acequeenking (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
acequeenking) wrote2023-10-21 02:27 pm
acequeenking) wrote2023-10-21 02:27 pm
Yuletide 2023
Dear Yuletide wassailer,
Thank you for writing for me!
I am looking forward to seeing whatever you create! I consider all prompts optional, but I added some below in case they might be helpful. If you’d rather just work with a likes list, please feel free to use my general likes as something you can base your fic on. Feel free to be creative and create what you want as long as it doesn’t cross my DNW. Happy Yuletide!
[Return to Top of Letter]
Characters Requested: Gerbert of Aurillac, Ysabeau de Clermont, Juliette Durand
What is it: A paranormal romance series, based on the All Soul's Trilogy by Deborah Harkness that centers on a witch and her lover who is a vampire...and a bunch of historical mystery solving, mostly about alchemy texts. The show has a wider focus on the paranormal world of the series, while the book concentrates more on the lovers. I'm absolutely in love with the politics of the show between vampires, witches, and daemons. I've seen the full show and read all the books in the series.
Where is it: Streaming on HBO Max and on Amazon Prime, amongst others.
Canon/Character Notes: These characters have long and complicated lives and I would love to see them interact before canon events! Go nuts with whatever time and place and time you want. As far as relationships, I am open to both any kind of romantic or platonic relationship between any of these three. I don't mind which characters you use, as long as its one or more of these three. I am just desperately seeking more interaction between these three. If you want to add in details from the Books, I'm perfectly okay with that. I would also be fine going just off the show!
What I love: I absolutely love how the vampires comes across and how DoW treats them politically. Gerbert and Ysabeau seem to view everyone underneath them radically differently, and I think you can see a lot of that in how they treat their sired "children" (Matthew is unquestionably Ysabeau's son; Gerbert's relationship with Juliette seems more, well, unclear.)
Gerbert and Ysabeau are both french vampires who are living nearby one another for most of history and yet they seem to avoid one another. Ysabeau seems content to influence history from the shadows while...well, Gerbert takes a rather more blatant approach, shall we say. I would love to see their meetings through history. Does he have any interest in Ysabeau outside of her being a de Clermont? Was there ever a time their interests aligned and they worked together? Do they ever have domestic shenanigans from being two vampires in close vicinity to one another? Are they both in a book club or something, and they're the only two who actually understand the History and Complexity of these works of literature and thus are the only two worth talking to at the book club? Do they have awkward meet and greets at local political dinners?
I would also love to see his relationship with Juliette. I feel like Juliette had pretty much no chance at a normal life with him, and he is all too quick to pull the reigns on her. He seems to allow her some freedom, but he pulls it back pretty brutally when she uses that freedom in ways he doesn't like. Juliette clearly is someone who is profoundly damaged by her relationship with him, yet keeps returning to him, and I think they have a really interesting dynamic.
With Juliette and Ysabeau, I'm constantly wondering what if they'd gotten a chance to know one another. She, like Juliette, was sired by an absolute monster. I think there's very easily a chance that Juliette could have found a sympathetic ear and place with Ysabeau had Matthew stayed with her - would it have been enough to break her away from Gerbert? How would Juliette find someone like Ysabeau viewing her with kindness when so many have just used her in her long life?
Prompts:
* I would really love to see a fic set during Gerbert's time as Pope (Pope Sylvester II, 999-1003 AD) or dealing with the fact he was Pope which is the most insane detail in the whole canon to me. What is it like to have been Pope? Did Ysabeau ever oppose him? I believe Ysabeau was a Catholic as well, and I think having the living emissary of your religion being your vampire enemy/frenemy would induce some kind of religious crisis that I'd love to see her resolve. I'd also love to see Juliette's reaction to learning this;how does Juliette reconcile the brutality of the man with his positions as pope as a noted humanist? How would she react?
* I would absolutely love to see any politicking with these three. Did Ysabeau ever meet Juliette when she was Matthew's paramour? How did she feel about her? Did she recognize her as being Gerbert's spawn early, or was it something that took her by surprise? Gerbert is almost as ancient as Ysabeau and Phillip are -- what did he think of them? What does Juliette, the newcomer of these three, think of the politics of the vampire world? Does she ever struggle against these long-ancient sanctions, customs, and traditions? Does she ever change anyone's ideas about life and how it should be lived?
* I just want any kind of thoughts on how Vampires take living through time endlessly. For Ysabeau, who is now living for the first time in centuries without her - how do you go on living when you're the only one alive in your mated pair? For Gerbert, how does he live with the fact that he's not as powerful as he used to be, in exile in Venice? Does he resent it? For Juliette, how does she handle the passage of time, and the way things change -- and the way things done?
* Queering the Tide: Honestly, I'd love to see a queer adaptation of any of these characters! Ysabeau and Juliette falling in love after both having had a rather rough start to their vampiric life? Juliette observing Gerbert and an old lover in a reunion/awkward run-into one another? Gerbert taking out his crush on Matthew by making Juliette tell him what she did with him? Any of the vamps seducing someone for food/interest/sheer horny profit?
* Transtide: I am always down for explorations of trans identity mixed with the vampire mythos! What does being a vampire change feelings of gender dysphoria? Does becoming a vampire allow you to present better as your true gender? Does it give them an extra vulnerability that others can use to keep them in check? If you by the traditional vampire rule that your body when you die is your body forever -- what do you do if, in two hundred years, that's not how you want to express your gender anymore?
* Crueltide: I would adore dark fic in this canon. Maybe something about how Gerbert and Juliette/ Ysabeau's relationship deteriorated through time? Gerbert's reaction to Juliette's death (whether genuinely mournful or absolutely uncaring or somewhere in-between)? Gerbert or Juliette taunting Ysabeau about the death of Philip? Juliette getting punished by Gerbert for some infringement or another? Juliette telling either about Matthew leaving her -- and finding a poor reception?
* Chrmomatic Yuletide: I would love to see something about Juliette's feelings about being one of the few vampires of color in the series, and her experience as a black/mixed race woman in Europe and America. How does her race impact her existence in this society? How does she feel about being in the thrall of Gerbert, a French/Italian man, or with the French Matthew when they're in America? When he abandons her there, does her race influence her reaction -- or his?
* Yuleporn: There's very little porn in this fandom and I would love to see more of it. Ysabeau and Gerbert having a pre-Phillip hook-up that's more than a little violent? Gerbert and Juliette's strange relationship that's half sadomasochism and half aftercare? A threesome between the three of them, somehow?
[Return to Top of Letter]
Characters Requested: Hades, Persephone
What is it: A folk-jazz musical that re-tells the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice in a semi-modern style, with a twist. Departs heavily from classical mythology in that Hades and Persephone (and Eurydice) are given much stronger characterizations in this than they have in the classical version of these stories. In this version, Hades and Persephone are a very long-term couple whose marriage is on the rocks, with world-wide consequences spilling out from it, not least of which is climate change!
Where can I find it: On Broadway and heading across the USA/Canada on tour! You can listen to the OBCR of the latest version here. There have been previous versions of the show have also been released, with minor differences: there’s a concept album here, and the New York Theater Workshop version had a (truncated, but still good) OCR you can find here. (I’ve listed the YouTube versions since not everyone has access to Apple Music/Spotify/Google Play, but it should be available on pretty much every platform.) I am quite certain there are bootlegs/slime tutorials available on the web too. ;)
Canon/Character notes: As far as what version of the cast/show I prefer -- I like every version! My favorites are the original Hades and Persephone (Amber Gray and Patrick Paige), but I also really loved the first national tour cast (Kimberly Marable and Kevyn Morrow) and loved Jewelle Blackman with both Pat and Tom Hewitt as well. I don't think there's a single cast here that hasn't killed it, so please feel free to mix and match or make the characters your own original interpretations.
As far as canon events go, I like both interpretations of what happens in Hades' office with Eurydice, and I don't mind how you interpret the ending either! I love bringing in other details from Greek mythology but I also love when Hadestown is treated as its own universe of Americana, so feel free to go in whatever direction you think best!
What I love: Hades and Persephone are my personal favorites both as a couple and as characters in this work. They are just so damn complicated; their love is ancient, and enduring, but difficult. It is so difficult. I love that this is the rare musical that doesn't just celebrate getting together but also celebrates how damn difficult it is to keep romance alive, especially in the face of challenges like being forced apart, or have a spouse who works a demanding job, or have infidelity or the possibility of it ruin the relationship, or -- well -- say your husband runs a horrible factory city that's very long on work and very short on mercy. I really love how both of them have some real negative points but their love for one another is truly genuine, and I always love an exploration of how these two got together and stay together. It might be a little bit toxic, but, you know, it works for them, and I love to see it working.
Prompts:
* I am always fascinated by how one possible interpretation of the ending is a time loop, and I love the idea of the loop subtly changing through time. What changes and do Hades and Persephone ever grow aware that they are in a loop? Are the changes positive or negative? Do new characters ever join the Orpheus and Eurydice story, or do people leave? What happens?
* I really love seeing these two from an outside perspective. I feel like they're so caught up in their own toxic love story that they can come across as absolutely bizarre to the mortals and at times, completely cruel to them as well. I really want to see how mortals in this world think about these two, or even some of the other gods: do they come across as benevolent deities or absolute disasters, or something in-between? What do other Gods think about what they're doing to the world -- and how do they feel about the fact that, if they can't get it right, the world will effectively end? Do they ever try to intercede with Hades and Persephone? And if so, how dose that go?
* I really would like to see their getting together, or perhaps that first reunion after spring. I feel like there's such an interesting difference between them: he's older and she's younger, he's not as bold as her but can be with the right acknowledgement, they both seem very powerful but in completely opposite ways (growth of life/death)...what brought them together? How long ago did they get together? How do they stay together and is it at all tied to how they got together in the first place?
* Transtide: I really have always longed for a Hades and Persephone story through a trans lens and I think it would be interesting to see one with a Hadestown slant! I would love to see a trans! Persephone of either gender, and how that would alter Hades' relationship with her -- or vice-versa. What changes about the character? What would remain the same? Does the underworld have any interesting powers as far as gender? Are either of these characters perceived differently up top and down below -- and if so, how does that make them feel?
* Queertide: Similar to the above, I absolutely love altering this love story to be more queer. I would love to see how changing Persephone to be a male version of herself changes how other characters perceive her; would her and Hades' love story be any different if he were a man instead of a woman? What does a male god of spring look like? Likewise, if Hades becomes female, does that change any of his behavior during the play? How does that change how she approaches/relates to Persephone?
* Crueltide: God these two can be so toxic and I'm always up for more pain of them being toxic to one another. Absolutely horrible fights followed by really violent make-up sex followed by more arguments! Persephone's drug use and Hades reaction to it -- does he resent her using or does he encourage it? Dub-con drugged out sex (between one or both of them). Leaving for winter fic where nothing is resolved and everyone hurts. Just write some bad times and let me reveal in them.
* Chromatic Yuletide: I really would love to see more analysis of how Persephone being a woman of color, influences her character. How does that change how mortals or even other gods or even her husband treat her? Was she born a Greek/American goddess or did she come from somewhere else? Does how she look depend on who prays to her, and if so how does her look change over time? There's been so many beautiful Persephone's of color and I've loved them all so any fic based on their characterizations would be delightful!
For Hades, I absolutely adore both the African-American actors who have played him (Kevyn Morrow and Phillip Boykin) and would love to see a fic based on their characterizations (or an original Hades who is not white). One thing that always sticks with me was Kevyn commenting in an interview that his Hades always tries to look less imposing because, as a black man, he's used to being seen as being seen as a threat and, even though because he is the God of death he is a threat, he doesn't want to give that impression as he prefers to be seen as a charmer. I really love that thought and would love to see more exploration of it. Honestly, I would just eat up any story that would focus on a black! Hades having to reckon with how people perceive him -- especially given his position as God of wealth and death.
[Return to Top of Letter]
Characters Requested: Harold Zidler, Satine, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
What is it: A jukebox-but-make-it-remixes musical that tells the tragic love triangle of Satine, a dying performer in a nightclub, the financial stable but otherwise kinda not-so-stable Duke de Marmont, and the bohemian writer Christian. Along for the ride are Harold Ziegler, the flamboyant host and owner of the financially troubled nightclub, and Henri de Toulouse-Latrec, friend to both Cristian and Satine and another bohemian artiste.
Where can I find it: On Broadway and heading across the USA/Canada on tour! You can listen to the OBCR of the latest version here on spotify or here on apple music. I am quite certain there are bootlegs/slime tutorials available on the web too. ;)
Canon/Character notes: I know the story of Moulin Rouge is about Christian, but I am fascinated at the hints of pre-canon history that we get, where Zigler, Toulouse-Latrec, and Satine were plucky starving artists in the street, with an emphasis on starving. Satine seems to be an inspiration to both of them; Zidler's "Shining Diamond" and Toulouse-Latrec's muse. I am very interested in seeing anything about those days; what happened to those characters to make them the bohemians we love? I also I really love how Zigler and Toulouse-Latrec both support her in their own ways, but one thing I wish we had gotten in the musical was more of a reaction to these long time friends when they find out that Satine's time is growing short. And I really would love to know what happens to them when she is gone, as well, especially given with what happened to the historical Moulin Rouge (it closed) and Toulouse-Latrec (going on great success as a painter).
I've only seen this on tour, but I'm open to all casts for the characters. Please go with whoever you'd like best in the role, or create new designs based on the characters. The beauty of theater is that the same characters can be played by many actors, after all, who all bring something unique to the role!
As far as characters in my gift, I really would love any interaction here between one of the three focusing on the other two, two of these three, or all three. I don't mind bringing in other characters in canon too, but these three are my absolute favorites. I am open to any relationship you want to give them: romantic or platonic or something in between.
If you want to bring in any historical details from France in the late 1800s era, go free; if you wanna disregard them and treat the canon as its own thing, do that too! I am really open especially to explorations of queerness in this age and this space; it really stood out to me in the show how they made a great deal of the characters queer and how the Moulin Rouge functioned very much as a safe space, and I'd love to see more exploration of that.
Prompts:
* The early days before Harold got the Moulin Rouge: how did these guys make a living? How did they handle being on the streets in Paris? How did Harold wind up with the Moulin Rouge? Did Satine come to work there right away? And if so, did Toulouse get offered a job as well? And if he did, why didn't he take it? How did the opening of the Moulin Rogue change their dynamic? Harold seems to generally be portrayed as older than the others -- how did he wind up looking out for these two street kids?
* One of my favorite moments in the show is when Satine is coughing preparing for her big opening and Harold comes up to her and says "If I may...A bit more rouge, perhaps" and Satine leans back and grasps his hand and says, simply,always. It really says a lot about their vulnerability with one another and understanding of one another, I think: He understands her deeply, and understands too that she doesn't want them to mourn her before she's dead but that she is dying. But I wish we had got Toulouse's reaction to that, as he too is one of her oldest friends. Is he surprised when Satine gives her all and passes away? Or has he expected this? How do both he and Ziegler grasp with the knowledge of Satine's sickness? Does Satine try to hide it from them -- and if so, how long does she do so?
* What happens to the others after Satine passes away? How does Harold go on without his biggest draw? What does Toulouse Latrec do without his muse? What is Satine's perspective of the afterlife? Does she ever come back to see them? What happened to the others in the Moulin Rouge crowd?
* Transtide: I love the casual queerness of this musical, where there's trans women and men in the background dancers and the way they take a moment to spotlight Baby Doll as one of Satine's friends. I would love, love, love to see a trans exploration of any of these characters - trans! Satine who has learned "fake it til you make it" to an even more extreme degree? Trans! Toulouse who achieves Art with a capital A without compromising his identity? Trans! Ziegler being the patriarch of a bunch of vulnerable artists who need safety? Nom nom nom, all delicious.
* Queertide: Similar to the above, I really love the way this show is uncompromisingly queer and I would love to see more exploration of the Moulin Rouge as a place for queer people in the era the show is set. I would also love to see an exploration of Queer identity for pretty much any of the three characters: how does that impact who they are? How does it change how they view the Moulin Rogue?
* Crueltide: I really would love to see any examination of Satine's illness and how it affects everyone. Satine seems trying to hide it but its clear that by the beginning of the musical she's kinda badly off and that the Moulin Rouge workers are helping her hide it. Does Ziegler feel guilty forcing her to perform as she gets more ill? Does Toulouse worry about his muse fading away? How do they handle her absence after shes' gone? Also would love to see any of the harder times Ziegler or Toulouse have faced, since both do seem to have had a rough start -- and could very well have a rough future, too!
* Chromatic Yuletide: Nearly all of these roles have been played by people of color and I am dying to see how that would affect their characters. Is Toulouse-Latrec's unshakeable belief in liberty informed by his identity as a black man? How do people perceive Zeigler and Satine differently when their race isn't white?
[Return to Top of Letter]
Thank you for writing for me!
I am looking forward to seeing whatever you create! I consider all prompts optional, but I added some below in case they might be helpful. If you’d rather just work with a likes list, please feel free to use my general likes as something you can base your fic on. Feel free to be creative and create what you want as long as it doesn’t cross my DNW. Happy Yuletide!
- 5 Times/Five Things
- Canon-Divergent AUs e.g. "What if Character A went left instead of right?"
- Darkfic, including bad-guys-win and character death
- Epistolary/Found Documents Fic
- In-World (fiction or nonfiction) articles/stories
- First time(s)/ Last Time(s)
- Hurt/ Comfort
- Metafiction/ Interactive Fiction
- Past Third, Present Third, Second or First Person Perspective(s)
- Third Person Narration/ "Different Points of View" (e.g. Char A observes Char B & Char C)
- Arranged Marriage
- Bad guys win / Villain Victorious
- Body horror
- Came Back Wrong/resurrection tropes
- Changing Sides
- Characters who say "I love you" in their actions without actually saying/being able to say "I Love you" in their words
- Complicated Relationships
- Conflicted Loyalties
- Desperate kisses and embraces
- Domestic scenes
- Doomed relationships
- Dystopias
- Eldritch/Eerie things
- Experienced/Inexperienced partnerships
- Fake Marriage/dating
- Fluff/moments of happiness
- Forbidden/Star-Crossed Relationships
- Gender fluidity/experimentation
- Generational Divide/complications in May/December relationships
- Ghosts or other spooky/supernatural occurrences
- Gods being inhuman/unusual
- Grey Morality
- Hurt/Comfort in pretty much any form
- Irreconcilable differences leading to conflict between lovers (but not an absence of love)
- Jealousy
- Lovers caught on opposite sides of a conflict
- Loyalty Kink
- Lust/UST/Pining
- Mindfuckery - the more twisted the better
- Mission/Case fic
- Misunderstandings
- Myths/legends/cultural traditions
- Non-Canon exploration of Character's Gender
- Non-Penetrative sex
- Non-verbal communication and quiet intimacy
- Outsider POV
- Penetrative Sex
- Pyrrhic victories
- Physical recovery from injury
- Playing with danger, e.g. a character being able to hurt another but not doing so (despite them both knowing they could);I also love this being subverted (e.g. known bad-ass A has to be rescued by not-so-badass B)
- Politics
- Possessiveness
- Power differences
- Power play
- Pregnancy, including alien/unusual pregnancy
- Protectiveness
- Redemption being complicated and not easy
- Rule 63/Gender swapping from M to F for one or more requested characters
- Relationships bringing out the worst in one another
- Shows of trust and intimacy
- Snippets of long-term relationships at different points in the relationship
- Trapped in a snowstorm/earthquake/etc
- Trust kink
- Unhappy and/or complicated endings
- Unhealthy Relationships and/or Codependency
- Unreliable narrator
- World-building
- Aftercare
- Anal sex
- Bathing
- Body worship
- BDSM
- Blowjob(s)
- Breathplay/Chokeplay
- Cunnilingus
- Dubcon
- First Time/Losing Virginity
- fail!sex or humorous sex
- Fem-Dom
- M!Dom
- Pegging
- Porn with plot/porn as a character exploration
- PiV sex
- Pregnancy/Impregnation kink
- Quickies/Sex in Public Places/Situations
- Ritual(istic) Sex
- Rough sex
- Sex Pollen
- Sex on tables/desks/chairs/other furniture
- Switching/Reversal of top/bottom dynamic
- Shows of total trust
- Size kink
- Slow and tender sex
- Tending to another's scars/cuts/etc
- Voyeurism
- xeno or other kinds of "unusual" sexual organs (I am up for anything here: tentacles, burrs, cloacae, whatever)
- Atmospheric glimpses of a scene
- Costume Redesigns (especially for characters who are clotheshorses)
- Cuddles, kisses, and other displays of affection
- Family/couples/friends portraits or snapshots
- Limited pallets (black and white, two toned, etc)
- Unusual viewpoints (e.g. not seeing someone head-on/three-quarters)
- Views that tell a story by what they hide as much as what they reveal - eg, a smut scene illustrated by two characters' hands and nothing else)
- Omegaverse (aka Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics)
- High School/College/Coffee Shop/Mundane AU
- Character Bashing
- Extremely Detailed Descriptions of Gore
- Prepubescent Characters in Sexual Situations
- Retellings of the Canon (bringing up canon events that occurred is great, but I would like something that isn't just a scene from canon retold from the same/different perspective; a missing scene is both fine and welcome)
- Scat/Urine/Vomitplay
Likes:
+Genre/Narrative Likes:
+ Favorite Kinks and Tropes:
+ Smut-Specific Likes:
+ Art-Specific Likes:
+Do Not Want:
[Return to Top of Letter]
Fandoms:
A Discovery of Witches:
Characters Requested: Gerbert of Aurillac, Ysabeau de Clermont, Juliette Durand
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)
What is it: A paranormal romance series, based on the All Soul's Trilogy by Deborah Harkness that centers on a witch and her lover who is a vampire...and a bunch of historical mystery solving, mostly about alchemy texts. The show has a wider focus on the paranormal world of the series, while the book concentrates more on the lovers. I'm absolutely in love with the politics of the show between vampires, witches, and daemons. I've seen the full show and read all the books in the series.
Where is it: Streaming on HBO Max and on Amazon Prime, amongst others.
Canon/Character Notes: These characters have long and complicated lives and I would love to see them interact before canon events! Go nuts with whatever time and place and time you want. As far as relationships, I am open to both any kind of romantic or platonic relationship between any of these three. I don't mind which characters you use, as long as its one or more of these three. I am just desperately seeking more interaction between these three. If you want to add in details from the Books, I'm perfectly okay with that. I would also be fine going just off the show!
What I love: I absolutely love how the vampires comes across and how DoW treats them politically. Gerbert and Ysabeau seem to view everyone underneath them radically differently, and I think you can see a lot of that in how they treat their sired "children" (Matthew is unquestionably Ysabeau's son; Gerbert's relationship with Juliette seems more, well, unclear.)
Gerbert and Ysabeau are both french vampires who are living nearby one another for most of history and yet they seem to avoid one another. Ysabeau seems content to influence history from the shadows while...well, Gerbert takes a rather more blatant approach, shall we say. I would love to see their meetings through history. Does he have any interest in Ysabeau outside of her being a de Clermont? Was there ever a time their interests aligned and they worked together? Do they ever have domestic shenanigans from being two vampires in close vicinity to one another? Are they both in a book club or something, and they're the only two who actually understand the History and Complexity of these works of literature and thus are the only two worth talking to at the book club? Do they have awkward meet and greets at local political dinners?
I would also love to see his relationship with Juliette. I feel like Juliette had pretty much no chance at a normal life with him, and he is all too quick to pull the reigns on her. He seems to allow her some freedom, but he pulls it back pretty brutally when she uses that freedom in ways he doesn't like. Juliette clearly is someone who is profoundly damaged by her relationship with him, yet keeps returning to him, and I think they have a really interesting dynamic.
With Juliette and Ysabeau, I'm constantly wondering what if they'd gotten a chance to know one another. She, like Juliette, was sired by an absolute monster. I think there's very easily a chance that Juliette could have found a sympathetic ear and place with Ysabeau had Matthew stayed with her - would it have been enough to break her away from Gerbert? How would Juliette find someone like Ysabeau viewing her with kindness when so many have just used her in her long life?
Prompts:
* I would really love to see a fic set during Gerbert's time as Pope (Pope Sylvester II, 999-1003 AD) or dealing with the fact he was Pope which is the most insane detail in the whole canon to me. What is it like to have been Pope? Did Ysabeau ever oppose him? I believe Ysabeau was a Catholic as well, and I think having the living emissary of your religion being your vampire enemy/frenemy would induce some kind of religious crisis that I'd love to see her resolve. I'd also love to see Juliette's reaction to learning this;how does Juliette reconcile the brutality of the man with his positions as pope as a noted humanist? How would she react?
* I would absolutely love to see any politicking with these three. Did Ysabeau ever meet Juliette when she was Matthew's paramour? How did she feel about her? Did she recognize her as being Gerbert's spawn early, or was it something that took her by surprise? Gerbert is almost as ancient as Ysabeau and Phillip are -- what did he think of them? What does Juliette, the newcomer of these three, think of the politics of the vampire world? Does she ever struggle against these long-ancient sanctions, customs, and traditions? Does she ever change anyone's ideas about life and how it should be lived?
* I just want any kind of thoughts on how Vampires take living through time endlessly. For Ysabeau, who is now living for the first time in centuries without her - how do you go on living when you're the only one alive in your mated pair? For Gerbert, how does he live with the fact that he's not as powerful as he used to be, in exile in Venice? Does he resent it? For Juliette, how does she handle the passage of time, and the way things change -- and the way things done?
* Queering the Tide: Honestly, I'd love to see a queer adaptation of any of these characters! Ysabeau and Juliette falling in love after both having had a rather rough start to their vampiric life? Juliette observing Gerbert and an old lover in a reunion/awkward run-into one another? Gerbert taking out his crush on Matthew by making Juliette tell him what she did with him? Any of the vamps seducing someone for food/interest/sheer horny profit?
* Transtide: I am always down for explorations of trans identity mixed with the vampire mythos! What does being a vampire change feelings of gender dysphoria? Does becoming a vampire allow you to present better as your true gender? Does it give them an extra vulnerability that others can use to keep them in check? If you by the traditional vampire rule that your body when you die is your body forever -- what do you do if, in two hundred years, that's not how you want to express your gender anymore?
* Crueltide: I would adore dark fic in this canon. Maybe something about how Gerbert and Juliette/ Ysabeau's relationship deteriorated through time? Gerbert's reaction to Juliette's death (whether genuinely mournful or absolutely uncaring or somewhere in-between)? Gerbert or Juliette taunting Ysabeau about the death of Philip? Juliette getting punished by Gerbert for some infringement or another? Juliette telling either about Matthew leaving her -- and finding a poor reception?
* Chrmomatic Yuletide: I would love to see something about Juliette's feelings about being one of the few vampires of color in the series, and her experience as a black/mixed race woman in Europe and America. How does her race impact her existence in this society? How does she feel about being in the thrall of Gerbert, a French/Italian man, or with the French Matthew when they're in America? When he abandons her there, does her race influence her reaction -- or his?
* Yuleporn: There's very little porn in this fandom and I would love to see more of it. Ysabeau and Gerbert having a pre-Phillip hook-up that's more than a little violent? Gerbert and Juliette's strange relationship that's half sadomasochism and half aftercare? A threesome between the three of them, somehow?
[Return to Top of Letter]
Hadestown
Characters Requested: Hades, Persephone
My gift must feature all of my chosen character tags
What is it: A folk-jazz musical that re-tells the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice in a semi-modern style, with a twist. Departs heavily from classical mythology in that Hades and Persephone (and Eurydice) are given much stronger characterizations in this than they have in the classical version of these stories. In this version, Hades and Persephone are a very long-term couple whose marriage is on the rocks, with world-wide consequences spilling out from it, not least of which is climate change!
Where can I find it: On Broadway and heading across the USA/Canada on tour! You can listen to the OBCR of the latest version here. There have been previous versions of the show have also been released, with minor differences: there’s a concept album here, and the New York Theater Workshop version had a (truncated, but still good) OCR you can find here. (I’ve listed the YouTube versions since not everyone has access to Apple Music/Spotify/Google Play, but it should be available on pretty much every platform.) I am quite certain there are bootlegs/slime tutorials available on the web too. ;)
Canon/Character notes: As far as what version of the cast/show I prefer -- I like every version! My favorites are the original Hades and Persephone (Amber Gray and Patrick Paige), but I also really loved the first national tour cast (Kimberly Marable and Kevyn Morrow) and loved Jewelle Blackman with both Pat and Tom Hewitt as well. I don't think there's a single cast here that hasn't killed it, so please feel free to mix and match or make the characters your own original interpretations.
As far as canon events go, I like both interpretations of what happens in Hades' office with Eurydice, and I don't mind how you interpret the ending either! I love bringing in other details from Greek mythology but I also love when Hadestown is treated as its own universe of Americana, so feel free to go in whatever direction you think best!
What I love: Hades and Persephone are my personal favorites both as a couple and as characters in this work. They are just so damn complicated; their love is ancient, and enduring, but difficult. It is so difficult. I love that this is the rare musical that doesn't just celebrate getting together but also celebrates how damn difficult it is to keep romance alive, especially in the face of challenges like being forced apart, or have a spouse who works a demanding job, or have infidelity or the possibility of it ruin the relationship, or -- well -- say your husband runs a horrible factory city that's very long on work and very short on mercy. I really love how both of them have some real negative points but their love for one another is truly genuine, and I always love an exploration of how these two got together and stay together. It might be a little bit toxic, but, you know, it works for them, and I love to see it working.
Prompts:
* I am always fascinated by how one possible interpretation of the ending is a time loop, and I love the idea of the loop subtly changing through time. What changes and do Hades and Persephone ever grow aware that they are in a loop? Are the changes positive or negative? Do new characters ever join the Orpheus and Eurydice story, or do people leave? What happens?
* I really love seeing these two from an outside perspective. I feel like they're so caught up in their own toxic love story that they can come across as absolutely bizarre to the mortals and at times, completely cruel to them as well. I really want to see how mortals in this world think about these two, or even some of the other gods: do they come across as benevolent deities or absolute disasters, or something in-between? What do other Gods think about what they're doing to the world -- and how do they feel about the fact that, if they can't get it right, the world will effectively end? Do they ever try to intercede with Hades and Persephone? And if so, how dose that go?
* I really would like to see their getting together, or perhaps that first reunion after spring. I feel like there's such an interesting difference between them: he's older and she's younger, he's not as bold as her but can be with the right acknowledgement, they both seem very powerful but in completely opposite ways (growth of life/death)...what brought them together? How long ago did they get together? How do they stay together and is it at all tied to how they got together in the first place?
* Transtide: I really have always longed for a Hades and Persephone story through a trans lens and I think it would be interesting to see one with a Hadestown slant! I would love to see a trans! Persephone of either gender, and how that would alter Hades' relationship with her -- or vice-versa. What changes about the character? What would remain the same? Does the underworld have any interesting powers as far as gender? Are either of these characters perceived differently up top and down below -- and if so, how does that make them feel?
* Queertide: Similar to the above, I absolutely love altering this love story to be more queer. I would love to see how changing Persephone to be a male version of herself changes how other characters perceive her; would her and Hades' love story be any different if he were a man instead of a woman? What does a male god of spring look like? Likewise, if Hades becomes female, does that change any of his behavior during the play? How does that change how she approaches/relates to Persephone?
* Crueltide: God these two can be so toxic and I'm always up for more pain of them being toxic to one another. Absolutely horrible fights followed by really violent make-up sex followed by more arguments! Persephone's drug use and Hades reaction to it -- does he resent her using or does he encourage it? Dub-con drugged out sex (between one or both of them). Leaving for winter fic where nothing is resolved and everyone hurts. Just write some bad times and let me reveal in them.
* Chromatic Yuletide: I really would love to see more analysis of how Persephone being a woman of color, influences her character. How does that change how mortals or even other gods or even her husband treat her? Was she born a Greek/American goddess or did she come from somewhere else? Does how she look depend on who prays to her, and if so how does her look change over time? There's been so many beautiful Persephone's of color and I've loved them all so any fic based on their characterizations would be delightful!
For Hades, I absolutely adore both the African-American actors who have played him (Kevyn Morrow and Phillip Boykin) and would love to see a fic based on their characterizations (or an original Hades who is not white). One thing that always sticks with me was Kevyn commenting in an interview that his Hades always tries to look less imposing because, as a black man, he's used to being seen as being seen as a threat and, even though because he is the God of death he is a threat, he doesn't want to give that impression as he prefers to be seen as a charmer. I really love that thought and would love to see more exploration of it. Honestly, I would just eat up any story that would focus on a black! Hades having to reckon with how people perceive him -- especially given his position as God of wealth and death.
[Return to Top of Letter]
Moulin Rouge!
Characters Requested: Harold Zidler, Satine, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
My gift must feature one or more of my chosen character tags (giver's choice)
What is it: A jukebox-but-make-it-remixes musical that tells the tragic love triangle of Satine, a dying performer in a nightclub, the financial stable but otherwise kinda not-so-stable Duke de Marmont, and the bohemian writer Christian. Along for the ride are Harold Ziegler, the flamboyant host and owner of the financially troubled nightclub, and Henri de Toulouse-Latrec, friend to both Cristian and Satine and another bohemian artiste.
Where can I find it: On Broadway and heading across the USA/Canada on tour! You can listen to the OBCR of the latest version here on spotify or here on apple music. I am quite certain there are bootlegs/slime tutorials available on the web too. ;)
Canon/Character notes: I know the story of Moulin Rouge is about Christian, but I am fascinated at the hints of pre-canon history that we get, where Zigler, Toulouse-Latrec, and Satine were plucky starving artists in the street, with an emphasis on starving. Satine seems to be an inspiration to both of them; Zidler's "Shining Diamond" and Toulouse-Latrec's muse. I am very interested in seeing anything about those days; what happened to those characters to make them the bohemians we love? I also I really love how Zigler and Toulouse-Latrec both support her in their own ways, but one thing I wish we had gotten in the musical was more of a reaction to these long time friends when they find out that Satine's time is growing short. And I really would love to know what happens to them when she is gone, as well, especially given with what happened to the historical Moulin Rouge (it closed) and Toulouse-Latrec (going on great success as a painter).
I've only seen this on tour, but I'm open to all casts for the characters. Please go with whoever you'd like best in the role, or create new designs based on the characters. The beauty of theater is that the same characters can be played by many actors, after all, who all bring something unique to the role!
As far as characters in my gift, I really would love any interaction here between one of the three focusing on the other two, two of these three, or all three. I don't mind bringing in other characters in canon too, but these three are my absolute favorites. I am open to any relationship you want to give them: romantic or platonic or something in between.
If you want to bring in any historical details from France in the late 1800s era, go free; if you wanna disregard them and treat the canon as its own thing, do that too! I am really open especially to explorations of queerness in this age and this space; it really stood out to me in the show how they made a great deal of the characters queer and how the Moulin Rouge functioned very much as a safe space, and I'd love to see more exploration of that.
Prompts:
* The early days before Harold got the Moulin Rouge: how did these guys make a living? How did they handle being on the streets in Paris? How did Harold wind up with the Moulin Rouge? Did Satine come to work there right away? And if so, did Toulouse get offered a job as well? And if he did, why didn't he take it? How did the opening of the Moulin Rogue change their dynamic? Harold seems to generally be portrayed as older than the others -- how did he wind up looking out for these two street kids?
* One of my favorite moments in the show is when Satine is coughing preparing for her big opening and Harold comes up to her and says "If I may...A bit more rouge, perhaps" and Satine leans back and grasps his hand and says, simply,always. It really says a lot about their vulnerability with one another and understanding of one another, I think: He understands her deeply, and understands too that she doesn't want them to mourn her before she's dead but that she is dying. But I wish we had got Toulouse's reaction to that, as he too is one of her oldest friends. Is he surprised when Satine gives her all and passes away? Or has he expected this? How do both he and Ziegler grasp with the knowledge of Satine's sickness? Does Satine try to hide it from them -- and if so, how long does she do so?
* What happens to the others after Satine passes away? How does Harold go on without his biggest draw? What does Toulouse Latrec do without his muse? What is Satine's perspective of the afterlife? Does she ever come back to see them? What happened to the others in the Moulin Rouge crowd?
* Transtide: I love the casual queerness of this musical, where there's trans women and men in the background dancers and the way they take a moment to spotlight Baby Doll as one of Satine's friends. I would love, love, love to see a trans exploration of any of these characters - trans! Satine who has learned "fake it til you make it" to an even more extreme degree? Trans! Toulouse who achieves Art with a capital A without compromising his identity? Trans! Ziegler being the patriarch of a bunch of vulnerable artists who need safety? Nom nom nom, all delicious.
* Queertide: Similar to the above, I really love the way this show is uncompromisingly queer and I would love to see more exploration of the Moulin Rouge as a place for queer people in the era the show is set. I would also love to see an exploration of Queer identity for pretty much any of the three characters: how does that impact who they are? How does it change how they view the Moulin Rogue?
* Crueltide: I really would love to see any examination of Satine's illness and how it affects everyone. Satine seems trying to hide it but its clear that by the beginning of the musical she's kinda badly off and that the Moulin Rouge workers are helping her hide it. Does Ziegler feel guilty forcing her to perform as she gets more ill? Does Toulouse worry about his muse fading away? How do they handle her absence after shes' gone? Also would love to see any of the harder times Ziegler or Toulouse have faced, since both do seem to have had a rough start -- and could very well have a rough future, too!
* Chromatic Yuletide: Nearly all of these roles have been played by people of color and I am dying to see how that would affect their characters. Is Toulouse-Latrec's unshakeable belief in liberty informed by his identity as a black man? How do people perceive Zeigler and Satine differently when their race isn't white?
[Return to Top of Letter]