Project #6-Play Proposal for SHSU 2010-2011

1) The show I propose for SHSU in the coming 2010-2011 season is The Miser by Moliere.The Miser is about a penny pinching old man named Harpagon who is constantly watching his money and assumes that everyone is trying to steal it. His two children, Cleante and Elise are both in love with others. Cleante had fallen for Marianne whom Harpagon has decided he wants for himself and Elise has fallen for Valere who has taken a role in Harpagon's home in order to be close to Elise. Frosine the matchmaker for Harpagon as decided to match Marianne and Harpagon. Harpagon agrees given that her dowry is large enough. Le Fleche the servant later discovers the hidden box of treasure in the garden and shows it to Cleante. The two take the box thinking it will solve all of Cleante's problems and allow him to marry Marianne and not his father. The police come in to investigate and is told that is Valere who has taken Harpagon’s treasure. Valere believes they are questioning him about Elise and confesses to taking the “treasure”. Valere then reveals a startling secret that he is the son of a noble man known to everyone of Naples, Don Thomas d'Alburci. Anselme, the man Harpagon wishes to marry Elise to, states that he recalls the name but doubts its truth due to the fact that there was a terrible shipwreck and everyone perished. Valere produces evidence that Don Thomas d’Alburci is indeed his father. At this point Marianne reveals that this evidence means that she is Valere’s sister and her mother is also Valere’s. Anselme then reveals himself as their father and explains why he changed his name and sought to marry another wife in a different country. Anselme decides to pay for both of his children’s marriages, Marianne to Cleante and Valere to Elise and takes his children to see his wife. Harpagon is left alone with his money.
While this script is mostly farce and silly there are several themes that are present within the script. The most obvious is that of greed, obsessive greed. Harpagon is so obsessed with his money and getting as much of it as he can that he misses out on all the other things going on around him. There is also love clearly evident in the script. Marianne’s love for her ailing mother as well as her love for Cleante is evident. Elise’s and Valere’s love for each other is strong enough that Valere gives up his life to be close to her in her father’s house. Harpagon’s love for money beats his love for his children which leaves him truly alone at the end with his true love. Anselme’s love for his family drives him on an endless search for them and when he rediscovers them his love shows through when he offers up the money to pay for both weddings. Luck is also evident as a theme in the show. Luck brings each of the characters together in an unlikely situation. Anselme luckily settles in the same town as his wife and daughter and his son. Le Fleche luckily discovers the treasure hidden in the garden. Luckily all the members of the d’Alburci survived the tragic shipwreck.

2) Moliere born as Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was a French playwright and actor and even acted in his own work on numerous occasions. At the age of 21 Moliere abandoned his social standing to pursue a theatrical career founding L'Illustre Théâtre and began amassing a debt mostly from rent of the theatre for which Moliere served a stint in prison. Moliere eventually reached Paris in 1658 and performed in front of the King at the Lourve. He was awarded the title “Troupe de Monsieur”. Moliere’s farces were only partially written and were acted in the style of Commedia del’Arte although Moliere showed a preference for tragedy. Moliere was careful not to attack the monarchy which put him in favor with Louis XIV who protected Moliere. Moliere began suffering from an illness in the late 1660’s which influenced the way he portrayed his character, Harpagon, in The Miser. Moliere last performance came while he was playing the hypochondriac in The Imaginary Invalid where a bout of coughing caused him to hemorrhage but Moliere insisted on finishing the performance. Shortly after Moliere collapsed and died at home. Where two priests refused to visit and a third was too late. French law prohibited actors from being buried on sacred ground but his wife pleaded with the King who agreed to bury him at night in the part of the cemetery reserved for unsaved infants. The superstition that green brings bad luck to actors is said to originate from the color of the clothing that Moliere was wearing at the time of that he died.
The Miser is a comedy of manners farce that is written in five acts. It was performed for King Louis the XIV September 9, 1668. It is a fast-moving, satirical script was a surprise ending. This script is different from Moliere’s works in that when an actor delivers an aside to the audience the other characters demand to know who they are speaking to.

3) The Miser should be produced at SHSU this coming year because it will give students a chance to experience a farce that contains a moral message in the end. The Miser would also gives students a chance to experience a period comedy of manner piece. This script is not produced as often as some of Moliere’s other works so students would have the opportunity to create a unique character without basing that character on something they have already seen and are trying to imitate. This show can be treated with a sense of realism which has the possibility to increase the humor contained in the script. If the actors believe that what they are doing is real then the audience will.

4) Staging this show would require very little if any scene changes. This play has the opportunity to be performed in single set. A living room in the house of Harpagon would suffice. Due to Harpagon’s frugal nature the set would require very little extravagant spending details. The crew would have only basic lighting cues and very few sound cues. The most expensive and taxing of the production would probably be in the costumes. Period costumes are typically more expensive and harder to make.

5) I would want this production done in the Showcase theatre. I think producing the show in the showcase would create the idea of a frugal home better and allow the audience to be closer to the characters and allow a relationship to be established. If the weather permitted I would also like to try a performance or two in the pit. The wear and tear of the pit I think would also help create a feeling of frugality that Harpagon possesses. I seen this production being done as close to the original style as possible. I would want it set in 1668 in Paris. I want it to be treated like a comedy of manners but I do not want it to be so slap-sticky that it is just silly. I want to be funny because the characters truly believe in everything going on around them. I don’t want the stage to be dark in any way until Harpagon is left alone on stage with his one true love. I want him to realize that he is alone and to make the decision whether to stay that way. Maybe glimpsing back to the way his children just walked out and back to his money or something that suggests that. I think the crew would be very small after the set is built (if in the showcase). The costume designer would have the most work. During the show it would be unnecessary to have costume changes though other than the servants who play double roles so that Harpagon can save money. Those changes though involve only a hat to change and are done onstage in view of the audience.

Project #5-The Miser

1. Psychiatry Online is a online resource for psychiatric related things.

Psychiatry Online

"Intellectual and Cognitive Development: Course of Adult Intellectual Development" is an article on the cognitive functioning of older adults. This article in particular covers the aspects of dementia and its frequency among the population. I chose this article as an acting resource because I think that any actor playing the role of Harpagon would need to understand the typical brain functioning of an aging man. The actor would need to determine to what degree Harpagon would be suffering from dementia or aging brain.

2. The Costumer's Manifesto-Costume Designs for Moliere

Manifesto



The site gives accurate descriptions and images of costumes that would have been worn during the time period in which Moliere would have produced his plays. This website would be useful to an actor because the actor would need to understand how the costumes fit and how the costumes would change the way they would be able to move onstage. The women would be more restricted in their movements due to the corseting that is attributed to the time period.

3. Fashion from the Court of Louis XIV-Los Angeles County Museum of Art

LACMA Online Collections

This website contains images of costumes that would have actually been worn by the court of Louis the XIV. Louis XIV was very concerned with keeping up to date on the fashion of the time. He probably would have wanted his actors of the Royal Court to do the same. This information would be valuable to an actor in that the actor would receive a greater understanding of specific costume requirements and fashion of the time if the piece is directed in a manner that is very close to original time period.

4. The Miser:A Study Guide

The Miser

This source is some general information as well as some deeper information about Moliere’s The Miser. This website would be extremely useful to an actor who may be having trouble understanding the script or who understood but don’t know anything about the origins of the script. The site does a great job at giving actors a starting point from which to do more research of the time.

5. Wilson Web-Biography Index

Wilson Web



This database on the SHSU Library website allows users to search for books and articles about specific people. Actors could use this database to located books in the library or elsewhere to do research on the playwrights. I did one on Moliere and was able to find several resources I could use to read up on Moliere and gain a broader understanding of his life. Researching the playwrights would allow actors to look into the lives and times of the authors which can be useful in understanding the script.

6. Internet Broadway Database-The Miser

IBDB

The Broadway Internet Database gives users the ability to see current and past productions of a specific show. A search for The Miser will turn up only 3 recent productions. There was one production in 1936, one in 1969 and in 1990. This database would be a valuable resource to actors who may be seeking opportunities to see a current running production of the show. Actors may want to see how others have interpreted the script. This also may help actors determine the frequency of which the show is produced.

7. The Miser: Script Analysis

Analysis

This page gives us an analysis mostly of the main character, Harpagon. This site reveals that Moliere himself was probably cast in the role of Harpagon. This information would be extremely useful to actors who would need to further investigate the life of Moliere. Surely Moliere’s increasing illness had something to do with the way in which Harpagon was acted.

8. Chronic Coughing

Cough



This site gives some possible causes and symptoms of a chronic cough. Moliere was said to be suffering from an illness of some kind that caused him to have a constant cough. The exact illness he had seems to be unknown. A website like this that lists potential causes of the cough can help an actor make an executive decision on how to portray Harpagon. One actor may say that it was Asthma causing the cough while another may believe the cough is caused by lung cancer.

9. Backstage-The Actor's Resource

Actor's Resource



This website is a site geared toward helping actors find ways to accurately portray roles and answer questions that they may have concerning the world of theatre. This article in particular gives actors pointers and tip for acting in farces in today’s 21st century thinking. This would be useful to an actor today because theatre today has to compete with things like reality TV shows and movies starring Brad Pitt. An actor preparing for a role in one of Moliere’s plays may find this site useful when starting to create their character, including the servants.

10. Louis XIV-The Sun King

Louis XIV



This resource is all about Louis XIV's life and dealings of his time. The site gives information about his court, women and artworks. There are even some actual drawings done by a young Louis XIV. I believe this resource would be useful to an actor preparing for a role inThe Miser because it is important to understand the time period from which the show orginates. Without Louis XIV it is likely that this script wouldn't exist today. Actor's who understand the history of the piece will understand that this play is not to be acted in the realistic style seen today but in a very stylized, over-the-top type acting that is common of the era.

Project #3: Dramaturgy-Hamlet

Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory
Director: Jonathan Miller
Bristol



The portrayal of Hamlet was sexy and sensitive. Jamie Ballard is an unknown actor who does justice to the role of Hamlet. Ballard truly encompasses the demanding role. There is very little scenery and the costumes are all done in gold, grey and black with the only other color ever appearing being the bloodstains.






The Coronado Playhouse
Director: Keith A. Anderson
September 11-October 4, 2009
Coronado, CA


Terrence Burke as Hamlet did a wonderful job in the role but he did have a tendency to revert to a monotone voice in some scenes. He was well versed in the work and did well with the difficult language of the original script. The director as shortened the script so that the run time was just under 2 hours instead of the customary 3 hour run time.






The Small Concert Room in St. George’s Hall
August 11 – August 23, 2009
Director: Max Rubin
Liverpool


The roles of Hamlet and Gertrude were well played but Liam Tobin who takes on three different roles is the most impressive. The fight scenes were wonderfully choreographed by Renny Krupinski who also is a member of the cast as Claudius.







CoHo Productions
Director: Chris Murray
January-February 2010
Oregon


The entire production is put on by a total of 5 actors, each actor playing different roles and no costume changes. Chris Murray not only adapted and directed he also stars in the production as the lead role of Hamlet. This is a daring adaptation with many minor characters removed from the script and many monologues are shortened to help streamline the story.







Fulks Theatre
Directed: Adam Hester
July 10, 12, 18, 2003

This production is visually spectacular. The sets, lights and costumes come together well to create a beautiful stage. There is lots of quick physicality on stage and it is well choreographed.






Delacorte Theater
Director: Oskar Eustis
June 18-29, 2008
Central Park, NY

This is a modern day version and is said to be “straightforward and easy -to-follow” and in modern day clothing as the costumes. There appears to be any chemistry among the characters or the actors. The leading man pretty much carries the show and the others are left drowning. The director stages the show so that the action is more important that the reaction.







Royal Shakespeare Company
August 2008
Director:Gregory Doran
Courtyard, Stratford

David Tennant’s facial expressions apparently captivate the audience. He appropriately portrays every emotion. He has a wonderful intensity to his acting that adds a great deal of depth to his character. Patrick Stewart’s voice booms throughout the theatre creating an unreal theatrical experience. The two actors together on stage create a unique experience.







Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theater
Directed:Bonnie J. Monte
September 12-October 11, 2009
Madison, N.J.

This version of Hamlet is different in that Hamlet (Saxe) portrays the character as playful which makes the other characters around him oblivious to his plans. The entire cast does justice to the performance of the text by performing the verse with “skill and understanding”.









Shakespeare and Co.
Director: Eleanor Holdridge
July-August 29th, 2009
Lenox, MA

Jason Asprey’s performance is raw and stays true to the director’s vision. This version of Hamlet is considered to be accessible to a more modern audience. Shakespeare & Co. carefully edited the script to remove any extras from the script and the movement is continuous. Nothing extraneous is left in the script or on the stage.







Broadhurst Theatre
Director: Michael Grandage
October-December, 2009
235 West 44th Street, NY


Jude Law truly captures the role of Hamlet with his version of irreverence. The typically dark show is broken up by the humor contained within the text. The overall impact of the show is brought down by the fact that the other actors are not up to par with Law. The weakness of the other characters prevents the production from being as amazing as it could but the audience is captivated from start to finish with Jude Law’s unbeatable performance.

Project #2: Building a Commedia Mask

To begin build my Commedia Dell’ Arte mask I first had to make a very important decision. Which stock Commedia character would I choose? Columbina or Brighella or perhaps, Arlecchino! I made the decision to recreate an Arlecchino Commedia mask because of the type of character he (or maybe, she) is typically portrayed. An Arlecchino is said to be a bit of a slow thinker but he makes up for it with quick acrobatics and his playful attitude. He was also gluttonous and could easily be swayed by the suggestion of food. This characters action is never simple and is typically followed by a cartwheel or flip. Beware the master, for Arlecchino feared him more than anything else.

Some very common Lazzi for Arlecchino included scenes where Arlecchino was convinced he was dead and another where he would ridicule any man standing in his way of the Arlecchino’s desired female, whether she is Colombina or perhaps, an inamorato.

The Arlecchino was of the zanni, or servant class. His clothes were typical of the zanni’s plain white garb but the Arlecchino’s garb varied from all the rest. His clothes often were patched to keep the clothes from falling apart. This patching became the more popular style seen today with the colorful diamond patterns.

To make this recreation mask I began with a simple plastic mask that had the basic shape that I wanted for the mask. I then bought some white clay and began laying it on top of this base mask. I laid a basic shape first. Making a simple nose and eye holes to get the mask started. Then I wanted to make the eyes appear wide open and wide. I build up some clay around the eye and smoothed it out and down to form very elaborate eyebrow areas. Then I needed to increase the size of the nose so I add some more clay to the area around the nose and made it very round. I cut off two pieces of a straw to place in the nose holes, nostrils, to keep the shape. I smoothed the clay out enough around the nose so that the area would look natural but oversized. I also added a detail I found in my research of the Arlecchino mask. The feature was a large knot, or pimple type thing at the top of the head. The origins are entirely clear but many others claim that the knot is a symbol for devil horns. I then rolled out two thin pieces and rounded them around but above the eyes onto the forehead to enhance the overly energetic appearance. I rolled out two more slightly thicker pieces to make the enhancements for the cheeks. It is an almost pinwheel shape that is typical on the Arlecchino mask that may have something to do with the constant movement and acrobatics of this character.

After molding all this clay I needed to make sure the mask would fit my own face. I couldn’t very well glue it on and wait for it to dry. Instead I found a large, standing, round Tupperware container and taped the mask to it, giving the mask the right amount of bend to fit my face later. Using this I was unable to bake the clay as planned and instead decided to paper mache on top of the mask created out of clay. I used a flour and water mixture as the glue but added salt to help deter the molding process. I used thin pieces of newspaper to cover the front of the mask for the first layer, making sure to get all the details that I had made in the clay. After I made the first layer I used a hair dryer to speed up the drying process. To my surprise the heat also helped bake the clay some and helped the mask hold its shape better. I then repeated this step once more on the front and again used a hair dryer to speed up the drying. Next I tried to figure out how to get the mask off the mold I was using so that it could stand on its own. I carefully pulled the clay away from the base and then immediately did a layer of paper mache to the back of the mask. After one layer was down I again used the hair dryer and the heat helped to bake the back of the mask. I added another layer of paper mache to the back and wrapped it around onto the front so to help hold shape. I then got the same Tupperware container and set the mask against it and placed the dryer in front to allow the heat to set the mask into the shape I wanted.

After all the clay was mostly baked and the paper mache was dry I then had to choose what colors I was going to paint it. Most of my research showed me very one tone masks, most in blacks and browns. I decided to go with the black base but I used gold to accent the enhancements on the mask and I dry brushed the entire mask to add some color to it. The gold helps to catch some of the light and reflect it more.

After the paint was dry I used super glue to attach two ribbons that can be used to hold the mask onto the face. The mask still has some softness to it which helps allow it to move just slightly without changing its shape any. I do not believe any of the materials I used would have been real authentic to the time period except for maybe the clay, but the style of the mask is typical of the research. Other research suggest that the Arlecchino is cat-like or devil-like.

Project #1: Reflection

While examining the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides I was very interested in the different ways in which theatrical companies chose to portray each show.

The show starring Alan Cummings as Dionysus first caught my attention because the star was an actor whom I was able to recognize and because he was practically naked in every picture. From pictures of the production of The Bacchae by Euripides it looks like the show may have been more about being showy then about being true to the original.

Many of the other productions also decided to take the original scripts and put a new and/or modern twist on the classic Greek tragedies. In The Children of Herakles by the American Repetory Theatre the characters appear completely modern. The man is wearing camouflage pants and the little girl a more modern dress. They appear to be acting in the larger than life manner of Greek Tragedies but the costumes don’t seem to fit the acting.

In Aeschylus’ The Persians by the Shakespeare Theatre Company also chose to go with a military theme. Many of the other photos I came across for all three of the extant writers’ works had a military theme to it. It appears that many other directors have taken their productions in a similar direction. The idea of war and fighting and military tend to relate more with today’s society rather than togas and urns. I think this military reach helps bring others into the audience.

The Theatre of the Lost Continent’s production of The Trojan Woman was done by an all male cast. The various pictures of the production made it hard to tell that some of the men were in fact men. The all male cast is true to the original Greek productions were all roles were played by males, including the female roles, and no females were permitted on the stage. I found some of the pictures disturbing. The one I chose for the website looks like the girl from The Exorcist whose head spun around. Most of the pictures looked just like that one and made the idea of seeing the show unthinkable. There was also a photo of a male complete full frontal nudity. The nudity I think distracted from the whole of the production pictures. It drew focus and became the focus.

While searching the internet for production photos of Greek Tragedies I found a lot of productions done by choirs, orchestras, and many, many dance companies. I found it interesting that the Greek tragedies of the extant writers are able to transcend art forms. I also found many people who had written poems or even created actual artworks of the different tragedies.

Some directors like Keith Scales appeared over and over again in my search. Some directors tend to favor this genre of theatrical productions. Most tend to avoid but others flock to it. These directors have done lots of research and many try to stay true to original scripts and to perform them as accurately as possible. After viewing many different versions of the same productions I feel like the shows that stay true to the time period draw my attention more so than the new and modern versions, but what can I say, It’s all Greek to Me!

Project #1: Classical Tragedy

The Bacchae by Euripides (2009)
Boston Center for the Arts, Whistler in the Dark Theatre
Meg Taintor, Director

Oedipus by Sophocles (2007)
University of Calgary Theatre Department, Reeve Theatre
Jeannette Lambermont-Morey, Director

Electra by Euripides (2009)
Stanford Summer Theatre "Electra Festival"
Rush Rehm, Director

Electra by Sophocles (2006)
Saint Peter, Minnesota: Gustavus Adolphus College Dept. of Theatre and Dance
Rob Gardner, Director

Alcestis by Euripides (2009)
Maine: Bates College Theatre Department
Martin Andrucki, Director

The Trojan Women by Euripides (1987)
Kavala, Theatre of Philippi: The National Theatre of Northern Greece
Andrea Voutsinas, Director

The Iphigenia Cycle by Euripides (1997)
Chicago, Illinois: Court Theatre
Joanne Akalaitis, Director

The Trojan Women by Euripides (1971)
Theatre of the Lost Continent
Donald L. Brooks, Director

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (1990)
University of Albany, Department of Theatre
Jarka Burian, Director

Oedipus by Sophocles (2008)
East Village, NY: Pearl Theatre
Shepard Sobel, Director

Oedipus by Sophocles (1998)
Reed College: Classic Greek Theater Cerf Auditorium
Keith Scales, Director

Electra By Sophocles (2005)
Virginia: MetroStage
Michael Russotto, Director

Agamemnon by Aeschylus (2009)
Manhattan's East Village: La Mama Experimental Theatre Club
Alexander Harrington, Director

The Persians by Aeschylus (2008)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Broadway Center's Studio Theatre
Angela Iannone, Director

Medea by Sophocles (1993)
Epidaurus, Greek National Theatre
Nikos Haralampous, Director

Bachae by Euripides (1975)
Greek National Theatre
Spyros Evangelatos, Director

Medea by Euripides (2009)

Syracuse, Italy: Syracuse Greek Theatre
Massimiliano Fuksas, Director

The Persians by Aeschylus
Washington, DC: Shakespeare Theatre Company
Ethan McSweeny, Director

Agamemnon By Aeschylus (2008)
London, England: Bloomsbury Theatre
Lisa Gosbee, Director

Agamemnon by Aeschylus (2009)
New York, New York: Classic Stage Company
Brian Kulick, Gisela Cardenas, Paul Lazar, Annie Parson; Director

The Bacchae by Euripides

London, England: King's Theatre

John Tiffany, Director

Orestes by Euripides (2008)

Northern Greece: Vassiliko Theatre

Slobodan Unkovski, Director

The Children of Herakles By Euripides (2008)
Cambridge, Massachusetts: American Repetory Theatre
Robert Woodruff, Director

Antigone by Sophocles (2005)
Georgia: Valdosta State University Theatre Department
Jacque Wheeler, director

Choefores by Aeschylus (2009)

Athens, Greece: Dora Stratou Theatre

Kostas Tsianos, Director