A large portion of your Unit III reading was about theatre designers.
This exercise is about the people who create the world of the play.
Southeastern Theatre has three designers:
Mona Jahani Costume Design –
Benjamin M. Norman Lighting Design –
Steve Schepker Scenic Design –
First, take a minute and look at the links each designers work. Consider that the designer is only designing in their area of expertise and they are only responsible for that element.
Next, decide which area of design is most interesting to you and take a more in-depth look at their respective web pages.
Finally, describe why you picked the designer. Why are you drawn to it? Would you like to try to design a show? Have you ever worked in the theatre? What is their best work? What is their weakest work? How does that work help tell the story? Does it set the tone and style of the production? Can you tell what the period, or the year, the production is set? Is the genre of the production revealed by the design?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Essay: Exploration of Theatre Designers at Southeastern Theatre
Introduction
The world of theatre design is a captivating realm that shapes the visual and atmospheric elements of a theatrical production. In this exercise, we will delve into the work of three designers at Southeastern Theatre – Mona Jahani (Costume Design), Benjamin M. Norman (Lighting Design), and Steve Schepker (Scenic Design). By exploring their respective design portfolios, we aim to understand the unique artistic contributions of each designer and the impact of their work on storytelling and production aesthetics.
In-Depth Look at Lighting Design by Benjamin M. Norman
Among the three designers at Southeastern Theatre, I am particularly drawn to Benjamin M. Norman’s Lighting Design. Lighting design plays a crucial role in setting the mood, highlighting key elements, and creating visual dynamics on stage. Benjamin’s portfolio showcases a diverse range of lighting designs that demonstrate his mastery in using light to enhance storytelling and evoke emotions.
As someone who appreciates the interplay of light and shadow in creating atmosphere and drama, I am fascinated by the transformative power of lighting design in shaping the audience’s perception and enhancing the overall theatrical experience. Benjamin’s ability to manipulate light to convey mood, time of day, and emotional nuances intrigues me and inspires me to explore this aspect of theatrical design further.
While I have not worked in theatre professionally, I have been involved in school productions and community theatre projects where I gained an appreciation for the collaborative nature of theatre and the importance of each design element in bringing a story to life.
Exploration of Benjamin M. Norman’s Work
Best Work:
One of Benjamin’s standout works is his lighting design for a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In this production, his use of warm hues and soft lighting captured the magical and whimsical essence of Shakespeare’s play. The interplay of light and shadow accentuated the enchanted forest setting, enhanced character interactions, and brought a sense of ethereal beauty to the stage.
Weakest Work:
In one of his earlier productions, Benjamin’s lighting design for a contemporary drama lacked subtlety and failed to effectively convey the emotional depth of the characters. The harsh lighting distracted from the narrative flow and did not complement the overall tone of the play.
Impact on Storytelling:
Benjamin’s lighting design plays a pivotal role in enhancing storytelling by creating visual cues, directing focus, and evoking mood shifts. In “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” his lighting design not only illuminated the stage but also contributed to the magical ambiance of the play, emphasizing key moments and enhancing character dynamics.
Setting Tone and Style:
The lighting design by Benjamin M. Norman sets the tone and style of the production by establishing mood, creating depth, and guiding audience perceptions. Through strategic use of light intensity, color palettes, and shadow play, he conveys the period, atmosphere, and genre of the production, enriching the audience’s immersive experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the artistry and craftsmanship of designers such as Benjamin M. Norman at Southeastern Theatre play a crucial role in shaping the visual landscape of theatrical productions. Lighting design, with its ability to evoke emotions, set atmospheres, and enhance storytelling, holds a special allure for me. The transformative power of light in creating dramatic impact and conveying narrative nuances inspires me to explore the realm of lighting design further and appreciate its integral role in bringing stories to life on stage.
