The play that I attended was “The Servant of Two Masters” on April 21, 2010, 8pm, at the mainstage in Waller Hall. It was written by Carlo Goldoni and directed by Rick Kemp. There were a total of 11 actors/actresses in the play.
The Lively Arts book states that “The Servant of Two Masters is a comical adventure resplendent with hidden identities, star-crossed lovers, and unmitigated lightheartedness. The story unfolds as Beatrice, posing as her dead brother, attempts to claim money to marry her lover, who also happens to be her brother’s murderer. As confusion grows surrounding the dead brother’s fiancé and new betrothed, the servant, Truffaldino, unknowingly takes on secretly serving two masters- Beatrice in disguise and her lover. Truffaldino’s mix ups only add to the overall confusion and hilarity of this antic-filled comedy classic.”
I loved the play! It was hilarious and easy to follow. The actors were so talented and I loved seeing that almost, if not all, of them were IUP students. Not once did any of them forget their lines, which was amazing to me.
The actors were:
Truffaldino: the main character, the Servant, played by Sean Barrett
Beatrice: posed as her dead brother. Played by Natalie Brown
Florindo: Beatrice’s lover. Played by Abe Hoose
Clarice: Silvio’s lover. Played by Kaitlin LeRoy
Silvio: Clarice’s lover. Played by Chris Anthony
Pantaloon: Clarice’s father. Played by Ryan Hays
Smeraldina: Pantaloon’s servant. Played by Natalie Palamides
Brighella: Innkeeper, played by Stephen Harvey
Doctor Lombardi: Silvio’s father. Played by Henry Fodor
Waiters: Played by Jared Patterson and Frank Perri
Again, their acting was amazing. I was totally amazed at how great they were. I definitely think the actors knew what they were saying and they understood the play inside-out. I think each actor played their character very well. Truffaldino stuck out in my head as “hogging” the play, but that’s because he was the main character, and everything that he said was hilarious.Carlo Goldoni definitely has a nag for writing plays. He uses humor and keeps the interest of the audience. I was not bored at one minute in the play, it kept my attention and I couldn’t wait to see what the second half was about after intermission. He developed characters that were easy to understand and not that we could really relate to, but he made it easy for us to understand their personal stories.The directing for the play was also amazing. I can’t say much bad about this play. The director kept the audience wanting to see what was next and the play also kept moving. It didn’t drag too much in one area. I was never once bored. There really wasn’t much choreography in the play, just moving around the stage.
The lights, sound, makeup, costumes, etc. were appropriate for the play. They were simple and every character pretty much wore the same costume throughout the play, which was appropriate. Also, the sets were beautiful and I loved how it just went from one set to one other one. There were only 3 different sets: one in a house/castle and one in like a “marketplace” type place, and one at the inn. The lighting was appropriate for the certain times of day: when it was night, it was dark, when it was day, it was light. The makeup and costumes weren’t too extraordinary, but they went with the play.I was kind of confused on the masks that some of them wore at first, but then realized that they were used to acknowledge the influence of Commedia on Goldoni’s writing. They were used as a farce and sitcom.
The sound was great. Everyone played their part well and I was surprised at how well the actors’ voices carried. I don’t think any of them had microphones on.When I walked into the mainstage in Waller Hall, I was surprised. I thought the theater was going to be huge, but it was small to medium sized. I liked that, because it couldn’t get too packed and therefore, wouldn’t get too hot and it was comfortable.
The tickets for “The Servant of Two Masters” were $8 for IUP students and I think $15 for the public, which I think is very reasonable.
One thing that I was surprised by was the language used in the play. It had some very vulgar words and rude implications, but it was all part of the play. I would definitely put an age requirement on the play, at least 18 years or older.The audience was small to say the least. I think there might have been 40-50 people there at the very most. The audience was very perceptive; they laughed and were very respectful of the actors.
All in all, the play was AMAZING. I would definitely go see another play put on by A-Theater-By-The-Grove Production. I loved it!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
2: Passion Piece: HAIRSPRAY
One of my favorite musicals turned films is “Hairspray.” This musical is really out-there and wacky. I think that’s why I like it so much. It’s so different from any other musical that I’ve seen. So, for some background information on “Hairspray”…
“Hairspray” is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman and based on the 1988 John Waters film “Hairspray.” I’m going to talk about the film version rather than the musical on Broadway. The film came out in 2007 and some of the actors/actresses include: Nikki Blonsky, Amanda Bynes, John Travolta, Zac Efron, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
The story goes like this:
As “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad lies in bed, she muses about her love for her hometown, her love of dancing, and her desire to be famous. After school, Tracy rushes home with best friend Penny to catch "The Nicest Kids in Town" on the local teenage dance show, The Corny Collins Show. Edna, Tracy’s shy and plus-sized mother, is ironing and complains about the noise of the music coming from the television, while Penny’s mother, Prudy complains about it being race music. After an announcement that auditions for a place on the show will be held, Tracy begs her mother for permission to audition. Edna, fearing that Tracy will be laughed at due to her weight, refuses. Penny and Amber (the main dancer on The Corny Collins Show) have similar arguments with their mothers.
After gaining permission and support from her father, Wilbur, Tracy auditions for the show and bumps into teenage heartthrob, Link Larkin, which leads into a dream sequence. Velma Von Tussle, the racist producer of The Corny Collins Show, rejects Tracy from the audition because of her size as well as refusing a black girl, Little Inez.
Back at school, Tracy is sent to detention again because her hair was “obstructing everyone’s view of the blackboard.” There she meets black dancer, Seaweed J. Stubbs (the son of the host of Negro Day, Motormouth Maybelle), who teaches her several dance moves. She uses the new dance steps at the Sophomore Hop the following day to introduce herself to Corny Collins. When Corny sees how well Tracy can dance, he gives her a place on the show. During the broadcast, Link, following Corny’s suggestion, sings "It Takes Two" to Tracy, much to Amber’s dismay. After the show, Mr. Spritzer, the show’s worrisome sponsor, appeals to Velma over Tracy’s appointment to the Council. Velma, threatening to fire Corny from the show, is eventually left distraught and determines to ruin Tracy.
At the Turnblad house, Edna is receiving calls from fans who saw Tracy on the show. A call comes in from Mr. Pinky, the owner of a plus-size dress shop, for an endorsement. Tracy pleads with her mother to come with her and to act as her agent although Edna has not left their apartment in years. Finally making it outside, Edna is given a huge makeover, as she is told, "Welcome to the 60's" and Tracy becomes the spokes-girl for the shop. At school, signs of Tracy’s fame are evident in the schoolyard, with graffiti on the walls and another Council Member sporting Tracy’s signature hairdo. During a game of dodge ball, a jealous Amber knocks Tracy out, and Link rushes to her side. Penny and Seaweed, who have developed a liking for each other, rush to fetch the school nurse, only to find her out sick. Seaweed, suggesting that some fun would make Tracy feel better, invites all of them to his mother’s record shop for a platter party.
At the shop, Tracy rallies everyone to march against the station on the following day’s Mother-Daughter Day, as blacks are not allowed on the show except for the monthly Negro Day. Before they start, Motormouth Maybelle convinces the initially reluctant Edna and Wilbur to march as well. During the protest, led by Motormouth, Velma calls the police and fights break out. When the police arrive on the scene, almost everyone is arrested.
Almost all the women are now in "The Big Dollhouse". Because of Velma’s dirty tactics, the governor pardons and releases both her and Amber. Wilbur bails out the remaining people, excluding Tracy who is forced to remain in jail through another one of Velma’s manipulations. Tracy is alone and wishes that Link could be with her. Back at the Har-De-Har Hut (Wilbur's joke shop), Wilbur and Edna are left destitute because of the money it cost them to bail everyone out and with Tracy still in prison. Edna sympathizes with her daughter’s dream – she had dreamt of making her “own line of queen-sized dress patterns”. She and Wilbur reminisce about their past and how they can never be parted from each other.
During the night, Link sneaks into the jail where he finds Tracy in solitary confinement. As Link and Tracy reunite, Penny’s mother, Prudy, punishes Penny for “going to jail without her permission” and ties her up in her bedroom where Seaweed comes to her rescue. Both couples declare their love for one another. After escaping from their respective prisons, the couples seek refuge at Motormouth Maybelle’s Record Shop. Tracy thinks that it is unfair that after all of their hard work, The Corny Collins Show is still segregated. They devise a plan to help integrate the show, and Motormouth remembers their long fight for equality.
On the day of the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition, Corny Collins starts the show with a song. Amber shows off her talents in a bid to get more votes from the viewers. Just as the results are about to be announced, Tracy takes over the stage, and is joined by Link, Penny (now transformed from drool to cool), Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Little Inez, and Motormouth. Tracy is declared the winner of the competition and she declares The Corny Collins Show officially integrated. When all is announced, Mr. Spritzer runs onstage thrilled with the public’s response to the telecast and announces that the governor has pardoned Tracy and he offers Link a recording contract and Velma the position of vice president of Ultra Glow – beauty products for women of color. Prudy arrives at the station and, seeing how happy Penny is with Seaweed, accepts her daughter for who she is. At the height of the moment, the company invites Amber and Velma to join the celebration. With the station in joyous celebration, Tracy and Link cement their love with a kiss.
(imdb.com)
I think I personally love this story because like I said earlier, it’s so different. I, luckily, have never had to deal with racism or anything of that sort. There are still people today who have to deal with racism and that is just so hard for me to believe. I can’t really relate to it in many ways, but I just love the storyline. It’s such a crazy, out of control story that kept my interest the whole time (which can be hard for me). It doesn’t speak to me much, like I said, and I can’t relate to it. I would love to see this musical on Broadway, but I don’t think it’s even playing anymore. I’ll just settle with the film version.
“Hairspray” is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman and based on the 1988 John Waters film “Hairspray.” I’m going to talk about the film version rather than the musical on Broadway. The film came out in 2007 and some of the actors/actresses include: Nikki Blonsky, Amanda Bynes, John Travolta, Zac Efron, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
The story goes like this:
As “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad lies in bed, she muses about her love for her hometown, her love of dancing, and her desire to be famous. After school, Tracy rushes home with best friend Penny to catch "The Nicest Kids in Town" on the local teenage dance show, The Corny Collins Show. Edna, Tracy’s shy and plus-sized mother, is ironing and complains about the noise of the music coming from the television, while Penny’s mother, Prudy complains about it being race music. After an announcement that auditions for a place on the show will be held, Tracy begs her mother for permission to audition. Edna, fearing that Tracy will be laughed at due to her weight, refuses. Penny and Amber (the main dancer on The Corny Collins Show) have similar arguments with their mothers.
After gaining permission and support from her father, Wilbur, Tracy auditions for the show and bumps into teenage heartthrob, Link Larkin, which leads into a dream sequence. Velma Von Tussle, the racist producer of The Corny Collins Show, rejects Tracy from the audition because of her size as well as refusing a black girl, Little Inez.
Back at school, Tracy is sent to detention again because her hair was “obstructing everyone’s view of the blackboard.” There she meets black dancer, Seaweed J. Stubbs (the son of the host of Negro Day, Motormouth Maybelle), who teaches her several dance moves. She uses the new dance steps at the Sophomore Hop the following day to introduce herself to Corny Collins. When Corny sees how well Tracy can dance, he gives her a place on the show. During the broadcast, Link, following Corny’s suggestion, sings "It Takes Two" to Tracy, much to Amber’s dismay. After the show, Mr. Spritzer, the show’s worrisome sponsor, appeals to Velma over Tracy’s appointment to the Council. Velma, threatening to fire Corny from the show, is eventually left distraught and determines to ruin Tracy.
At the Turnblad house, Edna is receiving calls from fans who saw Tracy on the show. A call comes in from Mr. Pinky, the owner of a plus-size dress shop, for an endorsement. Tracy pleads with her mother to come with her and to act as her agent although Edna has not left their apartment in years. Finally making it outside, Edna is given a huge makeover, as she is told, "Welcome to the 60's" and Tracy becomes the spokes-girl for the shop. At school, signs of Tracy’s fame are evident in the schoolyard, with graffiti on the walls and another Council Member sporting Tracy’s signature hairdo. During a game of dodge ball, a jealous Amber knocks Tracy out, and Link rushes to her side. Penny and Seaweed, who have developed a liking for each other, rush to fetch the school nurse, only to find her out sick. Seaweed, suggesting that some fun would make Tracy feel better, invites all of them to his mother’s record shop for a platter party.
At the shop, Tracy rallies everyone to march against the station on the following day’s Mother-Daughter Day, as blacks are not allowed on the show except for the monthly Negro Day. Before they start, Motormouth Maybelle convinces the initially reluctant Edna and Wilbur to march as well. During the protest, led by Motormouth, Velma calls the police and fights break out. When the police arrive on the scene, almost everyone is arrested.
Almost all the women are now in "The Big Dollhouse". Because of Velma’s dirty tactics, the governor pardons and releases both her and Amber. Wilbur bails out the remaining people, excluding Tracy who is forced to remain in jail through another one of Velma’s manipulations. Tracy is alone and wishes that Link could be with her. Back at the Har-De-Har Hut (Wilbur's joke shop), Wilbur and Edna are left destitute because of the money it cost them to bail everyone out and with Tracy still in prison. Edna sympathizes with her daughter’s dream – she had dreamt of making her “own line of queen-sized dress patterns”. She and Wilbur reminisce about their past and how they can never be parted from each other.
During the night, Link sneaks into the jail where he finds Tracy in solitary confinement. As Link and Tracy reunite, Penny’s mother, Prudy, punishes Penny for “going to jail without her permission” and ties her up in her bedroom where Seaweed comes to her rescue. Both couples declare their love for one another. After escaping from their respective prisons, the couples seek refuge at Motormouth Maybelle’s Record Shop. Tracy thinks that it is unfair that after all of their hard work, The Corny Collins Show is still segregated. They devise a plan to help integrate the show, and Motormouth remembers their long fight for equality.
On the day of the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition, Corny Collins starts the show with a song. Amber shows off her talents in a bid to get more votes from the viewers. Just as the results are about to be announced, Tracy takes over the stage, and is joined by Link, Penny (now transformed from drool to cool), Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Little Inez, and Motormouth. Tracy is declared the winner of the competition and she declares The Corny Collins Show officially integrated. When all is announced, Mr. Spritzer runs onstage thrilled with the public’s response to the telecast and announces that the governor has pardoned Tracy and he offers Link a recording contract and Velma the position of vice president of Ultra Glow – beauty products for women of color. Prudy arrives at the station and, seeing how happy Penny is with Seaweed, accepts her daughter for who she is. At the height of the moment, the company invites Amber and Velma to join the celebration. With the station in joyous celebration, Tracy and Link cement their love with a kiss.
(imdb.com)
I think I personally love this story because like I said earlier, it’s so different. I, luckily, have never had to deal with racism or anything of that sort. There are still people today who have to deal with racism and that is just so hard for me to believe. I can’t really relate to it in many ways, but I just love the storyline. It’s such a crazy, out of control story that kept my interest the whole time (which can be hard for me). It doesn’t speak to me much, like I said, and I can’t relate to it. I would love to see this musical on Broadway, but I don’t think it’s even playing anymore. I’ll just settle with the film version.
3. Relate Theater to your Major: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
My major is Elementary Education. There are so many aspects of theatre that can be incorporated into education. I love children, and I know that children love to dance, sing, act, etc. Have you ever seen a child who doesn’t want to get up and dance when they hear “The Chicken Dance” or when they are given a microphone? What child doesn’t want to explore with theater? Most children are not afraid of getting in front of people and acting, singing, or dancing. There are so many theatre activities that could be incorporated into education of all ages, but I am going to focus on talking about incorporating it into early childhood/elementary grades.
This semester, I have learned so much relating to theater. I have learned theater vocabulary, ways that plays are produced, what all goes into a play, actually going to a play, etc. I feel that all of these aspects can help me when I become a teacher. For example, I can use the vocabulary to teach my students what certain things in a theater mean: color, line, texture, etc. I wouldn’t use too big a words, but ones that they would understand. I could have the children (in older elementary grades) write a play and act it out for the younger grades or for their classmates. They would have to decide who the director was going to be, who would run the lights/sound, who would help with makeup and costumes, etc. This would really get them thinking and really involved in theater. And finally, I would hopefully have the funds and availability to take my students to a play. It wouldn’t have to be a big Broadway play, maybe just a local community one. But I would want them to be able to experience that like I did. Seeing a play really changed my view of theater.
I also realized that theater doesn’t always have to occur on the big stage. This is also a great thing and a neat way that theater can be incorporated into education. Theater can include storytelling, puppetry, improvisation, costumes, dance, ballet, etc. Children love stories, puppets, acting, dancing and dressing up. Why not give them a few lines to say, let them dress up, and act out a play just for fun?
Another way that theater can be incorporated into education is in the early childhood classroom. Usually in these types of classrooms, there are “centers” or different parts of the room that the children can explore in. Usually the normal centers are: kitchen, dress-up, blocks, reading, etc. I would add in a “theater” center. This would have scripts (even though most of these children can’t read, it would get them “pretending”), costumes, play makeup, play microphones, flashlights, and more. This would be different than the dress-up center because children would be pretending to put on a play here, not just dressing up.
Another way that theater can be incorporated into education is through monologues. Having children present poetry is a great way to give them presentation skills/acting as well as reinforcing memorization.
Yet another way to incorporate theater into my major (Elementary Education) could be to do some basic theatre games. These could include: improv situations, listening skills, dancing, acting out a certain thing (charades), etc.
In this theater class, I have learned a lot of skills that are going to help me when I am a teacher someday. I have gotten so many ideas of different things that theater is and personally, I can’t wait to incorporate theater into my classroom someday. It will be fun for my students as well as myself.
This semester, I have learned so much relating to theater. I have learned theater vocabulary, ways that plays are produced, what all goes into a play, actually going to a play, etc. I feel that all of these aspects can help me when I become a teacher. For example, I can use the vocabulary to teach my students what certain things in a theater mean: color, line, texture, etc. I wouldn’t use too big a words, but ones that they would understand. I could have the children (in older elementary grades) write a play and act it out for the younger grades or for their classmates. They would have to decide who the director was going to be, who would run the lights/sound, who would help with makeup and costumes, etc. This would really get them thinking and really involved in theater. And finally, I would hopefully have the funds and availability to take my students to a play. It wouldn’t have to be a big Broadway play, maybe just a local community one. But I would want them to be able to experience that like I did. Seeing a play really changed my view of theater.
I also realized that theater doesn’t always have to occur on the big stage. This is also a great thing and a neat way that theater can be incorporated into education. Theater can include storytelling, puppetry, improvisation, costumes, dance, ballet, etc. Children love stories, puppets, acting, dancing and dressing up. Why not give them a few lines to say, let them dress up, and act out a play just for fun?
Another way that theater can be incorporated into education is in the early childhood classroom. Usually in these types of classrooms, there are “centers” or different parts of the room that the children can explore in. Usually the normal centers are: kitchen, dress-up, blocks, reading, etc. I would add in a “theater” center. This would have scripts (even though most of these children can’t read, it would get them “pretending”), costumes, play makeup, play microphones, flashlights, and more. This would be different than the dress-up center because children would be pretending to put on a play here, not just dressing up.
Another way that theater can be incorporated into education is through monologues. Having children present poetry is a great way to give them presentation skills/acting as well as reinforcing memorization.
Yet another way to incorporate theater into my major (Elementary Education) could be to do some basic theatre games. These could include: improv situations, listening skills, dancing, acting out a certain thing (charades), etc.
In this theater class, I have learned a lot of skills that are going to help me when I am a teacher someday. I have gotten so many ideas of different things that theater is and personally, I can’t wait to incorporate theater into my classroom someday. It will be fun for my students as well as myself.
4. Relate Theater to your LIFE!
I have learned so much about myself through taking this theater class. Going into the class, I really didn’t want to have anything to do with it. But as the semester went on, I really got to start learning about theater, and in turn, learning stuff about myself.
Theater relates to so many different parts of my life. It relates to me as a wife, it relates to my work experience, school, church setting, sports, my culture, etc. As a wife, it is my job to keep my husband entertained and in general, talk to him. Theater doesn’t have to be just getting up on a stage and performing. It can be as small as talking with friends. I’m a nanny to a 2 ½ year old little boy and I definitely can relate theater to that. I sing and dance with him. I have puppets that he loves to play with. He loves to act out different animals and stuff. At school, I can relate theater to my life just through presentations and meetings/get togethers with friends. Church is the main one where I can relate theater to my life. Maybe not so much as when I was young, but church is the one place where I could get on stage and sing or act, and I didn’t have to worry about what people were thinking. Sure, maybe they were judging me, but it was church and I knew that it didn’t matter. As long as I was having fun, it was all good. In my opinion, theater and church go hand-in-hand. If you have a church, there’s going to be some sort of theater there. And that’s where I felt most comfortable performing. We had talked about sports before and how they relate to theater. When you are in sports, you are performing in front of people, same with theater. In sports you are usually working with a team, same in theater. In sports, you have a coach, same with theater. I used to play softball and I can definitely relate to sports and theater coming together. And finally, I can relate theater to my culture. It’s an American thing to go to plays, enjoy performing, go to a Broadway show, etc. I love that kind of stuff!
I think I can relate theater to my life through “people watching” too. I know this sounds crazy, but I think everyone “people watches.” When I see someone walking down the street or walking through Wal-Mart, I can’t help but watch. If you think about it, you are always performing, someone is always watching you. So, even though I may think that no one is watching me, I know they are. And I’m watching them right back. This also goes along with fashion. When we :people watch”, we do more than just look at the person. We look at their clothes, makeup, hair, etc. And those are all part of a theater experience too.
I am passionate about children and teaching. So, if I can relate theater to that part of my life, I am going to be in good shape, which is pretty easy to do. Children love to act, sing, dance, etc. I love to teach and if I can teach them to act, sing, dance, just to have fun and enjoy who they are as a person, I think I have done my job. Theater is amazing and if children learn young that theater is so fun and unique, I think they will learn to appreciate it more.
Before I took this class, I knew a little about theater and relating it to my life. But thanks to this class, I can effectively say that I can relate theater to more than just one aspect of my life. I am very, very glad I took this class.
Theater relates to so many different parts of my life. It relates to me as a wife, it relates to my work experience, school, church setting, sports, my culture, etc. As a wife, it is my job to keep my husband entertained and in general, talk to him. Theater doesn’t have to be just getting up on a stage and performing. It can be as small as talking with friends. I’m a nanny to a 2 ½ year old little boy and I definitely can relate theater to that. I sing and dance with him. I have puppets that he loves to play with. He loves to act out different animals and stuff. At school, I can relate theater to my life just through presentations and meetings/get togethers with friends. Church is the main one where I can relate theater to my life. Maybe not so much as when I was young, but church is the one place where I could get on stage and sing or act, and I didn’t have to worry about what people were thinking. Sure, maybe they were judging me, but it was church and I knew that it didn’t matter. As long as I was having fun, it was all good. In my opinion, theater and church go hand-in-hand. If you have a church, there’s going to be some sort of theater there. And that’s where I felt most comfortable performing. We had talked about sports before and how they relate to theater. When you are in sports, you are performing in front of people, same with theater. In sports you are usually working with a team, same in theater. In sports, you have a coach, same with theater. I used to play softball and I can definitely relate to sports and theater coming together. And finally, I can relate theater to my culture. It’s an American thing to go to plays, enjoy performing, go to a Broadway show, etc. I love that kind of stuff!
I think I can relate theater to my life through “people watching” too. I know this sounds crazy, but I think everyone “people watches.” When I see someone walking down the street or walking through Wal-Mart, I can’t help but watch. If you think about it, you are always performing, someone is always watching you. So, even though I may think that no one is watching me, I know they are. And I’m watching them right back. This also goes along with fashion. When we :people watch”, we do more than just look at the person. We look at their clothes, makeup, hair, etc. And those are all part of a theater experience too.
I am passionate about children and teaching. So, if I can relate theater to that part of my life, I am going to be in good shape, which is pretty easy to do. Children love to act, sing, dance, etc. I love to teach and if I can teach them to act, sing, dance, just to have fun and enjoy who they are as a person, I think I have done my job. Theater is amazing and if children learn young that theater is so fun and unique, I think they will learn to appreciate it more.
Before I took this class, I knew a little about theater and relating it to my life. But thanks to this class, I can effectively say that I can relate theater to more than just one aspect of my life. I am very, very glad I took this class.
5. Theater Profile: THE PUBLIC THEATER.
The Public Theater in NYC was founded as The Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers. The theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the Public Theater is: As the nation's foremost theatrical producer of Shakespeare and new work, The Public Theater is dedicated to achieving artistic excellence while developing an American theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays, musicals and innovative stagings of the classics. (publictheater.org)
Some brief history: Founded by Joseph Papp as the Shakespeare Workshop and now one of the nation’s preeminent cultural institutions, The Public is an American theater in which all the country’s voices, rhythms, and cultures converge. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson, The Public is dedicated to embracing the complexities of contemporary society and nurturing both artists and audiences, as it continues Joseph Papp's legacy of creating a place of inclusion and a forum for ideas.
The Public Theater produces new plays, musicals, productions of Shakespeare, and other classics in its headquarters on Lafayette Street (the former Astor library, which opened as The Public Theater in 1967 with the world premiere of the musical Hair) and at the Delacorte Theater, its permanent summertime home of free Shakespeare in the Park each summer. The Public's newest performance space, Joe's Pub, has become an important venue for new work and intimate performances by musicians, spoken-word artists, and solo performers.
In addition to its theatrical programming, The Public trains the next generation of classical performers through the Shakespeare Lab, an annual summer acting intensive. It also presents New Work Now!, a play reading series that has become a nationally recognized showcase for emerging writers and established artists.
The Public Theater offers internships to those wanting to pursue a career in theater. The Public Theater’s internship program offers a unique opportunity for individuals to gain practical experience in one of the country’s premiere not-for-profit theaters. Founded by Joseph Papp to bring Shakespeare to the people of New York, The Public has expanded to include contemporary pieces, specially commissioned new works, staged readings and workshops. Internships are offered in a variety of departments, from the creative to the administrative; and interns are encouraged to explore beyond their department to learn more about how the theater functions as a whole. The internship program aims to provide individuals with valuable mentorship and expert training, bridging the gap between academic education and practice. Interns play an integral part in the inner workings of the Public. Supporting the Public in its daily activities, interns will gain insight, knowledge and hands-on experience in all aspects of the theater. We offer tickets to all Public Theater main stage productions, and weekly seminars with Public Theater staff. A weekly stipend is available for all internships unless otherwise specified. Ideal intern candidates should be enthusiastic, dedicated workers with an interest in pursuing a career in theater. We are looking for people who are detail-oriented, independent and able to multi-task. (publictheater.org)
The Public Theater has won 42 Tony Awards, 149 Obies, 40 Drama Desk Awards, 24 Lucille Lortel Awards and 4 Pulitzer Prizes. I think that’s pretty great for only being a 55 year old theater.
I think this theater appeals to me because they really are theater-oriented. Some places you go they are just worried about the money and what not. From what I researched on The Public Theater, they are more for the theater part, which is most important. Just like they said about their internships, they only want those that are looking to pursue a career in theater, not someone who just wants a job.
They also have discounted tickets for big groups and for students, which appeals to me. I’m a student and I know how expensive things can get. So, if I can catch a break here and there, that’s wonderful. You can also purchase a membership and get discounted tickets for plays.
So, the Public Theater is an amazing place for people to come and enjoy a show.
6. Broadway
Right now on Broadway, there are a lot of great shows playing. I’m going to inform you on what’s playing on Broadway in New York. The following are the most popular shows on Broadway right now:
1.) Wicked- The untold musical story of The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good... before Dorothy dropped in. Based on the imaginative Gregory Maguire novel, Wicked takes a fantasy journey through the unseen side of Oz, sharing a tale of unexpected friendship and love. Tickets start at $76.25 and are available at broadway.com
2.) The Addams Family- Based on the bizarre and beloved characters created by Charles Addams, this original story finds the famously macabre Addams Family put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Fester, Grandmama and Lurch headlong into a night that will change the family forever. Tickets start at $51.50 and are available at broadway.com
3.) Chicago- A musical tale of "murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery—all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts." Paint the town red with merry murderesses Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly, their hotshot lawyer, Billy Flynn, and the iconic choreography of Bob Fosse. Tickets start at $69.00 and are available at broadway.com
4.) Memphis- Set in the turbulent south in the 1950s, Memphis is the story of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race lines and airwaves. Thanks in part to his passionate persistence, "race" music reaches the center of the radio dial, quickly exploding throughout mainstream America. But when Huey falls for a beautiful black singer he has set on the path to stardom, whether the world is really ready for this music, and their love, is put to the test. Tickets start at $41.50 and are available at broadway.com
5.) Promises, Promises- Promises, Promises tells the story of Chuck Baxter, a charming young employee at the Consolidated Life Insurance Company. In an effort to advance at the company, Chuck lends executives his apartment for their extramarital romantic trysts. But things become slightly complicated when Fran Kubelik, the object of Chuck’s affection, becomes the mistress of one of his executives. Tickets start at $56.50 and are available at broadway.com
Broadway has been around for a very, very long time. So, there has been plays that come and go and some that stay around for a long time. The following are the Top 10 Longest Running Broadway plays:
1: The Phantom of the Opera. Opened in January of 1988 and is still running. Has won 7 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards so far.
2. Cats. Opened in October of 1982 and closed in September of 2000. (7,485 total shows). Won 7 Tony Awards, 3 Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy.
3: Les Miserables. Opened in March of 1987 and closed in May of 2003. (6,680 total shows). Won 8 Tony Awards, 5 Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy.
4: A Chorus Line. Opened in July of 1975 and closed in April of 1990. (6,137 total shows). Won 9 Tony Awards, 1 Pulitzer Prize and 5 Drama Desk Awards.
5: Oh! Calcutta! September of 1976 and closed in August of 1989. (5,959 total shows).
6: Chicago. Opened in November of 1996 and is still running. Has won 6 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy so far.
7: Beauty and the Beast. Opened in April of 1994 and closed in July of 2007. (5,461 total shows). Won 1 Tony Award.
8: The Lion King. Opened in November of 1997 and is still running. Has won 6 Tony Awards, 8 Drama Desk Awards, and 1 Grammy so far.
9: Rent. Opened in April of 1996 and closed in September of 2008. (5,124 total shows). Won 4 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards, 1 Pulitzer Prize and 1 Grammy.
10: Miss Saigon. Opened in April of 1991 and closed in January of 2001. (4,097 total shows). Won 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards.
I have only personally seen one Broadway performance and that was “The Phantom of the Opera.” I saw it in New York City in 2002. It was amazing. The theater itself was breathtaking, the acting was extraordinary, and the feel for the theater in general was one of the best times of my life. I love musicals and plays and would love to see any of those that I listed up there. The one that I most want to see right now is either Mamma Mia! or The Lion King.
1.) Wicked- The untold musical story of The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda the Good... before Dorothy dropped in. Based on the imaginative Gregory Maguire novel, Wicked takes a fantasy journey through the unseen side of Oz, sharing a tale of unexpected friendship and love. Tickets start at $76.25 and are available at broadway.com
2.) The Addams Family- Based on the bizarre and beloved characters created by Charles Addams, this original story finds the famously macabre Addams Family put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley, Fester, Grandmama and Lurch headlong into a night that will change the family forever. Tickets start at $51.50 and are available at broadway.com
3.) Chicago- A musical tale of "murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery—all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts." Paint the town red with merry murderesses Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly, their hotshot lawyer, Billy Flynn, and the iconic choreography of Bob Fosse. Tickets start at $69.00 and are available at broadway.com
4.) Memphis- Set in the turbulent south in the 1950s, Memphis is the story of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ whose love of good music transcends race lines and airwaves. Thanks in part to his passionate persistence, "race" music reaches the center of the radio dial, quickly exploding throughout mainstream America. But when Huey falls for a beautiful black singer he has set on the path to stardom, whether the world is really ready for this music, and their love, is put to the test. Tickets start at $41.50 and are available at broadway.com
5.) Promises, Promises- Promises, Promises tells the story of Chuck Baxter, a charming young employee at the Consolidated Life Insurance Company. In an effort to advance at the company, Chuck lends executives his apartment for their extramarital romantic trysts. But things become slightly complicated when Fran Kubelik, the object of Chuck’s affection, becomes the mistress of one of his executives. Tickets start at $56.50 and are available at broadway.com
Broadway has been around for a very, very long time. So, there has been plays that come and go and some that stay around for a long time. The following are the Top 10 Longest Running Broadway plays:
1: The Phantom of the Opera. Opened in January of 1988 and is still running. Has won 7 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards so far.
2. Cats. Opened in October of 1982 and closed in September of 2000. (7,485 total shows). Won 7 Tony Awards, 3 Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy.
3: Les Miserables. Opened in March of 1987 and closed in May of 2003. (6,680 total shows). Won 8 Tony Awards, 5 Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy.
4: A Chorus Line. Opened in July of 1975 and closed in April of 1990. (6,137 total shows). Won 9 Tony Awards, 1 Pulitzer Prize and 5 Drama Desk Awards.
5: Oh! Calcutta! September of 1976 and closed in August of 1989. (5,959 total shows).
6: Chicago. Opened in November of 1996 and is still running. Has won 6 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards and 1 Grammy so far.
7: Beauty and the Beast. Opened in April of 1994 and closed in July of 2007. (5,461 total shows). Won 1 Tony Award.
8: The Lion King. Opened in November of 1997 and is still running. Has won 6 Tony Awards, 8 Drama Desk Awards, and 1 Grammy so far.
9: Rent. Opened in April of 1996 and closed in September of 2008. (5,124 total shows). Won 4 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards, 1 Pulitzer Prize and 1 Grammy.
10: Miss Saigon. Opened in April of 1991 and closed in January of 2001. (4,097 total shows). Won 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards.
I have only personally seen one Broadway performance and that was “The Phantom of the Opera.” I saw it in New York City in 2002. It was amazing. The theater itself was breathtaking, the acting was extraordinary, and the feel for the theater in general was one of the best times of my life. I love musicals and plays and would love to see any of those that I listed up there. The one that I most want to see right now is either Mamma Mia! or The Lion King.
7. Design costumes for a play. THE LION KING.
The play that I chose to analyze and design costumes for is “The Lion King.” I loved this movie as a child, and would love to see it on Broadway someday. “The Lion King” has been on Broadway since 1997. This story is about a young lion prince born in Africa (Simba), thus making his Uncle Scar the second in line to the throne. Scar plots with the hyenas to kill King Mufasa and Prince Simba, thus making himself King. The King is killed and Simba is led to believe by Scar that it was his fault, and so flees the kingdom in shame. After years of exile he is persuaded to return home to overthrow the usurper and claim the kingdom as his own.I think it’s amazing to change humans into animal costumes in Broadway. The way that they portray them is amazing. Costumes really do make the play. They get the actor into the character and they are appealing to the audiences’ eye.
The major characters in the play are: Simba, Scar, Mufasa, Nala, Rafiki, Timon, Pumbaa, Zazu, Sarabi, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed.
The costumes are pretty awesome for “The Lion King.” They are so creative, so extraordinary, and so believable. I think it’s important for the character/costume in the play to be believable.
This particular play uses a lot of makeup on the actors and it also uses a lot of props on the actors themselves. For example: they have to make the actors look like lions, hyenas, birds, monkeys, etc. It would be hard to do that with just makeup. Therefore, they do it through a lions’ head on the head of the actor for the lions, having “Zazu” the bird have a bird on his shoulder, the hyenas have a hyena head on their costume, etc. I just can’t get over how extraordinary and amazing the costumes for this particular play are.
Again, costumes make the play more exciting and they are appealing to the eye of the audience. The costumes must work together and communicate the message of each scene and costumes are vital for the show. Imagine if everyone who played in "The Lion King" just wore street clothes and had no costumes. Would we really get the whole jist of the play? I don't think so.
8. Research an important theatre artist or playwright. GEORGE ABBOTT.
George Abbott: an amazing playwright and person.
An important playwright that I am going to talk about is George Abbott. He was born on June 25, 1887 in Forestville, New York. He attended military school when he was a child, but ultimately graduated from high school in 1907. He went on to college at the University of Rochester. While there, he wrote his first play Perfectly Harmless.
George first appeared as an actor on Broadway in the play The Misleading Lady in 1913. His breakthrough role was the cowboy Tex in Zander the Great in 1923. He liked to act, but he also liked to write plays. His first successful play was called The Fall Guy. He wrote it in 1925. His first great hit was Broadway. It opened on September 16, 1926 and ran an amazing 603 performances. Some of the famous people he worked with were: Liza Minnelli, Desi Arnaz, Leonard Bernstein, and Fred Ebb.
Abbott married 3 times. He married his first wife, Ednah Levis in 1914. She died in 1930 and Abbott married Mary Sinclair in 1946; they divorced in 1951. In 1983, he married Joy Valderrama, just months after his 96th birthday.
George Abbott died on January 31, 1995, just months before his 108th birthday. He died of a stroke in Miami Beach. He wrote plays and helped direct up to weeks before he died. Can you imagine first, living to the age of 108, and second, still writing and directing plays at that age? I can’t fathom it. He was pretty amazing if you ask me.
Abbott either wrote, directed, or was a playwright for the following works:
• 1915: The Yeomen of the Guard (actor)
• 1918: Daddies (actor)
• 1920: The Broken Wing (actor)
• 1923: Zander the Great (actor)
• 1925: The Fall Guy (playwright)
• 1926: Love 'em and Leave 'em (playwright, director)
• 1926: Chicago (director)
• 1926: Broadway (playwright, director)
• 1928: Gentlemen of the Press (director)
• 1932: Lilly Turner (playwright, director, producer)
• 1932: Twentieth Century (director, producer)
• 1935: Jumbo (director)
• 1936: On Your Toes (book)
• 1937: Room Service (director, producer)
• 1938: The Boys from Syracuse (book, director, producer)
• 1939: Too Many Girls (director, producer)
• 1940: Pal Joey (director, producer)
• 1944: On the Town (director)
• 1947: High Button Shoes (director)
• 1948: Where's Charley? (book, director) • 1949: Mrs. Gibbons' Boys (producer, director)
• 1950: Call Me Madam (director)
• 1951: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (book, director, producer)
• 1953: Wonderful Town (director)
• 1954: The Pajama Game (book, director)
• 1955: Damn Yankees (book, director)
• 1957: New Girl in Town (book, director)
• 1959: Once Upon a Mattress (director)
• 1959: Fiorello! (book, director)
• 1960: Tenderloin (book, director)
• 1962: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (director)
• 1964: Fade Out - Fade In (director)
• 1965: Flora, The Red Menace (book, director)
• 1965: Anya (book, director)
• 1967: How Now, Dow Jones (director)
• 1968: The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N (director)
• 1969: The Fig Leaves Are Falling (director)
• 1970: Norman, Is That You? (director)
• 1976: Music Is (book, director)
• 1987: Broadway (revival, book, director)
• 1994: Damn Yankees (musical) (revival, book, creative consultant, script revisions)
He definitely did more than just those. He also was a big part of the film industry with the following film works:
1918 The Imposter Writer, actor (Lem)
1926 Love 'Em and Leave 'Em Writer
1927 Hills of Peril Playwright, A Holy Terror
1928 Four Walls
Playwright, writer
1929 Coquette
Playwright
1929 The Carnival Man Director
1929 Broadway
Playwright, writer
1929 The Bishop's Candlesticks Director
1929 Why Bring That Up? Director, writer
1929 The Saturday Night Kid Playwright, Love 'Em and Leave 'Em
1929 Night Parade Playwright, Ringside
1929 Halfway to Heaven Director, writer
1930 El Dios del mar Writer
1930 All Quiet on the Western Front
Writer
1930 The Fall Guy Playwright
1930 Manslaughter
Director, writer
1930 The Sea God Director, writer
1931 Der Sprung ins Nichts Writer
1931 Stolen Heaven Director; writer
1931 La Incorregible Playwright, Manslaughter
1931 Sombras del circo Playwright, Halfway to Heaven
1931 À mi-chemin du ciel Playwright, Halfway to Heaven
1931 Secrets of a Secretary
Director, writer
1931 My Sin Director; writer
1931 The Cheat Director
1932 Halvvägs till himlen Writer
1932 Those We Love Playwright
1933 Lilly Turner Playwright
1934 Heat Lightning Playwright
1934 Straight Is the Way Playwright, Four Walls
1936 Three Men on a Horse
Playwright
1938 Broadway Writer
1939 On Your Toes
Playwright
1940 Too Many Girls Director
1940 The Boys from Syracuse
Playwright, director
1941 Highway West Playwright, Heat Lightning
1942 Broadway
Playwright
1947 Beat the Band Playwright
1957 The Pajama Game
Writer, director, producer
1958 Damn Yankees
Writer, director, producer
George also received the following nominations or awards:
Awards
• 1955 Tony Award for Best Musical – The Pajama Game
• 1956 Tony Award for Best Musical – Damn Yankees
• 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Drama – Fiorello!
• 1960 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – Fiorello!
• 1960 Tony Award for Best Musical – Fiorello!
• 1963 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
• 1976 Special Tony Award: The Lawrence Langer Award
• 1982 Kennedy Center Honors
• 1983 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical – On Your Toes
• 1987 Special Tony Award on the occasion of his 100th birthday
Nominations
• 1930 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Writing – All Quiet on the Western Front
• 1958 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical – Damn Yankees
• 1958 Tony Award for Best Musical – New Girl in Town
• 1958 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical – The Pajama Game
• 1959 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – Damn Yankees
• 1963 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Never Too Late
• 1968 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical – How Now, Dow Jones
All information from wikipedia.com
I personally thing George Abbott is an amazing playwright. He had such an influence on so many different parts of theater. Like I said earlier, he wrote up until he died at the age of 107. I don’t think I would have strength to do anything at that age. He was brave, well-loved, and obviously a hard worker. I think I like him because he was such a hard worker. I think I can appreciate theater and plays more because of him. He worked so hard for so long at his job, and he truly did love what he was doing. Theater was his life. He loved acting, directing, producing, being a playwright. I think that is why I admire him. He loved his job and it showed. I someday hope to love my job so much that when/if I make it to 107 years old, I’ll still want to be teaching children just like he wanted to still be a playwright.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)