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[ MUSIC ]
>> HELLO, AND WELCOME TO "TALKING POINTS."
I'M DAVE KELLY, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCED MEDIA PRODUCTION
AT CAL STATE, LONG BEACH.
TODAY WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE THEATRE ARTS DEPARTMENT,
AND IN PARTICULAR, A RECENT STUDENT PRODUCTION
AND ADAPTATION OF EDGAR ALLAN POE'S FAMOUS CLASSIC POEM,
"THE RAVEN."
MY GUESTS TODAY ARE TWO REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE THEATRE ARTS DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE ANNE D'ZMURA, THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND HEAD
OF DIRECTING FOR THEATRE ARTS; AND LIZZY FERDINANDI,
A RECENT GRADUATE OF THE THEATRE ARTS PROGRAM.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US ON "TALKING POINTS."
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND LET'S START THE CONVERSATION BY TALKING
ABOUT THE THEATRE ARTS DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL.
GIVE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MANY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING
ON IN THE DEPARTMENT AND, ALSO, GIVE US A SENSE
OF A GUIDING PHILOSOPHY
THAT MOTIVATES THE WORK THAT YOU DO THERE.
>> SURE. WELL, WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY ACTIVE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM,
AS WELL AS A GRADUATE PROGRAM.
AND OUR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM HAS THE GENERAL MAJOR,
AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL MAJOR, AS WELL AS PERFORMANCE EMPHASIS.
AND OUR GRADUATE PROGRAM HAS AN MFA, MBA IN MANAGEMENT,
MFA IN DESIGN AREAS -- SET, LIGHTS AND COSTUMES --
AND THEN AN MFA IN ACTING.
AND OUR MFA PROGRAM HAS A GRADUATE COMPANY, CAL REP,
WHICH IS OFF-CAMPUS AT THE QUEEN MARY.
AND THEN OUR UNDERGRADUATES, WE HAVE A LOT
OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING.
WE HAVE OUR MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS, UNIVERSITY PLAYERS.
WE ALSO HAVE THEATRE THRESHOLD, WHICH IS A COMPANY RUN
BY THE STUDENTS, AND THEY PERFORM A NEW PLAY EACH WEEK.
AND THEN WE HAVE STARTED A NEW COMPANY, EPIC --
EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNITY --
WHICH IS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM INTO THE COMMUNITY
AND A TOURING COMPANY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF STAFF AND FACULTY,
ALL OF WHOM ARE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD,
WITH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CREDENTIALS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC
FOR OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE, THROUGH THEIR WORK
AND BEING MASTER TEACHERS, THE SORT OF PROGRAMMING
AND EDUCATION THAT THE STUDENT GETS ARE --
IT'S REALLY TOP-NOTCH.
>> AND WHAT'S THE GUIDING PHILOSOPHY?
>> WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER IT'S GRADUATE OR UNDERGRADUATE.
BUT IN UNDERGRADUATE, IT REALLY IS TO TRAIN OUR STUDENTS
IN THE LIBERAL ARTS WITH AN EMPHASIS IN THEATRE.
THEY GOT ALL THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MOVE
INTO THE PROFESSION AND/OR GRADUATE SCHOOL.
WE'VE BEEN DOING AN AMAZING JOB GETTING OUR STUDENTS
INTO GRADUATE PROGRAMS.
YALE, NYU, CAL ARTS, COLUMBIA -- YOU NAME IT, THEY'RE THERE.
BUT ALSO TO TEACH THEM THE SKILLS THAT CAN BE TRANSFERABLE
TO OTHER PROFESSIONS, AS WELL.
AND THEN, WITH THE GRADUATES, IT IS TO PREPARE THEM
FOR THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD.
YEAH.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT LIZZY FERDINANDI,
SINCE SHE'S HERE TODAY.
AND LIZZY, YOU WERE THE FIRST UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
TO DIRECT A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION.
>> YES.
>> AND I WANT TO GO TO YOU FIRST,
AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO LIZZY.
BUT HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
GIVE US THE SYNOPSIS ON HOW LIZZY WAS CHOSEN
TO PRODUCE "THE RAVEN."
>> WELL, I'M A NEW CHAIR THIS YEAR, BUT I WAS CHARGED
WITH PUTTING THE SEASON TOGETHER,
WITH THE SEASON PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPRISED
OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS.
AND I'VE ALWAYS WANTED OUR DIRECTORS
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE MAINSTAGE,
BECAUSE IT IS JUST THE NEXT STEP FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.
AND WE HAD ACTUALLY SCHEDULED ANOTHER PLAY,
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHTS YET.
BUT WE WERE WAITING FOR THEM, AND LIZZY,
WHO WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS IN DIRECTING CLASS
AND HAD DIRECTED SEVERAL SHOWCASE PRODUCTIONS
AT WHAT IS NOW CALLED THEATRE THRESHOLD...
AND I WENT DOWN, ON A FRIDAY,
BECAUSE THEY HAD CHOSE THURSDAY NIGHTS AND FRIDAYS.
AND FOR SOME REASON, I DIDN'T PREVIEW IT.
I THINK I WAS OUT OF TOWN.
AND I WATCHED THE SHOW, AND IT BROUGHT TEARS
TO MY EYES FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE WAS BECAUSE IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL
AND SO CREATIVE AND SO IMAGINATIVE.
AND REALLY VERY MATURE, IN HOW SHE HAD WORKED WITH THE COMPANY.
AND ALSO BECAUSE IT REALLY SHOWED HER TRAJECTORY
THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
AND SO, I WENT TO THE SEASON PLANNING COMMITTEE,
AND I SAID, "LOOK.
THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT.
WE HAVE A STUDENT WHO IS READY."
AND SO THEN I GOT THEIR APPROVAL, AND THEN I SPOKE
WITH LIZZY, AND WE PUT IT INTO THE MAINSTAGE.
AND WE WERE JUST DELIGHTED.
>> LIZZY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK
AT A VIDEO CLIP OF THE PERFORMANCE.
BUT FIRST, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR MOTIVATION
AND YOUR INCENTIVE FOR PRODUCING OR DIRECTING THIS SHOW.
WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS EDGAR ALLAN POE POEM
THAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WANT TO PRODUCE A STAGE PRODUCTION?
>> WELL, I HAVE A STRONG BACKGROUND IN DANCE,
AND I KNEW AFTER DIRECTING SEVERAL SHOWCASES THAT I WANTED
TO EVENTUALLY DIRECT A MOVEMENT PIECE.
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO CHOOSE JUST ANY STORY;
I WANTED TO BE INSPIRED.
SO, I REALLY DIDN'T GO LOOKING FOR THE MATERIAL.
BUT ONE DAY, I JUST THOUGHT OF THE "THE RAVEN,"
AND I HAD STUDIED IT IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND I ACTUALLY KNEW MORE ABOUT "TELLTALE-HEART"
THAN I DID ABOUT "THE RAVEN."
BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE WORDS WERE STUCK IN MY HEAD,
AND I READ IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS GETTING ALL
OF THESE STAGE PICTURES IN MY HEAD,
AND I COULDN'T GET THEM OUT.
AND I JUST KNEW THAT I HAD TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> IT'S QUITE A VISION.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK NOW
AT A VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE RAVEN."
>> WELL, LIZZY, SHE'S UNIQUE IN TERMS OF HER COLLABORATION.
SHE'S VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS
AND WHAT EVERYBODY HAS TO GIVE.
SO, IN TERMS OF TELLING THE STORY,
I FEEL LIKE IT'S A COMBINATION
OF MY CHARACTER, AND ALSO WHO I AM.
A LOT OF THE DANCE PIECES, SHE ASKED FOR MY INPUT.
AND SHE HAD ME CREATE SOME OF THE THINGS I DID,
AND THEN SHE TWEAKED THEM.
SO, I FEEL LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MIXTURE
OF INTERWEAVING BOTH OUR INTERPRETATIONS,
AS WELL AS EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE SHOW.
[ MUSIC ]
>> ONCE AGAIN, THAT WAS A CLIP FROM THE STAGE PRODUCTION
OF "THE RAVEN," DIRECTED
BY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT LIZZY FERDINANDI.
LIZZY, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT CLIP, THERE ARE FOUR WORDS
THAT COME INTO MY MIND.
AND THOSE FOUR WORDS ARE "SOMBER," "INTENSE,"
"DRAMATIC" AND "PROVOCATIVE."
WERE THOSE THE KINDS OF EMOTIONS THAT YOU WERE TRYING
TO EVOKE IN THE AUDIENCE?
>> ABSOLUTELY, ALL OF THOSE.
BECAUSE I KNEW THAT, WELL, WHEN I READ THE POEM,
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WAS INCREDIBLY SAD.
BUT I FELT, IN ORDER TO GIVE A CONTEMPORARY FEEL TO IT,
I HAD TO ADD THAT SENSUALITY AND THAT ALLURE IN ORDER
TO FULLY MAKE IT RELATABLE TO THE AUDIENCE
THAT WOULD BE SEEING IT.
AND SO, I TOOK THE TRADITIONAL THEMES OF LOVE AND LOSS
AND GRIEF, AND I ADDED
THAT ADDITIONAL SENSE OF SENSUALITY AND...
ALLURE AND, YEAH.
>> THE DARK OBSESSION.
SO THIS REPRESENTS THE DARK OBSESSION
OF LENORE ONCE LENORE HAS PASSED, AND THEN,
THE RAVEN COMES IN AND MOCKS THE MAN,
WHO IS THE PERSON TELLING THE STORY.
>> YEAH, SHE'S ALMOST LIKE THE ANTITHESIS
OF LENORE, HER COMPLETE OPPOSITE, BUT ALSO,
FAIRLY SIMILAR IN THE MAN'S EYES,
AND THAT'S WHY HE'S DRAWN TO HER.
BECAUSE SHE ALSO GIVES HIM SOMETHING
THAT LENORE COULD NEVER GIVE HIM,
AND THAT'S WHY HE'S SO DRAWN TO HER.
>> RIGHT. AND APPARENTLY, THE AUDIENCE FELT THE SAME WAY.
I'VE GOT THE REVIEW FROM "THE DAILY 49ER,"
WHICH IS OUR CAMPUS NEWSPAPER HERE AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
AND CONTRIBUTING WRITER KATIE ANDERSON DID A REVIEW
OF "THE RAVEN," WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF,
BECAUSE SHE INTERVIEWED YOU AS PART OF THE REVIEW.
BUT JUST FOR OUR AUDIENCE HERE, KATIE WRITES,
"THE PLAY KEPT THE AUDIENCE ON THE EDGE
OF THEIR SEATS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE.
IT WAS ENTERTAINING FROM START TO FINISH AND EXTREMELY MOVING.
AND THE USE OF LIGHTING, MOVEMENT
AND COSTUMES HELPED CREATE THE ABYSMAL FEELING OF THE POEM."
I'D SAY YOU HIT A HOME RUN ON THAT ONE.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO GET A REVIEW LIKE THAT?
>> INDESCRIBABLE, REALLY, BUT I'LL TRY TO DESCRIBE IT.
SO REWARDING.
SO GOOD. I'M SO PROUD OF THE SHOW.
IT'S DEFINITELY -- IT IS THE HIGH POINT
OF MY UNDERGRADUATE CAREER.
AND WHEN YOU START OFF DOING A SHOW, ESPECIALLY ONE
THAT IS DEVISED AND ADAPTED, AT LEAST, WELL, FOR ME,
I REALLY DIDN'T SET OUT TO GET GOOD REVIEWS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I HAD IN MIND.
I JUST WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING.
I WANTED TO TELL THE STORY, AND GETTING THOSE REACTIONS
AND THOSE REVIEWS IS JUST ICING ON THE CAKE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEFT BEFORE WE HAVE
TO TAKE A BREAK, AND IN THE SECOND SEGMENT,
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS INVOLVED
IN PUTTING A PRODUCTION LIKE THIS ONTO THE MAINSTAGE.
BUT GOING BACK TO THE ESSENCE OF THE POEM, WHICH WAS WRITTEN
IN 1845, HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE A POEM FROM 1845
INTO CONTEMPORARY TERMS?
>> I WOULD SAY BY FOCUSING ON THE THEMES
THAT ARE MOST RELATABLE.
AND I THINK THOSE WERE LOVE, LOSS AND GRIEF,
BECAUSE EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO THOSE.
EVERYONE EXPERIENCES LOVE, AND UNFORTUNATELY,
EVERYONE EXPERIENCES LOSS, AND SO THEY GO THROUGH GRIEF.
AND SO, I THINK THE MAN'S JOURNEY IS SO RELATABLE
TO EVERYONE, AND IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE.
HIS, OF COURSE, IS A DARKER STORY
AND NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE MAY WANT FOR OURSELVES.
BUT IT IS RELATABLE, AND ADDING THE CONTEMPORARY MUSIC JUST
PULLED IT ALL TOGETHER.
>> AND WHEN YOU WERE IN THOSE DARK HOURS OF THE NIGHT,
WONDERING IF THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, WHAT WERE SOME
OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD, ABOUT MAKING THIS WORK?
>> WELL, SINCE WE HAD DONE THE SHOW BEFORE
IN A MUCH SMALLER VENUE, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS BEING ABLE
TO EFFECTIVELY TRANSLATE IT TO A BIGGER STAGE AND HAVE IT WORK.
BECAUSE I KNEW SOME MOMENTS, THAT I WAS REALLY ATTACHED TO,
I KNEW THAT THEY WOULDN'T TRANSLATE TO THE BIGGER STAGE
AND THAT THEY JUST WOULDN'T WORK.
SO, MY CHALLENGE WAS LETTING GO OF THOSE MOMENTS
AND CREATING NEW ONES OR SPECIFYING MORE.
AND THAT WAS A HUGE CHALLENGE, BUT ULTIMATELY MORE EFFECTIVE.
>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW,
BUT WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
AND STAY WITH US.
WE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE OF OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT "THE RAVEN."
[ MUSIC ]
>> YOU ALWAYS MADE SURE I BRUSHED MY TEETH.
>> YOU TOLD ME THAT SMART WAS COOL.
>> YOU ALWAYS TOLD ME TO DREAM BIG.
>> TO ALL OF THOSE PARENTS WHO TOOK THE TIME
TO MAKE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB,
WE'D LIKE TO SAY...
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANKS, MOM AND DAD.
>> THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE U.S. AIR FORCE.
>> ALL THE PREPARATION, THE TRAINING,
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS.
[BACKGROUND MUSIC]
>> TO BE A WINNING TEAM,
YOU HAVE TO WORK LIKE A WINNING TEAM.
>> WE HAVE A JOB TO DO OUT HERE TODAY.
>> SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S ABOUT MUSCLE,
BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT HEART.
A LOT OF HEART.
>> MY TEAM DEPENDS ON ME.
>> AND MY TEAM IS 50,000 STRONG.
[ MUSIC ]
>> LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF WORK'S GOING ON.
[ MUSIC ]
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> LET'S GO.
[CHEERING]
>> THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS TO BE PART OF A TEAM.
>> A WINNING TEAM.
>> THE ACTION TEAM.
>> ARE YOU IN?
>> ACTION TEAM!
ACTION TEAM!
>> GET IN ON THE ACTION AT ACTIONTEAM.ORG.
ARE YOU IN?
>> WELCOME BACK TO "TALKING POINTS."
I'M DAVE KELLY, DIRECTOR OF ADVANCED MEDIA PRODUCTION
AT CAL STATE, LONG BEACH.
TODAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THEATRE ARTS DEPARTMENT
AND SPECIFICALLY THE RECENT STUDENT PRODUCTION
OF "THE RAVEN," EDGAR ALLAN POE'S CLASSIC POEM.
AND OUR GUESTS ARE ANNE D'ZMURA, THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR
OF THEATRE ARTS, AND LIZZY FERDINANDI,
THE STUDENT DIRECTOR OF "THE RAVEN."
AND I WANT TO START WITH YOU, ANNE, IN THIS SEGMENT,
AND TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT TRACKING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A STUDENT'S PROGRESSION
THROUGH THE THEATRE ARTS DEPARTMENT,
BECAUSE LIZZY IS CERTAINLY A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
HOW DO YOU TRACK THAT PROGRESSION?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE BUILDING ALL THE TIME --
THE FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS --
BECAUSE WE HAVE CLASSES ALL DAY AND THEN MANY PROJECT
IN REHEARSAL DURING THE EVENING.
SO, THE FACULTY GET TO KNOW EACH
AND EVERY STUDENT REALLY VERY WELL.
IN THIS CASE, LIZZY IS A PERFORMANCE MAJOR
IN ACTING AND DIRECTING.
SO, SHE HAS BEEN TRACKED THROUGH THE PROGRAM
WITH THE PERFORMANCE FACULTY, THE ACTING FACULTY,
AS WELL AS MYSELF WITH THE DIRECTING.
AND LIZZY TOOK THE BEGINNING DIRECTING
AND THE INTERMEDIATE DIRECTING CLASSES
AND THEN SHE ALSO PROPOSED FOR OUR SHOWCASE,
WHICH IS OUR WEEKLY SERIES OF STUDENT PLAYS, WHICH I MENTOR.
SO, I GET TO KNOW ALL OF THE DIRECTORS REALLY VERY WELL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IS WE TALK VERY SPECIFICALLY
WITH THE WORK, ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND WHY AND WHAT DOES NOT WORK
AND WHY, WHICH IS PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL TOOL.
SO THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS EVALUATING
AND STRIVING TO IMPROVE THE WORK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT CAME ABOUT, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER,
WHERE I SAW THE SHOWCASE -- AND I WAS NOT SURPRISED.
LET ME SAY THAT.
YOU KNOW, LIZZY HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL TALENT,
AND SHE HAS A TALENT AS A DIRECTOR, AS A CHOREOGRAPHER,
AS A COLLABORATOR AND AS A LEADER.
SO, WHEN I SAW HER WORK IN "THE RAVEN," AS I SAID, I WAS TEARY,
BECAUSE IT MADE ME VERY HAPPY TO SEE HER SUCCEED IN SUCH A WAY.
AND WHEN IT MOVED TO THE MAINSTAGE,
SHE WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY
TO REALLY HAVE A FAR MORE INTENSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE,
WITH GRADUATE DESIGNERS AND FACULTY MENTORS FROM THAT AREA
AND OUR PRODUCTION MANAGER AND THE STAGE MANAGER.
SO, SHE REALLY HAD A FULLY REALIZED EXPERIENCE.
AND ONE THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT IT, IF I MAY,
IS TALKING ABOUT AUDIENCE REACTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ARE A LOT OF GE STUDENTS
WHO COME TO OUR PERFORMANCES AND THEN TALK
ABOUT IT AND WRITE PAPERS.
AND WE GOT SOME AMAZING PAPERS THAT WERE SHARED WITH ME,
TALKING ABOUT HOW THESE STUDENTS,
MANY OF WHOM HAD NEVER SEE THEATRE BEFORE, GOT IT,
WHEN THEY WERE WATCHING "THE RAVEN," THAT THEY WERE
SO EMOTIONALLY MOVED AND INVESTED IN THE WORK
IN A WAY THEY NEVER THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE.
AND SO, I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO LIZZY AND HER CARE
OF THE MATERIAL AND HER ABILITY
TO REALLY LEAD A COMPANY FORWARD.
>> AND LIZZY, AS THE DIRECTOR OF THIS MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION,
AS THE CLICHE GOES, "HEAVY IS THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE CROWN."
AND SO, YOU WERE WEARING THE CROWN FOR THIS ONE.
WHAT'S IT LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL THE DESIGNERS,
THE SET DESIGNERS AND THE COSTUME DESIGNERS
AND THE MAKEUP ARTISTS AND THE ACTORS, THEMSELVES,
AS WELL THE FOLKS THAT DO THE LIGHTING
AND THE MUSIC AND SO FORTH?
>> IT WAS DEFINITELY A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, OF COURSE,
BUT IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY.
BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO WORK ON MY COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
BUT WITHIN THIS PROCESS, I FELT LIKE I GREW SO MUCH,
BECAUSE I HAD BEEN SLOWLY LEARNING HOW TO DELEGATE,
TIME MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATION --
ALL THINGS THAT I STARTED LEARNING
WHEN I FIRST STARTED TAKING THE DIRECTING CLASSES.
AND I'VE BEEN SLOWLY IMPROVING AS I'VE GOTTEN MORE EXPERIENCE.
BUT TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE WHOLE TEAM,
I DEFINITELY HAD TO TAKE THE CROWN OFF AND PUT
LIKE MY THINKING HAT ON, TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE
WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS
AND TO GET US ALL THE SAME PAGE.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A CONVERSATION BETWEEN MYSELF
AND THE LIGHTING DESIGNER OR MYSELF AND THE COSTUME DESIGNER.
IT'S A CONVERSATION BETWEEN ALL OF US,
AS WELL AS THE FACULTY MENTORS AND ANNE
AND EVERYONE INVOLVED.
AND SO, IT WAS REALLY ALL
ABOUT GETTING EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE.
>> AND THE VISION IS YOURS.
THE VISION IS YOURS, BUT IT'S ALSO A COLLABORATIVE VISION,
BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE THE INPUT OF ALL THESE VARIOUS ASPECTS
AND THE VARIOUS ARTISTS THAT CONTRIBUTE.
SO, HOW DO YOU, WHEN YOU GET THIS TEAM TOGETHER,
HOW DO YOU GET THEM TO SEE YOUR VISION AND YET STILL SHOW
THAT YOU ARE OPEN TO THEIR SUGGESTIONS?
>> SOMETHING WE'RE TOLD A LOT IN THE DEPARTMENT --
AND I THINK IT'S SO TRUE --
IS HOW YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK IS THE WAY YOUR WORK WILL BE.
SO, WITH EXPLAINING MY ARTISTIC VISION TO PEOPLE,
I TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE AND AS PASSIONATELY
AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, WHEN YOU'RE PASSIONATE,
THAT IGNITES PASSION IN OTHERS.
SO -- AND I VERY MUCH THINK THAT WAS THE CASE WITH "THE RAVEN."
ALL THE DESIGNERS GOT ON BOARD IMMEDIATELY, AND THEY JUST
LIKE GOT IT, RIGHT AWAY.
AND THEY ALSO HAD THEIR OWN IDEAS
THAT EXPANDED ON MY OWN VISION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE LIGHTING DESIGNER HAD THIS CONCEPT
OF CREATING THESE TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS, WITHIN THE AUDIENCE:
LENORE'S WORLD AND THE RAVEN'S WORLD.
AND WHEN SHE TOLD ME THAT IDEA, I AUTOMATICALLY STARTED THINKING
ABOUT WHAT I COULD DO, CHOREOGRAPHICALLY, WITH THAT,
AND THAT FUELED MY IDEAS.
AND SO, IT WAS JUST AN ONGOING DIALOGUE,
AND WE ALL INSPIRED EACH OTHER.
>> AND YOU HAVE A BACKGROUND IN DANCE AND THE FACT
THAT THIS PIECE WAS HEAVILY CHOREOGRAPHED IS EVIDENT
FROM THE CLIP THAT WE SHOWED.
HOW DID YOU USE THAT TRAINING AS A DANCER
TO MOTIVATE THE ACTION ON THE STAGE?
>> WELL, I FEEL LIKE, IN DANCE AND IN ACTING,
YOUR BODY IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU CAN LIE WITH YOUR BODY.
YOU CAN LIE WITH YOUR VOICE, AND PEOPLE MIGHT NOT PICK UP ON IT,
BUT THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOUR BODY CAN LIE.
THERE'S TELLS.
SO I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING THEY DID HAD TO BE MOTIVATED.
IT HAD TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
SO, I REALLY STRIVED FOR THAT
AND HAVING EVERY LITTLE MOVEMENT BE MOTIVATED AND HAVE A PURPOSE.
>> WHERE YOUR PERFORMERS TRAINED DANCERS THEMSELVES?
>> SOME OF THEM WERE, AND SOME OF THEM WEREN'T.
BUT ALL OF THEM MOVED WELL.
MOSTLY, WHEN I WAS AUDITIONING, IDEALLY, I WAS LOOKING
FOR DANCERS AND MOVERS, BUT ABOVE ALL, I WANTED PEOPLE
WHO ARE COLLABORATIVE AND WERE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO EFFECTIVELY TELL THE STORY.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE LIGHTING SETUP BUT ALSO THE COSTUMES
AND THE PROPS AND SO ON.
THERE IS THIS KIND OF DARK INTENSITY TO EVERYTHING.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT DARK INTENSITY?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S WITHIN THE POEM.
AND IT WAS ALSO A COLLABORATION BETWEEN ME
AND THE COSTUME DESIGNER.
I FELT LIKE THE DARK COLORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE MOOD SO WELL.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE ENSEMBLE -- WE CALLED THEM "SHADOWS" --
THEY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO IGNITE THAT SENSE OF FOREBODING
AND FEAR, BUT ALSO FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND
AND BE ALMOST FLIES ON THE WALL.
AND THE COLORS DID THAT.
>> AND AS FAR AS WORKING WITH THE ACTORS, WHAT WERE ANY
OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU FACED
THAT YOU THOUGHT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT, BUT YOU WERE ABLE
TO OVERCOME IN WORKING WITH THE ACTORS?
>> I WOULD SAY JUST, AGAIN, MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD
WHERE I WAS COMING FROM.
BECAUSE SINCE IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT,
IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW MY VISION, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR OWN IDEAS, WHICH WAS VERY MUCH ENCOURAGED.
SO, I MADE SURE MY VISION WAS CLEAR TO THEM.
THEREFORE, AS THE PROCESS WENT ALONG, THEY WERE ABLE TO COME
TO ME WITH SOME OF THEIR OWN IDEAS
THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY OVERALL VISION.
>> AND AT WHAT POINT IN THIS PROCESS DID YOU KNOW THIS WAS
GOING TO WORK -- THIS PRODUCTION, THIS CHOREOGRAPHY,
THIS LIGHTING, THIS COSTUME DESIGN --
ALL OF IT IS GOING TO WORK?
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
WELL, I REALLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT WITHOUT TALKING
ABOUT THE SHOWCASE FIRST, BECAUSE WITH THE SHOWCASE,
IT'S LIKE A FOUR-WEEK REHEARSAL PROCESS.
IT'S VERY, VERY QUICK, AND THAT'S A SHORT TIME
TO GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS TOGETHER.
>> FOR OUR AUDIENCE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR AUDIENCE,
WHAT IS THE SHOWCASE PROCESS?
>> WELL, IT'S...
LIKE ANNE MENTIONED, WE'RE PUTTING
ON SHORT PLAYS EVERY SINGLE WEEK, AND EACH PLAY REHEARSES --
I THINK IT'S THREE WEEKS, AND THEN WE GO INTO TECH WEEK.
AND SO, OVERALL, IT'S LIKE A FOUR-WEEK PROCESS.
AND THEN WE PERFORM ON THURSDAY NIGHT,
AND THEN FRIDAY AFTERNOON, AND THEN IT'S DONE.
AND -- BUT YOU'RE STILL WORKING WITH DESIGNERS AND ACTORS.
AND IT'S ALL STUDENT-RUN.
BUT FOR "THE RAVEN," I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO WORK
UNTIL MAYBE LIKE THE TUESDAY OF OUR TECH WEEK.
BECAUSE WITH A DEVISED PIECE LIKE THAT --
WHENEVER YOU DIRECT SOMETHING, YOU'RE PUTTING
SO MUCH OF YOURSELF INTO IT.
BUT WITH THE DEVISED PIECE, IT'S YOUR SOUL.
AND I WAS SO AFRAID THAT IT COULD EITHER GO REALLY WELL
OR REALLY, REALLY BADLY.
BUT THEN I KNEW, WHEN I SAW ALL THE ELEMENTS COME TOGETHER,
THAT I HAD SOMETHING GOOD.
AND THEN WITH THE MAINSTAGE, AGAIN, I THINK I KNEW SOONER.
ONCE WE FINISHED BLOCKING THE SHOW, I WAS LIKE, "OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE DOING OKAY."
AND THE CAST WAS JUST SO GREAT THE ENTIRE TIME.
THEY WERE ALL SO POSITIVE AND COLLABORATIVE --
THE BEST PEOPLE TO WORK WITH.
AND THEY REALLY GAVE ME THE SENSE
THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO WELL.
>> DID YOU BRING THE SAME ACTORS FROM THE SHOWCASE
INTO THE MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION?
>> A MAJORITY OF THEM, YES.
AND THEN WE CAST FOUR NEW PEOPLE WHO INTEGRATED SO WELL.
IT WAS JUST THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
>> WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE,
TAKING IT FROM THE SHOWCASE IN A SMALLER ENVIRONMENT
TO THIS LARGER ENVIRONMENT?
>> I WOULD SAY THE -- FOCUSING ON THE JOURNEY OF THE MAN
AND HIS RELATIONSHIPS, BOTH WITH LENORE AND THE RAVEN.
BECAUSE IN A MORE INTIMATE SETTING, IT'S --
I WOULD FEEL LIKE IT'S EASIER,
BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE IS RIGHT THERE.
THEY CAN SEE THE SWEAT AND THE TEARS.
BUT IN THE STUDIO THEATRE, IT'S BIGGER, AND THE ACTORS NEED
TO PLAY TO MORE PEOPLE.
SO, WE REALLY HAD TO WORK ON SPECIFYING THOSE MOMENTS
AND DEVELOPING THE CHARACTERS,
SO THAT ALL OF THEIR ACTIONS WERE CLEAR.
>> WE'VE ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF TIME.
TIME REALLY FLIES WHEN WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS.
BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, LIZZY, FOR APPEARING ON THE SHOW TODAY
AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH "THE RAVEN,"
FROM SHOWCASE TO MAINSTAGE.
AND NOW YOU'RE A RECENT GRADUATE OF THE THEATRE ARTS PROGRAM.
SO, CONGRATULATIONS, AND GOOD LUCK IN THE FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> AND ANNE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
AND SHARING YOUR PERCEPTIONS OF LIZZY'S TRAJECTORY
THROUGH THE THEATRE ARTS PROGRAM.
AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
>> AH, WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON THE SHOW.
VERY MUCH.
>> MY PLEASURE.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
ON THIS EDITION OF "TALKING POINTS."
JOIN US AGAIN FOR OUR NEXT SHOW SOON.
UNTIL THEN, I'M DAVE KELLY.
HAVE A NICE DAY.
[ MUSIC ]