Last weekend, on a night where my brain had trouble sleeping, I selected a book to read that I haven't read in a long time. Natalie Goldbergs Writing Down The Bones. I have currently been overally ambivalent about being a famous writer. Yet I have apprehensions and nervous feelings about writing down my work in journals. I have been fudgety and fissy and prissy. I need this I need that! When all I really needed was to take a step back and breath a really long breath. I had an epiphany when I read the first three chapters of the book. I realized that my writing should come from my heart not from my deterministic ambitions. I should write about what moves me what causes me to sing in the morning, gasp for air, smile merrily, welcome the sunshine in the morning, all that jazz! I was fidgetdy before about getting the 'right' materials the 'right' equipment. Hell, such a thing never exisited. I was merely apprehended by nervous and dscrinimating thoughts plauging my head. And I also realized that even if I wasn't famous that I would be happy with who I was and happy as a writer because I love writing. It doesn't matter if I'm famous. I don't have to be famous. I can just be me. :D This makes me happy. If I hadn't opened the pages of Writing Down The Bones I would've been still stuck in that stupid realm of stupidy which is fidgety fussbudgeting. Sigh. I am happy again. :D
So I want to go to CVS to get a spiral notebook and a pen. (NOT A BALL POINT BEN! Why? There is no control. In Writing Down The Bones Natalie gives some suggestions on some pens to use. No pencils either. I can't write my ideas down quick enough. There needs to be a balance of control and free flow for ideas. Besides, good handwriting doesn't matter in personal notebooks.)
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11/11/09
Random Theater musings
My previous entry was about Inherit The Wind. I also saw a rehearsal of that performance as well.
What amazed me was the professional atomosphere the actors created versus a high school atmosphere. The actors were really good at their lines and with voice, diciton, prounounciation, articulation, speech basically. The actors obvioulsy looked like they'd reharsed the scene often, and aslo they were performing without a script. INCREDIBLE!
How can theater be made to appeal to families and to younger audiences? Families like educational things. Hence the numerous memberships to museums of art, science, and history. Perhaps if theater examined social issues that pertain to modern audience or other educational content, then families will wilingly go. However, even when education is incorporated into theater the result (to my knowledge) is that schools take the oppurtunity to take the kids to plays and not families. What then is holding back the typical family from attending the theater? Perhaps people think of entertainment like the theater in terms of modern television. Perhaps when they think of the theater they think of familiar tv programs like Glee, Grays Anatomy, or perhaps shorter versions of movies. Affordibility could be one problem. Not many families have enough money to subscribe to a theater membership. Whereas museum memberships are about $50-$100 on average, tickets for a one show run around $75-90 for a family of five (cleveland playhouse). The average family doesn't have enough money for the theater on a regular basis. If memberships to the theater were made family friendly, for example five tickets to all the performances of the Great Lakes Theater Festival for only $100, then many families would quickly sign up. If a family has really young children attention span may be another. Although parents would most likely take their school aged and high school children with them to the theater. Limited participaton could also be another factor. Whereas in todays theater modern audiences just sit and watch. A very passive activity. At least in art museums the people who go walk around and look at art and think about it or admire it. Although art history is a private knowledge these days, enjoyed by few. So little people today understand the value and meaning of art. So how can we encourage families and young people to go to the theater? Perhaps by making the theater more affordable, experiential, and appealing to familes and young people.
What amazed me was the professional atomosphere the actors created versus a high school atmosphere. The actors were really good at their lines and with voice, diciton, prounounciation, articulation, speech basically. The actors obvioulsy looked like they'd reharsed the scene often, and aslo they were performing without a script. INCREDIBLE!
How can theater be made to appeal to families and to younger audiences? Families like educational things. Hence the numerous memberships to museums of art, science, and history. Perhaps if theater examined social issues that pertain to modern audience or other educational content, then families will wilingly go. However, even when education is incorporated into theater the result (to my knowledge) is that schools take the oppurtunity to take the kids to plays and not families. What then is holding back the typical family from attending the theater? Perhaps people think of entertainment like the theater in terms of modern television. Perhaps when they think of the theater they think of familiar tv programs like Glee, Grays Anatomy, or perhaps shorter versions of movies. Affordibility could be one problem. Not many families have enough money to subscribe to a theater membership. Whereas museum memberships are about $50-$100 on average, tickets for a one show run around $75-90 for a family of five (cleveland playhouse). The average family doesn't have enough money for the theater on a regular basis. If memberships to the theater were made family friendly, for example five tickets to all the performances of the Great Lakes Theater Festival for only $100, then many families would quickly sign up. If a family has really young children attention span may be another. Although parents would most likely take their school aged and high school children with them to the theater. Limited participaton could also be another factor. Whereas in todays theater modern audiences just sit and watch. A very passive activity. At least in art museums the people who go walk around and look at art and think about it or admire it. Although art history is a private knowledge these days, enjoyed by few. So little people today understand the value and meaning of art. So how can we encourage families and young people to go to the theater? Perhaps by making the theater more affordable, experiential, and appealing to familes and young people.
11/10/09
Inherit The Wind
Last saturday I had the pleasure of seeing Inherit The Wind for the Cleveland Playhouse College program. The play was very interesting. It dealt with the issues of the place of evolution and the bible in education. At that time, the bible was a much a staple in the south as cotton is to plantations. So here comes evloution, which religous leaders believed, was against the scriptures of the holy bible. A law was passed outlawing the text from being taught in schools. Scopes went against the law and continued to teach evoulution. Well he was snitched on, and a trial ensued. The scopes monkey trial. It was one of the biggest trials in decades because of the content of the trial. The play is based of off the true story, but fictionlizes it a bit with a slight romance, different names for characters, and a bibilical fanatic by the name of William Henry Harrison, who had almost been elected president 3 times.
The story is as relevent today as it was back in the 1920's when the scope monkey trial occured. Today we are still debating: science or religion? But why should we say or? Perhaps we should say AND. Science AND religion must be held hand in hand because science explains the world one way and religion the next. Science can never hope to acheive the spiritual, nor can religion hope to acheive the concrete and rational.
In a reccent study that was done (I saw the results in Parade a while back) spirituality is the new norm in America. Instead of a strict religion dominating our lives, more people are opting to choose their own spirtual path, a leap forward considering the legacy of religion in America. However, strict religion still dominates the lives of most Americans. Although, Religion will perhaps always be commonplace in America. Perhaps that is because of our freedom of religion, or the various ethnic groups that make up America. Or it holds us together, keeps us in one paridgm, the American paridgm. America is the anomly in the industrilized world. Many european countries don't have as religious a country as we do, although on the other hand they do have religions that have had a long existance in those countries. Like french catholics for instance. Catholicism dominates france because the ruling family who had power long ago was Catholic. England is mostly protestant. Ireland is mostly catholic. So is Italy and Spain. Overall, religion holds humans together, for whatever reason, in order to survive.
Back to the theatre.
Theater can demonstrate many social issues effectively. In Inherit the Wind the debate between the religious realm and the scientific realm was clearly exhibited. By using the theater to convey these social issues, the audience gains a more real life experience to these social issues up front. However, the theater can be more experiential. Mostly older audiences are commonplace in theaters. When the Cleveland Playhouse College came to watch it, we took up 2-3 rows. The stage manager had to ANNOUNCE TO THE OLDER AUDIENCE WHAT THESE 'YOUTH' WERE DOING THERE! This is sad because it shows that not many young people come to the theater often enough to make a significant presence.
I encourage families to take their children to the theater. Weather it be local theater, regional theater (like the playhouse), festivals (like Great Lake), or uber professional theater (playhouse square), the theater is an essential social catalyst and media form and needs to be perserved.
The story is as relevent today as it was back in the 1920's when the scope monkey trial occured. Today we are still debating: science or religion? But why should we say or? Perhaps we should say AND. Science AND religion must be held hand in hand because science explains the world one way and religion the next. Science can never hope to acheive the spiritual, nor can religion hope to acheive the concrete and rational.
In a reccent study that was done (I saw the results in Parade a while back) spirituality is the new norm in America. Instead of a strict religion dominating our lives, more people are opting to choose their own spirtual path, a leap forward considering the legacy of religion in America. However, strict religion still dominates the lives of most Americans. Although, Religion will perhaps always be commonplace in America. Perhaps that is because of our freedom of religion, or the various ethnic groups that make up America. Or it holds us together, keeps us in one paridgm, the American paridgm. America is the anomly in the industrilized world. Many european countries don't have as religious a country as we do, although on the other hand they do have religions that have had a long existance in those countries. Like french catholics for instance. Catholicism dominates france because the ruling family who had power long ago was Catholic. England is mostly protestant. Ireland is mostly catholic. So is Italy and Spain. Overall, religion holds humans together, for whatever reason, in order to survive.
Back to the theatre.
Theater can demonstrate many social issues effectively. In Inherit the Wind the debate between the religious realm and the scientific realm was clearly exhibited. By using the theater to convey these social issues, the audience gains a more real life experience to these social issues up front. However, the theater can be more experiential. Mostly older audiences are commonplace in theaters. When the Cleveland Playhouse College came to watch it, we took up 2-3 rows. The stage manager had to ANNOUNCE TO THE OLDER AUDIENCE WHAT THESE 'YOUTH' WERE DOING THERE! This is sad because it shows that not many young people come to the theater often enough to make a significant presence.
I encourage families to take their children to the theater. Weather it be local theater, regional theater (like the playhouse), festivals (like Great Lake), or uber professional theater (playhouse square), the theater is an essential social catalyst and media form and needs to be perserved.
10/22/09
12th Night or Yearning for Imrpov
So I reccently saw 12th night at the great lakes theatre festival.
It was awesome!
I wish I could say more-but I'm writing a review which I will post soon.
I'm not really sure what to talk about.
Friends next to me are watching Achmed the Dead terrorist.
Speaking of, I LOVE IMPROV!
I wish there was an IMPROV workshop somewhere outthere because I love being funny.
I yearn for IMRPROV!
~Kelly
It was awesome!
I wish I could say more-but I'm writing a review which I will post soon.
I'm not really sure what to talk about.
Friends next to me are watching Achmed the Dead terrorist.
Speaking of, I LOVE IMPROV!
I wish there was an IMPROV workshop somewhere outthere because I love being funny.
I yearn for IMRPROV!
~Kelly
Fall sadness
When the leaves descend in fall it reminds me of someone.
First so vibrant on the tree then golden and crisp-like the cereal-falling to the ground.
Like something slipping out of my hand-forever-falling, tumbling, whirling to the ground in sadness.
In despair.
In agony.
The tree in vain wishes it to be spring again, when the leaves were so fresh on it's branches-a connection so tender, so young, so sweet.
Or the tree wishes it to be summer-happy, frolicking, the good times are about to arrive.
Then something happens.
The atmosphere gets cold and icy. Brutus descends towards Cesear-and sadness ensues.
Then winter happens-you try, as best you can, to survive in the coldest weather on the earth.
And I'm waiting for the spring again.
I'm waiting for someone......
First so vibrant on the tree then golden and crisp-like the cereal-falling to the ground.
Like something slipping out of my hand-forever-falling, tumbling, whirling to the ground in sadness.
In despair.
In agony.
The tree in vain wishes it to be spring again, when the leaves were so fresh on it's branches-a connection so tender, so young, so sweet.
Or the tree wishes it to be summer-happy, frolicking, the good times are about to arrive.
Then something happens.
The atmosphere gets cold and icy. Brutus descends towards Cesear-and sadness ensues.
Then winter happens-you try, as best you can, to survive in the coldest weather on the earth.
And I'm waiting for the spring again.
I'm waiting for someone......
10/14/09
Oedipus the King
Yesterday, tuesday, I had the privilege of seeing Oedipus Rex (an ancient Greek play) on DVD at the boarding house. The play was very well acted and has interesting movement. The movements made by the actors were very un-natural in the concept that the movements weren't regualr every day movements. The movements the actors made was like that of living statues: perfectly sculpted and perfectly moved with grace and dignity and eloquence.
The costumes were draped magnificently! I noticed the king, queen, laius, and the king's daughters, wore rich vibrant colors-which demonstrated their royalty. The chorus wore more earthy colors-representing their poor status. While the soothsayer, shepards, and messengers, wore either an off white or a vibrant white. Perhaps the white color of the robes was to bring out the characters and seperate them from the others, to deem their importance to the story.
The masks were interesting. They looked like groutesque folk characters, and resembled the 50's canadian show Stingray.
Don't ask me how I know that show.
Especially the king, Oedipus, looked very fishy (like a neptune-so said my teacher) similair to the king of that undersea world in Stingray where Aquamarina was being held captive in the first episode.
I wonder if there's a relation?
~Kelly
The costumes were draped magnificently! I noticed the king, queen, laius, and the king's daughters, wore rich vibrant colors-which demonstrated their royalty. The chorus wore more earthy colors-representing their poor status. While the soothsayer, shepards, and messengers, wore either an off white or a vibrant white. Perhaps the white color of the robes was to bring out the characters and seperate them from the others, to deem their importance to the story.
The masks were interesting. They looked like groutesque folk characters, and resembled the 50's canadian show Stingray.
Don't ask me how I know that show.
Especially the king, Oedipus, looked very fishy (like a neptune-so said my teacher) similair to the king of that undersea world in Stingray where Aquamarina was being held captive in the first episode.
I wonder if there's a relation?
~Kelly
10/12/09
How have watching plays affected me?
Well the subject of this post is how has watching plays change me and my perceptions on theatre. I think that college theatre is entirely different from professional theatre, as can be seen when I went to cleveland playhouse performance: Beethoven as I knew him, the CASE mfa performance: All's Well that Ends Well at the cleveland playhouse, and CASE's undegrad production: The Hedi Chronicles at Eldred Theatre.
Undergraduate student actors perform with basic acting skills beyond the high school level. They don't fidget in their places and have mastered the art of movement. What needs to be fine tuned is the actions they perform and the belivability of the actions, and not making them look 'fake' or 'acted'. One trouble actors seem to have is 'acting' as an actor. You need to actually be that charater on stage. I think Scoop had it on the Hedi Chronicles, but Hedi herself was not a belivable character as protrayed by the actor. She needed to be more well develped and belivable and not just 'playing a role' and 'doing this here' and 'that there'.
Graduate student actors such as the MFA students in All's Well that End's Well, were accomplished actors. They were belivable and well rounded in ther acting skills and were ready to go onto the stage as full time professional actors. Although All's Well could've been directed better because of the way the british director inseted some iffy politics (we don't want to be reminded of avan gard while watching something for entertainment. Especially if it's not our fault, it's our government's. When the president is in then you can do something like that, the american people on the other hand, no.)
And the professional actor of the Beethoven As I Knew Him, was well rounded to the point where he could perform a one person show with ease and simplicity, with added humor and accent and advanced character development. He kept the audience entertained without worrying about his role, and he was marvelous at keeping his energy and stamina up when there was only one guy doing it.
So how has watching plays changed me? It has changed me because now I know what the differences are between different acting groups and actors. I also cannot wait to see twelfth night at the Great Lakes Theatre festival.
Speaking of which there was an article in the paper about Tom Hanks in the Great Lakes Theatre festival in it's infancy days. How amazing.
Undergraduate student actors perform with basic acting skills beyond the high school level. They don't fidget in their places and have mastered the art of movement. What needs to be fine tuned is the actions they perform and the belivability of the actions, and not making them look 'fake' or 'acted'. One trouble actors seem to have is 'acting' as an actor. You need to actually be that charater on stage. I think Scoop had it on the Hedi Chronicles, but Hedi herself was not a belivable character as protrayed by the actor. She needed to be more well develped and belivable and not just 'playing a role' and 'doing this here' and 'that there'.
Graduate student actors such as the MFA students in All's Well that End's Well, were accomplished actors. They were belivable and well rounded in ther acting skills and were ready to go onto the stage as full time professional actors. Although All's Well could've been directed better because of the way the british director inseted some iffy politics (we don't want to be reminded of avan gard while watching something for entertainment. Especially if it's not our fault, it's our government's. When the president is in then you can do something like that, the american people on the other hand, no.)
And the professional actor of the Beethoven As I Knew Him, was well rounded to the point where he could perform a one person show with ease and simplicity, with added humor and accent and advanced character development. He kept the audience entertained without worrying about his role, and he was marvelous at keeping his energy and stamina up when there was only one guy doing it.
So how has watching plays changed me? It has changed me because now I know what the differences are between different acting groups and actors. I also cannot wait to see twelfth night at the Great Lakes Theatre festival.
Speaking of which there was an article in the paper about Tom Hanks in the Great Lakes Theatre festival in it's infancy days. How amazing.
Heidi Chronicles
So on friday I saw the Hedi Chronicles at CASE's Eldred Theatre. For those of you who don't know, the Hedi Chronicles is written by a feminist who was often unsatisfied romantically because of the times she grew up in. The Hedi Chronicles follows the story of Hedi, a girl who was born in the 50's, was a teen in the 60's, in college in the 70's, and at work at a university in the 80's. The play first shows Hedi giving a lecture on women artists as a university college teacher of the 80's. Then the play transitions to the 60's where Hedi is at a dance and meets Peter. Peter is one of the main characters of the story, he is Hedi's good friend who turns out later in the story to be gay. Much to the dismay of Hedi, who thought that Peter loved her. The second character we meet is in Hedi's college days while she is working at an event. There we meet Scoop, a jew and a journalist. He and Hedi fall in love in an on and off relationship. Her friends call Scoop an asshole, mainly because he wants Hedi to choose either or. Either him or her career ambitions. After that scence happens, and Hedi chooses her career ambitions, the play chronicles the struggle between the two as they grow up longing for each other but neither one willing to compromise on their images of their future. Ultimately Hedi moves away from New York (the place where this is all happening) to become a college professor in Chicago.
The play discusses feminist issues of the time; What is a woman supposed to be? What is the definition of a woman? Who are women supposed to be as a whole? Are we supposed to be pretty and flirty, intelligent and nerdy, or a mix of both?
These questions still haunt generations of women today. Perhaps the most important question that women face today is: What is the definition of women? What is the image of a 21st century woman?
I think a 21st century woman is 1. strong in who she is (personality) 2. determined in who she wants to become (profession, job) 3. positive about her sex (doesn't have to show cleavage to win appreciation, etc.)
Once we have those three elements down then the rest will be a breeze.
We certainly have a long time until that happens.
The play discusses feminist issues of the time; What is a woman supposed to be? What is the definition of a woman? Who are women supposed to be as a whole? Are we supposed to be pretty and flirty, intelligent and nerdy, or a mix of both?
These questions still haunt generations of women today. Perhaps the most important question that women face today is: What is the definition of women? What is the image of a 21st century woman?
I think a 21st century woman is 1. strong in who she is (personality) 2. determined in who she wants to become (profession, job) 3. positive about her sex (doesn't have to show cleavage to win appreciation, etc.)
Once we have those three elements down then the rest will be a breeze.
We certainly have a long time until that happens.
9/25/09
First CAS post
Here is my first cast post (we were sent a document in which to type our responses in.)
file:///Users/kheikkila/Desktop/community%20partnership%20journal%20prompt%20%231.pages
I would also like to further that response here.
Today I went to the FOOD-CO OP with Francoise, my french teacher, and with others who were interested in working there. The FOOD CO-OP is a wonderful place! They have organic, natural, and healthy foods for people as well as vegan foods, natural health supplies, and natural beauty products. You can also order anything in the store in bulk and they offer fresh produce!
I really like the place and plan on purchasing/shopping there in the future. However it was sad what the co-op was going through. Before the rescission started they had 400 members and the store was actively vibrant. Then several things happened: farmers markets opened in other suburbs (whole foods too) and gas prices rose to $4. People stopped driving to the food-co op and started driving to closer places. Now the food-co op has only about 200 members. THATS A 50% DROP FROM BEFORE!
The best thing about the food co-op is that for A LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP you only pay $30. You pay the member prices (prices on shelves) and if you're a case student you also get a certain percent off (10% ?). The co-op is working on a special montessori high school membership where every student will have a membership and applicable discount (10%) also if you volunteer at the co-op you get a 10% discount.
I really liked the co-op because: it wasn't a big chain superstore like WHOLE FOODS it had people work there who cared for other people, it had a large selection of organic food, herbs and supplements, vegan options, and beauty products too! You can order in bulk as well, you can get fresh produce, etc.
It is such a good place, yet it needs livening up. few people can see it because of the trees blocking the way! If they painted a sign on the side (or 2 sides) of the building it would look much better! People would know what it was and know to go there.
I really do care for the food co-op and I hope that more people will go to it once we make some improvements.
Alls well that ends well.
~Kelly
file:///Users/kheikkila/Desktop/community%20partnership%20journal%20prompt%20%231.pages
I would also like to further that response here.
Today I went to the FOOD-CO OP with Francoise, my french teacher, and with others who were interested in working there. The FOOD CO-OP is a wonderful place! They have organic, natural, and healthy foods for people as well as vegan foods, natural health supplies, and natural beauty products. You can also order anything in the store in bulk and they offer fresh produce!
I really like the place and plan on purchasing/shopping there in the future. However it was sad what the co-op was going through. Before the rescission started they had 400 members and the store was actively vibrant. Then several things happened: farmers markets opened in other suburbs (whole foods too) and gas prices rose to $4. People stopped driving to the food-co op and started driving to closer places. Now the food-co op has only about 200 members. THATS A 50% DROP FROM BEFORE!
The best thing about the food co-op is that for A LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP you only pay $30. You pay the member prices (prices on shelves) and if you're a case student you also get a certain percent off (10% ?). The co-op is working on a special montessori high school membership where every student will have a membership and applicable discount (10%) also if you volunteer at the co-op you get a 10% discount.
I really liked the co-op because: it wasn't a big chain superstore like WHOLE FOODS it had people work there who cared for other people, it had a large selection of organic food, herbs and supplements, vegan options, and beauty products too! You can order in bulk as well, you can get fresh produce, etc.
It is such a good place, yet it needs livening up. few people can see it because of the trees blocking the way! If they painted a sign on the side (or 2 sides) of the building it would look much better! People would know what it was and know to go there.
I really do care for the food co-op and I hope that more people will go to it once we make some improvements.
Alls well that ends well.
~Kelly
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