Force Continuum Play Summary
Invitation to Theatre - EP 1 Tony Menses
Force Continuum Reflection
Before the play itself started, I was able to catch a glimpse of what subject it covered. In the front row, there was a single seat with a piece of paper over it, dedicating the seat to the millions of black people who have gone “missing”. Staring at the spotlight directed on the seat, I subtly sat one seat away, not wanting to be caught in the bright light. The uncomfortableness I felt was only increased as the night went on. The topic of Force Continuum is, unfortunately, far too prevalent in today’s society. Although I can never understand the challenges faced by people of color in America, this show was eye-opening in that it conveyed the struggle between a community …show more content…
and its’ police force through raw emotion.
Many of the lighting choices for this show were excellent.
Some were aesthetically remarkable, such as the golden light pouring through the back door during the grandfather’s memory, while other choices were more striking. The use of fluorescent lights was the most memorable. Fluorescent lights are harsh, glaring, and ugly. They are used in office buildings, schools, and almost every public building in America. However, their use in Force Continuum had a far greater impact than imaginable. These lights were on during some of the most difficult scenes to watch, for example, when the teenage boy had been hospitalized by the police, or when the two police officers were being forced to cover up their negligence and murder. These ugly lights revealed an ugly truth about the world to each character. Both the lights and scenes were unpleasant to look at, but both necessary for seeing and …show more content…
understanding.
Another impactful element of the play was the set, in particular, the house. Through the play, there are several families introduced, spanning through the years. Whether it was a single mother and her teenage brother, a cop, or a younger version of the cop and his parents, the house suited each situation. What each family has in common is a connection to police brutality, whether they are the perpetrator, victim, or both. The house, used for each family, is a significant factor in tying their stories together. This average home shows that no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you are black, you can be effected by brutality. Unfair treatment by police is not reserved for the unstable, reckless, or insubordinate. It can also happen to a high school dropout, a school teacher, and even a police officer.
After the play concluded, I found myself, and others, emotionally exhausted.
Sitting through the gritty horrors of reality weighs heavily on a person’s conscience, and is not easily forgotten. The biggest burden of the night was watching the underdogs lose. There was no victorious win, surprise comeback, or happy ending. The audience sat through two suicides, three murders, and two hours of heartache and pain, while knowing that there is no light at the end of the tunnel for any of the characters involved. If anything, the longer the play went on, the more morose it became. This left little hope for the audience, who exited a play, and entered into an eerily-identical
reality.
Gwen Sewell Oct. 19th 2015
Faith and Critical Reasoning Robert Cortegiano
Quote:
“...the manner in which American Catholics remain faithful while at the same time making their own choices about which features of "the spirit of the age" to celebrate or castigate”
Comment:
This argument arises frequently when those who follow the bible pick and choose which rules to follow. Often times, Catholics choose to preach against gay marriage, claiming that it is against the word of the bible and the word of Jesus. However, they choose to ignore similar laws such as banning haircuts, seafood, etc. This extreme hypocrisy is harmful and damaging and must be examined when preaching and spreading faith.
Question:
Is this mindset, of picking and choosing features of the bible, common in all religions, most religions, or is it mainly a part of the Catholic faith?
Force Continuum Reflection
Before the play itself started, I was able to catch a glimpse of what subject it covered. In the front row, there was a single seat with a piece of paper over it, dedicating the seat to the millions of black people who have gone “missing”. Staring at the spotlight directed on the seat, I subtly sat one seat away, not wanting to be caught in the bright light. The uncomfortableness I felt was only increased as the night went on. The topic of Force Continuum is, unfortunately, far too prevalent in today’s society. Although I can never understand the challenges faced by people of color in America, this show was eye-opening in that it conveyed the struggle between a community …show more content…
and its’ police force through raw emotion.
Many of the lighting choices for this show were excellent.
Some were aesthetically remarkable, such as the golden light pouring through the back door during the grandfather’s memory, while other choices were more striking. The use of fluorescent lights was the most memorable. Fluorescent lights are harsh, glaring, and ugly. They are used in office buildings, schools, and almost every public building in America. However, their use in Force Continuum had a far greater impact than imaginable. These lights were on during some of the most difficult scenes to watch, for example, when the teenage boy had been hospitalized by the police, or when the two police officers were being forced to cover up their negligence and murder. These ugly lights revealed an ugly truth about the world to each character. Both the lights and scenes were unpleasant to look at, but both necessary for seeing and …show more content…
understanding.
Another impactful element of the play was the set, in particular, the house. Through the play, there are several families introduced, spanning through the years. Whether it was a single mother and her teenage brother, a cop, or a younger version of the cop and his parents, the house suited each situation. What each family has in common is a connection to police brutality, whether they are the perpetrator, victim, or both. The house, used for each family, is a significant factor in tying their stories together. This average home shows that no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you are black, you can be effected by brutality. Unfair treatment by police is not reserved for the unstable, reckless, or insubordinate. It can also happen to a high school dropout, a school teacher, and even a police officer.
After the play concluded, I found myself, and others, emotionally exhausted.
Sitting through the gritty horrors of reality weighs heavily on a person’s conscience, and is not easily forgotten. The biggest burden of the night was watching the underdogs lose. There was no victorious win, surprise comeback, or happy ending. The audience sat through two suicides, three murders, and two hours of heartache and pain, while knowing that there is no light at the end of the tunnel for any of the characters involved. If anything, the longer the play went on, the more morose it became. This left little hope for the audience, who exited a play, and entered into an eerily-identical
reality.
Gwen Sewell Oct. 19th 2015
Faith and Critical Reasoning Robert Cortegiano
Quote:
“...the manner in which American Catholics remain faithful while at the same time making their own choices about which features of "the spirit of the age" to celebrate or castigate”
Comment:
This argument arises frequently when those who follow the bible pick and choose which rules to follow. Often times, Catholics choose to preach against gay marriage, claiming that it is against the word of the bible and the word of Jesus. However, they choose to ignore similar laws such as banning haircuts, seafood, etc. This extreme hypocrisy is harmful and damaging and must be examined when preaching and spreading faith.
Question:
Is this mindset, of picking and choosing features of the bible, common in all religions, most religions, or is it mainly a part of the Catholic faith?