Almost, Maine

When I went and saw the play Almost, Maine there were a few a differences I realized when you see a live performance as in a play and from when you watch a prerecorded event or movie. But there is few of the same aspects because some of the elements needed in a live performance rather are live performer, live audience, and designated time and space. But the differences in movies are the facts the performers are not live. One difference is the atmosphere when you arrive at a theater for a live performance you are excited, energized and anxious. When you get to your seat you cannot wait for have butterflies in stomach even though you’re not the who is acting you know you can never know what exactly will happen when you see a live performance there is no way to see the exact same performance do to the live aspect of the play. Now at the play Almost, Maine by John Cariani it is a story that takes place in Maine in a somewhat of a small almost town like place. Therefore the place it takes place is call Almost because they refuse to come together to call themselves a town so Almost comes them almost being a town. There is a series of eight short scenes that make up the play which all take places on the same day I believe it is January 21 at 9:30 p.m. The stories are not really linked other than the fact it all happens in the same town Almost. Most of the scenes are about people who just meet falling in love, and friend’s finally confessing true love. In scene 1: Her Heart it is about a woman with an artificial heart coming to see the northern lights in Maine because she believes she can goodbye to late husband. In this scene Glory the actress is over animated and not very convening she makes you aware that you are watching a performance. A difference from movies is the fact that you get to see the stage getting set for the next scene it is experience you can only get from a live performance. In scene 4: Getting I Back when Gayle was arguing with Dave about having a the love she ever gave back she sits at the table says a few lines and get up but when she does the chair she was sitting in falls to the floor by accident Dave with an awkward facial expressions picks up the chair all while staying character. While in scene 6: They Fell when the performers where trying to kick the beer cans off the stage Randy one the performers kicked one of the a little too hard and it went off stage and almost hit an audience member in the leg. But Randy stayed in charter and continued with the scene but that is only something you can see in a live performance because it was an accident. This is just a few examples in the play Almost, Maine of real moments that distingue theater from a prerecorded movie.

Storytellers

 A peasant telling his masters children about the mysteries the savage ocean holds.

                           

Storytellers are part of variety entertainers. Storytellers can be found in mostly every culture worldwide and is past down from generation to generation. Stories have been around just as long as people have been alive. With storytelling came cultural and societal bonding. It was a way to educate, amuse, and pass on an experience in a person’s life. During the dark ages it was a way for the commoners who were illiterate could hear stories from the bible. It was also a way for Catholics to insure that the stories from the bible were told right to all Catholics. In the early Americas, many stories were recorded by Central American cultures in stone and on hides used as a form of paper. With these primitive forms that were not easy to distribute story were told and important news was spread word by mouth. Storytellers were a big part of the creation of Central America because when the Jesuits showed up there they felt all of the natives should be Christens. Most of the Catholics records of the culture of the Aztecs, Mayans, and related cultures were lost only what storytellers could remember was saved by telling everyone they could. Now we have a number of ways everyday people came be storytellers by stories we tell educate, amuse, and pass on an experience in a person’s life just like when it first started also we have comedians who entertain us.


                          A comdeian /  modarn day stortyteller Kevin James telling an entertaing stroy.



 

When you go and see a performance of a comedian / modern day storyteller can expect to be in a theater of some sort. Seats for the audience, a stage for which the comedian is on while telling his story / show, props might also be on stage but a lot of the time there is a small table with a cup or bottle of water on it for the comedian. A stool used for sitting or to help act out a part of a skit. Also in some way the performer will have a microphone on their body or in their hand so everyone can hear what is being spoken. Basically you just sit, watch and laugh as a storyteller gives you funny advice and entertaining stories about their life events or just funny stuff.

Here Kevin James is a clip from his "Sweat The Small Stuff" Comdey Central spot.


 

Work Cited

Essortment, Your Source For Knowledge. 2011. Demand Media.08 October,2011.
< http://www.essortment.com/history-storytelling-21197.html>

Kershner,Geoffrey."The Variety Entertainer", Dramatic Appreciation 02 Class. Daytona State College, Daytona Beach, Fl. 05 October, 2011.

MrMention3, "Kevin James- Sweat The Small Stuff Part 1 of 5 ", Youtube , August 20,2010, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwLFY5zStpg&feature=related.>

Rick Porter. "Kevin James Hosted Kid Choice Awards." Zap2it. 16 Febuary, 2010.Tribune Media Services, Inc. 08 October, 2011.
< http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/02/kevin-james-hosting-kids-choice-awards.html>

 "Storytelling". Wikipedia. 07 October,2007. Wikimedia. 08 October, 2011.
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storytelling.>

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

                                                                                    A float commonly seen in the celebration with
                                                                                           people dancing and celebrating there

Carnival was originated by a celebration that the Romans started called Saturnalia. An in this Roman holidays masters would release there salves and let them dress in their clothes, eat their food, drink their wine and the masters would act like a slave for that day. So now it is carried down though many generations, races, and cultures who have each added a little bit of what they feel is a break from a year of good behavior.





An example of the decidinet costumes used by peformers dance in on and around the floats.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro Brazil takes place in 4 days 40 days before Easter. Starting on Saturday and ending on fat Tuesday also when it comes to Carnival it is a way for Brazilians to celebrate their culture. It consists of interactive floats, performers dancing on the floats, performers acting in unison in all directions of the street around the floats.
Music coming from the floats, applause and singing along with music. Crowds pond crowds of people arm to arm huddled around the streets to the floats pass by. All being judged by the performances they put out, the design of the floats, the originality of float concept, costumes, and music. Each item listed has its own category so one winner is picked for each and the grand prize best in show wins a very hefty prize money.  



When you see a performance of Carnival in Rio de Janeriro some things to expect are to be standing somewhere in the Sambadrommo sound rounded by enthusiastic people. Loud music from floats and performers on the streets in and around the floats and the fans in the audience. A very festive live crazy fun party atmosphere, also judging of the floats on many characteristic some categorizes are is concept, music, performers, costumes, and float deigns. 



WORK CITED

Kershner,Geoffrey."Preformance Tradition", Dramatic Appreciation 02 Class. Daytona State College, Daytona Beach, Fl. 29 September 2011.

Luis Sergio, File:Carnival_in_Rio_de_Janeiro.jpg, Wikipedia, Feb.2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carnival_in_Rio_de_Janeiro.jpg.

Rio Carnival Serives, Lonely Planet, http://www.rio-carnival.net/

SacramentoSettler, "Carnaval in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil~ 2010! (Part One)", Youtube , March 18,2006, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIloGoP_FoA&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fpost-edit.g%3FblogID%3D2916422829275356042%26postID%3D5951892670915376477&feature=player_embedded.