NextGen meets with Stewart Kramer, Music Supervisor for A MAN'S A MAN

This week at NextGen the students had the opportunity to meet with Stewart Kramer, the Music Supervisor for CSC’s upcoming production of A MAN’S A MAN. They were introduced to how he works side by side with composer Duncan Sheik, and how he is able to take Duncan Sheik’s vision of the music, and use it to make a reality. Sheik composes using a computer program, and Stewart transposes that into sheet music. A MAN’S A MAN’s dialogue is written by Bertolt Brecht, and the musical elements (although the show is not a musical) are reimagined and reinterpreted by Duncan Sheik.  The students were also given an introduction to Brecht, and on his approach to theater.

Stewart told the students about Brecht’s life, and about what Brecht was drawing upon when he wrote A MAN’S A MAN. Brecht uses music and other techniques to distance his audience from emotionally connecting to the characters because he wants them to think objectively about the injustices in their own world, and how they can make their own choices. A MAN'S A MAN was written during the rise of Nazi Germany, and Brecht was thinking about Hitler's ability to influence people when he created the main character of A MAN’S A MAN, Galy Gay. He let the students listen to one of the tracks from the upcoming show, and then also had them listen to a recording from the original production. He was then able to explain some of the choices that Duncan was making by updating the music and some of the differences between the original production and CSC’s.

At the end of the meeting the kids had a chance to sing the song, with Stewart accompanying them on the piano. Although it may not have been performance quality, it was definitely cool for the NextGen members to experience firsthand what the music from the show is like, and how to sing it. After Stewart gave the kids a taste of his world, and the world of this show, the kids were able to give Stewart a taste of their world by talking with him about the beginning of his career, and since the NextGen kids have college on the brain, they were very interested in how college had affected his life so far.

The meeting ended with NextGen excited to participate in their first TEEN TAKEOVER performance, of A MAN’S A MAN. Which will take place on Sunday, January 19^th at 3pm at CSC. All are welcome to experience TEEN TAKEOVER, featuring $10 tickets and a talkback with the artists. Check it out below!

http://www.classicstage.org/education/students/nextgen/

JIMMY MAIZE, director of THE TEMPEST, stops by NextGen

Last week at the NextGen meeting the students had a chance to talk with the director of CSC’s upcoming production of The Tempest, Jimmy Maize. Jimmy was also the director of CSC’s Much Ado About Nothing. First Jimmy prompted the students to go around the room and describe the most memorable moment of theater they have experienced so far, many citing CSC productions from this year and years past, particularly moments in which they felt a personal connection to the action onstage, moments they found extremely funny, and visually stunning stage pictures.

From there Jimmy was able to guide the conversation towards his thoughts on why specific moments in productions stay with us, and talk about how thinking of these powerful moments can impact his choices as a director. The students were filled with different questions to ask Jimmy about the upcoming production, and about being a professional director. The group discussed some of the themes in the play, the ability to cross gender cast various roles, and one of the play’s most interesting characters, Caliban. The group briefly examined one of Caliban’s most famous speeches. The speech is interesting because it captures the beauty of Caliban's words even though he is considered to be physically ugly. Caliban is a challenging role for a director to work on, because he is full of so much contrast. He is both a man and an animal, both a beast capable of trying to rape Miranda, and a creature capable of speaking in beautiful language. It is extremely important for the designers and directors to find a way to convey the imagery that Shakespeare's audience was accustomed to hearing with visuals for today's audeinces (Elizabethan audiences spoke of going to "hear" a play, while a modern audience speaks of going to "see" a play. 

Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,

Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.

Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments

Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices

That, if I then had waked after long sleep, 

Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming,

The clouds methought would open, and show riches

Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked,

I cried to dream again.

Jimmy talked about what it is like to collaborate with not only a cast of talented actors, but a team of different designers as well. The Tempest’s design team will include a costume designer, set designer, lighting and projection designer, sound designer, as well as a choreographer. While classic plays don’t always feature choreography and projections, Jimmy talked about how he will use these design elements to make the play more accessible to a young audience.

As the discussion wrapped up the NextGen students began to get an idea of which member of the production they would like to interview in the coming months, whether it be a specific designer or an actor in the show. At next week’s meeting they will get a chance to officially decide who to interview, as well as began preparation for the first TEEN TAKEOVER performance, featuring $10 tickets and a talkback with the artists, for A MAN’S A MAN on Sunday, January 19^th at 3pm at CSC. To book your tickets for TEEN TAKEOVER check out: http://www.classicstage.org/nextgen/ for more information!

Asking Questions

At the November 18th NextGen meeting, students began preparation for their upcoming interviews with members of the cast and production team for The Tempest, the upcoming show with The Young Company at CSC. This meeting focused on allowing NextGen members to practice different interview tactics and learn basic interview skills. The students read different examples of interviews, and then practiced by interviewing each other.

Although at first students like Dyandra and Shivani were nervous about the potential formality of an interview, they were surprised when the interviews felt extremely natural and conversational as opposed to strict and structured. Loylia was surprised at how much the research she did on her partner helped to guide the interview, and all three were surprised at how much they learned about their partner, and in some cases how much they discovered they had in common with each other.

NextGen members Quiana and Victor were partnered for the exercise. Quiana used information she learned about Victor at the beginning of the meeting as a jumping off point. All she knew was that Victor had an interest in fashion, but she worked from that knowledge to think of many different questions. Victor commented that she asked him questions that he was interested in answering, and because of that, the interview was extremely relaxed and fun. Here is an excerpt from their interview:

Quiana: “So you love to go shopping in your spare time- What type of shopping do you prefer? Shoes, Jackets etc.”
Victor: “I love shopping for everything! I’m a shopping addict- especially online because you don’t need physical money. You go crazy and think you could buy everything, but if I had to pick one thing it would be shoes- I love shoes! Ohh and watches are amazing too.”
Quiana: “What is your favorite name brand/ designer?”
Victor: “I don’t have a favorite designer or brand; well I like English brands. I’m very British orientated when it comes to fashion- literally everything is from over there.”
Quiana: “Do you try to imitate a famous entertainer-like Lady Gaga or do you have a fashion icon that you look too?”
Victor: “No because I’m always very indecisive. This year I wore a lot if black and last year I had this very preppy style. My style constantly changes and I don’t have time to pay attention to what stars are doing or wearing.”
Quiana: “Would you say that your fashion describes your personality?”
Victor: “No! A lot of people think I am standoffish because of the way I dress and carry myself but I’m not! I love meeting new people and it doesn’t matter what they look like. People always say I’m moody and I’m not!”

All in all the mock interview session proved to be a great opportunity for the NextGen students to become more comfortable with the idea of an interview, as well as more comfortable with each other as a group. They learned about the importance of prepping for an interview, as well as letting interviews be conversational, and asking follow-up questions to provide flow instead of insisting the interview follow a structure.

Do you have questions for the people on stage and behind the scenes? Join NextGen members for CSC's very first TEEN TAKEOVER performance, featuring $10 tickets and a talkback with the artists! See A MAN'S A MAN on Sunday, January 19 at 3pm here at CSC.