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.