Today we're looking at a very special show, 2013's Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made On. One of our goals as a program has always been to give our actors ownership over their experiences. This show, more than any other was truly theirs. Everything - the music, casting, costume choices, character names - was 100% from them. This performance was such a special way to share their dreams and hear their voices. Read on to learn more about the process and see some clips from these special vignettes.
Semester Overview
In order to accommodate our ever-growing enrollment, this semester, we split into 2 separate smaller classes. Smaller class sizes allow our volunteers to give more individual attention and time to each teen; we’re able to cater lesson plans to challenge the actors who have been with us longer, and allow the newer actors to come out of their shells in a more focused environment. We also started a “buddy system” pairing each one of our teen actors with a facilitator. And, the biggest change of all, rather than working with a well-known story or script, we decided to make something on our own!
In preparation for our spring production of The Tempest, this semester we explored the theme of magic. Magic runs throughout Shakespeare’s work, and Prospero uses magic to change the course of his life and try to right what he believes was a huge wrong to him and his daughter. In preparation for this story, we asked our actors, “What would you do if you had magic for one day?”
Actors paired up with their facilitator buddy and they met outside of class – on Skype, over the phone, in person, and through e-mails – to create their own stories, brainstorming with questions such as:
- How did you get your magic?
- Can anything make your magic stronger or weaker?
- Do you need a tool to practice your magic (like a crystal ball or a wand)?
- Do you say a magic word? Several different words?
- What would you like to be?
- Where would you go?
- What would you create?
- What would you change?
During class we created vision boards with pictures and words to help build the story from beginning, middle, to end, and worked together to bring these each other’s visions to life.
In addition to sharing their individual voices, we also worked as an ensemble to create group pieces. The entire group opened with “Magic to Do” from Pippin. Each group had a dance party with the seniors jamming to “Teenage Dream by Katy Perry and the Juniors grooving to “Gangnam Style” by PSY. We closed the show with Prospero’s famous Act IV Scene 1 Monologue in American Sign Language.
Performance
December 21st, 2013 at Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre
The Ensemble
Colleen Altman
Quincy Bane
Marissa Bloodgood
Rachel Buchanan
Benjamin Collins
Alena Counter-Brown
Kathleen Daley
Samuel Floersheimer
Andrew Kosnik
Emily Kwidzinski
Emily Lavin
Lucas Miezal
Sam Petri
Sam Radinsky
Hannah Vilic
Lucy Walsh
Co-Directors
Mallory Alcala & Katie Yohe
Facilitators
Aislinn Gauchay
Travis Gauchay
Lawrence Kern
Katie Lane*
Tim Lane*
Susan Steinke*
Lindsay Stock*
Kendra Van Kempen
Peter Van Kempen
Lighting and Sound Technician
Eric Van Tassell
Poster Design
Brandy Taylor of Graphic Sorbet
with headshots by Kristin Frasca
* denotes first semester with our ensemble
Reviews for Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On
“Flowers cannot say and words cannot convey the happiness I feel when I see my girl express herself via Gigis Playhouse Drama Group....My Alena was broken in spirit and in heart with low self esteem and NO Friends. I watched her transform into BEYONCE on stage. For the ability to do well what all of you have invested in her, gives me great joy. Thank you for the idea to allow them to act out their inner visions from their perspective. It was the best.”
“Hannah is still floating on cloud nine. It was such a creative and entertaining show. The stories, the acting, the singing, the dancing were all captivating. And I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed anything as lovely as Ben’s Dancing in the Dark “Would you like to dance?” sequence.
What a great gift Gigi’s and the Teen Drama Troupe has been to us. The care, encouragement, and love you have shown our children surpasses understanding. Your work inspires us all to live more generous lives.”
“What a show - another famous night! We loved it - you totally captured each of the actor’s personalities. It is difficult for me/us to express what a gift Gigi’s has been to our family. Rachel loves it as does our entire family. Nancy and I bring plenty of Kleenex to each show - Ben, Andrew, Kathleen and dear Emily Lavin - all of them, were spot on. ”
“We have been a part of ABLE since the beginning and my favorite production was definitely Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On. Emily was confident and proud of her ability to act. She owned her story with such joy. ”
