Emily: Cue to Cue

For the next several weeks, different cast and crew members of our talented Signature in the Schools program will be taking over our blog. Check back for frequent updates to get an inside track on their process ad mindset with our latest production, Hero Worship!

Today we hear from our lovely and talented Stage Manager, Emily. A four year Signature in the Schools veteran, Emily has worked her way up the stage management ladder thanks to the valuable experience she has obtained through the program.

Emily is on book and ready to go.

When I auditioned for the Signature in the Schools program my freshman year I had no idea what a stage managers job was.  That year I joined the program as an Assistant Stage Manager and learned all about the job and its responsibilities.  I loved every part of stage management and felt that it was the best way I could use the skills I have in theatre.  Thanks to the Signature in the Schools program I continued to work on productions and have since decided to pursue a career in stage management in college.  I am now a full blown Stage Manager on my fourth Signature in the Schools production. 

                Signature in the Schools has absolutely changed my life in a way I never could have imagined.  This unique opportunity has given me a newfound confidence and taught me so many things.  From learning information covered in boot camp to different experiences encountered in rehearsals, everyday at Signature presents a new challenge.  I have not been treated with this much respect or given this much responsibility anywhere else.  The chance to work in a professional environment as a high school student has truly been a blessing in my life.  Although this is the last year I am able to participate in the program I know I can look forward to continue working in theatre because I feel Signature has properly prepared me to do so.  

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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Chronic Hero Syndrome

Does everyone possess the capacity for heroism? Is heroism thrust upon individuals or do the individuals in question thrust it upon themselves? In Signature in the Schools upcoming production, Hero Worship, young armed service members of The United States of America wrestle with the desire to be heroes and the desire to remain intact physically, mentally, and emotional.

“Wanting to be a society-certified hero is a specialness issue. I see people killing themselves at work and at home to pay for mortgages that are too much for them, or taking vacations they can’t afford in the right spots, all to be special. Wanting a medal in war is just killing yourself at a faster pace, for all the same wrong reasons.” – Karl Marlantes, Vietnam Veteran

Sometimes, the desire to be a hero can lead to doing it for the wrong reasons. The desire to be recognized and seen as extraordinary can cause people to take unnecessary risks or disobey orders and cause more harm than good. Vietnam veteran Karl Marlantes remembered a critical moment in the heat of battle, when he had to decide whether or not to run under heavy fire to try to retrieve a kid from his platoon named Utter, despite the orders from his Staff Sergeant to stay with the rest of the group:

“I was split three ways. I’d known Utter for months. He was my guy…he was hit. I simply wanted to get to him before he bled to death. Another part of me was screaming to listen to [Staff Sergeant] Bell and stay safe. Then there was the third part. I wanted a medal.

            I’d always wanted a medal, ever since I looked at my father’s medals from World War II, ever since I’d seen Audie Murphy in To Hell and Back, ever since I was never chosen first when we chose up sides. All that. It wasn’t enough to do heroic things. I had to be recognized.”

Karl Marlantes ended up going after Utter, shooting uphill against incoming enemy fire. He brought Utter back, but the young soldier died anyway from a bullet wound to the head. Marlantes was left wondering whether he had accidentally shot Utter while he was charging up the hill like an action-hero.

Mr. Incredible has a case of
Chronic Hero Syndrome

The desire to be a hero can also become an obsession, referred to as “Messiah Complex” or Chronic Hero Syndrome, when a person is incapable of turning away from someone who needs help. This can be a very admirable quality, but taken to the extreme, it could lead to the person becoming exhausted or depressed when they can’t save everyone. They are idealistic to the point that they struggle to face the reality that sometimes you cannot save everyone. Their compulsive heroism also can make them easy to manipulate. The enemy can use their compassion to trick them or discourage them. Other times, the hero may charge into a situation to save someone without knowing the whole picture, making matters worse. This happens frequently to vigilante heroes, ordinary people who act outside of the law and police forces to administer justice on their own. If the vigilantes are not well- trained or well-intentioned, they could cause as many problems as the criminals they fight!

Some of our most famous fictional heroes in pop culture have a Messiah Complex!

• Batman: Often pushes himself to his physical limits to save people, and ends up wearing himself out.
• Mr. Incredible: Can’t help helping people, even if it costs him his job; makes him easy to manipulate.
• Harry Potter: Voldemort uses his need to be a hero as a way to lure Potter to him: “He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing that it is for him that it happens. He will come.” (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)
• Avatar: The Last Air Bender: Katara often takes side-quests because she can "never, ever turn [her] back on people that need [her]."
• Doctor Who: He breaks the “Time Lord” rules by leaving his planet to use his time-traveling powers to help humans; so he is not there to help his own planet when it’s destroyed.
• Jack Shepherd (from Lost): Jack often charges into situations and ends up causing more harm than good.
• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations: Ezio is continually distracted by side-quests.

Heroism, particularly in a “soldier” or “warrior” occupation, can inspire people to greatness. Heroes are an important part of our culture because they represent “the best of us.” However, misguided heroism, or heroism for the wrong reasons, can turn that positive motivation into a negative thing. The fixation with being “special” can lead people into risky decisions that hurt, rather than help, the situation. The real heroes are often the ones who don’t receive metals, who do the job because they have to, not for the glory.

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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The Hero's Journey

The deeper we get into the rehearsal process for Hero Worship with Signature in the Schools, the deeper and farther reaching some of the questions we come across become. How do we define “hero”? Are all heroes the same? How do they differ? Is there a simple similarity present between heroes across vastly different cultures?

As historian and writer Joseph Campbell wrote, “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

Campbell wrote his Hero with a Thousand Faces to examine the archetype of “the hero” and the stories that feature the hero as a main character. He discovered that many of these stories share a similar pattern, which he called a monomyth, meaning a single story with many different versions. He called the monomyth “the hero’s journey.” Star Wars creator George Lucas has cited the hero’s journey as an inspiration for the Star Wars films. 

  

Steps in The Heroic Journey

(With Examples from Star Wars)

1. The Call to Adventure

The hero accidentally ends up on a journey, or deliberately pursues it out of a sense of adventure or because they are provoked. They may at first refuse the call, but ultimately they pursue it.

Luke Skywalker receives an invitation to leave his home planet Tatooine, but refuses. When his family is killed, he agrees to leave.

2. Crossing the First Threshold

As part of his initiation, the hero must leave the familiar, comfortable bounds of his world.

            Luke leaves Tatooine with Han Solo.

3. Supernatural Aid

The hero receives assistance from a mentor, often an older, wiser, or magical figure.

            Obi-Wan Kenobi gives Luke his training.

4. The Road of Trials

The hero must face a series of tests; often he fails some of the tests, which help him grow.

Yoda trains and tests Luke.           

5. Meeting with the Goddess

The hero experiences a love that becomes a powerful motivation; it could be romantic love or friendship/family love

            Luke cares for Princess Leia.

6. “The Belly of the Whale”

The hero must face his deepest fears and overcome the final challenge.

Luke confronts the Emperor and Darth Vader while his friends fight without him.

7. Atonement with Father

The hero must confront the idea or person that has the most power over his life; often a father-figure

            Luke must reconcile with his father, the evil Darth Vader.

8. Apotheosis and Ritual Death

The Hero recognizes the power within himself and completes his transformation into a Hero; sometimes involves literal death

Luke recognizes that he is truly a Jedi; Darth Vader dies saving him and becomes one with the Force

9. The Ultimate Boon

The hero gains his goal.

            Luke achieves peace and safety in the galaxy.

10. Crossing of the Return Threshold

The hero returns home. Sometimes he may need magical assistance in a final exciting adventure. Ultimately, the hero must accept the everyday world again, although he as a person has changed dramatically.

            Luke returns to his friends and must accept his role as a Jedi.

11. The Master of Two Worlds

The hero finds a balance between the spiritual and physical worlds and either prepares for his next calling or uses his new knowledge to better his society.

            Luke becomes a wise, brave Jedi knight.

  

Carl Jung’s archetype theory suggests that we will always be drawn to the idea of a hero, and that the potential to be a hero exists in every person. Joseph Campbell builds upon this idea by explaining the transformation a hero undergoes, and encouraging us to dare the heroic quest ourselves.

“When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.” – Joseph Campbell

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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Alicia: Heart to Hartz

For the next several weeks, different cast and crew members of our talented Signature in the Schools program will be taking over our blog. Check back for frequent updates to get an inside track on their process and mindset with our latest production, Hero Worship.

This time around we sat down for a video chat with one of our senior cast members Alicia to talk about some of the successes, challenges, and questions that Hero Worship brings forth.

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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Usman: Why I Came Here

For the next several weeks, different cast and crew members of our talented Signature in the Schools program will be taking over our blog. Check back for frequent updates to get an inside track on their process and mindset with our latest production, Hero Worship! 

Today we will be hearing from Usman, one of the actors in Hero Worship. It is Usman's first year with Signature in the Schools and we thought it would be fun to hear a little bit about why he decided to join us.

Usman, hard at work, studying lines during a rehearsal for Hero Worship.

1. How did you find out about Signature in the Schools?

I saw last years Signature in the Schools production, Revolution, with my former high school Washington-Lee. I was very impressed and told myself that I would audition for the program next year. I was sadly too late to audition for the fine arts program that would allow me to audition for Signature in Schools so I thought I just had to wait till next year. Luckily, I made some new friends, met some amazing teachers over the summer and decided to transfer to Wakefield High School. Then, with some additional luck I got into Signature in the Schools.

2. Why did you want to join Signature in the Schools?

I have always loved theater and performing in shows with my school. However, I wanted and needed to branch out to other theaters to experience more of what the area might have to offer me in terms of theatrical education and training. After I saw the previous Signature in the Schools show I knew where to start.

3. What was you favorite part of our first few weeks of “boot camp” rehearsal?

My favorite part was the improvisational exercises we did throughout the first few weeks. Improv has always been my favorite type of performance. Performing with a group of other talented young actors made it even better and has allowed me to explore and create so much more both on and off the stage.

4. What do you hope to learn / accomplish by the end of the Signature in the Schools program?

I feel that with every role you play you always end up taking something away from it. If the character is romantic you become a little more suave. If the character is evil you become a little more devious. I hope that by the end of Signature in the Schools I can take something great away from my character, "Dominic" and I hope everyone can take something great away from me.

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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Profile of a Hero

As we delve into the rehearsal process for Signature in the Schools latest production, Hero Worship, we begin to uncover various questions we have in regards to the heroes we respect and admire. Why do heroes have such a powerful hold on our imaginations? Why has every culture for thousands of years created their own heroes?

Many different writers, psychologists, and historians have speculated as to why “the hero” is such an enduring and inspirational character. One of the most influential individuals on the subject is Carl Jung.

Carl Jung was a psychologist in the early 1900s. He argued against the theory that all humans begin with a tabula rasa, or a blank slate, in their brains that society and personal experiences influence over the course of their life. Instead, Jung suggested that there are some common internal ideas that are part of the human species, called “archetypes”.

Jung believed that throughout the biological evolution of humans, there are some common experiences we have shared as a species that have been programmed into our brain, and that is why they keep appearing in culture. Some of Jung’s archetypes include:

·        The Wise Old Man

·        The Devil

·        The Hero

Often people and characters are a combination of different archetypes. But Jung’s theory gives us a way to start defining what a hero is and why heroes seem to pop up everywhere. Due to the historical connection with these archetypes, human beings often have powerful emotional responses to them. For instance, when we watch a hero succeed in a film it makes us feel proud and confident. We aspire to be like that hero.

As we move farther along into the development and rehearsal process of Hero Worship, expect to hear more about the “heroic monomyth” and how various heroic theories hold up to what people consider to be heroes throughout history.

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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Jack: Why I Come Back

For the next several weeks, different cast and crew members of our talented Signature in Schools program will be taking over our blog. Check back for frequent updates to get an inside track on their process and mindset with our latest production, Hero Worship! 

Today we will be hearing from Jack, our Sound Technician for Hero Worship, who is returning to participate in Signature in Schools for his 4th year consecutive year.

Jack (second from left) helps create a vignette during a SIS workshop with fellow students.

It is funny how people tell you first impressions are so important, because I had an interesting first couple of days at Signature. Now, I had no prior experience in theater; I went because my best friend told me I was going, and I had no choice in the matter. I visited Signature twice before our first show, “Image is Everything”, went into production. The first was at auditions, and the second was the script read through, so at this point I still hadn't gained a whole lot of actual experience. So when I went in on my first day of actual rehearsal and hated it I felt like I was out of my depth of experience and was being bossed around.

This has all changed now of course. It was a sink or swim experience, and I ended up swimming. I couldn't be more thankful this is something I stuck with. Signature has been an integral part of who I am today. My work ethic and my love of shows just to name a few. It has become so much more than a building to me. It is where I know I am going for something great.

This is why I keep coming back, because I am among friends; new and old, and I know every time I enter I am about to learn something.

Hero Worship performs March 10th and March 17th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are free but reservations are required. To reserve seats, call 703-820-9771. Reservations are available beginning February 10th.

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In With the Interns: Matt Strote

Name:  Matthew Taylor Strote (Matt)

 

From:   Gaithersburg, Maryland

School: University of Maryland, College Park

Long-Term Goals: I plan to work in the education and community relations world of DC area theatre and arts organizations. I also will continue to moonlight as an actor, writer, and reader when possible and take as many photographs as time allows.

Favorite Musical: 

Tommy

The Music Man

Favorite Play: 

Misterman by Enda Walsh

Farewell to the Theatre by Richard Nelson

Kafka's Dick and The History Boys by Alan Bennett

Favorite Movie: Being John Malkovich, Hot Fuzz, 500 Days of Summer and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Internship Start Date: January 6, 2013

Internship Duties: Assistant Director and Teaching Artist for Signature in the Schools with the Education Department. General administrative duties and projects as assigned.

Favorite Things About Signature: I love and appreciate the willingness to be bold and try new things. The atmosphere is a wonderful place to work, learn, and be yourself.

Favorite Things About D.C.: The diverse and rapidly expanding theatre community, variety of neighborhoods to explore, plethora of amazing restaurants, and all the free museums you could ever want. 

General Cool Things About You: I am a member of a clown troupe. If you’re lucky I might introduce you to Baxter one day.

A penguin gets off the elevator right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?: Peter the Penguin removes the sombrero off his head and clutches it anxiously. “Yeah…hi. Umm…I was wondering if I might…and I completely understand if this too large of a request….but…would it be possible to get a slightly bigger sombrero? Don’t get me wrong…I appreciate the fact that I have one. I mean how many penguins can say they have a sombrero of their very own? But I would really like one big enough to store my spare change, fish, and lottery tickets in. Would that be possible? Peter smiles and shuffles awkwardly.

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