Even thought I have not seen many Broadway-class plays in my life, I was amazed by grandiose production of Proof and its varied actors performances. Proof tells the captivating story of a woman and her eccentric family. Drama quickly begins as the characters advance in their quest for an enigmatic proof. While a few critics argued that Proof is merely a family soap opera with mathematical references to give the play scope, I thought Proof was triumphant.
I went to see the Broadway play last December, thinking that I would not enjoy it. I was very wrong, even if you do not enjoy plays typically, you should enjoy Proof. The reason that it succeeds in this way is due to its universal themes. It also is not necessary to have a comprehensive knowledge of mathematics. One reviewer of the play even said, “Anyone who can come close to balancing a checkbook already has more the sufficient knowledge to fully comprehend what’s going on.” The family’s dynamics will also make you feel that, as a member of the audience, that you have experienced parts of the play in your own life.
The atmosphere was also very pleasing at the Walter Kerr Theatre. For a Broadway play, the prices for tickets was quite reasonable at approximately $55-$75. Because of this a lot of people can go to see the play, which is good since the play could appeal to almost anyone. This is because its story is readily accessible to anyone around 14 years or older.
Once the curtain came up, the play started off strong, capturing the attention of all audience members. We are also introduced to the first main character in the play, Catherine, a confused young woman at the age of 25. Sadly Catherine’s elderly father named Robert, falls victim to a serious mental illness, dementia. He was once a brilliant mathematician, known in the town for solving difficult proofs. Catherine quits college to care for her dear father in Chicago, while her sister, another main character named Clair, decides to move to New York to start a fresh new life. It is revealed then that the sisters, Catherine and Clair, have long time differences. Throughout most of the play, Clair is a bossy and resentful person, even becoming manipulating at times. Meanwhile, Catherine is awakening as a younger person, and is somewhat confused due to the turbulent times the family was gone through. This story arc makes for one of the major themes of the play, reconciliation.
The Essay on Family and Life Story Work
?In this assignment I aim to discuss life story work: which can provide the care worker, and care receiver a better understanding of each other’s needs, and provide the care worker with information that can help support the care receiver in the best way. The carer needs to possess certain skills sensitivity, confidentiality, empathy, trustworthiness, and have commitment to seeing the story to the ...
When Robert dies, the story shifts, and his death becomes the initiation of a revelation that Catherine may have written a mathematical proof of huge proportions. Since Catherine has inherited her father’s mathematical genius, she begins to fear she will too become ill his dementia. While the play’s characters do not harp about theorems and math specifics, the proofs are a symbol of the families mysterious past, and their one of a kind dynamic.
The next major character is Hal, an ex-student of the genius Robert. Catherine seems to find him attractive, but is unsure about his true motives. Is he out to pursue his own interests exclusively?
Act two builds on these themes and makes the audience wonder if Catherine and Hal will get together. Or, did Catherine really author the enigmatic proof? Advancing the plot line, Clair decides to return to Chicago to settle the family’s problems, which begins tension between the girls. Hal also begins to look around the house of Catherine and her late father to try to find something of value.
He discovers an old notebook, which will test the ties of the family. The notebook brings many things to light including a buried secret. The secret will test the Catherine and Clair’s kinship, and leave the audience wanting more. At this point, the play really takes off, almost becoming a soap opera. Like a science fiction story almost, Proof begins to ask more questions then it can answer. I know that I would have liked a more definite answer about just who wrote the mysterious proof. Whether this is a good or bad thing for some people, the characters remain infatuating and brilliantly acted by the talented group.
The Essay on Oedipus Creon Story Plays
Creon in Oedipus the King In this paper I will be making 3 major points about Creon. First I will explain the role Creon plays in this drama. Next I will explain some of the values Creon represents in this story. And for the last I will be examining how essential Creon is to the way this situation plays itself out. Other than the obvious roles Creon plays in this story (Jocasta's brother and ...
In time the plot twists and turns, and will likely shock you after experiencing its conclusion. I do not feel I should explain the ending too much, since it may take away from the plays overall mystique. After all, you can always see it yourself, which I would highly recommend. For an intelligent drama-mystery, that will haunt you, and yet still amaze, look no further then Proof.
I am not the only person who enjoyed the play however. In its initial run at the off-Broadway Manhattan Theatre Club, the production quickly started a positive “buzz.” Drawing comparisons to Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, the production soon moved to Broadway after its initial run at the MTC.
On Broadway, Proof came into its own on October 24th, 2001 when it opened to a large gala event. Stars lined up to see the production, and to talk to the actors. Mary-Louise Parker shined as the star of the show, and became the critic’s favorite for her portrayal of the character Catherine. By this time she had won several awards for her performance including a Lucille Lortel award for lead actress, a Drama Desk award, a Critics circle award, and has now been nominated for a Tony, the biggest prize in the industry. Not only Parker, but the three other main stars and the director were nominated for the coveted Tony award.
Proof recently won the Pulitzer Prize for drama 2001, which is another big accomplishment. Much of this is not only due to the actors, but also to the producers, playwrights, directors, and designers. David Auburn, playwright, has crafted a touching story, one that Broadway has not seen in years. With such a hit, he also is one of the biggest writers to look for in the future, especially since he is only 31 years old. The detailed set design is a creation by Lee Beatty, who kept the environments varied, yet with common themes. Much of the dialog took place on a realistic back-porch set. Evocative music by John Gromada and moody lighting by Pat Collins further set the tone for the production.
The Term Paper on Greek drama
In this essay, a companion piece to The use of set and costume design in modern productions of ancient Greek drama, I will discuss the importance of theatre space in contemporary productions of Greek drama. Of necessity, I have limited my choice of productions to a set of (around) a dozen examples; all of these can be found catalogued in the database. It is hoped that the reader will be able to ...
As I look back on the experience, I hope to attend similar performances. Not only did I witness an amazing story told by top-notch actors, but more so it was more an experience. The atmosphere and music could nearly take you into the world of the play for the 2:30 hours it ran. Overall, it was an extraordinary accomplishment for a first-time script. In the future there may even be a Proof movie which could further its success story.
