A Glimpse of America

Одеська гімназія № 5

Одеської міської ради Одеської області

 

A Glimpse of America

( Знайомство з Американською культурою)

Вистава англійською мовою

 

Керівник – постановник

Вчитель англійської мови

Курмишева Тетяна Іванівна

 

 

 

 

 

Одеса 2015

Presenter 1:

Dear friends!

Welcome to our performance!

 

 

Today you are going to learn some facts about the culture and of America, the USA – one the countries, whose language you are studying at school.

     Our programme consists of 4 parts:

 

1.The history and types of jazz, one of the American inventions.

 

2.The story «The Last Leaf» by the American writer O.Henry.

 

3.The musical «Cats»  – the longest -running musical in Broadway history.

 

4.Thomas Kinkade –  “painter of light”.

 

 

The programme has been prepared by the group of talented students of our gymnasium.

 

I believe you’ll enjoy it very much.

 

 

 

 

PART 1: JAZZ

Presenter 1: It’s impossible to imagine America without jazz. Jazz has always been a mirror of America. It was really born in the USA. Now jazz is spread around the world, giving rise to many distinctive styles. Jazz is a form of art, music which originated in the USA through the confrontation of the Negro music with European one.

 

Presenter 2: Истоки джаза следует искать с момента завоза рабов из Африки на территорию США. Для любой африканской музыки характерен очень сложный ритм, а европейской музыке – гармония.

 

The performer of the song “Feeling Good”: It’s very popular in modern music to change the arrangement of the song of any gender to jazz. Originally the song «Feeling good» was a typical example of alternative rock , but using classical elements of jazz, orchestration, intonation and tempo changing, a new arrangement started to sound wonderfully in the style of smooth Jazz.

 

Presenter 2: Now listen to the smooth jazz.

 

 

Song «Feeling Good»

 

Presenter 1: США называют колыбелью джаза. Джаз – это форма музыкального искусства, возникшая в конце 19 века в США, в результате соединения африканской и европейской  культур.

Presenter 2: Jazz is music that includes qualities such as: swing, improvisation , group interaction, developing an «individual» voice  and being open to different musical possibilities.

Dance «A Quick Jazz»

Presenter 1: Джаз – это искусство импровизации, свинга, группового взаимодействия, развитие партии каждого индивидуального инструмента в отдельности, готовность принять разные музыкальные возможности.

The saxophone player: «The Thrill is Gone» - is a song, that Broadway songwriters Lew Brown and Ray Henderson wrote in 1931 for the Broadway revue by George White «Scandals»

B.B.King recorded his version of  «The Thrill is Gone» in June 1969.

King’s version is a slow twelve-bar blues notated in the key of B minor in 4/4 time.

Presenter 1: Now S.Demara will perform the song «The Thrill is Gone» on the saxophone.

Song «Thrill is Gone»

The synthesizer player: «The Entertainer» - is a ragtime, which was written by Scott Joplin. He was a slave , but the owners noticed his musical talent and sent him to study music.

 

Joplin was not accepted as a composer during his lifetime. His music was considered to be “too black” for “white” music and “too white” for “black” music. But it was the beginning of swing and jazz. Nowadays Joplin’s music has become popular again due to the modern arrangements.

 

So listen to the ragtime.

Song «The Entertainer»

PART 2: O.Henry «The Last Leaf»

Presenter 1: It’s impossible to imagine America without O.Henry and his stories.

     The cast:

             Johnsy – Anastasiya Melekhina

             Sue – Kate Kozitskaya

             Doctor – Victor Kapustyansky

             Mr.Behrman, the painter – Danilo Jorga

Presenter 2: American writer William Sidney Porter is well-known all over the world as O.Henry. It’s his penname.

The writer lived a very hard life, he saw a lot of people, met different situations. His characters are simple people, who had to fight for their existence, to survive in a complicated world.«The Last Leaf» is one of the best dramatic novels of  O.Henry.

Presenter 1: Новелла «Последний лист» - о человечности, сочувствии, самопожертвовании. И о искусстве, которое должно пробуждать к жизни, давать воодушевление, радость и вдохновение.

Presenter 2: Это и есть уроки О.Генри, они учат радоваться искренним человеческим чувствам, которые могут сделать жизнь в этом неистовом мире счастливой и осмысленной.

Play «The Last Leaf»

The story teller 1: Студия молодых художниц Сью и Джонси помещалась наверху трехэтажного кирпичного дома. Джонси – уменьшительное от Джоанны. Одна приехала из штата Мэйн, другая из Калифорнии.

Они познакомились за столом одного ресторанчика на Восьмой улице и нашли, что из взгляды на искусство, цикорный салат и модные рукава вполне совпадают. В результате и возникла студия.

Это было в мае. В ноябре пневмония свалила Джонси с ног.

 

Scene 1

One morning the busy doctor invited Sue into the hallway with a shaggy, gray eyebrow.

Doctor: She has one chance in – let us say, ten. And that chance is for her to want to live. Your little lady has made up her mind that she’s not going to get well. Has she anything on her mind?

Sue: She – she wanted to paint the Bay of  Naples some day.

Doctor: Paint? – bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking twice – a man for instance?

Sue: A man? No doctor, there is nothing of that kind.

Doctor: Well, it is the weakness then. I will do my best with the help of the science.

Scene 2

Sue is sketching smth in the album.

Johnsy: Twelve…eleven…ten…nine…eight…seven…

The leaves are falling down.

The story teller 2: Сью посмотрела в окно. Что там было считать? Был виден только пустой, унылый двор и глухая стена кирпичного дома в двадцати шагах. Старый-старый плющ с узловатым, подгнившим у корней стволом заплел до половины кирпичную стену. Холодное дыхание осени сорвало листья с лозы, и оголенные скелеты ветвей цеплялись за осыпающиеся кирпичи.

 

Sue: What is it, dear?

Johnsy: Six…They’re falling faster down. Three days ago there were almost a hundred. It made my head ache to count them. But now it’s easy. There goes another one. There are only five left now.

Sue: Five what, dear?

Johnsy: Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls. I must go, too. I’ve known that for three days. Didn’t  the doctor tell you?

Sue: Oh, I never heard of such nonsense. What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? And you used to love that vine so, you naughty girl. The doctor told me this morning that your chances for getting well were ten to one!

Try to take some broth now, and let Sudie go back to drawing, so she can buy port wine for her sick child, a pork chops for herself.

Johnsy: You needn’t get any more wine. There goes another. No, I don’t want any broth. That leaves just four. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I'll go, too.

Sue: Johnsy, dear, will you promise me to keep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am done working? I must hand those drawings in by tomorrow. I need the light, or I would draw the shade down.

Johnsy: Couldn’t you draw in the other room?

Sue: I’d rather be here by you. Beside , I don’t want you to keep looking at those silly ivy leaves.

Johnsy: Tell me as soon as you have finished , because I want to see the last one fall. I’m tired of waiting. I’m tired of thinking. I want to go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.

Sue: Try to sleep, I must call Behrman up to be my model. Don’t worry to move till I come back.

The story teller 1: Старик Берман был художником, который жил в нижнем этаже под их студией. Ему было уже за шестьдесят. В искусстве Берман

был неудачником. Он всё собирался написать шедевр, но даже не начал его. Уже несколько лет он не писал ничего, кроме вывесок, реклам и тому подобной мазни ради куска хлеба. Он зарабатывал кое-что, позируя молодым художникам, которым профессионалы-натурщики оказывались не по карману. Он пил запоем, но все еще говорил о своем будущем шедевре.

The story teller 2: Сью застала Бермана в его полутемной каморке нижнего этажа. В одном углу двадцать пять лет стояло на мольберте нетронутое полотно, готовое принять первые штрихи шедевра. Сью рассказала старику про фантазию Джонси и про свои опасения насчет того, как бы она, легкая и хрупкая, как лист, не улетела от них, когда ослабнет ее непрочная связь с миром.

Scene 3

Sue and Behrman came up to the window.

 

Behrman: Vass! Is dere people in de world mit der foolishness to die because leafs dey drop off from a confounded vine? I haf not heard of such a thing. No, I will not pose as a model for you. Vy do you allow dot silly pusiness to come in der brain of her? Ach, dot poor leetle Miss Johnsy.

Sue: She is very ill and weak and the fever has left her mind morbid and full of strange fancies. Very well, Mr.Behrman, if you do not care to pose for me, you needn’t. But I think you are a horrid old-man.

Behrman: You are just like a woman! Who said I will not bose? Go on. I come mit you. I am already bose. Gott! Some day I vill paint a masterpiece. Gott! Yes.

Behrman is posing to Sue.

Scene 4

The story teller 2: На другое утро Сью, проснувшись после короткого сна, увидела, что Джонси не сводит тусклых, широко раскрытых глаз со спущенной зеленой шторы.

Johnsy: Pull it up; I want to see it.

The story teller 1: После проливного дождя и резких порывов ветра, не унимавшихся всю ночь, на кирпичной стене еще виднелся один лист плюща – последний! Он храбро держался на ветке.

Johnsy: It is the last one. I thought it would surely fall during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today and I shall die the same time.

 

Sue: Dear, dear! Think of me, if you won’t think of yourself. What would I do?

Sue puts the curtains down.

Johnsy: Raise the curtain, Sue!

Sue is cooking the broth over the gas stove.

Johnsy: I’ve been a bad girl, Sudie. Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how wicked I was. It is a sin to want to die. You may bring me a little broth now, and some milk with a little port in it, and – no, bring me a hand-mirror first, and then pack some pillows about me, and I will sit up and watch you cook. Sudie, some day I hope to paint the Bay of  Naples.

 

Scene 5

Doctor: Even chances. With good nursing you’ll win. And now I must see another case I have downstairs. Behrman, his name is – some kind of an artist, I believe.

Sue: What’s up with Behrman, doctor?

Doctor: Pneumonia, too. He is an old, weak man, and the attack is acute. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital today to be made more comfortable. She’s out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now – that’s all.

The story teller 2: На другой день доктор сказал Сью: она вне опасности. Вы победили. Теперь питание и уход – и больше ничего не нужно.

Sue: I have something to tell you, white mouse. Mr.Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was ill only two days. Tha janitor found him in his room downstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were wet through and icy could.

Johnsy: What?! How could it happen?

Sue: They couldn’t imagine where he had been on such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern and a ladder, and some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixed on it, and – look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall.

Sue points to the leaf.

Didn’t you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it’s Behrman’s masterpiece – he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.

The story teller 1: Old Behrman is the most strange in the story. His life is unsuccessful and miserable. It is sure, Old Behrman understands Johny’s emotion. The leaf on the wall is hope and life. His thought is simple but very deep: Johnsy believes that when the last leaf falls, she dies. So if it never falls, she will live. That’s very simple. And he creates a leaf which never falls. He protests against the law of the nature. And he rescues Johnsy. The last leaf is a real Behrman’s masterpiece.

The story teller 2: Старый Берман нарисовал листочек ценой своей жизни. Он намок от дождя, замерз от холодного пронзительного ветра. Его старый организм не выдержал пневмонии – и он умер.

Художник-неудачник сумел-таки нарисовать свой шедевр. Но он подарил девушке больше, чем обычный шедевр – он подарил ей жизнь.

 

PART 3: musical «Cats»

Presenter 1: Вот вспыхнула пара жёлтых кошачьих глаз, знакомая по миллиона афиш мюзикла. Прозвучали первые аккорды и сцены. Начинается чудо. Праздник музыки и театра. Начинается «Кошки» ! Наслаждайтесь!

Presenter 2: It’s impossible to imagine America without its fantastic musicals!

Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the production of «Cats» is based on Thomas Eliot’s «Old Bosum’s Book of  Practical Cats» which the composer recalled as having been a childhood favourite. They use only the original poems as the text. Dance is also a key element in the musical. The set, consisting of a large junk yard, remains the same throughout the show without any scene changed. This fantastic show held the record as London’s longest running musical until 2006.

Presenter 1: Мюзикл британского композитора Вебера создан по мотивам сборника детских стихов Томаса Элиота ( американского классика, Лауреата Нобелевской премии)

 

«Популярная наука о кошках» , написанная старым опоссумом. Премьера мюзикла состоялась в 1981 на сцене Лондонского театра а в 1982 г.- на Бродвее в Нью-Йорке. Это самый продолжительный спектакль из всех шоу: 18 лет не сходя со сцены.

 

Presenter 2: Текст стихов использован в мюзикле без изменения. Речь идет о разнообразных видах котов: нудных, забавных, грубых, наглых, скверных, грустных, о кошках-милашках, о вёртких и прытких кошечках, о котах-ворижках, об ужасных прожорах, о котах-пижонах, о котах-глупышках, и т.д.

Enjoy the dance of two thief-cats.

 

Dance «Two Thief-Cats»

Presenter 1: The show made its debut on Broadway in 1982 «Cats» became the longest-running musical in Broadway history with 6138 perfomances.

Then it has been produced professionally in Hungary, Austria , Japan, Sydney, Toronto, Germany, France, Mexico, Neatherlands, Argentina, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Estonia, Israel, Tailand, Korea, China, Italy, Finland, Japan, Brazil, Bulgaria. «Cats» has been translated into over 20 languages.

Presenter 2: Мюзикл представляет собой череду вокально-хореографических номеров, объединенных  довольно трогательных сюжетом.

Presenter 1: Песня из мюзикла «Memory» - главная тема мюзикла «Cats» , она исполняется персонажем по имени Гризабелла, некогда гламурная кошка, скучающая по своему прошлому.

 

Song «Memory»

PART 4:Thomas Kinkade

 

Presenter 2: And now we want to meet an American painter Thomas Kinkade. And now just watch and enjoy his magic paintings.

Presenter 1: Thomas Kinkade is an American painter of popular realistic and idyllic subjects. He characterized himself as «Thomas Kinkade, Painter of  Light» . It’s known that in 1 in every 20 American homes there is a copy of one of his paintings.

 

 

 

Presenter 2: A key feature of Kinkade’s paintings are their gloving highlights and saturated pastel colors. His hometown of  Placeville is inspiration of many of his streets, streams, gardens, stone cottages, lighthouses and snow scenes. His artwork touches the lives of many people.

Presenter 1: Он назван прессой «Мастером света». Его живопись, наполненная светом и спокойствием, приносит миллионам людей надежду и радость. Он просто сказочник.

Presenter 2: Мягкий свет струится отовсюду: из окон домов, отражается в лужах, в лучах заходящего солнца, в огнях городских бульваров, проникает сквозь листья цветов и деревьев, скользит по рождественским украшениям.

Presenter 1: В своих зимних рождественских картинах он передает сам дух рождества, полного мира и любви.

 

The End