5/1/2010
This is our final day of shows and so far all the shows have been great. It is really hard for me to say which one I liked the best, but I think it would have to be M. Butterfly
Posted at 12:33 PM by Abby Roberts
Art is a Question Mark.
5/1/2010
What a spectacular couple of days i have had. Aside from a few bumps in the road, this trip has gone very well. Before taking this course i was simply a, "Theatre student". However given my recent exposure to the vast types of Theatre and its various theories i feel as though i have a new respect for it. Upon arriving in Minneapolis, after a short lay over in our hotel room, we went to an Alumni Banquet where I met people of Culver's past. As a junior i find it was a nice exposure on how to become an active alumni. I think that my favorite show thus far is, "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" It is a complete mind game, not only between the main characters but the actors and the audience. My Favorite character was Stephen Yoakam who played George. I feel he brought so much depth to his character, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. There were times were i would find myself just wanting to sit down with his character just to see what made him tick. It is currently one of our final nights of our trip and i feel as though the exposure i have gained to the world of Theatre is something that i will never forget or be able to replicate in my life time. All i can do is hope that such an opportunity could be offered to my children. Someone once smart than i once said, "Art is a question mark, it is never the answer." I find that this trip has been a verification of that statement. The actors and the director give the audience a picture to look at, how that picture is interpreted is entirely up to the individual. I feel as though this trip has given me the opportunity expand, not only my theatrical sense, but my mind in general and for that I am for ever great full. We all have the tools before us to learn, we just need to acknowledge their existence. -Patrick Parsons
Posted at 12:10 AM by Patrick Carlen-Parsons
What a spectacular couple of days i have had. Aside from a few bumps in the road, this trip has gone very well. Before taking this course i was simply a, "Theatre student". However given my recent exposure to the vast types of Theatre and its various theories i feel as though i have a new respect for it. Upon arriving in Minneapolis, after a short lay over in our hotel room, we went to an Alumni Banquet where I met people of Culver's past. As a junior i find it was a nice exposure on how to become an active alumni. I think that my favorite show thus far is, "Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?" It is a complete mind game, not only between the main characters but the actors and the audience. My Favorite character was Stephen Yoakam who played George. I feel he brought so much depth to his character, keeping me on the edge of my seat the entire time. There were times were i would find myself just wanting to sit down with his character just to see what made him tick. It is currently one of our final nights of our trip and i feel as though the exposure i have gained to the world of Theatre is something that i will never forget or be able to replicate in my life time. All i can do is hope that such an opportunity could be offered to my children. Someone once smart than i once said, "Art is a question mark, it is never the answer." I find that this trip has been a verification of that statement. The actors and the director give the audience a picture to look at, how that picture is interpreted is entirely up to the individual. I feel as though this trip has given me the opportunity expand, not only my theatrical sense, but my mind in general and for that I am for ever great full. We all have the tools before us to learn, we just need to acknowledge their existence. -Patrick Parsons
Posted at 12:10 AM by Patrick Carlen-Parsons
10 Shows in 5 Days? SURE!
5/1/2010
The Applied Theatre Theories trip to the Twin Cities started off bright and early on Tuesday morning. The 8 hour trip seemed to pass quickly as I anticipated the exciting theatrical experiences that awaited me. We were able to meet some very friendly C-SC alumni who opened their homes and provided us a delicious meal and great company.
The next day started us on a whirlwind of theatre. It started with a toud of the famous Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. The Guthrie was unlike any theatre I had ever seen and the tour only added to my excitement of touring the "theatre scene" in the twin cities. I also got a free Guthrie button, and there is nothing wrong with that!
Then, after a delicious pizza lunch, we started our experience of a wide array of shows, genres, and venues. We started with How to Speak Minnesotan, a fun musical that tickled the funny bone. Later that evening, things got dramatic as we watched a Jewish Theatre production of Women's Minyan. This was one of my favorite shows, so far, and really pulled on my heart strings.
The next day we went downtown in St. Paul for the Queens of Burlesque at the History Theatre. The acting was very impressive and gave the day a great start. Later that night we watched Dead Man's Cell Phone at the Park Square Theatre. After the show we were able to have a special talk back session with the cast just for C-SC students. It was exciting to be able to ask questions to some very accomplished actors. We also got a tour.
The next day started with a show for children called Click, Clack, Moo, which was very enjoyable. Later that evening, after some more fun at the Mall of America, we watched Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, where we whitnessed more impressive acting.
Today we started with a workshop on M. Butterfly, which we were saw later in the day and we read for class. The workshop was interesting to see the development of a very large scale production at a famous theatre. The show itself was one of the most impressive productions I had ever seen with the technical things that happened, such as elevator raised and lowered scenery. Later in the evening we attended a community theatre for The King and I, which was my first time seeing the classic musical.
I am definitely looking forward to shows 9 and 10 tomorrow!
Love,
Travis
Posted at 12:09 AM by Travis Dahlhauser
The Applied Theatre Theories trip to the Twin Cities started off bright and early on Tuesday morning. The 8 hour trip seemed to pass quickly as I anticipated the exciting theatrical experiences that awaited me. We were able to meet some very friendly C-SC alumni who opened their homes and provided us a delicious meal and great company.
The next day started us on a whirlwind of theatre. It started with a toud of the famous Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. The Guthrie was unlike any theatre I had ever seen and the tour only added to my excitement of touring the "theatre scene" in the twin cities. I also got a free Guthrie button, and there is nothing wrong with that!
Then, after a delicious pizza lunch, we started our experience of a wide array of shows, genres, and venues. We started with How to Speak Minnesotan, a fun musical that tickled the funny bone. Later that evening, things got dramatic as we watched a Jewish Theatre production of Women's Minyan. This was one of my favorite shows, so far, and really pulled on my heart strings.
The next day we went downtown in St. Paul for the Queens of Burlesque at the History Theatre. The acting was very impressive and gave the day a great start. Later that night we watched Dead Man's Cell Phone at the Park Square Theatre. After the show we were able to have a special talk back session with the cast just for C-SC students. It was exciting to be able to ask questions to some very accomplished actors. We also got a tour.
The next day started with a show for children called Click, Clack, Moo, which was very enjoyable. Later that evening, after some more fun at the Mall of America, we watched Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, where we whitnessed more impressive acting.
Today we started with a workshop on M. Butterfly, which we were saw later in the day and we read for class. The workshop was interesting to see the development of a very large scale production at a famous theatre. The show itself was one of the most impressive productions I had ever seen with the technical things that happened, such as elevator raised and lowered scenery. Later in the evening we attended a community theatre for The King and I, which was my first time seeing the classic musical.
I am definitely looking forward to shows 9 and 10 tomorrow!
Love,
Travis
Posted at 12:09 AM by Travis Dahlhauser
Five Dudes, Two Beds, One Couch, and a Week-Long Journey
5/2/2010
It all started on Tuesday morning at 6 AM, an hour of the day that I had forgotten existed up until that very day. 8ish hours later we reached Bloomington, MN. Right across the street from our hotel is the Mall of America. What an overwhelming first impression to stare at upon exiting the uncomfortable cradle of sleep that is the 15-passenger vans in which we've been traveling this week. Sharing a room with me for the week are one Zach Martin, Joe Madras, and my comrades/partners-in-crime, Patrick Parsons and Travis Jay Dahlhauser. Five dudes in a room with two beds and a couch isn't necessarily the most comfortable extended stay living arrangement; but, we're making due with the accommodations provided. The first show we saw was "How To Talk Minnesotan: The Musical," which was a superb musical look at the nomenclature and dialect of this beautiful state's inhabitants. That night, we watched "Women's Minyan," which was a show that I wasn't much enthralled with due to the uncomfortable seating. Thursday morning, we enjoyed a fantastic showing of "Queens of Burlesque," which was a rip-roaring comedy centered around a 50s burlesque club in Minnesota. Ripping good laughs were shared by all. Following that was "Dead Man's Cell Phone," which was a dark comedy with some hysterical high points. We started off Friday morning with a children's theater performance of "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type," which I enjoyed much more than I initially anticipated. It was a great way to start off my morning. Friday night treated us to a three-hour performance of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" at the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. This play was full of laughs and equal amounts of riveting, dramatic delivery. The three hours, although at times uncomfortable as the dickens, flew by quickly. Saturday afternoon delivered "M. Butterfly," which was an absolutely astounding show that I recommend all to both read and see. It would take hours to verbally do this show justice. And mere hours ago we sat through a nearly three hour performance of "The King and I," which, truth be told, I hated. And now, I sit here typing this to you, my loyal fans, from our five-man suite high atop the Bloomington skyline, overlooking the man-made marvel that is the Mall of America. This is the part where I remove the power cord of my laptop from the wall to prevent a potential fire hazard, close the lid on this ol' machine, and nestle myself into bed for a long night's sleep so that I may get up tomorrow and do it all over again. Until next time, friends, may you enjoy being nestled in the beautiful hills of Canton, Missouri.
Posted at 12:00 AM by Beau Becraft
It all started on Tuesday morning at 6 AM, an hour of the day that I had forgotten existed up until that very day. 8ish hours later we reached Bloomington, MN. Right across the street from our hotel is the Mall of America. What an overwhelming first impression to stare at upon exiting the uncomfortable cradle of sleep that is the 15-passenger vans in which we've been traveling this week. Sharing a room with me for the week are one Zach Martin, Joe Madras, and my comrades/partners-in-crime, Patrick Parsons and Travis Jay Dahlhauser. Five dudes in a room with two beds and a couch isn't necessarily the most comfortable extended stay living arrangement; but, we're making due with the accommodations provided. The first show we saw was "How To Talk Minnesotan: The Musical," which was a superb musical look at the nomenclature and dialect of this beautiful state's inhabitants. That night, we watched "Women's Minyan," which was a show that I wasn't much enthralled with due to the uncomfortable seating. Thursday morning, we enjoyed a fantastic showing of "Queens of Burlesque," which was a rip-roaring comedy centered around a 50s burlesque club in Minnesota. Ripping good laughs were shared by all. Following that was "Dead Man's Cell Phone," which was a dark comedy with some hysterical high points. We started off Friday morning with a children's theater performance of "Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type," which I enjoyed much more than I initially anticipated. It was a great way to start off my morning. Friday night treated us to a three-hour performance of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" at the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. This play was full of laughs and equal amounts of riveting, dramatic delivery. The three hours, although at times uncomfortable as the dickens, flew by quickly. Saturday afternoon delivered "M. Butterfly," which was an absolutely astounding show that I recommend all to both read and see. It would take hours to verbally do this show justice. And mere hours ago we sat through a nearly three hour performance of "The King and I," which, truth be told, I hated. And now, I sit here typing this to you, my loyal fans, from our five-man suite high atop the Bloomington skyline, overlooking the man-made marvel that is the Mall of America. This is the part where I remove the power cord of my laptop from the wall to prevent a potential fire hazard, close the lid on this ol' machine, and nestle myself into bed for a long night's sleep so that I may get up tomorrow and do it all over again. Until next time, friends, may you enjoy being nestled in the beautiful hills of Canton, Missouri.
Posted at 12:00 AM by Beau Becraft
Two More Shows To Go!
5/1/2010
Hello everyone!
Well there are two more shows to go and i am kinda excited for them. we have already seen "How to Talk Minnesotan, The Musical", "Women's Minyan", "Queens of Burlesque", "Dead Man's Cell Phone", "Click Clack Moo", "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", "M. Butterfly", and "King and I". The next two we are seeing are "Relevantly Speaking", " Two Old Black Guys Just Sitting Around Talking".
Well everything this week has been exciting and so fun. I have loved this trip a lot! "Women's Minyan" was one of the best shows I have seen in a long time and I was very happy to have had the chance to see it. The show was very sad and was connected to Jewish customs and abusive relastionships. It was a sad and touching show i really felt like i had been pulled into it and that i could really feel the pain that those women felt. It was a show i enjoyed greatly.
I also enjoyed "Dead Man's Cell Phone". The show are reallt funny to me. Just the thought that some one could happen upon a dead man and pick up his cell phone that could lead them such a ride on there life is absoulty amazing. I dont think that I whould be the one who would do a thing like that but one can never know.
"Queens of Burlesque" was a show about these four women who were a type of stripper in the early 50's and they were going out of stlye because men were looking for some one who would take of all of their clothes and show everything. The queens would never show their entire body the always kept pastys on and underware. These women were good and the art of teasing a man becasue that was their lifes work.
One show that i didnt enjoy to begin with was "M. Butterfly" it started out slow but it got better as the play went on. The set design was a bit much but in the end it was a good show. one thing was i had already read the cript so i knew it was goning to happen but it was still a shock when one of the main male characters striped him self down to the nude.
This week has ben fun and i hope to have more times like these right now!
Posted at 11:26 PM by Krystyn Sarten
Hello everyone!
Well there are two more shows to go and i am kinda excited for them. we have already seen "How to Talk Minnesotan, The Musical", "Women's Minyan", "Queens of Burlesque", "Dead Man's Cell Phone", "Click Clack Moo", "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", "M. Butterfly", and "King and I". The next two we are seeing are "Relevantly Speaking", " Two Old Black Guys Just Sitting Around Talking".
Well everything this week has been exciting and so fun. I have loved this trip a lot! "Women's Minyan" was one of the best shows I have seen in a long time and I was very happy to have had the chance to see it. The show was very sad and was connected to Jewish customs and abusive relastionships. It was a sad and touching show i really felt like i had been pulled into it and that i could really feel the pain that those women felt. It was a show i enjoyed greatly.
I also enjoyed "Dead Man's Cell Phone". The show are reallt funny to me. Just the thought that some one could happen upon a dead man and pick up his cell phone that could lead them such a ride on there life is absoulty amazing. I dont think that I whould be the one who would do a thing like that but one can never know.
"Queens of Burlesque" was a show about these four women who were a type of stripper in the early 50's and they were going out of stlye because men were looking for some one who would take of all of their clothes and show everything. The queens would never show their entire body the always kept pastys on and underware. These women were good and the art of teasing a man becasue that was their lifes work.
One show that i didnt enjoy to begin with was "M. Butterfly" it started out slow but it got better as the play went on. The set design was a bit much but in the end it was a good show. one thing was i had already read the cript so i knew it was goning to happen but it was still a shock when one of the main male characters striped him self down to the nude.
This week has ben fun and i hope to have more times like these right now!
Posted at 11:26 PM by Krystyn Sarten
Minneapolis
5/1/2010
What a week! In some ways it's hard to believe that we've been in Minneapolis for only five days, but it also kind of feels like we've been here forever. The days are long becuase we're doing so much, but there are so many interesting things to see and experience that it makes the time fly. This trip has been well worth the long drive. The Twin Cities are beautiful and provide so much rich culture - it makes me wish we could stay another week to experience what the city has to offer aside from theater. But the theater alone has more than enough to keep us busy for this trip. We have so far seen eight shows at eight different theaters, and each has provided a distinct performance.
We began our trip with How to Talk Minnesotan at the Plymouth Playhouse and Women's Minyan at The Minnesota Jewish Theater Company. Both were enjoyable in their own ways - Minnesotan was certainly a cute way to pick up on some colloquialisms of the state, and Women's Minyan tackled many painful but relevant issues, which made for an emotional and thought-provoking night of theater.
The second day began with Queens of Burlesque at the History Theater, which was followed by a Q and A with the cast. That evening we attended Dead Man's Cell Phone at the Park Square theater, which was one of my favorites. The cast created such an awkward little world for this dark comedy which was surprising and smart.
Yesterday (day three) we saw Click Clack Moo at Stages, which was mostly enjoyable because of the young audience - it's nice to see kids so enthusiastic about theater. In the evening we attended Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Jungle Theater. This production was far and away my favorite so far. Although the production ran over three hours I was riveted the entire time. The actors paced the show beautifully and were gorgeously charismatic in their nastiness. Although the characters they portrayed were some of the most unpleasant we have seen, I thought they were also the most sympathetic because they were so well realized.
Today we saw M. Butterfly at the Guthrie Theater, which was visually stunning, although I was not thrilled with the alterations they made to the script. However, the production was still one of my favorites, largely due to a strong performance by Randy Reyes in the role of Song. Finally, tonight we saw The King and I at the Bloomington Civic Center, which I thought was overall lacking, despite some beautiful voices and an excellent play within a play.
We have one day left here in Minneapolis, with two shows to go. Despite how tiring it has been at times, this trip has been an amazing experience and I will be sad to see it end. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be here, and hope that I will be able to return someday!
Posted at 11:20 PM by Erin Carmody
What a week! In some ways it's hard to believe that we've been in Minneapolis for only five days, but it also kind of feels like we've been here forever. The days are long becuase we're doing so much, but there are so many interesting things to see and experience that it makes the time fly. This trip has been well worth the long drive. The Twin Cities are beautiful and provide so much rich culture - it makes me wish we could stay another week to experience what the city has to offer aside from theater. But the theater alone has more than enough to keep us busy for this trip. We have so far seen eight shows at eight different theaters, and each has provided a distinct performance.
We began our trip with How to Talk Minnesotan at the Plymouth Playhouse and Women's Minyan at The Minnesota Jewish Theater Company. Both were enjoyable in their own ways - Minnesotan was certainly a cute way to pick up on some colloquialisms of the state, and Women's Minyan tackled many painful but relevant issues, which made for an emotional and thought-provoking night of theater.
The second day began with Queens of Burlesque at the History Theater, which was followed by a Q and A with the cast. That evening we attended Dead Man's Cell Phone at the Park Square theater, which was one of my favorites. The cast created such an awkward little world for this dark comedy which was surprising and smart.
Yesterday (day three) we saw Click Clack Moo at Stages, which was mostly enjoyable because of the young audience - it's nice to see kids so enthusiastic about theater. In the evening we attended Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Jungle Theater. This production was far and away my favorite so far. Although the production ran over three hours I was riveted the entire time. The actors paced the show beautifully and were gorgeously charismatic in their nastiness. Although the characters they portrayed were some of the most unpleasant we have seen, I thought they were also the most sympathetic because they were so well realized.
Today we saw M. Butterfly at the Guthrie Theater, which was visually stunning, although I was not thrilled with the alterations they made to the script. However, the production was still one of my favorites, largely due to a strong performance by Randy Reyes in the role of Song. Finally, tonight we saw The King and I at the Bloomington Civic Center, which I thought was overall lacking, despite some beautiful voices and an excellent play within a play.
We have one day left here in Minneapolis, with two shows to go. Despite how tiring it has been at times, this trip has been an amazing experience and I will be sad to see it end. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be here, and hope that I will be able to return someday!
Posted at 11:20 PM by Erin Carmody
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf...
5/1/2010
When I signed up for this trip, I found out we had to read two plays before leaving for the Twin Cities. The first was Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and the second was Hwang's M. Butterfly. I was beyond excited to read this play. I had always heard so much about it and wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
So, I started reading the play and had the hardest time figuring out Act I Fun and Games. The cast consists of an older married couple who cannot seem to get along to save their lives and a younger couple who appears perfect. The dialogue was ridiculously hard to follow initially, but it was a fast read so I pressed on. As I got into the second act, Walpurgisnacht, I realized just how strange this play was. The older couple, Martha and George, keep verbally attacking eachother and later their guests. It doesn't matter what is said, there is a constant banter. I don't want to give anything away, but in the third act, The Exorcism, the play comes to a very intense climax. By the end, I had fallen in love with this incredibly off-the-wall show.
Once I had read the show, I was beyond excited to see it. Very rarely do I get the chance to read a script and then watch the show. I kept worrying that I was getting my hopes up too high, but, thankfully, that wasn't the case. We saw the show at The Jungle Theatre and the cast was phenomenal. In my opinion, all of the characters were spot on for the most part. They were such a strong cast. The set wasn't what I had expected, but it was very good as well. It helped to draw me into their world, while keeping me a safe distance away from the crazy amount of tension that mounted in every act.
This is a show that I would encourage anyone to go see if they ever get a chance. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has been, by far, my favorite show on this trip.
Posted at 11:09 PM by Kathleen Patrick
When I signed up for this trip, I found out we had to read two plays before leaving for the Twin Cities. The first was Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and the second was Hwang's M. Butterfly. I was beyond excited to read this play. I had always heard so much about it and wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
So, I started reading the play and had the hardest time figuring out Act I Fun and Games. The cast consists of an older married couple who cannot seem to get along to save their lives and a younger couple who appears perfect. The dialogue was ridiculously hard to follow initially, but it was a fast read so I pressed on. As I got into the second act, Walpurgisnacht, I realized just how strange this play was. The older couple, Martha and George, keep verbally attacking eachother and later their guests. It doesn't matter what is said, there is a constant banter. I don't want to give anything away, but in the third act, The Exorcism, the play comes to a very intense climax. By the end, I had fallen in love with this incredibly off-the-wall show.
Once I had read the show, I was beyond excited to see it. Very rarely do I get the chance to read a script and then watch the show. I kept worrying that I was getting my hopes up too high, but, thankfully, that wasn't the case. We saw the show at The Jungle Theatre and the cast was phenomenal. In my opinion, all of the characters were spot on for the most part. They were such a strong cast. The set wasn't what I had expected, but it was very good as well. It helped to draw me into their world, while keeping me a safe distance away from the crazy amount of tension that mounted in every act.
This is a show that I would encourage anyone to go see if they ever get a chance. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has been, by far, my favorite show on this trip.
Posted at 11:09 PM by Kathleen Patrick
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