IB Theatre HL

IB Theatre HL is a course at SFS. We are required to make a blog and regularly update it for the course to further our horizons as artists

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Man Prayer Response

The video "May Prayer" was intriguing and had many elements, which helped to convey the message that they were trying to get across. I really liked the message and I feel that it can be applied to many things. This should inspire everyone to step up and fight for one another. Not just men against the violence of women.  The top comment of the video read, "Patriarchy has made woman live longer than men, be the least targeted by violence and given them rights no man can dream of. (such as alimony rights, abuse shelters, preference in paternity law and many others). Feminism is so in love with itself, that equal rights has gone the way of the dodo. It's just a movement to attain even more preferential treatment."

Many people will probably dislike me because I partially agree with this person. I've heard that people who say this only say it because they "don't know what it's like". I say to them "and you think you do?" I understand that females are abused, raped, taken advantage of. I know the statistics and researched the facts, but what about all the men? Their statistics are nearly as high, but not even half go to report it. Our society has put a name upon them that they have to live up to. "Strong, protecting, unmovable". They are being hurt and abused just as much as women, but we don't give them a chance to speak out. We ask them to rise for the women, but never do we say "rise for the men". What part of that is equal?  Women have hundreds of shelters, rights against it, preference in paternity, and more that continue. What do we give the men to help them against their situation? Barely our attention and effort to help. 

I dont believe in feminism because their equal is no longer equal. I understand that the workplace still is biased and it's hard to make a higher living. Wanting equality in that sense, I support. But why is every offense against a women suddenly a national crime, but if it happened to a man by a women, it goes nearly unnoticed?

I bet if I asked, one could give several instances of female harassment but only maybe two that deal with male harassment. 

Like I said, people may say that I don't know. I can say this because I haven't experienced this or know people who have. But do I really need it? An experience will never give me the male perspective because I am female and only female. Us, women, always ask the men to see it from our perspective and fight. Maybe we should start to do the same.

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IPP Comments

Many quotes and pictures spread equally throughout

Seamlessly integrated and labelled/cited

Boxing to set apart blogs and quotes and pictures from regular portfolio

Clean cut and organized

Headings are imaginative

Pictures of each process 

Research elements pulled in and explained

Some covers have a picture and some don't

Pictures not only of set but also highlight elements

Separate works cited and image index 

Final Set goes into the reflection of product

Speaking in first person but still formally

Clearly outlined the thought process through the entire journey

Maybe different font for blogs and quotes

Written pictures are legible and clear scanned

Significant amount of sources and pictures

Pictures are chosen that focus set and not actors on set

Using the words of supervisors and other people directly involved

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Evaluation on Year 1

Heyy Guys~ Excellent job on your first IBTA play~!!!! I was so impressed by everything that went on.  Now this evaluation isn't really an evaluation in the sense that I'm going to point out what I think you did wrong because I don't know what it wrong or right in terms of your play. It's more of a time to point out what I noticed and pull some questions and critical thinking. Maybe it will give more things to think about next year to continue your growth as technical designers. 

The Set:

It was really well spread to give the contrast between outside and within the shop. The decision to put the deities on the catwalk was genius and really helped the visualization of it all. The extensive and realistic props helped really put the play into context as well. The smoke during the opening scene and ending scene. It really left me with an impression of the pollution as well as the symbolism. An issue though was that even with the tiered seating, it was still difficult to see everyone on stage. Especially with how closed the tobacco shop was, from the sides, only part of the inside could be seen versus the entire area. A question, was there a driving reason to have your seating tiered? Also, because on the location of the set, it really made entrances and exits for the audience members difficult. If they came in late or had to leave early, it was harder to sneak in and watch your show. Some even paid, but then had to leave because they were too tall to discretely enter. Another question, was the amount of space used for the set truly necessary? Why did you decide to push it up as far as you did? Also, was thee another place that the deities could have been put or was that the only place? It was difficult to see from SL when in the audience because they exceeded underneathe the catwalk. Also, on the side panels, there was a lightbulb hanging...what did that signify? Why did it never black out though the rest of the scene did? The strip down the center of the audience to walk down was really interesting. Was there a reason it had to be in the middle and divide the audience? Why put it in the middle and your audience on the side even though your shop is in the middle? Could this have effected visibility? What other reasons did you have for it?

The Lighting:

Overall, it was soooo nice. I could tell that a lot of effort was put into it and the gobos used added a splendid touch to everything. The colors really left an impression on certain monologues and conversations that added to the quality of the performance. My biggest notice was the visibility. This is something that you will probably hear quite a few times when dealing with the black box because all the black absorb all the light that you use. My question to you is when lighting the stage, what did you think of first: lighting the actors or lighting the stage? ... What i mean by that is were you more focused on the effects and symbolism behind the lighting or truly making your actors visible? And once you figure that out, which is more important? In terms of specifics, there were some spots that were aimed to low so the face was not lit though the body was. Also, the actors kept walking in and out of the spots when speaking. It seemed that the front of the tobacco shop was not lit very well because Emma, when at the podium, was not lit as well as Kevin and Sammy, who were on the couch. This might not be a big deal except Emma was the one speaking at the time. In a sense, it highlighted the background more than the focus. Also,  I loved the fact that you were breaking the 4th wall and taking that risk but when walking between the set and the middle strip, because they were not lit, they continued to go in and out of visibility. Was that intentional? For what reason? When using gelled spots..because the gel was the only thing used, the lighting was dark. It gave shadows on the actors that appear unrealistic or eerie. Was this also intentional? Why did you decide to do it that way? The colored washes, such as the rain scene, had a beautiful lighting wash with the tree gobo~~ But the blue water stopped before the edge of the set, kind of in a circle. Was there a reason that the edges were not lit? It was really cool how you decided to incorporate a follow spot into your design. If you made your own thoughts, do you think it added or took away from you play? Why? And a question directly to the designers....when setting/focusing your lighting, i noticed fresnels were used for more pinpoint lighting while ellipsoidals were used for some general washes....is there a reason you both decided to do it that way? Was there a reason to use different types of lighting when the deities were talking (regular v. blue)?  The Costume/Makeup:

Im not very good at this aspect, but Ill try my best. I really thought that you guys did a great job with it. They were so detailed and specific toward each character. I was super impressed at the quality. Even the contrast in color between the rich and the poor was really evident. The makeup really helped distinguish between characters and set of what social class they were coming from. Is there a reason that some people, who seemed to be broke or at least financially unstable seemed to own some pretty flamboyant items? Why were the deities wearing suits? Was that supposed to mean something significant?

The Sound:

Something I know even less about, but once again, Ill try. I thought that the music and other sounds were integrated into the play really well. They were never distracting or drawing away from the performance itself. The music itself was also really well chosen. It nearly always fit the atmosphere of what was currently going on and the music selections were beautiful (i say nearly because i refuse to admit anything was flawless--always room for improvement). They ring in your head and leave a story themselves. The application of the sound seemed to be pretty well done as well. It wasnt noticed when it was changing, entering, or leaving, nor did it leave any static in the air. 

As a Whole:

I applaud you all for the work that was done over the last month or three. It was a tough trial and you really pulled it together. It was a challenge for many reasons. Brecht being one because his plays and philosophies in general are difficult to fully grasp and apply, especially under the time constriction. The acting also had numerous challenges in order to portray the characters given without being cliche and I think you did that excellently. The casting really fit, or it seemed like it did regardless of your own opinions and overall, I really think you all worked well together on stage. You had great spatial awareness and it worked out amazing. 

Congratulations~!!! 

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One Billion Rising

What I found that was really interesting and I think we could incorporate into the SFS rise is that their was a new anthem for One Billion Rising that has simple choreography already made for it. I thought that in addition to the dancers rising in order to start the flashmob...at the end, after the poem, everyone involved in one billion rising could do that dance together on stage. They have a clip of the dance being taught so either we all could learn in our separate time or one person can learn and teach it at rehearsal. We wouldnt need to do the whole dance, just a part of it. I feel that there should be a symbolic representation of everyone, dancers, poets, and etc to come together and do something as a whole. It would be amazing if there was a way we could have people singing it as well but considering our time constraint...i dont know if any of this can be pulled together in time

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BYB: Will Smith's Wisdom

Honestly speaking....I don't find much in inspiration and wisdom any longer. I listened to Will Smith's words and they were great and would probably inspire many people, but, much to my dismay, I'm not one of them.  I believe the same things he does, such as protecting your dreams and talent v. skill, taking challenges one step at a time, but I've learned through my life that beliefs aren't enough nor are they necessarily the best for me. 

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Daniel Day-Lewis and 'Lincoln'

research into the character through his writing and contemporary works

had conversations while staying in character

puts attention to detail and commitment 

"breathe life into the character"

“Plenty of people will say it’s facetious to stay in character,” Sheridan says. “People will say it’s pretentious. But Daniel spent weeks with kids who really had cerebral palsy to research the part. How difficult would it have been to act like them for the camera, then jump back after each take like a jack-in-the-box, like nothing had happened? His decision was, I’m staying in character, and so he became the focus of all worries and discontent on the set, which was all for the good of the movie.”

The thought is that you are traveling a vast distance in order to play another persons life but in actuality, you're bringing that life toward you and thus exploring experiences within your own life as well

brought the tension / relationships outside of the set and applied them to everyday living for the duration of the play

It is the aloneness or the isolation that is needed in order to approach the character

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Notes for the Final 2013

Give 45 minutes in first half to work on writing

45 minutes on presenting (possible)

Acquire the stimuli on Monday

Go back and review practitioner, mise en scene, vocabulary

Think of a concept of which that stimuli could be used before Exam date

Look up the background of the stimuli

Conduct other research on stimuli

Present the Pitch/Turn in the Pitch

The guidelines are the same at the design project guidelines

---Look on Haiku for paper

Come with one production element done with a portfolio

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Notes for the Final 2013

Give 45 minutes in first half to work on writing

45 minutes on presenting (possible)

Acquire the stimuli on Monday

Go back and review practitioner, mise en scene, vocabulary

Think of a concept of which that stimuli could be used before Exam date

Look up the background of the stimuli

Conduct other research on stimuli

Present the Pitch/Turn in the Pitch

The guidelines are the same at the design project guidelines

---Look on Haiku for paper

Come with one production element done with a portfolio

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BTB - Elevator Repair Service

The group's theater pieces are built around a broad range of subject matter and literary forms. They combine elements of slapstick comedy, hi-tech and lo-tech design, both literary and found text, found objects and discarded furniture, and the group's own highly developed style of choreography. 

creates original works for living theater with an ongoing ensemble

founded by director John Collins and a group of actors in 1991.

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BTB - Performance Space 122

Mission:

"Performance Space 122 provides incomparable experiences for audiences by presenting and commissioning artists whose work challenges boundaries of live performance. PS122 is dedicated to supporting the creative risks taken by artists from diverse genres, cultures and perspectives. We are an innovative local, national and international leader in contemporary performance."

In addition to the commissioning and presenting of artists, PS122 strives to provide audiences with a variety of off-stage access points for the work that is on stage or in the space

For over 3 decades, Performance Space 122 has been a hub for contemporary performance and an active member of the cultural community in NYC and across the globe. Under the curatorial vision of Vallejo Gantner (Artistic Director 2005 – present) PS122 has developed a set of programs designed to re-establish the value of live performance, provide singular experiences for audiences that inspire critical thinking, and sustain the creative process for artists throughout their career

Blog Site: http://www.ps122.org/blog/  

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Judas

For the Fall Play done this year for the High School. The play "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" was chosen.

Regarding the production itself, I do not have many comments because I decided to focus upon the questions that it posed. We were discussing justification in Old Testament and studying the Bible in church myself, I did not understand why some of the choice were made in Judas. My biggest question is "Why wasn't God asked to be a witness?"

The entire case rested on whether he was guilty for betraying God but betrayal is only that if the "victim" says it is so. Throughout the whole play, people in Purgatory were making assumptions as to whether Judas was guilty or not but none ever asked the victim, the Lord, himself which was the truth. 

Also, I know that there is a verse in the bible that states that everything happens according to God's will in order to accomplish his purpose. If that is so, was it really Judas's decision to turn God in or was his fate inevitable because it was God's will to die on the cross in order to fulfill his purpose of sacrifice and therefore build toward the New Jerusalem? Throughout the Old Testament, God has forgiven mankind for all sorts or betrayal to his word or his law and even gave us a second chance after the destruction by leaving Noah and his family as a remnant of humanity. Why would God suddenly hate and blame one individual when the world as a whole as betrayed him countless times? It simply doesn't make sense. 

Lastly, I appreciated the how Satan, over all of mankind, was the one to realize that God has a love for all his creation, including those who have fallen. Why is it that Satan could realize and believe this while humanity couldn't. We have all of God's love and affection plus more and God is trying to bruise Satan on the head, so why is it that only Satan realizes this undying love?

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Problems...Uh-Oh

I finally remember what was supposed to go here. So, there were many instances where original ideas were not going to work out. One of them was the rasa boxes frame idea. Because we ran out of a budget, we could not afford to order lighter wood for the frames. Also, even if we did, the weight would still amount to around a platform and a half. Because it took 10 minutes with all five girls to carry one platform, we decided having a frame would be near to impossible. 

Also, there were many set backs regarding the mural. Because our back wall was so big, it was not practical to attempt suicide and paint the entire thing in a week. Instead we thought we would hang the different paintings used throughout the play and others that represented our play as a gallery of artwork that the main character supposedly painted throughout her journey. 

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IPP

We have decided that Robert Wilson would be the main focus for the IPP. 

I feel that I do have a significant amount of related materials because he was one of the focuses for my Extended Essay. The only adaptation would be that I studied his lighting design but not his set design. 

What I have taken from the research is the general elements that he parallels with postmodernist theater in terms of impacts, symbolism, and distorting the reality

I need to delve deeper into how he applies postmodernist theater in relation to his stage design and what goals he takes to express in order to support the script

I do need to do more research on David Hockney. I have seen pictures and read a little about him online but I need to dive in deeper and break apart his style so I am able to replicate it / pull from it and apply it to my designing

I feel like because David is so modern, so much like Howell Binkley, it might be difficult to find a great amount of information on him. I am not worried about researching Robert Wilson. I would ask that we have access to your books and other resources for him

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List of Me and My Journey - TPPP

Plays I've Read This Year:

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds

The Laramie Project

Antigone

Top Girls

Back To The 80s

The Crucible

Mother Courage

Tea

ArtiFacts

Performances I've Seen This Year:

FAUST

Small Metal Objects

Shakespeare In Hollywood

Big Love

Nanta

Jump

Antigone

Comedy of K

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Black Watch

Performances I've Been In This Year:

The Effect Of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds - Tillie

Back To The 80s - Dancer

APAC Dance Showcase

Easter Assembly - Contemp 

KAIAC Competition

ArtiFacts

APAC 2011 & 2012

Performances I've Worked On (In a Technical Way) This Year:

The Effect Of Gamma Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds - Lighting

Shakespeare In Hollywood - Makeup

APAC Student Performance - Lighting Design 

APAC Student Performance - Choreography 

ArtiFacts - Set Design

ArtiFacts - Choreography 

HS Christmas / Winter Concert - Crew

Practitioner's I've Studied This Year:

Bertolt Brecht

Anne Bogart

Tadashi Suzuki

Stanislavsky

Robert Wilson

Lecoq

Peter Brooks

Antonin Artaud

Tony Kushner

Howell Binkley

Stanley McCandless

Jean Rosenthal

World Theatre That I've Study This Year:

Greek Theatre

Western Theatre

Korean Theatre

African Theatre

Indonesian Theatre

Indian Theatre

Japanese Theatre

Commedia dell' Arte

Native American Theatre

Roman Theatre

Medieval Theatre

(Post-modernist Theatre)

Renaissance Theatre

Workshops That I've Done This Year: 

Megan Campisi (Commedia)

Mark Hill

APAC Dance (Japanese Traditional, Ballroom, Latin (salsa), Korean Traditional, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Jazz)

Andong Korean Mask

Devising / Choreographing:

Choreographed the APAC Student Performance

Choreographed the KAIAC Routine

Partly choreographed the dance for Artifacts (part improvising)

Helped devise the Artifacts play

A Theme Over All That I Would Like To Use:

Chasing Fireflies

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Dream III Lyrics Prototype

Song: Neglected Space

Artist: Imogen Heap

Lyrics: Adapted version of the Original

  Hello

I watch you come and go

I know you can hear my voice

Don't walk away

Come daydream with me

Open minds and flying high thunder to shooting star

Let's show them how good we are.

If you look after me, I'll look after you.

  Dominant controlling powerful beasts

Seeking privacy for their forbidden...

I am their defenseless host.

Through my open wounds they let themselves in.

Sheltered (sheltered), they mock me (they mock me).

  If you stand up for me, I'll stand up for you.

  I'm enclosed in a lonesome bubble created by nature, becoming the shadows

The air in here covers me, completely!

But if you stay right by me, I'll stay right by you.

  Oh, my crumbling heart!

If you'll be good to me,

I'll be good to you.

  I'm a mist:

I result from the best decision you ever made, your questions, your worst nightmare.

Find me, cherish me, take me on or pull me down. You choose.

Wait!

  Oh, shows what your soul just aches to say!

Cause I will remember you - will you remember me?

  Bespoke to broken, this interwoven tapestry of tragedy,

Crooked frames and cracked figures

Slithers of hateful window gazes hide in borrowed light.

  Where doorways with no door stage a ballet of feelings,

Who pirouette in the footsteps of what once was alive...

  By teary eyes, I'm the hope fading,

I'm cracking up, and can seem threatening.

  I'm falling apart.

  I'm scary at night.

Take dark, forbidden: keep out, keep out! No, no, no go forth.

  A has-been, a once was, the leftovers, an eyesore, bleeding, oxidising,

A few remaining, unloved, emotionally damaged, a waste of space,

A nuisance, I haven't had time to become, unwanted!

What's gone? I'm losing it

This is not what I stand for

This is not what I stand for

This is not what I stand for

  I am a perfectly good piece of art

  Stop in the name of love! I've got just what you're looking for!

The feelings that you feel you need, which can provide you a world of change

  If you'll take care of me, I'll take care of you.

If you be good to me, then I'll be good to you.

  I'm a story in mourning, and you're the author

So pour out your masterpiece.

  —Cut song so that it ends here—

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Initial Stage Design

Design Elements Pitch

·      Practitioner

o   David Hockney

§  Focusing upon how he makes a set very simplistic in color foundation but with an abstract design and allows the lighting and projection to really set the stage and atmosphere for the location

·      Design

o   Half of a theater in the round

o   Not a proscenium type

§  Did not want the audience to feel that this was a structured view only production

o   A low (10cm) raised stage

§  Wants to make the boundary of audience and performance but be able to easily break it down if necessary.

o   All black

§  White or black fits into the simple-minded view of the world in the dystopian world

§  Initially wanted it black because of the set and stark white coloring

§  Figured that it would be more realistic to keep it black

o   Very minimalistic

§  The production has so many scene changes that the stage, as I picture it, will simply be the grounds for stories to be made on. The props and the acting itself will make the scenery. The stage will simply be the foundation for artistic growth

·      Inspirations

o   Theater should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable

§  Initially heard this quote from twinkle

o   I would like the set to be seen in a non-uniform way that makes the audience question about the performance itself

o   I also wanted the set to be able to work as a piece of art within itself as well as with the cooperation of the design elements

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