A Year Of Theater, Part 2: Changed For Good

Part 2 of my year-end review of a particularly outstanding year for this theater-loving girl. The second half of 2015 was marked by three ongoing experiences: two long runs at my local touring venue, and the beginning of my graduate writing program.

A Year Of Theater, Part 1: It's Possible

2015 has been an extraordinary year. And for me, a lot of that has had to do with the remarkable and unique experiences of theater that I have been privileged to have. I thought I'd take a look back on some of the highlights of the year, but, wouldn't you know it, there was too much for one post. So let's start with the first half of the year, one filled with new beginnings, a dream come true, and just a little bit of magic.

Whose Right? Who's Right?

I know this blog often tends to discuss fiction, and my opinions on fiction, while still maintaining some sort of personal distance. Even though my name and my Twitter handle are on every page, I think I still often keep some degree of the impersonal in many of my articles.

This is not one of those articles. This is my story.

The Human Kind: The Humanity of Print Books

It was a fairly ordinary morning in early spring, in the middle of a 9 AM lecture hall on the works of Jane Austen. Persuasion was the topic of the day, and our professors were discussing the significance of the Baronetcy, the book of nobility with which the ridiculous Sir Walter Elliot was obsessed. And then, it was time for a bit of show-and-tell.

Photo courtesy Devoney Looser

Review: 'Wicked' National Tour Soars

We all have our favorite shows: the movies we own on DVD but still watch every time they're on TV, the books worn with rereadings. There's always a danger, though, that after so many repeats, these favorites might lose just a little of that spark and magic. Fortunately for me, that couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to the touring production of Wicked, a gleaming tour that more than lives up to the hype and its predecessors of years past. Thanks to magical production values, a gorgeous score, and a top-notch cast, the show impresses as much as ever.

Alyssa Fox and Carrie St. Louis as Elphaba and Glinda

Like This? Try That: Books & TV Edition

It's summer, and that means three things: scorching temperatures, high electric bills, and nothing to watch on TV besides trashy pseudo-reality. The Storyologist is here to help! Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading, whether on the beach, on the porch, or on the couch. So if you're really missing your favorite shows, take a look at the options below and find yourself a fantastic book to relax with!

Emmys 2015: In With The Old, Out With The Hope

Thursday morning, the nominations for the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards were announced. And, with a few exceptions (you go, Tatiana Maslany!), it was much of the same old, same old. In most of the major categories, we were once again treated to an onslaught of cable nominees that overlooked some truly spectacular work on broadcast. Now, this isn't true in every single category; lead actress in a drama not only boasts diversity but also two of six nominees from a broadcast series. In general, though, there has been a trend in recent years that what is deemed awards-worthy is the dark, gritty, cynical material- both in drama and comedy- that can only make a home on cable. Shows and performers of equally high quality are overlooked for the simple crime of being something with heart and therefore of lower artistic merit.

Why The Best Mainstream Movie of 2015 So Far Is A Kid's Flick

It's the midpoint of the year, and that always means film critics around the country compile their best-of lists for the first half of the year. These lists never really measure up by the time December rolls around, thanks in large part to the well-known strategy of backloading the year with prestige pictures in hopes of increasing awards-season chances. 2015 has, however, already had its fair share of blockbusters, from Cinderella to an Avengers sequel to the reboot Jurassic World. But among mainstream movies, one movie has risen above the rest- and it's "just" an animated family-friendly movie: Pixar's Inside Out. How did a film marketed to kids turn out to be the most thoughtful, poignant movie for grown-ups as well?


2015 hasn't exactly been a top-notch year for movies so far
Few films can stand alone without reference to their contemporaries, and this is where Inside Out gains even more. Most of the biggest successes of the year so far have been entertaining and glossy but not particularly unique or thoughtful. Jurassic World has made a ridiculous amount of money at the box office, but its success rests heavily on affection for the brand and on the shoulders of Chris Pratt. Let's be honest: Owen Grady is pretty much a watered-down version of Peter Quill. Along with him, you've got the uptight corporate woman who learns to be softer, a couple of cute kids in danger, and massive special effects- just like always. The end.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron does its best to keep up Marvel's streak of excellence, but even Joss Whedon's gift for ensemble work and quippy dialogue inevitably collapses under the too-much-ness of a sequel overstuffed with characters and battle sequences. The end result is a film that, while still having some excellent scenes, struggles to overcome the weight of the ever-expanding Marvel universe. Summer is generally looked upon as the season where popcorn megahits don't ask much of their audiences or derivate from stock formulas, but a handful of recent movies (even Marvel's own Guardians of the Galaxy) have successfully started a trend reversal. This year, unfortunately, only the no-one-saw-this-coming Mad Max reboot has started conversations about anything except explosions and Easter eggs.




Inside Out, on the other hand, is that rare thing: a completely original film without a focus on big-name headliners. It's easy to argue that both these things are easier in animation, but that only holds true to a certain extent. Animated films still seek out all-star celebrity casts to voice their characters, just like live-action films seek out box-office "sure bets" to anchor their would-be blockbusters. And perhaps there are more original animated films, but the past several years have seen Despicable Me, Cars, Madagascar, and Puss in Boots, among others, have been the animated equivalents of those live-action franchises that just won't go away. The subset of original ideas that are truly original and executed with care and quality is sadly small- but for this year, Inside Out is leading the pack as a true crowd-pleaser that actually has something to say.

It tackles real, complex issues in a sophisticated style
There's one very simple explanation for everything: Inside Out is a beautifully crafted film, period. The animation itself is gorgeous, creating a stunning, varied, and colorful landscape that is somehow exactly how you imagine the inside of one's mind would look, even though you've probably never actually thought about it before.


It's not just Pixar's trademark high-quality animation that makes this a standout movie, however. This is genuinely a movie for both children and adults. The key lies in how the material is apportioned: the plot, at least on the surface, is fairly simple adventure fare; likewise the supporting "emotions." When it comes to the two leading ladies- Sadness and Joy- and the deeper thematic content, however, this is a film that truly speaks to those in the audience who are no longer children. Sadness, for instance, starts out as the easy scapegoat; of course no one wants to be sad! But as the film progresses, there is a sophistication realization that sadness is necessary as part of an emotional balance. There is a poignant nostalgia that runs through the film, from the solid-color simplicity of the earlier memory "globes" to the tearjerking arc as Bing Bong resigns himself to being forgotten. Seriously, find me another movie that takes a potentially irritating, chipper sidekick and instead makes it a poignant symbol of lost childhood (and makes you cry for a cat-elephant-dolphin hybrid). Even the end credits get in on it:

Image from touchthesky_wdw on Instagram

As adults watching this movie, whether we have only just left childhood behind or have not been children for many decades, we feel the bittersweetness of this story very deeply. There is a certain degree of longing for the days when emotions were simpler and more straightforward, and the simultaneous loss and discovery of, well, growing up. Few films have ever managed to really convey this complexity, and Inside Out succeeds because it does it so well.
And yet, it's refreshingly optimistic

When most movies try to deal with issues like these, however, they tend to be either A) incredibly depressing and "artsy", B) sickeningly sweet and simplistic, or C) a John Hughes movie. So much of fiction, be it on the big screen, the small screen, the page, or the stage, tends to conflate complexity or quality with unhappy or downer. Happy endings are seen as overly sentimental, as the stuff of Hallmark movies and old-fashioned fairy tales- that is to say, utterly unrealistic. So often, these "quality" stories ask questions like, "How do I live like _____" or "How can I do ____", and the answer is, "You don't." But Inside Out, like the best of tales, answers "How do I live with ___" with "You live." And that, more than anything else, is what makes this movie so excellent.

Like This? Try That: Broadway Edition

The end of the 2014-2015 Broadway season is upon us, and it's been one roller coaster of a year. Where else could a musical about musicals compete against a modern coming-of-age tale, a Hollywood producer fall flat, and a musical not even on Broadway yet become the breakout story of the year? It can be tricky to sift through all the offerings and find a show or a cast recording that fits your taste. So here's a handy guide for recommendations: just find a show you know you already love, and see what it's been matched with!

5 Underrated YA Heroes Who Deserve Your Attention

Harry and Ron. Peeta and Gale. Edward and Jacob. Four. Jace, Simon, Alec. These are names that then entire YA world- and, in several cases, most of the general public- knows at a glance. Young adult fiction has become a buzzword for youthful epics with broad-range appeal. In the past several years, it has been YA fiction and their adaptations that have provided mainstream pop culture with its most lasting and far-reaching stories. And with most of these stories have come iconic heroines and swoonworthy heroes.

But there was a time when YA stories weren't all anyone talked about, and even today, there are a whole slew of stories that don't get the same attention- and a whole slew of heroes worth a look. In no particular order, here are five of the best:

The Fan's Guide to the Elements of Writing: Irony

It's been a while, but welcome back to the Fan's Guide to the Elements of Writing. This time, let's take a look at a very popular device: irony. We all throw that word around, we all use the device, but what are we actually talking about?

Coming Soon To The Storyologist!

Hi, everyone! As you've probably already noticed, we're going through a few changes here at The Storyologist. First up: a new look, one that's brighter, cleaner, and hopefully easier to navigate and read. I hope you like it as much as I do.

A Plea to 'Shadowhunters': Please Don't Follow 'Game of Thrones''s Lead

A handsome knight, brave and bold and a defender of all that is good. It's a trope we all know from fairy tales, but in today's media, the knight-in-shining-armor has grown into a much more complex character type- a neo-knight, if you will, whose classical qualities are accompanied by traits one would not expect from your usual knight archetype: some hard past, some less-than-heroic quality, or just a secret that causes problems in their given society. So tell me if this sounds familiar: a young male character in a fantasy series based on a popular book series, a fan favorite though a supporting character, very handsome, very brave and skilled in combat, loyal to his family- oh, and gay. Who did you think of? My guess is you thought of Game of Thrones's Loras Tyrell. But he won't be the only one for long- and that's what worries me.

Finale Fever: A Rundown of May Sweeps 2015

It's nearing the end of May, and every TV fan knows what that means: the end of another season, and the end of another cycle of that twisty, emotional, wonderful time known as May Sweeps. This is what every season leads to: a few weeks in which the writers throw our way every heartbreaking twist, heartwarming moment, and shocking twist they possibly can. Most of the time, it works. Some of the time, let's be honest, it doesn't. So, without further ado, let's take a quick look back at the highs (and some of the lows) of this year's batch of season enders. Although this should be pretty apparent, fair warning- spoilers abound!

As Wonderful As You Seem: Cinderella in the Modern World

To look at the recent film and television landscape, you might think we're in a new golden age for fairy tales. Into the Woods and Maleficent scored big at the box office, while Once Upon A Time continues to enchant viewers every Sunday evening (despite its exasperating habit of making every fairytale character somehow related to the others). And you can't take a step without some reminder of the unstoppable ice behemoth that is Frozen. All of these fairy tales, however, have one thing in common: they are all revisionist, mostly darker, takes on the fairy tale. To be sure, these stories are closer in many ways to the spirit of old European fairy tales, which are much darker than an audience weaned on Disney would suspect. But there has been one holdout, one fairy tale that, despite having not one but two recent updates, has remained unabashedly hopeful, gentle, and positive. The tale? Cinderella.

Forever Yours, Faithfully: A Farewell to Glee

Tonight marks the endpoint of a cultural phenomenon that has had one of the oddest, most talked-about trajectories in modern television. Glee began as a bright, innovative, biting comedy, adored by critics and audiences alike. By tonight's finale, it accumulated enormous baggage and became almost abandoned entirely. Glee's legacy will be mixed, no doubt. But in some ways, if one looks past the controversial plot "twists," fractious fan wars, and increasingly off-the-rails storytelling, there is a real legacy of making the arts relevant and safe and even cool, especially embracing the quirky young people who saw themselves in Glee's wonderfully strange characters. And that's worth being proud of.

Flashback Friday: A Far, Far Better Thing

Today is the first Flashback Friday here at The Storyologist! I'm at a writers' conference this weekend, and since everyone is already overanalyzing this year's movie in anticipation of the Oscars on Sunday, I thought you might enjoy something about a snubbed movie from two years ago. I hope you enjoy!

Hiatus and return

Hi all, just a quick note to let you know this blog isn't dead! I've just had to take a couple months off to deal with some health stuff that has prevented me from spending much time on the computer writing. I'll be back posting more regularly very soon!

~The Storyologist

Marvel's Agent Carter Matters- And Here's Why

If you're like me, you've almost certainly seen the ubiquitous ads for ABC's upcoming Marvel miniseries, Agent Carter. And if you're like me, you've also almost certainly found the early trailers a little bit irritating, or at the very least quite cliché. "The best man for the job... is a woman." Come on- that's the best they could come up with? In all seriousness, though, ABC's PR department might not be the subtlest, but they certainly know what to play up about this new series. After 10 films (and counting) and one TV series with male leads, directors, writers, et al., Agent Carter will be the first property in the multi-platform Marvel Cinematic Universe to feature a female lead- and a female-led creative team to boot. For a somewhat nerdy female writer like me, there could be no better news. But this show isn't just a milestone for a major synergistic story. It's a lot more than that.

Hayley Atwell in Captain America, (c) Marvel/Disney