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Lee (Emry) Sottile

@theoryofemrything

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“And what about you, all my little Solomons/Sams, what adventure will you go on next?” 💙💚❤️💜🖤

Returned to the @twentysidedtavern for the matinee and evening show today and celebrated NY Pride / worked on some dissertation research at the show! I was delighted to see all of the new changes made for the Off-Broadway rendition including the chaos charts, level up mechanics, and more extensive light, projection, costume, and scenic design. The new set has such amazing little props, details like the light up runes and class sigils in the wood paneling (Also, my cross stitch is part of the Off-Broadway set which makes my heart so deeply full) and the sea of lights above is so beautiful and effective in person. All the same magic and heart was there and I cannot express the energy of the whole current Off-Broadway cast with their amazing comedic timing and onstage chemistry regardless of the roles they are in and the powerhouse understudies in the DM and Tavern Keeper roles. I notated every choice made today and it’s wild to see how much changed from show to show on paper, and genuinely how many little choice moments are made to create a different adventuring experience each time, which is so emphasized through improv. We had an almost completely perfect quest and one that was a lot less perfect today and had 6 different characters and some wildly different epilogues including Ethel beginning to date women, Tamberlaine creating Love is Blind, and more. My voice is absolutely destroyed from yelling and laughing, despite needing it for one more visit tomorrowThe intergenerational nature of the audience and way the cast and crew community build in the house and online is so deeply admirable, and I truly cannot wait to see what comes next as they continue to thrive here Off-Broadway (and are dearly missed in Chicago)!

#twentysidedtavern #thetwentysidedtavern #dndtst #plays #interactivetheatre #stage42 taken in Stage 42 by @theoryofemrything

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2 years ago

Mr. Arthur Pembroke
Cynical widower | 38 years of age | Inspired by Mr. Knightley from Emma and Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice

Words cannot describe the absolute life-changing weekend that was being transported back to 1803 at the Davenport Estate’s final ball of the season in Lies & Liability. As a devoted Austen enthusiast, having a Regency LARP be my first blockbuster one, was truly magical. Getting to build in and out of character friendships and relationships in such a nurturing and transformative community was the greatest gift, and I cannot thank Grimmoire Productions enough for the scholarship to make my attendance possible. Over the course of the weekend, we told such moving and deeply personal stories with one another and I learned so much through my character, who is near and dear to my heart. We built Austen worthy webs of stories in all their happiness and heartbreak at balls, church, and in clandestine rooms, with the help of the uplifting players and deeply dedicated staff. More stories and photos likely to come about the game because everyone close to me knows I am and will continue to be insufferable about this. I wish I was back already and cannot wait to return to the Davenport Estate again in the future, should the chance be available, and to explore Hawkins soon.

📷 : @mgnorrisphotos
🕰️ : @grimmoireproductions Lies & Liability 2024

#liesandliability #liesandliability2024 #larp #regencylarp #arthurpembroke #regency #regencyfashion #regencylarp #grimmoireproductions taken in The DeKoven Center by @theoryofemrything

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2 years ago

“If it’s down, it’s down together, If it’s up, it’s up as one, so sail on, boys, through stormy weather soon the journey will be done.” 🛼🦄🚀💅🐥

Made one of the most impulsive but also best decisions of my life to fly in and out of NY to see @mincemeatbway live and there are not enough words. @spitlip really said, we’re going to take every single thing you love about musical theatre, throw it into our quietly queer WWII spy farce, and change your life in so, so many ways. This little fringe show turned West End / Broadway smash is. Getting to be but feet from the cast and getting to drink in all their facial expressions, intricate movements, and character work up close. This show has been my mental and emotional rock, reignited my passion for musical theatre in a way that I haven’t felt since high school, and is the source of far too many academic article musings that are begging to be written. The quick wit of the book and lyricism and the shows heartfelt and reflective moments were so incredibly heightened in the theatre and I found myself moved to tears constantly just in sheer affect and awe (I knew Dear Bill was going to get me, but Dead in the Water and Useful shattered me). The chemistry of The Five onstage and their ability to execute this deceptively simple show that is genuinely is one of the most intricate things I’ve ever seen from a multi-rolling, props, and coordination is truly astonishing (Just For Tonight and A Glitzy Finale especially, dear GOD). You can so tell this show is in their bones from doing it for so many years yet so much fun is being had. The show’s humble origins, unadulterated joy and poignancy, its intentional casting practices, and its madcap originality are the biggest breath of fresh air. I truly would have given anything to have had roles like Ewen, Charlie, and Jean to look up and strive towards when I was younger, but am so lucky to feel seen by and euphoric because of them and this show. This little yellow show that could is truly the biggest flash of joy. I have many more essays but there is a caption limit, so until next time MI5 🫡

#operationmincemeat #operationmincemeatmusical #musicals #theatre #johngoldentheatre taken in John Golden Theatre by @theoryofemrything

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a year ago

NYC PhD Candidacy Trip 04.16 — 04.19, 2026

If I had a nickel for every cultural historian with a Second World War focus who has a theatre background, will plan the most unhinged theatre + military history museums trips, will nerd out over the Lincoln Center’s Theatre Special Collections holdings, and is now a PhD candidate at their respective institutions that I know, I would have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice ⚓️

8 Shows in 4 Days + the Intrepid was insane, but the UK is not ready for what will become of three weeks and two IWM passes ✨

#theatre #phdjourney #musicaltheatre #broadway taken in Manhattan, New York by @theoryofemrything

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3 months ago

Several Honorable Mentions to “our most entertaining, Cold War musical” that has taken over my life ♟️I am also ignoring that I have seen 2/3 of my total number of shows last year in the first quarter of 2026 because I definitely go to the theatre a normal amount of times ✨

#theatrewrapped #phdjourney #theatre #musicals #musicaltheatre by @theoryofemrything

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3 months ago

Surviving this year and this PhD on pure whimsy, (musical) theatre magic, and small flashes of queer joy alone ✨ by @theoryofemrything

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4 months ago

I believe they call it a glitzy finale ✨

#2025wrapped #theatrewrapped #theatre #musicals #phdjourney by @theoryofemrything

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7 months ago

Fall quarter was so busy it almost killed me but I’d like to thank the town of Hawkins, WI and the little team that brought our brain blorbos to life together, little out-of-state whimsy trips and the friends I met up with/met there, all of the friends I drag / get dragged by to see Chicago theatre (affectionate), the Montagu siblings (affectionate/derogatory) group chat and their production of “We have Operation Mincemeat at home,” Mezzanine Theatre Diary, Natasha Hodgson’s identity crisis inducing body of work and her performance of the most sexy and sexist aristocratic asshole to grace the Broadway and West End stage, the work of Derek Van Barham and just Kokandy Productions en masse, the emotional support Ewen Montagu plush, Chicago Shakes’ occasional comps for NU students, all the lil’ gay people in my phone, Dave Malloy, SpitLip, the Goth Birdcage cast and crew, restaurant management simulators, that little yellow show that’s probably appearing way too much in my UIC neurodivergence assessments, and the Steam Deck for keeping me going ✨💼💛🎭🧟‍♂️🇬🇧🗽🎮 by @theoryofemrything

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7 months ago

“Man is not one, but two, He is evil and good, An’ he walks the fine line we’d all cross if we could!” 🎩🇬🇧🧪🧠

As a middle schooler who was not like other girls™️ instead of hopping on the Wicked and Phantom train, I was an outspoken Jekyll & Hyde girlie, and seeing it live for the first time at my favorite Chicago theatre company by my favorite Chicago director, was a religious experience. Kokandy is my favorite theatre company so seeing it staged by my favorite director with such a stellar cast and a LARGE orchestra which is so rare nowadays that that score needs was so transportative. They always slay with the lighting design but how it was used to stage deaths and just the red and green toned color schemes to delineate Jekyll & Hyde was so astounding. Also the movement work of the piece was so incredibly sharp and inventive, especially in moments where the ensemble was harnessed for some of the solo numbers (‘Alive’ my beloved). The costuming was all so deeply gender and giving Gothic horror and the actors utilized all the levels of the vintage operating theater set fluidly. The sharp moments of synchronized or successive choreo were so beautiful to witness and the show brought so much more humor than I thought in a number of moments that play with the lyrics it witty ways. The cast, especially the lead three performers nailed the vocal power that you need for the belt-your-face-off musical be it Emma’s strength ingenuity, Lucy’s range of tantalizing to tragic, and the fullness of Jekyll/Hyde’s performance. ‘Confrontation’ is such a difficult song to perform believably and well and the actors sharp movements, vocal choices, expressions, as aided by lighting shifts created such a dynamic performance that was worth the ticket price alone.
I know it’s early in the Chicago season but this show will be getting so many Jeff Awards and will be stiff competition, I fear, and I need someone to take my wallet so I am not here an unhealthy amount of times.

#kokandyproductions #musicals #theatre #chopintheatre #jekyllandhyde #jekyllandhydemusical taken in Chopin Theatre by @theoryofemrything

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9 months ago

“Just, you know, women! It’s good stuff isn’t it? It’s just nice!” 👑🫦🥨💅🐥

Impulse trip to see the people’s princess, @gerianne.perez , as Monty with the Mince bestie and Jean to my Charlie @momo_tate48 was genuinely one of if not the most magical theatre experience I think I’ve had. I don’t typically go to the theatre with friends, and is, for the most part, a development of 2k25, and there is something so different about going with someone who knows and loves every word, blocking moment, prop pass, note, and character beat just as much as you do. Getting to sit in the second row and spend the whole show laughing at line deliveries and acting bits (Brandon’s “HIS WHAT?!”; Gerianne’s mouthing the screenplay; the list goes on), crying through “Useful” together, squealing in our seats over certain moments and the experience of just watching Gerianne, was so so special. I’d never been this fully unmasked and unapologetic at the theatre and the freedom and affect that generated was so powerful. The triple cover show was also just phenomenal, per usual, and getting to see a Spitlip-less performance brought such a different energy to the script and characterizations in ways and dynamics that were just so deeply fun. I sobbed to “Dead in the Water” again, which is truly my favorite pastime, we love my personal anthem frfr. And just, Gerianne Pérez? She is everything, actually. Her and Brandon’s dynamic is also one of my favorite Monty and Charlie duos,,, Also, being so close to the stage again on a repeat viewing made it so fun to watch the extensively choreographed prop and hat handoffs and subtle body language and expressions so closely, brings such a deeper appreciation for the show’s tight direction and flow. I was agonizing so long over if it would be worth it and the whirlwind so desperately was (including the saga of the missing Plush!Monty). Cannot wait to Mince again in February, if not sooner, I miss my little yellow fringe show that could and the community it brings. And if the bestie tells you to come to NYC for under to 24 hours so see a show, just do it, actually ✨

#operationmincemeat #operationmincemeatmusical #musicals #theatre #johngoldentheatre taken in John Golden Theatre by @theoryofemrything

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9 months ago

“You want a TV? Come and see CraAaAAAzy’s Pete.” 📺❄️📖☕️

Saw ‘Ashland Avenue’ this past Friday with a cohort of fellow IPTD students and faculty for our beginning of the year theatre outing. The realist piece set in a Chicago TV store utilizes a lot of old Chicago humor, family interpersonal and intergenerational dynamics and nostalgia, and questions of duty to one’s family (and their business). While a number of came out of it thinking it’d likely be a better movie than play, the piece was competently acted even if the script felt like it was lacking some to be desired. A ton of older audience members were thoroughly enjoying the comedy though, so who is to say. Art is subjective.

#goodmantheatre #ashlandavenue #goodmantheatre #plays #theatre taken in Goodman Theatre by @theoryofemrything

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9 months ago

“The system’s gonna breakdown, it’s time for a takedown, it’s time to do this thing for Rome… and bread.” 🥖🏛️🇮🇹🏺

Got a comp for this show through NU and went in not knowing wha to expect and my mind was fully blown. ‘Rome Sweet Rome’ is a modernized adaptation of Julius Caesar done through rap, hip hop, and smart satirical comedy which rendered the play and its themes incredibly accessible to audiences, at a time where it holds INTENSE thematic resonance. The ensemble for the piece is incredibly talented from their multi-rolling, to rap to dance skills and the show is giving Hamilton but adapting Shakespeare instead. The music was catchy and numerous at times and absolutely chilling when paired with the lyrics and lighting design in others (truly if you are not going get a gut punch in the satire about the state of the world, what is it even for?). The costume design blended classic aesthetics with streetwear in such a fun way and the scenic design went so so hard (like the giant gold foam Caesar statue??) This is the sort of theatre work we need right now in bringing timeless stories to present audiences in relatable, educational, entertaining, and fun ways and I am lowkey bummed the run isn’t longer because I think a LOT of people need to see this right now. Looking forward to future work by this company because I am hooked frfr

#chicagoshakes #chicagoshakespearetheater #plays #juliuscaesar #romesweetrome #qbrothers taken in Chicago Shakespeare Theater by @theoryofemrything

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10 months ago