Results tagged “region 2” from Drama Queen
How can
a just society operate when violence is the only means of communication?
Kimmika
Williams-Witherspoon's play is a grab-bag of material examining the violent
culture of northern Philly. Including poems, rap, videos, and interviews, it
creates a night of experimental, innovative theatre that pushes its edgy voice
through vignettes. Gangsters vs. warriors, young mothers, the
police, education, alcohol and drugs, and the homeless share a Zen-like balance
topically. The play's core, however, contains a wealth of interviews that paint
a rich image of the real people of
The citizens
of
Williams-Witherspoon literally employs her own narrative voice in the piece to mixed results. In some occasions her poetry vividly encapsulates the moment. Her valorous verse on the difference between a gangster and a warrior provides a stirring example on how to fight for one's cause when, "many are dying, few people are trying." Other times, sadly, her meter becomes overwhelming. While riffing about young women with babies, Williams-Witherspoon slides into a series of clichés: "non- existent sugar daddies" and "children with children."
Jessica Wallace's visually stunning lighting design inspires awe with its bold color choices and stark images. Ron Ron, an up and coming rapper, is at the end of his rope. Pointing a gun at himself, he says, "click." Abruptly the lights cut to black, and as he lay dying, a screen of crimson floods the backdrop.
A desolate wasteland, Kyle Melton's set design reflects North Philly's poverty. The choice to use three simplistic, worn stoops and doorways, however, also fosters a sense of community within the play in scenes such as when the elderly generation is reminiscing of the old days.
Shot! -- with its multiple performance
levels - takes a look at the raw life of
Forget a click of the heels and
a wave of the wand; there's a new homecoming vehicle on the rise, and this one
requires no ruby-studded mantras.
Home first premiered in 1979 as a production of the Negro Ensemble
Company (NEC), whose mission of
developing plays by African-American writers achieved instantaneous acclaim. Home proceeded to earn a Tony nomination
for Best Play in 1981. As the 70's were wrought with African-American political
defiance sparked by stagnant Civil Rights efforts, the piece was eschewed by
the Black radical movement, yet otherwise enjoyed widespread fame. Praise for
this play has not since dwindled, and in the past couple years
The stubborn soul-aching by
Jamal Douglas' farmer Cephus Miles erected the possibility for a man to be devoid
of religion, yet rich in faith. The devil himself must have been summoned as
Two female muses, Pope-McBride and Taysha Canales as Woman Two, glorified the soulful direction of Mark Wade with explosive guardian-angel-on-the-shoulder flashbacks to the human blessings along Cephus' quest for home. Somehow, despite Cephus' stabs at God's vacation to Miami (leaving him helpless and forlorn) and the slurred syllables with which the women's damning judgments were delivered as he drank and gambled, Cephus continued to keep the faith kite aloft through God's gracious gift of perseverance. Together as ensemble, the trio balanced the duality of belting lyrical poetry and hip-jiving to jazzy reader's theater.
Unfortunately, the lighting by Robin Stamey detracted from the storyline toward the beginning of the piece with completely unwarranted transitions between artistic visions: imagine a friend detailing a lengthy dream while shifting seats every thirty seconds, and a similar effect is attained.
With the recent inauguration of President Obama, the promises of the Civil Rights movement for which the NEC sought have been fulfilled at last. In effect, Home has again surged in popularity, testifying to the power of faith among all people to reclaim a home that was always theirs from the start.
Shot!
Nicholas Barilar
On the steps before a green door of a ghetto home sit photos, stuffed animals, and lit candles as part of a public display of love and mourning. Around the steps, people are gathered: some hold each other, some stare in bewilderment. At the top of the steps stands a young man - arms folded and eyes closed. A mother weeps and as she cries a cascade of crimson envelops the proceedings. With a sudden pivot of the head, the mourners spit a single word that rips through the heart with the cold burn of an icicle: Shot!
Williams-Witherspoon also leads the ensemble in the show. Her play presents a gift to the world and an effective motivator; however, her poetic presence on stage conveys the classic strutting with pride saloon-cowboy rather than a voice of hope for the people.
While some of this poetic dialogue might be effective, such as discussing how men leave their girls with little more than a tattoo upon their breasts, much of it is unnecessary, such as the long speech about the difference between a warrior and a gangster - something that is not brought up for the rest of the play. If cuts could be made, the slightly dragging two-act could be consolidated into a single sitting of a clearer and quicker moving play.
The acting of the ensemble might be more genuine than Williams-Witherspoon, but it is the fact that they are students that make them so effective - within their age group the play most pushes for a radical change. During a section entitled "Anatomy of a Bullet" the students portray doctors and describe the horrific surgical procedure to treating a bullet wound with the similar effect of an Iraqi Muslim describing the waterboarding process - instilling a moment of awkward discomfort that twists the stomach.
Director Douglas C. Wager employs excellent use of his lights, designed by Jessica Wallace, bringing sharp color changes about quickly. A foreboding red lingers, a gunshot rings out with a blinding white light and fades to a now bloody red.
The simple set, by Kyle Melton, consists of a stage-length long platform upon which stand three different doors with stoops leading to the floor of the stage - illustrating the broken displacement and near ruination of home in this war-torn neighborhood - in addition to telephone cords that run above with a pair of shoes flung over the cord.
At its heart, Shot! calls for change to a city plagued by violence, drugs, homelessness, and other evils. One of the doctors says, "Once it becomes alright you become a part of the problem." Shot! demands that "alright" not come for those that are lucky enough to witness the play.
A Year with Frog and Toad
Robby Bassler
Wake up! Come on, hibernation is over! No it doesn't matter what your age is, because Willie Reale's adaptation of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad series titled A Year With Frog and Toad presented by Indiana University of Pennsylvania transports both young and old on an adventure as large as your wildest imaginations.
A waterfall of shrill trumpets, finger-snapping bass riffs, and bells that turn into swirling leaves (Musical direction by Tom Octave) propel director Rob Greta's paint by imagination environment. Frog and Toad (Sean Barrett and Joe York) pop out of two oversized matchbox beds, with a puddle-splashing ode about meeting in each other's dreams during hibernation. Despite awkward pauses before, during, and after various critters' swan songs, playful singing voices lure even the most lethargic slugs to frolic about in a pool of catchy musical slime.
Frog and Toad outshine expectations from the most dedicated toad-toting toddler or teen. Set and costume designer Dan Iwaniec flies the enormous children's book cover that starts and ends the show into the sky to clear a path for Frog and Toad. Wise, dry-humored Frog chuckles to himself as his best pal Toad runs with the staggering gate of Chris Farley across the stage and up into the audience, trying as hard as he can to fly his big red kite.
As Toad as Frog's unique friendship takes flight, Frog accepts Toad's quirks as Frog squeezes the murky lake water out of the spongy sandwiches that Toad used as a floatation device. Iwaniec dresses this loveable, laughable Toad in a Dr. Seuss-like polka-dotted bathing suit equipped with 1920's swimmer cap. Doo-wop birds change scenery in costumes with lace wings and a feather hat to guide the silly pair of amphibians in discoveries comparable to entering a new room of Willy Wonka's Charlie Factory.
No matter how great, a journey is not complete without its obstacles. Woodland creatures squint hard at their poorly lit path guided by spotlights meandering around stage like lightning bugs. Brown blobs topped with a light bulb (supposedly moles) scurry around stage, content with digging small holes to temporarily trap adventurers. The letter-toting mail-snail crawls onstage with enjoyable dialogue, but often delays Frog and Toad with her lackadaisical comedic timing.
Toad and Frog's platonic book-ending in which they summarize the action of the entire show patronizes adults and children but stands out as an exception for the play as a whole. Throughout the rest of the adventure, jokes about birds getting the flu and cookbooks titled Betty Croaker raises expectations for all children's theatre. So for all those parents that would rather be hibernating, use your children as an excuse to lick this toad and ride out the multi-colored shockwave of fun.
Shot!
Michael Cook
Guns, teen pregnancy, and drugs. Is that the latest
news report on what is destroying our nation? Shot! is a
'docu-drama' performed by
Shot was created through
interviews and videos shot of several residents of
The play explored how a neighborhood descended into the place it now is, and leaves audiences with a sense of community and a wish to get closer to their neighbors and look after each other. To say that this is the work of a playwright is to spit in the faces of the many people who were interviewed, and the actors who then recreated those interviews in a brilliant naturalistic manner. While it was somewhat 'controversial' that 'multimedia' was used in this performance, it was used in a manner like some theatre practioners as early as the early 20th century did. 'Controversial' in the manner that every technological innovation to theatre is met with initial resistance and several theatre practioners are adamantly against it. The 'multimedia' aspects of t he show were very well done and always seemed to re-enforce what was going on in the play.
The actors played many different characters, and aside from the professor who helped write the play (Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon) it is difficult to put names and faces together, which helped solidify the fact that these events could happen anywhere and aren't specific to North Philadelphia. Characters were recreations of actual people which created an element of reality of the show.
The play was also complemented by a minimalist set by Kyle Melton. The set used very little to establish the front porches of three houses in a neighborhood, but it worked out quite nicely. There were three doors and three sets of stairs leading up to a slightly higher platform.
All of these elements helped
contribute to the idea that this just isn't about North Philadelphia, I
personally am from rural
This was the first production of this play at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (it has made script changes since it's debut) and it is safe to say that this is not the last time this show will be seen by anyone.
Shot!
Mark Costello
Please, Douglas C. Wager: it's time to upgrade to a better toolbox.
The director of 2007's In Conflict has returned to the banality
of mass media talking points to harness yet another American tragedy: the
poverty and crime of
The crimson projections and lackluster tableaux of In Conflict are two more albatrosses that have clung to Wager's neck as he developed the mise en scene for Shot! Again, we see the entire cast repeatedly lined up, left to right, facing the audience in confrontation. Blood and figurative (or real) explosions abound in both works and sadly, both are as intriguing as a conversation overheard on the C-bus.
This piece's failure comes from Wager's reliance upon a parasitic art form. Docudrama culls together snippets of interviews, histories, and newspaper articles to create a script from which drama is supposed to magically arise. In many instances, such as In Conflict or Robbins' Dead Man Walking, these works are about as engaging as a staged scrapbook.
Much of the first and the
entirety of the second act drag accordingly. Protean actors wander back and
forth, up and down, speaking the words of real
Thankfully, the production manages to rise under the power of Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon's writing and performance. Decked in loose corn-rows and an understated black pant-suit, Williams-Witherspoon commands awed silence with the practiced stride of a feared schoolmarm. When she screams: "No one can lift themselves up by their bootstraps!" the room erupts, and in that moment she could sell hot coal in hell. Her poetic testament can knock down the giants who keep her town starved in their shadows while raising her neighbors to the status of supermen.
The production is at its
strongest when Wager departs widely from the work he's done before. Kyle
Melton's inspired three stoop set transforms slowly into a roadside altar in memoriam of a boy slain by
circumstance; the boy's mother collapses on it, wailing, sorrow hanging thick
in the air like
Shot! loses its deeply felt message in Wager's inability to make art of reality. As it is, his unwillingness to trade in his old bag of tricks makes for a stale piece, sometimes melodramatic, rarely awe-inspiring, without much to brag about outside of Williams-Witherspoon's magic.
Please, Mr. Wager: revamp your toolbox.
A Year with Frog and Toad
Connor
"Crisp, but not overly brittle,
just a scintilla of spice, and cunningly soft in the middle." Claims the
delightful Frog as he relishes a fresh cookie from his pal Toad. Coincidentally,
Frog is also describing
Under the delicate and careful direction of Rob Gretta, the small ensemble remains true to the script and does not favor an adult or children's audience. With Robert Reale's score, which ranges from brisk jazzy melodies to breezy country tunes, and Willie Reale's witty libretto this production neither plays down to a child nor flashes a wink to an adult.
At the center of this production were a charming and playful Sean Barret as Frog and the sincere and sometimes doleful Joe York as Toad. Both embodied their characters fully, keeping the audience engaged through inside jokes, and amusing sight gags. Take a look at Toad's outrageous swimsuit, and Mr. Barret's amusing leaps onto his companion's shoulders. The ensemble works hard, and seamlessly with the audience to tell a warm story of friendship and devotion.
Brandon Beale & Anthony Lombardi's lighting design does a fine job in using bright yellows, and cool blues to depict the various seasons. However, their use of follow spots is questionable. The spotlights washed out the actors' faces, and took away from the rich colors thety created for the atmosphere. Shockingly, there were moments when actors could not find their light, and could not be seen by the audience. It was the one area of this production that appeared burnt and overcooked.
Charming costumes by Dan Iwaniec provided depth to characters, with bright colors and vibrant patterns that leap off of the stage like a children'spop-up book. Carefully and expertly detailed, such as Frog's sharp striped suit, with green leggings, and Toad's polka dotted suit, complete with converse sneakers. The costumes provided another layer for actors to dig deeper into their amphibian characters.
Zipping along at a quick 90 minutes, this delightful musical comedy reminds audience members that simple is better. Many contemporary musicals today try and boast flashy technical elements to wow the audience over, yet contain hollow librettos and scores that are consistently unmemorable. It is refreshing to spend time with an airy piece of theater that plays homage to the good old days of musical theater when artistic integrity trumps financial success. A Year with Frog and Toad is deliciously consumed from first bite to last and profoundly memorable long after it has been fully digested.
Home
Valerie Gibbs
Worn wood, chipped paint, and a
sunken porch might not sound much like home, but hasn't it been said that "home
is where the heart is?" Well, heart is definitely found in
Young African American Cephus
Miles struggles to find himself during the racial crossroads in American
history. He was born to be a farmer, but soon hears the echoing call of the
city to hop on the subway and experience the high life. Actor Jamal Douglas
portrays Cephus with conviction and authentic passion and holds nothing back.
Supporting cast members Briana Pope-McBride and Taysha Canales also let the emotions of the text stir them to dancing, shouting, whispering, running around in a fury, or standing still staring off into space. Both speak with their entire body, not just their mouths. Emotion is not solely heard in their voices; it is freely personified for all to see. The show's heartbeat never slows, and music, dancing, singing, and poetic language fill the stage with an immense fever that cannot be ignored.
The set is comprised of a small
deteriorating farmhouse center stage and two angled platforms on either side,
often transformed into various locations such as a bar or Sunday school
classroom. The openness provides a blank canvas for hues of emotion to shine
through. Lighting designer Robin Stamey captures the essence of every moment
presented on stage. The moment Cephus' friend is killed in
Today's audience is much
different than the one Williams wrote for, but Home still relates to people today. Every individual goes through a
time of self-discovery. Many experience
a love like Cephus and Pattie Mae, the struggle between desire and duty, and
often wonder if God has "taken a vacation to
Increased Difficulty of Concentration
Peter Starr Northrop
1. At the center of
a quiet den Dr. Huml stands rigid in terror. He is completely surrounded by a
mad swirl of people and unavoidable questions while lights pop and flash all
around him. For the first time in his life, Huml has lost control. Yes,
6. In crafting this
play,
3. The set consisted of a semicircle of four enormous column-like doors looming over a quiet living room. From the start, the doors give the impression that they will become a threat to the serenity of this place. The walls are all painted olive green, a shade that completely matches Julie Henegan's costumes.
2. A product of the
late 1960s during the Soviet Union's iron reign over the
5. And in his costume, Joe Feilding plays a marvelous Huml. He is earthy and smooth like pipe smoke. He can put any situation to ease--especially when both his wife and the woman with whom he is having an affair interrogate him in separate scenes. They both ask desperate him questions to see if he is ready to leave the other. But, Fielding deflects their inquiries with incredible ease.
4. In this case, Huml's costumes are an olive green suit and a plaid creamsicle set of pajamas. These complement the set's color and give the firm notion that this is Huml's space.
7. Vanessa Lancellotti's direction takes this crazy time scheme and brings order to it. From matching set and costume designs to casting Huml's two love interests so they look alike, Lancellotti weaves together all these chaotic elements so anyone can be guided through the pandemonium.
8. The show focuses around Huml's encounter with a set of fellow social scientists and their quest to make a scientific formula for the interactions of man. After the madhouse climax where everything goes wrong for the scientists, Huml completely loses control of his life for just an instant. Afterwards, Huml finally understands where he's gone wrong and the point of the show becomes clear. "The fundamental key to man does not lie in his brain, but in his heart."
Love@1stPlight
Nathan Taylor
Click. The buckle opened as I pushed inward on the release. The straps swung slowly, back and forth, almost pleading with me not to go through with it. Ignoring their appeal, I put my hands to my head and took a deep breath before yanking off my thinking cap. It was the only way to even remotely enjoy W&J Student Theatre Company's original play Love @ 1st Plight.
Imagine an episode of Family Guy for a basic understanding of
the jests writer Drew Aloe uses; lines like "holy cow on a hamburger" sacrifice
pacing for humor, resulting in a Möbius
strip of predictable clichés. Tiresome
jokes assist in unraveling the script; in ninety minutes, main character Spools
(David Doom) manages to repeat his name more times than Bob Dole has in an
entire lifetime. No help is received
from director T.S. Frank, who endorses a hamfisted style of acting.
Mate the voices of Harvey Fierstein and Scooby Doo with the comedic talent of Carlos Mencia, and out pops Doom's portrayal of Spools. The character is tricky; with lines like "Bullshit! From his ass!" and "Let's hug it out bitch," it's little wonder Doom trips over this complicated role. Yelling every line, he presumably researched his part at an elementary school recess.
Roommate Rich (Johnny Galli) is more of an unabridged collection of Shakespeare's works than an actual character. Galli delivers his lines with all the wooden acting ability of Keanu Reeves. There's no chemistry between him and Doom, but it's hardly a surprise watching him ineptly serve his lines to the audience instead of his partner.
Not all performances are as
threadbare - understudy Sophia Tsiris's Daisy demonstrates potential despite
the figurative manhandling she receives attempting to flirt with Doom. And ironically enough, the foreseeable plot
allows Dent Holden's cameo Phil to produce the most massive laugh. Expecting Daisy underneath a mask, the
prancing, southern accented
Enough praise, the crowd demands more blood! Dan Shaw's set design is a sloppy mess of ideas, unpolished and uninspired. Such clutter is absent from the dorm room that includes nothing more than two beds and a desk. Stylistically, the only item missing is a John Belushi poster. The door to said room was set in the middle of a large, white, sparkly fairytale castle. Why is still a mystery; I'll wish upon a star and get back to you.
With all the wit available at a college party, Love @ 1st Plight would have been much more satisfying with a beer in hand.
Home
Jensen Toperzer
Rhythm and motion - this is what defines Arcadia University's production of Samm-Art Williams' Home, a show that in almost every aspect, a production that stands out as a true gem amidst the shows presented at this year's Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
The script itself would feel
clichéd if not for the cadence of Samm-Art's dialogue, evocative of the works
of Langston Hughes or Ntozake Shange.
Taysha Marie Canales' character, listed only as 'Woman Two', shows this in the
lines of a speech about going to the city - 'Take it to the city', she says,
and in her words we can hear the rumble of trains and the flow of people, the
skyscrapers towering overhead.
Even more than in their voices,
the actors' mastery of their own bodies is nearly perfect. James Douglas' lithe
movements are each well thought out, not a single one wasted as he conjures vignettes,
stories, and locations from Cephus' life. For example, when he tells the story
of the "Black Indian" he leans on his porch to speak to the (not physically
present) man, then stands up bolt straight with his arms close to his body to
mimic and parody the deluded fake-Indian before shifting back to his own
confidant yet relaxed posture. Everything seems planned, from the confidant and
sly way he moves as a young man to the subtle tremors in his hands as a shoe
shiner in the twisted canyons of
Robin Stamey's lighting is
almost as much of a character as the actors. Though some cues are slightly
mis-timed and on occasion the actors are left in shadow, it is clear that this
is a problem of the space and short amount of time to put on the show, not the
show itself. The warm, almost buttery tones used to recall Crossroads,
There are some questions about the possible relevance of the play to modern audiences - originally produced in the late 70's, the play speaks on issues concerning Vietnam and black rights.Yet the themes addressed seem just as relevant to the modern day: Cephus' treatment as a man who 'spits on the flag' after he refuses to fight in the war for religious reasons is especially relevant considering the pervasive conservative attitude towards objectors to the war in Iraq during the last decade.
Rhythm and motion - this is what defines Arcadia University's production of Samm-Art Williams' Home, a show that in almost every aspect, a production that stands out as a true gem amidst the shows presented at this year's Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
The script itself would feel
clichéd if not for the cadence of Samm-Art's dialogue, evocative of the works
of Langston Hughes or Ntozake Shange.
Taysha Marie Canales' character, listed only as 'Woman Two', shows this in the
lines of a speech about going to the city - 'Take it to the city', she says,
and in her words we can hear the rumble of trains and the flow of people, the
skyscrapers towering overhead.
Even more than in their voices,
the actors' mastery of their own bodies is nearly perfect. James Douglas' lithe
movements are each well thought out, not a single one wasted as he conjures
vignettes, stories, and locations from Cephus' life. For example, when he tells
the story of the "Black Indian" he leans on his porch to speak to the (not
physically present) man, then stands up bolt straight with his arms close to
his body to mimic and parody the deluded fake-Indian before shifting back to
his own confidant yet relaxed posture. Everything seems planned, from the
confidant and sly way he moves as a young man to the subtle tremors in his
hands as a shoe shiner in the twisted canyons of
Robin Stamey's lighting is
almost as much of a character as the actors. Though some cues are slightly
mis-timed and on occasion the actors are left in shadow, it is clear that this
is a problem of the space and short amount of time to put on the show, not the
show itself. The warm, almost buttery tones used to recall Crossroads,
There are some questions about
the possible relevance of the play to modern audiences - originally produced in
the late 70's, the play speaks on issues concerning
A Comb and a Prayer Book
Kelly Wetherald
Awareness of the Holocaust is an
event that individuals cannot avoid for we are educationally bombarded with
images and horrific details in American history classes nationwide. Modern
society knows this. But what about "genocide in
A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story's central theme struggled. Was the vision to tell one person's history or to heighten awareness of genocide and humanistic cruelty? The play had an unclear objective and static storyline which in turn made the performance boring and unbearably annoying. The production was just another attempt to do justice to a riveting memoir that turned out to be an epic failure on stage.
I cannot blame the painful
performance solely on the actors at
Hendrick also chose to incorporate chamber theatre techniques while directing. This technique includes using as much original text as possible while telling the story through a couple main characters. Unfortunately, Lauren Suprenant playing Shana Fogerty delivered unmotivated monologues with a monotone voice. It is hard to believe that such vivid textual images such as "barren bed chambers", "saturated piss stains", and "starvation to the point of eating worms" could still come across so bland. The lack of ensemble interaction and clear disconnect to the story only added to the antsy atmosphere felt in the theater.
One positive aspect of this production A Comb and a Prayer Book was the technical lighting and set design. Varied lighting angles and color helped create a somber, death stricken mood that the actors themselves couldn't naturally create. The lighting provided depth, a sense of time and helped to make the minimalistic set spring to life. Metal scaffolding, ominous hanging lights and block platforms blended into the background yet also chilled the tone of the piece. The basic set design allowed for imagination to drive visual images.
The high hopes that I had for this production after their nomination to KCACTF were shattered within twenty minutes. I found myself longing for the end or at least for the nonexistent intermission to take a break from the monotonous one dimensional narration.
A Year with Frog and Toad
Robby Bassler
Wake up! Come on, hibernation is over! No it does not matter what your age is, because Willie Reale's adaptation of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad series titled A Year With Frog and Toad presented by IUP takes both young and old on an adventure as large as your wildest imaginations.
We are going to start our adventure off in a waterfall of shrill trumpets, finger-snapping bass riffs, and synthesizers that outlive their reputation. With a little help from your imagination, bells turn into swirling leaves to create the environment. Occasionally, critters will sing along with these background beats, but you must watch out for awkward pauses before, during, and after these animals begin their swan songs. Fortunately the beautiful woodland voices cover up any murky water in the composition and you will be singing along with them in your head long after the adventure is over.
The guides of our adventure, Frog and Toad as played by Sean Barrett and Joe York respectively, outshine expectations from the most dedicated toad-toting toddler or teen. They will take us through relatively simple book-cover set that is transformed by the imaginations of the animals and audience. The wise, dry-humored frog guides Toad, the physical, Chris Farley doppelganger as they fly kites, splash in a swimming hole, and bake cookies. You will surely learn and laugh along as the lanky frog and the large, loveable toad learn more about their unique friendship.
Wacky yet simple props give the illusion of magical flower-growing, springs shooting out of an alarm clock, and sponge sandwiches dripping water. Toad's polka dotted yellow bathing suit equipped with 1920's swimmer cap and an ensemble of doo-wop bird outfits of lace wings and a feather hat highlight the Dr. Seuss-like costume choices. The doo-wop birds fly in with the props or scenery changes to make sure that there are no pauses in the adventure.
No matter how great, an adventure is not complete without its precautions. On your adventure you must watch out because the poorly lit path equipped with purposeless spotlight-ningbugs may have you missing important moments in the show. Not even the brown blobs topped with a light bulb can help you as underdeveloped characters prevent them from ever illuminating the situation. You might not even be able to see the snail that will leave poor timing slime all over your knickers and slow down your journey to an awkward pace merely to sing about how everyone should take a "real good look at her."
Toad and Frog's platonic book-ending where they meet each other in their dreams and summarize the entire show might be the only failure of the script not to dumb down the message for kids. Throughout the rest of the adventure, you will be treated as an intelligent member of Toad and Frog's witty, vaudevillian comedy. So dads that would rather hibernating, use your children as an excuse to lick this toad and ride out the multi-colored shockwave of fun.
Mark J. Costello
Frog and Toad Not Just Child's Play
Mention "children's theater" to any member of the arts set and watch them convulse. The mere utterance calls up images of well-meaning but generally inept production teams staging concentrated saccharine on DayGlo sets. The fear is that easy physicality might trump complex story and that no thread, thought, or moment will last longer than 30 seconds. It's a rule that children's productions are little more than distracting chaos unleashed, because kids are dumb, right?
Absolutely not, booms the reply from IUP's Theatre-by-the-Grove. A Year With Frog and Toad is the latest volley against drivel in the war for legitimate children's theater. Sean Barret's Frog and Joe York's Toad guide us through a whimsical, musical world in which snails deliver mail, a protean chorus of birds croon in Andrews Sisters melodies, and most importantly, no one in the audience is talked down to.
A simple set (a storybook backdrop, a few sticks of furniture, and two white picket fences) allows for an expansive space in which magic can be made. And magic it truly is: IUP's production teaches that in a world where we value and care for each other more than ourselves, the things we want simply appear in the wings. Lovingly holding a flowerpot allows flowers to grow (quite suddenly!) and seats appear when tired bones call out to them. Frog and Toad's child-sized bromance envelops the stage in a magical ether where innocence is rewarded.
The show's tech aspects are at once its blessing and its curse. Spring-loaded alarm clocks and flowerbeds, sharply colored 1930s-chic costuming, and punny cookbooks ("Betty Croaker"--go ahead and groan) create a whimsy one settles into readily. Meandering spotlights, however, sometimes distractingly light up barren stretches of empty stage. The pit overpowers the cast often (especially Barret, when he slips into his low register), and one must endure uninspired, repetitive choreography during frequent musical interludes.
Strong performances save us from these wanting moments,
however.
Their willingness to respect child intelligence is rewarded in the formation of a well-rounded, respectable production. They have told children that it's okay to dream, to love simply, and to put others before all things.
Maybe it isn't really children's theater after all.
Connor
Sweet,
with an Excellent Crunch
"Crisp, but not overly brittle, just a scintilla of spice, and cunningly soft in the middle." Claims the delightful Frog as he relishes a fresh cookie from his pal Toad.
Coincidentally, Frog is also
describing
With Robert Reale's score, which ranges from brisk jazzy melodies to breezy country tunes, and Willie Reale's witty book the play has something for everyone. This is not your average children's play that uses witty dialogue to play down to a young child or over their heads. Under the delicate and careful direction of Rob Gretta, the small ensemble remains true to the script and does not favor an adult or children's audience. The show portrays a simple friendship that is strong and can't be broken in half like a cookie.
At the center of this production were a charming and playful Sean Barret as Frog and the sincere and sometimes doleful Joe York as Toad. Both embody their character fully, keeping the audience engaged through inside jokes, and amusing sight gags. The ensemble works hard, and seamlessly with the audience to tell a warm story of friendship and devotion.
If there is any burnt or overcooked
element in this production, it came from Brandon Beale & Anthony Lombardi's lighting design.
While creating beautiful atmospheric looks to Dan Iwaniec's minimalist set,
their use of follow spots was the only stale part of this production. At times
the actors were not in their light, and could not be seen by the audience. Not
to pin all the blame on Beale & Lombardi, Gretta stages several scenes
extremely down stage creating impossible positions to hang and focus lights.
Dan Iwaniec's charming costumes provided depth to characters, and caused the characters to jump out of the stage like a children's pop-up book. Carefully and cleverly detailed, the costumes gave each character their own distinct style. From Frog's sharp striped suit, with green leggings, to Toad's poke-a-dotted suit with converse sneakers, the costumes gave the actors another layer to dig deeper into their amphibian characters.
Zipping along at a quick ninety minute pace, this delightful musical comedy reminds audience members that simple is better. Many contemporary musicals today try and boast flashy technical elements to Wow the audience over, yet contain librettos and scores that are hollow and flat. A Year with Frog and Toad is consumed like a chocolate-chip cookie, delicious from first bite to last and profoundly memorable long after it has been fully digested.
Valerie Gibbs
Is Spring Here Yet?
A lot can happen in a year, especially when you're hanging out with two energetic amphibians like Frog and Toad. Indiana University of Pennsylvania's production of A Year with Frog and Toad takes this classic children's story and brings it to life in a vibrant way. These two amphibious pals will keep you leaping with laughter through every season, no matter what your age. Who ever said there was an age limit to children's theater? This show definitely proves that anyone can rediscover their inner child and enjoy the innocence of a make believe world in which animals can sing and dance.
The five person cast took on the challenge of over thirteen different characters and performed a show enjoyable for the entire family. The girls of the ensemble sung as sweetly as any Lady Bird and had tight harmonies and full voices that produced the sound of a much larger ensemble. Sean Barrett (Frog) and Joe York (Toad) did not have to work hard to gain the complete attention and approval of the audience. They were engaging and easy to watch, and when they had fun, the audience had fun too. They had a strong connection and portrayed a lifelong friendship. They showed us just how fun baking cookies, flying kites, and sledding with your friends can be. Frog and Toad were best friends, and as we journeyed through the year with them, we learned more and more about what true friendship looks like. Though the story is technically meant for children, the script kept the parents in mind as well with jokes about the bird flu, the wittiness of "snail mail," and various other things that any child would probably not notice. There was something entertaining for everyone to enjoy.
Though the set was minimal, the costumes and props were more than enough to create the fun-filled atmosphere of this show. With the exciting little tricks of the springing alarm clock and the growing flowers in the garden, to the cleverness of using sponges for soggy sandwiches, the props added a youthful, excitement and mystical element to the show. The vintage style of the costumes gave the show the feel of a sophisticated fairytale. The textures and fashions coordinated perfectly with the jazz era musical style as well. Even those in "the pond pit" were dressed to match. This show was unified across the spectrum.
The only thing that needed more attention was the lighting. The follow spots struggled to keep up with their actors and at one point, the audience members somehow became illuminated as well. The house lights flickered at one part too, which could have easily been prevented. The overall lighting was sloppy and flat and did not do much to enhance the atmosphere of the show. However, all the other elements worked so well together that I was willing to overlook the unimpressive lights and still enjoy an experience that had me ready to spend another year with the wonderful dynamic duo, Frog and Toad.
Nathan Taylor
There Could Be No Better Friend Than IUP
Frogs and toads and snails - oh my! No, it wasn't an aquatic version of "The Wizard of Oz," but rather Indiana University of Pennsylvania's production of A Year with Frog and Toad, a children's theater musical whose title couldn't be more truthful. Exploring the bonds of friendship, Frog and Toad bake cookies, ride a sled, and rake each others leaves as the seasons pass.
Even before the musical begins the audience is immersed into the storybook world of these lovable characters when musical director Tom Octave introduces the orchestral "pond." Though the set is minimalistic, nothing besides a few choice pieces are ever needed; the production is carried primarily through the actors, props, and costumes, a welcome change from the growing trend of spectacle heavy musicals.
Sean Barrett's Frog provides an air of cordiality without ceding any of the downright neighborly vibes towards Joe York's ragamuffin Toad. Their relationship was like a G-rated version of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple;" despite the clear differences in their characterizations, there was never any doubt about how much each actor cared about the other - it was in their voices and physicality. Even with an over the top style conducive towards children's theatre, their believability never faltered.
Both Barrett and York utilized melodious voices that rose to
the belting occasion when required. What was truly impressive was their ability
to keep their respective character voices when doing so; Barrett's was deep and
rich, while
Helping
Supporting actresses Jamie Markel, Whitney Weimer, and Veronica Wilt made full use of Dan Iwaniec's inventive costumes that were quite congruent with the nature of the props. With ears made of springs, shells made of blankets, and miner's head lamps made from plastic wine glasses, Iwaniec's design never showed a lack of ingenuity without impeding any functionality.
"A Year with Frog and Toad" is best described in the words of the titular characters when they sing "it's inconceivable! It's unbelievable!" The only thing they leave out is that IUP's musical is a whole heap of fun, unrestricted to age and guaranteed to make audiences giggle.
A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story
Shawn Arnold
"Survivor Story" Needs a Little Help
Okay, epic story, guys! Elizabeth Goldstein, a young Hungarian Jew, is uprooted thanks to the Holocaust. She embarks on a perilous journey from concentration camp to concentration camp. Along the way she loses most of her family, but refuses to lose her own will. She even manages to escape the bloody Nazi regime and passes down her story to her granddaughter. If this were a play, sounds like it would make for some assuredly gripping theater, right? Epic stuff!
The piece visually nails it. Dan Wright and Chuck Cole's use of side/down light casts huge shadows and creates an ominous sense of foreboding. This is most intense when a Nazis' Greek chorus is rambling off a cacophony of legislation on the suppression of Jews.
The sound design by Jessica Schon includes bold and haunting choices. Most notably is a sequence where she uses John Hobbie's versatile set as a means to create sounds of a munitions factory. By hitting, scraping and slamming the set, the cast viscerally brings the world of the factory to life.
Pamela Hendrick's cast clearly brings the message home that the play is about preventing genocide. There is also an intense focus on presenting the source material as written. This non-traditional interpretation becomes old quickly, however, as the audience is hammered over the head again and again with presentational narration on level with Ben Stein's droning.
One would think that Hannah Hendry's Goldstein would experience a wave of emotions induced by PTSD while recalling her horrific past. Sadly, trying to find this development is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Hendry's portrayal is monotonous, and in the few months when she is overcome with emotions, they disappear as quickly as they arrived.
Lauren Suprenant's young
A Comb and a Prayer Book is neither stellar nor terrible. Some
brave choices that don't completely work might cost
Amy Asendorf
When A Comb and a Prayer Book Are Your Only Hope
Family Separation. Back-breaking labor. Painful humiliation. Torturous starvation. And all because she was Jewish. A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story, as performed by the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, is an original verbatim theater production based on the memoir of Holocaust victim Elizabeth Blum Goldstein. Because the majority of the production accentuated the dismal trials of life amidst concentration camps, the display of Goldstein's miraculous hope and resilience served merely to remind us of the hope for human tolerance, but lacked a firm basis in reality.
Director Pamela R. Hendrick chose to utilize alternating patterns of narration, dialogue and dramatic action which produced a haunting rhythm to which the audience travelled alongside Goldstein. The use of overlapping served multiple purposes as the lines between Elizabeth Goldstein (Hannah Hendry) and Young Elizabeth (Lauren Suprenant) established a clear distinction between Goldstein's recollection and the interview between Goldstein and Shana Fogarty (Lauren Suprenant) at present. In addition, the overlapping lines of the Hungarian government officials, played by the ensemble, drowned the audience in a spinning whirlpool of hatred and fear. The nearly monotone montage of voices took on a distinctly robotic nature, completely unidentifiable with human emotion and empathy.
Hendrick also established the idea of rigidity within the lives of the Holocaust victims. The meticulously equal spacing between characters as well as the stiff stances of the Hungarian officials and camp guards suggested the immutability of Goldstein's situation. Ironically, the actors playing the siblings and parents of Goldstein's family also play the guards and officials who condemn them. This intriguing duality asserts that both sets of individuals are equally human.
Hannah Hendry provided a breathtakingly chilling portrayal of the disturbed Goldstein. Her rich Hungarian accent combined with her meek hesitancy naturally evoked pity and fear. It was as if Hendry were a hypnotist as the audience fell powerless to the horrors of her account. Each time she nearly stopped the story due to her fragile and painful memories was like a sudden return to reality. Unfortunately, the potential cathartic effect of Hendry's performance was hampered by her young counterpart, Lauren Suprenant. Suprenant ultimately failed to express the horrors of her own present reality as young Goldstein. In fact, there seemed to be no audible change in voice or physical change in stance and presence as Suprenant oscillated between her two roles. The calmness of Shana, the interviewer, seemed to carry over into Young Goldstein, the mildly disturbed, if that.
Due to the complete lack of comic relief, the closing of the production was only slightly palatable. The audience was abruptly shifted froma pathos-ridden tale to a sudden public service announcement: What can we do to help stop genocide? Unfortunately, it's hard to call an audience to action when they are overwhelmend by emotional hypnosis.
Nicholas Barilar
Holocaust Play Proves to Be Devastating
Three multi-leveled scaffold towers loom before you. The house lights slowly darken. The ominous sound of a Yiddish tune on pipes is suddenly heard.The lights come up and the Brechtian A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story plunges us into the tragic world of a holocaust survivor. Unfortunately, this production proved tragic as well.
It shares the story of Elizabeth Blum Goldstein who, after facing a brutal experience in six different concentration camps, tells her story for the first time to her granddaughter for a class project. We see both happening at the same time.
I loved the set design by John Hobbie. It was balanced as well as extremely usable for such a stylized show.
The lighting, by Daniel Wright and Charles Cole III, was effective, specifically, in the use of a projection that placed barbed wire across the entire stage provided a sharp jab to the stomach in not only separating the characters from the world outside the concentration camps but from the audience as well.
Perhaps the most helpful in the actual storytelling, though, was the combination of properties and sound designs, by Jessica Schön and Patrick Judd, respectively. When the set is pounded by billy clubs to create gunshots that create sounds that crawl over and through you like an ocean wave the result is chilling. Still, one of the hardest images to shake comes when the family is forced into labor and create, using the props and their bodies, the sounds of the factory. But, then there will be occasions when non-live sounds were used and they simply failed to have the same impact.
The acting was largely executed in a very unrealistic manner. These moments were probably the most effective at the beginning when laws regarding the rights of a Jewish person were recited in a chaotic unison. However, for the actual action of the play, it proved to be irritating because the best moments of action where acted realistically.
The cast comes across as awkward, however, the fault probably lies in the direction. It became very clear that what was and wasn't real or "in the moment" wasn't real because it failed to connect and just lacked life. Coupled with pacing problems, the direction was simply stagnant. Toward the end of climax-devoid staging, it all just seems the same, that being too long and slow.
The final scene between
Michael Cook
A Comb and A Lack of Justice Done
A Comb and a Prayer Book is a play about a woman revealing her experiences in the holocaust for the first time since the events transpired. This sentence seems to be the basis for several other books, plays, and movies. However, A Comb and a Prayer Book claims to be much more and falls short of those claims. The story is one of hope and the subject matter of the Holocaust is a familiar tale to many people who are taught not to forget the past.
Before the play started, I noticed the unconventional size of the program and read the director's notes which stated that the director wished to portray the reality of the holocaust using Chamber Theatre (a style of theatre which seeks to use as much of the original text from which it was adapted) because every other play the director read resorted to expressionism or metaphor to convey this. However, upon viewing this play I would certainly say that expressionism is a large influence on the play. However, the costumes didn't lend well to either idea. The men were in costumes that suggested Jewish apparel of the time, but the female characters were wearing black leggings and jumpers, which could have suggested that the play is a memory, and some of the details of the memory aren't as strong. While some may argue that this was the entire point in doing so, it is also possible that it was entirely unnecessary. The music seemed to cut off the actors' lines at times and at other times it was almost overwhelming viewing the play, the acting itself was good and the actors had to play several different characters, changing many conflicting mindsets and personalities in a matter of minutes, and the lighting helped establish the cold nature of the Holocaust, and the warm nature of the family.
The story itself would have been worth hearing regardless of how its presented but I often found myself asking if the story was being dealt justice during my viewing. However, the ending seemed to pull me entirely out of the story and could've been a reminder that injustice carries on to this day, but instead seemed awkwardly executed and killed the mood of the play, instead of portraying reality it felt too much like I was watching a group of actors trying to raise awareness about a cause.
While it was an ambitious first production, I feel as if this script
has the possibility of being executed well, but for now that will have to
wait.
A Comb and a Prayer Book and Not Much Else
Ah yes, the Holocaust. It was one of the harshest crucibles that mankind has ever had to endure. By now, we've all heard the terrible stories of that dreadful time, from Anne Frank's heartbreaking diary to the power and fury of Ellie Weisel's Night. The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey has tried to add one more side to this terrible chapter with A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story.
Comb tells the
story of one
But, storytelling aside, this show looked fantastic. Set designer Jon Hobbie really accomplished something special for this show. His design is made entirely out of layers and stacks of skeletal scaffolding backed by grey scrims. This, paired with Daniel Wright's chilled lighting design really sombers up the audience even before the show begins. The whole thing is cold and grey--a cloudy December afternoon on an industrial beachfront. This spartan design leads to some incredible stage pictures. We see a whole family crammed into the cattle car of one scaffold while bright jagged squares of light play off their frightened faces. But these beautiful and shudder-inducing images do little to save the show from it's greatest flaw: the story.
The tale is told essentially through a 90 minute intermissionless monologue shared by Elizabeth Blum (Hannah Hendry) and her granddaughter, Shana Fogarty (Lauren Suprenant.) The show went live in the massive Fischer Auditorium, though it became abundantly clear that Comb felt more at home in a smaller space. Suprenant simply could not project to fill that whole auditorium, and Hendry did not fare any better. Their speeches took on a ghostly, distant aspect that made it difficult for the audience to make any emotional connection.
The show is more of a torture story than a survival story.
While Comb is a very important story, it simply does not tell enough of it to make the experience have anything other than a slight educational value.
Jensen Toperzer
A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story
In literary fiction, there is an adage that one should always show, not tell - that is, a character should not simply state "I am angry," but show their rage through their actions and reactions. It is advice repeated to the point of near absurdity, but that does not change its relevance, and it is at this very task that Pamela Hendrick's adaptation A Comb and a Prayer Book: A Survivor's Story utterly fails.
There's a certain irony in this, as the theater is a medium precisely for showing, not telling, but many parts of A Comb and a Prayer Book feel like a book report rather than a play, with the narrators both seeming emotionally distant from their subject matter - a true shame, as the story itself should be incredibly moving. We speak here of a story about a woman who managed to survive not one, but six concentration camps, and who is alive to this day with grandchildren.
The primary problem comes from director Pamela Hendrick's
choice to create the play as a Chamber piece. While the style has been used
effectively in other contexts - such as The Grapes of Wrath - in this
case, it serves to create a gulf of emotional distance between the audience and
a subject that should, by all means, be emotionally raw. While the director's
stated goal of neither sanitizing nor romancing the Holocaust is an admirable
one, it is one the piece ultimately falls short of. Indeed, A Comb and a
Prayer Book does feel sanitized. For example, there is one scene in which a
young
The ending of the play feels ham-handed, with the actors listing off modern genocides in an effort to brain the audience with the fact that the Holocaust "could happen again." But because the horrors of the Holocaust were not presented in a way that could evoke an emotional response from the audience, this list falls as flat as the rest of the production, feeling more like the sort of thing told to middle school history classes.
In the end, A Comb and a Prayer Book manages to do
the very thing it set out to avoid - it sanitizes the Holocaust and worse yet,
Kelly Wetherald
Operation
Comb and A Prayer Book:
The Holocaust of World War II is
an event that educated individuals cannot avoid learning about for we are
bombarded with images, events and horrific details in American history classes
nationwide. Nearly six million Jews were murdered, tortured and humiliated
all to indulge the egotistical control freak, Adolf Hitler. Modern
society knows this. But what
about genocide in
The
main area I am struggling with was whether the purpose of A Comb and a Prayer Book: A
Survivor's Story was to tell
one person's history or to heighten awareness of genocide and humanistic
cruelty. The play had an unclear
objective and static storyline which in turn made the performance boring and
unbearably annoying. To me it was just another attempt at making a Holocaust
memoir that turned out to be an epic fail.
I
cannot blame the painful performance solely on the actors at
Hendrick
also chose to incorporate Chamber Theatre techniques while directing A Comb and a Prayer Book: A
Survivor's Story. This
technique includes using as much original text as possible while telling the
story through a couple of main characters. Unfortunately, Lauren Suprenant playing Shana Fogerty and
Hannah Hendry playing Elizabeth Blum Goldstein's monotone vocal qualities,
unmotivated monologues and lack of ensemble interaction put me to sleep.
One
positive in this production of A
Comb and a Prayer Book was
the technical lighting and set design. The use of top, side and blue light
helped to create a somber, death stricken mood that the actors themselves
couldn't naturally create. The
lighting created depth, a sense of time and helped to make the minimalistic set
spring to life.
The
high hopes that I had for this production after their nomination to KCACTF were
shattered within twenty minutes. I
found myself longing for the end or at least for the nonexistent intermission
to take a break from the monotonous one dimensional narration.
Shawn Arnold is a senior at Clarion University and theater fanatic! He is currently pursing a B.F.A in acting, B. A. in history, and B. S. in secondary social studies education. His most recent stage appearance was in Clarion's production of David Mamet's one man show, Mr. Happiness. Some of his other theater appearances on the Clarion stage include a company member in the neo-futurist play 43 Plays for 43 Presidents, George in the dark one-act Shel Silverstein play Wash and Dry, and Mark Twain in Hauptman and Miller's musical Big River. Aside from theater and history, Shawn is also obsessed with the silly dead-pan antics of The Office and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He is excited to join Wendy and the institute again in its new incarnation following last year. He cannot wait for another chance to do it again . . . "That's what she said." [Ed. Note: Assuming here Mr. Arnold isn't referring to his teacher.]
Peter Starr Northrop is a Memphis-born, Pennsylvania-based writer with no style and an awkward sense of humor to match. He is currently a junior at Elizabethtown College, where he is frantically throwing together a double-major in English and theater. Mostly he divides his time between working as the head features editor for his school newspaper--The Etownian, heading the writers of a sketch comedy group, and attending the occasional class. When it comes to theater, Peter has recently stuck to the directing side of things. He just wrapped up a production of David Ives' English made Simple and is currently assistant-directing Elizabethtown College's production of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
Nathan Taylor is a junior at James Madison University, currently working on a double major in theater and English. He has been involved with theater since he was a young boy, appearing in several shows in the Washington D.C. area during his childhood. It was not long before Nathan realized that he had to be involved in some facet of theater for the rest of his life. Coincidentally, he has also been involved with the English language since he was a young boy, attending elementary school and learning the alphabet during his childhood. It was not long before Nathan realized that he had to both be able to speak and read the English language if he was going to be successful in his adulthood. With the love of both writing and watching a production, he naturally has a passion for critiquing shows of all types.
Later today, I'll post the students' final reviews so you can have the pleasure of critiquing the critics, but first, without further ado, our merry--though exhausted--men and women, in their own words. P.S.: Ralph Leary (at left), who shows up in a couple of the entries, is the National Critics Institute Coordinator for Region II, and a professor of English at Clarion College in Clarion, Pa.
Jennifer Ford
I liken the past 60 hours to the first time I ever put contact lenses in my eyes: the National Critics Institute experience has sharpened my focus for watching and thinking about theater. Charged with the job of critiquing the shows in the festival, I found myself paying closer attention to a show's costuming, lighting, and set design, whereas in the past I was mostly attentive to the acting. The teaching also unveiled to me the absolute requirement for a critic to back up every assertion they make about a show. To do this, I had to practice cataloging a show's memorable moments and producing them as evidence to my claims.
The challenge to describe theater in fresh, crisp language and to choose the most important points to put on paper is harder than I thought. It has been especially humbling to work side by side peers who picked up the skills quicker than I did. At the same time, I deem "most valuable" the chopping-block class feedback sessions where every student had a chance to chime in and point out strengths/flaws in each other's writing. It was a safe environment for evaluation because we not only shared our amateur status, but we mutually understood that all of us were here to learn and grow.
Both Wendy Rosenfield and Ralph Leary have been gems: encouraging, witty, and specifically helpful. The only thing that would make this experience better is a longer week.
Jessica Hinds-Bond
The NCI schedule reminds me of tech weekends spent at the theatre, both in that we're so incredibly busy (over 12 hours on Thursday), and in how much is accomplished in such a short time period. Between attending critics sessions and performances, writing responses, and commuting to and from Center City every day, calling the program "intensive" would be an understatement. In spite of the long hours, I'm definitely enjoying the experience. I'm learning to approach theatrical performance in a new way, and getting to try my hand at some non-academic writing for a change. The sessions with my fellow critics have been fantastic because the broad range of backgrounds and interests enriches the discussion. I've noticed immediate improvement in my writing, and I have learned so much about the different ways in which critics, audiences, and theatre artists approach reviews.
Devin Dippold
One of my long-standing issues as a theatregoer was a tendency to be too kind to the performance. Rather than state my opinions honestly, I chose to either soften or outright conceal any strong criticism I had for a production. That attitude had to change at the NCI conference. It was one thing to say kind words about a production when your words were just those of a typical audience member. When you are supposed to provide expert commentary, however, kindness isn't really in the job description.
Learning to express my critical ideas wasn't so much a long discovery process as it was a rapid change. I had to say what I felt. I had to present an honest review every day, and it had to be driven by something real. If I hated a show, I couldn't just pretend it was good; I had to be honest with myself and admit that it was bad. It sounds simple enough now, but I just never let myself think that way. Now, I've found it impossible to go back to being nice. I tried during today's productions (which I am not reviewing) to relax and just enjoy the shows. Instead, I found myself critiquing everything onstage. Why is there a blackout here? Why is the pacing slow there? I can't turn it off anymore. And I don't want to, either.
P.S. Northrop
When we arrived at the Doubletree Hotel for the ACTF conference I picked up the keys for myself and my three other roommates.
'What's our room number?" One of the guys--Sam--asked in the lobby as I handed him his key.
"Uhh..." I looked at the little pamphlet I'd been given. "1408" I said.
"...The haunted hotel movie?" Gilliam asked.
I stopped--trying to think. A group of other conference participants sitting at a couch near us and clearly eavesdropping suddenly burst out laughing. Sure enough, there's a horror movie entitled 1408 where an evil hotel room all but eats John Cusack.
We took this in stride, figuring there was no such thing as evil hotel rooms. But, sure enough, the next day another roommate turned on the tv and what else was on the screen but Jon Cusack getting told by Samuel Jacksion that room 1408 was evil. We'd been there a day and already the place was fucking with us.
This forms part of the reason why I'm glad I got involved with the National Critics Institute competition here at the festival. I leave my hotel room every morning, turning to my roommates and saying "Don't die...please", at 9 and usually don't return until about 11 at night. 1408 doesn't get much of chance to hate me.
But really--NCI proves to be an incredible experience, haunted hotel rooms aside. Theater criticism is a beautiful mashup of the rigid journalistic world and the ethereal land of the theatre. Most of my counterparts have come from the theatre side of the collision, whereas I am the stuffy journalist of the group. I'm pretty sure this makes me the luckiest member of our little band, as I am surrounded with brilliantly minded actor-types with huge knowledge of the stage and all the crazy shit that goes on behind it. I've learned more in the past few days than I did in a good half of my last semester. I love the thirst for knowledge and the need to write displayed by all of these guys.
And all the while, I've been on an endless stress-high since about midday Wednesday. I love deadlines, the way they inexorably approach, threatening to wash over you, whether or not you and your writing are ready for them or not. I thrive off of that sense of urgency--because when I'm writing furiously, I swear it's one of the few times where I truly feel alive. It's the worlds greatest feeling--and the style of theater criticism allows you to let loose the chains that boring ol'regular journalism nomrall imposes on you. I love this writing, I love this festival, and not even room 1408 destroying us could take away the joy of it.
Yeah, sure--that end was abrupt, but if I didn't stop you know I would go on, reaching (and most likely surpassing) Valare-lengths. And no one wants that.
Until next time, kids.
Shawn Arnold
So I have to sneak back into classes Tuesday. On top of that I have to make up the things I missed this week(thank you). Ouch! However, I couldn't have asked for a more educational, more fun reason to miss than NCI. Although time consuming, it was such a free and thought
provoking process, yet it was so much fun. It was such a relief to find a group of individuals who can actually talk about theater in more than "good" or "bad." I mean is that too hard to ask for? Also I have learned a ton about how important it is to remain concise when writing
a review. The harsh world of editorial criticism has it limits on article size, and this forces the writer to keep the meat and remove the fluff. I have got to thank Wendy for her guidance in this process. I especially must thank her for helping me find my voice a bit more in
my writing. Plus she is a fan of The Office and Flight of the Conchords which makes her the coolest person ever. Major props Wendy! Anyways this week has been such a wonderful experience. Thanks to everyone involved!
Amy Martin
The overall effect of the NCI workshop experience has reestablished my personal relationship to theater. Having entered the world of criticism from an interest in dramaturgy I believed the class would improve my analytical skills, but the effect is much deeper. Although I love dramaturgy and working with the text, I found myself in conflict with many of the directorial choices and learning critical writing skills has provided an outlet for my beliefs. While watching a production, the arrogance that I once felt for defending a script has faded and been replaced by a more objective critical eye. Being a critic at the KCACTF festival has been a life-altering experience, for which I am entirely grateful. In addition, working in a writing class has brought attention to my writing style and technique. The great part about being a student is the ability to try new things and expand as an individual.
Savannah Ganster
So, I came to the American College Theatre Festival in Philadelphia this week expecting to sit in on playwriting workshops. Instead, I ended up participating in the National Critics Institute workshops. I know, I know... It's slightly shocking that I'd rather learn to be a theatre critic and review invited productions, than attend the playwriting workshops that I had looked so forward to. But fear not, the shock ends there.
The NCI workshops have been amazing! I feel like I've bonded with people who understand the theatre and who aren't afraid to write about their opinions. Regardless of the bad rap generally assigned to theatre critics, I can assure you that none of the nine people sharing this room with me throughout the NCI workshops are the asshole type. In fact, they've become some of the most supportive peers that I've known. As we sit in our workshop sessions critiquing our play reviews from the night before, no one is afraid to share their work. We provide each other with words of encouragement and constructive criticism and laugh and joke and talk theatre.
I couldn't have learned more about the journalistic art of review throughout the duration of this festival had I tried. Wendy and Professor Leary, our mentors, are treasure troves of knowledge concerning critiquing theatre. They've provided a great amount of support and criticism to aid us in our journeys as critics and as writers.
Despite the fact that I didn't attend any playwriting workshops, I feel as though my writing abilities have been nurtured and have grown. Everything that I've learned through the NCI workshops can be taken and applied to what I know about playwriting, which means that I've learned more than how to be an effective critic while I'm here. I've learned how to be an effective critic, how to be a better playwright, how to hone the art of writing into the veins of journalism, creative writing, etc., and how to let my unique voice of authority shine through all of my writing.
Tammy Bateman
I sat down on the first day of this week with the National Critic's Institute and I was incredibly overwhelmed. I am not comfortable with others reading my writing. I am a performer and therefore somewhat fearful of critics. So what brought me to this particular workshop at the festival? Well, with a small attempt at theatre criticism (more praising than criticizing due to the nature of the program) in high school, I thought that this could be another chance to learn this profession in a more serious way. And boy was it! I was not prepared for the amount of work and difficulty I would have trying to keep up with the other, more advanced writers in the workshop. But once I got past my initial discouragement, I was able to find the positive in this situation, as I try with all things. For one, my colleagues weren't condemning me for my short comings. They were all surprisingly supportive of my meager attempts at a few reviews, (and let's remember that they're aspiring critics--so now I know they really are nice people even if they may be critical in their writing). Aside from that, as an actor, listening in on what the critics look at can be majorly beneficial. While a review may be informative, in this environment I got the chance to listen to everyone's opinions (and not in 500 words or less) and really hear what they look for. I have a newfound admiration for this profession and what these writers do. I now understand the effort they put into their work. While I may have realized that maybe this career isn't for me, I've experienced a week of yet another part of this wonderful business and that counts as a success in my book!
Savannah Ganster, Tammy Bateman and Amy Martin quietly rain down the pain in their ledes. And also illustrate why that MTV Rolling Stone intern reality show didn't exactly make compelling television.
Here's the deal: the students saw two productions last night--Penn State Altoona's Big Love, by Charles Mee, and SUNY Oswego's Honor and the River, by Anton Dudley. They wrote full reviews, turned them in this morning and were either critiqued into submission or inspiration, and perhaps some combination of the two. So I'm not going to post those full reviews here.
Instead, have a look at these ledes for today's production of Love's Labour's Lost (brought to the festival by Albright College) and tell our critics whether they've made you want to read more or if you've seen all you need to see of either review or production.
Love's Labour's Ledes
Devin Dippold
Battle lines are drawn. On one side stands a wild forest, filled with lovers frolicking. On the other side stand three columns, atop which the busts of Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates look down upon all they "see." A man under their watchful eye partitions off these columns from the rest of the world. The Domino Players' production of Love's Labour's Lost prepares two sides for war, but does anyone really want to fight?
Jessica Hinds-Bond
A forest of lanky paper trees covered in cursive handwriting dots the stage. Three grown men hide unseen behind a narrow pillar, a skeletal podium, and a short bench. Women of radically different heights, dresses, and hair accessories don eye-masks and exchange scarves, fooling their lovers into proposing to the surrogate women. Sudden news of a parent's death spurs four betrothals and a happy ending. Only in Shakespeare are such things possible. In the Albright College Domino Players' production of Love"s Labour's Lost, they are not only possible but compelling and magical.
Shawn Arnold
Who wants to watch a boring old British play? Nothing is less entertaining to a contemporary audience than a stuffy portrayal of the classics. George Bernard Shaw, whose bulk of work is less than a century old, had the assistance of Lerner and Loewe to keep one of his plays fresh in the 50's. If Shaw is an issue, the Bard trumps them all. Too many productions of Shakespeare's works are often stilted and hackneyed. Albright College, however, does not follow down this boring path. The Domino Players Theatre Company of the college presents an uproariously flirtatious production of Bill's Love's Labour's Lost.
Savannah Ganster
The stage is set. Tall white trees shadowed with calligrapher's script create a poetic forest, which sets the mood for an elegant Shakespearian production, thanks to scenic design by Lisi Stoessel. Cue the classical music. Enter the characters dressed in their period costumes, courtesy of Paula Trimpey. As this show begins, so does the teeth gritting. Albright College Domino Players' presentation of Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare at the Merriam Theatre in Philadelphia makes for some laborious viewing.
Tammy Bateman
As The Domino Players of Albright College so wonderfully portrayed, Love's Labour's Lost is a hilarious comedy about friendship, knowledge, and love. Filled with misguided courtships to make even a modern day soap opera seem simple, William Shakespeare's comedy shows four Lords of Navarre together in their pursuit of the noble ladies of France. The solidarity displayed by the Domino Players' ensemble is not only necessary for such a production, but executed with believability and success.
P.S. Northrop
From the moment the burgundy, 19th century floral print program for Albright College's production of Love's Labour's Lost is placed in your hands, you just know you're in for a ridiculous and stylized experience. Indeed, the players and designers of that show make good on the program's promise--delivering an ostentatious performance that makes fun not only of itself, but of the world that it comes from. Even if you hate the showier side of Shakespeare, this interpretation brings a delightful touch of youthful immaturity that makes Love's Labour's Lost a worthwhile endeavor.
Amy Martin
The current production of William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost, by William Shakespeare, at the Merrian Theater in Philadelphia, works to ensure that the language is not a hindrance for the cast. The Albright University production features strong voices and distinct faces that successfully carry the weighty language, but the production neglects to incorporate the actors onto the set, which causes the two separate levels to emerge. Director Julia Matthews' blocking creates a silhouette drama where the actors appear foreign to the space, as if their heads are detached from their bodies.
Next time on Everyone's a Critic
Tomorrow marks our last full day for classes and theatergoing, and Saturday is judgement day, though you wouldn't know it by the way this group encourages and gently critiques each other. It's all very un-Real World, and frankly, kind of disappointing, but UArts wouldn't give us a hot tub, so I guess that's that.
Friday I'll post the results of another short exercise, and Saturday the full reviews will be up so you can help decide who gets the comp. Our winner then heads to the Kennedy Center for its College Theater Festival, and the winner at that event--who will be judged on the review they've written here--heads up to New England for a sweet two-week getaway (that is, if your definition of "getaway" is "really hard work" ) at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Critics Institute. It's pretty astonishing that there are still students motivated enough by their love of the arts to want to buck the trend and spend their free time trying to master this craft in what may be the most difficult moment of its evolution. I hope you'll encourage them to continue exploring this uncertain--but certainly worthwhile--path.
Shawn Arnold. He's so our Suede. Ok, not really, but get a load of this crazy action shot!
Today was the first full day of the National Critics Institute meeting at Philadelphia's University of the Arts, and with it came a few new faces. Welcome is in order for Grove City College's Jennifer Ford, Penn State Berks County's Savannah Ganster, and SUNY Buffalo's Amy Martin. Madi Distefano (pictured here in a scene from her show Eye-95), a Philadelphia director/actor/playwright and founder of Brat Productions visited the class to talk about the effect of theater criticism on the theater community--not that I think it should guide the students, but certainly so that they may be aware of the heavy responsibility placed upon them as keepers of the cultural flame. Dear (Editor),
As a senior English major, I believe that Shakespeare's characters are a treasure bestowed to anyone who speaks the language he helped invent. However, in the week prior to Grove City College's production of As You Like It, I kept hearing "Is the whole thing going to be in Old English?" in whiney, disinterested tones. I wanted to explain no, Shakespeare was not Anglo-Saxon and in fact wrote in modern English, but perhaps he just possessed a broader vocabulary than you? But I held my tongue.
Instead of responding directly to my peer's ignorant qualms, I'd like to write a 800 word article titled "Shakespeare-Induced Psychogogia." Psychogogia refers to the process of one's soul being drawn upward towards truth, which is exactly what I believe happens in a (good) Shakespeare production. This article will explore the process of approaching a Shakespeare text and will highlight different techniques that Grove City actors used to guide audience understanding in their recent production of As You Like It. I also want to write about the attractiveness of Shakespeare's plays and bemoan their suffering popularity in contrast to contemporary theater's "cutting edge" sexual-awakening themes.
To read a Shakespeare play is a rigorous but rewarding process, but then to transport his scripts onto the stage with the combination of dramatic lighting, exquisite costumes, and invigorating actors is to evoke a magical spirit. Throughout the production of As You Like It, I most enjoyed the rehearsals when I could hear new understanding in a voice or see new relish a face. Everyone contributed to breathe life into a text written in 1599, and the result was true beauty, realized on a stage.
Overall, this article will point to the purpose for theater criticism: to put our mouths out of taste for bad theater and to instead instruct us towards what we should be watching. The Grove City community should know that the college's production of As You Like It is accessible and hilarious. Even if Shakespeare is not within one's personal realm of taste, Grove City's As You Like It has the power to change a mind. I can have this article to you within five days of your consent.
Ardently,
Jennifer Ford
Query 2
Ms. Rosenfield,
Last year approximately fifty students participated in Elizabethtown College's Shorts Fest, a two-night event of short plays. This year, the college is increasing its student participation by having not only student performers, directors, and designers, but making the event a major display of all types of theatrical talent within the college. Billed as "The New Playwrights Festival," the collection of ten-minute plays of a widely varying nature has been written by the ten students in last semester's Playwriting class.
I would like to write an article titled "Etown Theatre: Room for Everyone," that praises the theatre department and their bold steps to encourage such a wide array of theatrical talent. In 1500 words I would like to cover the various forms of student participation for this event.
This piece will examine the extensive work done by the students in class with their drafting and revisions, as well as the creative process of selecting directors and casts for their plays. I will discuss this process and how it has aided in the education of these students to the real world of theatre. Another important aspect of this event is the production team, including stage and production management, box office, and front of house staff, as well as publicity committees. I want to cover the work of all the students involved in this endeavor. Lastly, I would like to include commentary from the faculty and students on their thoughts regarding this great opportunity.
As an active member of Elizabethtown College's Theatre and Dance Division, I am very dedicated and proud of this event. I was a member of the Playwriting course last semester, so I have been lucky enough to see this project from its earliest stages - a blank sheet of paper. As a first-time playwright, I feel strongly about this opportunity and the opportunity it presents to all the students' various interests in the theatre world. In 2005 & 2006 I was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer for my reviews for The Greater Philadelphia Cappies, demonstrating my strong passion for the world of theatre.
I hope that my passion for this event has piqued your interest and that you would like to hear more about this event. If you are interested, please let me know, and I can have an article to you within a week of your acceptance.
Thank you for your time,
Tammy Bateman
Jessica Hinds-Bond is a second-year theatre M.A. student at Villanova University. While completing her undergraduate degree in theatre design at Auburn University in Alabama, she discovered a love for dramaturgy and theater research. She is the dramaturg for Cabaret, Villanova's final production of the 2008-2009 season. She has been a member of the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Literary Committee for the past three years, reading and responding to plays submitted by students to the annual Playwriting Festival.
Devin Dippold graduated with honors from McKendree College, where he directed, wrote, and starred in Chosen Reject, a one man show based on the writings of Kurt Cobain. He is currently a second year student in the M.A. program at Villanova University, where he recently dramaturged their production of Le Dindon by Georges Feydeau. He also stage managed last season's production of The Illusion. Acting credits include Gus in The Dumb Waiter, Tartuffe in Tartuffe: Born Again, and Ed in Defying Gravity. In his spare time, Devin plays guitar and is a martial arts instructor.
Shawn Arnold loves theater and love to analyze it. He is a Central Pennsylvania resident from Philipsburg. Shawn is currently attending Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a double major in both the BFA acting and secondary education social studies programs. In addition to his interest in theater, Shawn is also a lover of history and all things about the past. Shawn has also taken an active step to foster theater in his home town. He has been heavily involved in the creation of both a community and youth theater program in the area.
Peter Starr Northrop is a Memphis-born, Pennsylvania-based writer with poor fashion sense and an awkward sense of humor to match. He is currently a Sophomore at Elizabethtown College, where he is slowly dragging out a double-major in English and theater. There, he divides his time between working as a writer and editor for the school newspaper--The Etownian, pretending to run the newly founded sketch comedy group Sketch-E's writing department, and attending the occasional class. Peter's theater background is limited to only three years spent in a high-school improv troupe, having minor roles in a few college mainstage and one-act productions, and writing/performing for his aforementioned sketch comedy group. His other varying hobbies include cooking, hiking and most of all, discovering all sorts of things about the crazy world in which we live.
Justin Fitzpatrick is a freshman theatre major at Albright College. He avidly participates in theater in many ways such as performing, directing, choreographing, and vocal coaching. His passion lies with musicals. Past shows on which he has worked include: On Broadway: A Scene Study (Link Larkin), Footloose (Garvin), Oklahoma! (Will Parker), Bye, Bye Birdie (Co-Director), The Secret Garden (Lt. Wright), The Sound of Music (Rolf), Seussical: The Musical (Horton the Elephant/Vocal Coach), The Pirates of Penzance (Co-Director/Vocal Coach/Choreographer), High School Musical (Mongo), You Are Here* (Jimmie), Love's Labour's Lost (Forester/Mercade). Recently, Justin realized that he has a natural habit of critiquing every type of performance he sees, and has decided that being a part of the National Critics Institute at the KCACTF would be a beneficial experience.
