RENT: Broadway Production (Full Live Performance, 2008

Basic Information

What is the name of the Theatre/ Theatrical Venue and its location? What is the name of the play/show? Who is the playwright? What date and time did you attend?

What was the major conflict or theme? The basic story line? What was the dominant tone of the play/show? Serious? Comic? Ironic? Explain. Give examples of the theme or tone.

Directing

What was the Director’s name? What was the director’s concept or interpretational approach? Was it easy to pin point? How was it manifested in the production? In other words, if the play was the movie Harry Potter but the director set the time period in Victorian England or changed the location to America, what would you see or hear in the production that would support that concept? A recently directed Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night was set during the period of the California Gold Rush with a Western Theme. All of the elements of the production matched the theme. Instead of a sword fight, the characters had a gun fight, instead of a tavern scene there was a saloon scene, etc. See?

Did all of the elements in the play/show you saw match the interpretation or concept? Give some examples of how the concept was realized in the production. If not, what seemed out of place. Was the play/show well staged? In other words, if there were a lot of people/characters on stage, did it seem balanced? Did the actors/characters move around the space easily? Did the staging make sense for the performance space and for the scene? Was the overall production smooth or did you notice mistakes or stumbles

Acting

-Choose at least two actors (male or female) to comment on in some depth. What were their roles? Do you feel the actors fit the role? Were the actors believable as the characters, if so why, if not why? Did they seem nervous, comfortable, confident, well-rehearsed? Were you able to understand the actors? Were there any special skills (such as dancing, singing, fencing, playing a musical instrument) required of any of the actors? If so, how effectively were the demands met?

Scenic Design

-In what type of performance space was the production staged? Proscenium, Arena, Thrust? How did the scenery contribute (or fail to contribute) to the total production? What would have been lost if certain scenic pieces had been eliminated?

Costume and/or Makeup Design

-Overall, how did costumes and makeup contribute (or fail to contribute) to the total production? Did the costumes get in the way at any times, did the costumes fit the bodies of the actors well? Did they seem to match the characters and concept?

Lighting and/or Sound Design

-Overall, how did lighting and sound contribute (or fail to contribute) to the production concept and the total production?

Sound – Did the sound seem to match the scene or moment? Did it seem to take away from a moment by being either too loud or too soft or not appropriate? If microphones were used, could you understand and hear the actors?

Lighting- Was the acting used in a way to support a scene or a moment? Were there times when you could not see the actors when you were supposed to see them?

Final Thoughts