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Constance Blackwood, born November 14th. Scorpio: the secret nature. Favorite ride: The Cyclone. The only honor Constance Blackwood was to receive in her short lifetime was ‘nicest girl in homeroom’. Three years in a row. An award she secretly threw in the dumpster behind her local Kentucky Fried Chicken on her way home. When the children of St. Cassian signed Constance’s yearbook, they wrote things like…
Constance Blackwood, born November 14th. Scorpio: the secret nature. Favorite ride: The Cyclone. The only honor Constance Blackwood was to receive in her short lifetime was ‘nicest girl in homeroom’. Three years in a row. An award she secretly threw in the dumpster behind her local Kentucky Fried Chicken on her way home. When the children of St. Cassian signed Constance’s yearbook, they wrote things like…
“...Wow, you seemed so nice…”
“...Wow, you seemed so nice…”
“...Or…”
“...Or…”
“...I never really met you - you seemed friendly.”
“...I never really met you - you seemed friendly.”
Those pages in Constance’s yearbook were carefully removed with an exacto knife. And burnt. Constance Blackwood, the nicest girl in town.
Those pages in Constance’s yearbook were carefully removed with an exacto knife. And burnt. Constance Blackwood, the nicest girl in town.
Catchphrase: Sorry...
Catchphrase: Sorry...
Initial Questions:
What do we learn from Constance’s intro? From her catchphrase?
Why might Constance react the way she does to her title, the “nicest girl in homeroom”?
Character Exploration:
Please feel free to complete the following activity on the attached Google Slide, through Canva, or by writing your responses on a separate doc/sheet of paper.
Canva link: Categories - Character Exploration
Scorpio in the Zodiac:
Traits: “Loyal, passionate, intense, strong, and independent” (Ward), “intensity, mystery, and magnetic presence” (Kelly)
Strengths: “unwavering determination and deep emotional intelligence” (Kelly)
Weaknesses: “Secretive and suspicious…Resentful, Stubborn” (Longacre), “For Scorpios, the true challenge is learning to release their tight grip, trust others, and embrace vulnerability without fear” (Kelly)
Chart from Almanac:
Questions to Consider:
Which traits does Constance embody? Are there any she does not relate to?
What moments in the musical do we see Constance exhibit a “Scorpio trait”?
Does Constance’s zodiac hold any relevance to her behavior or interactions with others?
How might Constance have embodied these traits in her daily, school life?
“Scorpios are keenly aware of power, its flows, and their position within its matrix” (Co-Star). How do we see this manifest in Constance’s interactions with Ocean? Jane Doe? The other students?
Moodboards:
"Jawbreaker" Moodboard
"Jawbreaker" Moodboard
Link to collaborative moodboard:
Please feel free to add any images that resonate with you and your interpretation of Constance.Questions to Consider for "Jawbreaker"
How would Constance describe her relationship with the other students of St. Cassian’s choir? Why did Constance decide to go on the Cyclone in this instance?
What adjectives would you use to describe or summarize Constance’s feelings when “soaking it all in” as the Cyclone derailed?
Constance relates the sensations/feelings of “climbing back into my bed in the morning and feeling the heat left over from my body, hanging upside down from the monkey bars 'til my head starts to tingle…[and] listening to music and dancing around my room” as some of her thoughts when her “heart just welled up with all this love for everything.” What memories or sensations would you add to this list that resulted in a similar experience?
What contributed to Constance feeling like something unlocked in her, allowing her true self out, and embracing that she loves Uranium City in this moment?
Questions to Consider for "Sugar Cloud"
In one sentence, describe the theme or message of “Sugar Cloud.”
How do you interpret Constance’s acknowledgment that she “[sees] the world with all its backwards upside down” and “All of the darkness and all of the light”? What is the significance of this, especially in relation to the other characters?
The phrase “everything’s clear” is repeated throughout this song. What does this mean to Constance? How did she reach this point?
What do you think was the writers’ intention in placing “Sugar Cloud” last or having Constance be the last character to share their story?
Constance's Playlist:
In an interview with Ride the Cyclone's writers, Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond, the duo described "Sugar Cloud" as "some kind of sweet, life-affirming rock out" (Maxwell & Richmond). As Constance learns to accept herself, this song serves as a celebration for all that she is and loves. As Constance states in "Jawbreaker," when the Cyclone derailed, her "heart just welled out with all this love for everything," and she recognizes how "There's no shame in loving my small town," even if it sets her apart from the other teens. Because of this, Richmond attributes this song as "the most verisimilitude to a song that a seventeen-year-old would actually write" (Maxwell & Richmond). The thoughts and feelings Constance masks while around the other students breaks out during this song, differentiating "Sugar Cloud" from the preceding songs because it embraces a more positive outlook on life up to this point.
The playlists linked below represent different aspects of Constance's character. The first playlist (Public Life) is meant to explore Constance's music taste when she is with Ocean or at school, pre-"Sugar Cloud." While the second playlist (Private Life), pulls inspiration from Maxwell and Richmond's comments about "Sugar Cloud." These are collaborative playlists, so please feel free to add songs throughout the process that remind you of Constance.
Sources & For Further Exploration:
Co-Star. Scorpio. Co-Star Astrology. https://www.costarastrology.com/zodiac-signs/scorpio-sign
Kelly, A. (2024, Oct. 22). An Everything Guide to Scorpio in Astrology. The Cut. https://www.thecut.com/article/scorpio-season-traits-compatibility-meaning.html
Longacre, C. (2024, Oct. 15). Scorpio Zodiac Sign: Dates, Personality, Traits, and More. Almanac. https://www.almanac.com/content/scorpio-zodiac-sign
Maxwell, B. & Richmond, J. (2021, Dec. 10). Track-by-Track Breakdown: Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond on the Creation of Ride the Cyclone. Playbill. https://playbill.com/article/track-by-track-breakdown-brooke-maxwell-and-jacob-richmond-on-the-creation-of-ride-the-cyclone
Ward, K. (2024, Oct. 11). Scorpio Star Sign: Traits, Personality and Best Connection Explained. Cosmopolitan. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/horoscopes/a29244628/scorpio-traits/
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