tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post875767103008507793..comments2023-07-12T05:20:11.008-07:00Comments on Falling Toward Mythopoesis: Lessons from a High School MusicalSarah McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10985261436020635823noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post-26901778380142901402011-03-03T06:03:07.754-08:002011-03-03T06:03:07.754-08:00I LOVED this book, but have yet to see a performan...I LOVED this book, but have yet to see a performance of it (I don't get out much). I think you've got some excellent points about maturity and overdoing the same thing. It sounds to me like the director had read somewhere about stage acting and needing movements big, but I think you're right--Le Mis is complex and the SAME big action all the time cheapens it--different situations call for different actions.<br /><br />That said, i live in Ann Arbor and the high school productions I've seen here look professional--better than most college performances i've seen and as good as any community theater. I think they could have pulled it off--that said, there are a lot of opportunities for young kids to perform, so by high school, the leads have typically been acting for years and the cast is made up of their national award winning vocal performers. (AND the director is excellent)Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post-52957674319065546772011-03-02T14:37:59.836-08:002011-03-02T14:37:59.836-08:00Ah, Alex, now I have to be bitterly jealous of you...Ah, Alex, now I have to be bitterly jealous of you. I have a video of the 10th anniversary concert performance which is wonderful. Colm Wilkinson is amazing. I would really love to see it professionally done.<br /><br />One other good thing out of this experience, it's inspired me to read the book again. I had a REALLY hard time getting through it the first time, but I was also about 10 years younger. I'm enjoying the beginning, which seemed like such a non sequitur the first time, a lot more now.Sarah McCabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10985261436020635823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post-56099635518887295322011-03-02T12:53:04.212-08:002011-03-02T12:53:04.212-08:00Then I count myself lucky I saw the original cast ...Then I count myself lucky I saw the original cast memebers perform the play in London!Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post-3939424650908935152011-03-01T13:50:16.380-08:002011-03-01T13:50:16.380-08:00Les Mis was a fabulous book. As you said, seems a ...Les Mis was a fabulous book. As you said, seems a stretch for most young people just because they haven't lived enough yet.M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post-25417134734507472472011-03-01T09:50:44.044-08:002011-03-01T09:50:44.044-08:00One of my favorites. I can't imagine a high sc...One of my favorites. I can't imagine a high school trying to do this one though. For just the reasons you mentioned,I'm not sure they're ready for something that deep. Most of them have not experienced enough loss or forgiveness to understand Les Mis.Sylvia Neyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09700149683391617521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3614806041076628929.post-81173844711910133422011-02-28T08:21:29.026-08:002011-02-28T08:21:29.026-08:00And later on, we'll be talking to a man who DO...And later on, we'll be talking to a man who DOES gardening.<br /><br />On a more serious note - and to prove that our marriage is a sham because you're sitting right next to me and I'm still leaving this as a comment on your blog - while I heartily agree with what you've said in general, the point that hit me strongest was your comments about sex in books and emotional range.<br /><br />Of course sex belongs in books. People have sex, and books are about people. So while I don't think Ricky and Lucy need to sleep in separate beds, I think that gratuitous portrayals of sex that borders on (or is) the explicit are unnecessary. After a few times, it reflects an adolescent obsession with the subject without any emotional depth. Sex, in real life, is a private affair, so to expose it so constantly in your book feels disingenuous at best.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04034907663699744449noreply@blogger.com