Vision

Artistic Vision:

Excerpt from “The Pillowman”

Kate Ainsworth as Tupolski

Character:

I am the head-investigator in this play. Since I am a woman playing the part of a man, our group decided to let me perform the scene as a tough woman investigator instead of the tough man I was supposed to be. We felt it would be better to emphasize the character’s qualities as a woman than for me to have to pretend to be a man, however fun that might have been.

I am dressed in black dress pants, a white collar shirt, black shoes, and I am wearing suspenders. Everything I am wearing is neatly tucked and straight. My hair is pulled back in a tight knot. I have no makeup on, and I look like I mean business.

I remain sitting throughout the entire scene. This whole time I maintain correct posture; I keep my back straight and my head forward. I am supposed to give the appearance of someone who is intimidating and strict.

In the beginning I stick to just the “formalities” of the investigation. Everything I say is to the point, except when I am making fun of Katurian’s name. I am supposed to speak rather quickly and almost monotone with a sigh here and there and a hint of a mocking tone. During this time I have my left hand on the table, and I am holding a pen which I take notes with. I am right-handed, but the director and I decided that actually writing with my right hand would cut my body off to the audience. During this time my partner gets worked up by Katurian’s responses to my questions. I sit back and watch as the two of them quarrel. I am paying close attention to Katurian’s every movement to see if she shows any sign of a give-away into the investigation.

After Ariel leaves the stage, I am one on one with Katurian. This is when the scene progresses into quick deliberate discussion. I am hoping that Katurian accidently gives me some important information. During this whole time I grow continually more angry, and Katurian follows suit. After her long angry monologue I blow up with fury, and then quickly calm down to form a resolution for the end of the scene.

Intent:

The intent of the entire piece is to show the emotional rush of an investigation room. The first few times that I read through this scene I was very confused as to the significance of the ending. Well the audience is left hanging, but I want to talk about what happens later on. The reason that Katurian is in the investigation room in the first place is because someone has been acting out the scenes from her play in real life. This means that children have been murdered, and the police are trying to figure out who is doing the murdering. As it turns out, Katurian’s mentally handicapped brother is the one murdering the children in the ways that Katurian described in her stories.

In conclusion this scene of the play is supposed to emphasis the high elements of the play. It is supposed to be disturbing. It is supposed to be upsetting. The audience should be sitting on the edge of their seats wanting it to end, but wanting to know why all of this is happening. I hope this works.

lkj;lkjoij

End of Design labs!!!

I'd just like you to write a response about your experience in the design labs. Were they helpful? Were they pertinent to the material? Do you think you'll use the activities we did in planning your final projects? How so?

I admit, I wasn't sure whether or not I liked the design labs at first. I wasn't sure what to think of the whole design thing in general. I am not sure how to exactly unleash the creative side of me in general, and using that creative side is necessary in design. After getting past that "huh, do i like this" stage of design I definitely think that the design labs were more helpful than I realized., and they were definitely pertinent to the material.

I'm not sure that I'll use the exact activities that we used in class for the projects, possibly because I am not the designer, but I will offer ideas that were inspired by the activities that we did in class. The costume lab was my favorite. Personally I enjoy expressing myself through what I wear, and that was something that I could relate to. As for the other design labs, I'm not sure. If we use music in the performance I'll definitely try to keep in mind the activity we did in the first lab. Coloring is always fun...fun when it comes to coloring to the music. Peter and the wolf is good music too.

I liked the design labs, and I definitely thought that they were a good idea. Thanks Laura!

Unaccessorized - extra credit please

Rich Kiamco
...The show was great.
I don't normally laugh at comedians, but I laughed at this guy. I didn't expect anything that he had to say. Pretty much he turned his life story into a short comedic piece. He made fun of himself and his family, but in a way where the audience could appreciate what he had been through. He spoke about himself as one of the stereotypical "overachieving asians." He was the guy in high school who made perfect grades, was the president of all the clubs, and knew everybody. [side note: I really liked his glittery silver pants...and he says that he designs all of his clothes.]

Something that I've always wondered about homosexuality is when someone actually learns that they are gay. Rich said that he idolized the Sears repairman as a young child. That most kids would play with toys and such, but all Rich wanted was to be the Sears man. He wanted to wear that tool belt. Similar characteristics that made Rich stand out as a child was his hometech class assignment. The assignment was to make a wooden piece of furniture. This guy made an entire kitchen with sparkling diamonds. Wow.

Later on Rich had the talk with his parents. You know the talk where a kid has to tell their parents something that he knows his parents will not accept. For Rich this was the talk to tell his parents that he was gay. His parents reaction was not the best, but better than some. They were not angry, they were not accepting, but they did suggest to search for a cure. I suppose they had more of a confused reaction than anything else. It made me wonder, if I was in their shoes how would I react. I would like to think that I would be totally accepting, but you never know. In general I accept homosexuality no problem. I am a very liberal person and acceptance comes easily so I'd like to think that I would be able to accept my own child being gay.

He then talked about how it soon became the cool thing at school to be "hip with Rich's diversity." Oh yea. If you were a cool person you accepted Rich as 'gay.' But then there were other people who thought differently.

In 1985 he was a guest speaker on the first televised show on homosexuality broadcasted by ABC. This not only made it public to his schoolmates that he was gay, but also brought about hatred towards him. One weekend when his parents were away some kids attacked his house damaging the windows and scaring Rich out of bed. (aww! so mean grrr).

Of course to seek..and obtain his dreams he moves to NYC as an independent. He goes to college on scholarship, and uses his parents money to help finance his dreams. In NYC he talked about how everything was a photoshoot. His life was going alright, but as time went on he wanted to get into a more serious relationship. As a result he set up one of those accounts online where you put up a picture in hopes that someone will come across it, and a date will ensue. Almost immediately a guy responded to his post by sending him a bouquet of flowers, and asking him to fly across the country to visit him. - what a bizarre concept. I would have never given up my life somewhere to fly across the country to get into a relationship with someone that I've never met before. What a crazy and scary idea. Or would I...if I was desperate enough. I don't know - To make a long story short they went on a honeymoon in Thailand that cost around $10,000, but soon after Rich found out that his man had another man. (oh no, heartbreak)

After that I got a little restless...I can't sit still for long and I don't really remember how the show ended. Of course Rich's life has not ended so the story has not ended either. I'm not srue that he was ever totally successful, but I really hope that he's happy with touring and performing. It was a good show, and it definitely got me thinking.

Halloweeeeeeeeen!

Character is action.
How does the person get what they want?

I'm nervous about this playwriting thing...I definitely need to decide on a topic, which will be this week. Then I plan on visiting Prof Francis. But choosing what to write about is always the hardest part.

I was thinking about writing a play about the time that I lived in New Zealand. I'm not sure if that would work. At the same time I was thinking about writing some fantasy type play. Adventure stories are always my favorite, but I don't know how to do that. Sometimes I just want to write about regular life, but I'm not sure that my life is eventful enough that I could write something that someone would find interesting. I'm sure that all of these are silly worries, but they still float around in my head. I had this same trouble with the monodrama. I had a few written, but never liked them so I continued to change them.

Perhaps I can create a scenario, and just put a few people who have influenced my life in that scenario, and see how they might react. But then what would be the scenario? Why didn't I write about this before...this has got me thinking of all kinds of things. Now I just need to decide on my people, and make an outline. Alright. I can do this. Ha.

performances

Amazendary. I definitely think that each of the three groups that performed on Monday were excellent. The best part of that experience was that I knew the people on stage, and that these people are my peers. How incredible! it is to work with people like that. Haha. This reminded me of something that is completely off track, just something that I think to myself on a daily basis. "I love people." Seems like a simple enough thing to say, right? Well. I do. And why? Whenever my friends tell me...that person is incredibly weird (as someone with their own style walks by)...or that person has lost their mind...I sit back and laugh. They get annoyed with these people, but what they don't see is that these people are so much fun. I love people because each person has a talent, and something about themselves that can draw the attention of someone else to help create an entertaining world. These are the people that I love simply because they make my world interesting. Ha. This almost sounds as if I am a people watcher, which some times I might be, or that I use people for my own fun, when in reality they are just an element in my life that keeps me thinking. The reason I made this segway is that the people on stage took this part of their lives, the part that I look for in everyone, and they used that part of themselves to perform on stage.

The other group in Prof. Francis' session was once again amazing. I knew what was going to happen, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it none the less. I definitely think that their performance was easiest to pay attention to because each person had shorter monologues. I wish that my group had done the same. I hope that the next project my group with perhaps work together more/better. That would be nice. Anyway. Congrats to the other group. Your performance was great.

I definitely would like to say that my favorite characters from the other two groups were Troy and Hala. The two girls that played each of these roles were incredible. I really liked the way that Hala presented herself on stage, anyway I like the character besides. And Troy's fighting scene with his son was very good. I think that the girl (I'm sorry i don't know your name ) did an excellent job portraying the whole character. Great stuff.

Extra Credit?

Gender and Islam: A Muslim Hermeneutic of Liberation
Dr. Shabana Mir

I agree.
I enjoyed Dr. Mir's talk today about the importance of how people translate the Koran, and what they take from it. She described herself as both progressive and traditional in the sense that she beleives that some old lessons should be kept from the Koran, but that people should change with society. She also believes that sometimes people interpret what they want to interpret out of the Koran, and that this tilt is normally because of the patriarchal society.

For example in Pakistan it is illegal for a woman to marry without her father's consent. This is part of their religion. Dr. Mir believes that the Koran does not say to do this, but that people have chosen to interpret it this way. They ignore all of the evidence pointing that this is not the correct interpretation.

Dr. Mir explained that tradition has changed. What we think is tradition, habits from the past 100 or 200 centuries was once all modern. That true tradition began in the 7th century. In history women were a larger part of society. They had more (I don't know a good word for this) privileges. There were a few women whom people sought to receive their education from. In this sense, these women had the same prestige as an IV league degree does today. Another woman, men layed their lives down to support her word.

Overall her message was that the Koran seeks for equality in everything except (I don't remember the arabic word) the piety...pretty much the fait that they have in their heart. This is the only thing that separates person from person. She explained that from this some people have chosen to interpret the Koran with the message they wish to receive from it, but the true message and beliefs of the Koran are hidden.

- I believe this is the case for most religions now and days. Even Christianity, which i am most familiar with, has been interpreted unjustly by some people and has strayed from the true message of forgiveness. (this is perhaps why I am so bitter towards it.) I really appreciated what Dr. Mir had to say. I'm glad that I went to her lecture.

Lights, Camera, Action

Lighting

Since we no longer practice theater like the ancient Greeks by beginning our shows at sunrise (at least this isn't the norm), light has become a major component of theater. Thanks to technology, we can use light to create the "focus" "atmosphere" "mood" "3D rendering" and "reinforcement." From this the audience can make visual associations that help them better understand the performance.

The one use of light that we used during our monodramas was used for John's performance. We had no fancy lighting. There was the only the light used to provide the whole room with light. We manipulated the lighting when I heard his cue, the last line of the first part of his speech, and cut off all of the lights to create a blackout. Then he used this darkness to change his costume. Again the lights (should have been) were cut off at the end of the performance to give the audience that feeling of sudden change because his character had disappeared.

I'm curious now how the lighting is set up so that it hits the actors where it's supposed to. Are the actors asked to stand in certain places for this purpose? And does someone manually change the lights during the whole show? I understand that "changes can be timed automatically." So does this mean that during rehearsals they put into the computer the timing of the lights? Or something else? I think I'd have to see it done.

The audience/playwriting

Chapter...Audiences and critics:

The first thought that came to mind while I was reading the chapter was my classmates, the audience that watched me perform my monodrama. Half of the people had already seen me perform my monodrama, and laughed with me at my mistakes, while the other half were watching it for the first time. So the first half I was comfortable performing in front of because I knew that they were supporting me, while the other half I could only read their facial expressions and decide for myself what they might be thinking. If I made a mistake for them, I would need to just keep going because there are no retakes in theater.

As for everyone else's performance, I was part of the audience. I was the one "participating vicariously through the mind and the heart" of the performer (50). I could relate to what each person was saying. I could feel the emotions. At one point I almost cried when a performer talked about death. No grandparents dying soon please.

While we did not have the most diverse audiences for our monodramas, each person brought their own experiences to the table. We all came from different homes, and different environments, but we weren't that diverse. As for criticism...I feel that I only received, and hopefully only gave positive criticism. Yay for having great peers who like to be supportive.

Playwriting:

"load it up"
I have no idea where to go with my play. I have too many ideas, and can't put my finger down. But this is normal, perfectionist can't decide on a topic without knowing that it is perfect. And I tell myself every time...just pick!

By the way professor, I think that the real reason that people don't always raise their hands up high when you ask questions about the ideas people have for their plays is because they themselves don't have a solid idea of what they want their play to be about. At least that was my case. - Ok pick real fast what you want your play to be about. Umm..I think of something off the top of my head, I don't like it so I throw the idea back. - That didn't get me very far.

I'm not sure that I understood what it meant to be biased towards a character.

Wow

The monodramas were spectacular. To tell you the truth...I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't sure if everyone would be incredibly amazing out of this world, normal, or horrid. I was ten times more scared than I should have been, and I realize now that I should have trusted my classmates a bit more. They aren't there to criticize me, heck all they did was support me.

At one point I was in charge of turning off the lights. I was totally confused when prof Francis turned the lights back on...was I not supposed to shut them off? Did I do something wrong? I don't know. I got scared, and perhaps messed up John's ending. I am so sorry John! I thought he was really mad at me, and of course being the empathetic/extremely emotional person that I am I got upset. Thinking...oh great now I'm upset and nervous about performing my monodrama. But then I looked over at John and he gave me a thumbs up...if he was mad he was still incredibly encouraging. (John you have no idea how much that helped me...thank you.) It's cool to have great classmates.

The other part of what made the monodramas personal was that I could relate to all of them in at least some way. Since I often feel like an outsider this dented my belief that no one is like me. I thought that was pretty cool. I wasn't so different.

Everyone did a great job.
That was awesome.
Doing it again....ahhh I know what I need to work on. Positive attitude! ha.

Missed class...oh no!

I missed class one day last week, which totally threw me off schedule. I was feeling sick, so of course my body said...nope. You are not waking up. And that is what happened.....I guess I should take the time now to talk about what happened in the chapters since I missed out on the lecture (the part that I like best).

Monodrama

Wow. This assignment made me incredibly uncomfortable...like woahhhh. No lie. I procrastinated for a while in an approach avoidance funk. (That's how I deal with things that I'm scared of, I just don't do them.) I really should learn to confront these things. Maybe then I can get the guts to visit Prof Francis ahead of time.

Well. The worst part is behind me now. I've written my monodrama, which was of course the Hardest part. Now I've got to memorize it, and hopefully not forget everything in a nervous rush when it's time for me to perform.

As far as costume...I hope that mine works. I'll be wearing a shirt that I wore as a little kid. Yes it's tight and has a beautiful unicorn on it. And yes I brought it to school with me because I will never grow up, and still squeeze my way into the same clothes I wore in elementary school. I have no good way to make a costume switch in the middle between dialogue, so I hope that everyone call tell through my accent who is talking. Ha. Accent. This will be fun.

My hope now is that I can start the play that I need to write now so that I don't have to write 30 pages in only a few days. That could be...would be a disaster.

Back to Fences! I do like Fences.

Fences as a modern day tragedy.
I disagree when the book says that some people do not believe modern day tragedies are true tragedies. It's true that they do not have a central character that is a king or queen, and that they are written in prose rather than poetry. Yes there is a difference between traditional tragedy and modern tragedy, but that does not make modern tragedy a different genre all together. The same underlying principles are present. Suffering in the old way is not a different feeling than suffering is today.

Fences I believe plunges into the depths of this genre, as defined by Prof. Fusi "It is a progression of emotional events in the daily routine." (By the way, I would have never known that Prof. Fusi had not prepared for this lecture if he had not told us. That just proves that passion can take you a long way.) Fences takes the audience into a world of it's own. By understanding the characters Wilson helps the audience to feel the emotional pull that the characters feel. This is powerful. Speaking of power...

Media: an art of manipulation. Theatre encompasses some of the same characteristics as the media. The playwright has the ability and the opportunity to shape the style of a piece, and highlight for the audience the central theme and the message that he wants the audience to get out of the play. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, only I know that it's scary to think that someone has the power to selectively feed information to people as a whole. With this I guess it's important to carefully analyze all the information that anyone tells you because their could be a different side of the story, or a different interpretation of the same story.

Each person who reads Fences may identify with different characters. They have the opportunity to identify with Troy, or to reject the idea of Troy. Each person has the chance to take get different things from this interpretation. That is the reason Wilson wrote this play, so that people could take things away from it.

Out of all the genres in theatre I've found that I enjoy comedy, and that I have an appreciation for it because I have learned that it is much harder for me to write a comedy than to express my emotions in a tragedy.

Costumes

Imagine that a play has been written about you, and you are designing a costume for the actor playing you. What sort of outfit would this actor wear and why? What clues would the costume give about your personality? Be sure to mention the fabric, color, and length of the garments. This prompt can also relate to the monodrama you've created. If you are reenacting an event from your past, what would you have worn at that time, and why?

Oh cool. Where do I begin...
Perhaps I'll first make a list:
Position & Status: Main character & teenager
Gender: Female
Occupation: Student
Flamboyance over modesty always
Independence over regimentation
Occasion: since this is supposed to be my life, and my life is generally casual I would say that my costume would be casual wear.

Description of my outfit(s)
To accurately depict my life, I would need two totally different costumes.

#1
Wild and Bright. Orange jean shorts. and two layered spandex, Lycra shirts. Electric green slip on shoes. Blue shell earings. Random bright jewelry....complex complicated look that craves attention.

#2
Earthy and Hippie. Loose flowy brown pants. sheer organic cotton shirt. Dark brown flipflops. a bone necklace. and a watch. Simple. Natural.



1. Tone and Style would be established during each scene with each personality. Clearly the first costume is more of a wild side, a go-go-go personality; while the second is a relaxed "let's stroll along the beach" look.

2. Since I have only lived for 18 years, the historic period would be now. I am from Virginia Beach, and my style is much influenced by the beach life.

3. The nature of my character would be expressed through color and style. I am a student, and rarely need to dress up, thus I would look casual.

4. The difference in the costumes would help show the contrast through out the play.

5. Regardless neither outfit would have sleeves because they restrict movement, and I find them uncomfortable. And both costumes would only have enough makeup to look natural and not done up. Hair would only need to be simple and flowy...just as long as it does not get in the way.

6. Generally costumes should be consistent throughout the play. Since part of the play would use the contrasts to illustrate and fully create the character, the change in costume would be necessary.

To a certain extent I tend to reject conformity, and stray a little from the norm. I've done this since I was young, and I feel this would be a central theme throughout the play. The need to be different.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman!

That was interesting. By interesting I don't mean ahh it was alright I didn't fall asleep, I mean that listening to each of the professors today describe their part in creating Superman was absolutely intriguing. It's refreshing to hear that all the things that we are learning about actually lead to something. No lie, I was feeling a little discouraged before. I wasn't sure that I actually liked taking part in theatre. I had almost made up in my mind that I would just enjoy theatre from the audience because that is where I started, and perhaps where I'll end.

The primary reason that I started theatre was because of my overwhelming shyness. Oh yes, remember the one girl in your middle and high school classes who couldn't talk in class, or give a presentation that was audible above a whisper...yep that was me. I still struggle with my lovely shynesssss, but hopefully it's gotten a lot better. This is why I have an interest in theatre. The ability to take who you are, and with confidence bring out that person into a character is amazing. However I'm not sure that I'm really into all of the design principles. I've been thinking about it, but I don't feel any better about any of it.

Randomnessss:
- Gary was cool. I want to fly like Superman. And what is Truth, Justice, and the American Way anyway?
- Color makes me happy. I think I will like this show.
- Toys? I hope that this show is entertaining. Sounds like I should bring my little brother :)
- Women in the 60's...not being able to move the way they want...Ahhhhh!
- The light man seems all-powerful. (sorry I didn't catch his name)
- Once again they stressed the importance of Collaboration. Always fun.

Costumes

Byyyyyy Trish West.

Well. I guess I already understood that costumes play a large part in creating not only the setting but also helping to create a well-rounded character. It was interesting to hear an insiders view of how costumes are put together. I always figured that each school or company had their own costumes, and if they didn't have them that they just made them. What I didn't realize was that a company could order or borrow costumes from distributors. For instance professor West said that she had to borrow Nazi costumes from someone during a time when they were hard to be found. I guess I should have figured that was possible, but regardless it was interesting to learn.

Of course when thinking about a costume you always need to consider costume limitations. For dance we would always have a theme (soldiers, beach...whatever) and we had costumes made to fit the theme. At the same time we were dancers and we needed freedom of movement. So I understand that there are restrictions of costume for actors.

Money rules the world.
With all the money in the world, you can get or have someone make any costume you want. However most people do not have all the money in the world, and have to make do with the present economic availability. This makes sense, and is true for almost anything.

Thrift stores are amazing.

I love clothes. You can say a lot about yourself by the way you dress.

ps. I loved the crazy pictures in the book.

callagggggge

Using the theme you and your group chose to highlight in your collage, write a paragraph or two describing how you would transfer the images incorporated with that theme into a set design. You can describe the overall set design or focus on an important item that would be on stage. How do these set elements reflect your theme?

Theme: Antigone v. Creon
My group depicted the struggle between Antigone and the law, or Creon.

In the play Antigone sought to do what was right for her brother's dead body. She would try to bury it, even though she knew she would be unsuccessful in completely burying the body. The King had ruled that if anyone tried to bury her brother, they would be killed. Knowing this Antigone still went out of her way to do what she thought was right. To depict this struggle we used pictures of tug of war, the king in chess, and the word L.A.W., for Creon's side, while Antigone had pictures of a God and Goddess, tug of war, a tragedy mask, and of a spiral. Creon's side was squared off and each picture was deliberately placed neatly; while Antigone's side had angled pictures, and pictures overlapping one another. Antigone's side was still organized, but unlike Creon's side, Antigone could break the rules and still be successful in her goals. She knew what she wanted, while Creon had conflicting interests.

The key element that I would want to depict on stage would be Antigone's strength, and Creon's struggle with decisions. I want Antigone to look strong through her presentation: by the way she is dressed (perhaps in red or purple), and by her poise. If possible during the scenes in which she and Creon interact, Antigone would stand in the middle of the stage, in front of Creon (downstaged?). Creon would look disorganized and worried further upstage, behind her. The epitamy of this struggle would be seen at the end of the play when Antigone is brought to Creon by his guards. Since this is the case then the background of the scene would need to reflect the tension between Antigone and Creon. The background would be set up with subtle but distinct differences. Antigone's side would look more flowy and flexible, and organized; while Creon's side of the room would look (what's the word for it...squares and perpendicular designs) cubic. This design would reflect the poster that my group made in class. Whether it is good for an actual play..I do not know.

As far as directing goes..

Mood = important
With every performance, the director has the job of creating the right mood. To do so, a latent message should be reflected in all of the elements in the piece...from the lighting to the arrangement of the props on the stage. This then creates the spine of the play. For instance: the spine in Fences was of racial heritage in contemporary America.

Professor Fusi did a good job of showing how our own interpretation (the director's interpretation) can change the scene by asking students to read aloud from Fences. [by the way you guys did a great job] From each scene it was the director's job to decide who she thought was the main character. In one scene where Gabe, Troy, and Rose all play a prominent roll, I thought that Rose had the dominant role whereas another girl thought that the focus should have been on Gabe. This is all up to the director's interpretation.

One thing that I'm not sure I am comfortable with is when a director takes a show into his own hands. Meaning, that a playwright has taken the time to write something that they poured their heart and soul into, and then allowing a director to interpret this play in their own style. Granted in all works elements will be interpreted differently by different people, but the idea of totally changing the story is uncomfortable to me. Some say this allows for more creativity, and that sometimes these are the best plays, but I still am not comfortable with it. I guess that it really depends on the work.

Design with Michael

Remember to set up the stage correctly unless you want to sit on Professor Fusi's lap. And if you want to create an intimate scene make people sit on a couch instead of two chairs. They should face each other. Ooo lala.

So now I know that if I want to be a power figure that I need to stand in the middle of the stage on a chair. I also have to move otherwise I might be mistaken for a prop. Ahh. In that case I should just walk onto the stage from the side. Maybe just barely slip into the action.

Each of the groups had a good interpretation of their beautiful pictures. Haha. Peter and the Wolf always creates interesting scenes. My favorite would have to have been the action scene. Relays are always fun. Too bad no one made any really funny mistakes, and too bad some people cheated.

How important is it, when blocking, to keep the actors facing the audience? Does it always matter if they are not facing the front? I guess that it just really depends on what's happening on stage.

I want to try interpretive dance.

For a play to be interpreted the way that the director wants, it's important for the director and the designer to work together. But overall I think that everyone who wants a play to work well need to work together for anything to happen (that is unless it's a monologue that does not involve curtains or lights).

Sweeney Todd

Describe a performance that you have seen in which you were moved by a vivid scenic image. What elements of the image make it memorable for you? How did they enhance the meaning of the play (or film) for you? Do you think the image fit the director's interpretation of the play (or film)? How did it help convey the mood?

Sweeney Todd
This performance was like none other. Creepy, unsettling, yet entertaining. Everyone involved in the play was both an actor and a musician. Instead of using the whole stage for the performance, they had assembled an L shaped wooden deck with a wooden background. Props lined the walls and helped to create the scene. Only the space of the L (as opposed to the rest of the stage) was being used. Otherwise the free space of the stage was empty. When characters had their turn to enter in to the scene, they would set down their instruments and stand up to join the action (for their chairs were already on stage).

The colors of the characters and the barber shop were darker, gloomier, and more unsettling than I had experienced before. At first I thought that I had walked into a freak show, rather a horror movie. The music was creepy, and the performance was about death. Each of these characteristics helped to enhance the show by creating an atmosphere and style that would unnerve the audience. The audience was held onto the performance by the uneasy tone set by the scene.

This feel of an old creepy barber shop was exactly what the director wanted the audience to feel. This performance was not meant to make the audience fill with love, instead was supposed to fill them with suspense. I think the director got exactly what he wanted.

two of me. An Argument.

"Come in" "no"
"Come in" "no"
"Come in" "no"
"Come in" "no"
"Why would I want to?"
"Come in" "No."
"Come in" "No."
"You are weak. boring. dull. and lifeless. What is the point of living?"
"Come in" "No!"
"I have goals and dreams and I do not want to be pulled down."
"Come in."
"NEver."
"Come in."
"I will try my best..."
"Come IN."
"to be happy."
"COME IN!"
"I WILL NOT. You always tempt. You always question. But I know me, and I know who I am not."

Scary side = fat, lazy, no dreams, no passion, no fun, lifeless.

6 elements

of Drama.

I enjoyed reading Roar.

Back home we have few people from the middle east, therefore I have not experienced much of their culture. Because of my lack of experience, I do have a lack of understanding. And perhaps I have not been opened minded about people from the Middle East. While reading Roar I took in bits of knowledge that gave me more of a down to earth feeling towards this culture, a brief outline of what life is like in the middle east, and for people who come from the middle east. My life did not nearly reflect any of the things that Roar described. My family always has time to spend together, I always went to school, and we never had to worry about being happy. It's odd for me to think that people do things in life not just for happiness, but out of necessity. Sleeping with a man for a visa is something that I would have never thought about. I suppose that I take for granted some things in life. I've always known that not everyone have the opportunities and security that I have always had.

As a side note, swearing is a good way to express anger and other strong emotions, but I have never enjoyed swearing. To hear the mother in Roar swear almost threw me off. My biased belief of middle eastern women is not of strength, and her step forward to assert her beliefs took me back. Stereotypes are misleading.

...I have gone through periods of my life where I swear, but overall it is hard for me to handle. It hurts. So between some of the things that I read in Purple, and some of the events that happened in Roar, I have had trouble taking in the information. I have strong emotions, and I am incredibly empathetic. When I see others hurting, I hurt. In some ways this promotes understanding, but other times I wish I could just overlook some less tolerable things.

At the end of Roar, I did not feel satisfied. I felt almost lost and confused as if someone should need to guide me. Perhaps I felt a little satisfaction from the fact that a daughter would do all she could to support her mother after her father and aunt ran off together. So young, and so motivated.

Let's Dance

Awesome.

I enjoy moving. A class that incorporates movement at all is a class that keeps me awake and interested. I believe that the way you move, and the way you present yourself on stage (even off stage) helps to create your character. Simply from the way you sit to the way you walk, people will form impressions of you or your character.

The last activity, I think, helped prove the point that actions (facial expressions, style of movement, speed of movement) can create an entire scene, and are important.

p.s. I used to dance, from modern to ballet, so movement on stage is comfortable and easy for me to do. (do well?...I can only hope)

Trust

I was a hippo without a tail.

Feelings...

Eyes closed, moving into the circle, touching, feeling, searching.
I did not feel free to blindly hurry forward in front of me. I did not want to run into anyone, or awkwardly bump someone. The two girls on either side of me ventured forward faster than I did. Their hands touched and I could feel that they had chosen partners. I stepped back and felt around for someone else.

Ear touching. Eaks. I didn't like that part.

This situation is similar to my actions in real life. I sometimes allow things to happen while I sit back and watch. Then after assessing the scene I step in.

Eyes. Look. Search. Skirt away. Look. Search. Laugh. Skirt away. Uncomfortable. Will it be over soon?



Only do what you're supposed to do. What does this entail....I believe it means to do what is right is your heart. Because as long as your heart is alright, and you are content with your decisions then you are right.

SuperSizeMe

What impression did the play make on you that caused you to see the connection between the characters and your own lives? If that is a simple as abuse, or as complex as colonization, or anything in between?
Overall I have lived a rather sheltered life. I grew up in a stable home with my mother, father, and brother. My parents rarely fought, and my brother and I had a surprisingly tight connection. Instead of fighting each other we would gang up against other people. In this sense I cannot directly connect to Purple. On the other hand, one of my good friends did not have the same experience. He was often caught in the middle between the neglect of his father, and the abuse of his mother. The mother would torture her son, and also cheated on her husband. The stories that he told me of these instances were incredibly painful to remember, but like Purple, were important to tell.

Why do you think Prof. Francis had to write this piece? What did he mean that he had it inside of him, that he has been carrying this play around with him his whole life?
Professor Francis described this story as a semi-biography. While not all of the events that happened in the play happened in his life, his exaggeration or rather form of expression sent a message to the reader. His use of anagrams, and symbolism helped to emotionally recreate the events of his childhood within his audience. Even his style and use of title cards, which make the story disconnected, help his audience themselves connect with the story. By making the story fragmented the audience could themselves feel what it was like to be oppressed, and under someone else's control. Prof. Francis believes that "everything we do in this world, stays in this world." In this sense his play is his version of the world that he has put on paper to be reenacted for others to witness.

What is the Purple? How did it settle for the characters? For you? For Francis? Or was it not resolved?
Purple is a bruise. Not only a bruise of the flesh that can heal, but an internal bruise of the heart and soul that lasts with a person for eternity. The characters had to live their lives with what had happened to them in the past. However they made the decision to live by acknowledging the past and respecting it rather than running from fear. For Junior, his mother explains to him that the play he wrote was not for nothing. She explained that the play would help him to not be afraid of the past, and in the future help to share his experiences with his children. His life, his experiences, his play was for something. As for me, I will probably never live through any experiences that even parallel the experiences in this play. But by reading the play, I have more respect, more understanding, and more appreciation for the people who have gone through similar experiences.


Today.
The main lesson that I learned from today's lecture was to "Question Everything." I have innate trust in people, so this concept hit hard. Journalism for the people, crafted by the people, to influence the people the way others feel they should be influenced = media.

To Think

...After Professor Tanglao-Aguas' lecture on Roar, I mean When the Purple Settles

Today I learned about a kind of theatre that does more than entertain. I learned about a genre of theatre that evokes catharsis, and even further evokes understanding in one's own life. This genre of theatre is called Brechtian theatre.

According to professor Tanglao-Aquas, the goal of Purple is to impact a person so much as to lay a claim on their brain, and to make them question who he/she is. The power this implies is incredible.

I will admit that reading Purple was difficult for me. I began reading it, was emotionally overwhelmed, took a nap, and then finally was able to finish. This was not a play that I could easily breeze through and feel complete as I turned the last page. Instead this play created in me a sense of unease that lingered for the rest of the day. It made me wonder why someone would feel the need to express such intense emotions and actions in a single play. Purple reminded me that everywhere in the world people face challenges more extreme than I could in my wildest dreams imagine.

After Professor Tanglao-Aguas explained his intentions I felt much better about what I had read. His goal was to disturb. His goal was to make the reader think so much that she couldn't simply set the play down and move onto another activity without first thinking about Purple. I know that he achieved his goal. On another note, I believe that if this play had been acted out where I could fully visualize the quick changes in action, then I would better understand the complexity of the piece.

wow.

LIFE

Firstly, I was a bit confused about blogging. From now on, I think that I should just look at Jason's blog, and if he has put up questions I'll answer those. Whether he asks questions once or twice a week I am still waiting to figure out. So here goes...

What I didn't answer to Fences:

- I have in the past perhaps built Fences up around who I am as a person, but overall I am an open person who is not afraid to show who I am. If I do build a fence however, it is normally to keep people in. I use the fence to hold those people whom I care about close to my heart. I am an emotional person. I am sensitive, and incredibly empathetic. I need people to care about, and I need people to care about me. Previously I fought to climb over the wall I build to keep my heart safe, but now that I've overcome that fence I am willing to risk vulnerability.

- Troy's character is someone I regard as searching. His sternness and unfaithfulness are not surprising when I understand that he is, even as an old man, trying to find himself within his own life. He is loyal to his wife, and he loves his son and his brother even if he does not have a good way to express his feelings.

- Rose is a strong woman. She married and settled down more out of necessity than out of love. She is loyal, faithful, and enduring, but that does not mean that she does not question her situation. Rose understands that the mind is powerful. She understands how to recognize the emotions her heart feels, and she understands how to use her mind to help her avoid hurting her family. I believe that she does what she feels is best for her husband, son, and Troy's brother. She manages the house for her husband, encourages her son to seek his dreams, and never refuses a meal and polite invitation to Gabe.

- I believe that I answered the final question in my last blog.

I hope this is good!

Fences

Fences - A Response to Professor Fusi's Lecture

I read Fences for the first time last year in my AP English class. We had just finished with all of our AP testing, and my teacher felt the need to further broaden her students horizons with a few of her personal favorites. Fences by August Wilson was the first play we read. We read the play aloud, which took us three class periods. Each time we all portrayed a character, and attempted to put on an accent fitting the character. My favorite was my friend John's accent. He played Gabe, and spoke in an odd almost slow sing-song voice. Reading the story for a second time I still heard John's voice inside my head each time Gabe's character speaks.

Reading the story for the second time could not elicit the same reaction I had for the story the first day my English class read it aloud. Now I enjoy the story, knowing the ending, and I appreciate what it teaches me. However, when I first heard the play I am ashamed to admit that I believed it to be just another story about how life was hard for families years ago.

This time I recognized the fence metaphor, and in reading the play I searched for signs of Troy setting up his own fence around himself. He grew up poor, in a family of eleven children with a life-hardened father. Something this play teaches us is that life experiences shape who we are. This means the life experiences people experience on their own as well as the experiences taught inadvertently to us by our parents. As hard as Cory worked to escape his father's shadow, he could not. As hard as Troy worked to escape responsibility, he could not. Troy's past determined his future, his son's future, and both of their reason.

This example of people living in a social class, stuck in the belief that they can only reach as far as they can see is similar to the family of one of my best friends, Mitchell. His father is a truck driver. He never went to college, still he works hard, never for fun always out of necessity or responsibility. He holds himself back from achieving full happiness, and why I cannot understand. What I know is that his son was raised with the same beliefs. Work hard to earn money and support your family. Don't stray too hard from what you know you can reach. Sometimes I wonder what they would learn from reading Fences. As for me, Fences opened my mind to a lifestyle I have never experienced. I have always had opportunity, and been pushed to reach my dreams. I can only imagine a life where this is not true.

I sometimes wonder if the characters in the play learn anything throughout their lives. Did I simply miss the connection?

Behind my eyes

With my eyes closed I had to rely on my other senses for information. Between what I could hear and what I could feel, I created my own version of what I thought I was feeling.

While I waited for the first item to pass to me, I could hear the sound of crinkling paper. Ideas popped up in my head as to what I could expect to reach out and hold. Was the paper large like a newspaper, or as small as origami? I felt something on my knee and reached out to clutch an envelope and a folded papers. I could feel no writing on the paper. Perhaps no one had yet been inspired to write.

Next a small fuzzy creature was coaxed into my hands. It had a long nose, and cute little ears. It has a small tail and four little feet. I am not a specialist at identifying stuffed animals with my eyes closed, but my closest guess was that this stuffed animal resembled a mouse.

Again I could hear the slight tapping of the next object resting a foot away from me. I pictured in my mind a small party and the tapping of blue party cups ready to be filled with coke. Sure enough I was passed a plastic cup with two indentions on the side for better grip.

My favorite item came next. A thin plastic ball, small enough to fit into the palm of my hand, was lightly passed into my lap. I sat on the ground tossing the ball from hand to hand. I did not want to give the ball away to receive the next item...

a little baby shoe! The shoe was small enough to comfortably hold in one of my hands. I could feel the rubber bottom, and velcro instead of laces.

This is all I can remember from the game of invisible items.