Water by the Spoonful: A Mock Production

Water by the Spoonful by Quiara Hudes is about disconnection and escaping the past.  This play must give the viewer the sense that people are complex creatures and that their pasts are part of what makes them unique.   Some of the characters are afraid of their pasts, some are disconnected to the present due to their past, and some are trying to mend the holes from the past by starting anew in life.  Through design, these ideas about the multidimensional side of people will be examined through the use of yarn and closets in the space of the stage, dusty costumes, and the sound of dripping of water.

The ideal audience for Water by the Spoonful would be people from the age of 18 and older, due to mature content and language. I also feel that the audience will find more meaning to the play if they have experienced some form of hardship in their life. This play follows characters who are struggling, or have struggled, in life. I feel that in order for the audience to have some empathy toward the characters, they need to have had some complications in their past.   This theme of suffering should also be present in the building where the play is being performed.  This is why I believe the Paramount Theater in Newark, New Jersey would be an excellent place to conduct this play. 

Photo credit to The Star-Ledger

The reason behind this is that it is an abandoned theater. As the World of Theater textbook states, “When performers invite us to enter their world, we know that stepping into the playing space changes us from observer to performer and brings with it burdens, responsibilities, and power” (Filner and Orenstein 242).  The playing space of the Paramount Theater carries its own burdens of rejection and abandonment which will help with the transmission of these feelings to the audience. Obviously, this setting would have to be somewhat refurbished for safety and technical reasons, but the general feeling of neglect and desertion would aid these ideas which are present in the play. 

Photo credit to Cinema Treasures

             The scenic design for Water by the Spoonful should show the idea of the want for connection. In order to accomplish this, I would produce somewhat abstract scenery by incorporating pieces of yarn that would be tied to various people and items. For characters, Orangutan, Chutes&Ladders, Haikumom, and FountainHead, the chairs in which they are sitting will be connected using pieces of yarn tied to cans. 

In past years, children would attempt to create “phones”/a way of communicating using tin cans and string. This idea would be the same in the scenery; however the yarn would be cut, and then retied again in the middle. This would be used to symbolize the fact that these characters are connected in a virtual world, yet they are still disconnected in real life. Also, for these three characters, I would make sure that their faces were turned away from the audience while they are chatting with one another on the internet. This is to show how, even though they believe they know one another, they are still faceless, disconnected, strangers.

            Another scenic design element that I would include would be large, vertical closets looming in the background.  As The World of Theater textbook explains, “Vertical lines can give a sense of soaring and power” (Filner and Orenstein 306).

Photo credit to Bill Fantini. Inspiration for closet scenic design.

The long vertical lines seen in the closets would represent the power that the metaphorical skeletons, which are hiding in the closets, possess over the characters’ lives. The sense of “soaring” in these lines could signify the literal high that certain characters crave, yet try to resist.

            The costumes of the cast from Water by the Spoonful would be fairly normal in contrast to the abstract scenic design. Characters would wear modern styles; however their clothes would be covered in dust to symbolize the dirt or past by which they feel weighted down.

Photo credit to Nate's Lucha Libro. Inspiration for dusty costumes.

Photo credit to Irrigation Supply. Inspiration for dusty costumes.

            The lighting would have a brownish tinge in order to compliment the dusty costumes and the cobwebby feeling of the set.   

Photo credit to SupandNic. Inspiration for lighting color.

During the scenes where characters are chatting, the lighting will be a single beam of light cast on each character. As The World of Theater textbook states, “The isolated beam of light…express[es] the isolation and dislocation of the central character” (Filner and Orenstein 344).  The characters who are chatting might be near others, and have an online support group; however, they are still alone in their battle with addiction.  Lighting cues will be fast paced due to the abruptness of the characters’ language with one another, and the fact that there are many sudden scene changes throughout the play.

            During my production of Water by the Spoonful, there would be a constant sound of water dripping. The play derives its name from the fact that Elliot, the main character, almost died of dehydration due to the fact that his mother was neglectful in giving him “a spoonful of water every five minutes” when he had the flu (Hudes 52).   The constant sound of water dripping in the background will symbolize not only the title of the play, but also the fact that if water drips long enough in the same spot, an eventual hole will be made. This metaphorical hole will be made on the characters’ lives as they work through their troubled pasts. 

Water by the Spoonful has an intricate storyline with much symbolism. Through the use of design elements such as an abandoned theater, yarn, closets, dust, brownish lighting, and the sound of water, I believe that the ideas of regret, resentment, negligence, and the past will be adequately represented.

Citations:
Fantini, Bill. Photograph. The Roadside Scholar. 24 Jul. 2008. Web. 6 May 2013.

Filner, Mira, and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theater. Boston: Pearson, 2006. Print.

Hudes, Quiara A. Water by the Spoonful. New York: Theater Communications Group, 2012. Print.

“Paramount Theater.” Photograph. Cinema Treasures. n.d. Web. 6 May 2013.

Perlman, William. “The Newark Theater.” Photograph. The Star-Ledger. 23 Dec. 2012. Web. 6 May 2013.

Photograph. Irrigation Supply. n.d. Web. 6 May 2013.  

Photograph. Nate’s Lucha Libro. n.d. Web. 6 May 2013.

SupandNic. “Chicago.” Photograph. Sup and Nic’s World Tour. 6 Jan. 2010. Web. 5 May 2013.

“Tin-cans.” Photograph. eHow.com. n.d. Web. 6 May 2013.

UrbanSurvivalTactics. “water dripping – sound effect.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 20 May 

2012. Web. 5 May 2013.

Performance Responce Blog Post: Dead Man's Cell Phone

While watching plays and films both entail an audience watching a story being performed by actors and actresses, they are quite different.  These differences include audience response, setting and atmosphere, and performers. 

As far as audience response, plays practically require some form of participation from the audience. During a play, people are expected to applaud at the end, if not during the scene breaks. When I saw "Dead Man's Cell Phone" on opening night, the audience was not extremely involved; meaning that they did not clap between scenes, but they did know to applaud during the curtain call. This audience was also not very expressive as far as laughter; however, they did understand the conventions of being quiet during the performance.   While seeing a film, on the other hand, people obviously do not applaud. In fact, the audience is not expected to be involved in any way. This is partly due to the fact that the performers do not feed off the energy that the audience provides.  Also, the viewer is able to talk during the film (although, this often breaks the social norm of being quiet during a movie) due to the fact that there is a rewind button or that the movie can be watched multiple times. This is not the case with a play – even if a play can be watched many times, it is ephemeral.
    The setting and atmosphere are other examples of how viewing plays and films differ.  For instance, in a play, there are lighting effects which are used to affect the way people feel during the scene. These lighting effects are usually unrealistic, unlike the lighting used in a film. One example of this in “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” occurred when Jean and Dwight are professing their love for one another and Dwight actually says that the lights will dim down on them.  I have never had a spotlight put on me while I was smooching someone, thus detracting from the feeling that the play was realistic.  Films, however, are typically meant to seem as based in reality, as possible.  Film sets have the facilities to move to various sets in order to get their lighting and scenery to match the mood of the story. They have the ability to use lighting and camera angles if the object is to focus on characters who are in a tender moment. However, due to lack of space and an inability to zoom in, spotlights are a common, if not unrealistic, way of highlighting the movements of particular characters. The sets of plays also somewhat dictate where the audience should be watching. For instance, when Mrs. Gottlieb is at Gordon’s funeral and she is at the podium, she has a spotlight on her, and she is standing on the highest platform on the stage. This use of the set and lighting focused the audience’s attention on her rather than on Jean who was on the lowest place on the stage. 

Another difference between a play and a film are the performers.  For example, the performers in a play typically over-dramatize their movements, physical expression, and vocal inflections. In a movie, the slightest details in the performance can be seen and heard due to the fact that the camera can zoom in on the actors. Another advantage that movies have overplays is the fact that, while filming, the actors have multiple takes to fix and adjust their performances. Plays do not have that; instead, they must go out on stage with one chance to act without being told how to fine-tune their acting. During “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” Dwight scuttled across the stage instead of walking. While it was humorous, had he over-exaggerated his walk in a film, I might have thought that there was something wrong with him.  

Seeing a live play is a different experience than seeing a film. People view plays with the anticipation of having some relationship with the performers, imaginative sets, and amplified characters. Watching films, on the other hand, means that one can watch it alone and that the setting and characters are usually based in reality. These are things that are expected of films and plays which means that the two should not be judged by one another’s standards.

Alternative Paths to Performance: Improvisation

                Improvisation is a form of theater which challenges the performer and wows the audience with the performers’ abilities to formulate a witty script on the spot. According to The World of Theater, this form of theater places more of an emphasis on, “the improvisational creativity of the actor rather than…the playwright’s written words for dialogue and dramatic action” (Filner and Orenstein 150).  Bored Shorts TV is a group that was created in Utah by brothers, “John, Brett, and Randy Roberts, plus Randy's former NYU roommate Richard Sharrah and a whole slew of kids from the greater Provo area” who put a twist on improvisation (Hoffberger, “Youtube- where fathers get praised for acting like children”).  This group uses the hilarious talk of children as a script. They operate by giving either two or three children a prompt. One such prompt would be, “teach [your] sister how to do math” (BoredShortsTV.tv).   The video is posted below.

The children are recorded while they are responding to the prompt. The adults/parents of the children then act out the scenario the children have just created. The adults’ voices cannot be heard, however. Instead, the recording is used as a voice over to make it seem as though there are a bunch of grown men and women who are speaking and acting like children. Due to the way children form their sentences and phrase their words, this kind of improvisation thrives on “the spontaneity and virtuosity of the actors as they interact in performance” (Filner and Orenstein 152). The actors, in this case, are children who are simply reacting to each other while responding to the prompt.  In an article written for “The Daily Dot,” Chase Hoffberger quotes Brett Roberts on how the children react to the acting. “They loved it. They have a good time. It’s simple. They just tell a story” (Hoffberger, “Youtube- where fathers get praised for acting like children”). 

            Even though I don’t like children, I occasionally find their antics and speech impediments hysterical. This group really puts to good use some of the best things that can come out of a child’s mouth. I love the acting that the adults of Bored Shorts TV use in order to portray the words of the children.  This kind of improvisation, in my opinion, is so natural since the children are not truly performing for an audience, but are simply using their fantastic imaginations in front of a camera.

A few of my favorite BoredShortsTV videos are posted below. 

Citations:

Bored Shorts TV. Bored Shorts TV. n.d.  Web. 4 March 2013.

BoredShortsTV. “Kid Snippets: ‘Basketball Class.’” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 23

Jul. 2012. Web. 4 March 2013.

BoredShortsTV. “Kid Snippets: ‘Driver’s Ed.’” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 3 Dec.

2012. Web. 4 March 2013.

BoredShortsTV. “Kid Snippets: ‘Lunch.’” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 9 Jul. 2012.

Web. 4 March 2013.

BoredShortsTV. “Kid Snippets: ‘Math Class.’”Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 15 Oct.

2012. Web. 4 March 2013.

BoredShortsTV. “Kid Snippets: ‘Mean School Nurse.’” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 7

Jan. 2013. Web. 4 March 2013.

Filner, Mira, and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theater. Boston: Pearson, 2006. Print.

Hoffberger, Chase. “Youtube- where fathers get praised for acting like children.” The Daily Dot,

Aug. 2012. Web.  4 March 2013.

The Pajama Game: An Observation of the Audience

Lynchburg College presents The Pajama Game!

I was very excited to go see the play, “The Pajama Game” due to the fact that my friend was playing the role of Hines. While I was looking forward to watching him act, I was also interested to see the audiences’ response. In anticipation of the play, I ordered my tickets online. However, due to the fact that my friends decided to go with me last minute, I exchanged my ticket for one that would seat me next to them. This put me in the far left corner nearest the stage. At first I thought this seat might hinder my ability to see all that was occurring on stage, but it proved to be a nice place to observe the actors and audience. 

Babe and Sid model their "pajamas for couples" while Hines and Gladys are handcuffed together.

 The first thing I noticed about the audience as I settled into my seat was the buzzing of cell phones and the small talk of the people around me. This gave me a sense that people were not going to be able to sit through this play without an irresistible urge to text or check Facebook.  When the lights dimmed and a voice from off-stage called out to ask people to turn off their cell-phones, there were still bright lights from the phones flashing and blinding others around them. Unfortunately, people were rude and kept their phones out the entire play. 

The cast of The Pajama Game from left to right: Prez, Mabel, Hines, Gladys, Babe, and Sid.

When the play first began, the audience was a little slow to respond to the humorous sections.   At times, I found myself laughing a little too loudly in an attempt to provoke a reaction from the other audience members.  For instance, during the dance and song number when Hines is responding to Mabel’s scenarios regarding jealously, I found it funny, but when others weren’t really laughing, I think I laughed a little more heartily than I normally would in an attempt to encourage Hines’ enthusiasm during the performance.   While I’m sure I made a fool of myself, I recognize the impact that the audience has on the performers and I wanted to make sure that they weren’t discouraged by a lack of audience participation.   

The primary performers playing tug-of-rope as an advertisement for the Lynchburg College play

I was a little surprised at some of the things that the audience found funny in relation to the things at which they did not laugh. For example, the general audience found the part about pervy Prez hitting on Gladys hilarious. What I found most amusing about that scene was his wardrobe malfunctions. However, I realize that I have a strange sense of humor and Prez’s unorthodox advances towards Gladys probably are a normal thing to laugh about. 

                I discussed the show with the people that accompanied me to the show. Their consensus was that the performance was great, but the play was bad. There were some scenes that seemed random to them and the lines often sounded awkward. They wished that they had had a remote in order to “fast-forward” the kissing scenes and that Prez should not have been allowed to sing that much. I spend time with a very critical and opinionated group of people.  Overall, though, my group knew when it was appropriate to laugh and a standing ovation was given to the friend who played Hines.  

I enjoyed the play, as well as having a reason to observe people. My overall opinion of the audience was that they were a lack luster group. I hope that the actors and actresses had a better audience for the rest of their performances. 

Photos courtesy of Lynchburg College