Final thoughts on my theater experience

In all probability, I will refer back to it in relation to other topics. But here are some thoughts on my brief stint in drama. 

Over the course of junior and senior year, I participated in two productions, "The Merchant of Venice" and "Hamlet." They used five casts in total, two in "Merchant" and three in "Hamlet." In total, I played six extras (three last year and three this year), one minor character (last year), and two major characters (this year). Overall, out of these nine figures, eight of them were male and one was a teenager; I enjoyed them all and genuinely respected two (the major characters). I have been requested to "Please be more snotty!" and heard "You were so obnoxious!" and "You were totally over the top!" and "We could just see you being evil and scheming!" used as compliments. I have been given advice on how to practice crying, had special throne-sitting, fake-blood-applying and "dying" practice, literally pushed around someone I had nothing but sympathy for, worked on keeping my voice an octave lower than normal, chased a robber while waving a scimitar, been part of a howling, murderous mob that stormed a castle, run through the hallways in a four-foot-in-diameter skirt frantically asking all my castmates if they'd seen my husband, held a friend as she/he "died," played my fife and wore a mask during a masquerade through the streets of "Venice," and freaked out at the sight of the Ghost - my little brother.

Now, all that insanity said, what have I learned (the hard way?), experienced more fully, and taken away that is of value?

Assistance - Costume changes in "Hamlet"
I had two quick costume changes this year, both as the queen. I was not expecting what happened the first time I got to one of these changes (the first dress rehearsal with me in the role). I stepped offstage with the intention of running to the dressing room, but five of my co-actresses had anticipated the situation, appeared at top speed the moment I got offstage with my costume change and literally were changing me before I could say "Hang on - " This was a process I participated in from the other side in the cast in which I was not onstage during the changes. Between making Ophelia crazy, making Ophelia dead, putting the queen in and out of mourning, and helping those who had to change characters, we had (infrequently) the moment of leisure to contemplate how it would all work if we didn't help each other. The answer, of course, is that it would not work. If the extras did not run through the hallways looking for the characters' props (I remember being an extra and combing the hallway for the queen's handkerchief and almost freaking out) and taking responsibility for being helpful, the production would go down the toilet. I, and many others, owe a good deal to the diligence of our castmates.

Who rocks? Extras rock! Moroccans in "Merchant"

The most fun I had in "Merchant of Venice" was probably participating in an extras group that was, simply, the train of a minor character who only appeared in two scenes. However, we were special - because we decided it would be remarkably fun. We had turbans and had this ridiculous "Formal" pose like the stereotypical genie that we would jump to when our Prince of Morocco signaled us. We would be clapping, nodding, and cheering at him, and he would glare and we would jump to attention and freeze. We asked for boffers (Fake swords) at one point, and the wonderful armorer came back with a whole bunch of miniature versions of the Prince's curved scimitar that she had made for us. We had a ton of personality, and were so funny that we got more applause during curtain call than any other appearance other than Shylock.

Studying Horatio (because nobody's boring)

Most of the major characters in "Hamlet" get a lot of negativity. Horatio gets a little trash-talking (for being "boring" and for "not being a good storyteller") and a bit of a good reputation (for being loyal and for not being evil, murderous or mad), but mostly he doesn't get much of anything at all. There is so little explicitly said about him, and so little that he does that is over the top (a suicide attempt at the end doesn't count for much, I suppose, and the Production Team cut those lines anyway). However, I really enjoyed playing him this year. The first thing I did upon seeing the cast list was email the person who would be playing Hamlet and we went back and forth many times before the first post-audition rehearsal, deducing everything we could about "our" mutual past and relationship. Not only was it fascinating and enjoyable, but there was so much that I could learn about the character that only needed someone to actually think about it. There's so much he goes through, so much he does and so many decisions he makes that are difficult and/or selfless and/or courageous, that people don't seem to notice. At this point, not only am I very well familiar with a character few people tend to think about, but I have an incredible amount of appreciation for him as well.

PC's ugly head (Political Correctness, not Personal Computers!)

When the Nazis performed "The Merchant of Venice" they tended to change it so that Shylock's daughter Jessica was his stepdaughter instead. They would cast this blue-eyed blonde so that it was clear that they weren't related. Now, as a youth company, most of our group looks nothing like each other. It was interesting, putting together six families in "Hamlet" this year, winding up in one cast with a 5'3" girl playing the father of a 6'7" young man. However, in order to "not offend anyone" and make it clear we weren't doing a Nazi version of "Merchant," they found this (really ugly) black wig and made one of the Jessicas wear it. (The other Jessica was, although not the stereotypical "ethnic" look, in fact Jewish, and the costume fairies and producers had the sense not to make her wear it.) Still, I feel like this kind of behavior simply reminds us all that the racism exists. Obviously no one actually expects two kids from different families to actually look like father and daughter, or people to resemble an ethnicity they don't belong to. (And the wig was really ugly.)

So, it has been a fascinating and fun complement to my final two years of minordom and high school. What's next?

Thought for the day

Luck is God reminding us that anything is possible in His hands in His universe.

Odes to the desks in my Biology classroom

Red

Woodgrain
   A tiny seat and desk
  becomes, for three hours,
     a bubble.
A tiny little world
   but safe.
A barren classroom
   White walls, grey-green floor
       with carpet tiles.
But the desk seats are red.
One splash of hot blood, three, thirty
    on a backdrop, a canvas
      of nothing.
Somehow the red gives the
   dead room life.
Rhythm-centered music
      pulsing to the heart.

Woodgrain River

Grain of the wood flows within
Patterned without repetition
Silent ripples in the din
For those who try to listen
Water frozen in the act
Colored like honey, pale and gold
While the voice goes on about cold facts
The wood has another tale to be told.

Something to laugh at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eye_of_Argon
Read this. Then read "The Eye of Argon."

The Occupiers' legacy

Occupy Wall Street is over, technically speaking, and has been for several months. What did it leave behind?

• People with paraphernalia proclaiming that they are the 99%. 
• Ruined parks and destroyed public spaces.
• Jokes and statements that demonstrate that the "Occupy ______" phrase has entered general terminology.
• Knock-off movements such as Boston's "Occupy the MBTA" protesting raising fares in favor of providing it with taxpayer money. (It used to be common sense that they people who use something should pay for it, but not anymore.)

In fact, despite its dormancy, I have to take into consideration the idea that perhaps the Occupy movement is "Not Dead but Sleeping" and may perhaps rear its head again in the future.

Some thoughts on the National Day of Silence

The National Day of Silence is, as everyone probably knows by now, the annual day when students protest the frequent treatment of the LBGT community by remaining silent in classes. 'Tis a Monday this year, so I have no classes on that day, but it's interesting to think about whether or not to participate as a Christian who believes that homosexuality is wrong.
The first question to ask is "What exactly are they protesting?" If they are protesting the lack of general acceptance of homosexuality as a relationship with the same moral status as a heterosexual relationship, I do not agree and cannot participate. If, on the other hand, they are protesting actual hate assaults (which have happened and still do) then it is within my conscience to participate.
The next question is "Is remaining silent in class a good way to protest?" First of all, is it fair to take out this dissent on the teachers and professors, who are trying to teach us and to help us succeed in our lives and in our future careers, by not participating and making their job harder? The answer here is "Probably not," meaning that we next need to ask "Are the results of the protest enough to justify one day of this inconvenience?"
At my school, at least, every class contains a few students who speak up and participate and a bunch of students who sit there and never say a word or participate. So the only ones who would be noticeably participating in the Day of Silence would be those who frequently participate in class. (Such as myself.) While this lowers the inconvenience caused to the professors, it also lowers the effects of the protest. Finally, would participating in class be seen as protesting the protest? That is very possible. So the most important question that it all comes down to is, what message are you trying to get across, can you get it across, and how?

Resurrection Sunday

Mark 16:1-7

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 
6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'"

Good Friday

Mark 15:33-39

33 At the sixth hour darkness came over the land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" - which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."
36 One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down." he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"

Maundy Thursday

Luke 22:14-23

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again untilo it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." 
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

What are they teaching?

Apparently, they do not teach handwriting in Massachusetts Public Schools anymore.
Why? Because they're worrying about other things. Like MCAS scores.
When I took the SAT back in November, there was a section that you had to copy out in cursive and sign your name to, and all the other high schoolers in the classroom were complaining. The proctor conceded that "this is probably the hardest part of the SAT."
How is it that we don't teach our children to write anymore? The kindergarteners I work with are learning basic algebra (4 + ? = 6) and nonfiction! Why can't these kids learn to write?
Because the teachers are worried about their MCAS ratings, more than they are about enrichment for the children.

What have I learned from March?

Now that was a month.
Production week - a week and a half with a total of 49 rehearsal hours, most of which were spent in costume.
Recordings! - fourteen total hours spent at a recording studio with the corps, producing our first CD.
Parade - After four hours spent waiting in a parking lot, we marched in a 2.75 -mile parade for St. Patrick's Day.
Performances! - Two Friday nights, two Saturday afternoons, and two Saturday nights, with closing day involving spending the afternoon as Queen Gertrude and the night as Horatio, and getting home at midnight to find - 
Article - a request for an article for the Company of Fifers and Drummers magazine about the recording of the CD.

And then? Spring break ended, I returned to college, and the rest of my schedule continued or resumed. Theater ended with a cast party and is permanently done for me.

What have I learned?

• There's no better cure for fifty hours of "Hamlet" and prep for opening night than stacked pancakes and ten hours of Veggietales with a friend you can just chill with (in this case, a youth groupie who also participated in "Hamlet" and whose family and mine have practically adopted each other).
• After too much time in hoopskirts, doublets, waistcoats, high stockings, tricorns and other strange hats and garments, "civvies" are the best things ever. Excepting pajamas. PJs rock.
• You can study a work of literature from the inside for six months and still be able to not make up your mind as to who's the "good guy." You just develop prejudices that belong to your characters instead of yourself.
• Painful irony means coming down sick in the middle of a college biology class while discussing digestion.
• Thrones are nice, but perching yourself regally on the six-inch edge of yours because of the shape of your skirt is far less comfortable than sprawling in a folding chair in jeans.
• Hair nets are wonderful and convenient when you know how to use them. (If you have long hair, obviously.)
• The more politically impotent you have, the less likely you are to be assassinated or targeted.
• Sheet music - good. Sheet music that means everyone needs to relearn a basic song or ten - bad.
• The faster you get used to having five people "help" you change (assuming you're wearing shorts and a T underneath) the more likely you are to get to your entrance on time.
• If just one drummer can't play the song, it'll take a dozen takes before they finally boot out the offender and record the song correctly.

If the person you're holding is supposed to be "dead," be extra gentle because they're helpless and you're responsible for them until the pall-bearers turn up. And always, always, ALWAYS wait for all the lights to be down before coming back to life and leaving the stage for curtain call.