Amphitryon (a.k.a My Free Time Now)

Subject: AC Production of Amphitryon
One thing I have discovered working on this production is that Amphitryon has now become a living script. I have noticed myself and other members of the claque stealing jokes from the text and making them their own. It is an unconscious habit and one does not realize what has happened until the actors say their lines. It is very frustrating for them, but on the other hand it shows that they have a strong connection with their audience.
I think the addition of the claque is a wonderful concept. It keeps the actors on their toes. When we say something they have to respond and every night they must try to impress us in new and interesting ways. This production is not just about the story of Jupiter and his stolen wife. Rather, it is about the timeless joys of theatre. The irony and the humor are for the audience. When people speak of boring theatre, I think they are talking about those productions that are puffed up and self-interested. This production of Amphitryon allows the audience to tell the story with the actors and in doing so breathes some new life into this ancient text.

Amphitryon

Dramatic irony rules this play. Much like Bacchae we know what is going to happen before the play occurs, as our friend Mercury graces us with his presence. The comedy of the play begins from the very beginning of the play with Mercury's introduction. We continue our journey when we are introduced to Mercury's counterpart, Sosia. The scene between these two is one of the better scenes of the play, in my eyes. It is hilarious how frightened Sosia gets and how confused he is when he sees a twin of himself. He gets aboslutly convinced that there is an actual twin of himself. It makes it so easy to laugh when we know what is actually going on, the dramatic itrony I spoke of before.

We continue to be entertained when Jupiter is leaving to "return" to war and, yet again, Mercury plays an important role in the comedy. "I'd better step in and play the crony stoog." Mercury plays an important role in this play because he talks directly to the audience. He acknowledges our presence and talks when only we can hear him. It is fun to see the interaction between Mercury and the others in the performance. When Amphitryon does return in scene 3, we are given a comical experience between Mercury, who we know looks like Sosia, and Amphitryon. It is hillarious how the interaction unfolds. The dramatic irony in this scene adds to the comedic experience.

The entire follows this same reoccuring theme and lends itself to many hillarious moments. I think Mercury plays the most significant role in the play as a character that interacts with the audience and introduces the audience to the unfolding story. Since we know what is going on in the performance, it makes the audience appreciate the comedy that much more.

Bacchae

I love tragic plays, but this one was a bit confusing. I know that it is an ancient play and I expected it to be difficult, but ouch. I attempted to follow what we were suppose to care about, which is common in most tragedies, but I had a real problem doing so. I have read Akaash's meditation and I would have to agree that I can agree with his analysis. In Romeo and Juliet we feel something for the characters, but I had a real difficult time finding what was suppose to be important.

I think tragedies are interesting because of the way they make us feel. A simple production can bring tears to our eyes not because of what we feel for the characters, but because of the punch in the gut when our loved characters are ruined in some way or another. We spend most of the play wanting them (the characters) to succeed, but every time we are crushed when they fail. I wonder if we love tragedies because we love to see those around us fail. It seems like I see tragic productions on a daily basis through reality television.

The Delights of 'Dribbling Gore'

Subject: *Note: Dionysus has not driven me to dementia. I am just weird.
I am not ashamed to say that Anne of Green Gables and Gene Kelley musicals dominated my early years. I love frivolity and innocuous entertainment, but lately I find myself lusting after violence. It is a terribly strange feeling and I can find no real cause for it. In my religion class, I was delighted to learn of Jael, a fearsome maiden who drives a tent peg through the head of the mighty general Sisera. More recently, I watched the film V for Vendetta and was utterly fascinated by the masked vigilante and his lustrous knives (his knack for alliteration was quite taking as well). Naturally, The Bacchae of Euripides satisfied this gory new palate of mine. The following selection in which the Maenads literally rip the impious Pentheus apart is possibly my favorite scene.
She [Agave] took him by the arm, the left arm, under the elbow, then she planted a foot against his ribs and tore his arm off…one had one of his feet, still warm in its sandal. His ribs were stripped of flesh, and all the women, all those bloody hands, were throwing pieces of him back and forth between them as though it were a game. (49)
Deliciously nauseating, isn’t it? I can see it so clearly. The details of the situation immediately penetrate the mind. Perhaps, such intense imagery is what attracts audiences to atrocity. The words alone work to efficiently produce vivid pictures of unpleasantries. One is often repulsed, yet the lucidity of the scene is very enticing. The same goes for tragedy as well. Human nature will not allow us to turn away from misery. We are nosy creatures who must see the outcome.
The Bacchae of Euripides was also appealing in that it placed women in unconventional roles. Agave and the other Bacchants are deemed detestable by Pentheus because they ostracize themselves from the home and family. Their absence is seen as a nuisance to the men of Thebes. He exclaims that it “is beyond endurance. To have to suffer from women!” (32) When they disassembled him it was like sweet vengeance for me. It is always a nice to see women holding “a dominating hand above the bent head of the enemy [men]” (37) for a change, even if these gals were a little bit crazed.

Rent: I don't get it.

Subject: Rent the musical
My Rent experience began with the soundtrack and the text. That didn’t exactly overwhelm me, so I borrowed the film version from a friend. I have not had the opportunity to see it live and would really rather not given what I have endured thus far. I live for musical theatre, but for some reason Rent just did not appeal to me. With all the trilling vocals, it is a bit like listening to pop radio or watching American Idol (not nearly as pleasing to the ear as Sondheim or the like). I find this unpolished, rough singing style a bit grating. It is almost as if they are trying too hard to sound as amateur as possible.
I think what disappoints me most about Rent is how all I have heard are statements proclaiming its greatness. I was big letdown, to say the least. The ‘live for today” theme that runs throughout seems a bit trite. The characters are just so accepting of their fates. I found that disturbing rather than uplifting, especially given the history of the AIDS crisis. I wonder what Vito Russo would have said about Rent had he lived to see it.

Rent

I have not ever seen Rent performed, and have not yet seen the recent movie production either. Traditionally I am not a big fan of musical performances, but have started to enjoy them more. My fiancé is a huge fan of musicals and commonly tries to get me to attend performances with her, and watch old movies with singing and dancing in them. We attended a performance of Wicked this fall and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the performance. The singing in dancing really didn't get in the way of the story, as I thought it might. I found myself deep into the story, just as I would in a drama.

Rent was especially interesting for me. I have never taken the time to just listen to a musical without seeing the actual performance, and I was pleasantly surprised! I enjoyed using my imagination to create the characters, and I think the music really helped to pull out my emotions. I feel like those people that say, "I'm not going to see the movie, the book is always better!" I feel as though the characters put on the screen/stage will not meet my expectations.

I really thought it was fascinating how Jonathan Larson adapted a nineteenth-century opera into a play that had meaning in today's world. The revolution of topics such as poverty and illness may have made it easier, but I really think it must've taken a special talent on his part.

My fiancé and I were having a conversation after listening to Rent together about music in general. I think I was surprised how intrigued I was by the musical. She helped to put things into perspective though. She talked about some of the bands I tend to listen to on my iPod, or in the car. Most of the artist that I like was because of their talent of telling stories through music. I enjoy bands that I can understand the words and follow the story throughout the song. I enjoy the feelings of rage, love, torture, etc that are brought about by any drama that is amplified in music. We have tickets to see three performances while we are in London for our honeymoon, and I am beginning to get excited that two of the plays are musicals.

Fires in the Mirror

Talk about a heavy play. I really got wrapped up in this play, and to be honest I'm not sure if it was because of the way it was written or because of the content involved. It was hard to read about the conflict between two cultures that have already been through so much themselves. Two groups, the Blacks and Jews, that have been persacuted themselves were now rioting against each other.

The almost monologues that were presented in this play really gave some insight into the characters. I don't make it a common practice to compare movies with plays, but this play really seemed like a few of Spike Lee's recent productions, 25th Hour and Inside Man. Both of these productions are set post 9-11 and really dig deep into the prejudices that have been created from 9-11, and prejudices that have been around for centuries. This play seems to accomplish the same goal of bringing these prejudices to light. In both movies and this play, we get to see into certain characters and see how they personally feel about these issues. I think this helps people to see different perspectives of a single issue.

This would be a play that I would be interested in seeing. I think the performance of this play would gain my full attention, and feelings. I felt so...depressed while reading this play. I felt a need for change at the time of this play and really feel a need for change now!

Conflict and Identity

Subject: Fires in the Mirrow
I trust that I am not alone in saying that this play was very difficult to read. Initially, I was reluctant to pick it up simply because of the manuscript’s thickness. The reading moved pretty quickly once I got started, but the battle in my heart had only just begun. Anna Deavere Smith has shaped a history of the Crown heights incident that allows spotlight to the many sides of the conflict. The reader is constantly torn on where to focus their sympathy and sometimes their anger. I understand how one can easily reduce this situation to black and white, right and wrong, saying that you must choose a side in order to act. I personally try not to restrict myself to such narrow-minded thinking, but it does exist and thrive in this world (just look at the current Administration). Fires in the Mirror ignites that eternal passion that arises when fellow human beings suffer but with a hint of caution.
Anna Deavere Smith has given herself over to us as a mouthpiece from which everybody is allowed a bit of time to speak their piece. She has created a collage of human experience that allows one to see the forces that tug at our souls. I was also amazed at Smith’s ability to weave seemingly unrelated things into her tapestry, such as Reverend Al Sharpton’s hair. After coming away from the experience, she does not intend for one to choose a side. Rather, she wants you to realize that in this world there as many sides as there are identities.

Rent

I was not sure what to write about this musical, but after reading other people's posts I realized that many people had the same problem that I did. I do not really know what to think about his story. I have a hard time with any musical being classified as realism. How realistic is it when all of hte character spontaneouldy break out into song and all happen to know the words? However, I do think that they musical carried a very powerful message of hope with it. These characters while facing a terrible disease such as AIDS still have a remarkably positive outlook on life.