When examining any work, I've been told that asking questions is the first step towards understanding it better. Here are a few to start. Have your script in hand while reading these so you'll have something to reference. Also, if you are interested, I'll take questions from you via some form of communication and add them to the blog so we can all question together and then, hopefully, answer together :).
1. What is the significance of setting this series of love-inspired vignettes in the Northern-most part of Maine? Would this play have the same effect had it been set at 3pm in Downers Grove in the middle of spring? Why? Why not? Why does this consistent 9pm on a clear cloudless winter night truly come alive and bring about more feeling in it's readers/audience?
2. Why does Cariani use the snowball metaphor? We all generally know its meaning...but do we know its significance?
3. Cariani pointedly writes "cute will kill this play." Why doesn't he want his play to come off as "cute"? Is it possibly that it's deep yet simplistic meaning speaks for itself? How actors, etc. work to make certain the audience isn't constantly saying "awwwwweeee"?
These are just some starter questions. Can't wait to get feedback!!
To respond to the first question, I guess the significance of these love-inspired vignettes taking place at 9pm on a clear cloudless winter night in Northern Maine really is the simplicity and beauty that results. There truly is something about the darkness and winter feeling that brings the vignettes to life. If this play were to take place at 3pm in Downers Grove in the middle of spring, I don't think it would have the same effect simply because Downers Grove would be somewhere we are all used to. These vignettes technically are not too different from situations that really happen in our world, but there's something about placing these normal people in the cold, winter setting of Northern Maine that creates a sense of magic. Somewhere so dark and so cold can have people who are normal and go through things that we all go through; heartbreak, true love, loss of hope...etc. If I were an audience member, I know I would feel some sort of connection to the characters and I would automatically be drawn into them because the amount of wonder and magic that each scene possesses is truly beautiful. I don't think this play could take place anywhere else and really make that much of a difference.
ReplyDeleteVery thoughtful response, Erin. Your comments made me think about how I will convey the message of the play within that opening drawing/projection.
ReplyDeleteAnd also, the whole "cute will kill this play," thing. I completely agree Colleen that it's deep yet simplistic meaning speaks for itself. I also feel like we, as actors, need to just let the words we are saying really sink into the audience. For example, I was watching rehearsal last night after my scene was over, and when Taylor and Lucas begin the play with those awkward pauses after she says "I love you," I really feel like lines like that are put in there so that actors can learn how to react to one another and share the "uncomfortable-ness" (is that a word?) with the audience. Many of the lines and just general scenes are "cute" but I think it's the delivery that can change an audience from saying "awww" to just being silent. Not knowing how to feel. Because I think that's how a lot of our characters feel. I know personally, Marvalyn doesn't know why she's feeling the way she's feeling about Steve. And Rhonda doesn't know what to make of everything Dave is giving to her, but all she knows is that she's enjoying it. I think every character has something about them that is going through a change, or a new spark is being created. And that's why I think this play is beautiful. Not "cute" necessarily, though there are cute things about it, but I think Cariani wants us to tell stories to the audience that are so raw and so real that we leave them speechless.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest thing I thing for me is going to be breaking the generic reactions I have as an actress. I am such a pro on romantic movies and can envision lines from the play being said in movies, but the simplicity of the environment and the characters changes everything. These characters aren't outwardly complex so it's harder to figure out what exactly they are thinking in their minds, because although they are realistic scenes in a way, in this day in age, half of these conversations would not be happening that way they are. I mean for Gayle and Lendall's scene, if that was in downers grove a place strongly effected by social networking and media, Gayle would probably call him, and its the power of the personal interactions that needs to come across. I highly doubt that Gayle even thought about picking up that phone. As soon as she got these feelings she packed up her car and ran over there, there was no other option, even though it would be easier to say all she wanted to while not being in the same place, face to face. She wasn't about to call him before to make sure it was a a good time. For her, there was no time like the present and she felt that drive to make her do what she needed in the way needed right away. There are so many inner thoughts that need to occur and doing the inner monologues helped, but right now it is a bit difficult to apply it. I think everything will flow so much more once we're all off script though so I really cant wait to see it come alive when instead of thinking about our lines literally, we start to think about why we're saying those lines as we say them.
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