All In The Timing

What started out as a class assignment turned into an impromptu date with my husband, George. On our way to the News-Journal Center I gave him a run down on All In The Timing and what we were going to see. George and I both enjoy and appreciate theatre, so we were in good spirits and looking forward to the performance as we arrived. I had been to the News-Journal Center before, but this was George's first time, and he was struck by how big and open it was inside. As we made our way upstairs and into the theatre I saw some familiar faces from the classroom. Once we sat down and were settled, I was able to look around and absorb what was going on around me. We were at a 2pm matinee show so the theatre wasn't particularly crowded. Other than my classmates, the audience was made up of a mix of men and women, mostly middle aged to elderly. Because we were sitting directly in front of the stage, I looked there first. The set for Sure Thing was simplistic- just a table and two chairs. However, my eyes were drawn to the huge clock on the stage floor- "cool" I thought. Then I allowed myself to look to my right and then my left and I could see all of the ornate clocks hanging on the walls around the theatre. That is when I felt like I was being transformed into the world of All In The Timing. I started to feel anticipation and was looking forward to the start of the play.

The first play, Sure Thing, was funny and creative. I thought the characters, Bill and Betty, were easy to identify with. What girl was never a Betty or what guy was never a Bill who wishes that they could have said something different or better while they were in the moment of meeting someone new that they liked? This play was well received by the audience, who were laughing and enjoying themselves.

The second play, Words, Words, Words are about three monkeys who are trying to produce Hamlet. Their mannerisms, especially Milton's, reminded me of the Marx Brothers. I was happy to see Anthony Pachin, from class, playing the part of Swift. I thought he did a great job and was very physical with Swift's characteristics. My husband and I both loved Kafka, she incorporated gymnastics into her movements and she was fun to watch. I also noticed that when the play was over and she was cleaning up the set, she did not break character. In fact, she also came out to help with a set change after another play and even then she came out as Kafka.

The third play, Universal Language, actually took me a little bit of time to warm up to. I think the reason might be that, like Shakespeare, the language of Unamunda was somewhat familiar sounding but yet still very foreign, making it hard to follow. I did however, find myself laughing and then actually feeling sad for Paige when she realizes that the University is a scam, but then happy again when she and Alec realize they have a connection that goes beyond Unamunda. The Universal Language had me experiencing more emotions than any of the other plays.

The Philadelphia was great. Again, I was happy to see another classmate, Kenny Daniels, who played Al. I thought all of the actors had great timing and were funny. I also thought that, like Sure Thing, The Philadelphia was easy to relate too. I think everyone has had "one of those days" where nothing goes your way and you feel like you're in some sort of a black hole. The audience seemed to enjoy this play quite a bit. There was lots of laughter and a good energy in the audience that was palpable.

The last play, Variations on the Death of Trotsky, was hilarious! I just loved everything about the characters- their accents, their interaction, everybody did a great job. Luckily, I can't say that I can relate to this play, but I can say that it was hysterically entertaining. Out of all of the plays, this was the one that elicited the most laughter from myself and the audience.

In addition to watching each play, I was also listening after each play was finished and I realized that the songs that were playing were all about time. I thought this was brilliant because it keeps you in the moment and you don't lose focus on the play as a whole. In fact, it keeps you looking forward to what is coming next.

Overall, All In The Timing was a funny, entertaining and witty play. My husband and I spoke with a group of people from the audience as we were leaving and they to had enjoyed the show. One of the couples were familiar with David Ives and seen some of his other work. I mentioned to this couple that I had looked up All In The Timing online and that it actually consists of fourteen short plays. The husband then asked me if I would like to see the other plays so I smiled and said "epsomlootly!"

Musicals- One of the great art forms

Musicals, one of the great art forms of the twentieth century, is very much a living art form (Nolan,21). A truly popular art, the musical closely reflects society and its needs- sometimes providing a message and often providing a much needed romantic or comic escape. While researching the history of musicals, I became very interested in the works of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and their significant contributions to the musical as we know it today. I was unaware that, prior to their collaboration, both Rodgers and Hammerstein had distinguished careers of their own.

Richard Rodgers, a composer, collaborated with lyricist Lorenz Hart on a series of musical comedies that epitomized the wit and sophistication of Broadway in its heyday (Mordden,182). From the 1920's into the early 40's, Rodgers and Hart wrote more than forty shows and film scores. Among their greatest were On Your Toes, Babes In Arms, The Boys From Syracuse, I Married An Angel, and Pal Joey.

During this same era, Oscar Hammerstein brought new life to a moribund artform: the operetta (Nolan, 46). His collaboration with Jerome Kern resulted in the 1927 operetta Showboat that changed the course of modern musical theatre. His last musical before embarking on an exclusive partnership with Richard Rodgers was Carmen Jones, the highly acclaimed 1943 all black revision of Georges Bizet's tragic opera Carmen.

The first musical by this dynamic duo was Oklahoma! a musical play that blended Rodgers' musical comedy with Hammerstein's operetta. Oklahoma! was considered a milestone in the development of the American musical and it also marked the beginning of the most successful partnership in Broadway musical history (Briggs, 262). One of the clips from Oklahoma!, starring Hugh Jackman, that I enjoyed can be viewed by clicking on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS0NPYH_pGw Other successful musicals of theirs include Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Interestingly, Rodgers and Hammerstein only wrote one musical specifically for the big screen, State Fair, and one for television, Cinderella.

Collectively, this amazing duo produced musicals that earned 35 Tony Awards, 15 Academy Awards, 2 Pulitzer Prizes, 2 Grammy Awards, and 2 Emmy Awards (Nolan, 46). Cited by Time Magazine and CBS news as among the twenty most influential artists of the 20th century, they were jointly commemorated on a U.S. postage stamp in 1999. I am certainly looking forward to experiencing more musicals from the golden age of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Works Cited:

1. Briggs, Tom. Musical Scene Study: The Musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein. New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2007. Print.

2. Mordden, Ethan. Rodgers and Hammerstein. New York: Random House, 1977. Print.

3. Nolan, Frederick. The Sound of Their Music: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein. New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2002. Print.

4. Hugh Jackman- People Will Say Were In Love. Web. 18 Oct. 2009.

Indian Sanskrit Works Cited Page

1. Bhagyalakshmy, Shanker. Approach To Bharata Natyam. Pennsylvania: Rodale Press,1997. Print.

2. Chandra, G.S. Sharat. Bharata Natyam Dancer. New York: Ind-US, 1976. Print.

3. Felner, Mira and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theatre: Tradition and Innovation. Boston: Pearson Education, 2006. Print.

4. Indian2dance. "HJ1: Authentic (real) Bharatanatyam Indian Dance." Web. 05 Oct. 2009.

Indian Sanskrit Images

These images are examples of Bharata Natyam. It is interesting to notice that the dancer begins in a bent knee position. This is done to resemble the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Bharata Natyam is a solo dance and it involves an elaborate use of hand gestures and postures, as well as complex movements of the head, feet, and eyes. When I look at these pictures it is easy for me to appreciate the beauty of the dancers makeup, costume, jewelery and makeup. A good video example of Bharata Natyam can be viewed by clicking on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prQOdTmF8u0&feature=related

Indian Sanskrit, recognized as the first representation of Indian Theatre, was something that I knew nothing about prior to this assignment. However, after much research and our group presentation, I have a great appreciation for this highly cultivated art form. What I found most interesting was the Bharata Natyam, one of the oldest and most popular dance styles in India. A popular interpretation of the name of the style is : Bhava (expression) + Raga (musical mode) + Tala (rhythm) + Natyam (dance + acting) = BHARATA NATYAM (Chandra, 15).

Bharata Natyam is a form of dance that is subdivided into three classical forms: Nritta, Nritya, and Abhinaya. All three are an embodiment of beauty, charm and gracefulness (Bhagyalakshmy, 223).

Nritta is the pure form of Bharata Natyam. This form interprets the language of rhythm and melody through various patterns traced by the body. These patterns are either square, triangular or diamond shaped. Essentially, Nritta is a dance without a theme (Bhagyalakshmy, 112). This is considered the easiest dance form to learn and watch.

Nritya has the goal of conveying a poetic meaning through the use of gestures and facial expressions combined with rhythmic gaits and postures (Chandra, 11). Basically Nritya is a dance that tells a story by interpreting words recited by a singer. Nritya is supposed to be a very soul touching experience.

The last form, Abhinaya, means expression. Abhinaya purely expresses the poetic meaning of the composition without emphasis on rhythmic patterns (Bhagyalakshmy, 98). This dance technique is complex, and would not be easy for a novice to understand.

While I find all of these dance styles to be interesting, it is the dancers themselves that are fascinating. The dancers aim is to look as extravagant as possible. They accomplish this by wearing elaborate costumes that are vibrant in color and typically made of silk. They wear alot of ornate jewelery and makeup to represent the beauty of the Hindu gods and goddesses.

Even though Bharat Natyam is not known to many people outside of the Indian culture, I believe it is a dance form that deserves an audience from all different cultures to appreciate its theatrical, emotional, and spiritual elements. I can say that I am truly happy to have learned a little bit about this divine form of dance.