Rocky Start for "SGD"

Well, the fight is over. Our class has selected a play, a short piece written by Lisa Railsback. This piece is a “work of imagination based on a true story”. We were enamored with the subject of the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, and were so eager to pick a show that we leaped at this opportunity to put on this show.

We had no idea what we had just gotten ourselves into.

Our good friend Leila, who is as good of an expert on this political situation as anyone else at this school, if not better, showered us with what she called her “problems with the play”. Erin (co-director alongside me) and I were astonished to discover the real facts behind this true story the play was based on, and compare them to the blatant racial stereotypes the author has morphed these girls into. Real reporters had done extensive research and interviewing with the families of the two girls, and the characters in the play are almost complete opposites to their real-life counterparts. Leila writes:

“I thought the author's portrayal of the two girls was interesting. For instance, her portrayal of Rebekah, who represents Rachel Levy. In the play, the girl is described as so scared that even her goldfish is afraid. The article, however, paints a different image of a girl who is not afraid, and when her friends ask her if she's scared to go out, replies, "No, why should I be?"
Ayat al-Akhras actively worked to find the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades which she joined following the death of her neighbor. However in the play, she is portrayed as someone who is harassed by these forces until she finally gives into them.”

We faced an issue where the script painted the girls this way and could not be changed with a few simple cuts or word selection differences. We had to find a way to make sure these “ideal” teen girls of either side were not the images left in peoples minds.

So we found ourselves in a big pickle. Unfortunately, it seems the only way out is to add a scene at the beginning. Erin and I thought up a scene where and American news reporter comes home to his family, and a disinterested teenage daughter perks up a bit when she hears he covered a story about girls her age bombing places. She asks for minor details but then when she goes to bed, dreams up this plot based on her misinformed mind and the few headlines she has caught off of the television. This would be the simplest way to set the stage for this play as NOT at accurate rendition of the even or the political hotbed that is the conflict in question. This play was written in the mind and opinion of a clearly misinformed American, so why shouldn’t the play be portrayed as such?

Our vision for the show, however, shouldn’t change. It doesn’t deal head on with the political message, but does portray something we thought of as important. I’ll introduce it with a quote from the actual article about the real incident:

“Ayat al-Akhras and Rachel Levy never knew each other, but they grew up less than four miles apart. One had spent her life locked within the grim confines of the Dehaishe refugee camp outside Bethlehem, a densely packed slum whose 12,000 residents lived in poverty and frustration. The other dwelled in the shadow of a sleek shopping mall filled with cinemas, cafes and boutiques. In their different worlds, the girls were typical teenagers…. In another time and another place, they could have been schoolmates, even friends.”

Our vision is MIRROR IMAGES. In both the news article and the play, these girls are seen as being the same but in opposing viewpoints. Parallel lives on different tracks. We want our show to reflect strongly how the two girls could have been best of friends in a different time, when there was no divide. We would implement this by using eerie and almost subliminal similarities to leave the audience with a realization that these two girls weren’t very different from each other and ourselves.

Its eerie how similar these girls looked in real life. In addition to the picture here, below is a trailer for a documentary that was made about the two mothers of the girls, post bombing. The mothers meet for the first time in this film. I want to watch it as soon as I can. The quote you hear in the trailer is from George W. Bush's "Road Map to Peace" speech.

"When an 18-year-old Palestinian girl is induced to blow herself up, and in the process kills a 17-year-old Israeli girl, the future, itself, is dying -- the future of the Palestinian people and the future of the Israeli people." -- President George W. Bush 

Peace and Love, Benji.
                           --Melissa 

IB Play: Getting Started.

Let's hope that picking the play IS the difficult part. 

We have a lot of neutral bodies in our class: either they won't get passionate until they've been handed their pre-chosen assignment, they feel they don't know enough about theatre to make decisions, or they truly just don't want to fight with people over plays and would rather see passionate people sort it out.

Too bad there isn't just one passionate person per crowd. 

Even worse that they don't always agree.

I found a play, as I am NOT a neutral person in most situations, and fell in love with it. I spread the show to Erin, who loved it as well. The play is "Big Love", by Charles Mee. Yes, there would have to be some MAJOR script alterations, but the plot is so juicy and the banter is hilarious, making for a great play. Also, the technical possibilities are endless with this play. 

I only wish that deciding things was easier. 

This post i am leaving open ended. I may hear of another play that i adore just as much as this one. If so, I will describe it HERE______________________.

Ellie "Fries" up a TPPP :)

Have you ever had a really well thought out, profound concept?

Have you ever applied it to your life as a theatre artist?

Have you ever talked for thirty minutes nonstop to a group of very drowsy people?

How about all three AT ONCE?

Welcome to the TPPP. Have a seat, Benji. 

Our teacher had introduced us to what the IB assessments entailed, but i don't think ANY of us were prepared to see the harsh reality of the TPPP right before our eyes so soon. Ellie was a really good example, and perhaps he fact that she was that good made it even scarier for us inferior people with less cool accents.

One of my main fears with the TPPP is that I won't be able to come up with a solid script. I am not very confident in my more analytical forms of writng, and as I've learned in IBHL English, this isn't about being cute or funny or witty, flair is something you add on last, once you've nailed the BIG FOUR:  
ANALYSIS
                 REFLECTION
                                       RESEARCH
                                                         SYNTHESIS

Pretty big, huh Benji? It worries me. One thing does reassure me, however. My experiences. I need to have ten images that reflect what I've learned. I already have so many experiences, and it's only 3 months into the whole thing! See?

-Our Town

-Robert Wilson's Krapp's Last Tape

-Tadashi Suzuki's Dionysus

-Othello

-Mark Hill

-Andong

-Little Prince

-Jungle Book/Mulan Jr. 

-Rich Swingle

And there is so much more coming definitely, like the IB play and the spring musical (that makes eleven right there!), not to mention the surprise events we don't even know are happening. 

Maybe the TPPP won't be so scary after all. 

<3

Thinking about the IPP....

   Over the past few weeks, I've been able to spend more time working with children, not only through babysitting, but through children's theatre. I saw a children's show during which i made many notes. I was fascinated with the parallels i saw in professional and high school theatre. I saw what was sacrificed when working with younger actors and a younger audience, but what was kept to make a good show. I also was able to work a bit backstage during another children's show, in which i observed many small children get a crash course in theatre and professionalism, and saw what hard work and different dynamics a show like that had to endure and work with to create a fantastic show i was able to see on its closing night. 

   On November 20th, My family and I were invited by some neighbors of ours to  see Mulan Jr., a production put on by the Army Garrison on Yongsan Army Base, featuring quite a few children from the post. The first thing about this show that threw me was the casting. Some of the adult parts that were "meatier" were given to high schoolers, but the majority of the cast was comprised of children no more than twelve years old. I found this contrast good in some cases (ex. a 6 year old farmer being scared by a huge 16 year old Hun warrior) but more often than not quite confusing and polarizing. One  example of this would be the case of Mulan's family. Mulan was played by a high school senior, whereas her mother and grandmother were played by girls who appeared to be about 3rd grade. If the grandmother had perhaps been dressed more like an old woman, or had been given gray hair, it might have been more clear as to who she was. I didn't figure out who she was in the musical until they referred to her by name. However, while this still would have been a problem if they were ALL third graders, having an awkwardly tall Mulan in the midst did not help anyone's case.

    While details like aging were not taken into consideration, most of the sets and costumes were extremely colorful and appeared to be well thought out. The set was versatile for large group numbers and for symbolizing lots of long journeys through the Chinese country. The use of elaborate sets and costumes is what some refer to as theatre "bling", excessive to the point of being gaudy effects to entertain an audience in a dazzling, albeit shallow way. But in this form of theatre, things like realistic acting or handmade costumes were aften sacrificed for a bigger, better effect. Because not only are the actors children, but the majority of the audience is too, along with their parents. Children who are young my not even completely follow the plotline, but they remember the slapstick, the effects, the "big moments" in the show. Parents may not be enthralled with the acting, but this "bling" will make it at least aesthetically pleasing to watch. 

    The brilliant thing about choosing Mulan Jr. was that the children in the show all knew the story going into it. Major plot points were cleverly clipped, so lines were minimal. They employed a sort of Greek chorus in the form of Mulan's ancestors, who set the scene before many segments of the show. In reality, the movie this musical was based off of doesn't have a lot of parts. By splitting a narrator part into a narrating chorus, this allowed more students to shine. 

    I noticed many differences that were clearly directorial decisions made solely because this is a children's musical:

--In a musical, the temptation to rely totally on a CD is a great one, and many who indulge in these Jr.  package deals do, and there is NOTHING wrong with that. However, one must not just send the kids home with the CD and say "go practice". Having a musical assistant to run through the songs with the kids is very important as well. Don't let the CD become a crutch when musical expertise is your shortcoming as a director.

--In choreography, especially in children's musicals, big group numbers are a must. However, in my opinion, fine motor movements are a definite DON'T when it comes to any dance. 

--Those "aww" moments happen in children shows, no matter what, but what is wrong with wanting to plan a few. Give the smallest kid in your show that one liner, make the rowdy boy do a dance solo onstage, whatever. Those are the moments that their parents will want to remember. 

    My only regret with Jungle Book, the Key Stage 2 production at the British School, was not getting involved more and not getting involved sooner. The kids in this show were, crazy, charismatic, fun, intelligent, and a million other things. There was an aspect of pageantry to it, but the overtones of professionalism running through these kids veins was definitely palpable. Mrs. Moon would have these kids reciting "Respect your Actors, respect your Audience," like a Buddhist mantra. Every member in the 157 person cast knew what their job was onstage. They had an identity, be it a rock, a flower, or the great big bear Baloo.

Seeing all the different facets that go into these younger productions is interesting too, with all the parent involvement and such, plus teachers. 

    There is so much MORE I could write about this, but the bottom line is that my IPP will most defenitiely concern working with children in theatre. Yippee!