Anna In The Tropics
Nick Framarini
Professor Dorsey
GTHEA 205 10:10AM
5 November 2012
Anna in the Tropics Theme The production of Anna in the Tropics generated many different themes throughout the play, however there was one theme that caught my attention and was supported much throughout the play. The theme identified most was the decision to solve issues with reason or to lower oneself to react in a violent matter, and allow evil to prevail. With many themes being prevalent, violence versus reason was communicated by the lighting of the play. The lighting designer, Mary Keegan, was able to use different lighting effects to help the audience better understand the message that was being delivered on stage. I don’t think I ever realized before how essential lighting was in theater, until I put my attention on it. When reason was occurring, the lighting was more whitish-blueish tint, and when the violence took place, the lighting changed to a more darkening of the stage. From the opening scene, with the lights coming on, till the last scene, when the stage went dark, lighting was important to help clarify the theme. Prior to this performance I viewed lighting as a tool for making the stage visible for the audience to see and guy with a headset standing on a balcony maintaining a spotlight on the main character. However, after seeing Anna in the Tropics and becoming a more active audience member, I realized that my previous view was wrong. Lighting does much more than just light the stage, and keep a spotlight on a character. It controls the mood and for this production the theme of the play. The theme that captured my attention was making decisions with reason or lashing out and using violence to solve problems. Keegan does a good job from the opening scene in using lighting to help exemplify this theme. In the opening scene when Cheche and Santiago are attending the cock fights the lighting of the scene is a dark redish brown; the cockfights are a symbol of violence winning.
Professor Dorsey
GTHEA 205 10:10AM
5 November 2012
Anna in the Tropics Theme The production of Anna in the Tropics generated many different themes throughout the play, however there was one theme that caught my attention and was supported much throughout the play. The theme identified most was the decision to solve issues with reason or to lower oneself to react in a violent matter, and allow evil to prevail. With many themes being prevalent, violence versus reason was communicated by the lighting of the play. The lighting designer, Mary Keegan, was able to use different lighting effects to help the audience better understand the message that was being delivered on stage. I don’t think I ever realized before how essential lighting was in theater, until I put my attention on it. When reason was occurring, the lighting was more whitish-blueish tint, and when the violence took place, the lighting changed to a more darkening of the stage. From the opening scene, with the lights coming on, till the last scene, when the stage went dark, lighting was important to help clarify the theme. Prior to this performance I viewed lighting as a tool for making the stage visible for the audience to see and guy with a headset standing on a balcony maintaining a spotlight on the main character. However, after seeing Anna in the Tropics and becoming a more active audience member, I realized that my previous view was wrong. Lighting does much more than just light the stage, and keep a spotlight on a character. It controls the mood and for this production the theme of the play. The theme that captured my attention was making decisions with reason or lashing out and using violence to solve problems. Keegan does a good job from the opening scene in using lighting to help exemplify this theme. In the opening scene when Cheche and Santiago are attending the cock fights the lighting of the scene is a dark redish brown; the cockfights are a symbol of violence winning.