Rhinoceros Research

We are soon going to start reading Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco in class, so Mrs. Burke asked us to do some background research first. The play is about a drunk named Berenger, whose town becomes plagued by rhinos. Soon, everyone has been transformed into rhinos, and in the end, he vows to fight the rhinos. This play sounds crazy!!!! People transforming into rhinos?!?! I can see why they call it theatre of the absurd; this plot is certainly absurd. I wonder how they are able to act out these scenes because a play does not have the special effects that are available in movies. The author, Ionesco, was born in 1909 and died in 1994. He grew up in France, but moved to Romania in 1925, where he eventually met his wife. They had one daughter, and Ionesco often wrote stories for her. He wrote his first play in 1950, when he taught himself English. Ionesco's unique work is characterized by his rejection of the logical plot, character development, and thought of traditional drama. He created an anarchic form of comedy to show that man's existence is meaninglessness because everything happens by chance.
Sources:
http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc19.html
http://www.theatrehistory.com/misc/rhinoceros.html

Real Gone Preparations

The past week in class, we helped Mrs. Burke get the set together for Real Gone. It was so much fun!!! It made me realize how much work it takes to put on a play, and all aspects must be taken care of. We painted the set, first using primer and then later painted the color. It was a lot fo work to make sure everything looked good, and the clean-up was a big aspect as well. On Thursday, the morning of the first showing, it was madness!! The set was still not done, and I'm pretty sure Mrs. Burke was stressing out a little :) But hey, what's theatre without things coming together at the last minute?! It was great to see how so much of the cast was down there working quickly and efficiently. They were all so involved in every aspect of the production, and they wanted the set to reflect all of the hard work they had put in. Anyway, we were all frantically putting last minute touches on the painting, setting up chairs, and Katherine, Mrs. Burke, and I worked on covering the couch. I thought the set was really coming together, even though it was a little worrisome not to have everything done. I am SOOOOO disappointed I wasn't able to come see the play :((( I hear it was fantastic!! And they got great compliments on the set, so I was a part of that aspect :) Unfortunately, I didn't get back from my track meet on Saturday in time for the show, but I really hope I can come see the one in the spring! Despite the fact tat I didn't get to see the play, helping with the set made me realize that every aspect affects the production, not just the acting. Things that we often take for granted actually take a great deal of work. Although I doubt I have a future in painting sets (I wasn't the greatest) it was still an amazing experience!

OOVOO Debacle

So our class thought we had a great idea to finish up our discussion of Henry V by having a group video chat with oovoo. However, it was a disaster. I couldn't get my microphone to work, Gwen couldn't get her video to work, and Mrs. Burke was having problems with both! Then, we tried to just do a group chat, but it was really confusing because everyone was typing at once, so we decided to finish our discussion in class. It was a learning experience because it showed us that you have to be prepared to deal with technological difficulties. I'm sure that theatrical productions often have problems with technology in plays, but the show must go on! We then had a great discussion in class the next day, and answered discussion questions that I am unfortunately not able to upload to here! :(

Henry V Throwback

I am currently rereading this book that I love, Annie Between the States, about a girl living in Virginia during the Civil War. In one scene, she meets William Farley, a scholarly soldier, who quotes Henry's speech from Henry V. As soon as I read that, I was so excited because I knew what they were talking about! That made me think about our discussions of Henry V in class. Henry gave his speech in Act III, and we discussed the significance of this speech because it serves as inspiration for the men. Most of the soldiers feel as if theirs is a lost cause, but Henry tries to muster support and convince them to fight to the death. This also marks Henry's maturity, for he is no longer the irresponsible boy shirking his duties, but he is taking responsiblity for his country. We talked about the manner in which he delivered his speeach, and I envisioned it being similar to King Theoden hitting the spears of his soldiers lined for battle in Lord of The Rings: Return of the King. He inspires the men there, just as Henry inspired his men.

http://lotrrotk.wordpress.com/

Atonement Dumb Show

Yesterday in English class, our teacher gave us a theatre opportunity, and I realized how much it connects to our studies in theatre! Each group was assigned a scene from the first 3 chapters of Atonement. Our group had the scene in which the Quincey cousins arrive and Briony experiences struggles with her cousins and the play. We had to justify our choices for props and color. The big catch was: no talking! We had to convey our scene without any noise, which proved difficult because facial expressions and actions become of utmost importance so that the audience can understand the scene without relying on words. I portrayed Briony, so I wore white to convey innocence. After our skit, we presented to the class about our choices. Then, after everyone was done, we talked about what had went well/what was frustrating. The conclusion that we came to was that our productions were similar to Briony's in that she was frustrated because everything had not worked out as she had envisioned it, just as is often the case with theatre. I really enjoyed this because I love performing dramatic things, and was fun to have to rely on my facial expression and actions. Yet, at the same time, it was difficult because I often rely on the strong projection of my voice to convey emotion. Overall, it was a great learning experience, and I am starting to see how all of our IB classes interconnect.

Forgetful

So I can be an incredibly forgetful person, but luckily Mrs. Burke saved me with her reminders of what we needed in our journal. I forgot to post about my meeting with her regarding my RI/PPP. On November 16, 2012 I met with Mrs. Burke to discuss the results of my rough draft for my RI and PPP. At the meeting, we discussed how to change my introduction so that it was more formal in not using "you." This was really helpful because I liked the catchiness of my intro, but I was struggling with how to fix it without using "you." But through our meeting, I was able to change it just a little bit to make it a really strong introduction. We also talked about citations, which I had some issues with, but I thought I fixed those pretty well. Overall, the meeting helped in reassuring me that I had done a pretty good job with my drafts, I just needed to do a little more work in tuning things up. I was really please with my final copies, so I appreciated the meeting in helping my progress.

Atonement

We have just started reading Atonement by Ian McEwan in English class. The book begins with the main character, Briony, trying to put together a performance of the play she has written. This really resonated with me in connection to our theatre class because Briony's struggles represented those that are often present in theatre. She knew exactly how she wanted her play and its characters to look, but her cousin Lola messed with her vision. Unfortunately, that is often the case with writers and directors. They have a picture in their mind of how they want an actor or set to look like, but there are often limitations on bringing that idea to fruition. I think Briony's play will continue to be integral to the plot of Atonement, so maybe I will see more of a parallel as I read more of the novel. Meanwhile, my inner theatre geek shows as I think about the logistics and acting of the play :)

Opportunity

A few days ago, I entered a poetry contest about honoring those who serve others. I just received an email that I am a finalist for the competition, so I am invited to perform my poem at the ceremony on Monday. I am really excited because this going to be a great opportunity for me to experience theatre in the making. Performing my poem will be just like acting in a theatrical production, so I am really excited to see how it goes!

Letter to Lorca

Finally, although Lorca is dead, we wrote a letter to him about our reaction to the text. This was perhaps the most interesting aspect of the project because it allowed me to pretend I was talking to the author. Usually readers can't share their feelings of a work with the author, so it was fun to be honest and pretend that I could.

Dear Señor Lorca,

I really liked reading your play Blood Wedding. I thought the lullaby scene was especially interesting. The first time I read it I was extremely confused. I had absolutely no idea what it meant. However, I read it a second time, and it began to make some sense. Then, reading it the third time I had an epiphany. I realized how brilliant it was. Perhaps you would find my interpretation incorrect, for I read the perspective of another director who had a completely different take on it. Yet, I thought my interpretation had some merit. In this scene, I observed that you set the scene of the room as pink. I found this to be very interesting because the seemingly cheerful pink proves a juxtaposition to the actually depressing nature of the lullaby. I also found it ironic that you decided to make the scene be a lullaby being sung to a child, when the actual meaning of the lullaby is actually quite dark. In addition, I noticed that you switched the lines of the wife and mother-in-law from the first to the second part. I thought this was effective because then the audience could see that the roles of the characters were changing as the well-being of the child was changing. I would like to congratulate for this scene. You had some very effective lines that really enhanced the scene. For example, you used this to employ the symbol of the horse for the first time. I although I interpreted the horse as death in this scene, others find it to be symbolic of passion. However, I think it is also important to note that it is the horse that carries Leonardo to his death. He and the bride escape on the horse, and that is the reason he dies. So bravo there! It’s brilliant foreshadowing that I only realized after I had finished the play. I love in literature when the author has foreshadowing earlier in the work that readers don’t even realize until the work has ended. I congratulate you on being able to use that without actually giving away the outcome of the play. Also, I applaud your ability to tie the symbol of water into this scene. They say blood is thicker than water, and this scene showed that idea. The stallion wouldn’t drink the water because it was bleeding. Usually when people are sick, they are supposed to drink a lot of water. But when they die, they cannot drink anymore water, so that was another aspect of the scene that was very well portrayed. Although this scene is fantastic, it also raises some problems for me. As I previously stated, I find the horse to represent death in this scene. However, in other parts of the play it represents passion. Is this to say that passion leads to death? I think that issue needs to be cleared up more. Also, this scene seems particularly depressing because the wife is losing her only child, and later in the play Leonardo dies, so it seems to say that death leaves her all alone. However, on the way to the wedding, the wife reveals that she is pregnant again. Therefore, this scene confuses me because it makes it seem like she is all alone, and although the death of her child is horrendous, she will also have another life coming to bring renewed joy. So the wife’s life is not totally rife with death as it seems. Thank you for taking the time to read my lead (even though  you are dead). I really did enjoy the lullaby scene. In fact, I enjoyed your whole play, it was quite an entertaining read.

            Sincerely,

                        Hali McKinley Lester

Coverting Script to Performance

We also used our interpretation of the script to talk about how that would dictate the performance of the scene:

Converting Script to Performance:

            In this scene, the playwright aims to create a paradoxically creepy atmosphere. Although the room is pink to try to convey an ambiance of happiness and innocence, the song is incredibly depressing. The play is a tragedy, so this is the first glance we get of tragedy. Although the mother has lost her husband and son, that tragedy is not felt so strongly by the audience. Instead this scene foreshadows the inevitable sadness. I think the horse represents death, so the imminent death of Leonardo and his wife’s child symbolizes the death of their relationship. The child is the result of their relationship. In fact, it seems as if the child is the only tether holding the couple together. Therefore, when his life is taken, the bond between Leonardo and his wife is severed. While the mother-in-law and wife are left to mourn and sing their lament, Leonardo escapes the death by riding away on his horse.

            Lorca uses this scene as an antithesis to the rest of the play. The play centers around the wedding of the bride and bridegroom, and then the running away of the bride and Leonardo. This scene shows that Leonardo has this sad life that he is escaping from. It also shows the struggles of his wife. Not only does she have to do deal with what may be the death of her child, but then her husband causes a great scandal by running off with another woman.

            As a director of this play my aim would be to present a paradoxically gloomy atmosphere. The entire room would be pink and the “sun” would be shining into the room, ,as if they are trying to make the space cheerful in the hopes of warding the illness of the child. However, all of the characters would be dressed in black, and the child would have a black lace blanket draped over him. The actors for the wife and mother-in-law would sing their lines in eerie, operatic voices. They would also make creepy movements, such as awkward hand movements and frightful caresses of the child’s face. After Leonardo leaves, the atmosphere would become even more depressing, and the child’s condition would worsen. Throughout the lullaby scene, the wife and mother-in-law would both being trying to get the child to drink water. They would also cradle him protectively, as if trying to guard him against the disease, although they would actually be helpless. This would be a very difficult scene to direct because it would have to be sufficiently creepy and sad. There would need to be an ambiance of loss, and when the person comes in to take away the child’s body, the women would fall to the floor weeping. The scene would end with them lying on the floor, crying. I took a very different perspective on this scene, but I feel as if it would be an effective representation of the lullaby scene.

Actioning the Text

We also needed to include actions that the actors would perform along with certain lines in the text:

Actions to Accompany Text:

When the mother-in-law sings the part of the lullaby where she says “Sleep, my rose, the stallion is crying,” a recording of a baby whimpering should play.

When the mother in law says, “Wait, close the window” the wife should actually close it because there would be “wind” blowing in through it, moving the pink curtains.

When the mother-in-law says, “Don’t come here! Don’t enter!” she should cross herself and the child, as if trying to protect themselves from death.

After Leonardo leaves, the wife and the mother-in-law switch the lines they said in the previous part of the lullaby. So when the wife says “Don’t come here! Don’t enter!” she should fall over the body of her child in the cradle, as if trying to protect the child.

When the wife finally says, “My child is resting,” someone should come in and take away the limp body of the child, although the wife tries to still hold onto her child.

Comparison Statement to Buch Interview

We read an interview by a director who often produces Lorca's plays. He talked about his interpretation of the lullaby scene, and I compared that to my findings:

I did not see the scene in the same way as Buch. I would definitely still have the child present. Although it seems to be a sort of nightmare, the child is a part of that nightmare, so I would have it on stage. Buch said that the horse represents passion, but in this scene I felt as if it was a war horse representing death. It just doesn’t make sense to me to have the horse represent passion in this scene. Rather, I think it is the mother-in-law and wife’s lament of the child’s illness that eventually leads to his death. Perhaps it is a nightmare. Perhaps they are just imagining that the child is dying, but that make it all the more haunting. In this case, I apply the statement to each his own. I don’t think Buch’s interpretation is bad; I just would direct the scene differently.

Lullaby Scene

In Blood Wedding, there is a scene that seems a little strange to the plot of the play: the lullaby scene, in which Leonardo's wife and mother are singing a creepy lullaby to Leonardo and his wife's child. We did a project about the lullaby scene. Mrs. Burke asked us to pretend that we were directing the scene. How would we interpret it? How would the script influence the performance? In the subsequent posts, I will include my findings and interpretations.
This was a very difficult project for me because I have never really thought about directing before. I've always loved acting, so that was one of the main reasons I took this course. I certainly didn't expect to have assignments where I would need to think about the directing aspects of a production as well. So with this project, I was really nervous. I definitely struggle a lot because there were some things that I didn't even think about. For example, when we shared our findings with the rest of the class, my classmate Sam talked about his lighting choices for the scene. I'd never even thought of that before; I'm not used to thinking about lighting because I've always taken that for granted in productions. But looking back, I think about how there were so many lights at the set of Sweeney Todd at Penn State, so lighting is obviously something I need to consider. I thought this project was a good learning experience for me because it made me step out of my comfort zone, and as a result, I learned a lot more about the world of theatre. I'm excited for another experience of thinking about directing because I think I'll learn more each time and maybe get more comfortable with the aspects of directing.

New PPP

We have our new PPP assigned, and it is due February 1st! I chose the stimuli of "Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers." This is the teachings of a Native American people in how they should treat people in life. I chose this because I have always been fascinated with Native American culture. My great-grandmother is believed to be half Native American, but my grandmother refuses to talk about it, so we'll never know. Therefore, I've always wanted to learn more about my possible heritage, hence my interest in this topic. I'm really excited to get started. My plan is to write a play centering around these teachings. Each scene will feature one of the seven teachings, which are being taught to a young girl by her old grandfather. He wants her to appreciate their heritage more, while she longs to be a normal American kid. But eventually she realizes that the values her grandfather wants to instill in her are a good thing to learn.

Returned PPP

On Monday January 7th, Mrs. Burke returned our PPP with feedback. I was fairly pleased with my grade. She felt I would have received somewhere between 16-20 on the IB rubric which is out of 25. Of course, I would have preferred to be in the highest category because I put a lot of effort into the project, but I thought for my first time, it was a fairly reasonable outcome. She provided us with a new rubric that I think will really help for my next PPP. The things I needed to work on to improve my paper were including issues or themes of the performance, targeting a a specific audience, and clearly addressing the feasibility of the project. Also, I needed a more extensive compilation of supporting materials such as brainstorms and mind maps, inspirations, mood collage, diagrams of performance, rough sketches of staging, floor plans, scale drawings, lighting diagrams, and storyboards of blocking and space relationship developments. Prior to receiving this rubric, I did not understand how extensive my ideas needed to be. I understand now that the reader of this project cannot see in my mind, so I have to illustrate all of my thoughts to them. I think it will definitely be a struggle to include all of these aspects because sometimes I just want to run away with my ideas, while the logistics can cause problems. However, I also know that the realistic aspects of this project is important; it needs to actually be possible to be performed, so I will keep that in mind. I am actually pretty excited to take another stab at a PPP, and our next one is due February 1st!

PPP Reasoning

Along with the pitch for the PPP, I had to include a 1000-1250 word justification about why I made the choices I did. Here it is:

I found the Hagia Sophia to be an incredibly inspiring stimuli, for its stunning beauty and rich history fascinated me. Through fantastic information gathered about the Hagia Sophia, I was inspired to stage a play of my own creation in the main dome of the building. My main idea came from the story about the invasion of the Muslims that caused the conversion from a Eastern Orthodox Church to a mosque (Istanbul). This sparked the idea of a play about a young girl facing this invasion. I actually found inspiration for that idea from the play "The Trojan Women" because a war can provide a great back-story for a play. "The Trojan Women" focuses on the effect of war on women, so this play taking place in the Hagia Sophia would reflect that idea as well. The women in "The Trojan Women" wearily awaited their fate after the invasion of the Greeks. It wreaked havoc on their lives, so the girl in play would fear that the invasion would change her entire life. Yet, they also were defiant of their fate, just as the girl in my play would be. In fact, upon greeting the Sultan, she says: "So, you come to take our place of worship? Hah! You hypocrite, talking of tolerance. Your 'tolerance' disgusts me." Her sharp wit would amuse the soldiers, as well as endear the audience. If successfully portrayed, her actions and thoughts would be helpful in the audience's understanding of the girl's fear, yet defiance of change from the advancing Muslim army.

            The audience would sit in the sultan's lodge, for it is above the dome floor, making it easier for them to watch the production. Each production would have 50 audience members in attendance, for the lodge would not be able to fit much more than that. Also, the sultan used to sit here so that he could avoid being seen while still participating in rituals (Hagia). This would help the audience realize what it would have really been like to be in the Hagia Sophia in the past, as well as the interaction between the sultan and his people. This detached feeling could apply to the audience as well, for they would be able to view the play from above without being seen by the actors. Therefore, the play would feel very much like a real life situation, while the audience is just watching from afar. The play would attempt to not seem too rehearsed, so that the audience could relate to the situation better.

            The Hagia Sophia is most famously known for its exquisite architecture, and that would be a major incentive for people to come see a play being performed there. This is why I would want the lights to be off when the audience first enters the sultan's lodge. I want them to experience the full extent of the beautiful architecture, and this awe will be emphasized if they get to see it all unveiled in one breathtaking moment. Then, they would have time to admire the architecture while they listen to the girl sing "Into the West." This will give the audience a chance to take-in the beauty, as well as the set, before the must pay more attention upon the action of the play.

            I chose the song "Into the West" by Annie Lennox because it is a powerful and beautiful piece. It is from the movie Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, which is a fantastic movie that especially highlights the aspects of a war. This song also depicts war, making it a fitting song for the beginning of a play about the approach of a war. Lennox portrays this idea: "Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face?" (1xxxNoNamexxx1). It is through this line that the audience would see the main character's fear of the impending invasion. While she sings, the girl  walks around the floor, looking pensive, as if reminiscing about her life. She also peers out the windows in the back that can be seen in Figure 4. She is acknowledging the approach of the army, which she knows will inevitably change her life forever: "Hope fades into the world of night" (1xxxNoNamexxx1). This last line exemplifies the girl's feelings about the war, setting the stage for the rest of the play. "Into the West" is a perfect song for recognizing the harsh realities of war, and it will certainly induce a few tears in the audience through its powerful message and beautiful sound.

            The main character would begin the play wearing a traditional dress that she would wear around her home normally (Figure 1). This beautiful dress would have been a typical day dress during the fifteenth century. However, when the Muslim army arrives she would change into a more elegant dress (Figure 2). She would do this in hopes of showing her respect for the army, so that they would not be harsh in what they would decide to do with her stunning home. Also, she would want to impress them with her civility, for this can often sway conquerors in favor of the people being conquered.

            As for setting a play at the Hagia Sophia, I find that this is the most important result of what the stimuli inspired. Obviously, the Hagia Sophia is a stunning work of architecture and offers significant importance. It is a popular tourist destination, and is one of the most famous places in Turkey (Hagia). Because of the draw of the museum, it would certainly fascinate people at the thought of a play being performed in this museum that is known for its great beauty. Therefore, people would be interested in coming to see it, especially since it would take place in the central part of the building.

            Also, the plot of the play would entice viewers, for it incorporates the importance of the history of the Hagia Sophia. Just imagine a play about the gorgeous structure set in the place that it is about. That would just be a great opportunity. The history of the Hagia Sophia greatly contributes to the allure of the site today. Therefore, people would be fascinated to come see a play that details that ever important history. The conversion of the Hagia Sophia from an Eastern Orthodox Church into a Muslim mosque is perhaps the most significant event in its history, hence the need for a play about this time. The play would add a more personal aspect to the event, educating the audience while still encouraging them to enjoy the storyline of the performance.

            As one can see, the Hagia Sophia is not only a stunning piece of architecture that is admired by many, but it is also the site of a significant historical event that shaped a cultural and tourist attraction. Therefore, the Hagia Sophia, with its beautifully designed dome are and rich history,  would be a perfect setting for the play I plan to produce.

Word Count 1,163

Works Cited

1xxxNoNamexxx1. "Into the West with Lyrics." YouTube. YouTube, 21 Jan. 2008. Web. 03 Nov. 2012.             <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClJqONYYK4o>.

"A Brief History of Hagia Sophia." Hagia Sophia. Hagia-Sophia.net, 2008. Web. 26 Nov. 2012.      <http://www.hagia-sophia.net/history.htm>.

"Hagia Sophia." Hagia Sophia. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012. <http://www.hagiasophia.com/>.

"Hagia Sophia, Istanbul  ." Hagia Sophia. Sacred Destinations, 19 Sept. 2009. Web. 03 Nov. 2012.             <http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-hagia-sophia>.

"The History of the Hagia Sophia." Hagia Sophia. ArchNet, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2012.             <http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=2966>.

PPP Pitch

I thought before I reflect on my returned PPP that I should post my original work. Here was my pitch:

Imagine travelling to the beautiful Hagia Sophia to view a fascinating play about the clash of cultures that created the stunning museum of today. This endearing play features a young girl of sixteen who is living in the Hagia Sophia. She faces the impending invasion of the Ottoman Turks. She must display her bravery and determination as she awaits the soldiers arrival. When the soldiers arrive to take away her home, she tries to protect what is dear to her. Her fiery attitude toward the soldiers captivates viewers, leaving them excited to learn more about the Hagia Sophia. The spectators of this fabulous play would sit in the former sultan's lodge to view the performance that would take place in the dome of the Hagia Sophia. The lights would be off when they enter, so that the beginning of the play unveils the splendor of the architecture. The play commences with the young girl walking around the dome floor alone, singing the song "Into the West" by Annie Lennox (1xxxNoNamexxx1). She would also sing this song at the end of the play, for it resonates with the audience, creating a bittersweet atmosphere of war. The set will be of the magnificent main hall, for it is where she meets the soldiers. She enters in her day dress (Figure 1) and changes to a more elegant dress (Figure 2) when the soldiers arrive. All attendees will find this play fascinating and entertaining, sparking their interest in the Hagia Sophia.

"Blood Wedding" Reflection

Just before Christmas break, we finished reading Blood Wedding, by Federico Garcia Lorca. I thought it was a pretty good play. It was about a bride and bridegroom who got married, but the bride was in love with another man named Leonardo, who was also already married. During the festivities following the wedding, the bride and Leonardo run off to the woods together. The bridegroom is livid, and joins a search part to find them. In the ensuing chaos, the bridegroom and Leonardo find each other and both are killed. Throughout the play, there was quite a bit of foreshadowing to their deaths, which I appreciated a lot more once I learned the outcome of the play. Also, it was interesting to notice that Blood Wedding represented a lot of themes similar to those found in Shakespeare, especially the tragedy of ill-fated lovers. Although I'm not a big fan of tragedies, I actually liked Blood Wedding better than most. I'm not really sure why because I thought Leonardo was selfish: he left his wife for another woman right after their child had died. And she was pregnant again! I never can condone cheating, so I certainly was not fan of Leonardo. Also, the bride seemed very petty and childish; she would lead the bridegroom on and then just as quickly push him away. She acted as if Leonardo stole her away and she had no power over it, but she certainly did. Even the bridegroom seemed to be a weak character, for he couldn't even see the true nature of his bride. However, I felt a little more pity for him because he had to deal with his crazy mother who couldn't see that he was still alive. She was so obsessed with the death of her husband and other son that she could not see the value of the Bridegroom until he too was dead. Though these characters seem the opposite of endearing, I actually enjoyed the play. Perhaps it was the fact that it was something new to me since I usually only read upbeat stories with a happy ending. But I thought Lorca did an excellent job pulling all of the characters together and weaving a plot that entertained the viewers and left room for one's own interpretation.

Oracle in The Lying Game

Earlier this year we read the story of Oedipus which is about a boy is born to a royal couple. They hear a prophecy that their son will murder his father and marry his mother, so they send him away to be killed. Yet, he survives and eventually goes back and unknowingly fulfills the prophecy. In class, we discussed the different ways we could represent the Oracle. One of our options was to have one person in the middle, with other people acting as the other parts, acting out the prophecy. This was an interesting experience because it taught us to think about a character conveying their thoughts without actually speaking them in a way that the audience would understand. Well, today I was rewatching the first episode of The Lying Game and the main character, Sutton, went to see her friends after being away for a large portion of the summer. Her friend, Char, said "Oh we're so glad to have our Oracle back" Right away it made me think of the Oracle in the story of Oedipus. She is a prohpetic character because she is adopted, trying to find her true birth parents, even though fate is against her.

Flamenco Dancing

Before reading "Blood Wedding," the class compiled fact sheets about the background of it. I chose Flamenco Dancing. Here is what I found:

• also known as bailaores or bailaroras
• stand motionless, then begin loud clapping with hands, then passionate dance
• dance involves fierce stomping and graceful hand movements
• need patience--difficult skill to master
• similar to Indian dances--believed that is the origin
• Flamenco dancing comes from Spanish gypsies who were concentrated in ghettos, preserving the dance
• in 1782, they were finally integrated into society, allowing for the spread of their dance
• Canter-the song, Baile-the dance, Guitarra-guitar playing
• "La Feria"-an important street festival in Spain where they dance the Flamenco
• 1869-1910 was the golden age of flamenco dancing, where flamenco music and dance began to be performed publicly
• Some flamenco dancing encourages improvisation, which creates a unique quality for the performance of each dancer
• modern flamenco dancing is sometimes criticized because it traditionally was not performed to large audiences
• women wear black, red, white, or blue dresses with ruffles and high heels
• men wear black or red tuxedo shirts with stretchy pants
• modern flamenco costumes incorporate more varied colors

Check out this flamenco dance video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuJbZ8B46oQ

Sources:

http://dance.about.com/od/typesofdance/p/Flamenco.htm

http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/flamenco_history.htm

http://www.aifp.org/spanish/spain-malaga/flamenco-dancing.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Interesting-Facts-About-Flamenco-Dancing&id=1347710

"Real Gone" Set

On December 5, 2012 our class went down to visit the set of "Real Gone" the play that our school will be putting on January 17, 18 and 19. My teacher, Mrs. Burke, is the adviser for the play, and I am really excited because she said we could help paint sets when the play gets closer!! The set was a standard already made one, and they just had to design it the way they want. There will be a kitchen, pantry, stairs to the upstairs, and the front door. The set is made of reusable flats, which have legs and masking to hold it together. Then, there are braces to support it, as well as weights and sandbags to make sure it doesn't fall over. The student-directors of the play decided to have the audience sit on the stage. They will create a three quarter thrust theatre. They wanted to do this because the audience is closer to the actors so that they will feel more of a part of the play. However, it will provide blocking challenges because all of the audience will want to see the actors. Also, the actors behind the set must be extremely quiet since the audience will be right there. They will not be able to have costume changes behind the set. Seeing this set made me realize how much work goes into a theatrical production. Most people think of a play as actors memorizing their lines and acting. Maybe they'll recognize the director and a little bit of the set, but it is really so much. Especially in a student-run production, they will face a lot of problems. I highly doubt they will have a production that is flawless, but that is live theatre: it is never flawless. I can't imagine how much work the students will have to put in. I also think it is awesome that they are going with a creative way to position the audience. I've never been to a play where the audience sits on the stage with the actors, so I am really excited to go see it!! It's amazing to see how these things come together. They often make it look flawless, but I know it takes a lot of hard work to do it. I'm excited to help paint the set, so it will give me a taste for the kind of work that happens in theatre in the real life.