Advanced Essay Writing, Spring 2013

The most compelling acts from , “20 Acts in 60 Minutes” are 2,7 and 10.  In Act Two, “No, Of Course I know You,” I really can see how the intricacies of the depths of human connection occur. The way he felt about this woman drove him to both insanity and anguish. He felt that he may have been in love with her at one point and that whatever she had within her he needed for some unknowable reason that even he could not pinpoint. It wasn’t as if it was a love at first sight thing, it was as if he had known her in a previous life and immediately felt more than a connection. He became obsessed with her and can’t even tell her he loves her because he does not even know her in real life. It does not even occur to him to approach her and ask her if they have met before, he immediately jumps to wanting to profess his deep rooted emotions for her. Act Two is a beautiful piece of work. “Up Where the Air is Clear,” Act Seven, is very funny. It speaks to the power of the social circle and acquaintances because everybody else had felt that these two characters, Mary Poppins and Penguin, should meet and when they finally did they barely had anything to say to each other and it was quite uncomfortable. In fact when they met, “Penguin became very shy and quiet. As he stood there staring at her, his top hat felt needlessly clumsy, his monocle too small for his face, and the squinting needed to keep it in place was giving him a slight headache. For the first time in his life, the Penguin felt ludicrous.” Even though he knew he was going to meet her, his reaction was unprecedented in his life. I absolutely loved Act Ten, “Etiquette Lesson.” I think it is fantastic they way they use words to show how theater can work. They use adjectives and adverbs and such but it is once removed. Rather than placing a statement, they just say the word allowing one to insert whatever they think is appropriate based on the tone of the actors’ voices and the emotions. My two favorite phrases from Act 10 are, “aggressive childish insult,” and “pathetic self-evaluation.” The flow of the recording is great. They way they use English and voice and everything is superb. Overall this was an enjoyable experience, however I did not find all of the acts to be compelling. Some of them I found to be a little dumb and pointless.

After listening to the NPR segment “20 Stories in 60 Minutes”, I found that I was most attracted to stories to which I was able to relate; they struck a chord with me, creating a pathway through which I could connect to the speaker and the material through a strong combination of humor and familiarity.

My favorite segment by far was the story of the Penguin from Batman.  Early in the story, the reader begins talking about a cartoon character drinking Absinthe and reciting poetry from Blake.  this idea both made me laugh out loud and become eager to find out where the rest of the story was going.  The music in the background helps to tell the story and gives time for reflection, an important factor in any story.  The connection to Mary Poppins is also unexpected and hilarious, and the mental image of the Penguin “challenging her to a duel” and “umbrella travel” again kept me on my toes. 

The story of the boys naming their dog Pasta-Batman held many similar qualities to the first story despite touching on a completely different topic in a different way.  What I liked about this story was the way the readers played off of each other, keeping the listener engaged much in the same way the first story did.  I wanted to know more.  The humor in this segment came across in both material and style, and I found myself laughing frequently throughout the course of the tale. 

A final story that contained similar qualities despite being told in a different manner is the story of the woman babysitting for a family with her future husband.  Her voice was immediately engaging, and she allowed time and space for the audience to process that story and imagine what was going to happen as the story went on.  Despite the pauses, the story teller still managed to add shock value to the segment because of her content material.  The lies that they blatantly told to the parents upon their return were hilarious and unexpected.

I enjoyed hearing these stories read out loud because they highlighted the content material and allowed me to reflect on how to get these important factors of making content familiar to your audience and incorporating some shock or surprise into a story to make it a quality read.

I loved this idea of spoken stories. They are actually well-played, whether those were actors or people who spoke about their past. The music that came together with some of the stories was also good.

The first story was interesting and reminded me of the story told by Pierr Richard. I once watched a TV program when he spoke about the same anecdote that happened to him: a couple came up to him and he was like “oh, here we go again, but okay I will take a picture with you, fine”, when the guy just handed him the camera.

Act eight was very vivid and funny. I liked how the story was composed, how it was cut, music was inserted, and, which made this story more interesting, boys interacting with the dog at the end.

Act eleven: very American humor. I cant say I liked it, but I cant say I did not like it, it was interesting, anyway.

Act nine. This shows an insight of one familys life, of spouses relationships. It was funny how through just one small episode of their life the listener learns how they interact with each other and who is “the man” in the house.

So, my sentiment might be unpopular but I’m not too fond of NPR’s storytelling. I’m not sure what it is that turns me off more- the voices reading the stories or if it’s that the stories are just too predictable and told in a way which feels like color-by-number storytelling. For either or both of those reasons NPR doesn’t excite me too much.

While I still managed to find stories I appreciated and enjoyed one which really irritated me was Act 2 “No Ofcourse I Know You”. I find this method of storytelling extremely irritating. I’m curious if I would perhaps enjoy it more if I was alone, reading it to myself silently, using my own inflections. However, in hearing it something about this story in particular felt inauthentic, like a poor attempt at creativity. trying so hard to remain obscure in an effort to catch my interest but failed. I didn’t care who this woman was who he thought he knew. Not once did I in my mind try to guess. Then when he assumes it may have been someone he may have been in love with, just pushed me over the edge. How would you not remember THAT person?

In examining those stories which I did enjoy i noticed a common thread- a light-heartedness, humor, and that most of these stories were told as if part of a conversation rather than author taking a sort of authority over the story. The reason I enjoyed these stories was because it captured an authenticity which I didn’t feel the color-by-number stories had.

I in Act 1 actor Tate Donovan tells a story of how once in a while he would get recognized for minor roles he’d played in nineties sitcoms. This story is featured as part of a conversation between himself and Starlee Kline. The story was told as if part of an interview featuring natural, seemingly unrehearsed inflections. Immediately upon his explanation of the two dorky prom kids attending prom I knew where the story was going- and I was fine with that aspect of predictability. I think this type of predictability is positive because it leaves the listener to feel anxiety for the person in the situation. As Tate kept the ending in suspense, I knew these kids had no idea who he was, something which he was very much unaware of at the time. Personally, I thrive in awkward situations. I love them. So, the fact that Tate naturally assumed they wanted a picture with him and then proceeded to kiss the teenager’s date and put his arm around her made me smile.

Act 9 “Of Dogs and Men” was also a humorous story, told with laughter. Additionally the story triggered images,  I could see it happening.

However, one my two favorites were David Sedaris’ story in which he describes overhearing a man having a conversation while on the toilet. We’ve all either done it, or witnessed it and I think I can pretty safely say that every one of us has either knowingly or unknowingly conversed with someone while they were on the toilet.  That said his conversation with his sister following this encounter- I loved. The way after her admission. he reflects on all the times he’s hung up the phone thinking he’d helped her open a jar saying “Well, its a good thing she called me!”- sold me. One thing which I didn’t like was his voice. I found it to be annoying. I’m realizing that that is something which ruins the experience for me. I prefer to read, and place my own voices within the story.

My other favorite was Act 13 “More Lies”. Catherine and John, two college undergrads, are babysitting together, and eventually get hungry. However, John is uncomfortable and suggests they only eat that which the family has a lot of and then proceeds to hide the evidence. However, when the family returns they are caught red handed and the evidence drops out of John’s bag leading them to make a series of ridiculous explanations. This story is totally relatable to me. Yes, babysitting is REALLY about watching the kids BUT it’s also very much about getting to eat awesome kids snacks like fruit snacks and fruit roll up! Two things which I have no excuse to keep in my own house. I loved the humor and the laughter with which it was told. I felt that those stories which had the storyteller laughing helped in making the story and voice seem more authentic.

When listening to each Act, I was more drawn to the short, sweet, and funny ones. When it comes to hearing stories, I always feel uncomfortable listening to sad stories. I like hearing funny ones and having a god laugh. I also like to hear stories that I can definitely relate to which causes me to laugh even more. Although, all the Acts were great, these three stuck out to me and triggered some kind of happy emotion.

Act 8, The Greatest Dog Name in the World– “I wanted to name him Pasta.” This was probably the funniest name I’ve ever heard. This story is one I can definitely relate to. The fact that these children compromised of Pasta Batman is great. This story gives you a vivid picture of the relationship between these brothers. They bicker over gum-balls and dog names. I honestly felt that this was the greatest dog name in the world.

Act 9, Of Dogs and Men– This story was short and sweet, and yet another story I can relate to. It made me laugh because there is a correlation between dogs and men, well to women there are. For the man to allow his wife to put a collar on him and yank him is hilarious. It also relates to the phrase, “Keep him on a leash,” and that was exactly what she did!

Act 16, That One Guy at the Office– Matt, the guy who sits by the printer. I found it amusing that being that he sits by the printer, people find a correlation between him and the printer. Sadly, Matt had no idea about anything regarding the printer. I found it hilarious that the only conversations he has with his coworkers regard the printer. He has been there more than a year and no one even knows his name. This is ANOTHER story I relate to because at my current job I am referred to as “the girl with the face.” I know how it feels Matt.

The act that I like the most was Act 1, Don’t I Know You, because it made me unexpectedly laugh. That story started smoothly and at the middle surprises me with that twist when he said “And then the kid with the camera came along” And then surprises me more when he explained that the kid just wanted to take a picture of him and his girlfriend and the kid didn’t want a picture of the actor.
Act 20, The Greatest Moment I Ever Saw On a Stage, made me cry. The song that those teenage girls from a detention center sing for their parents has a sad tone that touches my heart.

Act 2, No, Of course I Know You, I like the intrigue and suspense on this act. Who was that woman? The narrator made me think and I did use my imagination and at the end the narrator surprise me when without telling he show who that woman was.

Act 6, Reaching Out With Radio, the food situation at the cafeteria in juvenile detention was hilarious. I like how the guy gets so angry for the questions from those 2 kids.

All four stories have vivid details that I can easily picture the scenes in my mind.

There were two Acts that I don’t like or don’t get it. Act 5. Scallops clapping?? And Act 10, it was funny?? I don’t get. Why people were laughing.

20 Acts in 60 Minutes

My favorites were:

1) Act 3: It’s Commerce that Brings Us Together

2) Act 13: More Lies

3) Act 19: Hard Life at the Top.

“Well, we lost it. So you can quit advertising it.” This concluding remark in Act 3 is funny and honest at the same time. That’s probably why I chose the rest of the acts in my list– a strange blend of innocence and humor, juxtaposing each other and giving these stories more dimensions and thus making them satisfactory. In this particular act, we get a glimpse of an American life which is hard to come by for those who live in the city and treat technology as their second nature. There is humor in their list of objects they are trying to sell and the unapologetic tone with which they announce them.

“Ohh, it’s mine; I keep change in that.” Act 13 is probably the funniest out of the bunch. Even though the college kids in this act are lying, there is this innocence about them that they are even embarrassed to admit to eating half a grapefruit and a can of black beans that they decided to erase any evidence of them ever existing by packing the other half of the grapefruit and the empty can in their bag. And the event that unfolds thereafter is just one of the few moments in life where life seems to be imitating a movie.

Whereas the very last act, although sans any laughter and guffaws, screams humor in the form of sobriety. You can’t help but laugh at the young cadet’s gaffes on their very first day at West Point. One is not sure whether to pay heed to the morbid histories, that the narrator relays, of the young cadets or the comedic scene of the scene at hand. “Is your last name Doe?”

When you listen to TAL, most of the time you like a story without knowing exactly why. I think the same is here as I try to choose the ones that I like. But I usually tend to like stories which are told live, rather than the ones which sound more like a monologue. Usually, I don’t look for particular themes or genre when I listen to TAL, but I do prefer to listen to stories that are personal, and tend to avoid those which sound like a reportage. However, the stories that I have listed above have this feel of remoteness– something that you yearn for when you live in a city.

My favorite act by far was the last (Act 20). I also liked Act 7,  Act 10, Act 11 and Act 16.

I think in a way, each of these stories are very different. Act 20 is the one that for me was the most emotional and moving one. Act 7 was the most whimsical in the sense that the characters were made up (the penguin and Mary Poppins). Act 10 was the most consistant in format. Act 11 was funny, and the ending was surprising. Act 16 was told in a kind of interview fashion.

3 identifying qualities

1. these stories were relatable and universal in a way

2. these stories have depth beyond the literal format/ progression of the storyline

3. the way each of them was told was very vivid, interesting and easy to follow.

Even though each of these acts is different in their own respects, I think the reason I connected to these stories the most is because each of them had something more to say. Act 7 was not just about made up characters, but about expectation versus reality, the idea of rejection, and the fact that the beginning of the story was a kind of flash forward of what would happen to the character of the penguin was very well done. Act 10 is also saying something more, maybe about how everything we say can be dumbed down into a category and every argument into a childish retort; it kind of shows the progression of every argument and portrays the template for every argument that, in my opinion, everyone has ever had. Act 11 is about the lies we tell (and how we cover them up), the lies that we believe that we later uncover; and how it changes our perspective of people and our original set of beliefs. Act 16 is about things going unnoticed, the fact that this guy sat next to a printer for a year and no one had bothered to ask his name; this concept can be expanded to just general things that are there but we never notice, or even the random encounters we have with people that are shallow and thus of less importance; it kind of shows how we classify people and shows our human nature in a way: since this man did not play an important part in their daily routine, they did not bother to get to know him (i think everyone has faces in their head whom they have interacted with and never put a name to- I know I am guilty of that). Lastly, act 20 the kids collectively singing to their mothers was so moving and in a way really well told. I think because it was told from someone observing the situation and not participating made me feel like i was there watching those kids sing, i felt the tears, i saw the mothers in the audience and i saw the little hearts. Its about apologizing and accepting the apology, its about doing something collectively to make an effort to change and fix something shattered, like hope transcending the cell. I think over all, it was really interesting to see how much can be told in as little as 2 minutes.

My Favorite Stories (in order) are:

Act One: Don’t I Know You.

Act Thirteen: More Lies

Act Eight: The Greatest Dog Name in the World.

Act Ten: Two minute play

Shared Qualities

The four stories that I chose either put a smile on my face or made me laugh. I think that’s the key factor that made these stories stick out to me. I especially liked that three of them were original and still had that element of surprise. They’re great examples that prove that humor doesn’t always have to be a performance. The delivery sounded normal and conversational, and I didn’t even have to see the storyteller’s body language or facial expressions. Humor is one thing that I really value in any piece, or any story, because it always draws me in and I enjoy it. It’s like a breath of fresh air for me.

Another quality that I found compelling in these stories was that they were relatable, even though I haven’t actually experienced all of these things directly. However, one thing that I have experienced (several times) was getting into an awkward situation as a guest in someone else’s home. When I was ten, my mom and I were visiting her old friend, Lee. After my mom specifically told me not to touch anything in the house, I wandered off and fiddled with a bobble-head toy that belonged to Lee’s son. I ended up breaking the head off and I panicked, so before anyone could catch me, I laid the broken toy on the carpet to make it look like the toy fell and broke. And a few minutes later, when Lee and my mom asked me about it, I lied and said that the toy somehow fell onto the carpet and broke, even though it was nowhere near the edge of the table… So, an experience like this is pretty similar to act 13, More Lies. I understood the couple’s awkwardness and their quick impulse to lie, even when it was obvious that they weren’t being truthful.