Actors Co-Op

The Crossley Theatre
Hollywood, Ph
May 2003

Director:Marianne Savell
Costume designer: Carolyn Lancet
Set design: Tim Farmer

Its themes are not only the rigidity which forms a carapace eventually about all belief systems, the frustrating gap between the eyes of innocence and the power of experience, and the validity of visions.
Laura Hitchcock, The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings
http://www.curtainup.com/asitisinheaven.html

Helmer Marianne Savell's staging mirrors the austerity and self-discipline of the women themselves as the ensemble members seldom leave the stage, moving in and out of each scene swiftly and economically with never a superfluous word or gesture.
Julio Martinez, Variety
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117920172.html?categoryid=33&cs=1

Department of Theatre and Dance at Cal State Fullerton

Hallberg Theatre
California State University
Fullerton, California
March 2008

Director: Patrick Pearson
Scenic designer: Cassandra Stone
Costume designer: Kazuyo Sekiguchi
Light Designer: Ernest Brown

Macro

May 26: The Cherokee Indians is forcibly relocated in the Trail of Tears (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1838) To give a bit understanding to the time period

The average duration of the life of a prostitute does not exceed 4 years from the commencement of her career. (Sanger. History of Prostitution. pg 484) This fact is for Fanny's fear of leaving the family.

Destitution is the second reason for prostitution (Sanger. History of Prostitution. pg 488) This fact shows how Fanny got this reasoning.

No other occupation available to unskilled or low skilled women provide an income comparable to that of prostitution. (R. Barri Flower. The Prostitution of Women and Girls. pg 26) Shows how Fanny knows that she would only be a prostitute.

Abolitionist Sarah Moore Grimké issues a pamphlet under the title "Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Woman (http://www.answers.com/topic/1838) To show that history was only beginning to show women suffrage .

Women in Pitcairn are the first in the world to obtain and maintain the right to vote. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1838) Shows that it is only this year that women are beginning to have voting rights.

Queen Victoria is crowned at Westminster June 24. (http://www.answers.com/topic/1838) This begins the start of the Victorian Era.

U.S. abolitionists transport southern slaves to freedom in Canada via an "Underground Railway". (http://www.answers.com/topic/1838) The Shakers may have been passing points for the freed slaves. This gives a basis for any of the Shaker women to be American American.

1837 - Martin Van Buren becomes President (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history_(1820%E2%80%931859) To show who was president at the time of the play.

1837 - U.S. recognizes the Republic of Texas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history_(1820%E2%80%931859) To show Americas expansion

Images

Mother Ann Lee (the founder of the Shaker


















women in pleasant hill































Summer dresses (1840)

Pleasant Hill, Kentucky

Shaker dancing (note the seperation of sexes)

map of kentucky (current but shows the distance between Shaker village and Lexington)

Lexington, Kentucky (1840

American map (1830)

Micro

The community eventually reached a size of 4,500 acres and a population of about 500. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Hill,_Kentucky) This gives an idea of the space they live in and somewhat freedom of the girls have.

On January 1, 1805, with eleven Shaker communities already established in New York and New England, three Shaker missionaries set out to find new converts among the pioneers then pouring into the western lands by way of Cumberland Gap and the Ohio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Hill,_Kentucky) To show the founding of the town

Once the Civil War began, the Pleasant Hill Shakers ran into controversy. The New England based religious organization had a policy pacifism and was also opposed to slavery. The individuals who made up the Pleasant Hill society mostly came from the region and had a variety of views on the war and slavery, though formally the organizational stances were adhered to. Pleasant Hill was sympathetic to the Union, but being located in the South, Pleasant Hill became the target of some intolerant neighbors and bands of extremists. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Hill,_Kentucky) To show their position to the Civil War

In the early 1830s the Shakers of Pleasant Hill constructed a water tower on a high plot of ground. A horse-drawn pump lifted water into the tower, and from there a system of pipes conveyed it to the kitchens, cellars, and wash houses. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Hill,_Kentucky) This shows that the Shakers were not like the Amish that they were mistaken for

In the wash houses, washing machines (also powered by horses) were built to reduce the enormous chore of laundering the community's clothes and linens. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Hill,_Kentucky) Also to show they were not like the Amish but to also show more of their technology.

The Shakers were nineteenth-century America's largest and best-known communal society. (http://www.shakervillageky.org/living_history_museum/shaker_history/) It shows that they were a fast growing and developing community.

A quest for simplicity and perfection is reflected in their fine designs and craftsmanship, and today the term Shaker-made is synonymous with excellence around the world. (http://www.shakervillageky.org/living_history_museum/shaker_history/) To reflect their lifestyle and way of life.

Although the population peaked at almost 500 in the 1820s, the community thrived well past the mid-nineteenth century. () This fact shows that during the production, they were not reflecting the height of the Shakers but more of the slow downfall.

The Pleasant Hill Shakers were hardworking farmers, first or second generation descendants of pioneers who settled the early 1800s Kentucky River frontier. (http://www.shakervillageky.org/i/downloads/pleasant_hill_shakers.pdf) This gives everyone an idea of the type of people that lived and worked there.


The brethren made brooms, coopers ware, weaving implements, shoes, tanned skins and raised livestock. The sisters produced woolen goods, pressed cheese, sweetmeats (preserves). Together, they produced medicinal products and packaged seeds. (http://www.shakervillageky.org/i/downloads/pleasant_hill_shakers.pdf) Shows what kind of chores the people were doing.

Statement

Age is very important when it comes to this production. Much of the conflict is against the older generation of the Shakers and the newcomers. It shows the gap in between the generations as well. The young girls are gossiping about the brethren and how they want to dance with them while the older women talk about chores and how they need to take care of different situations in their family. The conflict with the angels shows this gap as well. The eldress Hannah doesn’t believe that Fanny could possibly see angels since she is an uneducated young woman. The younger girls Polly and Izzy believe her since they started having gifts such as the gift of drawing and the gift of laughing. The older Shakers believe that these girls are unfit to see angels they do not believe them at all and accuse them of seeing the brethren which is a high crime.

This production could very well use different races for casting. The Shaker society at the historical time was not about the different races but about simplicity. Therefore, placing a person of race would not be an issue. The two roles that would be considered an issue for placing actors of race would be the roles of Peggy and Polly. Peggy is the role of the cook and would bring out a lot of stereotypes. Also, Polly has the background of “working on her back in a fancy house in Lexington”. Having a actor of race play her would give off a negative opinion towards the race of the actor.

Gender is not the main issue in the production but it gives the conflict an understandable reason. The theme is about the age gap between the two generations. If it was an all male cast, the different personalities would not be believable and the plot would be completely different. The females are able to convey information to the audience with their gossiping. Men would have a different means which may not be the playwright’s intention with the production. Having an all female cast also gives the different personalities more conflict. For instance, Hannah’s personality makes her a concerned woman for her family that has grounded roots. If Hannah was played a man, she would seem tyrannical and would have audiences put off by her. Also, Izzy’s personality is very innocent and naive. If she was played as a boy, she would seem stupid and blind to reason.

Since this Shaker society is a culture of its own, having a person of a distinct culture would make the production a bit unbelievable. One role that could be believable with a person of ethnicity would be Fanny, since she is the newcomer. It would not be recommended to have Hannah a woman of ethnicity because she is to be the ideal Shaker since she is the eldress and the role model for the entire family.

Anyone with a physical disability would have a difficult time with this production. If the director believes that a disable person is the right actor for the part, there is no valid reason not to be a part of the production. However, mobility is important since part of the production since during services. Shakers got the name “Shakers” because during their religious services they would shake and dance. Other than mobility disable, there is not any disability that would disturb the audience. If the actor is able to work with their disability so they are not hindered, then there is no reason not to have the actor in any of the roles.

Fable

Fable

We begin with the women confessing their sins. Each character has distinct sins which in a way show their personalities. For example, Besty, a deaconess, confesses that she “angry at the hens” for nipping Izzy. Later in the lines the youngest Shaker, Izzy, confesses that she provoked the hens which caused them to attack her. Following scenes are of the girls doing their chores and giving small talk. They discuss about various things such as the men they saw (which is looked down upon), the cat that gave birth to kittens. These small talks give the audience peeks into their different background like Jane not getting sleep because she mourns the death of her children or Polly “working on her back in a fancy house at age twelve”.
Seeping through these conversations, different girls say that Fanny told them she sees angels in the meadow. She brings Izzy and Polly to see the angels for themselves. While Izzy proclaims that she sees the angels too, Polly logically explain to the audience what was really being seen.
After seeing the “angels” Izzy believes that Polly has the “gift” to draw. This was discovered when Polly was drawing pictures on jam jars to help the sisters identify each type of jam. Soon Izzy finds that her “gift” is laughter when she couldn’t stop laughing which interfered with her chores.
Hannah confronts Fanny about what she saw, believing that she was seeing men and talking with them. Fanny states to Hannah that she was not seeing the men but angels. Hannah doesn’t believe her. So she, Besty and Phebe confront Fanny, Izzy, and Polly. Polly states that she didn’t see anything while Fanny and Izzy states that they saw angels.
Because of these statement of angels, Izzy was sent to her fathers, although she has only seen him twice in her life. Fanny tells her to just run away while the others are practically pushing her out the door.
Fanny is asked to leave, although she does not want to. In her conversation with Hannah, she states that she simply wanted to understand why the angels were talking to her. Hannah replies that she still thinks that Fanny is lying about the angels. Fanny asks her if Hannah can handle the fact that with Fanny leaving with no money and no home, she would have to sell herself in order to survive. Fanny asks if Hannah would pray for her knowing that she was the cause of Fanny’s future downfall. Hannah tells her that she would pray for her and states to her that she would be able to stay if Fanny stopped talking about the angels. Fanny says she simply wanted to understand the angels. Hannah cruelly replies that she knows Fanny is lying because if angels did come to earth, they would come to the elders, not to “an uneducated who has not even signed the covenant.
The resolution ends with the final scene when Fanny leave the family and goes to a different family who is in need of her talents of gardening.

Plot Summary

As It Is in Heaven takes place at a time when this revolution was in full swing. In 1838 Hannah, the eldress, rules and watches over a group of eight women who represent the female population of one of the families of the Shaker community of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. Fanny, one of the newer younger female members, starts to dance and sing “promiscuously," speak in tongues, and claims to see visions of the angels, Mother Ann, and George Washington! This completely disturbs the daily lives and security of these nine women. The surrounding community is appalled and threatens to eject this religious sect from their community. Hannah must act. Why would Mother Ann and the spirits come to this ignorant child and not the eldress? Hannah's very position is threatened, but by what—a young manipulative girl or the heavens themselves? The controversy threatens the very life of the entire community. The Lord's Prayer asks that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What is God's will? Who gets to decide?
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/spotlite/slpress/111602.htm