Performance for Social Change

Through the reading of the Parable of the Sower and then having the opportunity to attend the opera on Friday night, I was anxious as to how Toshi would portray such a complex plot into a simple opera. I was impressed with the performance and was even more so thrown off by the sense of comedic relief that was portrayed at times throughout the opera. Stemming from the initial reading, I was most intrigued by the presence of climate change and the look into a future with a breakdown in society, largely in part to climate change induced natural disasters. Lauren takes such an awareness to climate change and how it affects people, to the point she creates her own religion called Earthseed which is open to adapting to changes in order to find ways to survive in the changing world.  Seeing Lauren and younger individuals deal with the affects of climate change reminded me of Greta Thunberg and her School Strike for Climate Change movement that began in 2018 in Sweden. Heatwaves and fires ...

       Going into the Opera, I did not know what to expect since I have never been to an opera before. I was also curious to see how the book would be translated into this type of performance. I was immediately impressed with the strong vocals from the cast. I got chills the minute they started singing because of how good they all were.  I also thought it was interesting how the stage was set up. The semi-circle set up of the benches made it so the audience felt part of their world. Besides that, there was also the white fabric hanging from the ceiling and some colorful art on the projector in the background. Since the main focus was the songs and the message of the songs, I thought for the most part the songs were really well done. They kept me engaged and made me experience the story in a unique way. I especially loved when the songs were a little bit more rock. I felt a stronger emotional connection with the text since I was hearing it be sung out loud with s...

I had no idea what to expect before the show. I found myself asking whether I was going to like it, if it was going to be as interesting as the book, or if the adaptation would do the book any justice.     I have to admit that this is not what I expected, but in a good way. I remember thinking about the book and how each scene was acted / sang. The songs complimented each scene in a satisfying way and I could feel that the actors/actresses meant what they sang.  The power of the music was particularly evident in the melodies, driving rhythms, and powerful harmonies that combined to create an emotionally charged atmosphere that is both captivating and inspiring.     However, I have to say that seeing Lauren's parents after their death was a bit confusing. I questioned whether I read the right book or not. Although I did realize that they were playing different characters, my attention was pulled away from the performance and instead focused on figuring out i...

  I didn't know what to expect going into this opera, I thought it would be like just singing but was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed this opera and Toshi Reagon’s version of Parable of the Sower . It was so easy to sing along to some of the bits yet I think Regaon also hit some key parts of the book. I wish she had added more about Lauren and Keith’s relationship and his role in the book but other than it was really good. There was a traditional beginning, no lights dimmed, it just started. I wasn't really sure when it had started because Lauren (writing in her book) was on stage and in character but there were still others on stage.  Parable as activism, I think it had a way pf bringing people together. You felt comfortable bobbing your head, even singing along to songs like “Don’t let your baby go to Olivar”. It was really beautiful to hear the audience participating. Everyone, those onstage and those spectating, it felt more connected. I also noticed how it wasn’t ...