Looking for Feedback!

So I didn't get a lot of views or comments on my draft (MY FAULT COMPLETELY - I posted it just before class during my layover) I wanted to repost the completed paper.

I would really love some feedback. I know we are peer reviewing in class tomorrow but I don't know if that will be for content or for formatting and grammatical things..

Please?

The Need for Dark Themes in Drama

Theatre is not meant for just entertainment. There are some who believe that theatre should be light, fun, an escape. They don’t want to think too hard, they don’t want to have their ideas or opinions challenged. They don’t realize what an important teaching tool theatre can and should be. These same people might then look at a play, one without a particularly “happy ending” and think it is without merit. They might believe that these plays should not be written, or produced, or viewed. Plays like Marsha Norman’s ‘Night Mother, dealing with depression and suicide, might be disregarded by such people. Some might say that Night Mother is an unsuitable play to produce for the general public; it is in fact an excellent play and much can be learned as an audience member through it’s exploration of dark themes. Theatre is not meant for just entertainment. 

A stage is a safe space. Difficult topics and darker themes can be explored safely on a stage. This exploration is a great teaching tool for both those involved in the production process and those in attendance of a performance. There are plays that deal with abuse, drugs, bullying, depression, suicide, pregnancy, abortion, disease and illness, insanity, peer pressure, gossip, homosexuality, and many other tough or risky subjects.  The actors who have to deal with these topics directly might come to a deeper understanding of why someone might be struggling with them. It gives them empathy. The audience that witnesses these topics will understand the consequences of certain actions. Kimberly Melon, a part-time faculty member at Brigham Young University said 

“Theatre can be a great pulpit. There are many people who wouldn’t set foot in a church but regularly attend theatre productions. These same people can sit in an audience and in two hours learn about certain choices and their consequences. Theatre can be a powerful teaching tool, if used correctly.”

The same plays about abuse, drugs, bullying, depression, suicide, pregnancy, abortion, disease and illness, insanity, peer pressure, gossip, or homosexuality can educate an audience. Notice that Kim said “if used correctly” - this is an important distinction. Theatre is not just for entertainment, but it is also not just for shock value. These plays should be selected because of the messages they can teach, not because a director wants to push the envelope. A play about homosexuality and bullying might make audience members more tolerant and Christlike. For example, The Laramie Project is a play about a boy in high school who is gay and bullied mercilessly for it. He is ostracized by his peers and he sinks deep into depression.  A play that deals with illness and disease might be a comfort to someone who is dealing with that in their lives. A play about gossip can teach about the serious repercussions and damages that spreading rumors can cause. The Children’s Hour, for instance, is about two school teachers who run a boarding school (think of the movie A Little Princess, where the students live there) but one child is angry with the teachers for punishing her so she tells her aunt that she has seen them touching each other inappropriately. The fallout is tremendous: every parent withdraws their child from the school, one of the teachers was engaged but her fiance broke the engagement because he doubts her, they are social pariahs and shunned by everyone in town, one teacher gets so desperate that she commits suicide. Audience members who witness the consequences of one child’s lie might think twice before they spread a rumor that they know to be false. There are countless plays that deal with these difficult subjects, countless plays that some would consider “dark” but still have merit and value. Countless plays that should be produced for educational purposes. 

That all being said, one wouldn’t direct such a play without certain precautions. Directors need to be careful about the way that they approach and discuss these subjects for their company. Actors needs should be taken care of. It is often remarked upon by actors how exciting it is to get to “be someone else.” They enjoy being able to think like someone else and act like someone else. If they are performing in a play that is a little darker in nature, getting into character can be difficult. Thinking like their character might lead to some heavy emotions, some emotions they aren’t prepared to handle. It is important for these directors to make everything kosher. Most everyone has heard the alleged story of The Dark Knight’s Joker - Heath Ledger - and his method acting. There are rumors of him going so far into character that he became severely depressed and overdosed on pills to end his life. This is completely avoidable. Theatre directors need to remind actors that it isn’t real, that the emotions they are dealing with aren’t real, that it is just acting. They need to make sure to do light and fun things between rehearsals, take breaks a lot. 

Directors also need to be careful to take care of the audience’s needs regarding such performances. Dramatic Literature does not have a rating system, so audience members may not know what they are about to watch. It is important for a director to advertise accordingly, perhaps make an arbitrary rating system for their company or make a statement about what age should attend such a play. “Plays that address a politically sensitive topic. Plays that have some sexual content (or content that is perceived to be sexual). Plays that are considered to be hostile to “family values,” however those might be defined. Plays that contain one of George Carlin’s seven words. Other script selections problem areas include treatment of ethnic minorities; use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs; and weapons used as props” are ones that parents or community members could find questionable (Corathers). Audiences should be made aware of content. It isn’t uncommon for theatre-goers to not know much about the play they are attending. There are many plays written in recent years that are inappropriate for certain audiences - and it is surprisingly difficult to know which. One might be very surprised to find explicit adult language, actual nudity: male and female, violence, drugs, and realistically depicted sexual content. There are many playwrights and directors that want to push boundaries and shock people. They want to be “edgy.” It is hard to tell which plays are which. One might attend Wit by Margaret Edson, thinking that because it is a Pulitzer award winning play that it should be enjoyable, and be shocked that it is laced with F-words and contains female nudity. It is still a beautifully written play and for the right audience it has a lot of merit. Without reading reviews, audience members might not be expecting a the main character in Seminar on Broadway to lift up her shirt and flash the audience. Nudity aside, this play was well received on Broadway, the script won a few awards. A seemingly tame musical titled The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee might sound harmless enough, being about young children in a spelling bee, but it actually contains open discussions on masturbation, religion, and gay marriage rights. All plays have a time and place. It is true, there are plays that may be considered inappropriate by some, but it is the duty of the director and company to let audiences know what a play might contain. The worst thing would be to have unsuspecting audience members offended due to content. It is best to let them know before hand.

There is a vast difference between advocating plays that contain inappropriate (for some) material, and plays that deal with dark subjects and themes for educational purposes. It is important that a distinction is made. Containing language or sexuality simply for shock value is not original or praiseworthy. Dramatic works that make the audience think, that stay with them long after they’ve left the theatre, that is what great directors strive for. Marsha Norman’s ‘Night Mother is one of these plays. 

The story is about a woman, Jessie, and her mother Thelma. Jessie and Thelma live in a small home, down a country dirt road, in the middle of nowhere. Jessie is semi-recently divorced. Thelma, a widow. Nothing has worked out for Jessie and she is very depressed. She is ill, suffering from epileptic seizures for most of her life, causing her to lose her job. Her trouble-maker son, the result of her loveless marriage, has a criminal rap-sheet a mile long and is always in and out of jail. Ultimately, Jessie is unhappy and has decided to end her life. This idea brings her great comfort, knowing that there is an end in sight. She calmly explains to her mother that she is going to commit suicide. Thelma refuses to believe her, insisting that she is overreacting and that everything can turn back around. As the play progresses, Jessie reverts back and forth between explaining her reasoning to her mother and explaining simple everyday things that Thelma has always relied on Jessie for (where they keep batteries, for instance). She takes the length of the play, approximately an hour and a half, to try and convince her mother that she is doing something that she needs to, that there is no other way out. Jessie feels trapped and is convinced that suicide is the only way to find happiness. Jessie then slips quietly into her bedroom, locks the door, and shoots herself as her mother is powerless to stop her. The play ends very abruptly as the lights go down on Thelma quietly sobbing.

While this play might sound depressing and terrible, the message is a beautiful one and everyone in attendance can take away something when they leave. Even though Jessie felt trapped, it is just as clear to the audience as it is to Thelma that there are other options. Though the play centers around suicide, the meaning of the play is found in Thelma’s lines convincing Jessie to keep trying, to not give up. The idea that suicide doesn’t end the chances of life getting worse, suicide eliminates the possibility of it ever getting better. Even though Jessie couldn’t see the wisdom in her mother’s arguments, the audience can. Anyone struggling with depression might see light at the end of the tunnel, those who know anyone struggling with depression might come away more empathetic. It is a dark and unsettling play, but it contains hope. The message is a great one. It would be very beneficial to anyone who saw it. 

Theatre is a safe place to explore dark subject matter, like Jessie’s suicide in ‘Night Mother. It is a place of learning and growth, those who attend can be edified. Plays that make audience members think and question have merit, they should be produced for general audiences.  Theatre should not just be for entertainment.