On the Trinity School drama club kids gate
Megan Hilty ( Prospera, Orobas' wife and the younger sister of Earl Furfur of Gluttony Ring ): My husband Brian Gallagher and I have two kids - Viola ( now turning 12 ) and Ronan ( now turning 9 ), and they are part of the Trinity School drama club with Clara Jordan ( daughter of Jeremy Jordan and Ashley Spencer ), and Winifred and Wilder Pinkham ( kids of Bryce Pinkham and Scarlett Strallen ). Ashley ( voice of Lilith ), Scarlett ( voice of Emilia ) and I were part of the Trinity School PTA Moms group, and we often coordinate with each other in event plannings and such.
Brian: So the Trinity School drama club kids have 2 sub groups - elementary ( with Clara, Winifred, Wilder and Ronan ), and middle school/high school ( with Viola ) in there. The drama club kids voice Paimon’s younger grandkids and Angel Dust's dance class students, and those recording sessions are in the NYC Hellaverse lofts
Jeremy Jordan: We coordinated with the drama club teachers and they agreed to terms as long as the students record for more family friendly scenes and no swearing for them. Fair arrangements. My daughter Clara is seven and she's also a muse for kid Charlie.
Ashley: The kids are brilliant and talented, but they can be absolute menaces ( we meant in a loving way ). They are professional gossips already and Clara is a megaphone like her dad ( bless ).
One time, the Pinkham kids, the Gallagher kids and Clara were just passing by a quieter corner....and they witnessed Christian Borle and his wife Skye Mattox making out. The younger kids ( Winifred is 8 and Wilder is 6 ) GASPED as Viola dragged the younger ones away as she tries hard not to laugh.
James Monroe Iglehart: Oh my god, Viola is really her mom's daughter. She already has a clip recorded on her phone to send to her middle school friends. Clara on the other hand, decided to announce it to EVERYBODY. She marched in and hollered, ' MR AND MRS BORLE WERE DOING THE KISSING! WITH SALIVA! IT IS VERY LONG! AND MR BORLE'S HANDS WERE VERY NAUGHTY! '
Dawn Phelps, JMI's stage manager: Cue ALL the younger drama kids there going, ' EWWWWWWW! UNSANITARY KISSING! ' while Viola and her middle school friends just laugh. Christian ducked underneath a table and tried ( and failed ) to explain himself to a bunch of kids as Skye kept laughing.
Even the drama club teachers found it hilarious yet they refrained the gossip to be out of the school rehearsal sessions.
ON THE OUTING ITSELF
The fluorescent lights of the NYC Hellaverse lofts usually hummed with the sound of adult industry professionals discussing demon hierarchies, but today, they hummed with the high-pitched energy of the Trinity School Drama Club.
In a recessed alcove near the craft services table—thought to be safely obscured by a heavy velvet curtain—Christian Borle and Skye Mattox were enjoying a rare, quiet moment of "rehearsal break" affection. It was a scene straight out of a classic romance: intense, sweeping, and very much R-rated for a workplace.
Then, the curtain twitched.
Five pairs of eyes, ranging from three feet to five feet off the ground, stared into the alcove.
Viola Gallagher (12, and already possessing her mother Megan’s keen sense of timing) didn't gasp. She simply raised her iPhone with the clinical precision of a documentary filmmaker.
"Oh, gross," whispered Wilder Pinkham (6), clutching his sister Winifred’s hand. "They’re touching faces."
Winifred Pinkham (8) looked horrified. "That’s how you get the plague, Wilder."
Viola, realizing that having four elementary schoolers witness a "Naughty Hands" incident was a recipe for a PR disaster, grabbed the back of Wilder’s hoodie. "Okay, tiny humans, movement! We didn't see anything. If we talk about this, the PTA Moms will make us do extra phonics."
She successfully steered the Pinkhams and her brother Ronan toward the rehearsal room, but she made one fatal error: she forgot the Megaphone.
Clara Jordan (7) remained rooted to the spot. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly agape, processing the physics of what she had just seen. She watched Christian’s hand rest on Skye’s waist for one more second before she turned on her heel and bolted toward the main lounge.
"CLARA, NO!" Viola hissed, but it was too late.
Clara burst into the lounge like she was opening a Broadway show, her voice—inherited from Jeremy Jordan’s powerhouse lungs—reverberating off the industrial ceilings.
"EVERYBODY!!" Clara hollered, throwing her arms out wide.
The room went dead silent. James Monroe Iglehart froze with a bagel halfway to his mouth. Jeremy Jordan looked up from his script, a sense of impending doom washing over him. Ashley Spencer and Megan Hilty, mid-PTA-planning, turned slowly.
"MR. AND MRS. BORLE WERE DOING THE KISSING!" Clara announced, her voice hitting a high B-flat. "WITH SALIVA! IT WAS VERY LONG! LIKE A MOVIE BUT YUCKIER!"
A collective "Oooooh" rippled through the cast.
"Clara, honey," Jeremy started, reaching out a hand, but Clara was just getting started. She took a deep, dramatic breath.
"AND MR. BORLE’S HANDS WERE VERY NAUGHTY! THEY WERE ON HER SQUISHY PARTS!"
The silence was broken by a muffled thump from the hallway.
A second later, Christian Borle rounded the corner, his face the exact color of a ripe tomato. Skye followed, laughing so hard she had to lean against the doorframe for support.
"It was an... expressive greeting!" Christian stammered, looking at the circle of judging children.
"UNSANITARY!" Wilder Pinkham shouted from behind Viola’s legs. "UNSANITARY KISSING! YOU NEED HAND SANITIZER FOR YOUR MOUTH, MR. BORLE!"
"Cue the internal investigation," JMI chuckled, clapping a hand on a bright-red Christian’s shoulder. "I think the 'Kid Charlie' muse just gave you a performance review, Chris."
As Dawn Phelps began herding the laughing drama teachers back to the booths, Viola Gallagher looked down at her phone, her thumb hovering over the 'Send' button to the middle school group chat.
"Viola?" Megan Hilty warned, spotting the gleam in her daughter's eye.
"Just documenting history, Mom," Viola smirked. "For the Schiaparelli archives."
Later
The air in the NYC lofts was thick with the scent of overpriced espresso and the lingering echoes of Clara Jordan’s high-decibel whistleblowing. Christian Borle sat slumped in a folding chair, his face buried in his hands, while Skye Mattox leaned against a sound booth, still shaking with silent laughter.
The rest of the cast, sensing blood in the water, began to circle like sharks in designer streetwear.
"So," James Monroe Iglehart boomed, his voice carrying the jovial weight of a man who was about to make someone’s life very difficult. "The 'Naughty Hands' of Broadway. I didn't know we were filming a Schiaparelli-era bodice ripper in the breakroom, Chris."
"It was a private moment!" Christian muffled into his palms.
"Not according to the megaphone," Jeremy Jordan chimed in, leaning against the doorframe with a look of mock parental sternness. "Clara is a professional. She doesn't just report the news; she provides color commentary. 'Very long' and 'with saliva' were particularly vivid, man. My daughter is traumatized. I might have to bill you for her future therapy—or at least a very large Lego set."
Megan Hilty walked by, holding a clipboard and looking every bit the PTA General. She didn't even look up as she spoke. "I’ve already updated the school newsletter, Christian. The 'Unsanitary Kissing' seminar starts at three. You’re the keynote speaker."
"Et tu, Megan?" Christian groaned, looking up.
Ashley Spencer (the voice of Lilith herself) appeared next to Skye, offering a sympathetic pat that felt remarkably like a jab. "Honestly, Skye, I’m impressed. To get a 'naughty' rating from a seven-year-old? That’s some high-level chemistry. Lilith would be proud, but the PTA Moms... we have standards."
"I just want to know one thing," Scarlett Strallen added, her British lilt making the roast feel infinitely more elegant. "Is the 'saliva' part going to be a recurring motif in your performance, or was that a one-day-only special for the Trinity Drama Club?"
From the corner of the room, Viola Gallagher didn't look up from her phone, but her voice cut through the laughter. "Don't worry, Mr. Borle. The middle schoolers think you're a legend. The elementary kids think you're a biohazard. It's a balanced reputation."
"I'm going to hide under the craft services table," Christian announced, standing up with whatever dignity he had left.
"Careful," JMI hollered as Christian retreated. "Clara's still in the building, and she’s got a fresh juice box. She sees everything!"
Skye finally caught her breath, wiping a tear from her eye. "Next time, Christian, we stick to a Victorian handshake. For the children."
🧵 The "Broadway Brats" Thread
@HellaverseObserver:
Can we talk about the Trinity School kids being the unofficial HR department of the NYC lofts? Christian Borle—a literal Tony winner—was defeated by Jeremy Jordan’s daughter. "MR. BORLE’S HANDS WERE VERY NAUGHTY" is a line that will live in my head rent-free until Season 4 drops. 💀😂
@MusicalHellborn:
Replying to @HellaverseObserver:
The contrast between the two age groups is sending me.
Middle Schoolers (Viola Gallagher): Records it for the group chat like a seasoned spy.
Elementary Schoolers (Clara & The Pinkhams): Treats a kiss like a biological warfare attack. "UNSANITARY KISSING" is the new "Eww, cooties." 🧼🚫
🎤 The "Hushed Reverence" vs. "High Drama" Quotes
Fans began imagining the Hellaverse characters reacting to their voice actors' real-life offspring:
• The Vox Headcanon: "You know Vox is furious that he didn't get Clara's 'Megaphone' footage first. A seven-year-old with zero filter is the ultimate whistleblower. He’d hire her as a junior intern on the spot."
• The Angel Dust Parallel: "Since the drama kids voice Angel’s dance students, I love the idea of Angel trying to teach a routine and Clara just interrupting to announce which Sins are dating in the hallway. 'MR. ASMODEUS AND MR. FIZZAROLI WERE DOING THE SALIVA KISSING!'"
🕊️ The PTA Moms Appreciation
@LilithStan_NYC:
Can we give it up for Ashley Spencer (Lilith), Megan Hilty (Prospera), and Scarlett Strallen (Emilia)? They are running the Trinity PTA like they run the Hell Realms. I bet those event planning meetings are more organized than the Goetia retrial. 💅✨
@BorleBacker:
Replying to @LilithStan_NYC:
I just know Christian Borle sees Ashley Spencer in the hallway and immediately starts explaining his 'naughty hands' before she can even say hello. The PTA Moms hear everything.
🎭 The "Kid Charlie" Muse
@CharlieMorningstar_Daily:
The fact that Clara Jordan is the muse for Kid Charlie makes so much sense now. That "megaphone" energy? The pure, unfiltered honesty? That is 100% Princess of Hell behavior. If kid Charlie saw two people making out in a hallway, she would absolutely announce it to the entire hotel to "celebrate their love," not realizing she's ruining their lives. 🌈💖
🎬 The Final Take
@BroadwaySnark:
The Hellaverse lofts sound like a chaotic sitcom. You have Stolas’ brothers being spies in the lore, while in real life, you have the Gallagher and Pinkham kids acting as the paparazzi. Christian Borle hiding under a table is the most relatable thing he’s ever done.
James Woods ( Mephistopheles, Amethyst's older brother ): So the way we coordinate with the schedules for the drama kids' recording sessions is that they record in after school hours. They come by on school bus and on those days, at least one of us shall keep watch on when the kids show up by bus
Brandon: And then said person would yell, ' OPERATION LITTLE DRAGONS ON THE GO! '
Cue EVERYBODY covering up the more adult rated stuff. Sometimes Bryce would just NOSE DIVE to replace some more R rated merch with plushies of the Goetias in their true dragon forms
Lea Salonga ( Belphegor ): And then the kids would come and we would limit our swearing.
Those kids are extraordinarily bright and nosy - some of them performed as the gingerbread and Christmas party kids in Nutcracker NYC ballet.
It's like seeing my son Nic Chien ( who is now a musical actor and DJ ) as a kid all over again - when Nic was a kid, he was extremely bright but often pretty nosy. He's now matured into a fine young man, thank goodness.
🧵 The "Panic at the Loft" Thread
@GoetiaStan_99:
The mental image of Bryce Pinkham literally NOSE-DIVING to hide R-rated merch behind plushie dragons is the funniest thing I’ve heard all year. One second you’re recording a gritty Helluva Boss monologue about regicide, the next you’re aggressively hugging a stuffed toy because a seven-year-old walked in. 🐉🧸 #Hellaverse #LittleDragons
@ImpInternal:
Replying to @GoetiaStan_99:
It’s the "OPERATION LITTLE DRAGONS ON THE GO!" battle cry for me. Brandon Rogers yelling that is basically the Hellaverse version of a nuclear siren. Everyone just drops their swearing like a hot potato. 🚫🤬
🩰 The "Nutcracker" Connection
@BroadwayBaby_Hella:
Lea Salonga comparing these kids to her son Nic is so wholesome. But can we talk about the fact that these "Little Dragons" are NYC Ballet veterans? They’ve done The Nutcracker. They’ve seen the high-pressure world of Lincoln Center. No wonder they aren't scared of a bunch of voice actors in demon hoodies. They’ve survived Russian choreographers; they can handle a Borle "Saliva Kiss." 🩰✨
@SalongaSource:
I love the "nosy" headcanon. Imagine being a kid who’s performed at the Met and then coming to a loft where James Woods (Mephistopheles) has to act like a responsible uncle. The power dynamic is shifted. The kids are the bosses.
🐉 Hushed Reverence: The "Dragon" Headcanons
The fans quickly turned the "Little Dragons" nickname into a lore-based term of endearment:
• The "Plushie" Theory: "My new favorite headcanon is that the Goetia dragon plushies exist in-universe because the Schiaparellis wanted to market the Ars Goetia as 'approachable' to the mortal Venetian public. Now the VAs use them as shields against the innocence of the Trinity Drama Club."
• The "No-Swear" Zone: "I imagine the recording booth has a literal 'Swear Jar' that James Woods and Brandon Rogers have to pay into every time they forget the kids are in the building. By the end of Season 4, that jar probably funded the kids' entire college tuition."
🥪 The "Loft Logistics" Quotes
• The Sinner on the Street: "If you see a bunch of adults in leather jackets and 'Hell' merch suddenly start talking about sunshine and rainbows in a Midtown loft, don't be confused. The bus just arrived. The Little Dragons are in the house."
• The Broadway Gossip: "You haven't lived until you've seen a Tony winner scramble to hide a bottle of whiskey behind a Paimon plushie because Clara Jordan is looking for a juice box."
🎬 The Final Take
@HellaverseArchive:
"Operation Little Dragons" proves that the real "Saints" of the Hellaverse aren't just in the show—they’re the cast members trying to keep the NYC lofts PG-13 for three hours a day. Between the Schiaparelli spies and the Trinity School paparazzi, nobody in this production is safe. 🕵️♂️🐲
Jonathan Freeman ( Paimon ): The kids meeting the voices and musical actors of Disney in person were lovely. They called me a ' retired Jafar ' ( which I humbly and kindly concede ), Sierra Boggess ( Gremory ) and Stefano Da Fre ( Dantalion, Gremory's husband ) as ' real life Ariel and Prince Eric ' ( we agree on that ), and they dubbed Idina Menzel ( Astaroth ) and Aaron Lohr as ' King and Queen of Arendelle '
I remember when they first met my wonderful husband Jace Coronado ( a ballet/flamenco maverick, an NYC ballet director and a muse for Amethyst ), and instantly, they all looked up in awe. When I revealed to them how Jace is a choreographer for Aladdin on Broadway, the younger kids all SHRIEKED and Jace was laughing as he covered his ears.
Megan: Viola is learning ballet since she was 6 and she got on pointe shoes at 11 ( which is an average age for a ballerina for pointe shoes ). And then she was so excited to meet Tilly Evans-Krueger ( Mike Faist's ballerina wife and a muse for Emily and Molly ), Ericka Yang ( Aaron Tveit's wife and another NYCB director ), and Misty Copeland ( a muse for Sera ). Mike is also the voice of Sal and Aaron is also the voice of Veritos.
Brian: I remember when the ' Four horsepowers of ballet ' ( as we call Tilly, Ericka, Misty and Jace ) walked in to see Viola dance in person, and Viola was so nervous. Viola dreams of being a dancer/fashionista/actress/whatever, and she froze at seeing FOUR ballet legends walk in.
Aaron: Mike, Jonathan and I were there to see it! Luckily Megan and Brian were so encouraging of Viola, and Viola is playing Clara Stahlbaum ( or Voloshina, depending on the production, since Nutcracker productions often set in 19th century Germany or Russia ) in this year's upcoming Nutcracker production. So she did a Clara solo, and the 4 ballet legends just applauded, before giving her some pointers.
Mike: Tilly played the Dew Drop fairy, Ericka played the Sugar Plum Fairy Queen and Jace played Drosselmeyer in 2021 NYCB Nutcracker, and the role of Clara Stalhbaum is typically is played by an adolescent dancer who just started on pointe shoes or something. We believed that Viola will go far in dance if she continues that route.
On when Viola met the lead ballet dancers
The air in the rehearsal loft usually smelled of Jonas Brothers-scented markers and script toner, but today, it smelled of rosin and high-stakes expectations.
Eleven-year-old Viola Gallagher stood in the center of the marley floor, her brand-new pointe shoes ribbons crisscrossed with clinical precision. She was halfway through a breath, ready to mark her Clara solo from The Nutcracker, when the heavy soundproof door groaned open.
In walked the "Four Horsepowers."
Jace Coronado led the pack with the effortless glide of a Drosselmeyer, followed by Tilly Evans-Krueger, Ericka Yang, and—Viola’s heart nearly exited her ribcage—Misty Copeland.
Viola didn't just stop; she practically turned into a marble statue of a ballerina.
"Oh, look at those lines," Misty whispered, her voice like silk as she leaned against the barre. "She’s got the turnout, Jace."
Jace grinned, crossing his arms. "I told you. Paimon’s granddaughter has the technique. Viola, don't mind us. We’re just the peanut gallery."
"The legendary peanut gallery," Brian Gallagher muttered from the corner, giving his daughter an encouraging "you-got-this" thumbs-up.
Megan Hilty leaned into Ashley Spencer, whispering, "I think she’s forgotten how to breathe. Someone tell her she’s a Gallagher."
Viola looked at Tilly, the woman who was the literal muse for Emily, and then at Ericka, who directed the very company Viola dreamed of joining. Her legs felt like lead.
"Viola," Aaron Tveit (Veritos) called out from the back, where he was sitting with Mike Faist (Sal) and Jonathan Freeman. "If you can handle recording scenes with a bunch of loud-mouthed demons, you can handle a few fairies! Show 'em the Stahlbaum spark!"
Mike Faist nodded, leaning forward. "Kill it, kid. Sal’s watching."
Viola took a shaky breath, looked at Misty Copeland’s encouraging smile, and signaled for the music. The celesta tinkled the first notes of the Nutcracker march.
She moved. It wasn't just a student's dance; it was a Schiaparelli-level performance. Every piqué was sharp, every port de bras had the elegance of the Venetian nobility she voiced in the booths. When she finished in a crisp fifth position, the silence lasted exactly one second before the Four Horsepowers erupted.
"The extension on that développé!" Ericka Yang cheered, clapping her hands. "Jace, we might need to talk about her for the 2026 season."
Tilly stepped forward, adjusting Viola’s chin with a gentle finger. "Beautiful, Viola. But on that turn? Think less about the floor and more about the stars. You’re a Little Dragon, remember? You own the air."
Viola finally beamed, the terror melting into pure, unadulterated joy.
"Did I do okay?" she squeaked.
Misty Copeland walked over and gave her a side-hug. "Honey, you didn't just do okay. You made me want to go put my shoes back on. You’re going to be a spectacular Clara."
From the sidelines, Jonathan Freeman wiped a stray tear. "Our little Goetia is growing up. Jafar is officially retired; the stage belongs to the youth."
🧵 The "En Pointe" Thread
@Goetia_Gala:
Can we talk about the sheer intimidation factor of being 11 years old, just getting your first pair of pointe shoes, and having Jace Coronado, Misty Copeland, Tilly Evans-Krueger, and Ericka Yang walk into the room? That’s not a rehearsal; that’s a divine tribunal of dance. 🩰👑 #Hellaverse #ViolaGallagher #BalletLegends
@NutcrackerNerd:
Replying to @Goetia_Gala:
The fact that Viola "froze" is the most relatable thing ever. I’d turn into a pillar of salt if the "Four Horsepowers" watched me do a plié. But Mike Faist (Sal) and Aaron Tveit (Veritos) being there as the "Stage Dads" is the wholesome content I signed up for. 🥺✨
👑 The "Disney Royalty" Headcanons
Fans were quick to adopt the Trinity kids' nicknames for the veteran cast members:
• The "Retired Jafar": "Jonathan Freeman being called 'Retired Jafar' by a bunch of seven-year-olds is peak comedy. He’s the Grandfather of the Hellaverse, and nobody can tell me otherwise."
• The Arendelle Regency: "The kids calling Idina Menzel 'The Queen of Arendelle' while she records Astaroth’s lines is so ironic. One minute she’s Frozen, the next she’s a Goetia sister keeping Stolas in line. The duality! ❄️🔥"
🩰 Hushed Reverence: The "Clara" Solo
@SchiaparelliStyle:
The fans are losing it over Viola playing Clara Stahlbaum. It fits the Schiaparelli lore perfectly—a young girl entering a dream world of magic and monsters.
Quote from a fan-favorite post: "In the show, the Schiaparellis deal with demons. In real life, the Gallagher kids deal with Ballet Royalty. Both require perfect posture and nerves of steel."
@TveitTotal:
Imagine Aaron Tveit (Veritos) and Mike Faist (Sal) sitting in the back of a dance studio like proud uncles. "That’s our niece!" while four legends of the NYCB give her pointers. The "Little Dragons" are officially the most talented kids in New York. 🐉✨
🕊️ The "Muses" Theory
@MistyCopelandFan:
I love that Misty is the muse for Sera. It makes so much sense—the grace, the authority, the literal 'Heavenly' technique. Seeing her applaud Viola’s Clara solo feels like a passing of the torch. Hellaverse fans are now legally required to attend the 2026 Nutcracker.
🎬 The Final Take
@HellaverseWeekly:
The NYC lofts have officially transformed from a recording studio into a high-culture conservatory. Between "Operation Little Dragons" and the "Four Horsepowers," the Gallagher/Pinkham/Jordan kids are basically living in a Disney movie directed by Schiaparelli. 🎭🩰
Misty: So the Sugar Plum Fairy is typically played by an older female dancer who is either a director or about to become a director. I remember when I first played the Sugar Plum Fairy in around 2012 ( 10 years after I joined NYCB ), there is.....A LOT of backlash from some people who spoke unkind words. Luckily, my friends at the NYCB and Broadway vouched for me, and I just went out there and danced
Tilly: I joined NYCB in 2014, Paloma Garcia Lee joined in NYCB in 2010 and Emma Pfaeffle joined NYCB in 2012. Paloma was a snowflake dancer and Emma was a flower dancer in the 2012 NYCB Nutcracker production. Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition in every other ballet company, and we have a lot of fun starring in different Nutcracker productions.
Jace: Jonathan, Aaron and Mike enjoyed seeing me, Ericka and Tilly dance on stage, WAY more than they let on. They got accompanied by our other friends in tow to help keep them in check whenever we dance ballet on stage. I remember during the 2021 NYCB Nutcracker production, Mike was there with the rest of the West Side Story 2021 cast, and he was BREATHING like a Le Mans engine. And then when Ericka came on stage, Aaron was DROOLING and blowing kisses
And when I was playing Drosselmeyer....* laughs * Oh god, Jonathan was hyperventilating. Drosselmeyer in the libretto is said to be typically around his 50s or 60s and played by older male dancers, I am still surprised by how much the role of Drosselmeyer became a thirst trap over the years
Tilly: Of course we all teased Aaron, Jonathan and Mike about the 2021 Nutcracker incident. Later on we told Viola and the other younger dancers ( who were playing the Christmas party kids, an older teen boy playing the Nutcracker prince, and a couple of them playing the Reed Flutes and Gingerbread kids ) about that and they are ALL in hysterics
Next day, some of them descended to roast the HECK out of Mike, Aaron and Jonathan about it. Clara, the Pinkham kids and Ronan ( who are playing both the Christmas party kids and gingerbread kids in the 2026 Nutcracker production ) called Jonathan ' a very badly behaved dragon ', and then some other kids called Mike a ' very naughty spider ', and Aaron a ' terribly behaved dragon hybrid prince '. It was HYSTERICAL
ON THE ROASTING ITSELF
The rehearsal loft was usually a place of professional focus, but today it felt like a Gothic-Schiaparelli courtroom. The "Little Dragons" had formed a semi-circle of tiny, judgmental judges, and the "Accused"—Jonathan Freeman, Mike Faist, and Aaron Tveit—were forced to sit on low plastic stools usually reserved for the kindergarten choir.
Clara Jordan (7) stood at the center, clutching a juice box like a gavel. She narrowed her eyes at Jonathan Freeman.
"Mr. Jafar," she began, her voice echoing with the authority of her father’s Broadway lungs. "We heard about the 2021 Nutcracker. We heard about the gasping."
"It was a very warm theater, darling," Jonathan started, smoothing his scarf with a trembling hand.
"LIES!" shouted Wilder Pinkham (6) from the sidelines. "You were being a VERY BADLY BEHAVED DRAGON! You were hyper-ven-ti-lating because Mr. Jace looked fancy in his cape! You were making 'Hoo-Hoo' noises like an owl!"
James Monroe Iglehart let out a muffled snort from the sound booth. "The 'Hoo-Hoo' noises, Jonathan? Really?"
Clara turned her gaze to Mike Faist, who was trying to blend into the brickwork. "And MR. SPIDER! My daddy says you were breathing like a LE MANS ENGINE when Miss Tilly was dancing. That is POLLUTION! You were making the air all hot and loud! You are a VERY NAUGHTY SPIDER!"
"I have... asthma?" Mike tried, his face turning a shade of red that matched the Helluva Boss Logo.
"You don't have asthma when we're recording!" Ronan Gallagher (9) pointed out ruthlessly. "You only have 'Tilly-Asthma'!"
Finally, the tiny tribunal moved to Aaron Tveit. Winifred Pinkham (8) stepped forward, crossing her arms. "And you, Mr. Prince. Drooling? In public? On your shirt? You are a TERRIBLY BEHAVED DRAGON HYBRID PRINCE. It is unsanitary. It is worse than the saliva kissing!"
"I was merely... expressing artistic appreciation," Aaron stammered, looking to Brian Gallagher for help. Brian just mimed a "drooling" motion and laughed.
Viola Gallagher (11), leaning against the mirror in her NYCB Nutcracker rehearsal gear, didn't stop the roast. She just raised her phone to record the carnage.
"The Four Horsepowers are very disappointed in your conduct," Clara concluded, taking a final, dramatic sip of her juice box. "Next time, you have to wear SILENCE SIGNS and DROOL BIBS. Or the Little Dragons will tell the PTA Moms!"
"Dismissed!" the kids shouted in unison, running off to find the snack table, leaving three of Broadway’s biggest stars staring at the floor in absolute, humbled silence.
"I think," Jonathan whispered, "we’ve just been 'Schiaparelli-ed' by a seven-year-old."
🧵 The "Front Row Fainting" Thread
@GoetiaGossip:
Can we talk about the absolute CHAOS of the 2021 NYCB Nutcracker? 🩰
• Mike Faist (Sal): Breathing like a Le Mans engine watching Tilly.
• Aaron Tveit (Veritos): Literally drooling over Ericka.
• Jonathan Freeman (Paimon): Hyperventilating over his husband Jace’s "Drosselmeyer Thirst Trap."
The Goetia royalty was compromised, y’all. 😂 #Hellaverse #NutcrackerIncident
@BroadwayBallet:
Replying to @GoetiaGossip:
The fact that Jace Coronado turned Drosselmeyer—a character usually played by a 60-year-old—into a "Thirst Trap" is the most Goetia thing ever. No wonder Jonathan was gasping for air. He wasn't watching a ballet; he was watching his husband dominate the stage. 🔥🪄
🐉 The "Badly Behaved Dragons" Quotes
Fans began obsessively quoting the Trinity School Drama Club’s brutal roasts of the cast:
• The "Naughty Spider" Meme: "The kids calling Mike Faist a 'very naughty spider' because he was breathing too loud is the new 'Unsanitary Kissing.' I need a shirt that says 'Don't be a badly behaved dragon' with Jonathan Freeman’s face on it."
• The "Hybrid Prince" Roast: "Aaron Tveit being called a 'terribly behaved dragon hybrid prince' by an eight-year-old is exactly the energy Veritos brings to the show. The kids see right through the 'cool' exterior to the simping mess underneath."
🩰 Hushed Reverence: The Sugar Plum Defense
@MistyCopelandDefense:
I love the lore of Misty (Sera) and her friends standing strong in 2012. It adds such weight to her role as a 'Muse' for the Seraphim. She went out there and danced while the world watched—now she’s helping Viola become the next Clara. The "Four Horsepowers" aren't just dancers; they're the moral compass of the Hellaverse lofts. 🕊️✨
🏁 The "Le Mans Engine" Headcanons
@WestSideHella:
Imagine being in the audience in 2021. You have the West Side Story cast on one side, and the Hellaverse voice actors on the other, all of them collectively losing their minds over the ballet.
Quote from a fan-favorite thread: "If you hear a mechanical whirring sound at the NYC Ballet, it’s not the stage equipment—it’s just Mike Faist trying to remember how to inhale while Tilly Evans-Krueger is on stage."
🎬 The Final Take
@HellaverseArchive:
The 2021 Nutcracker incident proves that the real drama isn't on the official Helluva Boss Twitter, it’s in the front row of the NYCB. The "Little Dragons" (the kids) are the only ones holding these adults accountable. Between the "Saliva Kiss" and the "Nutcracker Drool," the cast of the Hellaverse is officially the most "unhinged" group of professionals in New York. 🐲🍭
On Misty's Sugar Plum Fairy in 2012
🧵 The "Steel Ribbons" Thread
@GothamGala_Archive:
Can we take a moment to remember 2012? When Misty (our real-life Sera) stepped onto that stage as the first African American Sugar Plum Fairy for NYCB? The backlash from the "Traditionalists" was loud, but the Schiaparelli-level class of her friends was louder. They didn't just vouch for her; they guarded the stage door like the Seven Brothers of Stolas. 🩰🛡️ #MistyCopeland #SugarPlumLegacy
@BroadwaySentinel:
Replying to @GothamGala_Archive:
I’ll never forget it. The atmosphere in the Lincoln Center was electric. You had those ballet stars in their infancy—Emma and Paloma—all standing in the wings. They weren't just watching a ballet; they were witnessing a revolution. Anyone who spoke "unkind words" had to deal with the combined glare of the Broadway elite. It was the original "Operation Little Dragons.
🩰 The "Sera" Parallel: Hushed Reverence
Newer Hellaverse fans have begun connecting Misty’s real-life resilience to her role as the muse for Sera:
• The "Seraphim Shield" Headcanon: "In the show, Sera protects the High Heavens with an iron will. In 2012, Misty protected the integrity of the Sugar Plum Fairy with pure technique. When she says she 'just went out there and danced,' that is the most badass, High-Council thing I’ve ever heard. No wonder the Trinity kids look up to her."
• The "Vouching" Circle: "The fans love the idea that while some 'fools' were critiquing her, Jonathan Freeman and the rest of the veteran cast were in the front row, ready to drop a Jafar-level curse on anyone whispering in the dark. That’s true Hellaverse loyalty."
🏛️ The "Old New York" Perspective
On forums like Playbill's Community Boards, the 2012 incident is discussed with a sense of pride:
"I remember the 'unkind words' fading the second she hit her first balance. Paloma Garcia Lee and Emma Pfaeffle were there as Snowflakes and Flowers, and you could feel the support radiating from the corps de ballet. It wasn't just a performance; it was a Schiaparelli-style takeover of a dated system. They stood strong, and they won."
🐉 The "Little Dragons" Legacy
@TrinityDramaParent:
The reason the Trinity School kids (Clara, Viola, and the Pinkhams) treat Misty with such awe isn't just because she's a legend—it's because they were told the story of 2012 as a bedtime story. They know that to be a "Dragon," you have to dance through the fire. When Viola did her Clara solo for Misty, she wasn't just dancing for a teacher; she was dancing for the woman who broke the glass ceiling with a pointe shoe. 🦢✨
🎬 The Final Take
@HellaverseHistorian:
The 2012 Nutcracker wasn't just a show; it was the birth of the "Four Horsepowers" spirit. It proved that in New York, just like in Hell, your "House" (your friends and allies) is everything. Misty didn't need to say a word—her friends did the talking, and her dancing did the silencing.













