THE HAWKINS POST

updates on all things stranger things!

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STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW SPOILERS - ELEVEN

here is a compilation of all things I can recall from the play involving Eleven

also to note: some things I am still a little confused about and will need to verify when I see it again soon. I will update as I remember things!

Henry's blood was transfused by the lab into either the pregnant mothers or the babies themselves, meaning they have his ''special' blood type (I will make a post about this soon when I next see the pay and can actually try to understand it because honestly my brain is a mess rn)

The final scene of the play is Henry with Eleven in the rainbow room, a short recreation of the scene in the show here he says they have 'something new to try today' which ties it nicely into the familiar territory of the series

The 'baby' Henry was holding at the end of the show on the first preview night was actually an error - the show started late and still has a working runtime of three hours without interval. As the show is still in preview sessions, it means not all transitions run smoothly yet and need major polishing, consider it like practices before the press night and official opening in mid-December. The play overran majorly for the first preview show and finished past 11pm. Due to laws involving child actors on stage, the young actresses who is usually cast to portray Eleven (as well as Alice Creel throughout the play) in the final scene was legally not allowed on stage for the final scene in the rainbow room. On a regular show night once it is polished and runs on time, Eleven in that final scene will be the age she is in the show in that same scene (so season one). The baby was simply a way to still do the scene but cover up the mistake of not legally allowing the Eleven actress on stage past 11pm. (I hope this makes sense)

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STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW SPOILERS - PATTY NEWBY

here is a compilation of all things I can recall from the play involving Patty Newby

also to note: some things I am still a little confused about and will need to verify when I see it again soon. I will update as I remember things!

Adopted daughter or Mr and Mrs Newby

Doesn't know who her mother was or where she is - feels like an outcast in Hawkins - this is what she eventually bonds with Henry about

Bob a loving brother to her but tease just as any siblings would

Mr Newby, the principal of the high school and a leading figure of the Church/local community, has clear bias against her - stricter on rules and regulations for her than Bob and other students

Revealed that Mrs Newby ran off with TED WHEELER'S FATHER - reason for Mr Newby's bitterness (no excuse, sir. leave her alone)

Mr Newby thought adopting a girl/another child into the family would strengthen the relationship with his wife, as they were clearly struggling and growing apart - he failed. lol.

Patty is a fan of comic books - she is seen multiple times praying to Wonder Woman (she's a real cutie guys, you'll love her)

Patty and Henry bond over their outcasting from others and enjoyment of comics, particularly the Captain Midnight series, on his first day at the high school

Patty has a talent for singing, something she believes could be from her mother, and her dream is to do it professionally someday

Patty auditions for the lead in Joyce's directed play, Henry steps up to read in for the part opposite her - they are then told they will need to kiss in the scene which is interrupted but it is clear they like each other from this

There is a brief scene where Walter Henderson makes a racially charged jab at her not belonging, to which Charles Sinclair stands and glares to get him to back down

Patty follows after Henry when he is distressed, assuring him she is there and cares

He reveals about his powers to her though does not admit all about hurting the boy at his last school in Nevada or killing the local pets recently - he shows Patty his ability to alter dreams and make them feel real (I saw this as his understanding of his powers, he thinks it is about controlling dreams and doe snot realise they are actually affecting reality until he learns the cat he killed in his dream was actually killed in reality and he is responsible for it)

In Patty's dream that Henry helps her to see, she is the lead singer and others form the town are her backup singers/dancer - yeah, guys, there's a whole musical number with pink sparkles and feathers and all

She then asks Henry to use his powers to find her mother - he finds her in Vegas as a singer - unfortunately, things go wrong and he can't control the evil

Mr Newby has been told by Victor that Patty is with Henry at the house and he storms over, Henry then trapping him with his powers, breaking his legs and blinding his eyes - he only breaks out before killing him completely when Patty shouts out that she loves him

In hospital, Mr Newby confesses his reasoning for her adoption to her and, of course, she is rightfully upset

Henry has been missing since the incident (with Brenner) - she sees him again during the play where Henry confronts Brenner, who tells her Henry is violent and responsible for everything - despite feeling betrayed Henry was untruthful to her, she tries to defend him against Brenner

However, Henry's powers are untamed and he lashes out with anger - Patty falls from the rafters of the school theatre stage and is presumed dead

Henry is taken by Brenner and told that she has died

It is not revealed to him until the end of the show when Henry (tied in a straight jacket and wheelchair) is in the in-between world (with the water, like in the series) and sees her alive with a walking stick - she has travelled to Vegas to be reunited with her mother

This means she is still out there and could make an appearance in ST5 - perhaps, the gang find her to appeal to Henry's more human, compassionate side - defeat evil with the power of love and friendship and all that

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STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW SPOILERS - ALAN MUNSON

here is a compilation of all things I can recall from the play involving Alan Munson

also to note: some things I am still a little confused about and will need to verify when I see it again soon. I will update as I remember things!

He's a greaser, slicked hair and leather jacket

A failed flirt

Also a drama kid, which makes so much sense

I think this is an acting choice on Max Harwood's part (bless you, BLESS YOU) but he even does the now-iconic Eddie pose of the fingers above the head and tongue out while teasing Walter and Henry in the high school

Cast in Joyce's play and seems to take the 'method' approach - very dedicated to his character and the performance, very stressed about the first show and things not being prepared - losing themselves in fantasy and performance seems ot be in the Munson genes

Hopper suspects him heavily for the pet killings and 'interrogates' him more than others

Interestingly, no mention or reference to Wayne that I could catch

Alan is in one of the final scenes as the new local 'Santa' at Christmas-time, though is shown to eb slurring his words and stumbling, clearly now a drunkard - a hint of the beginning of his descent into the troubled father who Eddie describes in ST4

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STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW SPOILERS - JOYCE MALDONADO

here is a compilation of all things I can recall from the play involving Joyce Maldonado

also to note: some things I am still a little confused about and will need to verify when I see it again soon. I will update as I rememeber things!

Joyce is in charge of directing the high school's musical for the season, directing her fellow schoolmates in her version of 'Dark of the Moon'

As the play revolves around witches and teased by other schoolmates to be about 'lesbians' and sex and all things inappropriate, so they cover it to the principal (Mr Newby, Bob and Patty's father) by pretending to be performing 'Oklahoma'

You can read more about the play here: Dark of the Moon (play) - Wikipedia

She is desperate to be awarded a scholarship for theatre direction as it will be her way out of Hawkins

Her relationship with Lonnie is teased by Walter Henderson who claims she only has eyes for bad boys usually over 25 years old, emphasising their age gap and his misbehaviour

There are few scenes of the two of them to explore their relationship but it is clear he does not believe in her wanting to leave Hawkins and not so supportive of her dream about the theatre scholarship - Lonnie is seen arrested in Hawkins PD too, that bothers Joyce

Bob is said to have a huge crush on Joyce and wants to get involved with the play to interact with her and build confidence to confess, but it seems Joyce is more preoccupied with her own future and getting the play done despite the chaos around her to notice (I will do a separate post for Bob in the play, but the show really emphasises how deeply and how long he loved her, making what happens in the series even worse)

Her opinion of Hopper is that he is lazy and a womaniser and has hurt many girls with his flirtations, though we don't see any of him doing that besides to her (again, I will do another post for Jim) - their relationship throughout the play is very much teasing and underlying hints of flirtation

Joyce, Bob and Hopper end up trying to solve the murder of several pets recently - there is a reward from Claudia Henderson for finding out who killed her pet cat, something Joyce believes Hopper is only in it for rather than to do the right thing

The 'Kids' soundtrack theme plays often when Joyce, Hopper and Bob are on stage together

They are lead to the Creel house, believing Victor to be the murderer

Joyce witnesses Hopper and his father have a fight at the PD when they try and appeal for help and arrest Victor Creel - she asks why he does not stand up to him more and it seems she begins to sympathise with him more here, also as he assures it was not all about the money for him to crack the case but to help and do something good

Hopper offers to drive himself and Joyce out of town, to Mexico or someplace, away from the dull and chaos of Hawkins - we know Joyce wants desperately to leave but she turns down the offer

The pair almost kiss at one point, her hands on his chest but are interrupted by Bob (I think?)

Joyce cast Henry as the lead male principal in her play because of his chemistry with Patty, her female lead - the adults knew Henry in high school

Joyce is pleased when she hears Victor Creel has been arrested, thinking her and Hopper's warning to the PD has helped

She runs into Henry, who all believed was missing since the incident with Patty and Mr Newby at the Creel House - as Hopper and Joyce were in Russia for ST4 they do not yet know what the kids do about Henry being responsible. I can't recall the specific dialogue of this scene but it could be said Joyce has her suspicions after the very tense interaction and then what happens to Patty moments later, Henry then going 'missing' (back in the hands of Brenner) by the end

It could also be inferred that Will was taken because of this interaction, though it doesn't seem to be the intended assumption

An invited guest who runs the scholarship programme attends the play's performance, Joyce is more stressed about controlling her unruly cast but all is well until Patty's tragic accident and she loses the opportunity

It is mentioned she used to work shifts at Enzo's restaurant

Her last scene set four years later in 1963 shows her working at Melvalds, which used to be a bar/diner/hang out spot. Jim visits now in his police training uniform and explains he will be heading out for military/police training/Vietnam

it has to be said that Isabella is an incredibly powerful force in her performance of Joyce and I hope you all get the opportunity to witness it! She has the perfect energy and also sounds so close to Winona without it seeming like a forced impersonation!

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STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW SPOILERS

hello nerds! due to my job within west end theatre, I have been lucky enough to see two dress rehearsals of this show before opening night yesterday and thought I would share all I can recall of it for those wanting to know and unable to see the play anytime soon.

before I compile a long listed post of all I can explain, is there anything in particular you wish to know?