On Friday November 13th, I had the pleasure of seeing the JFKS production of Hairspray. I think the staging and some of the acting could have been improved but overall it was a fun show and I even found myself singing the songs to myself on the way home. The story is about a “bigger” girl, Tracy Turnblad, who gets on a dance show called the Corny Collins show. Much to the chagrin of the producer and her mean girl daughter, Tracy advocates the desegregation of the show and becomes a huge Baltimore sensation. The story is a great one because it deals with issues still prevalent today: bullying and racism. After the show I overheard a little girl say that Tracy was her favorite character and rightly so. Tracy is an admirable character who is a great role model in battling the main issues. She isn’t insecure about how she looks and is so enthusiastic about her civil rights cause. It is wonderful that she can teach little girls to be the same about the issues they care about or struggle with on a daily basis. …show more content…
The plot in this version was slightly different but flowed very well and made sense, even when it diverged from the movie version. The story is realistic because it shows that not all people are heroes even if they are not villains (ex. Link Larkin wanting to focus on his record deal). The acting was very good. Perhaps because he is the only one I know from outside of the musical, Marc Auf der Heyde as Edna Turnblad was my favorite. He hit the character spot on and was very funny. Every time he was on stage, there was sure to be a laugh. One actor that I thought could have done better was Chelsea Canty. She could have been more exaggerated as the charismatic Motormouth Maybelle. Her speaking was a little forced and less poetic at times. She just didn’t seem perfect for the
Theater is acting, and each actor that was involved in this production was fantastic. Page Ogle who played Dolly did a very good job being a sweet talking, yet manipulative woman in the 1890s. I would have critiqued her on just one thing, slow down!
One story that the Author told that really struck a chord with me was when she went to the diner and was yelled at for just standing in front of the diner. You hear stories from like this from the past often, but it gives it a different perspective when it’s a young girl. If I was put in this situation, I would personally have a breakdown. I would want to lash out in anger and frustration, but the consequences of lashing out against a white person during this time period were very large. I have lived in predominantly white areas for most of my life, and I have not experienced any overt racism like the author
As far as acting, the performers were able to convey the feelings they needed to. However, some characters such as Ol' Cap'n played by Dick Lambert and Luttibelle played by April Curry, seemed more committed and engaging in their roles than others. A crucial factor in April Curry portraying her role so well was her vocal talent far exceeded that of any of the other major performers. She had an amazing voice that I was dazzled by from curtain up to down and left me craving for more. This almost compensated for my disappointment when it came to the ensemble singing to the soundtrack. Many performers were dependent on the cd and were not confident as to when to begin or stop singing, which dampered many moments of the performers. Another element of acting that I enjoyed was the exaggerated use of cooning throughout the duration of the performance that brought characters to life, and enabled certain moments to seem real.
The historical context of the book is the story took place in the late 80’s-early 90’s in the streets of Chicago. At this era of time, it had been about 20-30 years after segregation was outlawed, but the effects of years of racism and segregation could be shown in the “hoods” of cities. The author utilizes the two boys’ stories to show what the
Anne Moody (born Essie Mae) was a very private person, and her withheld feelings often led to mental breakdowns. Throughout her childhood she is a timid, poor little girl who is afraid to even ask her mother questions about what is going on around her. Through most of her childhood experiences she learns the social significance of race and gender on her own because her mother avoids confronting the issue because she feels society cannot be changed. The first time Anne is really confronted with the issue of racial differences is when she makes friends with some white neighbors and goes to the movies with them. When arriving at the movies she learns that she cannot sit in the regular seats with the other white children. ?After the m...
Miss Moore climbed up against the odds in a time where it was almost unheard of for a black woman to go to college. She was a role model for the children who encourages them to get more out of life. This made Miss Moore an exceptional spectacle as most children would likely, “. . . go to the pool or to the show where is cool” (Bambara), however Sylvia and sugar were being forced to meet with Miss More by their parents. From the parent’s point of view, “. . . it was only right that she should take responsibility for the young ones’ education” (Bambara). The parents themselves realize this was very important for their children, but they did not necessarily take their own advice and at times failed to meet some of their own obligations for the children.—Parents who lived in poverty stricken neighborhoods were not always the best role models they could be for their children to discourage
Anne Moody's story is one of success filled with setbacks and depression. Her life had a great importance because without her, and many others, involvement in the civil rights movement it would have not occurred with such power and force. An issue that is suppressing so many people needs to be addressed with strength, dedication, and determination, all qualities that Anne Moody strived in. With her exhaustion illustrated at the end of her book, the reader understands her doubt of all of her hard work. Yet the reader has an outside perspective and knows that Anne tells a story of success. It is all her struggles and depression that makes her story that much more powerful and ending with the greatest results of Civil Rights and Voting Rights for her and all African Americans.
Thanks to her good grades, Ruby is chosen to be a pioneer in breaking down the walls of segregation. Through her entire first school year with white children, this brave little black girl is escorted by four federal marshals through a crowd of angry white protestors in front of the school. Miss Henry, Ruby’s teacher from Boston, works with Ruby since none of the regular teachers will have anything to do with her. Through the hard work of the people who told Ruby to attend the white school and through the determination of Ruby, Miss Henry, and Mr. and Mrs. Bridges, Ruby overcame discrimination, racism, prejudice, stereotyping, and educational equalities.
One of its numerous strengths was the costuming and set. This musical would not have been the same had these elements not come together to transport the viewer. In addition to the costuming and the set, the actors were very well cast. Each actor was in a role that fit them and they portrayed their characters very well. For example, the man who played Glen really seemed like a greedy Wall Street worker. The choreography was also well done. It fit true to the style of dance in the 1980s and added to the immersion experience. The only thing that could have made this experience better would be to add more music. This may just be a personal preference, but when I see a musical I like for the music to be central like it is in Hamilton or Les Miserables. However, this musical was very good and not much could be added to enhance the
The story identifies three characters; Sylvia, Sugar and a black woman Ms. Moore. Initially, Sylvia does not like Miss Moore as she believed she prevented children from having fun but in reality Miss Moore wanted to show them the real side of the life. So she organized a trip to F.A.O Schwartz. As the story develops the reader gets a glimpse of Sylvia “street smarts” and leadership role as they traveled to toy store in a cab. The group horses around the taxi while Sylvia is scheming a way to keep the money for herself. Miss Moore is aware of this when she gives them the money, lending the reader to believe this is all part of the lesson of the day. By doing this she is showing the children the value of money and work. When they arrive at store the lesson continues as they gawk at the toys in the window and find it hard to comprehend what kind of people have this kind of money to throw away on toys. The turning point occurs when Sylvia’s best friend, Sugar, questions Miss Moore about the fairness of people spending the same amount of money on a toy that some families would use for basic survival needs. This leads to climax where Sylvia confesses, “And something weird is goin on, I can feel it in my chest.” (Bambara, 653). this shows Sylvia’s feeling of betrayal by her friend along with the realization that she is right. The denouement is the last line of the story where she states , “but ain’t nobody gonna beat me at
In the story, Maggie is the younger sister and she got burn in a fire. Mama Johnson is the mother of Maggie. Maggie also has a sister name Dee. Dee has a problem. The problem is the she don’t know what is true representation of heritage. Dee is the only good educate from her family. Maggie didn’t go to school and she is very shy. Dee takes a friend name Hakim-A-Barber. Dee and hem are the black power movement. Hakim-A-Barber is very religious and he doesn’t what is true representation of heritage.
I went to see a Disappearing Number, in the Theater. The production was performed by Complicite and was directed by Simon McBurney. I really enjoyed this performance. I thought that the mixture of maths and romance as well as the structure of the performance by incorporating the past and the present together, was extremely successful.
However, overall, I really enjoyed the performance. Even as a Hairspray conniseur and snooty arts school student that I am, I thought it was fantastic. I am very happy for my friends and peers who put on the production, and I wish both the cast and crew good luck with the Schuler’s later this
The narrator of the story is a young, black girl name Sylvia and the story is also told from her perspective. The setting is not clear. Perhaps it started in Harlem and then to downtown Manhattan on Fifth Avenue and the time of the story took place is also unclear. Bambara uses a great deal of characterization to describe the characters in the story. For example, Bambara describes Miss Moore as “black as hell” (Bambara 330), “cept her feet, which were fish-white and spooky” (Bambara 330), and “looked like she was going to church” (Bambara 330). She later tells us that she’s been to college and her state of mind is she believes it’s her responsibility for the children’s education. The plot started when Miss Moore rounded up all of the children by the mailbox. Then she gets the kids in a cab and took them to Fifth Avenue to a big toy store where the rich people would shop. The story then continues with the children and Miss Moore in the toy store and the kids looking around and noticing they can’t afford anything. Which will soon end the plot with a lesson that society is not fair, “that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to purse happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it?”(Bambara 330). Hence, the lesson Miss Moore is trying to teach these
Introduction: In his 2021 song “Manifesto” featuring Domo Genesis, popular hip hop and rap artist Tyler the Creator raps about his experiences as a black man during the Black Lives Matter movement. The song opens with Tyler talking in a stereotypical “valley girl” accent, mocking performative activists who pressured him to be more vocal during the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. Then, he interrupts himself, going on to rap about topics such as cancel culture, performative activism, systematic racism, and Blackness as a whole. Given that it is an individual song, “Manifesto” can be categorized as a discrete text.