The Arts in NYC Fall 2012

After the amazing experience we all had at the Joyce theatre, I had set pretty high hopes for the piano lesson. The play, however, was even better than I expected. Even though this time we were not that up-close to actually feel the presence of the actors, it still was quite stimulating to watch the remarkable performances of the actors.

The whole play was quite interesting to watch, and the story was executed in a way that kept the audience captivated throughout the play. However for me it was the performance of the actors, especially Brandon Dirden, who played Boy Willie, the most memorable part of the play. Although, from reading the book, it was quite clear that Boy Willie was one of the most central characters of the play, bubbling with energy and with unrealistic high hopes to do something extraordinary in life, I still was quite surprised to see how perfectly Dirden portrayed that image. Also, I think he was the one that kept the audience captivated throughout the show, because of how he occasionally just randomly jumped in conversations, joked around, and especially I loved the part when Lymon and him danced while Wining Boy played the piano. Towards the end of the play as well, when Avery was trying to bless Doaker’s house, Dirden performed extraordinarily in giving the effects of putting up a fight against the ghost of Sutter. Even though, the lighting and sound effects were truly remarkable in the ending scenes it was the acting of Dirden too that played a major role in making that scene look so real and grave.

Usually when I see movies based on books, they are often very loosely built on the actual depictions, hence it was quite fascinating to see how religiously the play abided by the book, paying attention to even the smallest of the details. Therefore, watching the play made me reflect back on the issues that were raised in the book but I more explicitly understood them through the play, maybe because viewing something has a more profound effect than simply reading the same thing. For example, one of the aspects that was present in the book but I did not pay much attention to until I saw the play was how, even though while being siblings and going through the same experiences, Boy Willie and Berniece had completely different perspectives on what the value of the piano was for them. While Berniece viewed it as a reminiscent of the family’s legacy, Boy Willie took on a more worldly approach and strongly believed that the rational way was to simply sell the piano.

Overall, it was a really wonderful experience to watch the play and it helped me to even better understand the book. I am so glad that we, as Macaulay students, have the opportunities to become more culturally aware and are able to take advantage of these amazing chances that we are provided with.

The piano lesson was definitely a play that I’m glad I didn’t miss. Reading the book, I felt much less emotional about the different events in the play. When I could actually see the different emotions being acted out, I could understand them better and also connect with the problems that they were facing. The whole thing also flowed a lot better because I wasn’t losing focus like I was when I was reading.

One of the best parts about seeing the play live was seeing the set displayed physically in front of me. The set was very well made and was very close to what I had pictured in my head. My thoughts always make things more extreme than they need to be so the living condition of the family seemed a little better than I had imagined. I liked how the lighting worked as well and during certain parts of the play I was paying more attention to the changes in lighting than the actual acting. I feel like this didn’t take away from the overall experience though because the lighting was really important in highlighting different areas and also setting the mood. It was really interesting to see the transition from day to night and the actors definitely did a great job in adjusting to the different time settings.

Another part of the play that I liked was the singing. It was a lot different than I had imagined when the actors actually sang the songs. It is similar to how reading poems in your head is different from hearing the writer read the poems. The rhythm and the emphases are put in unexpected places and it makes it very interesting to see how differently I thought about the lyrics before and after I heard the melodies.

My favorite characters also changed when I saw the play. While reading I liked Bernice the most because of her strength and willpower. I still liked her a lot when seeing the play but a character that was really brought alive for me was Whining boy. The actor made him seem ten times more animated and funny and it was nice seeing the facial expressions of the actor.

I was definitely surprised watching the ending of the play because that was when all of the lighting, sound effects, and actors came together in the most obvious way and I was actually really scared when the ghost was wreaking havoc in the house.

Overall, I’m glad i didn’t skip out on seeing this play. I have definitely developed a greater respect for August Wilson and a better understanding of what he wanted to show people about blacks in America.

I was lucky enough to go to the play with the others on Wednesday. I was very afraid, at first, that I wouldn’t enjoy it because of the review my friend gave me about her opinion of the play when she went to see it with her class. I’m glad that my fears were proven to be ungrounded. It was a good performance with a great combination of music and body language.

The play was enthralling; it really helped to make the story more clear to hear it out loud with the emotions and bodies moving in front of your eyes, rather than just reading it. At the start of the play I thought it was moving a bit slowly but it’s development of the story kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting and wanting to see more. Boy Willie really irked me the moment he appeared on stage, and i think it was my anger towards Willie that contributed most to my enjoyment of the performance. I think the fact that I felt such intense emotion shows how good the actors were. Another good example of this is how sad I felt when Winning Boy arrives drunk and plays his song for Cleotha.

I am very glad that the characters became so much more relatable and real when they are actually given life. I remember thinking that the characters seemed unrealistic and somewhat over the top when I was reading the play; and even though Bernice and Boy Willie still seemed slightly unrealistic, the actors’ interactions with each other made me forget all about the strange personality quirks.

All in all it was a very enjoyable performance. The only complaint I had was the ending. I know that its very hard to do things along the lines of ghosts, and poltergeists with a live performance, but the way they did it was very … I guess the best word I can think of is, childish. The way Boy Willie fought against the invisible foe reminded me of how a child would fight with an imaginative friend or the like, with very exaggerated movements. Other than the way the characters were acted out the rest of the scene was very well done. They made the lights flicker while making the main light blueish, and even lowered the room’s temperature, so I have to give the props for that.

I guess I would give it a 7 out of 10?
Bottom line: It was enjoyable but it wasn’t great, and the end just this awkward feeling all over the place.

Going to see “The Piano Lesson” this past Wednesday was definitely a decision I do not regret making. After reading the play, I envisioned each character to have a distinct personality and look based off how August Wilson portrayed his him/her in the play. For example, I imagined Doaker to be a wise old man, usually dressed in a robe that would represent his hardship and desire to rest after working for those extensive years. I imagined Boy Willie to be a rowdy, jock-like man who is eager to make something of himself, and I pictured Bernice to sort of resemble Thelma from the show, “Good Times.” I can certainly say that the cast of the play was reminiscent of the one I initially stirred up when I read it.  Boy Willie was the loud, determined soul who was trying to get by, Bernice was stubborn and deadest against selling the piano, Lymon was playful and observant, Doaker looked aged and worn, and Whining Boy was drunk. Reading the play enhanced the experience of seeing the production because it allowed me to have the images in my mind become a reality. Reading the play also helped me enjoy the play because the actors spoke quickly and sustained thick accents throughout. Sometimes it was difficult to register every word that was said, so having a prior understanding as to what was going to happen in each scene helped me understand the play better.

Furthermore, our seating in the theater contributed to my enjoyment of the play. For those who could not make it, we sat in the very last row of the theater. As opposed to the ballet where sitting in the front enabled us to notice all the intricate details of the dancers, being situated in the last row of the theater allowed us to survey the entire stage and scenery. And, the theater did a perfect job constructing Wilson’s vision of Doaker’s house. From the kitchen to Bernice’s bedroom on the second floor to the actual piano, the setting of the play was just as how I thought it would look. Being able to look at the entire stage really allowed us to ascertain a complete understanding of the play, and it improved our theater experience. Additionally, my favorite part of the play was when Doaker, Lymon, Boy Willie, and Whining Boy all sang at the kitchen table. When I read this part in the Wilson’s play, it was hard for me to conceptualize the emotion behind the lyrics of the song because it was just printed in a book I rented from the library. However, when I saw the look of suffering in the actors’ faces and their banging of the table when they sang, it shed light on the meaning of the song, and it allowed me to ascertain a better understanding of the struggle African Americans underwent in the early twentieth century.

Overall, going to see “The Piano Lesson” was awesome. The actual plot of the play and the characters’ dynamic acting abilities were amazing, and I am really happy I got to spend another fun night with my classmates.

Now that the Thanksgiving festivities are over and I’m up and out of my food crash, it’s time to talk about this enthralling play that we saw on Wednesday evening. I was extremely excited that we were going to see this play at the Signature Theater, and I was not at all disappointed.

The plot of the play itself was, for the most part, captivating. The enjoyment that I got from seeing the play performed live as opposed to merely reading the screenplay, as we had done before hand, was on an entirely different level. The authenticity of the storyline was heightened, I feel, because we didn’t have to fill in as many blanks in our heads as we would have with the screenplay. The racial stereotypes were easier to pick up with the actors really selling their personalities. The accents and speech patterns of Boy Willie and Lymon, two Southern blacks, were noticeably different from Doaker, Bernice, and the rest. Their words were spoken at such a rapid pace that they overlapped each other. Often it was hard to undestand exactly what Boy Willie was saying. That clever decison by the director really helped to reinforce his personality- always trying to move forward, obsessed with what he can do for himself, etc. Characters like Doaker and Bernice were a little more content with life as it was, and so they did not have the same manner of speaking.

I was kind of disappointed in the minimal roles that some of the characters played, in particular, Maretha and Grace. It got to the point where sometimes I wondered whether or not they were truly necessary characters in the scope of the whole play. They didn’t really have any moments where they were the most important characters. Maretha can maybe be seen like she is an extension of Bernice, and so in that regard I can see her worth. She is what Bernice wishes she could have been in her youth. The same cannot be said for Grace in my mind. She seemed unnecessary, like she was a qualifier for Lymon’s desire for women.

One thing that really surprised me about this play was how powerful the songs were. When I was reading the screenplay on my own, I kind of expected them to be sung in a more lighthearted manner. When the actors got into it, however, there was a lot of legitimacy and power in their vocals. The characters seemed to get lost in the songs, which was evident in the lengths of the breaks that the play ended up taking for its songs. Particularly striking was Wining Boy’s performance close to the conclusion of the play. In the scenes before, he had come off as drunk, unstable, and a little hysterical. However, when he got his mind set on playing that song about Cleotha, he was a different man. After thinking about it, his lament on her passing seems bigger than just that. Rather, it appears to be both a lament on her loss as wella s the life that he wanted to have, but lost. His struggles and mistakes are so often made fun od during the course of the play. In this moment, we see him as more than just a comic relief character. He’s a worn down man who went from riches to rags. He’s beat up, tired, and lost the things that he truly held dear. The bluesy piano and incredibly bone-chilling vocals that he delivered emphasized his struggle, and it was a high point in the play for me. That’s not to say that the performance of the slavery-time song wasn’t excellent as well, but it was a less serious tune, and didn’t say as much about the individual characters.

I enjoyed this play a whole hell of a lot. It had a few plotholes and weaknesses, but on the whole it was a very strong storyline. The acting was the best part of this production & performance, in my opinion. Staging, lighting (especially the “ghostly” effects) were believable and well-designed as well. You all should’ve been there! It was a great way to start the break.

– Ben

Other than my high school’s talent shows, I have never seen dancers performing live, and I definitely never saw professional dancing on stage. Because of this, I tried to approach the experience with an open mind, yet I still couldn’t help but keep thinking how hard it might be for me to stay awake, especially since Wednesdays are my longest schools days. Aside from this, everyone else seemed to be getting themselves ready for a challenge of not falling asleep during the performance, so I wasn’t really expecting anything thrilling.

Like everyone else, I was clearly wrong. This was, quite possibly, one of my favorite live performances I ever saw, of any kind. From the moment the curtain was lifted, and a weird noise/woman’s voice started coming from the speakers, I got excited. The first performance, The Curve, was also one of my favorite performances of that night (though a lot of people might disagree!). I thought it really set the tone for the entire night. The sounds played during it were completely unexpected (as I assumed typical ballet music would be the main theme of the night, and that it would dominate the performance) which, mixed with the dancers’ talent, produced a very intense and powerful outcome.

Being so close to the stage played a part in my fascination with the dancers, and to my surprise with the entire experience. I was able to hear them breathing, see their sweat, and even hear their cues to change position. I particularly tried paying attention to their faces and facial expressions. They were all so serious during The Curve, and as the show progressed it seemed as if the mood shifted to a more positive feeling, with even the lights becoming brighter and warmer in color. This made me think that these performers, besides having the exceptional talent when it comes to dancing, also partake in certain aspects of acting, in a sense. The way they move, the way they look out into the crowd, their facial expressions, all attribute to their personality on stage, with all of this having to be perfected.

The second performance that really stuck out to me was the solo part with the really, really buff guy. He definitely did not look like a typical male ballet dancer; far from it, he actually looked more like a body builder than anything. Yet, despite of his physique, he appeared graceful and was very entertaining. The entire performance that night seemed to be a sort of celebration of defying the typical, expected aspects of ballet. There were even several female dancers who really looked like women, curves and everything, who danced as gracefully as any thin, petite ballerina would. Furthermore, the performance with the buff guy made me realize another big theme that night – it seemed to celebrate the male body, and majority of the dances either focused on men alone, the relationship between male and female bodies, or relationship between two male bodies. Either way, each were filled with intense emotion, and seemed to have a hidden story, each story subject to change depending on how the viewer related to it.

Overall, this was definitely an experience I would love to repeat. It was such a pleasant surprise; it felt like there was some weird familiarity throughout the performance. Aside from the amazing dancing, I was excited about the music they chose (I recognized three songs; “Time After Time”, “I Put a Spell on You”, and a piano rendition of a Linkin Park song, which I ABSOLUTELY loved!), and the entire atmosphere of that night. It helped me gain a newfound passion, respect, and excitement when it comes to art and modern dance.

The Complexions Contemporary Ballet performance at the Joyce Theater was a wonderful and memorable experience not just for me, but probably for most in attendance this past Thursday evening. Complexions presented a dazzling show, Celebrate…Rising Stars in Dance, which not only satisfied the taste buds of some of the older attendees, but us, the ever-easily bored college students, as well in a beautifully organized and choreographed show.

First and foremost, the front-row seats were unbelievable. Indeed, not only could you see the drops of sweat gathering and glistening down the faces and backs of these incredibly talented dancers, you could also see who or what they were looking at and even hear them breathe as they effortlessly glided through the stage. It is one thing to see the dancers perform, but it is entirely another to see them think through and feel their performance – and even see very minor slip-ups.

One uncanny and instantly recognizable feature about these dancers was their intense passion and love for dance. I see a similar type of absolute infatuation with and intrinsic ability for an art when watching artists like Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, and other incomparable singers perform on stage. The men and women on stage that night were indubitably not just dancers or performers, but artists with the talent, drive, and dedication to dance. Whether having been part of Complexions for six years or a part of the New Orleans Ballet Association, there was not a single moment lacking athleticism, grace, and smoothness. It is clear that the company is well deserving of its several awards and notoriety in the world of dance and art.

Sidebar: The company’s Samantha Figgins was the most enjoyable dancer to watch – sorry, Ryan. She adapted to each performance effortlessly and has incredible skill. She was a definite stand out and, I would like to add, she has been with Complexions since 2011 only.

Back to the show itself. Admittedly, bringing all of the individual performances and moments that simply took my breath away back to memory is not a plausible feat for me at this time. I was not particularly stirred by the show’s opening, but founding artistic director and resident choreographer’s, Dwight Rhoden’s, small talk with the audience was quite enjoyable and prepared us all for a great show. I recall that the performance significantly picked up and lightened, however, following the intermission with “Pretty Gritty Suite” (2004). The bright costumes, up-beat music, and tambourines – besides the fabulous dancing of course – all came together and worked magnificently well. As Ben pointed out in his review, however, other performances such as the one to “I Put A Spell On You” were wonderfully choreographed and performed to a powerful song.

Previously, my only exposure to this genre of dance was watching the compellingly choreographed dance routines from the likes of Mia Michaels and Sonya Tayeh on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. Consequentially, and unsurprisingly, I was quite apprehensive about attending this performance – hearing some of our fellow classmates’ experiences did not exactly help me feel any better either! I worried that I would be unable to appreciate the kind of art contemporary dance is and that I would not even be able to truly comprehend what it was I was looking at and listening to. Fortunately, I was enthralled and moved by the performance in its entirety and am looking forward to bringing along a couple of friends to see Complexions at the Joyce Theater once again.

An unforgettable, electrifying, and simply beautiful performance, and piece of art, all New Yorkers should have the pleasure of admiring its “entirely new and exciting vision of human movement.” A must see.

– Salma

When I first heard we were going to see a ballet, I innately grimaced and did not think I would enjoy the experience. My initial thoughts that popped into my mind when I hear the word “ballet,” were tutus and boring music, and I just did not think I would be able to ever enjoy the performance. However, when we started talking about modern ballet and how it contrasted between stereotypical ballet, my view on the idea of us seeing the ballet slowly began to change. I liked the fact that these dancers defied the traditional form of ballet through their appearance, the music they played while they danced, and the stomps the dancers implemented into their routines. I also noticed how both genders were now included into ballet, and how the idea of dance itself has become one that is asexual. Given all these developments about dance that I learned before seeing the ballet, my expectations were slightly raised.

When we got to the theater and began to watch the dancers, my entire view on dance underwent a complete transformation. I never thought I would enjoy watching people dance to music and move their bodies in such intricate ways. I developed a sense of respect for the art, one that I never really knew until I actually saw it. I think the fact that we were two rows away created my reverence for dance. We watched the sweat pour off the dancers’ backs, heard them breathe and whisper to each other, and were able to witness the intense concentration and devotion to dance in their eyes. I was able to see the passion and determination in each of the dancer’s eyes. It was evident that dancing was their profession, just as an accountant studies accounting, a lawyer studies law, and how a doctor studies anatomy. It is hard to put a number on how many hours these individuals practice on a daily basis. It was clear, though, these professionals put in an abundance of emotion and creativity in their dances, which is aptly illustrated by their elaborate performances.  Moreover, my favorite performance was one of the pieces done by the group from New Orleans. I enjoyed this specific part of the show because I think it brought an insight into the culture of New Orleans that we on the east coast cannot really appreciate or notice. I liked how they came to represent their neighborhood in an artistic way through dance, and I felt like they embodied the future of dance.

Overall, going to see Complexions was a gratifying experience, and I am glad I got to experience it with my classmates.

After seeing a few clips of modern dance earlier that day in class, I did not know what to expect from Complexions.

The very first performance, THE CURVE made me feel that the show was going to be long and quite painful to sit through. However, as the performances went on, I began to enjoy them more and more. The second performance, MEMORIES; the one with two dancers and a guitarist was my favorite. I loved that they included hip-hop as they danced. I loved the last performance, PRETTY GRITTY SUITE as well. It took the whole second half, but I didn’t mind. It was more upbeat and fast-paced than other performances. Their movements seemed very easy and natural, yet it was quite obvious that they put a lot of work into it. Just from their body and their flexibility, anyone can tell that they sure put their thousand hours. I was at first uncomfortable to be too close to the stage as I felt awkward staring at their bodies. I wonder how they maintain their amazing bodies.

Nevertheless, it was a very interesting experience. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed watching modern ballet. I had my doubts as to whether it was going to be entertaining or not. All I could think about that day was how long and tedious the night was going to be. However, the time passed by much quicker than expected. There wasn’t a single moment where I was bored. I actually wouldn’t have minded staying for a little while longer to see more.

The Joyce Theater wasn’t very big. As most of us know it was a huge pain just getting in and out of the theater-room. However, that’s just one small problem that’s completely compensated for by the show. The front row seats were also a major plus. I was expecting to be seated all the way in the back. I think the seating is one of the main reasons I liked it so much because I was so close to where the performers were. We were so close that you could see all the sweat dripping from them and hear their breathing as they moved on the stage.

I was shocked by how different it was from what I imagined it would be. I guess I was thinking of the stereotypical ballet with really skinny girls in tutus dancing around the place and twirling every couple of minutes. Modern Ballet just puts a better twist on it to make it more relatable to the younger generation. My favorite part was definitely Memories with D. Gary W. Jeter (the guy with the large tattoo on his back). It showed me how in sync the movements of these guys were. Most of the movements matched each other pretty well. The amount of hours ballet dancers put in has to be crazy. They’ve shown that they’ve put in their 10,000 hours to get that good. They are able to make the viewers feel like they are in a surreal world (or at least I felt that way). I have to give them credit because I would be winded in a few minutes after all of the quick moving all around the stage. I could hear how quick they were all breathing. At the end most of them were glistening on stage from all of the sweat.

Jeter was my favorite of all the performers because he was the most muscular and lean. The definition of his muscles is one of the best I’ve seen in my life. His body-fat must have been lower than 6% to be that “ripped” and “shredded”. Sometimes I found myself concentrating more on the muscles and how they moved than on the actual performance itself. I was surprised at how athletic all of the male performers were. Ballet must be a great way to tone your muscles.

Overall, I would definitely see another performance of modern ballet, but I probably wouldn’t try classical still. This has really shown me that I can’t judge something by their stereotype because it can be deceiving.