For my presentation, I decided to connect the physical body that exists in the world of performance and connect it back to what we have discussed throughout our primary readings this semester.
Beginning early on, we all posted on the blog about how our bodies define us. Many of us took a similar approach and described the way our bodies are used physically: dance, music, athletics. A number of us also described the physical features of our bodies and the way(s) that defines who we are. I chose to connect this back to the world of performing arts.
I related back to the Blue Man Group. For those of you who aren't familiar, the Blue Man Group is a set of three "Blue Men" who use a combination of gesture, dance, drumming, and other nonverbal actions to communicate a story to the audience. I saw them for the first time in 2009 at the Briar Street Theater in Chicago. One thing stuck out in particular when I saw them; the eyes. The way the Blue Men were able to communicate with only their eyes was incredible. The honest connection their eyes were able to make with the audience was almost frightening.
When looking back at my experience from my current position, I saw a parallel between the Blue Man and many of the characters we have experienced through our reading so far. The eyes have been one of the most popular body features that we have discussed critically, especially throughout Riders of the Purple Sage and Eva Luna. We discussed how eyes reveal the truth, how eyes are particularly honest, how the eyes are a strong aspect of a person's identity, and how the body uses the eyes to shape the world around him or her.
This all tied in for sure when I read this article (posted above) regarding the process in becoming a Blue Man. Sure, the casting directors are searching for talented musicians and actors, but there is more that they look for inside of those auditioning. They look for a certain charisma and mystery. And they also look for the eyes.
"From there, it gets to a more concrete question, [Tim Aumiller] adds: 'Are they able to tell a story with their eyes?'"
Behind the character's eyes lies a story, whether it be Eva in Eva Luna or Lassiter in Riders of the Purple Sage. I found this particular connection vital to our critical discussions about the role of the eyes.
What does this say about the importance of the eyes?
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