Rachel Corrie

[Breaker]

As some of you know, I'm in the process of directing a local production of My Name is Rachel Corrie. I'm guessing quite a few of you will recall her death in 2003, and the controversy that followed. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, you can google her name or just check out the wikipedia link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Corrie)

It is a one woman play, and all the dialogue is taken from the diaries of Rachel Corrie, as well as e-mails she wrote to friends and family while living in Gaza. While the script does have it's lighter moments, the vast majority of it is fairly heavy stuff. Heavy enough that numerous productions of it have been shut down in the past.

Dealing intimately with it every day has, I believe, almost desensitized me to the issues at hand. I'm looking for opinions on this incident and the play itself, general discussion... anything that can give me an idea how an audience might react.

[Saxon]

I think the scene where she actually gets ran over by the bulldozer will have one of two effects depending on how you tell this; they'll either gasp or laugh.

Though, I'm still not entirely sure how this would make a good play, no offense Numbers.

[Breaker]

Why would I be offended by that?

I probably should have posted a link to the wiki article about the play. So... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Name_is_Rachel_Corrie

As for how to make it a good play... well, so far mine has people prancing across the stage in tutus, free hats distributed to audience members, and a phone that descends from the ceiling.

[Visla Eraclaire]

That sounds rather zany for something about someone's death. Granted it's not someone I care about, so I'm not personally offended... I just wonder if everyone will be so disposed

[Breaker]

That sounds rather zany for something about someone's death. Granted it's not someone I care about, so I'm not personally offended... I just wonder if everyone will be so disposed

It's about her life more than her death, really. These zany antics are, in fact, intentional use of Brechtian "theatre of alienation" techniques. Without a little spice, the audience could fall into a trance watching one person perform for an hour and a half.

[Visla Eraclaire]

All the information I'm seeing is largely about her death. What can you tell me about her life that would make me believe that it is worth there being a play, if she didn't die?

[Breaker]

All the information I'm seeing is largely about her death. What can you tell me about her life that would make me believe that it is worth there being a play, if she didn't die?

*raises an eyebrow*. I'm not here to debate whether the play is worthy of existence. It does exist, and I'm directing it, so I want to make it the best it can be. I might post some clips of the rehearsal process on youtube.

[Saxon]

Well, you want to know what the audience would think, Numbers and well.. we're giving you an opinion. And part of that opinion is why would I pay or drive to go see someone dance around in tutus and get a free hat when the play is essentially about some girl who deserves a Darwin award for getting ran over by a bulldozer?

I mean, unless you're going to go into further detail about how you're doing this, I don't think you're going to be able to really sell an audience on this. Maybe Tianemannen Square if you could get a chinese kid and a really realistic tank to run him over with would probably sell better.

I'm just saying, from what you've said so far that really doesn't even seem worth the gas money to go see.

Now a Dark Comedy on the other hand.. if you were clever enough and you had better material, you could probably sell out.

EDIT:

[23:25] angelicmalice15: It'll be awesome if they show her running from the bulldozer
[23:25] angelicmalice15: And have the benny hill theme
[23:25] Sirusv2ptO: LOL

Food for thought?

[Visla Eraclaire]

I wasn't looking to debate it's existence. I just don't know a damned thing about it except 1) Some woman I don't care about died 2) It's supposedly not about her dying.

So I need to know what it IS about, or my only reaction is going to be apathy.

I would pay money for Saxon's Yackity Sax Bulldozer Scene. Without it, I'm left wondering what is interesting enough about this woman's pre-dozer life... So, go on, tell the world what's interesting about the play. It's not a debate, it's salesmanship.

[Arsène]

Why are you giving away free hats? Wouldn't it cost less just to cut the cost of admission? It seems a little more classy.