Spelling Bee love!- Page 23

[liotte]

Posted: 3/20/06 at 8:33pm

Also, the way Olive says, "Oh God, I have this need" and "I do not know what to do" in reference to her dad's anger- is that from his neglect? Is he abusive? Does she wish her mom was home to protect her from her father?

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 3/20/06 at 8:40pm

I think she talks more about emotional abuse than pyhsical abuse. But of course this can be just as scaring if not more.

[liotte]

Posted: 3/20/06 at 8:45pm

Well, Olive says "I think he takes out on me what he wants to take out on you", and perhaps Mrs. Ostrovsky has left to go to india because he was physically/emotionally abusing her, and she wants to purify and cleanse herself. Now he is taking out his anger on Olive and she has nowhere to go.

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 3/20/06 at 8:54pm

Yeah I mean I think he is deffinetly taking out his anger on Olive but I dont see signs of her being physically abused. However I think her father does everly emotionally abuse her, both with words and actions, which I think is what she was talking about. I mean, I would call not showing up for the Bee and not wanting to give her the enterance money emotional abuse. I would still say tht Mrs. Ostrovsky left because she was indeed depressed and was looking for a spritual epiphany, and Olive's father doesnt understand her need and is angry that his spouse up and left him for what will be quite a long time.

Updated On: 3/20/06 at 08:54 PM

[liotte]

Posted: 3/20/06 at 9:01pm

I guess part of the beauty is that we can each interpret it in our own way!

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 3/20/06 at 9:03pm

Yeah it is very open ended and I love that because it leaves you to inject your own personal experiences and ideas into the characters. I guess that is why so many people can relate to this show.

[liotte]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 10:49am

Update: Deborah will be back in the show tonight. Glad she is feeling better!

[Creative Lunatic]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 9:05pm

It's so difficult coming back from an injury. I hope deborah is warmed up properly before she does that split.
If anyone is there--please report back..
Thinking good thoughts for Marcy Park!!!

[liotte]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 9:58pm

I went tonight to go see Deborah back in. Willis was on as Mitch Mahoney, Todd is still Coneybear til Jesse gets back next week.
Deborah didn't do her splits, she did a little yoga stretch instead which worked just fine. There were a couple errors tonight which I was probably the only person to notice.
The child audience speller, Brian Harvey, was so little, very cute. But when he got the word X*****ogy, he said, "can you please say that with syllables?" Oh boy, it was great. Also, for one of his words, the kid said by mistake "Can I use that in a sentence?" and Greg replied, "No, but I can."

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:28pm

awww...I didn't know Deborah was out because she was injured

I wonder what she did differently that day then any other day. I guess any little different move could cause injury.

I'm glad she is feeling better though.

How long was she out?

[liotte]

Posted: 3/21/06 at 11:32pm

Accidents happen, but at least she is better and back in the show! Updated On: 3/22/06 at 11:32 PM

[Anakela]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 12:01am

But when he got the word X*****ogy, he said, "can you please say that with syllables?"

That is so adorable! Seriously- I am loving this little child that I didn't see. :)

I am also loving this thread- I am trying to convince a friend visiting me next month to go see the show for the first time (for him), but you know how that goes...
But it's about a spelling bee?
Yes.
Like a real spelling bee, like from school?
Yes.
And they actually spell words and stuff in the show?
Yes.
and there's singing too?
Yes.
And it's funny???

But the next time I go I am paying extra special attention to all of these nuances that you all are discussing, and getting ready to add my $.02- I totally think Olive's being neglected emotionally, but I never thought about physically, etc.

[liotte]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 12:07am

Oh! And I talked to Celia after the show, and she says we are looking into it way too deeply. She didn't want to share her own personal interpretation (which I totally understand), but said that since Rona is the person who takes the phone call from her dad and talks to her about it, Olive may be projecting Rona into the maternal role, and Mitch Mahoney into the paternal role. Celia added that rather than having a singular answer, there is no wrong answer, and leaving it ambiguous and open allows each person to personalize it to their own life in a way that touches them.
I didn't have a chance to talk to Lisa about it yet.

[ILove]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:46am

Im so happy Deborah is back in the show!!

No offense to Lisa but I couldnt imagine seeing it without Deborah. At least not yet. Now I can return. :)

[liotte]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 11:59am

Lisa did a great job, she is wonderful as Marcy Park and I enjoy seeing her in the role. She and Deb are very different, so it's nice to see it changed up once in a while too :)

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 12:27pm

Yeah I actually thought Lisa was great. She seemed more down to earth and didnt really want to be an over achiever more than Deborah. I liked her interpretation alot, actually.

Liotte, thats great that you talked to Celia about it. I am very curious as to Lisa's interperation. If you talk to her please post it, I would love to read it!

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 1:36pm

I've just loved reading the interpretations on Olive and her family here. I'm thinking about asking Jenni (the SF Olive) for her take on it.
Speaking of understudies, I got to see the first SF Barfee understudy Saturday evening. Matt Wilson played William quite a bit differently than Jared, so it was really interesting. It was kind of funny though when he did the line 'My old friend..' and grabbed his stomach because Matt's a pretty fit guy. Still, I was impressed with his performance & it was neat to see someone else's take on William.
Also, my mom was an audience speller so that was really exciting. :) And she gave me her j-box after so I've put it with my various Bee stuff (m&ms, candy letters, word cards, goobers, programs, & ticket stubs).

[WholeLottaShakin]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 1:44pm

The one time I caught some candy, I got the gummi bears, of which I'm not a fan. I wanted to ask, "Um, Chip, could I have the Goobers, please?"

[liotte]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 1:46pm

I usually just eat the candy right there.

Meredith, I'm so jealous that you get to see the SF cast all the time.

[Creative Lunatic]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 5:41pm

I think it is wonderful that Liotte has access to the Broadway cast and can actually get their take on the show.
As others have stated, whether the bookwriter,lyricist, actors or directors intended certain meanings,the theater experience is only enriched for the audience when they are moved enough to find their own meanings. You bring yourself to the experience. If you can back up your interpretation with evidence than it is valid for you.
I love when a show is multi-layerered and I am actually haunted by certain words or actions.
Into the Woods also had that effect on me.
Like vug---so simple--- Do we over complicate or is this what great theater is really about?

[cricket]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 5:52pm

I'm with you -- ALL of you! -- I can't explain it, but I just LOVE this show. Taking my dad (Mr. Anti-Theatre) in April and already know he'll love it, too.

[liotte]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 6:05pm

CL, I also love your insights and in depth posts about this show and it's history and characters.

And everyone can have access to the cast- they are all very warm and willing to chat at the stage door after the show.

Cricket, I hope he likes the show! When will you be there?

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 6:34pm

That's hilarious about the gummy bears! I haven't eaten the candy that Aaron's thrown directly at me (which would be the m&ms and the goobers). I have eaten a couple of the gummy letters though.
Liotte, you should let me know if you end up getting to come out here and see the show. I really want to know how you think the casts compare with each other.

[MyMeredithMonster]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 6:41pm

Also, I just wanted to add that I put up three news pics from after this weeks show on my profile. :)

[Jud Faginsky]

Posted: 3/22/06 at 6:43pm

I'm loving this thread and all the wonderful insights that you all have. And it's nice to see some new folks coming in to share the love. Welcome cricket, Shakin, ILove, SweetQ, Anakela, and anyone else.
Have you ever noticed how different things in your life coincide in strange ways. For example, I have one old friend, and one new friend who were just diagnosed with lung cancer, never having smoked, which was what Dana Reeve just died of. Or someone on American Idol sang a song I had never heard before, and then I hear it the next day at the gym. Stuff like that?
So on Monday this board was filled with great thoughts about Olive, and her parents and the loneliness depression sadness topic. It was a very exciting discussion, and reminded me of the interchanges that take place during my book club. Everyone here had such great interpretations and different ideas. (And by the way, I love that Celia wouldn't say what her interpretation is. Everyone gets to have their own that way.) So Monday night I go home and start our new book club book. It is called The Master by Colm Toibin, and is about the author Henry James, living in England in the last part of the 19th century. And there is a whole chapter about sadness. Both his sadness and his sister's sadness. He talks about how every day Henry wakes up, the sadness is present. He has to put it aside in order to get on with his day. Sometimes it goes away by itself, but it always lurks in the background. And his sister, "clings to sadness as if it were a first love." It was really beautiful writing, and it helped me understand the emotion. And it brings up a question, is sadness the same as depression? And is Olive herself sad, depressed, or just lonely? Or maybe we should just be done with this topic, but I am fascinated by the discussion.