Task 2 Research

1950s

07.03.19

America

In 1950, the British Prime minister Winston Churchill described US as “the worlds strongest military power”.

However, the 1950s was also a great conflict for Civil rights, crusade against communism at home and the aboard has been exposed the underlying divisions in American society.

Politics

During 1950s, African American have been fighting against racial discrimination for centuries, which was a struggle as the mainstream has entered in American life.

Society

The Civil Rights Movements has increased the number of groups of Americans who spoke out about inequality and injustice during 1950s.

Law

Donald Webster Cory published ‘The Homosexual in America’ which was the most important works for gay rights.

 

Musical Theatre Practitioners

1. Grease was written by Allan Carr and Bronte Woodard

Allan Carr was an American producer and manager of stage of the screen. He was born in Chicago Illinois, U.S on 27th May 1937 and died in Beverly Hill, California, U.S on 29th June 1999 aged 62.

In 1978. Carr produced a premiere party and television special for Grease which they’ve earned six million dollars.

Bronte Woodard was an American writer. He was born in Alabama, US on 8th October 1940 and died in Los Angeles on 6th August 1980 aged 39.

In 1978. Woodard worked as a screenplay with Allan Carr to produced Grease, which it earned 6 million dollars.

2. Matilda was written by a British writer Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter and fighter pilot. He was born in Liandaff, Cardiff, Wales on 13th September 1916 and died in Oxford, England on 23rd November 1990 aged 74.

In 1988. Dahl published Matilda, which was rank number 30 of all of the children’s novels and the worldwide sales has reached 17 million.

3. Wicked musical was written by Winnie Holzman

Winnie Holzman is an American dramatist, screenwriter and poet, she was born in New York, U.S in 1954.

In 28th May 2003, ‘Wicked musical’ was first premiered in Curran theatre, San Francisco, which they’ve had 1 billion of the highest grossing movie between ‘The Lion king’ and ‘The Dark knight’.

Development and history of musical Theatre

The musical theatre was started in 1890s and early 20th century which was invented by George Edwardes.

The musicals has changed over the years which reflect to the audiences with new fresh ideas, looks and blind casting with Latinos

The first musical was ‘The Black Crook’ which was the first popular opera begun in America in 1735.

In 1890s and early 20th century, George M. Cohan who worked and created the changes of the musicals.

The important influencial musicals are ‘Les Miserable’ is to show of what it was like back in 1700s in France.

Timeline of musicals through the years:

• Applause (Romance) 7th October 1929 (New York)- 4th January 1930
• Night at the Opera (American Comedy) 15th November 1935
• Hairspray (American dance comedy) 16th February 1988- 26th February 1988

 

 

Theme of Grease 

30.01.19

https://www.shmoop.com/grease/themes.html

Identity

Many men define their identity from the outside wearing ironic T-Shirts, growing moustache and hair dye in a funky colour.

Sexuality

Hitting puberty is comparing to a rollercoaster while no one in their right mind would go through crying, anger and restless of growing pains of puberty. They lived in the 1950’s where their body changing, safe sex and consent are never talked about.

Theme of Love

The theme of Love between Danny and Sandy when they sang ‘Summer Loving’ and ‘Your The One That I Want’ which it seems like Valentines Day.

 

 

 

Time line of 1950s

30.01.19

https://www.infoplease.com/history-and-government/us-history-timeline/us-history-mid-century-and-cold-war-1950-1999

25th June 1950: North Korean communists invades South Korean

27th June 1950: President Truman commits American troops to battle

11th April 1951: President Truman removes Gen. Douglas MacArthur as head of U.S. Far East Command.

 

 

 

How American teenagers are formed in 1950s

21.01.19

 

http://time.com/3544391/the-luckiest-generation-life-with-teenagers-in-1950s-america/

In the 1940s, Teenagers weren’t emerged. Before then, they were only children and adults. When teens has been treated like adults when they are not ready for it which made them feel confused, frustration and pressured.

Nowadays. As soon as you turn 13 to 19 you’ll be classed as a teenager. They were research that their brains are develop in different ways until 19. Now we all know how teenagers develop which makes them feel confident.

• In 1950 was just 5 years after the war end, The US was found itself involved in a shooting war.
• The Us became locked in the cold war where no guns were fired
• The Democrats controlled the White House at the beginning of the decade
• The domestic political was issues in the US during the 1950s

 

 

 

My character bio

18.01.19

 

 

Name: Patty Simcox

Age: 16

Hobbies: Cheerleading

Likes: Cheering & dancing

Dislikes: Pranks and teased by someone

Relationship: Danny Zuko (one side crush, Tom Chisum (at the end)

Fashion: Blue strapless dress, matching blue high heels

 

Patty Simcox is a cheesy and bubbly Cheerleader, beautiful and highly intelligent. Even to Rizzo, “She is the bad seed of Rydell High”.

She was raised in a small country house with her 2 sisters and her favourite pooch Fi Fi, they loved going out trips and having fun together but she always takes her cheerleading seriously. In Elementary school, she loved studying, dressed up nicely and taking parts in any activities but she struggled to make friends which she was tripped, hair pulled & spilled by other kids until it has gone worse when she was in Rydell High.

 

 

 

Fashion of the 1950s

14.01.19

 

Women

Many women wore in the 1950s were skirts or pants, the blouses that were sleeveless or had very short sleeves. By the late 1950s were long skirts or dresses and short jackets.

Men

Most teen boys in the 1950s dressed in preppy styles with cardigan sweaters, button-down shirts, thin ties, dungarees, T-shirts and black leather jackets.

 

 

 

Patty ‘Grease’

14.01.18

Patty Simcox,  is a cheesy do-good cheerleader, beautiful and highly intelligent, though to Rizzo, she’s the “bad seed of Rydell High”.

 

 

Cheerleading

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheerleading

14.01.19

Cheerleading is a physical activity where they’ve participants as they form of encouragement by tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting.

 

• They have to go through a routine that can’t be skipped.
• Make sure that your Cheerleader is keeping team members happy and hardworking.

There types of poses that they do are;

• Old man, The base grabs the cheerleader’s waist and fly up in the air.
• Scorpion, The base, one or more, hold up their right foot and balances on one leg. Then grab the loose foot and drag it backwards so the toes are close to the head.
• Scale, One or more bases extend right foot, hold her ankle or calf (instead of her toes) and the other arm is in the High V position.
• Heal Stretch, When base or bases hold one foot of a flyer while she holds another foot with hand as flexibility is very important when trying to hold her balance.
• Bow & Arrow, The flyer grabs her left foot and right hand and pulls it straight up by her head. But make sure that it is holding straight which is another enormous skill of flexibility as she needs to hold her foot above her head.
• Cobra, The flyer wraps her left arm around her leg, then grabs her left hand with her right hand while pulling her straight leg closer to her face.
• Needle, The flyer holds her arms straight, stretch her back and legs by holding her chest and one of her legs and pushing them together.
• Arabesque, the flyer stretch her legs straight while facing the audience and the arms are in a “T” position.
• Hitch, The flyer on one girl’s shoulders (in a shoulder sit). The two middle flyers are in an extension of the left or right foot (depending which side) while holding the feet by her shoulders
• No-hands/Chin Chin/Cry Baby, The flyer takes her foot, bends it under her chin, then lets it sit there without any helping hands.
• Running Table Top, Bent her back, like table-tops, and the other flyer runs across their backs and goes into a half on the other side.
• Chair, Popping the flyer in the air and leave the right arm extended while dropping your left arm to your chest. Then put her foot in a 90-degree angle and pose her arms in a high V position.
• Pretty Girl, When the flyer gets thrown into the air, puts her hand behind her head and lifts her leg into the lib position while in the air. Placing your hands on your knee like a proper “pretty girl” or with one hand on your knee and the other behind your head or on your hip.
• Basket Toss, The flyer positions her legs in the air while her arms are extended, hit a pose or hand position then landing in a cradle position.
• Pike Basket, The flyer extends her arms by her ears, using her shoulders to set up, bring her chest to her knees and her knees to her chest.
• Kick-single/Double full basket, The flyer extends her arms by her ears, using her shoulders to set up, the flyer will kick their left leg up while their arms make an “L-like”.
• The X-Out basket, The flyer does a back tuck, opens its arms and legs wide to make an “X” shape in 180 degrees , then flat and face down towards the ground like superman.
• Straight ride basket, The flyer extends her arms by her ears, using her shoulders to set up, then will land in a cradle position which used as a warm-up for stunts groups.

 

 

 

Grease Characters

09.01.19

Male cast:

Danny- The leader of the “T-Birds”. Well built, good looking, with an air of cool, easy going charm. Strong and confident

Kenickie- Second-in-command of the “T-Birds”. Tough looking, tattooed, surly, avoids any show of softness.

Doody– Youngest of the guys. Small, boyish, open, with a disarming smile and a hero-worshipping attitude toward the other guys. And he loves playing with his guitar.

Roger– The ‘anything for a laugh’ stocky type. Full of mischief, half-baked schemes and ideas.

Sonny– A wannabe tough guy who thinks he’s a real lady killer.

Eugene– The class valedictorian. Physically awkward, with weak eyes and a high pitched voice. A nerdy apple polisher, smug and pompous but gullible.

Vince Fontaine– Adult, a typical ‘teen audience’ radio disc jockey. Slick, egotistical, fast-talking. A veteran ‘greaser’.

Johnny Casino– A ‘greaser’ student at Rydell who energetically leads a rock’n’roll band and likes to think of himself as a real rock’n’roll idol like Elvis.

Teen Angel– A good looking, falsetto voiced crooner. A singer who would have caused the girls (and women) to scream and riot back in 1958.

 

Female cast:

Sandy– Danny’s love interest. Sweet, wholesome, naïve, cute, like Sandra Dee of the ‘Gidget’ movies. However, must be able to play sassy and sultry after her transformation

Rizzo– Leader of the “Pink Ladies”. She is tough, sarcastic and outspoken, but vulnerable during a pregnancy scare. Italian, with unconventional good looks.

Frenchy– A dreamer. Good natured but a little dumb. Heavily made-up, fussy about her appearance – particularly her hair. She can’t wait to finish high school so she can be a beautician.

Marty– The ‘beauty’ of the Pink Ladies. Pretty, looks older than the other girls, but betrays her real age when she opens her mouth while trying to act sophisticated.

Jan– Energetic, bubbly, and eating all the time! Loud and pushy with the girls, but shy with the boys.

Patty– A typical all American cheerleader. Attractive and athletic. Aggressive, sure of herself, given to burst of disconcerting enthusiasm. Catty.

Cha-Cha– Kenickie’s blind date, who dances the Hand Jive with Danny. Sexy, fiesty and overly confident. Is, and takes pride in being ‘the best dancer at St Bernadette’s’.

Miss Lynch– The Rydell High School Head Mistress. Strict, demanding teacher, who would like to consider herself ‘hip’, but she definitely isn’t.

Blanche– Miss Lynch’s faithful secretary. Miss Lynch considers her more like a servant.

 

 

 

Grease Musical synopsis

07.01.19

 

Grease musical was set in 1959 in a school called Rydell High, a senior in a gang called the ‘T Birds‘ well known as the ‘Burger Palace Boys’ are stealing hub-caps and acting tough, their gum-snapping and chain-smoking while the ‘Pink Ladies‘ are looking hot in bobby sox and pedal pusher. The 1950s high school dream is about to explode in this rollicking musical that both an homages to the idealism of the 50s and the satire high schoolers. The heart of the story is a romance between a hot-rodding gangster, Danny Zuko and the sweet new girl in town, Sandy Dumbrowski. While they were at the beach, they had a secret romance in summer, but now back in the context of peer pressure and cliques make their love a bit more complicated. Can Danny and his cool dudes make Sandy his girl? The whole gang sings and dances around Danny and Sandy’s romance such as “Greased Lightin“, “We Go Together” and “Mooning“.

The music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation.

 

 

How am I going to research for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

07.01.18

• Take some images or draw a picture which is similar to the film.
• Bring any items. e.g. Chocolate, sweets, grass or take a picture of the area that reminds me of the play for a primary research.