This is your space for your final comments, deliberations, on the selection of plays for the 2008/09 season of Nokomis Drama.
The plays being discussed are:
Six Characters in Search of an Author,
The Skin of Our Teeth, &
Rhinoceros.
As stated before, please keep your discussion / comments civil, respect each other's opinions, and realize that not everyone feels the same. Ultimately I will be making the final decision as to which play we do for the fall and beyond, but I will try to take as much as I can into consideration.
Thank you. -Mihalik
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19 comments:
I think we should do Six Characters. I know a lot of people disagree with me, but I think six characters is deep, challenging, and the audience could take something away from. It also leaves a lot of room for experimenting and developing ourselves as actors.
-Emily Platt
My favorite was Rhinoceros. I would really like to do that one for the fall play. I didn't see any part that I was particularly drawn to but I think that the drama club as a whole would benefit much more from a play like this. It is much lighter than the plays that we put on last year and instead of leaving depressed we could leave in laughter! What fun! I think that a play where one man carries the entire plot line is rather unreasonable for our unique group. It would be extremely tedious work for whichever individual took on that one role and I'm not sure that the rest of the group would really enjoy it all that much. If we do rule to do Six Characters than I may jump on board and see it through but I do not think it will produce the effect that a lighter play with more equal opportunities casting wise will. I think the audience will enjoy it more if they know that we are enjoying it and if their friends and families have fairly decent sized roles or at least some uniquely developed characters. But this is just my opinion I will most likely roll with whatever the group decides. However, I am slightly undecided I need to achieve a certain amount of hours at work every week to hold my job... I have already told my mother that I intend to give it up when drama begins because drama is more important to me... But well I am rather unsure and so should we decide to do Six Characters I might opt out and decide to hold onto my job for a few more months instead. I'm not sure that I am personally willing to give up my job for a role where I hold maybe one or two lines and am forced into a lot of improv. But that is just a personal preference and I will respect whatever choice the group makes. :-)
In response to Ashley's comment:
In which of the plays that we have read, where only one character carries the story? I know that you think that is unreasonable, but I don't believe we have a read a play like that. And Sylve was light, it did have a good ending, the audience left feeling good, not depressed.
You're right! I just went back and looked through the play and as it turns out the father doesn't steal the play alone! He has two accomplises! The father rules throughout with 150 lines... the director is right up there with him with 165... and the Stepdaughter isnt far behind with 90... as for the other characters.. well the next closest was the mother with 35 and then the lead man and son with 25 and the lady with 23... from there all others are between 11 and 0. In a play with 594 lines 404 lines are played by 3 people... in a nokomis drama club that has tentatively 20 when all are in attendance (perhaps more with incoming freshman) if you have 3 people with 405 lines.. and you were to evenly distribute (though this wouldnt happen) the rest of the lines amongst the other 17 people would be left with 11.11 lines each... so while 3 drone on for hours and try to cover 405 the others speak their parts within a time slot of about 30 seconds... not to mention that some of those lines that those leads hold are monologues and probably worth about 8 lines in actuality. roughly 22 parts and about 6 do not speak. 16 speaking. But well I will not argue that this is a bad play. I believe that it is a lovely play.. just perhaps not the right play for a group such as ours. Three drone on while everyone else searches about for a purpose to their standing for 2 and a half hours. Nope I still stand by my opinion that this isn't the best play for our large group... I can see where others may differ from my opinion... But I am inclined to disagree... Sorry.
Oh yes! and I did not mean to suggest that Emilys play was depressing. You are right, it was not. But you must agree that it was not the lightest play in the world. There are two big categorys for plays.. just look at any drama symbol.. there you will find two masks.. the comedy mask and the tradgedy mask. I would not say that any of the plays that we did last year could fall into the category of comedy and that perhaps it would be fun to do something a little more uplifting for once... that is all. I did not mean to suggest that emailys play was a drag.. no not at all. I thought it was beautiful. It just didn't exactly have me rolling on the floor with laughter... or leave me chuckling on my way home... It had quite a bit of depth to it. It wouldn't kill us to laugh on occasion...I was just trying to suggest that perhaps it would be fun to shrug off the burden of depth for a few months and do something a little crazy and different.
I don't see why lines are such a big issue. I know every one is like "equal opportunity" but it is equal opportunity, every one has the same chance. And I know that not many of the parts speak very much, but if we were to do that play, we would have some improv, or if some people arent comfortable with that we could write in stuff for them. This play opens a lot of possibilities, we are not just stuck with what is written. I think this play is an excellent way to get every one to participate.
And if you go out for a lead and don't get it then so what? life goes on, sure you will be upset for awhile, but you have to make the best with what you have. If you (not Ashley in particular) go through life, blowing everything off that doesn't go your way, you won't get far. You can either make the best of it and have fun, or be miserable the whole time. I know that even though I usually get the smaller role, I always have fun.
If anything, I think that Rhino is ruled by Berenger, who is in I think every single scene.
And those characters don't drone on for hours. I would say that the play is and hour and half, to an hour and 45 minutes. If you were to say that every page is about a minute to a minute and a half of stage time.
Hello! I have changed my mind. I was at first adamant with my support for Rhino. Now I am all for 6 Characters. Here is why:
6 Characters would be more challenging. It would be extremely interesting to develop these characters. More so, I believe, than Rhino. Even if I wasn't one of the main characters, I would love to see these 6 fully fleshed out! I think the audience would too.
As for Ashley's comment(s):
Do we need light plays? Are light plays more fun? I say no to both of these. I think the audience enjoys heavier plays. they have more meaning, more depth. We can do much more with them.
As for my earlier comments in Drama about how we should have a play with more characters to attract more new people:
I still say this. But just because someone doesn't get a part in the particular play doesn't mean they can't still be involved. We can do lots of things to include non-character roles in Drama Club. For example, we could have more than a blackbox set. I know we are very fond of these sets. However, before I graduate I would like to be in a play with, not a huge, huge set, but at least with more to it. Backgrounds, better costume. Just a thought.
That's all I can think of right now. I'll probably be back to say more! I know, aren't you excited?
To Andrews Comment:
Yes I agree. I know I am going to try out for a bigger role, because thats the way I was raised (go for what you want, dont let yourself get in the way) But I would lover to see those characters "fleshed out" even if I wasn't one of them, and I think the audience would too.
I also think that a good number of people are considering acting in their adult future, part of professional acting is getting rejected. I'm not saying you have to be hard core, serious about acting to be in drama, I know that I'm not really serious about acting, but all parts of theater.
Theater is more than just acting, its lights, sound, costume, props, managing, directing, writing, set. There are so many other things besides acting that you can be involved in if you don't want to be part of the smaller role, chorus what ever, or if you don't see a part for you. Thats what I did last year, I didn't see a part for myself in Sylve, but I still wanted to be involved in drama in anyway I could, because I love drama.
I know that the techy stuff might not seem like fun, but it really is, there are many ways to be creative, just like in acting.
One thing I want to throw out there for people to think about is that we need a fall play that will bring in a lot of freshmen because when this year is over drama's going to lose 10 seniors and then the year after drama will lose 8 seniors. So if we want the drama club to continue we need to bring in more people.
Well not really. I know that we are going to be losing a lot of people, but we always, always gain some too, Mihalik even said we don't get most of our recruitment in the fall play. And even if there are only six people or less in the drama club after these next two years, Mihalik would have a better chance to expose them to better plays, with smaller casts. Like maybe is was Who is afraid of Virgina Wolfe? And also maybe Sam Shepard, who is an excellent playwright who only writes for small casts. The only problem he would have with Shepard is finding something appropriate for school, in some of his plays, is just mostly swearing thats the problem.
SIX CHARACTERS.
Here's why -
I love it, the audience will be more shocked by it and remember us more for it, and everybody can be in it (and I'm referring specifically to freshman). They can have their own customized part in improv if they don't get a speaking role - meaning they can have tons of fun and be themselves in the fall play, and then they can ALL have speaking roles in the winter/spring. I truly think Six will benefit most people and the audience. It's an amazing play. it should be done.
Pros and Cons about each play:
Six-
Pro- It's the most interesting to me, and there are very many opportunities for all actors to be onstage.
Con- Very few speaking parts if using the script exactly as written.
Skin of Our Teeth-
Pro- More of speaking parts if done as written, easier for the audience to grasp (maybe).
Con- Less interesting, quite hokey.
Rhino-
Pro- Lots of opportunities for speaking parts, light and funny.
Con- Too silly and quite long at the end if we do the play as written.
With all that said, I think it would be easiest and most inclusive to do Skin of Our Teeth, but I'm not getting a lot of people who are saying the same thing. Also, I've been turned on to Six Characters, because I realize saying a few lines and then listening backstage for an hour is much less fun than being onstage acting the whole time, speaking role or not.
That said, my vote is Six for the fall, Skin of Our Teeth for the spring, and Rhinos never.
I agree with Angela's vote. I really like Six and Skin.
My problem with Skin is that it is quite hokey, but it a fun way, so not a major problem. My major concern is that Mhawk asked me what it was about. And I totally didn't have an answer. And neither did he. I don't know if thats a problem for anyone else, but it is for me. And I think it might be with Mhawk, but I have no idea. Another problem, as Angela said, is stage time. It really sucks to be backstage all the time, but I guess thats not really a big deal, thats the way it is in a lot of plays.
Does anyone know what its about?
Some of My Pros for Skin are that the set is more complicated, which would be a new challenge for us. Kind of out there, and I think that this play would please the people in drama that are looking for a lighter play.
Its light but it also has its serious moments.
At this point, I'm leaning heavily towards Six Characters in Search of an Author for the FALL PLAY.
I would like to hear any pros and cons concerning Rhinoceros and The Skin of Our Teeth.
Both plays are of a lighter fare, though, as Emily stated, I am a little lost personally as to what "Skin" is about, versus Rhinoceros which is clearly about conformity, individuality, etc.
Now just because the theme of a play doesn't jump out to me right away, doesn't mean it is not a play worth doing - but I would like to throw Emily's question out there to anyone who has an idea: what IS The Skin of Our Teeth about? What is the play/playwright saying to you about life/the world, etc?
I think this discussion has been very positive, useful, and ultimately, I am very excited about our upcoming year together.
I think that maybe the theme in Skin of Our Teeth is that the place, time, and situation will always be different, but people (human race, humanity?) never really change? Like how Henry was always the bad seed, and the mom was always, crazyish... I don't know if that makes sense. I'm having a hard time communicating what I'm thinking.
After mellowing out and having a one on one coversation, I'm starting to think that Six should be the fall play. And I totally agree with Emily about the theme of Skin, but I'd still rather do Rhino then Skin. Rhino was just more interesting to me, and with Skin I was kind of in and out with listening, but with Rhino I was actually thinking about how we could do some of the scenes with our stage.
So i've been told what Rhinoceros is about .. and even though I haven't read it - I already like it much better then both Six Characters and Skin.
Again, I've been talking to people who came and seen the plays last year - and they loved them.. but ALL the people i have spoken to said it would be nice if there was a lighter, more funnier play. Like ashley said it's be nice to see people leave laughing, instead of leaving a bit .. saddened?
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