Due Dates

 Senior Drama:

April 8 and 9 - Theatre History Project

April 12 - Shakespeare monologues

Drama 9:

April 6 - Seinfeld monologues

April 13 - Commedia dell'Arte performances

No artist tolerates reality. (Nietzsche)

 

I saw "Zastrozzi - The Master of Discipline" at Douglas College (virtually, of course) on Wednesday evening.  It is a play written by George F. Walker based on a novel by Percy Bysshe Shelley.  It is a strange story based on murder and revenge and philosophy and I didn't like the production much.  It might have been because it was on Zoom but it seemed very talky and false and I don't think they really caught the edgy kind of humour that I think is there.  I think the only way you can play this script is to really camp it up a lot and only the actor playing Victor (the tutor of the enemy of Zastrozzi) seemed to understand that.

Of course, even though I didn't like it, it was still an interesting experience -- to see it on Zoom and to see them performing at an appropriate distance.  All the fight scenes were two metres apart and so the person would strike out and then the recipient of the slap would react, even though they weren't close at all.  Just like when we start to learn stage fighting.  The actors remained on stage throughout and provided sound effects from the upstage which I have seen before and always enjoy.  I like the idea that the artifice is right in front of you.  That's a Brechtian thing, and we all know how much I love Brecht.

This is our last day of Spring Break!  I hope you got lots of sleep and are going to relish the weekend before we hit the books again.  You can check out "Zastrozzi" on the Douglas College website.  It is on this evening at 7:30.  You just go to the website and scroll down to "events", click on "Zastrozzi" and then click on the Zoom link.  It is free!

Career Fair on CBC Radio this week

 Wondering what working for a living is like?  Interested in a variety of careers and want some inside information?  CBC Radio is hosting career fairs this week.  I'm afraid I didn't know that yesterday was the day for asking about jobs in the arts, but you can listen to previous shows on the CBC website.

Tune in to the BC Today Career Fair at 12:30 p.m., March 22-26, on CBC Radio One or online at cbc.ca/listen and explore the many options that await you.  If you want to listen to the Arts instalment (unfortunately, you won't be able to call in with questions), they are available on cbc.ca/listen.  Today's show focuses on careers revolving around the environment, tomorrow's on trades and technical careers and on Friday, they will discuss the future of work itself.

From my perspective, there is nothing more sustaining than having a job that you love.  Thoreau said that the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation -- a person makes a career choice and then gets responsibilities and can't picture themselves quitting their job because they need the income.  I am so lucky to have stumbled into teaching after a long time of doing all sorts of jobs I didn't like.  Of course, I didn't love teaching at the start -- it was really hard and I felt like I was no good at it and that I would never figure out how to manage all of the things I was expected to do.  It still presents lots of challenges and I am still learning (which is part of the fun) but I feel like it's a worthwhile pursuit and I enjoy the day to day work in the theatre and of course, I think that there is nothing more exciting that to be in the theatre and solving problems and figuring out what works and doesn't work.  I can't imagine that it will ever "get old"!  (Although I will . . . at some point!) 

I hope you're enjoying your spring break -- make the most of your time off!

Post Secondary Theatre Program info sessions

 If you are considering studying theatre in post secondary school, both Douglas College and Studio 58 at Langara (both good programs) are offering info sessions this week.  If you are wanting to find out more about their offerings, you can visit the Studio 58 page at langara.ca or you can take a look at one of the two info sessions offered by Douglas this week on March 23 or March 25 (at douglascollege.ca).

There are benefits to attending college for at least your first two years of post-secondary education, because it is cheaper than university and the class sizes are smaller.  After two years, you receive an associate degree and can then transfer to university to finish your Bachelor's degree. 

Online theatre opps!

If you are missing drama and want to see some plays (I am!), there are a couple of good options for you and you can also see what local post-secondary theatre programs are doing these days!

"Tomorrow Love" is still on at Studio 58 at Langara.  One of the plays, "Office Friends", features our talented alum, Angus Yam, in both the English and Cantonese (translated by Angus himself) versions.  It's a really fun performance and I enjoyed both versions (even though I do not speak or understand Cantonese).

Douglas College is presenting George F. Walker's "Zastrozzi" on March 24 - 26.  (You can find the link on the Theatre Production page for Douglas College).  The play is very quirky and is about the master criminal, Zastrozzi, who seeks revenge for his mother's death.

I will send out the links (via email) to our two short productions from this term -- "The Love Connection" and "London Nocturne" -- which are posted on my Youtube channel.  If you don't get an email from me, let me know and I will send you the links again.

I have been working hard on "Spoon River" since we started spring break and almost have finished splicing it all together.  Something to look forward to!  Thanks to all of you for lending your talents to such a big project!

Happy Holidays!

Here is a lovely photo taken by our good friend, Mr. Akselrod, who is off enjoying himself, with every day being spring break!  We miss him so much!

So off we go along the path through the trees ourselves -- two weeks off and Dr. Bonnie Henry has said we can gather with up to nine other people if we stay outdoors, pick the same nine people each time, and follow all the other rules, like wearing masks and keeping our distance and staying home if we're sick and washing our hands scrupulously.

There is no journal today, but here is your assignment over the two weeks of downtime.

1.  Get outside and get some exercise.  Go for a walk, have a picnic at the beach and take a beach ball or a soccer ball, climb a tree and watch the birds, play basketball with a few friends, do some yoga.

2.  Read some poetry out loud.  I posted a poem by Pablo Neruda when Daisy died.  It doesn't describe her perfectly, but it honours Neruda's own dog and all dogs, I think.  Some of my favourite poets?  Lorna Crozier and Patrick Lane (Canadian poets), Percy Bysshe Shelley, Margaret Atwood, Shakespeare, of course.  John Keats.  Robert Frost.  Edna St. Vincent Millay.

3.  Watch a play on line.  I have purchased the rights for us to see Shakespeare's "Othello" and if you are interested in watching it over spring break, send me an email and I will give you the password to access it.   You can see "Hamilton" if you have the Disney channel, apparently, and the National Theatre (of Great Britain) offers a variety of shows online.  Youtube also has some Broadway shows you can see online.

4.  Read a book!  Any book, but preferably one you haven't read before.

5.  Write a description of one day you are off.  Provide details!

6.  Make a meal for your family.

7.  Watch the Fine Arts Showcase, which includes "The Love Connection" and "London Nocturne" created and performed by our own students.  (You can also access our performances on my youtube channel -- I will send you all a link.)  

8.  Thank your lucky stars that you are you and that you live in such a nice part of the world and that we are getting vaccinated so we can go back to seeing plays in theatres or going to concerts or hugging people we love.

9.  Get lots of sleep.

See you back at the salt mines on March 29!

 

 

Theatre History project

 For some reason, the handout I gave you ended with a whimper and not a bang.  (Yes, I am sure it was my fault!)  I have posted a repaired version of the handout which ends in the way I wanted and I have pasted it into this blog entry.

THEATRE HISTORY PROJECT

 It is important for a theatre artist to be aware of theatrical styles from the past and from other cultures.  It provides them with a palette from which they can draw when creating the mis en scene for any production and helps communicate a variety of unspoken messages to one’s audience.

 Here are a few types of theatre you might be interested in investigating: 

Greek theatre -  the origin of Western theatre

Kabuki theatre – classical Japanese dance-drama

Noh theatre – the oldest existing form of theatre – Japanese musical theatre

Shakespeare’s theatre – no explanation needed here!

Shadow puppetry – origins in China, India and Wayang kulit (Indonesian)

Commedia dell’arte – Italian improvisational comedy of the Renaissance

Expressionism – a highly metaphorical form of theatre popular in the 1920’s (such playwrights as Eugene O’Neill and Elmer Rice)

First Nations theatre  - from “before contact” to the present day

Naturalism – the attempt to create “reality” on stage, most popular in the late 19^th and early 20^th century (playwrights like Ibsen, Checkov, George Bernard Shaw)

Poetic realism – popular in the 20^th century (and to this day), it is theatre that appears to be realistic, but that makes extensive use of poetic imagery (Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Lilian Hellman)

If you are interested in another form of theatre, let me know.

 
What am I supposed to do?

 1.Choose a type of theatre that interests you.  Find out all about it.  (Become an expert.)   Be ready to share at least ten “fun facts” about the form of theatre you chose.  (For example, that in Shakespeare’s theatre, no women were allowed to act, so all those great roles for women – like Cleopatra, Lady Macbeth, Titania, and Viola were played by teenage boys! . . . or in Greek theatre, all the actors wore masks which helped amplify their voices for the huge crowds that came out to watch.)

 

2.  Create a model of the type of stage this theatre would use.  (A shoebox is a great start for something like this.)    The model should be a three dimensional picture of the type of stage on which performances would be presented. )  How can you use your model on our stage?

 

3.  Create a representation of at least one actor dressed in a costume that would be used in your theatre style. (You can create a life-sized costume {which would be great!} or you can dress a cardboard or plastic doll.)

 

4.  Find a play/playwright that makes use of your type of theatre.  (If it was Shakespearean, you already know lots of plays that fit this description and you know the author – that’s why Shakespeare is so phenomenal – his name identified a whole genre!)  If you choose a more traditional period, it might be harder to find an actual script or playwright, in which case, you can find out a plot or actor or even a modern play which exemplifies qualities of the theatrical style you choose, for example – Tomson Highway is a modern Canadian playwright who uses lots of First People’s imagery in his plays.  Incorporate a scene from the play you’ve chosen into your presentation.

 

Create a presentation that explores your form of theatre.  Show your model, costume, scene and present your ten fun facts in a memorable way!  (Like a song and dance routine would be great!)

This is a woodcut of a kabuki theatre presentation.  I saw a performance of kabuki here years ago (during Expo 86) and it was glorious.

Elements of Commedia Dell'arte plays

 These are the elements you must include in your commedia dell'arte scenes:

stock characters, including Pantalone (red pants), Il Dotore (black and white), Capitano (brown), La Signora (overly colourful, fancy clothes), inamoratti (stylish, young lovers) and at least one wily servant (Arlecchino) (hand me down clothes)

each character MUST have a lazzi

a plot based on love and money

physical comedy (falls, fights, accidents, etc.)

spoofs - current events

            pop culture

music -- recorded music

            sing and dance, if possible

at least 10 jokes per minute

Make sure you check off all these elements.  They are all essential.

Journal for March 5, 2021

 Senior Drama:  How do you think "The Love Connection" went?  What mark would you give yourself on the project?  (Choose a letter grade.)  Explain why you give yourself that mark.  What did you contribute?  Which people in the class contributed a lot?  (You can say more than one person, but say what you think they did and how they contributed.)

Do you think art can change the world?  Explain.

Drama 9:  What is your lazzi going to be?  How are you going to make it funny?

Think of someone you think is funny.  (I looked up a list of the funniest comic actors and at the top of the list was Jim Carrey and I'm sure you can think of comic bits that he has used (like as Ace Ventura, he said "smokin'" and "alrighty then" in a very intense way).  He takes acting and comedy very seriously (if you ever see him interviewed, you will see what I mean) and so, although his performances seem very natural, he is putting a lot of effort into being funny.)  What is the lazzi of the funny person you've thought of?  I like the Marx brothers.  Groucho Marx had a funny way of walking and carried a cigar and wore very dark eyebrows, which he raised and lowered vigorously.   He also had a thick moustache and glasses.

His brother, Chico, had a funny bit when he played the piano.  He would play single notes like he was shooting a handgun.  Harpo, the third brother, pretended to be mute and carried a horn which he blew instead of speaking.  

If you are trying to develop a lazzi, think of an ordinary activity -- like brushing your hair or unlocking a door.  What could go wrong?  Perhaps the brush gets stuck in your hair, or the key won't fit in the lock.  What might you do?  Then, that logical step doesn't work.  What might happen next?  Think of five things that could make the situation worse and worse, and more and more ridiculous.  That is a way to develop a lazzi.  

Try this -- settle down for a nice cup of tea with your friend.  Sip it.  "Oh, it's too hot!"  Blow on it.  You accidentally blow tea onto your friend who is sitting across from you.  You grab a napkin to try to wipe the tea off your friend, but the napkin causes you to spill hot tea on your friend, who jumps up in pain.  You fan your friend with the tablecloth, but in so doing, the tablecloth catches on fire from the candle on the table.  You throw the tablecloth down and stomp on it, but your friend is underneath!  You both collapse in exhaustion, but now . . . the tea is too cold.  There is a fun comic bit.  Or it can be as simple as a funny laugh!

Represent, Represent - the stories we tell change the world around us

 If you are at home this morning, you can register for this interesting master class presented by UBC Connects.  It presents Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians, and talks about the power of the arts to make us see the world in a different way.  It is open to the public, but you have to register.  (It starts at 10.)

Here is the link:  https://events.ubc.ca/kevin-kwan/

Let me know if you decide to attend.  I'd be interested to hear what he has to say.