Monday, November 10, 2008
Cultures collide with alcoholism, abuse and adultery in the University Theater’s production of the opera “Street Scene.”
Kurt Weill composed the opera based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Elmer Rice and used Langston Hughes’ poetry for the lyrics. The show opened on Friday and will continue Thursday to Saturday.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Jacquelyn Venetia Kelly as First Nursemaid, Charles Martinez as Sam Kaplan, Meaghan Dieter as Emma Jones, Chris McBride as Henry Davis, Luke Kanter as Grocery Boy.
The opera is set at the turn of the 20th century and centers on the relationships and scandals within a neighborhood of immigrants. The majority of the action surrounds two families. One family is torn apart by an affair while at the same time their daughter finds love in one of the other families.
Elliot Metz, Wichita sophomore, said the neighbors acted like a Greek chorus as they gossiped about what was going on with the other families.
“It’s kind of a warning tale of what JuciyCampus could have done to the 1910s,” Metz said.
The cast members range from children to doctoral students and come from theater and opera backgrounds. Metz said it was sometimes challenging to work with the children but that it helped keep the mood light.
“It kept us from ever getting too stressed out,” Metz said.
Because the characters in “Street Scene” represented a variety of cultural backgrounds, the actors had to learn to speak in different dialects and accents.
Most of the actors had to speak with a New York accent, but others had to learn Irish, German, Swedish, Italian and Yiddish dialects.
Paul Meier, professor of theater and film, trained the actors and said they had to learn to break the language down into signature sounds. Once they learned the pronunciation of the words, the actors learned the rhythm and melody of the language so they could apply it to English.
Meier said learning dialects and accents was different for everyone, but he said Yiddish was often perceived as most difficult because actors had to learn to trill some of their sounds.
For extra help, Meier produced recordings of the actors’ lines. He also created a Web site called “International Dialects of English Archive,” or IDEA, that contains about 1,000 recordings of dialects and accents.
In addition to mastering a Yiddish dialect, Metz had to master the movements of an older Jewish man. Although he is one of the youngest cast members, his character is the oldest.
Metz said it was challenging because he had never played anyone over the age of 30, but said it helped to use a cane in his scenes. To look the part, Metz must arrive 30 minutes before the other cast members so he can have his make-up done.
The show unfolds in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre. The cast acts inside a triangle in the middle of the stage and the audience sits on the stage outside the triangle.
Metz said having the audience nearby allowed the actors to gauge their reactions and made it so most of the male cast members didn’t have to wear as much make-up.
Tazewell Thompson guest directed the opera and said Weill blended European and American influences in his music. Blues, jazz, upbeat Broadway, Broadway ballad and the jitterbug are among the many styles featured in “Street Scene.”
“It’s a great eclectic score and every song and the orchestrations are brilliant,” Thompson said.
Meaghan Deiter, Sabetha graduate student, said the dialogue and English lyrics would make it easy for the audience to get engaged in the show.
“It’s kind of a good way to get your feet wet in Opera,” Deiter said.
“Street Scene” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday on Stage Too! in Murphy Hall. Student tickets are $10.
— — Edited by Ramsey Cox
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