Theater Geekery

Emotions in Acting

2018-02-17T20:34:00.001-08:00

When it comes to dialog in theatre, emotions are extremely important. I wanted to address this a little bit. I don't have much ready for it right now, but it is important. Obviously, it is also important in movie and television acting. They say (and it can be seen), that people with theatre training are also the best actors in movies and in television. There are differences, but this is not about that.

There is a monologue that I found in a play. I love the monologue. The play is fairly good, but it is the monologue that I truly love. I have found others performing the same monologue and I am always shocked at how mundane it seems when they perform the monologue.

I understand that the character says, "I get numb," but I don't interpret that as she has a flat mood. It has made her feel numb, but she still has extremely strong emotions.

I will write more about this monologue and emotions later, but that is where I wanted to start.

Crowns at Lake Charles Little Theatre

2018-02-16T21:07:00.001-08:00

Lake Charles Little Theatre is currently showing their production of Crowns by Regina Taylor.

The description of the play from Dramatists.com is "A moving and celebratory musical play in which hats become a springboard for an exploration of black history and identity as seen through the eyes of a young black woman who has come down South to stay with her aunt after her brother is killed in Brooklyn. Hats are everywhere, in exquisite variety, and the characters use the hats to tell tales concerning everything from the etiquette of hats to their historical and contemporary social functioning. There is a hat for every occasion, from flirting to churchgoing to funerals to baptisms, and the tradition of hats is traced back to African rituals and slavery and forward to the New Testament and current fashion. Some rap but predominantly gospel music and dance underscore and support the narratives. The conclusion finds the standoffish young woman, whose cultural identity as a young black Brooklyn woman has been so at odds with the more traditional and older Southern blacks, embracing hats and their cultural significance as a part of her own fiercely independent identity."

I often don't go to a play on opening night. If I can, I often try to find a time I can go to one of the performances of a play between opening and closing to give the cast and crew the time to get used to performing the play and then to not have those last performance blues of knowing this is the last time that they are going to be in that exact play with that exact cast. However, sometimes due to my schedule, going to an opening night performance can't be avoided and that was the case this time.

As to the play, I found the beginning a little bit confusing at first. It almost seemed more like a fashion show interspersed with stories. Which, if that's how fashion shows worked, they would become much more interesting.

However, as the play moved on, I understood what was happening. From the description from Dramatists, I would say that there really isn't any rap in the play, but some rhythmical poetry and dance. At times, it seemed a little heavy on the gospel, but the majority of the play happens inside of a church, so that's how it is going to be. It also seems light on the history of the culture of hats in mainland Africa. However, it is educational and informative. I did not know why so many blacks tend to wear fancy hats to worship services and gatherings. I now understand more of the significance even if I don't agree with all of the interpretation that is put to some of the Biblical passages.

The young girl is Yolanda and the part near the end where she is baptized into the church is a metaphor for her understanding the significance of hats for her culture. She's come from completely disagreeing with her culture to accepting it.

As for Lake Charles Little Theatre, the cast is amazing. The preacher (who also takes on multiple other roles throughout the play) is played by Lake Charles veteran actor Michael Davis. If you haven't seen him in a Lake Charles theatre production, you need to see a production with him in it.

Yolanda is played by a young upcoming actress named Madline Breauchelle Smith. She has been an actress in school plays and Louisiana Baptist Youth Encampment in New Orleans. This is her second play in Lake Charles. Her first was Elf, Jr. with Lake Charles Christian Youth Theatre.

Other cast members include Rev. Mary Guidry-Ringo as Mother Shaw, Martha Reynolds as Wanda, Connie Major as Mabel, Mildred Linvgston-Smith as Velma, and Linda Staves as Jeanette. The play is directed by Dan Sadler.

The costuming is bright and colorful, definitely a treat for the eyes. Yet, it is not garish to where it is distracting.

If you like to learn and you aren't afraid of possibly crying at some sad stories as told in the little vignettes that hold the play together (teaching Yolanda), this play is one that you need to go see.

The production is being held at 7:30pm on February 17, 23, 24, March 2, 3 and 3pm on February 18, 25, and March 4.

52 Plays in 52 Weeks

2018-02-15T15:49:00.001-08:00

This reading plays challenge to read 52 plays in a year, is something that I want to do. However, I would want to replace the plays that I've read or seen with other plays so that it would be a good challenge for me. Right now, I'm currently reading three books at once (because I keep sa saying that I won't read more than one book at a time, but then I keep ending up reading more than one book at a time because of different reasons - I may forget to bring a book somewhere, so I pick up a different one if it is available or something interesting catches my eye, so then I pick up that book instead of continuing to read the book I'm reading . . . )

Anyway, it has a good list, but there are a few I'd have to replace.

Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Noises Off by Michael Frayn
Doubt by John Patrick Shanley
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
The Miracle Worker by William Gibson
A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by Tony Kushner
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange (not yet, but perhaps soon)
The Bald Soprano by Eugène Ionesco
Fences by August Wilson
Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang
The Odd Couple by Neil Simon
The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe? by Edward Albee

I've surprised myself. I didn't realize that I knew that many plays. Obviously, these aren't even all of the plays that I know. I'm glad that there's also, this list of 32 plays you need to read. There are some there that could replace the listed ones above, although some of them are the ones listed above and some I still know.

Once I get into the challenge, I will update on how it is going.

Theatre Lessons and More!

2018-02-14T19:12:00.002-08:00

I've always been a theatre geek, so coming "clean" in the last post was fun. I've gotten caught up in many things. I've taken my theatre geekery and I've turned that into a graduate school career. I hoping to teach at the university or community college level. I would be fine working at the high school or middle school level, though. Theatre Geeks like me probably teach and are involved in theatre, too. So, be on the lookout for lessons and information about shows that I know about, mostly in Lake Charles, LA, but I may know of more, too. This blog will become much more informative (here's hoping) rather than that first post and this post. - Theatre Geek

Coming Clean - I'm a Theatre Geek

2015-09-04T01:01:00.002-07:00

It's time to come clean. I am a theatre geek. Are you a theatre geek? Here is where you will find all kinds of links and information about the theatre. In coming clean, the first link that I would like to share with you is a post by author Bridget Delaney. 11 Important Lessons That Theatre Teaches Us. Be on the lookout for more from me. - Theatre Geek