Anna Deveare Smith and Sara Jones have made careers of impersonating real life human beings. By performing characters outside of their own race and/or gender categories, they make audiences rethink assumptions about who can play what.
This is a New York Times article about Sarah Jones and her acquisition of new material. She searches out interesting characters to use in her work, especially detailing their ethnic and economic identities. I chose the link because it talks specifically about juxtaposed real life characters. In order to have a juxtaposed character then that means that one has to have an assumption about that character to begin with. These assumptions (and the way Jones plays with them as a playwright) can be dangerous--after all prejudice is based on cultural assumption. I'm interested in how she can work with this subject matter and make it thought provoking without being offensive.
This link leads to a very interesting interview with Sara Jones,( who by they way loved learning more about.)
This interview digs deeper into how Sara Jones handles the interesting mix of politics and art in her performances. Jones makes a comment that " art can ever be art for it's own sake". every choice that is make thorough art/ theater is a reflection of the choices we make on what we want to/ can handle versus what we cant.Jones also makes a comparison that Oklahoma is a classic play for it shows the pleasantness of America, yet there are no plays on the Trail of Tears. That would be a political choice, not an artistic one.
Sarah Jones Poetry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRgIGMwZd2o
This is a youtube video of Sarah Jones performing poetry. I'm not too familiar with poetry, so I would, with my little knowledge, categorize it as "slam poetry." Sarah Jones and E. Patrick Johnson were definitely my favorite artists out of the six categories. I am more drawn to women artists, intellectuals, political leaders, etc because being a woman I find it easier to relate too. Also I want to see women achieve great heights and positions. Honestly I haven't considered poetry and plays to be a force of political movement and questioning, or to be such a push in challenging social norms or race and class. So watching Sarah Jones' poetry slam was inspiring; she is intelligent, powerful, and brave. Her poem was performed with vigor and sincerity (I believe it was from the early 2000's judging by the songs she was referring to). I've grown up surrounded by hip-hop, along with other types of music, but I never really listened to the lyrics-mostly the beats. It was probably about three years ago when I stopped listening to hip-hop/rap/r&b because I cannot stand the misogyny within its culture. Sarah so playfully makes political statements about these rappers and their lyrics from Ludacris, Notorious BIG, LL Cool J..."will not find me in the back seat of a jeep, with LL, hard as hell, doing it and doing it and doing it well...(LL Cool J). This is a different side to Sarah than the TED talks 8 characters. She is still challenging and questioning people. It is very important for young woman to have intelligent voices like Sarah Jones challenging the patriarchal and woman defying culture of hip-hop/rap. -Nika MacFarlane
Here is a link to the New York Times criticizing Smiths new play Let me down easy. A play where Anna covers a big patch of territory in “Let Me Down Easy,” her populous new solo show at the Long Wharf Theater here. A checklist of topics covered would include the steroid scandal in sports, cancer therapies, African folk healing, the genocide in Rwanda, the tragedy of Katrina and the ailing American health care system and those secrets of the supermodels says Charles Isherwood. The article describes her passion for each character she developed in the play. Anna Deavere Smith as the jazzman James Andrews. Oh, and let’s not forget those secrets of the supermodels.
Sarah Jones was in the White House. In an article of her bio on a website, Jones in the spotlight. The article proceeded to list all of her awards and achievement as a playwright and solo actress who is capable of playing multiple roles. She was invited to perform at the White House by the First Lady for Women's History Month. http://sarahjonesonline.com/bio/
This is a New York Times article about Sarah Jones and her acquisition of new material. She searches out interesting characters to use in her work, especially detailing their ethnic and economic identities. I chose the link because it talks specifically about juxtaposed real life characters. In order to have a juxtaposed character then that means that one has to have an assumption about that character to begin with. These assumptions (and the way Jones plays with them as a playwright) can be dangerous--after all prejudice is based on cultural assumption. I'm interested in how she can work with this subject matter and make it thought provoking without being offensive.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/nyregion/sarah-jones-playwright-scouting-the-city-for-her-characters.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood post Clint
ReplyDeletehttp://www.motherjones.com/media/2004/07/dont-get-too-comfortable
ReplyDeleteThis link leads to a very interesting interview with Sara Jones,( who by they way loved learning more about.)
This interview digs deeper into how Sara Jones handles the interesting mix of politics and art in her performances. Jones makes a comment that " art can ever be art for it's own sake". every choice that is make thorough art/ theater is a reflection of the choices we make on what we want to/ can handle versus what we cant.Jones also makes a comparison that Oklahoma is a classic play for it shows the pleasantness of America, yet there are no plays on the Trail of Tears. That would be a political choice, not an artistic one.
Sarah Jones Poetry
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRgIGMwZd2o
This is a youtube video of Sarah Jones performing poetry. I'm not too familiar with poetry, so I would, with my little knowledge, categorize it as "slam poetry." Sarah Jones and E. Patrick Johnson were definitely my favorite artists out of the six categories. I am more drawn to women artists, intellectuals, political leaders, etc because being a woman I find it easier to relate too. Also I want to see women achieve great heights and positions. Honestly I haven't considered poetry and plays to be a force of political movement and questioning, or to be such a push in challenging social norms or race and class.
So watching Sarah Jones' poetry slam was inspiring; she is intelligent, powerful, and brave. Her poem was performed with vigor and sincerity (I believe it was from the early 2000's judging by the songs she was referring to). I've grown up surrounded by hip-hop, along with other types of music, but I never really listened to the lyrics-mostly the beats. It was probably about three years ago when I stopped listening to hip-hop/rap/r&b because I cannot stand the misogyny within its culture. Sarah so playfully makes political statements about these rappers and their lyrics from Ludacris, Notorious BIG, LL Cool J..."will not find me in the back seat of a jeep, with LL, hard as hell, doing it and doing it and doing it well...(LL Cool J). This is a different side to Sarah than the TED talks 8 characters. She is still challenging and questioning people. It is very important for young woman to have intelligent voices like Sarah Jones challenging the patriarchal and woman defying culture of hip-hop/rap.
-Nika MacFarlane
http://theater.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/theater/reviews/22easy.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&ref=annadeaveresmith&adxnnlx=1371832805-9gQsrWv5e4+dVp47PS0IHw
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to the New York Times criticizing Smiths new play Let me down easy. A play where Anna covers a big patch of territory in “Let Me Down Easy,” her populous new solo show at the Long Wharf Theater here. A checklist of topics covered would include the steroid scandal in sports, cancer therapies, African folk healing, the genocide in Rwanda, the tragedy of Katrina and the ailing American health care system and those secrets of the supermodels says Charles Isherwood. The article describes her passion for each character she developed in the play.
Anna Deavere Smith as the jazzman James Andrews.
Oh, and let’s not forget those secrets of the supermodels.
Sarah Jones was in the White House. In an article of her bio on a website, Jones in the spotlight. The article proceeded to list all of her awards and achievement as a playwright and solo actress who is capable of playing multiple roles. She was invited to perform at the White House by the First Lady for Women's History Month.
ReplyDeletehttp://sarahjonesonline.com/bio/