Since winning the Pulitzer prize for drama in 1959, J.B. has become one of the most revered works of literature in the 20th century. Knowing this, producing J.B. is quite a daunting task. However, today we do not approach J.B. from a literary perspective but rather, an entertainment perspective. Here at Sam Houston State University we always strive to produce entertaining, historically accurate, compelling works and this show is no different. J.B. takes places exactly 50 years ago, in 1959 and since none of the cast or crew were alive during that time it took an extraordinary amount of time and effort to research the time period to make sure we were bringing a level of truth and accuracy to the work. 1959 was a tumultuous year full of historical ups and downs, New York magazine called it “A year that left its mark— many marks— on the city and the world” and our research greatly impacted the end product of the show you are about to see. What can also not be ignored is the fact that J.B. is based on the biblical story of Job and that also had a huge effect on our show. Apart from the obvious bible quotes and references that had to be researched to have a complete knowledge of the text; the cast and crew had to balance this age old story with the more modern 1959.
In the year 1959, so many things were changing. This was the year the microchip was invented, the Guggenheim museum opened, and Japanese automobiles first infiltrated the American market. Also, this was the year that the United States suffered its first casualties in the Vietnam War. This war would have a greater impact in the 60s and 70s but the fact that this is the year it all started could not be ignored. Fidel Castro made his first and only visits to the United States in 1959, a press tour where he was described as charismatic and “larger than life.” This is in stark contrast to the Castro we know today as the communist leader of Cuba who the United States has not had diplomatic relations with in over 40 years. Another reason why 1959 was a milestone is that some consider it the birth year of the civil rights movement. Mike Wallace hosted a two and a half hour documentary on Malcolm X, the minister of the New York chapter of the Nation of Islam effectively introducing him to the world. Malcolm X would go on to be one of the most polarizing figures in the civil rights movement until he was assassinated in 1965. An important year for music as well, Miles Davis released his album Kind of Blue which would go on to be the greatest selling Jazz album of all time and in film John Cassavetes’s film Shadows would mark the birth of the American “indie” film, changing the landscape of American cinema forever.
While the changing times of 1959 were the main focus of our studies the old testament parts of the script could not be ignored. In fact, the main challenge of J.B. was balancing biblical times with 1959. At several points in the show tonight you will hear direct quotations from the bible specifically the Book of Job. It is important to note that we do not approach this play from a religious standpoint although, if that is what you take away from it that is certainly valid. Rather, we tried to approach the script from the aspect of telling a story, any story not specifically a biblical one. One of the best things about J.B. is that it is an extremely human story and everyone can relate and take something away from it whether you are religious or not. J.B. is about faith, not religion and everyone’s faith has been tested at one point or another, just like J.B. This script also has several social issues that would have been pushing the boundaries in 1959 and are still relevant today. These issues include drunk driving, rape, and murder and are sure to have an impact on how you view this play, especially if you have been affected by these issues. Thank you so much for coming out tonight and enjoy the show!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Producing the Play
The first and most obvious problem posed by the text is that the entire play is in verse. Verse although not impossible to do, makes it harder for the actors to understand and memorize. More importantly, it makes it difficult for the audience to understand and follow the play. Another problem posed by the text is the play within a play concept that the show centers around. This concept requires lots of miscellaneous actors to facilitate scene changes and set the mood for the show. It will be harder to get that many actors organized and know what everyone’s specific roles will be as opposed to a smaller show with only a few actors. Finally, the amount of physical things required by the script such as props and costumes are astronomical given the amount of roles and how long the piece is.
Problems posed by producing J.B. at Sam Houston State include the fact that all of our actors are modern 2009 students and would probably have limited, if any, familiarity with acting in verse. Finding enough actors to fill all of the roles will not be a problem given the sheer size of our department however, to keep so many actors organized is going to require a very organized and somewhat large stage management staff. Also another problem with the large cast is having enough space in the dressing room for all of the actors to get ready and do their costume changes. Having this many costumes also means the costume crew will have to be somewhat large to keep track of all the costumes and facilitate changes quickly and efficiently. Having such a large scale play means that this show will need to be produced on the main stage and that means it will be a larger set which brings about concerns about staying on budget and the man power it will require to build and maintain the set.
Other productions do not have some of the same problems we at Sam Houston have and therefore have not had to solve them. For example, most other theatres I have researched were professional and had a large pool of very experienced actors to choose from so finding actors who were proficient acting in verse was not a problem. Also, professional theatres have a much larger budget than we at Sam Houston would have and therefore do not have the same concerns about having so many props, costumes, and such a large set. It sounds simple but a larger budget would solve most of these problems. One that it might not solve is the dressing room issue, most theatres (ours included) have limited dressing room space and to accommodate so many actors they would have to find other areas that could be converted into a space for the actors. Another one that a higher budget would not solve is the problem of the play within a play concept. I have seen other productions such as the University of Michigan solve this by having a particularly long opening sequence where it is made clear to the audience by the actions of the actors that they are setting up for a performance that is about to happen.
I have not yet seen a poor critical reception to the text. It is the winner of the 1959 Pulitzer prize in Drama and widely accepted as one of the greatest pieces of 20th century dramatic literature. As to the productions themselves, most I found were critiqued positively. People seem to respond very well to the story of J.B. because it is a very human story that is familiar to so many people. I believe because of their love for the script, critics and audience members alike are more willing to forgive minor acting and/or technical problems.
Problems posed by producing J.B. at Sam Houston State include the fact that all of our actors are modern 2009 students and would probably have limited, if any, familiarity with acting in verse. Finding enough actors to fill all of the roles will not be a problem given the sheer size of our department however, to keep so many actors organized is going to require a very organized and somewhat large stage management staff. Also another problem with the large cast is having enough space in the dressing room for all of the actors to get ready and do their costume changes. Having this many costumes also means the costume crew will have to be somewhat large to keep track of all the costumes and facilitate changes quickly and efficiently. Having such a large scale play means that this show will need to be produced on the main stage and that means it will be a larger set which brings about concerns about staying on budget and the man power it will require to build and maintain the set.
Other productions do not have some of the same problems we at Sam Houston have and therefore have not had to solve them. For example, most other theatres I have researched were professional and had a large pool of very experienced actors to choose from so finding actors who were proficient acting in verse was not a problem. Also, professional theatres have a much larger budget than we at Sam Houston would have and therefore do not have the same concerns about having so many props, costumes, and such a large set. It sounds simple but a larger budget would solve most of these problems. One that it might not solve is the dressing room issue, most theatres (ours included) have limited dressing room space and to accommodate so many actors they would have to find other areas that could be converted into a space for the actors. Another one that a higher budget would not solve is the problem of the play within a play concept. I have seen other productions such as the University of Michigan solve this by having a particularly long opening sequence where it is made clear to the audience by the actions of the actors that they are setting up for a performance that is about to happen.
I have not yet seen a poor critical reception to the text. It is the winner of the 1959 Pulitzer prize in Drama and widely accepted as one of the greatest pieces of 20th century dramatic literature. As to the productions themselves, most I found were critiqued positively. People seem to respond very well to the story of J.B. because it is a very human story that is familiar to so many people. I believe because of their love for the script, critics and audience members alike are more willing to forgive minor acting and/or technical problems.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Production History
University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Power Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan
December 6-9, 2007
Director: Philip Kerr
Scenic Design: Vincent Mountain
Costume Design: Jessica Hahn
Lighting Design: Rob Murphy
Sound Design: Henry Reynolds
"Rob Murphy's lighting design effectively sets the right mood for each scene, draining what little color appears on stage as J.B. continues his descent into the void. And in the show's visually stunning finale, Murphy and director Philip Kerr give the audience the kind of emotionally stirring and magical moment that is only possible in live theater." -Jenn McKee, The Ann Arbor News http://blog.mlive.com/encorea2/2007/12/review_jb.html
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