Final Project Report and the link of video performance it’s in there
Jiaxin Li
Ms. Guarino
IB Theater HL
30 May 2019
IB Theater Year 1 Final Project
Table of Content
Theorist’s context information and ideology…………………………………………..2
Theorist’s theater aspects reference guide…………………………………………….3
Text……………………………………………………………………………………………..4-7
Pictures and Link of The project………………………………………………………….8-11
Reflection...................................................................................................................
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Theorist’s context information and ideology:
BORN: 1898, Augsburg, Germany
DIED: 1956, East Berlin, German Democratic Republic
NATIONALITY: German
GENRE: Drama, Poetry, Fiction
MAJOR WORKS:
Drums in the Night (1922)
The Threepenny Opera (1928)
Fear and Misery of the Third Reich (1938)
The Good Woman of Szechwan (1943)
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&u=poul45153&id=GALE%7CCX2507200068&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GVRL&asid=d6d9a573
"Bertolt Brecht's status as one of the major playwrights of the twentieth century is largely uncontested. In addition to writing a significant body of plays that are performed all over the world, Brecht also developed in a number of theoretical writings his theory of “epic” or “didactic” theater, which he applied to the “model” productions of his own plays in the early 1950s. He hoped his plays would instruct as well as entertain. His goal was to make audiences think about what might be, rather than what was. His work, influenced by German social theorist Karl Marx, was often violent and chaotic. “Epic theater” became known throughout the world and would affect the work of generations of dramatists. In addition to being an influential playwright, Brecht is considered a poet of considerable power and originality. More recently, his prose fiction has attracted increased attention."
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&u=poul45153&id=GALE%7CCX2507200068&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GVRL&asid=d6d9a573
"As an artist, Brecht was influenced by a diverse range of writers and practitioners including Chinese theatre and Karl Marx. The turmoil of the times through which Brecht lived gave him a strong political voice. The opposition he faced is testament to the fact that he had the courage to express his personal voice in the world of the theatre. He also had an original and inspired talent to bring out a dynamic theatrical style to express his views."
"His most acclaimed work is Mother Courage and Her Children. Although it’s set in the 1600s, the play is relevant to contemporary society and is often regarded as one of the finest anti-war plays. Fear and Misery of the Third Reich is Brecht’s most overtly anti-fascist play. This work analyses the insidious way the Nazis came to power."https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/1
Theorist’s theater aspects reference guide:
“Coming out of role/third person narration: Commenting upon a character as an actor is a clear way of reminding the audience of theatricality. For example, midway through a heightened scene the action might break for the actor to comment upon their character in the third person, ‘Darius felt his anger rise. He wasn’t being listened to and wanted revenge’, before returning to the scene.”https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/5
- “Direct Address: Speaking directly to the audience breaks the fourth wall and destroys any illusion of reality. An example would be the moment where Grusha pleads to save baby Michael in The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Brecht: I brought him up, shall I also tear him to bits? I can’t.”https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/5
- “Multi-roling: Multi-roling is when an actor plays more than one character onstage. The differences in character are marked by changing voice, movement, gesture and body language but the audience can clearly see that the same actor has taken on more than one role. This means the audience are more aware of the fact that they are watching a presentation of events. Cross-sex casting is also possible in Epic theatre as we don’t need to suspend our disbelief.”https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/5
- “Minimal set / costume / props：
Set, costume and props are all kept simple and representational. Elaborate costumes might mean that the sense of theatre, of pretending to be something else, was lost.” https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/5 - “Symbolic props：
Often one item can be used in a variety of ways. A suitcase might become a desk, or a car door or a bomb.”https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/5 - “Narration：
Narration is used to remind the audience that what they’re watching is a presentation of a story. Sometimes the narrator will tell us what happens in the story before it has happened. This is a good way of making sure that we don’t become emotionally involved in the action to come as we already know the outcome.”https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/5
Text: “Into The Woods” by James Lapine:
Narrator: In the deep deep woods, there lives the happy family of the baker and his wife. BUT there’s also the Prince anxiously looking for his princess, Cinderella. One day, the baker’s wife went out to seek all the items that can give her a baby,and, she met the Prince. The Prince was so anxious and scared in the woods that he needed a kind and pretty women to cuddle him. Therefore, they had an affair. However, the Prince must leave to slay a giant, the baker’s wife must return to her husband. Here we go, Cinderella’s Prince and the baker’s wife, into the woods.
(Blue light, creepy music started, blue light for the baker’s wife, red light for the Prince)
(Focus the camera close on the wife)
Wife: You must come with me! You shall be safe in my company.(Run into the scene, yelling towards Prince)
(Switch the camera to focus on the Prince)
Cinderella’s prince: I must leave you. I need to slay the giant. I must, leave… I am sorry. I just can’t…
(the wife collapse on the group hopelessly)
Wife: The giant. I had almost forgotten. Will we find each other in the woods again?
C.P..: This was just a moment in the woods.(Shine bring lights on them)
Our moment, Shimmering and lovely and sad.
Leave the moment, just be glad
For the moment that we had.
Every moment is of moment
When you’re in the woods…
(Suddenly play the scratch turn music )(Everything stops, white stream lights hit on the narrator and the narrator starts talking)
Lights down.
Narrator: Okay. If you think it is gross that Cinderella’s prince is going to kiss the baker’s wife, you might want to close your eyes now. Hold still.
( scratch turning music again) https://youtu.be/zRfmFdaBdyk
(Red lights on, the prince starts talking)
Now, I must go off to slay a giant. That is what the next moment holds for me. I shall not forget you. How brave you are to be alone in the woods. And how alive you’ve made me feel. (He exists)
(All stage light darkened, when the wife comes back and sits, stunned; creepy music starts . Blue stage lights on)https://youtu.be/Jr9JVhr4R5Q
(Talk to the audience)
Wife: What was that?
Was that me?
Was that him?
Did a Prince really kiss me?
And Kiss me?
And kiss me?
And did I kiss him back?
Was it wrong?
Am I mad?
Is that all?
Does he miss me?
Was he suddenly
Getting bored with me?
(She stands)
(Camera stop)
(Shaky red light suddenly change to red, put on devil wings on stage)
Wake up! Stop dreaming.
Stop prancing about the woods.
It’s not beseeming.
What is it about the woods?
Back to life, back to sense,
Back to child, back to husband,
No one lives in the woods.
There are vows, there are ties,
There are needs, there are standards,
There are shouldn’ts and shoulds.
(blue lights starts again, character switch to the a)
Why not both instead?
There’s the answer, if you’re clever:
Have a child for warmth,
And a baker for bread,
And a Prince for whatever---
(Red light on, light shine on the evil)
Never!
It’s these woods.
Face the facts
Just get out of these woods.
Was that him? Yes, it was.
Was that me? No. it wasn’t,
Just a trick of the woods.
(back to the baker’s wife, bright light shine on her)
Just a moment,
One peculiar passing moment.
First a witch, then a child,
Then a Prince, then a moment---
Who can live in the woods?
And to get what you wish,
Only just for a moment---
These are dangerous woods…
Let the moment go… eqq
Now I understand---
(signs, starts walking faster)
And it’s time to leave the woods.
(All light darkened, then bright light shine on the narrator) Creepy circus music resume.
Narrator: Do you think she just left the forest and back to her life? The poor poor baker’s wife was lonely and trying to get through the dark forest. Suddenly, she heard something was hitting the ground heavily. Like footsteps of a .... giant. (Red shaking lights on and creepy music on https://youtu.be/6VKYzTu2v3k
)She will never have any moments ever again. Welcome to the woods.
一
Pictures：
Video Link:
Reflection:
By the beginning of the project, I have decided my theorist to be Brecht, started researching him and his theories, decided what aspects I am going to use, have had a overview of what my solo project is going to be, practice some of Brecht’s theatrical aspects in class and and a great conversation about it. I have realized a couple things: first, I need to know better what the aspects and what is Brecht’s purpose of using them, and also their impacts on the audience; second, I need to determine what are my thoughts about Brecht’s theater.
First, let us talk about what I have so far about Brecht’s context information. Brecht was born in 1898, Augsburg, Germany, and he died in 1956 in East Berlin, German Democratic Republic. His genre of theater are Drama, Poetry, and Fiction. Some of his major works are: Drums in the Night (1922), The Threepenny Opera (1928), Fear and Misery of the Third Reich (1938), The Good Women of Szechwan (1943), and Mother Courage and Her Children (1949).
Brecht also developed the idea of “epic” or “didactic” theater and applied to the “model” productions of his own plays in the early 1950s. According to the website, Brecht “hoped his plays would instruct as well as entertain. His goal was to make audiences think about what might be, rather than what was.”(http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&u=poul45153&id=GALE%7CCX2507200068&v=2.1&it=r&sid=GVRL&asid=d6d9a573)
His work was influenced by German social theorist Karl Marx and was always violent and chaotic.
The aspects I am going to use are “Coming out of role/third person narration”, “Direct Address”, “Lighting”, and “multi roling”. However, I have realized that the reaserch and understanding I have about these aspects are not through enough for me apply them well on my practice and brainstorming my text and staging. Therefore, I shall dive more into the aspects and their effects and purposes.
Today, I have practiced these aspects through in class activities with my teacher and classmate. I told my classmates to try to be different person and using the third point of narration talking to themselves under a theme of describing their typical day at Cheshire Academy. I found this theme to be very interesting and useful for practicing Brecht’s idea because you can be many people in you school and daily life is easier to brainstorm and portray. I started first laying on three chairs together that was like a bed talking to myself to wake myself up and pushing myself to go to classes. On the halfway I get out of my character to be one of my friends who was talking to the “invisible” me on the stage. Then I was speaking my stage direction such as putting aside my phone, talking out my pencil case, and talking to myself again as a third person narrator. However, next time I should reduce the use of “I” when I am talking to myself as another person, since my classmates have said it was a little confusing to them who I am actually are. I have also found a lot of my weaknesses such as not understanding the theories, purposes, persecutions from the audience, and having a little difficult time when acting different roles by myself and getting out of the characters to interact with the audience, which is “breaking the fourth wall” aspect of Brecht. I learned that when I am showing different characters just by myself on stage, the use of language, tone, mood, physical and facial expressions, and eye contact with the audience are very crucial. My classmates and teacher were a little bit confused by what characters Am I actually playing and when did I get out of my original perspective to be a different person. This is something I should practice more.
Brecht wants the audience to think what is the meaning and message behind what he was showing, therefore I Realized I really need to find it write a text that has multiple layers of messages. I am going to exam the texts and resources I have carefully. This is so far I have got into my project.
To report my further change and progress of the final project, I have mainly picked my text and skit and created a rough draft of my performance. Here is the skit, (the red lines are the stage direction):
Video of Rough Draft Walk Through:https://youtu.be/5hVPLRa4p7Q
Additional Reflection: After I have performed the rough draft day, I found out the costume I was going to use: a angel wing, a devil wing, a fake sword for the prince and and basket for the baker’s wife. Before I was actually thinking of changing behind the stage, but after Ms. Guarino’s advice, to be more brechtian, I can actually switch my customs on the stage. Also, the music of the sad and withering scenes do not have to be sad in the case for Brecht because if I make it happy and weird if will also match Brecht’s style of theater even better. Thus, when I was actually performing it for my final draft on stage, I found it very interesting but also a bit uncomfortable changing costumes and putting on props on stage. Whereas, this is what Brecht theater is about, to tell people it is fake. And the lighting I used is a part of symbolism. I used red to represent the prince and the devil and blue to represent the angel and the baker’s wife. Props, such as the basket and the sword, to represent the different identities on stage. Even the creepy music I have used as the background of the sad scenes made the scenes even faker and more ironic.
Additional Reflection: After I have performed the rough draft day, I found out the costume I was going to use: a angel wing, a devil wing, a fake sword for the prince and and basket for the baker’s wife. Before I was actually thinking of changing behind the stage, but after Ms. Guarino’s advice, to be more brechtian, I can actually switch my customs on the stage. Also, the music of the sad and withering scenes do not have to be sad in the case for Brecht because if I make it happy and weird if will also match Brecht’s style of theater even better. Thus, when I was actually performing it for my final draft on stage, I found it very interesting but also a bit uncomfortable changing costumes and putting on props on stage. Whereas, this is what Brecht theater is about, to tell people it is fake. And the lighting I used is a part of symbolism. I used red to represent the prince and the devil and blue to represent the angel and the baker’s wife. Props, such as the basket and the sword, to represent the different identities on stage. Even the creepy music I have used as the background of the sad scenes made the scenes even faker and more ironic.
Bibliography
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