Steampunk Marquise

steampunk warlock librarian. she/they/ve. obsessed with Scarlet Pimpernel, Hermitcraft, and historybounding (1790s and 1880s). 

[steampunkmarquise]

Chauvember

In celebration of my favorite villain of all time I will be making fan art, specifically Chauvelin from the Scarlet Pimpernel fan art, for the month of November. Keep an eye out for the 29th when I do my yearly "Falcon in the Dive" piece!

The tag for this will be Chauvember (the wordplay of Chauvelin and November was too perfect)

[birddcandle]

ZombieCleo in their pride colors!

[kawuli]

random PSA, I know a lot of people use duckduckgo as a Google alternative search engine, but it always kind of annoyed me when I was using it because it felt like No Name Brand Google

I have switched to using Startpage.com and vastly prefer it. for one thing, instead of displaying an "AI summary" at the top of the search results (unless you turn it off, yes I know), it displays the first paragraph of the Wikipedia article, with link, whenever it finds one that's relevant.

also a waaayyyyy better sense of design than duckduckgo

also private, European based, least annoying search I've used lately (RIP old "don't be evil" Google)

[yomikoreadsbooks]

Keeping a list of Google alternatives just in case…

[saxifraga-x-urbium]

i have one of those, scraped from multiple different rec posts:

Search Engines

Infinity Search is an alternative search engine with a special focus on privacy

DuckDuckGo is a popular search engine for those who value their privacy and are put off by the thought of their every query being tracked and logged. Uses bangs, ![site] for in-page search (sells your data to microsoft and draws from fucking bing)

WolframAlpha is a privately owned search engine that allows you to “compute expert-level answers using Wolfram’s breakthrough algorithms, knowledgebase, and AI technology.” A data search engine.

Boardreader is a search engine for forums and message boards. It allows you to search forums and then filter down results by date and language.

Based in France, Qwant is a privacy-based search engine that won’t record your searches or use your personal details for advertising. Uses “&” as a bang search.

Another privacy-based search engine is Search Encrypt, which uses local encryption to ensure that users’ identifiable information cannot be tracked. Metasearch across multiple engines. 

Offering unbiased results from several sources, SearX is a metasearch engine that aims to present a free, decentralized view of the internet. Can be self-hosted. 

Gibiru’s tagline is “Unfiltered private search” and that’s exactly what it offers. Requires AnonymoX Firefox add-on for privacy. 

Disconnect allows you to conduct anonymous searches through a search engine of your choice.

Swisscows provides fully encrypted searches to protect your privacy and security. Built-in violence/porn filter cannot be overridden. 

MetaGer offers “Privacy Protected Search & Find” through its anonymised search. A plugin will allow it to be made a default.

Gigablast is a private search engine that indexes millions of websites and servers real-time information without tracking your data, keeping you hidden from marketers and spammers. Variety of filtration and refinement options for searching. 

Oscobo is a search engine that protects your privacy while you search the web. By not using any third-party tools or scripts, your data is protected from hacking and misuse. Has a Chrome extension to allow use in toolbar. 

https://search.marginalia.nu/ an independent DIY search engine that focuses on non-commercial content, and attempts to show you sites you perhaps weren't aware of in favor of the sort of sites you probably already knew existed. Use old-school searching rather than query-based for the best results. 

https://www.mojeek.com/ 

https://wiby.me/ - It’s goal is to index as many personalized websites as possible, and NOT commercial sites. 

https://4get.ca/ it works a lot like SearX, but honestly better. It doesn’t have its own index, but pulls from many others. I think it’s the best for research, since it allows you to search for answers from different indexes, is easy to configure, add free, and avoids censorship as much as it can.

https://www.searchenginemap.com/ for more on how search engines relate to each other.

https://yep.com/ is a crawler

https://www.etools.ch/ retrieves from Google, Mojeek, Bing, and Yandex, like Searx

https://www.dogpile.com/ 

https://searxng.org/ (next gen Searx)

https://luxxle.com/ - possibly conservative?

https://presearch.com/ - good for academic?

https://kagi.com/smallweb - free/randomised Kagi.

Other Searchers

www.refseek.com - Academic Resource Search. More than a billion sources: encyclopedia, monographies, magazines.

www.worldcat.org - a search for the contents of 20 thousand worldwide libraries. Find out where lies the nearest rare book you need.

https://link.springer.com - access to more than 10 million scientific documents: books, articles, research protocols.

www.bioline.org.br is a library of scientific bioscience journals published in developing countries.

http://repec.org - volunteers from 102 countries have collected almost 4 million publications on economics and related science.

www.science.gov is an American state search engine on 2200+ scientific sites. More than 200 million articles are indexed.

www.base-search.net is one of the most powerful researches on academic studies texts. More than 100 million scientific documents, 70% of them are free.https://cosine.club/ is an electronic music similarity search engine

[dreamsy990]

i saw someone say nobody needs to know what a .txt file is anymore. what the fuck is the world coming to

[dreamsy990]

unironically i think we need to bring back computer labs because APPARENTLY some people WERENT taught basic computer literacy and internet safety in school

[dreamsy990]

things about computers/the internet i think kids should be formally taught in schools because theyre important to know and the amount of soon to be grown adults i know who know NOTHING about any of these is quite frankly almost all of them (and resources to learn if you dont know these things, because its never to late to get better with computers)

how to troubleshoot by yourself when you have a technical problem

what common file types are

some very basics on how to use ""developer tools"" on your computer (because i cant think of a better way to refer to them) like task manager and command prompt (and their mac equivalents, terminal and activity monitor ofc)

how to read and understand a privacy policy and what your personal data is, as well as what it being collected actually means and steps you can take to keep it private

how to understand terms of service (hey. if you have trouble with reading legalese and worry about being able to understand these policies anyways, here's a site that gives basic summaries of privacy policies and ToS)

what a cookie actually is

internet privacy and your digital footprint!! seriously i dont know why we stopped teaching people that they shouldnt be putting their entire real identity online in a world where your online actions can ruin you irl

basic safety measures like antivirus software (and why you should use it or if the built in one on windows or mac is enough for you) and backing up your computer (also a mac guide)

common keyboard shortcuts (and on mac)

as an additional note: things i think everyone should know on computers and the internet but schools may bit hesitant to teach about for whatever moral/legal standards schools pretend to operate on

vpns and adblockers! (btw for most of these where you can pay for things im purposefully not recommending any specific software but seriously just use ublock origin for an adblocker)

how to not get a virus while pirating something

what a temporary email is and when to use one

red flags that you shouldn't trust a website (and how to quickly check the security of a site)

what javascript on a website does and how to disable it to get around paywalls

[dreamsy990]

ok one last addition! if you want to take it one level higher, i think learning the very basics of at least one programming language is good for people. it makes computers less scary and it makes you feel very cool, and a lot of people get discouraged about it because it seems overly complicated and hard to learn outside a formal classroom setting, so heres some resources for learning the very basics of python (because i consider it the easiest language to learn and knowing one language will make it easier to learn others)

an online compiler so you dont need to download anything or worry about running code directly on your computer if that makes you nervous

a basic video guide to introduce you to python and walk you through beginner steps

a guide to some syntax and commands you should know (this was literally my lifeline in my first CS class)

some performance tasks to give you things to code to practice and assess yourself

[alphauke]

an angel on letterboxd just dropped a whole playlist of films free on youtube I was filled with so much love and light I had to share with you guys

[alphauke]

it also includes short films, animated movies, documentaries of every genre, full recordings of live performances. all spanning different decades from different countries. YOU DONT EVEN FUCKING KNOW

[anphivenas]

there are also websites like worldscinema, solidaritycinema, and rarefilmm hosting incredible obscure world cinema for free! and if you're more inclined towards the esoteric, there's also evilbjork's avant-garde canon playlist on youtube! also important to mention Maya S. Cade's incredible black film archive and the otherness archive, an obscure queer cinema archive! You could always be watching more films !

[frostedmagnolias]

House of Worth Gown

c. 1880

silk, metal, glass

New Canaan Museum & Historical Society

[beescared1]

The full official art btw

[vinceaddams]

"Stained glass" faille jacket by Freda Blackwood, 1970's or early 80's, via Kerry Taylor Auctions.

[vinceaddams]

There's more of them!!

Edit: And here's a 5 minute video from the same exhibition.

[makereadgrow]

RIP Joann, now what?

I wanted to make a post I could copy and paste and or link when I see folks asking where to buy fabrics when Joann is gone. I sew a lot, generally between 100-200 items a year and I don't do it on a big budget. Stores are not in a particular order.

Notions:

Wawak.com - start here, mostly stay here. Wawak is a supplier for professional sewing businesses and have the prices that show it. I will not pay for gutermann Mara 100 anywhere else. I buy buttons, tools, thread, and most elastic here.

Stitch Love Studio - this is where I buy lingerie supplies https://www.etsy.com/shop/StitchLoveStudio?ref=yr_purchases

Fabric:

Fabric Mart - this is one where you want to sign up for emails and never buy unless its on sale. They run different sales every day and they rotate. Mostly deadstock fabrics but I buy more from here than anywhere else. Fantastic customer service and if you watch you can get things like $6 wool suiting or $4 cotton jersey. https://fabricmartfabrics.com/

Fabrics-Store - again, buy the sales not the full price. Sign up for the emails but redirect them to a folder because it is TOO MANY. They stock linen or good but not amazing quality. https://www.fabrics-store.com/

Purple Seamstress - This is where I buy my solid cotton lycra jersey. They have other things, but the jersey is what I'm here for. Inexpensive and very good quality. If you ask she will mail you a swatch card for the solids. https://purpleseamstressfabric.com/

LA Finch - deadstock fabrics with a fantastic remnant selection https://lafinchfabrics.myshopify.com/

Califabrics - mix of deadstock and big brands, easy to navigate and always seem to have good denim in stock. https://califabrics.com/

Boho Fabrics - good variety, nice bundles. I have also gotten some really great trims from here. https://www.bohofabrics.com/

Firecracker Fabrics - garment and quilting fabrics, really nice selection and great sale section. I've bought $5 yard quilting cottons here several times. https://www.firecrackerfabrics.com/

Hancock's of Paducah - Quilting fabric and some limited garment fabric. AMAZING sale section. Do not sleep on the sale section. This is my first stop when buying quilting fabrics. Usually the last stop too. Not particularly speedy shipping. https://www.hancocks-paducah.com/

Itokri - This is something a little different. Itokri is an Indian business with incredible traditional fabrics. Shipping to the US is expensive, but the fabric is so inexpensive it evens out. I generally end up paying like $30 for shipping. Beautiful ikat and block prints. https://itokri.com/

Miss Matatabi - this is a little treat. This isn't where you go to save money, but there are so many beautiful things in this shop. Ships from Japan incredibly quickly. https://shop.missmatatabi.com/

Lucky Deluxe - Craft thrift store, always has an incredible selection and fantastic customer service. I need to close the tab fast because I never go to this website without finding something I need. https://www.luckydeluxefabrics.com/

Swanson's - the OG of online craft thrift stores, but I find their website harder to navigate. https://www.swansonsfabrics.com

Honorary Mentions: I haven't shopped at these places yet but I have had them recommended and likely will at some point.

A Thrifty Notion - https://athriftynotion.com/

Creative Closeouts - https://creativecloseoutsfabric.com/ being rebranded to sewsnip.com on March 1 - quilting deadstock

Hawthorne Supply Co. - I just got this rec and I think I need to not look too closely or I'm going to slip with my debit card. https://www.hawthornesupplyco.com/

This is not an exhaustive list of everywhere you can buy fabric, or even a full list of where I shop. There are SO many options out there in the world. You also need to think outside the fabric store box. I thrift men's shirt fabrics for quilts and sheets for backing fabric. I don't do a ton of in person thrifting and my local stores don't get a lot of craft materials but every thrift store is its own universe and reflects the community it is in. Go out and find something cool.

Oh and final note: Don't shop at Hobby Lobby.

[aetherograph]

Oh I just had this conversation with my friends group yesterday. Btw while you can, buy brother machines at the going-out-of-business sale! I just got a serger for $270 which is insane! There's EMBROIDERY MACHINES!!! Anyway, here's some more places--my stash of websites is very orientated toward natural fabrics, and historical ones in particular--I'm a rennie.

https://dharmatrading.com - silks

https://renaissancefabrics.com - linen, cotton, wool, silk, notions.

https://periodfabric.com - more historical fabrics

https://bigduckcanvas.com - duck and canvas like it says. tent fabric.

https://fabrics-store.com - linen and cotton. They sell kits for kitchen towels too.

https://woolsome.shop - wool

https://www.papercityfabrics.com/ - everything is $4/yd

https://metrotextilesnyc.com - has a lot of quilting fabric

https://fabricdepot.com - general fabric store

https://onlinefabricstore.com - general fabric store

https://burnleyandtrowbridge.com - SYNTHETIC PLASTIC WHALEBONE FROM GERMANY. BEHAVES LIKE WHALEBONE!!! they also carry clothing, fabric etc but the whalebone is the exciting thing bc I do not know many places in the states to get this stuff.

https://farthingalecorsetmakingsupplies.com - Corset supplies, another place to get synthetic whalebone.

https://firemountaingems.com - bead store!

https://beadtin.com - bead store, emphasis on pony beads.

https://jetpens.com - pens, inks, anything you want for calligraphy etc.

https://tiedtohistory.com - goldwork supplies and other notions, patterns, some fabric too. Mostly sparklyshinies. This is my source for actual real genuine Thread-of-Gold and Thread-of-silver!

https://angelusdirect.com - Angelus paint, which is a paint used by cosplayers the world over to paint leather and fabric and shoes. It dries flexible and comes in a zillion colours.

https://shop.smooth-on.com - Silicone and moulding supplies.

https://dickblick.com - ART supplies, but I'm putting this here bc Joann's did sell art supplies.

https://sculpey.com - Sculpey clay, buy it directly from the company.

https://hollanders.com - Bookbinding supplies!

https://leatherhidestore.com - Leather, mostly the sizes for garments or upholstering.

https://tandyleather.com - Another leather crafting store, focus more on crafting. They sell tools and machines as well as leather and notions for leather.

https://patterns.bootstrapfashion.com - DIY dress forms! Plus sizes and men included!

https://herrschners.com - string things! Embroidery, latchook, macrame, etc! I hesitate to say a general craft store, but it does have a LOT of stuff. The prices for their DMC embroidery floss are particularly attractive though.

https://trimsbytheyard.com - TRIMS! They got fringe, they got tassels, they got ruffles and beads you want it they got it!

https://sonomawoolcompany.com - wool but more specifically, wool batting for quilts!

https://furlscrochet.com - ERGONOMIC crochet hooks!

If you have supplies and like them, see if the brand has a website you can buy from direct.

If you need a sewing or serging machine, Bernina is the best, followed by Viking. Brother is best for embroidery machines. Get an older Bernina if you can.

If you live near a fashion city (LA, NYC, Paris, London) then GO TO THE GARMENT DISTRICT. LA has a place you can buy fabric BY THE POUND. It's not got a website it's just a little hole in the wall on like the second floor of a building and a tiny old man is at the counter and has probably been there like a hundred years. NYC has fabric stores that are over a century old. Even my tiny little village has a quilting shop.

Also, join your local historical re-enactors or SCA chapter, that is chock full of crafters looking for new blood. The SCA is a great way to learn crafts you've never heard of, too, like Nalbinding. If you're not careful you'll wake up with an inkle loom and a spindle in your house and like five bags of roving from someone's pet alpaca.

Joann's itself was a corporate takeover of a bunch of smaller local fabric stores, and was sterile and devoid of the REAL kind of community that crafting has. Go look for NON-chain stores, go local! That is where you will find resources--crafters know crafters, because everyone tends to have at least 2+ crafts they do.

[sewingpatches]

B. Black & Sons Fabrics | The Finest Quality Fabrics

Wholesalers of fine wool fabric, natural silk fabric and sewing supplies located in the heart of the Los Angeles Garment District.

Tailor supply store. Great for fabric but also for hair canvas (interfacing for tailored suits) and other notions

The Fabric Fairy :: Fabrics :: Knits :: Swimsuit Fabrics

Your source for fresh, unique, trendy swimsuit & athletic knit fabrics and personal service. Knit fabric, children's fabric, swimsuit fabric

Swim suit fabrics. I used them to make my 1920s swim suit with board short fabric.

[chimaerakitten]

If you’re looking for specialty threads (wawak is great for poly and cotton but they only have buttonhole twist in silk) I’ve had success ordering from superior threads and 123stitch.com. (Superior is the more modern and trustworthy-looking website but they keep discontinuing the silk thread I want. 123stitch looks janky but is cheaper and they shipped fast, so…)

https://www.superiorthreads.com

Quilters and Sewists alike choose Superior Threads because they care about creating exceptional, unique, beautiful quilts and sewn projects.

Cross Stitch Patterns, Cross Stitch Kits, Cross Stitch Fabric, Embroidery Floss, Embroidery Thread, Aida, Linen

[theprofessional-amateur]

Link to original post with all the links

Some very helpful tools, ideas, and ways keep going or get involved

I will add the resource Big Beautiful Boycott as a way of checking businesses to avoid that is not an app

The Big Beautiful Boycott stops funding to those funding fascism. Every dollar is a choice

[fycora]

Hermitcraft Portraits: ZombieCleo

Lemme present!

A Patchwork Portrait of our favourite ZombieCleo!

I worked three days almost non-stop on this and the paper of this and the next page is torn everywhere.

But I really really love the way it turned out!

In the end in needed mechanic equipment to get the needle through paper and multible layers of cotton but wellllll...

Worked out o7

Though the eye has something weird to it... but I already tried to fix it so let's not ruin it o7

Now I return to the unknow once again, and one day I shall return with another projekt so...

Take this Dandelion Cookie 🍪

And Cya :D

[knitepercival]

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💐

[knitepercival]

Smooch! 😙

Redraw time! I found a screencap redraw of Chauvelin from the 1955 show from 2022 that I wanted to try drawing again, this time including Percy and a proper background. Closeup under the cut!

[theprofessional-amateur]

I love a good Very Specific Resource. Here are the links to my posts about resources carefully crafted to share a specific bit of history (updated as needed)

Streaming Music from Around the World - No algorithms, lots of options, amazing music nerds helping you discover more music.

Professor Shoelace - everything you ever needed to know about shoelaces

Commercial Pattern Archive - over 50,000 scanned sewing patterns dating back to the 1850s

Public Domain Image Archive - thousands of images from various repositories no longer under copyright

Medieval Murder Maps - interactive maps of murder and accidents in medieval London, York, and Oxford

Travel in Times - plan travel routes in England and Wales in various centuries

The Quilt Index - a digital repository of quilts, makers, and their stories

Louis Armstrong Archives - Some highlights from the archives and how to access the full collection from home!

RSN Stitch Bank - hundreds of sewing and embroidery stitches, their uses, their structure, how to make them, and history!

Archive of 80s mixtapes - a whole lot of tapes from the 80s and also tapes of background music from Kmart in the 80s and 90s

Feast Afrique - What started as an exploration and celebration of West African culinary heritage has since expanded to include history, language, culture, and customs of West Africa and the African diaspora.

Letterform Archive - Thousands of high quality images celebrating graphic design, calligraphy, and typography. The beauty of letters!

Historic Menu Collection - Over 17,000 historic menus, 1.3 million historic dishes transcribed. Historic popularity and price range, map it, and more.

Palestinian Embroidery - Digital archives dedicated to the preservation of Palestinian embroidery. Over 1,000+ free patterns

Black Craftseople Digital Archive - enhancing knowledge of Black crafts people (both free and enslaved) and the objects they produced.

Georgian Lady's Magazine Embroidery Patterns - Free embroidery patterns from 1770-1819

The Dutch Textile Trade Project - History and trade of textiles in the 17th and 18th centuries. Fabric types, images, data on trade.

Estonian Knitting - Bog knits! History! Techniques!

[lacetulle]

Almée Couture | Whisper of the Earth

[lolita-wardrobe]

["Knight's Star-Moon Sword"] Pants Are Still Available

◆ Shopping Link >>> https://lolitawardrobe.com/knights-star-moon-sword-gothic-lolita-ouji-lolita-pants_p8807.html

[sailforvalinor]

After seeing this post I was struck with a vision of how a Star Wars musical would work, so bear with me for a sec:

(Also please keep in mind that I studied theatre in college but NOT music, haha.)

The musical would be pretty dang long but would still be two acts, Act I covering the prequels and Act II the original trilogy.

I think it makes a lot of sense to give the musical an omniscient narrator (like The Narrator in Into the Woods or Hermes in Hadestown). The choice that seems to make the most sense is C-3PO (accompanied by R2-D2), but my vote is actually for Obi-Wan—though the story follows Anakin, he is the throughline for the tragedy and the one who probably experienced it the most personally and I NEED people to understand that, okay.

The musical opens with an introduction by Narrator Obi-Wan, and then launches into a 7-10 minute ensemble piece which covers the entirety of the events of Episode I, narrated by all the characters involved. I don’t want this to sound like the opening of Hamilton, but I don’t mind a reference or two (“how does a podracer, orphan, son of a slave and the Force (huh?) dropped into a forgotten spot in the Outer Rim by happenstance, impoverished, in squalor, become both a dictator and a martyr?” you get the idea). Qui-Gon makes a brief appearance in this scene and duets with Obi-Wan (in this instance I’m not sure if this should be a different actor? Probably, as it would make the transition into Episode II smoother, I just worry that it might be confusing) in which they bicker over Obi-Wan’s rule-following nature and Qui-Gon’s go-with-the-flow ideology. He then sings a section about the will of the force (maybe this whole song is called Will of the Force?) which is interspersed with interjectory melodies from the arrival of Jar-Jar, Queen Amidala and her handmaidens (the handmaidens are a mini-choir), and Padme (with the introduction of her theme), and this section ends with them running into Anakin. The rest of the song involves the introduction of Palpatine and his theme, and the only appearance of Darth Maul, and then the lightsaber fight ensues (fully choreographed) and Maul dies, then Qui-Gon dies in Obi-Wan’s arms (Narrator Obi-Wan looking on sadly), singing one last chorus of Will of the Force, something something “train the boy…it is the will of the Force” (Narrator Obi-Wan echoes “will of the Force…”), then the full ensemble sings one last big chorus, with Adult Anakin joining and then trading places with Child Anakin (a la Shrek’s Fiona). End of song.

Transition to Episode II. This is mainly going to focus on Anakin’s personal tragedy for the sake of time, so the galactic politics might have to get sidelined a little bit—BUT, this is important, after the opening number, whenever Palpatine is not on-stage, he is always sitting in a side balcony closest to the stage watching the events on-stage in full view of the audience. He’s the one pulling the strings, I want him to be LOOMING over the proceedings, got it?

It starts with Anakin’s “I Want” song, as he sings about how he wants recognition from the Jedi, recognition from the Council, from Obi-Wan, etc. We get the sense from this song about how he seems like a bit of an outlier among the Jedi due to his unusual circumstances.

The story proceeds. Narrator Obi-Wan now acts as himself in the story, switching between his role in the story and his narrator role.

Anakin and Obi-Wan probably have a bickering duet (a reprise of the Qui-Gon Obi-Wan duet? Probably. I’ll call it the Padawan Song). They meet Padme again, during which she reprises her theme. Her and Anakin’s romance plays out, they sing a gorgeous love duet, it’s wonderful, it’s beautiful, it takes part of the melody from Across the Stars, you get it.

These other things happen, though in what order I can’t decide:

• The Senate has a Senate Battle song, and the Jedi Council has a Jedi Council Battle song. Both songs very explicitly mirror each other.

• Palpatine has a theme that he debuts early on which he reprises in minor when he finally shows his cards to Anakin as a Sith Lord.

• Obi-Wan has a ballad about how he doesn’t know how to train Anakin, addressing both Qui-Gon and the Force.

• Qui-Gon makes a brief Force Ghost appearance when Anakin kills the Sandpeople (although I’m not sure how naturally this plot point can be incorporated? So I think this one’s a maybe. Qui-Gon appears when he does something evil, anyway.)

• Ahsoka is there because I said so (and her leaving the Jedi is instrumental to Anakin’s fall). They have their reprise of the Padawan Song in which it becomes very apparent that Anakin is trying to imitate Obi-Wan as a master at first, but fails miserably.

• C-3PO and R2-D2 have a song about their frustrations with having to hide Anakin and Padme’s marriage. 3PO sings traditionally, R2 sings entirely in beeps.

• The Clones get a fun song. Because I said so. Rex gets a solo. But this also means that they get a horrible reprise of their song when Order 66 happens. Because I’m evil. They also march through the aisles.

• The Ahsoka leaving the Jedi arc happens (though shortened/possibly altered for the sake of time), ending with a heartbreaking duet between her and Anakin where he begs her to stay. It ends with a solo power ballad in which she escapes the narrative at a cost.

We get to Episode III, all the main events happen as usual, evil Palpatine ballad and Order 66 as described above. Anakin’s turn is marked by a reprise of his “I Want” song overlapping with Palpatine’s song (the “I Want” turning into how he wants to save his wife), and as he succumbs he succumbs to Palpatine’s melody. Also, I want to somehow heavily imply that Palpatine is responsible for Padme’s death.

The fight between him and Obi-Wan is both a song battle and a physical one, the duet sounding like something from Jekyll and Hyde and interspersed with lightsaber choreography. It’s gut-wrenching. It’s goosebump raising, it’s beautiful. I would love the battle to rage through the audience, but that would probably depend on the size of the aisles and whether or not there’s danger of the audience getting bapped with a lightsaber.

The duel ends, probably ending on “you were my brother, Anakin…/I loved you” with Anakin burning on the ground. Obi-Wan then steps out of the scene, and turns to the audience as the Narrator, singing to us about the aftermath—the destruction of the Order, the reiterating the death of Padme (no worries we’re not leaving that offstage), his flight to Tatooine—but then he starts to sing about the twins, and we hear the glimmers of a hopeful theme that isn’t a reprise of anything we’ve heard before. But then the music darkens again. Obi-Wan looks up, and we see Darth Vader standing in the balcony behind Palpatine (now in his Emperor’s garb). The two stare at each other. Curtain.

ACT II. We open on Narrator Obi-Wan again, who is the same actor, now in a gray wig. Luke enters, and sings his “I Want” song.

Now, about Luke. I don’t have any particular ideas about vocal parts for anyone. But I HAVE to insist that Luke be a high tenor (maybe sounds a bit like Orpheus in Hadestown)—I want him to sound VERY vocally different from everyone else in this musical. His “I Want” song, while it should certainly have callbacks to Anakin’s, I want to be entirely his own, as a lot of his other songs are going to be reprises. He wants to fly, he wants freedom, he wants adventure in the great wide somewhere, etc. Luke is a typical teenager, but he’s also a delight and brightens any scene he’s in. You can SEE the Force radiating off of this guy. I am determined to make him your favorite character in this musical.

He meets Ben, they meet Han and Chewie (does Chewie sing? I don’t know?), etc etc. (Do Luke and Ben get a Padawan song? Maybe? I don’t know, I don’t want to overdo this one.) The Cantina Band gets a bit of a song, and Han gets an introductory song.

I’m unsure of how to do the Falcon as a setpiece, but like, it’s a thing. Somehow.

Leia gets a song, although I don’t have a lot of ideas on that front.

As they try to escape the Death Star, Luke, Han, and Leia have a bicker song (a la Into the Woods) as they run around, shoot Stormtroopers, swing over chasms (if it’s physically viable), etc. I would love to somehow work out the trash compactor but I don’t know if it’s possible.

We then get the Ben-Vader fight. (Vader is still played by Anakin, though I think his voice might be another actor, at least until he takes off the helmet.) It begins like the Padawan Song on Vader’s part, but Obi-Wan transitions it into their duel theme and they fight. The fight is more subdued and calculated this time (doesn’t rage into the aisles if it did originally), and of course ends as it usually does, with Obi-Wan letting Vader kill him, Luke screaming from a part of the set where he can’t get to them.

After they escape, Luke looks sadly for a long, silent moment where Narrator Obi-Wan used to stand. He then takes his place and his role as Narrator.

Narrator Luke launches into the story of how they destroyed the Death Star. I genuinely have no idea how to stage the X-Wings, but the number is an ensemble song between Luke, the pilots, Leia, Vader, and Han and Chewie flying in at the last minute. It’s great, it’s glorious, lots of light effects, maybe projections, it’s beautiful. Obi-Wan’s voice (offstage) sings to Luke to turn off the targeting computer (maybe to the melody of Padawan Song).

Luke narrates the events of the next few years.

Again, these things all happen in what order I can’t decide:

• Han and Leia reprise the Luke-Han-Leia bicker song, except without Luke there, it suddenly transitions into a love duet and they break off, confused. Later on the Falcon, they sing it for real and it ends with the kiss. When Han gets frozen in carbonite, they sing their song and the melody starts to drift into Anakin and Padme’s theme. Though it’s subtle, Vader is affected by this.

• C-3PO and R2-D2 have a reprise of their song, this time they are complaining about being saddled with the Death Star plans and being put in constant danger.

• No Wampa (sorry), Luke probably just wrecks, but he sees Ghost Obi-Wan. This is either done through bluish lighting, costuming, or a combination of both. When he encounters him again on Dagobah, Ghost Obi-Wan takes over as Narrator again, it’s quite triumphant.

• On Dagobah, Yoda is played by an actor with a puppet (like Milky White) as he is in all the previous Jedi Council scenes. He has his own kooky comedic song, and then he and Luke have a Padawan Song as he trains him, with Obi-Wan involved here and there.

• Obi-Wan sings a reprise of Will of the Force in which he tells Luke he has to kill Vader, which he of course he isn’t a fan of. The dark side cave scene? I want it but I’m not sure how it would work.

• An easily-dropped Stormtrooper song (doesn’t specifically echo the Clone song, but they march through the aisles in a similar fashion).

• A reprise of Palpatine’s song, in which he duets with Vader, and Vader unsuccessfully tries to hide the fact that he’s discovered that Luke is his son. Important note: up until this point, Palpatine has NOT been in the balcony, but he appears there immediately after this song.

• Lando gets a jazzy introductory theme!

• Luke and Vader have their own battle duet that MIGHT briefly harken to the Padawan Song when he tries to convince Luke to join him.

• …though I desperately don’t want to, I think I’m legally obligated to give Jabba a song. *siiggghh

• Luke and Leia have a duet when he tells her she’s his sister.

• The Ewoks should be there. I don’t quite know how to do it, but they should be.

When Luke confronts the Emperor (presumably on a raised platform with some significant height), Palpatine begins with his villain song, with Luke wavering with his “I Want” song, similar to how Anakin does in Act I. However, instead of succumbing to Palpatine’s, he refuses Palpatine and suddenly breaks into Padme’s theme. Vader is briefly shaken, but he attacks, and in the ensuing song battle (that again might rage through the aisles), as Luke (though he briefly dips out of it when Vader mentions Leia) harkens back to Padme, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan’s themes, finally defeating Vader.

Palpatine then electrocutes Luke, there’s cool lighting effects. Narrator Obi-Wan looks expectantly at Vader. There’s a pause as Vader looks at his son. He sings a line of his and Padme’s love duet. Pauses. Sings another line, Vader’s voice is joined by Anakin’s. Sings another, louder, and then, with a cry of rage, throws Palpatine down the shaft (behind the setpiece and onto a mattress).

He then collapses, Luke rushes to him, Vader tells him to take off his helmet (in Vader’s voice), and Luke does, revealing Anakin, aged and scarred. In a broken voice, he sings a joyful reprise of his “I Want” song, all about his wishes for his children. He looks over at Narrator Obi-Wan. Back at Luke. Smiles, and then passes into the waiting arms of the Force.

There is a musical interlude as all of the set pieces are cleared offstage. Narrator Obi-Wan summarizes how the Rebels succeeded and the Empire fell. He looks offstage expectantly as the Ewok party assembles, and Force Ghost Anakin joins him. Obi-Wan gestures for him to take over, and after a moment’s hesitation and an encouraging nod from Obi-Wan, Anakin does, telling the fates of all our main characters as the party kicks into gear. He finishes with Luke, and at the sound of his name, Luke’s head snaps toward him and watches his father talk about him with a beaming smile on his face. They share a look, and then the whole ensemble breaks into the finale, a final reprise of Will of the Force, at first beginning with the characters at the Ewok party, but eventually incorporating all the main characters (including a Skywalker Family Moment). Narrator Obi-Wan is the last to join, looking back at the audience with a smile of true joy on his face before he does. Because, in the end, it wasn’t a sad song, and he’s gonna sing it again.

Curtain.