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Romeo and Juliet

“Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.” – Romeo, Romeo and Juliet, Act 1

The Mariposa County Arts Council presented Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” to Mariposa County high school students on Monday, April 14th. Recognizing the quality of the program, and lack of opportunity for our rural community to experience quality performing arts, the Arts Council contracted Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC) for two performances in the Fiester Auditorium followed by a question and answer opportunity for students. Outstanding curriculum materials from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) “Shakespeare to Go” program enhanced student curriculum.

The NEA’s “Shakespeare for a New-Generation” initiative--the largest Shakespeare project in American history—is designed to provide students in all 50 states with the opportunity to experience professional theater productions of Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare To Go was established by SSC 16 years ago in collaboration with the Theater Arts Department. Each year, a member of the theater arts faculty directs a 50-minute version of a play that will be presented at the next SSC summer festival. The play is rehearsed during winter quarter, and performances take place in the schools during the months of April and May in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Clara and (now) Mariposa Counties.

Romeo and Juliet is an early tragedy by William Shakespeare about two teenage "star-cross'd lovers" whose "untimely deaths" ultimately unite their feuding households. The play has been highly praised by literary critics for its language and dramatic effect. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Its influence is still seen today, with the two main characters being widely represented as archetypal young lovers.

Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to Ancient Greece. Its plot is based on an Italian tale, translated into verse as Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke in 1562, and retold in prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter in 1582. Brooke and Painter were Shakespeare's chief sources of inspiration for Romeo and Juliet. He borrowed heavily from both, but developed minor characters, particularly Mercutio and Paris, in order to expand the plot. Believed written between 1591–1595, the play was first published in a quarto version in 1597. This text was of poor quality, and later editions corrected it, bringing it more in line with Shakespeare's original text. -Wikipedia

If you, the reader, would like to attend a Shakespeare community performance next year, the Arts Council would appreciate hearing from you! Please contact the Mariposa County Arts Council at (209) 966-3155 or email at info@arts-mariposa.org.

Many of our tourist options were suggested to the troupe in a effort to provide them with a quality experience, so that the troupe will want to return for a performance in Mariposa next year. Laurel Rematore, of the Yosemite Association, provided great information that helped define Yosemite options. The troupe selected from a tour of Yosemite, a private tour of Ansel Adams’ work, an historic tour of Mariposa by local historian, Leroy Radanovich, a visit to Coyote Springs Ranch, gold panning and a docent tour by Dick Hutchinson, of the Mariposa Museum and History Center, CA State Mining & Mineral Museum, hiking and enjoying the beauty of the Yosemite. Shakespeare SC Administrator, Sara Wilbourne, and her husband were thrilled with their private tour of Ansel Adam’s work, and couldn’t speak highly enough of Glen Crosby of the Ansel Adams Gallery.

SSC Actors were so excited at the opportunity of visiting the Yosemite region, that they packed sleeping bags and tents and arrived a day early. They hiked and toured Yosemite on Saturday and Sunday, and then were treated to salad, and an assortment from of our famous “Pizza Factory”, followed by a magnificent River Rock chocolate cake, cookies and milk. The SC students expressed their appreciation to Pony Expresso, and MCACI staff multiple times, and wondered: “Why do we deserve this?” - the “why” was to express our appreciation that they would travel to Mariposa to share their talents with our High School students.

Mariposa hospitality didn’t stop there. They were warmly and generously hosted by our local business community. The River Rock Inn was first to offer a free hotel room, and furnished our sumptuous dessert for Sunday evening dinner to complete the Arts Council’s 5th Street Gallery dinner party. The Mariposa Lodge, Best Western and the Comfort Inn each provided two free hotel rooms. Supervisor and Mr. Fritz created a “Shakespeare Special” for lunch on Monday to follow the performance. The generous support by our business neighbors is greatly appreciated!

Art in Education is an important component of the Arts Council’s mission.  Quality programs delivered throughout the region include Young Masters Art Competition, Young Masters Composers Celebration, and Welcome to Classical Music.

Young Masters Art Competition

The Young Masters Art Competition is dedicated to the educational and artistic advancement of our talented young people in Mariposa.  The exhibition is open to all Mariposa County youth in Kindergarten through twelfth grades, both public and private.  Our purpose is to provide all budding young artists with opportunities to advance their talent, the opportunity to earn recognition and awards for their creativity and artistic ability or simply experiencing the process of entering their work in a competition.  The exhibition is a valuable incentive for our young people; it encourages an appreciation for the arts throughout Mariposa and reflects the fine quality of art instruction and talent, which exist in our community.  The Young Masters entries are due each January and the exhibit is displayed in our 5th Street Gallery each February.

Maestro Marsden Goes Back to School

Welcome to Classical Music
It's all over now.    Except for the suspense.

Neither snow nor rain nor closures of schools kept Mariposa Symphony Orchestra Founding Music Director and Conductor Les Marsden from his self-appointed annual rounds: he completed his "Welcome to Classical Music" presentations and Young Master Composers Celebration information distribution during January and February.   Every MCUSD campus (except Lake Don Pedro this year - no multi-purpose room) and also the Bass Lake District's Wawona Elementary were visited.    Mariposa County Arts Council Director Les Marsden volunteers his time each year to present light 'lectures' with examples of great classical music incorporated within a unifying theme.   2008's "Let's Face the Music and Dance" topic was an eye and ear-opening examination of rhythm which has inspired toe-tappingly exciting classical music dating from 300 years past to the very present.   Says Marsden: "I planned this year's presentations to introduce students to two of the most exciting things they already respond to when they hear music: rhythm and meter.   And just what they mean.   And also how composers over the centuries have used those tools to create some favorite classical music we all ALREADY know - and perhaps some new pieces which may hopefully become their new favorites."

Marsden noted, "the students at every campus this year were particularly engaged and I was really pleased by the depth of their interest: we had some really terrific questions and discussions.   And I'm already looking forward to NEXT year's visits - usually it takes me several weeks to come up with an appropriate unifying theme but my topic for next year just hit me and I'm already looking forward to presenting the music appropriate to that theme."   And what is next year's theme?   Marsden joked, "if I told you NOW, you'd have nothing to look forward to all year!"   Marsden was especially happy to include the Sierra Home School this year, and plans to do so hereafter.   The age range of his audiences ran the gamut from pre-schoolers all the way through High School.   This year's smallest assembly was for the entire student body of Coulterville High School: a grand total of three students.    But to Marsden, the number of students is irrelevant: "I don't want a single Mariposa student to not be offered this opportunity simply by dint of physical location.   If a school is in Mariposa County and has even one student, I'll be there."

All told, this year's visits to 15 schools were attended by an estimated 1,400 Mariposa County students and between 100 and 200 adults including interested parents and school administrators.   Marsden works (in many cases spontaneously) with each school administration to present assemblies of appropriate duration; while 45 minutes is the usually-planned length, Marsden has gone more than two hours when students assembled at some campuses clamor for more.    At the conclusion of each visit, Marsden presents school principals with copies of the music he's played during the presentation - and much more: this year he left each school with more than two-and-one-half hours of classical music to be utilized as requested by the students.   He was told by teachers and principals that each year’s CDs are extremely popular; some schools even distribute additional copies to students.

Marsden's visits are offered courtesy of the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra and the Mariposa County Arts Council, Inc.   But why does he do it?   "I'm concerned about the general perception of the importance of the fine arts.   We've seen a real decline in the comprehension not only of their very substance, but also a lack of awareness of all they do for us as a culture, a species - a humanity.    I can remember when all the warnings of decreased school district funding in California began to come true, and of course: the first thing to be cut and last to be reinstated is the fine arts.   We're now into the second generation of post-Proposition 13 students and the value of the fine arts has become even less understood.   I feel an obligation to be a missionary for the arts; even a mercenary for the arts."   But it's not just about the esthetic value to Marsden: "After all: it's one thing to have an orchestra, but if you don't actively develop your audience, it becomes the rhetorical issue of a tree falling in the forest: will we REALLY be making music if there's no one to hear it?   The Mariposa Symphony Orchestra's concerts are very well attended but audience development must never be taken for granted.   And I feel a certain responsibility to share: information, training, 'talent', enthusiasm - it's all simply got to be given back to one's community."  

Young Master Composers Celebration

But simply talking about, performing and playing classical music weren't quite enough for Marsden: "a few years ago the idea occurred to me that there could be no better way to introduce our young people to the world of classical music - and particularly orchestral symphonic music - than by daring them to write their own."  And so Marsden began to develop the idea of the MSO/MCACI's "Young Master Composers Celebration."    He continues: "Writing a basic, brief piece of music isn't all that tough to do on a simple level, particularly for those students who already play an instrument or read music: it's simply a matter of presenting the formal structure of a simple piece and allowing them to then perfect that form in their individual idioms by plugging in the pieces."   

Marsden initially wrote up the contest guidelines three years ago and has only revised those guidelines over the past years through streamlining.   The contest is open to students aged 8 - 18 who are residents of Mariposa County.    Marsden did bend the rules last year "because I had a wonderful entry from a 7-year-old and I wasn't about to say "sorry, kid: you're too YOUNG!" and so created a special category for: 7-year-olds!"   During his campus visits, Marsden distributed music notation paper and a handout of the complete rules.   He then invited (or challenged) students to take the next few weeks to each compose their own (simple) magnum opus.  The deadline for submissions was Friday, February 29, 2008 and Marsden personally adjudicates all entries each year.   The winners' names are kept a very-tightly guarded secret: "I don't even tell my wife!"   He will finally reveal the names of this year's three winners (one each in three age categories: 8 - 11, 12 - 15, 16 - 18) at the May 3 & 4th, 2008 "Welcome Spring!" Concerts of the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra.   Each winner will be given a cash award, planned as $50.   Marsden will then orchestrate the winning pieces and the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra under his baton will premiere these Young Master Composers' compositions at the MSO's July 5th 2008 "Independence Day Spectacular" Concert.   Each year’s offerings of this event have engaged young Mariposans and awakened them to their power to create ‘art’ music.   Mariposa audiences are extraordinarily supportive of and delighted by the talent which this contest has unearthed in the County's young students—and entrants are clearly enthralled by the opportunity to see and hear their music and ideas communicated beyond their own imagination via this instrument: their own Mariposa Symphony Orchestra.

And how does Marsden feel about the results of his community outreach?  "It's done what I had hoped it would do: it has dissolved a great deal of the fog surrounding the 'mystery' of classical music by reducing form to a simple level.   Suddenly, classical music is accessible "because I could write some myself!" or because "my kid wrote classical music!"   It's brought many people in the door to (what they've described as) "my very first symphony orchestra concert - and wow!  I can't wait for the next one!"    And those comments don't come from children: those are the comments of the parents of children, the aunts and uncles of children, the grandparents, friends, neighbors - of children.    And that is simply richly rewarding, not only for me - but I hope for the speakers, as well."  

"Life's special experiences are rare, but hearing symphonic classical music performed live - by a 50-member symphony orchestra composed of one's friends, relatives and community members - is certainly one of them.   I hope the MSO presents our new audience members with the opportunity to see that classical music is not only painless, it's exciting!   And thrilling, and sad, and joyous and moving and monumentally communicative: human emotion, human intellect - packaged by composers years, centuries ago - and interpreted right off the page to mean just as much to even the most casual listener of today as in those composers' own days.   As Shakespeare managed to capture humanity in a universal, timeless manner which is just as potently relevant today as it was 400 years ago, so have the composers, the near-great composers, the great composers: and with a little guidance, even those young Mariposa composers who may have been bitten by the bug to put pen to paper because they have something to say - through music.  There are always kids out there who may not have yet had just that certain spark to ignite something within them - the creative urge, the latent explosion of artistic expression which has not yet found an outlet.    If I can help to throw some kerosene on that flame, or at the very least: give them the understanding of what a composer DOES in order that they'll have a greater awareness the next time they listen to a piece of music, then I've succeeded.   Comprehension.   Awareness.   Empathy for the creative process.   And if nothing else whatsoever: perhaps a bit of fun!"

Shakespeare Santa Cruz to perform for Mariposa County High School Students

"Shakespeare to Go" is a program started by Shakespeare Santa Cruz 19 years ago in collaboration with the UCSC Theatre Arts Department. The Shakespeare Santa Cruz production is part of "Shakespeare for a New Generation", a national theatre initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

The Mariposa County Arts Council has contracted Shakespeare Santa Cruz to present two performances for Mariposa students in April 2008! The Arts Council has arranged for the troupe to arrive on a Sunday, and present two of William Shakespeare's works, Directed by Mike Ryan, on Monday at Mariposa County High School Fiester Auditorium. Shakespeare Santa Cruz will bring an extraordinary array of actors in a troupe of 11 or 12 students.

A curriculum guide for Teachers will be available in early February, and the National Endowment for the Arts has free, grade specific, educational materials available for school sites. Santa Cruze highly recommends the Shakespeare in American Communities DVD "Why Shakespeare?"

In addition to the curriculum guide, and the NEA curriculum materials, Santa Cruz offers a number of additional school site programs, for a small additional fee. Performers may be scheduled to visit classrooms, or avail themselves for a Q & A after each performance. Director, Mike Ryan, is available to present Mini-Residencies and pre-show workshops (in February or March), or 3-day writing workshops where students paraphrase, rewrite scenes, characters, etc using the Santa Cruz script. Each of Mr. Ryan's programs is available for a small additional fee if coordinated by the High School.

The delivery of this program to Mariposa County supports our mission and is another step to achieving our goal of delivering exemplary arts experiences in Mariposa. The Arts Council will be hosting the troupe of performers, coordinating travel, hotel accommodations, food and a tour of Yosemite, time and weather permitting.

Support from our membership and community partners are critical to delivering quality programs such as "Shakespeare in Mariposa."

We are very proud to deliver this quality program on your behalf!

Students and Staff Thrilled by Music Assemblies

The Mariposa County Arts Council, Inc. counts among its most important successes the various outreach programs which allow students in the Mariposa County Unified School District to experience the Fine Arts in a variety of ways. Lewis Wong's schedule allowed for a full one-week stay in Mariposa, though unfortunately due to Spring Break following after Easter this year, only Wong's final two days in Mariposa coincided with school openings. But despite that, Wong and Marsden made a whirlwind series of campus visitations to:

Yosemite Valley Elementary (the only campus fully in session during the entire week) and in one day: Mariposa Elementary School, Mariposa Middle School, Spring Hill High School and Woodland Elementary. On Wong's final day, Marsden dashed him up to El Portal Elementary/Yosemite High first thing in the morning and then immediately whisked him down to Fresno to catch his return flight to New York City.

Students and staff at the MCUSD sites were treated to easy banter between Wong and Marsden with a frequently-humorous but always-fascinating history of the violin and examples of its literature through the centuries, marvelous performance snippets by Wong and illuminating question-and-answer periods with students and adults. Those present were delighted and surprised to even get a little good ol' country fiddlin' from Texas boy Wong, who was born and raised in Dallas.

In addition to the school visits, Wong also generously offered Violin Masterclasses in Merced and Mariposa at no charge. The Mariposa class was particularly well-attended and Wong proved to be a remarkable teacher: kindly but with extraordinary insight he noted subtle-to-obvious problems in the playing of violin, viola and cello players and then offered wonderfully effective technical instruction to overcome those problems. Though only 24, his musical virtuosity, breathtaking technical training and extraordinary knowledge as well as years as a string teacher benefited all from the least to most experienced veterans of their instruments - even those his senior by decades.