern California.

Callie: ^I could only roll my eyes at Sin as Ian took the pizzas from my hands with a grin. Apparently, I wasn’t going to be carrying anything into Sin’s place. I hadn’t been expecting anyone to creep up on us, so I was a little out of my skin. It wasn’t something I liked dealing with, but I needed to get it under control.

Taking a breath, I gently pushed against Sin’s shoulder with mine. There was so much wrong with the statement she had just said, but I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to get into in the middle of an elevator with a stranger. I had barely told Kade the entire story. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go over if I spit the word vomit out everywhere. But I also didn’t want to hide from Ian, either. If Sin and Kade were trying to get me to move in with him, he had to know part of the story.^

I got left with a life I didn’t necessarily want anymore. Napa, while beautiful, can be absolutely stifling if you don’t have a passion for wine. And while I did love the vineyard I grew up on, it turned out that it wasn’t something I had a passion for. So instead of suffering through something I have no desire to do for the rest of my life, I sold it off and decided to walk away. Everyone needs an adventure. This is mine.

Ian: -I listened carefully, already pissed at myself that I’d scared her a little. I could see the way Callie was trying to process everything that was going on now that I was paying attention, and I was already sorry I’d done it. She had a lot going on behind those eyes, and I found myself wanting to know more about her adventure.

Adventure had never really been a part of my life. I’d lived in this city since I’d been born, and I’d rarely been out of it at any point of my life including the time I’d spent in college. I had traveled from time to time of course, but ninety-nine percent of my time was spent here. I more or less existed at work or at home with intermittent bouts of time out with the girls I worked with. They were my friends, because they were who I spent most of my time with. I loved every one of them, but I had very few friends outside of work. I was used to keeping to myself, but I wanted to know more about Callie-

A vineyard sounds like a lot of responsibility. I haven’t ever really been responsible for much besides myself.

-The elevator dinged onto the floor of Sin’s apartment. Keeping one hand on the door to make sure everyone got off before I followed them all down the hallway towards the apartment that the two of them were going to share from now on.

I wasn’t surprised the two of them were moving in together. It was past time to make sure that happened. They were perfect for each other.-

Sin: *I could only snort as Ian started to fall back to get to know Callie more. Good. He needed someone in his life that wasn’t going to screw him around. He needed a good roommate. And I knew Callie could be that person. She’d care about him and keep him out of trouble. It was something they both needed. Holding the door open for the other three, I quickly dropped the box I was carrying off in the bedroom.

As soon as Kadin’s boxes were down, I felt his arms wrap around my waist. I was beyond excited to be doing this. I liked the idea of being able to wake up in his arms. I wanted him to have a place he could call home. I wanted to be that place for him. Relaxing against his chest, I tilted my head to the side and kissed his jaw.*

I know this probably wasn’t what you were expecting to happen when you first asked to take my picture. But the truth is that I wouldn’t change that for the world. I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you want to move in with me. Most importantly, I want you to know that I love you.

Kadin: -I could only laugh softly as I thought about that moment I’d stopped and asked to take Sin’s photo at the comic con. That was months ago, and I had changed everything about my life for the better. I loved living with my little makeshift family here, but there was so much more to it than that. She was quickly becoming the most important thing in the world to me, and being able to live here with her every day was probably the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Pulling her into my arms was a natural move, and she felt like she was made to be there. She fit perfectly into my chest. I leaned down and pressed my own lips to her shoulder.-

I love you too. And I don’t know what I imagined happening when I asked for your photo. I just know that this is the thing that I needed even when I didn’t know I needed it. If that makes any sense…

-shaking my head I stole another kiss from the closest inch of bare skin I could-

These two are going to tell us to go get a room.

-I nodded towards Callie and Ian who had followed us into the apartment. We didn’t have many more boxes to move, but we did have pizza to eat, a few things to unpack, and a couple of friends to get introduced in hopes they were going to want to move in together under an entirely different set of circumstances.-

Callie: ^I rolled my eyes as Kadin and Sin wandered off to put down some of their boxes.I wasn’t sure what was going on with Ian, but I felt safe around him. There wasn’t much I was going to tell him at the moment. I wasn’t going to dive headfirst into my story with him. Maybe I’d do it if we decided this was something we were going to do. But I wasn’t going to tell him about any of this while we were sitting in the middle of Sin and Kadin’s apartment.

I could only clear my throat as Kadin started to press kisses along Sin’s shoulders. I knew he was excited to be under the same roof as her. They needed to spend time together. And this was the right time to do it. It seemed like everything was coming together the way it needed to for those two.And it made me kind of happy.^

I did not come over to watch the two of you get handsy. If that’s all the two of you want to do, I’m sure I can take Ian out to get food. I might even take him to our spot, Kade. Seems like I need a new person to hang out with now that you have a place to live with your girlfriend.

^I could only give Kadin a smile as I reminded him that Ian and I were here. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I wasn’t upset with him. But I could feel the pang of jealousy in my stomach. And it wasn’t something I was ready to talk about. I could feel my hands start to tremble slightly as I worried about what everyone was going to think about why I was in Los Angeles. I was sure it was a story that was going to get out sooner rather than later.^

Ian: -it made sense that Kadin would forget we were in the room, and I knew from the number of boxes he had the two of them hadn’t really invited Callie and I because they needed the help. I couldn’t help but feel a little like this was a job interview though. And, maybe in a sense, it was.

I turned to Callie, noting the little tremble she was trying to hide. Maybe getting her out of here would be the best idea. It would give everyone some space. I needed a roommate. She needed a place, and the two of us needed to get to know each other if that was going to work out in our favors. I wasn’t going to push her, but I wanted her to get some space-

I’m a fan of getting shown this place. It’ll give those two a chance to get inappropriate while we keep busy anyway. Just tell me this place has decent fries and I’m down. Besides, you need a chance to figure out I’m not a psychopath or a professional nose hair trimmer or something, right?

Callie: ^The goodbyes were quick once it was decided that Ian and I were going to go get food together. It was a quick and easy decision to make the trip separately. We both wanted to have that chance to get out if this wasn’t going to end well. But things were different. This wasn’t just about Ian being a guy I was potentially going to live with. It was going to be someone that I was going to have to trust.

Part of me already did trust him. But I didn’t just want to jump into that idea. I needed to figure my life out without worrying about someone coming to kill me. And I had a forty five minute drive to think about everything. And it was a forty five minute drive where I questioned everything. There was a lot that Ian needed to know before getting involved with me. And there were parts of the story that Kadin didn’t even know. But I didn’t live with Kadin.

The war waged for far longer than I thought possible. I kept going back and forth on the decision. But I wasn’t going to agonize over it. It was only something I had to worry about if Ian and I decided we were going to be roommates. As I pulled up towards the pier, I found a spot to park with an open spot next to me.

I didn’t think as I slid from my car and leaned against it as I waited for Ian. It was only a matter of minutes before he was sliding from his car with dark jeans and a dark shirt. Pulling the outfit together was a pair of black converse and dark sunglasses. I could only shake my head as I thought about what the girls had been telling me since the moment I got to town.^ All the guys must go crazy for you. You look good in what you wear. It’s like every item was made just for you.

Ian: -Callie was easy to spot leaning against her car in the lot by the pier where she’d told me to meet her. Even here in Los Angeles, a city full of models and actresses, she stood out. Maybe it was just because there was clearly something more to her than most of the people who wandered around this shallow place. I’d lived here all my life. I’d seen it all come and go, and I hadn’t ever really met someone like her.

It hit me that I didn’t really know her though. There was a sadness behind her eyes, that I knew she was keeping to herself. I wasn’t going to push her on it. We’d just met, and if she decided that she wanted to confide in me in the future, then there was plenty of time for that. For now, we just needed to figure out if we could get along well enough to live together. I’d had some crappy roommates in the past few years. The last one had been the worst in a long line of assholes. So right now, anyone who wasn’t going to steal half my stuff when they moved out was going to be a miracle.

I just knew that she probably had much higher standards for whoever she moved in with. She needed a place to live, but she wasn’t desperate, and to be honest, she could probably do a hell of a lot better than me with everything she had going for her.

I was so lost in contemplating all the possibilities here, that I’d half missed what she said to me. It took a moment for all of her words to register, and when they finally did, I wound up sliding my sunglasses down to the tip of my nose with a half snort.-

Guys?

-It hit me that maybe we’d gotten some wires crossed here, but I had no idea what she’d heard about me from the girls. I wasn’t gay, but I hadn’t dated anyone since I’d met any of them. Maybe they just assumed I wasn’t into girls. It wasn’t that I wasn’t into dating women. I loved women. I just wasn’t interest in dating much of anyone. It was going to take someone amazing to change that, and no one that amazing wanted anything to do with me. Until someone right came along, I was happy enough passing the time on my own.-

Well, I mean… this is L.A. I’ve been hit on by a guy or two, but they weren’t my type considering I’m straight, or I was the last time I checked anyway. But I have to admit, it has been a long time since I checked.

-I grinned at her, trying to keep the conversation friendly. I didn’t want to scare her off if she had thought she was interviewing a potential gay roommate. I could see how someone as attractive as she was would have a hard time weeding out creeps from the list of people she could feel safe around, and if you couldn’t feel safe around your roommate, then things were never going to work out.-

Listen, I haven’t dated anyone in about a million years. I think I was in college the last time I even left the house to go on a date. Mostly, I’m just happy to hang out and watch whatever is good on Netflix with my friends. But I’m sure as hell going to keep that compliment on file for one of those rainy days when I feel like I’m about as good looking as the bottom of a boot.

Callie: ^I felt my eyes go wide as Ian said he was straight. Sin and Rayelle both swore he wasn’t into girls. But I could see why as he explained about dating. He didn’t do it. And apart of me was relieved to know that he wasn’t bringing people home every night. Ian was just the kind of guy that wanted to make sure he was spending his time with the right people. And I couldn’t fault him for that.

I cleared my throat as I fell into step with him. There was still a lot on my mind, but I knew I needed to tell him the truth about why all of that came up. And if we were going to move in together, he had to know the full story. He needed to understand what could happen in the middle of the night. If this was something he couldn’t handle, I wouldn’t blame him. It was going to be something that scared him. That much I was sure of.^

Ray and Sin don’t know that you’re straight. They think you’re Kinsey Six gay. It was why they decided you were a good option for me to live with. Because I wouldn’t have to worry about you trying to hit on me or hook up with me.

^I could see the worry on Ian’s face. He wasn’t going to like where this was going. But it was something I was a little tired of hiding from him. I needed him to know why I was distancing myself away from most people.^

I had left my parents to go look at an apartment in San Francisco. They were at their vineyard. Totally normal. I had just broken up with my boyfriend, and he wasn’t happy. We wanted two different things even if he didn’t want to admit it. So while I was gone, he took everything away from me. I came back to my parents vineyard to three dead bodies. Them and my ex. That was a month before I moved down here. And I still have night terrors.

Ian: -I knew there was some kind of story about why she’d left. I could see it written on her face back at the apartment when she’d said something about moving to town, but I’d decided I wasn’t going to push her on it. It wasn’t any of my business even if we’d decided to move in together, but now that she’d decided to confide in me, I wasn’t going to take that for granted.

That kind of situation was enough to give anyone night terrors. I couldn’t even imagine anything like it myself. I had lived a fairly uneventful life for the most part. There were the usual landmarks that marked anyone’s life from childhood on up, but there was nothing that stood out in particular as something that would have marked me as different than anyone else. Maybe that made me lucky, but it probably made me boring. And if definitely made me unsure I could ever say anything that was going to help out the woman who was sitting in the booth across from me right now.

I was still processing over what to say to her when the waitress interrupted us to get our order, and I didn’t want to say anything in front of a stranger, not when Callie had been so uncertain that she was even going to be able to confide in me. I just hoped that the pause wasn’t going to make her any more nervous that she already was about all of this. It was just a matter of telling the young woman who came to take our order what we wanted and wait for her to leave before I turned back to speak to her.

All I could do was to say exactly what I was thinking about what she’d just told me.-

I have no idea how you got through all of that on your own. I don’t think I’d have been able to do it. My biggest problem has been a series of roommates who would have rather died than wash their dishes and thought that the living room was a good place to hook up with whoever they drug home from the club the night before at six in the morning while I’m getting ready to go to work.

-The fact that the girls thought I was gay wasn’t even really registering with me at the moment. It didn’t really matter to me. I wasn’t hooking up with anyone male or female, so whatever they thought was running through my mind was a moot point. What was really worrying me was how Callie was feeling about everything that was happening.-

Listen, I have an extra bedroom, and rent in Los Angeles isn’t cheap. Sharing an apartment is a plus for both of us in that department. I don’t have people over. I don’t date anyone. I haven’t in years, and I don’t plan on starting anytime soon. And as silly as I can be when everyone else is around, I like things quiet at home. Most nights, I don’t even turn on the television. A cup of tea and a good book is as wild as I like to get.

-I snorted because it just hit me why they all thought I was gay. In reality, I was a loner, and being alone was something I absolutely needed, even when I enjoyed everyone else’s company and could put on a face that looked like I was having the time of my life. The thing I needed the most was the time to recharge in quiet and on my own.-

I know you need a place to heal from everything that’s happened to you. I don’t care about the nightmares. If you wake up screaming in the middle of the night and you need someone to talk to, you can come wake me up. I don’t mind. Not even a little bit. I barely sleep as it is. And I know I’m babbling. I just want you to feel comfortable with me, and I’m not so secretly hoping that you’ll take me up on my offer to share an apartment.

Callie: ^It didn’t feel like I had spent all day with Ian. And that was a good thing. We were already in a spot I was happy with. So when he said he was hoping that I was going to move in with him, I knew that this was the right move to make. There was something easy about the two of us together. I didn’t have to try with him. I could just be myself and that was what mattered.

I nodded my head as I took a sip from the glass of water in front of me. There wasn’t much else to do except answer him and make everything right. We needed to figure it all out before we took another step.^ I’m not expecting the greatest place in the entire world, Ian. I just need a place to sleep. And maybe a corner to set up a small space for my outfits.

^It was in that moment that I realized that I wasn’t sure if Ian knew about my hobby. And it was a slightly terrifying idea. It could be kind of hard to explain what I did as a hobby. I took characters that people loved and made them something else. I just didn’t know how Ian was going to react to it when I told him what I did. It was the only thing that helped when the nightmares hit me full force.^ I might be a little on the crafty side. But I promise to keep it contained and cleaned up.

Ian: -I knew she was trying to figure everything out, but she hadn’t even seen my apartment yet. There was plenty of space for her to spread out and store anything. It was pretty damned big for this city. I’d lucked out when I found it, and there was a reason I needed a roommate to be able to afford it without having to eat ramen noodles and peanut butter for the rest of my life.

Honestly though, I didn’t care if she took over the whole apartment with her craft supplies. That wasn’t going to be a problem. As long as she wasn’t driving me crazy like the last roommate who couldn’t tell the difference between the floor and the trash can, a few art supplies weren’t going to be an issue. But she’d also mentioned outfits which had me wondering what kind of hobby she actually had-

Listen, you’ll have a full bedroom with a walk-in closet. The place is plenty big enough for you and your craft supplies and outfits, but I’m going to admit you piqued my interest here. What kind of outfits?

-I knew she was a model. She was one of Kadin’s models, and if I went by the way he met Jaysin, that meant she was going to be some kind of cosplayer. That was going to be an interesting fit since it meant I wasn’t going to have to hide half of the geeky shit I’d been storing in a box in my closet since the jock moved in.-

Because if you’re about to tell me you’re a cosplayer like Jaysin, I’m going to geek out on you, and I’m not even going to try to apologize for it.

Callie: Kadin had me come down to LA because Sin has a Leia costume that he thought would work well with the Han costume I had. I do actually cosplay like Jaysin does. It’s just something I haven’t been able to do lately. I haven’t had the space to craft. And it’s something that I love doing. And since I sold the vineyard, I have plenty of time and money to do it without having to work.

^I realized what it sounded like. And I felt my cheeks get a little bit pinker as I thought about it a little more. But it was the situation we were handed. I was where I was because of what had happened to me. But all I could do was shake my head as I tried to look apologetic. I wasn’t sure that this was okay. I was still super nervous about spending the night in the same apartment as Ian. Not because of what he could do to me, but because he might change his mind about wanting me there. My voice was soft as I looked away from the man in front of me.~

Between the life insurance and the vineyard, I have enough money to survive. And I could do it on my own. But I’m not ready to be alone yet. That must sound insane. Most people would want to be alone after something like what I went through. But the truth is that I can’t stand the idea of being alone. It’s why I wanted a roommate. Regardless of the nightmares. I just don’t know how to handle being by myself at this point. It’s a little terrifying to me.

Ian: -I wasn’t used to having enough money to make it on my own without having to have a roomate. I supposed I could have if I’d pushed it, but it wouldn’t have been anything like easy. I could understand not wanting to be alone though. It was something I struggled with from time to time, and honestly, it was the reason I hadn’t kicked my last roommate out sooner. The thought of living alone wasn’t something I enjoyed, though I enjoyed it more than being tormented to death.

I supposed that Callie had the opposite problem. She had all the ability to be alone, but she didn’t want it in the slightest. It wasn’t something she’d had to admit to me, though, and now that she had I wanted to alleviate the embarrassment that I saw rising in her cheeks. There wasn’t really anything to be embarrassed about after everything that she’d been through. I couldn’t even imagine it myself, and I had to admit that some element of it made me want to make sure that she was going to be alright.

I could tell she was nervous about all of this to boot, and I just wanted to make sure that I did as much as I could to alleviate all of that for her.-

Hey, I mean, I get it. I get not wanting to be alone after everything that’s happened, and I can tell you’re still nervous about all of this. I’m not sure what to do to make it all more comfortable for you. It’s just…

-I took a nervous sip of my drink, unsure if what I was about to say was just me putting my foot in my mouth like usual or if it was just what she needed to hear. I had a bad habit of saying whatever popped into my mind without restraint, and it had come back to bite me in the ass plenty of times before. I just didn’t want that to happen now.-

I can tell you need someone. I need someone, too, and I’m here if you’re willing to give this a chance. I won’t make you sign any leases or anything, and if you decide you don’t like living with me, then you can find a new place and move out. I just want you to feel comfortable about sharing an apartment with someone you just met… as stupid as that probably sounds.

Callie: ~I shook my head as Ian stepped all over his words. I could see that he was doing everything in his power to make me comfortable. And I appreciated that more than words could say. He was doing everything in his power to make me okay, even if I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be. And I knew that I wasn’t going to pass this up. He was giving me a life vest in the sea that was trying to consume me. And really, all I needed to do was grab it.

He was understanding of what I was going through. He wasn’t trying to pressure me into doing anything one way or another. But I could understand the rush to have an answer. But it felt like anything but that. It was just one of those things where I felt secure in the answer I was going to give him. And as much as I wanted to thank Jaysin and Rayelle for the suggestion, this was all thanks to Ian. He made me feel like this is the right decision. It wasn’t just about him finding a roommate. It was about making sure this was a good move for all involved.~

I’m not going to say no to you, Ian. I think this is the right move for both of us. As long as you don’t keep a constant parade of women coming in and out of the place, I’ll do my best to keep everything relatively clean. I’ll do my part with the bills, too. I’m not just going to give you half the rent and call it a day. We’ll figure everything out. But yeah. I’d like to move in with you. You make me feel safe.

Ian: -I laughed softly when she talked about a constant parade of women. That wasn’t going to be an issue. Despite the fact that the girls had tried to set me up dozens of times before they apparently concluded that I was gay, I just hadn’t ever met anyone made me interested in that kind of thing. I could hang out with my friends, have a good time at a party, and get all of that kind of interaction out of my system that way. But at the end of the day, I was going to go home and curl up in bed alone and go to sleep on my own. It would have taken something big to change that for me, and I’d always decided that the traditional idea of romance wasn’t in the cards for me, no matter how weird that might sound to everyone else.

I was glad she trusted me enough to try moving in with me. In the end, I wanted to help her out as much as I wanted to get a roommate. She seemed like she was going to be human and not a monster, and she was going to be as quiet as I was about things. I didn’t see her jumping into a relationship right away after what happened to her, and I figured she needed me as much as I needed her, even if it was for different reasons.-

Trust me, I’m not going to be dating anyone any time soon. I haven’t had a girlfriend since college, and everyone quit trying to set me up on blind dates ages ago when I kept turning them down. There might be a parade of Redbox rental movies coming in the place along with bags of microwave popcorn, but that’s about it.

-I grinned before I downed another long draught of the drink sitting in front of me, holding out my hand for hers, hoping to shake on the deal.-

Then, I think we have an arrangement. The place is open for you to move in whenever you’re ready, and I had the empty bedroom cleaned when my old roomie moved out so you don’t have to worry about any of that. Also, I’m glad I can help, so… let's shake on it?

-I held up one eyebrow until she took my hand and gave it one firm shake. I didn’t know if this was going to work out for the best for both of us, but I had an idea that we were exactly what each other needed in a roommate. I just hoped that it was all going to go as smoothly as I was expecting. In the end, all we could do was wait and see what was in the cards for the both of us.-

#PullMeRightUpByTheFireAndIllShowYouWhatHomeMeansNow

#OC RP #RP #Roleplay #OC

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isntthatmuchfun-blog · 5 years

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Pull Me Right Up By The Fire And I’ll Show You What Home Means Now (SL with @JustCantExplain, @SomeKindOfNight, and @ToANewThing)

I pulled a box out of the trunk of my car and looked across as Sin was walking into the building in front of me, jogging to catch up to her side and steal a kiss off her cheek.-

So, what’s a gorgeous woman like you doing with such a dork?

I just pulled her in closer to my side before I let her walk on into the building before I replied.-

I’m being the luckiest guy on the face of the planet. That’s what.

Move Kade in first. Then the two of you can bang each other everywhere. Public indecency is a thing, you know!

Kadin: -I snorted out a laugh when I heard Callie’s comment and leaned in to steal a kiss from Sin’s forehead before I greeted my friend.-

Well, hello to you too, Callie. You’re going to have to promise not to call the cops on me for groping my girlfriend in public.

Hi there…

A vineyard sounds like a lot of responsibility. I haven’t ever really been responsible for much besides myself.

I wasn’t surprised the two of them were moving in together. It was past time to make sure that happened. They were perfect for each other.-

Pulling her into my arms was a natural move, and she felt like she was made to be there. She fit perfectly into my chest. I leaned down and pressed my own lips to her shoulder.-

-shaking my head I stole another kiss from the closest inch of bare skin I could-

These two are going to tell us to go get a room.

Guys?

All I could do was to say exactly what I was thinking about what she’d just told me.-

Because if you’re about to tell me you’re a cosplayer like Jaysin, I’m going to geek out on you, and I’m not even going to try to apologize for it.

I could tell she was nervous about all of this to boot, and I just wanted to make sure that I did as much as I could to alleviate all of that for her.-

-I grinned before I downed another long draught of the drink sitting in front of me, holding out my hand for hers, hoping to shake on the deal.-

#PullMeRightUpByTheFireAndIllShowYouWhatHomeMeansNow

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justcantexplain · 5 years

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Pull Me Right Up By The Fire And I’ll Show You What Home Means Now (SL with @IsntThatMuchFun, @ToANewThing and @SomeKindofNight)

I pulled a box out of the trunk of my car and looked across as Sin was walking into the building in front of me, jogging to catch up to her side and steal a kiss off her cheek.-

So, what’s a gorgeous woman like you doing with such a dork?

I just pulled her in closer to my side before I let her walk on into the building before I replied.-

I’m being the luckiest guy on the face of the planet. That’s what.

Move Kade in first. Then the two of you can bang each other everywhere. Public indecency is a thing, you know!

Kadin: -I snorted out a laugh when I heard Callie’s comment and leaned in to steal a kiss from Sin’s forehead before I greeted my friend.-

Well, hello to you too, Callie. You’re going to have to promise not to call the cops on me for groping my girlfriend in public.

Hi there…

A vineyard sounds like a lot of responsibility. I haven’t ever really been responsible for much besides myself.

I wasn’t surprised the two of them were moving in together. It was past time to make sure that happened. They were perfect for each other.-

Pulling her into my arms was a natural move, and she felt like she was made to be there. She fit perfectly into my chest. I leaned down and pressed my own lips to her shoulder.-

-shaking my head I stole another kiss from the closest inch of bare skin I could-

These two are going to tell us to go get a room.

Guys?

All I could do was to say exactly what I was thinking about what she’d just told me.-

Because if you’re about to tell me you’re a cosplayer like Jaysin, I’m going to geek out on you, and I’m not even going to try to apologize for it.

I could tell she was nervous about all of this to boot, and I just wanted to make sure that I did as much as I could to alleviate all of that for her.-

-I grinned before I downed another long draught of the drink sitting in front of me, holding out my hand for hers, hoping to shake on the deal.-

#PullMeRightUpByTheFireAndIllShowYouWhatHomeMeansNow

#RP #RolePlay #OCRP #OC

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toanewthing-blog · 5 years

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Pull Me Right Up By The Fire And I’ll Show You What Home Means Now (SL with @SomeKindOfNight, @JustCantExplain, and @IsntThatMuchFun)

I pulled a box out of the trunk of my car and looked across as Sin was walking into the building in front of me, jogging to catch up to her side and steal a kiss off her cheek.-

So, what’s a gorgeous woman like you doing with such a dork?

I just pulled her in closer to my side before I let her walk on into the building before I replied.-

I’m being the luckiest guy on the face of the planet. That’s what.

Move Kade in first. Then the two of you can bang each other everywhere. Public indecency is a thing, you know!

Kadin: -I snorted out a laugh when I heard Callie’s comment and leaned in to steal a kiss from Sin’s forehead before I greeted my friend.-

Well, hello to you too, Callie. You’re going to have to promise not to call the cops on me for groping my girlfriend in public.

Hi there…

A vineyard sounds like a lot of responsibility. I haven’t ever really been responsible for much besides myself.

I wasn’t surprised the two of them were moving in together. It was past time to make sure that happened. They were perfect for each other.-

Pulling her into my arms was a natural move, and she felt like she was made to be there. She fit perfectly into my chest. I leaned down and pressed my own lips to her shoulder.-

-shaking my head I stole another kiss from the closest inch of bare skin I could-

These two are going to tell us to go get a room.

Guys?

All I could do was to say exactly what I was thinking about what she’d just told me.-

Because if you’re about to tell me you’re a cosplayer like Jaysin, I’m going to geek out on you, and I’m not even going to try to apologize for it.

I could tell she was nervous about all of this to boot, and I just wanted to make sure that I did as much as I could to alleviate all of that for her.-

-I grinned before I downed another long draught of the drink sitting in front of me, holding out my hand for hers, hoping to shake on the deal.-

#PullMeRightUpByTheFireAndIllShowYouWhatHomeMeansNow

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scottgalina · 6 years

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MOMENTS IN THE WOODS: MY ULTIMATE THEATRE MOMENTS OF 2017

I don’t have much to add to what so many have said about this year and how fucking shitty it was, but what I will say is that you’d never know it looking at a list of all the things that New Yorkers were able to see. Whether leaning into the current political hellscape, or providing a completely unrelated escape, the 2017 season had something for everyone, and (more importantly, and maybe rarely) something good for everyone.

If this list seems long it’s only because I love love love love love love going to the theatre. And if you see the dates I saw things are close together and realize how many nights I spent at the theatre this year, just know that it still wasn’t enough for me. If you’re reading this and you saw a lot of the same things as me, let me know what you think! And if you’re reading this and want to see more theatre or feel left out for not seeing things, YOU SHOULD. Go see theatre! There are so many ways to see things. I saw so many of the shows listed below through student rushes or standing rooms or TDF or under 30 discount programs. See whatever you can, whenever you can. Theatre is vital. Art matters.

So, without further ado…

MOMENTS THAT MADE ME GENUINELY LAUGH Most of Randy Graff’s lines in The Babylon Line. (1/10)

More than I can count in School Girls which should be a TV show or a movie or just at LEAST not close forever on December 31st (which it’s scheduled to)!!! (11/16)

I’m putting The Antipodes here because I did laugh a lot and want to make sure it’s accounted for on this list but it could kind of go any and everywhere. (4/15)

MOMENTS THAT MADE ME CRY The courtroom scene at the end of Yen. (2/11)

Come From Away’s finale. Every. Single. Time. (2/19, 3/25, 6/8)

MOMENTS THAT TOOK MY BREATH AWAY Katrina Lenk singing “Omar Sharif” in The Band’s Visit. (1/4)

Sara Bareilles singing her way through her own EXQUISITE Waitress score with the ease of someone…actually she makes it seem easier than anything I’ve ever seen anyone else do before. (4/12)

The bathtub slip in Cost of Living. (6/28)

Walking into the Imperial for the first time to see Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, and then MANY moments that followed. (1/25, 2/3, 3/10)

Christine Ebersole singing “Pink” (one of the most beautiful songs of this, if not the past few, seasons) in War Paint. (3/3, 4/6)

Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl’s fight in act three of Torch Song. (10/19)

The title song in Hundred Days. That voice! The salt! (11/15)

MOMENTS THAT MADE ME SCREAM IN GAY ECSTASY Siobhan McCarthy forgetting the words to “By the Sea” at the first preview of Sweeney Todd and being fed them by STEPHEN JOSHUA SONDHEIM FROM HIS TABLE. (2/14)

Seeing Mel B as Roxie in Chicago. She was…..not good. I still screamed in gay ecstasy. (2/17)

The Chromolume in Sunday in the Park With George!!!!!!!! (3/2)

Cate Blanchett singing and dancing to “What Is Love” in The Present. Literally Haddaway’s “What Is Love”. Cate Blanchett. (3/17)

Laurie Metcalf’s glove business in A Doll’s House: Part 2. (4/18, 6/13)

The dance party in Charm. (8/31, 9/18)

MOMENTS THAT MADE ME SCREAM AND CRY IN GAY ECSTASY I mean, most every single solitary moment Glenn Close was onstage in Sunset Boulevard but really truly from “Hog Eye?” until the standing ovation at the end of “As If We Never Said Goodbye”. (3/9, 4/12)

“Fuck you, Nora.” (Also file under: MOMENTS MADE ME GENUINELY LAUGH)

Ti Moune’s Sasha-Velour-influenced-entrance in “Why We Tell the Story” in Once On This Island. (11/8, 12/3)

MOMENTS FEATURING THE BEST BELTING OF THE YEAR Grace McLean in Natasha, Pierre.. (Was it belting? Was it screaming? It was perfect.)

“Me and the Sky” from Come From Away. Duh. Also, Jenn Colella’s vocal part during “38 Planes (Reprise)/Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere”.

Patti LuPone singing “Forever Beautiful” surrounded by portraits of “herself” in War Paint.

Stephanie J. Block tearing into “What Is It About Her?” at MCC’s Miscast. (4/3) (Also file under: MOMENTS THAT MADE ME SCREAM IN GAY ECSTASY)

Alex Newell making the sand shake singing “Mama Will Provide” in Once On This Island.

Jimmy® Awards winner Jai’Len Christine Li Josey taking the Palace Theatre hostage during “Daddy Knows Best” in SpongeBob SquarePants. (11/17, 12/4)

MOMENTS WITH RAIN EFFECTS Preparing for the date in The Glass Menagerie. (2/25)

I think there was one in The Present?? Mostly I remember the loud gunshots and the aforementioned musical number. But there may have been rain too.

INDECENT!!!! I mean come the fuck on!!! That’s THEATRE, HONEY!!! And the thing about Indecent is, like, I want it to be produced everywhere and for everyone on the planet to see it, but shiver imagining some high school doing the final scene with two sophomores twirling around in a blue mylar curtain. But watch the PBS broadcast if you were a fuckface and didn’t see Indecent live!! Art matters! (5/2) (Also file under: MOMENTS THAT MADE ME CRY)

Once On This Island. (And it’s right after you’ve resigned yourself to there being no rain effect which is some real fuckery but makes it THAT much better.)

And then there’s TMOARE (The Mother of All Rain Effects)… O. I saw Cirque du Soleil’s O for the first time this year and have seen it subsequently every night in my dreams. It is.. It just has to be seen to be believed. And there’s going to be a time in the not-so-distant-future (his fingers were bleeding from typing so hard, the keyboard started to crack under the force of his keystrokes) when you’ll be able to see, in the same weekend, if not on the same night, O at the Bellagio and Lady Gaga at the Monte Carlo. And I thought the greatest double bill to come out of 2017 would be the idea of seeing School Girls and The Wolves back-to-back. But if you could see Gaga and O that close.. It would just be.. I don’t even.. You wouldn’t be able to…… Anyway, I move to Vegas December 1st, 2018! (11/10)

MOMENTS WHEN SET CHANGES MADE ME GASP Multiple set changes in the National’s Angels in America that made me think “Literally how big is this stage?? Is it….infinity???” (5/27)

Joe Mantello pushing the back wall open at the end of The Glass Menagerie.

The apartment to hospital shift in Mary Jane. (10/15)

The opening of People, Places, and Things. (I was on the good side, FYI.) (10/24)

The car in Once On This Island. I still close my eyes and think about that and have to bite my bottom lip to stop from shrieking wherever I am.

MOMENTS I WAS IN THE SAME ROOM AS HILLARY CLINTON Cynthia Erivo’s last “I’m Here.” (1/9)

Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole singing “If I’d Been a Man” on opening night of War Paint. (4/6)

This time at Orso. (6/8)

MOMENTS THE DEFY DESCRIPTION The entirety of Heather Christian’s stunning, unbelievable, bizarre, breathtaking, inspiring masterpiece Animal Wisdom. I don’t even know if it belongs on this list because I don’t know if it was a theatre piece or an exorcism or a therapy session or…what exactly… But what I know for sure is that I’ve never seen anything like it and I never will again. (11/29)

A VERY FEW OF THE BEST MOMENTS IN HELLO, DOLLY (3/15, 4/20, 7/6, 10/6) The house lights going out.

The overture.

Bette’s entrance.

The “I Put My Hand In” shuffle.

“Well, thanks for telling me Cornelius. I often wondered.”

GAVIN CREEL SINGING “OUT THERE”!!!!!!!!!!

The pastel costumes!

The train!!!!!!!!!!!!

The hat shop revolve. (Also file under: MOMENTS WHERE SET CHANGES MADE ME GASP)

Bette rippling.

“Betsy Ross’ flag is passing.”

Bette Midler singing “Before the Parade Passes By” on Broadway.

BETTE MIDLER CATCHING THE BATON SINGING “BEFORE THE PARADE PASSES BY” ON BROADWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Jennifer Simard’s “Sweet Rosie O’Grady”.

The drop-reveal of Harmonia Gardens!! (Also file under: MOMENTS WHERE SET CHANGES MADE ME GASP)

I mean, the title number, what do you want me to say? I don’t have the energy and you don’t have the time.

Obviously the beets.

Obviously the dumplings.

“So Long, Dearie” in its entirety.

Bette’s final quick change. Down to the tights. (All the tights!!!!! She wears different tights with each outfit!!!)

“Wonderful woman.”

Them singing “Hello, Dolly”. (Also file under: MOMENTS THAT MADE ME CRY)

The curtain call costumes. The rose petals. Bette on the passerelle. (Also file under: MOMENTS THAT MADE ME SCREAM AND CRY IN GAY ECSTASY)

The title drop that comes in at the end.

HONORABLE MENTIONS Jennifer Holliday’s final “Push Da Button” in The Color Purple; The Wolves in its entirety (which was on last year’s list as well and will be on next year’s because I have tickets to see it again in January!); John Mulaney being fucking brilliant in MCC’s benefit reading of Fat Pig; the paper airplane in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Nya’s monologue about how much she loves her son in Pipeline; Bob LuPone in The Violin; Bryonah Marie Parham’s “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” in Prince of Broadway; Phylicia Rashad doing literal choreography in Midsummer Night’s Dream; Jennifer Ehle just existing in Oslo; the goat in Once On This Island. (You didn’t think I was going to leave out the goat, did you??)

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hak-7 · 7 years

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ASK THE BIGGEST ONE Abraham destroyed all of the idols or ideas except for the biggest one. He did this when the leaders were not present, when their backs were turned. (H. Q. 21:57). It is reported that he told the leaders of the idol worshippers (when they returned and faced him) to ask the biggest one to tell them who destroyed the smaller ones. They responded by saying that the biggest one can not speak. If we can understand the idols as also referring to false, oppressive ideas, then perhaps we can make a closer association of this story with our current situation and responsibilities. As already stated, idols or images that are "carved" by men are usually a reflection of their mind or imagination. An image is the manifestation of an imagination. There is a difference in worshipping something that is beyond your control and that which you make yourself. The "biggest one" represents the dominant overruling concept or idea of God that existed in that society. For example, here in America the dominant overruling concept or idea of God is the trinity, and that Jesus is God and the son of God. Although there are other ideas and beliefs that exist in America today, they are smaller than that belief. There are those who worship all kinds of false ideas. Nevertheless, those ideas are not as dominant as the Christian idea of Jesus. Abraham destroyed or defeated the false idols or ideas when the leaders were not looking, when their "backs were turned." In other words, they had left the thinking and imagination of the people unattended. They had turned their back on the masses. They had not taught and encouraged the people to think for themselves. They had not given the people the knowledge of the true God. Those people were left without sound principles for their lives. The people were mentally dependent on the false leadership. Percival states, "Democracy is Self Government." They were not under a true democracy. Their minds were closed, just as Allen Bloom says, the American peoples’ minds are closed (The Closing of the American Mind). Abraham went after the unattended masses. He taught the ignorant masses, thus destroying their false concept of God. The Bible says Jesus did the same thing. It says he told his disciples to go and untie the donkey (ignorant masses) that was unattended. Abraham was a liberator. He freed the people’s mind. He broke the mental chains of superstition and idol worship. He freed them from the slavery or mental oppression and false ideas. That is why the leaders were so upset when they returned. They said, "Who has done this? Who has done this? Let us protect our idol concepts." The leaders knew that the biggest false image or concept did not do it, because the biggest one was a lie itself. Therefore, it could not destroy the other false concepts with truth and free the minds of the people. The biggest one was just a vehicle for containing the masses. The leaders said "you know the biggest one cannot speak!" This can be understood today, in our modern life time to mean that the big lie and false concept of Jesus as God and that he died on the cross for the sins of the world, cannot speak or does not speak truthfully to the minds of the people. Perhaps, what the leaders were saying to Abraham was that the biggest false concept would not give liberation to the people or destroy the smaller lies. The biggest one was not based on truth. Only truth will make a man free. The Bible says "You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free." The wise in the leadership of America and the West know that the trinity and the belief that Jesus is God, the son of God, is a big lie. They know it does not speak the truth to the people. That false idea cannot free the people from drugs and alcohol. It cannot stop the people from worshipping immorality, indecency. They know that, that big lie will not kill racism, bigotry and injustice. They know it cannot raise the dead. It cannot give you the courage and the back bone to stand up like a man and meet the challenges of life. They know it really makes you a weak, emotional, helpless sheep. Therefore, when a man stands up and says that, that ideology freed him, the leaders know he is telling a damn lie. White Western false Christianity can never free the masses of people. In fact, it contains and restricts the rational, intelligent operation of the mind. The leaders of the western world do not believe and accept the teachings of Christianity in the same way they encourage the masses to. They have a higher, more profound idea of Christ, God, and the trinity. Returning to Abraham now, we can understand then that perhaps what the leaders were saying to Abraham was this, "We know this idea will not liberate the people. This is an idea that is used to enslave the people. We know, Abraham, that it did not speak to them. It did not speak to their intelligence, their soul, their heart and their good nature to make them give up their false idea of God. We know that, Abraham. We only have that false idea in place as a means of keeping the people in check; but in our secret, higher, elitest order we have a brighter, better and superior concept of God." Nowadays the leaders are probably saying, "We have a superior concept that is even greater than the idea that God manifests himself in Jesus Christ. We have a better idea of the trinity. We don’t believe in the God the father, the son and the holy ghost. We know that the trinity refers to the physical, mental, and spiritual nature of man, but we won’t tell the masses, because it may cause them to start thinking right." Once the leaders realize that you have peeped their game, like Abraham did, then they come out with some of their higher firery wisdom. They try to test you with their best to see if you really have the goods. They turn the heat up on you. The Holy Qur’an says they cast Abraham into the fire. The story says that Abraham was protected in the fire. "We said, ’0 Fire! Be thou cool and (a means of) safety for Abraham." (21 :69). Fire has a dual nature, like most things in creation. It can be used positively or negatively. It can be useful or destructive. When fire is controlled, when it has parameters or boundaries, it burns very peacefully. On the other hand, when fire rages out of control it brings death and destruction to man and creation. ALLAH says He has given us fire as a benefit and a convenience: "See ye the Fire which ye kindle?" We have made it a memorial (of Our handiwork), and an article of comfort and convenience for the denizens of deserts." (56:71,73). Moses, according to Scripture, was able to get some good use from fire. It is reported that he received guidance from the burning bush. The Holy Qur’an states, "Behold, he saw afire: So he said to his family, Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire. But when he came to the fire, a voice was heard: ’0 Moses! Verily I am thy Lord! ... " (20:10-13). The Bible states, "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Median: and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Herob. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was consumed" (Exodus 3:12). The Scripture also tells us that fire will be used to punish the wicked and sinful people. "As to,those who are rebellious and wicked, their abode will be the Fire: every time they wish to get away therefrom, they will be forced thereinto, and it will be said to them: "Taste ye the penalty of the Fire, the which ye were want to reject as false" (H.Q. 32:20). The Bible states, "So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:49-50). The Qur’an says Moses received guidance and inspiration by fire, and that Abraham found peace and safety in the fire. This tells us then that there are some other possibilities that we should consider when reading about the life of Abraham and the fact that he was placed in the fire. The Holy Qur’an is clear, and we must accept what it says. If it says Abraham was placed in a furnace of fire and ALLAH protected him from being burnt, then we must accept that. ALLAH says it is a sign for those who believe (29:24). Let us, for the sake of understanding, consider some other points. Fire disintegrates matter. It breaks the material down to its primary or elementary stage. Fire reduces matter to its original form. Fire also purifies. Fire is associated with anger, passion, anarchy and wisdom. Because of the heat that it generates, it is also associated with hostility. When a person is angry his temperature rises, his pulse beats faster, generally he gets very excited and is prone to react very emotionally. As a result he may bring harm and danger to an innocent person. An angry person may rage out of control like fire. His passions may lead him to do things that he may not other wise have done. Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad was moved to say, "Do not get angry." It is reported that a man said to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), "Counsel me. He (The Prophet) said: ’Do not become angry’. The man repeated (his request) several times, and he said: ’Do not become angry’" (Bukhari). Once fire escapes and burns free, it does not stop until it has totally destroyed everything in its path. Fire out of control is like freedom without laws, justice or responsibility. That is anarchy. The Webster Dictionary defines anarchy as: lawlessness, rulerless, lack of government; a state of society when there is no law or supreme power; uncontrolled political confusion, and disorder. Fire is like wisdom in that it allows you to see the origin of matter. Wisdom is the understanding of the matter. Wisdom is the understanding of the nature of events. For example a person who has wisdom tries to get the source, the point of origination. Wisdom is generally defined as the faculty to discern right and truth, and to judge and act accordingly; sound judgement; sagacity; discretion; extensive knowledge. Wisdom, like fire, is very important in the life of man, In Fact the Holy Qur’an says ALLAH gave Joseph wisdom: "And when he reached his prime We gave him wisdom and knowledge ... " (12:22). The Qur’an also tells us that Abraham prayed to ALLAH to raise up a messenger who would teach wisdom, "Our Lord! send amongst them an apostle of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom and sanctify them: For Thou art the Exalted in Might The Wise." (2:129). Wisdom without prayer and appreciation can lead to arrogance. Iblis(satan) was wise. He was very knowledgeable; but his pride polluted his knowledge and wisdom. Iblis(satan) was made of fire. He was made of great wisdom and knowledge. He was so wise until he became the leader over the angels. According to the Qur’an fire is also associated with Iblis, who was very wise. "God said ’0 lblis! What prevents thee from prostrating thyself to one whom I have created with My hands? Art thou naughty? Or art thou one of the high (and mighty) ones? (Iblis) said: "I am better then he; Thou created me from fire, and him Thou created from clay." (38:75,76). Iblis felt that his firery, witty, intellectual nature was better than the human being’s submissive and appreciative nature. Clay submits to be molded and fashioned into various shapes. Our minds are very impressionable. The mind is influenced and shaped by its encounter with the environment. Iblis, like uncontrolled fire, said he would destroy man. Satan and his forces have caused much destruction in the life of man and society. In fact it appears that some governments are ruled by Satan. The idea of fire representing wisdom, an intellectual expression, can also be found in The New Webster Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language. It gives several definitions: Fire; a rapid succession, as of questions; liveliness of imagination; severe verbal criticism. These definitions of fire are related to human intellectual expression. The Bible gives us the same idea. It refers to people who spoke with firery tongues. "And the tongue is a fire" (James 3:6). Fire is also associated with opposition, trials, tests, challenges and hardship. The heat from fire makes us sweat and thirst. It also makes us weak and tired. Too much heat can kill us. Sometimes we have to protect ourselves from the heat. Ramadan is associated with heat. The fast is a trial. During the fast Muslims are tried by the heat of passions, the heat of thirst, the heat of hunger and even the heat of the physical environment. Some people can endure more heat than others. When a person or group says they are going to "turn the fire up" or "put the heat on", this means they are going to try harder to destroy their opponent. A good example of this is the history of Prophet Muhammad. The Quraish Tribe and the other enemies of the Prophet put extreme heat, in the form of oppression, slaughter and deceit on the Prophet and his followers. ALLAH blessed the Muslims with faith and endurance. They overcame the oppression. There are other examples today. The Muhajirs of Afghanistan, the Palestinians who are being oppressed and slaughtered outright by the Zionist Jews. The African-Americans have been under the heat of slavery, racism, bigotry, injustice, lies and deceit. The fire of hatred has been burning in America for a very long time. But all is not lost we can change this world and put out the fires of racism, bigotry, injustice, lies and deceit. Imam Mustafa El- AminTHE ROBE Lost Knowledge Now, let’s continue here. What is the robe symbolic of? Do you recall? Symbolic of the way you use the knowledge, the dress, symbolic of the way you use the knowledge. The sheet is the knowledge, the pages, the script.Remember now, when Jesus was crucified, he lost his robe and they gambled to see who would possess his robe. Now if you understand the meaning of robe, then you should understand that this world doesn’t have the true knowledge, the true use of the knowledge that Jesus gave them. The knowledge was lost from Jesus’ body and it fell in the hands of crooked sinners. They gambled for it. Not only that, the silver cup, the special cup, it was lost too. Which tells us not only the proper use of the knowledge was lost, but also the moral cleanliness was lost from the religion.Silver chalice I think they call it. Is that what they call it? I think it is called Silver chalice. It was lost from Christianity. So how would they explain this? Ask the preacher next Sunday morning at 11 o’clock. Ask him. Say preacher; please tell me what it means in Christianity when they say that they lost the Silver chalice, the silver cup. Ask the preacher, how they can have the shroud of Jesus, in this city that is called Turin. When the Bible says that his robe fell into the hands of sinners and they gambled to see who would possess it. So how can they have his robe there? If they have it, sinners gave it to them and if the sinners gave it up, it wasn’t fit to wear. That’s right. That robe wasn’t fit to wear. After it fell into the hands of sinners, who would want to wear it? What is sweeter than honey? Let’s continue now, it says he gave them another riddle. And this riddle is: “What is sweeter than honey?” And “What is stronger than a lion?”So he gave two riddles. In fact four parts to it.Second one is, “What is sweeter than honey?What is stronger than a lion?” All right. You know honey means the beauty of pure scripture. How do we know this? We know it because in the Qur’an this word is used. Honey is a good word for scripture. The honey is the essence of the flower and flowers are symbolic of beautiful culture.What is sweeter than the beauty that G-d offers you? What is sweeter than the sweetness that you find in G-d’s pure scripture? That’s what he’s telling them. And what is stronger than a lion? What he’s telling them is that, the east has honey. They have the beauty of G-d’s revelation. And you have the strength of a lion. I’ve got something that makes you stronger, and I’ve got something to give you to make your doctrine sweeter than their honey.You see this thing? Yes, it’s plain. So he gave them, the Gentile world, the doctrine of love, the love of Christ that was sweeter than the moral and spiritual teachings to weak people, than the pure teachings of the Prophet. It’s sweeter to them … that G-d loves you sinners so much, that he gave his only begotten son, that he should be scorned, mocked, spat on, tortured, crucified, and die and be buried for your sins. Oh that’s sweet to ignorant weak people, sweeter than the truth of G-d’s scripture. So he said what is sweeter than honey? This lie I am going to give you is sweeter than the pure honey of Scripture that the east has. Cheated Samson out of his heifer And what is stronger than a lion? This subtle psychology…. (indiscernible) and he himself was going to destroy the Philistines. They have cheated him out of his heifer; I am talking about right now!The Christian Church that he thought would be his heifer betrayed him. Say oh, you can have business, you can have media, you can have this, but you are not going to run our churches. The Gentile doesn’t want any Jews over their churches. If you want to have something, you can have Peter. Go and tutor the Pope in secrecy. He’ll accept it. But these ordinary Gentiles are not going to accept that no Jew rule over them.So you mean to tell me you are not going to give me my heifer? So why don’t you, can’t you all do it through me, can’t you all carry out my orders?No we can’t do it. They are not going to listen to it. Well very good. Well then can I tell you what kind of doctrine you should give to the masses that won’t follow Peter?Yes it’s okay. All right. I’m going to make bread again. I’m going to get on a wheel. I’m going to make Marxism. I’m going to make Communism.I’m going to make the Age of Reason. I’m going to exalt logic. I’ll give them some new flour, is that okay? Well that’s okay. As long as you don’t take over the church. No, I won’t bother the church. Okay. Go on to the wheel again. It’s okay. Bring society down on me and them Now listen. After all that he still was not satisfied. Is that right? Yeah look at the story now, remember, he still is not satisfied. So he said, “I am blind, but I got something that they don’t know I’ve got. I got special power, in my arms.” “All I want to do is just have somebody show me to the pillars of the foundation of their society. And if I just can get to the two pillars that hold up the structure of their society, I’m going to bring it down on me and them.”So Samson goes and stands between the two pillars with the help of a little boy. He couldn’t see but he used the help of a little boy. What is the help of that little boy? Psychology. Psychology. Don’t think it’s another person; he’s not even a person. Persons carry it out, but he’s a knowledge body. Then he goes and he used a little boy, psychology. Don’t human beings use psychology before they use intelligence?That’s why in psychology in this particular context it’s called a little boy. Your little children, before they are able to compete with you on an intelligence plane, they already using psychology on you. So psychology is an early development in the human being. That’s why the Jahcubite’s cousin, Fard Muhammad said Yakub conceived his idea at the age 6, as a little boy, a psychology. He’ll be surprised to know that I know that. I hope he gets this. I understand that he’s back home now. So he’ll get this message, Insha ‘Allah. Now, let me continue. With the help of psychology, he finds his way to the foundations of the new society. And when he gets to the foundation, what does he do? He forms a cross of himself and he begins pressing with all his might. That’s what the Scripture says. Said he pressed with all his might, with all his strength on the pillars, forming of himself a cross. What does this mean? This is more than Trinitarianism, this is the psychology of the mentality that Trinitarianism has produced. Weaknesses in the mentality that trinitarianism has produced He has now learned that there are certain weaknesses in the mentality that Trinitarianism has produced. And he knows that he can appeal to their emotions, and he can push in two directions at the same time.He didn’t pull the pillars, he pushed. He can push in opposite directions at the same time. Make one people give in to emotions, and the other people give in to logic. Push them. So that some will become highly emotional and some will become highly logical.And in doing this the logic will act against the emotions, and emotions will act against the logic. The emotional makeup will kill the logic, the logic will offend the emotions, the society will be divided against itself and the pillars will fall. Don’t you know that’s a strategy that is used in this Society? Whenever the hidden evil in the structure is about to be exposed they began firing the society with emotion, sentiment, flower children, love for everybody, crazy kind of sentimentality and emotionalism. They fire it up and build up strong emotions, this is depressing. Now when he does it it’s going to drop the whole thing. If he can be successful and bring in the sentimental and emotional elements against the logic, it’s going to destroy the whole thing.But look, he will certainly, he will be killed, as a knowledge body. He was already blind wasn’t he? What the hell has he lost? Nothing. Once he brings it down, he would start up all over again. Do, ra, mi, fa, sol, la, ti. By the Grace of G-d, through IWDM, America was not destroyedJust in a few years that have passed us dear people, that scheme has tried to destroy America. But by the grace of G-d, through me, America was not destroyed. Why do I say through me? Because I was the only one that came out when the trend was to go in the form of the cross. When the trend was to become emotional, highly emotional and give one side to dry logic, I came up in the middle of that action and said there is a scheme going on, there is a trick going on.This whole thing is designed to fire up your sentiments, your emotions and topple the society. Somebody must have heard me and believed others who had been talking before I started, and all of it came together to save America. Yes. See they didn’t believe others who were saying, there is a scheme, there is a hidden scheme. But when I began to speak, they say look, now we know this boy, we’ve been watching this boy since his father raised him up. We know that this boy is not a tool of outside influence. So if he says these things that ring a bell, where did he get it from? We believe maybe G-d is inspiring Wallace D. Mohammed. So they went back to the desk. And they begin to pull out things from the old file and they studied history all over again. And they said that Wallace D. Mohammed is an inspired man, he sees something. And what he is saying is what we’ve heard before. It might be something to it. How else could he get it? Simple Simon met a pie man on the way to the square Say oh no, let’s check this thing. Let’s check this thing. Said I’m sorry, you can’t get sixpence today, only one. Sorry, we aren’t buying pies today. We’re buying cakes. You heard that old story of Simple Simon … Simple Simon met a pie man on the way to the square. I think it goes,” … said Simple Simon to the pie man, would you have a sixpence to spare?” And I think he said, “If I was selling sixpence, I wouldn’t be selling pies!” Well, that’s another one of the conspirators’ riddles. And I will tell you what it means. Sixpence means the knowledge behind the scheme. It’s said the man was made on the 6th day. The sixpence is the knowledge behind the scheme. Simon was given seven (7), not six (6). He couldn’t see 6, six (6) was ruling seven (7). But he wanted the six (6).What is the secret in this? Will you tell me please, Mr. Pie man? You know what Pi is? 3.1416, I think it is. It’s a formula for finding the circumference of the earth. It’s a formula for world dominance. Now I’m not saying anything that I didn’t want to say, I know it’s a formula for finding the circumference of a circle. It’s a formula for world dominance. If I was selling my own secrets you think I’d be selling pies And Peter, the Catholic Church wanted it. But the conspirator wouldn’t give it to them. Said if I was selling my own secrets you think I’d be selling pies? You think I’d be telling you how to get the world, if I was selling the secret to how to get it.I’ll just tell you how to get it; I’m not going to tell you my secret. You get it from me. Yes. All Peter got was some magic beans; he did manage to get those didn’t he? You remember that riddle? Nursery rhyme, whatever you want to call it. Jack and the beanstalk. Yeah. He had Jack, which is nothing again but Peter, or the Western society. Pardon me, I shouldn’t say Peter, not Peter, Jack is not the Catholic Church, it’s the Western society, Protestant society. Catholic Church headquarters is in Rome. This is typical American. Jack is talking about typical America. That’s why we call each other Jack. You know, hey jack, what’s happening Jack? Yes, so, it was Peter, the Pope who asked them for his sixpence. But Jack, the American Christian society, they asked for magic beans. Well really they didn’t know what to ask for. All they wanted was really to be rescued, because their cow had got so lean, it was about to die.Everything was going bad. And they wanted to know how to bring back life. How can my cows get fat again? How can the society thrive again?So, while they were (wandering) wondering, this funny looking thing jumped out in the road. And he made himself visible and he said, “Magic beans want to buy some magic beans, like to buy some magic beans?” And Jack agreed to give his cow up for the magic beans. I’m showing you that this is not only in Scripture. If it is only in Scripture that means that what I’m talking about may not be existing in the world today. Or maybe it was just a story that was only in Scripture, maybe it was just fiction. But if it’s in the world too, we should listen. What do the magic beans represent? Now. Says this little funny thing, man, jumped out, and he talked Jack into giving up his cow for these magic beans. Right. Some of you remember it. He went away with his cow. What do the magic beans represent? A way to, again, to the secret knowledge in Christian religion. A way to the secret knowledge in Christian religion.And dumb Protestant society gave up their lean cow for this heavenly knowledge. What is the lean cow? The lean cow represents what they had before. What did they have before? They had rational growth. The Protestant movement began with an interest in rational growth. Is that right? Yes. Our knowledge is weak, our cow is lean They wanted to pursue knowledge. The Catholic Church had suppressed enlightenment, had suppressed education. The people weren’t allowed to learn. The masses couldn’t learn and educate themselves. So a thirst for knowledge came with Martin Luther. Right. And they began to want knowledge to develop their minds.Here comes Jake, Jack pardon me, feeling himself desperately in need of help. We have the interest in rational development of our society, but our knowledge is weak, our cow is lean. We haven’t yet produced anything. We need help. Who would help us?Oh Lord Jesus, help us. We got this logic. But Rome is powerful. We got this logic and Rome is powerful. G-d help us please! Ding, ding. Jahcubite conspirator. I will help you! Would you like to have some magic beans? If I give you my magic beans you’ll have to give me your lean cow. In effect he was saying the same thing that Samson said. I’m going to give you a new world, but you’re going to have to give me the one that you got now. And if you give him the one you got now, when it becomes fat, who does it belong to? Belong to him. He got it. He got it in exchange for the magic beans. Over the heavenly kingdom was a mean old giant So he (Jack) went home and planted. Went home and he didn’t know the value of them right? But I think accidentally one fell into the ground right? The thing grew up and it went up, up, up. He saw it going up past his window, he ran out and jumped on it, and the thing took him up into heaven. (It) took him up on the plane of clouds, into a castle that was in the clouds. Right. Yes.There he found a nice old woman that befriended him. But over that heavenly kingdom was a mean old giant. That right? Yes. He said fee, fi, fo, fom, I smell the blood of an Englishman, be he live or be he dead; I’ll grind his bones with my bread. With my bread. Remember bread is of two kinds. Leaven and unleavened. I’ll grind his bones with my bread.So, he managed to escape with the help of this woman up there, old woman who was nice. He managed to escape. Who is the old woman who was nice? Means people in the religious knowledge of the secrets of religion that weren’t corrupt. Didn’t have no evil designs on the world like the conspirators. They shared with him after he got up there. They shared with him some knowledge. Helped him to get the golden knowledge down from heaven. The Golden knowledge it came from the hen right? The hen who laid golden eggs. But the hen couldn’t lay any golden eggs without music playing. When music played the hen would lay the eggs. The music stopped, the hen stop laying the golden eggs. Which means that the wisdom is tied to music? Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. Do, ra, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. Now when he got the musical scheme, he came back down with the hen and the music harp plus the knowledge, and he tied them together, then he had wisdom.He had wisdom to bring back down with the hen, and the music harp right, according to the story. From heaven, he brought back with him, they don’t say heaven, but it is the heaven of religious symbolism — Biblical symbolism. He came back down with the music maker and with the egg layer. You needed both in order to get the wisdom. The golden egg means wisdom. All right. Giant’s fall from heaven left a big hole in the earth The giant fell from heaven. Is that right? He was so big and heavy that when he fell he knocked a big hole in the earth, left there a big hole in the earth. The giant was finished. Who was finished? Who is the big giant that was finished? The people in the secret religion. The Pope.The Pope and certain others that I don’t care to name right now, that hoard the secrets of religion. When the Protestant was given the secret way to get it, and when Protestant leadership got it, got their share. Don’t think they got all, they got their share. Catholic got his share yes. Protestant got their share. The conspirators got the whole share.When they got it, the position of superiority of them over American Christian leadership fell. When it fell, it knocked a big hole in the ground. What is that symbolic of? Actually they were not spiritual people, they were material people.And when they fell a big part of the material that they had before was taken out. So much of the material wealth that was under Catholicism, and under other secret conspirators in religion, fell to Jack, to the American Christian Society. Is that right? Yes.Then they began to rise. But they only had magic beans. Magic beans is not knowledge. Magic. The only way you can get it is through magic. You have to have the knowledge of the magic to know how to work them. And, they were secret, so only a few of the Jack people can have them. Jack: the American Christian society Let me quickly tell you what Jack represents in the American Christian Society. It represents the intelligent leadership, Jack represents the intelligent leadership. Now Jack is not as long as Jacob. So their knowledge is shorter than Jacob, you see?Jack is a derivative of the word Jacob. Jacob is the origin, Jack is a derivative, derived from Jacob. So Jack is just a short …. they don’t have Jacob that’s long. But they do have enough to enable them to keep this same rhythm going.Rotating events, with a seven note scale, or is it eight. Yes, an eight note scale that goes to seven, and comes back to where it started. Right? Do, ra, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do, come back to where it started. So they were given knowledge of how to keep society going through these changes, psychological changes. So America unknowingly, has been going through these changes. Look at the trends, one fad behind another. Pretty soon you are wearing what you wore 20 years ago. Right. Pretty soon you’re dancing the way you danced 20 years ago. You are talking the way you talked 20 years ago. You are thinking the way you thought 20 years ago.So they keep rotating. They have the Jahcubite scheme, but they have only that pie that Jahcubite wanted them to have. Jahcubite sell pies all over the world Jahcubite sell pies all over the world. Sold the Pope a pie. Sold Protestant America a pie. Sold Communists East a pie, called it the red pie. Yes, the red pie. I’m getting ready to let you go now. What does the red represent? What do they mean red? You say passions? That’s to trick you. Yes,Red means passions in the other octave. It has been played. It’s another octave. It takes on another color, it takes on another dress. It don’t keep the same dress, it says I will sell you changes. You see?Yes, it meant passions in one place, but not passions in Communist Russia, although passions are involved. It means the social life. Red means the social life. What ties me together with my brother? Blood. Blood is red. See. So people, as a social group are tied together first by blood. And they call each other brother, you see. So that’s blood.Red stands for blood. What blood? Human blood. Human blood, according to the Bible, New Testament in particular, should combine with water, which is human spirit, symbolic of human spirit. Bring the social life too So people should be spiritual, as well as social, according to the New Testament teaching. You shouldn’t just be blood. Christ Jesus says, “I come not of water only, but of blood also.”What does this mean? It means that before him, the people were all spiritual, but were neglecting the social development of society, the development of the relationship of person-to-person, people to people, communities to communities.He came to bring the blood, means to bring the social life up too, with the spiritual life. This is in the Scripture.So now, if the East has become red, it means that they now have gone to another … see the world was spiritual, and then it became religious.Now they are trying to get it to become all red. No spirituality, take the spirituality out of it. Make it all red, that we are social group and we are born out of materialism, so material concepts should govern us. We shouldn’t have spiritualism in our life. Give up; give out the water, only the red. Imam W.D. Mohammed (raa)THE FIRST STONE Five Smooth Stones David guided his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. "And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. "So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David." —I SAMUEL 17: 39-40 & 49-50 The Book says that David picked five smooth stones from the water. In religion, stones are symbolic of laws or commandments. Five stones (commandments) had been formed smooth without flaw in them by the movement of water upon them. Water symbolizes the moral body of Truth.When the Book says that "My people" are a standing water, it means that they are a moral body of Truth that does not move for anything but God. They are a standing water keeping the boundaries that God has given them. The Line Of David David is in the Bible as a messianic (messiah) figure. Messiahs come in the line of David, meaning that they come to re-establish the order of David.The figure "David" does not necessarily represent a flesh and blood person, but it represents a type of person and a type of kingdom that is to be re-established. This type of person holds God both first and last in his heart and he is a type of person that is willing to go to any extent to see that the will of God is done on earth.David was a prophet that was the builder of a strong government in his time. After he died, the strong government began to crumble with corruption under the rule of Solomon.The return of a messiah like David means the return of a strong truth that will not give way under any force or power. That is the return of Islam in its pure state.David used a stone to slay the chief enemy (strongest opposition). That was the great giant Goliath who was slain with a stone that David shot out of his slingshot and hit him in the forehead. Pillar No. 1: Belief in the one God That stone was the first stone (the first pillar of the faith in Islam): There is no god but One God (Allah).If you fire that one stone into the head of the enemy society, it will eventually bring them to their knees because their life depends on you worshipping something that is not Allah. If you don't do anything but invite the people to worship Allah alone, they will be brought out of the hands of the beast. The rulers of the evil world of grafted mentality cannot rule unless you worship the things that they establish for you to worship. Once you stop worshipping the things that they establish for you to worship, they have lost you.The first stone to destroy the wicked society is the purity of worship, the worship of none but the Creator and the Creator alone. David picking five smooth stones from the water is an answer to what we have as our five pillars of Islam.We should give mental and verbal recognition to the commandment that there is no god but One God (Allah). Allah is the God of all of the Prophets or Messengers of God. Because the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) represents all of the Prophets of God, we say, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah" and we also say, "and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and His Messenger." This first pillar shows that we have accepted the One Universal Truth (Allah) and that we bear witness that it exists independent of everything else. That Truth has witness bearers (prophets) that bring the Truth to the people.We recognize that this Truth, has now come to us when 'we recognize that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Pillar No. 2: Prayer We have prayer (at least five times per day) as a second commandment which tells us to give verbal recognition and also bodily recognition to the Truth that there is no god but One God.Once you recognize that there is one Single Being that is Divine that everything else should recognize, respect, and obey, you should do something to show that you have recognized this Truth.You should throw yourself down in the most humble fashion to let the world know that you recognize one superior to yourself. Prayer in Islam is more than prayer in other religions. In other religions, prayer is an institution that reaches out in everything.Every act of a Believer is prayer in Islam. The Holy Quran says that everything and every creature in creation performs his prayer. We know that animals, plants, and rocks do not stand up and say, "Allah-u-Akbar," but they do the job ordained for them by the Creator. In doing the job ordained for them, they are worshipping Almighty God. If we perform our prayer correctly, our prayer should be a twenty-four hour prayer. We should remain in humble obedience to God for the whole of our lives. But there should be a physical demonstration that we are accepting the religion and the worship of Almighty God.We demonstrate this acceptance by putting ourselves down upon the floor and touching the power development of our being (the forehead or mind) to the ground before our Maker. If a man humbles that which is of secondary value or less in himself, he is withholding something that is of uppermost value. Muslims put their heads upon the ground to show that they submit the best of themselves to the Maker because they exist only because of Him. It is not because of ourselves that we have our crown (mind), our crown is given to us by the Creator so we put our crown on the ground before Him.There is no better physical demonstration of humbleness and appreciation that you could give than to pray in the manner of the Muslim. The Bible says that every prophet of God prayed in this fashion. The Prophet Jesus, before he was arrested by those who came to crucify him, put his forehead on the ground and prayed. In prayer, we give bodily testimony that we accept God. It is not enough just to say it, you have to act out your testimony. If God has given you a physical body, you should also make your body bow down to the Creator. If a ruler accepts a superior, he should also make those who are subject to him accept his superior.If you do not have the courage to acknowledge the worship of Almighty God and if you do not have the courage to live a life that tells others that you worship Almighty God, you are not strong enough to accept the first pillar of Islam that we stand upon. Pillar No. 3: Charity (Zakat) Man is superior to anything that his mind might suggest for him to worship other than God. The worship of Allah dignifies you, but the worship of anything else shames you. The third pillar or commandment of Islam is charity or "zakat." You should sacrifice a part of Allah's wealth, which He has blessed you to hold, in the way of charity to help those who are less fortunate.Zakat is also a universal institution. It not only means going into your pocket to get money for those who need it, it means going into your heart and into your mind to get something to give to those that need it. Muslims are a people who are not selfish. We want to share our blessings from Allah with others. Our own righteousness and our own way of life should multiply and fill the whole earth.Charity in Islam is an institution which strives to attain equality in the distribution of wealth with which Allah has blessed his creatures. Although we may never reach that goal of equality of physical wealth, Allah always gives us the best (perfection) to strive for as a goal. Pillar No. 4: Fasting 183. O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint - 184. Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free will?it is better for him, and it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew. 185. Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spent it in fasting, but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. Holy Quran; Yusuf Ali translation, sura 2, verses 183 - 185 The fourth pillar of Islam is to fast, especially in the month of Ramadan. Fasting is not new. All of the Prophets of God fasted. "Ramadan" is an Arabic word which means "heat" or "burning." It takes its name from the kind of wrapping or protection given to man and animals in the hot desert heat.When a person is fasting, he is under the burning heat of appetite for physical food. But while he is under this burning heat, a resistance to heat is building up in him. The muscles of his will power build up under the test of the desire to satisfy his want for food and drink. The build up of the will power is a kind of wrapping that will protect you from the heat, not only for the month of Ramadan, but for the rest of the year. There are many kinds of heat other than the temptation of food that will tempt you to break your will power and give in to the heat. If you fast properly during the month of Ramadan, you will get the resistance that you need to survive the "heat" for the rest of the year. Pillar No. 5: Pilgrimage (Hajj) The fifth pillar of Islam is pilgrimage: the Believer is to make the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime if he is able to afford the journey. This is not a new commandment.The Bible told the righteous body of people to journey together. They have always had some kind of shrine or holy place to journey to periodically. Even today, Jews journey to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem periodically and Christians journey to the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Muslims make the pilgrimage to the Holy City Mecca, not to Jerusalem. The Qiblah, the center for Muslim pilgrims, is in Mecca. The Ka'aba, called "the first house," was restored by Abraham and his son Ismail and it contains the Black Stone. Muslims are not a people who want to set up a powerful kingdom to enslave other people, but we are a people who would like to see everybody worshipping the One True God as we worship Him. So we make a pilgrimage to one center and we invite everybody to make the pilgrimage to that center.Muslims live all over the world but we have one center (Ka'aba) in Mecca, which is in the desert.We cannot boast of our Center as being in a glorious geographical place for appearance, so we all can equally identify with that humble place in the desert. Whether we are rich or poor, we see less material wealth than we saw at home when we go there. But we see the beautiful sign given to us by Almighty God that out of poverty comes riches, out of nothing comes something. Allah is All-Wise in His planning and in His wisdom. Out of the barren desert He brought up water for a spiritually barren people to drink and that great and glorious spiritual message revived the religious world. Pure Truth Brothers and sisters, you do not realize how blessed you are today. It is prophesied in the scripture that in the end of the world the glory will come to those who rightfully deserve it, those who have paid the price for it, and those who have the clean eye and the clean heart to recognize and to accept it. The message of Truth that we have today is a powerful, precious, valuable, and dignified message. We are going to carry it before all people and all nations of the world. Out of our dark night of ignorance, Almighty God has blessed us with a powerful sun of Truth (power) to rise on the horizon. The message that we bring to you is pure, unadulterated Truth. You have the best God: Allah. You have the best religion: Islam. You have the best name: Muslim. You have the best book: Quran. You have the best commandments: the five pillars of Islam. You have the best center: Ka'aba at Mecca.You have the best and you are the best. The believers say "Peace" to the rising Morning (Dawning) of God. Imam W.D. Mohammed (raa)

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