Comedy of Errors

I attended the Wednesday, April 20th production of Comedy of Errors.  I was unfamiliar with the play or the writing upon which this production was based so I didn't really know what to expect.  Thankfully, the production team had anticipated this to be the case for some members of the audience...the middle pages of the playbill contained a creatively drawn cartoon strip that detailed the backstory of the play so that we would know what was going on when the curtain went up.  Very helpful as the play, written in the late 1500's by William Shakespeare, is a complicated story.  It begins with a happy couple expecting a baby which results in the birth of twins who were both named Antipholus.  In addition to these new additions to the family, the father purchases two newborn twin boys from a destitute couple and brings them into his family as slaves for his own sons.  These twin boys are named Dromio.  Returning from a journey to their home, there is a terrible storm at sea...one Antipholus and one Dromio are separated from the father and the other Antipholus and the other Dromio.  One Antipholus and Dromio grow up alongside their father but, once they are grown, journey off to find their lost brothers, the other Antipholus and Dromio.  The father soon follows in an attempt to locate all four boys again.  What ensues after this point is literally a "comedy of errors" as the four young men move around the city of Ephesus without knowledge that the other pair is present.  Mistaken identities and mass confusion follow until ultimately the truth is unfolded and the boys are reunited with each other and their father.  As I said, very complicated and hard to explain in a short paragraph!!

The USC production of this Shakespeare play was very creatively done.  Upon entering the theatre and viewing the set onstage, I could tell immediately that this was going to be presented in a "non-traditional" way.  The set was very creative and smack in the middle was what appeared to be a giant, brightly colored puppet stage...a dead giveaway that this would not be a traditional Shakespearean presentation based on my own limited knowledge of Shakespeare.  This creativity continued to be evident as the show began and actors began to appear onstage.  Actors were clad in very brightly colored costumes with cartoonish wigs that went perfectly with the slapstick comedy and sense of humor and fun that pervaded the show.  The set was creatively built to reflect the town of Ephesus and its storefronts and homes.  Actors could climb ladders behind the sets to be seen in 2nd floor windows inside these storefronts and homes which was a creative touch and allowed for more interest on the stage. 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the show.  I was nervous and intimidated at first by the Shakespearean language used to present the play but that quickly evaporated.  The director did a fantastic job of making the plot and the language accessible through the actors movements and antics.  It was presented with a huge dose of humor which kept me laughing through the entire show.  Would love to see it again! 

Art Film Event

 

I had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to view this film so I was glad to see it as an option for this blog posting.  I was unable to see it at the Nickelodeon due to scheduling but, luckily, it came out on DVD in time!  Thanks for Dr. Heid for giving me some extra time...served many purposes but also gave me the chance to see this amazing film!

The King's Speech falls into the drama genre of movies as it depicts realistic events and characters dealing with realistic issues - in this case, the Duke of York and the speech issues that he had to overcome.  

The establishing shot of this film sets the stage for us that there is an extremely large event occurring in an extremely large venue in England.  The opening shots continue to introduce us to the Duke of York who is preparing to give a speech before this large audience.  The shots focus on what appear to be nerves on the part of the Duke and those close to him (his wife, etc) as well as the preparations for the speech from a technology standpoint.  The shots lead up to the moment where the Duke takes to the microphone and attempts to deliver his speech.  It is at this moment that it is revealed that the Duke suffers from a speech issue - it is this revelation that solidifies the opening shots and why so much emphasis was placed on trying to let the audience see the magnitude of the venue and audience as well as the anxiety of the Duke when it comes to speaking which sets the stage for the story to unfold.

One of the camera angles that was used that caught my attention was that used during interactions between the Duke ("Bertie") and his speech therapist/friend, Lionel.  In the early part of the movie where the two are establishing their relationship, the camera angle is wide.  The two are most often seen in Lionel's office which is large and sparsely furnished as seen in the below photo.  Though the two men are in relatively close proximity to each other, the sparseness and size of the room enforces a feeling of separation.

However, this is a movie about not just speech issues but about relationships and the friendship forged between these two men.  As the story unfolds and the relationship between the two forms and strengthens, tighter camera angles are used as well as more intimate settings.  I noticed this throughout the film and thought it an interesting approach. 

As I mentioned, this is a story of how Lionel Logue, an untrained speech therapist, helps the Duke of York (Albert / Bertie) overcome his speech issue which is stammering.  However, it is about so much more than just a speech issue.  It is about the relationship between Lionel and Bertie as well as the steadfast love and support of Bertie's wife; it is about the royal family and the inner demons from this family that drive many of Bertie's outward issues; it is about triumphing over adversity and overcoming obstacles with the support and guidance of a trusted friend.  It is a fascinating and deeply moving film, in my opinion.  The actors, Colin Firth as Bertie and Geoffrey Rush as Lionel, were superb as was Helena Bonham Carter as Bertie's wife.  Colin Firth did an amazing job of creating a character with a speech impediment - he was remarkably convincing.  The interaction between the actors captured the relationship, the drama, the weight of the story and made it hard to turn away.  

When it comes to music in the film, I have to be honest and say I have absolutely no recollection of the music used in the film.  I was so completely engrossed in the actors and the story that I was completely oblivious to any background music being used. 

Assignment #7 - Theatre

There are several differences between a thrust stage and a proscenium stage.  First and foremost is the appearance.  A proscenium stage is framed by a large arch and the audience sits only in front of this arched frame and stage.  With a thrust stage, the stage juts out into the audience and the stage is surrounded on three sides by the audience.  Perhaps a better illustration is to think of the audience in a proscenium theater as the fourth wall of the stage.  The illustrations below will provide a visual representation of the two types of stages.  

Thrust Stage

Proscenium Stage

The fly gallery (or fly space) in a theater is the area above the stage that is used to store and utilize additional lighting, stage or curtain elements used in the production.  Stage personnel access the fly gallery via a catwalk as well as an area on the side of the stage that stores the ropes and pulleys that are used to manipulate the lighting, etc in the fly gallery.  

A scrim is a thin fabric screen used onstage in many theatrical productions.  Lighting is utilized in conjunction with the scrim to create a multitude of effects.  Images and lighting can be projected onto the scrim from the front and when this is done, everything behind the scrim is obscured.  To the contrary, if lighting is projected from behind the scrim, the audience can see everything behind the scrim very clearly.  Examples are presented below...

Scrim utilized with back lighting

Scrim utilized with front lighting

 

Museum Event

I fully enjoyed the visit to the Columbia Museum of Art.  I have never been to the museum before so it was interesting to explore the collections, both temporary and permanent.  

There were many photos in the "Who Shot Rock and Roll?" collection that captured my attention but one in particular stood out to me and it was the photo taken of U2 that was used for the cover of their "Joshua Tree" album.  I am probably showing my age, but this was one of my favorite albums when I was a teenager.  (I believe it was released in 1987, so I was almost 14...)  I was a huge U2 fan and I remember hanging a poster of this photo on the wall in my bedroom.  Though I still enjoy the music, I haven't thought of this photo since I was much younger so it was interesting to see it hanging somewhere other than over my bed - in this case, on the wall in an art gallery!  

The photograph was taken in late 1986 by Anton Corbijn who did quite a lot of photography work for U2.  It was taken in the Mojave Desert in California over the course of a several day photo shoot.  It is a black and white shot taken with a panoramic camera to capture the desert landscape of the area they were in.  I did a little research on the photo after my museum visit and it was interesting to learn that Corbijn had little to no experience with a panoramic camera before taking this photo so he didn't know  how to focus it.  As a result of this inexperience and the natural lighting used, the result was a photo in which the band is slightly out of focus while the landscape is clearly focused.  I love the way the photo places the band in the rugged terrain of the desert.  It is like they are part of their surroundings while being a million miles away at the same time.  The positioning of the band members, their clothing, their expressions, etc all mirror the rough, harsh element that is present in the terrain itself.  All in all, a classic U2 photo...in my opinion. 

Dance Art Event - Shag Music & The Big Apple

Having grown up in New York, shag music and the dance style that accompanies it were completely foreign to me until I moved to South Carolina about 15 years ago.  It was only upon my relocation and marriage into a very Southern family that I became familiar with this particular type of dance.  My in-laws love to shag and we all attend an annual party where the highlight is the shag music and the dancing.  It took awhile to get my Northern body used to this Southern dance but I eventually figured it out and it is now something that I really do enjoy. 

Shag dancing has its roots here in South Carolina where it became popular in small clubs along the coast, particularly in the Myrtle Beach area and, as such, it is the official dance of the state of South Carolina.  The original shag dance took shape in the 1930s while the form of shag dance that is currently popular is more of a combination of that original shag dance and another type of dance known as the jitterbug.  Though in its early days, the shag was performed to a variety of types of music, these days the shag is performed primarily to beach music. 

The basic shag count is "1-and-2, 3-and-4, 5, 6” for a total of eight counts even though it is done with 4 count music.  The dancer's feet move at each part of the count (including the "and").  The video below clearly demonstrates the count used by the dancers...particularly at about minute 3 of the video!

The Big Apple was originally known as the "House of Peace" synagogue and was a place of worship in its original location on Park Street.  In the mid 1930's, the congregation of the synagogue needed more space so they sold the building to purchasors who turned the building into the Big Apple Night Club.  It became a place for young people to come and dance the night away.  It was here that the "Big Apple Dance" was created by young people from USC in 1937.  The dance became a national craze and was performed all over the country.  The club, however, closed just a short time later in 1938 and the property was sold.  In the late 1970's, the building was moved to its current location and in the mid-1990's was acquired by the Columbia Historic Foundation for preservation. 

  This picture shows the entrance to the Big Apple with it's arched, stained glass windows.

  This photo shows the second floor balcony that was originally used as a viewing area for the night club.

  A picture of the original Big Apple Night Club.

Assignment #6 - Dance

 

The baroque period of dance occurred between the years 1600 and 1750.  The period was heavily influenced by King Louis XIV and his intense love of dance.  According to our class lecture on the subject of dance, the dance of this period is characterized by "dynamic movement, overt emotion and self-confident rhetoric".  In addition, the movements are full of "grandeur, richness, drama and vitality".  The dance of this period wasn't very subtle but instead very intense.  Additionally, there was a tendency during this period of dance to "blur the distinctions between various arts".  This was most evident to me in the re-enactment videos we watched of King Louis XIV's dance performances.  These performances were not characterized solely by dance movements but also contained many theatrical elements as well.

As dance has evolved over the years, many different styles and approaches to the art form have developed.  Some are more traditional in nature while others push the envelope a bit.  One of those that, in my opinion, pushes the envelope a bit is the experimental form of Japanese dance known as Butoh.  Butoh originated, obviously, in Japan in the late 1950's.  It is known as the "dance of the dark soul".  It is extremely emotionally intense and at times can be perceived as quite disturbing.  I am including a video clip of a Butoh performance.  I was struck while watching this that though it does feel very dark and, at times, depressing, it is quite impressive in its grace at the same time. 

In my experience, I have found dance to be one art form that the majority of individuals enjoy.  It is diverse in its forms and can be presented and experienced in so many different ways that there really is something for everyone when it comes to dance.  People dance for many, many reasons.  As discussed in class, many people dance for the purpose of personal expression.  Words don't necessarily come easily to everyone and they physical movement of dance can give individuals an outlet of expression that they otherwise may not have.  People dance for simpler reasons sometimes; to stay in shape, to spend time with a loved one or friends or to celebrate an occasion of one type or another, or simply to have fun.  In writing this, I took a minute to think about the times I have danced in recent months and found that I myself have danced for a variety of reasons.  I took a few shag lessons with my husband just as an opportunity for us to enjoy each other's company and have a few laughs, I attended the wedding of a close friend and celebrated the good times by dancing into the early morning hours and I went to a concert with several girlfriends where we never even sat in our seats because we were too busy dancing.  Each of these experiences involved dance but each for a unique purpose and experience.  I recall these experiences and it is interesting that even though they all involved dance, the emotions I felt were different with each one.  Perhaps that is part of the appeal of dance to so many...it can make us feel so many different things and let us express the same.

Assignment #5 - Music

Jazz

Jazz is a musical genre rooted in improvisation and interpretation.  Performers use rhythms, melodies and sounds to express themselves individually based on their emotions, the way the music is making them feel and even interactions with other musicians.  The genre combines both African and European influences to create a unique sound.  With the help of a handy little website, www.apassion4jazz.net, I was able to gather a little more background information about jazz music, its origins and its importance to the American culture.  It appears that jazz originated in the New Orleans area in the early 1900's but was rapidly taking hold in other urban areas of the country, particularly in the Southern states.  It is unique and holds a special place in American culture because it originated here and is considered to be one of the most important cultural contributions that Americans have made to the world on a large scale. 

Jazz music continues to flourish today.  Class greats such as Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong are still extremely popular while contemporary artists continue to push the envelope and make their own impact on the genre.  I have included a few clips of contemporary jazz artists that I enjoy. 

This first clip is Diane Krall performing "I Love Being Here With You". 

The second clip is a relatively new jazz artist named Esperanza Spalding performing "I Know You Know".

Peter and the Wolf

The composer of this work, Sergei Prokofiev, uses instruments to represent the characters of the story.  Peter is represented by the string section including the violin, viola, cello and bass.  The duck and the bird are represented by the oboe and the flute, respectively.  The wolf is brought to life by a member of the brass family, the french horn.  Peter's grandfather is given voice by the bassoon while the Hunters are portrayed by the woodwind family.  Gunshots from the Hunters are made using the timpani and the bass drum.

Classical Music

According our classroom discussions, classical music is noted for its clarity of form and logical development.  Classical music developed early in the history of music (estimates place its development around 500 A.D.) and has continued to evolve over time.  Some of the most famous composers of all time such as Beethoven and Mozart are considered to be classical musicians.  I have included a few clips of work from these composers.



Assignment #3

Aesthetics

 I run daily.  I run to be strong…I run to be calm…I run to be revitalized…I run to find my center.

As I set out the clouds were simply misting on me, a cold wind blowing the soft vapors across my face.  As I found my stride and settled in the rains came heavier, nature demanding my full attention.  Fat, wet drops pounded out a staccato beat on the visor of my hat…glistening drops streamed off the brim caught only by my peripheral vision.  The rhythmic sound of my footfalls and the measured exhalations of my breath joined the percussive sound of the rain…music to my soul.  Headlights catch the wet pavement and light up the stretch of black pavement ahead of me.  I feel the pound of my heart, the ignition of muscles and the strength of both.  An instinctive smile crosses salty lips.  The air smells damp, crisp, fresh.  Nature renews, as do I.

"Nessum Dorma"

I think my drawing demonstrates many of the feelings that I experienced while listening to Pavarotti’s “Nessum Dorma”.  The soft and flowing sounds of the start of the song spoke to me of peace and contentment which materialized as soft, light-colored flowing lines at the top of my drawing.  However, as the song continued the sense of emotion heightened in the song which left me reaching for more intense colors and drawing with more intensity on the bottom half of my paper.  Despite the shifts in intensity of the music at different points I still felt a sense of continuity throughout the song, just various shadings in emotion which is why I think my drawing also has a sense of cohesiveness to it; the color and intensity shifted but the flow of the lines remained the same. 

Establishing Shots in Film

The establishing shot in film serves many purposes.  First and foremost, the shot informs the viewer of the location or setting of the scene.  An establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower, for example, will quickly inform the viewer that the setting of the scene is Paris without having to directly verbalize that fact.  However, the establishing shot does more than just set the location.  It can establish season, time of day, even weather with just one single shot.  The establishing shot is critical as it gives the viewer perspective from which to frame the action and events that follow in the scene.

To demonstrate this fact, I have included a clip of the establishing shot from the film “Lord of the Rings”.  A sweeping landscape shot gives the viewer a glimpse of the countryside in which much of the film takes place while the arrival of a horse and cart sets a sense of the time period.  Additionally, the shot includes a glimpse of tiny doorways embedded in the lush greenery of the landscape.  This establishes a “fantastical” feeling for the viewer and creates a sense of intrigue and curiosity for what’s to come. 



Assignment #2 - Domains of Creativity / Feldman Method of Art Criticism

One of my favorite artists is photographer, Ansel Adams.  I thought I would use some of his work, particularly his Western US photos for the Interior Dept in the 40’s, to illustrate the 4 domains of creativity as well as the Feldman Method of Art Criticism as required for this week’s assignment. 

The first domain of creativity is fluency which is defined as the ability to generate many ideas.  Though one idea can sometimes be enough to produce a work of art, true creativity often requires an artist to identify and develop many different ideas before settling on one or combining several to establish the final direction of the project. 

The second domain is flexibility which is the process of moving from one perspective or idea to another during the creative process.  I think Adams’ photographs taken at the Boulder Dam along the Colorado River demonstrate this concept of flexibility.  Adams took these photographs on the same day and as part of the same creative project.  He is able to show us an awe-inspiring landscape view of the dam in its entirety and the mountains surrounding it in one photo and then showcase an entirely different perspective by photographing the electrical wiring that powers the dam.  I find these to be two completely different ideas and perspectives though both rendered beautifully.  I think this demonstrates Adams’ flexibility as a photographer and artist.



A third domain of creativity is originality which is an artist’s ability to generate unusual ideas in their work.  An artist would probably meet with limited success if simply producing art born of one basic idea.  However, by continually pushing the envelope through the use of new and unusual ideas, artists broaden themselves and widen the scope of their art.  Take the two photographs above, for example.  Adams’ could certainly have worked simply with the landscape of the first photo and produced a fair number of stellar photographs.  However, through the use of originality in his creative process, Adams was able to see the potential for a beautiful artwork in the metal lines of the electrical wiring and ultimately create an equally stunning photograph.

The fourth and final domain of creativity is elaboration which is the concept of adding to ideas to improve or extend them.  Creativity doesn’t mean simply coming up with one great idea and executing it.  Artists will think creatively of ways to extend that initial idea – what can be added (or perhaps taken away) to improve the piece or to take it to another level.   Returning to my references to Adams, I think this is something that can again be seen in his work, particularly through his use of lighting.  Adams continually came up with creative ways to “paint” with light to yield the photographic image he was looking for not just that image that was most obvious to the eye.  Take the photograph below for example…it was taken in Death Valley, California in the late 1940’s.  At first glance, through the naked eye, one may see just the desert and the sand however, through his creative thinking I imagine Adams was able to see the difference that would be made in this landscape with the addition of just the right lighting.  He was able to capture the lighting at precisely the right moment and transform the sandy landscape into a lovely contrast of light and dark. 

The Feldman Method of Art Criticism can be used to analyze the works included above by Ansel Adams as well as any other works of art.  It is a four-step process of describing, analyzing, interpreting and evaluating art. 

It starts, most obviously, with the description.  This involves the basics of the piece such as who created the work, what medium was used, the size or dimensions of the piece and what are the characteristics of the piece.  It could also be helpful to know when the work was created and perhaps some limited background information about the artist. 

The next step is the analysis at which point a viewer will use the many elements of art and principals of design to further describe the work.  Elements of art that can be used in this step include line, shape, form, space, color and/or texture.  Any combination of these elements can be present in an art piece and analyzing those elements can help provide a better feel for the work being reviewed.  Additionally, the principals of design such as rhythm/movement, balance, proportion, variety, emphasis, harmony and unity can be used to further describe the work as part of this process.

Once the work has been described and analyzed, the view can being to interpret the piece.  This step is all about figuring out what the piece “means”.  How does it make the view feel?  What does the piece “say” either directly or through the use of metaphor?  Are there a variety of meanings that can be extrapolated from the piece? 

It is only after the work as really been interpreted that one can judge or evaluate an artwork.  To evaluate before describing, analyzing and interpreting is of little value and simply reduces the work to face value, in my opinion.  Once those steps have been completed a viewer is really ready to decide how he feels about the work, whether it appeals to him and the reasons why it does or does not. 

Biographical Statement

I feel that art can take on many forms - some similar in nature, others vastly different.  Each form is individually perceived and impacts each viewer/observer/participant differently.  However, the root of art to me is meaning.  It's about conveying a message to the audience that can then be interpreted and translated in a personal and individual way.  To me, it's all about what the art says to you...for example, how does the music make you feel, what do you think about when watching a dance, what do you see in the colors (or lack thereof) of a painting or drawing?  The answers to each of these questions are uniquely personal which is, in my opinion, what makes art so appealing.  There is no right or wrong answer - simply what you take from the experience and where it leads you as a result. 

I do not consider myself an artist.  Correctly or incorrectly, I find artists to be those individuals who engage in art as a display - a way to express themselves to an audience.  This is not to say that artists don't reap tremendous personal benefit from the art in which they engage as I am sure they do.  However, I think there is a huge difference between an individual who engages in and shares their art with an audience (an artist) and an individual who looks at art or creates art solely for personal enjoyment or gain (appreciation).  I fall firmly into the latter category.  I have a huge appreciation for art and I enjoy a variety of art mediums such as dance, music, theater and photography.  However, my participation in these (and other) art mediums is very limited and occurs solely for my own personal enjoyment.  I found early on that I have a creative nature that allows me to envision and create art in my head but bringing those artistic ideas to fruition proves difficult.  I found that what I saw in my head never really translated to real life quite the way that I expected it to and I had trouble adapting when that happened.  Frustration and irritation would set in which led to many abandoned efforts.  I discovered instead that I found a great amount of joy in observing and enjoying the art of others instead. 

I do make time in my life to attend traditional "art events" as much as I can.  I particularly enjoy music, dance, theater and film so I make time for events such as these.  I have a 7 year old daughter who loves the ballet and the theater so we also attend events together which I enjoy.  We had our traditional annual trip to the Nutcracker this holiday season and I found that I never tire of watching her eyes light up when the Dew Drop Fairy arrives on stage.  I also have a 16 year old son and much of my appreciation for music comes from him.  He is constantly introducing me to new artists which has resulted in a rather eclectic mix of music on my iPod.  Which playlist you will find me listening to is tied directly to my mood and what I'm up to...I am an avid runner and you may find me tuned to Kanye West or T-Pain on one run and to Darius Rucker or Sugarland on another.  Though my time for attending art events is limited as a mother/teacher/student, I have found as I get older that I have begun to notice art around me more instead of it being relegated to simply the events and settings in which it is traditionally found.  For example, I am a teacher of young children and I see art in the work that they do, in the way that they play, the way that they move their bodies and even sing to themselves.  I find that I get a large dose of joy in my life from noticing the beauty and the art of everyday life.   Perhaps this doesn't adhere to the scholar or critic's definition of art but I feel like the definition of art is individual and personal and thus can't be pinned down by one neat and tidy definition.  To me, that may be the beauty of art...because it is largely undefined and left to the viewer's interpretation it is open-ended and ever-changing.