Director’s
Notes
There is no tool, no invention, no belief, custom or
institution which unites mankind so much as does the habit
of wearing a mask. - Roger Caillois, The Mask of Medusa
Did you ever steal a cookie? Did you ever break something
and blame it on the dog? Of course you did. At some point,
everyone in this audience has created an elaborate story
to cover up a mistake. If you think back on the story you
told, you may even smile, remembering the ridiculousness
of your lie and the distant minuteness of your blunder.
Now, think of a time when you lied out of a perceived necessity.
Think of a time when you began to paint a façade
to cover-up a mistake that you were sure no one would understand
or forgive. When honesty does not appear to be the best
policy, it is difficult to remember that those close to
us love us not in spite of our faults, but because of them.
-Alex Miller |
Dramaturg
Notes
James Dean
Most of us have more than one choice and I choose to
be what I am…–James Dean
The Man
The epitome of teen angst, James Dean suffered from depression,
mood swings, and almost bi-polar behavior. Despite his rebelliousness,
he was actually raised as an extremely conservative Quaker,
which further testifies that his life was full of contradiction
and mystery-a great reason for his mass appeal. Given his
background, it seems no strange coincidence that he was
named after James the Apostle, the apostle that we know
the least about and the first apostle to suffer martyrdom.
Right or wrong, the phenomenon that surrounded James Dean
has been compared to the immense following of Jesus Christ,
with his followers often referred to as disciples. Ironically,
the nickname of the last scene he ever filmed in the movie,
Giant, before his tragic demise was “The Last Supper.”
One of his very first roles was the part of John the Disciple
in an Easter television special.
His Death
On September 30, 1955 at 5:59 p.m., James Dean was pronounced
dead from a fatal car crash near Cholame, California. He
was on his way to Salinas, California to race his beloved
brand new Porsche Spyder (affectionately named “Little
Bastard”), which had been customized by the man who
would later go on to design the original Batmobile. This
single event shook American teens from head to toe while
turning their world upside down.
His Legacy and Followers
In sixteen months of acting, he left a more lasting
impression on the public than many stars do in thirty years…
- Henry Ginsberg (Producer)
James Dean took America’s youth by storm from the
moment he appeared on the screen in a one-minute ad for
Coca-Cola. His Indiana upbringing, boy-next-door good looks,
and rebellious, often erratic off-screen behavior earned
him an instantaneous rise to stardom and cult following.
Dying at the young age of 24, he remains forever young in
our minds. Interestingly enough, he only made three films;
East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant (filmed in
West Texas, where this play takes place.)
True American icons are extremely difficult to find in today’s
age of one-hit-wonders and instant celebrities. Some would
argue that the age of the true American icon died with Jimmy
Dean on that fateful September day. His gravesite in California
is now a Mecca, and people come from all around the country
and even all around the world to visit his birthplace in
Fairmount, Indiana. In fact, there are as many tourists
that visit his birthplace as those that visit Abraham Lincoln’s.
West Texas
The show is set in the fictitious town of McCarthy, Texas,
a few hours drive away from the actual city of Marfa, a
tourist hub and oasis of natural beauty and mystery. It
is a little piece of Texas heaven, known as the “gateway
to the exciting areas of West Texas.” With a population
of only 2,316 people, it is still one of the larger cities
in West Texas. It is a ranching community, but the tourism
brought by the people who come to visit the location where
Giant was filmed, as well as those who come to view the
famous Marfa Mystery Lights in the night sky, is the main
industry of this area. West Texas is the driest area of
the entire state, with some of the nation’s most rugged
terrain— varying from the Chihuahua Desert, to rolling
plains, to myriad mountain ranges. The intense heat and
drought seasons make it a very sparsely populated region;
quite difficult to cultivate any crops. Due to its sparse
population, vastness of the land, and slow-paced lifestyle,
this is an ideal place for people to come to escape the
hustle and bustle of urban life. Even today, most of the
tiny Texas towns still remain the same as they did in the
1950s, much like McCarthy in Jimmy Dean. This is due to
their isolation from the rest of the state. Even the larger
“cities” are at least three hours away from
the nearest commercial airport. These towns have stagnant
technological growth, and are quite politically isolated.
This region of Texas contains some of the most politically
conservative areas in the nation. The economy is dependent
on livestock, textiles, and petroleum production. The people
here are typically wealthy oil barons or poor cattle farmers.
Driving through West Texas feels like going back in time
to the golden age of the five and dime stores when Jimmy
Dean ruled the silver screen.
---Alyssa Thompson |
|
