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acolli17

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Everything posted by acolli17

  1. In the original Einstein work, it's really effective. It's a bus driver who's driving at the end of a night, assumedly of chaos. Since a lot of the opera surrounds the invention of the nuclear bomb, and Einstein's unease in helping produce it, the juxtaposition of the bus driver's story is really cool, because of how peaceful and simple it is. This was my worry when they announced their intention of using the source material back in the Winter, that to take a five-hour production, and express it's sentiments in twelve minutes would be too great of a task. I do, however, think they did it better than I ever could have imagined. But in the play, it's so surreal to go from (at that point in time) four-ish hours of chaotic, explosive music to a simple story of love, and it's a very incredible moment.
  2. 2013, yes. I was too worried people would hate me to get the year right, I suppose.
  3. I agree. My friend who was in the corps that year was the one who got to say "alright, let's do something with nooooo voice," and the crowd gave a gigantic round of applause. It's interesting to watch the evolution of the activity.
  4. I promise that, above everything, this is not any kind of jab at anyone, I am simply wondering what people think. To the best of my knowledge (I wasn't on DCP a lot this summer, so I may be off from the onset here), there wasn't much of a backlash towards Crown's use of narration/voice in their show this year (I know I absolutely loved it, I've been a huge fan of Einstein on the Beach for a few years now). I also wasn't on DCP in 2007 (I started in 2009), so you can correct me on this as well, but I seem to remember hearing about controversy and backlash at the Cadets' 'This I Believe' production. I haven't gone through and counted, but I feel like there isn't much more or less narration in Crown's 2011 show than in Cadets' 2007 show. So what is the difference in reception? Is it content? Is the actual context of Crown's show narration simply better than Cadets'? Is it execution? Did Crown simply utilize the narration in a more effective manner than Cadets did? Is it that the fandom is slowly accepting narration? Obviously Crown wasn't the only group to use narration, I don't remember reading as much about the dislike of this year's words. Is it that shows are becoming so outlandish that simple narration isn't so bad now? Is it Hopkins? The fact that narration is only one of a few small changes he's implored. I'm truly not trying to cause controversy, I promise. I am just curious about what makes them different.
  5. Disappointing turnout in Ann Arbor, Michigan, currently about 12 people in the audience. I'm hoping that number rises as the night goes on, but it doesn't seem like it. Some observations about the movie theater experience: Pros: no line for the bathroom, food, sound is pretty loud (at least in my theater). Cons: first the obvious; it's a theater, and not live. It's impossible to not feel a level of disconnection from it with a screen between you and the performer. But kind of another negative is actually the sound. It's loud, yes, but its also movie theater surround sound. While this is great for a movie, the product results in a slight delay on any sounds behind me, and when the product on screen is supposed to be entirely in front of you, it actually creates some pretty harsh phasing, and causes even the cleanest of groups to sound dirty. We haven't heard a clean snare line yet. Other than that, it really is a mostly pleasant experience. Especially considering it's about a quarter of the price, and its in a well tempered climate.
  6. I would really say the Troopers every year from 06 to 09. 06 - Inactive, 07 - 20th, 08 - 16th, 09 - 12th. It was a really nice succession through the years for them. I remember in 10, speculating amongst friends informally about potential 8th and giving bluecoats and others a run that year. oops.
  7. While I agree that this is a quality uniform, I wouldn't put down the other uniforms as less effective. I think the main reason the the black *****es uniform is so effective is because it pays tribute to the past in a modern setting. It's an amazing moment. That being said, the uniforms worn by the rest of the guard are just as effective in a different regard - they're modern while still paying a bit of tribute, and look great on the field. I think it's one thing to recognize and pay respect/tribute to the past, but it's another thing entirely to get stuck back there.
  8. Robert Wilson, one of the Einstein on the Beach's directors, once sat down next to Arthur Miller, who was attending one of the performances of Einstein. Miller, not realizing who had just sat down next to him, leaned over and quietly whispered, "I don't get it." Wilson leaned back and said in response, "that's ok, neither do I." When I saw Einstein a year and a half ago, it was the first time in my life that I understood Art for Art's Sake.
  9. So nice to see an old friend out on the field, both literally and figuratively.
  10. In talking to design staff, I've learned that a lot of them have multi-year plans. The group's staff that I talked to most recently talked of a 3-5 year plan they have that involves both show designs and the necessary means to raise the educational standards, while maintaining identity the whole time. I often think of the story of the Pixar meeting at the Hidden City Cafe that's so meaningful to die-hard disney fans, where a design staff met at a coffee shop, and came up with A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. and Wall-E. I like to think this is similar to how design staffs for different corps come up with shows. I find it very interesting to hear design staff talk about ideas, especially when their corps has a certain identity they want to maintain. "How far can we push our limits, competitively and from a design stand point, without losing what makes us us?" is often the paraphrased question I hear from any staff members I talk to.
  11. I've always enjoyed Bluecoats' tuning, overall.
  12. I know, that's why I said it's not realistic, but that it'd be a cool matchup.
  13. I know it's not realistic to cross show scores at all, but for what it's worth, Boston got a 68.8 at their show, while Troop got a 68.625 at theirs. Now wouldn't THAT be a cool matchup.
  14. My favorite quote from Cadets friends in 2009 - "Our show's too long? Ok, we'll just go faster."
  15. It looks like the weather is going to hold off, at least long enough for the corps to perform. Cadets were amazing. I think they'll easily medal this year.
  16. Why does it seem like everyone has 5 marimbas this year? That definitely wasn't the norm a few years ago.
  17. Tubajon, where are you sitting? I'm side 2 40 yard line, about a third of the way up.
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