Shakespeare’s Impact on the World

 (Alamy)

William Shakespeare’s works have become some of the most meaningful and successful written works to the point where they have been performed around the world for centuries, and are still being performed today. Theatre has always been a type of entertainment and art available to the wealthy and the well educated. However, Shakespeare’s works and writings contained characters and elements that made them more charismatic towards the common people: “His plays were often imbued with universal truths of human existence, rather that acting as mirrors of the privileged life. As a result, the experience of Shakespeare’s plays in the theatre took a populist turn” (Carina). Shakespeare is recognized around the globe for the legacy he left through his written works and plays; however, not many people know exactly what Shakespeare has done for the world’s society.

                   (“Andrew”)                                                                                          (Persson)

With the flexible use of genres in his plays and his innovative ways of telling a story, William Shakespeare is credited as one of the major contributions to modern storytelling. Up until Shakespeare in the seventeenth century where the theatre industry was one of London’s prosperous industries, theatrical stories, for the most part, were “troupes of actors that roamed the countryside or in the great halls of noble houses…[where they presented] crude native tragedies, bawdy interludes, or adaptations of the classics” (“Shakespeare’s”). However, Shakespeare changed the way stories are represented through theatre. For example, the way Shakespeare moved the plot forward solely depended on the character’s actions and decisions. Shakespeare made his characters relatable in a way where they “…[display] complex personalities, [are] intertwined in moral dilemmas, and [are involved in] sudden plot twists” (Timmons). As a result, his characters constantly find themselves under the influence of change, causing the plots and journeys in his narratives to be compelling and powerful. Additionally, Shakespeare was able to master a variety of different genres and even achieved mixing two–and sometimes even more–genres into one narrative. Shakespeare is known for mixing the genres of comedy and tragedy together. Believe it or not, a handful of his tragic works are based on some comedic aspect. His method consisted of “[mingling] with the heretofore antagonistic visions of comedy and tragedy in ways that still seem the novel and startling” (“Shakespeare’s”). For instance, the distinguished tragedy of Hamlet is found more amusing than comedies such as The Merchant of Venice; additionally, the well-known tragedy Romeo and Juliet was inspired from the comedic viewpoint of young lovers unable to overcome parental disapproval. By doing this, he proved that stories could be as flexible and intriguing as anyone wanted them to.

   (Persson)                                                                   (Brenner)

Shakespeare has not only become an important figure for theatre but also for language and literature. Through the centuries, it has been recognized that the largest influence to the English language was made by Shakespeare single-handedly. Without him, the English language would not be what it is today; in fact, Shakespeare played such a big part that “Even if you’ve never seen a Shakespeare play, you’ll have used one of his words or phrases” (Anderson). Today, people are accustomed to modern theatre, where the plays are achieved through the use of sets, props, and costumes. First of all, it is important to understand that Shakespeare’s plays were designed to lack a proper stage, amount of props, and visual setting; therefore, everything needed to be conveyed through language. Shakespeare’s stage can be represented “as Hamlet put it, a mirror up to nature, but it did not do so by the same means, and its reflection tended to be less realistically detailed” (“Shakespeare’s”). And indeed, the audience did not need any props or visual setting aid to know what was happening or where the events were taking place, because the actors told them. Besides describing the setting or the event, the characters usually had vast amounts of soliloquies where they would express their thoughts and decisions to the audience. Causing society to adopt a wide variety of phrases Shakespeare created. For example–and this is just scratching the surface–some Shakespeare phrases can be found in the expressions “in a pickle,” waiting “with a bated breath,” or gone on “a wild goose chase” are quotes from The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, and Romeo and Juliet (Anderson). With this, Shakespeare created new ways of expressing oneself–feelings and thoughts–through words, and has inspired many authors to create stories of their own.

          (“Hamlet”)                                                         (“Tom”)
Shakespeare works have not been performed in theatre exclusively. On the contrary! Various plays have been taken to the big screen, have even been adapted to fit the modern world, and some are hidden in well-known movies. Of course, many are familiar with Leonardo DiCaprio’s film Romeo + Juliet, the film adaptations of Coriolanus and Hamlet, and maybe even BBC series The Hollow Crown (based on Shakespeare’s historical plays); however, people are so familiar with the classics that they do not realize that some may even be hidden inside storylines. For instance, the film West Side Story is actually based on the tragedy Romeo and Juliet, and the Disney’s beloved classic The Lion King strongly resembles the tragic story of Hamlet. One may not realize it, but Shakespeare is part of everyone’s lives in one way or another. Now, just as Hamlet once did, we just need to ask ourselves “To be or not to be?”

 (“Claire”)

Works Cited

“Shakespeare’s Theater.” Brooklyn College, adapted from A Guide to the Study of Literature, English Department Brooklyn College, 12 March 2009, academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/ cs6/sh_th.html.

Timmons, Greg. “William Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary: The Life & Legacy of The Bard.” Biography, 21 April 2016, www.biography.com/news/william-shakespeare-400th-anniversary-facts.

Carina. “William Shakespeare’s Impact on Theatre.” Octane Seating, 3 November 2016, www.octaneseating.com/the-impact-of-william-shakespeare-on-theater.

Anderson, Hephzibah. “How Shakespeare Influences the Way We Speak Now.” BBC, 21 October 2014, www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140527-say-what-shakespeares-words.

Alamy. “William Shakespeare.” The Telegraph, 1 November 2015, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11968936/Shakespeares-skull-rumours-DNA-testing-barred-by-Church.html.

“Andrew Scott in The Hollow Crown.” IMDb, BBC Pictures, 2012, www.imdb.com/title/tt2262456/mediaviewer/rm1118703104.

Persson, Johan. “Macbeth Kenneth Branagh.” National Live Theatre, ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout4-macbeth.

Persson, Johan. “Benedict Cumberbatch Hamlet.” National Live Theatre, 2015, ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout18-hamlet.

Brenner, Mark. “Martin Freeman in Richard III.” The Telegraph, Warner Bros, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/11103044/Martin-Freeman-playing-Richard-III-has-done-me-in.html.

“Hamlet – David Tennant and Sir Patrick Stewart.” Film Review, BBC, filmreviewonline.com/2010/01/15/macbeth hamlet-sir-patrick-stewart/.

“Tom Hiddleston in Henry IV, Part 2 (The Hollow Crown).” IMDb, BBC Pictures, 2012, www.imdb.com/title/tt2262456/mediaviewer/rm3276807424.

“Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet.” ET Online, 20th Century Fox, www.etonline.com/features/201731_romeo_juliet_leonardo_dicaprio_claire_danes_on_edge_of_worldwide_stardom/.

 

 

Must a play always have an elaborate set to convey the story?

(“Peter”)

What is one of the most memorable theatrical features that one remembers? Even though it is not the element that people often refer to when mentioning a certain performance, it is not overlooked by the mind. It is elementary that the scenography “suggest[s] the style and tone of the whole production, create[s] mood and atmosphere, give[s] clues as to the specific time and place of the action, and offer[s] creative possibilities for the movement and grouping of the actors” (“The Set”). Theatrical design adapts to the stage it is given, and easily blends with the plot of a story to convey it to the audience. Many believe that an elaborate set design is essential to aid in the narrating of a story; however, that is often not the case. A variety of plays and musicals are told with a simple, stationary setting, and other productions have been known for their lack of stage design.

                      (“Love”)

When designing a set for a theatrical production, the designer has to take into account the symbolism the setting needs to represent, and they need to make the set functional for the actors to move, dance, or interact with. Often times, a stationary set is used–one that does not move nor does it change, but still conveys the setting to the audience. For example, the set designer for the musical, Cats, created a “complete environmental space for the show that took the audience ‘into a world which uses real objects to conjure up fantasy’ … he tried to visualise a place where cats might congregate together, which also included maximum room for dancing. Everything in the resulting playground/junkyard was constructed to a cat’s scale” (Cats). In this musical, the set does not move; however, it invites the audience to see through the cat’s’ eyes, for the set is build to scale to fit the perspective of a cat. Similarly, the musical, Man of La Mancha, returned to Mexico City, and with it came a new version of the scenography. In this version, the designer–and even the actors–created a set that was creative, original, and at the same time reflected the era of the Spanish Inquisition. Since the story takes place inside a jail, to tell the overall story of Don Quixote, the actors were only able to use wooden poles, a wooden plank, a couple sets of wooden stairs, and some fabric (Brambila). These elements were used to create rooms, doors, horses, and of course, the mighty mill. When sets are limited, it forces the audience to really imagine everything without needing to have a visual representation of the object.

(“Junk”)

      (Don)                                                (Hombre

Of course one mustn’t forget Shakespeare. Many of Shakespeare’s plays are not meant to have an elaborate stage: “In Shakespeare’s time, a stage wasn’t just one type of space; plays had to be versatile … [where] the stage itself was relatively bare.” (“Shakespeare’s”). Obviously, the time period where Shakespeare created his masterworks, there were not as many resources or technology as there is now. In many cases, the plays had to be adapted to the type of stage or event they took place in. So, it was elementary for the productions to be flexible. Shakespeare purposely developed the plays in such a way that there was not a real need for a set design: “The playwright – and all the other Elizabethan and Jacobean playwrights – wrote in a way that encouraged the audience to imagine the sets (King). Shakespeare’s plays are known for the incredible language that is used to convey the story. The reason behind his cryptic words, is that the actors had to tell the story with almost dialogue alone–with the exception of some essential props here and there. This made the audience to critically analyse the story to find the meaning behind the dialogue of the characters, while imagining the setting of the narrative.

(“Hamlet”)

Some people believe that a set is essential in theatre to successfully convey the story. Many support the fact that investing in the setting of a play to create and elaborate set is one of the most important elements; while this may be true, it is not the stage that brings a production to success. Over the years, the audience has developed higher expectations on how accurate and varied the play or musical should be, and often times “this focus on … accuracy [has] resulted in scenery that [has] too frequently [become] more important than the play itself” (Holmes). Too much “razzle dazzle” on the stage distracts the audience from the actors and the dialogues or lyrics that are conveying a message. In some cases, the elaborate set can grow out of the director’s vision, or handicap actors in certain ways such as the ability to improvise–due to the rigid and extravagant setting (Morrison). It is true, however, that productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Wicked, among many others, have a magnificent set design that blends and contributes to the story brilliantly, but sometimes it is better lo let our minds piece together the magic theatre can provide.

 

 

 

(“Phantom”)                                                      (Wicked)

There have been a wide range of successful pieces of theatre that have triumphed without the need of an elaborate and overdone set design. Theatre provides an escape to many of this world’s problems by telling stories. And one of the most magical ways to experience theatre and really experience what it is all about is to use the imagination trapped inside one’s mind to create castles, oceans, epic battles, and a whole new realm full of fantasy and wonder.

Works Cited

“Phantom of the Opera.” The Phantom of PSU, 7 December 2012, Digital image, sites.psu.edu/thephantomofpsu/.

“Peter Pan.” Scene On Stage, 16 November 2015, Digital Image, sceneonstage.com/2015/11/come-fly-with-peter-pan-in-red-bank-nj/.

“Love Never Dies.” Fanpop, Digital Image, www.fanpop.com/clubs/alw-love-never-dies/images/30463141/title/love-never-dies-wallpaper-wallpaper.

“Junk Yard.” Cats the Musical, Digital Image, www.catsthemusical.com/about-the-show/the-junk-yard.

Don Quixote. El Heraldo, 30 September 2016, Digital Image, heraldo.mx/ovacionan-el-hombre-de-la-mancha/.

Hombre de La Mancha. Mejor Teatro, Digital Image, mejorteatro.com/obra/obra-de-teatro-el-hombre-de-la-mancha-mexico/.

“Hamlet.” Pinterest, Digital Image, www.pinterest.com/pin/337347828316260005/.

Wicked Set. Pinterest, Digital Image, www.pinterest.com/pin/505458758155562020/.

“The Set Designer’s Job.” AACT, American Association of Community Theatre, www.aact.org/set-designer.

“The Junk Yard.” Cats the Musical, ™ RUG, www.catsthemusical.com/about-the-show/the-junk-yard.

Brambila, Marcia. “Lo Que Hay Detrás de ‘El Hombre de La Mancha’.” Excélsior, 1 February 2017, www.excelsior.com.mx/funcion/2017/02/01/1143613.

Morrison, John. “No Sets, Please, for Shakespeare–or Anything Else.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media Limited, 4 July 2012, /www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2012/jul/04/no-sets-for-shakespeare-design.

King, Warren. “Shakespeare & Elizabethan Stage Sets.” No Sweat Shakespeare, 28 April 2012, www.nosweatshakespeare.com/blog/shakespeare-elizabethan-stage-sets/.

“Shakespeare’s Theatre.” Folger Shakespeare Library, www.folger.edu/shakespeares-theater.

Holmes, Ralph. “Stagecraft.” Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, 11 December 2015, www.britannica.com/art/stagecraft .

The Genius Inside the Room Where It Happened

 (Hamilton:)

The musical Hamilton has been the winner of eleven Tony awards, the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, and the Pulitzer Award for Drama. Hamilton tells the story of one of America’s founding fathers who did not throw away his shot–Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton is known for a variety of different things such as his close relationship with Washington during the fight for independence, his intense rivalry with Thomas Jefferson, being the father of the Federalist party, his taking part in one of history’s first major scandals, and his legendary duel that led to his ultimate demise.

(‘Hamilton‘)

The creator of the brilliant production–Hamilton–is the award-winning actor, songwriter, and playwright, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights and Moana) was born in New York City in 1980. Miranda had, previously, written and starred in the musical In the Heights, which won several awards, before working on any other projects (Haynes). Miranda was later inspired “…by reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton.” He was able to turn it into “…a groundbreaking work that tells the story of the U.S. Founding Father with hip-hop/R&B musical forms and a black and Latino cast.” (Haynes). Lin-Manuel Miranda is considered to be a theatre and songwriting prodigy in the art industries, because he wrote a perfect score, lyrics, and book for the musical.

 (Lin-Manuel)

Hamilton, is the number one musical of all times. The production has broken numerous records in nominations, top-grossing, and musical achievements. Hamilton earned a total of sixteen Tony nominations, beating The Producers and Billy Elliot–The Musical (each earning a total of fifteen Tony nominations); however, Hamilton only broke the nominations record since the musical was awarded with eleven Tony Awards, while The Producers hold their record with twelve Tony Awards (Paulson, Michael. “‘Hamilton’ Makes”). In addition, Hamilton’s cast recording broke musical records with its innovative use of the hip-hop genre in a musical to tell a story. The musical was able to “…[sell] over 54,000 albums since its Oct. 16. release, becoming the highest debuting cast album on the Billboard 200 in over 50 years. Additionally, the musical’s songs have been streamed more than 16 million times” and has been debuted in different categories (Towers). Finally, one of the records Hamilton was able to break was the amount of money Hamilton grossed. In only a week’s time, Hamilton grossed $3.3 million in Broadway. Hamilton is now “…the first Broadway show to gross more than $3 million for an eight-performance week. In 2013, “Wicked” grossed $3.2 million during a week in which that show had nine performances, one more than usual” (Paulson, Michael. “‘Hamilton’ Hits”). In addition, the musical set the record as the most expensive show on Broadway to attend (with tickets over $1,000), as well as one with the highest ticket demand–which make Hamilton the hardest show to get tickets to.

            (Hamilton)                                                                    (Richard)

How did this musical turn into an enormous success almost overnight? The musical has been remarkably successful because it tells the story of the historical figure, Alexander Hamilton, in such an ingenious way that the only word that in which it has been described is pure genius. One of the factors that appealed to audiences was its multi ethnic cast. Actors from all races, places, and ethnicities are casted for Hamilton. This feature appeals to a larger audience, since it is not an “all-white musical” like many others have been. However, the major contributor to its success is, obviously, its use of hip-hop music–as its main genre–to tell a historical story. Usually, musicals have the reputation their music being of a lively and jazzy genre; however, Hamilton has broken all rules and tradition by composing a “…score that features a variety of styles including hip-hop, R&B, pop ballads and rap” (Towers). This genre not only makes Hamilton the fastest-paced musical in history (Libresco) but it also captures a larger and younger audience, and because of its global success, people have been introduced to the world of theatre. In addition, more and more people are becoming interested in not only theatre but history as well. Hamilton is becoming a way for students to study and learn history in a fun, musical way that is, potentially, more effective because of its catchy tunes.

 (Marcus)
 (Schuyler)

Works Cited

Video of HAMILTON, the new musical about Alexander Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda at Public Theatre. Perf. HAMILTON Cast. YouTube, 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

HAMILTON’S AMERICA Extended Trailer PBS. Perf. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Barack Obama, Jimmy Fallon, and HAMILTON Cast. YouTube. PBS, 27 Sept. 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Hamilton: An American Musical. Hamiltonbroadway, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Towers, Andrea. “Hamilton Cast Recording Breaks Records.” Entertainment Weekly. Ew, 3 Nov. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Paulson, Michael. “‘Hamilton’ Makes History With 16 Tony Nominations.” The New York Times. Nytimes, 3 May 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Paulson, Michael. “‘Hamilton’ Hits a New High: The Most Money Grossed in a Week on Broadway.” The New York Times. Nytimes, 28 Nov. 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Robbins, Caryn. “Is HAMILTON the Fastest-Paced Musical in History? Check Out the Numbers!” Broadway World. Broadwayworld, 4 Dec. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Libresco, Leah. “‘Hamilton’ Is the Very Model of a Modern Fast-Paced Musical.” FiveThirtyEight. Fivethirtyeight, 5 Oct. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Binelli, Mark. “‘Hamilton’ Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Rolling Stone Interview.” Rolling Stone. Rollingstone, 1 June 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Haynes, Clarence. “Lin-Manuel Miranda Biography.” Biography.com. A&E Television Networks, 25 Jan. 2017. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Hamilton: An American Musical. Digital Image. Legal History Blog. Blogspot, 31 May 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

‘Hamilton’ Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and Cast. Digital Image. Rolling Stone. Rollingstone, 1 June 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Lin-Manuel Miranda. Digital Image. The Kingkiller Wiki. Wikia, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Hamilton. Digital Image. Rolling Stone. Rollingstone, 1 June 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York. Digital Image. Eventsfy. Eventsfy, n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Marcus, Joan, and Shane Marshall Brown. Hamilton the Musical. Digital Image. NPR. Npr, 6 Aug. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

Schuyler Sisters. Digital Image. Twitter. Twitter, 20 Nov. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

The History Behind the Magic of Neverland

(Finding Neverland the Musical)

One of the most beloved stories of all times revolves around a certain boy who lived in a magical land where time stops and no one ever grows up, Peter Pan. This story is enjoyed by audiences of all ages, for children see it as an adventure full of fun, mischief, and magic, and adults recognize the deeper meaning the fable ultimately conveys. In most cases, the audience tends to overlook the important detail of its creation, before Peter Pan became the boy who could never grow up.

                                                            (Barrie, 1893)                                                                                       (Bedford)

Finding Neverland is a musical production based on the Academy Award-winning motion picture, Finding Neverland (Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet). This production tells the story of the creation behind the magic of Neverland and its inhabitants. J.M Barrie (Sir James Matthew Barrie), was a Scottish author and playwright who had an innocent and imaginative aura. Due to his tragic past, “…Barrie wished to recapture the happy years before his mother was stricken, and he retained a strong childlike quality in his adult personality” (“J.M.”). He expressed his imaginative and fun ideas in his writing and plays. At that time, theatre was not meant for the young, only adults attended to these types of events. Naturally, Barrie kept his wild imagination and behavior relatively hidden, or was only hinted in his works. That was until, one day in Kensington Gardens, Barrie “…made the acquaintance of 5-year-old George and 4-year-old Jack Llewelyn Davies…The boys found a childlike adult…and Barrie…found a rapt audience for his fanciful tales, which transformed the vast London park into a fairyland. His audience grew over the following decade as George and Jack were joined by three younger brothers” (Allen). Barrie enchanted not only the boys with his incredible tales, but their mother as well–Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. Soon, Barrie was considered family to the Davies family–he often went by the nickname of “Uncle Jim” (“J.M.”).

                     (Sylvia Llewelyn Davies)                                        (The Boys Castaways)

In one of Barrie’s earlier works, the character of Peter Pan, had made an appearance in one of his literary works, The Little White Bird (1902); however, Peter Pan was brought back as the main character in Peter Pan thanks to the Davies boys (“J.M. Barrie Biography”). Barrie gave most of the credit to the young brothers, for he had written: “‘I suppose I always knew that I made Peter by rubbing the five of you violently together, as savages with two sticks produce a flame…That is all he is, the spark I got from you”’ (Allen). In the times, Barrie was playing and entertaining the Davies boys, inspiration struck him every time, which lead to the creation of Peter Pan. The play was different from anything else they had seen, so Barrie was skeptical–as well as the theatre company and the producer–about this play. The way the audience would react to the amount of fantasy was unpredictable, but it is said that “…When Tinker Bell lay dying and Peter asked the audience to clap their hands to save her life, members of the orchestra were ready to oblige if the public declined. It proved an unnecessary precaution” (Allen).

         (Davies Brothers)                                                        (Aucoin)

Now, audiences of all ages around the world, enjoy Barrie’s masterpiece. Everyone has some type of connection with this story, for various movies, plays, and stories have been based off of this magical land. In addition, before Barrie’s death, he gave all the rights involving Peter Pan or any of its characters to one of London’s children hospitals; meaning, that the money made from the different productions created pertaining any part of the characters or elements of the story(Tinker Bell or Peter Pan movies, plays, stories, etc), go to the children’s hospital (“J.M. Barrie Biography”).

                (Finding Neverland Sylvia)                                              (Finding Neverland Fairy Dust)

Finding Neverland tells the story of how Peter Pan came to be in Barrie’s mind and all the struggles he had to overcome to succeed in his project. The play is more of a representation–since several details are changed to fit the storyline–of the Davies and Barrie’s journey. This musical, also gives us an inside point of view in the characters perspectives (Barrie’s perspective mostly) through dance and music. As well as beautiful representations of what awaits the Davies and Barrie in the near future.

 (Peter Pan and Sylvia)

 (Finding Neverland)

WORKS CITED

Allen, Norman. “Peter Pan Turns 100.” Smithsonian. Smithsonianmag, Dec. 2004. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Aucoin, Don. Matthew Morrison (left) and Kelsey Grammer in the Broadway Musical “Finding Neverland.”. Digital image. Boston Globe. Bostonglobe, 28 Apr. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Barrie, 1893. Digital image. ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA. Britannica, 3 Nov. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Barrie, James Matthew. Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. Digital image. Wikipedia. En.wikipedia, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Barrie, James Matthew. The Boys Castaways. Digital image. Hazlitt. Hazlitt, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Bedford, F. D. Peter and Wendy. Digital image. Wikipedia. En Wikipedia, 28 Jan. 2017. Web.

Davies Brothers. Digital image. Finding Neverland The Musical. Findingneverlandthemusical, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Finale Neverland. Digital image. Broadway World.com Chicago. Broadwayworld, 18 Nov. 2016. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

FINDING NEVERLAND – A NEW BROADWAY MUSICAL – Tour Montage. Finding Neverland The Musical. Youtube, 8 Nov. 2016. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Finding Neverland Fairy Dust. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Finding Neverland Sylvia. Digital image. Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Denvercenter, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Finding Neverland the Musical. Digital image. Finding Neverland. Findingneverlandthemusical, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

“J.M. Barrie.” ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA. Britannica, 30 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

“J.M. Barrie Biography.” The Biography.com. A&E Television Networks, 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Peter Pan and Sylvia. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.

Costumes Behind the Emerald Curtain

 

(Wicked)

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous stories ever told. It entrances the audience with its witty tale of Dorothy’s journey through the Yellow Brick Road; however, Dorothy’s adventure to the land of Oz leaves a powerful message of the true meaning of one’s home. Not to mention, this feature marked the beginning of a new era in modern society–film’s golden age–and film technology, for it was the first color film. Even though, this story has become one of the world’s most beloved classic, we can’t help but wonder what happened before the tornado brought a certain house into Oz?           (Savannah Stevenson (Glinda) and Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba) in Wicked)               

 Thankfully, somewhere over the rainbow, Wicked was brought to life (Wicked -). The musical is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire (“Wicked”). It is the tale of friendship between the two people who could not be anymore different–Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West, also known as Elphaba. Elphaba is a misunderstood girl who at the very moment she was born with green skin, she was feared and discriminated by many. However, she possessed an exceptional magical talent that gives her the chance to be part of something bigger than herself–meeting the wonderful Wizard of Oz. Along the way, friendships are made, love sparks, as well as sorrow and conflict. In the end, both witches are condemned to the labels they were molded into, for one is “good” and the other is “wicked” (“The”).                

                                                                                          (Idina)                                                                                                       (Kristin)  

Costumes for theatre have to portray who the character is and in some way convey their personality as well as their part in the story. Costume designers take into account the stereotypes that are made in society over certain topics to help elaborate the message a costume tries to transmit. For example, when Hilferty was designing Glinda’s iconic “Bubble Dress” she interviews young girls on what goodness looks like. “They said like a princess, like a bride…Glinda is also connected to the sky, sun, and stars…She symbolizes lightness, air, bubbles” (Cote). On the other hand, Elphaba is the absolute opposite, for she is “…connected to things that are inside the earth. So the patterns and textures [she] wove into her dress include fossils, stalactites, or striations that you see when you crack a stone apart” (Cote). In WICKED Costumes: Design/Build Susan Hilferty expresses her favoritism and thoroughly explains her design process for the character of Madame Morrible (WICKED).

                                     (Marcus)                                                                                               (Marcus)

Now, what kind of costume would it be, if it did not have any bling? It is a fundamental step to any production with a storyline as vivid as Wicked’s. Costumes – especially, theatre costumes – need to be flamboyant and vibrant to catch the audience’s eye and not lose their attention. In WICKED Costumes: Beading, Susan Hilferty and Polly Kinney (who is the beading designer) explain the meticulous process of beading (WICKED). The costumes mostly “…include some beading, some irregular beading, and different stones and textures” (Blasco). The beading in a costume has its specific rules, concerning the space in between each bead, the “heavy” or “light” illusion they give, and the flowness/harmony they provide to the dress. This an acutely intricate process, for it is done “one bead at a time, there’s no hot glue involved, one bead at a time is sewn on… it adds a whole dimension that it wouldn’t have if it didn’t have the beading” (WICKED). Each costume has its own, unique style of beading “…some are dull, some are shiny, some are cut with straight edges, some more rounded. Even though they’re tiny, it does make a difference…while we can’t see from the audience…you get a feel of it. It makes an impression” (WICKED).      (Elphaba)

Finally, the last and major thing a costume designer would have to worry about, would be the long-term maintenance of the costumes. In musicals and theatre, principally in long-running productions, costumes have to be made out of strong and durable materials. WICKED – Behind the Emerald Curtain – Costumes: Wardrobe Maintenance, Susan Hilferty and Alyce Gilbert (production wardrobe supervisor) describe the measures that are taken when preserving a costume (WICKED). Decisions have to be made regarding the strength and the types of fabric that would make a dress easier to conserve, before the costumes are even attempted to be made. For “…survival is the key…these clothes do eight performances a week, they live through sweat, water, and fire performance after performance. They have to stay as beautiful from the very first day to the last day that they have on stage” (WICKED).

                                          (Danna)                                                                                                 (Cecilia)

 

Works Cited

Blasco, Erin. “Five Questions with Susan Hilferty, Costume Designer for “WICKED”” Smithsonian. Americanhistory.si, 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Cecilia De La Cueva as Glinda. Digital image. Becca in the DF. Beccainthedf.blogspot, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Cote, David. “WICKED: THE GRIMMERIE, A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL.” Susan Hilferty. Susanhilferty, 26 Oct. 2008. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Danna Paola as Elphaba. Digital image. Becca in the DF. Beccainthedf.blogspot, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Elphaba Dress Close-Up. Digital image. Smithsonian. Americanhistory.si, 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Idina Menzel as Elphaba. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Marcus, Joan. Rue McClanahan as Madame Morrible in Wicked. Digital image. Playbill. Playbill, 22 July 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Marcus, Joan. Wicked Elphaba London. Digital image. Susan Hilferty. Susanh, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Savannah Stevenson (Glinda) and Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba) in Wicked. Digital image. WhatsOnStage. Whatsonstage, 6 May 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.  

“The Untold True Story of the Witches of Oz.” Wicked The Musical. Wickedthemusical, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

WICKED – Behind the Emerald Curtain – Costumes: Wardrobe Maintenance. Perf. Susan Hilferty and Alyce Gilbert. Wickedthemusicaluk. YouTube, 6 June 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

WICKED Costumes: Beading. Perf. Susan Hilferty and Polly Kinney. WICKED The Musical. YouTube, 18 Feb. 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

WICKED Costumes: Design/Build. Perf. Susan Hilferty, Amanda Whidden, Coco Schliebben, and Kathy Fitzgerald. WICKED The Musical. YouTube, 25 Aug. 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Wicked. Digital image. Broadway.com. Broadway, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

“Wicked.” Susan Hilferty. Susanhilferty, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Wicked – The Award-Winning Musical (2min Official Trailer). Perf. Wicked Cast UK. Wickedthemusicaluk. YouTube, 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 30 Nov. 2016.

Music Behind the Hunchback of Notre Dame

(The)

The production–with music from Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), lyrics from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), and book from Peter Parnell–The Hunchback of Notre Dame, embarks in a marvelous journey of love, redemption, injustice, and cruelty. The original cast features Michael Arden (The Times They Are A-Changin’, Big River) as Quasimodo, Patrick Page (Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, The Lion King) as Frollo, Ciara Renée (Pippin, Big Fish) as Esmeralda, Andrew Samonsky (Little Miss Sunshine, The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Phoebus, and Erik Liberman (Lovemusik) as Clopin (Blank).

(Alan)                                                      (Rühmeier)
The story begins “as the bells of Notre Dame resound through the famed cathedral in” 1482 Paris (“The”). Where Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer, contemplates all of Paris from the heights of the bell tower. He yearns to be out there and is desperate to be amongst the people–to be normal. On the day of the Festival of Fools, Quasimodo is “held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda” (“The”). While Frollo, Phoebus, and Quasimodo fight for her attention, Frollo is determined to eliminate what he believes is the evil in the world, the gypsies.
       

 

 

 

 

 

(Bells)                                                                                                                            (Dalia)

Based on the novel by French novelist and poet, Victor Hugo (Les Miserables) and the 1996 Disney Oscar nominated animated feature, this musical tells a story that is so tragic but yet portrays so much light. The score was composed by award winning composer–Alan Menken, and lyrics was written by award winning lyricist–Stephen Schwartz. The movie, they said, was like a musical waiting to happen (Rothstein). For the score to fit the musical, songs were added and music was adjusted, to make the musical closer to the 1831 novel. Compared to the animated movie, this production provides a much darker atmosphere and tragically poetic ending. 

 

(Dalia)                                                       (Esmeralda)

 

 

In Making of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” Studio Cast Recording the actors expressed their sentiment towards the score: “The lyrics are incredibly smart, funny, witty, and painfully honest at times; and the music, I would venture to say is Alan’s best score…I really enjoyed my collaboration with Alan Menken…we get into the room and things happen that surprised both of us…(“Someday”) it sounds like it may have been written a thousand years ago. It’s so hauntingly human…we were doing the finale and I think everyone, including our conductor and listening to it and the rest of the cast, I caught myself, I can’t help but cry when I hear it” (Making). The score takes you on a spiritual journey, one that is so inspirational and “ultimately is a story about choosing to do the right thing and choosing to stand up for the outcasts…and teaches people how to choose love over fear” (Making).

(Murphy)                                                                                                        (Dalia)

WORKS CITED

Alan Menken. Digital image. Playbill. Playbill, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Bells of Notre Dame. Digital image. Alexander Dodge Design. Alexanderdodgedesign, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016

Blank, Matthew. “PHOTO CALL: A First Look at La Jolla Playhouse’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, Starring Michael Arden and Patrick Page.” Playbill. Playbill, 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.

Dalia, Jerry. Michael Arden as Quasimodo. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Dalia, Jerry. Quasimodo. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Dalia, Jerry. Quasimodo and Esmeralda Finale. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Esmeralda Rhythm of the Tambourine. Digital image. Variety. Variety, 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Making of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” Studio Cast Recording. Perf. Michael Arden, Alan Menken, Andrew Samonsky, Erik Liberman, Stephen Schwartz, Peter Parnell, Patrick Page, and Ciara Renee. Disney On Broadway. Youtube, 22 Jan. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Rothstein, Mervyn. “Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz Turn Hunchback Into a Stage Beauty.” Playbill. Playbill, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

Rühmeier, Ralf. Stephen Schwartz. Digital image. The Huffington Post. Huffingtonpost, 14 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

“The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.” Music Theatre International. Mtishows, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill Playhouse.Perf. Michael Arden, Andrew Samonsky, Erik Liberman, Patrick Page, and Ciara Renee. Paper Mill Playhouse. Youtube, 12 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage. Digital image. Alexander Dodge Design. Alexanderdodgedesign, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

Murphy, Matthew. Ciara Renee as Esmeralda. Digital image. Broadway.com. Broadway, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.

How and which plays revolutionized the theatre industry?

As we all know, theatre has been part of this world since ancient times. From early Greek and Roman theatre to entertainment for medieval royalty; from Shakespeare’s famous plays to mid-20th century’s golden age. When someone refers to the theatre, we all think of a play with music, dancing, and constant movement all around. Well, it wasn’t always like that–believe it or not–but all they needed was a little push in the direction to change for the better.

Through time, the theatre industry progressed into new ideas that were not traditional. The most famous and successful plays worldwide are Shakespeare’s works. Shakespeare introduced a wide variety of genres and styles of theatre; however, he left a vast legacy of works that gave the world a whole new way expressing dialogue–almost a new language. William Shakespeare was born in 1564, at that time, theatre was an organized organization or company. No, at that time, it hardly existed “Troupes of actors roamed the countryside, performing in courtyards or in the great halls of noble houses…they lived precariously by presenting crude native tragedies, bawdy interludes, or adaptations of the classics, in exchange for a meal, a bed, or a few coins” (“Shakespeare’s”). Theatre became the thriving industry London was known of around the seventeenth century. Shakespeare’s style of theatre definitely made a significant statement, since he conveyed the visualization–mostly scenery or setting–of his plays through language instead with the usage of props, sets, or costumes (“Shakespeare’s”). In addition, Shakespeare created almost a whole new language that had an enormous impact in drama and the English language. His use of words presented compelling plots, complex characters, in different genre. His use of the soliloquy went beyond the conventional plot description to explore his characters’ thinking and state of mind” (Timmons).

(William)

As it is known, musicals were not always present. The very first performance to be considered a musical was a Broadway show that contained music, dancing, and had a complete plot–The Black Crook. The Black Crook was introduced in 1866, the play “ran for sixteen months, a tremendous success in the 1860’s” (“Musical”). The Black Crook revolutionized theatre and created an entirely new genre for theatre, which opened so many doors that lead to the development of American musicals (Kenrick). On the other hand, a play known by the name of Oklahoma!, is considered to be the “first fully integrated musical play, using every song and dance to develop the characters or the plot” (Kenrick). It is considered that Oklahoma! was the musical that marked the start of the “golden age” of Broadway musicals (“Musical”).

(Black)

(Oklahoma!)

There is one more play that created a big statement amongst theatre; it is the story we all know and love–Peter Pan. Peter Pan is a play that was written by Sir. J. M. Barrie (James Matthew Barrie), a famous, Scottish playwright and novelist. Barrie’s inspiration for his masterpiece, were the children of Sylvia Llewellyn Davies. The time he spent and the games he played with the Davies children are what, eventually, lead to the creation of Neverland, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, among others (“J.”). Barrie had written in 1928, “I suppose I always knew that I made Peter by rubbing the five of you violently together, as savages with two sticks produce a flame. That is all he is, the spark I got from you” (Norman). Once this play was presented, in 1904, it created a sense of security in one’s creative mind. Playwrights were encouraged to take more risks in what their plays were, meaning they could go outside their comfort zone.

(Bedford)

WORKS CITED

 

Bedford, F. D. Peter and Wendy. Digital image. Wikipedia. En Wikipedia, 11 Sept. 2016. Web.

30 Sept. 2016.

Black Crook – 1866. Digital image. Playbill. Playbill, 18 July 2016. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

“J. M. Barrie.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia, 30 Mar. 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

Kenrick, John. “Musicals On Stage: A Capsule History.” Musicals101. Musicals101, n.d. Web.

30 Sept. 2016.

Oklahoma! Digital image. Game-ost. Game-sot, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

“Musical Theatre Part 1.” Ganeseo. Ganeseo, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

Norman. “Peter Pan Turns 100.” Smithsonian. Smithsonianmag, Dec. 2014. Web. 30 Sept.

2016.

“Shakespeare’s Theater.” Brooklyn College. Academic Brooklyn Cuny, 12 Mar. 2009. Web. 30

Sept. 2016.

Timmons, Greg. “William Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary: The Life & Legacy of The Bard.”

Bio. Biography, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

William Shakespeare. Digital image. MIT. Shakespeare Mit, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. Allen,