Describe the Theater, sets, and costumes:
Drayton Hall is shares its walls with Wardlaw College, where the college of education is located. I honestly had no idea where I was going at first because I had no idea that the theater was located in the building. When I walked in, I noticed some really interesting art displaces. There was a usher in the doorway handing out brochures for the play. I sat towards the back of the theater and was immediately amazed by the set design and that the theater is a proscenium design with stadium seating that can house up to 440 people. The set was of the center of town with a restaurant a church and a couple of houses. Two of the houses had functioning balconies where the actors go stand and dance. The church was in the middle of the set. To the left of the stage was the restaurant. The characters costumes were very bright, and I though distracting. Each character had a color theme and dressed monochromatically. There were belly dancers clad in belly dancing outfits, a fat maid who dressed in the stereotypical maids outfit. The 4 main characters dressed the same

In what period does this play take place? Who is the author? What period did the play write live?
The Comedy of errors was written by Shakespeare wrote. The play was one of his earlier plays as well as his shortest in duration. Shakespeare wrote the play during the wars of succession in France during the late 1500’s. Many believe that Shakespeare based his play off the Roman playwright Plautus. The director of “The Comedy of Errors”, Robert Richmond, who directed the USC version, gave Shakespeare’s play an updated twist. The USC play had belly dancers and sang modern songs.
Discuss the plot:
The play is about two sets of identical twins that are accidentally separated at birth. The two twins live their lives not knowing about the other until they end up at the same place at the same time. One day Antipholus of Syracuse and his slave, Dromio of Syracuse, go to Ephesus. In Ephesus they they are mistaken for Antipholus of Ephesus and his slave Dromio of Ephesus who have the same names and same features. There is a big mix-up of who is who by the towns people, the twin’s family, and friends. Havoc arises while the towns people friends and family try ot figure out what is going on. Egeon, the dad of the Antipholus twins, comes to Ephesus to look for Antipholus of Ephesus. When he gets there, he is accused for entering enemy territory and is sentenced to death. When it is time for him to die, he sees Antipholus of Esphesus and yells to him. Antipholus, however, does not recognize him. Seconds later, the other twin enters the scene. There is great confusion, but after it all they realize that they are long lost twins. The father is then forgiven for entering Epheus and a party follows.

Phantom of the Opera

Describe. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the Phantom of the Opera. The opera is full of It is an opera based on tension, drama, and romance. The movie is pretty long, running for over two hours. The movie is about an opera singer and a phantom who is obsessed with her. The phantom used to be Christine’s vocal coach. The phantom lives at the bottom of the opera house and writes due to his disfigured face. The phantom is obsessed with Christine since she was young. At one point in the movie, the phantom dresses Christine up in a white dress and simulates a wedding. Christine is however in love with her childhood friend Raoul. The two are reunited early on in the movie. After Christine is kidnapped by the phantom, Raoul comes to the rescue and saves her. Analyze. Since the day that Christine’s father died she has felt as though the angle of music was watching over her. She has never actually seen him, but she could always feel his presence and she could hear him. As the years went on, the angle became her vocal teacher. The angle taught her to sing beautifully. The phantom, after kidnapping Christine falls in love with her. The phantom sings to Christine which puts her under his spell so to speak. Christine angers her kidnapper after she takes off his mask and sees his diseased face. Christine tells her childhood friend and love interest, Raoul about the phantom. Raoul promises her that he will love and protect her, and even marry her. During the opera that Christine is performing in, the phantom kidnaps her and pulls her into his layer. The phantom requests that she marry him in order to save Raoul and the opera. Christine reluctantly agrees and kisses him. This kiss makes the phantom realize that Christine does not love him and never will. The phantom then disappears and leaves Christine in peace. Interpret This opera is all about lust, and wanting what you can’t have. In other words, it’s all about unrequited love. Its about the desire to want someone body so bad but get no love in return. It’s also about having to accept that the person you love may not love you in return, but regardless, you have to let that person go. Evaluate. I really enjoyed this movie. I had never seen it before and I found it very entertaining and thought provoking. I think it would be really cool to see this opera on Broadway.

Assignment 8

1. Describe the difference between opera, light opera, and musical theater Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians sing a dramatic work combining signing and musical scores. There is acting, scenery, costumes and sometimes dance. Many operas are performed in an opera house. The dist opera took place in Italy and then quickly spread through Europe. A light opera is still an opera, but rather than being of a serious nature, the story line is light heated or comic with a happy ending. These operas too began in Italy, but during the 17th century. Victor Herbert is a famous North American light opera composer who wrote Babes in Toy Land. Some other famous light operas are Candide and Sweeny Todd. Musical theater combines dance, music, songs and dialogue as well as a story line. There is an overlap between opera and musical theater, but the distinguishing fact is that there is much importance to dialogue in musical theater while music is the importance in an opera. 2. How long does it take for someone to have a fully trained operatic voice? It takes years of training and hard work in order to become an opera singer. Opera singers must be able to sing in multiple languages, how to fence, how to dance, and how to make their voices hit high notes and hold them. An opera singer must have a good teacher and years and years of practicing. Opera singing is definitely not just a thing to pick up. There is extensive training for many many years. Many opera singers go to music school and continue to develop their voices and train throughout their whole career. 3. Choose an Opera by Puccini? Describe and interpret. La bohème (1896) is often called one of the best works by Puccini as well as one of the most romantic. La bohème is still very popular even today. The play is based on the book Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger. The play is a story about young bohemians living in the Latin Quarter of Paris during the 1840’s. The play focuses on the relationship between Rodolfo and Mimi. Rudolfo is a poet and Mimi is a seamstress. The two meet, and fall in love. The two of them however soon fall out of love. The two are reunited once Rudolfo is told that Mimi is dying. Rudolfo, realizing that he has always loved Mimi is distraught. Interwoven in the Rudolfo- Mimi love story are brief stories of Rudolfo’s friends who try to being Mimi and Rudolfo back together. Rent is a rock opera that is a very popular rock opera based on this opera.

Assignment 7

1. Describe the difference between a thrust stage and proscenium stage. A thrust stage is also called a platform stage and an open stage. The stage goes into the audience and is connected to the backstage area by an up stage end. With the stage going into the audience the audience feels more evolved with the performers and the actors get to interact more with the audience. Many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed on a thrust stage at the globe theater. In a proscenium is a stage in which there is a frame or arch around the stage. In this theater the audience faces the stage that is usually raised a few feet off of the ground. These stages first began in Rome. The in a way is a window for the audience who is not as involved with the performance as with a thrust stage. 2. What is the fly gallery? A fly gallery is a narrow elevated platform at the side of the stage in a theater form which a stagehand work the ropes controlling equipment in the flies. This allows the crew to quickly and quietly fly lights scenery, and effects across the stage. The fly gallery is generally hid from the audience. 3. How does a scrim work? Scrims modify the properties of light. There are different types such as using natural light. Or a man made light source. No matter with use. The scrim reduced the intensity and harshness of the light.

Big Apple - Art Event

1.Even though the shag is danced to music that is 4/4 time, how does the dancer count when they are dancing the shag? The shag is a six count dance done with a partner. The male is usually the leader while his female partner follows. The dance is done to 6 counts and is counted like so: “1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6”. The male will sometimes spin his partner and will guide her in the dance. 2. Discuss the Big Apple building. Discuss its features architechtural feature of Columbia, and a brief history. What was the first name of the building The Big Apple is a historic building in Columbia, South Carolina. The Big Apple gets its name from the old religious dance that was founded by African Americans who were enslaved on plantations in the south. The Big Apple was a group dance, in which the dancers formed a huge circle and did arm movements that resembled the Big Apple. In the 1930s a group of African Americans started a Big Apple Night Club in the House of Peace Synagogue. The Big Apple can now be found on Park Street in Columbia, South Carolina. The Big Apple allowed both black people and white people to dance as well as student from USC.The building resembles Greek architectures and has the original dome ceiling of the synagogue. There are two doric columns on the front of the building, and inside as well. 3. Discuss the Shag. What is the history of the shag and what is its relevance to South Carolina The shag is the state dance of both North and South Carolina. Shagging began in the 1930’s in Myrtle Beach and became known as the swing dance of the south. The dance first began with club dancers dancing to black music. The danced quickly picked u a lot of southern followers, and by the 1940’s teenagers in the Carolinas were dancing the shag. As time passed, the dance loss its fast pace nature and was danced to songs with a more low beat rhythm. Some of the most famous shag dancers are Billy Jeffers and Maggie Lunn Foss.

Describe the photograph - how big is it, who owns it, who shot it, who is the photograph of and what year was the photo taken. Is black and white, color or some sort of special photographic process. If you don't know what this process is, look it up and describe it.
The photograph that I chose is of the Rolling Stones at the Australian Pub in London England. The photograph is shot by Phillip Townsend in 1963. This is the first ever photo shoot of the rolling stones. Their manger told Townsend that he wanted the rockers to look mean for this photo shoot. The picture is in black and white and is maybe one foot by one foot big.
Analyze the photograph - What is the photo about, what are/is the people/person doing in the photo, what is the setting, what are clothes like? What does the photograph reveal about the person in the picture?

This was the first photo shoot for the Rolling Stones and their Manager at the time wanted them to portray a new type of Image. An image that was different from that of the Beetles. Their Manager told Townsend that he wanted the boys at the time to look mean. This is quite ironic due once the picture is actually looked at. Mick Jagger in the back ground looks like he is laughing; the man next to him is smiling as well. The guy front and center looks like he is trying to act cool, but in reality, acting is all he is doing. The only band member succeeding in looking mean is the guy to the left. The mugs on the table look like they were placed there for purely image sake, and had never really had anything in them. All in all, these boys look like they are trying to play the part of big bad and mean, but in reality they are just the boy next door. The fact that this photo was taken at the Austrailan Pub in London seems to foreshadow the soon to be lifestyle of these boys. The Rolling Stones were such a successful band, and were flown across the world an uncountable number of times. The boys captured in this photo are young and naïve, but their lives are about to change drastically.

Dance

1. Describe the baroque period of dance.
Baroque dance is from the Baroque era in Europe. This is time period ranged from 1600 to 1750. Baroque was danced to Baroque music, theatre and opera. These dances are historical dance of the upper class. Dances were symmetrical and done with a partner. This dance would also take up the whole dance floor, not just a corner of the room. The Roman Catholic Church supported this dance because the dance showed religious themes. Many people have tried to replicate the dance, but it is very difficult to accomplish

2. Discuss why people dance?
People dance in order to feel good about themselves but to also express themselves. Some people dance as a job while others dance as a hobby or just because they like it. Some people dance at parties to celebrate a special occasion. Dance can also have a unifying feel, so some people dance in order to feel connected to another person or a group of people. some people dance in order to keep their culture alive and to share their heritage with others. Some people dance in order to lose weight, tone up, or get a good workout. Young kids have school dances in order to meet new kids their age and get out of their comfort zone. Some people have specific reasons to dance, while others just like the way it feels.




3. Describe on non western dance art form.
Belly dance is a Middle Eastern/ Egyptian dance of the 19th century, and the 20th century. Belly dance uses different regions, costumes and dance styles, and combines the aspects into one dance. Belly dancing uses different parts of the body whether its hips, shoulders, the belly or chest. Belly dance however, focuses mainly on the core muscles. Some important moves such as the shiver, shimmy, Hip hits, and Undulations