Comedy of Errors

          Drayton Hall is a theater with a proscenium stage. The set was amazing. There were several huge painted pieces that formed a town-like area. Some of the pieces had two levels that the actors used frequently. Some of the pieces were houses that had curtains and windows. There were lights strung across the pieces. Along with these pieces, there were tables and chairs set up like a restaurant. The costumes were beautifully created. They were all bright and perfectly fit each character. Each character had a colored wig that matched their clothing. The costumes modernized Shakespeare!

Robert Richmond, an Associate Professor at USC, directed this play with the Aquila Theatre Company. He decided to bring the play to USC after having a successful time with the Aquila Theatre Company. Richmond decided to modernize Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.  His play was supposed to take place between 1589 and 1595, during the war of succession in France. Shakespeare lived during the 16th century.

 The play starts with a brief background story. Egeon and Emilia are newlyweds who recently have twin boys named Antipholus. They buy another set of twins from a poor couple named Dromio. After being separated from a boat wreck, Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse decide they want to find their brothers. They end up being at the same town, Syracuse, and have no idea of each other's existence.

Phantom of the Opera

 Describe:

           The musical originated from Gaston Leroux's novel Phantom of the Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber created the Broadway version in 1986. It happens to be the longest running show to date. In 2004, Joel Schumacher created a movie, which is the one we saw in class. Gerald Butler plays the Phantom, Emmy Rossum plays Christine, and Patrick Wilson plays Raoul. Minnie Driver plays Carlotta. It is set in the Paris Opera House.  In the beginning, there was a transfer of owners. The Opera House had been terrorized by the Phantom for a long time. He demanded money as well as his say in who should sing what in the opera. When the owners did not follow his rules, he began to destroy the Opera House. In the meantime, Christine got the leading lady role and has rekindled her love with her childhood friend Raoul. The Phantom becomes jealous of their relationship and threatens to kill Raoul.

Analyze:

         The actors in the movie did a wonderful job portraying the characters they were playing. The scenery, music, and costumes perfectly portrayed the era they were supposed to be in. Watching the film, I better understood what an opera was. The Phantom's love for Christine was beautifully portrayed by Gerald Butler. He did an excellent job with his facial expressions and his voice. Emmy Rossum's acting was so believable. I could feel her love for both Raoul and Phantom. Her voice was amazing! The music was powerful throughout the film.

Interpret

          I was a little confused with the story line. I believe that Christine loved both Raoul and Phantom, but in different ways. Although she ended up with Raoul, I think she had feelings with the Phantom since he trained her to become the amazing singer that she was. I liked that the story line was not so obvious and it left it to the audience to decide what happened.

Evaluate

       I really enjoyed this film. It made me want to see the actual musical. I think the actors all did an amazing job portraying the characters. The music, scenery, and costumes were all fabulous! I highly recommend this film. Before watching it, I always thought of opera being boring. Now, I realize there is much more to it. For one thing, their voices are all powerful and not boring at all!

Opera Assignment #8

Opera is a combination of music, theater, and dance. It is considered opera when there is music sung throughout the performance with no spoken dialogue. This type of performance has an operatic voice and a live orchestra.

Light opera incorporates spoken dialogue along with the operatic singing. While opera is sung in this original language, light opera is sometimes translated. It still has a live orchestra like the opera.

Musical theater is a more modern approach to opera. The voices are not operatic and can be sung by singing actors. There is more spoken dialogue in musical theater and it does not require a live orchestra.

It takes a long time for someone to develop an operatic voice. It takes years of training to develop the voice. One usually has to be fully mature physically in order to have an operatic voice. One of the most important factors in training focuses on the breath. Singers must learn how to use their lungs in order to hold long notes.

La Boheme is an opera by Giacomo Puccini in 1896. It is said to be one of opera's best-known masterpieces. The opera is based on the novel Scenes de la vie de boheme by Henri Muger.

This opera is about the love of Mimi, a seamstress, and Rodolfo, a poet. They form an immediate connection, but soon Rodolfo wants to leave Mimi because she has flirtatious behavior. Unfortunately, Mimi is mortally ill and Rodolfo feels guilty for leaving her. In the end of the opera, they reunite one last time before she dies.

When listening to La Boheme, I get the vision of what an opera is supposed to sound like. Their voices are amazing which draws you into what they are singing. It makes the audience what to know what is occurring. I think the success of this opera had to do with the fact that Puccini lived a lifestyle similar to the characters in the opera. Because he lived a similar lifestyle, he was able to perfectly portray them in the opera.

Theater Assignment #7

Above is a picture of a proscenium stage. This type of stage is framed by a rectangular opening. Most theaters today have proscenium stages.

This is a picture of a thrust stage. This stage extends out into the audience. The stage is surrounded by the audience on three sides. The main difference between the two stages is that the proscenium stage does not extend out into the audience like the thrust stage.

This is a picture of a fly gallery. It is the area above the stage that lowers and raises scenery.

The scrim is a curtain made from thin fabric. Scrims do not absorb light so when the area is lit, the images can be seen. When the area is not lit, the images are not visible.

The Big Apple Visit

The dancers use the 6-count when they are dancing the shag. 

  

The Big Apple was founded in 1937 after the building was originally a synagogue. There are still details of Jewish symbols in the building today. There is a Star of David in the ceiling of the building. 

During 1937, the Big Apple dance had become very popular among African American students at the University of South Carolina and they practiced it at the building in Columbia. The dance made its way up to New York thanks to these students. 

After the building was abandoned in 1979, it moved to its location today which is the corner of Hampton and Park Street. The Historic Columbia Foundation acquired it in 1993 and it is used today for rental uses.

 

 The Shag started in New York in the 1940s, but South Carolinians adapted it in the 1940s. It is a version of swing dancing and is the state dance for both South and North Carolina.

Museum Visit

Source:  http://www.lauralevine.com/photography/gallery/remBBQ.php

The picture I chose was taken by American Laura Levine in 1984. It was shot at Walter's Bar-B-Que in Athens, Georgia. This photo is a gelatin silver print, which is a black and white print created from a film's negative. The silver color is left on the picture during the film development. The photo at the Museum was a little bigger than an 8 by 11.

The people in this shot are the band members of R.E.M. The photo is shot from the server's side of the bar. The lead singer, Michael Stipe, is all smiles while his band members are thoroughly enjoying their bar-b-que. Michael Stipe was actually a vegeterian and did not eat the meat. The clothes are similar to the 80's decade. They are either wearing jackets or t-shirts and have long, shaggy hair. The band actually wrote a song about the restaurant in the picture called "Walter's Theme".

Source: http://www.lauralevine.com/film/production-stills.php

Laura Levine made a career out of music photography. Along with film, she also is a self-taught artist. She captured moments from James Brown to Madonna. Many of her photos have been on display in various museums across the United States. In this R.E.M. photo, she was visiting the band in Athens while they were shooting a film.

Assignment #6: Dance

The baroque period of dance took place from 1600 to 1750. It originated in France. The style of dance is a mix between ballet and ballroom dancing. The dance reflected the baroque era's music, theater, and opera.

For me, dancing is a lot of things. I grew up taking ballet and jazz classes. I enjoyed everything about these dance styles. At the time, I did not realize how much of a work out I was getting. Dancing can easily put someone is a better mood! It is a great energy booster, but can also be sentimental. Dancing with my dad is one of my favorite things to do. In the South, the shag is a popular social dance that is fun no matter how talented you are!

Native American dance is fascinating. It is an extremely spiritual dance. Often times, it is considered to be a form of prayer. They have very elaborate costumes that move to the beat of the drum.

Film Assignment: White Material

This picture above is the establishing shot in White Material. This shot actually happens in the beginning of the film and at the end. It serves as a type of foreshadowing mechanism. This shot shows the audience that the film takes place in a rural setting. It does not provide much more information than that.

Camera Angles

Throughout the film, there were several camera angles. The angles included close-up, high-angle, low-angle, and straight on. During some scenes, the camera acted as if it was from the audience's perspective.

Story Line

This story is about the Vial's, a French family, who has a coffee plantation in an African country. A civil war is taking place in this country and orders for all French people to leave have been set. The Vial's decide to stay and try to save their plantation. Maria Vial is determined to do everything in her power to save the plantation while the rest of her family has given up. Her son, Manuel, ends up joining the fight with the other native people. He ends up burning the plantation as well as himself. Maria is left to fend for herself.

The scene that made me uncomfortable was when the army came to their house and killed the native children. The bathtub scene got to me the most because of the blood. Another scene that made me uncomfortable was when Manuel went crazy and stuffed a ball of hair into Elisabeth's mouth.

Mise-en-Scene

There were mise-en-scene in the film. One that sticks out the most was at the end when Manuel decided to burn the planation as well as himself.

Roles of Actors

The characters that stick out the most in this film are Maria, Manuel, and the Boxer.

Isabelle Huppert, the actress who plays Maria, does an excellent job portraying a woman who is passionate about her life. She is determined to keep her plantation afloat. Her acting abilities certainly portray this throughout the film.

Nicolas Duvauchelle, the actor who plays Manuel, transforms from the lazy son to becoming part of native rebels in an outstanding way. I could feel how the transformation took place because of his acting abilities.

The Boxer is played by Issach De Bankole. The Boxer is supposed to be the legendary person in the country, but he turns up at their plantation as a weak person. His acting ability shows the desperation and longingness for this war to be over.

Music/Soundtrack

The music that made the most impact to me in the film was the radio. During various parts of the film, the radio played upbeat music that reminded me of African music. I found it ironic that during this awful time, there was upbeat music playing.

Genre

The genre of this film is a mixture of crime, drama, and action. There was a tremendous amount of crime and action in White Material. The drama between the Vial family as well as the native people was portrayed throughout the film.

Film Context

I left this film feeling somewhat confused and unsure of what exactly happened. Looking back, I believe this film shows the willingness of one strong woman to fight for what she lived for. She went to every extreme to save her beloved plantation. It also showed the terrible and tragic events that take places during a civil war.

Assignment #5

Jazz music has an upbeat tempo and swinging rhythm. Popular instruments that are heard in jazz music include the saxophone, the trumpet, the piano, and the drums. Jazz music came from African slaves. They brought this upbeat music to the United States. African Americans began creating this popular music in the 1900s.

In Peter and the Wolf, Peter is played by the strings. The duck is played by an oboe. The wolf is played by the french horn. The bird is played by the flute. The Grandfather is played by the bassoon. The Hunters are played by the Timpani drums.

Classical music has a nice flow and order. Popular instruments that are used in classical music include the piano, the violin, the flute, and the trumpet along with many others. Some of the classical musicians include Bach, Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart.



Assignment #4

This is a picture of Barnwell College, the psychology building at the University of South Carolina. This building was built in 1910. One of the features of the building are the iconic columns. These columns are iconic because they have spirals at the top. Another feature of the building is the decorative molding around the front windows and the front door. Along with the molding, there are decorative cornices on top of the front door and windows. The cornices are white molding that are on top of an object. Like many buildings around the University, this building's style is Greek revival because of the decorative columns.

Assignment #3

Everyday, I wash my hair. After a few minutes of enjoying the hot water pelting down my body, I open up the shampoo bottle. As I begin to massage my head, the aroma of flowers and spring take over the room. I let the suds do their work then rinse clean. Once the water has run clear, I open the conditioner bottle. While applying the conditioner, my hair begins to feel silky smooth. I let it soak in for a few minutes then rinse again.

Above is my picture that I drew in class. I am not familiar with opera at all, but felt moved by this piece. My picture seems happy because of the bright colors. The squiggly lines could be a sign of confusion like the singer was singing about. I wanted to know what was happening in the song as well as the whole story of the opera.

The establishing shot does just what the name says. It establishes the setting for the viewer. In the beginning of a movie, the establishing shot shows the audience where and when the movie takes place. I think the establishing shot is crucial to a movie. It would be boring and much less of an impact if there was just a paragraph on the screen telling us the setting in the beginning of the movie. 

Assignment #2

Fluency is being able to create many ideas. In order to be fluent, one must be able to form many different ideas about the same thing. Flexibility is being able to change from one idea to another. To me, this means being able to open to new ideas and not focusing on the first one that comes to mind. Originality is being able to create your own unique idea. Elaboration is being able to continue your idea in order to make it better.

Describe is the most basic stage of art criticism. In this stage, one describes the artist, the medium, how big the work of art is, and what characteristics the work of art contains. It is similar to a summary of a book. Analyze is the next stage which one uses the elements and principals of art and design to elaborate on the description. Interpret is one is thinking about what the work of art means, their feelings about the work, and any metaphors that may occur. Evaluate is the final stage in the Feldman Method. During this stage, one is able to state their perception of the work of art and why they liked it or not.

Assignment #1

§         Have you ever made art? What kind of art do you like?

o        I have made art before, but not recently, unless creating a tree out of cardboard boxes during my student teaching art! I enjoy all types of art. I am a craft kind of girl.

§         Have you ever made a drawing? A painting? A sculpture?

o        I have experimented with drawing and painting, but no sculptures.

§         When was the last time you went to a museum? Gallery? Artist studio?

o        It has been a while since my last visit to a museum, gallery, or artist studio. I traveled to Spain in high school and we went to several museums. My favorite was Salvador Dali’s!

§         Have you ever been to a play? Opera? Art Film? Do you dance?

o        Yes, I have been to several plays. My favorite plays happen to be Broadway ones. I saw Mamma Mia last year and fell in love! I have not been to an Opera before. Of the top of my head, I cannot think of an art film I have seen. I took Ballet and Jazz for several years growing up so yes, I “think” I can dance!

§         Under what conditions do you learn the most?

o        I learn best with visuals and through hands-on activities or experiences.

§         Why are you taking this class?

o        I am taking this class because I am an Early Childhood major.

§         Has any of the arts ever moved you in any way? How?

o        I think plays and ballets have moved me more than a piece of art. The music, movement, and story behind them are all moving.

§         What inspires you?

o        Music really inspires me. A good song can change my mood immediately.

§         What is art?

o         Anything that portrays a story.

§         Do you consider movies art? Music? Video games? Comics? Television?

o        Until this question, I did not consider any of those to be art. After reading this, I believe they are all different forms of art.

§         Who decided what is good art? How do they know?

o        I am not sure if there is one particular person that decided what good art is. Personally, I believe that each person takes away something different from art. It is up to the individual to decide whether or not it is good.

§         When you debate music or movies with your friends, what critical elements or standards do you hold them to?

o        With music, it is usually whether or not we can sing-a-long to it or if it sounds like something we’ve heard before.

o        With movies, our debates stem from whether or not we like the story line, the ending, the characters, or if they had good chemistry.

§         What was the best movie of last year?

o        I did not see many new movies last year so I’ll go with the most recent one, Country Strong.

§         What is an “Art Film”?

o        Tough question. The obvious answer is a film about art, but some how, I am thinking there is more than that!

§         What CD or MP3 is in your player?

o        A mix CD from a friend.