tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21269200588208719332024-02-19T00:22:01.446-05:00Villanova Theatre TalkA behind-the-scenes look at what's happening in the Villanova University Theatre Department.Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-716834940930405852017-04-25T14:18:00.000-04:002017-04-25T14:18:48.769-04:00Songs We’re Addicted ToOur workshop production of <i>The Gambler</i> goes into previews tomorrow. To celebrate our fifth show of the season, we’ve assembled this playlist of <b>Songs We’re Addicted To</b>. Featuring our favorite gambling songs, like Sinatra’s <i>Luck Be A Lady</i>, and the songs we just can’t stop listening to, like Ed Sheeran’s <i>The Shape of You</i>, this playlist is a safe bet for some nostalgia and dancing!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="269.76" src="//giphy.com/embed/6m7ZA00ogXAzKSu72Fhu" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/katyperry-sad-katy-perry-frown-6m7ZA00ogXAzKSu72Fhu"></a><br />
<br />
Enjoy these tunes and then visit Villanova Theatre for this special workshop production.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A7a4RgVbWS0ml8fBG9JHHoP" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br />
<i>THE GAMBLER runs at Villanova Theatre from April 26-30 at Vasey Hall. Tickets are FREE, but pre-reservation is suggested. For more information or to book your free ticket visit <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/gambler/" target="_blank">www.villanovetheatre.org</a> or call the Box Office at 610-519-7474.</i>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-57359751373840003202017-04-18T15:57:00.001-04:002017-04-19T13:28:39.697-04:00The heart of THE GAMBLER with Dramaturg Kasey Phillips <i>Second year graduate student Kasey Phillips, who you may recognize from this seasons LAGAN and ELECTRA, is stepping behind the scenes as Dramaturg for our workshop production of THE GAMBLER. She took some time out of her busy schedule to give us an inside glimpse into the "quick and dirty" world of Owen McCafferty's play:</i><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsUxZRRXqh-mQyxqt3hVg0GTtKnZlqvmqRJut3qG_mihqK5a2WfgQgXP3MlQ0Ni5KcfTfenALfTaQNXNo3_u16z6Kj0cKzFgCq_E4tL1lnJxjdXYuPqfsojpGKf8f7tqUWu3wgTgoijlx/s1600/Kasey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvsUxZRRXqh-mQyxqt3hVg0GTtKnZlqvmqRJut3qG_mihqK5a2WfgQgXP3MlQ0Ni5KcfTfenALfTaQNXNo3_u16z6Kj0cKzFgCq_E4tL1lnJxjdXYuPqfsojpGKf8f7tqUWu3wgTgoijlx/s320/Kasey.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dramaturg Kasey Phillips</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As a dramaturg and writer, it would be an understatement to say that I am lucky to be working alongside internationally recognized playwright and Villanova’s Heimbold Chair, Owen McCafferty. It is the first year that the Villanova Theatre Department has added a workshop production to its main stage season, and to have the opportunity to help lead <i>The Gambler </i>to the stage for the first time is an experience I’ll never forget.<br />
<br />
When dramaturging a show, it’s not often you have primary source material so readily available in the process of sifting through a play. With Owen in the room, the actors, assistant director Sarah Kelly, director David Bradley and I never have to wait for the answers to our burning questions about the play. It’s a really incredible energy swarming the theater. David can turn to me to uncover the logistics of status of the 19th century Russian aristocracy (one of the many layers of Dostoevsky’s novella <i>The Gambler</i>, from which McCafferty’s play is based), or he can turn directly to Owen and ask where the heat of each scene is hidden. It’s such a wonderful chemistry to have the romance of the history and the immediacy of the story at hand at our every beck and call.<br />
<br />
David Bradley and I throw around the phrase, “quick and dirty” dramaturgy, which I think is such a fun, practical and brilliant summation of what this process from my end has been like, and what I imagine will continue to be.<br />
<br />
Unlike the other four main stage productions this season, <i>The Gambler</i> has a shortened rehearsal time, which quickens the momentum of production—both externally and internally. Where it could be very tempting to get lost in the rabbit holes of research areas in this play—for example, the psychosis surrounding gambling, addiction and into the extended history of Russian, German, and French aristocracy—David challenges me to look for the tangible data. In theatre terms, I look for the “playable” research—bits of information that could fall into these categories, but instead of the actors spending precious time reading in depth research – I try to give them research they can put immediately into their bodies and onto the stage.<br />
<br />
The stakes are high, both for the characters in the play, and for us as a team building the world around them. In a way the quick process makes sense. After all, we are in Roulettenburg, <i>an imagined casino town where people play for keeps, bet it all to win, and lose it all for a chance.</i> A “quick and dirty” process is logical. The rehearsals themselves give resonance to the spinning wheel McCafferty has created, and the true nature of these characters as each begs the question—<i>what would you gamble for a chance at love? </i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthw_ciSW31tIVWkPGWu1UHK9N9SLwYZflfZuLUA2Ckb4TK2lzRS5O7CdMNIUSYdkvXNPb0jGy8LjdxguRYiL-S8qYgU0-MFRH9Fz1hUe9XN47VQubadwiGNA_cZBuv3fqwh4Trgogpg4y/s1600/Owen%2527sCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthw_ciSW31tIVWkPGWu1UHK9N9SLwYZflfZuLUA2Ckb4TK2lzRS5O7CdMNIUSYdkvXNPb0jGy8LjdxguRYiL-S8qYgU0-MFRH9Fz1hUe9XN47VQubadwiGNA_cZBuv3fqwh4Trgogpg4y/s320/Owen%2527sCopy.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen McCafferty's copy of<br />
THE GAMBLER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Before our first read through, Owen handed me the copy of Dostoevsky’s novella he used to write his adaptation. I carry it to each and every rehearsal, and even if I don’t pull it out, it’s a helpful behind the scenes companion to the piece. In the margins, Owen has scribbled notes of his own as to what he thinks are the most important moments of the novel to bring to life onstage. In our many conversations, Owen reiterates that no matter how this story is placed in history, at the end of the day, at its heart, <i>The Gambler</i> is a modern story of how human beings interact with one another. In his copy of the novella, Owen underlines a piece of speech spoken by one of the lead characters, Alexei Ivanovich: “…as for gains and winnings—people everywhere, not only at the roulette table, do nothing but gain or win something from each other.”<br />
<br />
It is here we find the heart and soul of not only 19th century Russian national character, but of this new play, and most importantly, ourselves. It is my hope that Owen’s blend of brilliant story telling and our team’s artistic vision keeps the audiences' minds spinning—wanting to take a chance and invest in these characters just like I have done. <br />
<br />
<i>THE GAMBLER runs at Villanova Theatre from April 26-30 at Vasey Hall.<b> Tickets are FREE</b>, but pre-reservation is suggested. For more information or to book your free ticket visit <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/gambler/" target="_blank">www.villanovetheatre.org</a> or call the Box Office at 610-519-7474.</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-84963840232638364422017-04-03T14:42:00.003-04:002017-04-03T14:42:52.222-04:00Taking On An Iconic Character with Laura Barron<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Second year graduate assistant Laura Barron,
who you may recognize from our Fall production of MARISOL, is now tackling the
lead role of Jo March in our current production of LITTLE WOMEN. Laura took
some time out of her insanely busy schedule to discuss her process of building
the character of Jo March. Get to know more about Jo and Laura here: <span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUwButiRKtJassOhyphenhyphenrUCcr67olHhRDelwoFgBY_irA6LHYMnEBLg9p55KLopPMlyT3YfzCI2k4ryDbkRkW3AXdKGvbMzKzYKoeomsvV3aYGt_jO6fSzYSP040DtNZjcFxVo7ZVJEisdlq/s1600/17635237_10154572304441478_5501339178298263548_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUwButiRKtJassOhyphenhyphenrUCcr67olHhRDelwoFgBY_irA6LHYMnEBLg9p55KLopPMlyT3YfzCI2k4ryDbkRkW3AXdKGvbMzKzYKoeomsvV3aYGt_jO6fSzYSP040DtNZjcFxVo7ZVJEisdlq/s320/17635237_10154572304441478_5501339178298263548_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura Barron as Jo March. Photo by Paola Nogueras.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Louisa May Alcott's <i>Little Women </i>is a story for
the ages, it has inspired and been loved by readers for generation after
generation. That love stems from an overwhelming connection to the characters
in the story and the ability to relate to them on many levels. Alcott's main
character, Jo March, is no exception. She is revered by many as a favorite character in literature. She was not like many women of her time, outgoing, outspoken, driven by her passions, and yet similar in that she is deeply invested in her family. As an actress, it was intimidating to know how important and loved Jo is as a character, to women and men alike. <i>How would I be able to embody the Jo they
picture in their head, or bring her spirit to life? </i>Instead of letting that
overwhelm me, throughout the process I tried to have fun with the role, and
bring my own spirit and passions into the mix. I stayed grounded knowing that
it's not the exact Jo that Alcott put on the page, but a re-imagining of her by
the writers of the musical. The material I needed to learn in a short amount of
time was so vast, that I almost didn't have time to stop and worry about if I
was being the "Jo March" readers would expect. With that being said,
I loved the rehearsals in which we were able to do character work and dig a little
deeper into finding a balance in the role that would be a good fit for me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnoMtcnjsPzB2-hN1R4PUZmxbobCY7UG7QhZOVxOvin7T6A3WRqHhDrGmUuRmAMqE7INWdOyaLjk5XjRvqI2p2ClZ1rvcpVI74IsXu-J_Vab2Qh0aYqeycQlPresBQEJGUbuJK3hMq3Io/s1600/17635386_10154572313336478_3791886595330699335_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnoMtcnjsPzB2-hN1R4PUZmxbobCY7UG7QhZOVxOvin7T6A3WRqHhDrGmUuRmAMqE7INWdOyaLjk5XjRvqI2p2ClZ1rvcpVI74IsXu-J_Vab2Qh0aYqeycQlPresBQEJGUbuJK3hMq3Io/s320/17635386_10154572313336478_3791886595330699335_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The four March sisters and their Marmee. <br />Photo by Paola Nogueras.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another challenge I faced was understanding the bonds of
sisterhood, from the strength of the love that is shared between them, to the
utter chaos that might ensue when they don't get along. I grew up with two
older brothers, so while sibling rivalry and love still exist between us, I
have come to learn through the process that it's not quite the same as having
sisters. My cast mates and director Valerie Joyce helped me gain a better
understanding of what having sisters might be like, through their personal
experiences. It was fun to have new "sisters" in my life for this
process. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At Villanova, I have the unique opportunity to work in the
costume shop while getting my Masters. I have an Assistantship in costumes and
have helped cut and sew different garments for the show since last Fall. We
began making petticoats and hoop skirts back in November and we haven't
stopped. Stepping out onto the stage in something I helped make is an absolute
joy. I have the opportunity to sing one of the most challenging songs I've had to
tackle in a show, "<i>Astonishing</i>",
while wearing a top I sewed. I am extremely proud of the work the whole costume
crew has done under the direction and guidance of our extremely talented cutter
draper, Jenn Lanyon, and show designer and shop coordinator, Janus Stefanowicz.
I have learned so much from both of them and can't wait for audiences to see
not only the costumes, but all of the design elements brought to life by the
hardworking, talented, prop and set shops at Villanova. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfwRoAWWMd3YepotycrqMYOmN_4f7316pozUmdZoty0myuV3jh0a8BQhzauTJ1y6xAXmxW5cR1XpOb6VwrAQUxwgpFKa8Nhn0wBcAOJ4538Xeh9RtrYy-sAYZafeB5JjaoMJZukLnkITT/s1600/17632225_10154572304046478_1841713230601292021_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfwRoAWWMd3YepotycrqMYOmN_4f7316pozUmdZoty0myuV3jh0a8BQhzauTJ1y6xAXmxW5cR1XpOb6VwrAQUxwgpFKa8Nhn0wBcAOJ4538Xeh9RtrYy-sAYZafeB5JjaoMJZukLnkITT/s320/17632225_10154572304046478_1841713230601292021_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laura Barron as Jo March. Photo by Paola Nogueras.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Stepping into the shoes of Jo March became a little easier
when leaning on others throughout the process. The support of the entire cast
and crew has helped me immensely, from the dressers who <o:p></o:p></div>
help me change over 8
times, sometimes in under 40 seconds, to the stage management team who helped
with lines and are always ready with props and kind words, to a cast full of
such talented and amazing scene partners, the dramaturg who helped us step into
the time period of Alcott's book, to the music directors that are always
helping us to sound our best, and a director who has an overarching vision that
put all the pieces together. I am inspired by and proud of the work everyone
has put in to bring this show to life.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>LITTLE WOMEN runs at
Villanova Theatre from March 28-April 9 at Vasey Hall. Tickets are $21-$25 with
discounts available for students, alumni, faculty/staff, and senior citizens.
For tickets or information please visit <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/little-women/" target="_blank">www.villanovetheatre.org </a>or call the
Box Office at 610-519-7474.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-86733000860101074172017-03-17T15:41:00.000-04:002017-03-17T15:41:17.052-04:00Bringing the characters of LITTLE WOMEN to new life<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Second year graduate
student Sean Connolly, who you may recognize from last season’s TRANSLATIONS,
is completing his Dramaturgy thesis on our current production of LITTLE </i><i>WOMEN.
He took some time to chat with us about Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel and
inspiring play. Learn more about LITTLE WOMEN here:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<i><o:p></o:p></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Z2rB53v7bjf1YLk-eNBjHHJniMPM2bv9GozPT5qiOsLApu1T1gTrSqHjOCqSHcb_XV0p9LTzBovLlFi6BR6HZGnYo4OCkTw9iK-TUnNXUMQ3Pyag5UZFQPJ1UBQNi7TVMl5yM-_pcKn/s1600/Sean+Connolly+Headshot+1+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Z2rB53v7bjf1YLk-eNBjHHJniMPM2bv9GozPT5qiOsLApu1T1gTrSqHjOCqSHcb_XV0p9LTzBovLlFi6BR6HZGnYo4OCkTw9iK-TUnNXUMQ3Pyag5UZFQPJ1UBQNi7TVMl5yM-_pcKn/s200/Sean+Connolly+Headshot+1+%25281%2529.jpg" width="160" /></a>Dramaturging <i>Little Women: The Musical</i> has been an
fascinating challenge. Having been constricted to straight plays since
childhood, delving into a musical has not only opened my eyes to music, but
helped me find those nuggets of drama magic and nuance in dialogue that only
musicals can provide. For me, it has been a truly exciting production to be
a part of. Firstly,<i> Little Women</i> takes place in such a rich time period to
research, it is honestly a dramaturg’s dream, especially since it is a part of
history not often discussed. When we talk about the Civil War, we often think
of great battles, or burning Southern towns. If we are especially attuned we
might even consider the dramatizations presented in <i>Gangs of New York </i>or <i>Gone
With The Wind</i>. But real in depth exploration of the home front, particularly
the Northern Home Front, has been left to very few aging historians. That is
for the exception of Louisa May Alcott’s <i>Little Women.</i> What’s really exciting
about<i> Little Women: The Musical, </i>and particularly working with Valerie as
director of the musical, is that we are really trying to bring this classic
story into the 21st Century. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51S3xpdVz9xWAAppXS9QJzrq5u2Q6AFcZWwNUKt-_2vNgNUF4vucURI5bXtcX3RA33R7xs5HxbK0k_kLsqv6IzrtcAHPD2Ye2owU0tho_C4qb6JMonktWZbUPQE2narccP0XORWebX_Dj/s1600/LMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg51S3xpdVz9xWAAppXS9QJzrq5u2Q6AFcZWwNUKt-_2vNgNUF4vucURI5bXtcX3RA33R7xs5HxbK0k_kLsqv6IzrtcAHPD2Ye2owU0tho_C4qb6JMonktWZbUPQE2narccP0XORWebX_Dj/s200/LMA.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Louisa May Alcott</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The roots of this modern interpretation are already explored
by Alcott herself, but have often been lost in the nostalgia of the piece. At
the time Alcott’s tale was radical and revolutionary. This was partially
because she was a Transcendentalist, a passionate Abolitionist, feminist and
reformer. Which brings up one of the most contentiously talked about moments in
<i>Little Women. </i>Thousands of readers of the novel have asked the question: Why
doesn’t Jo marry Laurie? This resulted in some very forceful conversations with
publishers and fans of the novel in 1868. However, the answer is actually quite
simple. Alcott didn’t want Jo to marry at all. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alcott wanted to create a female character, Jo, who didn’t
need a man. This was very radical back then. Hundreds wrote to Alcott to
complain when Jo refused Laurie’s proposal. Eventually publishers got involved
and threatened to not publish <i>Little
Women Part 2</i> if Jo remained unmarried. Clearly they were hoping to force Alcott
into marrying Jo to Laurie. Alcott was so furious, she developed a new plan.
She would marry Jo off, but not to Laurie, the man everyone wanted, but to Professor
Bhaer. All of this had an unintended consequence. There are moments of possible
passion in the music and on the page, but they have been hidden beneath a
Victorian view of Alcott’s world and a holy reverence of the novel. On the
surface all the characters are in their head, they all have an intellectual
affection for one another but not a physical one. All this comes back to that
original question that thousands of readers have been asking since 1868, why
doesn’t Jo marry Laurie? <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnk50Kd92c1zCvmAj97qmqbA1QVTcxdOEIy5G_2KReyVRh9wtWItgXIR_EjOtNQ3BYaLPIez72NBzleWr39UPKOnfxvOYV8Rug72y8NHSJ4BtijkyWov0QLxvh7XYP5s84C8UdsWBxqhnM/s1600/LW1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnk50Kd92c1zCvmAj97qmqbA1QVTcxdOEIy5G_2KReyVRh9wtWItgXIR_EjOtNQ3BYaLPIez72NBzleWr39UPKOnfxvOYV8Rug72y8NHSJ4BtijkyWov0QLxvh7XYP5s84C8UdsWBxqhnM/s200/LW1.jpg" width="135" /></a>For our production we wanted to connect these characters to
the 21st century in which open sexuality and human desire are more present on the surface of our interactions with someone we might be interested in. This has led to incredible discoveries during the rehearsal
process. For instance, to find Laurie’s motivation, we had to make him a little
boastful - he can’t just be the kid next door; he needs to have swagger. Laurie must be a complex character, driven not only by an
intellectual admiration of Jo but also a sexual drive. Jo is similarly complex. She is
driven intellectually, but we also we need to know she is free-thinking and passionate as well. Jo's desire becomes a powerful impetus behind her decision to not marry Laurie. Instead she
finds an equal partner in both intellect and passion when she falls for
Professor Bhaer. These explorations of character have made working on this
production so much more fascinating beyond the rich historical time period. For
me, it proves that these characters are just as real and exciting now as they
were in 1868.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>LITTLE WOMEN runs at
Villanova Theatre from March 28-April 9 at Vasey Hall. Tickets are $21-$25 with
discounts available for students, alumni, faculty/staff, and senior citizens.
For tickets or information please visit <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/little-women/" target="_blank">www.villanovetheatre.org</a> or call the
Box Office at 610-519-7474.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-81719597965538217452017-03-03T14:22:00.000-05:002017-03-03T14:22:58.068-05:00Not-So Little Women PlaylistWe're getting into the musical spirit, just in time for our upcoming production of LITTLE WOMEN: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL. In the spirit of the production we've assembled this <i>Not-So Little Women Playlist, </i>featuring some of our favorite female artists. From Janis Joplin to Beyonce; Ella Fitzgerald to the Spice Girls; this playlist has something for everyone, and will certainly inspire you to get up on your feet and dance.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="476" src="//giphy.com/embed/l2JhL1AzTxORUTDlC" width="480"></iframe><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/nba-dance-dancing-l2JhL1AzTxORUTDlC"></a><br />
<br />
Get into the musical spirit and then join us at the theatre for LITTLE WOMEN!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A5EyQtexFyjRllwOnYHVfcV" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br />
<i>LITTLE WOMEN previews on March 28th, opens on March 29th and performs through April 9th. Tickets are $21-$25 with discounts available for students, alumni, senior citizens, and groups. For tickets and more information visit <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/little-women/" target="_blank">www.villanovatheatre.org. </a></i>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-4104434554537778522017-02-14T12:33:00.001-05:002017-02-14T12:36:33.574-05:00 The Impossible Here and Now: An Actors’ World of LAGAN<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<i>Second year acting scholar Chris Monaco shared his thoughts with
us about our current production of Stacey Gregg’s LAGAN. In addition to playing
Ian, the young writer, LAGAN is Chris’ thesis play! Learn more about Chris’
process and the kaleidoscopic world of LAGAN here:</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJp_1lbYZ_-xwnbYSwe1qZH6NwBKhbKu4FEaY0Fb88N5uVcKdOKOjDApOmDgT9CS9YVZDK7LuXvQzHi-hujcJXBPaP4GBNm9VXJId0xxLxfL8Y4Jxl3t_ATHcC5EHS0dXnTXo9XdjQocJ/s1600/16402894_10154425806351478_285681182800528343_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJp_1lbYZ_-xwnbYSwe1qZH6NwBKhbKu4FEaY0Fb88N5uVcKdOKOjDApOmDgT9CS9YVZDK7LuXvQzHi-hujcJXBPaP4GBNm9VXJId0xxLxfL8Y4Jxl3t_ATHcC5EHS0dXnTXo9XdjQocJ/s320/16402894_10154425806351478_285681182800528343_o.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I had no
idea what to expect when they announced the third show last year. “</span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Lagan? How do you pronounce that? La GAHN?
LAY-gin? Is the ‘g’ silent?” </i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Little did I know I would eventually fall in
love with the city of Belfast as written in Stacey Gregg’s play, or that I
would end up doing my acting thesis on the play. The process thus far has been
a huge learning curve - I’ve discovered crucial things about myself as an actor
and also as a person. I’ve been keeping a journal as part of the thesis, and as
Allyce (who plays my sister Aoife) pointed out, my real-life journaling blurred
the line between Chris and Ian, who is also a writer and spends much of his
time negotiating his external life with his inner world - trapped in his own
thoughts as life goes on around him. I’ve never journaled before so it’s been
really useful. Journaling has been a great way to check in with my process, how
each rehearsal feels, and allows me to track my process night by night as I
chip my way into the show.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Working
with our director, KC has also been incredible. She’s an inspiring woman, in
that she knows exactly how to coax the perfect performance out of her actors
without ever exhibiting anger or panic or any of the other ugly emotions that
can scare an actor in the wrong direction. She’s funny, cool, laid back, and
has been absolutely fearless at the helm of this massively challenging show,
one which has never been seen on American soil! </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Lagan</i></span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> is Irish to the core. 50%
of my genetic code is Irish, but I grew up 100% Italian. All I know about Northern
Ireland is that </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Game of Thrones </i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">films there and that Irish names are the
coolest names on earth (I did a film once with an Irish guy whose son was named
Diarmuid. </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Isn’t that such a cool name?! </i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It took me a full day to figure
out how to say it, though.) Needless to say, any time I work on an Irish play –
</span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Lagan </i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">is my third foray into that
beautiful country - an obstacle that stands in my way is the accent. There are
so many variants on the Irish brogue, and each experience has required a
complete re-evaluation of the way I pronounce vowels and consonants.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I worked
on </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Translations</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> at Villanova last year in which we decided to ‘create’
an Irish language because it took place in a fictional Irish town, thus giving
us the liberty to create an accent which would fall easily on American ears. </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Lagan</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
takes place in contemporary Belfast, thus requiring an authentic accent. Lucky
for us, Villanova was able to provide us the most valuable asset possible:
Andrea Ainsworth, the vocal coach from the Abbey Theatre. Andrea nearly broke
me, in the best possible way. In order to learn the Northern Irish accent, I
had to forget everything I thought I knew about the English language. Any of my
fellow actors could tell you how much I struggled with certain words - I still
get red in the face trying to pronounce the word “school.”</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM5d3w2jh32pzNLzxCTUzB_2bNP8XtfUxI7CVpI2vjWLRYF8O5YAl_u6iIQ-G4HKpawkXigmP3469itZFGYUEjpom0HFwMLULaec9RcnS-ho2n_8lVCgyWuSon5LBYuHx45rbaAA1fH9e/s1600/16179728_10154392109796478_7049186718994085486_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM5d3w2jh32pzNLzxCTUzB_2bNP8XtfUxI7CVpI2vjWLRYF8O5YAl_u6iIQ-G4HKpawkXigmP3469itZFGYUEjpom0HFwMLULaec9RcnS-ho2n_8lVCgyWuSon5LBYuHx45rbaAA1fH9e/s320/16179728_10154392109796478_7049186718994085486_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The
accent was a challenge on its own, but Andrea also taught me to rethink the way
I use my voice onstage - as an actor I tend to be quiet, not using much of the
resonant space in my mouth. Andrea did tons of exercises with the cast to
expand, accentuate, and punch different areas of the body to access different
parts of our voices. The process was really incredible, even though I left more
than a few rehearsals positive I would never get things right.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Near the
end of </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Lagan</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">, Ian asks: </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">“Am I a
cliché?”</i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> It’s an important question for the character, but also for myself
as the actor playing him. There are many aspects to Ian which could inevitably
lead an actor to playing him as a stereotype: he’s a writer who frequently
falls in love with his own clever witticisms; he’s a tweed-wearing Anglophile; he’s
quick to judge others: he compares old women to men in drag and girls who wear
makeup must dabble in self-harm; and he’s gay but unable to come out to his
mother. An actor playing a role like Ian could easily fall prey to judging him
as harshly as some of the characters in the play do and choose to play only his
cliché traits. Oddly enough, early in the process I struggled with the opposite
problem: I chose to ignore Ian’s less-desirable qualities.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Typically
when approaching a role, I immediately grab ahold of the similarities between
myself and a character and consider how the character views the world. In the
first weeks of rehearsal, I had absolutely no doubt that Ian was supremely
likable and was 100% justified in saying everything that he does. When KC asked
me to consider the way characters like the Taximan and Aoife talk about Ian, I
realized this guy’s human. He’s not a cliché, but he’s also not some blameless
superhero. He’s just a 24 year old guys, a writer, dealing with life just the
same as I am. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iLRlE-xIgsPf6oQcqzhhpPRVrpQjlpO7ZPgkFJ5ifByoOdCrW9vGKDmsBJJOIDMW74sB9P2fSP3W2RivzDtRzSLj4InJbV2eOz7L9vrUqpmuSXPXmUeL3xFiToGQkniThZOLOc4DDRNa/s1600/16486989_1860702534212371_4509813238537015506_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iLRlE-xIgsPf6oQcqzhhpPRVrpQjlpO7ZPgkFJ5ifByoOdCrW9vGKDmsBJJOIDMW74sB9P2fSP3W2RivzDtRzSLj4InJbV2eOz7L9vrUqpmuSXPXmUeL3xFiToGQkniThZOLOc4DDRNa/s320/16486989_1860702534212371_4509813238537015506_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /><br /><br />I look
forward to greeting audiences into the world of </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Lagan. </i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We’ve reached a point where everything feels familiar
because the cast has grown to know these characters, this world, and the
amazing interconnecting stories about a Belfast still learning to knit itself
together. It is exciting to share this with an audience and let them in on the
beauty of it all.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i>Lagan</i></span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> is the kind of show that
keeps on giving - it’s smart as hell and so rich with character tics,
backstory, humor and wit. Audiences who come with an open mind and a
willingness to be transported into what Ian calls “the impossible here and now”
will be rewarded ten times over. There’s so much love imbued in this production
- the painstaking care each cast and crew member has given to this show is
really palpable. It’s the kind of show I’d want to see twice - once to take it
all in, and again to close my eyes and just listen to the music of the script
Gregg has given us to work with.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">This has
been one trip abroad I never want to come back from.</span><br />
<i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LAGAN runs at Villanova Theatre through the end of this weekend (closing on
February 19<sup>th</sup>). Tickets are $21-$25 with discounts available for
students, alumni, faculty/staff, and senior citizens. For tickets or
information please visit<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/"><span style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;">www.villanovatheatre.org</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>or call the Box Office at
610-519-7474.</span></i></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-68224731154411824872017-02-07T12:20:00.002-05:002017-02-07T12:20:56.831-05:00Belfast Ballads PlaylistTonight is the preview performance of the American premiere of <i>Lagan. </i>Set in Northern Ireland's capital city, Belfast, we decided to celebrate the music of the city. From well known artists like U2, Van Morrison, and The Corrs, to fun folk songs and melodies inspired by the Troubles; our Belfast Ballads playlist has something for everyone.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="240" src="//giphy.com/embed/try1ajfXkrZfy" width="480"></iframe><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/u2-try1ajfXkrZfy"></a><br />
<br />
Get into the Irish spirit with the playlist below, and then join us in Belfast for <i>Lagan! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A7kklyfIwL618FsppDz63Qu" width="300"></iframe></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>LAGAN previews this evening, opens tomorrow Wednesday, February 8th and performs through Sunday, February 19th. Tickets are $21-$25 with discounts available for students, alumni, senior citizens, and groups. For tickets and more information visit <a href="http://www.villanovatheatre.org/">www.villanovatheatre.org</a>.</i>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-43179941594666086162017-01-27T13:49:00.002-05:002017-01-27T14:06:50.061-05:00Bridging The Divides: An Inside Peek Into The Dramaturgy of LAGAN<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQv4APjZO4juent8zPbGJEA9tGHqOimyEAbpq0L9lomVSjyfLGHxg9Y42j7mqGc9FTccZ0_ZNlTCv1Lzi3-wWUvLBex8u73ANW_5QVg9N_9LJQeBSET0j19mVo4BhrMknZNB8STrZBnlI/s1600/13697026_10101035605290806_4106745951998447063_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQv4APjZO4juent8zPbGJEA9tGHqOimyEAbpq0L9lomVSjyfLGHxg9Y42j7mqGc9FTccZ0_ZNlTCv1Lzi3-wWUvLBex8u73ANW_5QVg9N_9LJQeBSET0j19mVo4BhrMknZNB8STrZBnlI/s200/13697026_10101035605290806_4106745951998447063_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><i>Second year graduate student
Rachel O’Hanlon-Rodriguez, who you may recognize from last year’s MARISOL, is working
off-stage this year as the production dramaturg for LAGAN. She took some time
to chat with us about Stacey Gregg’s play. Learn more about the world of LAGAN
here:<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t
think I’ve read a play that is quite like Stacey Gregg’s <i>Lagan. </i>The play unfolds in a series of monologues with characters shifting from their internal minds to their external world. Taking place in Northern Ireland, dramaturging became fascinating opportunity to research history that had impacted the life of my
family. I grew up hearing stories about how my grandfather lied about his age
in order to join the army and fight for a united Ireland. At that time, I had
no idea just how divided Northern Ireland was. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Lagan </i>takes place in modern-day Belfast, thirteen years after the violent thirty-year
civil war known as the Troubles that divided and defined Northern Ireland.
While the play itself doesn’t make many references to the war that many of the
characters endured, it was important for me to help the actors understand the character’s
lives which span over three generations. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
older generation of characters (Anne, Joan, Terry, and the Taximan) have lived
their lives primarily in a war-torn Belfast. Their communities were segregated
between Catholics who continue to believe in a United Ireland, and Protestants
who identify as British citizens. The younger generation of characters (Ian,
Aoife, Emmet, Fiona, and Philip) have grown up in a transforming Belfast; a
city moving from violence to peace. Only one character (Tracey) was born after
the Troubles, and seems to represent the new Belfast; a city that is moving
beyond the conflict and into a new stage of progress as an international city. Each
character therefore has grown up in a different Belfast.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KEjKMia6_mMXt1hsr6hfK1sr378iAQR95MQHTXid0KWJegzyLoZdRIE-Ch89NqiC2QfZOO5-s6cJLOfqLA2pE0_k1IAww5gqz_UKbS2EjyWIb2DPZ2c-OVrxhoOEwUixwTJqzfjgjRjE/s1600/Generation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KEjKMia6_mMXt1hsr6hfK1sr378iAQR95MQHTXid0KWJegzyLoZdRIE-Ch89NqiC2QfZOO5-s6cJLOfqLA2pE0_k1IAww5gqz_UKbS2EjyWIb2DPZ2c-OVrxhoOEwUixwTJqzfjgjRjE/s200/Generation.jpg" width="151" /></a>Because
of the varying experiences with war, each character is impacted by the trauma
they’ve experienced in different ways. Much like in America, the older generation often judges the younger generation based on how <i>easy </i>life has been for them; while the
younger generation sees their parents as <i>stuck</i>
in their ways. In Gregg’s exploration of generational history and the shifts in
communal understanding, I realized the play transcends Belfast. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
As the
play began to take shape, under the masterful direction of Kathryn MacMillan
and the incredible guidance of Andrea Ainsworth from Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, I
felt like I was watching history unfold on an intimate level.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being a
woman who has grown up in a changing world: I was in the first class to receive
computer lessons in school, I remember my family’s first huge computer, and
watched cell phones and social media become a part of our daily lives; I’ve
always been infatuated with questioning history through generational
understanding. My grandmother’s world, for instance, is completely different
than mine. My life, however, was impacted through my grandmother’s way of life
that she passed down to my mother. <br />
<br />
The lives we live, the history we are a part of, shift so fast that it is often
hard to see the interconnections of life. I found this to be true for many of
the characters in <i>Lagan </i>who struggle
to live their normal every-day lives in a world that feels in flux. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9foWSone5sUH31ZDkbJqKKYVU4zP8BVQESi6fD6ot3Gsrc8ZR5BUdPXBxOfs1huWjsV6l18c5Yv18aBdoCII8LpSomXOoolCNKFXnUChX-CE3Z88Sap5vukgE6UALbdxrXRQ54hGkNwb7/s1600/MuralWater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9foWSone5sUH31ZDkbJqKKYVU4zP8BVQESi6fD6ot3Gsrc8ZR5BUdPXBxOfs1huWjsV6l18c5Yv18aBdoCII8LpSomXOoolCNKFXnUChX-CE3Z88Sap5vukgE6UALbdxrXRQ54hGkNwb7/s320/MuralWater.jpg" width="212" /></a>The city
of Belfast itself is a landscape of memory, filled with walls that continue to
divide neighborhoods and murals that colorfully display the city’s violent
past. It makes sense that each character in <i>Lagan
</i>carries this past within them, and the play itself took on a greater
meaning for me about the repercussions of division in modern times. <br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now more than ever we turn on our
television and see evidence of violence, acts of terror, fueled by past hate;
divides that took form in the past continue to separate our own society. Gregg’s
motivation to write this play came from an exploration of a post-conflict Belfast,
a world in which people are slowly coming back together. I believe the history
of Belfast can act as a warning to humans about the capacity of our own
violence, a reminder that war lives long after the fighting has stopped, and
provides a message that progress towards unity can be made, no matter how
slowly. <br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">LAGAN
runs at Villanova Theatre from February 7-19 in Vasey Hall. Tickets are $21-$25
with discounts available for students, alumni, faculty/staff, and senior
citizens. For tickets or information please visit <a href="http://www.villanovetheatre.org/">www.villanovetheatre.org</a> or call the
Box Office at 610-519-7474.</span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-15191123771908478092017-01-20T16:49:00.003-05:002017-01-20T16:54:20.745-05:00An Inside Peek Into Our Second Studio Show With Director Lexa Grace<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><i>Villanova Theatre is gearing up to present our second annual graduate student produced Studio Show! WE MUST SHARE EVERYTHING explores the complex, and often confusing, landscape of private and public spaces. Second year graduate assistant and director of the show, Lexa Grace, has shared with us some of her inspiration behind the production. Check our her blog post below! </i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbEnNRQr6RUzmSicAr63NW-2ZxG6p9WHilpyFSe9nk4VVMjsAKiObE0mMRgOsKW5G-7OtA6zu76PL2lzgpY-ndEkjtrRuaxNW2DMA-dh07opDoSMgh_Ga3AWPdP2oXrIUTYRvAl5ZQhkF/s1600/13495559_10154293456826613_2178927680632543854_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbEnNRQr6RUzmSicAr63NW-2ZxG6p9WHilpyFSe9nk4VVMjsAKiObE0mMRgOsKW5G-7OtA6zu76PL2lzgpY-ndEkjtrRuaxNW2DMA-dh07opDoSMgh_Ga3AWPdP2oXrIUTYRvAl5ZQhkF/s320/13495559_10154293456826613_2178927680632543854_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lexa Grace in Ireland during her internship at the Abbey Theatre</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">This past summer I had the privilege of traveling to Ireland to study and work with The Abbey Theatre along with several of my fellow classmates. One day I was walking the streets of Dublin with one of my Villanova friends. We were discussing the differences between Irish and American cultures. There is a stereotype that Irish people are friendlier and more open than Americans. In many ways my friend and I found this to be true. It seemed that every time we went to a bar, we ended up in a passionate discussion about politics with an Irish stranger. While both of us enjoyed these interactions, we knew that they would never happen in America. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">As Americans we are taught that certain subjects are not meant to be shared in public, especially not with strangers. Yet these social rules are broken all the time, depending on the setting and the people involved. This has become even more prevalent with the advancement of social media. As my friend and I continued to talk that day, I realized that we both had vastly different beliefs on privacy, even within our own American culture.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">I grew up with very little regard for privacy. This had partly to do with being involved in theatre from a young age and partly to do with the fact that I lived with two younger siblings, and was always forced to share everything- from my room to my clothes, to the last bite of ice cream in the freezer. My friend on the other hand, was an only child and learned to love and respect privacy from a young age. This dynamic of public and private spaces is what first sparked my interest in exploring privacy as a theme. At the time, however, I had no real concept for how this idea could be expressed in the theatre-- a place where privacy is under constant negotiation between actors, audience, and characters.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Then school started again and submissions for Villanova Theatre’s second annual Studio Show were announced. I knew that I wanted to submit a devised piece. My love for devised theater comes from a strong need to produce new work and a firm belief that everyone has an original idea. The beauty about devised work is that it allows individuals to share and sift through all of their original ideas, find the best ones, and then merge them together with other people’s inspiration. With this in mind, I collided my two interests together: a devised show exploring the multi-faceted views of privacy.</span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT0H4njxblkSLGMU3xvDCWcePp3ExqiXgY16yd5g4aiPhH3rXNIbZNEpPIKL_h5Eq_RzdXY9HBqFq4UJV5OdH2K_50ZmrlUx5GC61C3sAOdNUHlAwjO0ztZ_K4bVOfw6kxKfsP0sHBzKO/s1600/IMG_1495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT0H4njxblkSLGMU3xvDCWcePp3ExqiXgY16yd5g4aiPhH3rXNIbZNEpPIKL_h5Eq_RzdXY9HBqFq4UJV5OdH2K_50ZmrlUx5GC61C3sAOdNUHlAwjO0ztZ_K4bVOfw6kxKfsP0sHBzKO/s320/IMG_1495.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduate Students Alexandra King and<br />
Andrea Rumble-Moore in rehearsals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Over the course of several days, my ensemble and I completely indulged in all of our creative thoughts on privacy. Some were interesting, some were weird, some were hilarious, and others were completely unrelated to anything we had conceived of. Once we had a pool of concepts, we began to isolate the ideas that could be developed into something that we needed to share. This sculpting process led us to the creation of a script, which has been crafted and edited throughout our rehearsal process. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Now that we are a week away from opening it seems almost unreal. All of the work we created, all of the pieces we included in the performance and even more of the pieces we cut- all of this started with a conversation, with a friend on a park bench about our different ideas about privacy- the wonderful and terrifying interactions that occur when that privacy is broken.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><i>WE MUST SHARE EVERYTHING runs January 26th at 8:30, January 27th and 28th at 7:00, and closes January 29th at 2pm in the Vasey Hall Studio on the second floor. Tickets are free but seating is limited. Register for your tickets today at <a href="http://www.shareeverything.eventbrite.com/">www.shareeverything.eventbrite.com</a>. </i></span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-77794634553204409902016-10-31T12:38:00.000-04:002016-10-31T13:43:18.806-04:00We Love The 90s PlaylistThe 1990s was a great decade of music and popular culture. To help us get into the apocalyptic world of MARISOL we've assembled a 1995 playlist. From the Crazy-Sexy-Cool ladies of TLC to the angst of Nirvana, this nostalgic playlist will send you back in time!<br />
<br />
And one thing we noticed- man were the mid-90's a weird, dark time in American music.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//giphy.com/embed/rz3OhEg2hEcKs" width="480"></iframe><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/rem-michael-stipe-electrolite-rz3OhEg2hEcKs">via GIPHY</a><br />
<br />
Without trying too hard we found song titles that reflect Marisol's chaotic world. Like...<br />
<br />
<b><i>Black Hole Sun</i></b> by Sound Garden<br />
<b><i>It's The End of The World As We Know It</i></b> by REM<br />
<b><i>Sumthin' Wicked This Way Comes</i></b> by TLC<br />
<br />
...get pumped for the end of times or just enjoy this fierce playlist for your Halloween fun.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A5VMAu3qnAh3Ycz1HdBPGYo" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br />
<i>Marisol </i>opens in two weeks and runs November 8-20 at Villanova Theatre. Tickets are $21-$25 with discounts available for students and seniors. For tickets and more information please <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/marisol/" target="_blank">click here</a> or call 610-519-7474.Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-62998841015419923352016-10-17T15:49:00.002-04:002016-10-17T15:49:27.865-04:00WAKE UP: Enter the world of MARISOL with Dramaturg Sarah Kelley<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11.0pt;">Second year graduate student Sarah Kelley has been working hard
preparing to dramaturg MARISOL- which will serve as her final thesis project!
As she traveled through the fantastical world of José Rivera, her vision of his
work has deepened. Villanova Theatre is looking forward to sharing her engaging
audience display which will prep audiences to enter Marisol’s world. Check out
Sarah’s blog post to learn more about MARISOL. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNZm7C54Ln978LQ0FYMlF1wT6hpXsOAv1MXVL85FJjOZZP11zIBeCYD9CXzS_4xUvbmSpqS89jm9Fb1ccvitvUiSyIVdhHaA-WqflFuxEANIv__rKbzq_tjalmUw7Z2JyqSC-Y6FAIr45/s1600/DramaturgyAngel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNZm7C54Ln978LQ0FYMlF1wT6hpXsOAv1MXVL85FJjOZZP11zIBeCYD9CXzS_4xUvbmSpqS89jm9Fb1ccvitvUiSyIVdhHaA-WqflFuxEANIv__rKbzq_tjalmUw7Z2JyqSC-Y6FAIr45/s320/DramaturgyAngel.jpg" width="213" /></a><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Marisol</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
by José Rivera is a puzzle that is a thrill to unravel. When I started my
dramaturgical research this summer, I was excited and daunted by the wide range
of topics Rivera introduces in the play and the passion with which he tackles
them. Is the play about gender dynamics? Violence in urban areas? Millennialism
and the Apocalypse? Homelessness and the growing gap between the rich and the
poor? Through my research and our rehearsals so far, I really believe the play
is about all of the above ideas and that they all have equal weight in telling Rivera’s
story. Many past productions of <i>Marisol </i>chose
one or two topical lenses through which to present the play to an audience, but
one of James' goals is to bring clarity to all angles and fully explore
everything Rivera gives us to experiment with in this gorgeous and poetic script.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">My two personal threads of interest the
helped me step inside the world of the play on my first reading was: (1) the
connection between societal fears of the Millennium in the early 1990s and the
current fears we hold regarding the impending election of 2016; (2) linking the
problems of the past and present that women face in a patriarchal and dangerous
world. Using these concepts has been helpful for me to connect to <i>Marisol</i>. Although the play has many 1990s
references, Rivera’s work feels incredibly timely for audiences right now at
Villanova and in a larger context, as we strive to define what “American
Values” are in 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHVR7YiLdroY_LvYjv7k8689dA7fVWPBGugvTvz8ppcTWSIutS3H6nMHEn_HjDPY4JYGDVG6qlbG5w5S_osreBjRahMnRhvmo8AWW4uk0ofauWSbuY0lfMnHPhIRVju8AWluoj-fNARcl/s1600/DramaturgyChange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHVR7YiLdroY_LvYjv7k8689dA7fVWPBGugvTvz8ppcTWSIutS3H6nMHEn_HjDPY4JYGDVG6qlbG5w5S_osreBjRahMnRhvmo8AWW4uk0ofauWSbuY0lfMnHPhIRVju8AWluoj-fNARcl/s320/DramaturgyChange.jpg" width="241" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I've gained many new insights during the
first two weeks of rehearsals watching the brilliant work of James, the cast,
and the production team. I've learned how important the concepts of physical space
and time are in understanding the characters’ journeys through the play. I have
also learned that the contrast between what we expect as an audience and what
is actually happening onstage is a huge part of Rivera's genius in crafting a
masterpiece of "anti-apathy" theater. By pointing out the larger
societal issues using the expressionistic imagery of magic realism, Rivera
utilizes creativity and exaggeration to poke holes in existing socio-political systems
and point out injustices that are often invisible in our daily lives. His
storytelling encourages the audience’s emotions to shift from pathos to
euphoria at the drop of a hat, like a heightened version of how we live
each day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope <i>Marisol</i>
encourages everyone who sees it to WAKE UP and take action as much as it has
inspired me to work toward making the world better during this process and
beyond. Rivera intertwines activism with his goal of speaking modern truth to
power through century’s old literary traditions of apocalyptic literature and
magic realism. In the Augustinian spirit, I hope we all leave Villanova Theatre
wanting to act on the courage of our own uncertainty and set the world aflame
with positive change.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Villanova Theatre's production of MARISOL runs November
8-20. Get your tickets at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.villanovatheatre.org/"><span style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.villanovatheatre.org</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>or give us a call at 610-519-7474.</span></i></b></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-90838255189118877062016-09-26T15:29:00.001-04:002016-09-26T15:46:25.284-04:00A Playlist For ELECTRAIn celebration of the strong and powerful female characters of ELECTRA, our team has put together a playlist of our favorite bad a$$ ladies. From Beyonce to Joan Jett - Florence And The Machine to Aretha Franklin, this playlist has something for everyone.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="261" src="//giphy.com/embed/3o6ozBUuLfzTCngAFi" width="480"></iframe><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/beyonce-lemonade-3o6ozBUuLfzTCngAFi">via GIPHY</a><br />
<br />
Whether you'd like to inspire your inner Goddess or get prepared for Electra's fury, our exclusive playlist is ready to go for you!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A248WOQMdltFv7R9t19Z69P" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br />
Be sure to catch Villanova Theatre's own Bad A$$ women on stage at Sophocles' ELECTRA. There's only one week of performances left. Be sure to grab your tickets before we close on October 2nd. For tickets and more information visit <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/" target="_blank">www.villanovatheatre.org. </a>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-41470693213488503272016-09-21T14:24:00.004-04:002016-09-21T14:29:05.643-04:00Ancient Greek Theater Is Alive And Well: A Dramaturg's Perspective<div class="Body">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUInfw3UUJYbn9LaMeiW8tA_4yvhQ7hG_4_LW9fmbiFk9eDQ7hzXkSG7o9oEEEhZTYCfHbiqZJPVtl89XI2y9kvzpTBB3aUPg7JWB1_opPU9IyZhRAdm-zTCal-m_-igW8XDieJ76WgtR/s1600/Lexa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUInfw3UUJYbn9LaMeiW8tA_4yvhQ7hG_4_LW9fmbiFk9eDQ7hzXkSG7o9oEEEhZTYCfHbiqZJPVtl89XI2y9kvzpTBB3aUPg7JWB1_opPU9IyZhRAdm-zTCal-m_-igW8XDieJ76WgtR/s200/Lexa.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Second year graduate student (and Costume Assistant extraordinaire!), Lexa Grace has been hard at work over the summer preparing for her role as a dramaturg for ELECTRA. As she traveled through Greece she studied first hand the art and culture of ancient Greece! Lexa was kind enough to share her journey with us and </i></span><i style="font-family: "times new roman", serif;">how she has discovered the timeless universality in Greek tragedy. Check out Lexa's blog and learn more about Sophocles' ELECTRA which opens tonight at Villanova Theatre!</i></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I found out I had been selected as
the dramaturg for Frank McGuinness</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">adaptation
of Sophocles</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Electra </span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">back in May. I was
eating dinner with one of my </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">non-theater</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">friends, when the
email appeared on my phone. I squealed with excitement as I scrolled through
the message.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">m going to be the
dramaturg for <i>Electra</i></span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
told my friend.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">What</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">s that?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">he responded,
having never heard the term before. </span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">It</span><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">s
the person who does all the research for a production,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I explained. I then
gave him a laundry list of things a dramaturg does including, providing the
cast and crew with relevant historical research, writing program notes,
organizing speaker</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">s night, creating a
visual file, and so on.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GYCyz34AWKhBs-SIE1fg0hzYplulWASpuDoyQIXBq8bS7zJxRBl9iL_KvVQtS23mtNzP5D_44SwGhKos9B4QFdHDNBd512GcKEN7bPe9ZYQhmFm90Oz1fSfdXfnbtX4bJXs6uGSO5eWl/s1600/Dionysus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GYCyz34AWKhBs-SIE1fg0hzYplulWASpuDoyQIXBq8bS7zJxRBl9iL_KvVQtS23mtNzP5D_44SwGhKos9B4QFdHDNBd512GcKEN7bPe9ZYQhmFm90Oz1fSfdXfnbtX4bJXs6uGSO5eWl/s320/Dionysus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">So, what do you do?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">he asked again,
after my spiel. I looked at him, dumbfounded. Hadn</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">t I just gone
through all of the duties of a dramaturg for him?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I mean, what do you
research?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">he asked. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">You keep talking
about all these things you will do with your </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">research,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">but what are you
actually researching?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
froze with a piece of sushi halfway to my mouth, pondering this very simple,
yet incredibly large, question. </span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Greek Theatre?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I suggested after a
moment. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sophocles</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">…</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Frank McGuinness,
mythology</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">…”</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">While I was correct
in assuming I would touch on all of these subjects, I had no idea how deeply I
would fall in love with all of these source materials, nor how much the
research I would provide would affect the production. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLf06E_E1ODGAawzz-EBQyx8qF76UpfGl7042D_WCFvj3IwSem8GzAzyZvuW6M-9NPhULPznJrVPrepD0dtKpymgwUJXFVAelJgFhhfKCOt-OT5rut7gMm-cnYvBcxFAPMVUCshIzrqOKl/s1600/Aegisthus+and+Clytemnestra+murdering+Agamemnon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLf06E_E1ODGAawzz-EBQyx8qF76UpfGl7042D_WCFvj3IwSem8GzAzyZvuW6M-9NPhULPznJrVPrepD0dtKpymgwUJXFVAelJgFhhfKCOt-OT5rut7gMm-cnYvBcxFAPMVUCshIzrqOKl/s320/Aegisthus+and+Clytemnestra+murdering+Agamemnon.jpg" width="313" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of the first areas of research I began to look into was the mythology
surrounding Electra and her family. The stories ooze out of the ancient Greek
tradition of oral story telling. While at first glance the story might appear
to be an ancient relic, full of Greek gods and heroes who</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">se names are barely
recognizable; <b>the more I read about <i>Electra
</i>and her family, the more I felt as if I was reading a <i>Game of Thrones</i>
spinoff novel.</b> <b>The myths of Electra</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">’</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">s family are full
of brutal bloody murders, passionate love affairs, unbearable grief, and
incredible joy. </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
themes and paradoxes are the backbone of all ancient Greek drama and the very
ingredients that make these plays still relevant and entertaining in the 21st
century.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">After
learning about the legend of Electra</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">s
family, I began to research how Sophocles</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">version
of <i>Electra</i> would have been performed
in ancient Greece. I found that while the themes present in ancient Greek drama
remain universal, performance styles have varied greatly over the past several
years. Ancient Greek performances were full of spectacle. The plays were
traditionally presented during City Dionysia, a six day festival in March,
usually right after a sacrifice to the gods was made. Choral songs and dances
were interwoven into the plays and represented a huge aspect of ancient Greek
theater. My favorite aspect of the <i>Electra </i>process has been getting to see how my research on this ancient
form of spectacle has entered into and been interpreted by the design team. Our
director, Father David, has done an excellent job of interpreting ancient Greek
traditions and mythologies in a way that greatly benefits our production.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYc0faTEMfFqgdUzN4UsXwU7rrQ0T9FMXd77fVEFo12BN_Pc_YEdrpthV6drmNSWLUacXpBL8szKdezKCjqWRwaisZQSetOmkwFM6U87F_QAMfduR-kLZZUTG9w36E86bTo1fUnw7aenYc/s1600/Greek+theater+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYc0faTEMfFqgdUzN4UsXwU7rrQ0T9FMXd77fVEFo12BN_Pc_YEdrpthV6drmNSWLUacXpBL8szKdezKCjqWRwaisZQSetOmkwFM6U87F_QAMfduR-kLZZUTG9w36E86bTo1fUnw7aenYc/s320/Greek+theater+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
we get closer to opening, I can see the importance of Electra’s mythology </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and the traditions
of ancient Greek theater has on the play. The performance does not demand that
the audience have an intense understanding of Greek mythology or theater, nor
does it attempt to imitate the ancient Greek tradition. However, the actors
have used the research I have provided to inform their performances in a
dynamic way that transcends the specificity of a traditional ancient Greek
drama. It has been an absolute joy to watch the cast and crew create a
performance that uses the traditions and legacy of the play, without making it
feel like a history drama. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
am incredibly excited for the actors to perform their work and show our
audiences how exciting and universal these ancient stories still are.</span></div>
<div class="Body">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.85px; text-indent: 48px;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.85px; text-indent: 48px;"><b>Villanova Theatre's production of ELECTRA runs September 20-October 2nd. Get your tickets at <a href="http://www.villanovatheatre.org/">www.villanovatheatre.org</a> or give us a call at 610-519-7474.</b></i></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-40711331312341441792016-09-08T12:36:00.002-04:002016-09-08T12:36:42.467-04:00Living and Learning in Ireland<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Ever wonder what Villanova Theatre's Abbey Theatre Exchange program is like? Villanova Theatre is incredibly lucky to continue our partnership with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin to offer students an immersive learning experience abroad. We sat down with second year acting scholar, Dan Cullen, who gave us an inside scoop about the program!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGnmQUf2goPDI7evITEbMQ1CObrmCiqqn23D2DUL-V30BzECQ7HPQxVNuf_bcCzPPPDUouPcYI4a5qcHm6aBpBESoglbnIfrTJKO_GIR8eILPAgKex_awgtBeKy6-5Lt9RyN6XqqT48St/s1600/IrelandBlog4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGnmQUf2goPDI7evITEbMQ1CObrmCiqqn23D2DUL-V30BzECQ7HPQxVNuf_bcCzPPPDUouPcYI4a5qcHm6aBpBESoglbnIfrTJKO_GIR8eILPAgKex_awgtBeKy6-5Lt9RyN6XqqT48St/s320/IrelandBlog4.JPG" width="240" /></a>This summer I was fortunate enough to participate in the
Abbey Summer Studio – made possible through Villanova’s partnership with
Ireland’s National Theatre. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
This was the
second year of their Summer Studio, and it is an incredible opportunity for any
Villanova student. The program was made
up of ten students from the University’s graduate theatre, literature, and liberal
studies programs; about a dozen undergraduates; and a handful of students from
University College Dublin. The variety
of backgrounds that the Summer Studio brings together makes for a unique
learning opportunity: not only were we spending a month immersed in a rich
artistic culture, but we also were able to see how students of other
disciplines perceive the same material in such different ways. All too often academic programs can feel as
though their subject matter exists in a vacuum.
The greatest strength of the Abbey Summer Studio is the way it
highlights the intersectionality between the theatrical and the literary,
between the Irish experience and the American, between the academic and the
practical.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOxx0lYKFNKu7MksZkMU6nL2doFI-wls-pBUDJroq_o20mZNCvPET7LbTOPDEUhF73sDGO1XEyVOlo4lc43lyHcZsw_sBLbMjZseBDfNx9Gv6t-q9of6kLIPGAapUbo-Ved91EoMUzvlU/s1600/IrelandBlog4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOxx0lYKFNKu7MksZkMU6nL2doFI-wls-pBUDJroq_o20mZNCvPET7LbTOPDEUhF73sDGO1XEyVOlo4lc43lyHcZsw_sBLbMjZseBDfNx9Gv6t-q9of6kLIPGAapUbo-Ved91EoMUzvlU/s320/IrelandBlog4.JPG" width="320" /></a>The first three weeks of the program takes place in
Dublin. Every morning there is a
classroom session which is a combination of lecture and discussion. Students are asked to read a selection of
modern and contemporary plays by Irish authors chosen to demonstrate the impact
of drama on Irish society. We discussed
the place of theatre in the Irish political discourse, especially throughout
the 20th century, how instrumental the Abbey Theatre in particular was in the
Irish struggle against colonial rule and the creation of its national
identity. It was inspiring to see how
these plays worked in terms of literature, influencing the national
consciousness, and comparing it to how social commentary works on the American
stage which enjoys far less institutional support.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Afternoons were spent in the Abbey Theatre’s rehearsal space
where we examined the canonical literature we had discussed in the morning in a
much more theatrical way. The Abbey’s
educational staff took us through workshops in voice and movement, and we
applied these skills to create sketches based on the themes and language of the
texts. There were also creative writing
workshops that allowed students to create new pieces in conversation with the
great works we were studying, and demonstrate how those themes relate to
contemporary Irish and American experiences.
These sessions were geared toward a performance at the end of our time
in Dublin at the Abbey’s intimate Peacock Theatre. This performance showcased the literary
analysis we had done, the voice and body training we received, and the creative
spirit of the program.<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4Olr-sJTsNvEID-noQMaoKgd-waVBaOU6AaP6v4DL6o-aVN5tTq-HeqdIyndwYYKK09MD9zSFoLlDGwRN2WHK2NvK_UyVcgOxkMUspK7QpYam-Cex1RXogRVAv55izgLIkDsFDb2F12D/s1600/IrelandBlog3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4Olr-sJTsNvEID-noQMaoKgd-waVBaOU6AaP6v4DL6o-aVN5tTq-HeqdIyndwYYKK09MD9zSFoLlDGwRN2WHK2NvK_UyVcgOxkMUspK7QpYam-Cex1RXogRVAv55izgLIkDsFDb2F12D/s320/IrelandBlog3.JPG" width="240" /></a>The remainder of our time in Ireland was spent at the
National University of Ireland at Galway.
The library there has a comprehensive archive of materials from the
Abbey that date back to its very foundation.
We were asked to engage our newly acquired knowledge of Great Irish
dramatic literature with the materials in the archive to create a research
paper. Here again we were asked to
synthesize the texts of the plays and their place in Irish history with what
had taken place in production – how the activities on the Abbey stage related
to the social, political, and cultural climate of their time and place. We discovered how Ireland is a case study for
the effective power of the theatre whose aptitude rivals the ancient Greeks and
Romans. Ideally this experience will
allow us to apply the lessons offered to us by the Irish theatre and elevate
the theatre to such an influential level in our own culture. <o:p></o:p></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-49041916993206372842016-04-07T14:18:00.001-04:002016-04-07T14:50:53.299-04:00The Universal in TRANSLATIONS: A Dramaturg's Perspective <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9HX0ZO9AWXydt8IjMzaCIHpeAoT-6DuLMLMcAsVJQXtNYta51sMHRCzQRJBR9FaVbxd93-i9Y9TrR0HftA7bCO2zo6QKooOJIbQWlbJwRGGGEMGRs5M3Zmq0tEjnTCQyjOnIt48ip62u/s1600/289552_10150357635615660_4695129_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9HX0ZO9AWXydt8IjMzaCIHpeAoT-6DuLMLMcAsVJQXtNYta51sMHRCzQRJBR9FaVbxd93-i9Y9TrR0HftA7bCO2zo6QKooOJIbQWlbJwRGGGEMGRs5M3Zmq0tEjnTCQyjOnIt48ip62u/s320/289552_10150357635615660_4695129_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><i>Graduate Student, Elise D'Avella, has been hard at work this year. She's closing up the year by completing her thesis, directing Sarah Kane's CRAVE, and dramaturging our upcoming production of TRANSLATIONS. Elise was kind enough to share her thoughts on her process this year, and how Friel's play drenched in Irish history has stolen her heart. Check out Elise' blog post below and learn more about Friel's play, Translations, transporting audiences to Ireland starting next week. </i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve taken on many different roles at
Villanova this year. I stage managed the mythical production of <i>Eurydice</i>, got into the body of a witch
in <i>Macbeth</i>, I am directing the
daunting Sarah Kane’s <i>Crave</i> for my
directing thesis, and now I am dramaturging the upcoming production of Brian
Friel’s <i>Translations</i>. By taking on
all of these varying roles I’ve discovered that through the experience of each,
you develop a unique type of ownership, a love, a connection to each
production:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />As a stage
manager, I developed a maternal love for <i>Eurydice</i>,
supporting the production as it grows into its full potential and being there
to catch it when it falls. As an actor, the love is more selfish. <i>Macbeth</i> is clearly witch 3’s story, I
don’t care what anybody says. Which of course is ridiculous, but completely
necessary. It is your responsibility as an actor to go to bat for your
character even if you’re the only one on their side. As a director, you fall in
love with the story. Is the production visually, aurally, emotionally telling
this story as meaningfully as it can? You fawn over every little detail, down
to the positioning of an actor’s foot at any given moment. Finally, as a
dramaturg, you develop a love for the playwright, the text, and the core of
what gives the play its staying power.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnjGeUR2LdykklEYnBv0F370agMpI7ocHYn3WUkGIMw8A6TsnrIaBsDuhyphenhyphenZp6CkRKLjfm16yDxWP6Zy_9QZNsX3qLTXFms666WpwN9QgpkU_Sc4l3kJ3NRJ0MvHxgg8K9kZsnWeP8AXhh/s1600/BrianFrielBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnjGeUR2LdykklEYnBv0F370agMpI7ocHYn3WUkGIMw8A6TsnrIaBsDuhyphenhyphenZp6CkRKLjfm16yDxWP6Zy_9QZNsX3qLTXFms666WpwN9QgpkU_Sc4l3kJ3NRJ0MvHxgg8K9kZsnWeP8AXhh/s320/BrianFrielBlog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I could not have asked for a more beautiful
play to fall in love with during my first dramaturgical experience. In
researching </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Translations</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, I have
discovered that almost every line has at least one layer of meaning underneath
of it, and yet, Brian Friel is so skilled at his craft that you do not see the
layers of work, you only feel them. I was blown away when I found out that he
thou</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ght this play would never succeed. He said in an interview, “Nowadays, to
write a three-act naturalistic play set in the 19</span><sup style="font-family: inherit;">th</sup><span style="font-family: inherit;"> century in the
Gaeltacht is a recipe for some kind of instant death, so its success astonished
me.” In a way, he has a point. This play is extremely specific and at face
value doesn’t seem like it will relate to a universal audience, but somehow it
does.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have been fascinated throughout
this rehearsal process- constantly trying to figure out what <i>exactly is it about this play? How does it
bring someone like myself, who knew next to nothing about Irish history, to
tears every time?</i></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVTRnsnDNWdWYtk-bpcPvfWtFrWVxw9luipzKBOju4htvrT1WmLZqHpgH0py0Et4g1tLhyphenhyphen9UZX8kJM9L8XOhwrkZTF0P_N-oQGGgg74SFRhH2s_PZ57PjHeeTL-Iklp5ixnS_cSbcqN71/s1600/BrianFrielBlog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVTRnsnDNWdWYtk-bpcPvfWtFrWVxw9luipzKBOju4htvrT1WmLZqHpgH0py0Et4g1tLhyphenhyphen9UZX8kJM9L8XOhwrkZTF0P_N-oQGGgg74SFRhH2s_PZ57PjHeeTL-Iklp5ixnS_cSbcqN71/s200/BrianFrielBlog2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /> </i>Time and time
again, it comes back to what Friel had said about his play, although the
politics in the piece are unavoidable, <i>Translations</i>
is solely about language. It is about what connects us as humans; are words the
sole means of communication or is there a language that exists without words? <i>Translations</i> also engages with the
inevitability of change and transition. As history teaches us, empires are
destined to fall, and it is only those who can adapt that survive. Friel was
concerned with what is lost in these moments of transition. <i>Is it possible to hold onto a cultural
identity across all borders or is it doomed to be lost in translation?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The English language is now
Ireland’s language, and yet, it’s not. In Friel’s opinion, Ireland has yet to
learn to absorb English, and it was his mission as a playwright to rediscover
the Irish identity within the English language. For this reason, <i>Translations</i> was very close to his
heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />He described
writing <i>Translations</i> as a form of <i>Pietas, </i>a sense of loyalty or
dutifulness to one’s home. This sense of loyalty is something that can be
universally related to, and may be the key to why,<i>Translations</i> continues to inspire and communicate with us today. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">-Elise D'Avella</i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Villanova Theatre's production of </span><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Translations </i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-indent: 0.5in;">runs April 12-24. Get your tickets at<a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/translations-2/" target="_blank"> www.villanovatheatre.org</a> or call us at 610-519-7474.</span></span>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-55644138616356767532016-03-17T15:46:00.000-04:002016-03-17T16:12:11.364-04:00Get Into The Spirit With Some Irish Tunes<div style="text-align: left;">
Today is Saint Patrick's Day. We have a barn built in our theater for Brian Friel's <i>Translations. </i>It only seems appropriate that we create an Irish themed playlist to keep us in the spirit all through April.</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="240" src="//giphy.com/embed/39yeNnVU5rs9G" width="480"></iframe><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/irish-st-patricks-day-39yeNnVU5rs9G"></a><br />
<br />
We pulled together our favorite Irish and Irish American artists for this special playlist. The Cranberries, Van Morrison, Dropkick Murphy's, RIVERDANCE- the Irish have a lot of tunes to keep your toes tapping.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A1OaumL2CJrTSGIEryqe1lL" width="300"></iframe><br />
<br />
We may have had too much fun creating and we hope you have as much fun listening to it! <i>Translations </i>runs April 12-24 here at Villanova Theatre. <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/translations-2/" target="_blank">Click here for tickets and more information. </a>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-74814946567030895352016-01-28T15:05:00.000-05:002016-01-29T15:01:20.142-05:00Brighten Your Day With Some BarbershopAs we approach the Opening Night of A Wonderful Noise we're grooving to the nostalgic tunes of barbershop quartets. We were inspired by the harmonies of the 40's and began collecting songs for our special "Happy Harmonies Through the Ages" playlist. From Queen to the Pentatonix, this special playlist features songs that riff off of the quintessential barbershop style. Visit the Villanova Theatre Talk Blog to check it out! And then there is always Steve Carrell.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="239" src="//giphy.com/embed/U13atgCSNEflu" width="450"></iframe><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/lol-national-barbershop-quartet-day-U13atgCSNEflu"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Let us know some of your favorite harmonies!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A3wTLTLb2u4oITvV0mI6IAV" width="300"></iframe>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-2457537521017215782016-01-21T13:38:00.000-05:002016-01-21T14:06:25.766-05:00A Peek Inside The Evaluation Room: Building a New Play With Kristin Miller<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Villanova Theatre is thrilled to present our first Graduate Student produced Studio Show, </i>The Evaluation Room, <i>written by second year Kristin Miller. This program was started to provide a unique opportunity for our Graduate Students to collaborate and produce original work together. Kristin was generous enough to share her process and feelings over the course of developing and staging her new work: </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7zgz9_ozmSl1IBaK7Cchm2Ooxjbsh4hKozH-D3Ait0pZcjkz0yNPcAUbCfsyHfGdc9OwZ_cyaR2f5XA-X25JrHgZBhPqTylMZK2kByCHO9MJ15LFF9kCHa1EURau0gyD2eOtnMY55o0R/s1600/Kristin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7zgz9_ozmSl1IBaK7Cchm2Ooxjbsh4hKozH-D3Ait0pZcjkz0yNPcAUbCfsyHfGdc9OwZ_cyaR2f5XA-X25JrHgZBhPqTylMZK2kByCHO9MJ15LFF9kCHa1EURau0gyD2eOtnMY55o0R/s320/Kristin.jpg" width="236" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Playwrights are always listening to
characters fall in love, fall out of love, argue, lie, break down, and
reconcile. Every character lives a full life, and becomes a person, inside the creator’s
mind. I care deeply about every person I dare to offer the world. It doesn’t matter
to me how many lines she speaks or how many pages she’s in—each person is
worthy of my full attention and careful consideration. All of this probably
makes me sound a little bit obsessed. I think, as a playwright, you have to be
a tiny bit obsessive or you’ll never give in to the agony it takes to flesh a
piece out completely. The internal life
of a play in my head can be satisfying by itself, but the greatest reward is
watching other artists pull everything I’ve been thinking out onto the stage in
front of me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I was very nervous when we sat down
for <i>The Evaluation Room</i> auditions.
Would people pick up on the quirks and vibes of my characters? How would the
energy flow between actors? Did these characters even make sense? Do they <i>need</i> to make sense? When I was a senior
in college we staged a rehearsed reading of this play, but this was the first
time people had ever actually auditioned for a play I wrote. For the first ten
minutes my fists were clenched and my lips were pursed—I was trying to look
very serious in an attempt to mask my urge to burst into anxious tears. But then
something magical happened: just as I opened my mouth to say something about a
character, Meg (the director) was already saying it. I turned, a dumbstruck
look on my face. Suddenly every restless feeling in my body melted away. Of
course, I already knew that Meg understood my aesthetic, but hearing her say
something I was thinking at the exact same moment was enough to make me swoon!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">That moment with Meg was the first
moment of spontaneous harmony, but it was definitely not the last. There have
been so many times over the past weeks when my brain has been directly
linked to Meg’s and Amanda’s (dramaturg and actor!) that I don’t think I could
mention each instance if I tried. Before we started this process I believed
revisions were needed. I started writing </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The
Evaluation Room</i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> when I was 21 years old, and since then I have evolved as a
person tremendously I knew that some perspectives would shift. However, I
did not expect to find and develop a completely new ending and add almost 40
pages worth of new material!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZL2ImwVin9AAeyHdjgFDoGvKDpWuZKros6TH2Yj6JJJCWIiFeJU2bmsaVDxGLcMRkoQqkUsLj7z0T7CJD6JMK5WjsdM8w8aMasvuKR8nYTTD-vLd_OgBBmE-L91MfqIOfY8X3EFLQakK/s1600/EvaluationRoomFBFinal+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZL2ImwVin9AAeyHdjgFDoGvKDpWuZKros6TH2Yj6JJJCWIiFeJU2bmsaVDxGLcMRkoQqkUsLj7z0T7CJD6JMK5WjsdM8w8aMasvuKR8nYTTD-vLd_OgBBmE-L91MfqIOfY8X3EFLQakK/s400/EvaluationRoomFBFinal+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif;">There are many questions that
playwrights cannot answer for themselves. There are things we cannot see when
we look at the words that directors, dramaturgs, actors, and designers see
immediately. I sat down for a casual lunch with Amanda, after our first read of
the script, knowing that we’d have a great conversation about structure, arc,
and character development. I found out something much more important during
that lunch, though: Amanda cared about the play just as deeply as I did. I
didn’t think it was possible for another person to have the same ardent passion
for this play. I listened with new ears during our second read of the script,
and heard genuine devotion in the voices of every person in the room. It’s a
feeling I cannot accurately describe. The best I can say is that I continually
have wonderful realizations that everyone involved in the development of </span><i style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif;">The Evaluation Room</i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', serif;"> is as invested as I
am. This experience clarifies beyond any shadow of a doubt that the theatre is
the place for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFshLwnqPSSt3rmv6Jg8-DTDVX0zylfK29d-Mg1v0oF7p46uM_bMgiY10kFVmoZCHrpC9fCnISZ-IAPn2iaOZ96jDebDIA0tZJUNxtfNilmoUpk3a2pLniaPkJIp1lNybsvUlleH8SQzUs/s1600/EvaluationRoomRehearsal1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFshLwnqPSSt3rmv6Jg8-DTDVX0zylfK29d-Mg1v0oF7p46uM_bMgiY10kFVmoZCHrpC9fCnISZ-IAPn2iaOZ96jDebDIA0tZJUNxtfNilmoUpk3a2pLniaPkJIp1lNybsvUlleH8SQzUs/s320/EvaluationRoomRehearsal1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">This blog post has turned into a bit
of a love letter to the cast and production team, but that feels entirely
right. A play is just words on a page without people willing to lift it onto
its feet and put it in front of an audience. I am honored that such talented
and generous artists are dedicating themselves to realizing a play that lives
so close to my heart. Each of them has been instrumental in <i>The Evaluation Room</i>’s growth.
Inspiration comes in the most mysterious ways. Whether it was a late night text
message from Ebeth (Lizzie), a chat on the way to the car with Jess (Frank), an
off-the-cuff remark from John (Prince) or Mark (J-Man), or the perfect facial
expression from Lize (Gabe). Everyone has offered something invaluable to the
development of this play. In fact, just when I thought the play was nearly
complete I sat with Elise to talk about her character Mags and found that the
character I’d created was awakened by Elise and emerged more beautifully than I
had ever imagined. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Meet Kristin's characters and be the first to see this world premiere production! </i>The Evaluation Room <i>will run January 26-31 in the Vasey Hall Studio. Tickets are free but seating is limited. For more information and to reserve your tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-evaluation-room-tickets-20716963997" target="_blank">click here.</a> </i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-48558731643381346562016-01-14T14:27:00.001-05:002016-01-14T15:24:20.516-05:00Falling in Love With The 40s: A Dramaturg’s Perspective on A WONDERFUL NOISE<div style="text-align: left;">
Graduate Student, Alix Rosenfeld, is completing her thesis as the dramaturg for <i>A Wonderful Noise. </i>We are lucky enough to have the inside scoop of her process working on this Philadelphia premiere which will transport audiences to the 1940s. Check out this excerpt of Alix's thesis proposal and learn more about this fantastic musical comedy by Villanova's very own Michael Hollinger, who serves as the Associate Artistic Director for Villanova Theatre. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xzCRDzglNhEoUBRn3N-M4qbwNXTHh85sH9fo2xnou8Zgk1x7hIzQ7P5jPei98A28naCOFpB4w96xPBJ6UZg36e8aYrWEmyGhVRDTnejWkK7MCjEwgOALbVXxQxXbXlH-rRNdnKYMJjYK/s1600/AlixHeadshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xzCRDzglNhEoUBRn3N-M4qbwNXTHh85sH9fo2xnou8Zgk1x7hIzQ7P5jPei98A28naCOFpB4w96xPBJ6UZg36e8aYrWEmyGhVRDTnejWkK7MCjEwgOALbVXxQxXbXlH-rRNdnKYMJjYK/s200/AlixHeadshot.jpg" width="200" /></a><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I first fell in love with this
musical when “Chit Chat” was sung at the season selection announcement last
spring. The song is incredibly entertaining, rich, and comical—truly a knockout
number. It is a song that is pure joy, but it also acts as a time machine,
propelling us back into another era that initially feels foreign, but actually
sits comfortably in our cores. After my first encounter with the music and the
script, I found that this holds true from beginning to end. The audience is
transported to 1941 St. Louis with all of the innocence that accompanies a
bygone era, and that feeling is reinforced masterfully by the music, the words,
and the character relationships created by Michael Hollinger and Vance Lehmkuhl.
In this musical we get the opportunity to be enchanted as we leave the modern
world behind yet somehow land in a place that feels like home.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Though
1941 seems like a fragment of the past that we have forgotten, the brilliance
of this piece is its ability to live in that past but still reach forward in
time and speak to issues that affect us today. That is where its power lies:
comedy and guilelessness charge forward throughout, but the threat of war
bubbles almost imperceptibly under the surface. </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">A Wonderful Noise</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"> packs a very unexpected punch, and it is the
effect of the war that keeps it from simply being an evening of camp and good
times. Instead, it is a wonderful blend of witty hijinks, heartfelt emotions,
and just enough solemnity, working in harmony to create a beautiful,
well-rounded experience for the audience.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnF85vWQGqdAufzzHCZdHamfkuSvyewGiomBHkWPn5jCRanaSJGVrO5zDREb81ihyphenhyphen9rpfbtvzb7lGjawnIy_tXxOslL_RAz3ZuLVK8Aqct6d-Wmj1b9YVNJPgdhC8F7eavdFnGUhhU8Fqz/s1600/SPEbsqsa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnF85vWQGqdAufzzHCZdHamfkuSvyewGiomBHkWPn5jCRanaSJGVrO5zDREb81ihyphenhyphen9rpfbtvzb7lGjawnIy_tXxOslL_RAz3ZuLVK8Aqct6d-Wmj1b9YVNJPgdhC8F7eavdFnGUhhU8Fqz/s1600/SPEbsqsa.jpg" /></a><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Throughout the research process, I’ve
continued to discover avenues into this musical that strengthen my connection
to it. As a woman, I find Mae’s (and the rest of the quartet’s) determination
to create more equal opportunities for women incredibly inspiring. Despite it
being nearly seventy-five years later, we still live in a society where women
have to fight for equality, and the quartet’s struggles for recognition
represent this conflict on a small yet meaningful scale. In this vein, I also
can’t help but note that our production is incredibly timely. The presidential
primaries will be just days away from opening night, and with one very serious
female contender for the democratic nomination, it’s exciting (and oddly
prescient) to have references to a woman in the white house in the song “Give a
Girl a Chance.” And while I don’t necessarily have a strong connection to the
male quartet’s feelings of brotherhood and “esprit de corps,” I think we all
can understand the desire to maintain a legacy put in place by one’s
forefathers and a need for adventure. In this musical, there truly is something
for everyone.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35v9GjG1I4r2NoUf643it9OoLofQ5WBWKrLD59Hmu4a4sT68VDylQ07e-TnnXbLbr2zCr1V6Wg8FJ6lpbxxpndNI_fZbcsy3MKIe9LEmBArck3rcrW1lojcBh1JoMqHjqLc3jMhjTBScL/s1600/WonderfulNoise.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35v9GjG1I4r2NoUf643it9OoLofQ5WBWKrLD59Hmu4a4sT68VDylQ07e-TnnXbLbr2zCr1V6Wg8FJ6lpbxxpndNI_fZbcsy3MKIe9LEmBArck3rcrW1lojcBh1JoMqHjqLc3jMhjTBScL/s200/WonderfulNoise.jpeg" width="129" /></a><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
this way and many more, </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">A Wonderful Noise</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">
is extraordinary. Hollinger and Lehmkuhl have tapped into a remarkable ability
to take the universal and distill these big ideas into a heartwarming and
enjoyable story. Because of its universality, it transcends its very specific
snapshot of time and breaks open issues that we contend with today, such as
immigration, otherness, equality, war, and patriotism, to name a few. If asked,
“why this play now,” I think the only answer is perhaps the most obvious: we
need this piece. Recently we have been plagued with bombings and other acts of
terrorism, people being displaced from their homes, and other heart-heavy
events that could easily bog us down and make us lose our humanity. </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">A Wonderful Noise</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"> reminds us,
specifically in the song “Out of the Blue,” that through these atrocities we
can still find camaraderie and strength despite adversity. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Villanova Theatre's production of </span><i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">A Wonderful Noise </i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">runs February 9-21. Get your tickets at www.villanovatheatre.org or call us at 610-519-7474.</span></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-49576096616571929432015-10-27T15:37:00.002-04:002015-10-27T15:48:31.258-04:00Just a little hocus pocus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP6qs6eswH1oQNlM3yiDmSjoeHXeZpTmTuegur67x6JhSfWgdxKlQnz028t9Jx1VvGH_ajJeerU8GUeaww3QBKbI5vTtP0RtxtjDJxdBivSnvPuq0SdB9YAo4b2_TJ949t1fp86G8Uhxp/s1600/hocuspocus2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP6qs6eswH1oQNlM3yiDmSjoeHXeZpTmTuegur67x6JhSfWgdxKlQnz028t9Jx1VvGH_ajJeerU8GUeaww3QBKbI5vTtP0RtxtjDJxdBivSnvPuq0SdB9YAo4b2_TJ949t1fp86G8Uhxp/s1600/hocuspocus2.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As we approach Halloween and Villanova's upcoming production of MACBETH, we're getting into the spooky spirit. So just for you, our wonderful audience, we've created this playlist full of songs about magic and witches. From The Police to Jay-Z, to Bjork and Sinatra- there is magic in the air.<br />
<br />
Some of our favorite lyrics from the playlist include:<br />
<div>
<i>"Woohoo Witchy Woman, she got the look in her eye " </i>-The Eagles</div>
<i>"She's tryin' to make a devil out of me" </i>-Santana<br />
<i>"I put a spell on you" </i>-Creedance Clearwater Revival</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xtOqPZcVaqSri6KE46MtYRaGzKOt5CMoSF-hwuBzAFweUUBw7c_eAS0rYaEYunut4cyzVW_9jbeRANH7m7eNcAGqdBt40HzzH0-BWepT7dEzPc2gF1goa1XSdtBBRaHhbSpCgBgPFTnb/s1600/HocusPocus.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5xtOqPZcVaqSri6KE46MtYRaGzKOt5CMoSF-hwuBzAFweUUBw7c_eAS0rYaEYunut4cyzVW_9jbeRANH7m7eNcAGqdBt40HzzH0-BWepT7dEzPc2gF1goa1XSdtBBRaHhbSpCgBgPFTnb/s320/HocusPocus.gif" width="320" /></a><br />
Sit back, relax, and don't forget to grab some Halloween candy to enjoy this enchanting playlist.<br /><br />Do you have any to add?<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="1" height="380" src="https://embed.spotify.com/?uri=spotify%3Auser%3Avillanovatheatre%3Aplaylist%3A5zMf8RihxXwogaOCBYbfsx" width="300"></iframe><br />
<i><br /></i>Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-56391881824066429652015-10-15T17:44:00.000-04:002015-10-15T17:44:42.428-04:00Dangerous Duos In celebration of our upcoming MACBETH, the ladies of Villanova's PR Department have compiled their top 10 list of dangerous duos!<br />
<br />
10-Mr. and Mrs. Smith, <i>Mr. & Mrs. Smith: </i>So bad, they actually try to kill each other.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8PvKnLFlFfQvfL26sJLDKL2kVYJxo8R4CKH9xqKZEPzVJZPSfHBFESYRCtN3QMfsvHef-w3OP7e62RvJgrPFHrwJE8ZAXIaStY243GWgdvpmggb1xOMQHwC-VlKt5_UDmnuE9aUURdue/s1600/mrandmrssmith.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8PvKnLFlFfQvfL26sJLDKL2kVYJxo8R4CKH9xqKZEPzVJZPSfHBFESYRCtN3QMfsvHef-w3OP7e62RvJgrPFHrwJE8ZAXIaStY243GWgdvpmggb1xOMQHwC-VlKt5_UDmnuE9aUURdue/s320/mrandmrssmith.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
9- Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, <i>The Incredibles:</i> I know you're thinking these guys are the good guys, but did you see how much havoc they wreaked on society?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4r-WcunS5fQ7igK8qkOZVtKfnRRC3JYKex_tsoqXNoC8h8HtAN0oT8P0i0WkxHB62yCeF2ma64Cf4ffJoxPUcwp4M766LldWuw41oL1_OMp7WGpVp3lsYDKA-zJPB-2piFjSjLDVoon-/s1600/theincredibles.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4r-WcunS5fQ7igK8qkOZVtKfnRRC3JYKex_tsoqXNoC8h8HtAN0oT8P0i0WkxHB62yCeF2ma64Cf4ffJoxPUcwp4M766LldWuw41oL1_OMp7WGpVp3lsYDKA-zJPB-2piFjSjLDVoon-/s1600/theincredibles.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
8- Batman and Catwoman, <i>The Batman Franchise</i>: Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Keaton or Anne Hathaway and Christian Bale. Always steamy, always bloody, always...way too much leather.<i> </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbxCgwMTmusLKGTbrjJvZJas0XkhXbMvy_QhHpS8etN8AaELSo3BSLCM3DiDN09YZwWMLtLH-dZbKKJHz4TguEpw5FxzLdW6vjrgR-6JhxQ911Jo3ewu7rNDwPRXgpK7VjIQFYe1sV_2a/s1600/batmanandcatwoman.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbxCgwMTmusLKGTbrjJvZJas0XkhXbMvy_QhHpS8etN8AaELSo3BSLCM3DiDN09YZwWMLtLH-dZbKKJHz4TguEpw5FxzLdW6vjrgR-6JhxQ911Jo3ewu7rNDwPRXgpK7VjIQFYe1sV_2a/s1600/batmanandcatwoman.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
7- Thelma and Louise, <i>Thelma and Louise:</i> Best friends through the end.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaA0e-TvICajgalB2ExPn7V6ZSV9OrDQMlHPV-hNYV9n10unZdJD3_6iviOQIVqXm9IBE7x6Kb6ez_p9z7TuQMb72S9ZK7NoEpB_3JWwQ8s6Ng0ymb-U4zk_bYejb9WaHfQ0V24J-9Q7A5/s1600/thelmaandlouise.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaA0e-TvICajgalB2ExPn7V6ZSV9OrDQMlHPV-hNYV9n10unZdJD3_6iviOQIVqXm9IBE7x6Kb6ez_p9z7TuQMb72S9ZK7NoEpB_3JWwQ8s6Ng0ymb-U4zk_bYejb9WaHfQ0V24J-9Q7A5/s320/thelmaandlouise.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
6- Joker and Harley Quinn, <i>Batman, the Animated Series</i>: The couple that we love to hate. Or hate to love. Or just laugh at.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynJTBO0U8_QbL6K1bhZDBfmYqj_jN3qFxpZWdpiegQkhHUzP_FBbNdVy5CufH2hS5-Y2Fr2mvZAbNoQa03bLeK-AYcEQrM2KXDEGw-30EkaAP9XJjVzJ9umHwdXwSU994T5JhPgytx61p/s1600/tumblr_mydlk7YSok1t15e26o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynJTBO0U8_QbL6K1bhZDBfmYqj_jN3qFxpZWdpiegQkhHUzP_FBbNdVy5CufH2hS5-Y2Fr2mvZAbNoQa03bLeK-AYcEQrM2KXDEGw-30EkaAP9XJjVzJ9umHwdXwSU994T5JhPgytx61p/s320/tumblr_mydlk7YSok1t15e26o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a></i></div>
<br />
<br />
5- Mickey and Mallory Knox, <i>Natural Born Killers:</i> The title of the movie really says it all plus look at this picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQf327Jgz5XEOkx5A47coWDIXRJiFPkqvEkUdzMfPOeAjQtQbc7FWXIjBE6hBCOfO6fTCdy9Yp6lmVMU3RByVfgZmoLMG4Yb-hZbvnxBzxIY0vGcz17xedxjKiW7j7BmlTJzSnTGh4Sqg/s1600/NaturalBornKillers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQf327Jgz5XEOkx5A47coWDIXRJiFPkqvEkUdzMfPOeAjQtQbc7FWXIjBE6hBCOfO6fTCdy9Yp6lmVMU3RByVfgZmoLMG4Yb-hZbvnxBzxIY0vGcz17xedxjKiW7j7BmlTJzSnTGh4Sqg/s320/NaturalBornKillers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
4- Boris and Natasha, <i>The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show: </i>They may have not been the most accomplished killers but they were legends!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd80R_oLV04nVx13VBx-I8VytHOWUhQ0xEqIlJ5RH6s3dwzn-VNviD2AAojq43b9-yVWpkWd82EjkioTkvPXeFKmAN34P7R7h6CZQ6RzKQ4bxZhkranFwJ2JtdZa8Pe7PaYwHIh3m_p_MA/s1600/borisandnatasha.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd80R_oLV04nVx13VBx-I8VytHOWUhQ0xEqIlJ5RH6s3dwzn-VNviD2AAojq43b9-yVWpkWd82EjkioTkvPXeFKmAN34P7R7h6CZQ6RzKQ4bxZhkranFwJ2JtdZa8Pe7PaYwHIh3m_p_MA/s1600/borisandnatasha.gif" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
3- Clair and Francis Underwood, <i>House of Cards:</i> Duh.<i> </i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJEo-bcxsLmvxg5j54rNxY6nKkMv1iSeM640rI3d5XeKluFjbK5SkBkob-X-E8XSMvpYfz59XerUVdOatB5nnjHhYSzqMAPxG4h4WJAQ7MfzywErCxSVbPtcfDXXNsqSULbFEhJam-Ibj/s1600/houseofcards.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJEo-bcxsLmvxg5j54rNxY6nKkMv1iSeM640rI3d5XeKluFjbK5SkBkob-X-E8XSMvpYfz59XerUVdOatB5nnjHhYSzqMAPxG4h4WJAQ7MfzywErCxSVbPtcfDXXNsqSULbFEhJam-Ibj/s320/houseofcards.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i><br /></i>
2- Bonnie and Clyde, <i>Real Life Bank Robbers: </i>In a fictionalized gif.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8enf6wplCz2I06FxZKNusIsfOghPZV1O53xobZcnRYirDFoN2g7X1Z5JHNwWLCSS73zxry8KfNV-YWdVXFVyYKccDwESDnJXdgkFHVxS4chFV0vqapzlPU_CkmRl31J9d5wpyX-3JvrF/s1600/bonnieandclyde.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8enf6wplCz2I06FxZKNusIsfOghPZV1O53xobZcnRYirDFoN2g7X1Z5JHNwWLCSS73zxry8KfNV-YWdVXFVyYKccDwESDnJXdgkFHVxS4chFV0vqapzlPU_CkmRl31J9d5wpyX-3JvrF/s320/bonnieandclyde.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
1- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, <i>Shakespeare's Macbeth:</i> Power coupling in verse since the 1600's.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT4GfI48pm_CooCfdgo3bol46LPKk99RiDmhazjTXxnsHI0_HZ08YjvyCr2fBrpSKV-L942CHdPmgQ4R_z09dUv2Z0LGNsKv7qUr_WTAlc_YGF63H-w8D7CbbT6YfsS1lEbs8NycA11ML/s1600/mackers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJT4GfI48pm_CooCfdgo3bol46LPKk99RiDmhazjTXxnsHI0_HZ08YjvyCr2fBrpSKV-L942CHdPmgQ4R_z09dUv2Z0LGNsKv7qUr_WTAlc_YGF63H-w8D7CbbT6YfsS1lEbs8NycA11ML/s320/mackers.jpeg" width="320" /></a></i></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-34008067092396633312015-09-29T13:50:00.000-04:002015-09-29T13:50:41.441-04:00"Dear Eurydice, Sincerely Yours" by Rebecca Cureton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCa6iau7mJQVJ92FvDz1kSUB3VUtu7V6B0myJFLihDD3TMK3DCtMbHsZcSPp-_yG8YGkz2uRc3XHE2KtbIS9y2RA7I7OwDE10SUUXwAL68yoVfjh5fwew3TQR_2QZWMRznJDXCJl7KTCbP/s1600/EurydiceBlog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCa6iau7mJQVJ92FvDz1kSUB3VUtu7V6B0myJFLihDD3TMK3DCtMbHsZcSPp-_yG8YGkz2uRc3XHE2KtbIS9y2RA7I7OwDE10SUUXwAL68yoVfjh5fwew3TQR_2QZWMRznJDXCJl7KTCbP/s320/EurydiceBlog1.jpg" width="213" /></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On their path to graduation, all Villanova Theatre second-year students complete a Thesis project in a chosen area that they have studied over the past two years. Options range from academic to artistic and have taken on many forms over the years. Rebecca</span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>, is currently playing the title role of Eurydice in Villanova Theatre's current production of Sarah Ruhl's </i>Eurydice<i>. </i><i>Below, Rebecca shares with us her own Dear Eurydice letter: </i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Dear Eurydice, </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Remember when we first met? I was afraid to
approach you in the beginning. You have lived for centuries. Your tale is ancient,
yet your words are new and alive. You now tell your story with your own strong
voice. The honor of giving sound to that voice is overwhelming and expectations
are high, especially the expectations I place on myself. Questions such as,”
Will I find your voice speaking honestly and bravely through my own?,”
“Can I capture you in a recognizable and original way?,” and “Do I have
the emotional strength to carry this titular role?,” pulsed through my mind. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Mixed with this trepidation was also bursting
excitement. A famed character from Greek mythology now adapted to speak with
such bravery and generosity, you are an iconic role to play. The range of
emotions you express are a welcome challenge for anyone honing their craft.
While the weight of the play is heavy, your lightness of spirit is joyful. How
often does one get to tackle such a paradox!?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This lightness and simplicity of your speech at
first belies the depth of your intellect and capacity to feel. You say you do
not need rhythm, but the rhythm of your heart is undeniable. The beats of your
emotions and the rhythmic pace of your journey from life to death, love and
loss; are as lyrical as Orpheus’ music. The poetry of your words and bravery in
your choices give me the opportunity to travel your road as I speak words which
not mine, but made mine. Ours. As we dance together. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And we have danced! Our friendship blossomed to
complete happiness with a power to feel and play that I have never felt before
in rehearsals. With the loving support of a creative team and surrounded
by an encouraging and talented cast, my fear quickly melted as I found freedom
to make mistakes and expand my physical and emotional abilities. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Eurydice, do you recall that secret I told you?
Crying was embarrassing for me. There was something in the release of tears
that always felt weak and shameful. I expect most people understand that
feeling. But you have taught me no emotion is weak. Your expression of love is
so free and your thoughts so open that to share them is a delight and not a
shame. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BEgh_jZ3XpCVz6ibD7OMBX22UeuTwkqfKY-7ntNwTYIeUvPbeSNK4tQ2-FxIfROpKHiCnqsoRorokpj1Ge_STovjBo3g_4rB2lv_09r-xeCuttUFmeh1xb_gxcKJmw5QO2vKnGYx3N2T/s1600/EurydiceBlog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BEgh_jZ3XpCVz6ibD7OMBX22UeuTwkqfKY-7ntNwTYIeUvPbeSNK4tQ2-FxIfROpKHiCnqsoRorokpj1Ge_STovjBo3g_4rB2lv_09r-xeCuttUFmeh1xb_gxcKJmw5QO2vKnGYx3N2T/s320/EurydiceBlog2.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I have no embarrassment now in loving, laughing,
and crying. It means I am alive. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We are alive. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Your story reminds me that time is short. I hope
it reminds our audiences, too. It seems like yesterday that we said “hello.” Now
it is almost time to say “goodbye.” We should be good at that by now. We say
difficult “goodbyes” so many times in this play. Leave-taking should be our
forte. I confess I am still not a master of it. I struggle now to find the
right words to express myself. You have connected my heart to my voice, for
which I am eternally grateful. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I want the words to be perfect and saying
everything. I even thought saying it in a letter would be easier. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">All I can say is thank you for letting me share
breath with you.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Sincerely (and always) yours,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Rebecca</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-89863177118828106792015-09-23T15:47:00.002-04:002015-09-23T15:47:35.105-04:00James Ijames Shares His Thoughts on Eurydice<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Broad Street Interviewer, Tara Lynn Johnson, recently posed some questions for our esteemed Director, James Ijames, on his production of <i>Eurydice</i>. We're thrilled to offer this exclusive interview! </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Johnson: Tell me about Eurydice and what it's
about in your own words</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ijames: <i>Eurydice </i>is
about holding on to the things we love and also letting go of the things we
love. It's about fathers and daughters. It's about how to love across great
distances.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Johnson: Tell me about directing. What are the
challenges? What's fun about it? </i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ijames: I think the
biggest challenge is finding space for my ideas/vision in relationship to the
collaborators around me so that the final piece of art is something we all
created together. That's a beautiful thing to balance but is not without
difficulty. My favorite part is tech. When it all comes together and the magic
happens.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIpzCUszrkT5Ir8WDkicT08fsOMh63Da-tGafSBfwkiOMHRyticoFmWur-WLVCLsQQfFr6ERYEA0DByg5iYLaeOs7Kg7brw1XFQSI2MmnS3go9JIhDBK9Y285gkdZrPLlfqVNwueqrCUU/s1600/Eurydice-James.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIpzCUszrkT5Ir8WDkicT08fsOMh63Da-tGafSBfwkiOMHRyticoFmWur-WLVCLsQQfFr6ERYEA0DByg5iYLaeOs7Kg7brw1XFQSI2MmnS3go9JIhDBK9Y285gkdZrPLlfqVNwueqrCUU/s320/Eurydice-James.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Johnson: Tell me about Ruhl's writing and style.
What do you like about it? What's unique about it? What's your favorite thing
about it?</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ijames: Sarah Ruhl is
one of the greatest writers of her generation. I love her use of magic and
whimsy but her plays are very sturdy. I think of Sarah Ruhl's plays in much the
same way I consider a gothic church. There is so much happening, and it hard to
take it all in, but they are always reaching for the sublime.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEbMieY3lC4cbRzhXZ2vTsih8g4r24EzdCBCXEjsHxitgADWWL-HsZr4CwP8c5tSkL8kGTFodVf1edSTt-GKsWtunIwUIrZOZzwekKmnVC6JX3qJsFV2QCxRNRRHP33kLCrHCI9I0r_I4/s1600/EurydiceJpeg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEbMieY3lC4cbRzhXZ2vTsih8g4r24EzdCBCXEjsHxitgADWWL-HsZr4CwP8c5tSkL8kGTFodVf1edSTt-GKsWtunIwUIrZOZzwekKmnVC6JX3qJsFV2QCxRNRRHP33kLCrHCI9I0r_I4/s320/EurydiceJpeg1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnson: Tell me a little about your cast. How
are the kids doing with the material?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ijames:<i> </i>The cast is great. Super smart,
fearless, daring and honest. I adore them.</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Johnson: Tell me why people should attend a
Villanova production and this one in particular. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ijames: It's going to be
a fresh take on a play that has been done quite a bit. We have worked really
hard to make the world feel very immediate even when in the moments that live
in nostalgia. Also, the design and acting is pretty terrific. You wanna see it!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Villanova Theatre’s
production of <i>Eurydice </i>opens tonight
and runs through October 4<sup>th</sup>. Get your tickets at <a href="http://www.villanovatheatre.org/">www.villanovatheatre.org</a> or call us
at 610-519-7474.</span><span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-28844065174761839462015-09-15T12:47:00.000-04:002015-09-15T14:23:36.401-04:00The Reclaiming of Eurydice<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dramaturg,
Meghan Trelease, discusses how Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice modernizes the classic Greek Myth.</span></i></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlrc5Mp2Swl0uxAKtZlMgaOPk6OapXIrLP1lLrzkP2CUUeA8LVvT-Fia83Zcek8OsFK55AwRyQTbX_M8Jc6ONMc6Gaa_so_MYisknMsrhbdLWQnJRoRstaddpIzS9L6tazuKC6t18qw_m/s1600/e-blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlrc5Mp2Swl0uxAKtZlMgaOPk6OapXIrLP1lLrzkP2CUUeA8LVvT-Fia83Zcek8OsFK55AwRyQTbX_M8Jc6ONMc6Gaa_so_MYisknMsrhbdLWQnJRoRstaddpIzS9L6tazuKC6t18qw_m/s200/e-blog3.jpg" width="167" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarah
Ruhl finds inspiration for her play <i>Eurydice </i>in the Greek myth
of Orpheus and Eurydice, a tale which is quintessentially tragic. The tragedy of the classical lovers lies in
the idea of one fated and fatal moment, one split second decision that alters
two lifetimes. When Orpheus descends
into the Underworld to rescue his wife Eurydice from untimely death, he receives
strict instructions that he must walk out of the realm of the dead without
looking back at his beloved. Orpheus
must resist the temptation to reassure himself that Eurydice is following him,
and he must practice complete and total faith.
When he does look back, it is an all too human response. Whether Orpheus’ failure to comply
with his directives is the result of a knee jerk, unconscious response or
indicative of some larger fissure of trust between himself and Eurydice, the
fact is this single action bears eternal and weighty consequences. Eurydice must die a second death, and Orpheus
must return alone to the earthly realm and live out the rest of his days
without his one great love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultimately, Sarah </span>Ruhl<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> reclaims
Eurydice from her traditional role as a footnote and mere function in the
tragedy belonging largely to her husband Orpheus. </span>Ruhl<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> rescues Eurydice from
tragedy, </span>victimhood<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, </span>disempowerment<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, and oblivion.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The woman who triumphantly emerges is the
amazing woman you will see on the </span>Vasey<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> stage: a woman who deals with
incredibly difficult circumstances, yet never wavers in her determination to
control of her own life.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly, the
tale of Orpheus and Eurydice is no longer a tragedy, but a brave and poignant
tale of love, loss, and ultimately fragile and beautiful hope.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="Body" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkSDajHetoWKKN0J73lir45phCbNuNtCF-UDgnOeYAFFVdWoBSk_VCfdz4a2saltMgW2mHTvs78pqvMMR5NSo17hRzTBY3y2teMXVQ_CnwrYHMA_0dA_10o4nd7ILNdPLuMhEo0F5_mNY/s1600/e-blog2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkSDajHetoWKKN0J73lir45phCbNuNtCF-UDgnOeYAFFVdWoBSk_VCfdz4a2saltMgW2mHTvs78pqvMMR5NSo17hRzTBY3y2teMXVQ_CnwrYHMA_0dA_10o4nd7ILNdPLuMhEo0F5_mNY/s400/e-blog2.png" width="277" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarah Ruhl adapts the myth in a
variety of ways, but she particularly focuses on re-imagining and reframing the
idea of the “looking back”. In Ruhl’s
<i>Eurydice</i>, the act of looking back is not a mistake, but an act of
agency. Eurydice, depicted by Ruhl, as a
modern woman learning how to wield her own power, actually calls out to Orpheus
as she follows him out of the Underworld.
Eurydice is the catalyst of this moment, and suddenly Orpheus’ decision to look
back represents Eurydice’s choice to control
her own destiny. (I will let the production
speak for the reasons Eurydice chooses to call out to her husband, for the
actors can illuminate the nuances of this far better than I can.) Sarah Ruhl
subverts the idea of looking back so that it becomes the moment that our
heroine, Eurydice, embodies her full potential, rather than the moment in which
she is simply a hapless victim to her husband’s tragic faux pas.</span></div>
<div class="Body" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S</span>arah<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Ruhl<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> continues to rebel
against the traditional tale of Orpheus and Eurydice by reclaiming the idea of
what it means to forget.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traditionally,
when a person died and descended into the Underworld, a swim in the River Lethe
was part of the elaborate ritual of passage. The Lethe was the river of
forgetfulness, and the Underworld was a place where all souls shared in their
inability to remember anything or anyone from the earthly realm.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Therefore, not only was Orpheus forced to
return to live out his mortal life without his love, but he was also the only
half of the couple who was even aware of this great loss. Eurydice, having died
a second death, was completely oblivious that she even had a husband or that he
was torn from her life.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, the
classic version of the myth positions Orpheus at the center of the story as
both the catalyst of dramatic misfortune and the main recipient of its
consequence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHn6zJpTkY8-dAaV1ARLDLs079cmy8iSlkmheHAL0ymsdchb7gS52-njguV9CBY8e08KhrXOpOSKtdKiR_xy2dXDkdBgI2k002zHCiV1Bcl0ZwhoqPy-UyCZDyG6aOCuKdlGV5C7zrCvt/s1600/E-blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHn6zJpTkY8-dAaV1ARLDLs079cmy8iSlkmheHAL0ymsdchb7gS52-njguV9CBY8e08KhrXOpOSKtdKiR_xy2dXDkdBgI2k002zHCiV1Bcl0ZwhoqPy-UyCZDyG6aOCuKdlGV5C7zrCvt/s1600/E-blog1.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just as Ruhl bestows Eurydice with
the agency to cause Orpheus to look back and relinquish her once again to the
Underworld, Ruhl allows Eurydice to choose to exist in a state of
forgetfulness. Ruhl’s interpretation of
forgetting is not one of punishment, consequence, or misfortune, but it is
rather a symbol of acceptance and a coming to terms with circumstances. Eurydice, as reimagined by Sarah Ruhl,
chooses to forget so that she can finally be at peace. (Once again, I will not
spoil the delicious reasons of Eurydice’s
choice- <a href="http://villanovatheatre.org/eurydice/" target="_blank">come and see our production!</a>)
Ruhl openly acknowledges that she wrote <i>Eurydice </i>in an attempt to
come to terms with her profound grief over the death of her father; her
reframing of forgetting as a relief rather than a burden perhaps indicates her
personal feelings about moving past mourning into acceptance.<br /><i><br />Eurydice </i>runs September 22-October 4th at Villanova Theatre. Call 610-519-7474 or visit <a href="http://www.villanovatheatre.org/">www.villanovatheatre.org</a> for tickets! </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2126920058820871933.post-30520809528397356742015-04-09T14:46:00.001-04:002015-04-09T14:47:54.053-04:00Brechtin' Ain't Easy<div class="p1">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30OpxB4LORAJIihXl5_j-eutDtwKjI9Yi9nUgmmv3foDB1t7aoRkdTRbHuu-FQvBt2WpXlgRTAWgIvRudw2jVWKf-QKdIeiPDEtZqIpIe3gWGkcSb5Ur1qXVFhp8_ZGb6CHu_ZE4MTxcn/s1600/167553_10150366385390554_4177786_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30OpxB4LORAJIihXl5_j-eutDtwKjI9Yi9nUgmmv3foDB1t7aoRkdTRbHuu-FQvBt2WpXlgRTAWgIvRudw2jVWKf-QKdIeiPDEtZqIpIe3gWGkcSb5Ur1qXVFhp8_ZGb6CHu_ZE4MTxcn/s1600/167553_10150366385390554_4177786_n.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>On their path to graduation, all Villanova Theatre second-year students complete an Orals project - the equivalent of a Master's thesis - in a chosen area that they have studied over the past two years. Options range from academic to artistic and have taken on many forms over the years. John, currently playing Tiger Brown in Villanova's production of </i>The Threepenny Opera, <i>is exploring the particular difficulties that accompany playing a Brechtian role. Brecht created his own aesthetic in the mid-20th century, and along with it, a new style of acting. What's it like to take on an unfamiliar technique? Read below to find out!</i></span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
As I write this blog post, it's April 3rd and we are just starting a much needed four day rest for Easter Break before returning for tech week, and my brain has been out in Brecht-space for about six weeks straight. (For those unaware, Bertolt Brecht wrote <i>The Threepenny Opera</i>, the musical which we're currently neck-deep in.) To be honest, I'm surprised I can remember what state I live in at the moment. This material is difficult for several reasons, but I'm quite glad to be here. This is my last show as a second year in the MA program, and playing Tiger Brown is a great-and <i>challenging</i>-note to go out on.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheT_DdN9AW06uzRzP1SqKH30XRsnKQ24ALeNe5mZ3NU11IG_w74PxRSELyJFzkhL1cQ7jnYBIBtnf-_KCGnWHkYhd0IXA7ljDILg0zXUu2itKOr3raDpK88wAMzgnS-3nujSkeqgcdGSEy/s1600/26183_1240109888264_97554_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheT_DdN9AW06uzRzP1SqKH30XRsnKQ24ALeNe5mZ3NU11IG_w74PxRSELyJFzkhL1cQ7jnYBIBtnf-_KCGnWHkYhd0IXA7ljDILg0zXUu2itKOr3raDpK88wAMzgnS-3nujSkeqgcdGSEy/s1600/26183_1240109888264_97554_n.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John as Officer Lockstock in <i>Urinetown</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
I first become somewhat acquainted with Brecht several years ago during undergrad, and within a year or so of studying him (somewhat) for the first time, we did a production of <i>Urinetown</i>. I played Officer Lockstock (look at that, another chief of police) and ended up being our dramaturg and writing the program notes, so this was when I really began to read about the conventions of Brecht's Epic Theatre and how <i>Urinetown </i>was a love letter to shows like <i>The Threepenny Opera</i>. I thought I knew what I was in for, but it's a much more delicate process than I had imagined.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It's very hard to approach Brecht like you would a conventional play or musical. I hesitate to put it this way, but you're not really playing a flesh and blood character, you're playing an idea. Almost like a stock character from a farce, but more complicated than that. Brecht wanted his audiences alienated...it's called "verfremdungseffekt", or the distancing effect. He wanted you to think about the deeper meaning of the material after leaving the play, and doing this <i>outside</i> of the theatre. He didn't want his audiences deeply engaged with the characters, enough to worry about who's getting killed, who's cheating on who, how character A knows character B's plan, etc. It was sort of a "Don't worry about that and be entertained" approach, because he wanted his audiences very aware that they were watching a play and directly addressed them through the fourth wall. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhW0JXTNszQ9bmeruDRDF_NECRxNTkLZ6xeM4Sjj-TDtU4MD_ts3c-caXo34Lx1XGMOGm4cMY-sPnEhGzhx1uhkQLWUC4PtchqSeMkwUd5ccjdiIaBQu7XAlKbLJwOECvWxwU0XAL9Xmm/s1600/11052499_10152837730626478_5715161572240827325_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhW0JXTNszQ9bmeruDRDF_NECRxNTkLZ6xeM4Sjj-TDtU4MD_ts3c-caXo34Lx1XGMOGm4cMY-sPnEhGzhx1uhkQLWUC4PtchqSeMkwUd5ccjdiIaBQu7XAlKbLJwOECvWxwU0XAL9Xmm/s1600/11052499_10152837730626478_5715161572240827325_n.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John as John (seriously!) in <i>Michael & Edie</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
Now, the ultimate insult for Brecht was said to be an actor who "became" a character rather than played them...he wanted his actors demonstrating the material, not living it. Therefore, as an actor performing Brecht, it may seem to be counter-intuitive to everything you've ever learned. Forget Stanislavsky and throw out Meisner. For a normal play, if I was playing a police officer in 1839, like I am here, I would be doing a lot more historical research than I am this time, because you simply can't be method in a show like this. Sometimes you're playing an actor, observing the show with a knowing grin. A second later you may be playing your character. Moments later, you may be observing as your character, but not engaged. But you're not the actor, viewing with detachment, you're the character. A character who is detached and removed, but still IN the play, while OUTSIDE the play, who a moment later might be IN the play, and engaged. It's understandable if during the rehearsal process, people forget who they are. </div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
But Valerie Joyce is kind of a genius, so none of us are ever worried, because it all just works out. Not to mention Peter Hilliard is kind of a wizard, and he's leading the band. We're moving right along as we approach tech, and everything is falling into place nicely. Now, if only I could get my body to be a dancer as well as an actor and a singer. I said Valerie was a genius, but it'll be a <i>miracle</i> if she gets me to become a good dancer. (I'm tryin'.)<br />
<br />
<i>The Threepenny Opera </i>runs from April 14th-26th at Villanova Theatre. Call 610-519-7474 or visit <a href="http://www.villanovatheatre.org/">www.villanovatheatre.org</a> for tickets!</div>
Villanova Theatrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09919150971755381417noreply@blogger.com0