BE MORE CHILL to open at the Lyceum in February 2019- Page 5

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 11:36pm

perfectlymarvelous said: "Just so all of you know, this vitriol toward teenage fans of a show isn't new. I'm in my late 20s so for me the shows were Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde and Wicked (and a little later on, [title of show] and Hair and Next to Normal), but the language people are using to describe fans of Be More Chill and Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton now is basically exactly the same. And yeah, some people were out of line and it definitely brought out the crazies, but most of us grew up and remain theatre fans and a lot of us are now professionals in the industry ourselves. From what I've heard, the kids at the show have been mostly respectful and enthusiastic, which isn't a bad thing. I haven't seen the show but ultimately, anything that gets people excited enough to become the next generation of theatre fans and ticket buyers is good in my book - it's what will keep the industry going and birth the next generation of writers, performers, directors, administrators, etc."

I love everything about this post. 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 11:42pm

Bwayfan292 said: "Apparently, fans are upset because he has a girlfriend, and they shipped him with George. So they are attacking him and his girlfriend. What the actual f***"

I’m a ****ty Millennial - what does “shipped” mean?

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 11:45pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Bwayfan292 said: "Apparently, fans are upset because he has a girlfriend, and they shipped him with George. So they are attacking him and his girlfriend. What the actual f***"

I’m a ****ty Millennial - what does “shipped” mean?"

Shipping is usually done in a fan base between two males (yaoi) or two females and occasionally two people of any gender where they state the two people should get together... Long story short, they want Gerard, a straight male, to date George, an uninterested gay man.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 11:49pm

Oh...Kay...

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 11:54pm

When I first saw the term “stan,” I was curious what this term stood for. I decided maybe it was short for “stage fan” as in a fan of certain stage actors. But in the last week, it occurred to me it probably is short for “stalking (or stalker) fan.” Is that correct? That would certainly seem to fit with the behaviors portrayed above and elsewhere.

I’m a fan of many people, but can’t imagine my behavior rising to this level. I remember once in 2014 at a restaurant Daniel Radcliffe came in with (I believe) his girlfriend and sat three tables away from me. Now I would like to see him in a stage production one day, but I don’t think I have ever seen one HP movie all the way through so I wouldn’t consider myself a huge fan. Anyway, I did stop at his table and once he acknowledged me, I told him I was looking forward to seeing him on Broadway when he returns. He was cordial. Then I ruined it by asking for a selfie. He explained he was eating lunch. I quickly apologized and shuffled out of the restaurant. I have felt some shame about bothering him ever since and vowed never to do that again. So I definitely don’t get this “stan” behavior.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:01am

"When I first saw the term “stan,” I was curious what this term stood for. I decided maybe it was short for “stage fan” as in a fan of certain stage actors. But in the last week, it occurred to me it probably is short for “stalking (or stalker) fan.” Is that correct? "

I have always heard it was derived from Eminem's Stan, about a crazy fan.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:02am

Stan is the name of Eminem’s stalker in his song “Stan” lol. That’s where the term originated from - an extreame fan.

In the song, Stan writes fan letters about killing him, his girlfriend, and other crazy **** over his love for Eminem. 

Updated On: 9/11/18 at 12:02 AM

[yesraccoons]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:06am

About 5 years ago I went through a “Stan” like stage however it was with a boyband so much less reachable than broadway stars. (I couldn’t talk to them in person or email them or have any contact with them)

When I was a “stan” I and the other arounds me were crazy. For many teens it’s the first time they find something they’re interested in and they become obsessed. Not sure if this is true for BMC but people shipped these two band members and were CONSTANTLY trying to prove they were together and harressing one of their girlfriends. I didn’t personally take part in this behavior but I know those who did and to them they didn’t seem to realize that it wasn’t true? That this “proof” didn’t hold up? They would take past moments and basically say “LOOK HERE! This means they’re in love!!” It’s like a pseudo-romance to them. I’m sure some of y’all had your fantasies when you were younger or falling in love and such. That’s what they’re doing but they’re projecting it on to real people that they’re obsessed with.

Obviously it’s ****ed up but they’ll get over it and feel like creeps (hopefully!).

Bottom line is it’s not something you can talk them out of with logic. This is their first real interest and their first foray into what they see as “Love” I guess? Like sorta trying to figure out what it all means. It’s like an extreme version of watching a movie and basing your expectation of romance off of that.

Clearly they need to stop. But that’s just my attempt at giving y’all insight into them.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:13am

Sadly, you can’t talk logic into people like that especially young ones.

I do think that the overwhelming majority of young fans are logical.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:43am

Okay, that makes sense in relation to the origins of “stan.” I am acquainted with Eminem’s song although I now avoid him and his tiresome homophobia like the plague.

@yesraccoons - your post led me to recall my obsession with Olivia Newton-John (wishing her the best upon the news that she is fighting cancer again) when I was a teen. I had her posters and album covers plastered all over my room. My parents even had a semi-intervention with me. Lol. Of course, the most accessible she was to me then was seeing her in concert once and sending her fanmail. I also had a notebook filled with magazine clippings about her. Lol. I never thought about being in a relationship with her. I did sometimes fantasize that she was my biological mom (I’m adopted) and thought about being “badass” like her at the end of Grease or the cover of her Totally Hot album. Maybe that’s creepier. Lol. Then in 1983/1984, I discovered Madonna, Prince, Tina Turner, and Cyndi Lauper and things began to change.

I do think some of this teenage obsessiveness is linked to puberty and hormonal changes. Obviously, some take it way too far to the point of life impairment and boundary crossing.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 12:56am

On the word "stan" and its use:

Before this message board began using the term left and right, I always found that people used it with a hint of irony. People would use it in reference to themselves, but there was a slight tongue-in-cheek exaggeration to the way it was used.

Also, while it's definitely valid to use it as a noun to describe a person, most of the uses I've seen of it outside this board were as a verb. As in "I stan [actor name]." And usually when people said that, they just meant they follow their work very closely. As in, you were "stalking" their career, not the person themself. 

Of course, the lines become blurry with live theatre, because the actor is physically there, so in order to "stan" someone's career, you DO have to physically go where the actor is. Also, I'm not saying that many young fans aren't guilty of stalker-ish behavior. But I always find it a little funny when people sincerely use the term "stan" in association with that behavior, when I've always viewed it as a kind of jokey, ironic term. 

Some people definitely do use the term to pejoratively or judgmentally - it's not just people on this board. But I think it's interesting to examine how different group use it in different contexts, and how the medium of live theatre sort of imbues the term with new meaning. Because if someone says they "stan" Jennifer Lawrence, they probably just mean that they watch all her movies and maybe her interviews too, which is fairly harmless. But when there are real-world interactions going on, it may be easier for lines to be crossed. 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 1:07am

 


To be honest, the majority of people who say it nowadays have probably never heard the song Stan or it’s sick, twisted meaning. The people who say it on the regular obviously just mean it as “I’m a big fan” not “I’m so in love with this persons work that I’m going to obssss over them every moment of my life..just like Stan!”

It didn’t actually resurface until recently. I remember my senior year in high school we were all talking about Nicki Minaj, or something like that, and my friend said “I’m such a Stan. I love her” and we all thought “Stan? WTF? what year is this, 2001?!”

Lol now some these BMC kids..Stans in the traditional sense. No doubt about it. Creeps.

 

Updated On: 9/11/18 at 01:07 AM

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 4:09pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "perfectlymarvelous said: "Just so all of you know, this vitriol toward teenage fans of a show isn't new. I'm in my late 20s so for me the shows were Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde and Wicked (and a little later on, [title of show] and Hair and Next to Normal), but the language people are using to describe fans of Be More Chill and Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton now is basically exactly the same. And yeah, some people were out of line and it definitely brought out the crazies, but most of us grew up and remain theatre fans and a lot of us are now professionals in the industry ourselves. From what I've heard, the kids at the show have been mostly respectful and enthusiastic, which isn't a bad thing. I haven't seen the show but ultimately, anything that gets people excited enough to become the next generation of theatre fans and ticket buyers is good in my book - it's what will keep the industry going and birth the next generation of writers, performers, directors, administrators, etc."

I love everything about this post."

^^^^ So do I. Honestly as long as they don't harass actors (Like some of the fans mentioned in this thread), they are good in my book as well!

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 5:24pm

dearalanaaaa said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "Bwayfan292 said: "Apparently, fans are upset because he has a girlfriend, and they shipped him with George. So they are attacking him and his girlfriend. What the actual f***"

I’m a ****ty Millennial - what does “shipped” mean?"

Shipping is usually done in a fan base between two males (yaoi) or two females and occasionally two people of any gender where they state the two people should get together... Long story short, they want Gerard, a straight male, to date George, an uninterested gay man."

Nothing to do with the insanity of this whole thing... but in case it's not clear, "shipping" is an abbreviation of "[relationship]ping." That's where it comes from. 

(dearalanaaaa... that's actually the first I've heard of it being primarily a same-sex thing - I've always understood shipping to be the hope that any two characters get together, regardless of gender or sexuality. E.g. one of the most intense shipping factions is Harry Potter + Hermione.)

Updated On: 9/11/18 at 05:24 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 5:27pm

YvanEhtNioj, I'm older than you and "shipping" has been used in this context since at least the peak of the LiveJournal years.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 9/11/18 at 5:31pm

LizzieCurry said: "YvanEhtNioj, I'm older than you and "shipping" has been used in this context since at least the peak of the LiveJournal years."

Really? I’ve never heard it before, but #TheMoreYouKnow lol 

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 9/12/18 at 10:42pm

I've also been on the internet for...a while, and shipping and stan were around before I was. 

[dearalanaaaa]

Posted: 9/12/18 at 11:13pm

JudyDenmark said: "dearalanaaaa said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "Bwayfan292 said: "Apparently, fans are upset because he has a girlfriend, and they shipped him with George. So they are attacking him and his girlfriend. What the actual f***"

I’m a ****ty Millennial - what does “shipped” mean?"

Shipping is usually done in a fan base between two males (yaoi) or two females and occasionally two people of any gender where they state the two people should get together... Long story short, they want Gerard, a straight male, to date George, an uninterested gay man."

Nothing to do with the insanity of this whole thing... but in case it's not clear, "shipping" is an abbreviation of "[relationship]ping." That's where it comes from.

(dearalanaaaa... that's actually the first I've heard of it being primarily a same-sex thing- I've always understood shipping to be the hope that any two characters get together, regardless of gender or sexuality. E.g. one of the most intense shipping factions is Harry Potter +Hermione.)"

I guess that may be it, but as I've been growing up around ship culture it seems more and more like people ship same-sex mostly. As shown by the link, there are only 2-3 ships that aren't lgbt in some way. Shipping has taken many forms among the teenage audience this is for. I thought Draco & Harry were more popular than Hermione & Harry... Maybe it's just the circles that I've seen.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 1/23/19 at 12:48pm

Say what you want about the show, but I think "Michael In the Bathroom" is a KILLER number. No matter how many times I see George Salazar perform it, it still thrills me.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Watch-George-Salazar-Take-On-Michael-In-the-Bathroom-in-Rehearsals-for-BE-MORE-CHILL-20190123

[CarmenA3]

Posted: 1/23/19 at 10:39pm

CT2NYC said: "Say what you want about the show, but I think"Michael In the Bathroom" is a KILLER number. No matter how many times I see George Salazar perform it, it still thrills me.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Watch-George-Salazar-Take-On-Michael-In-the-Bathroom-in-Rehearsals-for-BE-MORE-CHILL-20190123"

I feel the exact same. Price of admission is worth this song and 2-player game :)

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 1/24/19 at 12:29am

I cannot get that video to play as the embedding is weird but I agree with you about that song. I was not interested in seeing this show at all until I heard the song play on the radio. Now I will definitely see it to see how they stage the song.

[binau]

Posted: 1/24/19 at 3:09am

I find it a little weird that someone who looks like a Middle aged man is playing a teenager.

[theaterlyfe19]

Posted: 1/24/19 at 7:37am

qolbinau said: "I find it a little weird that someone who looks like a Middle aged man is playing a teenager."

I second this. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 1/24/19 at 8:16am

qolbinau said: "I find it a little weird that someone who looks like a Middle aged man is playing a teenager."

This is a a sci-fi musical comedy about a pill with a computer in it that takes over people's minds. It's not exactly grounded in realism, and his actual age is completely irrelevant, in my opinion.

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/24/19 at 10:19am

qolbinau said: "I find it a little weird that someone who looks like a Middle aged man is playing a teenager."

You must find nearly every movie musical made pretty weird, then...