David In Shadow and Light had it's official opening at Theatre J Sunday night, also press night, and the reviews have been...mixed.
I use the term mixed because whilst none of them were particuarly glowing reviews, each had different likes and gripes, as is typical in the world of critique. I generally turn the other cheek on reviews because in the end, they are not why we do theatre. The only real detriment of reviews is to the broader audience of non-typical theatre goers who rely on reviews to tell them what to see, as with movie reviews. I am the type that ignores movie reviews and go see what looks appealing to me, as I am with theatre.
The thing that got me really thinking as I read through the four reviews I found yesterday and today (the post, the times, all arts review 4 u, and DC Theatre Scene) was why, through all that was discussed, one important element was missing. I don't feel any of the reviewers talked about what was to be felt from the piece. What they got, what they thought about, what it meant to them. Isn't that what one of the great thing about live theatre is? The ability to go to the bar or coffee house after the show and discuss with friends not only which actors you liked, or what worked or didn't work technically, or what you thought about the music, ect ect but what affect it had on you, what it made you think about, what points were made.
I think a main part of this show is when you dig through everything else and look at the core, the bone structure, the heart, it is a story about the Human Condition, however flawed, and its affect on others and the world as a whole. David is a perfect example of this. Rising up from nothing, and through charisma, talent, beauty, poetry, and music he rises up to be King over all the land only to prove that he too, is flawed, and yet God and man still love and forgive him as he loves and forgives those around him for their sins. It seems the reviewers have all become so concentrated on all the technical elements they forget the main reason people come to theatre...people come to the theatre because of how it makes them feel. they want to connect with the characters and story unfolding on the stage in a way that is hard to do with a Tv or Movie screen. They want to follow them, feel for them, rise and fall with them and I think, through all its flaws, this is done in David.
I wonder how long a person can review theatre, day in and day out, weekend after weekend seeing show after show, before they become too jaded to see the beauty in anything. Not just the talent, not just the good story or strong direction, but the beauty. Art is beauty.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Is Advanced Placement always good?
So it's been a while but everyone has been talking about blogs and such around this place so writing I am. Plus I am not doing anything on stage at this moment.
A thought that crosses my mind on a regular day basis is how much advanced placement has affected the course of my life, in positive and negative ways. I have been in "aquilla" or "signet" or "GT (gifted and talented)" or "honors" or "AP" classes my entire life that they have been available. From about 3rd or 4th grade I believe. This provided a lot of very strong opportunities for me throughout my young life. I can remember back in Aquilla when we were allowed to make our own studies as long as we provided a clear goal and purpose. I develped a third level to the Shakespeare study. And it was all based in independent study. We were allowed to chose what we wanted to be working on at any given time and given the time and space to do it on our own accord undirected aside from the listed goals. But what about the negative affects. I was never in classes with any of the children who were not considered "GT" so I never developed a tolerance or understanding for people whos minds didnt work exactly like mine. Not that one is better they are simply different but it was instilled in me through the use of words like "gifted and talented" that we were "better" in some way. I learned to work on my own and as I got older and group work was used more and more in schooling I loathed it and took on all the work myself. To this day I still prefere to work on my own by my own accord.
Do children that are put through GT systems miss out on a certain level of socialization?
I think so. And while the benefits are many I can't decide if they outweigh the damage. I suppose had I gone into engineering or medicine these effects wouldnt mean so much but I chose theater. A profession where working with others, some who may not work on your intelligent level, is a matter of everyday life and you are constantly taking direction from others.
It's strange how much desicions made by others for you when you were under the age of 12 affect you for the rest of your life, most of which probably dont seem to matter at the time they were made. For example a lot of kids I know were held back from Kindergarden or 1st grade because they were socially ready to move on. That doesn't seem like a big deal then but when you are in 10th grade a year or more older than the other kids in your class it starts to become a bigger deal. Anyone who knows me know my theory that the Rhode Island school system screwed me with my spelling.
I wonder what I will do to my kids that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
A thought that crosses my mind on a regular day basis is how much advanced placement has affected the course of my life, in positive and negative ways. I have been in "aquilla" or "signet" or "GT (gifted and talented)" or "honors" or "AP" classes my entire life that they have been available. From about 3rd or 4th grade I believe. This provided a lot of very strong opportunities for me throughout my young life. I can remember back in Aquilla when we were allowed to make our own studies as long as we provided a clear goal and purpose. I develped a third level to the Shakespeare study. And it was all based in independent study. We were allowed to chose what we wanted to be working on at any given time and given the time and space to do it on our own accord undirected aside from the listed goals. But what about the negative affects. I was never in classes with any of the children who were not considered "GT" so I never developed a tolerance or understanding for people whos minds didnt work exactly like mine. Not that one is better they are simply different but it was instilled in me through the use of words like "gifted and talented" that we were "better" in some way. I learned to work on my own and as I got older and group work was used more and more in schooling I loathed it and took on all the work myself. To this day I still prefere to work on my own by my own accord.
Do children that are put through GT systems miss out on a certain level of socialization?
I think so. And while the benefits are many I can't decide if they outweigh the damage. I suppose had I gone into engineering or medicine these effects wouldnt mean so much but I chose theater. A profession where working with others, some who may not work on your intelligent level, is a matter of everyday life and you are constantly taking direction from others.
It's strange how much desicions made by others for you when you were under the age of 12 affect you for the rest of your life, most of which probably dont seem to matter at the time they were made. For example a lot of kids I know were held back from Kindergarden or 1st grade because they were socially ready to move on. That doesn't seem like a big deal then but when you are in 10th grade a year or more older than the other kids in your class it starts to become a bigger deal. Anyone who knows me know my theory that the Rhode Island school system screwed me with my spelling.
I wonder what I will do to my kids that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
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