2008 Woodie Awards
Commedia dell'arte to hit MJC stage this summer
Jim Johnson, cast and crew start work on "The Love of Three Oranges"
Tiara Johnson
Issue date: 4/19/07 Section: Entertainment
The theatrical genre known as Commedia dell'arte started long before Drew Carey hosted "Whose Line is it Anyways?"
Since the 15th century this style of improvisational theater, originating in Italy, has been on the stage for everyone to enjoy. According to Wikipedia, commedia dell'arte translates as a "play of professional artists" or "comedy of humors."
This summer, Modesto Junior College theater professor Jim Johnson will direct the play "The Love of Three Oranges," mixing a classic fairy tale plot line with the style of commedia dell'arte.
The play has a cast of 17 students and faculty, including theater professor Michael Lynch as the King of Hearts, Don Evens as the Evil Prince and music professor David Dow playing music and interacting with the cast.
Several of the actors will play three small roles.
"I think this will be a tight knit group," Johnson said.
Unlike other plays produced during the standard school semester, the summer production's 12 week time span gives actors the chance for to bond. Johnson also offers his cast workshops to learn different techniques of commedia dell'arte.
The plot of "Three Oranges' deals with a prince finding his true love after a spell has been cast on him. The prince is also a hypochondriac, which hinders him when finding love or even going to the ball his father throws for him. After the spell is cast, he needs to go on a search to find three oranges, which will turn out to be princesses under a spell, or else he will die.
"David will do all original music and sound effects," Johnson said. "He is a character visible to the audience with a synthesizer and will interact with the cast."
Like traditional commedia dell'arte shows, the main characters in the play will be wearing half masks over their faces to "add to the tradition." This will require the actors to use more body gestures and add more physical comedy.
The set will also add a quicker pace to the play.
"The panels will rotate. Very quickly you can go from a scene in the palace to the forest. It is going to work well in the Recital Hall and will give the show a fluid quality," Johnson said.
The original plan for the play was to have it performed outside in the Art Patio, though the Recital Hall was decided on in the end.
"The Love of Three Oranges" will premiere July 5 and will play until July 15 in the MJC Recital Hall on East Campus.
Since the 15th century this style of improvisational theater, originating in Italy, has been on the stage for everyone to enjoy. According to Wikipedia, commedia dell'arte translates as a "play of professional artists" or "comedy of humors."
This summer, Modesto Junior College theater professor Jim Johnson will direct the play "The Love of Three Oranges," mixing a classic fairy tale plot line with the style of commedia dell'arte.
The play has a cast of 17 students and faculty, including theater professor Michael Lynch as the King of Hearts, Don Evens as the Evil Prince and music professor David Dow playing music and interacting with the cast.
Several of the actors will play three small roles.
"I think this will be a tight knit group," Johnson said.
Unlike other plays produced during the standard school semester, the summer production's 12 week time span gives actors the chance for to bond. Johnson also offers his cast workshops to learn different techniques of commedia dell'arte.
The plot of "Three Oranges' deals with a prince finding his true love after a spell has been cast on him. The prince is also a hypochondriac, which hinders him when finding love or even going to the ball his father throws for him. After the spell is cast, he needs to go on a search to find three oranges, which will turn out to be princesses under a spell, or else he will die.
"David will do all original music and sound effects," Johnson said. "He is a character visible to the audience with a synthesizer and will interact with the cast."
Like traditional commedia dell'arte shows, the main characters in the play will be wearing half masks over their faces to "add to the tradition." This will require the actors to use more body gestures and add more physical comedy.
The set will also add a quicker pace to the play.
"The panels will rotate. Very quickly you can go from a scene in the palace to the forest. It is going to work well in the Recital Hall and will give the show a fluid quality," Johnson said.
The original plan for the play was to have it performed outside in the Art Patio, though the Recital Hall was decided on in the end.
"The Love of Three Oranges" will premiere July 5 and will play until July 15 in the MJC Recital Hall on East Campus.
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