Talk:Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike/GA1

GA Review
The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.''

Reviewer: Seabuckthorn (talk · contribs) 21:39, 4 January 2014 (UTC)

Nominator: TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD)

Hi! I'll be reviewing this article for GA status, and should have my full review up shortly. -- Seabuckthorn   ♥  21:39, 4 January 2014 (UTC)

1: Well-written
 * a. Prose is "clear and concise", without copyvios, or spelling and grammar errors:
 * b. MoS compliance for lead, layout, words to watch, fiction, and lists:

Check for WP:LEAD:


 * 1) Check for Correct Structure of Lead Section:  ✅
 * 2) Check for Citations (WP:LEADCITE):  ✅
 * 3) Check for Introductory text:  ✅
 * 4) * Lead should provide an accessible overview with Relative emphasis. The lead section should briefly summarize the most important points covered in an article in such a way that it can stand on its own as a concise version of the article. Significant information should not appear in the lead if it is not covered in the body.
 * 5) * The lead should be rewritten.
 * 6) * Check for Provide an accessible overview (MOS:INTRO): ✅
 * 7) ** Major Point 1: Production history "" (not a concise summary of the Reception section)
 * 8) ** Major Point 2: Casting "" (not a concise summary of the Reception section)
 * 9) ** Major Point 3: Plot "" (not a concise summary of the Reception section)
 * 10) ** Major Point 4: Themes "" (not a concise summary of the Reception section)
 * 11) ** Major Point 5: Critical review "" (not a concise summary of the Reception section)
 * 12) ** Major Point 6: Awards and nominations "The play won ... " (summarised well in the lead)
 * 13) * Check for Relative emphasis: ✅
 * 14) ** Major Point 1: Production history "" (the lead does not give due weight as is given in the body)
 * 15) ** Major Point 2: Casting "" (the lead does not give due weight as is given in the body)
 * 16) ** Major Point 3: Plot "" (the lead does not give due weight as is given in the body)
 * 17) ** Major Point 4: Themes "" (the lead does not give due weight as is given in the body)
 * 18) ** Major Point 5: Critical review "" (the lead does not give due weight as is given in the body)
 * 19) ** Major Point 6: Awards and nominations "The play won ..." (the lead gives due weight as is given in the body)
 * 20) * Check for Opening paragraph (MOS:BEGIN): ✅
 * 21) ** Check for First sentence (WP:LEADSENTENCE): ✅
 * 22) *** Definition and notability should be in the first sentence (WP:BETTER). As per WP:LEADSENTENCE, The article should begin with a short declarative sentence, answering two questions for the nonspecialist reader: "What (or who) is the subject?" and "Why is this subject notable?".
 * 23) *** The lead should be rewritten.
 * 24) ** Check for Format of the first sentence (MOS:BOLDTITLE): ✅
 * 25) ** Check for Proper names and titles: ✅
 * 26) ** Check for Abbreviations and synonyms (MOS:BOLDSYN): None
 * 27) ** Check for Foreign language (MOS:FORLANG): None
 * 28) ** Check for Pronunciation: None
 * 29) ** Check for Contextual links (MOS:CONTEXTLINK): ✅
 * 30) ** Check for Biographies: NA
 * 31) ** Check for Organisms: NA
 * 32) Check for Biographies of living persons:  NA
 * 33) Check for Alternative names (MOS:LEADALT):  ✅
 * 34) * Check for Non-English titles:
 * 35) * Check for Usage in first sentence:
 * 36) * Check for Separate section usage:
 * 37) Check for Length (WP:LEADLENGTH):  ✅
 * 38) * The lead needs to be expanded.
 * 39) Check for Clutter (WP:LEADCLUTTER):  None

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Check for WP:LAYOUT: ✅


 * 1) Check for Body sections: WP:BODY, MOS:BODY.  ✅
 * 2) * Check for Headings and sections: ✅
 * 3) * Check for Section templates and summary style: ✅
 * 4) * Check for Paragraphs (MOS:PARAGRAPHS): ✅
 * 5) ** Paragraphs should be short enough to be readable, but long enough to develop an idea. (WP:BETTER)
 * 6) ** Fix "Following its Broadway run ... at the Mark Taper Forum by Center Theatre Group.[18]" in the Production history section.
 * 7) ** Fix "As the play has moved from McCarter Theatre's ... accentuated their comedic performances.[4]" in the Production history section.
 * 8) ** Fix "On July 28, Weaver left ... by understudy Creed Garnick as Spike.[26]" in the Casting section.
 * 9) ** Fix "The cast for the Mark Taper Forum ... Nielsen and Liesel Allen Yaeger.[18]" in the Casting section.
 * 10) ** Fix "Masha has returned home to ... leaving Vanya and Sonia devastated." in the Plot section.
 * 11) ** Fix "Masha realizes that the person Spike ... listen to The Beatles as the play ends." in the Plot section.
 * 12) ** Fix "Ben Brantley of The New York Times ... "black comedy about unhappy siblings".[20]" in the Themes section.
 * 13) ** Fix "According to Charles Isherwood of ... and looking to take another, more rewarding course."[8]" in the Themes section.
 * 14) ** Similarly, fix Awards and nominations section.
 * 15) Check for Standard appendices and footers (MOS:APPENDIX):  ✅
 * 16) * Check for Order of sections (WP:ORDER): ✅
 * 17) * Check for Works or publications: None
 * 18) * Check for See also section (MOS:SEEALSO): None
 * 19) * Check for Notes and references (WP:FNNR): ✅
 * 20) * Check for Further reading (WP:FURTHER): None
 * 21) * Check for External links (WP:LAYOUTEL): ✅
 * 22) ** Some external links are welcome (see What can normally be linked, below), but it is not Wikipedia's purpose to include a lengthy or comprehensive list of external links related to each topic. No page should be linked from a Wikipedia article unless its inclusion is justifiable according to this guideline and common sense. The burden of providing this justification is on the person who wants to include an external link. (WP:EL)
 * 23) ** official website
 * 24) ** Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Internet Broadway Database
 * 25) ** Internet Off-Broadway Database Listing
 * 26) ** Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Theater Mania
 * 27) ** Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Playbill Vault
 * 28) ** Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Tony Awards.com
 * 29) * Check for Links to sister projects: None
 * 30) * Check for Navigation templates: ✅
 * 31) Check for Formatting:  ✅
 * 32) * Check for Images (WP:LAYIM): ✅
 * 33) * Check for Links: ✅
 * 34) * Check for Horizontal rule (WP:LINE): ✅

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Check for WP:WTW: ✅


 * 1) Check for Words that may introduce bias:  ✅
 * 2) * Check for Puffery (WP:PEA): ✅
 * 3) * Check for Contentious labels (WP:LABEL): ✅
 * 4) * Check for Unsupported attributions (WP:WEASEL): ✅
 * 5) * Check for Expressions of doubt (WP:ALLEGED): ✅
 * 6) * Check for Editorializing (MOS:OPED): ✅
 * 7) * Check for Synonyms for said (WP:SAY): ✅
 * 8) Check for Expressions that lack precision:  ✅
 * 9) * Check for Euphemisms (WP:EUPHEMISM): ✅
 * 10) * Check for Clichés and idioms (WP:IDIOM): ✅
 * 11) * Check for Relative time references (WP:REALTIME): ✅
 * 12) * Check for Neologisms (WP:PEA): ✅
 * 13) Check for Offensive material (WP:F***):  ✅

Check for WP:MOSFICT: NA


 * 1) Check for Real-world perspective (WP:Real world):  NA
 * 2) * Check for Primary and secondary information (WP:PASI): NA
 * 3) * Check for Contextual presentation (MOS:PLOT): NA

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 * Prose is preferred over list (WP:PROSE): ✅
 * Check for Tables (MOS:TABLES): ✅
 * Off-Broadway production/Original Broadway production

2: Verifiable with no original research
 * a. Has an appropriate reference section: Yes
 * b. Citation to reliable sources where necessary: good

✅


 * 1) Check for the material (WP:RSVETTING):  (not contentious) ✅
 * 2) * Is it contentious?: No
 * 3) * Does the ref indeed support the material?:
 * 4) Check for the author (WP:RSVETTING):  ✅
 * 5) * Who is the author?:
 * 6) ** Acito, Marc (Playbill)
 * 7) ** Blank, Matthew (Playbill)
 * 8) ** Gans, Andrew (Playbill)
 * 9) ** Gioia, Michael (Playbill)
 * 10) ** Haun, Harry (Playbill)
 * 11) ** Hetrick, Adam (Playbill)
 * 12) ** Jones, Kenneth (Playbill)
 * 13) ** Purcell, Carey (Playbill)
 * 14) ** Simonson, Robert (Playbill)
 * 15) ** Pogrebin, Robin (The New York Times)
 * 16) ** Healy, Patrick (The New York Times)
 * 17) ** Brantley, Ben (The New York Times)
 * 18) ** Isherwood, Charles (The New York Times)
 * 19) ** Lortel.org
 * 20) ** SFist
 * 21) ** Berkeley Repertory Theatre
 * 22) ** Internet Broadway Database
 * 23) ** Kennedy, Mark (The Washington Post)
 * 24) ** Vincentelli, Elisabeth (New York Post)
 * 25) ** Tony Awards
 * 26) ** Lipton, Brian Scott (Theatermania.com)
 * 27) ** Broadway World
 * 28) * Does the author have a Wikipedia article?: Yes (for major sources)
 * 29) * What are the author's academic credentials and professional experience?:
 * 30) * What else has the author published?:
 * 31) * Is the author, or this work, cited in other reliable sources? In academic works?:
 * 32) Check for the publication (WP:RSVETTING):  ✅
 * 33) * Playbill (Major publication)
 * 34) * The New York Times
 * 35) * Lortel.org
 * 36) * SFist
 * 37) * Berkeley Repertory Theatre
 * 38) * Internet Broadway Database
 * 39) * The Washington Post
 * 40) * New York Post
 * 41) * Tony Awards
 * 42) * Theatermania.com
 * 43) * Broadway World
 * 44) Check for Self-published sources (WP:SPS):  ✅

Check for inline citations WP:MINREF: ✅


 * 1) Check for Direct quotations:  ✅
 * 2) * "Sexy Killer" (no inline citation)
 * 3) **Plots are generally written without WP:IC. This was added by an IP], but we have no reason to contest what seems to be a reasonable summary in general.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 03:50, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * 4) * "The Evil Queen as portrayed by Maggie Smith on her way to the Oscars." (no inline citation)
 * 5) * "The play sets characters and themes from Anton Chekhov in present day Bucks County, Pa.."[3] (Check on source 3, successful, "The play sets characters and themes from Chekhov in present day Bucks County, Pa. Other cast members include Genevieve Angelson, Shalita Grant, Billy Magnussen, Kristine Nielsen and David Hyde Pierce.")
 * 6) * "thanked his mother as he recalled writing his first play in second grade in 1958."[5] (Check on source 5, unsuccessful, not in source 5)
 * 7) * "sunny new play about gloomy people".[6] (Check on source 6, inaccessible, Http/1.1 Service Unavailable, the link that worked for me is http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/theater/reviews/vanya-and-sonia-and-masha-and-spike-at-lincoln-center.html, successful, "If you want to know what’s in a name, you could do worse than ask the title characters of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Christopher Durang’s sunny new play about gloomy people.")
 * 8) * "Even if you’ve never read a word of Chekhov, you’re likely to find plenty to make you laugh: Mr. Hyde Pierce’s skillfully low-key comic discomfort; Ms. Nielsen’s segues from manic eruption into glazed smiling stupor; Ms. Weaver’s game sendup of every self-loving, self-doubting movie queen there ever was."[6] (Check on source 6, inaccessible, Http/1.1 Service Unavailable, the link that worked for me is http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/theater/reviews/vanya-and-sonia-and-masha-and-spike-at-lincoln-center.html, unsuccessful, not in source 6)
 * 9) * "blander and thinner" [6] (Check on source 6, inaccessible, Http/1.1 Service Unavailable, the link that worked for me is http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/theater/reviews/vanya-and-sonia-and-masha-and-spike-at-lincoln-center.html, usuccessful, not in source 6)
 * 10) * "lost souls" ... [6] (Check on source 6, inaccessible, Http/1.1 Service Unavailable, the link that worked for me is http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/theater/reviews/vanya-and-sonia-and-masha-and-spike-at-lincoln-center.html, usuccessful, not in source 6)
 * 11) * "The country-house setting is also borrowed from the work of that Russian master, as are the self-delusions and self-pity that plague the central characters, all of whom have reached the difficult age when life’s path has narrowed uncomfortably, and there is little point in turning around and looking to take another, more rewarding course."[8] (Check on source 8, successful, "The names, of course, are all swiped from notable characters in Chekhov plays. The country-house setting is also borrowed from the work of that Russian master, as are the self-delusions and self-pity that plague the central characters, all of whom have reached the difficult age when life’s path has narrowed uncomfortably, and there is little point in turning around and looking to take another, more rewarding course.")
 * 12) * "broad comic acting is raised to the level of high art."[8] (Check on source 8, successful, " In fact when undertaken by the Durang specialist Kristine Nielsen, who brings much of the helium to the play’s series of variations on Chekhovian themes, broad comic acting is raised to the level of high art.")
 * 13) * "In Durang Land, of course, heartache is generally fodder for belly laughs" ... [8] (Check on source 8, successful, "In Durang Land, of course, heartache is generally fodder for belly laughs. There are enough sprinkled throughout his latest play to keep the temperature in the theater from cooling for long, although this romp through an Americanized version of Russian anomie is more a series of loosely connected set pieces than a cogently put-together play. ")
 * 14) * "My play is not a Chekhov parody...I take Chekhov scenes and characters and put them into a blender."[19] (Check on source 19, unsuccessful, not in source 19)
 * 15) * "Cassandra, who's a cleaning woman and soothsayer, is like the Greek-tragedy Cassandra. In some ways, she's like the nanny in Vanya, but she doesn't reflect Chekhov as much."[19] (Check on source 19, unsuccessful, not in source 19)
 * 16) * "black comedy about unhappy siblings".[20] (Check on source 20, successful, "“Vanya and Sonia,” which draws on themes from Chekhov plays like “Uncle Vanya” and “The Seagull” for a black comedy about unhappy siblings in present-day Bucks County, Pa., opened at Lincoln Center Theater in November to generally good reviews. ")
 * 17) * "overindulgent, self-centered and unaware she’s on the decline" ... [27] (Check on source 27, inaccessible, Page Not Found, Google results do attribute this quote to Mark Kennedy of The Washington Post, fix this link or attribute this quote to some RS)
 * 18) * "Hyde Pierce is a master of the slow burn, while Nielsen’s wild-eyed Sonia often looks as if her train of thought has a loose caboose."[28] (Check on source 28, successful, "Hyde Pierce and Nielsen make the most of their monologues — his a fierce tirade about how Vanya preferred the life of his youth; hers a heartbreaking phone call setting up a date — and their timing is flawless. Hyde Pierce is a master of the slow burn, while Nielsen’s wild-eyed Sonia often looks as if her train of thought has a loose caboose.")
 * 19) * "has turned her life into a performance."[28] (Check on source 28, successful, "This character has turned her life into a performance, but Weaver makes it clear that Masha is, in fact, a terrible actress who can’t convincingly fake anything. ")
 * 20) * "college professors who dabbled in community theater".[28] (Check on source 28, successful, "")
 * 21) * "scattershot".[31] (Check on source 31, successful, "Oh, those Chekhovian names? The trio’s late parents were college professors who dabbled in community theater.")
 * 22) * "a bit of a patchwork".[32] (Check on source 32, successful, "New York Magazine, like a few other reviewers, found the piece a bit of a patchwork: "Like its Chekhovian characters, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is assembled from mismatched parts and is desperate for affection, which it miraculously earns."")
 * 23) Check for Likely to be challenged:  ✅ (cited well)
 * 24) Check for Contentious material about living persons (WP:BLP):  ✅


 * c. No original research: ✅

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 * 1) Check for primary sources (WP:PRIMARY):  ✅
 * 2) Check for synthesis (WP:SYN):  ✅
 * 3) Check for original images (WP:OI):  ✅

3: Broad in its coverage

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 * 1) Check for Article scope as defined by reliable sources:  ✅
 * 2) Check for The extent of the subject matter in these RS:  ✅
 * 3) Check for Out of scope:  ✅
 * 4) Check for The range of material that belongs in the article:  ✅
 * 5) Check for All material that is notable is covered:  ✅
 * 6) Check for All material that is referenced is covered:  ✅
 * 7) Check for All material that a reader would be likely to agree matches the specified scope is covered:  ✅
 * 8) Check for The most general scope that summarises essentially all knowledge:  ✅
 * 9) Check for Stay on topic and no wandering off-topic (WP:OFFTOPIC):

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 * 1) Check for Readability issues (WP:LENGTH):  ✅
 * 2) Check for Article size (WP:TOO LONG!):  ✅

4: Neutral

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4. Fair representation without bias: ✅


 * 1) Check for POV (WP:YESPOV):  ✅
 * 2) Check for naming (WP:POVNAMING):  ✅
 * 3) Check for structure (WP:STRUCTURE):  ✅
 * 4) Check for Due and undue weight (WP:DUE):  ✅
 * 5) Check for Balancing aspects (WP:BALASPS):  ✅
 * 6) Check for Giving "equal validity" (WP:VALID):  ✅
 * 7) Check for Balance (WP:YESPOV):  ✅
 * 8) Check for Impartial tone (WP:IMPARTIAL):  ✅
 * 9) Check for Describing aesthetic opinions (WP:SUBJECTIVE):  ✅
 * 10) Check for Words to watch (WP:YESPOV):  ✅
 * 11) Check for Attributing and specifying biased statements (WP:ATTRIBUTEPOV):  ✅
 * 12) Check for Fringe theories and pseudoscience (WP:PSCI):  None
 * 13) Check for Religion (WP:RNPOV):  None

5: Stable: No edit wars, etc:

6: Images ✅ (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license)

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6: Images are tagged with their copyright status, and valid fair use rationales are provided for non-free content: ✅


 * 1) Check for copyright tags (WP:TAGS):  ✅
 * 2) * Image (McCarter Theater2.JPG): This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. This version permits free use, including commercial use.
 * 3) Check for copyright status:  ✅
 * 4) * Image (McCarter Theater2.JPG): Free.
 * 5) Check for non-free content (WP:NFC):  None
 * 6) Check for valid fair use rationales (WP:FUR):  NA

6: Images are provided if possible and are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions: ✅


 * 1) Check for image relevance (WP:IMAGE RELEVANCE):  ✅
 * 2) * Image (McCarter Theater2.JPG): Relevant.
 * 3) Check for Images for the lead (WP:LEADIMAGE):  None
 * 4) Check for suitable captions (WP:CAPTION):  ✅
 * 5) * Caption: "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike was commissioned by the McCarter Theatre." succinct and informative

As per the above checklist, the issues identified are:
 * The lead should be rewritten.
 * Fix short paragraphs throughout.
 * I think this is resolved.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 08:28, 23 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Fix lengthy list of external links. Links to Internet Broadway Database and Playbill already appear in the references.
 * Although both are usesd as references, they remain general resources of value to the reader. 6 ELs is not really excessive in many cases such as this.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 00:56, 24 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "Sexy Killer" (no inline citation)
 * The plot is not suppose to have citations.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 00:47, 24 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "The Evil Queen as portrayed by Maggie Smith on her way to the Oscars." (no inline citation)
 * The plot is not suppose to have citations. (Note that this was contributed by these edits: and ).--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 00:44, 24 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "thanked his mother as he recalled writing his first play in second grade in 1958."[5] (Check on source 5, unsuccessful, not in source 5)
 * See "“I can’t say I wasn’t practicing in front of the shower curtain for a couple days for this speech,”she said, going on to thank her mother for introducing her to Broadway cast recordings as a child" in second page of article.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 08:52, 23 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "Even if you’ve never read a word of Chekhov, you’re likely to find plenty to make you laugh: Mr. Hyde Pierce’s skillfully low-key comic discomfort; Ms. Nielsen’s segues from manic eruption into glazed smiling stupor; Ms. Weaver’s game sendup of every self-loving, self-doubting movie queen there ever was."[6] ... "blander and thinner" ... "lost souls" ... [6] (Check on source 6, inaccessible, Http/1.1 Service Unavailable, the link that worked for me is http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/theater/reviews/vanya-and-sonia-and-masha-and-spike-at-lincoln-center.html, unsuccessful, not in source 6)
 * Again, see page 2.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 03:55, 24 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "My play is not a Chekhov parody...I take Chekhov scenes and characters and put them into a blender."[19] (Check on source 19, unsuccessful, not in source 19)
 * Link is working for me.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 04:36, 17 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "Cassandra, who's a cleaning woman and soothsayer, is like the Greek-tragedy Cassandra. In some ways, she's like the nanny in Vanya, but she doesn't reflect Chekhov as much."[19] (Check on source 19, unsuccessful, not in source 19)
 * Again, see second page of source.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 03:43, 24 January 2014 (UTC)
 * "overindulgent, self-centered and unaware she’s on the decline" ... [27] (Check on source 27, inaccessible, Page Not Found, Google results do attribute this quote to Mark Kennedy of The Washington Post, fix this link or attribute this quote to some RS)
 * Ref swapped.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 03:49, 24 January 2014 (UTC)

This article is a promising GA nominee. I'm happy to see your work here. I'm putting the article on hold. All the best! -- Seabuckthorn   ♥  23:13, 12 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I am going to need another week for this one.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 04:30, 19 January 2014 (UTC)

I've reverted my previous edit and closure as per discussion in the GA forum. However, I'd like to resign from this review. I apologize for the inconvenience caused. -- Seabuckthorn   ♥  06:00, 21 January 2014 (UTC)
 * Now that this has been reverted I again request 7 days to attend to these issues. Then any reviewer can assess the status of the article however he or she sees fit.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 19:57, 21 January 2014 (UTC)
 * I have now responded to the prior reviewer's concerns. I welcome a new reviewer and will do my best to respond to his/her concerns.--TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 03:56, 24 January 2014 (UTC)