An Actor's Perspective, Part 2

By Abram Yarbro and Holly Mancuso Microburst Theatre Festival opened last week, and it has been great to have an audience. As Lee Hall explained in an interview, "Whether you are a writer, or an actor, or a stage manager, you are trying to express the complications of life through a shared enterprise. That's what theatre was, always. And live performance shares that with an audience in a specific compact: the play is unfinished unless it has an audience, and they are as important as everyone else."

This week we're fortunate to hear from actors Clayton and Madison about performing and producing this show. "It’s week two of the run, and we could not be more excited to get back in the Margetts! Our names are Madison Dennis and Clayton Cranford, and we’re two of the actors in Microburst. Our fellow cast mates and good friends Emily and Cooper talked a bit about the rehearsal process and working with the playwrights, so we thought we’d share some of our experiences performing these ten-minute plays, thus far." [caption id="attachment_3632" align="aligncenter" width="493"]

Clayton Cranford and Madison Dennis[/caption] Clayton Cranford plays Evan in The Piano Room, Mr. Samson in Different But EquaI, Dad in Memory Jar, and Fletcher in D&D and the Big Date. Madison Dennis plays Mila in The Piano Room, Jeanne in Different But Equal, Stephanie in A Death in the Family, and Josephine in D&D and the Big Date. "One of the most challenging parts of performing in this production is moving from character to character. Not only does it take extreme focus to flip in and out of distinctly different characters in little to no time, we also have to deal with the technical aspects that go along with that: hair, make-up, clothing, shoes, accessories, and so on. Thankfully, the set list (or the way the shows were ordered) was done so each of us actors only have one show back to back. These quick changes require us to re-enter the stage with new clothes, hair, physicality (which can include vocal placement or dialect!) and frame of mind within a matter of seconds, minutes if we’re lucky. But the challenge is also what makes this production so exciting to be a part of; it stretches you as a performer. And talk about an adrenaline rush! [caption id="attachment_3637" align="aligncenter" width="3264"]

The Piano Room, the opening play in Microburst[/caption] And as wonderful as it is to perform these characters, and it really is wonderful, the most enjoyable part of being in this production has been working with such incredible people. Everyone involved with this production knows that it’s all about George. He’s been delightful to work with; he is incredibly supportive in his directing approach and makes what he wants very clear. Thanks to his leadership, everyone is on the same page, which saves lots of time and energy when tech week comes. The stage managers and dramaturgs have been just as wonderful to work with. The playwrights have all been incredibly supportive and giving. And getting the opportunity to work so closely with Emily and Cooper has been a blast. There’s been a great energy on this production from day one, and we believe that plays a significant role in any production’s success. We are very lucky to be surrounded by such talented, warm, giving people. We hope you’re able to come see us this week!" Make sure you get your tickets for Microburst, which runs through Saturday, March 14th. Check out arts.byu.edu for more information.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="376"] Margaret Roper[/caption] Margaret More Roper: Scholar and Daughter by Adam White, dramaturg Thomas More was a family man; he was married twice and had four children with his first wife, Jane Colt. After being married for six years, Jane Colt More died, leaving More with four children: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cecily and John. However, More quickly remarried to the widow Dame Alice Middleton, marrying her within a month of his wife’s death. While many of his friends resisted the rapid nature of the arrangement, More went through with it. Thomas and Alice More would raise the four children Thomas More had with Jane, as well as Alice’s daughter from her previous marriage and a foster daughter. Certainly, More valued his family and the welfare of his children. More also valued the power of education. He insisted that his daughters be educated through rigorous schooling, and this was unusual in 16th-century England, as society at large believed women unfit for scholarly pursuits. Despite cultural and institutional norms, Margaret More, the eldest of the More children (and More’s favorite, some would argue), would grow to become one of the most educated people in all of England, a woman of great scholarly knowledge. Margaret More Roper was tutored at home and became well-known for her studies, particularly for her adeptness in Greek and Latin. Her skill in writing and speaking Latin would impress the clergy of England. This specialty is reflected in a scene in Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons where Margaret and King Henry VIII engage in a bit of Latin language sparring. She would also become the first woman who was not of royal birth to publish a translated book. In October 1524, Roper published an English translation of a book called ‘Precatio dominica’ written by Thomas More’s good friend Erasmus. This book was based on the Lord’s Prayer. Instead of translating the book directly from Latin to English, Roper would use her extensive knowledge of both languages to construct the themes and the meanings Erasmus had written in to the treatise with her own words. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="291"] Erasmus, Dutch humanist and good friend to Thomas More[/caption] It was Margaret who would visit the imprisoned Thomas More the most often. They were very close, writing letters to one another regularly the duration of their relationship. It was in a letter to Margaret that Thomas More confided, “I do nobody harm, I say none harm, I thinke none harm, but wish everybody good. And if this be not enough to keep a man alive, in good faith I long not to live.” We have good reason to believe that Margaret More Roper very well understood what would be her father’s fate. After Thomas More’s execution, Margaret More Roper and her husband William Roper would continue to carry on his legacy in their own ways. William Roper would write the first biography of Thomas More, a glowing and gracious document that would influence our understanding of More’s personality for hundreds of years to come. Margaret More Roper actually kept her father’s head after his beheading, pickling it to preserve it from decay. While many of us may find that historical tidbit a tad macabre, I would like to believe that Margaret More Roper had deep admiration for her father; perhaps it was out of this feeling she kept his head. Please stay tuned to the 4th Wall Dramaturgy Blog to catch clips of my interview with Mallory Gee, the actress who will portray Margaret More Roper in BYU’s A Man for All Seasons. Bibliography: Abernathy, Susan. "Margaret Roper, Daughter of Sir Thomas More." Early Modern England. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2014. Duerden, Richard. "A Man for All Seasons." Telephone interview. 31 Jan. 2014. "Margaret Roper." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2013. Web. 02 Oct. 2013. "Sir Thomas More Quotes and Quotations." Sir Thomas More Quotes and Quotations. Luminarium. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.

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by Janine Sobeck, dramaturg Tech week is one of the most exciting moments in any show. It's the time when we get to leave our rehearsal room, move onto stage, and add all of the production elements. To help the actors adapt to all the changes we usually make a gradual transition. Pre-tech: While still in the rehearsal room, actors are given certain rehearsal props and costumes to help them in the creation of their characters. In the case of Princess Academy, all the girls were given rehearsal skirts and all the characters were given rehearsal books and and other items (such as the miri flower). We also added all of the instruments used in the show. Tech day 1: The first day of tech included adding the set and sound. One of the biggest changes for our actors is the ramps on our stage. They finally had the opportunity to climb the mountain! Tech day 2: It's time to add the props! In order to support Director Megan Sanborn Jones' vision of the show, prop designer Scott Jackson made all of the props out of paper, letters, and books. Tech days 3-4: This is what we call an "All Tech." The final elements of the show (lights, costumes, and make-up) are added into the mix. Day 3 is spent working through all the cues in act 1 and day 4 is spent working through act 2. Tech days 5-7: The time has come to run the show! These are our dress rehearsals, where the goal is to do the show exactly as if it was a real performance. This means starting at our normal curtain time and trying to never stop. The director, playwright, dramaturgs, and designers sit in the audience making notes about what is working and what still needs to change. At the end of the nights, the actors and designers are given feedback and we rehearse any moments that need some extra attention. Tech day 8: Which is today! Tonight is the time when we finally get to add the final element of the show: the audience! Our final day of tech is known as the "preview performance." Friends, families, and students are invited to see the show before we officially open. While we always reserve the right to stop the show if necessary (it is, after all, still a rehearsal), we hope that everything will go smoothly!

An Actor's Perspective, Part 2

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