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Thursday, May 01, 2008

Aria da Capo

Aria da Capo , a one-act play by Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay shows this weekend at First Baptist Church at 9th & Trinity at 8pm both Friday and Saturday nights.

It's my directorial debut. :)

So if you're in Austin this weekend, come check it out! The actors are great. The script is excellent and it's premiering in our new (under construction) Blackbox!!

Here's some pics to whet your appetite...







Written in 1920 as a response to the First World War, Millay’s Aria da Capo transcends time with its critique of division, greed, selfishness and denial. Modeled after the musical genre sharing its name, this one-act ends as it started, with its traditional Commedia dell' Arte characters, Pierrot and Columbine, indifferent and sarcastic, yet charmed by the world and each other. Corydon and Thyrsis, on the other hand, are more convicting characters. While at times they would like to return to living in community and harmony, they are forced back onto their respective sides by Cothurnus. Lest we give them too much credit however, once they discover ownership and possessions, be they material or essential, they need very little prompting to stay put and cling to what they foolishly believe is theirs alone. Millay chides her audience, us, too as we become participants in the play and turn a blind eye to the chaos that reigns. Indeed, the act has begun, under our feet! And the question remains, with this new knowledge, how will we play the play?

2 comments:

pitt said...

...this play sounds somewhat familiar...a society of wealth and privilege that ignores its "common man" fignting on the killing fields of foreign lands. Have a great opening night. I love the make up, costumes and comments.
Love you more,
Dad

Michelle said...

It was awesome! Everyone go see it TONIGHT!