Poetry Analysis 2

Question 3: Repetitions

   The world of poetry is mystery and beautiful. Poetry can express all the view from its author from its use of words. There are many ways for the author to use, the reputation of some words, sounds, and images are one of those methods. The famous American poet Emily Dickinson’s poem A Narrow Fellow in the Grass, the use of reputation describes a lively view of speaker’s backyard, where is a place for natures and purity.

   Looking A Narrow Fellow in the Grass all together, it has 6 stanzas, each stanza has 4 lines and there is only 1 sentence in the whole poem. It describes when the speaker sees a snake in her backyard and how she links this into the point of living with nature. This poem has a very significant setting, which it uses many dashes at the end of lines. It is an unusual way of writing poems but also becomes one of Emily Dickinson's symbol. Also, each stanza has a similar structure of “Long - Short - Long - Short” in length, where most of the stanzas have “8 - 7 - 8 - 7” in meters. Furthermore, the speaker frequently uses capitalize words to emphasize important feeling, as well as shows some signification of the meanings.

   In its first stanza, the speaker introduces the main character immediately, who is the “narrow Fellow”, a snake in her yard. Calling the snake as a "fellow" is the use of personification. Then there are many “s” sounds throughout the first stanza. Such as “grass”, “rides”, “notice”, and “is-”. This repetition of “s” is very significant that let me notice that its sound is to describe the sound of the snake. It is hard to notice at the first time reading it because reader shed thinks over the surface of the meaning of words. It is such as a clever way to describe the snake. Also, the repetition of “s” sounds also create a simple rhyme in the poem. Because of the poem does not have clear rhyme at the end of every sentence. In total, this repetition of sounds is very unique that make its special, thus succeeding highlighting the descriptions of the main snake.

Moving to the next stanzas, the repetition of “s” sound become more and more clear because there are more words with the sound. The words like “Grass divides as” has a continue three sounds, and there are more in the stanza. Even though having these repetitions in the poem, the speaker is still able to tell the movements of the snake. In the third stanza, the speaker describes the snake as “He likes a Boggy Acre-”, the using of “He” continues the personification in the poem. Following this, the author describes the speaker as “a Boy and Barefoot” which shows Emily Dickinson’s wish of being a boy. It was in the 1800s, a woman could have a lot of different treaty than men. And Emily Dickinson is a very independent woman who has a strong mind. Every word in the poem shows an important value for expression author's idea.

At the last two stanzas, the speaker connects the view of the snake with other animals, that expand the topic of the poem. There is still “s” sound repetition in the tantras, but it is not as significant as the formal stanzas. The speaker moves on to talk about her feeling, where is the phase of expressing emotion in the poem. She talks about she knows the animals in the yards, as well as they know her. Where she says “Cordiality”. Then she says she never scare of the snake to show her brave and a strong mind to face the challenges in the future.

In conclusion, I am very impressed by how Emily Dickinson uses repetition of sounds and telling her story in the same time in A Narrow Fellow in the Grass. The reputation creates a more lively view of the snake in sound. As well as let the poem stands out from others because usually poem uses repetition in words and images, to use it in sound is difficult. People say the best way to study a poem is to read it out loud, I can clear hear the snake’s “s” sound during this process which let me have more interesting. Behind the surface of the poem, I can feel some of the desire from the post, who is strong but also hope to be seen as equal in life, which let the reader think a lot.

Poetry Analysis: Blood

   “Blood is thicker than water.”  I believe there is always a connection between families, and these connections make the family unique. The blood flows from ancestors, to parents, and to children. The blood passes the culture of the family from a generation to the next generation. Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem Blood expresses the unstoppable flow of blood through the people, that remind the people where they belong and guide people to their future.

Blood tells a story between the father and the narrator in 5 stanzas. The first stanza has 4 lines with 2 sentences. The narrator listens to her father about “A true Arab”. This appears in the first lines that show its importance to the whole poem. Mrs. Nye shows her strong emotions to her origin country a lot in her poems. So when I read this first lines, I can clearly feel the emotion from her to her country. This emotion is passed from her father, which the poem mainly force to discuss. Then the second sentence, the father captures a buzzer in his hand, this does not kill the buzzer. Connect this with the first sentence, I understanding that the father tries to show the blood of a true Arab person, who does not kill innocence, to his daughter. The spirit of “A true Arab” is adapted from peasants to children.

The second stanza is the extension of the first, it tells 2 more example of “A true Arab”. Specifically, it tells the palms and a belief of watermelon. These stories sound like fairy tales to me, but for the narrator, they are what she believed because she is an Arab. These 2 stanzas introduce the concept of “A true Arab” for the reader. They are shorter than the later stanzas and in a more simple form of A-B-B-A and A-A-A.

Then there is a flashback to a childhood memory in the third stanza. There are 8 lines with 4 sentences in the stanza and tells a neighbor girls comes to see the Arab. But the narrator did not realize what is an Arab, so she answered “we don’t have one’. This targeted the father talks about their names, “Shihab” which means” shooting star”. This is maybe the first time the father talks about their blood to the daughter. The father taught the girl about their culture, where they come from and where their ancestor lived. It is also the place their blood come from and can be traced back to. The story of their name symbols the connection between the generations that link people together into a family.

The last two stanzas tell about the latest story that a Palestinian been attack. In the first sentence of fourth stanzas, the narrator uses “clot in my blood” to describe her feeling at the moment. This expresses her sadness to the victim and shows an extended idea about blood. Blood can symbol more than a family, but also a large group of people in one culture. The narrator grows up from the innocent girl to a mature woman who recognizes those other people from their region as her family. The poem shows the narrator does not live in her old country. At the end of the fourth stanza, the narrator questions “What flag can we wave?” to show her struggle between her blood and the new land she lives in. It is a realistic question that many immigrants have, and this pushes the poem to a highlight, that an outbreak of the homesick from the blood. The last stanzas follow this story, which tells what the father reacts to the incident. The father shows furthermore sadness to the news. As a parent that closer to the origin, father apparently show his care to his people. The father also shows his struggles like the daughter, that “neither of his two languages can reach it”. As a stranger in another land, immigrants always see their origin people as the same blood because this blood connects them together to where they belong. Lastly, the narrator questions the world, to persuade an equal world to the different region of people.

In conclusion, many young forgets their origin, their family, their blood. Like what the narrator show in the poem Blood. There are a lot of repetition of “True Arab” in the poem, which reminds me all the time about how loyal the narrator is to her blood. Poetry is hard, but it is so beautiful when it shows its meaning. Blood is what connects ancestors, parents, and children, and blood reminds people where they belong to.

MLML Staging Proposal

   Everyone has his or her own understanding of the ending of My Love My Love, which it tells a story with many dualities. There are the rich grand home and poor peasants, the gods and the people, and the love between Daniel Beauxhomme and Ti more. When I read the book, I am curious about why Ti mount and Daniel could not be together. I think this is a mystic the author left in the book, which for every reader, there is their own answer for it. So I want to stage the story of My Love My Love that shows all those dualities, and all the controversial information the book gives to me. Thus left the same curious I had when I finished the book to my audiences, I want them left out the theater with all their imaginations about the play.

Firstly, there are many possible answers for why Daniel chooses Andrea instead of Ti Moune. From Ti Moune’s perspective, Daniel like suddenly changed a person that forget all those time he spent with Ti Moune. On the other hand, the book brief tells about how Ti Moune enjoys the wealthy life in the hotel that actually bring her many inspections. Because Daniel does not have the memory when Ti Moune saves him. This is one of the major qualities I want to show on stage. On the surface, the play will tell exactly how the story goes. Especially I will focus on portraying the happy scene between Ti Moune and Daniel. There will be bright lights, that provide a happy mood on the scene. The happier those seven looks like, the more shock and impression the audience will have when they see the following scenes. During that happy scene, I will put signs for the future tragedy on stage securely.

For example, Ti Moune changes her cloth and make-ups in the book, which she changes her peasant cloth into the lady’s beautiful dresses. On stage, It will be different to changes the dresses quickly, so there will not be many dresses for her to change. I will force on the different between the peasant cloth to the lady’s dress. In detailed, Ti Moune would have a dirty, brown, broken cloth with patches on it before, then when she is accepted in the hotel, she changes into a fabulous white dress like a goddess. Besides this dress, there will be many other dresses, and jewels on stage as props. I want to use those extra dresses and jewels to show Ti Moune actually spend much money on the hotel, like what the book described as the designers came to the Hotel to dress her. Those can slightly show there is the difference between rich and poor, then shows is a boundary between Ti Moune and Daniel. Audiences might not notice those things at first, but after the show, they will remember those details thus help them to finished their imaginations. In total, those differences can make audiences get more involved into the story by thinking deeper about Ti Moune’s life, which I want to show the controversial characteristics.

For the whole show, I like to show the differences in the settings of clothes and lights. There will be a clear difference between the peasants and the grand home. For the character’s clothing, the peasants will have simple design clothes, maybe just made up by a couple of fabrics, with dirty mud like brown color on it. Then the grand home will have well-designed clothes, that can have many decorations on them and clean suits and dresses. This can let audiences know the boundary I like to show as well as identify the character better. Also, the lights can create the difference by changing into different colors in the different scene. For peasants village, the light will be darker, like shadowed around them, to show their poor life. The grand home's hotel will have very bright lights to show the fancy of the palace as well as they have a better life.

In my view, My Love My Love presents an attractive story that can let people think a lot, and it is not a simple love story. So I will stage it in deep and serious. My goal is to bring people the dualities of the story, how were those boundaries between different levels of characters. In addition to this, I like to left out the mysteries of Ti Moune and Daniel by showing one side of their happy time, and a third person’s view from an outsider’s perspective. If the audiences can leave out with many different ideas about Ti Moune, that will be my success.

In Class Writing 4.14

          Ti Moune is a person with dualities, she lives in the village, but she always dreams to live in the city. In this way, she is an outsider in the village, so her costume will be similar to the normal villagers in outlook, but has many differences in details.
          Firstly, I think the normal villager will dress simply. Their cloth will in brown colors, like having mud from the farming. Because the villagers are the poor people, their dress will not be fancy, the made-up for their clothing will be cheap cloth material. Their clothes will not look comfortable to wear, but suitable for farming in the lands. To indicate the poor of them, there can also be some patches on their cloth.
          On the other hand, Ti Moune should have a similar dress like villagers. But she has a dress which other women in the village does not.  One thing I like to make Ti Moune difference is by letting other village women wear pants which will help them in farming, but let Ti Moune wearing a dress. This can show how Ti Moune dislikes the basic life in the village and show her desire of having a better life. Also, Ti Moune's dress will have pitches, but those pitches are decorated by Ti Moune which looks more natural and good looking. I want those pitches to show that Ti Moune spends some time in thinking to make herself different from others. This fits with the book that she has the desire to be beautiful and leave the village. The overall color of Ti Moune' dress will be similar to the villagers, which will have a brown color and looks dirty. This will show Ti Moune is actually one of the villagers, whatever she does to changes the details like her outlook, the inside of her will still be a poor peasant. Lastly, there can be some symbol of the butterfly which also indicate Ti Moune' desire on her dress.
           In conclusion, the main idea of Ti Moune's dressing will show her desire. Showing she has a similar outlook of cloth with the villagers but has differences in detail will be a good idea. Especially for the audiences, it is easier to Ti Moune has a dress which different from other villagers.

MLML Quiz 1

My Love My Love has a great story in the first 5 chapters, it introduces an island where full of dualities. There are poor peasants on the island as well as rich grand hommes. The main character Ti Moune is not satisfied with her positions and dreams to chase a better future. During chapter 4, Ti Moune takes good care of the injured grand homme Daniel. Ti Moune prays for his health, faced the dangerous Papa Ge, and willing to give everything for her love. These let the scene has an important symbolism for the entire story that indicated Ti Moune’s love and starting the controversial relationship between the Ti Moune and Daniel.

Firstly, chapter 4 is all about how Ti Moune takes care of Daniel and saves him from dangerous. For the entire story, this sets up all the following stories of the relationship between Ti Moune and Daniel. This scene is also very dramatic, there is a storm that destroyed the village, Ti Moune stands back for Daniel against all the villagers and faces the god of death Papa Ge’s visit. All those are wonderful material to create a good scene on stage. More importantly, this scene connects with following scenes from chapter 5 to 9 closely. Because Ti Moune does so much for Daniel in the scene, she believes that Daniel meant to be together with her and starts the journey to the city. It also gives a close look at the characteristics of Ti Moune, who is an ambitious girl. She desires for a better life, and to be love with a grand homme. She can sacrifice everything for achieving this goal. Like she prays for the gods for saving Daniel at the beginning, insists saving Daniel against villagers, and swears to give out everything for her love at the end. Especial the lines she says “I swear I shall give my soul for the life and happiness of my love - my love!” It not only shows how determined she is but also referenced with the title of the book. These let me pay attention to the scene and believe this is one of the major scenes in the story.

As such a scene with so many things to tell, it is so interesting for me to think about its staging. For the beginning of the scene, I will open most of the lights on stage, and let Ti Moune and Daniel sit in the middle. This is when Ti Moune helps Daniel in her place. Then when the storm comes, the lights will fade out to darker. There will be several spotlights shining to the stage with bright white light in a short time period, this will make the expression of the lightning of the storm. There will also be running sound at the back, with villagers shouting. Then the other characters like Mama Euralie enter into the hut. The whole stage will look very dark compared to the beginning, with all the lightning, raining sound and villagers screaming, this will create a dangerous amorphous on the stage. All this fit with the dangerous Daniel faces on stage. The staging also set for the coming of the deadly Papa Ge. The god of death enters with the darkness, lighting and ready to take Daniel’s life. Just like a phantom. In such a dangerous situation, Ti Moune says her lines of “my love, my love”. I like to rise up the emotions from this scene and let the audience to think deeper about the character of Ti Moune and bring them really into the world of My Love My Love.

The Broadway shows really open my eyes that they tell my staging is so helpful that a good staging can advance the story so much. I chose this scene from chapter four because of its great symbolism as well as I have a clear picture of my heart that this scene can be so shocking and impressed the audiences. Never satisfied with staging.

In Classwriting 4.10

During the conversation of Ti Moune and M. Bienconnu, it shows how Ti Moune is separated from the villagers. Ti Moune wants to chase her love, who is a grand homme Daniel and lived far away in the city. M. Bienconnu does not think they can be together and tries to explain their difference to Ti Moune. He says that "To be tranquil, one must hang one's hat where one can reach it. Keep one' heart where one can feel its beat." He explains that Ti Moune and Daniel are so different, between them are not only the far distance of road the but also the far distance of social level. Just like the history of the island before, which a peasant girl fall in love with a grand homme, the enddning is not good. Like he says later that "History cast our fate in stone." M. Bienconnu want to warm Ti Moune that she is chasing something she can not every touch.
On the other hand, Ti Moune can not listen to anyone and think clearly. She really fall in love with Daniel and determined her mind. She thinks that she is able to change her fate because she does that for Daniel. She believes that she has come through from the storm and she only has those dreams to support her in life. She still think that she can be love with Daniel. And this show the dualities between Ti Moune and communities of the villagers.
At the end, even though M. Bienconnu failed in stopping Ti Moune from leaving, but his word does claim her down and let her go to talk with Mama Euralie.

MLML Notes & 5 senses

Oral Presentation Reflection

The oral presentation is a hard challenge for me, I have a lot of pressure but also excited about talking my performance experiences. I am proud of myself that I finish a beautiful performance. I know the oral presentation will be long and my speaking English is not good, so I prepared a lot for the presentation and tried to be claimed during the speaking.

Before the presentation, I listen to other people’s presentation and me, learn from them a lot. From those presentations, I understand the basic structure of the presentation and have a rough draft in my mind. Then I wrote out a draft and received several advices. After all of these, I start writing down important points from my presentation. I know that it will be hard to remember all those points during the presentation, and those note cards help me lot. During the presentation, I was nervous. I try to calm myself down, but just like during the performance, when something goes slightly wrong with my note card, I automatically want to restart. Sometimes, my pronunciation of some words goes wrong. Then I get more nervous. But thanks for the note cards, I know what I am going to say, which help to reduce my nervous.

For a brief moment, I find myself really enjoy the presentation, where give me a chance to talk about my work. I make a clear explanation of my actions, which is the main force of the presentation. I am glad that I remember to connect the lines from the original story to my presentation. Those examples provide good reasons for my actions on stage and make the presentation more believable.

This presentation gives a great chance to talk about my reflection to the performance, as well as think for the teachers and my classmates’ help during the performance. I also learn how to prepare for a presentation, that making note cards is such a great idea. In conclusion, this oral presentation I also a great experience for me to learn and improve.

Oral Presentation Draft

   Edwidge Danticat’s Krik? Krak! shows the difficulties of many Haitian faced in their lives. One of the challenges is about immigrants to or their country. As it is shown in the story Children of the Sea, a young boy is on a boat going to America, and the girl who he loves is staying in Haiti. Both of them imagine they have each other to talk with and to start writing letters to record their lives. (Intro)

The story deeply attracts me at the beginning. It is a very dramatic story with a lot of information that needs reader to explore beyond its surface. I see those illegal immigrants on the boats with the boy, all those people have their past, which forced them to leave their country. Considering the background of the story, when Haiti was under dictatorship. I understand that for those people, their lives in Haiti was hopeless, so they want a new life. So those brave people left their country to America, through the bad pass on the sea. From the boy's’ letter, the writer describes the actions of the boy, the story of some passengers, and how the boy think in his mind. These expressive the despite those illegal immigrants without saying directly, which bring me more impressions. The story also tells about the other people who stayed in Haiti through the girl. The girl witness how to crush the dictatorship brought the country into. She saw the violence of the solder wand the powerless of ordinary people like her. Staying or leaving is always a hard question for those people, the story shows the two different kinds of chose to express the hard condition for Haiti. This impressive me a lot, and I feel confident to adapt this story into a performance. (Summary of original story)

This story Children of the Sea has great concept inside, but my partner and I do not satisfied with only performing it. We decide to change the setting of the story from Haiti to North Korea and let the character grows up. We want to present a different story that has its highlights to interest audiences. The concept of Haiti and North Korea is very similar, which both of the countries were under dictatorship and its people were struggled to decide leave of stay. Changing the setting to North Korea also let our story seems more interesting to play. I act the role of the boy, who grows up, married with the girl become a father. The second main point of our performance will be how the character extends from the origin story. It is interesting to continue the story and bring new views to the original story. (Summary of the adaptation)

In the performance, I use my expressing in the school threaten to create the stage, blocking and the lights. We use pictures and background Music to help to tell the settings. For example, the King Zen-un’s picture, the national song of North Korea. Moreover, I use two spot lights to force the character when they are writing their letters. The letters with the spot lights create the finest expression that I looked for. It fits with the story and brings audiences into the deeper level of the character's mind. (Setting, blocking for performance)

The final performance goes on smoothly. My partner and I were familiar with the story and knew what we should do on stage. But I was nervous on the stage and forget lines very often. So I force on remembering the lines more than living as the character on stage. I notice that there are moments that my character breaks up on the stage. But one thing that I am very proud of myself is there was a whole line that I forget, but I push myself to say some words that my character would say. Like “this is for her to have a better life” and let the conversation continues. It is a great save in my mind, and I find the moment the most successful as acting the character on stage. (Value the final performance)

It is a very meaningful experience for me. I learn a lot throughout the princess, and I enjoy the time I have with my partner and all my classmate in the theater. There is a long way to go to reach professional acting; I am glad that I try my best to bring out an excellent performance.(Conclusion)

Reflection on IA

   In the performance, I and my partner Marinda adapted the story Children of the Sea from Edwidge Danticat’s novel Krik? Krak!  The whole production was done in nearly a month by us. We made out the scripts, decide about the setting, lighting cues, sounds effects, props and blocking. To make a performance from beginning to the end is an unforgettable experience and I enjoy it a lot. In this performance, the story shows its unique and interesting, the setting fits with the story very well and my acting achieves the basic requirements for the story, but it still needs many improvements in lines and expressions.

   Firstly, a good story is the basis of every good production, so in my group, we spend a lot of time in making our story. I like to performing a unique story that different from other groups, which will be more interesting for people to see. So we change a lot of detail setting in our story. For example, we change the place from Haiti to North Korea and set the boy and the girl becomes father and mother, who wanted to escape to South Korea to see their daughter. North Korea is very similar to Haiti since they both are under a dictatorship and people are suffering. And the characters Father and Mother show the extension of the Boy and Girl from the original story. In this way, our story is not simply copied the story from the book and perform it. Our story has all those new contacts and can attractive people.

Secondly, the setting like props, lights, and sounds help us to create the world we want, then the audience can understand our story better. Many feedbacks from my classmates tell me that even though our story seems interesting, it is hard to understand. So in our final performance, I print out the flags of North Korea and South Korea, as well as a picture of Kim Jong-un. The flags can help to show the places of the scene, and the Kim Jong-un's picture can attractive audience’ attention very well. Then we also add the national song of North Korea and South Korea during scene changes. All these can help to explain the story better. Furthermore, I use my experience in our school theater as a light designer in creating lights cues for our scene. For the first scene, where it is in characters’ home at North Korea, I use darker lights in a small area to show the depressed of North Korea. During the second scene, when the father and mother read their letters, I use spot lights forced on them. The spotlights really make the scene look beautiful that it show the lonely of the characters when they are escaping and the emotions.

Lastly, acting is the center of the performance. We know there is less action in our story because we force on monologs, so we add the first scene when the father and mother can have more interactions. For example, actions like waving my arms, drinking teas, and moving my body forwards. I try to not just sit in the chair and say the lines, so I do those actions pairs with the lines. I also add some actions during the monolog. I sit on the bench at the first letter, then I stand up, and sit down on the ground lastly. Those positions match up with the emotion of my character and help me to create my character clearly. After all, the title acting of this performance goes smoothly and pass the basic requirements for the story.

But I still need to work on the action parts more. I did not get used to on stage, so I was very nervous during the final performance. Then I could not speak out my lines clearly and loudly. Also, I did not remember my lines perfectly, so sometimes I have to pause and remember the lines. More importantly, even though I add more actions, there are still many awkward moments in the performance when there are no actions of the character. I set myself free a little during this performance, but it is not enough to become the character itself. I think this will make my performance less emotion and harder to impress audiences. Acting more freely with more emotion will be my next goal in performance.

In conclusion, I am glad that the overall performance went smoothly and tell the story, and I will keep working on my acting to show a more real character on stage. The progress of making this performance is such a great memory of me and I am so happy that I can help with my classmates in their performance as a light designer. It is a great high school memory!

School Of Rock

I have too much to say about our winter musical performance, School of Rock. I, as well as many other people in the theater, have seen the play from the beginning to the end. Almost every day in the past few months, all I think is about the play. I have no words to describe how excited and proud I was when the final show was done. I am so proud of everyone in the theater and so happy to be in the band!

First of all, this shows really attractive many people. I’ve so many accomplishments from my friends, classmates, and teachers. The story of it is set up for leading people to get more and more into the world of rock. I see so many rehearsals, and every time the story bring me different inspections. The story increases the heat steps by steps. Act 1 is the introduction, it tells the world of the play and shows many good songs like “When I Climb To The Top Of Mount Rock” and “You’re In The Band”. When the songs let the audience enjoy the play, the Act 2 will certain surprise all audience with better songs in a deeper concept. The last music “Stick It To The Man” is definitely the highlight of the whole show. I like the way the story sets conflict in Act 1 like Dewey to pretend to be Ned so she could get the money to pay rent, and how the parents give their pressure to their kids. And these conflicts all show up in Act 2, which bring the show into a deeper concept. If Act 1 is a fabulous rock show, then Act 2 let people know what is behind the rock. Like Dewey says, rock is all about stick it to the man. We all have a difficult sometimes, and rock is one of the many ways that can set us free. After knowing those, when everyone is singing “Stick It To The Man”, it is the moment that moves everyone in the theater. It is an amazing performance.

After all those rehearsals I have seen, I understand the show very much. So I have many ideas about the light designs. The main purpose of all the lights is to support the actors on stage. I want to use my lights to decorate them, and through this, to bring audiences into the story. The lights for the songs come from what show up in my head when the actors are singing. When the children sing “If Only You Would Listen”, the theme should be soft and bright color. So I use light blue for the song. Besides this, I learn many design techniques from the original play on Broadway, as well as Hamilton which also bring me huge implications. If those lights help to create the mood of the show, and audiences feel comfortable with the designs, there nothing I could ask for more.

School of Rock is so successful that I hear people talk about it all days! Its success comes from all the actors, crew member, and teachers. I can not image how hard Lexi works to remember the lines and practice; Cherry, Amy, and Yichen work so hard for the scene change (Yichen moves the coach THREE TIMES !!!); how Jack-Jack helps me come through the technical difficulties; and all the time our teachers spend on us. It is the most precious experience of mine!

Feedback

   It is always interesting to work on my and Marinda’s performing. I find myself always learn something from every practice, feel happy to hear good things about it and want to advance it all the time. After the first run through of our scenes, I am glad that so many people give me so many good advice.

Firstly, all the feedbacks talk about they can not hear the lines clearly. I should definitely talk louder. I think our story is set up very well and very creative, so it is a huge waste if the audiences get confused about the setting because of the voice. Like I see all days in our theater program, using a stage voice is one of the most important things. When I was reading one of my letters, I try to raise up my voice for a few second. It is too short for notched, but still, it gave my brave to speak out more. To speak louder can bring me into my character better and actually live on the stage.

To speak louder can also express more emotions of my character, which also everyone talks about. This performance is only our first run through in front of the class, but still, I should be more into the story. I understand that to read the script is not attracting to the audiences, and can not tell the story better. During our first scene, when my character, the father is arguing his decision with Marinda, I can definitely rise up the voice and shout out the lines. It will make a big impaction to audiences, like Peter Deng doing in our musical. There is a disagreement between the characters at scene 1, shout out the line like “You don’t understand!” can show more dominate of character.

The next is about our blocking, which both of us know even before our performance, that it will be our weak part. Because the main scene, which is adapted from Children of the sea, is writing letters between the characters. It does not have a lot actions in the original story. This is why we add the first scene, not only explain the setting but also gives us some chances to do more interactions. I know I spoke too much in monotone in the performance, so to practice with interactions will be our next step. The scene 1 can be like the bar scene of our musical, which I and Marinda can sit more closer, and face toward the audiences more. Then during the letter scene, I can sit on a chair, lie on the grand to show I am on a boat. Also, add some explanation about it to make it more clear to audiences. And also think more about actions that fit with lines, like the character talk about the sun on the sea, so to pretend sweating is definitely a great idea.

With more actions, speak loud and clear, we can show the advantage of our scene more. Like many people talks about that our scene has a very creative setting, which set up the place in North Korea. This brings us difficulties like explaining, but it shows a totally different perspective of the story. We also let the character grow up more, which they are married and have children. All those expensive from the original story make our story very original. For me, to act out such an attractive story is also an interesting experience.

After all, there is no way to do a good performance without endless practice. With all those feedbacks, I know what can I advance in the future. I learn many performance techniques from our winter musical, I just did not notice them before. So I will bring those experiences into the future practice and let my audience enjoy the performance.

Performance Script

Scene 1: In the living room. There will be two chairs, a table, and two triangles for background with poster of Kim Jong-un

(Light on)

F & M: Long live for Great comrade Kim Jong-un

F: There are nothing changes in our life at North Korea. The life is colorless.

M: People believe they are living happily under Kim Jong-un, but actually we lost our freedom already. Just like how we lost our daughter.

F: We did not lose our daughter, she is ……

M: Do you know all these days, all I think about is our daughter. I wonder is she having a good life in South Korea or not? She was so young when you send her out.

F: She was the treasure of us. The colorless life becomes colorful for me because of her. But the world outside of our country is much better for her to grow up.

M: I don’t understand! Was it better for her to live alone in another country?

F: I know it would not be easy to her! But you don’t know about outside. Beyond the mountains of mountains, there are big cities with giant buildings, children learn real knowledge at schools and their lights shining up their whole city during the night. She would have a better life at South Korea!

M: Again! Those things you heard about from your illegal radio.You graduated from a college! Why you believe that thing?

F: My College let me know there is a better world outside. And that’s why I sent our daughter out with all our money, she deserves a better life.

M: But we will never know she has the better life or not!

(Sit down, and Drinking tea, pause)

F: You know, I miss her too. Days and nights, our family is not a family because we miss one fo the most important members.

M: We all miss her. The days and nights here are so colorless for me

F:My love, I have an idea. Let’s escape to South Korea too.

M: But last time was so difficult for our daughter to get out! You spend all our money to let the soldiers send her out. We won't have such amount of money again!

F: Last time was a special situation. But we can still escape now. There are people who want to escape all the time. And they have secret transport ways in the mountains and on the sea.

M: But nobody knows those people succeed escaping or not. Maybe they die on the way.

F: I know it will be dangerous. But it worth trying for a better life, to live together with our daughter! Usually, escape from the mountain is safer, but I don’t want both of us to get caught together.

M: So what do you think is safer?

F: I will escape from the sea, and get attention from the coast guards. Then you can have time to escape through mountains. Trust me, we will have a better life in South Korea.

(Light off, scene changes. Father will stand in the stage right, the mother will stand in stage left. They will take turn reading their letters)

Father Letter 1:

   Now I know that besides the mountains, there are timeless waters, endless seas, and lots of people in this world whose names don’t matter to anyone but themselves.

   I don’t know how long we’ll be at sea. There are thirty-six other deserting souls on this little boat with me. White sheets with bright red spots float as our sail.

   When I got on board I thought I could still smell the semen and the innocence lost to those sheets. I look up there and I think of you and all those times you resisted. Sometimes I felt like you wanted to, but I knew you wanted me to respect you. I knew it would be hard for you to let our daughter go. You thought I was testing your will, but all I wanted was to be near you. Maybe it’s like you’ve always said. I imagine too much. Maybe the outside world is not that perfect. I am afraid I am going to start having nightmares once we get deep at sea. I really hate having the sun in my face all day long. If you see me again, I’ll be so dark.

   Lastly, Whatever you do, please be careful with the soldiers. They’re almost not human.

Mother Letter 1:

     I remembered you once told me that the soldiers are almost not human. And yes, I agree with you today. Bullets day and night. I thank god our daughter got out when she did. I used to thought butterflies are beautiful whenever they appear in the spring after those cold and long winters. I don’t sketch met butterflies anymore. Because i don’t even like seeing the sun, besides manman says that butterflies can bring news. The bright ones bring happy news and the black ones warn us of death. The only few I see on this journey are the black butterflies.

Father Letter 2:

There are nothing on the sea. The whole sea looks like one. I cannot even tell if we are about to drop off the face of the earth. Maybe the world is flat and we are going to find out, like the navigators of old. As you know, I am not very religious. Still, I pray every night that we won’t hit a storm.

But still, we had a crack at the bottom of the boat that looks as though, if it gets any bigger, it will split the boat into two. The captain cleared us aside and used some wood to clog up the hole. Everyone started asking him if it was okay if they were going to be okay. He said he hoped the Coast Guard would find us soon.

The night I had a nightmare about I was at the bottom of the sea. It was not a good time.

The next days We spent most of days telling stories. Someone says, Krik? You answer, Krak! And they say, I have many stories I could tell you, and then they go on and tell these stories to you, but mostly to themselves. Sometimes it feels like we have been at sea longer than the many years that I have been on this earth. The sun comes up and goes down. That is how you know it has been a whole day.

Mother Letter 2:

       I was terrified, I saw a group of students who got shot in front of fort dimanche prison around the border of our homeland. They were demonstrating the bodies for all these young generation trying to escape recently. I’m concerned, even scared, about our daughter’s situation and yours, my love, I hope you are safer on the boat out there. After what I saw, I’m afraid that I will never go outside again. Not even in the yard to breathe the air. The soldiers, and even people, are always watching you, like vultures. At night, I can’t sleep. I count the bullets in the dark behind those woods I passed with great fear. I keep wondering if it is true. Did our girl really get out? And will you? Will i?

Father Letter 3:

The water is really piling into the boat. We take turns pouring bowls of it out. I don’t know what is keeping the boat from splitting into. And people are throwing out their caring from the boat.

I am more comfortable now with the idea of dying. Not that I have completely accepted it, but I know that it might happen. Don’t be mistaken. I really do not want to die. I know I am no good to anybody dead, but if that is what’s coming, I know I cannot just scream at it and tell it to go away.

   I hope another group of young people can do the radio show. For a long time that radio show was my whole life. It was nice to have the radio like that for a while, where we could talk about what we wanted from government, what we wanted for the future of our country. It was the radio let me see all those colorful lives outside of our country.

   Beloved North Korea, there is no place like you. I had to leave you before I could understand you.

Mother Letter 3:

      I will keep writing to you my love, I thought marriage will keep us together safe and sound until we die. I hope it will. When we see each other again as we promised, it will seem like we lost no time.

     On my way to you, I met a group of people escaping as well; yesterday. The soldiers arrested a lot of people near South Korea’s border, I did not know that there will still be soldiers from the North, we all did not know. They shot a whole bunch down. I am writing you from under the banyan tree in the yard in our new shelter. Also, why do I feel you leaving me even though I’m getting closer to the destiny? I feel like all  those mountains are pushing me farther and farther away from you/

Father Letter 4:

Maybe I was too positive about our plan.

The boat is sinking all the time. They say I have to throw my notebook out. The water is rising again and they are scooping it out. I asked for a few seconds to write this last page and then promised that I would let it go. I know you will probably never see this, but it was nice imagining that I had you here to talk to. I hope you and our daughter will have the life we dream about in South Korea.

Perhaps I was chosen from the beginning of time to live there, at the bottom of the sea. Maybe this is why I had the nightmare. Maybe this was my invitation to go. In any case, I know that my memory of you will live even there as I become a child of the sea.

(Scene changes. Mother arrive in South Korea, she waits in the XXX building.)

M:

    My husband, I wanted you to know that I understood what you have done all these years for me and our daughter. I did not told you that I knew this thing one of a friend we had told me. Those bastards were coming to get our daughter. They were going to arrest her, for her questioning the government in class. They were going to peg her as a member of the youth federation and then take her away. You heard it before I did. You went to the post and paid them money, all the money we had. Your small land in the village that you’re father left for you, you gave it all away to save her life. I was so mad for not knowing what really happened that day, i have no words to thank you for this. You are the man who gave everything to save our lives.

  

   On my final steps here, I began to run and run so the black butterflies that appeared wouldn’t land on me. I know what must have happened. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I cannot see staying back in North Korea forever. I am writing to you for the last time. Last night on the radio while waiting for you, I heard that another boat sank off the coast. I can’t think about you being in there in the waves. \

(Fade out lights)

  Behind these mountains are more mountains and more black butterflies still and a sea that is endless like my love for you. My dear, where are you? I am right here.

(Black out)

End

Stage Model

Final Scrip of Children of the Sea

Setting : A family living in North Korea. Their Daughter is a very good student who is protected by South Korean government and studying there.

• Mother and Father talk about they want to escape from N.K to S.K, where they can live with their daughter
• Father and Mother left each other
• They record how they escape in form of letters, store by themselves
• One of them die, the other waits in the place their promise to meet.

Scene 1: In the living room. There will be two chairs, a table, and two triangles for background with poster of Kim Jong-un

(Light on)

F & M: Long live for Great comrade Kim Jong-un

F: There are nothing changes in our life here. The life in North Korea is colorless.

M: People believe they are living happily under Kim Jong-un, but actually we lost our freedom already.

F: These days, I always think about our daughter. I wonder is she having a good life in South Korea or not? She was so young when I was able to send her out of our country.

M: She was the treasure of us. The colorless life becomes colorful for me because of her. I never understand why you send her into South Korean.

F: The world outside of our country is much better for her to grow up.

M: I don’t understand! Was it better for her to live alone in another country?

F: I know it would be hard! But you don’t know about outside. Beyond the mountains of mountains, there are big cities with giant buildings, children learn real knowledge at schools and their lights shining up their whole city during the night.

M: Again! Those things you heard about from your illegal radio. You finish all the study at school here, why you believe that thing.

F: My radio is talking about the real things. There is a better world outside. And that’s why I sent our daughter out with all our money, she deserves a better life.

M: But I will never know she has the better life or not!

(Drinking tea, pause)

F: You know, I miss her too. Days and nights, our family is not a family because we miss one fo the most important members.

M: We all miss her. The days and nights here are so colorless for me

F: We have to escape from this country too.

M: But last time was so difficult for our daughter to get out! We spend all our money to let the soldiers send her out. We won't have such amount of money again!

F: You are right. But we can escape you. There are people who like us, who want to escape. They have secret transport ways in the mountains and on the sea.

M: But nobody knows those people succeed escaping or not. Maybe they die on the way.

F: I know it will be dangerous. But it worth trying for a better life, to live together as a complete family! Usually, escape from the mountain is safer, but I don’t want both of us to get caught together.

M: So what do you think is safer?

F: I will escape from the sea, the coast guard will keep finding me and other people. Then you can have time to escape through mountains. Trust me, they won’t find me on the sea. We will meet in South Korea.

(Light off, scene changes. Father will stand in the stage right, the mother will stand in stage left. They will take turn reading their letters)

Father Letter 1:

   They say behind the mountains are more mountains. Besides the mountains, there are timeless waters, endless seas, and lots of people in this world whose names don’t matter to anyone but themselves.

   I don’t know how long we’ll be at sea. There are thirty-six other deserting souls on this little boat with me. White sheets with bright red spots float as our sail.

   It is frustrated to be on this endless sea, and with all those people I don't know. In these days and nights, all I think is you, our daughter, and the bright future we will have. I hope we can all get into South Korea safely. I hope we can have a life we dream about.

   When I got on board I thought I could still smell the semen and the innocence lost to those sheets. I look up there and I think of you and all those times you resisted. Sometimes I felt like you wanted to, but I knew you wanted me to respect you. You thought I was testing your will, but all I wanted was to be near you. Maybe it’s like you’ve always said. I imagine too much. I am afraid I am going to start having nightmares once we get deep at sea. I really hate having the sun in my face all day long. If you see me again, I’ll be so dark.

   Lastly, Whatever you do, please be careful with the soldiers. They’re almost not human.

Mother Letter 1:

     I remembered you once told me that the soldiers are almost not human. And yes, I agree with you today. Bullets day and night. I thank god our daughter got out when she did. I used to thought butterflies are beautiful whenever they appear in the spring after those cold and long winters. I don’t sketch met butterflies anymore. Because i don’t even like seeing the sun, besides manman says that butterflies can bring news. The bright ones bring happy news and the black ones warn us of death. The only few I see on this journey are the black butterflies.

Father Letter 2:

   There are nothing on the sea. The whole sea looks like one. I cannot even tell if we are about to drop off the face of the earth. Maybe the world is flat and we are going to find out, like the navigators of old. As you know, I am not very religious. Still, I pray every night that we won’t hit a storm.

   I am more comfortable now with the idea of dying. Not that I have completely accepted it, but I know that it might happen. Don’t be mistaken. I really do not want to be a martyr. I know I am no good to anybody dead, but if that is what’s coming, I know I cannot just scream at it and tell it to go away.

   I hope another group of young people can do the radio show. For a long time that radio show was my whole life. It was nice to have the radio like that for a while, where we could talk about what we wanted from government, what we wanted for the future of our country. It was the radio let me see all those colorful lives outside of our country.

   Beloved North Korea, there is no place for you. I had to leave you before I could understand you.

Mother Letter 2:

       I was terrified, I saw a group of students who got shot in front of fort dimanche prison around the border of our homeland. They were demonstrating the bodies for all these young generation trying to escape recently. I’m concerned, even scared, about our daughter’s situation and yours, my love, I hope you are safer on the boat out there. After what I saw, I’m afraid that I will never go outside again. Not even in the yard to breathe the air. The soldiers, and even people, are always watching you, like vultures. At night, I can’t sleep. I count the bullets in the dark behind those woods I passed with great fear. I keep wondering if it is true. Did our girl really get out? And will you? Will i?

Father Letter 3:

There is a crack at the bottom of the boat that looks as though, if it gets any bigger, it will split the boat in two. The captain cleared us aside and used some tar to clog up the hole. Everyone started asking him if it was okay if they were going to be okay. He said he hoped the Coast Guard would find us soon.

You can’t really go to sleep after that. So we all stared at the tar by the moonlight. We did this until dawn. I cannot help but wonder how long this tar will hold out.

We spent most of days telling stories. Someone says, Krik? You answer, Krak! And they say, I have many stories I could tell you, and then they go on and tell these stories to you, but mostly to themselves. Sometimes it feels like we have been at sea longer than the many years that I have been on this earth. The sun comes up and goes down. That is how you know it has been a whole day. I

I wonder will I get out safely or not. Maybe I was too positive about our plan. The water is really piling into the boat. We take turns pouring bowls of it out. I don’t know what is keeping the boat from splitting into.

Mother Letter 3:

      I will keep writing to you my love, I thought marriage will keep us together safe and sound until we die. I hope it will. When we see each other again as we promised, it will seem like we lost no time.

     On my way to you, I met a group of people escaping as well; yesterday. The soldiers arrested a lot of people near South Korea’s border, I did not know that there will still be soldiers from the North, we all did not know. They shot a whole bunch down. I am writing you from under the banyan tree in the yard in our new shelter. Also, why do I feel you leaving me even though I’m getting closer to the destiny? I feel like all  those mountains are pushing me farther and farther away from you/

Father Letter 4:

They say I have to throw my notebook out. The old man has to throw out his hat and his pipe. The water is rising again and they are scooping it out. I asked for a few seconds to write this last page and then promised that I would let it go. I know you will probably never see this, but it was nice imagining that I had you here to talk to. I hope my parents are alive. He says it all with such an air that you would think him a king. The old man says, “I know a Coast Guard ship is coming. It came to me in my dream.” He points to a spot far into the distance. I look where he is pointing. I see nothing. From here, ships must be like a mirage in the desert.

Perhaps I was chosen from the beginning of time to live there, at the bottom of the sea. Maybe this is why I dreamed of the starfish and the mermaids having the Catholic Mass under the sea. Maybe this was my invitation to go. In any case, I know that my memory of you will live even there as I too become a child of the sea.

(Scene changes. Mother arrive in South Korea, she waits in the XXX building.)

M:

   On my final steps here, I began to run and run so the black butterflies that appeared wouldn’t land on me. I know what must have happened. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I cannot see staying back in North Korea forever. I am writing to you for the last time. Last night on the radio while waiting for you, I heard that another boat sank off the coast. I can’t think about you being in there in the waves.

  Behind these mountains are more mountains and more black butterflies still and a sea that is endless like my love for you. My dear, where are you? I am right here.

End

Set descriptions:

Scene 1- A wall with signs and posters praising North Korea to show the situation their living in and show the location of the story in the middle back of the black box theater stage. A table placed in the middle of the stage in front of the posters, two chairs placed on the opposite side with tea or water placed on the table.

Scene 2- The stage will be separated into two section, one for James on the left, one for Marinda on the right side using techniques of lighting, if possible, with props and background sounds. James could have a wooden bench that is alike those on a boat with blue lights and sounds of ocean waves. For Marinda’s side, she could have gun shots’ sounds to fit the content of her being around the border with soldiers stopping people escaping.

Scene 3- Marinda standing in the middle with a sign and flag showing the location changes into South Korea, and the place where both characters promised to meet.

Props:

Father: White Shirt

Mother: White Shirt; Wearing more fancy cloth after she arrives in South Korea.