Improv: More opportunities on the Peninsula
Continued from page 5
Bainbridge Island’s Imagined Reality will be performing March 14 at Olympic Theatre Arts, OTA, in Sequim. This group has had four years of practice and perfor- mances.
Cast member Nancy Peterson said, “Everything is made up on the spot based on suggestions from the audience. The show is structured using various improv games such as ‘A Day in the Life’, in which the cast reenacts an audience member’s day, ‘Soap Opera’, a story created based on names given to each actor by the audience, and ‘Lines from a Hat’, short scenes which incorporate written quotes from the audience that are randomly drawn from a hat and used to take the story in a generally hilarious direction. Ev- ery show is different and full of surprises.”
Peterson teaches a class twice a month on Wednesday evenings at OTA and hopes to foster the cre- ation of an amateur improv group in Sequim. The new session starts
March 18.
“My methodology, and also
the way I learned to do improv from several wonderful teachers, is to dive right in, feet first. Class generally starts with a couple of warm-ups to work on concepts and techniques and to get out of people’s comfort zone to loosen up a bit. Then it’s right into the im- prov games. I believe in learning by doing. Students are given the structure of the games, perform scenes, and then are given sug- gestions for making improvement or reinforcement on techniques. Gradually, students’ skills im- prove and they learn to trust their instincts,” Peterson said.
In Port Angeles, community members can attend Starcevich and Fred Robinson’s free bi- monthly improv workshop at the Port Angeles Community Play- house on the second and last Sun- days of the month at 6 to 8 p.m.
“A lot of people are drawn to it because after a while it allows you to be comfortable with yourself, perfect or not, you just learn to ac- cept yourself,” Starcevich said.
Carbon-based art forms
By Chelsea Sanders
Peninsula College installed an incredible new art exhibit this February.
“My Carbon Dialogue” is an installment by David Eisenhour that is housed in the PUB gal- lery at Peninsula College. These beautiful pieces of art are made of carbon prints and bronze sculptures.
Following this installation, Eisenhour will be having a Studium Generale presentation on this art exhibit on March 12 at 12:45 p.m. in the Little Theater. In his Studium General, Eisen- hour will talk about his journey in discovering how to turn his personal dialogue with nature into art that can evoke a greater meaning.
In Eisenhour’s exhibit, he combines himself with nature showing his deep appreciation for nature itself.
“I was raised in a rural setting in northern Pennsylvania where I developed a love and fascina- tion for nature at a young age,” Eisenhour said.
He also expressed that he was inspired to pursue art after discovering Ansel Adams’ pho- tographs and Robert Bateman’s paintings in elementary school.
“I realized there was some- thing being conveyed that tran- scended language,” Eisenhour said.
“When I’m creating I feel
Photo courtesey David Eisenhour
One of his works from the ex- hibit: “In a Drop.”
connected to something greater than myself. It’s in the moments when everything around me but what I’m working on disappears when I do not exist,” he said.
Eisenhour’s goal after his in- stallation at Peninsula College is to “keep creating as long as my body will permit. I will pursue museum shows, public art, gal- lery representation and individu- al collectors who appreciate my art,” he said.
If people could take anything away from David Eisenhour’s art exhibit, he wishes that it be “an affirmation of love for nature and a desire to ask questions.”
Eisenhour’s exhibit is at Pen- insula College until March 12.
One of his works from the ex- hibit: “In a Drop.”
Photo courtesey David Eisenhour
Movie Review: ‘Stronger’
Review by Natasia Siagian
Stronger is a based-on-a- true-story drama presenting one man, Jeff Baumann, whose life changed completely after the horrific tragedy of 2013 Boston Marathon.
Directed by David Gordon Green, Stronger is not the typi- cal fact-based production that sometimes either misses the es- sential mark or goes way wrong too fast.
Instead, he takes the audi- ences on an excruciating jour- ney of a man trying to pull him- self out of the darkness and find a meaning in life again.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, he portrays Jeff as a struggling guy, who is trying to make enough money by working at Costco, in order to watch the Red Sox game in his lucky chair.
The first few scenes were captured at a bar with him, his mom Patty, Miranda Rich- ardson, dad Big Jeff, Clancy Brown, alongside his seemingly annoying and loud relatives drinking together.
There, he is also in a process trying to make amends with his on-off girlfriend Erin, Tatiana Maslany, because apparently Jeff is known to always not show up, and it’s dividing them apart.
Keen to show her that he’s worthy of a second chance, he plans on cheering her at the Boston Marathon, which she’s participating in, with a lovely banner at the finish line.
However, the unexpected happened when a terrorist at- tack leaves Jeff in the hospital, both of his legs amputated.
It puts Jeff and Erin’s rela- tionship to a whole new territo- ry when they have to deal with all the press and spotlight of Jeff being the face of Boston Strong.
Playwright John Pollono worked with the script by fo- cusing on the details, of Jeff’s personal loss and pain and not so much on the terrorists, which caught more public attention.
There’s one part when he was sent home after being in a hospital for six weeks, and he has to face multiple challenges such as being carried to his second-story apartment, using the toilet, even having to go to physical treatment that costs him a lot of energy.
His everyday life is undeni- ably affected, also with keeping a strong bond with Erin.
The unconventional ap- proach of the movie allows the audiences to become more involved in his story. Green did justice on showcasing both Jeff’s good and bad sides, and
Gyllenhaal made a truly stun- ning performance with such minimal camera work, it’s al- most effortless.
Maslany’s representation of Erin is flawless, describing a supporting girlfriend that has to be the one who is strong enough while everything around her is crumbling to pieces.
The raw connection between Gyllenhaal and Maslany is en- hanced when the doctors finally take the bandages off his legs. The camera focused on their faces trying so hard to hold on to pain, together.
Patty’s alcohol addiction and her obsession on making sure Jeff is in every headline while being a mother adds more nu- ance into Richardson’s charac- ter.
Jeff Bauman is a motivation through his vulnerability as a human being.
Pure honesty is poured out throughout the entire movie, and the result is marvelous.
He mentioned, “go help somebody else” every time someone is offering help as if he’s not worth saving. But, as he is finally standing with his new prostheics, he begins to have new purpose in life.