Okay so like NO one has heard of this musical before but like...
JASPER IN DEADLAND IS SO GOOD.
Okay summary time: It’s basically about this kid named Jasper [Who really likes diving and wears a kickass red sweater) has this best friend named, Agnes. They love each other, but Jasper thinks she deserves better. She confesses and Jasper unable to reincorporate for the reason mentioned above and doesn’t give her an answer. SO trying to get an answer, they say they’re gonna meet at this cliff (They’re hang out <3) but Jasper gets there a little late and Agnes tries diving off the cliff and fails….and also drowns. Oh no she’s dead. But Jasper, being the lovesick and selfless boy he is jumps into save her. Saying that he’d give his soul up too save her. And might also being dying too. And then BOOM we meet the ‘villain’ Mr. Lethe (Yes like that river in the Greek Mythos) whose basically argues with his boss (Psst it’s pluto/hades) about if this soul should be let in. He loses and let’s Jasper’s soul into ‘deadland’. Thus the title, after a dramatic opening sequence he makes it his mission to save Anges from the underworld and bring her back to life.
Long story short: It’s a modern day Orpheus and Eurydice retelling (Kind of) as well as a crossover fanfic (musical) with various underwold myths. Some examples:
Lethe is a River in the Greco-Roman Mythos (as mentioned above). It makes you forget things.
Cerberus guards the front gate into deadland
OH Deadland is split up into ‘circles’ like how Dante’s inferno.
The Chiron shows up too, the greek ferry man
Osiris shows up (though it’s brief) as a singer in a club in ‘city circle’
Said club is named Helheim (From Norse mythology)
Speaking of Norse Myth! Loki and Hel show up as well for a quickie cameo as Lackies.
The second gate is protected by Ammit, a demon from the edyptain mythos that eat hearts (She even has her own song) Sadly Anubis doesn’t get s shout out :(
When he get too the most ‘hellish’ part of deadland it’s ruled over by a guy named ‘Little Lu’. A fallen angle aka Lucifer.
Sisyphus gets a named drop as he is in the ‘hell’ part of deadland
A little more less known Greek myth as well, the daughters of Danus are there too. As well as Brutus, that guy who stabbed Caesar a bunch of times.
Remember how I said this story was a retelling or Orpheus and Eurydice? The show knows this because Eurydice basically plays the part of a Obi-wan Kenobi in this and helps Jasper on his journey. IT’S ALMOST LIKE SHE WANTS THEM TO HAVE A HAPPY ENDING BC SHE DIDN’T GET ONE :((((((((
Elysium is one of the last circles.
Pluto or better known as Hades is the big boss of Dealand with his wifey Persephone. They’re lethe’s boss.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME REFERENCES THAT MAKE MY MYTH LOVING HEART SWELL!!! I’m sure they’re are more (Since I sadly never made it to a stage production). But the real meat is the songs, I’ll give some of my favorites.
Jasper Goodbye (The opening song)
What is Life (Cerberus’s ‘solo’)
The Killing (Japser’s Answer to Cerberus’s question)
The Forgetting (Sometimes your just start speaking in Portuguese when a magical river washes away your memories)
Living Dead (A bunch of Dead people love being dead: The song)
Hungry for Your Heart (Remember when I said Ammit got a solo. This is that solo.)
Stroke by Stroke (Uplifting water metaphor: The song)
Beat and Broken Spirits (The most fun song about internal damnation sung by Satan)
Awful People (Undead man/Physical embodiment sings about how awful the world is, obviously.)
Elysium (Everything sucks back home, maybe we should stay dead?: The song)
Lifesong (Eurydice’s solo! Basically Uplifting life metaphor: The song)
The Trade / The Swim (HAPPY ENDINGS ALL AROUND! Hello Jasper Hello)
REALLY I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT JASPER IN DEADLAND AND I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD CHECK IT OUT. The whole album is on youtube and itunes. And you can find a lot of the workshops on there as well.
Jasper in deadland Sizzle Reel (The sets are beautiful, honestly. Do you see Eurydice (women in blue)? Beautiful. And Cerberus?)
THE FULL PERFORMANCE OF STROKE BY STROKE
Really look up this musical. It’s worth listening too.
germansingergirl
dailybridgerton
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titsay
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