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Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her wistfully listing all the things she misses about the comparatively more conservative [[TheForties '40s]] and [[TheFifties '50s]], which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime American patriotism...and ''Hitler''.
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* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her wistfully listing all the things she misses about the comparatively more conservative [[TheForties '40s]] and [[TheFifties '50s]], which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime American patriotism...patriotism, and ''Hitler''.
* DidNotThinkThisThrough: Francis' increasingly harebrained schemes to spring Susannah from Nation so that they can get married. Susannah [[LampshadeHanging calls him out on this]], and not just for comedic effect; she's right to point out that his plans are putting her in danger while he risks very little.
* DramatisPersonae: "Life in Hate Nation" may qualify as one as it serves introduce most of the cast, the exceptions being of course the two leading ladies, who get their own introductory songs.
* LocationSong: "Life In Hate Nation", sung by the inmates when Susannah first arrives in juvie hall and first encounters the prison's decrepit state and intimidating roster of inmates.
Changed line(s) 132 (click to see context) from:
* OnlySaneMan: Sheila appears to be this at first, being the only inmate who doesn't freak Susannah out.
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* OnlySaneMan: Sheila appears to be this at first, being down-to-earth, direct, and the only inmate who doesn't freak Susannah out.out. An interesting case, considering she describes herself as being "fucked in the head" [[spoiler: and indeed appears to suffer from some form of mental illness]].
Changed line(s) 154 (click to see context) from:
* RightBehindMe: Miss Asp at the end of "Oh, Well", to disastrous results.
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* RightBehindMe: Miss Asp at the end of "Oh, Well", to disastrous results. It's PlayedForLaughs earlier during "This is the Way" when she comes up behind [[Cloudcuckoolander Ya-Ya]] continuing to jump around, shout and dance long after the song finishes.
* RomanticFalseLead: It's pretty obvious from the get-go that Francis is a lot more enthused about his romance with Susannah than she is, and that's even before she meets [[OneTrueLove Sheila]].
* RomanticFalseLead: It's pretty obvious from the get-go that Francis is a lot more enthused about his romance with Susannah than she is, and that's even before she meets [[OneTrueLove Sheila]].
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* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' for being a lesbian.]] She routinely abuses the other teenage girls held in Nation, and [[spoiler: outright tries to kill Sheila during the climax with a pair of scissors.]]
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* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' at the age of sixteen for being a lesbian.kissing another girl.]] She routinely abuses the other teenage girls held in Nation, and [[spoiler: outright tries to kill Sheila during the climax with a pair of scissors.]]]]
* WrongGuyFirst: Francis to Susannah, albeit more of a complex case than you'd usually see in a musical. It is gradually revealed that in addition to having a serious case of EntitledToHaveYou, a large part of their relationship is predicated on Francis wanting to date a black girl to feel and appear more progressive than the rest of his peers. On Susannah's end of things, she's frequently uncertain about her relationship with Francis, thanks to the rotten way he treats her and later, her gradual realization that she's a lesbian. She feels like she has to stay with him out of a mixture of guilt, fear of further ostracism, a desire for acceptance, and because they both know his privilege can provide her with opportunities she otherwise wouldn't get.
--> '''Francis:''' I'm rescuing you! I am your only hope.
* WrongGuyFirst: Francis to Susannah, albeit more of a complex case than you'd usually see in a musical. It is gradually revealed that in addition to having a serious case of EntitledToHaveYou, a large part of their relationship is predicated on Francis wanting to date a black girl to feel and appear more progressive than the rest of his peers. On Susannah's end of things, she's frequently uncertain about her relationship with Francis, thanks to the rotten way he treats her and later, her gradual realization that she's a lesbian. She feels like she has to stay with him out of a mixture of guilt, fear of further ostracism, a desire for acceptance, and because they both know his privilege can provide her with opportunities she otherwise wouldn't get.
--> '''Francis:''' I'm rescuing you! I am your only hope.
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Changed line(s) 52 (click to see context) from:
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting. Even some of the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties; outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst the inmates, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
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* ADayInTheLimelight: "Masochist" is a song in the limelight for Kitty, following her journey towards defiant self-love in the face of the transphobia she's experienced.
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting. Even some of the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties; outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst the inmates, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting. Even some of the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties; outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst the inmates, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
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Chekhovs Gun is written with an "H", otherwise it directs to a Just For Fun page about Chekov's (the Star Trek character) Gun.
Changed line(s) 41 (click to see context) from:
* ChekovsGun: Miss Asp's scissors.
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* ChekovsGun: ChekhovsGun: Miss Asp's scissors.
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Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her wistfully listing all the things she misses about the comparatively more conservative [[TheForties 1940s']] and [[TheFifties 1950s']], which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime American patriotism...and Hitler.
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* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her wistfully listing all the things she misses about the comparatively more conservative [[TheForties 1940s']] '40s]] and [[TheFifties 1950s']], '50s]], which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime American patriotism...and Hitler.''Hitler''.
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Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her listing all the nostalgic elements for the more conservative eras of TheForties and TheFifties, which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime patriotism...and Hitler.
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* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her wistfully listing all the nostalgic elements for things she misses about the comparatively more conservative eras of TheForties [[TheForties 1940s']] and TheFifties, [[TheFifties 1950s']], which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime American patriotism...and Hitler.
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* BreadEggsMilkSquick: "Miss Asp's Song II" has her listing all the nostalgic elements for the more conservative eras of TheForties and TheFifties, which include silent movies, traditional gender roles, wartime patriotism...and Hitler.
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--> I miss Hitler!
--> [[Beat ''(beat))'']]
--> [[Beat ''(beat))'']]
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--> I miss Hitler!
[[BreadEggsMilkSquick Hitler]]!
-->[[Beat ''(beat))'']]''(beat))''
-->
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Changed line(s) 168 (click to see context) from:
* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to ''Theatre/Hair'' and ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to ''Theatre/Hair'' ''Hair'' and ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
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Changed line(s) 154 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Susannah:''' ...how do you ''keep getting in here''?!
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--> '''Susannah:''' ...how do you ''keep getting in here''?! here?!''
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* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to [[Theatre/Hair ''Hair'']] and [[Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch ''Hedwig And The Angry Inch'']] due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to [[Theatre/Hair ''Hair'']] ''Theatre/Hair'' and [[Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch ''Hedwig And The Angry Inch'']] ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
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Changed line(s) 143 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Judith:''' She means [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Total.]] ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Fucking]]'' [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Rebellion.]]
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--> '''Judith:''' She means [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Total.]] ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Fucking]]'' Fucking.]]'' [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Rebellion.]]
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Changed line(s) 143 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Judith:''' She means [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Total. ''Fucking''. Rebellion.]]
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--> '''Judith:''' She means [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Total. ''Fucking''. ]] ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Fucking]]'' [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Rebellion.]]
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Changed line(s) 94 (click to see context) from:
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITH RAMOOOOOOOONE''' GOT NO PATIENCE FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
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** ''Who'' is ''she?! ''she?!'' '''JU-U-U-DITH RAMOOOOOOOONE''' GOT NO PATIENCE FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
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Changed line(s) 74 (click to see context) from:
--> Which I think is 'delinquent' for: you're funny, smart and sweet!
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--> Which I think is 'delinquent' Delinquent for: you're funny, charismatic, smart and sweet!
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Changed line(s) 73 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Susannah:''' ''(dreamily)'' She said that I was a weirdo in the ''good way''!
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--> '''Susannah:''' ''(dreamily)'' She said that I was a weirdo in the ''good way''!''good'' way!
Changed line(s) 93,94 (click to see context) from:
** KNOCK KNOCK, DOC SHOCK, Z-Z-ZZZZAP! ''OOOOOOOOOOOH''!
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITH RAMOOOOOOOONE''', GOT NO ''PATIENCE'' FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITH RAMOOOOOOOONE''', GOT NO ''PATIENCE'' FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
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** KNOCK KNOCK, DOC SHOCK, Z-Z-ZZZZAP! ''OOOOOOOOOOOH''!
''OOOOOOOOOOOH!''
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITHRAMOOOOOOOONE''', RAMOOOOOOOONE''' GOT NO ''PATIENCE'' PATIENCE FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITH
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* BerserkButton: Pretty much every one of the girls has one, except the shy, gentle-natured Susannah.
* BreakupSong: Susannah and Sheila's solos during "Solitary" qualify, where both agonize over what happened the night of the party and how much Susannah's actions have wounded them both.
* BrokenBird: The ''entire cast'' (excepting the men), even [[BigBad Miss Asp]] to an extent. Thankfully, the [[EarnYourHappyEnding heroes recover]].
* BSODSong: The Act 1 finale, "I Hope" is one for Susannah after she [[spoiler: lies about Sheila out of fear and is locked up in Miss Asp's office for the night]], sending her into a downward spiral about her suicidal impulses, her guilt,her unwillingness to marry Francis, and seeming lack of options as a black lesbian in the 1960's. Sheila's verse of "Solitary" also counts as she succumbs to despair after having her heart broken by Susannah.
* BrokenBird: The ''entire cast'' (excepting the men), even [[BigBad Miss Asp]] to an extent. Thankfully, the [[EarnYourHappyEnding heroes recover]].
* BSODSong: The Act 1 finale, "I Hope" is one for Susannah after she [[spoiler: lies about Sheila out of fear and is locked up in Miss Asp's office for the night]], sending her into a downward spiral about her suicidal impulses, her guilt,her unwillingness to marry Francis, and seeming lack of options as a black lesbian in the 1960's. Sheila's verse of "Solitary" also counts as she succumbs to despair after having her heart broken by Susannah.
Changed line(s) 36 (click to see context) from:
* ColdBloodedTorture: Doc Shock's entire character exists to deliver this at the behest of Miss Asp, under the guise of [[BlatantLies rehabilitation]]. There's also use of solitary confinement, mostly on Sheila.
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* ChekovsGun: Miss Asp's scissors.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Doc Shock's entire character exists to deliver this at the behest of Miss Asp, under the guise of [[BlatantLies rehabilitation]]. There's also use of solitary confinement, mostly onSheila.Sheila, which legally qualifies as torture although it's not really treated as such in-story.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Susannah wears bright yellows and reds, showing her innocence and attempts toward an optimistic outlook, while Sheila wears a black leather jacket, cementing her cynical and rebellious status. The other girls' outfits reflect this trope as well; Kitty, who paints herself as a [[TheVamp fabulous flirt]] wears red, girly Dorothy wears [[TrueBlueFemininity blue]], and sci-fi fan and oddball Ya-Ya wears bright green. Antagonistic Judith wears dark colours to reflect her typical emotional state.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Doc Shock's entire character exists to deliver this at the behest of Miss Asp, under the guise of [[BlatantLies rehabilitation]]. There's also use of solitary confinement, mostly on
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Susannah wears bright yellows and reds, showing her innocence and attempts toward an optimistic outlook, while Sheila wears a black leather jacket, cementing her cynical and rebellious status. The other girls' outfits reflect this trope as well; Kitty, who paints herself as a [[TheVamp fabulous flirt]] wears red, girly Dorothy wears [[TrueBlueFemininity blue]], and sci-fi fan and oddball Ya-Ya wears bright green. Antagonistic Judith wears dark colours to reflect her typical emotional state.
Changed line(s) 38 (click to see context) from:
* CoolBigSis: Kitty, who is protective of all the other girls, and who reaches out to Susannah when she's being shunned.
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* CoolBigSis: Kitty, who is protective of all the other girls, and who reaches out to Susannah when she's being shunned. She tries to bring everyone out of their shells, pushes them to show off their talents, and counsels them to be proud of themselves. And loves to do their makeup, too.
* CounterpointDuet: "The Other One", which fittingly explores Susannah and Sheila's contrasting perspectives on being outcasts.
* CounterpointDuet: "The Other One", which fittingly explores Susannah and Sheila's contrasting perspectives on being outcasts.
* CrazyEnoughToWork: Susannah knocking her and Sheila's Morse Code beat on the pipes leading to the solitary confinement cells in the hopes that she'll recognize it and knock back, giving the signal that she's alright and can still be rescued. Operation Sha-La-La as a whole may qualify, too, relying largely on the girls' skills, scrappiness, and togetherness.
Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting, even the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties. Outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst themselves, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
to:
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting, even fighting. Even some of the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties. Outdated TheSixties; outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst themselves, the inmates, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
Changed line(s) 49 (click to see context) from:
* DrivenToSuicide: Susannah's birth mother and [[spoiler: Harriet's pianist girlfriend]]. Additionally, Susannah is imprisoned for a botched attempt, which she bonds over Sheila with, as the latter reveals in detail during "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail" that she's tried and failed as well.
to:
* DrivenToSuicide: A major theme of the show. Susannah's birth mother and [[spoiler: Harriet's pianist girlfriend]]. Additionally, Susannah is imprisoned for a botched attempt, which she bonds over Sheila with, as the latter reveals in detail during "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail" that she's tried and failed as well.
* DrunkenSong: "Jezebel" might count, considering Ya-Ya's over-the-top performance, which involves whooping and throwing some of her clothes off. The girls did steal alcohol for the party, after all.
* DrunkenSong: "Jezebel" might count, considering Ya-Ya's over-the-top performance, which involves whooping and throwing some of her clothes off. The girls did steal alcohol for the party, after all.
* EnemyMine: [[spoiler: Judith hates Miss Asp, but she's been acting as her informant for years in the hopes of protecting herself from the abuses the other girls face and being transferred to a better facility. It doesn't last.]]
* FlashbackEcho: "This Is The Way" has Kitty instructing the girls to conjure something horrible someone has done or said to them, and then picturing that person [[ItMakesSenseInContext being eaten alive by ocelots]] as they inhale and exhale their cigarette smoke, in order to look "deeply tortured" and rebellious while dong so. Although it's PlayedForLaughs in this instance, Susannah frequently has less comedic flashbacks of cutting or painful things Francis has said to her, particularly the times he's tried to pressure her into sex or marriage, and insulted and berated her with racist and homophobic remarks when she refused him.
Changed line(s) 61 (click to see context) from:
* FreakyIsCool: Ya-Ya's interests are pretty straightforward as an example of this.
to:
* FreakyIsCool: Ya-Ya's interests are pretty straightforward as an example of this.this; this also is one of the focal points of all the girls' development, and more subtly, the romance between Susannah and Sheila.
--> '''Susannah:''' ''(dreamily)'' She said that I was a weirdo in the ''good way''!
--> Which I think is 'delinquent' for: you're funny, smart and sweet!
* FriendshipSong: "This Is The Way" for the girls in Juvie.
--> '''Susannah:''' ''(dreamily)'' She said that I was a weirdo in the ''good way''!
--> Which I think is 'delinquent' for: you're funny, smart and sweet!
* FriendshipSong: "This Is The Way" for the girls in Juvie.
Changed line(s) 75 (click to see context) from:
* IAmSong: "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her trans identity. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
to:
* Hypocrite: Miss Asp, big time.
* IAmSong: Plenty. The tail end of Sheila's introduction in "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail" is the most straightforward example. "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her trans identity. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
* IAmSong: Plenty. The tail end of Sheila's introduction in "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail" is the most straightforward example. "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her trans identity. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
* IncomingHam:
** KNOCK KNOCK, DOC SHOCK, Z-Z-ZZZZAP! ''OOOOOOOOOOOH''!
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITH RAMOOOOOOOONE''', GOT NO ''PATIENCE'' FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
** ''Ki-tty'' Minx, her name is ''Kitty Minx''!
** KNOCK KNOCK, DOC SHOCK, Z-Z-ZZZZAP! ''OOOOOOOOOOOH''!
** ''Who'' is ''she?! '''JU-U-U-DITH RAMOOOOOOOONE''', GOT NO ''PATIENCE'' FOR THE NEW GIRLS!
** ''Ki-tty'' Minx, her name is ''Kitty Minx''!
* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Most people, even Sheila, are skeptical of Susannah's love of [[GirlGroup Girl Groups]] and nonsense syllables in music. Lo and behold, "Operation Sha-La-La", whose name was derided by many of the inmates, became the name of Susannah's hit band.
* LaResistance: Naturally, as it is TheSixties. The denouement of the show relies on a "Revolution in the institution", where Susannah overcomes her fears and leads the girls not only stage a prison break, but fight for civil, LGBT+, and feminist rights. Francis ''thinks'' he's a part of this, meeting Susannah at a demonstration for environmental conservationism, but he's still against gay rights and is more interested in appearing good than actually ''doing'' any good. He clearly uses his interracial relationship for social clout and personal gratification, still treating Susannah as his inferior and insisting she should be a homemaker.
* LastKiss: Susannah and Sheila think their [[BigDamnKiss first kiss]] before [[spoiler: Sheila flees to Mexico]] is this, complete with the getaway motorcycle pulling up in their periphery, as neither of them know if they'll ever see each other again.
* LastKiss: Susannah and Sheila think their [[BigDamnKiss first kiss]] before [[spoiler: Sheila flees to Mexico]] is this, complete with the getaway motorcycle pulling up in their periphery, as neither of them know if they'll ever see each other again.
Changed line(s) 90 (click to see context) from:
* MeaningfulName: Plenty, [[JustifiedTrope justifiably]] as this is in part an AffectionateParody of a bad-girl-in-jail ExploitationFilm. The villain, Miss Asp, is cruel and powerful, a fitting name for a poisonous cobra that used to symbolize Egyptian royalty. Susannah ''Sonn'' (sounds like 'sun') wears a lot of yellow, and while her character struggles to find happiness, she is definitely full of light and kindness. Kitty Minx prides herself on her beauty and fabulous (and flirtatious) nature. Ya-Ya's real name, Gloria ''Meeks'', describes her nature. Sheila ''Nail'', additionally, suggests the character's toughness.
to:
* MeaningfulName: Plenty, [[JustifiedTrope justifiably]] as this is in part an AffectionateParody of a bad-girl-in-jail ExploitationFilm. The villain, Miss Asp, is cruel and powerful, a fitting name for a poisonous cobra that used to symbolize Egyptian royalty.royalty; Judith even [[LampshadeHanging calls her a "snake"]] when she betrays her trust.. Susannah ''Sonn'' (sounds like 'sun') wears a lot of yellow, and while her character struggles to find happiness, she is definitely full of light and kindness. Kitty Minx prides herself on her beauty and fabulous (and flirtatious) nature.and flirtatious demeanour. Ya-Ya's real name, Gloria ''Meeks'', describes her nature. Sheila ''Nail'', additionally, suggests the character's toughness. Even the orderly, Buzz, has a RunningGag where he's driven crazy by incessant ''buzzing'' of the front doorbell to the prison.
** More subtly, Judith Ramone could be a reference to the [[Literature/BookOfJudith Biblical Judith]], who beheads an enemy general who lusted after her. Famously, Renaissance artist Artemisia Gentileschi depicted the scene with herself as Judith and her rapist as Holofernes. Judith Ramone's crime? [[spoiler: She castrated her father after years of enduring his sexual abuse, removing another 'head'.]]
* MissingMom: Susannah's birth mother [[spoiler: killed herself after losing her husband to war]].
** More subtly, Judith Ramone could be a reference to the [[Literature/BookOfJudith Biblical Judith]], who beheads an enemy general who lusted after her. Famously, Renaissance artist Artemisia Gentileschi depicted the scene with herself as Judith and her rapist as Holofernes. Judith Ramone's crime? [[spoiler: She castrated her father after years of enduring his sexual abuse, removing another 'head'.]]
* MissingMom: Susannah's birth mother [[spoiler: killed herself after losing her husband to war]].
* MotorMouth: In addition to a stutter, Susannah lapses into this when she's nervous or frightened, particularly if she has something to hide. Ya-Ya's a more outgoing version of this.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Miss Asp and Doc Shock.
* NoSell: When Miss Asp tries to appeal to the girls during their revolt on the basis that she's gone through "as cruel and hateful things as what's been done to you" and citing her lack of choices. Susannah isn't impressed, standing her ground and letting Asp know that she has a choice ''now'' - with them or against them.
* NotSoDifferent: Miss Asp tries to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this when the girls revolt, citing her own abuse and troubled past, and the fact that she never had any choices. The girls aren't having it.
* NoSell: When Miss Asp tries to appeal to the girls during their revolt on the basis that she's gone through "as cruel and hateful things as what's been done to you" and citing her lack of choices. Susannah isn't impressed, standing her ground and letting Asp know that she has a choice ''now'' - with them or against them.
* NotSoDifferent: Miss Asp tries to [[InvokedTrope invoke]] this when the girls revolt, citing her own abuse and troubled past, and the fact that she never had any choices. The girls aren't having it.
* OhCrap: Susannah when she gets caught almost kissing Sheila in Asp's office; later, the girls all share one when Buzz drags Sheila back inside mid-escape plot.
* OnlySaneMan: Sheila appears to be this at first, being the only inmate who doesn't freak Susannah out.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Kitty is usually very friendly and dramatic for the fun of it; during "Solitary", however, [[Jerkass Judith's]] callousness about the [[spoiler: murder of Harriet, which she caused, and the fact that Sheila will soon meet a similar fate]] provokes her to fight dirty, with her words and then her fists.
** PlayedForLaughs with Dorothy when Rat calls her out for pretending to be a SouthernBelle.
** PlayedForLaughs with Dorothy when Rat calls her out for pretending to be a SouthernBelle.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: [[spoiler: Miss Asp. Not a terribly sympathetic example, however, as it's her own fault.]]
Changed line(s) 106 (click to see context) from:
* ProperLady: Miss Asp believes herself to be this and claims to want to shape the "garbage girls" in her care into this. A large part of Susannah's arc deals with her struggle with wanting to fit into this ideal (mostly associated with the safety and privilege 1960's American society would deny her because of her race) versus wanting to become who she truly is, a musician and a fighter for equality.
to:
* PrecisionFStrike: A few. Sheila gets a fairly triumphant one one during [[IAmSong "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail"]]:
--> '''Sheila:''' I might be ''fucked'' in my head,
--> But hey, at least I ain't dead!
** Judith Ramone gets an [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]] one that highlights her HeelFaceTurn and leads into the SignatureSong, "Revolution Song".
--> '''Judith:''' She means [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Total. ''Fucking''. Rebellion.]]
* ProperLady: Miss Asp believes herself to be this and claims to want to shape the "garbage girls" in her care into this. A large part of Susannah's arc deals with her struggle with wanting to fit into this ideal (mostly associated with the safety and privilege 1960's American society would deny her because of her race) versus wanting to become who she truly is, a musician and a fighter for equality. Dorothy also champions herself as a "proper Southern homemaker through and through", but girly as she is, she's a lot more rebellious than the archetype would suggest.
--> '''Sheila:''' I might be ''fucked'' in my head,
--> But hey, at least I ain't dead!
** Judith Ramone gets an [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]] one that highlights her HeelFaceTurn and leads into the SignatureSong, "Revolution Song".
--> '''Judith:''' She means [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Total. ''Fucking''. Rebellion.]]
* ProperLady: Miss Asp believes herself to be this and claims to want to shape the "garbage girls" in her care into this. A large part of Susannah's arc deals with her struggle with wanting to fit into this ideal (mostly associated with the safety and privilege 1960's American society would deny her because of her race) versus wanting to become who she truly is, a musician and a fighter for equality. Dorothy also champions herself as a "proper Southern homemaker through and through", but girly as she is, she's a lot more rebellious than the archetype would suggest.
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* Retraux: The show premiered in the late 2010s, but is set in and musically styled after TheSixties.
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* Retraux: {{Retraux}}: The show premiered in the late 2010s, but is set in and musically styled after TheSixties.TheSixties.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Plenty, with poor Susannah on the receiving end of most of them. Francis dishes them out cruelly to Susannah whenever she doesn't go along with what he wants, Sheila gives her a biting one after [[spoiler: she betrays her]], and "Solitary" is one from all the inmates, including ''herself''. Miss Asp frequently gives the "garbage girls" these to beat them down, most significantly to Judith and Sheila. On the more heroic end of things, Kitty gives one to Judith for [[spoiler: betraying Harriet]], and Susannah gives an [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome epic one]] to Miss Asp during the climax.
* TheReveal: Harriet's story, and [[spoiler: the fact that she was Miss Asp's illegitimate daughter]].
* RhymingWithItself: During "Solitary", for comedic purposes.
--> '''Ya-Ya:''' It's like we're in prison!
--> '''Rat:''' ...'cos we ''are'' in prison.
* RightBehindMe: Miss Asp at the end of "Oh, Well", to disastrous results.
* RunningGag: Plenty, but the main one is Francis repeatedly finding ways to break into Nation for whatever romantic escapades he's come up with next. Susannah even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this:
--> '''Susannah:''' ...how do you ''keep getting in here''?!
* SanitySlippageSong: "Miss Asp's Song" and its reprise illustrate the character's motives and gradual VillainousBreakdown as she loses control of the prisoners.
* SayMyName: Every single one of the girls introduced in "Life In Hate Nation", particularly Judith Ramone. Sheila Nail gets quite a few in "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail", while "Susannah's Song" and"Francis' Song" both do this to Susannah.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Plenty, with poor Susannah on the receiving end of most of them. Francis dishes them out cruelly to Susannah whenever she doesn't go along with what he wants, Sheila gives her a biting one after [[spoiler: she betrays her]], and "Solitary" is one from all the inmates, including ''herself''. Miss Asp frequently gives the "garbage girls" these to beat them down, most significantly to Judith and Sheila. On the more heroic end of things, Kitty gives one to Judith for [[spoiler: betraying Harriet]], and Susannah gives an [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome epic one]] to Miss Asp during the climax.
* TheReveal: Harriet's story, and [[spoiler: the fact that she was Miss Asp's illegitimate daughter]].
* RhymingWithItself: During "Solitary", for comedic purposes.
--> '''Ya-Ya:''' It's like we're in prison!
--> '''Rat:''' ...'cos we ''are'' in prison.
* RightBehindMe: Miss Asp at the end of "Oh, Well", to disastrous results.
* RunningGag: Plenty, but the main one is Francis repeatedly finding ways to break into Nation for whatever romantic escapades he's come up with next. Susannah even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this:
--> '''Susannah:''' ...how do you ''keep getting in here''?!
* SanitySlippageSong: "Miss Asp's Song" and its reprise illustrate the character's motives and gradual VillainousBreakdown as she loses control of the prisoners.
* SayMyName: Every single one of the girls introduced in "Life In Hate Nation", particularly Judith Ramone. Sheila Nail gets quite a few in "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail", while "Susannah's Song" and"Francis' Song" both do this to Susannah.
* ShoutOut: Several, particularly to musicians, writers, and artists of TheSixties. Most significantly is the significant Morse Code rhythm shared between Sheila and Susannah, a direct reference to the beat of "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes, of whom Susannah's a huge fan. Miss Asp, meanwhile, tries to push the girls to model themselves off of [[Series/LeaveItToBeaver June Cleaver]].
* SignificantDoubleCasting: "The Guy" is a single credit for all three male roles in the show - Francis, Doc Shock, and Buzz. This works with the feminist themes of overcoming different forms of patriarchal abuse and oppression that seem to be multiple sides of the same die.
* SmugSnake: Miss Asp, as her name would suggest.
* SignificantDoubleCasting: "The Guy" is a single credit for all three male roles in the show - Francis, Doc Shock, and Buzz. This works with the feminist themes of overcoming different forms of patriarchal abuse and oppression that seem to be multiple sides of the same die.
* SmugSnake: Miss Asp, as her name would suggest.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to ''Theatre/Hair'' and ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
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* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to ''Theatre/Hair'' [[Theatre/Hair ''Hair'']] and ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' [[Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch ''Hedwig And The Angry Inch'']] due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
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* StylisticSuck: Ya-Ya's original song she performs at the party, "Jezebel". Even the usually-encouraging Kitty is eager to get her offstage.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Susannah and Sheila ''both'' fall into this when either someone questions or they slip up about their sexualities.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Susannah and Sheila ''both'' fall into this when either someone questions or they slip up about their sexualities.
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* TrueCompanions: How the inmates of Nation eventually come to see one another.
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* WarIsGlorious: Miss Asp during her MotiveRant song reveals she believes as much.
--> '''Miss Asp:''' I miss silent movies/and I miss the war!
--> I miss Hitler!
--> [[Beat ''(beat))'']]
--> ...and yes, I know he was psychotic/but villains make people act so patriotic!
--> '''Miss Asp:''' I miss silent movies/and I miss the war!
--> I miss Hitler!
--> [[Beat ''(beat))'']]
--> ...and yes, I know he was psychotic/but villains make people act so patriotic!
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* WhamLine: Judith gets one early in Act 2.
--> '''Judith:''' And now, your little dream-girl is gonna fry. Just like [[spoiler: Miss Asp's ''daughter''. Sweet little Harriet.]]
--> '''Judith:''' And now, your little dream-girl is gonna fry. Just like [[spoiler: Miss Asp's ''daughter''. Sweet little Harriet.]]
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* YankTheDogsChain: Although the ukulele strings are against the rules, Miss Asp offers to leave Susannah's beloved instrument intact if she [[AintTooProudToBeg begs her not to]] without stuttering, in front of all the inmates. She cuts them up anyway.
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''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis of Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounters all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances blossom, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
to:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis of Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounters all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances blossom, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].tunes.
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Changed line(s) 80 (click to see context) from:
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Miss Asp, a fire-and-brimstone tyrant who rules Nation with an iron fist first has her dreams crushed, then has Nation, which she helped build, burn down with her still in it.]]
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* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Miss Asp, a fire-and-brimstone tyrant who rules Nation with an iron fist first has her dreams crushed, then has Nation, which she helped build, burn down with her still in it. She's seen in her last moments desperately pointing a camera at herself, desperately trying to get that perfect picture she wanted from Life Magazine.]]
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* MaliciousMisnaming: Kitty chewing out Judith for [[spoiler:outing Harriet to Miss Asp]] gets Judith so furious that she deadnames Kitty before attacking her.
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* HeartbeatSoundtrack: The love Leitmotif for Susannah and Sheila, even [[LampshadedTrope described as their heartbeats]] in "Oh, Well". [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that it has an in-universe plot purpose - the rhythm starts off as a Morse code message Susannah teaches Sheila, that they later use to communicate when [[spoiler: Sheila's in solitary]], leading into the song.
to:
* HeartbeatSoundtrack: The love Leitmotif {{Leitmotif}} for Susannah and Sheila, even [[LampshadedTrope described as their heartbeats]] in "Oh, Well". [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that it has an in-universe plot purpose - the rhythm starts off as a Morse code message Susannah teaches Sheila, that they later use to communicate when [[spoiler: Sheila's in solitary]], leading into the song.
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* Leitmotif: The "I fell in love in Juvie Hall" and "Sha-la-la" recurring melodies follow Susannah and Sheila around the show.
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* Leitmotif: {{Leitmotif}}: The "I fell in love in Juvie Hall" and "Sha-la-la" recurring melodies follow Susannah and Sheila around the show.
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* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's [[spoiler: [[AbusiveParentsbackstory]]]] is also this.
to:
* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's [[spoiler: [[AbusiveParentsbackstory]]]] [[AbusiveParents backstory]]]] is also this.
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Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis of Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
to:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis of Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter encounters all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, blossom, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
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Changed line(s) 41 (click to see context) from:
* DarkReprise: "This Is The Way" gets on in the middle of "I Hope", and then there's also "Susannah's Song", which comes up whenever she needs to comfort herself in distressing or frightening situations.
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* DarkReprise: The tune of "This Is The Way" gets on one in the middle bridge of "I Hope", and then there's also "Susannah's Song", which comes up whenever she needs to comfort herself in distressing or frightening situations.
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* MusicalInterrupts: Happens a few times, but most significantly at the tail end of "The Other One", where Susannah and Sheila's bonding moment is interrupted by the other girls barging into the restrooms to discuss their plans.
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* MusicalInterrupts: MusicalisInterruptus: Happens a few times, but most significantly at the tail end of "The Other One", where Susannah and Sheila's bonding moment is interrupted by the other girls barging into the restrooms to discuss their plans.
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* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Susannah is in heavy denial over her blossoming romance with Sheila, brushing off the other girls' teasing about it, until Kitty, a trans girl, advises Susannah to follow her example and be proud of who she is.
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* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Susannah is SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Francis, a college campus liberal, plans on fleeing to a commune in heavy denial over her blossoming romance Mexico full of "like-minded youths experimenting with Sheila, brushing off the other girls' teasing about it, until Kitty, a trans girl, advises Susannah to follow her example and be proud of who she is.fascinating new drugs".
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Susannah is in heavy denial over her blossoming romance with Sheila, brushing off the other girls' teasing about it, until Kitty, a trans girl, advises Susannah to follow her example and be proud of who she is.
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* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Francis, a college campus liberal, plans on fleeing to a commune in Mexico full of "like-minded youths experimenting with fascinating new drugs".
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Changed line(s) 92 (click to see context) from:
* MusicalisInteruptus: Happens a few times, but most significantly at the tail end of "The Other One", where Susannah and Sheila's bonding moment is interrupted by the other girls barging into the restrooms to discuss their plans.
to:
* MusicalisInteruptus: MusicalInterrupts: Happens a few times, but most significantly at the tail end of "The Other One", where Susannah and Sheila's bonding moment is interrupted by the other girls barging into the restrooms to discuss their plans.
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* ThisIsTheDecadeOnDrugs: Francis, a college campus liberal, plans on fleeing to a commune in Mexico full of "like-minded youths experimenting with fascinating new drugs".
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* ThisIsTheDecadeOnDrugs: SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: Francis, a college campus liberal, plans on fleeing to a commune in Mexico full of "like-minded youths experimenting with fascinating new drugs".
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Changed line(s) 110 (click to see context) from:
* SettingIntoductionSong: "Life In Hate Nation".
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* SettingIntoductionSong: SettingIntroductionSong: "Life In Hate Nation".
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* AloofDarkHairedGirl: Sheila, practically a female [[Creator/JamesDean James Dean]] in dress, aura, reputation and in attitude, fits this trope to a T. When first realizing she has feelings for her, Susannah moons over her hair being "black as a feather".
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: When Kitty is consoling Susannah in the conversation leading into "Masochist".
--> '''Susannah:''' I should've taken the blame. I was just afraid...of my dad finding out.
--> '''Kitty:''' Finding out ''what''?
--> '''Susannah:''' I should've taken the blame. I was just afraid...of my dad finding out.
--> '''Kitty:''' Finding out ''what''?
* BeehiveHairdo: It is TheSixties after all - many of the women have this.
* BigDamnKiss: At the end of "I Was A Teenage Delinquent", [[spoiler: Susannah and Sheila ''finally'' kiss after an entire show of buildup, just as Francis pulls up on his motorcycle in the background.]]
* BigEntrance: Sheila Nail, the main love interest of the show and the coolest and most popular of the girls, has a big one, followed by an entire solo number about her exploits and reputation.
* BigEntrance: Sheila Nail, the main love interest of the show and the coolest and most popular of the girls, has a big one, followed by an entire solo number about her exploits and reputation.
* CabinFever: "Solitary". After the party goes south and Miss Asp starts her VillainousBreakdown, Act 2 opens with the girls getting restless and violent after being locked in their dormitory for eight days as punishment for drugging Buzz and stealing alcohol from Asp's office. Sheila, who's actually ''in'' solitary confinement, has the worst of this.
* CallForward: When Susannah sees Sheila for the first time early in Act 1, time seems to stop and she sings a line or two about how immediately awestruck she is. It's the tune of their FinalLoveDuet right near the end of the show, "I Was a Teenage Delinquent".
* CharacterDevelopment: Everyone goes through it to an extent, but Susannah and Sheila have the most significant ones. Susannah starts off as a shy, frightened girl struggling with suicidal depression and trying to find where she fits into society, and ends the show as the leader of a resistance movement, proudly owning every part of herself as a mentally ill black lesbian who wants to use her music to change the world. Sheila, who starts off as a tough, guarded rebel who doesn't want to depend on anyone and clings to her cool image to cope, [[DefrostingIceQueen completely melts]] when she falls in love with Susannah, and becomes a much warmer, more openly emotional person with restored faith that the world can change.
* CallForward: When Susannah sees Sheila for the first time early in Act 1, time seems to stop and she sings a line or two about how immediately awestruck she is. It's the tune of their FinalLoveDuet right near the end of the show, "I Was a Teenage Delinquent".
* CharacterDevelopment: Everyone goes through it to an extent, but Susannah and Sheila have the most significant ones. Susannah starts off as a shy, frightened girl struggling with suicidal depression and trying to find where she fits into society, and ends the show as the leader of a resistance movement, proudly owning every part of herself as a mentally ill black lesbian who wants to use her music to change the world. Sheila, who starts off as a tough, guarded rebel who doesn't want to depend on anyone and clings to her cool image to cope, [[DefrostingIceQueen completely melts]] when she falls in love with Susannah, and becomes a much warmer, more openly emotional person with restored faith that the world can change.
* CondescendingCompassion: Miss Asp, particularly towards black inmates.
* DangerouslyShortSkirt: Most of the girls in Nation roll or hem their already-short uniform skirts.
* DarkestHour: When [[spoiler: Sheila is caught during "Operation Sha-La-La" and Miss Asp receives a telegram on Life Magazine's cancellation, leading to the absolute apex of her VillainousBreakdown]].
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting, even the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties. Outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst themselves, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
* DistantDuet: Susannah and Sheila's part of "Solitary".
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: While this mostly comes from the antagonists, Miss Asp and Francis, who respectively symbolize the conservatism the heroes must fight and the self-serving 'college revolutionary' types who are no better than those they claim to be fighting, even the girls fall into this, too, it being TheSixties. Outdated terms are used for black people, many of the characters make casually racist remarks, and amongst themselves, there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia. The difference is, of course, that the girls later overcome these views. This trope ties in pretty strongly with the themes of the show as the characters struggle with and eventually combat internalized bigotry, taking on views that are more popular today as they are inspired to form and join various social movements.
* DistantDuet: Susannah and Sheila's part of "Solitary".
* DrivenToSuicide: Susannah's birth mother and [[spoiler: Harriet's pianist girlfriend]]. Additionally, Susannah is imprisoned for a botched attempt, which she bonds over Sheila with, as the latter reveals in detail during "The Three Failed Escape Attempts of Sheila Nail" that she's tried and failed as well.
* FallGuy: Judith tries to blame Sheila for the stolen alcohol and the party when everyone is caught by Miss Asp.
* FamilyOfChoice: Despite their differences, once they finally band together to take down Nation, the girls, who have been orphaned, abused, abandoned, betrayed or otherwise forgotten by their families, all view each other as such, as they state in "Revolution Song".
--> '''Susannah, joined by the other girls:''' ''S-T-O-P!/You won't touch my family!''
* FamilyOfChoice: Despite their differences, once they finally band together to take down Nation, the girls, who have been orphaned, abused, abandoned, betrayed or otherwise forgotten by their families, all view each other as such, as they state in "Revolution Song".
--> '''Susannah, joined by the other girls:''' ''S-T-O-P!/You won't touch my family!''
* FeminineWomenCanCook: Miss Asp tries, anyway. Dorothy, the most girly of the inmates of Nation (who also assists with her cooking), openly ridicules her culinary failures.
* FlatWhat: Sheila's reaction to Susannah mentioning "Operation Sha-La-La."
--> '''Sheila:''' That is a ''terrible'' name, by the way.
* FinalLoveDuet: "I Was A Teen Delinquent", as Susannah and Sheila finally confess their feelings and share one last song and kiss [[spoiler: in the smoking rubble of the now-destroyed Nation, just before Sheila flees to Mexico on a motorcycle.]]
* FlatWhat: Sheila's reaction to Susannah mentioning "Operation Sha-La-La."
--> '''Sheila:''' That is a ''terrible'' name, by the way.
* FinalLoveDuet: "I Was A Teen Delinquent", as Susannah and Sheila finally confess their feelings and share one last song and kiss [[spoiler: in the smoking rubble of the now-destroyed Nation, just before Sheila flees to Mexico on a motorcycle.]]
* GirlGroup: Susannah's favourite style of music. Sheila prefers rock, and the music style of the show is a combination of both styles to reflect the way the girls influence one another as well as the time period.
Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Susannah, until Sheila and Kitty bring her out of her shell.
to:
* HaveAGayOldTime: Intentionally so. Well said, Miss Asp!
--> '''Miss Asp:''' I am beginning to suspect that something ''queer'' is going on around here!
* HaveIMentionedThatIAmHeterosexualToday: Susannah, when talking about Francis and her experiences with boys. She repeats over and over what a 'marvellous opportunity' marrying Francis, who is wealthy and white, would be, most likely repeating what she was told by him. When Sheila hears this, she offhandedly talks about the many flings she's had with guys...[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial right before singing a duet where she bonds with Susannah]].
* HeartbeatSoundtrack: The love Leitmotif for Susannah and Sheila, even [[LampshadedTrope described as their heartbeats]] in "Oh, Well". [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that it has an in-universe plot purpose - the rhythm starts off as a Morse code message Susannah teaches Sheila, that they later use to communicate when [[spoiler: Sheila's in solitary]], leading into the song.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Judith, previously TheMole for Miss Asp and the toughest of the girls, as well as Sheila's enemy, finally comes around and is the first to sing in "The Revolution Song".]]
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Susannah, until Sheila and Kitty bring her out of hershell. shell.
* TheHeroSucksSong: The ensemble part of "Solitary" has all the girls locked in the fifth floor dormitory blame Susannah for their misery and denounce her as a traitor.
--> '''Miss Asp:''' I am beginning to suspect that something ''queer'' is going on around here!
* HaveIMentionedThatIAmHeterosexualToday: Susannah, when talking about Francis and her experiences with boys. She repeats over and over what a 'marvellous opportunity' marrying Francis, who is wealthy and white, would be, most likely repeating what she was told by him. When Sheila hears this, she offhandedly talks about the many flings she's had with guys...[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial right before singing a duet where she bonds with Susannah]].
* HeartbeatSoundtrack: The love Leitmotif for Susannah and Sheila, even [[LampshadedTrope described as their heartbeats]] in "Oh, Well". [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that it has an in-universe plot purpose - the rhythm starts off as a Morse code message Susannah teaches Sheila, that they later use to communicate when [[spoiler: Sheila's in solitary]], leading into the song.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Judith, previously TheMole for Miss Asp and the toughest of the girls, as well as Sheila's enemy, finally comes around and is the first to sing in "The Revolution Song".]]
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Susannah, until Sheila and Kitty bring her out of her
* TheHeroSucksSong: The ensemble part of "Solitary" has all the girls locked in the fifth floor dormitory blame Susannah for their misery and denounce her as a traitor.
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* IAmSong: "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her [[Transgender trans identity]]. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
to:
* HigherUnderstandingThroughDrugs: Francis thinks this will happen for him.
* IAmSong: "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her[[Transgender trans identity]].identity. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
* IconicOutfit: Sheila's black leather jacket, which gets referenced many times in song.
* TheIngenue: Dorothy plays up that she's this as part of her false Southern Belle persona; Susannah is genuinely one, shy and taken aback by the roughness of life in juvie hall.
* IAmSong: "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her
* IconicOutfit: Sheila's black leather jacket, which gets referenced many times in song.
* TheIngenue: Dorothy plays up that she's this as part of her false Southern Belle persona; Susannah is genuinely one, shy and taken aback by the roughness of life in juvie hall.
* TheMole: [[spoiler: Judith to Asp, although she regrets it, and does a HeelFaceTurn when she finds her promises to be empty.]]
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: During "Life In Hate Nation", every girl gets a big ensemble introduction of her name and characteristics, except for Ya-Ya, who pleadingly tries to get them to join in, establishing her place amongst the girls. They only join in when she starts crying that nobody likes her. This becomes a bit of a RunningGag with her, although the girls become more protective as the show progresses.
--> '''Ya-Ya:''' My name is...
--> ''(silence from the other girls)''
--> '''Ya-Ya:''' My ''name is''...
--> '''Ya-Ya:''' My name is...
--> ''(silence from the other girls)''
--> '''Ya-Ya:''' My ''name is''...
Changed line(s) 61,62 (click to see context) from:
* OnlyFriend: Dorothy seems to be this to Ya-Ya.
* ParentalAbandonment: Sheila's a "ward of the state", and mentions being raised by nuns. Susannah's an orphan too, having lost her biological parents to war and suicide respectively. Both she and Kitty were thrown into Juvvie at the behest of their (in Susannah's case, adoptive) fathers.
* ParentalAbandonment: Sheila's a "ward of the state", and mentions being raised by nuns. Susannah's an orphan too, having lost her biological parents to war and suicide respectively. Both she and Kitty were thrown into Juvvie at the behest of their (in Susannah's case, adoptive) fathers.
to:
* OnlyFriend: Dorothy seems to be this to Ya-Ya. At the very least, she seems to feel sorry for her. Sheila ''starts'' as this to newbie Susannah, but it quickly leads to something more.
* OnlyTheLeadsGetAHappyEnding: Not exactly played straight, but we only find out what happens to Susannah and Sheila.
* OppositesAttract: The emotional, shy, fearful, stammering [[TheIngenue innocent]] Susannah, desperate to fit into society, and the aloof, tough, openly rebellious troublemaker who rejects social standards, Sheila, fall in love. They even share a song, "The Other One", about all the ways in which they differ despite both being outcasts.
* OrphanageOfFear: Sheila briefly mentions being raised in one.
* ParentalAbandonment: Sheila's a "ward of the state", and mentions being raised by nuns. Susannah's an orphan too, having lost her biologicalparents mother and father. to war and suicide respectively. Both she and Kitty were thrown into Juvvie at the behest of their (in Susannah's case, adoptive) fathers.
* OnlyTheLeadsGetAHappyEnding: Not exactly played straight, but we only find out what happens to Susannah and Sheila.
* OppositesAttract: The emotional, shy, fearful, stammering [[TheIngenue innocent]] Susannah, desperate to fit into society, and the aloof, tough, openly rebellious troublemaker who rejects social standards, Sheila, fall in love. They even share a song, "The Other One", about all the ways in which they differ despite both being outcasts.
* OrphanageOfFear: Sheila briefly mentions being raised in one.
* ParentalAbandonment: Sheila's a "ward of the state", and mentions being raised by nuns. Susannah's an orphan too, having lost her biological
* Retraux: The show premiered in the late 2010s, but is set in and musically styled after TheSixties.
* SchoolgirlLesbians: Susannah and Sheila, sixteen and seventeen respectively, although they're teens in a juvie facility rather than a school - they do have the matching plaid uniforms, though.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Susannah is in heavy denial over her blossoming romance with Sheila, brushing off the other girls' teasing about it, until Kitty, a trans girl, advises Susannah to follow her example and be proud of who she is.
* SchoolgirlLesbians: Susannah and Sheila, sixteen and seventeen respectively, although they're teens in a juvie facility rather than a school - they do have the matching plaid uniforms, though.
* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Susannah is in heavy denial over her blossoming romance with Sheila, brushing off the other girls' teasing about it, until Kitty, a trans girl, advises Susannah to follow her example and be proud of who she is.
* SourOutsideSadInside: Judith Ramone, the toughest girl other than Sheila, acts the most like a bully [[spoiler: as a result of a lifetime of experiencing racism and sexual abuse.]]
* StepfordSmiler: Any of the cheerier girls in Nation are just putting up a front or trying to make the best of their awful situation. Miss Asp is a villainous example.
Changed line(s) 75 (click to see context) from:
* TongueTied: Susannah has a habit of freezing up or stuttering if she's nervous or afraid.
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* SympathyForTheHero: How genuine it is is [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation up for debate]], but at least at first, Miss Asp acts as if she has a very twisted, patronizing version of this for Susannah, claiming she can "still save her".
* TakeThat: During "Life In Hate Nation":
--> '''The Inmates:''' 'Cause America just ''really fucking sucks'' for girls!
** In the epilogue, Susannah makes it a point that she starts every performance with getting her audience to chant "Fuck you, [[UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan President Reagan]]!"
* TeensAreMonsters: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] quite thoroughly; while the girls of Nation are introduced as an intimidating bunch and Miss Asp, Buzz, and Francis all have this view of them, their crimes and turn towards violence is depicted very sympathetically as being a result of the oppression and abuse they have faced; the audience is meant to root for their violent uprising at the end, considering the AssholeVictim status of those they're fighting.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Girls in Nation, many of whom suffer from genuine mental illness or trauma, are subjected to excessive and punitive ECT as means of 'rehabilitation', with the sadistic Doc Shock referred to as a 'therapist'.
* ThisIsTheDecadeOnDrugs: Francis, a college campus liberal, plans on fleeing to a commune in Mexico full of "like-minded youths experimenting with fascinating new drugs".
* TongueTied: Susannah has a habit of freezing up or stuttering if she's nervous orafraid.afraid...or flustered.
* TortureTechnician: Doc Shock.
* TakeThat: During "Life In Hate Nation":
--> '''The Inmates:''' 'Cause America just ''really fucking sucks'' for girls!
** In the epilogue, Susannah makes it a point that she starts every performance with getting her audience to chant "Fuck you, [[UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan President Reagan]]!"
* TeensAreMonsters: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] quite thoroughly; while the girls of Nation are introduced as an intimidating bunch and Miss Asp, Buzz, and Francis all have this view of them, their crimes and turn towards violence is depicted very sympathetically as being a result of the oppression and abuse they have faced; the audience is meant to root for their violent uprising at the end, considering the AssholeVictim status of those they're fighting.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Girls in Nation, many of whom suffer from genuine mental illness or trauma, are subjected to excessive and punitive ECT as means of 'rehabilitation', with the sadistic Doc Shock referred to as a 'therapist'.
* ThisIsTheDecadeOnDrugs: Francis, a college campus liberal, plans on fleeing to a commune in Mexico full of "like-minded youths experimenting with fascinating new drugs".
* TongueTied: Susannah has a habit of freezing up or stuttering if she's nervous or
* TortureTechnician: Doc Shock.
* TroubledButCute: Pretty much all the girls in Nation - especially Sheila.
* UptightLovesWild: The repressed Susannah falls for the rebellious and brassy Sheila.
Changed line(s) 81 (click to see context) from:
* VillainSong: "Miss Asp's Song" and its reprise discuss her conservative world views and the internal struggle that led to them. To a lesser extent, "Doc Shock" and "Francis' Song."
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* VillainSong: VillainSong / VillainousLament: "Miss Asp's Song" and its reprise discuss her conservative world views and the internal struggle that led to them.them, as well as her anguish and horror in the face of a changing world when she had no choices as a woman. To a lesser extent, "Doc Shock" and "Francis' Song.""
* ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption: The girls find that there is no other way to put up their resistance when the escape plan for Sheila goes south, especially considering the institutional violence done to them.
* ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend: Sheila will [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beat the shit]] out of anyone who hurts Susannah. Susannah doesn't fight physically much herself, but she does return the favour by leading an arsonist rebellion to rescue Sheila.
* ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption: The girls find that there is no other way to put up their resistance when the escape plan for Sheila goes south, especially considering the institutional violence done to them.
* ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend: Sheila will [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown beat the shit]] out of anyone who hurts Susannah. Susannah doesn't fight physically much herself, but she does return the favour by leading an arsonist rebellion to rescue Sheila.
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* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' for being a lesbian.]]
to:
* WouldHitAGirl: Buzz, the sleazy orderly, frequently threatens and occasionally engages in physical violence against the girls.
* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' for being a lesbian.]]]] She routinely abuses the other teenage girls held in Nation, and [[spoiler: outright tries to kill Sheila during the climax with a pair of scissors.]]
* YouAreWorthHell: Susannah risks severe punishment when she sneaks into Solitary to tell Sheila the plan to bust her out, and even risks getting caught when she plays their love song for her in the hallway despite Sheila's warnings. She is willing to face whatever Asp might do to her if it means breaking Sheila out of solitary confinement and rescuing her from abusive administration of [[ElectricTorture ECT]]. In turn, Sheila ''risks her life'' physically fighting Miss Asp and Buzz not once, but twice, to defend Susannah.
* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' for being a lesbian.
* YouAreWorthHell: Susannah risks severe punishment when she sneaks into Solitary to tell Sheila the plan to bust her out, and even risks getting caught when she plays their love song for her in the hallway despite Sheila's warnings. She is willing to face whatever Asp might do to her if it means breaking Sheila out of solitary confinement and rescuing her from abusive administration of [[ElectricTorture ECT]]. In turn, Sheila ''risks her life'' physically fighting Miss Asp and Buzz not once, but twice, to defend Susannah.
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* FreakyIsCool: Ya-Ya's interests are pretty straightforward as an example of this.
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Miss Asp owns a few beautiful ones.
Changed line(s) 54 (click to see context) from:
* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's [[spoiler:AbusiveParents backstory]] is also this.
to:
* MeaningfulName: Plenty, [[JustifiedTrope justifiably]] as this is in part an AffectionateParody of a bad-girl-in-jail ExploitationFilm. The villain, Miss Asp, is cruel and powerful, a fitting name for a poisonous cobra that used to symbolize Egyptian royalty. Susannah ''Sonn'' (sounds like 'sun') wears a lot of yellow, and while her character struggles to find happiness, she is definitely full of light and kindness. Kitty Minx prides herself on her beauty and fabulous (and flirtatious) nature. Ya-Ya's real name, Gloria ''Meeks'', describes her nature. Sheila ''Nail'', additionally, suggests the character's toughness.
* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's[[spoiler:AbusiveParents backstory]] [[spoiler: [[AbusiveParentsbackstory]]]] is also this.this.
* MusicalisInteruptus: Happens a few times, but most significantly at the tail end of "The Other One", where Susannah and Sheila's bonding moment is interrupted by the other girls barging into the restrooms to discuss their plans.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Susannah has one at the end of Act 1 and in early Act 2 after [[spoiler: betraying Sheila out of fear of Miss Asp's abuse.]] She even gets two songs about it -- "I Hope" and her solo in "Solitary".
* OffingTheOffspring: Whether it's intentional or not, [[spoiler: Miss Asp was responsible for the death of her illegitimate daughter, Harriet.]]
* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's
* MusicalisInteruptus: Happens a few times, but most significantly at the tail end of "The Other One", where Susannah and Sheila's bonding moment is interrupted by the other girls barging into the restrooms to discuss their plans.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Susannah has one at the end of Act 1 and in early Act 2 after [[spoiler: betraying Sheila out of fear of Miss Asp's abuse.]] She even gets two songs about it -- "I Hope" and her solo in "Solitary".
* OffingTheOffspring: Whether it's intentional or not, [[spoiler: Miss Asp was responsible for the death of her illegitimate daughter, Harriet.]]
* ProperLady: Miss Asp believes herself to be this and claims to want to shape the "garbage girls" in her care into this. A large part of Susannah's arc deals with her struggle with wanting to fit into this ideal (mostly associated with the safety and privilege 1960's American society would deny her because of her race) versus wanting to become who she truly is, a musician and a fighter for equality.
* SettingIntoductionSong: "Life In Hate Nation".
* TrueBlueFemininity: The uniform of Nation, meant to push conformity and "elegance, behaviour and subservience" onto the girls, is a blue plaid skirt. Additionally, Dorothy, the most feminine of the girls, wears a frilly blue cherry-print top.
Changed line(s) 75 (click to see context) from:
* WildTeenParty: The girls throw one while Asp is away at a conference, knocking Buzz, the orderly, unconscious and stealing alcohol.
to:
* WildTeenParty: The girls throw one while Asp is away at a conference, knocking Buzz, the orderly, unconscious and stealing alcohol.alcohol.
* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' for being a lesbian.]]
* WouldHurtAChild: Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: had ECT used to punish and eventually kill her ''own daughter'' for being a lesbian.]]
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Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz of Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
to:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz of Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz of [[Theatre/BeMoreChill fame]]. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
to:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz of [[Theatre/BeMoreChill fame]].Theatre/BeMoreChill fame. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/new_1000x1000_5.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Revolution in the institution!]]
[[caption-width-right:350: Revolution in the institution!]]
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Added DiffLines:
''Love In Hate Nation'' is an original musical written by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz of [[Theatre/BeMoreChill fame]]. It premiered at the Two River Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey in November 2019. Set in TheSixties, it tells the story of sixteen-year-old Susannah Sonn, a black aspiring musician who is sent to a girl's juvenile hall following a [[DrivenToSuicide suicide attempt]]. Run by the tyrannical Miss Asp, National Reformatory for Girls, or "Nation" for short, is a decrepit and oppressive institution where Susannah encounter all kinds of misfits - including their leader, resident bad-girl Sheila Nail. Romances form, fights break out, and revolutions are born, all set to some [[EarWorm catchy vintage tunes]].
----
!!''Love In Hate Nation'' contains examples of:
* AbusiveParents: Judith and Kitty's fathers, Susannah's white adoptive family, and to a quite horrifying extent [[spoiler: Miss Asp both had and was this.]]
* {{Adorkable}}: Susannah has a nervous stutter and is charmingly awkward, especially around her crush, Sheila. Ya-Ya, a bespectacled loudmouth inventor with a penchant for science fiction, definitely qualifies as well.
* AdultsAreUseless: None of the characters have a single authority figure they can trust or depend on.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Or bad ''girls'', as it turns out - the sweet and shy Susannah is almost immediately infatuated with Sheila's leather jacket, heavy eyeliner, rebellious attitude, and many stories of her failed attempts to escape Nation. It's Sheila's feistiness and James Dean affectation that eventually inspires Susannah to become a crusader for her beliefs, too.
* AlliterativeName: Susannah Sonn and Dorothy Donaldson.
* AllMusicalsAreAdaptations: Subverted, this is an original story!
* AlmostKiss: Susannah and Sheila at the end of "Oh Well".
* AmbiguousDisorder: Susannah is clearly depressed, and both she and Sheila are revealed to have [[spoiler: attempted suicide before]], but it is unclear what the latter - or other girls may face. Ya-Ya and Miss Asp are also clearly intended to be read as mentally ill, but it's unclear exactly what they're dealing with, respectively.
* AmbiguouslyGay: In addition to the canon lead romance, a lesbian couple, many of the girls in Nation have varying degrees of subtext between them.
* AngryMobSong: "Revolution Song", naturally, as the girls plot and ultimately succeed in rioting and [[spoiler: burning down the prison]] to save Sheila and themselves.
* ArcWords: Plenty, "Sha-la-la" being the most significant.
* BadBadActing: Ya-Ya's solo at the party, "Jezebel", is intentionally awful.
* BigBad: Miss Asp, and on a wider level, mainstream conservative America.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Susannah's dramatic rescue of Sheila]], which takes up the majority of Act 2.
* BlackComedy: Much of the show's humour, being set in an oppressive juvenile hall.
* BookEnds: The show starts and ends with Susannah playing a song she wrote.
* ChekhovsHobby / ChekhovsSkill : Every single one of the inmates' quirks, interests, and abilities are put to use to pull off Operation Sha-La-La.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Doc Shock's entire character exists to deliver this at the behest of Miss Asp, under the guise of [[BlatantLies rehabilitation]]. There's also use of solitary confinement, mostly on Sheila.
* CoolBigSis: Kitty, who is protective of all the other girls, and who reaches out to Susannah when she's being shunned.
* CostumeEvolution: The character's 60's prison get-ups compared to their costumes in the [[TheEighties epilogue]] give a lot of hints not just to the changing eras, but to the trajectories their lives have taken. Miss Asp's outfits get progressively fancier as well as she prepares for Life Magazine's impending visit.
* DarkReprise: "This Is The Way" gets on in the middle of "I Hope", and then there's also "Susannah's Song", which comes up whenever she needs to comfort herself in distressing or frightening situations.
* DistantFinale: The show ends with a TimeSkip to 1984, [[spoiler: where we see how Susannah and Sheila's lives have unfolded up until their reunion, 22 years later.]]
* DistractedByTheSexy: Dorothy and Kitty argue over who gets to be this to Buzz when setting up to throw the party.
--> '''Dorothy:''' ''I'm'' the flirt, you're just the distraction!
--> '''Kitty:''' Don't put me in a ''box'', Dorothy!
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Sheila and Susannah [[spoiler: finally get together after all their trials...twenty-two years after having to separate]].
* TheElevenOClockNumber: "Revolution Song" and "I Was A Teenage Delinquent."
* {{Fangirl}}: Plenty. Susannah for black-led [[GirlGroup Girl Groups]], Sheila for rock bands and Pete Seeger, Ya-Ya for science fiction, and so on. Miss Asp worships ideals of white, conservative femininity like Doris Day. Even Francis is a fan''boy'' for the Beats. In the epilogue, [[spoiler: we see InUniverse ones for Susannah after her music career took off and she inspired future generations as a Civil Rights and gay rights icon]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: "And if we meet again/how I hope the world is different then!" [[spoiler: It is. And TheyDo.]]
* FullNameBasis: Judith Ramone.
* TheGhost: Harriet.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Susannah, until Sheila and Kitty bring her out of her shell.
* HeteronormativeCrusader: Miss Asp, often with tragic and horrifying results.
* IAmSong: "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her [[Transgender trans identity]]. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
* IWantSong: "Susannah's Song", as well as "I Hope", explore Susannah's depression and desperation as she struggles to find her place in the world as an adopted black lesbian living in 1960s America with few to no role models. "Oh Well" might also be one as both Sheila and Susannah yearn to confess their feelings to each other despite the prejudice they face.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: All the girls in Juvie with the exception of perhaps [[CoolBigSis Kitty]] have tough exteriors and often make mean-spirited jokes, but are lovely souls deep down, the two biggest examples being Sheila and Judith.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Miss Asp, a fire-and-brimstone tyrant who rules Nation with an iron fist first has her dreams crushed, then has Nation, which she helped build, burn down with her still in it.]]
* Leitmotif: The "I fell in love in Juvie Hall" and "Sha-la-la" recurring melodies follow Susannah and Sheila around the show.
* LightIsNotGood: Miss Asp wears hyperfeminine pastels and florals, but her clinging to traditional expectations of womanhood is her weapon of choice in her truly heinous acts.
* LoveAtFirstSight / LoveAtFirstNote: When Susannah and Sheila meet, time itself seems to slow down, and both later refer to their first meeting/hearing each other sing being when they fell in love.
* LyricalDissonance: Par for the course with a Joe Iconis work. The show's musical style is catchy and upbeat, said to be a riot grrl re-imagining of 60s Girl Group and blues tunes, with some early rock thrown in. The lyrics, meanwhile, aren't joking around from the get-go, discussing racism, psychiatric abuse, homophobia, transphobia, attempted suicide/suicidal thoughts, solitary confinement, betrayal and more.
** InUniverse with Susannah's early music; Sheila points out the dissonance between the subject matter of Civil Rights songs she performs for her and her love of cheery nonsense syllables ("What's with all the sha-boop sha-boop?"), inspired by artiststhe Ronettes. Susannah insists there's place for both - something they both realize when "sha la la" becomes the ArcWords for their burgeoning star-crossed romance.
* ManipulativeBastard: Miss Asp psychologically manipulates the girls, alternating between breaking them down for their crimes, perceived or otherwise, and promising them rewards she seldom (if ever) delivers on if they comply with her wishes. She also specifically cultivates rivalries and resentment to pit the girls against each other, convincing them that they are one another's enemies, rather than her, to stymie the formation of camaraderie or solidarity. Francis may also qualify to a lesser extent, as while his lectures to Susannah on the privilege of being in a relationship with a rich white man do get to her, but his pathetic attempts at manipulating her into sex and later, marriage, ultimately fail.
* MassiveMultiplayerEnsembleNumber: "Life In Hate Nation" and "Revolution in the Institution" are the two biggest examples, although the latter half of "Masochist" counts as well.
* MeaningfulEcho: Susannah's reprises of "Oh Well".
* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's [[spoiler:AbusiveParents backstory]] is also this.
* OnlyFriend: Dorothy seems to be this to Ya-Ya.
* ParentalAbandonment: Sheila's a "ward of the state", and mentions being raised by nuns. Susannah's an orphan too, having lost her biological parents to war and suicide respectively. Both she and Kitty were thrown into Juvvie at the behest of their (in Susannah's case, adoptive) fathers.
* PosthumousCharacter: Harriet, who is later revealed to have been [[spoiler: Miss Asp's illegitimate daughter she hid in Nation, and later had electrocuted to death after catching her with another girl]].
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: [[spoiler: Judith's father and Buzz.]]
* TheSomethingSong: An Iconis staple; "Susannah's Song", "Miss Asp's Song" (and its reprise), "Francis' Song", and of course, "Revolution Song".
* SouthernBelle: Dorothy ''tries'' to be this.
--> '''Rat:''' She's from New Jersey.
* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to ''Theatre/Hair'' and ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
* StarCrossedLovers: Susannah and Sheila, an interracial lesbian couple in TheSixties who meet in an oppressive prison, have everything and everyone except their friends rooting against them.
--> '''Susannah:''' I guess the world isn't ready for two girls going steady...
**[[EntitledToHaveYou Francis]] sees himself and Susannah as this because of their racial difference, and plans to reap the social clout from this viewpoint amongst other 'revolutionaries' at Columbia University.
* StickyFingers: Brenda "Rat" Ratowski, a Brooklyn-born thief who smuggles contraband into the prison.
* TongueTied: Susannah has a habit of freezing up or stuttering if she's nervous or afraid.
* TotallyRadical: "Ginchy!"
* TraumaCongaLine: Arguably the entire cast get put through one.
* TriumphantReprise: "Oh Well" and "Masochist" both get a couple.
* VillainousBreakdown: Miss Asp, big time.
* VillainSong: "Miss Asp's Song" and its reprise discuss her conservative world views and the internal struggle that led to them. To a lesser extent, "Doc Shock" and "Francis' Song."
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Miss Asp believes her cruel impositions are for the girls' own good...at least until the SanitySlippage sets in.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never learn what became of any of the other girls; just Susannah and Sheila.
* WildTeenParty: The girls throw one while Asp is away at a conference, knocking Buzz, the orderly, unconscious and stealing alcohol.
----
!!''Love In Hate Nation'' contains examples of:
* AbusiveParents: Judith and Kitty's fathers, Susannah's white adoptive family, and to a quite horrifying extent [[spoiler: Miss Asp both had and was this.]]
* {{Adorkable}}: Susannah has a nervous stutter and is charmingly awkward, especially around her crush, Sheila. Ya-Ya, a bespectacled loudmouth inventor with a penchant for science fiction, definitely qualifies as well.
* AdultsAreUseless: None of the characters have a single authority figure they can trust or depend on.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Or bad ''girls'', as it turns out - the sweet and shy Susannah is almost immediately infatuated with Sheila's leather jacket, heavy eyeliner, rebellious attitude, and many stories of her failed attempts to escape Nation. It's Sheila's feistiness and James Dean affectation that eventually inspires Susannah to become a crusader for her beliefs, too.
* AlliterativeName: Susannah Sonn and Dorothy Donaldson.
* AllMusicalsAreAdaptations: Subverted, this is an original story!
* AlmostKiss: Susannah and Sheila at the end of "Oh Well".
* AmbiguousDisorder: Susannah is clearly depressed, and both she and Sheila are revealed to have [[spoiler: attempted suicide before]], but it is unclear what the latter - or other girls may face. Ya-Ya and Miss Asp are also clearly intended to be read as mentally ill, but it's unclear exactly what they're dealing with, respectively.
* AmbiguouslyGay: In addition to the canon lead romance, a lesbian couple, many of the girls in Nation have varying degrees of subtext between them.
* AngryMobSong: "Revolution Song", naturally, as the girls plot and ultimately succeed in rioting and [[spoiler: burning down the prison]] to save Sheila and themselves.
* ArcWords: Plenty, "Sha-la-la" being the most significant.
* BadBadActing: Ya-Ya's solo at the party, "Jezebel", is intentionally awful.
* BigBad: Miss Asp, and on a wider level, mainstream conservative America.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Susannah's dramatic rescue of Sheila]], which takes up the majority of Act 2.
* BlackComedy: Much of the show's humour, being set in an oppressive juvenile hall.
* BookEnds: The show starts and ends with Susannah playing a song she wrote.
* ChekhovsHobby / ChekhovsSkill : Every single one of the inmates' quirks, interests, and abilities are put to use to pull off Operation Sha-La-La.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Doc Shock's entire character exists to deliver this at the behest of Miss Asp, under the guise of [[BlatantLies rehabilitation]]. There's also use of solitary confinement, mostly on Sheila.
* CoolBigSis: Kitty, who is protective of all the other girls, and who reaches out to Susannah when she's being shunned.
* CostumeEvolution: The character's 60's prison get-ups compared to their costumes in the [[TheEighties epilogue]] give a lot of hints not just to the changing eras, but to the trajectories their lives have taken. Miss Asp's outfits get progressively fancier as well as she prepares for Life Magazine's impending visit.
* DarkReprise: "This Is The Way" gets on in the middle of "I Hope", and then there's also "Susannah's Song", which comes up whenever she needs to comfort herself in distressing or frightening situations.
* DistantFinale: The show ends with a TimeSkip to 1984, [[spoiler: where we see how Susannah and Sheila's lives have unfolded up until their reunion, 22 years later.]]
* DistractedByTheSexy: Dorothy and Kitty argue over who gets to be this to Buzz when setting up to throw the party.
--> '''Dorothy:''' ''I'm'' the flirt, you're just the distraction!
--> '''Kitty:''' Don't put me in a ''box'', Dorothy!
* EarnYourHappyEnding: Sheila and Susannah [[spoiler: finally get together after all their trials...twenty-two years after having to separate]].
* TheElevenOClockNumber: "Revolution Song" and "I Was A Teenage Delinquent."
* {{Fangirl}}: Plenty. Susannah for black-led [[GirlGroup Girl Groups]], Sheila for rock bands and Pete Seeger, Ya-Ya for science fiction, and so on. Miss Asp worships ideals of white, conservative femininity like Doris Day. Even Francis is a fan''boy'' for the Beats. In the epilogue, [[spoiler: we see InUniverse ones for Susannah after her music career took off and she inspired future generations as a Civil Rights and gay rights icon]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: "And if we meet again/how I hope the world is different then!" [[spoiler: It is. And TheyDo.]]
* FullNameBasis: Judith Ramone.
* TheGhost: Harriet.
* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Susannah, until Sheila and Kitty bring her out of her shell.
* HeteronormativeCrusader: Miss Asp, often with tragic and horrifying results.
* IAmSong: "The Other One" is one for both Sheila and Susannah, as the girls bond and discuss their respective views on being outcasts. Also, "Masochist", Kitty Minx's Act 2 showstopper about her pride in her [[Transgender trans identity]]. Finally, some parts of "Life In Hate Nation" that introduce each respective inmate are this, particularly Judith's verse.
* IWantSong: "Susannah's Song", as well as "I Hope", explore Susannah's depression and desperation as she struggles to find her place in the world as an adopted black lesbian living in 1960s America with few to no role models. "Oh Well" might also be one as both Sheila and Susannah yearn to confess their feelings to each other despite the prejudice they face.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: All the girls in Juvie with the exception of perhaps [[CoolBigSis Kitty]] have tough exteriors and often make mean-spirited jokes, but are lovely souls deep down, the two biggest examples being Sheila and Judith.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Miss Asp, a fire-and-brimstone tyrant who rules Nation with an iron fist first has her dreams crushed, then has Nation, which she helped build, burn down with her still in it.]]
* Leitmotif: The "I fell in love in Juvie Hall" and "Sha-la-la" recurring melodies follow Susannah and Sheila around the show.
* LightIsNotGood: Miss Asp wears hyperfeminine pastels and florals, but her clinging to traditional expectations of womanhood is her weapon of choice in her truly heinous acts.
* LoveAtFirstSight / LoveAtFirstNote: When Susannah and Sheila meet, time itself seems to slow down, and both later refer to their first meeting/hearing each other sing being when they fell in love.
* LyricalDissonance: Par for the course with a Joe Iconis work. The show's musical style is catchy and upbeat, said to be a riot grrl re-imagining of 60s Girl Group and blues tunes, with some early rock thrown in. The lyrics, meanwhile, aren't joking around from the get-go, discussing racism, psychiatric abuse, homophobia, transphobia, attempted suicide/suicidal thoughts, solitary confinement, betrayal and more.
** InUniverse with Susannah's early music; Sheila points out the dissonance between the subject matter of Civil Rights songs she performs for her and her love of cheery nonsense syllables ("What's with all the sha-boop sha-boop?"), inspired by artiststhe Ronettes. Susannah insists there's place for both - something they both realize when "sha la la" becomes the ArcWords for their burgeoning star-crossed romance.
* ManipulativeBastard: Miss Asp psychologically manipulates the girls, alternating between breaking them down for their crimes, perceived or otherwise, and promising them rewards she seldom (if ever) delivers on if they comply with her wishes. She also specifically cultivates rivalries and resentment to pit the girls against each other, convincing them that they are one another's enemies, rather than her, to stymie the formation of camaraderie or solidarity. Francis may also qualify to a lesser extent, as while his lectures to Susannah on the privilege of being in a relationship with a rich white man do get to her, but his pathetic attempts at manipulating her into sex and later, marriage, ultimately fail.
* MassiveMultiplayerEnsembleNumber: "Life In Hate Nation" and "Revolution in the Institution" are the two biggest examples, although the latter half of "Masochist" counts as well.
* MeaningfulEcho: Susannah's reprises of "Oh Well".
* MoodWhiplash: Plenty. Comedic or tender moments are frequently followed by violent or upsetting scenes and vice-versa. The primary example would be the Act I finale; the tender bonding moment between Susannah and Sheila, followed by a duet and their AlmostKiss, is brutally interrupted by Miss Asp, who [[spoiler: gets into a violent altercation with both girls, destroys Ya-Ya's beloved doll, intimidates Susannah into betraying Sheila, and locks the former in her office while sending the latter off to solitary.]] The reveal of Judith's [[spoiler:AbusiveParents backstory]] is also this.
* OnlyFriend: Dorothy seems to be this to Ya-Ya.
* ParentalAbandonment: Sheila's a "ward of the state", and mentions being raised by nuns. Susannah's an orphan too, having lost her biological parents to war and suicide respectively. Both she and Kitty were thrown into Juvvie at the behest of their (in Susannah's case, adoptive) fathers.
* PosthumousCharacter: Harriet, who is later revealed to have been [[spoiler: Miss Asp's illegitimate daughter she hid in Nation, and later had electrocuted to death after catching her with another girl]].
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: [[spoiler: Judith's father and Buzz.]]
* TheSomethingSong: An Iconis staple; "Susannah's Song", "Miss Asp's Song" (and its reprise), "Francis' Song", and of course, "Revolution Song".
* SouthernBelle: Dorothy ''tries'' to be this.
--> '''Rat:''' She's from New Jersey.
* SpiritualSuccessor: Can be seen as one to ''Theatre/Hair'' and ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch'' due to the similar subject matter, eras, and style of music.
* StarCrossedLovers: Susannah and Sheila, an interracial lesbian couple in TheSixties who meet in an oppressive prison, have everything and everyone except their friends rooting against them.
--> '''Susannah:''' I guess the world isn't ready for two girls going steady...
**[[EntitledToHaveYou Francis]] sees himself and Susannah as this because of their racial difference, and plans to reap the social clout from this viewpoint amongst other 'revolutionaries' at Columbia University.
* StickyFingers: Brenda "Rat" Ratowski, a Brooklyn-born thief who smuggles contraband into the prison.
* TongueTied: Susannah has a habit of freezing up or stuttering if she's nervous or afraid.
* TotallyRadical: "Ginchy!"
* TraumaCongaLine: Arguably the entire cast get put through one.
* TriumphantReprise: "Oh Well" and "Masochist" both get a couple.
* VillainousBreakdown: Miss Asp, big time.
* VillainSong: "Miss Asp's Song" and its reprise discuss her conservative world views and the internal struggle that led to them. To a lesser extent, "Doc Shock" and "Francis' Song."
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Miss Asp believes her cruel impositions are for the girls' own good...at least until the SanitySlippage sets in.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never learn what became of any of the other girls; just Susannah and Sheila.
* WildTeenParty: The girls throw one while Asp is away at a conference, knocking Buzz, the orderly, unconscious and stealing alcohol.
