Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Composite Paper on Scenework


Introduction:  Kaeli and I did a scene from the Diana Son’s Shop Kiss. I played the role of Callie. The scene that we performed was scene seven where Sara and Callie are spending an evening together at Callie’s apartment.

Play Analysis: 
Stop Kiss was written by Diana Son and is a play that follows a heart wrenching love story that twists and turns through the issues of intolerance, self-discovery, free will, courage, and profound love. This flavorful play enriched with a thick plot has two main characters Sara and Callie. The play follows their blossoming friendship that grows into deep love. But, a tragedy occurs that leaves wounds on their bond together. A man attacks Callie and Sara soon after seeing them exchange an intimate kiss in central park. The man shouts vulgar things to both women, and Sara being the outspoken one defends herself and Callie. The man attacks them severely injuring Callie and gravely injuring Sara; Sara is put into a coma. This play is about grasping your sense of self and sense of love and the turmoil that that empowering process can bring you. This is a story of the power of love.

I believe that I could use a monologue from this play, from scene six. In this scene Callie is explaining to the detective, through a flash forward, of what happened when she and Sara were assaulted. It is a powerful monologue with intense dialogue. I feel that I could really fluctuate with the levels of my voice doing this monologue and be able to grip my audience emotionally.

Kaeli and I performed the scene that follows, scene 7. I thoroughly enjoyed this play not only because of the message it conveys but because I think that the dialogue and relationship between all of the characters are strong and beautiful. It is a compelling story and I would love to see it performed live!

Characters Are:
The character that I play, Sara, changes over the course of the play in terms of how she feels for Callie. Sara befriends Callie and their acquaintance blossoms into a friendship. Their friendship then blossoms and grows into love for one another. Sara’s character is more sensual and frees the Callie’s character, so the way that Sara changes is in her feeling towards Callie. A devastating incident that occurs within the play changes Sara’s physical state because the healthy, vibrant person that she was is violently beaten into a coma. Sara and Callie exchanged an intimate kiss in central park, and when a blunt on looking man makes inappropriate comments, Sara being the bold person that she is, defends Callie and fire back at him. The man attacks both Sara and Callie but severely hurts Sara, putting her into a coma. So, not only does Sara emotionally evolve over the course of the play, but also goes through devastating physical changes as well. At the end of the play Sara shows signs of recovering from her coma, which symbolizes a character that has up and downs but ends with an up, a positive change.

3 Scene Break Down:
Unfortunately I do not have a device where I can scan the scene into the computer, but I can descriptively break the scene down explaining the beats or conversation changes within the scene.
1st Beat: Callie: “Can I ask something about your job?” Callie literally changes the topic of conversation within the scene because she wants to get to know Sara more, she is interested in Sara’s life.
2nd Beat: Sara: “Can I ask you about your job?” Sara reverses the questioning onto Callie. This is a flirtatious move for Sara to do because she is also showing interest in Callie’s life.
3rd Beat: Callie: “My boyfriend Tom’s uncle worked at the station.” Callie mentioning her boyfriend is uncomfortable for both her and Sara because they are unsure of their feelings for one another. They are flirting back and forth, and mentioning her boyfriend puts a little bit of a damper on their conversation between each other. Sara’s response, “Oh”, indicates that she is a bit caught off guard and feels uncomfortable, or perhaps a twinge of jealousy, when Callie mentions her boyfriend.
4th Beat: Sara: “What time is it?” Sara loses track of time and realizes that she must get going. This shifts the conversation and scene because it raises the stakes. Callie doesn’t want Sara to leave.
5th Beat: “You can’t stay…” When Callie offers Sara to spend the night this turns the scene towards the direction of sexuality a bit more. What will happen when Sara stays?
6th Beat: Callie: “Do you need a tee---whoop” Callie accidentally walks in on Sara undressing. This raises sexual tension between them even more.
7th Beat: Sara: “Will you do me a favor…?” Sara asks Callie if she will lay in bed to “see if the cat will come out.” Sara has a hidden agenda here, she wants to be close to Callie on a personal level.

4 Character Objectives During the Scene:
1.) “can I ask you about your job?” Sara wants to be flirtatious. She wants to get to know Callie more as well.
2.) “Oh.” Sara is taken aback a bit when Callie mentions her boyfriend. Sara likes Callie, intimately.
3.) “it’s OK- I have one…” Sara takes her time grabbing her shirt. She wants to showcase her body to Callie as a, “look at me, I’m hot and want you.”
4.) “Will you do me a favor…?” Sara really wants Callie to get into bed so that she can be close to Callie on an intimate and physical level… she doesn’t actually care about the cat.

5 Rehearsal Analyses:
I fell that Kaeli and I fit well together as scene partners. At first I was I was uncomfortable with rehearsal because I wasn’t into the original scene that we decided to do. The character wasn’t right for me because of racial boundaries and there wasn’t much dept to the scene. When I suggested we do Shop Kiss, Kaeli was ready and willing to work. We had to play some catch-up because we did end up switching our scene, but we worked fast and arranged times to meet up and to run the scene together. We both fit a lot better into the scene from Shop Kiss because there was more that we could do with blocking and physicality. The scene also challenged us to step outside our comfort zones and to dive into the work. We were both able to stretch farther as actors and that was very rewarding in the long run. Overall, the rehearsal process was great and I wouldn’t mind working with Kaeli again in the future.

6 Performance Analyses:
I feel that our final presentation went really well! Unfortunately, we started the scene without one of my props so we had to pause the scene for me to retrieve the prop and continue on with the scene. The prop was vital for the scene and contained within it another vital costume piece. Other then that, I feel Kaeli and I threw ourselves into our character and we both really felt the scene and let it come alive. Our blocking was more enriched and I tried to have better volume and utilize different elements of my characters physicality. There are still some things that Kaeli and I could do to take our scene to even the next level but that will come with time and more experience.

7 short Evaluations:
1) Kaeli is and easy-going person which makes working with her more enjoyable.
2.) Kaeli is flexible with her schedule.
3.) Kaeli is dedicated to the project.
4.) Kaeli did her homework, studied her lines and was always prepared.
5.) Kaeli was prompt, on time and ready to work.
6.) Kaeli contributed good ideas that helped enrich the scene.
7.) Kaeli is talented which made working with her that much more beneficial.
Overall I felt that working with a scene partner was successful for me as an actress because it gave me the experience of working with another actress. Working with another person taught me how to do scene work and how to act with another live person. I was able to grow because of what Kaeli brought to the table. This part of the class was very beneficial and taught me the importance of teamwork within the theatre.

2nd Part of Mid Term: Freeing the Natural Voice (Part 3 Remaining)

Part 3:
The Link to Text and Acting
Words...imagery

Steps:
Step 1: exploring the different effects that different vowel sounds can have on your feelings and on your body. The feeling of vowels and consonants reveals sub-verbal meaning in words. The feleing links us to the desire we want to communicate. The word feeling implies both physical sensation and emotional effect.
exs: "AAH-AAH-AAH" & EEEEEEEEEEEEE or OOOOOOOOOOOO

Step 2: Take three vowel sounds whose quality is intrinsically sharper, shorter, and more staccato than the first three.
exs: a (as in cat) i (as in hit) and u (as in cut)

Step 3: Drop contrasting vowel sounds into your body

Step 4: The feeling of consonants
exs: MMMMMMMMM & VVVVVVVVV or ZZZZZZZZ

Step 5: Two contrasting vowels and consonants
exs: OOOZZZZtAA & ZZAAOOOt or tAAZZOOO

Step 6: Organize the intrinsic music of vowels with the resonating ladder.
She then talks you through exercises so that you can feel the place in your body as to where these sounds come from.
exs: ZZOO travel down your pelvis & WO-O-E  move in the middle of your body or SHAWWWAA feel attached to your rib cage

Basically Linklater is trying to get her reader more consciously aware of the feeling of vowels and consonants, and the emotions that derive from the usage of those sounds.

Step 7: using steps 1-6 as models for anatomizing words. Choose a word that is onomatopoeic and play it into your body, ignoring its sense as much as possible.
exs: Splash ratatat murmuring susurration whip

Step 8: Take a word with a representational picture
exs: wind butterfly clouds sky

Step 9: Take a word with an emotional image
exs: love rage giggle sorrow

Step 10: Find words with more abstract images
exs: purple red blue yellow jagged round

Step 11: Explore action words
exs: Run subside explore live die fight go fly

Step 12: Play with small words
exs: for and to it if such

Step 13: String together a sequence of the words you used in steps 8 through 11 in any order without making sense
exs: butterflies blue giggle murmuring


The point of the exercise is to allow individual words to influence your voice, giving a phrase or sentence more life than just what it gets from the overall sense.
Memories of kindergarden poetry speaking- "The sun is in the sky," pointing heavenward, voice with an upward inflection, "And the earth is down below," looking down, dropping the voice- may give one pause. But these exercises are designed to start moving the voice from within, to make itcome alive to a sensory and imagistic inner world.

Tuning into the text...imagination
(This is a brief overview, a check list for the reader to go over what they have lerned throughout studying their natural voice within this book)

Checklist:
Transitions: Thought transitions, transitions in the subject matter, transitions in the argument, transitions in the activity
The Six Eternal Questions: Who, Where, When, What, Why, How
The Five P's: Personal, Psychological, Professional, Political, Philosophical
Dynamics: Dynamics of Text, dynamics of the character, dynamics of the event
Rhythm: Rhythm of speech, rhythm of character, rhythm of the scene

Overall the message that Linklater coveys within her book is this: The human voice is remarkable, complex, and delicate. It is capable of not only conveying sophisticated intellectual concepts but also subtle emotional nuances. Although the uniqueness and beauty of the human voice have been appreciated for centuries, medical science has begun to understand the workings and care of the voice only since the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is important to understand the basic functions and structures of the voice.

Kristin Linklater attempts to explain to the reader, or actor, how their voice physically works within her book, as well as how to use it in a healthy way, and the right way. Linklater's book is revolutionary for the voice of the actor and has helped me to shape and mold my voice as a performer.



Poetry Reading


The Kingdom of Yorke: Final Draft
By: Andrew Boettcher

Gather round little knights and young maidens
For a story, a tale I shall tell
Its sad, bittersweet, But a telling complete
Gather round, gather round, gather round…

There once was a land
The roads lined with gold
The low valleys hot
And the tall mountains cold

The rivers ran wide
The passes ran narrow
Where shields and swords
Met the bows and the arrows…

Where our forefathers landed
And drew up a name
Forsaking all others
And staking their claim

They fought the savages
Til' battles grew still
A servant searched his master out
With parchment and a quill…

He found him alone
On the highest hillside
He poured steaming sweat
A wild gaze in his eyes

His shield was broad
And his armor was old
Forged for his honor
From a once fiery mold…

He approached him ever slow
And he kept his voice low
Speaking the softest
And sweetest of tones…

He said, sire, the war is won
The land is ours, your will be done
The fallen were few but the cost it is high
The rivers of blood have run full before dry

The knight raised his hand
And a silence ensued
As he cast his arm broadly
So steady and smooth

He spoke in a hushed tone
Like never before
As he gazed from the south
To the west and the north…

He said, we shall call this golden land
From mountains of stone
To the last grains of sand
Its name therefore shall be evermore

The Kindgom of Yorke, The Kingdom of Yorke…

Over time they ventured in
To find a land so free of sin
The rivers pure as holy water
Innocent as virgin daughters

Scattered skies of cotton clouds
Overhead, a veil, a shroud
Untamed nature wild and mean
The warmest land they'd ever seen…

The land spanned the country
From sea to shining sea
Supple Earth of milk and honey
Far as could be seen

The thick and vicious forests
Swathed the timberlands of old
Protecting Mother Nature
In its thick and twisting folds…


Endless seas of grain
Nursed by storms of gentle rain
Rolling hills of green
Cast their glimmer and their sheen

The purple mountains majesty
Would only prove a travesty
As we would all too soon forget
Our greatest loss and tragedy…

I regret to say
That this story's not my own
But the tale has to spread
And the legend has to grow

I swear it's not a myth
And declare it's not a lie
To dishonor my name
Is a fate worse than to die…

Let us travel back
To a tale of a tale
A story that's so sobering
That drunk’s lay down their ales
Forever…
And here is how it came to me…

Many years ago
As I walked down a cobble road
That was where I found him
And my life would change tenfold…

He leaned against a tree
Gasping as he breathed
His spirit shook the leaves
As his body strained and heaved…

Behind a mask of gin
He concealed a smirking grin
Each time he fetched his jack
He'd swing forward then swing back

Knowing as he was
He was lost inside his soul
His face burnt from the sun
And his eyes they looked so old…
Rapped in ragged soldiers clothes
A worn and weathered sheath
Long and scraggly hair
And a mouth of yellow teeth

I wandered over to him
And I helped the man to town
I sensed his end was near
So I bought the man a round...

We introduced ourselves
And his stories they would pour
As though they were the wines
From the tavern keepers store

This man had seen the world
And he bragged about it so
I have to say he looked it
He was wore down to the bone…

We laughed and drank and sang and ate
Well into the night
Far past the criers calls
Until the morning light

It seemed we’d reach no end
Although his fate would quickly twist
His eyes glazed over as he fell
And tried to grab my wrist…

I rushed to his side
As tears filled my eyes
I knew it was his end
And I’d have to watch him die

He drew me close to him
And he spoke into my ear
His voice had changed its sound
It was clear and so sincere…

Dear boy, my time has come
My life on Earth is done
My charge I pass to you
If you swear to see it done...


“I shall” I say to him…
“I shall spread this legend to the world until my dying breath…”

Very well…An immortal man was I
Don’t mourn me, don’t cry
I never thought I’d live to see
The day that I would die

A thousand years ago
This legend came to me
You would not believe
All the wonders I have seen…

The Earth has seen in you
A goodness born anew
Therefore its my duty that
I pass this right to you

Now God will let me rest, assured you’ll pass the test
It shall be your mission and your life’s enduring quest…

He placed his palm upon my head
And drew me near once more
The visions that he sent me
Made me wish I’d not seen more

I saw the fall of Kingdoms past
The blood, the death, the fear
The devastating echoes now
All seemed so crystal clear

The fields burned, the skies grew stark
The soil ran dry, once light now dark
Over and over, failing, falling
An endless end in a timeless time

How’d it come to pass ?
Who, Where, When, and Why ?
Should I stand and fight ?
Or hide and softly cry ?



So many questions in my mind
So much to know, so little time
His hand slid down, his story told
His flesh wore thin and he went cold…

His body vanished from the ground
A gust of wind, and eerie sounds
Then came his voice, roaring down
It shook the silent sleeping town

He boomed,

11 of 9, Look to the skies
Don’t dare forget or else you’ll lament

Horsemen from the East
Will come riding silver beasts
Flying high in the sky
And on freedom they will feast

They’ll bring the castles down
They will smite them to the ground
You will try to fight them
Evil men will knock you down

Spewing foul deceptions and immaculate deceits
They will not be rested
until you admit defeat…

The masses they will turn
And defend the other side
They will see you guilty
As you’re fighting for their rights

Freedom they’ll be after
And slavery they’ll bring
Tell the legend if you like
Tell it softly as you sing

For if you tell it loudly
Then the constables shall hear
They’ll drag you to the dungeon
And replace it all with fear


They will try to teach it first
Then tear it out of you
Fade it into fable
‘Til your honor’s been consumed…

There won’t be a single reason
It will come at fall’s first season
Autumn serves this paradox
Come half the days to equinox

For this shall be our judgment day
Don’t forget this dreadful date
I’ve done all that I can do
Now I trust the rest to you…

Then he spoke in tongues,

KROY WEN! KROY WEN!
11 of 9, 11of 9
KROY WEN! KROY WEN!
11 of 9, 11 of 9, 11 of 9, 11of 9

11…of…9…

These were his poor dying words
He confessed them all to me
They would never be reheard
Except when passed to thee

The Kingdom of Yorke
Has fallen once before
Until my time on earth is done
I’ll let it fall no more…

Recall this very day
When you are old and gray
You all have been forewarned
Let not this memory be scorned…

Off to bed little knights and young maidens
For a story a tale I have told
It was sad, bittersweet, but I told it complete…
Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on…

Stanic Puppeteer Orchestra

The stars: SPO-20: The Robot and Professor B. Miller: Mad Scientist

I attended this Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra outside of school time. I was referred to go see it through my English 220 Professor. We studied the Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra CD Box Set in class. We discussed that the box set broke music conventions and made numerous political statements. It created its own genre of music or art. I had the chance to meet the artist himself, he is very passionate about what he does and it takes a lot of hard work. he stumbled upon this idea and it grew from there.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Articles and Interviews

Articles
John Highfield talks to Charlotte Vincent about Vincent Dance Theatre's latest production If We Go On.
By John Highfield
Debbie Malina concludes her report on a collaborative research initiative undertaken at the end of last year by Dance UK and Vincent Dance Theatre.
By Debbie Malina
John HIghfield met with Charlotte Vincent to discuss her two, new performances that are coming to Sheffield in April 09.
By John Highfield
Anarchic dancer and artist Liz Aggiss’ brand of performance has never been easy to shoehorn into any specific category, and her latest show continues to evade easy definition.
A collaboration with Charlotte Vincent of the acclaimed Vincent Dance Theatre, Double Vision blends dance and dialogue in an opening piece before its creators present a scripted conversation with each other to the audience.
By Ian Ray
Charlotte Vincent was interviewed by Sally-Anne Donaldson from Bare Bones Dance Company about her solo for Robert Clark, Straight Talking
By Sally-Anne Donaldson
Dance UK and Vincent Dance Theatre are working together on a research initiative looking at the issues surrounding pregnancy and the subsequent challenges of returning to work for professional dancers and dance companies. They are also working with the collaboration of Creative & Cultural Skills.
By Debbie Malina
Video Interview with Lindsey Butcher 2008
By Filmed by Neil Nisbet, Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster
At the height of her contemporary dance career Lindsey Butcher ran off to join the circus. She trained in aerial, acrobatic and juggling skills with Ra-Ra Zoo Circus Theatre - but never quite left her dance background behind.
By LondonDance.com
As an Artistic Director approaching 40, who has worked in the arts for 17 years, I currently face challenging questions within the company with dancers wanting to create families as well as create new work. I am finding that questions around pregnancy, motherhood and dance are as tricky, complex and emotionally demanding as the process of making work itself.
 
By Charlotte Vincent
Since 1994, Vincent Dance Theatre (VDT) has developed a reputation for making and touring heartfelt, engaging and accessible devised dance theatre productions across the UK and beyond. VDT is an Arts Council Regularly Funded Organisation, raising the rest of our income from touring, education work, grants and G4A Lottery Funding. Our work often includes live music and is marketed towards a mature audience of theatre, music and dance lovers. As a feminist practitioner I try to reject gender and dance stereotypes within the work and am more interested in seeing feisty female performers who are physically powerful and emotionally expressive.
By Charlotte Vincent

Article on Image Theatre


The Image theatre integrates modern dance and non-verbal acting with black light theatre effects. Under the hand of Eva Asterová, the theatre's artistic director, Image seeks to produce an individual look of at a scene’s signature. The audience also often becomes an integral part of the performance. Magic poetics, playfulness, and humor are the most important trademarks of this ensemble.
The repertory of the Image theatre is composed mainly of its own devised works. Apart from Eva Asterová – director, scenarist, choreographer - the other members of the ensemble include Josef Tichý, Petr LiÅ¡ka, René PyÅ¡ and Michal Hecht. The music is original, created mostly by ZdenÄ›k ZdenÄ›k, the music director of the theatre.
The Image theatre has 13 years experience in Prague’s black light theatres scene. Apart from regular performances in Prague, Image also performs internationally. This year the company travelled to Korea and Greece, and previous tours have included Germany, Israel, Greece, Turkey, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia, Cyprus, and dance festivals in Korean Seoul and Israelic Karmiel.

Image theatre is occasionally invited to cooperate in shooting TV programs and special projects such as the Roncalli show in Frankfurt’s opera, a 4 month engagement in Berlin’s Wintergarten theatre, a trade show of NATO army equipment in Nitra, a 1 month show at Dusseldorf’s Apollo theatre, and at Munich’s olympic hall. Many other prestigious events in Prague and abroad have been graced by performances of the Image Theatre.

Image Theatre black theatre

IMAGE THEATRE IN MACAU
1. What does this performance in Macao mean to you and your company?
It is a wonderful new experience for us. We are first time performing in China. We are looking for getting to know your country, audience and meeting with interesting people.
2. What have you heard of Macau? What do you expect to find?Macau is in our country but also in Europe not so well known country. We know, that is is connected with Portugese history. We expect less busy life, than in neighbouring Honk Kong. We heard about comparison to Las Vegas.
3. Your company is independent but what distinguishes it from other companies of the same nature? What I am asking is what makes it different and a special project in your opinion?
The independency brings the necessity to ensure resources to own activity, but on the other hand it gives you freedom in artistic creating. The difference form other theatres is in connecting many different art fields – dance, nonverbal theatre, technique of black theatre and original music. Performances are comedies created on contemporary themes, so it is an author theatre.
4. You started as a group of artists that got together to do exactly the projects you were passionate about. How different is the methodology of work of the beginning and now? How come were you able to grow as an organization and maintain the same independent spark?
The company originated actually for one specific event – a festival of clowns in France. What I only knew at the beginning was that I want to present a ballet in some different, not in classic form and bring joyful themes to the spectators. I like the freedom of author creating. I cooperate also with some actors from our theatre. I´m surrounded with great actors and dancers, what is really important for working on new pieces and for a good mood in company. Behind the present situation, when spectators are visiting us every day in Prague and simultaneously we arrange dozen more tours around the world, is also everyday patient 16 yeas lasting work of both creative team and management.
5. This theatre company was founded by a choreographer and a musician. Dance and music are the most important arts in the work of this company?
I thing that is so, but all this would not have its character without possibilities, which are given to us through the technique of the black theatre. The balanced integrity of all these parts is what we always want to achieve.
6. Can you please describe the show you are bringing to Macau? As I see it is a group of the best moments of your shows. Can you please explain what the links of those sketches are and how you made it as a whole? I believe if they are the best they are probably demanding for the performers. Did you look for a balance of the show in terms of that?
For Macau we prepared performance The Best od Image. This performance is transforming over the years. Every time we add some new successful parts from the other performances. It is something like a profile of our past and contemporary production. The art is a special category of human activity. Not always is true, that the more demanding, the better the result is. Sometimes good idea is much more. But the technical presentment can lead the idea into a impressive image.
7. What kind of illusions do you show on stage? While answering can you please let me know what the highlight of the show is or please let me know some of the best moments?
For our illusions we do not use any very special technical equipment. Everything it performed by actors. Some of the most popular ones are flying of actors and things and variety of optical illusions. Everything is based on the possibility to mystify the human eye. My favourite part is called Halfpeople, but everybody has its own taste. I thing, that different spectators will find their highlights in different parts of the performance.
8. I believe your show has a lot of interactivity with the audience. Can you please explain how that interactivity is?
In Prague we play four different performances and in each of them, there is another kind of interactivity with the audience. For Macau we prepared the part called  “Their inside”  but  I will not say more.
9. What kind of arts do you join in the same show? What is the biggest goal of your company in an artistic point of view?
Our theatre, as it was said is consist of modern dance, nonverbal theatre and the technique of the black theatre. A very important part is played also with art impress and original music. Through this form we would like to engage the spectator and at least for a while to pull him into our world, where he is free from the everyday worries.
10. Black theatre has its roots in China. Is this your first performance in China? How do you expect the public to react to this “adaptation” of an art form they know very well? In what way do you think it will be surprising for them?
Yes, we will perform for the first time here.  We are curious for the audience and how they will react. When we went to Korea, we were afraid that the Koreans will not understand our way of humour. But at the end the audience was fantastic. We hope that we can bring something new also for the audience in Macau.
11. Inwhat way is your show connected to the Czech tradition, culture and art? What are the elements that identify that? Are people able to spot that immediately?
The Czech tradition in black theatre is also relatively well known. It´s origin is dated into fifties-sixties, when the Czech black theatre came on the stage around the whole world. But also the pantomime, which forms an important part of the Image theatre has a long tradition in our country.
12. Do you think audiences around the world react differently to your shows? How come (can you please illustrate your answer with a story of some feedback you had after or during a show)?
We do not thing that the audience all over the word reacts identically, but according to our experiences very similar. For example, once we had in our theatre a big group of visitors from Israel. In that performance there was a fictional bomb under the chair discovered with the actor. In one second everybody from this group was laying under the seats, while the visitors from the other countries were sitting quietly.
13. Can you tell me how many people are involved in this show?
Yes, of course. The performance is played with 5 dancers, one actor in black, two pantomimes, one sound and light technician and two spotlight technicians.
14. Technically and in terms of production, how demanding is it? Is there any novelty in terms of scenery, lights, sounds and image projection on stage? (I wonder if there are groundbreaking aspects)
The performances are very demanding for the actors. They have to be professional and versatile talented dancers. They can not make any fault in the performance, because it could also cause some danger accident. Some parts, on the first view very demanding, are in fact relatively easy. And sometimes is it on the contrary. Every new performance has to surprise the spectators with something new. We are searching for some new materials, technical tricks and dancing figures to support your goals even more. We also use projection, but not in such a breaking way. From every new premiere we expect to be better than the previous one.

Susan Lori Parks Came to SDSU!!

Article Discussing the Issue of Theatre Department Cuts

Theater Department cuts student employees

Budget forces Theater department chair to lay-off work aids

Staff and faculty aren’t the only ones threatened by Columbia’s current financial position. Now, student workers are falling victim to the college’s fiscal constraints as well.
Since the week of March 7, the Theater Department has laid off 11 student employees because of large budget cuts. John Green, chair of the Theater Department, ultimately made the decision.
“It was a horrible decision to have to make and one of those a chair never wants to have to make,” Green said. “But under these circumstances, I had to make what was a painful decision for me and many of the students.”
Green said the action came mid-semester because of budget miscalculations earlier in the academic year. It was predicted more students would be accepted into the Federal Work Study Program, in which the federal government covers a portion of tuition for students who qualify. Green referred to it as having to make the “right decision at the wrong time.”
Emily Cooke, senior theater major, said she thinks the department handled the situation poorly. Cooke’s hours were cut greatly, and she will no longer have a job after April 25.
“I’m hurt by the college,” Cooke said. “I don’t have a way to pay my bills now. I don’t have a way to pay for groceries.”
Rumors circulated that cuts were going to be made, but many students were caught off guard, Cooke said.
“I was offended they didn’t sit us down and explain to us what was happening and why,” she said. “I felt disposable.”
Many areas of the Theater Department are run by student workers.
Faculty and students expect this to have a large impact on the department because student aid workers execute many jobs, including running the box office, prop shop and costume shop.
Cooke predicts the department will struggle without the students’ help but cannot expect students to volunteer their time.
Shaw, professor in the Theater Department, agreed the loss of those positions will make it more difficult to put on productions.
“We have work aids for technical support for main stage shows, and without those students working, it’s going to be difficult to mount some of the productions that we do,” Shaw said. “[However], the money is simply not there in the budget to pay them.”
To avoid this situation next year, Green said fewer students will be employed by the department.
The college will also look into employing students who qualify for the work study program because that money comes from the federal government and not the college, he said.
“We have to be much more diligent in budgeting the number of work aids we hire and balance that out with work study as much as possible,” Shaw said. “Primarily, we really need to look and see where and how effectively work aid students are needed within running the department.”
Green said some faculty and staff evaluated the situation well and found ways to eliminate hours rather than jobs.
Some of the students who lost their jobs also notified him they had found other employment rather quickly. However, he understands the importance of having work aids on campus and wishes it didn’t have to come down to cuts.
“I think we should do everything we can to help students,” Green said. “But the budgets don’t allow us to hire the amount of work aids we wish to.”

ONE RESPONSE TO “THEATER DEPARTMENT CUTS STUDENT EMPLOYEES”

  1. Robert Francis Curtis says:
    There are pieces of this story missing, such as:
    Who miscalculated the budget? Why did that person get promoted after such a mistake?
    How many hours were actually cut?
    How can hiring less work aids next year avoid the problem of not having enough work aids to run main stage shows?
    How many students actually receive work study at Columbia?