Week 5 - A Grand Performance

[Prof. Kendra Givens]

The Colosseum was used as a grand stage for various performances. If you were on stage in front of a large audience, what kind of show would you want to be in? what would your role be? Write at least 150 words.

Post your description below to get a piece of this week’s password for the Treasure Hunt, and, of course, earn yourself 10 beans (+5 beans if it is handed in before the 12th of August). If you would rather not share your creation below, please send it to ravenclawevent @ gmail.com (no spaces) with the title "Week 5 - A Grand Performance" and we will be sure to get you some beans!

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

I would be a player who did pantomime - a 'mime dancer'. This person acts out the play, all by themself. I'd portray all the persons and characters of a play, from the somber to the hilarious, from two-leggers to animals to the wind howling across the stage to the rain drenching all people of the play. I would act out the play, from the start, with all of these characters, flowing from one personae to another, from animal to weather to person, and portraying to the audience the persons therein and what was happening in the play!

My tools in doing this would be the masks (I may use from three to five, depending on what is needed), and would dance, walk, strut, crawl, leap -- whatever is needed -- to portray the various elements of the play. My movements would be rhythmic (or not!) and I would be eloquent with my gestures, making them either huge and grand or so minimal that it would take the keenest eye to see them.

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[Arianna Stonewater]

This is tough, as I am not typically a person to appear on stage, preferring to be "behind the scenes." I would have loved to help create some of the interesting costumes and scenic pieces. The best part by far though would have been working on any of the "Deus ex machina" for a show! These "God Machines" were things like lifts and trap door; intricate and incredible designs that provided convenient resolutions to any conflict!

If I had to be in a show though, I would definitely be in a show at the hippodrome! That is where they held the chariot races. I love horses and going fast, so I think I would do really well here! I have a few concerns about falling off the back and being trampled to death, but I’m sure I could figure out something to keep from falling! Even if I did have an accident every once in a while, I’m sure the thrill of the race would keep me coming back!

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[Silas Hipolito Crist]

This is surely very interesting question, because I enjoy when watching shows and sitting inside the crowd, not acting. If I would have to be in the show, then I would love to have role that is not the main but still with some acting to do. Also I would not like to sing anything, just text and acting.
I don't have any specific show in my mind; but I guess it should be something a little bit serious, I am not for comic movies or shows industry (at least not for acting in it). Maybe some drama show for the theater, but absolutely not a love story. It could be researching some criminal cases or something similar. I would prefer to be very well dressed, altough I do not like waiting for so much time.
Just remembered that I would love to play in Cursed child play. This would be really marvelous.

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[Bull J. Johnson]

If I was on stage I'd be singing a song that mattered a lot to me. Maybe something like Precious Memories by Mark Smeby. This song reminds me of two people that mean the world to me, but are sadly now gone from my life. One moved away and the other died.

The first was a guy named David Morrow. David was a Coach and close friend to me and taught me a lot. I really miss him.

The second is my dog Sally Eggo, who also helped me a ton in my life.

IIf it was not for both of them I wouldn't be the man I am today. I owe them both so much. It feels like sort of like a hole in my heart knowing I will never see them until I go to heaven, but I know that one day when I go to heaven I'll see them again. I can't wait for that happy day.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrJ25a.4m9b63EAlYEPxQt.?p=Memories+clancy&fr=yhs-itm-001&fr2=piv-web&hspart=itm&hsimp=yhs-001&type=smy_ydef#id=2&vid=2584d5a7131e9c976bcb78be6968e079&action=view

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[Prof. Sky Alton]

I would probably take part in stage combat, though hopefully not full on gladiatorial, fight-to the death style. I would like to give a demonstration of fancy sword work or the like, where the spectacle was almost more important than besting an opponent. I might even try my hand at sword dances or something along those lines, where rhythm is the key to the display. The speed, ferocity and elegance of fencing always holds people’s attention so I’m sure this would be a hit.
The Roman’s loved a performance that told a story so I definitely think I’d have great success with some kind of battle re-enactment, complete with costumes, scenery and props. The most popular involved scenes featuring the gods or other mythical/epic literary figures, although these didn’t always end well for the person on the losing side as the show could be a bit too realistic.
When I was a child and obsessed with Roman culture, I read a fictionalised account about an incident at the coliseum where they flooded the entire arena for a watery spectacular, including live crocodiles and hippos. They sent a very picturesque boat of young nymphs across, only nobody told them that the boat was rigged to come apart and send them into the water. So I think, to be on the safe side, I would choose a costume and character that was perhaps less pretty but certainly less likely to be crocodile chow. While the goddess Minerva is a lot less battle ready than her Greek counterpart Athena, I still think she’d make a great character for a demonstration of strategic warfare; there’s also Bellona, a goddess who charges into battle with a whip and a flaming torch. If impersonating a goddess is a step too far for the audience, I’ll probably have to settle for Camilla, Queen of the Amazons who was noted for her extraordinary speed and ferocity.