Nicholas Barnard Women Playwrights: Journal
March 25
Well I guess I might as well start off the journal today. I did want to get out of this class earlier, but I think that this is a good class for me. I'm so bad with reading plays, and it looks like Mary and Shelia have picked out some pretty good plays, but I'm not thrilled about all of them, but such is life. I'm just not thrilled about the performance aspect, but I think I'll make it work.
March 27
I still feel the same about this class, the plays that they went over today seemed interesting, and the beginning of Heidi Chronicles was a bit dry, but Scoop is a very unique character. I hate that I'm reading the script after I've watched the movie, because I'm stuck into Jamie Lee Curtis's portrayal of Heidi in my mind. I do think the whole episodic way the Wasserstein goes about the first few scenes, is effective, it cuts out all the fluff and just tells the important parts of Heidi's development
March 29
This journal entry is pretty much a repeat of the last one, I like how Heidi is developing, and its getting to be a more interesting story, it reminds me of George Lucas's statement that the most interesting part of the story is the middle.
April 1
April Fools Day! Okay I had to do that. What an interesting discussion of Heidi Chronicles today. I wish we could have discussed it much longer than we had, fifty minutes is so short to discuss a play. I would have liked to explore Heidi's relationship with the men in her life much more. I just felt we didn't flesh out the whole dynamics of their relationship well enough. I don't like how Wasserstein just glossed over Peter's struggles. In some ways I think Wasserstein is just saying I'm only focusing on women, forget the struggles of any other group, because it's not as valid. I think in some way this diminishes her work. I find the thing that is most important about any piece of art is that it illuminates the commonalities that we as humans share. I guess it just boils down to that I'm having trouble relating to Heidi Chronicles on a personal level.
April 3
I skipped class today, so I really don't have much to write. Although I remember reading A Raisin in the Sun in high school, it just seems like a chestnut from where I am now.
April 5
I skipped again. I think I've got a fear of this play.
April 8
I watched a good piece of A Raisin in the Sun. This play seems so dated to me. Its seems like its one of those plays that just hit at the right time, but maybe not actually something that was really good.
April 10
Another day of Raisin. I just find everything about this play to be shallow. Maybe its because its not something written in the last 15 years? I'm just not able to connect with this play; it just seems so artificial
April 12
Some of my cynicism of the earlier entries was not valid. There is depth to this play; it just seems well simple and unmoving. Maybe its because its got too much going on? The playwright is juggling so many characters, that I never feel we get a chance to identify with one of them, she just juggles so many things at once, that we never get a clear view of what all the characters feel. Perhaps this is because I'm used to more modern dramas that follow one character specifically, I just think this play belongs to a previous theatre going generation.
April 15
I missed class again today. From what I heard from my classmates it was a pretty good discussion, I'm disappointed in myself because I missed it.
April 17
It was interesting to see The Waiting Room onstage today. This play has so much depth to it though that was not evident in the staged reading. I loved how the author weaves characters very specifically in at representing the same thing no matter what time they are in. It reminds me of the movie Being Human with Robin Williams. It's a very interesting way to make a statement.
April 19
This was such an awesome day! Without going into all the other things I did today with the Quest for Community conference, I loved the visuals and the power of Beth and Monica's techniques. I'm inspired to go out and learn more about them, but I feel so busy at times. I've got the Shakespeare marathon tonight, so we're going to focus on one male playwright, so it's a bit of a balance to this course I guess.
April 22
I didn't get to make the point I wanted with Spinning into Butter. These discussions are far to short! I spent the whole weekend considering and thinking about hate. It started off with the Quest for Community conference, and then Spinning into Butter, and while I was writing for that I was listening to Parade. It discourages me that I see so much hate and intolerance in the world. It makes good theatre, but I would rather see tolerance reign even if it meant theatre had to disappear. I find shows like this so ineffective. It's more of a placebo cure. I keep thinking more and more about the Dayton Dialogue on Race, and their discussion-based philosophy seems so much more effective and powerful than even the greatest theatrical production. I don't have much faith in my field but, I think I must be a realist, and realize that theatre can cause change, but it unfortunately is a commercial product, which by its commercial nature can only be so controversial. I wonder if the theatre in Europe is more open or if it's just the same BS of giving the audience what they want? How do you get support for the arts? It's such a hard thing to figure out.