Final video

https://youtu.be/RKgXJ6lY6Xs

The ending is also the beginning!

Time flies like a arrow with no chance to stop and look around, so we have to keep going! Sitting in the audience and watching Galileo seems just like last night, but when the spot lights shine on my face I know that my junior year has gone. My first IB class also reached the end which is IB literature and performance. First of all, I want to thank Ms. Guarino and all my classmates for giving me such a amazing knowledgable experience. Second of all, I also wish all of us can take what we learned from each other and use them even better in the future! We have made both mistakes and achievements in our final production which means that we still need to improve ourselves more and more.

Talking about the mistakes and imperfect it is part of the live theater, and we have to be careful with it. However, this time our production had some system problems, such as stage changing and blocking. Even though we had a extremely simple stage setting, we had to switch two setting back and force. The problem was that we changed the setting every time with a different person which directly caused our setting looked slightly different everything we changed it. Another issue we had was that our blocking was not clear enough. For example, we should have only one way exit(stage right) to represent the front door of the house, but there was one scene we exited from another way which was stage left. Anyhow, the final production everyone did a great job and we had make some achievements.

I remember that I mentioned in my last bolg that the lighting effects should be changed in the final production, and now I can tell you that after we changed it, it looked much better. First of all, audience are able to tell if it’s the present time or flash back. Secomd of all, the lights created a atomesphere which help us to delivery emotions. Also, our script had be improved a lot since the last rehearsal. Some changes helped us to know the time and characters more, such as “you are only 13, you shoud eat.” this is one of the mom’s line which tells audience that Johnny is a 13 years old boy. We also did a better job on telling the time by adding our winter jackets, so audience can tell how bad the weather is.

At the end, I want to tell all of you that this is one of the best class I ever took in my school life, and I am so ready to use what I learned to improve myself and school theater. Through the last project, we precticed our writing, acting, directing and staging skills together. We also learned through our rehearsal to make little changes to our script, setting and costumes which helped us to make the whole skit better by developing characters, weather and back ground information. Thnak you all again, and hope you all have a great summer vacation.

Enjoy and Fun

This final project is a fun project which we use what we learned through the year to create our own performance, and so far l have been enjoying this. In our group we choose a book called Live As We Knew it which is a sad story, but it also contains some precious and touching moments which gives readers a great experience. In our group, we want to do the same thing, so we can delivery touching and sad story to the audience. In order to do that, we have to switch the time lines to show the difference of characters and environment. However, when we were staging this story, we faced some problems, such as showing the timeline, distinguish the characters and stage changing.

One of our main focus is on the different timelines, and we are switching them around, so it was so hard to tell when was when in our first draft. I think it's hard to tell not only because we didn't have the lighting effects, but also because we didn't have a good way to tell the exact time we were at. For example, when we were trying to compare the characters changing from happy to a very intense state, we did not give a clear sign that these two scene happened in two different time period and situation. The result we got was that these two scene made absolute no scene which was so bad for people never know this story before. To solve this problem, we need to have to make it clear that we are presenting a scene from what time and situation. We can add dialogue to tell the audience or we can have sign board to tell the time. Even more, we can use the light and costumes to show the weather outside.

Another thing I realized is that my character Johnny’s development was not done because I should be a 13 years old boy, and I have a brother Matt who is already in college. However, when we staged this, I looked much bigger than Michael which caused that audience cannot tell who is bigger brother. I think that we need to add more movements to show the relationship, such as touching my head to comfort me or having a conversation about how he suggest what I should do.The last problem would be our scene changes which is a hot mass. We were just randomly putting props and moving furnitures, and it looked so bad. I suggest that we should have a list for every scene changes, so only one person need to take care one thing.

I feel like we were dong well with lines and ques, but we still need to project more. So far, we are in a good state, and we just need to change few things then we will be good to go. I have to say that this is the best project we have through the whole year because we don’t have to stick to the IB system, so we have much more freedom to chose what we truly want to do and perform. I cannot wait to see our final production, and I wish everyone can have a great summer.

You Are Safe!!!

This year went by so fast, and I didn’t even had a chance to stop and see all the wonderful moments, but I have them all in my mind which I will never forget! Comedy Tonight is the show that I was a director, a singer and a actor, and I was also Mr. Trump, Mr. Dykeman and the latte boy! This was the longest play that I ever did which was a three hours one, but this is also the one I love the most because we put this show together and we succeed! From the first cast audition till the opening night, every one of us had giving huge amount of ideas and effort to this play, and I have to say that not only audiences but also us had so much fun! Of cause this was also the hardest one I did because many different reasons, but I think only one thing was the most important one that is put everything together!

When we were planing this play, we saw individual pieces first and we thought we are in a great shape. However, later during the rehearsals we found out that we offer missing people and forgetting lines. Anyhow, as usual we made the final production amazing! I truly learned a lot about how to put things together this time because this time I had to act, direct, improve and sing which basically covered everything except tec crew, so it was a hard time! My last directing experience taught me that I have to keep my eyes on everyone all the time, but I was also been watching by other directors. Three weeks before the opening night I remember that I complained about the progress but Ms. Guarino told to not worry about it because that is what theater looks like. I trusted her, and the result turned out great. I guess when the time is coming everyone just start to get everything together, so directing is never a one person or group job; it's always a job for everyone, and that is how we put on a show!

I cannot think anything but wanting to have one more chance to have another show! I cannot say latte without saying it out! I cannot say “you are safe!” without sounding like Mr. Dykeman! And I cannot forget the name Penalope! Thank everyone who gave me such a awesome experience, and I wish all the senior the best in their college life, and I hope we will present more and more amazing show next year!

Script

Title: Life As We Knew It

Author:Susan Pfeffer

Setting: Sunroom(both before and after)

Character List:

Miranda: Maddeline Lanni

Mom(Laura): Grace Greene

Matt: Michael Davis

Johnny: John Jiang 13 Years old

Peter/ Dad:Jack Shi

Prop List-

Food chest

Two benches

Chocolate chips

Can food/ bowl

Coffee table

Two blankets

Throw blankets to cover everyone up

Game

Black box (furnace)

Laundry and basket

Book

Backpack

Lighting (Sound N/A): 

BEFORE lighting will be standard stage lighting.

AFTER the lighting will be lower with maybe a bluish tint. 

Costuming-

Miranda- Pants and t-shirt/ jacket AFTER: Winter jacket and warmer clothes

Johnny- CA sports jacket and shorts, no tie. In AFTER he will be wearing longer pants and winters accessories. 

Matt- Casual dress (rolled up sleeves, no tie, maybe shorts.) AFTER he will wear a jacket and longer pants (maybe sweatpants)

Laura- Regular academic dress(pants and ‘“mom” blouse). She’ll wear a hat and gloves and be perpetually covered in a blanket in AFTER. 

Peter- Button up, dress pants, and tie (business casual). He’ll wears a big black jacket over his outfit during AFTER.(hobo chic) 

Scene 1: 

(Opens in sunroom. Mattresses on floor. Shelving or chest to one side. Furnace or something resembling one opposite. Laundrey tub in corner.)

Miranda is curled up in ball with her face not visible to the audience. Sits up pulls book to her lap to read it. Gets visibly frustrated and pushes it onto the floor. Sighs gets up and goes to chest. Rifles through and pulls out bag of chocolate chips. Looks around, tears it open, and begins eating. 

Mom: Miranda! (pause. Miranda wipes her mouthly slowly, unrepentedly)

Mom: What do you think you’re doing?! What in the hell is wrong with you?! You know we need to save food- what about your brothers? What about me?

Miranda: What about them? We have food and you’re starving us! We’re dying because you’re a goddamn hoarder!

Mom: This is the only way we survive! You are so selfish! What the hell happened to you? We need to save-

Miranda: What’s the point?!(makes hand gesture.Chocolate chips go flying. Both just stand still. All emotion drains from Mom’s face. Miranda pics ups a few and then justs stares waiting.)

Mom: Eat them. 

Miranda: What?

Mom: Eat them. You wanted them. Eat them. Pick them up and eat them. They’re yours. I don’t want to see a single chocloate on the floor.

(Miranda bends down and begin eating them as she goes. Some time passes. Miranda stops. She looks sick.)

Mom: Eat them.

Miranda: Mom, I don’t think I can.

Mom: Eat them. 

(Miranda finishes them. She looks sick. Mom reaches for bag.)

Mom: Give me the bag. (Miranda hands it over.) This was your food for today and tommorow. You can join us for supper on Thursday.

Miranda: Mom! It was just some chocolate chips!

Mom: I was saving them for Matt’s birthday. (silence) You’ve eaten enough for four people, so your going to skip your next four meals. Maybe then you’ll understand how important food it.

Miranda: I’m sorry. Can you make him something else for his birthday?

Mom: There is nothing else. This food has to last us a long time and we can’t just eat when we’re hungry. We only have a chance if we’re very careful.

Miranda: I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again.

Mom:(nods) You’re a good girl Miranda. Now go, I don’t want to deal with you  anymore.

Scene 2:

(Opens in sunroom with two chairs and a coffeee table with some books stacked on it.) 

(Mom sits on couch in sunroom, reading. Miranda walks in sheepishly. Tries to exit into room.)

Mom: How was the math test?

Miranda: It was alright.

Mom: It doesn’t sound like it was all right.

Miranda: I could have done better.

Mom: Uhum. 

Miranda: I got an 82. 

Mom: Did you study?

Miranda: Enough.

Mom: Well maybe it wasn’t enough. Miranda you’re smart you shouldn’t be so carelss. 

Miranda: I know; I’m sorry. 

Mom: If you just apply yourself-

Miranda: I do, Mom.

Mom: (sighs) You're a good girl Miranda. Why don't you sit and do homework with me?

Miranda: I've got to go work on that moon paper. (She exits)

Mom: Ok. (Lights down)

Scene 3:

(AFTER  setup)

(Mom is lying on mattress. Kids surround her. Peter knocks. He enters)

Peter: How are you guys? 

Matt: Good. How's the hospital?

Peter: It's alright. 

Mom: Do you guys mind if I speak to Peter for a second? 

Matt: Sure, mom. (Kids exit)

Mom: How are you doing Peter? 

Peter: How are you doing? How's the ankle?

Mom: I still can't put pressure on it.

Peter: You shouldn't even be trying. You need to stay off your feet. Are the kids making you work? Do you-

Mom: No they've been great. Don't worry about us. (Silence) How are things down there?

Peter: they're not great, Laura.

Mom: What's happened?

Peter: (silence) Did you find the bug spray? There are cases of malaria down at the hospital. You can't ever be too careful. There's been a couple cases of salmonella, so make sure you cook everything, but be wary of leaving the furnace on too long; the fire department's no longer in commission. 

Mom: We'll be careful. (pause) Peter, what's wrong?

Peter: The flu is making a comeback and no ones strong enough to stop it. It seems to be killing everyone. (He chokes)

Mom: Peter-

Peter: Ashley and Ellen- they're dead. 

Mom: I'm so sorry. 

Peter: They got the flu. (Mom moves to talk but doesn't say anything) I have togo back to the hospital. It's been very busy.

Mom: Can't you go home?

Peter: No, I don't think I can.

(Peter exits)

Scene 4: 

(BEFORE setup)

Game board is on coffee table and Family and Peter sit around it.

Johnny: I'm winning- as usual.

Mom: Johnny- no bragging.

Miranda: Don't worry about it; he'll be crying soon when I beat him.

(They bicker over game. Mom recognized that Peter is standing off to the side awkwardly. She nudges Matt.)

Matt: So you’re a doctor?

Peter: Yep, I work at the hospital down the street.

Johnny: So, you save people’s lives? Do you ever see any of those crazy illnesses where people grow extra limbs?

Mom: Johnny!

Peter: No. (chuckles) It’s pretty standard, but I love it.

Johnny: Cool.

Peter: Yeah, cool. (checks watch) Looks like I have to get home to the twins.( Kisses Mom on cheek) 

Mom: Say hi to the twins for me. 

Peter: I will. 

Johnny: Twins?

Peter: I have two daughters - Ashley and Ellen. 

Scene 5: 

(AFTER setup)

Family are all present in sunroom. Johnny is grabbing a can of food from the chest. He pours in into a pot and brings in to the stove. The rest of the family are dispersed around the room. Matt’s on his bed. Miranda and Mom are doing laundry. Johnny stills and looks around the room.

Johnny: How come none of you eat lunch?(silence)

Matt: Not hungry. When I’m hungry, I eat.

Miranda: Same here. (both smile)

Mom: We all eat when we need to. Don’t let what we do stop you, Johnny.

Johnny: No, if you’re all eating one meal a day, then that’s what I should do, too.

All but Johnny: No! (Johnny looks scared and angry and upset)

Johnny: Why?

Mom: Johnny we need to know that one of us is going to stay strong, in case we need them. 

Johnny: But that’s not fair. You should eat! I don’t need it.

Mom: You’ve got to eat Johnny. You’re going to be our strong one.

Johnny: I don’t know if I can be the strong one! What if you die? What if you all die? (silence)

Miranda: Then you live. You move and you you’ll be strong enough to live. No one knows whats going to happen. No one knows! Just eay your damn lunch and don’t feel guility.

Scene 6:

Johnny: Matt, this is so cool, did you hear it? Red sox are undefeated!

Matt: Interesting haha, Porcello’s been playing bad the last few outings, glad he finally had a good one today though. What was the score?

Johnny: 5-1 so far. They’re going to take it!

Matt: What inning are we in right now?

Johnny: Bottom 6. We’re up. 

Matt: Who’s up?

Johnny: David Ortiz. We got a good chance to go up another run.

Matt: I don’t know about that, his batting average is barely over 3, he’s been in a slump lately.

Johnny: Come on Matt, have faith in your boy

Matt: (giggles and messes Johnny’s hair) I always have faith.

Johnny: Dad promised to take us both to Boston next summer and he said that we could go to Fenway and see the Sox play. 

Matt: He took me to Fenway when I was 5 or 6 but I don’t really remember it that well. I just remember going and being under the lights. So beautiful. 

Johnny: One day, you will get to watch as I play on the field. I'll be the best shortstop ever! Derek Jeter will eat my dust. I’ll still be the best- a Red Sox legend. 

(Mom and Miranda come in. )

Miranda: A red Sox legend? I don’t know.

Mom: Well, I believe in my boy. He’s strong. He’ll make it. 

Scene 7: 

(AFTER setup)

Matt checks on Johnny and Mom and then goes to grab food. Johnny and Mom asleep on beds. Miranda walks in. 

Miranda: How are they doing?

Matt: No change. 

Miranda: What about you?

Matt: I’m fine.

Miranda: You forget you almost died. The flu almost-

Matt: I’m fine. 

Miranda: I’m going into town. I want to go to the post office. 

Matt: Do you really think you have the strength? To make it there and back?

Miranda: I know its crazy, but how much longer can I last anyway? A week? Two? It’s better this way. 

Matt: (silence) But if you can, you’ll come back. 

Miranda: If I can. But its all right if I don’t.

Matt: What about Mom?

Miranda: I think this ways better. I mean, what’s the likelhood that I’ll actually be able to outlive her? This way she’ll hope.

Matt: (silence) How are you going to get there? Johnny needs the skis, you can’t take those. 

Miranda: I’ll walk. 

Matt: Are you planning on saying goodbye?I don’t think you should wake them. 

Miranda: Ok. I'll just go. (Miranda exits. Matt goes back to food chest. Suddenly drops everything. Matt slides down to the floor. Blackout.)

Scene 8:

(BEFORE setup)

Family gathered in sunroom. Matt is carrying a bag. He walks to the door and then turn to face his family.)

Matt: I have to go.

Johnny: Good luck! You need to tell me all about those college girls-

Mom: Johnny!

Matt: Sorry Johnny; I won’t have any of those stories. (Nods his head obnoxiously and then messes up Johnny’s hair) 

Mom: Good thing. I don't want to have to send Miranda to supervise you.

Miranda: I’ll be there in a few years though.

Matt: At Cornell?I’m not so sure…( Miranda punches his arm) I’m just kidding. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you in a few years. 

Miranda: You’ll call, right?

Matt: Of course. You’ll see me again before you can even miss me.

Miranda: I better.

Mom: I love you.

Johnny: Bye Matt.

Miranda: Love you. See you soon.

Matt: You will;  I promise. (head slowly drops and walks out)

Period.

So far this project is going too well to believe we actually did it, and I am so ready for starting staging this skit. I really like this story because of two main reasons which are characters and plot. This two parts plus together create this skit which you can never predict what will happen, so it will be great story on stage. I also want to say that this project also reflect how much we grow through this school year.

At the beginning of the year, we could cut lines form the original play and put them together which was just basically gather the main plot and put it together. Then we started to write our own script and develop characters. That was a hard time for everyone, and we had to rewrite and edit our script so many times which I can’t even count. However, all of our effort is showing it’s value now. In this project, we only spent one long class period to write our whole script which was so fast. Thus, IB does worth it’s experience and education.

Our skit will be great to be presented on stage because our plot has so many changes and character development. The story starts with a peaceful setting and happy family scene, then at a sudden everything starts going bad. People die; electricity is lost; people have no enough food, and weather goes crazy. All characters was so happy and enjoy their lives, then they will all have a huge change to a completely different direction. This skit will give audience a impression that this will be a happy story, then bring everyone into dark side of humanity. I personally like this kind of story so much because it can make audience to think more than other kind of story.

With all we learned in this class and a perfect story we will put on a amazing skit on stage for this final project. I believe we will spend less time to make a more quality production. We will work hard and draw a perfect period with this production, and we will tell Ms. Guarino that this class is the best English and Art class!

Let's create our own show!

The Giver is the first English novel I read, and it is also one of my favorite novel. The Giver by Lois Lowry, is a world without emotion and memory. A young boy called Jonas who lived in this world, at the start Jonas did not has all his memories, and he is chosen to be the receiver who receives all the memories and knowledge from the giver. Then he realized that this society is wrong, so he finally escaped from this place. People in this society they just live by orders and they try to fellow rules to make sure they will not be released which is death. If we make this book into a play, we can discover so much on human’s emotion and how important it to us. Also, we can improve our acting skills better because we have to show different levels’ emotions and reaction through the whole story.

I want to choose this book because of two reasons. The first one is that we do not need a huge cast to do this skit because the main part is the scenes between Jonas and the giver. I want to have 4 characters in this skit, and they are Jonas, the giver, Jonas’ mother and the president. At the beginning, I want to show how the relationship works between Jonas and his mother which can show how this emotionless society works. Then I want to focus on how he becomes the receiver and starts working with the giver. At this point I want to switch around the conversation between Jonas with his mother and Jonas with the giver, so audience can actually see how his reaction changes along his learning with the giver. Meanwhile, I also want to put some scenes between his mother and the president to show how dark this society is. At the end I want Jonas runs into a conversation between the president and his mother, then he goes to the giver and starts planing to escape. I don't want to use the original ending which is so unclear. I would change the ending to a happy ending like the movie version, but since we don't have the ability to do it. I will add a monologue which tells how Jonas have been doing after he escaped a year later.

I believe that this skit will be so fun to work in this class, and it will also be a good literary work for us to do because the script will be the most important part for this story. How can we make the each character to have its own style? How can we make audience feel the lines are spoke by the character? Those are the question we have been working on, and I believe that we can creat a great version of The Giver! Finally, I hope that I can have 3 or 4 amazing classmate which can be anyone in this class work with me to build this society together!

Keep Calm and Take the Exam!

“IB” the first time I heard this word was in my sophomore year, and all my junior and senior friends who took IB classes was complaining about it. Except this one “Andrew” one of the most famous student at Cheshire Academy told me that he felt so happy because he can finally show all his two years’ hardworking on 10 pages. I have to say that 10 pages sounded so scary to a me as a sophomore. After a year, at the same time me my self had to take my own IB exam, and I want to say that it was actually not so bad.

I bet you want to ask me why. Well, I am telling you right now! I was so nervous about this exam because I felt it will be so hard. I remember every time I ask teachers about the quiz, test or exam. They always tell me that John don’t worry, you will be okay and it won’t be so hard. However, when I see the actual test it looks somehow so hard to me. This time my dear English teacher Ms. Guarino told me that I will be fine, and the truth is that I actually did okay. Before the exam, we did so much work to help us to be ready, especially the practice exam. I had no idea how to do those question until I have to start write the essay in class.

Not only in class writing, but also the discussion and projects we had in this class. Since the beginning of the year, we have been working on every details we need for this exam. Starting with Romeo and Juliet, we learned how to analysis the literary work. Then we studied the staging through My Love My Love project. Finally, when we put everything we learned together we present our final production on the IB exam paper!

notes

"Nature is what we see" "Nature is what we hear" "Nature is what we know"

three times start with the exact same sentence with three different ending word. Bring the emotion from different sense, see and hear are two most important sense we have to everything.

"Nay" showed up two times at the end of see and hear, Not after know to give reader it's own space to think and feel.

In Blood "true Arab" showed up 4 times.

1. At the beginning to show true Arab do not like to kill

2. It's when they say abput watermelon and I changed it. It tells reader how her attitude to the True Arab and how it changed later

3. Father respond after "I" said to give name back, to show that True Arab respect the nature and they love the nature

4. At the end, It gives a question of "What does a true Arab do now?" This sentence is the ending sentence, which is also a question that can make reader to think the deep meaning of the poem and give a open ending to have more creative thoughts

simple? no it's complex

"Nature" is what we see— This poem is leading us to the higher level question and concern at the beginning. However, this poem finally leads us to the simplicity of nature which was not I was thinking when I was reading at the first time. All the poems are written to pass a meaningful massage, and author always use simple things and scenes to give or represent a bigger picture of life or human. However, this poem gives it’s purpose and idea of the connection between human and nature at the end of the poem which is ambiguity. Even though it lead us into another direction, but we can still analysis the first part on our own perspective.

When I first time read Emily Dickinson write all the things such as the hill, bumble bee, thunder and cricket, I felt that she is trying to tell us to pay attention to the nature and enjoy it as “Heaven” and “Harmony”, but at the end she wrote “So impotent Our Wisdom is To her Simplicity.” (Dickinson). this is the main point she is trying to tell us. It’s about the simplicity of great nature which she thinks is simple, but I feel that even if a most simple thing that exist in the nature it is absolutely beyond our wisdoms and art we have created. This massage which is ambiguity lead people to think that nature is simple, but on my perspective it is too hard to be studied, and that’s why people call it simple which our art cannot say.

I know there are so many poems which do not give the main passage or only direction, so readers will have to discover and analysis in their own way. However, this "Nature" is what we see— poem is very different from those kind of poem. In this poem, the author gives us the idea of the simplicity which provide all the Heaven and Harmony which we call art. Through this point so many people discover the simplicity, but I see the other side which is complexness. Thus, even though there is ambiguity to lead readers to different directions, but there is always some reader who sees things differently.

Curious of story? No it's about the stage

The curious incident of dog in the night-time this is the first Broadway production I saw, and I was just amazed by the stage and skills! I read both the novel and play version through last summer. However, I have to say that the Broadway version still shocked me in many different ways. As the symple of best theater in the world, Broadway productions always have their own perspective and setting. 

When I was reading the novel version, I felt that Mr. Shears is a kind scary character because he was the one yelling and complaining at Christopher, but I in the play he is a funny person, especially when he hands books to Christopher, and he makes those funny sound effects. I also feel that the Christopher in the play is so different from the one I pictured in my head when I was reading the book. I thought he is the kind of boy who is extremely quiet, but on stage he is so loud. I think it is beacuse they need to pass the emotion and craziness to audience.

Another thing and one of the most important thing is stage. I have to say that this stage is the best stage I have ever seen before in my life. The lighting and sounds together picture out an amazing environment for us. When he walks on the wall and jump on the subway rail, I was speechless. The theater technology helps the whole show improve to a whole new level. I never thought that without computer technology a production can bring audience into the story. 

The way to deliver a story can be so different from play and novel, and this is also way Broadway can always amaze audience because you cna never predict the setting and character’s development. The curious incident of dog in the night-time is a such big success combine stage technology and character performing.

In class writing

There is only one stanza in this poem, it I think we can break it down to three parts to read, ""nature" is what we see", "nature is what we hear" and "nature is what we know". I feel the emotion is enjoyable and peaceful. It keeps tell beautiful things in the nature, and I think she is trying to make connection to all the nature things to our senses. It says the nature is heaven, harmony and simple which gives a image with all the goals people are seeking.

I feel the most important massage she is sending to us is we should paying attention to all these beautiful things around us which we ignored before. The thing we can see such as the afternoon which represents the setting sun. Things we can hear such as the sea, peaceful and beautiful. AAlso the thing we know about nature and there is no art to say. All these things are around us, but we didn't pay attention top them, and that's we didn't see heaven, hear harmony, know the simplicity. The simplicity of nature is the thing we know but we can't tell we can only feel his our senses to gather the information. 

In class writing

1. Fig tree: homesickness. it is the missing of home and culture in the poem. It is father's belief and all other people's belief in Arabic. "plucking his fruits like ripe tokens, emblems, assurance of a world that was always his own."

2. Coffee: expressing culture. It represent who these people are and what they stand for. "a motion of faith. There is this,

and there is more."

3. Grandmother: seize the loss missing for past. It is the person who author wants yo meet again, and it represent all the people's will to meet others who had pasted away. "Where we live in the world is never one place."

Stage

I want to have stories about Kahu on the stage right and Father on stage Left. The narrator will be in the center stage to tell each side's story then each side will need to act out to show the story when one of them is on the other one will be in the dark. We might need some spot lights to focus on different parts. Koro is the only character show on the both sides. He will enter through the purple door. At one point Kahu will speak to the other side and Father will also do it. And they will speak after each other, so it sounds like they are having a conversation but they don't know who they are talking to, but they can hear each other. And the clam max would be when Father hand the stone to the daughter, and it show the connection between the Past and Future. Also it prove that anyone can the leader.

Costume: Koro with white wig in Kahu area and without wig in FATHER SCENE

What If...

After I read Whale Rider, I had a interesting question in my head, and the book itself cannot explain which is that what if Kahu is a boy? I am curious what would happen? Does it matter that much if it’s a girl or boy? We all know that in the Maori culture people follow the old story and rules, and this is why when Koro knew that he would have a eldest granddaughter instead of grandson, he felt so dispointed and sad. He believed in that only the eldeast son can take the responsibility to lead the whole Maori people to a brighter future, however this time a girl became the leader. Through the whole book there are so many details have shownd me how much Koro doesn’t like the fact Kahu is a girl which also make the ending so dramatic and even more touched when Koro finally said I love you to Kahu.

I have an idea to have two different story present on one stage. I want to have Kahu’s father story be presented on the stage left and Kahu’s story on stage right. I choose Kahu’s father because of two reasons. The first reason is that he was the eldest son in the family who supposed to be the leader, but he failed even if he was the son. Another reason is that Maori culture also involves the relationship between  past and future which can be shown in the connection between daughter and father. I want to have a narrator in the middle who is a kind of god character who knows both of these two stories, and the narrator will tell the audience what’s happening on each sides and actors will have to act out the scene. I want to show how Koro expect the son to be the leader, and be super straight and serious to him. Then he ignores Kahu completely, but Kahu is the perfect person to be the leader. At the beginning, they just act on their own side, but at the point when Kahu find the stone. I want to change it to Kahu’s father gets the stone first, but then he throw it Kahu. I want to use his giving up to show how he doesn’t like to be the leader. Then I also want to show that he hands the stone to Kahu to represent the connection between daughter and father, past and future, darkness and hope.

I want to put the magical realism in the conversation between Kahu and her father when he was young. I want them to have a conversation base on how Koro treats them the difference and their hope. Kahu wants to be the leader but she doesn’t have the chance while the young father has the chance and ability, but he doesn’t want to, so he hand over the stone to give the duty and hope to the daughter’s hand and let her finish the responsibility. It seemed unreal, but I think this will be a great idea and performance to give people the idea the connection between past and future, also gender doesn’t influence you to be a good leader or not.

We Tell The Story

“Two different worlds, never meant to meet!” I still cannot believe that this show is over. “Once On This Island” is the first musical play I ever did, and I still don't believe I did. Since I have memories about my singing, my mom has been telling how bad I am at singing because I always get the wrong note. However, I truly enjoyed every singing and dancing rehearsals, and I love all the people in this play. I learned so many things on singing and got to know so many people after we tell the story! Anyway, I'm so glad that I improved a lot through this play and I will keep working hard in the future. Now let me tell the story!

Once there is a boy called John, and he is really scared to sing, so he decided to do wrestling for his winter afternoon activity. However, there was some God’s power guided this boy into the theater by cancling the wrestling program in the winter. The story began in the music room. This was the first time this boy went to the music room, and he did terrible on his first singing rehearsal, but he didn't felt bad and he laughed because it was too funny that seeing James’s suffered face. His long journey began, his singing improved a lot because Ms. DiGiacomo and Mr. Trier asked him to go to CATS, then James’s “torture” began. However, after two weeks this James, Ryan and this boy started to have their own karaoke in VdP. Later and later he was getting better. 

Except the singing rehearsal, the dancing rehearsal is also very interesting because I never danced before, so when the first time we ran the whole “We Dance” I felt so happy because I could actually dance while I'm singing on stage. And I feel much easier when I memorize the lines in the musical play than straight play even though it seemed hard to memorize all the dance movements and songs, but it actually helps you do better because it makes a string connection between songs and dances. However, there is another problem I relarized in the play that it is so hard to put our emotion in the musical play than the straight play because when we focusing on the rhythm, lyrics and movements it feels extremely hard to show our emotion to the audience. For example, I always sing “Pray” in a very nice way in the rehearsal, but I should do it with a very intense emotion. I am glad I didn't have to do it in the actual play because until now I still sing “Now the sky is turing dark” as it is a beautiful scene. 

After all, I want to say that musical play is such a new and special experience and feeling for me, and I like it because now I cannot stop singing now! I am looking forward to work on more next year. At the end I want to thank all the cast and crew members who gave this great show, and I also want to thank teachers who didn't give up on me even I was doing wrong in almost every single rehearsal. Of cause, I want to thank Ms. Guarino who guided me in this world I enjoy. We Tell The Story!!!

Oral first draft

My Love My Love or The Peasant Girl is a love story between a peasant girl called Ti Moune who is saved by four gods and a wealthy man called Daniel Beauxhommethey are Agwe, Asaka, . Ti Moune saves Daniel’s life from a car accident, and she falls in love with him. However, it turned into a tragedy at the end of the story because there is a character called Anderea who is a wealthy girl who knew Daniel since he was in France. Anderea shows in front of Daniel’s face while he and Ti Moune start to livetogether, but Daniel decided to leave Ti Moune alone and get married with Anderea. Finally, Ti Moune dies in front of Daniel’s house, and he asks people throw her body in the garbage can. I'm so interested in how the Gods influence Ti Moune and the relationship between Daniel, Ti Moune and Andrea.

Our group’s idea is based on Ti Moune’s imaginary and realistic world, so we have Dr. Goodman and Andrea who are Daniel and Andrea in the book, and in our scene they represent the realistic world, and four gods represent the imagination of Ti Moune. In our script, Dr. Goodman saves Ti Moune’s life while she lost her memories in a car accident and she thinks that Dr. Goodman and she are meant to be together. However, he has a fiance in france which is Andrea. We also have four Gods in one character to represent the imagination who has a mutipul personalities disorder, so our story is telling by these two worlds.

When we are staging this short play, we used a coach in the center stage for Ti Moune. Then we put scene which happen in the real world on stage right and imagination on the other side. We used short black out for the scene changing from the realistic to the imagination. I think the most chanllenge part of our performance is the Gods character becuase one actor has to play four differnt character in the same time. I have to say that our grop mate did a great job on developing the Gods character. We also accoplish our goal of analysis more about Ti Moune’s imaginary worlds and real world by showing the different reaction. For example, when the god told Ti Moune “But what? There is no debate they must be together”(G.Er), but when Ti Moune tells Dr. Goodman that she loves him, he decided to leave. All these difference break her dream in pieces.

I played Dr.Goodman in our  group, and I think I did well on this character. At the begining, I was just a normal doctor who cares about his patients, but as Ti Moune showed her love to me I started to adopt myself and started liking her. However, when Andrea showed up, I left Ti Moune alone and go away with Andrea. I didn’t know how to build this charccter because it is so different from the book, but I figuared it out because I think as a doctor I should be more caring my patients, and this caring can cause the misunderstanding. This is also why I act to like Ti Moune at one point.

I like what we did in the class because everyone worked hard on the characters, staging and costumes. There is one thing we can improve is that we can use more light effect to make each god character more visible. I truly enjoyed this project because when we are staging our own work we understand more characters and the deep meaning of the literary work.

Hello Ti Moune!? Whoops...

We have been working on this project for two weeks, and think it is going pretty well. I truly enjoy working with Wiebke and Bryn because they are so talented and creative. Our group’s idea is based on Ti Moune’s imaginary and realistic world, so we have these two world scene keep switching around and focusing on how characters in different world react. Dinel who is also Dr. Goodman in our scene represents the realistic world, and four gods represent the imagination of Ti Moune. We also have a short scene between Andrea and Dinel to show how different and cruel the real world is, and it leads the death of Ti Moune at the end of the story. Through this project, we have discovered our own understanding of My Love My Love, and we are creating our performance to show our ideas!

I think our ideas about the story is both similar and different from the original book. It is similar because we used the relationship between Ti Miune, Dinel and Andrea, and we make gods to be her imagination person who help her. We choose this way because the way Dinel and Andrea act is extremely different from what Ti Moune thinks which cause the dramatic moment when Dinel tells Ti Moune that he will marry Andrea. I also feels it works super well when Ti Moune listen to gods and reacts very excited, then she gets upsets when she faces to the truth. Our story is different from story because in our story Dinel saved Ti Miune, and we set the situation when Ti Moune believes in that they are meant to be together while Dinel doesn't know what she is talking about at all. I like this setting because it make the story even more dramatic, and it shows how silly and hopeless Ti Moune is.

I am play Dinel’s role in this project, and Wiebke is Ti Moune and Bryn is four gods and Andrea. We are best friends so we know each other and we are comfortable working with each other which helps us a lot on develope our scene. The chemistry between us gives us more abilities to act and add more details. For example, when we are building the relationship between Dinel and Andrea we have to do more movements that couples do, such as holding hans. Because we are so comfortable to work together we are able to show the relation between these two characters, and that makes Ti Moune’s situation looks even worse.

I am so happy about that I can work with Bryn and Wiebke because I know them well and they are so good at acting and creating scenes. I am looking forward to work on more so we can have our final draft. We still need more work on our costumes and some small props. Even though, we want to have two beds we cannot make it happen, so we use a couch, two chairs and a table for setting. We also need to work on pacing more because so far we can barely make 10 to 12 minutes which is too less. Anyway, I have been enjoying doing this project, and I hope it will be our best project!

Realistic VS. Imaginary

Hello, I’m Dr. Goodman, and I am enjoying to be a part of this great sad story which is named Total Nuts for now. This story is our short play vision of My Love My Love, and our group mainly focus on the fight between Ti Moune’s imaginary world and realistic world. So far we have been working on the lines and some of the staging, but the biggest problem is timing. Then we also need to be more familiar about our blocking because we want to show the relationships between characters, but our pacing is giving us a hard time to show them clearly.

I am Dr. Goodman who represents Dinel in the novel and Goodman is the English meaning of Beauxhomme. Our story is based on a hospital and Ti Moune lost her memories, and she thinks that we are meant to be together. However the truth is that I'm just her doctor and I don't know her at all. I consider this character who is very responsible to his job and patients, so he is being very nice and caring to Ti Moune which cause the misunderstanding between them. I should also react very uncomfortable when Ti Moune does something to show her love to me such as touching my face and holding my hands. We also used the character Andrea in the story who is Dr. Goodman’s fiancée, and they talk about their wedding in front of Ti Moune at the end of the story. 

Because one of our classmate was sick one day, we don't have all of our whole staging and blocking. We need to focus on more blocking because the switching between imagination and real world is very hard to show it clearly with only lights changing. We also can make it clear by staging differently and characters moving differently. More importantly is the character of God because we only have one character who plays four gods. To be honest, it is a extremely difficult to distinguish four different characters in a short time, and it also require the actor to change from different characters in seconds and mutipul times in the roll. Even though I am not playing this role, we still need to work together to help this character to control the pace and being able let the audience understand it well. We are also working on making small changes on scripts, so we could not fully focus on our characters, and it caused that we still need to work on more characters’ building in order to represent each character better and more comprehensive.

I am very excited about this project because this is our own story, so we are able to add more ideas in it and make it more creative. However, we are having a hard time to stage and block our scene, but the idea of four gods in one character and Ti Moune struggling between imaginary and real world are so interesting. And base on this idea we have created so many details between each character to make it happen. I am looking forward to finish our staging and blocking and more important to finish building the character.

Scene Plot

My Love My Love Totally Nuts

• Daniel/Doctor Beauxhomme(Goodman) introduces Ti Moune and car accident→ monologue
• Dr B talks to Ti Moune who thinks that she saved him from the car accident-tries to communicate normally stays calm but eventually gives up and leaves
• As Ti Moune watches Dr B exit, Gods enter and sit on chair next to her→ Ti Moune startled and confused-Gods introduce themselves→ Dr B start entering Gods give the comb
• Dr G Talks to Ti Moune again last her explain her imaginary story understanding at first then impatien leaves
• Ti Moune is confused unsure, Gods appear and crazy God monologue happens, Ti Moune gets hysterical throws the comb God Exit (Bryn suuuupeeeer quick costume change)
• Brief moment of Ti Moune alone all weird
• Dr G enters bringing dinner Andrea enters-cover eyes-spin Dr G ends up with back to Ti Moune Dr G +A Ti Moune tries to get attention from Dr G→ a Dr G +A add it their love want to stay together forever→ Ti Moune breakdrown first scream at Dr G and then at Andrea Dr G gets Andrea out because he is afraid of the crazy person → closes door on her→ Ti Moune depressed (death) they leave and don’t care

THE END

Scene Proposal

Our group decided to stage the novel  My Love, My Love in an insane asylum. We based this idea on Ti Moune’s irrational obsession with Daniel. In our scene, Ti Moune gets into a car accident and loses her memory. She is sent to an insane asylum where she meets Dr. Goodman. Ti Moune imagines the story of her love to Dr. Goodman, who represents Daniel, and tries everything she can to convince him that they are meant to be together. Dr. Goodman tries to resist her advances, yet be a good doctor towards his patient. Ti Moune is helped by her imaginary friend, who is another patient with multible personality disorder. This character will represent the four Gods. When Dr. Goodman’s girlfriend, Andrea, appears unexpectedly, Ti Moune is devestated. She tries to break the two apart but fails, and they leave her heartbroken in her room.

In this scene, Bryn will play the Gods and Andrea, who only appears briefly during the end, Wiebke will play Ti Moune and John will play Dr. Goodman. In our scene we included many small similarities to the book.  Some similarities include a comb, a car accident, the relationship between sane and insane (the rich and the poor), the four Gods, and our biggest theme, Ti Moune’s obsession with Daniel/Dr. Goodman.  While these are similarities, we incorperated them in slighty different ways that still hold true to the storyline of the book. In the our scene, we created an ending that mimicks the novel.  In the novel, Daniel marries Andrea and throws Ti Moune out of the hotel- an action that will ultimately result in her death.  Similarly, our scene ends with Dr. Goodman and Andrea leaving together from Ti Moune’s room.  Therefore, Ti Moune, in both scenarios is “on the other side of the fence.” While in the book she cannot reenter, in our scene, she cannot run after them.