NavigateThisMaze

A blog dedicated to all things Bare. From FanFiction to fan theories to plain old crying about it. Will include all versions of Bare.

[roleofa-lifetime]

My Favourite Bare: A Pop Opera (2013) Moments 4/∞

[roleofa-lifetime]

Did you know how much he loved? Did you know how much he cared? Lost in the teachings was a boy so all alone and scared..

My favourite Bare: A Pop Opera (2013) moments 3/∞

[gronkle]

do you ever think about how in bare a pop opera jason is so concerned with how hes viewed and living up to what everyone thinks of him (his dad, the school, etc) that even though he's a main character he doesn't have a solo until near the end, when everything all falls apart around him and he's forced to face whats left of himself without outside approval

[i-hope-it-doesnt-show]

slightly unpopular opinion???

i prefer the 2004 off broadway bare over 2013 la one

[novoicenosoundnowords]

My take has always been that 2004 are better actors, 2013 are better singers and I think the characters all had better chemistry in 2013 but costumes and set are better in 2004. It's interesting because one is good where the other one lacks and it gives a pretty good idea of what a "perfect" production of Bare would look like

[almayver]

Also the fucking way the entire show hinges on all these relationships that have years and years of development that we just don't see because we get there at the very end. We get the briefest glimpses and comments about their past. And yet it's enough to paint such a clear picture that when the tragedy hits, it fucking hits

[megsbrainrot]

“Actor” by Conan Gray is so Peter and Jason coded.

[novoicenosoundnowords]

I feel like the whole album is Peter and Jason coded but Actor is definitely the most

[bare-an-incorrect-opera]

ok i know it’s been fifty years but does anyone have the Bare 2013 la boot?

[novoicenosoundnowords]

DM me and I'll share it with you

[a-wins-a-win]

i am having Feelings about this comparison;

'...a buried burden born alone...' - Jason McConnell, Role Of A Lifetime (1999 demo tracks)

'...[how did i learn] the truth you gave to me?' - Jason McConnell, Bare (bare; a pop opera)

like from a 1999 character analysis standpoint, i think it's really helpful to be able to look at that line and extrapolate a similar internal struggle as what Peter is dealing with, to understand why this Jason did what he did the way that he did it. Without as much time spent with/on him in the recording we have it's harder to put together a full picture of his & Peter's relationship and the way it progresses - but I think being able to look at this Jason's queerness as a pre-existing struggle only exacerbated by his feelings for/relationship with Peter allows for a little more nuance and/or compassion when discussing his suicide.

in much the same way, this concept that b;apo Jason didn't know he did and/or didn't know he could love anyone [but boys in particular] until he met and developed that connection with Peter is SUPER DUPER interesting in regards to analysing & explaining his behaviour as well - especially as it relates to his suicide and the sheer totality of his and Peter's break-up. Not only did this Jason lose his soulmate, but he also lost a really significant part of himself (in the sense that he doesn't know how to allow his queerness to exist outside of the confines of his relationship with Peter)

[aetherilium]

thinking about how every character in bare has their own motif except for matt. thinking about how he almost got a motif during auditions and then jason sang it instead. thinking about how he brings the auditions motif back during promise as he thinks he’s finally taking control. thinking about how he slowly realizes what he’s done and the auditions motif never appears again.

thinking about how the only true solo motif matt has is jason’s eulogy.

[saint-starflicker]

John Griffin as Jason McConnell in Bare: A Pop Opera (2000)

[heartburstings]

hey, wait. i have a distressing thought here.

you know how, in you and i, jason has to comfort peter that It's All Just A Game? and directly after that, peter like, just directly says, "i know he wants to be the american dream. i know he wants a trophy bride, kids, a dog, a picket fence. i don't know how i'm supposed to fit into that."

and it's like... i doubt this insecurity came from nowhere. like, yeah, of course peter knows jason this well, of course he does--but also. do you think ivy was even the first girl jason went out with? you know???

[heartburstings]

i really like how, even as characterized peter is by being the Fool to jason's Coward, peter is not necessarily fearless. he has stress dreams abt homophobia, where his mom knows and is heartbroken and blames his gayness for the divorce, where he's attending his own funeral, where his classmates have known all along and are shunning him for it... but peter responds to this fear by wanting to tell his mom, where jason responds to these same fears (his future being impacted, his father beating the shit out of him, losing his social status) with assimilation, or trying to run away. peter meets his fears where they're at, and jason tries to make it so he's not a target for his fears. idk

[jasons-baseball]

Jason: “Look, you have to stop acting like this.”

Peter: “Like what? Your boyfriend?”

SUCH AN UNDERRATED LINE RIGHT AT THE END OF “Birthday, Bitch!” WHY DO THEY THROW SUCH MEANINGFUL LINES RIGHT AT THE END OF THE SILLY SONGS.

[mavrustheunskooled]

here’s the thing about Jason McConnell is that you can look at his actions from a distance and call him selfish and a bad boyfriend and all that, and he is, but he is also a high schooler in a restrictive, choking situation. he is being compressed from all angles into what everyone expects of him, the valedictorian, the star of the show, the one that will keep the McConnell flame burning. he is crushed by expectations, by the fact that he will never be able to be what they want him to be, by the fact that he hasn’t even had a chance to figure out who he is or what he wants for himself. he’s not just a bad guy, a “problematic” character— he’s a kid in a bad situation who’s lashing out bc he feels so out of control in life that he has to take control wherever he can. he is so much more complex than his worst moments, and I think bare only becomes more beautiful and painful when we look at the intricacies of Jason and understand why he does what he does

[evan-loves-trees]

Diane and Alan's friendship>>>>>

[saint-starflicker]

Jan Forrellat as Jason McConnell in Bare: A Pop Opera (2014)

[fierrochase-falafel]

Bare: A Pop Opera song saga- #1 Epiphany

So I've decided to post some of my 'half-analysing half-raving about every song in Bare: A Pop Opera' posts in here because I can. If even 1 person out there appreciates hearing someone's else's thoughts about this, this will have been worth it, because I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this too. Alright! So my thoughts on Epiphany:

Perfect balance of funny, catchy, Christian and angsty for this musical.

The stagecraft is usually very interesting for this number but my favourite version of the choereography has to be the 2004 Michael Arden version solely because of how much they carry and throw him around. Really emphasises how powerless he is against his peers and the authority figures in his life, and makes his character growth all the more satisfying, where he gains the courage to come out but also to understand the true gravity behind coming out. Also it's just so fun to watch!!! Unfortunately most of the lyric changes were a bit of a letdown, the original lyrics are the best in my book. Personally I found the LA version's choreography rooted in one position, leading to less of a dynamic effect- Payson's Peter had a lot more space and freedom to watch them say their anti-gay Christian stuff than Michael's Peter did which made it feel a bit like a strange fever dream rather than a full-on nightmare sequence.

Speaking of the original lyrics, shoutout to "looks around in gym, it pleases him"- it both makes me laugh and is sung SO well. Also shoutout to "dig down deep and save your soul"- the classic dental alliteration and sibilance to really get the message drilled into your skull the way it's being drilled into his.

Also speaking of the original lyrics! I find it very interesting that the phrase, "loves his female singers, loves to cook" is included. It's gay stereotypes that aren't central to Peter's character in any way- we never see him cook or enjoy cooking, and he references Diana Ross once when high. I see this being interpreted in multiple ways- 1 being that he genuinely does love female singers and cooking and he sees those as being signs of his gayness that he must hide or else he'll be found out, or 2 being that he is being really paranoid that something like him being fairly familiar with who Diana Ross is will lead to people calling him gay- even if it's so small it's almost insignificant, in a toxic environment or with high levels of paranoia, it's perfectly plausible he is scaring himself over the smallest of things. I know, I've done that. It's just interesting to me.

The ending of the song-- the harmonies are SO GOOD!!! The overlapping harmonies of "bear the cross" culminating in them chanting it more and more aggressively till Peter wakes up is so urgent and fun to watch while also giving the cult-sense of religion gone too far.

There are so many motifs introduced here, like Matt's motif, the Epiphany motif and the Bare motif (the song). It's always really cool going back and relistening to these with the new context you have, and it means so much more when you do. The more you listen, the more you discover!