The Amazing School of Rock!

The School of Rock, when I first heard this name from the morning meeting, I believe this must be a music drama, and it must mainly talk about music or instrument.

However, after I watched the half of the drama, I changed my mind because even though it uses the rock as the title to attract the audience, but it is a drama that every audience, whoever you are children, students or parents, you can get some points in this drama. And the second half of the drama, it mainly talks about how the main character Dewie Finn to solve the problem between Ned and herself, between Patty and herself and also between parents and their children.

This show starts with the main character Dewie Finn , who was a member in a rock band, but she can not pay for the rent and she was kicked out from the band. She had no job, however she got a phone call from an exclusive school that the school’s principal is looking for a substitute teacher, this phone call was calling to Ned Scneebly but he lost his phone in Dewie’s home, and Dewie used his identity to accept this job because of the high salary. For Dewie, her personality is to release herself, she can do what she wants to do in anytime, but when she went into the exclusive school, she found out that the students in there beard much pressure, the students were not allowed to release their talents in school, their parents built much standards and goals for them to achieve. Dewie decided to change this circumstance, she helped her children to discover their talents in music and made a band called The School of Rock. She thought she was doing the right thing for the children but at the Parents’ Day, these secrets were discovered and parents showed angry toward she and the Principal Rosalie. She felt helpless because she believed she did the right thing but no one understood her even her best friend Ned also showed angry toward her. Then, with the comfort from her children, she found the real meaning of rock and participated the rock competition, she used her actions to influence the parents that their children were talent enough and sometimes parents needed to listen from their children.

From this show, especially in the part when Daniel walked with James, and Daniel was always answering the phone and he told James that he is solving the business things, James wanted to talk with his dad but dad did not understand his request. In this part, I really felt James as a child, he really wanted to communicate with his dad but his dad rejected him. So when Dewie came to school and asked them to use instruments to express their emotion, they chose to make a rock band not only because of Dewie but also due to the students’ inner pressure. The most comparison part in the show is between the start when parents send their children to the school and when the students went with Dewie to the musical competition. In the beginning, students listened to their parents’ order and they showed their mild toward everyone, but some students, like Tomika, they declared that they do not have friend and they can not join into the class. However in the end, all the students rejected their parents’ order, they wanted to join this competition and they were more like a integrity. I believe the author wanted to use this comparison to tell the audience that studying is not the only thing school should teach students, there are many social skills that students need to know in the school.

Also from this show, I really like the custom and the other stage arrangements in the performance. Because all the actors on the stage are our friends, are the students( Except Ms. Colbert) But they wore the different clothes to show their different identities. For example: in the beginning, parents send their children to school, each audience can clearly figure out that who plays student and who plays parent. Moreover, also some characteristics change also showed in the custom, in the beginning, even though each student wore the uniform, but they had some difference in it, but in the end, when they made the Rock band and participated the competition, everyone wore the black leather and wore black sunglasses. This tiny custom change is giving the audience a feeling that these students are more like an integrity in the process.

In the performance I loved each player’s performance and thank everyone for playing such an amazing performance to us. 

Feedback from the feedback by peers

Today my group, Betty, Kat and I played our first draft of the play, the play was chose from the book Krik Krak, the story setting was based on this book but we added some of our interpretation in it. And even though we wanted to perform it in our best but there still some things we needed to improve.

The first thing is about the time taken for this play, it took us 13 minutes to complete, seemed little short for the 15 minutes standard. However I think this thing was easy to solve because in this first draft, our groups’ talking speed seems little faster than the average talking speed.

Then the second question is about our talking volume, from the audience and Ms. Guarino’s advice, Betty and I need to speak louder in order to correspond with Kat’s volume, and Kat’s volume is perfect for audience to listen the lines we spoke out.

Third thing is about our first scene in the beginning, which I performed the dad who is already dad on the bed. But from many feedbacks I read that audience would be confused about the introductory of this play. Which I think is that we can add some lines to show that I am dead, like: “ I will always love you.” “ No dad, please don’t leave us.” “ No dad you can not leave us.” Using these lines would let the audience know that I am nearly died and my daughters are crying near me.

Fourth problem is about the setting of the stage. In our group talking, we decided to divide the stage into three parts, stage left is the reality, stage right is my heaven and the middle of the stage would be the dream where I can meet with Grace and Caroline. And in our first draft play, we did not use this setting efficiently. Where in Scene 2 I first time met with Grace and Caroline in the dream, I just stood in the stage right and did not come into the middle part. And also in the Scene 4 when it is the night before Caroline’s wedding night, I come into the stage left to talk with Caroline not come in the middle part. Also when I pointed out Eric was waiting for Caroline, I need to point stage left because that direction shows the reality. These three wrong actions are my faults, I should think about my movements when I spoke out my lines.

The fifth one is a little confused me. It is about my saying and whispering on the stage. Because sometimes I need to speak louder in order to show that I am communicating with my daughters. However, there’s a problem happened in Scene 1 end, when I came into the dream of Grace and Caroline, and I found a letter from god that helps me to know what happened right now. In this part of the play because I did not meet with Grace and Caroline right now so I am not speaking with them, so at this part I wanted to show that I am whispering to myself, like: “ Oh Grace and Caroline, this must be their dream, so glad I can still see you, can they hear me?” For this one I am not sure should I increase my volume because it seems that I am only asking myself this questions.  And the solution for solving this problem, from my perspective, I can change the scene to where I will not find the letter. Instead of reading letter by myself, god will appear and read letter for me. And when I spoke out my whispering line, I would change my position from face to my daughters to face audience, which I want to use this movement to indicate that I am not talking to them, this line was only a self questioned sentence. 

Final Scripts + Costumes, lighting and sound cues

Costume:

Betty (Caroline)- Pajamas, except red pants

Kat (Grace)- Pajamas except red pants

Kevin( Dead Father/Peterson)- All white, or grey is ok.

Props:

Clouds (Making at home)- Kat

Halo- Kevin

Pillows

Bed

Sofa

Light/ sound

- Kevin's side needs to me bright (white). But when Kevin's scene is done, his light should dim down to signify that he is done talking. And that his scene is coming to an end.

- Our side needs to be dark, maybe like a dark blue. But while Kevin is talking there should be no light shining near us because it's HIS "spotlight"

- For two girls, their lights can be blue or bright grey to show the night and in dream.

- When they went into dreams to find dad, the light shifts to bright yellow in order to show their happiness.

- On the last dream, when Caroline went into dream to share her marriage with dad, light shifts to bright pink.

- As for sound cues, Kevin's should have a holy sound to start off with, like angels singing when he wakes up on Heaven. Later on in the play, when Grace and Caroline wake up, their should be birds calling. That's to signify that is day time. Kevin or (dead father/Peterson) can only talk to the girls when they are asleep and dreaming. He can't communicate with them in the morning. So when he hears the birds singing and sees grace and Caroline starting to wake up, he has no choice but to leave.

Song Suggestions:

Dad died:

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqUdcOfxfuw

Dream about marriage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKUaIsar8ds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri3WsPDi4MY

Staging for the opening scene(introduction):

Left stage is hospital

-Bed. (all white)

light: white light

characters wearing black & white

Staging for scene 1

Left stage is Caroline & Grace’s bedroom (reality)
-bed

-one little table

(create a little corner)

light: yellowish light

Caroline and Grace wear normal clothes/pajamas

Right stage is heaven (nonreality)

-some clouds/white cloth to cover the ground

light: white light

Dead father wears white long clothes

(background music needed here)

Staging for scene 2 (in the dream)

Center stage is Caroline & Grace’s dream (between reality and nonreality)

don’t need other changes

light: bluish→ red

Caroline and Grace wear normal clothes/pajamas

(need background music)

Staging for scene 3 (talk about the dream)

left stage is the bedroom

-bed

light: normal light

Caroline and Grace wear normal clothes/pajamas

Staging for scene 4/ending (in the dream, the night before Caroline’s wedding)

Center stage is in the dream

don’t need other changes

light: white→ pink

Caroline wears dress, Dead father wears suit

(background music)

Scene 1:

Beginning:

(In the hospital room, Caroline and Grace are standing over the bed crying, silently watching their father struggling to breathe.)

Dead Father (Peterson): *Grabs Caroline's hand and then Grace’s hand* I will always be with you…..

Everything pause, the lights shut down. *Only one white light shoot on the bed*, after a second, dead father slowly get out of the bed and roam around (keep the white light on him). and then leave.

(white light, holy background music)

Now Entering Heaven

Dead father( peterson) *wakes up very confused*  What the…. * stands up but falls back down again* Let me try that again *stands back up*  *starts to looks around*

(lights only on hum, left center stage. )

*Voice speaks* : Peterson we have been waiting for you. I am sorry to inform you, but Your’e dead, Welcome to Heaven!

Dead Father: Who’s there! Where am I?

Dead Father(Peterson): 

(*wonders around worries and touches hair*) 

M-My hair (*long pause* )...Its back! 

(*looks down and sees family and shouts*) HONEY! KIDS! ITS ME! PAPA!! (*pause*) HELLO! IM RIGHT HERE! (*sigh*) Can’t they here me?...Oh…Everything is gone... I guess I really am dead.

At the right part of the stage, lights up.

--------At home--------

Grace:( head looks back, body walks forward)  Mom, I’m ok. I’ll just go to check Caroline. I believe she’s crying right now.

Grace: Knock~Knock~ Hey little sis, may I come in? (knocks the door, slightly opens the door and enters)

(*No answer*)

(*Grace slowly approches caroline*)
Grace: Are you ok? mom and I are worried about you. (sits next to Caroline)

Caroline: *Sniffles*I’m ok. Just leave me alone! I don’t feel like talking right now. 

Dead father: Wait..Are they Grace and Caroline?..Oh..my daughters. (sigh) So glad I can still see you here.

Grace: (*Puts arm around caroline*)Okok, but you didn’t eat anything. Don’t treat yourself like that. I believe dad also doesn’t wanna see that. Right?

Dead father: Oh, Caroline, my little trouble maker, go and have dinner with mom!

(right after dead father’s line. )Caroline:(hands cover ears)  I don’t know. I miss him!! How can he just leave us?!

(wants to say something but stop) Peterson (Dead Father): (*sigh and looks down at his feet*) I’m sorry, dear. I never wanted this to happen. Trust me! I love you and your mother.

Grace: (sigh, trembling sound but tries to calm down) You know sis. He fought long and hard, but the cancer spread too fast and he couldn't keep up anymore. If he had the chose to stay, he would have.

Caroline: But…...I still have many things want to tell him… He can’t listen to me any more. I want papa back!!(crying, puting head between legs) 

Dead father: Oh no.. Don’t cry Caroline…. I need to go, I need to go, I need to go.. my daughters need me! (exit)

                                                       left side lights off.

Grace: Listen sis.. Do you really want to meet dad again? (serious)

Caroline: Yes! But how?

Grace: Maybe..that’s too risky..I doubt we should listen to Ma

Caroline: Tell me! Tell me! Grace! please…

(show her two red pants) Grace: Ma said, start from today, we need to wear these red pants every night. In Ma’s family, the widows often wore blood-red panties so that their dead husbands would not come back and lie down next to them at night. And daughters who looked a lot like the widowed mother should also wear those panties, so that if they were ever mistaken for her, they will be safe. You know.. because dad is gone..so...Ma gives me them...Maybe..maybe

Caroline: maybe if we don’t wear them… Dad could come back!!

(Grace nods)Grace: Are you afraid of ghost?

Caroline: I will never afraid of papa!

(Grace and Caroline go to sleep)

SCENE END

Scene 2:

Dad: Felt anxious to rush down. . Where am I ? ( touches his pocket) ah? What is this? ( Find out a note)

The note said: The penultimate. Or the last twelfth.

                      This is the dream of someone who misses you so strongly..

                   At the time when the bell rings three times is the time you need return.

                   Do not touch the person you are familiar with!  (Father read out)

(He sees Caroline and Grace figure far away, and he can hear their voice) ah. . Is their dream

(Very slowly approached)

Grace: Where am I? I’m not suppose to be here..I’m on my way home. (looks around)

Wait a minute.. Where - is - my - home ? Am I in Haiti right now? No..no..that’s impossible.

(flute music)

Caroline: Grace! Where did you go? I asked you to wait for me!

Grace: Caro..Caroline! You are Caroline!

Caroline: Of course I am! What’s wrong with you?

Grace: Your arm..is back!! Why? I mean.. I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Caroline: What are you talking about? My arm? Back? Come on.. it’s always there, sis. Are you ok? You might be sick…

Grace: I’m ok. I’m ok.. 

(turn around, bite on arm) It doesn’t hurt…….Now, everything make sense. It’s a dream.

Caroline: Hurry up! Hurry up! He is waiting for us! We don’t have that much time left!

Grace: Who? Who is waiting?

Caroline: See! Papa! He is right there! Papa! Papa! (waves)

(Father, waving his hands)

(Two daughters, felt joyful, ran up): Dad, we miss you. . where did you go?    ( Together)

(His father reached out, wanted to touch the two daughters’ heads, but suddenly remembered the phrase "You can not touch the person who you are familiar with." Hand stopped in the air, a few seconds, puts down)

Father (muttered): No. . I cant do that.

(Her daughter step forward,  his father step down once, then  her daughter stepped forward, then father step back again. )

Father: No, you can not come!   … Silence  Daddy really had a good time with you, and dad missed you, too. Caroline, you little bastard, Did you cry in the midnight? That’s not good.  Listen to your mom’s advice,  the bone soup mom cooked every day you needed to drink it. Grace did well, you grew up a lot, papa was very pleased. More and more looks like a sister. You have to take good care of yourselves, also take good care of your mother. I'm sorry I can not protect you anymore, but you have to believe that I love you  forever . Dad will bless you. .

Grace: No!dad. We can not live without you.  We have a lot of words to say to you.

(Bells sounded three times)

Dad: Time to leave, remember stay safely, my dear!

Light out immediately.

Scene 3:

Grace: No! No!!Dad please don’t leave us!

Caroline: Grace! Grace, wake up!

Grace: Ah.. It’s a dream...Oh my god.. Dad…

Caroline: Did you also dream about dad?

Grace: Yeah.. You too?! And..and in my dream, your arm is back!

Caroline: I guess we must have the same dream

Grace: Probably.. Papa did came back..Do you remember what did dad say?

Caroline: Yes, but not all of them. He wanted us to be strong, and he will always be with us. Sis, that’s his wish!

Grace: You are right. We shouldn’t let him down. We need to take care of ourselves and Ma. And if we miss him, we can always call him back. Cause he’s always there! Caroline, don’t tell Ma about the dream. Otherwise, she will be mad with us. And remember to hide your red pants carefully.

Caroline: So glad we can see him again.

Scene 4：

Grace: Time to go to bed sis. Hope you can enjoy the last night before your wedding.

Caroline: I know, but I don't want to, I miss dad, Do you think Dad will agree me marry Eric?

Grace: Of course he will. Don’t you remember he has been always looking for us?

Caroline: Yeah. Time flies. You and me are no longer little girls. By the way, did you remember the game that dad taught us? Let's play it.

Grace: do you mean that free association game? Ok,sure

Darker light. Caroline: who are you?

Grace: I am the lost child of the night.

Caroline: where do you from?

Grace: I come from the inside of the lost stone.

Caroline: where are your eyes?

Grace: I have eyes lost behind my head, where they can best protect me.

Caroline: who is your mother.

Grace: she who is the lost mother of all.

Caroline: who is your father?

Grace: he who is the lost father of all.

Silent…..

Caroline: ok I think I have nothing to ask.. So good night and have a nice dream sis. love you Grace: Good night. love you too.

-------Dream-------

Dad: Caroline..Caroline.. (wakes her up)

Caroline: Papa! You haven’t come to my dream for a long time. Oh my god! I’m wearing a wedding dress! (looking at her dress and surperised) Yes! Dad! I’m gonna marry! I really want to tell you that! (happy)

Dad: I know.. I know.. sweet heart. Eric? Right? Glad you can find your happiness! I have been waiting for this day for a long time. I am so impressed. Finally, there is another man who can take care of you! (smile and nod)

Caroline: Oh dad! Do you really think so! I’m so happy. I was afraid that you won’t agree my marriage. (nearly cry)

Dad: That’s impossible Caroline. The only shame is I can’t come to the wedding ceremony in person. You don’t know how much I want to attend it. I’m sorry Caroline. I’m sorry. (sigh)

Caroline: Oh, dad...you don’t need to apologize. It’s not your fault. I always remember you told me you will always be there.

Dad: Caroline….my girl, you are alway strong. Just go and chase your bright tomorrow. You deserve a better life. Once I thought god is unfair because he took your arm away and caused your disability. Me and Ma were very worried about you. But now everything is becoming better and better. It seems like your happiness is right around the corner.

Caroline: thank you dad. Thank you. I believe Eric will treat me well. (cry)

Dad: Yeah, I believe so. Well listen..This is dad’s last time come back.

Caroline: What? What do you mean? You… You won’t come to my dream again?

Dad: Yes

Caroline: Why? No...Are you gonna leave us?! （yell)

Dad: Sweet heart, I hope you can understand. This is the last time. That’s why I haven’t come for so long. I need to go. And actually I’m ready to go because I won’t worry about you anymore. See? Eric is waiting for you. (walk forward and point to the audience side)

Caroline: Dad...don’t go.. (follow him)

Dad: (hug) I will alway love you.

Information: Resource. 

We sat facing each other in the dark, playing a free-association game that Ma had taught us when we were girls. “Who are you?” Caroline asked me. “I am the lost child of the night.” “Where do you come from?” “I come from the inside of the lost stone.” “Where are your eyes?” “I have eyes lost behind my head, where they can best protect me.” “Who is your mother?” “She who is the lost mother of all.” “Who is your father?” “He who is the lost father of all.”

In the dream they would chase after him but never reach him.

Mrs. Ruiz, the family’s Cuban neighbor, is hosting her large extended family for a celebration with blaring rumba music. Caroline and Grace observe the proceedings from a window. Caroline tells Grace that last month Mrs. Ruiz’s son was killed trying to hijack a plane in Havana so he could fly it to Miami.

Caroline buys her wedding dress from Goodwill, mom decides to wear a pink gown, and Grace will wear a green suit.

Her father got a visa by entering into a fake marriage with a widow leaving Haiti for America. In exchange for some money, the woman took his last name. A few years after arriving stateside, Grace’s father divorced the widow and sent for mom and Grace.

They discuss how Hermine and her husband always feared Caroline would settle for someone less than she deserved because of her missing forearm. That’s the real reason Hermine doesn’t approve of Eric: she thinks Caroline is afraid that no other man will come along.

Last thing, after marriaged, went to honeymoon, dad stood.