Dearly Departed: Who's watching whom?

          As a member of the cast I did not get a chance to view Dearly Departed and react to it as an audience member myself, but considering the fact that I was present at every performance I certainly got to witness the audiences' responses to the show.  While an actor should buy into the given circumstances of a scene when performing, a part of them is always aware of the audience. (I'd question their mental health if they weren't. )

          Now, Dearly Departed is a comedy and thus the interaction between the performers and the audience is very important and interracial part of the show. A comedy of course wants to be found humorous and amusing by the audience, but it they don't you're gonna hear it, or rather not hear it due to the lack of laughter. And vice versa, you don't want an audience that is so explosive with applause and laughter that it pulls you out of character or prevents the show from continuing on pace. You're always hoping for a "good" audience. One that is not afraid to laugh, but also know when to calm down.
           Luckily, I can honestly say we had a great and responsive audience every night! They all were a little different of course, but all very enthusiastic non the less. Even our Sunday matinee, where it wouldn't be surprising to have a bit of a duller and reserved audience, filled the auditorium with laughter. I believe its because that is usually when we have a bit of a more mature audience, yet because so many jokes were directed at an older generation, they couldn't help but laugh. This was especially present in the scene with Veda and Norval which I believe got its best laughs on Sunday.
           There was only one night where I felt the audience may have gotten a little carried away. All of the audiences were obviously Delightful fans. Now I don't blame them at all, she is one of the most hilarious characters I've ever come across, but on opening night in the kitchen scene her cheese whiz exploded in her face. We did our best to play it off, but the audience then exploded as well. They were roaring with laughter! I don't know if they could tell it was a food malfunction, or if it was just the fact that cheese was now splattered across her face, or if it was a combination of both. Then, I had the next line. I paused for laughter, but the laughter didn't stop. I waited for as long as I thought I could, and plowed foreword. The laughter had died down, but still continued through the next section of dialogue. Still, I really can't hold it against them, I almost broke character trying to contain laughter myself.
          In contrast, there were several places I was expecting a laugh that never got it which can be expected in any show. This was mostly in the scene when I was portraying the spacey but good-intended Nadine. Though I do suppose she is kind of a lot to take in for just a bit in one scene. The one thing that went over so well in rehearsal and never quite got across to the audience was the holding my breath gag. Lucille tells me not to breath a word of her secret, so, being too simple to realize its an expression, "I" hold my breath while she tells me.

          Don't get me wrong though. These were rather small instances were things didn't go as planned. We still had awesomely responsive audiences. I even got one of the coolest responses I think you can get as an actress. See, I was playing two different characters, and I found out later from other members in the cast that some of the people that came to the show didn't realize that I was playing these two different roles. As an actress I was touched. I think to successfully be seen as just the characters you're portraying rather than the actress playing them is a major accomplishment. Overall the audience participated laughing right when expected and helped boost all of the performances' energy and make for a rather successful show. 

Anna in the Tropics

          From the moment an audience member stepped into the theatre, they were made very aware that viewing the play, Anna in the Tropics, would be far from the experience of watching a film. Walking into the theatre you found that the flooring of the stage was at ground level with the front row, and the floor treatment extended out into the entry way and right up to the audiences feet. This immediately brought the audience into the life of the play and set the tone before the play had even begun, in a way a movie never could.

          Further immersing the audience, the stage was set up in a thrust formation with audience members on three sides of the stage. Additionally, the set brought the viewers in with more than just the flooring. The pillars of the "cigar factory" extended out into and around the seat-banks and the ceiling fans hung above really seemed to tie everything together. This was also enhanced once the play began. The actors entered from all sides of the audience, and certain actions that took place off set could be heard around you. For example, when the family goes outside to fire gun shots in celebration, the sound is created right where they exited and makes the audience feel as if they are workers in the factory participating in this event.

          Before that, right off from the first scene, the play began to demonstrate characteristics unique to the theatre. The first scene took place at two different locations: a ship yard and a cock-fighting ring. In a movie the film would simply cut from place to place, yet in a play the director is left with the decision on how to handle this obstacle. In this instance, rather than having the actors enter and exit the stage, what differentiated the two places were the actors (who gave hints about their location and froze when the focus was on the other scene) and the lighting that came up only on the scene in action. Similar conventions were used throughout the play. While a majority of the play took place in a factory, there were several other locations where scenes took place, yet the whole set never changed. Aided by the actors and lighting, by just moving furniture around a believably new or different place could be established.

          The one thing that stood out the most as something that could never been done with a film was when they smoked a cigar. At the celebration for the new cigar brand, they light up and smoke the first cigar of its kind, and the actors literally lit up and smoked a real cigar on stage. You could smell the thick aroma of the cigar as the smoke billowed out into the air and into the audience.         

          On a different note, the fact that the audience was so close to the performance, rather than safely disconnected by a screen, certain material seemed to have a heightened effect. Many audience members felt uncomfortable with a woman making out with a shirtless man on stage. This is rather entertaining when one considers the strong sexual presence in the media we are surrounded by every day. Just because the actors were so close, in the same room, countless viewers found it inappropriate.

          In conclusion, these may have been actors playing characters acting out imaginary circumstances just like in a film, yet the overall experience is very different. Most movie-goers expect a very believable and realistic presentation. When experiencing a play, on the other hand, much is left up to the imagination. It is up to the audience to except and buy in to the "reality" of the play.

Works Cited

Double Journey, 11 Jan. 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2003. <http://www.doublejourney.com/2008/01/11/cuban-cigars-suck/>.

Felner, Mira, and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2006. Print.

Theatre Arts at Daytona State College, 15 Oct. 2010. Web. 24 Oct. 2010. < http://daytonastatetheatre.blogspot.com/>

Alternate Performance Methods: Playback Theatre

           Playback theatre is a unique art form that combines both storytelling and collaborative theatre. It unites the audience members and the performers in an interesting collaboration. Audience members are selected one at a time to share a story from their life. These stories can be any experience the person wishes to share from the mundane to the extraordinary, tragic to comedic, recent to remote, and anything in between. They next choose which performers will play the roles mentioned in their story. Then, the story is enacted and improvised on the spot. A non-naturalist approach is most often used in the re-creation of the stories. The performers often employ chorus, metaphor, narration, song, and movement to portray the story. 

          In the picture to the left we can see the basic set up of a playback theatre stage. While it may vary from place to place and production to production, the performers are usually only aided by basic props such as wooden boxes, musical instruments, and pieces of cloth.  Two chairs are usually set up somewhere on the stage for "the conductor" and "the teller".

          The conductor acts as a host or emcee. This person is responsible for selecting the audience members that will share their stories, or the tellers. Once a person has been chosen, the conductor will invite them onto the stage to share their story. The conductor will act as interpreter asking questions to clarify parts of the story. They are also responsible for moving the auidence members through the process keeping them informed and involved.

        The following video has clips from one night of playback theater done by Playback Theater West of Boulder, Colorado. It further illuminates what you could expect to see and experience at a playback production. 

          Furthermore, playback theatre is not your average improvisational theatre. The content is all true human events that have been experienced by someone who is present. Playback theatre isn't done just for laughs, it is a tool used to find the true heart of a story and to see things from a new prospective and in different ways. By seeing ourselves in others we are able to gain insight and build community. Because of this, playback theatre companies often have themed productions getting stories from different people on the same event, subject, tragedy or so on. This can also serve as a coping and rebuilding mechanism for many people.
          While playback theatre is a relatively a new form, first founded in 1975 by Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas, below we can see it has spread internationally. The first company, titled just Playback Theatre Company, was located in New York State just north of New York City. As shown in the map below this original company inspired many followers.

View Playback Theatre in a larger map

The Carnival of Jacmel, Haiti

Carnival is a celebratory theatric form that provides people with a chance to release any pent up emotions. It allows participants and observers to escape the struggles of everyday life, break free from inhibitions and rejoice. 

Here we see some Haitian woman doing just that! Heavily influenced by African festivals,
they parade around the city dancing and singing in beads and vibrant colors.

          Similar traditions date back centuries. In Egypt they ceremonialized the festival of Isis and Osiris, the Greeks celebrated Bacchanalia, and so on. Current carnivals can be traced back to the Roman celebration called Saturnalia, in which slaves could exchange roles with their masters and enjoyed a taste of freedom. With the rise of Christianity this event was transformed into a festivity of indulgence before the period of Lent, a forty-day period of sacrifice, commemorated by banquets and masquerades in the Middle Ages. European colonists brought carnival traditions with them to Latin America and the Caribbean in the eighteenth century. The colonist made carnival the one time of year when their African slaves were free to celebrate. Though colonists tried to suppress African traditions from being present during carnival, they quickly shaped the event into something new. Many of these African traditions are what we commonly see and think of as carnival today. The circling parades, performance of skits, and the colorful beaded and feathered costumes all stem from African tradition. 

Unique To Jacmel, Haiti

           As the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere with a history of political instability and violence, Haiti definitely needs the carnival to raise the hopes and spirits of its citizens. Jacmel Carnival is very different from most Caribbean carnivals. Its a much smaller event that is town-run rather than being government funded. This may sound like a disadvantage, but it actually helps preserve the authenticity of the event by keeping it free of government control. 

          While all carnivals have some similarities with common traditions and aesthetics, what stands out the most in the Jacmel Carnival are the ornate Paper Maché Carnival Masks as seen above. Made into likenesses of everything form the literal and commonplace to the abstract and spiritual, they seem to represent a passage through time from a lost distant past to the pressing present. Jacmel is an artsy seaside village, and these masks are a product of its natives. They seem to be three dimensional representations of the paintings these artists are known for: usually a colorful, and idealistic depiction of a past Haiti where lush lands harbor animals both foreign and native. These fun yet ceremonial masks enrich Haiti's humble carnival valued both as a spectacle and business opportunity. Many artist make their living solely by the sales of their masks during carnival. 

Carried ropes represent being bound to slavery, yet
 they wear horns to symbolize their fight for freedom

              The Jacmel Carnival is full of symbolic imagery both mocking their oppressors and celebrating their freedom. To the right we see an image from the carnival commenting on slavery. Due to carnival's unrestrained demonstration, its no wonder its commonly used for political protest and representation.

Here we see satirical versions of the once President Jean Vilburn Guillaume Sam and Chief of Police Charles Oscar Etienne. They were responsible for hundreds of deaths of wrongly imprisoned political prisoners. After which the people of Haiti revolted and killed them both. These characters often seen in the carnival now serve as a warning to any future persecutors.

Turmoil in the Carnival

          Carnival has always been faced with some resistance. It is raw lawless, artistic, and emotional expression and that scares a lot of people, especially the government. While the opposition never seems to end, the good news is that neither does the carnival tradition. Unfortunately, in current times practicers of traditional carnival aren't just in conflict with non-supporters, but often feel conflicted within themselves. As the carnival becomes more increasingly popular, it becomes a tourist destination. It becomes an event consumed by making and spending money. Even Haiti, the poorest of carnival nations, has balconies for rent during the carnival which creates a sense of superiority and completely defeats the original concept of a day of equality. On the other hand, the income from tourism greatly benefits the economy, especially in places like Haiti that are so much in need. 

          This year marks, not only a tragic chapter in Jacmel Carnival, but a tragic time for all of Haiti. On January twelfth of this year, a devastating earthquake hit Haiti with a magnitude 7.0 M_w that left an estimated 230,000 dead and hundreds of thousands more injured and homeless. Combined with the  hundreds of thousands of buildings that that were destroyed or severally damaged, the carnival this year was canceled and instead was replaced by players and memorial sessions for all the victims of te earthquake. The following is a video that shows clips of previous Jacmel Carnivals along with this year's procession, and illustrates just how effected the citizens of Jacmel are through the interview a local artists that lost his lively hood due to this catastrophe.

Works Cited

  

           Associated Press. "Haiti raises earthquake toll to 230,000." washingtonpost.com. N.p., 10 Feb. 2010. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020904447.html>.

           Basu, Moni. "Haitians cancel Carnival celebration." Featured Articles From The CNN. N.p., 10 Feb. 2010. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-10/worldhaiti.carnival.celebration_1_carnival-haitians-earthquake?_s=PM:WORLD>.

           CaribPress. "Memoirs of Haitiâs Jacmel Carnivalâ”A Pictorial and Oral History." allvoices.com. N.p., 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5413334-memoirs-of-haitis-jacmel-carnivala-pictorial-and-oral-history>.

           "Caribbean Photos - National Geographic." Travel & Cultures -- National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/caribbean-photos/#/haiti_3015_600x450.jpg>.

           Coates, James. "Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti: Sleepy Caribean Town Explodes with Parades, Hatian Art & Masks ." Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers' Network. N.p., 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://www.suite101.com/content/carnival-in-jacmel-haiti-a96816>.

Danticat, Edwidge. After the Dance: a Walk through Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti. New York: Crown Journeys, 2002. Print.

          Felner, Mira, and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2006. Print.

          Haitian Information Bureau. "Carnival in Haiti." Hartford Web Publishing. N.p., 10 Feb. 1996. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43a/345.html>.

              Melindayiti. "Art and Jacmel." Konbit Pou Ayiti. 10 Dec. 2007. Web. 26 Sept. 2010. <http://www.konpay.org/node/97>. 

Morone, Frankie. "U.S. Occupation of Haiti (1915)." Pikliz.com. N.p., 2 May 2006. Web. 1 Oct. 2010.http://pikliz.fotki.com/very_old_pictures/us_occupation_of_haiti/vilbrun_guillaume_sam.html>.