Broadway or Bust

Tomorrow in class I want to discuss a bit more about the final decisions in Broadway or Bust and how you think each actor was judged. Here are a few resources that might interest you.

PBS has some background info on the performers here. Click on a name/face and find out more about who they are and how they got involved in theater.

Here is part of a review of the show, talking about making the behind-the-scenes work more transparent (so important for future actors):

"That’s part of what I love about Broadway Or Bust. The first episode, “Casting Call,” features some of the best arts criticism I’ve ever seen on a reality show. The 60 winners of the National High School Musical Theater Awards (well, as underdog Joshua tells us each episode, 59 and a runner-up) are gathered around a piano where Michael Feinstein is preparing to give them advice for their solo competition. Go-getter Nicholas sings “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” and when he finishes, Michael has two notes for him. The first is that Nicholas sang a wrong word, swapping “the” for “that” in the lyrics, “We may never, never meet again / on the bumpy road to love.” But Michael isn’t just playing stickler. The forceful “that” is a Sinatra-ization, a hipper take on a classical song. The second note, as I understand it, is that Nicholas’ peaks were half a step too low, which undermines the contrast that’s central to the song. So it’s not just that Nicholas failed to sing the exact song that the Gershwins wrote. It’s that his two little divergences affect its very unity. The critique comes from the work, not just the judge."

And more from this same critic about the judging and the importance of connecting with the material and with the audience:

"The judging in tonight’s finale is almost too transparent. A judge talks about how Evan turned a one-note song into a routine that keeps upping the ante whereas Nicolette couldn’t pull off a similar feat. He also talks about how another singer made it feel like she was coming up with the words to her song on the spot. But the actual deliberation is more impulsive, and the final selection a matter of ranking. Ultimately, this isn’t about criticism. As people keep saying, it’s about connecting with the audience and taking them on an emotional journey...I’m only now realizing how upfront Broadway Or Bust has been about affective memory. In “Casting Call,” when a director describes the goal to connect with an audience, he explains that connection as more suggestive than explicit. It’s about getting an audience member to think of something personal in his own life that corresponds to the song. In the finale, Drew, a student from Texas, says he imagines his song from Dracula The Musical as a hypothetical conversation about pulling the plug on his girlfriend in the hospital. The whole show operates on that affective memory, evoking that foreign exchange program to Germany or recalling the state spelling bee. That’s why the personal touches are so important"


Here is something from a different critic about the winners of the final judging:

"The final performances in this episode were the pinnacle of this series.  From Evan’s rendition of “Magic Foot” from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to Nicolette’s rendition of “I Hate Men” from Kiss Me Kate, I was astounded as each medley blended in perfect harmony… as if each song were penned to flow into one another from the very beginning. Elizabeth’s portrayal of Lola from the musical Damn Yankees placed her at the top of my list and Brittany’s voice diminished significantly as the show progressed. So, once it came down to the nitty-gritty, I was only surprised by Brittany’s absence in the final six contestants.

Last week, I did choose Josh to come out on top and I was ecstatic when he did! However, I found my loyalties leaning towards Drew after he comedically performed “Trouble” from The Music Man. If I were a judge, my biggest challenge would be deciphering true all-around talent against talent in a certain genre. Josh was amazing, but can he perform comedically? In the end, Drew proved he could be both the comedian and an actor to hold the audience’s attention with emotionality. Again, I’m not disappointed with the outcome… only speculating.

Elizabeth Romero. Oh, Elizabeth! This is a girl after my own heart. I love actresses who are capable of acting through facial gestures even whilst singing. To me, that’s true talent only few possess. Kristin Chenoweth — yes, I drop her name all the time… but can you blame me? — is the most “post-modern” example of this type of talent. Elizabeth’s comedy in her solo “Disneyland” from Smile stole my vote almost immediately and I would have been upset if the judges did not recognize the clear winner in her performance."

Original Silent Movie for Fall 2014

Our Original Silent Movie

Silent Film -- telling a story and expressing emotion without the use of words

This week, we begin our unit on Silent Film. The above short silent film was made by George Melies, a French filmmaker whose life and work is showcased in the film Hugo and the graphic novel that it was based on, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Melies is a fanciful filmmaker who uses some advanced cinematic techniques to create a feeling of magic in his films, such as the way he duplicates one man into a whole "band" of men here. This short differs from other silent films that are well known in the U.S. in that it does not have music playing. Imagine this scene set to music. How would it be different?

In gathering some background information on the genre of silent film, you might look at the examples contained at this website: "Six Essential Silent Short Films". Also, you might look at the movie The Artist.
In looking at these examples, pay attention to the way that the actors use face and body to convey ideas. Also look at the use of props and staging (and sometimes) cue cards used with words on them) to tell the story. Finally, pay close attention to the role played by music and how it creates an emotional setting in scenes.

Thoughts from this week of Monologue Workshopping

It is hard to put your work out there, and it is also hard to find things (positive and constructive as well as critical and constructive) to say as feedback to someone who shares in front of the class.

This week, we have begun that process in earnest and are off to a good start. Remember that you may have your own preferences and style of delivery, but it's always worth it to try out someone else's suggestion...just to see how it goes, even if you just end up reaffirming your original choice.

There is a game that we will play next week that helps practice taking someone else's ideas and running with them:

"Yes, And..." (taken from 101 Drama Games and Activities by David Farmer -- www.dramaresource.com)

One person begins by making an “offer” (putting forward an idea) and the partner replies with a sentence that begins "Yes, and…". Try not to block your partner’s ideas, which can so often happen in improvisation. Instead, try and build on each other's suggestions. 

Example:

A: It's raining

B: Yes, and I've got a large umbrella

A: Let’s shelter under it

B: Yes, and the wind is blowing us into the air

A: We are flying over the sea

B: Yes, and we have landed on an island…

And so on. It can be a very liberating game, especially as we don’t often get the chance to say “yes” to everything! Participants should avoid trying to push their own idea at the expense of their partner's. Use the space as much as possible.  The literal “Yes” can be dropped completely as soon as acceptance of each others’ ideas begins to become more automatic.

Looking forward to next week! Until then, I leave you with this image:

Quote of the Week -- Week 2

"Our lives improve only when we take chances - 
and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves."

Quote of the Week -- Week 1

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty" -- Maya Angelou