THE ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY Fall 2017 | Baruch College | Macaulay Honors

The Fallen Towers

I recently visited the 9/11 tribute museum Downtown in NYC.  This visit is what inspired my vision for the opera. 9/11 is a day that we will never forget, especially as local New Yorkers. As I walked through the Memorial Plaza and the museum, I began to understand more why it was so important to transform the WTC into a public area that commemorates the tragic disaster. As I looked around, I noticed the young children who undoubtedly were not alive on September 11^th, 2001. Their parents were pointing at the fountain that was surrounded by names etched in stone. They carefully explained what these names represented… I observed expressions of shock and incomprehension among their faces.

I decided that an opera commerating 9/11 would represent an alternative medium in order to remember the damage and complete loss brought about by 9/11. The opera would highlight two major themes, catastrophe and restoration. I decided that this opera would be brief (1.5 hours) because that is exactly what 9/11 was- a moment in history that would forever change the lives of our nation. this would be a two-act show, each act is representative of a fallen tower. In Act I, the scene would show the sudden crash and unanticipated disaster. Act II would show the aftermath, heroes cleaning up the ashes.

Note: This opera’s main effect will be brought into fruition through the dramatic scenery and sharp sounds brought about through the actors.

Act I: The set will open displaying a backdrop of the World Trade Center. The props on stage will be organized to create a hustling street in New York City. Yellow taxi cabs, street vendors and pedestrians fill the stage. Two characters will begin to sing a melodic and happy song. The cheerful and light tune represents the positive life these two characters lead as they cruise though the buzz of NYC. However, their song comes to a jarring pause as the lights on the stage start flashing out of control. All of a sudden, a more panicked tune is heard. The pedestrians burst out in a cacophonous jumble of octaves. Lights are flashing red, white, red, white—blackout. Once the lights go black a siren is sounded. The backdrop of the WTC Towers begins to flicker, displayed on the backdrop screen is footage of the crash. As the audience watches this clip, smoke begins to fill the surface of the stage. As the smoke starts turning into a thick fog, the disjointed melody of notes begins. There is something unpleasant about this sound. The tune is muffled yet jarringly sharp. The lights flash back on and the is complete ash and rubble.

Act II: The curtains will open to reveal the same scenery present at the end of Act I, piles of ruins. However, all of sudden three firefighters emerge from beneath the ashes as an American flag is lowered down from above. These firefighters begin to sing a song that is sad and distraught. They sound discouraged and broken. They gaze out ahead wondering if the rubble will ever end.

Slowly, more civilians appear on stage. Some look hopeful, some look as if they have gone through a war zone, some bear flowers and some carry shovels and rakes. Each civilian expresses that they he has come here for a specific reason. One has come to look for his son, another has come to supply food for the volunteers, another raises his shovel, expressing that he is wants to help the workers clear the site.

The sound affects in this scene must be strong and acute. The audience will hear the civilians’ song of restoration. But, they will also constantly hear the digging and sifting of a shovel. This constant sound helps put into perspective that the damage caused from 9/11 never really ended. Even today, we are constantly resorting and shifting through the ashes.

For this assignment, I tried to focus on a topic that I felt that although was more frequently discussed in the media, the topic has not yet been regarded as a mainstream area of discussion. I drew my inspiration from a video I had seen not long ago, detailing the deceptive nature of the way the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) presents itself not just to the rest of the world, but to its own people, as well as the striking and frightening effects of restriction on free speech.

Act One

The first scene is bright and festive. Being the daredevil he is, Peter boards a flight with his best friend Thomas to North Korea. While most of his friends ridiculed him for such a dimwitted choice of destination for Spring break, Peter managed to convince Thomas to travel to the world’s last true dictatorship and rid himself of the inconsistent portrayals of the country by local media. When the plane begins to land in the heart of Pyongyang, Peter looks out the window, and to his surprise, observes a massive crowd of people. As Thomas and Peter exit the airplane, they are shocked by the largely unexpected parade. For several football fields from the airport, thousands of North Korean civilians, as well as soldiers, join in the festival, with prodigious amounts of food, music, and tourist activities.

Notified that their luggage will be taken to their hotel rooms, the two boys begin to walk through the parade, whispering to each other in bewilderment, and exchanging smiles with local citizens who each seem to be sporting the exact same frozen-in-time, ear-to-ear smile on their faces. In this scene, loud music is playing making Peter and Thomas’s comments to each other inaudible. Towards the end, however, as the music begins to fade, Peter begins to ask Thomas “Isn’t this parade kind of strange? We just got here and it’s as if they already want us to love it without us even seeing it.” As he makes the interjection, the music suddenly stops, and the boys continue to walk through the parade, receiving mysterious yet daunting looks from military members as they walk by.

Walking through the rest of the parade, the boys begin to take an interest in the gift shops and souvenirs. As they approach the gift stands, besides keychains of different North Korean monuments, they notice little action figures resembling who they recognized as the leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un. Pointing out his chubby stature, Thomas laughs and buds Peter in the shoulder as he points to the funny little depiction of NK’s leader. While they continue to chuckle, a group of soldiers who overheard their remarks about the leader starts to approach them, giving off a sense of hostility. Right before they reach Peter and Thomas’s vicinity, a native girl from the parade runs up to the two boys, and, with a somewhat unnaturally forced grinning countenance, asks the boys to walk away, and refrain from laughing.

The night after the parade, the boys are led to their hotel rooms and are very generously treated to dinner by the hotel staff.

Act Two

In the next act, Thomas and Peter participate in a tour, accompanied by soldiers, where the final destination is Mansu Hill Grand Monument in Pyongyang. As they reach the monument, two grandiose statues come into view of deceased North Korean leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. In this act, the tour guide talks to the tourists about the Supreme Leader, and invites them to a prayer session, as residents of the DPRK are required to do regularly. As the rest of the tourists engage in the prayer in front of the statue, Thomas and Peter are both dumbfounded and try to remain hidden among the group, in their refusal to participate. As the group prayer continues, the boys begin to whisper to each other about the surreality of their current surroundings. While the tour guide continues to lead the session, the two military men accompanying the group begin to take notice of the boys’ increasingly loud and uncoordinated whispering. Finally, Peter utters to Thomas “This is so stupid, who are we even praying to,” and the following events begin to change their perspective on North Korea.

Throughout the remainder of the scene, as the rest of the tourists are accompanied to the nearest cafe, Thomas and Peter are stopped by soldiers and arrested. During the few seconds that they realize they had violated a code of conduct, there was no talking, and very dissonant music plays. The boys are put in cuffs and beaten before they are shoved in a military truck, and driven to a state prison, where they are put on trial, to which the outcome lies either in a jail sentence, or decades spent in political prison.

At the end of this act, the boys find themselves behind bars, unaware of the length of their sentence, or even a clear conviction that landed them in prison. To their surprise, they recognized a familiar face in the cell in front of them. The girl from the parade, who had warned them about poking fun at the supreme leader was sitting, scrunched up and muttering. The audience finds out that she was imprisoned because of her brief association with Thomas and Peter.

Lighting, Music, Stage Set, Costumes

Since Act One begins on a relatively positive note as both Thomas and Peter wander through an unexpected national parade, the music played will be festive, occasionally interjected by melancholy bits to accompany the moments in which both characters start to poke fun at the president of NK, while soldiers surrounding them start to become suspicious of the two, and walk closer to them, suggesting a confrontation. Consistent with the original theme of festivity, lighting will be bright in this act, since the parade is meant to showcase the positivity of North Korea, while the political agenda of the military men proves otherwise. The lighting in act two will definitely be dimmer, and expressive of tragedy and confusion, given that both characters unexpectedly ended up in prison for merely uttering a sincere comment on the unconventional situation they were in. The music will follow the same theme and will incorporate pieces with sudden changes in dynamics consistent with the tragic culmination of both Peter and Thomas in prison. While I thought the rotating set of The Magic Flute was quite innovative, I feel as though handmade props would be more properly indicative of the poverty-stricken conditions of those suffering under the North Korean regime. I’ve read articles indicating that grocery stores have been found to be empty, and many people struggle to put food on the table, so a depiction of poverty would definitely be appropriate for this performance. In terms of costumes, I believe this opera would be more relatable to the average viewer if Thomas and Peter were dressed in casual style outfits, maybe a hoodie and a pair of jeans. The soldiers would be in soldier uniforms, while parade members would be dressed in uniform casual clothing, as would the girl who ended up in prison with T&P.

While I am by not an expert on North Korean affairs, by any stretch of the imagination, my intention for this opera would be for people to witness some of the political crimes that people are prosecuted for in the DPRK, and encourage a general appreciation for the first amendment; the group of sentences in a document that allow us to say whatever we want, how we want to, when we want to.

Ronald Osherov

Topic: Environmental Protection and Corruption

Main Characters (Consistent):

1. Naomi
2. Tobias
3. Yara
4. Chanel
5. Tyson
6. Sterling

Main Characters (Inconsistent):

1. Jasmine
2. Juan
3. Mister X

Scene One: The opera opens up with a setting of a boot camp-like space. The rooms are divided into strategic spaces with bunk beds and shelves. We are introduced to all of the characters as they are heading to eat lunch. The lunch halls are desolate places that are metal cladded. The area looks like a prison. People eat in silence as they wear their grey outfits. Everyone wears grey slacks and a grey shirt. The only people who do not wear grey are the officers guarding every space, they wear black. The meals are bland and the group of five friends are talking amongst each other as per usual.

Scene Two:  Tyson is tossing and turning in his sleep in a violent manner. Tobias runs to help him, and Tyson wakes up in his own pool of sweat. Tyson is looking around in fear as Tobias asks him what is wrong. Tyson looks directly into the camera surveilling him and says “nothing”.

Scene Three: Tobias is wary of Tyson, so he corners Naomi to explain what happened last night. Naomi is dating Tyson so Tobias is hoping he can get some answers. Naomi shifts and gives Tobias a fake smile and states that she knows nothing as she hastily walks away. Tobias begins to question whether they are his true friends. He then approaches Yara who is close to Naomi than Chanel. Yara’s eyes widen and she starts to tremble. Tobias is getting frustrated as no one is telling him what is wrong, so Yara grabs his hand and caresses it to act like they are being affectionate, but in reality, she is hinting to Tobias that she will explain later.

Scene Four:  Yara is not supposed to be in Quad 1236728 where Tobias resides, but she tells the guard to let her pass as she wants to see Tobias because she is sad. The guard allows her to enter, but she sets an alarm for one minute. Yara fakes tears to Tobias who hugs her. She holds his hand and in that exchange, a note falls from her hand to his. Tobias is in awe at how intelligent and strategic Yara has been. Maybe she has defied the system before? He thinks to himself. They both thank the guard and Yara leaves.

Scene Five: Tobias opens the note when everyone is asleep. It reads:

At 23:58 right before the day changes, Tyson has a breakdown. This is because his brother Juan was tortured and killed at 11:58 years before when the war was still happening. Tyson was traumatized to see his best friend leave him. He cries out for help for two minutes until 00:00 and he wakes up in a cold sweat. The guards have tried to vaccinate Tyson with a more powerful memory loss serum, but this memory simply won’t leave him. The guards just claim he has sleep attacks, but it is trauma. The only way Tyson can get over this is to see his brother. But his brother was thrown onto the “aboveground” and left for dead. (BURN MESSAGE ONCE READ).

Tobias burns the message in the kerosene lamp as chills run down his spine. Suddenly, a guard opens the door and asks him why he was crouched in a corner. Tobias blames it on anxiety. The clock strikes 23:58 and Tyson has his attack. Tobias cries as he shakes in fear and sadness for his friend.

Scene Six: Yara avoids looking at Tobias but he is desperate for answers. Tobias asks Chanel for advice and Chanel whispers that there is a hidden room they can go whisper in. She states not to go with more than two people. Tobias takes Yara and the guards think nothing of it as they think they are dating. Tobias asks Yara if anything will happen to Tyson and she begins to cry. She states that the guards want to kill him and act as though he committed suicide. They are threatening to trash him to the Aboveground. Tobias hugs Yara and dries her tears as he insists on coming up with a plan. Yara claims that there already is one. Naomi insists she needs to Tyson alive so they can make children. The goal of the New Order Administration is to boost the population, so they are only keeping Tyson alive for that purpose, Yara explains.

Scene Seven: The next day, Yara brings Tobias back to the secret room. She states she doesn’t want to live here anymore. Yara claims that she has been sneaking to the control room and has found out that the aboveground is not as awful as people say it is. Tobias is convinced she has gone mad and insists to get her help. Yara insists that she avoids getting her vaccines and serums, because the New World Administration tries to manipulate people with the medicine and drugs.

Scene Eight to Ten is Yara gaining knowledge about the aboveground and formulating her escape while providing knowledge to her friends.

Scene Eleven: Yara creates a scene in the lunchroom with her friends and they are all taken to Room 505. Room 505 is a dreaded, pre-torture room. The group is given fake vaccines from an insider named Jasmine (Jasmine is introduced as a spy to the Administration in Scene Nine). Jasmine wants to escape too, so she is helping the group. Mister X is introduced. He is the dictator of the Administration who reveals many secrets in this scene without knowing that Jasmine did not really sedate the group. He even reveals that Juan is alive which almost foils the plan as Tyson starts twitching with anger. The group is lead to Room 505 but surprise attack as Jasmine and Agent Parker get weapons for them and the massacre the leaders. They run to the Aboveground and find Juan there as Tyson cries in joy. They see flowers and other things for the first time as Juan reveals how they need to run far away from the Administration. He explains that the Administration wanted to trap humans underground after the war, because the planet became inhabitable. They wanted to restore the planet by moving humans below ground like animals, and they chose to keep the humans there forever because they considered them ungrateful and they liked the power. The planet Earth (“Aboveground”) was healing, but the Administration was manipulating humans for power and money.

—————-END—————-

Some Notes to Remember: I enjoyed writing this, but I could not go nearly as in depth as a I wanted to or else it would take a lot of time to read, and I would probably have written a libretto too. This story has concepts and ideas that have been in other stories. The underground concept comes from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, specifically the second and third books when district 13 was burned down and inhabitable. The “seeing the flowers for the first time” came from the “Allegory of the Cave” by Plato. The names used were from some of my favorite celebrities. The Administration, guards, spying, dictatorship, and Room 505 was inspired by the novel 1984 by George Orwell. Also, the serums and vaccines to manipulate people was an idea stemming from The Divergent Series, a dystopian series by Veronica Roth as well as The Matrix movie. This story relates to environmental protection because the planet was harmed to a point that there were no more resources or enough air or water for that matter. Also, it included corruption because corrupt businessmen insist that climate change does not exist just for gain.

Regarding the costumes, they are all dark and “sad” colors. These colors are associated with hospitals or funerals. Also, the food is lifeless and has a “grey” look to them. The people also have grey skin and sorrowful eyes. This is inspired from the 1984 setting. The stage would mostly be the same metal cladded looking areas until we go Aboveground and see the sun and flowers. This is the first time the audience will see colors besides grey, black, and white. The lighting will also be dim until the Aboveground where there will be a sunset and sunlight. This stage lighting will be as bright as Sarastro’s sun in The Magic Flute.

By: Marie Traore

Oh the Places You Will Go- A Modern Opera (1)

(Click on the hyperlink above to view the PDF version)

Concept: A recurring issue throughout the years in America is police brutality against African-Americans. This play is based on a true story taken place on February 26th, 2012, when a seventeen-year old boy, Trayvon Martin was killed by a neighborhood watch coordinator, George Zimmerman. This was one of the many publicized killings of innocent African-American lives.

Plot: It starts off as a regular day for Trayvon Martin, waking up in his pajamas, brushing his teeth, and eating cereal with his father in the kitchen. The stage is divided with three walls, creating three different rooms of the house. The far-right is his bedroom, the middle room is the bathroom, and the far-left room is the kitchen with his father in his pajamas preparing breakfast. Both characters are going through a regular morning, but the lights are dim, foreshadowing to the audience that a traumatic event is coming. The stage changes into a basketball court, Trayvon Martin changes his pajamas into basketball shorts and a black hoodie. He pulls his hood up, and starts dribbling a basketball around the court while motivational opera song named, “Aqua Vita.” The stage changes back to the house of the living room with a sofa and TV set, where he’s watching the All-Star Game with his father. A pivotal point in the play showing the last time Tracy Martin saw his son, the beautiful piece, “River Flows in You,” composed by Yiruma will be played during this act. During half time, he walks out of the set with his hood up. The stage is divided between a wall, one side is a bodega and the other side is completely dark with a patrol car parked outside the bodega with George Zimmerman. Martin purchases a pack of Skittles and an Arizona Iced Tea and places the items in his pocket. He pulls his hood up. A sport-patrolling car was going around the neighborhood, and he calls 911 to report “a suspicious guy.” He speculated that Martin was on drugs or was about to commit a crime. Zimmerman calls in and states, “Now he’s coming towards me. He’s got his hand in his waistband. And he’s a black male…Something’s wrong with him. Yup, he’s coming to check me out. He’s got something in his hands. I don’t know what his deal is…These assholes, they always get away.” Martin is on the phone with his friend, Rachel Jeantel to share how a patroller is following him, and few minutes later Zimmerman is chasing him leading to a wrestling match on the ground, the intense song “Excalibur: O Fortuna” is played.  Few minutes later, shots were fired, and the entire stage goes pitch black. Martin laid on the floor dead, there was a minute of pure silence. The stage turns back to Tracy Martin running around in his living room hysterically crying on the phone, and the song plays, “One Man’s Grief.” The stage turns into a courtroom with Zimmerman taking the stance, a jury, and Martin’s grieving parents. The other half of the stage has a riot occurring with huge signs outside the courthouse saying, “Justice for Trayvon,” and “Black Lives Matter.” Zimmerman was charged with third-degree murder, the court is dismissed with hugs and cries that justice was served. The next and final scene is the funeral that takes place in a church. There’s a huge cross in the center of the stage with a pastor speaking in front of a podium to a huge crowd, all wearing black formal attire, the song played is, “Nostalgic Dream” composed by Peter Guntry. The light on the stage is only pointed at the open casket where Trayvon lies.

Characters:

Trayvon Martin

7-Eleven Clerk

Parents of Martin

George Zimmerman

Rachel Jeantel

Jury

Judge

Riot Assemble

Funeral Crowd

Stage Sets:

7-Eleven

Martin Household

Courtroom

Outside the courtroom (riot)

Funeral

Costume:

Most of the characters are wearing everyday wear such as jeans and a beat-up T-shirt. An important piece of clothing is the black hoodie that Trayvon Martin wears throughout the entire play because it’s a crucial asset to what led Zimmerman’s suspicion.

Lighting:

Lighting plays an important part throughout the play, due to the fact, it helps foreshadow a dramatic or morbid scene. The lighting played a huge role during the funeral as it beamed right on Trayvon as he lies in his casket, one of the most pivotal and sorrowful scenes throughout the entire play.

Links to the Songs Mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLWqxqMYlXE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X534FhAcOsU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7maJOI3QMu0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxGnYCMmI4I

Concept: There is an endless amount of issues and problems that the world faces every day. They won’t be resolved on their own; not until someone does something about each and every problem. So, the most important thing is to learn how to fix problems and actually achieve change. If people are ready to change and to stand up for what’s right, then whatever problems come along, there will be ways to fix them.

Plot: The main character, Maya, was born with a curse. Each night, when she went to sleep, she dreamed of the future. When she was a child, she thought these were just nightmares. As she grew up, she realized that what people simply called “déjà vu” was not the case for her. She witnessed things in real life that she had dreamt of months or even years ago. The reality was just as frightening as her dreams and the news on TV was filled with her dreams on display. As a child, the problems she dreamed of were small and suitable for her age, like puppies running away and toys falling and breaking. As a teenager, she saw problems in her community that later affected her close friends and family members. The older she got, the larger scale problems she foresaw.

As she grew up, Maya tried influencing the world to prevent what she had dreamed of. For example, when she was five years old, she saw her dog running out of the house and being hit by a car. So, for the next three months, she stood in the middle of the street to stop cars from passing when her dog was out in the yard. You can imagine that the neighbors did not fancy this. Her parents tried everything, but she was determined. No one wanted to cooperate with her. After three months, Maya woke up as her mother opened the door to the backyard. Before she could run out of the house, her dream became a reality.

Maya was a kind heart and instead of turning vengeful and angry at the world for not wanting to cooperate with her, she was constantly explaining and sharing her dreams in hope of changing something. Her family became tired of her and her classmates dreaded starting a conversation with her. With time and many tears, Maya understood the paradox that people don’t listen to words. Words didn’t affect people the way she wanted them to and the way she felt them and yet she knew they would happen sooner or later.

As a young adult, Maya found a loving man who wanted to help her and listen to her dreams. He loved her endlessly and was determined to stop the dreams that made her struggle. He was ready to do whatever she said. After a couple of years, they had a sweet daughter, which they named Vyara. Maya worried that her daughter would have the same curse. Thankfully, she didn’t, however, Maya passed down the kind heart she had to Vyara and she was the sweetest girl.

Each night, before Vyara went to sleep, Maya would tell her a story. The stories were often the same as her dreams, but she usually changed them to be more acceptable for her little girl. At the end of each story, Vyara thought of a way that the small problems could be fixed. She said, things like, “if every person started riding a bicycle to work, wouldn’t the cars become less?” and “if the cars are less, wouldn’t the sky princess get better and stop coughing?” Maya was appalled and shared these moments with her husband. They watched Vyara grow up and she became dedicated to always doing the right thing. The older she got, the less fearful Maya’s dreams were. When she graduated college, she decided to become a teacher. With each end of the school year, Maya’s sleep got better.

Stage & Costumes: The costumes are simplistic and casual. They should be something that everyone can relate to, in order to make the viewers see themselves in everyday life. Maya has a more specific dress that fades from black to white, symbolizing change. The stage is where creativity is important. While Maya sleeps, her dreams are acted out by people in costumes and the lights and sounds should be dramatic. These elements should make the audience believe the dreams and really feel what Maya is feeling.

Lesson: Speaking about problems can do only so much. If people don’t want to cooperate with change, it is hard for one person to change the world. People need to stand together when they decide to change something. Professions like teaching are invaluable and they help teach young people values that can help the world. Those that are dedicated to being good people, regardless of inconveniences and hardships, are the ones that truly change things.

*My idea to write about a woman who dreamed of the future was inspired by the short film “Blind Vaysha”*

By Ellen Stoyanov

I would like to base my play on the earth and how humans are polluting it and ruining it.

Characters:

Mother nature

Whale

Cruise crew

Cruise guests

College Student Group

The setting would take place on a cruise ship. In my first scene, kids will be running around laughing and having fun. The parents will be relaxing in the sun, and the young adults will be in the ship casino drinking and laughing. Everyone is on the ship having fun and throwing garbage over board. The cruise ship is emptying its waste wherever it was at the moment. The cruise ship was sailing into beautiful clear water and leaving a trail of dirt behind it. This is where projectors will play a large role in my opera. It will show the drastic change that the cruise ship is making in the water. As the ship approaches the middle of the ocean, surrounded by nothing, it will stop moving. People will be freaking out and running around. There will be no phone service and no way to get in contact with anyone. There will be a young college engineer group on their spring break, they will be the center of the play. While they’re in their rooms trying to figure out what to do next, they decide to go outside and get some fresh air. There they’ll see whales swimming around the water. As they look closer, they realize that there are all kinds of fish swimming around that they never noticed. As they’re observing the water, a whale will pop out and start speaking to them. It will show them how polluted the water is. It will show them all the fish wrapped up in garbage and a dying whale that ate too much plastic. It will then explain that the reason the boat isn’t moving is because their own garbage got wrapped up in the engine. The only one that can save them now is the whale and all the other fishes. All they have to do is swim down and take out all the garbage. But they don’t want to do that. All the fish are mad that humans are polluting the waters and they refuse to save them. The college students then go speak with the ship captain. They explain what happened and make a deal. They go back to the whale and offer their apologies. They then promise that if the fishes help them, all the humans on board will stop throwing garbage over board. And they promise to tell the ship company about what is going on in the oceans in order for it to change its ways. The whale is still skeptical and doesn’t believe that all of the humans will follow through. The kids are forced to hold a ship meeting. Everybody is desperate to get home safe so hey sign a contract saying they’ll stop polluting. The whale finally agrees and the little fish swim down and empty the engine of all of the garbage. Everyone is happy and thankful and everyone heads home. But by the time everyone reaches their home, they forget about their promise and continue on with life just like they have been

Costume:

Even though this is a summer cruise ship, most of the people will be wearing conservative clothing so the viewers can focus on the idea I’m presenting.

The main focus will be on the lights and projections on the stage. I would use a lot of projections in every scene because I think you can really manipulate what the audience sees.

I think I would have to have several prebuilt stages that get pulled in and out between scenes. Especially with the cruise ship. I would need different views of the cruise ship. I would also need different sets to show different parts of the ship.

I would like to incorporate weird music into my play. There will be a lot of sad and happy music. But I would also like include music that would make the audience feel uncomfortable and uneasy. The topic of my play should make people uncomfortable so they rethink their actions

By: Ariel Margolin

Playbill Cover:                         

Foreword from the composer: Being an apolitical, neutral-sided person in modern times leaves me feeling appalled at the way civility in political discourse has been defenestrated and how Americans are at each other’s throats more than in 1865. I write “A House Divided” to show us that we are all human beings and that we can all coexist if simply respect each other’s Voltairean right to be what we wish without the scorn of others. My parents raised me to be free-thinking, open-minded and apolitical and it makes my brow furrow at the thought of our society devolving into a shameful free-for-all. Inspired by a mix of productions of yesteryear and modern pop-culture, I wish to make an at times humorous, yet thoughtful story that alerts people to the faults in our society’s stars.

Prologue: In our highly politicized times, comes an opera that directly stares the fallacy of divisiveness in its heart of darkness. In a “House Divided” fresh-faced composer, Ariel Margolin, takes the story of forbidden love and gives it a modern twist: a staunchly conservative girl falls head over Ivanka Trump brand heels for a Guevara-shirted left-wing boy. Knowing their friends and families sure aghast at the very idea, they live with this forbidden love until it cannot be lived a minute more.

Act One:

Rage Against the Machine plays as we are welcomed to the wild world of Keith Barrens. In what is a typical Wednesday night vomit-on-the-carpet bender, Keith or “K” seems to have reached a sort of angered boredom at the spiralic lifestyle he is in. As he steps outside for some non-cigarette-scented air, he breaks into a thoughtful solo wishing for a life away from this one (he is wearing a stained GG Allin t-shirt and dreamy electronic music plays). The next scene takes us into a school-night dinner at the Diedriech residence. Here Kelly (she is wearing a baby-blue dress and has pigtails) is bored to tears at her meatloaf and earful of lessons from parents regarding “female etiquette.” Yet another evening passes as dad asks her younger brother about his Lacrosse game, complains about the “blacks” and orders his unloving wife to fetch him a few too many beers (the parents wear the same boring clothing throughout the entire play to show their monotony). The scene then takes us to Kelly’s bedroom where she is in the midst of poorly rolling a joint. After her parents go to bed at their usual 9pm turn-in time in separate beds, she climbs into the backyard tree house to give her $10 pick-me-up a light. Here she goes into a thoughtful piece on how she needs a bit of spice to her sand-bland life (emotional string music plays during). The next scene takes us into the local chain pharmacy. Here our characters both enter, first Keith, then Kelly. Keith (dressed in a torn A-shirt and cargo shorts) is looking for some Alka-Seltzer to alleviate the morning hangover, while Kelly (in a tight ponytail and with a light, flowy blouse) is buying some Burt’s Bees. In his post-inebriation, Keith bumps into Kelly while glancing off at the cleavage-filled magazine rack. He apologizes instinctively, but as he looks up into Kelly’s eyes, he is struck by Cupid’s arrow. Our dear Kelly too is enchanted by this mop-topped Casanova, and accepts his apology offer of buying her a coffee. The next scene takes us to the coffee shop and here the two discover that their interests are quite in-sync. They now begin frothily engaging in complaint about their respective lives (as they discover their chemistry, their speech is muted to allow soulful guitar music to play). Keith says he is sick of his Spencer’s-shopping friends and Kelly says if she hears her mother warn her about “looking like a whore” one more time, she will have an aneurysm. This young-love quickly escalates as the next scene takes us to the backseat of Keith’s heavily used Corolla. As they are kissing (and singing about one another lovingly) in few to no clothes, Kelly’s brother (he is wearing his Lacrosse jersey and has his stick on his back to show that he is coming from team practice) sees the two lovebirds and knocks on the car window so as to nastily tell Kelly “I know.” (The music shifts from loving and angelic to bass heavy and brooding) Here the curtain falls on Act One and intermission begins.

Act Two:

The next act opens with Kelly with her head in her lap (in her bedroom), crying away to her predicament (she is wearing her long night gown and her hair is loose). If her parents find out she is with a boy, she’s a goner, but with her beau being the Devil Incarnate to Mr. and Mrs. Diedriech, her ass is 6 feet below grass. Here a woeful song is sung by Kelly cursing her situation (sad string music plays); the scene finishes with a surrendered Kelly on her knees in the middle of her room. The following scene is Keith (he is a wearing a faded grey hoodie and black denim pants) telling his friends about the girl of his dreams he has met. As he tells them about her, and her family, they begin laughing him down to a puddle. Finally, he tells them to shove it after they call her a “Hitlerjugend,” and he leaves to take a lonesome walk home. As he pulls out a cigarette, he sings about how he finally found someone he feels meaning with, but by doing this, he is undermining all that he has believed in up to this point (thoughtful Broadway show-like music plays). No easy crisis of conscience for our youthful Keith! The next scene is another “leftover night” at the Diedriech abode, but with a bit of drama. Kelly’s brother Tom (dressed in preppy-clothing) grills Kelly (wearing the type of hoodie and sweatpants that girls wear when they are “under the weather”) with his stare of privy, turns Kelly’s stomach like a rotisserie every time Tom opens his mouth (here the string music goes up and down rapidly to simulate Kelly’s volatile changes in emotion and worry). She excuses herself after Betty-Crocker dessert, and goes to the bathroom to hyper-ventilate and splash some cold water on her face. After singing about whether to or not to tell her parents about Keith (the string music here will add to her feeling of indecision), she decides to go through and do it. She steps out to tell them, but Tom has beaten her to the punch. Her parents are furious and began scolding her to no end about the “scoundrel” she is seeing. They forbid her from seeing him ever again, to which (even to her own surprise) Kelly uncharacteristically tells her parents to get off her case and she storms out to see her beloved. The next scene takes place in the park as the Kelly rests her head on Keith’s (same clothes as their last respective scenes) shoulder as they sit atop a wooden bench. After a stage-sanitized sex-scene, they sing about the wonderful things they will do when they run away (here a hopeful melody in a Major accompanies their voices). The last scene takes place in Keith’s Corolla as they calmly drive upon the highway. Behind them a police cruiser turns on his cherry-top, and Kelly knows this is her parents doing; they called the police with the car details Tom gave them. With a final loving glance at one another, Keith and Kelly both know their love cannot be, and with hands held they crash 110 MPH into a tree (light orchestra music in Minor as they look at one another and drive off). The curtain falls.

Notes on Lighting: To make it most life-like, I will keep the lighting the same as we would see in reality.

Notes on the Set: The set will change accordingly with each scene. The opening party scene will be in an apartment foyer with an open door to the outside walkway for when Keith goes out. The Diedriech house is a boring, boilerplate house and their dining room is as unspectacular as they are. Kelly’s bedroom scene will feature her very “girly” bedroom with a high-post bed and the tree-house will be rundown, showing years of disuse. The pharmacy scene will be by the cashier section of a typical corporate pharmacy. The coffee shop scene will be at a local diner booth and we will see them from the inside view. The first Corolla scene will be filmed inside what appears to be a steamy, car inside, similar to the car sex-scene in James Cameron’s Titanic. The scene between Keith and his friends will take place on a swing-set at an elementary school. The second Diedriech dinner scene’s set is identical to the first and the bathroom she enters is lead paint green and has a medicine-cabinet mirror. The park scene takes place on a starry-night and is of a typical suburban park. The last scene takes place with us seeing the star-crossed lovers from the backseat of his Corolla. I liked the Magic Flute’s rotating set and the First Act will have one stage centerpiece that rotates for each scene (it will function like a rotating pastry deck at some restaurants). The Second Act will have a second replacement centerpiece so as to accommodate the bevy of scenes.

Modern Age Issue : Gay Relationships in College

Setting: High school hallway by the lockers and the Park

Characters :

Michael and Thomas: two young men who are in love with each other but face a situation in which they are judged heavily for not being “normal” and doing what is “right” despite gay marriage being legal in New York and supposedly accepted.

Phil- Anti gay supporter who harass’ Michael and Thomas in school because he saw them hold hands.

Amanda- The “hero” of the play because she stands up for both Michael and Thomas in front of the bully, Phil.

Costumes: Modern day school outfits. Phil is wearing a varsity jacket do depict the image of a “school jock” that bullies Michael and Thomas.

Act 1:

In the first scene, you will be able to get to know Thomas and Michael and their relationship with each other. They keep their relationship pretty low key and do not typically show affection in public. The first scene shows them in the park enjoying each others company. There is happy, pop music playing in the background.Phil also gets introduced in this scene as the jock who did not get into his top college choice and is now angry. Since he did not get in, he is angry and needs something to focus on to let his anger out and the first thing he sees when he walks into school is Thomas laying his head on Michael’s shoulder in the hallway by their locker. Suspenseful music is playing in the background so the crowd understands that drama is about to go down.

“Yo losers!”

Act 2:

The suspenseful music is completely shut off in this scene and it is pure silence. In the second scene, Phil approaches them and begins taunting them. He curses them out and says how stupid it is of them that they are “gay” and together. He says that they will never be normal after this and that their reputations are going to be ruined forever. You can clearly see that he is only saying these things because he is mad at his own life and needs something to say to make someone else’s life worse. Eventually, Michael has enough and steps in to protect himself and Thomas. In response, Phil pushes Thomas into the lockers and goes,

“What? You don’t have your little boyfriend to protect you?”

Act 3:

Amanda, the pretty girl who lives in a picket fence house with a perfect family, happens to be walking past their lockers when Thomas was pushed up against the locker.

“HEY! GET OFF OF HIM” she shouts.

The rest of the scene is spent of Amanda interrogating Phil and making him understand that this is NORMAL and no matter what goes on in his personal life, he should never treat people like this and walk all over them. Amanda goes on to tell him that no matter what is wrong in his personal life, he does not get to do this to regular people. If two people are happy, that is all that matters. Phil looks astounded that someone actually had the nerve to stand up to him and break his ego shell for good. Phil ends up apologizing to him and eventually ends up asking Amanda to spend time with him because he fell in love with a girl who told him straight up that his actions were unacceptable.

Overall Message:

The point of all of this is to understand that gay relationships and marriage are so common these days all over the world, especially in New York. Some people still fail to understand how you cannot call people out or be against the idea of it because it is no longer up for debate. There are thousands of kids everyday who get bullied in high school and everywhere because of this. This is supposed to show that it only takes one person to speak up to chance the opinion of someone else and help them.

Karina Karazhbey