Class Project: interactive website by the MOMENT dramaturgy team

Director Kim Shively rehearses a scene from MOMENT. Photo by Tony Spielberg.

The dramaturgy team for Elon’s production of Moment, a contemporary Irish drama by Deirdre Kinahan, created this interactive audience guide as part of their dramaturgical work on the play. In addition to presenting research to the cast, trying out Irish recipes mentioned in the script, attending rehearsals to offer feedback as “first audience,” and creating a lobby display, the dramaturgy team of Mollie Richter, Maeve Riley, Gwen Rygg, and Georgia Smith also developed this website for audiences to enjoy.

Their website looks at the playwright’s influences, explores life in Dublin, and analyzes Kinahan’s script. The students interviewed the director and some of the cast and crew, created a fun “How Irish Are You?” quiz, and compiled musical playlists for the different characters in Moment. Check it out here: https://momentelon.weebly.com/

PARADE Talk on the Steps by Georgia Smith

Student dramaturg Georgia Smith reflects on the dark themes of PARADE in her Talk on the Steps at the McCrary Theatre, 27 October 2016.

Dramaturg Georgia Smith, who is a Drama & Theatre Studies and Communication Design double-major, discusses the power and danger stereotypes in her Talk on the Steps for Parade, 27 October 2016, at the McCrary Theatre. Georgia worked closely with director Catherine McNeela as they researched the historical narrative which Parade dramatizes–the case of Leo Frank, a Jewish man falsely accused of murder in 1913 Atlanta. In her Talk on the Steps Georgia explored the historical rise of antisemitism and reflected on her own identity as a Christian from Atlanta whose ancestors would have experienced  intensely biased newspaper reporting on the Frank case. Read her talk below:

Talks on the Steps for PARADE

 

Parade dramatizes the true story of the life and trial of Leo Frank, a Jewish man accused of the murder of a young girl in Atlanta, Georgia in 1913. Parade is a compelling and emotional musical that asks important questions about anti-Semitism, bias, and propaganda in the American South.

Each Talk on the Step engages with one aspect of the production—such as its history, relevance, or creative process—to provide audience members with extra insight into the performance.

 

Thursday October 27: Student dramaturg Georgia Smith, a Drama & Theatre Studies sophomore, will share her research into cultural bias, ethnic stereotypes, and the Leo Frank case

Friday October 28: Dr. Andrea Sinn of Elon’s Department of History and Geography will explore the history of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism in the United States

Saturday October 29:  Costume designer Jack Smith will discuss historic sewing techniques, and explain how issues of bias and stereotype informed his costume creations for Parade

Friday November 4: Professor Kim Shively, who teaches acting in Elon’s Department of Performing Arts, will explore how music is used to create cross-cultural and cross-racial empathy in Parade

Saturday November 5: Costume designer Jack Smith returns to discuss historic sewing techniques, and explain how issues of bias and stereotype informed his costume creations for Parade