Reader’s Theatre Option #2
In Praise of Dancing
St. Augustine
I praise the dance, for it frees people
from the heaviness of matter and binds
the isolated to community.
I praise the dance, which demands everything:
health and a clear spirit and a buoyant soul.
Dance is a transformation of space, of time, of people,
who are in constant danger of becoming all brain,
will, or feeling.
Dancing demands a whole person, one who is
firmly anchored in the center of his life, who is
not obsessed by lust for people and things
and the demon of isolation in his own ego.
Dancing demands a freed person, one who vibrates
with the equipoise of all his powers.
I praise the dance.
O man, learn to dance, or else the angels in heaven
will not know what to do with you.
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2 comments:
Reader’s Theatre
In Praise of Dancing
St. Augustine
Intro:
- Readers 1,2 and 3 are standing stage right, center and left respectively with their
notebooks opened.
- 3 break/hip-hop dancers are at the readers’sides/front (depending on
their dance styles. Eg: break dancing sees the dancer on the ground so
can be in front of reader). If the church is equipped, put dancers behind screens, so that audience would see movements in shadow form.
- Intro to song ‘Lord of the Dance’ plays. With each bar played, dancers
center, right and left take turns to dance that bit.
- Music fades off to be replaced by a steady beat.
_____________________________
Readers read to the beat of the music, somewhat like rapping.
All: I praise the dance,
Reader 2: for it frees people
Reader 1: (overlapping whisperish echo) frees people
Reader 3: frees people
Reader 1: from the heaviness of matter
Reader 3: and binds the isolated to community.
All: I praise the dance,
Reader 2: which demands everything:
Reader 1: (overlapping whisperish echo) everything
Reader 3: everything
Reader 1: health and a clear spirit
Reader 3: and a buoyant soul.
Reader 2: Dance is a
All: transformation
Reader 1: of space, (begins walking to join Reader 2 centerstage)
Reader 3: of time, (begins walking to join Reader 2 centerstage)
All: of people,
Reader 2: who are in constant danger of becoming all brain, will, or feeling.
Reader 2: Dancing demands a whole person, one who is (all begin to walk downstage)
Reader 1: firmly anchored
All: (overlapping whisperish echo) firmly anchored
Reader 1: firmly anchored in the center of his life,
Reader 3: who is not obsessed
All: (overlapping whisperish echo) Not obsessed
Reader 3: not obsessed by lust for people and things
Reader 2: and the demon of isolation… in his own ego.
(Pause)
Reader 2: Dancing demands a freed person,
Reader 1: one who vibrates
Reader 3: with the equipoise of all his powers.
Reader 1& 3: I praise the dance. (Readers close notebooks, turn to walk upstage and off stage)
Reader 2: (Pauses, turns to look at audience)
O man, learn to dance,
or else the angels in heaven will not know what to do with you.
_______________________________
Closing:
As reader 2 walks off stage, music fades into ‘Lord of the Dance’ once again with the focus on the dancers, simultaneously doing their own interpretation of the music/song till lights dim out.
From
Rach
In Praise of Dancing
St. Augustine
[Opens notebook together]
1: I praise the dance! [Twirls across the stage in front of 2 and 3]
2: For it frees people
3: From the heaviness of
2: Matter and binds
3: The isolated to
ALL: [Put arms around each other’s shoulders] COMMUNITY!
1: I praise the dance! [Twirls across the stage behind of 2 and 3]
2: Which demands
ALL: [whispers] Everything…
3: health and
1: A clear spirit and
2: A buoyant soul
1: DANCE! [Does a grapevine dance move]
2: Is a transformation
3: Of space
2: Of time
1: Of people
2: Who are in the constant danger of becoming
3: All brain
2: Will, [pause] or
3: Feeling
1: DANCING! [Does an eight count Hip hop dance move]
2: Demands a
3: Whole
2: Person, one who is
3: Firmly anchored
2: In the center
1: Of
2: His
3: Life
2: Who is
3: NOT
1: Not
2: Not obsessed by
3: LUST for people and things and the demon of isolation in his own ego.
1: DANCING! [Spins like a ballerina in front of the stage]
2: Demands a freed person, one who vibrates with the equipoise of all his powers
1: I praise the dance! [Twirls across the stage in front of 2 and 3]
ALL: Oh man
1: LEARN TO DANCE! [Does the same hip hop move]
3: Or else the angels in
ALL: [looks up] Heaven
2: will not know what to
3: Do
2: With
1: You
[All points in the same off stage focus point. Close the notebook]
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