The History of Theater

The earliest days of western theatre remain obscure, but the oldest surviving plays come from ancient Greece. Most philologists agree that Greek theatre evolved from staged religious choral performances, during celebrations to Dionysus the Greek god of wine and fertility (Dithyrambs). There are, however, findings suggesting the possible existence of theatre-like performances much earlier, such as the famous "Blind Steps" of the Minoan Palace at Knossos: a broad stone stairway descending to a flat stone courtyard that leads nowhere - an arrangement strongly suggesting that the courtyard was used for a staged spectacle and the stairway was in fact used as seating.
The vast majority of Ancient Greek theatrical texts have not survived intact. A small number of works from four Greek playwrights writing during the fifth century B.C. remain fully intact.
Aeschylus
Sophocles
Euripides
Aristophanes
The above-mentioned playwrights are regarded as the most influential by critics of subsequent eras including (Aristotle). The tragic and sartyr plays were always performed at the festival (City Dionysia) where they were part of a series of four performances (a "tetralogy"): the first, second and third plays were a dramatic trilogy based on related or unrelated mythological events, and the culminating fourth performance was a satyr play, a play on a lighter note, with enhanced celebratory and dance elements. Performances lasted several hours and were held during daytime.
The dramas rarely had more than three actors (all male), who played the different roles using masks. There was a chorus on the stage most of the time which sang songs and sometimes spoke in unison. As far as we know, most dramas were staged just a single time, at the traditional drama contest. Such contests were always held in the context of major religious festivals, most notably those in honor of the god Dionysos, and competed for an honorific prize (such as a tripod and a sum of money) awarded by a panel of judges - usually these were the sacerdotal and civil officers presiding over the particular religious festival. The prize was awarded jointly to the producer, who had financed the staging, and the poet, who was at the same time the author, composer, choreographer and director of the plays.
The actors wore large masks, which were very colourful. These masks depicted two things: the age of the character, and their mood. They also amplified sound in the same way that cupping your hands over your mouth does. Actors also wore thick, padded clothing, and shoes with thick soles. This made them seem larger, so the audience could see them better when seated in the uppermost rows of the amphitheatre. Well my friends, I'll be back on this blog next year in 2009 to tell you about what kind of acting productions I'll be doing for 2009. MERRY CHRISTMAS

Sanford Meisner Approach to Acting

Meisner's unusual techniques were considered both unorthodox and effective. Actor Dennis Longwell wrote of sitting in on one of Meisner’s classes one day, when Meisner brought two students forward for an acting exercise. They were given a single line of dialogue, told to turn away, and instructed not to do or say anything until something happened to make them say the words; one of the fundamental principles of the Meisner Technique. The first student’s line came when Meisner approached him from behind and gave him a strong pinch on the back, inspiring him to jump away and yelp his line in pain. The other student’s line came when Meisner reached around and slipped his hand into her blouse. Her line came out as a giggle as she moved away from his touch.[3]

The goal of the Meisner technique has often been described as getting actors to “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.”[4] The technique emphasizes carrying out an action truthfully on stage and letting emotion and subtext build based on the truth of the action and on the other characters around them, rather than simply playing an action or emotion. In one of the best known exercises of the Meisner Technique called Repetition, one person spontaneously makes a comment based on his or her partner. and that phrase would be relatively quickly, repeated back and forth between the two actors in the same manner until it changed on its own. The objective was always to react truthfully allowing the repetition to change naturally rather than creating or manipulating a change. Well my friends, the next blog post will be about the history of theater through time next month.

I'm Special, You're Special Play Review

People with down syndrome need the same help just like other people. But sometimes they need help when it comes to inclusion. It's hard to get included but, there are ways to help out. In "I'm Special, Your Special," David Brown gets help from his family. David had a tough time in school because, everyone keep on criticizing him. His dad and mom can only provide encouragement but, David has to learn to handle inclusion on his own.

At the end, David earned an second place ribbon in the science fair. He became manager of the basketball team. His class mates became friends with him.  Being included is a special feeling. They say "three is a crowd" and everyone deserves their chance. Next month in this blog I'll be discussing about the Meiser Technique in the theater. 

God Bless Us Everyone

The dates for the Christmas Carol at the Artist's Exchange has been officially announced. This time Bob Macaux will be playing the role of Scrooge's nephew, Fred. Here is the information; any questions contact the Artist's Exchange about ticket information at this number: 

December 10,11,12, at 7:00p.m.

Daily Matinees are December 13, 14, 20 21 at 2:00p.m.

December 17, 18, 19 at 7:00p.m.

Ticket cost is $15.00

Here is their number:490-9475

The Laramie Project Play Review

The Laramie Project follows the same message on tolerance and acceptance. This time the message applies to gay people. Hate crimes are used as an anti-social group for among gay people. The story of the Laramie Project is based on true events. Matthew Shepard was abused by two punks Aaron Mckinney and James Mckinney. They tied him to a fence and left him to die on his own. There is no sympathy to the population of Laramie, expect to couple of people.

Acceptance and tolerance can apply to everyone who are born with down syndrome and gay people. As Martin Luther king said "all men are created equal." I hope everyone feels the same. The next blog will be another play review of I'm Special, You're Special.

Welcome To Vaudeville

American Vaudeville, more so than any other mass entertainment, grew out of the culture of incorporation that defined American life after the Civil War. The development of vaudeville marked the beginning of popular entertainment as big business, dependent on the organizational efforts of a growing number of white collared workers and the increased leisure time, spending power, and changing tastes of an urban middle class audience. Business savvy showmen utilized improved transportation and communication technologies, creating and controlling vast networks of theater circuits, standardizing, professionalizing, and institutionalizing American popular entertainment.

Since the auditions for the Christmas Carol are coming around the bend, I'll be posting the dates of the Christmas Carol soon. The next blog will be a play review of the Laramie Project.     

The history of Method Acting and Stanislavski

Konstantin Stanislavski was born under an different name. He was known as Konstantin Sergeyevich Alexeyev. His hometown is in Moscow on January 5th 1863, amidst the transition from the feudal serfdom of Czarist Russia under the role of Peter the Great, to the free enterprise of the industrial Revolution. By the time Stanislavski was born, the Alexeyev business of gold and sliver thread production had made the family name well known throughout the world.

Stanislavski coined phrases such as "stage direction," laid the foundations of modern opera and gave instant renown to the works of such talented writers and play wrights as Maksim Gorki and Anton Chekhov. Konstantin Stanislavski's process of character development, the "Stanislavski Method," was the catalyst for "method" acting-arguably the most influential acting system on the modern stage and screen.

"How does an actor act?... How can the actor learn to inspire himself? What can he do to impel himself toward that necessary yet maddenly elusive creative mood? These were the simple, awesome riddles Stanislavski dedicated his life to exploring. Where and how to 'seek those roads into the secret sources of inspiration must serve as the fundamental life problem of every true actor'...If the ability to recieve the creative mood in its full measure is given to the genius by nature", Stanislavski wondered, "then perhaps ordinary people may reach a like state after a great deal of hard work with themselves-not in its full measure, but at least in part".

The next blog will be on the history of Vaudeville Theater.

The difference between Drama and Musicals

In the theater world we came across different theater genres such as Dramas and musicals. Both of them are different in alot of ways and at times they can be similar as well. Let's start with Drama. Drama is an type of theater that can only do tragedies such as Hamlet by William Shakespeare and the Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman. The emotion within drama can bring about saddness and guilty emotions. For example in Romeno and Juliet Romeno killed himself for the love of Juliet had consumed him. We can't help it for being sad what Romeno did because, he loved Juliet and he is willing to follow her to the end.

Both musicals and drama are similar because they are played within the theater and both of them are genres in the theater world. Musicals are different because their emotions can bring similes and laughter within the theater. The classics of musical theater can include Intermittence and the Frog Prince. Both of those plays are musicals and they have music in them. The next blog will be about Method acting and how we used it the theater and the history of Konsition.

What is it like to be the new kid at the Black Box Theater?

The Artist's Exchange went under development in the year of 2004 a year after when I first entered Gateways in 2003. Elaine Mckenna and Kathy McGillivray thought of an idea to make the store successful by developing an theater space where the actor's can perform. That's when I came in. Other people wanted to become actors as well. They both came in. The theater won't be successful so we started to look for an theater teacher. Richard Morra actually fit the ticket for being an theater teacher and director since he had enough experience in the theater.

Our very first production at the Black Box Theater was the Christmas Carol in 2004. We used improv at first, years afterward we started using the script. In that production I was the lead character of Ebenezer Scrooge. That play was so successful it actually made our theater more popular in the newspapers and Motif Magazine. We continued doing the Christmas Carol in 2005, 2006 and 2007. This photo was shot in 2005's Christmas Carol of which I played Bob Cratchit.

Not only we do plays, we also have theater lessons. On my first day we learned about the safety of the theater and stage directions such as: stage left, stage right, center stage, center stage left, center stage right and so on. All these lessons can actually hone on your skills as a performer such as using the Meiser Techinque and Method Techniques. Other skills to use as an performer are eye contact, articulation,focus,concentration,memorization and using your body and voice for the character as well. Patience is also important to an actor to learn about as well.

Other plays became popular. Spoon River Anthology was popular, The Laramie Project, The One Act Play Festivals, Intermittence, What Color is your River? and Salute to Vaudeville was exteremely popular as well. The first year we did Salute To Vaudeville was 2007 at Woonsocket's Stadium Theater. I got an extremely important part of being the Co masters of Ceremonies with a great guy named Bob Colonna. The second year I get to be in the spot light as an performer. My favorite skit in this year's show was JCPenny. I played JCPenny. He actually ran half naked since his clothes got taken away.

The next blog will be posted soon. The next blog is about the differences between Drama plays and musicals I have done with Kaliedoscope.

What is it like to be the new kid at Kaliedoscope Theater?

When I first entered Kaliedoscope Theater in 2005, I didn't know what to expect. The people are very supportive and friendly. When I first started looking for a job in 2004, I went to see a play at Rhode Island College with my mom. I bumped into Tommy Irafrati at the entertance near Robert's Hall. I overheard back then that Tommy is looking for a new actor to be part of his theater company. I went immediately to Kaliedoscope Theater to see what's up. When I got there, they ask me to read from the script for one of their fairytale plays. They also asked me to sing a song from the Frog Prince called "How I Love This Feeling". They were totally impressed by my singing voice so they gave me a job with them.

My very first play with them was I'm Special, You're Special. We started

that play in 2005. The play was a total success and it touched the kid's hearts. The theme of the play was tolerance and acceptance with people who are born with down syndrome. I played the maine character of David Brown who was born with the same condition I was born with. He had an tough time in his school that he was included with his brother and sister. At the end David made friends with the class mates and the teachers expect from Beth Turner. I also earned a second place ribbion in the science fair and became an manager on his brother's basketball team. We continue doing this play in 2006, 2007 and this year as well. It was that popluar.

Kaiedoscope has more plays as well not just school touring plays. They also have dinner theater and fairytale musicals in the summertime. My very first fairytale with Kaliedoscope Theater is the Frog Prince in 2005. It became so popular that we decided to do the Frog Prince in 2007.

In 2006, I did Jack and the Beanstalk for the very first time. That play was wonderful and I got an excellient role of playing an magician who does tricks for the audience. That play was also popular so they put that play on the list for the summer 2008 series. I also did Sleeping Beauty for the first time as well in the 2006 summer series. I loved that play! In the play, I was Domenic. In the beginning Domenic protected young Stefen as an servant. Domenic had big dreams of becoming an knight someday. At the end, Domenic became the very first knight under the teachings of Stefen.

I will continue of working with Kaliedoscope through years to come. This is my big chance of entertaining the children audience.

Artist's Exchange next production

The Artist's Exchange is hosting another play called the Clouds by the Greek Play wright named Aristophanes. The play is a satire and it takes place in Athens Greece. Socrates is the character that they are poking at making fun of him as a village idiot or clown. The era of this play is during the 1960's so you will be hearing oldies within the play, and peace signs and flower power. For Reservations call at this number:490-9475. I'm going to be watching the play this time. Here are the dates and times of the play itself:

September 11, 12, 13 at 7:00p.m.

September 18, 19, 20 at 7:00p.m.

Come on down and enjoy this beautiful play

How Did I get involved in the theater business?

When I was a kid I love to make believe. I imagine myself as a hero flying through the sky with a red cape flowing through the breeze trying to save the day. I always love to make believe that I'm somewhere else on this earth. I got bitten by the acting bug when I entered Jr. High in the year of 1996. Back then acting is just a hobby. I never thought that acting can be a career choice for me, because I need the academics and having an experience on stage before I make that choice. When I entered the Drama Club on my very first play "Don't Rock the Boat", that magical moment arrived. I continued with my imagination both in the Drama club and the Talent Shows until I moved into Rhode Island in 1998. When I entered Toll Gate in late 1998 into 1999, I decided to rekindled my acting magic in high school. I entered the Drama club one last time on my very first musical "Once Upon A Mattress." I had an excellent part of playing the Court Jester. He had his own solo song and sung with both the king and the minstrel. After the production they wanted me to work behind the scenes or become an extra. My moment arrived to pursue other acting opportunities so I quit the Drama club. I got involved in the talent shows, poetry slams and arts Integration festivals. I even performed at AS220 on my senior field trip. Upon leaving high school, I entered college to continue my education in the drama business. I also found out that I can continue acting in college so, I did my very first college play called "The Member of the Wedding." Finally someone has discovered my Talent. His name is Richard Morra. He went to the same high school as i did when I was a baby. He took me into the Artist's Exchange since it's development in 2004. He started to teach me acting can be important for everyone. The plays are carefully chosen by each people's abilities. They turned out successful. As it turns out those plays are just a test to my abilities as an actor. So I decided to get a part time job in the theater business. He landed on a part time job with an professional traveling theater called Kaleidoscope Theater in 2005. My very first play with Kaleidoscope is on inclusion with a kid who is born with Down Syndrome into special schools. That play is extremely important to school students who are different and wanted to be accepted as humans. Their fairy tale plays are wonderful to the child audience. In the Frog Prince, I played an squire who falls in love with the princess's cousin. In Jack and the Beanstalk I played an magician who can do magic tricks for children. In Sleeping Beauty I played an brave squire who wanted to become an brave knight under the teachings of Stephen. He finally became an knight at the end. That's how I got involved in the theater business, from an child actor to an musical theater performer of today. I'm sure that someday their will be other people that are interested in theater, that door will be opened for them as their career choice.

What is exactly acting mean?

Acting means being in the moment of imaginary circumstances. In other words acting simply means to tell a story in vivd imagination. For example, when you are a kid and you like to make believe, you play dress up and writing up a script for an actual play in front of your parents. But other times when you started to grow as a student in the performing arts, other opportunities will be knocking on your door. Your parents and your friends will like to see you on stage performing in front of crowded people. Someone on TV may ask you to audition for commercials and local videos as an extra. But before you step into the acting world you should at least go through school first. Getting good grades and taking as many courses in English, Theater, and other courses will help to serve as a guide in the acting world. After you leave high school, you may think of entering college to puruse an acting degree. You can also audition in college plays at your local college. There's nothing more awarding than being on stage entertaining the crowds and making them simile. That my friends is the true art of acting and I gurantee it, somewhere out there is a star waiting to shine through people's hearts.