This class and the semester are coming to an end and I can honestly say that I’m not at the same place I was when I started. I have learned the basics of theater and developed a more broad understanding for art in general. I have slowly developed knowledge and skills that were interesting and I’m confident will prove useful in everyday life outside of theater. Along with my knowledge and understanding I have developed a greater appreciation for an art that I knew nothing about.
After taking this course and traveling through “the world of theater” as you put it, I have most certainly changed my view. I have never been interested in theater before and I think part of that is because I never really gave it a chance. I continually learned more about it throughout the course of the class and through discussion posts and research, but I don’t think I had a full grasp on it until I went to go see a live show. Reading about something is one thing, but experiencing it is another. I learned to respect theater much more once I experienced the full effects of it. I was able to realize after seeing a show the extent to which theater is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an art form. It is an experience that you cannot get from simply reading play.
The most memorable concept of the class was the relationships that I learned between theater and my own life. If you were to ask me before I signed up for this coarse how theater related to my life I would have told you that it didn’t relate in any way. Now I realize how wrong I would have been. Through reading and answering discussion topics I have learned of all kinds of ways in which theater relates and even effects my life on a day-to-day basis. I play different roles in my life, as does everyone and this class has helped me realize that life is one big stage, and we are all just playing our parts. From the clothes we wear everyday, to the way we carry ourselves, we are projecting an image of the character we want to play on to the world. Being part of this class has helped me realize how important theater, and art in general is. We can learn so much from experiencing and practicing it know matter what our future goals are.
My views about theater and art have most certainly changed through the course of this class but it has also taught me about more than just theater. When I first logged into this class on webct I noticed that everything was due May 7th. I also read about how you suggested we use our time wisely and keep up with the course but as the chronic procrastinator that I am, I didn’t heed your warning and I waited way too long to start my work. I thought that I could get it all done in no time at all so I wasn’t all that worried about it. When I finally did get started I realized how time consuming it was going to be, and noticed the amount of effort that I was inevitably going to have to put into it. I found myself spending hours on end trying to catch up with the work that I could have so easily spent minimal time on per week and saved myself all the stress, but hey, I guess that’s part of the learning process. From now on, because of this course I will actively try to procrastinate less and utilize my time more wisely. This also showed me the amount that I can accomplish if I put my mind to it, which is another great lesson that this class has taught me.
Overall this class has been an overwhelming surprise to me on many different levels. Going into it I didn’t expect to learn much and especially didn’t expect to change my views on art and even life. Not knowing much about theater when I started, I had a lot of room to grow and learn and I believe that I have definitely done that. The discussion boards helped me learn about theater in an environment where I felt that I was learning right along side of other people just like me, much like a regular class that isn’t online. I think that this was one of the biggest helps in my learning process. I definitely don’t regret taking this class and I would recommend it to anyone who asked. I have a newfound respect for theater and art, and the knowledge and know how to go with it. I can now walk confidently in the world of theater knowing that I have experienced it and I will be a better person because of it.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Relating Theater to My Major
Theater can be connected with all facets of life. One way is to make connections with the major I have chosen to pursue throughout my college career. My major is Entrepreneurship and Management through the college of business. At first glance it may be hard to see the similarities but if one looks deep enough you can find necessary business skills, practices, and methods that can all be taught or learned through the art of theater.
Connecting theater to my career choice or specific field that I want to work in is difficult because I am not sure of what I plan to do when I graduate. This is part of the appeal for getting a business major for me because it is very broad and there are a lot of options in that area. I like to work with my hands and I see myself being my own boss some day so perhaps I will open my own business at some point. The road to getting to that point, and once I do can all be connected with theater. In becoming a business man at some point I will have to present myself and my ideas, either in a job interview, a loan office, or to potential clients, and when I do skills and knowledge learned in theater will be a very useful tool in doing so. Being able to sell my idea to someone is much like a theater performer trying to sell their act to the audience. In both cases you are really just trying to communicate an idea in a way that people will like it. Depending on what part of theater you are involved in there are many other ways that theater can relate to business. Play writers are very creative and obviously are good writers, and being a good writer is a very useful skill to have in business. When trying to start your own business you need to come up with a detailed business plan and it would help to be creative and to have it well written so people would want to invest in your company which is a skill that can be honed by writing plays and working in theater. Even skills learned as a set designer could be useful depending on the line of work I decide to get into. If I opened a restaurant for example, it would help to have an idea of how to lay out the restaurant so that it is appealing for customers. The inside of the restaurant, from the lighting, to the scenery, to the comfort of the seats all add to the experience of a nice night out just like those things make all the difference at a play as well. As a director you need leadership skills and ambition to be able to lead a group of people towards a common goal, which are also great qualities to be found in someone pursuing business.
Business is an industry wear, to get your foot in the door, it is all about how people view you and their first impressions of you. A suit to a business man is like a costume to a theater performer, both of which give their audience an immediate impression to their character. Whether you use improv skills to think on your feet in a job interview, or you use design skills later on in your own business or for the company you work for, the connections between the business world and the world of theater are endless. Theater has proved itself to be a useful way to learn and practice skills needed in all aspects of life to be successful person. One way or another, no matter what I decide to do with my major, possessing knowledge about theater I’m sure will prove useful in the career future that I see for myself.
Connecting theater to my career choice or specific field that I want to work in is difficult because I am not sure of what I plan to do when I graduate. This is part of the appeal for getting a business major for me because it is very broad and there are a lot of options in that area. I like to work with my hands and I see myself being my own boss some day so perhaps I will open my own business at some point. The road to getting to that point, and once I do can all be connected with theater. In becoming a business man at some point I will have to present myself and my ideas, either in a job interview, a loan office, or to potential clients, and when I do skills and knowledge learned in theater will be a very useful tool in doing so. Being able to sell my idea to someone is much like a theater performer trying to sell their act to the audience. In both cases you are really just trying to communicate an idea in a way that people will like it. Depending on what part of theater you are involved in there are many other ways that theater can relate to business. Play writers are very creative and obviously are good writers, and being a good writer is a very useful skill to have in business. When trying to start your own business you need to come up with a detailed business plan and it would help to be creative and to have it well written so people would want to invest in your company which is a skill that can be honed by writing plays and working in theater. Even skills learned as a set designer could be useful depending on the line of work I decide to get into. If I opened a restaurant for example, it would help to have an idea of how to lay out the restaurant so that it is appealing for customers. The inside of the restaurant, from the lighting, to the scenery, to the comfort of the seats all add to the experience of a nice night out just like those things make all the difference at a play as well. As a director you need leadership skills and ambition to be able to lead a group of people towards a common goal, which are also great qualities to be found in someone pursuing business.
Business is an industry wear, to get your foot in the door, it is all about how people view you and their first impressions of you. A suit to a business man is like a costume to a theater performer, both of which give their audience an immediate impression to their character. Whether you use improv skills to think on your feet in a job interview, or you use design skills later on in your own business or for the company you work for, the connections between the business world and the world of theater are endless. Theater has proved itself to be a useful way to learn and practice skills needed in all aspects of life to be successful person. One way or another, no matter what I decide to do with my major, possessing knowledge about theater I’m sure will prove useful in the career future that I see for myself.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Theater Profile
The construction of The Goodman Theatre in Chicago Illinois began in November of 1922because of a hefty contribution to the Art Institute of Chicago of $250,000 from William and Erna Goodman for the theatre to be built in honor of their son Kenneth Sawyer Goodman who died of influenza in 1918 at the age of 35. The doors of the Goodman Theatre opened on October 20, 1925 and as a dedication ceremony three of Kenneth Sawyer’s plays were presented. After the opening of the theatre, the Goodman school of drama increased its good reputation over the next 27 years and graduated many famous and gifted theater artists such as Karl Malden, Sam Wanamaker, Geraldine Page, Shelley Berman, Harvey Korman, Jose Quintero, Linda Hunt, and Joe Mantegna. The Goodman Theatre has received numerous awards, the most prestigious of which is winning the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater in 1992 and being named the Best Regional Theater in the United States by Time magazine in 2003. In the last decade alone they have won 11 Tony Awards, 12 Drama Desk Awards, 25 Jeff Awards and over 30 honors for theater excellence. The Goodman Theatre produces a wide range of works from classic to contemporary. Their wide variety of theater artists gives them a collective of different visions and viewpoints which seems to be one of their main emphases. The Goodman Theatre follows three basic guidelines for success; quality, diversity, and community which seems to have worked given their credentials.
Goodman offers internships for anyone pursuing a job in theater and offers positions in Casting, Costumes, Development, Education & Community Engagement, Literary Management & Dramaturgy, Marketing/PR/Publicity, Production Management, Scenery/Props, Sound, Stage Management and Video Production. Their internships offer opportunity for a very wide variety of interests in theater and related fields. I chose to write about Goodman because of the many education programs that they offer for free. These programs include the Student Subscription Series, Cindy Bandle Young Critics, CONTEXT, General Theater Studies, and Teacher Intensives. The Student Subscription Series helps students learn more about theater both in and outside of the classroom. Students attend matinee performances in which teachers supplement training workshops. Also students receive scripts and study guides for all the shows they attend and get to meet the cast members. The Cindy Bandle Young Critics program offers press passes to all the Goodman productions as well as one on one time with a professional journalist. They write reviews and get to interview directors and cast members after the shows. The CONTEXT program offers a public debate and discussion about theater. General Theater Studies is a program for 14 to 19 year old students to help them realize their own potential as well as learn about theater while focusing on critical thinking, and storytelling in a six week summer course. Finally the Teacher Intensives program shows teachers how to use theater and art to help teach everything in their curriculum from math, to science, to history.
Overall the Goodman Theatre appealed to me because of their admiration to make their theater the main cultural force in Chicago and to diversify their community as well as coordinating theatrical events with people all around the world. Goodman realizes the importance of theater in communities and is constantly trying to expand their horizons while teaching others the joy of theater. "I believe we—like the undeniably global city we live in—must spread our wings to become a truly international cultural force...to challenge, inspire and delight communities across the world the same way we do Chicago audiences." -Robert Falls, Goodman Theatre Artistic Director. Goodman is the biggest and oldest not for profit theatre in Chicago and continues to make strides towards innovation.
Goodman offers internships for anyone pursuing a job in theater and offers positions in Casting, Costumes, Development, Education & Community Engagement, Literary Management & Dramaturgy, Marketing/PR/Publicity, Production Management, Scenery/Props, Sound, Stage Management and Video Production. Their internships offer opportunity for a very wide variety of interests in theater and related fields. I chose to write about Goodman because of the many education programs that they offer for free. These programs include the Student Subscription Series, Cindy Bandle Young Critics, CONTEXT, General Theater Studies, and Teacher Intensives. The Student Subscription Series helps students learn more about theater both in and outside of the classroom. Students attend matinee performances in which teachers supplement training workshops. Also students receive scripts and study guides for all the shows they attend and get to meet the cast members. The Cindy Bandle Young Critics program offers press passes to all the Goodman productions as well as one on one time with a professional journalist. They write reviews and get to interview directors and cast members after the shows. The CONTEXT program offers a public debate and discussion about theater. General Theater Studies is a program for 14 to 19 year old students to help them realize their own potential as well as learn about theater while focusing on critical thinking, and storytelling in a six week summer course. Finally the Teacher Intensives program shows teachers how to use theater and art to help teach everything in their curriculum from math, to science, to history.
Overall the Goodman Theatre appealed to me because of their admiration to make their theater the main cultural force in Chicago and to diversify their community as well as coordinating theatrical events with people all around the world. Goodman realizes the importance of theater in communities and is constantly trying to expand their horizons while teaching others the joy of theater. "I believe we—like the undeniably global city we live in—must spread our wings to become a truly international cultural force...to challenge, inspire and delight communities across the world the same way we do Chicago audiences." -Robert Falls, Goodman Theatre Artistic Director. Goodman is the biggest and oldest not for profit theatre in Chicago and continues to make strides towards innovation.
Broadway
Broadway is the longest street in New York City which is the setting for some of the best theatrical productions in the world. Broadway runs through downtown Manhattan connecting Manhattan with the Bronx. The term the “Great White Way” is often used and refers to the 36 theaters that are between West 41st and 53rd streets in New York City. Theatres on Broadway date back as far as the early 1800s. Broadway has become a symbol for theater entertainment and theater culture throughout the world. Broadway is a huge part of tourism in New York and brings in tons of gross profit to the theater community. In the 2008-2009 season there were 12.15 million tickets sold which led to a $943 million gross profit. Every year awards are given out for Broadway shows. These awards are called the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, named after the co founder of the American Theatre Wing, but most people know them as the Tony Awards. The Tony Awards are considered the most prestigious award in theater and can be compared to the Academy Awards for motion pictures. There are 26 different award categories, some of which include best play, best musical, best performance by leading actor in a play as well as three different special categories which are regional theatre tony award, special tony award, and tony honors for excellence in theatre award.
There are many exciting Broadway production going on right now. Some of the hottest shows right now include Wicked, The Addams Family, Chicago, Memphis, Promises Promises, Million Dollar Quartet, Come Fly Away, The Lion King, Avenue Q, and Blue Man Group. After looking online for only a few minutes I realized how easy it is to purchase tickets to any of these shows. There are a variety of websites selling them including www.broadway.com. Although I have never seen a Broadway production yet, I would love to. I am interested in some of the plays that were originally movies which would give me an idea of what the play would be about and have something to compare it to. I am also interested in seeing how well they are able to adapt a movie into a play. Plays like Wicked, Spiderman- Turn off the dark, and The Lion King are some that are in that category. I think that The Lion King would be one that I am most interested in because I think it would be especially tough to bring animated animal characters to life with actors on stage and I am interested in seeing how well they pull it off. The director and costume designer of The Lion King is Julie Taymor, along with set designer Richard Hudson, lighting designer Donald Holder, sound designer Tony Meola, and choreographer Garth Fagan. These members of the team along with the writers of the book Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, lyrics by Tim Rice, and music by Elton John, help bring the whole performance together.
The Phantom of the Opera was originally a book written by a French writer by the name of Gaston Leroux but didn’t see any success until it was adapted into a play and is now the longest running show on Broadway history which premiered on January 9, 1988 and is still running to this day. The play has been shown an impressive 9,251 times. The second longest running show on Broadway was Cats which premiered on September 23, 1982 and closed September 10, 2000 with an impressive 7,485 showings. Although these two have been running the longest they don’t hold the title for the most awards received. That title goes to the musical The Producers which won 12 awards including best musical.
There are many exciting Broadway production going on right now. Some of the hottest shows right now include Wicked, The Addams Family, Chicago, Memphis, Promises Promises, Million Dollar Quartet, Come Fly Away, The Lion King, Avenue Q, and Blue Man Group. After looking online for only a few minutes I realized how easy it is to purchase tickets to any of these shows. There are a variety of websites selling them including www.broadway.com. Although I have never seen a Broadway production yet, I would love to. I am interested in some of the plays that were originally movies which would give me an idea of what the play would be about and have something to compare it to. I am also interested in seeing how well they are able to adapt a movie into a play. Plays like Wicked, Spiderman- Turn off the dark, and The Lion King are some that are in that category. I think that The Lion King would be one that I am most interested in because I think it would be especially tough to bring animated animal characters to life with actors on stage and I am interested in seeing how well they pull it off. The director and costume designer of The Lion King is Julie Taymor, along with set designer Richard Hudson, lighting designer Donald Holder, sound designer Tony Meola, and choreographer Garth Fagan. These members of the team along with the writers of the book Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, lyrics by Tim Rice, and music by Elton John, help bring the whole performance together.
The Phantom of the Opera was originally a book written by a French writer by the name of Gaston Leroux but didn’t see any success until it was adapted into a play and is now the longest running show on Broadway history which premiered on January 9, 1988 and is still running to this day. The play has been shown an impressive 9,251 times. The second longest running show on Broadway was Cats which premiered on September 23, 1982 and closed September 10, 2000 with an impressive 7,485 showings. Although these two have been running the longest they don’t hold the title for the most awards received. That title goes to the musical The Producers which won 12 awards including best musical.
Relate Theater to your Life
When I first signed up for this course I wasn’t that interested in theater and I definitely didn’t think that it would relate to any of my interests. Now that it is coming towards the end of the semester and I have a wealth of theatrical knowledge under my belt, I have realized that there are more comparisons to my everyday life and passions than I thought were possible. I have been able to find connections with movies, sports, people watching, and everyday interaction with people. All of the knowledge that I have acquired in conjunction with the noticed connections to everyday life provide useful skills whether or not I decide to be involved with theater.
Movies were the immediate connection that I made to my life. I am extremely passionate about film and can appreciate movies of all varieties. When watching a movie for the first time I noticed that I analyze it much the same way that I do with plays or musicals, and many works of theater are either later made into movies or were created based on a previously existing movie which made for an easy transition for me. In movies the set design, lighting, costumes, and acting are all key factors in whether or not it is enjoyable, along with the writing of course.
Being an athlete and avid sports fan I slowly was able to find connections that were relevant to theater. The biggest connection that I have noticed is the crowd or audience and overall environment. In both cases, either going to see a play or going to a sporting event, these two things are a big factor in whether or not it is an enjoyable time. At a play, the crowd is interactive with the performers on stage which, depending on the level of interaction can make or break the show. The same goes with attending a sporting event. The behavior of the crowd is obviously different but they add to the environment in both cases. If you went to a sporting event or theatrical performance and you were the only one there it wouldn’t have nearly the same effect. Overall environment is also a factor. At a theater people look for the quality of the theater, friendly staff, well organized and thousands of little things that can add to the overall performance. As in sports, environment is a big issue also. One is weather if you are attending a sporting event outside. For example, if you attend a baseball game in the summer, you hope for a beautiful sunny day so you can eat your hot dog, drink a beer, and thoroughly enjoy the game. Whereas if you attend a football game, people accept the fact that the weather isn’t nearly as nice during football season, so tailgating and sitting in the freezing cold is just showing dedication to your team and can even add to the overall experience.
I have noticed theater and improvisation all around me on campus and everywhere I go on a day to day basis. I think that if most people paid attention to people that they would find connections also. If you sit on bench in the oak grove you can see elements of theater in everyone that walks past. By the way that they walk to the clothes or “costumes” that they are wearing, people are trying to make an impression and trying to reflect their personality to everyone around them. Just like in theater where your costume and stage presence give the audience an immediate first impression of the character in the play. Even talking to strangers is a form of improv. Being able to think on your feet and simply hold a conversation with someone a prime example of a skill that is useful in theater and in real life that we take for granted.
There are endless possibilities to relating theater to your life and you don’t have to be a theater major to make the connections. If you pay attention and look around many aspects of life are comparable to theater. I think that the skills and ideas that I have been learning will prove to be useful later on in all aspects of life.
Movies were the immediate connection that I made to my life. I am extremely passionate about film and can appreciate movies of all varieties. When watching a movie for the first time I noticed that I analyze it much the same way that I do with plays or musicals, and many works of theater are either later made into movies or were created based on a previously existing movie which made for an easy transition for me. In movies the set design, lighting, costumes, and acting are all key factors in whether or not it is enjoyable, along with the writing of course.
Being an athlete and avid sports fan I slowly was able to find connections that were relevant to theater. The biggest connection that I have noticed is the crowd or audience and overall environment. In both cases, either going to see a play or going to a sporting event, these two things are a big factor in whether or not it is an enjoyable time. At a play, the crowd is interactive with the performers on stage which, depending on the level of interaction can make or break the show. The same goes with attending a sporting event. The behavior of the crowd is obviously different but they add to the environment in both cases. If you went to a sporting event or theatrical performance and you were the only one there it wouldn’t have nearly the same effect. Overall environment is also a factor. At a theater people look for the quality of the theater, friendly staff, well organized and thousands of little things that can add to the overall performance. As in sports, environment is a big issue also. One is weather if you are attending a sporting event outside. For example, if you attend a baseball game in the summer, you hope for a beautiful sunny day so you can eat your hot dog, drink a beer, and thoroughly enjoy the game. Whereas if you attend a football game, people accept the fact that the weather isn’t nearly as nice during football season, so tailgating and sitting in the freezing cold is just showing dedication to your team and can even add to the overall experience.
I have noticed theater and improvisation all around me on campus and everywhere I go on a day to day basis. I think that if most people paid attention to people that they would find connections also. If you sit on bench in the oak grove you can see elements of theater in everyone that walks past. By the way that they walk to the clothes or “costumes” that they are wearing, people are trying to make an impression and trying to reflect their personality to everyone around them. Just like in theater where your costume and stage presence give the audience an immediate first impression of the character in the play. Even talking to strangers is a form of improv. Being able to think on your feet and simply hold a conversation with someone a prime example of a skill that is useful in theater and in real life that we take for granted.
There are endless possibilities to relating theater to your life and you don’t have to be a theater major to make the connections. If you pay attention and look around many aspects of life are comparable to theater. I think that the skills and ideas that I have been learning will prove to be useful later on in all aspects of life.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Play Review
A Servant to Two Masters
After going to see A Servant to Two Masters on campus I was thoroughly impressed. The acting was outstanding and kept me interested and laughing the whole way through. The actors seemed very comfortable in their roles and they seemed to know their lines inside and out which made it very believable and not like they were constantly thinking of what to say next. No one character seemed to hog all the attention, although the play more or less revolves around the development of Truffaldino, he wasn’t the only character that grabbed my attention. All of the actors complemented each other’s performances very well.
This play was written as a comedy and in my opinion it was a prime example. Each character was very well developed and seemed like they could have been the star of their own play. My personal favorite was Truffaldino’s character. His style of comedy, and the way the actor executed it had me laughing the whole time. There was plenty of conflict and the overall plot was well developed.
Watching the way the play was directed was a real treat. The pace was just right. It seemed that every time the plot started to slow down, there was an interesting scene to grab my attention again. The choreography was very well done and interesting to watch. The way the actors carried themselves really brought life to their characters. The entire concept of the play was the most interesting part. Truffaldino, the most developed character, gave the audience a view of what can happen when you have too much on your plate. Because of his greed and selfishness he almost ended the lives of Beatrice and Florindo but in the end he gave himself up for the love of Smeraldina.
I was immediately impressed with the characters’ costumes, the lighting, and the set design of the play. I didn’t think that any of these things took away from the play itself; I simply noticed more detail because I was looking for it. The costumes gave me an immediate reaction to the personalities of the characters. Truffaldino dressed like a jester and Smeraldina with her tight fitting dress and bright red makeup were two that I think were done especially well. Along with their wardrobes, the use of the half faced masks really made the characters even more unique. The exaggerated facial expressions added to the overall personalities of their characters. Along with costumes the set was very well designed. The way the lines of the set were drawn gave the whole thing depth, which made it feel more 3 dimensional and it felt like you were in Venice with them. I was impressed with the simple and fast set changes gave different scenes a whole new feel. To add to the fantastic costume and set design, the lighting was the final touch on the whole thing. Although it was very simple, it set the mood for each scene. One scene in particular was the scene when Florindo and Beatrice were going to hang themselves. The shadows from the lighting really set the dark mood of the scene.
The overall feel of the show was very good. This was the first time I was in the theater in Waller and I was not disappointed. It was small which made the play seem more personal and I was close enough to really be able to critic the acting. With an I-Card the play only cost 8 dollars, and for 2 hours of amusement it was more than worth it. I was definitely impressed with the level of expertise that went into making a college show like this one. The audience was somewhat small but very interactive which affected the overall feel of the performance in a good way. I felt like the crowd was a real part of play. All in all I was more than impressed with everything about this play from the acting, to the directing, costumes and set, and the level of professionalism for a play in college. I wouldn’t hesitate to see another play here at IUP in the future.
After going to see A Servant to Two Masters on campus I was thoroughly impressed. The acting was outstanding and kept me interested and laughing the whole way through. The actors seemed very comfortable in their roles and they seemed to know their lines inside and out which made it very believable and not like they were constantly thinking of what to say next. No one character seemed to hog all the attention, although the play more or less revolves around the development of Truffaldino, he wasn’t the only character that grabbed my attention. All of the actors complemented each other’s performances very well.
This play was written as a comedy and in my opinion it was a prime example. Each character was very well developed and seemed like they could have been the star of their own play. My personal favorite was Truffaldino’s character. His style of comedy, and the way the actor executed it had me laughing the whole time. There was plenty of conflict and the overall plot was well developed.
Watching the way the play was directed was a real treat. The pace was just right. It seemed that every time the plot started to slow down, there was an interesting scene to grab my attention again. The choreography was very well done and interesting to watch. The way the actors carried themselves really brought life to their characters. The entire concept of the play was the most interesting part. Truffaldino, the most developed character, gave the audience a view of what can happen when you have too much on your plate. Because of his greed and selfishness he almost ended the lives of Beatrice and Florindo but in the end he gave himself up for the love of Smeraldina.
I was immediately impressed with the characters’ costumes, the lighting, and the set design of the play. I didn’t think that any of these things took away from the play itself; I simply noticed more detail because I was looking for it. The costumes gave me an immediate reaction to the personalities of the characters. Truffaldino dressed like a jester and Smeraldina with her tight fitting dress and bright red makeup were two that I think were done especially well. Along with their wardrobes, the use of the half faced masks really made the characters even more unique. The exaggerated facial expressions added to the overall personalities of their characters. Along with costumes the set was very well designed. The way the lines of the set were drawn gave the whole thing depth, which made it feel more 3 dimensional and it felt like you were in Venice with them. I was impressed with the simple and fast set changes gave different scenes a whole new feel. To add to the fantastic costume and set design, the lighting was the final touch on the whole thing. Although it was very simple, it set the mood for each scene. One scene in particular was the scene when Florindo and Beatrice were going to hang themselves. The shadows from the lighting really set the dark mood of the scene.
The overall feel of the show was very good. This was the first time I was in the theater in Waller and I was not disappointed. It was small which made the play seem more personal and I was close enough to really be able to critic the acting. With an I-Card the play only cost 8 dollars, and for 2 hours of amusement it was more than worth it. I was definitely impressed with the level of expertise that went into making a college show like this one. The audience was somewhat small but very interactive which affected the overall feel of the performance in a good way. I felt like the crowd was a real part of play. All in all I was more than impressed with everything about this play from the acting, to the directing, costumes and set, and the level of professionalism for a play in college. I wouldn’t hesitate to see another play here at IUP in the future.
Monday, April 12, 2010
"passion piece" on The Importance of Being Earnest
The play “The Importance of Being Earnest” was written by Oscar Wilde and first premiered in London in 1895 at the St. James’s Theatre. It was the last play that Oscar Wilde ever wrote and perhaps his most famous one. The play is written as a dry, intellectual comedy revolving around characters who make up alter identities in order to escape certain social obligations. The play is set in England during the late Victorian Era and is filled with witty dialogue and uses late Victorian society as an ironic basis for the impolite and unorthodox actions of the characters.
The two main characters in the play are Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff. Jack Worthing lives a double life as Jack in the country, and Earnest when he visits London. Jack claims to everyone at his place in the country that Earnest is his brother who lives a very scandalous lifestyle, and his excuse for leaving all the time is to get his brother Earnest out of trouble. In reality he is sneaking away to live the scandalous carefree life of his fictional brother in order to escape his responsibilities and obligations in his real life. Algernon, who is Earnest best friend in the city, tends to live somewhat of a double life also. Algernon calls people that live double lives “bunburyist” due to his made up friend Bunbury. Algernon uses his fictitious friend in much the same way Jack uses his fictitious brother. He is constantly claiming that he must visit him on his deathbed in order to get out of social obligations.
Act I is set in London in with Earnest and Algernon talking and Earnest proposing his love to Gwendolin, who is Algernon’s cousin. The scene goes on with Algernon confronting Earnest about his suspicious of his double life due to a cigarette box with the words “Uncle Jack” on it, meanwhile admitting his own double life. Gwendolin arrives and Earnest proposes and she seems to share his affection and goes on to say that she is obsessed with the name Earnest because she says it “inspires absolute confidence”.
The play takes a few twists. The first one being in act II when Algernon shows up at Jack’s place in the country because he suspects Jack of living a double life. When he gets there he poses as Jack’s younger brother Earnest, which is a problem for Jack because Jack returns to the country claiming that his brother Earnest has passed away. Not wanting to be caught in his own lie he must go along with Algernon’s charade. Algy proposes his love for Jack’s ward Cecily. Cecily already has a crush on him because of the way Jack talked about his younger brother and she too has a fascination with the name Earnest. The irony is the fact that both women love Jack and Algy partially because they think their names are Earnest when really they are both living the same lie. Gwendolin and Cecily eventually find out about the lie. The next big twist comes in act III when Miss Prism who is Cecily’s governess, after being confronted by Lady Bracknell, Gwendolin’s mother, admits to losing Lady Bracknell’s sisters baby 28 years before in a train station. The child ends up being Jack Worthing who was originally christened Earnest John, which makes him the legitimate older brother of Algernon. The whole time he thought he was lying about having a younger brother, and his name being Earnest, he was unintentionally telling the truth.
I feel that I can relate this show to my everyday life in the aspect of living double lives. I think that everyone, whether they realize it or not live some sort of alternative lifestyles. Maybe it isn’t deliberately to avoid obligations but many people act differently according to where they are, what they are doing, or whom they are with. I somewhat live a double life even if it’s not to the extreme that Jack and Algernon do. I have one life back home, and one life here at school. I have two completely different groups of friends who are nothing like each other and very rarely do my two lives meet. I enjoy both lives equally but I often use one to escape the other, much like the characters in the play. If I get sick of something here in Indiana, or even just out of boredom, I can go home for a weekend and live a different lifestyle all together. It is strange how completely different my two lives have become and I find it comforting knowing that I have a choice in which one to live. This doesn’t mean I am two completely different people, it is just that two separate environments have created separate roles to play, and opportunities to explore.
The two main characters in the play are Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff. Jack Worthing lives a double life as Jack in the country, and Earnest when he visits London. Jack claims to everyone at his place in the country that Earnest is his brother who lives a very scandalous lifestyle, and his excuse for leaving all the time is to get his brother Earnest out of trouble. In reality he is sneaking away to live the scandalous carefree life of his fictional brother in order to escape his responsibilities and obligations in his real life. Algernon, who is Earnest best friend in the city, tends to live somewhat of a double life also. Algernon calls people that live double lives “bunburyist” due to his made up friend Bunbury. Algernon uses his fictitious friend in much the same way Jack uses his fictitious brother. He is constantly claiming that he must visit him on his deathbed in order to get out of social obligations.
Act I is set in London in with Earnest and Algernon talking and Earnest proposing his love to Gwendolin, who is Algernon’s cousin. The scene goes on with Algernon confronting Earnest about his suspicious of his double life due to a cigarette box with the words “Uncle Jack” on it, meanwhile admitting his own double life. Gwendolin arrives and Earnest proposes and she seems to share his affection and goes on to say that she is obsessed with the name Earnest because she says it “inspires absolute confidence”.
The play takes a few twists. The first one being in act II when Algernon shows up at Jack’s place in the country because he suspects Jack of living a double life. When he gets there he poses as Jack’s younger brother Earnest, which is a problem for Jack because Jack returns to the country claiming that his brother Earnest has passed away. Not wanting to be caught in his own lie he must go along with Algernon’s charade. Algy proposes his love for Jack’s ward Cecily. Cecily already has a crush on him because of the way Jack talked about his younger brother and she too has a fascination with the name Earnest. The irony is the fact that both women love Jack and Algy partially because they think their names are Earnest when really they are both living the same lie. Gwendolin and Cecily eventually find out about the lie. The next big twist comes in act III when Miss Prism who is Cecily’s governess, after being confronted by Lady Bracknell, Gwendolin’s mother, admits to losing Lady Bracknell’s sisters baby 28 years before in a train station. The child ends up being Jack Worthing who was originally christened Earnest John, which makes him the legitimate older brother of Algernon. The whole time he thought he was lying about having a younger brother, and his name being Earnest, he was unintentionally telling the truth.
I feel that I can relate this show to my everyday life in the aspect of living double lives. I think that everyone, whether they realize it or not live some sort of alternative lifestyles. Maybe it isn’t deliberately to avoid obligations but many people act differently according to where they are, what they are doing, or whom they are with. I somewhat live a double life even if it’s not to the extreme that Jack and Algernon do. I have one life back home, and one life here at school. I have two completely different groups of friends who are nothing like each other and very rarely do my two lives meet. I enjoy both lives equally but I often use one to escape the other, much like the characters in the play. If I get sick of something here in Indiana, or even just out of boredom, I can go home for a weekend and live a different lifestyle all together. It is strange how completely different my two lives have become and I find it comforting knowing that I have a choice in which one to live. This doesn’t mean I am two completely different people, it is just that two separate environments have created separate roles to play, and opportunities to explore.
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