FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 1 Discussion
The Power of Theatre
and Ritual in Society
The power of theater,
storytelling and ritual has been a part of the human condition and experience
since the beginning of recorded civilization and history. Even prior to
recorded history, the human person must have utilized elements of emotional
expression and personal experience (as both prey and predator) as a way to
navigate the unknown to assure his or her survival.
Whether religious,
cultural, spiritual or mythological, components of ritual and ceremony have
permeated the human condition, thought and society. Theater was used to teach
religion (The Mystery Plays/England) was a way to discuss the construct of Gods
and the human condition (Greek Theatre) and has been a vehicle for cultural,
political, religious and societal moral questions. Contemporary theater can
simply be utilized as sheer entertainment, without any cultural, political,
religious or moral motivation. Its objective is for an audience to simply and
unabashedly have fun.
Having read Chapter I,
and the other readings within this module, is theater still a necessary
construct today? Within this technological age, where entertainment can be
derived and obtained instantaneously from cellular devices, iPhones and iPads,
etc., is theater still relevant and a necessary construct of the human experience
and condition today? Why and/or why not? You can use any of the readings to
assist you in the discussion or simply communicate your opinion from your own
personal experience
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 2 Discussion
William Shakespeare's
Hamlet:
Hamlet: Speak the
speech I pray you as I pronounced it to you,trippingly on the tongue; but if
you mouth it as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my
lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand thus, but use all gently;
for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirlwind of your passion,
you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. Oh, it
offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion
to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the
most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would
have such a fellow whipped for o'erdoing Termagant — it out-Herods Herod. Pray
you avoid it.
In Hamlet's speech to
the players (traveling actors) he urges them to present a performance that is
truthful, that has substance. He advises the actors not to over exaggerate, but
to give the performance a smoothness (through acquired temperance).
Constantin
Stanislavski introduced Method Acting that encouraged truthful acting through
self reflection, discipline, rigorous training and analysis. The objective for
Stanislavski and William Shakespeare's Hamlet was to construct truthful, three dimensional
characters that an audience would believe. Even more importantly that the actor
could convey (naturally and truthfully).
DISCUSSION
TOPIC/QUESTION:
Why is this method of
acting still so important today? Why can't I just memorize the lines and be
done with it? If I (as an actor) can
conjure up emotions at will and give a good speech, shouldn't that be enough?!
Why do I need to study, research and learn about the characters that I am
portraying?
Can you think of any
actor today (who you admire) who discussed what they went through in order to
become a character they were hired to portray?
If so, provide an example in your discussion. If not, perhaps you can research this topic
(select an actor in a famous role), and/or discuss what you think it would take
for an actor to make a character believable to an audience.
You did so well in the
last discussion, I'm looking forward to reading your opinions and ideas.
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 3 Discussion
The Director
Directors are
responsible for every aspect of the performance, from the theme to the
conceptual design, to the pacing and rhythm of dialogue, language and music, to
the costumes, set designs, blocking, acting, etc. They are responsible for
interpreting what the playwright is trying to convey through the actor(s) and ultimately
to the audience.
The director is an
architect, because he creates a blue print, a foundation from which all other
aspects of the theatrical performance is built upon.
Can you think of a
production, (whether on stage and/or on screen) where the vision and concept of
the director challenges us to think about story, theater and/or performance in
a new and different way? For example, in Schindler's List, the entire movie is
presented using Eastman's Black and White film. The only splash of color is the
red coat worn by a young Jewish
girl (no more than 4 or 5 years old) who
walks abandoned and seemingly alone (though surrounded by hundreds) during the
liquidation of the ghetto in Krakow, Poland during WWII.
Here is an image from
that scene:Image result for Schindler's List color of film black and white
Here is the clip from
the movie. I believe this is the inciting incident, the moment of
transformation/awareness for the movie's hero Oskar Schindler, a member of the
Nazi Party, who at the end of this journey saved thousands of Jews, (ultimately
millions) with the preceding generations, from concentration camps, particularly
the death camp at Auschwitz.
Later in the movie, Oskar Schindler sees the
red coat being discarded along with other personal items of the deceased. It is
then that he comes to the realization the little girl he saw walking alone in
the ghetto is dead.
The Black and White
film set a tone and created a feeling. The red coat that the little girl wore,
also could be perceived as the inciting incident in the screenplay, where at
that particular critical moment, the hero (Oskar Schindler) began to have a
true conscious awareness about what was going on and began to have a change of
heart and transformation (the hero's journey).
Steven Spielberg won
an Oscar (his first) for Best Director that year.
Select a director that
has done something entirely unique and groundbreaking in the theater and or
film industry and convey why you have selected him or her for your discussion.
Use examples from a production he or she has directed and elaborate upon their
body of work. Expound upon how their vision and artistic direction has changed,
challenged and or has elevated the world of art.
I selected Steven
Spielberg because of his extraordinary talent, particularly in Schindler's
List, which in my opinion, is one of the greatest historical dramas about the
Holocaust and WWII ever made. I discovered this interview with Steven
Spielberg, where he discusses the historical reality and truth behind Oskar
Schindler and the Holocaust. During the interview, a substantial amount of
information is provided about the making of the film. For example, how he was
able to maintain a sense of composure, and stability, despite the graphic
images and horrific atrocities that he had to capture and record on film. Also,
during the interview, he discusses the Little Girl in the Red Coat, whom Oskar
Schindler actually witnessed during the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in
Krakow, Poland. A truth and sad reality that Steven Spielberg captured so
brilliantly in this extraordinary film.
The entire interview
is approximately nine minutes, and twenty four seconds in length, but in my
opinion, well worth the time, if you respect this director and his work. During
the interview he states that in his opinion, Schindler's List is his greatest
work of all, not only because of the film, but even more so for the educational
foundation and survivor project that he created after the movie was completed.
Steven Spielberg
winning the Oscar, Clint Eastwood is the presenter!
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 4 Discussion
The Playwright
Playwrights create an
imaginary world for an audience to explore, enter into and engage in.
Oftentimes there are cathartic moments during the course of the theatrical
experience. Sometimes not, as is the case with Epic plays such as The Three
Penny Opera, written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht.
Playwrights portray a
theatrical body of work through a realistic and/or non realistic lens,
(realism/non realism). That decision occurs during the unfolding of the plot,
language, characters and spectacle within the dramatic structure. The
theatrical conventions and structure are entirely up to the playwright's vision
and concept.
In the assigned
readings for this Module (chapters 9 and 12) several playwrights, set
designers, directors, artists and choreographers were introduced. Whether it
was Bertolt Brecht's Verfremdungseffekt or Epic Theatre, German Expressionism,
European Realism and/or Non Realism, playwright's created a theatrical
landscape that employed various styles, methods, movements and artistic
influences.
From this context,
select a playwright (you can choose one of the playwright's discussed in the
assigned readings) and discuss why their body of work has changed, challenged
and/or influenced the theater and an audience's theatrical experience.
Playwrights such as
Bertolt Brecht and Samuel Beckett (for example) would be good selections
because of their extensive body of work and their influence on contemporary
theater even today. However, you can select any playwright that you admire,
although you must provide an example as to why their work has challenged,
inspired and impacted the theatrical world and experience.
Mother Courage is a
play written by Bertolt Brecht about war and its victims. This video clip
highlights scenes from the play that was adapted by Tony Kushner and performed at the Delcourte
Theater in New York City in 2006.
Actress Meryl Streep played the role of Mother Courage. This interview
offers her unique perspective as an actress as to why the playwright's words
and theater is still relevant even today. A playwright such as Bertolt Brecht,
and/or William Shakespeare has that ability. Their words and influence are not
bound by time and/or place, in fact, their ideas are universal, striking a cord
with the masses. Their canon of dramatic literature is timeless, infiltrating
borders, and can be adapted and presented in different languages, in varying
countries, for many generations to come.
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 5 Discussion
The Designer
The designer (whether
lighting, costume or sound) creates an environment for the stage and an
experience for the audience. Whether the concept be representational (true to
real life) or presentational (an abstract, distorted reality) the design has to
be functional and accessible not only for the actors, but also for the stage
crew and audience.
When I think of
extravagant stage designs, I immediately think of Carl Fillion's multi-million
dollar machine used in the staging of Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold at the
Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Please watch the
trailer on Youtube: Das Rheingold Trailer from Cineworld Cinemas. It is 2
minutes and 25 seconds in length and then respond to the following:
Director Robert Lepage
and Set designer Carl Fillion utilized a 45 ton machine that included vertical
platforms, (a palisade of two dozen fiberglass covered aluminum planes) that
tilted vertically and horizontally to create and form various stage
configurations.
This huge structure of
large moving planks moved back and forth creating the surface of the Rhine
River in Germany. it also was used as a screen for video projections, it had
motifs and was interactive, triggered by the movements of the performers. The
performers were catapulted above it, they climbed on top of it, slid down it.
Sometimes the platforms became horizontal, other times vertical depending upon
the action on stage. At the opening of the opera, The Rhine Maidens (three
mermaids) dangled from cables and sung full operatic scores while maneuvering
and balancing themselves above and onto the moving planks of the Valhalla
Machine as it was ultimately dubbed. The Rhine waters (large planks) swayed to
and fro creating the movement of water, turned to gold coins, produced bubbles
as the mermaids swam beneath the surface, and became a platform where the Rhine
Maidens could perch themselves on and slide down from. This all occurs just in the
opening scene! Later during the opera, the Machine turns into a staircase to
get the actors from one location to another. It also turns into a rainbow
bridge, an entry way into Valhalla (Heaven), that the performers are able to
walk upon and enter into (at the close of the opera). You will see this scene
at the end of the trailer. The Machine was malleable and versatile and did many
more configurations during the course of the opera (too many too list).
There was a problem
however, the production was delayed because of technical difficulties with the
machine. Also, several productions received mixed reviews because the machine
broke down in the middle of the performance, yet the opera singers had to
maintain their composure and the highest level of artistry despite the lifeless
(yet integral machine). Which apparently they would manage to do DESPITE the
problems with the machine (as noted by numerous critiques).
I saw the production
and personally appreciated the complexity and beauty of this elaborate machine.
I personally felt it added to the overall experience of the production. For me,
it was a tremendous artistic endeavor and achievement. During the night I saw
it, the machine behaved and did not break down. The Valhalla Machine (also
dubbed the difficult diva) was given this title because it would perform and/or
not perform at any given whim and/or time within and during a performance.
After you have viewed
the trailer of Das Rheingold, featuring what is considered to be the MOST
expensive and extravagant set design ever constructed for a contemporary stage,
discuss whether you think this type of set design for entertainment, (theater,
the opera, musicals, etc.) is worth it. Should a set design, (no matter how
extravagant) be created at any cost, to fulfill the vision and concept of the
director and/or designer?
I personally wish you could see the full
production of Das Rheingold (the Metropolitan Opera's version/with the Machine)
but being that this is only an 8 week class, time is precious and limited. For
now, please see the trailer and let me know what you think. However, if you
enjoy the Das Rheingold trailer, I have included an additional trailer: The Wagner Ring Cycle, that shows
highlights/footage from the entire operatic production that was shown at the
Metropolitan Opera in New York City. The multi-million dollar stage was
utilized during the course of the entire Wagner Cycle.
I have also included
an interview with Robert Lapage, the director of Wagner's Ring Cycle at the
Met. The trailer is called: Wagner's Dream the opening bars...In this video,
you will see the orchestra, stage crew working backstage (actually beneath the
stage) manipulating the large planks of the Machine.
For those interested
in what happens backstage (behind the scene) with the set crew, I have included
another video called: Wagner's Dream Rolling Out the Machine. It gives you an
idea about how large the Machine was and how difficult it was to install it
within the actual theater/opera house.
The Machine was
developed, designed and tested in Canada by set designer Carl Fillion and
Robert Lapage (who was the director of Cirque du Soleil before coming to the
Met) and transferred by several moving trucks into New York City where it was
assembled by the Met's stage crew.
The video: 2010 New
Met Production of the Ring Cycle shows a condensed version of everything that
went into designing this elaborate production from set to costumes, from
drawings to actual creation.
I hope you enjoy all
the videos of this production as much as I do! However, if you enjoy or want to
learn more about the making of Wagner's Ring Cycle, I recommend the documentary
film: Wagner's Dream; The Making of Der
Ring Des Nibelungen, a must see for those who want to learn more about what
goes on in the theater before a production even gets started.
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 6 Discussion
Decisions
From the readings
assigned for this Module, you can see how much thought and consideration goes
into the production of a play, especially in the commercial theater industry.
Referencing the two different productions of the play: "And the Soul Shall
Sing," you can see the varying degrees and elements that differ in set
design, style, language and interpretation. All of these elements create an
aesthetic to attract a wider and broader audience.
As an artist, one always
hopes that the art form will be served and given complete attention and
priority. But in the case of several examples posed in the readings, such as
The New Birmingham Repertory Theater, a changing of the guards (artistic
directors) of the theater, often means a change in policy and program. This
change oftentimes leaves former members discouraged and dissatisfied, while
attempting to net a wider audience. As in the production of Der Ring de
Nibelungen, at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, traditional opera fans,
(most notably Wagner fans) were very displeased with the concept and
implementation of a new creation. They wanted and expected traditions to
continue and remain as they were. They didn't feel Wagner's Opera needed any
new theatrical experiments or trends. However, hiring a director such as Robert
Lapage meant there would be change, especially considering his recent directing
debut at the Met and his directing experience with Cirque De Soleil.
Consequently, arguments were forged, hurled and presented in numerous reviews
critiquing the new opera. This criticism wasn't the sole domain of theater
critiques, since similar reactions were swirling and transpiring among opera
fans who were waiting on ticket lines hours before tickets were released to the
public! This kind of controversy often draws a wider audience, but sometimes,
it can backfire, as it often does in many commercial venues such as with the
New Birmingham Repertory Theater in London.
On March 23, 2015, an
article titled: A Fight at the Opera, was published by the New Yorker Magazine.
The author, James Stewart vehemently criticizes and blames Peter Gelb (General
Manager and Director of the Metropolitan Opera) for the mismanagement of funds
and the fiscal crisis that the opera allegedly faces.
Here is the link to
the article: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/23/a-fight-at-the-opera.
You may have to enter
the link into your browser, but the entire article will come up when you do a
search.
I highly encourage you to read the article,
since it provides an excellent example of what the text and readings for this
week in Module 6 is trying to convey
about the risks involved when introducing new ideas and trends in contemporary,
yet conservative theaters. Questions such as: Who should take the fall, when
those "new ideas," don't pan out as well as expected? Also, what
happens to the theater and their employees, when wealthy donors (who aren't
pleased with the contemporary trends) decide to take their endowments and
donations elsewhere?
According to this
article, an investor donated $20 million dollars so that Wagner's Ring Cycle could be produced at the
Metropolitan Opera House. Unfortunately, the cost was much higher than
expected. According to this article, it cost the Metropolitan Opera $40 million
dollars to produce the entire Ring Cycle, which was apparently raised by other
undisclosed sources.
Subsequently, after
this article was published, the New Yorker Magazine received numerous letters
in support and also, negating James Stewart's position and criticisms in A
Fight at the Opera. On April 6, 2015, three letters were published and posted
by the Editor in The Mail. I am pasting those letters for your perusal:
DRAMA AT THE MET
We were disheartened
to read James Stewart’s piece about the Metropolitan Opera, which presents a
one-sided, negative view of what is, in fact, a thriving, vital organization
that is essential to the cultural life of New York, and of the world (“A Fight
at the Opera,” March 23rd). The article emphasizes the challenging economics of
grand opera and the difficulties of the Met’s recent union negotiations without
providing a balanced perspective on a company that is at the height of its
artistic powers. Today, the Met is at the fore, making opera globally
accessible through our game-changing, live, high-definition transmissions,
which have been seen by millions of people, in seventy countries. We’re
certainly not suggesting that sustaining the Met is an easy task, but, under
the watchful eye of the energetic Peter Gelb, his management team, and our
dedicated board, it is a mission that is being accomplished. There is plenty of
drama at the Met, both onstage and off, but not as Stewart told it.
Kevin Kennedy,
President
Ann Ziff, Chairman
William C. Morris,
Executive Committee Chairman
Judith-Ann Corrente,
Secretary
Metropolitan Opera
New York City
As the principal union
representative of solo singers and choristers at the Met, I was disappointed by
Stewart’s story about Gelb’s leadership and the battle over contracts. A
chorister’s day might start at 10 A.M. and end around midnight. During this
summer’s contract negotiations, much attention was focused on principal
artists, and in particular on the plight of the mezzo-soprano Wendy White, who
experienced a career-ending injury after falling from a platform. Eugene
Keilin, an independent financial expert, advised us on what we had to do to
“save the Met,” and he recommended that the Met management save a dollar amount
equal to the concessions offered by unions. The unions made concessions by
taking pay cuts. The Met saved money not by limiting the number of expensive
new productions but by firing and laying off twenty-two employees. The board
has failed to rein in Gelb’s out-of-control spending, and the relationship
between Gelb and Met employees continues to be antagonistic. A union-driven
efficiency committee, a partnership between the singers and the orchestra,
keeps track of—and protests—the waste and extravagance that are still the order
of the day at the Met.
Alan Gordon
Executive Director,
American Guild of Musical Artists, A.F.L.-C.I.O.
New York City
As a longtime opera
buff and a subscriber to the Met, I was stunned to learn the extent of the
institution’s financial problems. The Met’s operating deficits are so immense
that its assets must be pledged to fund them. Gelb’s new “brilliant directors,”
as he has called them, have resulted in controversial productions, unhappy
opera goers, and a decline in attendance. Opera is primarily a musical genre,
and the art form as we know it today is the product of composers like Mozart,
Verdi, and Wagner, who had keen theatrical sensibilities. Productions by
directors who do not understand the scores, and who seek to reinterpret the
story lines, may get good press coverage but do not age well. For a repertory
company like the Met, the goal should be to put on productions that enhance the
musical experience rather than detract from it. I hope that Gelb goes before
the Chagall murals do.
Franklin Bloomer
Riverside, Conn.
I thought these
letters were excellent examples as to the variety of ideas, thoughts and
opinions out there regarding the very challenges art directors, managers and
theaters often have to face, when introducing new trends and ideas into a
theatrical landscape that doesn't always appreciate change. Particularly change
that costs a substantial amount of money to produce.
As an artist, I feel
art (particularly evocative, aesthetically thought provoking art) should take
precedence above the cost and above the masses ideas of what is commercially
relevant and/or desirable. Probably why I am not the artistic director of a
commercial theater (nor would I desire that role)! That being said, what is
your opinion? Should art directors/ theater(s) take the risk, presenting new
art forms, theatrical conventions and plays if that means losing a majority of
your mainstream traditional audience?
The question: "To
be or not to be?" That is, should art directors be true (to the aesthetic)
to the quality of art being presented, rather than simply serving commercial trends
and financial dividends?
Should the art
director risk (at all costs) in order to bring to the theater (the stage) and a
wider audience something thought provoking, vibrant and new? Keep in mind, by
doing so, and by being true and serving the new aesthetic, some theaters would
be at risk of losing traditionalists, the audience members who have been
consistently supportive both literally and financially (they purchase season
tickets and/or are the patrons/donors) of the theater.
Perhaps you are very
conservative in your opinion, and believe art directors (theaters) should play
it safe, (especially in difficult economic times). Then the new trends,
exploratory theater, plays and conventions (though an interesting idea and
concept) in the reality of fiscal costs and possible risk is best curtailed and
not to be. Although this opinion may not
be very appealing to the artist or the new and burgeoning director and
playwright, it is the decision that Art Directors of Commercial Theaters often
have to make today. They forego new ideas, conventions and trends, in order to
serve the mainstream audience and reliable customer (consumer and donor) who
for the most part, will continue to purchase tickets and donate money, as long
as the productions are traditional, conservative and conventional. Basically
what they are familiar with and accustomed to.
Then there is always
the middle ground, as was attempted by the New Birmingham Repertory Theater in
London. The newly hired art director (to appease the traditionalists and
attract a new audience) split the seasons in half. This could be and is an
applicable resolution to a much broader dilemma and question that many theaters
face today. The question being: How does a theater keep the traditional
(reliable) members that you have, while expanding and experimenting to attract a new audience, thus widening the
net to bring in much needed revenue?
If you were hired as
the artistic director of a commercial theater, you could use this method as a
template for your theater's repertoire. For example, during one season, you
could produce shows that appeal to the traditional palate (tastes) and
conservative audience, while during the next season you can expand and explore
by promoting more diverse and exploratory theatrical conventions.
You choose and respond
to the following question during the Discussion:
If you were the
artistic director of a commercial theater what would you do? Serve the
traditionalists, who have buttered your bread (so to speak) purchased seasonal
theater tickets, (though you have not drawn in a more versatile and
contemporary audience) or would you serve art, for art’s sake, forget about
conservative tradition, your theater is changing with technology (and with the
times) and will serve a new, exploratory theater?
Perhaps you would like
to play it safe, yet also explore. As art director, you can implement two
diverse seasons; one to fulfill the traditional, conservative trend, while
during the following season cast a wider net, breaking traditional rules. Keep
in mind, while doing so, that exploratory season can also turn off the
traditionalist audience in the process. By gaining a wider audience, you may
also lose the traditional conservative members who consistently show up and
support your theater. Either way, it's a gamble, you may win? But you also could
lose! Make a decision (as art director) and discuss why you think that is the
best way to move your theater forward.
I look forward to
reading your ideas and discussion.
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 7 Discussion
Exploring New Horizons
I want to place you in the director's seat!
Rather than give a prediction about where theater is headed in the future, I
want you to tell me where (in your opinion) should theater be headed?!
Knowing everything you know about past and
contemporary theater styles and trends, where (if you were director) would your
theater be headed? I want you to delve into the future, while considering
current trends and outcomes from the past (successful and/or unsuccessful). Use
the past to guide your direction, but don't get stuck there! Have an objective, create a
landscape/blueprint of a theater that you would like to merge beyond the past
and present into the future. What would your theater look like? What would you
incorporate from the past, what would you maintain from the contemporary and
how would you change to meet the demands of the future? Would you incorporate
the newest technology, music, social justice issues, trends? Consider musicals
like Hamilton, conceived and composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda who incorporates
Rap and/or Hip Hop music to move the narrative along. This is a play based on
American history and the life of Alexander Hamilton. In the past, this would
have been considered unheard of. Look at set designs from Frankenstein, that
premiered in London, and/or Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle directed by Cirque Dul
Soleil's Robert Lapage at the Met. In recent news, two Pulitzer Prize winners
are finally making their debut on Broadway this season. What makes this out of
the ordinary? Lynn Nottage and Paula Vogel are both women. Within this post, I
have included an article about the plight of women writing for the stage. I
recommend you peruse the article and see how you might address this plight in
your theater.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/theater/lynn-nottage-paula-vogel-broadway.htm
Perhaps, in your opinion, this isn't
terribly important. That is, diversity of voices and/or complex subject matters
being explored on stage. However, perhaps, in your opinion, a variety of voices
on stage does matter. Should only one perspective and paradigm be considered
when developing and/or exploring plays for the theater or should a variety of
diverse voices be included? Is theater a place for social justice issues to be
examined and explored?, Should Eco-Drama plays about the environment, such as
Sila by Canadian playwright Chantal Bilodeau be given a platform? Make a
decision, where do you stand? Don't be sedentary; be active. At least that is
what I am asking you to do in this week's discussion.
For those of you who want to remain
neutral, and don't feel too strongly and/or passionately about incorporating
social justice issues, environment and/or diverse voices onto the stage, I am
going to provide you with another option. Not that you don't care, but
entertainment, for the sheer pleasure and enjoyment of it, is where you want
your theater to go. I would like you to explore the following objectives for
your initial post:
If I walked into your theater company 10 -20
years from now, what would I see? Describe it, paint it, give me a landscape a
vision (your vision). Don't just tell me where you think theater is headed, I
want to know (as director) what is your conceptual design for the future (the
marriage and/or merge of art and technology) basically, what will your theater
look like architecturally inside and out?! Be creative, be in charge!
For this Discussion, you be the
trendsetters, discuss your vision, set a goal and paint a landscape; a
blueprint of your conceptual theater design! Will it be sensory, can I feel the
seats and earth move beneath my feet? Will water not only immerse the actors,
but the audience as well? You decide! As artistic director where do you want
your theater to go? Describe what that might look like, feel like, smell like,
sound like? If you want to stay traditional and you detest high technology and
futuristic trends, then by all means say so. What will your theater look like
in the future? Then tell me why? Why would you move your theater (as artistic
director) in that direction.
Finally, if you want to incorporate both
objectives within your theater design (architectural and social justice issues)
by all means do so! In fact, in my opinion, a theater should encompass both,
that is the visual and sensory experience and the message and issue the
playwright is trying to address and convey. Both matters to me, however, I
realize we are all different in our opinions, so you be the director. Tell us,
what is your vision; what is your paradigm and perspective?
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 8 Discussion
If All The World's A
Stage, Then Which Role Will You Play?
For the Final
Project, you have to select a role to
play in the production of Water by the Spoonful. Whether that is the role of an
actor, set and/or costume designer, director and/or administrator, you have to
decide what role best matches your skill set and/or interest. That being said,
I would like for you to share with the class which role you selected and why?
What about that specific role captivated your interest and drew your attention?
Then I would like you
to discuss why you feel that specific role you selected is important and/or
indispensable to the the production of Water by the Spoonful, but more
importantly why it is integral to the multi-dimensional and ever evolving world
of theater and the trans-formative theatrical stage?
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 1 Assignment
Write a Review
Your assignment for
this module is to watch a play or film of your choosing and write a review
answering
the four questions of
good criticism, similar to those posed by Julius Novick, a critic with The
Village
Voice, in Chapter 14,
pg. 469, of your textbook.
Each question should
merit at least one paragraph in response.
1. What is the work
trying to do? (This pertains to genre/style. Is it a comedy, drama, family
oriented, thriller,
etc.)
2. How well was it
done? (Again, you will expand your knowledge of theatrical techniques as the
course progresses. For
now, look at basic colors of design. Were they appropriate for the
genre? Was the script
engaging? Were the actors believable? Did they manage to create a
successful
comedy/drama/etc?)
3. Was it worth doing?
Use this question to consider your first, gut reaction to the production.
4. Why was it or
wasn’t it worth doing? (This question is tricky. Some pieces tackle a relevant
and/or important theme
or idea and, while the execution may not be top notch, it still offers a
platform for
discussion and reflection. It may offer no larger theme but was wildly
entertaining,
offering a lovely
retreat from the “drama” we face in our lives. How do we balance
entertainment and
ideas? Are they equally important? This is for you to decide.)
Make sure that you
support your answers with details from the play or film.
Submit this assignment
to the Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT of Module 1.
(This Assignment box
may be linked to Turnitin.)
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 2 Assignment
Monologue
For this module, you
are the actor! You will choose one of the monologues below from Water by
theSpoonful to memorize and perform. You will record this performance with your
digital camera, cellphone, web cam, etc. and place that recording in the
Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM
Video files tend to be
large, so upload times to the Assignment box will vary depending on your
Internetconnection speed. Before you submit your video, convert it to either a
.wmv, .mov, or .mp4 file asthese file types will be most readily viewable by
your instructor. There are many free video conversionsoftware packages
available on the Internet. Just search for, select, and download the one you
want touse and follow the instructions for converting videos. You may want to
compress your video as well. Likeconversion software, there are many free
compression software packages available on the Internet.
Haikumom’s Monologue,
p. 417
Haikumom:
Fountainhead, welcome to the dinner party. Granted, it’s a party we neverwanted
to be invited to, but pull up a chair and pass the salt. Some people here may
pourit in your wounds. Just like you, we’ve all crawled on the floor with a
flashlight. We’vethrown out the brillo and bought some more. But guess what?
You had three days. Forthree days straight, you didn’t try to kill yourself on
an hourly basis. Please. Talk to yourwife about your addiction. You need every
supporting resource. You are in for the fight ofyour life.
Chutes&Ladders
Monologue, p. 426 (cut for continuity)
Chutes&Ladders: I
have three grandsons. You know how I know that? Because I rang myson’s doorbell
one day. Step 9, make amends. And his wife answered, and I don’t blameher for
hating me. But I saw three little boys in that living room and one of those
boys said,“Daddy, who’s that man at the door?” And my son said to my grandson,
“I don’t know. Hemust be lost.” My son came outside, closed the door behind
him, exchanged a few cordialwords and then asked me to go. I had five years
sober until that day.
Chutes&Ladders
Monologue, p. 428Chutes&Ladders: (On the phone) Yeah, it’s a 1995 Tercel.
Midnight blue. It’s got a fewmiles. A hundred and twenty thousand. But like I
said, I’ll give it to you for three hundredbelow Kelley Blue Book. Yup,
automatic. Just got new brake pads. Cassette deck, mintcondition. I’ll even
throw in a few tapes. Tina Turner and Lionel Richie. Oh, hold on, callwaiting.
(He presses mute.
Sings to himself)
A tisket, a tasket.
A green and yellow
basket.
I bought a basket for
my mommy.
On the way I dropped
it.
Was it red? No no no
no!
Was it brown? No no no
no!
(Back into the phone)
Sorry about that. I got someone else interested. No, it’s alright. Ihave them
on hold. You need to see this thing tonight if you’re serious. I put this
listing upthirty minutes ago, my phone is ringing off the hook. 6:30? Hey, I
didn’t mention. Littlelady has racing stripes.
Yaz’s monologue, p.
432
Yaz: You know where I
was gonna be by thirty? Two kids. Equal-housework marriage.Tenure, no question.
Waaaaaay tenured, like by the age of twenty-four. Carnegie Halldebuts Yazmin
Ortiz’s “Oratorio for Electric Guitar and Children’s Choir.” I wrote a list on
apiece of paper and dug a hole in Fairmont Park and put it in the ground and
said, “When Iturn thirty, I’ll dig you up and croos it all off.” And I promise
you I’ll never have thecourage to go to that spot with a shovel and face my
list full of crumbs, decoys, andbandaids.
Assignment Guidelines:
Once you have
memorized the monologue, you are ready to perform it. Since you will have read
the play,you should have an understanding of who these people are. Remember to
ask yourself “Who?” “Why?”and “How?” for overall meaning and “What?” “Why?” and
“How?” for every action you perform. Will youuse an internal or external
approach? Is there any subtext in your monologue?
You will be graded on
the following criteria:
Projection/diction:
Could your instructor hear and understand you? Were you speaking tooquickly or
too slowly?
Emotional connection:
Did you perform the piece or just recite it?
Familiarity: Did you
maintain “eye contact” with the recording device? Did you stumble forwords?
Were there unnecessarily long pauses?
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 3 Assignment
Create a director’s
concept for Joe Turner’s Come and Gone using the seven elements outlined in the
previous slides: themes, mood/atmosphere, overall look, character, virtual
space, language/symbols, and time period. How do you envision the world of
Seth’s boardinghouse?
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 4 Assignment
You will write a
three-page play with the following criteria:
Use only two
characters. Make sure the protagonist/antagonist relationship is clear. With
only two characters, this should be easy to do.
Follow PASTO. Make
sure every element is represented.
Use 12-point font, one
inch margins on all sides, and double-space (publisher’s format, like the plays
in your text).
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 5 Assignment
Design on a Dime
For this assignment,
you are the designer!
A costume is an
extension of the character and often our first look at who they are. Costumers
mustaddress the needs of the performer as well as the needs of the production.
Sometimes, costumers haveunlimited resources at their disposal, and other times
they have very little to work with. You have $5 andyour imagination.
You must create a
costume for one of the characters we have encountered in the plays we have
readduring this course. You may spend no more than $5 and you must account for
every penny of those fivedollars. You must also account for every item you
wear, listing where you found it (borrowed, your owncloset, purchased, etc.)
and how much you spent.
You must address:
– Clothing
– Shoes
– Hair
– Accessories (if any)
You must have a reason
for choosing each piece. Remember, you must account for everything you wear
(where it came from
and how much it cost, if anything). You could very well accomplish this without
spending a dime.
You will write and
submit a paper addressing the following:
1. State the
character/play you are designing a costume for and why you chose this
particularcharacter.
2. Discuss how you
obtained each piece of clothing and each accessory, detailing how much youspent
on each piece, if anything.
3. Explain why you
chose each piece of clothing and accessory. How do these pieces
communicatecharacter? What do they say about this person?
You must include a
photo of yourself or someone you know wearing your creation. Your instructor
needsto see your design in order to evaluate it. You may embed it in the text
of your paper or attach it as aseparate file when you submit the paper to the
Assignment box.
Your instructor will
be looking for how well your costumes communicate character and how innovative
youare with your budget. Be careful about brand names and logos. Nike may not
be appropriate for SethHolly as the play takes place before Nike existed. Find
creative solutions for masking such things. Tryyour best to come up with a
costume that is production ready. The more production ready your costumeis, the
higher your grade will be.
Submit this assignment
to the Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT. (ThisAssignment
box may be linked to Turnitin.)
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 6 Assignment
Read And the Soul
Shall Dance (pages 220-248 in your textbook) and develop a marketing strategy
for a production in your town/city. While a dollar figure is not given,
consider that your marketing campaign has a modest budget.
You will write a proposal
addressing the following:
How you plan to get
the word out.
Who your audience
is/will be. (What is your area like? Are there a lot of theatre goers to
attract or are you going to have to sell the idea of going to theatre in
addition to selling the production?)
What kind of marketing
materials do you anticipate and what do you envision for their design? (You
need not create a poster but you must describe what you think the marketing
materials should look like.)
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 7 Assignment
Predicting trends in
the theatre is the work of theatre artists the world over. While their first
and foremost concern is with self-expression, all theatre practitioners want to
work on the forefront of the field.
For this assignment,
you will answer this question: Where is the theatre headed?
Consider the past and
the present to paint a picture of where the theatre might find itself in the
future. Use the rubric for the QEP assignment as a means of organizing your
assignment, a trial run for next module’s assignment so to speak. Click here to
download the rubric.
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Module 8 Assignment
Instructions: Suppose
that Saint Leo University was considering doing away with all theatre
classes,even for non-English majors. (This is not really under consideration,
thank goodness! This scenario ishypothetical.)
Your assignment is to
write a letter to the President and Board of Trustees outlining the benefits
ofstudying theatre, keeping our core values in mind. What have you learned
about the theatre this term thatcould help you communicate the value of this
ancient art form? How can you apply some of the skills ofthis craft to other
areas of your life/career? How does participation in and patronage of the
theatre reflectour core values? This is a persuasive piece, so make sure you
support your claims with thoughtful details.
The paper must be:
? Double-spaced
? In 12-point font
? Between 500 and 1000
words
While this is a
letter, it should reflect standard essay form with consideration to purpose,
question atissue, assumptions, etc. See the rubric on the next page for grading
criteria (worth up to 100 points).
Submit this assignment
to the Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT of Module 8.
(This Assignment box
may be linked to Turnitin.)
“The drama is not dead
but liveth, and contains the germs of better things.”
FAS110 Living the Theatre
Final Project
The project will be
based on Water by the Spoonful (pages 403-435 in your textbook.) You will
chooseone of the following jobs to fulfill: director,
actor, designer, or administrator.
Below are complete
guidelines for each job. Remember, choose something that plays to your skill
set or
to skills that you
wish to improve upon. If you have absolutely no ability to draw, you may still
be able to
design a costume
through a collage rendering. Do not let your inexperience discourage you from
trying
something new!
Director
Your job is to write a
director’s concept for Water by the Spoonful addressing the following questions:
? What themes are
present in Water by the Spoonful? How do you plan to highlight those themes?
? What is the
mood/atmosphere of this piece? How do you plan to create that mood/atmosphere?
? What artifacts in
the characters’ lives might be part of the physical environment? In what ways
is
the environment
personalized? Is one character’s point of view more important than another’s in
determining the
details of the physical environment? Does someone seem to own or dominate
the space?
? What are the basic
actions of the characters in the play? What are the necessary entrances and
exits and the physical
actions that the stage space must accommodate and support? What
importance will you
give to the online portions of the play? How will you direct your designers to
tackle the online
world of the play?
The paper must be:
? Double-spaced
? In 12-point font
? Between 500 and 1000
words
Submit this assignment
to the Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT of Module 8.
(This Assignment box
may be linked to Turnitin.)
Actor
You will choose one of
the monologues on the next page to memorize and perform. You will record this
performance with your
digital camera, cell phone, web cam, etc. and place that recording in the
Assignment box.
Video files tend to be
large, so upload times to the Assignment box will vary depending on your
Internet
connection speed.
Before you submit your video, convert it to either a .wmv or .mov file as these
file
types will be most
readily viewable by your instructor. There are many free video conversion
software
packages available on
the Internet. Just search for, select, and download the one you want to use and
follow the
instructions for converting videos. You may want to compress your video as well.
Like
conversion software,
there are many free compression software packages available on the Internet.
You may choose from
the following monologues from Water by the Spoonful:
Elliot’s Monologue, p.
404 (cut for continuity’s sake)
Yaz, you gotta help me
with my mom.
She cooked breakfast.
The docs said she
can’t be eating all that junk, it’ll mess with her chemo, so she crawls out
of bed for the first
time in days and cooks eggs for breakfast. In two inches of pork chop
fat. I’m like, mom,
recycle glass and plastic, not grease. She thinks putting the egg on top
of a paper towel after
you cook it makes it healthy. I told her, mom you gotta cook egg
whites. In Pam spray.
But it has to be her way. Like, “That’s how we ate them in Puerto
Rico and we turned out
fine.” You gotta talk to her. I’m trying to teach her about quinoa.
Broccoli rabe. So I
get home the other day, she had made quinoa with bacon. She was like,
“It’s healthy!”
I gave those eggs to
the dogs when she went to the bathroom.
or
Yaz’s monologue, p.
413 (cut for continuity’s sake)
They should have a
frequent flower card. They punch a hole. Buy nine funeral bouquets,
get the tenth free.
We’d be living in a house full of lilies. Look at that guy. Arranging his
daisies like little
treasures. What do you think it’s like to be him? To be normal?
I bet his family
funerals are rare occasions. I bet he’s never seen a cousin get arrested. Let
alone one under the
age of eighteen. I bet he never saw his eight-year-old cousin sipping
rum through a twisty
straw or…I just remembered this time cousin Maria was babysitting
me…
I was dyeing her hair.
I had never dyed hair before so I asked her to read me the next step
and she handed me the
box and said, “You read it.” And I said, “My rubber gloves are
covered in toxic goop,
I can’t really hold that right now.” And so she held it in front of my
eyes and said, “You
gonna have to read it.”
I said, “But you
graduated from high school.” She sad, “They just pass you, I just stood in
the back.” I was in
fourth grade. I could read!
You must also submit a
character analysis of your character that addresses the questions provided for
character analysis in
your textbook on page 479.
NOTE: Sometimes you
have to fill in the gaps; the playwright may not give you all of the
information.
The analysis must be
double-spaced and in 12-point font.
Submit the video and
analysis as separate files to the Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM
EST/EDT of Module 8.
(This Assignment box may be linked to Turnitin.)
Designer
If you choose to play
the role of the designer, you may choose between sets or costumes. Whether you
choose sets or
costumes, you must submit a written design concept for Water by the Spoonful in
addition
to a rendering that
visually communicates your idea.
Set Design
Your concept should
address the following:
1. How does the
playwright describe the setting? How do you see the world of the play? Are
there any major
differences between what you envision and what the playwright set
forth?
2. What seems to be
the impact of the online world on the different characters? How
important is it in
their lives? In what ways does it limit them? What makes it a comfortable
environment? What
changes when the characters leave the online world for the physical
world?
3. What specific area
of the non-online, physical world are most important to the play? What
are the parts of these
places that need to be seen onstage by the audience? Since there
are so many scene
changes, how do you imagine changing from one location to another?
Your rendering can
either be hand-drawn by you (you will need to scan it if so) or you may create
a PowerPoint that
incorporates research for your set design. Include exterior and interior
pictures
of buildings that give
the feeling of the places in Water by the Spoonful suggested by the script
and that fit your
concept. Make sure you list your sources!
The design concept
must be double-spaced and in 12-point font.
Submit the written
concept and the rendering or PowerPoint to the Assignment box no later than
Sunday 11:59 PM
EST/EDT of Module 8. (This Assignment box may be linked to Turnitin.)
Costume Design
If you choose to be
the costume designer, you must design a costume for either Odessa, Yaz, or
Elliot. You will turn
in a rendering or PowerPoint and a written design concept that addresses the
following:
1. What symbols are
associated with the character?
2. What time period do
the costumes come from?
3. What color (s)
might represent the life of this character? Are specific colors called for in
the script?
4. Do they cover or
hide themselves in their clothes or do they dress to impress? How do
think the characters
feel about what they wear?
Your rendering can
either be hand-drawn by you (you will need to scan it if so) or you may create
a PowerPoint that incorporates
research for your costume design. Include photos of fabric
swatches, accessories,
and period clothing that you feel would be appropriate for your character.
Make sure you list
your sources!
The design concept
must be double-spaced and in 12-point font
Submit the written
concept and the rendering or PowerPoint to the Assignment box no later than
Sunday 11:59 PM
EST/EDT of Module 8. (This Assignment box may be linked to Turnitin.)
Administrator
If you choose to act
as the marketing director (administrator) for the final project, you will be
required to
create a marketing
plan that will require you to:
1. Brand your
“production”
? Create a poster
design for the show. Must include information about the show and some eye
catching graphics.
? Keep the graphics
and fonts consistent from the poster to the program.
? Must turn in a copy
on the day of the final.
2. Create a concept
for the lobby. Often, productions concoct some sort of lobby display to extend
the
environment outside of
the theatre. What would suggest that might help set the mood and extend the
environment beyond the
theatre?
3. Consider how you
would market the event aside from the posters. Any interesting ideas? Would you
include radio spots,
social media, public appearances? How might you get the word out to your
target audience?
This must be contained
in a written Word document. You may attach the poster separately if you wish.
Poster files may be in
Microsoft Publisher or Word; JPEG; or PDF.
The marketing plan
must be double-spaced and in 12-point font.
Submit the marketing
plan to the Assignment box no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT of Module
8. (This Assignment
box may be linked to Turnitin.)
