one thing I absolutely ADORE about tgwdlm:r is Let It Out. it's always been my favourite song on the soundtrack, but the choreo in the original stage version has always felt a little stiff to me.
first off, everyone already acts MUCH freakier than in the original. Jaime hardly once straightens her knees, Mariahs arms and shoulders are bent way backwards, it all truly feels like Pokey has reached a point where he no longer needs to care about human appearances. He doesn't need to hide anymore, (presumably) only two people on the island are still alive and they're WELL aware of what's happening.
AND THE ACTUAL CHOREO!! It all still revolves around Paul, as it should obviously, but that doesn't mean the rest isn't allowed to move. They chase him, get close (have you seen how maniacal Mariah looks in the close-ups? it's amazing), and during the bridge (is it a bridge? i'm calling it a bridge) they all sit on the stairs because they can MOVE AROUND THIS TIME!
The stairs also makes them much more menacing, because now you can vaguely see them creeping in as Paul gets closer to the end of his verse. In the original, they leapt up, which works too, but even though I've seen this show an impossible amount of times over, seeing Bill get up in the background when I'd almost forgotten Paul wasn't alone filled me with dread.
One of my favourite parts is in the first chorus, where the puppety choreo REALLY shines. The first two "Let it out"s have the Infected raising their arms up with their wrists limp, as if there are no strings attached to their hands. The third "Let it out", they DRAAAAAG out the dropping of their arms, so that they're only halfway down by the fourth "Let it out", to then let them fall RIGHT back down as though the strings have been cut. The way they throw their arms in Paul's direction, but it's sloppy and uncontrolled because they're nothing but corpses without any muscle function left, only what the Hive tells them to do.
I still think Jon Matteson deserves every award imaginable for his acting in Let It Out.
And the second verse! The Infected form a cluster in front of the meteor and match Paul's movement! I can't tell if they follow him, or he follows them, and I don't know what interpretation I like better either.
The line they form during Paul's "la da da da dadada dat da" reminds me of Made In America, but in this case it also shows how Paul is becoming one with the rest of the Hive and I'm LIVING for it!!
Can we get a moment for the added vocals in the second chorus, I think I ascended
In the second chorus they keep the line, but it's a canon now instead of all moving together, Paul's resistance is showing through in the choreo! I love how he does break away from it, and tries to throw the blue shit back up, because it has always felt so very desperate and it really makes me feel for Paul.
AND THEN IT'S JUST PAUL AND POKEY. The Infected are on the stairs, but due to the lighting and fog you can't see them, and it's just Paul. In his own head. It hits RIGHT where it hurts. Then the Infected start moving more and more as Paul gets closer to his Apotheosis, like they know their job is almost done.
OH THE WAY THEY CIRCLE HIM. They force Paul back to the meteor, where the very air he is forced to need because of the singing is the most dangerous, because the survival of the meteor isn't necessary (anymore) and it makes for a ridiculously great visual
America is Great Again is the only song I've seen getting praise for its choreo, and it definitely deserves it, the choreo is spectacular, but I wanted to give Let It Out some love because it set my mind on fire and I will never be the same again
I'm planning on writing an essay analysing all choreo in the show, I might post it here if people are interested
