Relate Theatre to your Life

One of my major passions in life has always been participating in sports. Mainly softball, volleyball, track, and football in the backyard with my brothers. Theatre can be seen as a part of these because, for instance, when a football player gets a touchdown the dance or whatever they do at the end can be seen as acting. They are performing a little skit in front of an audience that is there to see them perform, as it is with any sport really. My family is not the type of family to really go out and see a production on Broadway anytime soon. My father probably would never have even dared to consider seeing a musical until I was in them for high school, it is just not his scene I guess you could say. I am from a really little town filled with farms, cows, and not much money to go around. The people in my community have never really been involved in musicals much at all. Until this one young man from my church decided to put on a cantata, small musical for Easter, at my local church. It was a huge success and everyone who was in it and came to witness it loved everything about it. This got a lot of people in my community to see what the theatre can do for you spiritually, it can literally change you form the inside out. Mostly all of my friends from high school were involved in theatre in some aspect or another. Many of them were even more passionate about it then I am, if that is at all possible to believe.
I am also passionate about worshiping God through singing and dancing, I absolutely love it. Singing is one of my greatest passions above everything else, I do it as much as I possibly can. Anyone that is around me enough knows this. Theatre can definitely relate to worship through singing because when you are singing your facial expressions show the emotions that you are feeling. If you are singing a depressing song that is expressing the loss of a loved one, your face is going to be solemn. Also, when you are excited and singing a very happy song, you are going to be smiling and dancing around. The way you present yourself through acting while singing makes the song come across to the audience so much better than without it. I at one time thought about becoming a gospel singer legitimately, but I decided against it. For the reasons that I am not that good of a singer in the first place and I would not like to be in the spot light like that. Although who knows where my life is going because that could still be a possibility, but for now I am content on not being in the limelight.
I am also very passionate about shopping, call me your typical girl. When you are shopping for clothes you are usually looking to buy clothes that are going to express your individuality. Clothes that you like and catch your eye are the clothes that you are going to buy when you see them in a store. Likewise, theatre is expressing your individuality as well as shopping is. When you are acting, singing, decorating a set, you are expressing you and how you view things. You can either buy bright colors and act in a bright and cheerful way or you can wear dark colors and act in a depressing way. Both of these mainly consisting on your mood and how you are feeling at the particular moment of course.
Another way to relate theatre to life is the example of people watching. Everyone does people watching AT LEAST once a day, whether they will admit it or not, everyone does it. We are Americans, we are always in each other business and gossiping about it. Everyone cares what the person next to them is doing and then we “act” like we were not watching them. This is where the aspect of theatre comes into play, we act like we were not watching them and that we did not do anything at all. There are so many different ways in which theatre is involved in out lives, we just have to take the time to realize that it effects all of us equally and greatly.

Concluding Statement

There was so much information that we learned in this class that I do not honestly know where to start. I liked the definition that you gave us of postmodernism which says that we live in a world of contradiction and instability. This is so true when you think about it because even with issues that most of us think are black and white, such as abortion, there are always grey areas. For example, if a women was raped should they be able to have an abortion? Everything always contradicts itself within our society today. There is no set way of doing anything no guide book in which to set our lives by.
Theatre has always been a big part of my life because I love it and being apart of it. I think that everyone should experience it at least a little bit. When I was reading through my classmates work for this particular blog, I have been noticing that so many people have never been involved with theatre at all. This shocks me for some reason because I always just assumed that people were involved and understood music and musicals. I think that being involved with music in general can help you to become a better and more well rounded person. I know it helped me be more responsible and disciplined, I just wish everyone could experience it and what it has done for me and my life.
Although many students in this class were not apart of theatre and did not understand how it fully worked before, many of them said that taking this class has helped them a lot in these aspects. I think that to have students understand how theatre can impact your life on such a great scale, and from an online class nonetheless, is pretty amazing. I think it was really awesome how the kids in this class have realize what theatre has and can do for them within their own lives, and what it has done with others. No one will they see people who love musicals as “weird” or “geeky,“ hopefully now they will give them a better chance and no judge them based on what their passions are. Now if there was just a class that could teach the musical students not to judge the sports jocks as much, I think high schools could be a better place for students to get along. This class really helped me to see that we are all actors and actresses and we are all always acting. No matter where we are or what we are doing we are always entertaining someone or trying to be to be a certain someone, other wise known as, acting. Every time, for the majority of the time, that we are around anyone, whether we are putting on a presentation or in front of our closest friends, we are acting.
Even with my history of being involved in theatre this class still taught me so much in the world of theatre. When you are involved in a musical and even when you are watching one, you forget all of the work that goes into making the production possible. For example, you never think of all the hard work that the director actually does. They are the ones who have to take everyone’s needs and wants into accordance of the whole production; lighting, sound, visuals, acting, singing, dancing, costumes, set, etc. Directors have to deal with scheduling all of the endless rehearsals, deal with everyone whining to them about everything pointless, and dealing with all of the publicity and getting the shows name out there in order for people to come to it.
To be honest this class made me realize how much I truly love and appreciate the arts. Being in band since fourth grade and choir since fifth, you never realize when you are in it that it is shaping your life. I have such as huge passion for music and I did not even know that I had it, as crazy as that sounds. I only realized it now because I am not doing it anymore and this class brought all of that to my attention very quickly. Art in general is a huge, or should be a huge part of everyone’s life. Even paintings, there are so many people who enjoy drawing and are very talented at it, but do not even realize it. It changes you in the deepest ways possible and it can help you throughout many troubling times in your life, especially music, and I think anyone can attest to that statement.

Relate Theatre to your Major

My major right now is Criminology. Criminology is is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society. Theatre relates to Criminology in the aspect that when you are being a police officer, even when your personality is not normally strict, you are going to have to be strict in order to do your job correctly. So in this aspect the police officer would be acting strict in order to get his job done right. Of course they can be lenient in some aspects of their jobs, but they are normally very stern.
Also, when a criminal commits their first crime, they are label as being deviant. Once a person gets labeled as being deviant they can not usually break away from that label, so they resort to just committing more and more crimes. One field that Criminologists can take towards their profession is being a corrections officer. is a person charged with the responsibility of the supervision, safety and security of prisoners in a prison, jail, or similar form of secure custody. This can also, like with the aspect of the police officer, be looked to as a form of acting because of being strict or stern.
Although I am in the process of changing my major into Sociology Education with a double major in Health and Physical Education. You can relate theatre to teaching in so many different ways because everyday a teacher is acting, whether they think that they are or not. Teachers are human, they have bad days and good days just like anyone else does. Although when they are having a bad day they have to act in front of their students and continue on the day as if they were having a good day. Also, when teachers have to teach on a subject that they do not prefer to teach on they must act like they do like the subject. For example, when I was in high school my Algebra Two teacher was required by the school to teach a section on geometry. She hated geometry more than any other subject she had to teach us, but she had to act and teach it as if it were her favorite. Especially with elementary education teachers, they would have to be able to hide their emotions more than any other teacher because kids can pick up on emotions quicker than older persons.
Also when being a teacher you have to teach all the students that you have fairly and grade them fairly as well. If there is a student who acts out a lot in class that you can not stand, you can not give them worse treatment than the other kids. Yes, you can give them detention and what not but grading wise, there is nothing you can do to that particular individual. For those students that you would have that were very smart but did not do their work you would, as well, have to give them the grade they deserve. All in all, you have to act like you like everyone of your students the same and on the same level.
With being in Sociology Education you have to relate to other people that you are involved with and how they interact. This can be related to theatre because when you are in a production that deals with having lines, and if someone messes up their lines the other members in the cast have to play off that persons mistake to get the play back on task. This is the same with Sociology, which is the study of people and how they interact with one another. Because in a performance you have to act in reaction to what another performer does and make it look natural. If you just have your lines memorized and someone else messes theirs up you have to be able to improvise in accordance to their mistake.

Broadway

The show that is playing on Broadway at this point in time would have to be the Celtic Women. Celtic Women is a group of about six or so women who sing Celtic music, mostly soprano songs that are ritualistic by incorporating the Irish elements of music and dance. This group was originally put together by David Downes in 2004. This group did come to Pittsburgh in March of 2010, but I was unable to attend because I am a stereotypical college student who is poor. I love the Celtic Women because they put a modern twist to songs that are older, such as “Danny Boy.” My favorite number, by far, that the Celtic Women perform would be “Sing Out.” I love this song so much, it makes me want to literally sing the song out loud. Everyone that knows me fairly well has listened to this song because I have made them at one point or another.
The main performers who started in the Celtic Women were five Irish female artists who had not previously performed together: vocalists Chloë Agnew, Órla Fallon, Lisa Kelly and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, and fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt. Over the years, some of the group's members have changed; in 2009, the group consisted of Chloë Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, Alex Sharpe and fiddler Máiréad Nesbitt. Five albums have been released under the name "Celtic Woman": Celtic Woman, Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration, Celtic Woman: A New Journey, Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey, and Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart. The group has undertaken a number of world tours. Cumulatively, albums by Celtic Woman have sold over 5 million records worldwide. The foundation for Celtic music's popularity outside Ireland and Europe was built by tapping into the success of artists such as Enya and Clannad, along with stage shows Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Celtic Woman has been described as being "Riverdance for the voice."
Being a vocalized singer myself I really love everything about the Celtics. I would love to be apart of something like this group. I do not think that anyone really understands my secret obsession with this group, and I do not know how to talk about it without sounding like a freak… but it is okay. I love everything about singing and acting along with it. If you are not involved in the piece that you are singing, then you can not sing it to the best of your abilities. You have to be one with the song or the audience will not be involved nor will they like the piece you are doing. The Celtic Women have such a way of impacting their audiences. I have never even seen them live and I like them this much, I can not imagine what people who have actually seen them live feel about them.
The Celtic Women have only done three tours within the United States. Mainly they tour throughout Ireland and Europe, because that is where they originates. Most people within the United States have not heard of the Celtics, especially from the small town that I am from. I made my Dad sit down and watch the Celtic Women’s one performance with me that was on television. He complained the entire time about how he hated it and did not want to watch it any longer. Part of this, at least I think, was because he did not want to be open to liking them because it was “un-masculine” and also because my father has no music knowledge history. Although, I think that anyone who genuinely loves music and can appreciate it should have some knowledge of the Celtic Women and how they are making an impact on the music culture of today’s society.

Passion Piece

My favorite musical is going to have to be the one entitled “Bye Bye Birdie.” Conrad Birdie was the biggest rock & roll star of the 60's ever to be drafted into war. Aspiring song writer, Albert, is convinced that he can make his fortune and marry his girlfriend Rosie if he gets Conrad on the Ed Sullivan show to his biggest fan goodbye before he goes to war. Albert's mother will do anything to break him up with Rosie. Kim and Hugo, the high school steadies, live in Sweet Apple, Ohio where most of the action takes place. When Conrad gets onto the Ed Sullivan show to kiss Kim, Hugo busts in and punches Conrad in the face. Conrad is knocked out and everyone gets into a big furry. After this is all over Conrad leaves for the war. The man to write this initial book is known as Michael Stewart. The man who wrote the screen play is who is known as Irving Brecher. The director was George Sidney, and it was release on April 4, 1963. The themes of “Bye Bye Birdie” include: musical, family, comedy, fantasy sequence, young love. The reason that I personally respond to this material is because when I was a sophomore in high school this is the musical that we performed for our community. I always have loved performing in front of an audience. I think it gives you a rush that you can not get from anything else. I have always performed in front of people my whole life. In doing these musicals in my high school, in a way, people in the community respect you more when they know that you have been apart of them. I want to say that it puts you up higher than other people in a way, because everyone knows how much time you have given up in order to make the show a success. In order to put on any performance you must be committed to it entirely, if you are not then it will not work out. Everyone who is involved must, without a doubt, give it their best effort. You really learn how to work with others, especially people that you do not like, you have to learn to get along. Tensions will run high when you are working with the same people everyday, and you have to learn how to work through them. Having these qualities and learning to work with people so closely will definitely help anyone in the long run, and I recommend that people get involved with them. When I was a sophomore being in this musical, I loved it. Honestly loved it. Because being a sophomore in my high school you basically just have a role that consists of being in the background or the “mob,” if you would. You make so many friends when you do this musical, so many different characters that I would have never, ever met if I did not become a part of this annual musical. There was a lot of down time during rehearsals where you basically have to get to know other people, or sit by yourself in a corner. I choose to get to know other people, and it without a doubt changed my life in so many ways. I can honestly say that I love everyone that was involved in the productions that I was apart of. Through my high school years and going threw the different roles that I had I progressed in my acting, singing, and dancing… for the most part anyway. In my senior year I even got the role of a Pirate in “Peter Pan“. I really do not think that I would have gotten this role or any other role of this significance if I would not have been involved in “Bye Bye Birdie.” Because if I would not have gone out for the musical my sophomore year I would not have done it any other year from then on out. I will never forget these memories that I have made during this musical. The friends I have made who somehow turned into my family at that point in time. It all meant so much to me and it still does. I really do think that everyone should be involved in something like this. I want to say that this musical itself spoke to me and that if I watched another school perform it that it would speak to me personally…but I doubt it would. Being in a musical and seeing it be performed are two complete different things. Although both can most certainly be life changing.

Costumes

I choose to do my costume design blog on those that were used in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast. I choose this production because I thought many of the costumes were very interesting. Such as the character of Lumiere, the candle, his costume had to have been very carefully thought out. Also, mostly all of the costumes that are used are very glamorous. Also The Beast’s costume is amazing in itself, with his thick facial features. When the musical originally starts out Belle is just a regular school girl bookworm dressed in a plain blue dress with her normal dog. Everything is just very plain in the beginning. Then when Belle meets The Beast he whole life gets turned upside down. Her dog turns into a footstool and she is held captive in a huge castle owned by The Beast. Another interesting character would be Cogsworth, he is the man who is turned into the clock. Also, how Mrs. Potts and Chip are brought to the stage is very original, I think. Mrs. Potts is dressed in an elaborate dress that has a stout on the one side to pour the tea and a handle on the other side, naturally because she is a tea pot. But even more interesting is how Chip is portrayed. The person who plays Chip is in a box, so you can not see their body, and all that you can see is their face. The rest of their head is covered by a little tea pot figurine. Then there is the feather duster whose costume is also very elaborate. She has a wide, duster- like, bottom to her dress as to depict the use of it being an actual duster. All in all, the costumes used throughout this play are all very elaborate and thought out, I think so at least.

Research a Playwright

The playwright that I choose to do this blog on is Julie Taymor. Julie Taymor is an amazing playwright of our time, in my opinion that is. She is most widely known for her work on Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. Taymor received two Tony Awards for this production; one for the costume designs and one for her direction. She became the first women to receive a Tony Award for directing a musical. In the year 1991 Julie won the MacArthur "genius" award for her work in theatre. She has made such an impact on theatre with her work on The Lion King alone, not even mentioning her other great works.
Another great piece that Julie Taymor directed was Across the Universe, a love story set to the music of the Beatles. The film opened in September 2007 and received a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Comedy/Musical in 2008. Julie has a way of putting to life what others could not have even fathomed, she has her own unique style on the productions she is involved in. Julie was also selected to direct the new musical production known as Spider-Man musical adaptation, which is scheduled to hit Broadway in February of 2010.
As a teenager, during the 1960s, she lived in Sri Lanka and India with the Experiment in International Living program, then studied acting in Paris, at the mime school of Jacques Lecoq. From 1969 to 1974 she studied theatre and mythology at Oberlin College, graduating in 1974 with a degree in folklore and mythology. With Julie having traveled from the time she was very young, she, I would assume, knows very much about other cultures and is highly educated. In the one article I was reading it stated that Julie was interested in theatre from the time she was very young, fond of international folklore and mythology. Julie Taymor has a very strong background in theatre judging by her numerous credentials I the field. For that reason I would trust her opinion on directing and what not because she is very talented and she obviously knows a lot about what she is talking about.
I find so numerous things about the work of Julie Taymor interesting that it is hard to narrow it down to just a few. First off, in her production of the Lion King, I thought it was literally amazing. The costumes, the effect, the music, everything was honestly exactly how I pictured it would be. It amazes me that she directed it, of course there were many other hands involved, but she solely alone directed it. I think that Julie Taymor has a way of thinking that is separate from most people’s perspectives on certain things. Reason being because when she initially did the costumes for the Lion King, she was the first one to do anything like that. She made such life like costumes that no director had ever even thought of before. And mainly for that reason, I give her a lot of respect.
Julie’s most influential work would have to be The Lion King production. I grew up watching The Lion King, it was my favorite movie as a kid. I think that is why I like her so much, and because the Broadway production was so much better than even I thought it was going to be. Also, with her work in Across the Universe, I thought she did a very good job. I think working with such an influential group as The Beatles would be a difficult task because everyone is going to be critiquing it. So if something was a little off everyone would know. Even despite this Julie did a very good job.
I find Julie in general as a very inspiring person because even from a young age she knew she loved the theatre and art and she knew that was where she wanted to go. She strove to reach her dreams and she definitely obtained that of what she went for. I am sure there were times where she questioned her abilities to fulfill her dreams, but she achieved them. Most people are not able to travel the country at all, let alone at there preteen age years like Julie did. While she was traveling she studied the use of puppets being used within ritual services. She brought what she studied back with her to the United States. Using this unique puppet style, she quickly made a name for herself as a innovative director.
There are many reasons why anyone should pick Julie Taymor for this project. These are just some of the reasons as to why I think Julie is an amazing director and individual in general. She is probably one of the most talented directors of our age today, in my opinion of course.

Write a Play

There once were two families who lived near each other. Both families became very close, epecially the two youngest daughters of each family, Mindy and Elizabeth. They became inseperable from the start.

Mindy: Hi, my name is Mindy what's yours?

Elizabeth: My name is Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Liz, even though I hate that name.

Mindy: Yeah, my mom calls me Dee, and I don't know why?

Elizabeth: Who knows, I think my mom is really crazy sometimes... or a lot of the time.

Mindy: Haha, I thought it was only my mom.

Elizabeth: No my mom is too, haha

Even through Middle School the two were still together all the time. They were involved on the same softball team, chorus choir, and Students Against Drunk Driving(SADD). At a softball game one evening Coach Rob tries to calm the two girls down after a terrible loss:

Mindy: ELIZABETH! HOW DID YOU MISS THAT FLY BALL?! IT WAS RIGHT THERE!!

Elizabeth: I DON'T KNOW MINDY, MAYBE IF YOU WOULDN'T HAVE PITCHED IT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE!!

Mindy: WELL IT'S BASICALLY YOUR FAULT WE LOST!

Elizabeth: MY FAULT?

Mindy: YES YOUR FAULT!

As Elizabeth starts to walk over and punch Mindy Coach Rob comes in the dugout.

Coach Rob: Now girls, you both can't get on each others case like you are! Look at what you both did wrong and grow and get better from that. Next game will be better, just keep your heads up!

Mindy: ...He's right, I'm sorry I flipped out on you Elizabeth!

Elizabeth: I'm sorry I flipped out on you to Mindy!

Coach Rob: There ya go! Now, we have practice on Monday, come with good attitudes!

Mindy & Elizabeth: We will Coach!

Then Sophmore year a tragedy hit in Mindy's family. Mindy's father had liver failure and held on as long as he could. The one day in November he passed on before us. Both girls trying to talk through tears:

Elizabeth: Mindy! I heard about your dad... how are you holding up?

Mindy: Not good at all Elizabeth, it's so hard. I never thought he would leave me!

Elizabeth: I know babe, everything is going to be fine.. you'll see.

Mindy: How can you even say that?! Your dad is alive!

Elizabeth: I know Mindy, but everything happens for a reason, you just have to let go.. and let God.

Mindy: Don't start with all the Jesus crap Elizabeth, I'm not in the mood to deal with any of it.

Elizabeth: I know, you never are. But the invitation for Church with me on Sunday is still there.. you know?

Mindy: Yes, yes I know.

Elizabeth's family always went to Church, every Sunday. Although Mindy's family used to go to Church much of the time, they stopped going when Mindy's father started falling ill. Ever since Elizabeth has been trying to get Mindy to return, but she has yet to budge.

Then it was Senior year. Both Mindy and Elizabeth were so ready to get out of high school. But they had to get through the last stepping stone first: Prom. Elizabeth was "in love" with this boy named Matt. But when Mindy decides she wants to go with Matt, the tension rises.

Mindy: Hey Elizabeth! Who were you thinking of going to prom with?

Elizabeth: I don't know yet Mindy, I really want to go with Matt more than anyone.. Why?

Mindy: Matt Conner?

Elizabeth: yes.... you know I've liked him for a long time now...

Mindy: Ohh you liked that Matt Connor? The tall blonde?

Elizabeth: You know all of this, why are you acting stupid?

Mindy: Cause I just asked him to go and he said yes! you're right, he is so gorgeous!

Elizabeth: I cannot believe you!! You know what, I should have known you would do this. All you ever do is think about yourself, that's all you ever did!!

Mindy: Now come on Liz!

Elizabeth: Don't ever call me Liz, you know I hate that! And as far as I'm concerned our friendship is over, and I mean it Mindy! You really went to far this time!

Mindy: Li...Elizabeth! It's just prom!

Elizabeth walks away

Mindy: ...So are we shopping for dresses Saturday still? I'll call you? ... ELIZABETHHHH!

The two best friends who everyone thought would never part, suddenly parted. They never talked again after that day. Mindy took Matt to prom, and Elizabeth ended up with a date she did not really favor. Of course they would run into each other every once in awhile at Wal-Mart. Both would say "Hi" and be on their seperate ways. Everyone tried to get them to make-up with each other, but both were to stubborn to apologize. They both won offices of their student body. When it came time for their 5th year reunion, they both had to sit by each other for the first time in almost 5 years.

When Elizabeth finds that her and Mindy are seated at the same table she immediatly becomes infuriated.

Elizabeth: No, I'm not sitting anywhere near her. This is ridiculous!

Tom(Elizabeth's husband): Elizabeth, stop causing a scene. Just sit down, it won't be that bad I'm sure. It's been 5 years, just let it go.

Elizabeth: Okay, but if anything happens I'm leaving.

Tom: Okay hunny.

Little do Elizabeth and Mindy know that their husbands planned for the two of them to sit at the same table.

Mindy and her husband walk in and see Elizabeth sitting at her table.

Mindy: Ohh no! I refuse to sit at that table with her!

Mindy's husband(Albert): Ohh just sit down stop acting like a baby. Hello Tom, hello Liz.

Mindy: (Sarcastically) OH do not call her Liz! she will flip out on you! she hates it!

Elizabeth: Good memory Mindy, and hello Albert nice to see you.

Albert: Likewise Elizabeth. And Mindy just shut up and calm down.

Mindy: Okay I'll sit here but I won't like it.

Elizabeth: You always were so damn stubborn, haha nothing has changed about you at all.

Mindy: Nothing has really changed about you either.. Minus a few greys in that hair of yours, haha.

Elizabeth: Wow thanks, I needed that one. But with 4 kids and I'm working full time, it's allowed to be a little grey

Mindy: No way! 4 kids! I should've guessed.. you always did love kids.

Elizabeth: Yeah, how many do you and Albert have?

Mindy: Oh just one, Max, you know I was never completely found of kids.

Elizabeth: Yes, yes I remember now. Hey, I'm going to go get some punch. Do you want anything?

Mindy: You know, I'm just going to come up with you...

Mindy and Elizabeth leave to get drinks. Tom and Albert are still at the table, amazed that it worked out so well.

Tom: Did this really just work so perfectly or am I dreaming?

Albert: I don't know... pinch me.

Tom pinches Albert harder than he should have.

Albert: OUCH! why'd you do it so hard?

Tom: Sorry man, but I guess it's real. haha


The two couples have an amazing rest of their evening. And later both Mindy and Elizabeth keep in contact and become best friends again and live happily ever after.


THE END.