okay, but i NEED to talk about the junior players production of be more chill... i have found exactly one (1) post talking about this version, but god, i honestly think it's my favourite? maybe even more so than the og two rivers production...i wish they had comments turned on on youtube, but instead i'll have to ramble here.
maybe it's me having my actor-brain turned on too much when watching any theatre, but i just think all the actors did exactly what i really wanted them to do; all the comedic beats landed, the emotional paths feel connected, lines and pauses are given the space they need, plus everyone was so committed physically and the vocal performances fucking eat.
i really like every choice that every actor made. jeremy's actor has amazing chemistry with michael, christine, the squip, and basically every character he interacts with. he felt nerdy pre-squip, he felt cool during the squip, he felt comfortable in himself post-squip. he was just a really believable teenager and loveable guy.
christine is so unabashedly weird in a way i kind of miss in the broadway version (and to an extent, the two rivers version...shh dont sue me).
michael is actually chill and funny and comfortable with himself, which is exactly what makes mitb sooo gutwrenching (again, felt this was DEFO missing in the broadway version... broadway michael, i have opinions about you)
and the squip!! when he walked on as ted from bill and ted my jaw actually dropped THAT MADE ME SO HAPPY!!!! there is not nearly enough bill and ted appreciation in this world...and the actor nailed keanu's mannarisms sooo fucking good. plus, the progression then of jeremy's squip going from essentially a chill teenager as ted to a far more powerful and ominous entity as neo from the matrix? REALLY cool costuming choice and progression, i fucking love it.
plus there were just so many stupid little details in the background that ALL the actors did that i might ramble about in another post (mostly rich. i really like rich's little moments. in all productions tbh).
i also really like how they DIDN'T let the original version affect their production design. obviously the og has a very iconic look and i can see why most other productions sort of follow its costume/set designs and character choices, especially as it's a musical that largely blew up because of the fandom, and fandoms sort of cling onto the original of any version (not a criticism /gen, that's just how it is). but i think the best thing about theatre is that every production you see has the potential to be totally different. in both design/look, and the actors' choices as well.
which is i think why i watched, like, every version i can get my hands on this past week; because i just really wanted to see different versions. different line deliveries and beats and motivations and all the boring actory stuff. (and also because unlike tv shows, there's alas wayy less content to consume, so you take everything you can get yaknow)
and i just love love love how different this version is, oh my god i just. can't. its sort of seperate in my head to the two rivers version tbh? i've seen people talk about how they see broadway bmc and two rivers bmc as almost like different stories, and that's definitely what i'm feeling right now. in terms of fandom and art and how the show exists in my brain as a concept, i do adore og bmc. but as a wholly seperate story that i could genuinely watch over and over again and not get bored, i just fucking love the junior players one. its like...that's MY be more chill. in my own perfect world, that's the real one.
this really does sound like im slagging off og bmc, but please please know that i am not. honestly, i've enjoyed and saved every version i've watched, from the broadway bootleg to high school productions to animatic versions. but i just want to share my love for this particular version...idk, maybe it has LOADS of fans (the youtube vid has like 1k likes so idk), but alas because the comments are turned off, i haven't gotten to see anyone else raving about it. i don't even know any of the actors names, which SUPER sucks cuz they're fucking awesome.
anyway, ramble over (for now). please go watch the junior players production if you haven't, its worth it i swear. if you have seen it, please yell at me in my ask box, i will be over the moon.
