Sunday, June 29, 2008

Robot Songs.....yes, I said "Robot Songs"

My sister's sons both attend Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Mark is majoring in Theater Arts and Jack is minoring in it. Both were involved in the summer reperatory theater and the plays were this past week.

I've said it before, and I will say it again....I am not very good at "plays"......meaning I cannot sit still and cannot usually understand all the deep meaning behind the dialogue. I find my mind wandering and looking at my watch. But both of these plays were really good and I was able to stay focused.

Their summer repertory theater is in a very small arena where the actors are right there...within feet of the audience....the stage is bordered by the seats. The actors played mulitiple parts and the set is very simple and limited to what they can bring in and off of the stage quickly for the next scene. So I had to sit still and behave, which in turn helped me to stay focused.

"Robot Songs" is a play written by one of Sam Houston's own, Scott McCarrey. Scott is going on to do graduate work at NYU and I would venture to say he will be a very famous playwright one day. I believe you can take a mediocre actor and teach them techniques and skills to make them more talented....throw in some work equity and a little luck and they can become famous. But a playwright? Where does that talent come from? I am pretty sure it's from the man above. The dialogue in this play was incredible and I kept thinking that this college kid wrote this. He wrote all of it. And it had a beginning, a middle, and an ending......and so much more. That kind of talent is rare.

I am very proud of both of my nephews and it is apparent that theater is their passion. Jack is the quieter, more intense of the two.......Mark, the funny one, the improvisor. Both are very talented and certainly have the ability to memorize lines and lines and lines of dialogue. I just wish I could remember what I came into a room to do.

Thanks guys for the entertainment.

Eating out before the play....



Cameron and Michael....her very good friend.



Will, being his "Will self"....knowing I am taking his picture, he gets busy with his phone.



Jack...



Mark (my nephew - the robot in the play), Scott (the playwright) and Tony (who played the lead role)


2 comments:

  1. no need for the sarcastic "very good friend". you can just say boyfriend.

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  2. Wow, that is soooooo cool. I swear Texas is cooler than anywhere else! The play sounds fantastic and to have your nephews in it is grand. The playwrite does have the look going. I want to come and play in your life!

    P.S. Mom, you are so not cool...

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