Discuss the Representation of Civilisation in Heart of...

Heart of Darkness is a highly complex novella, as it does not provide the reader with an ending that satisfies his or her expectations, though the implications are profoundly more powerful and unsettling as it destabilises the reader’s notion of humanity. Conrad deconstructs the notion of western civilization being â€Å"a shining light and because of it knowledge has reached every quarter of the globe,† through the symbolic meaning of light and darkness and the breakdown of form in the narrative to echo theme. Notions of imperialism and colonialism are put into disrepute by Conrad through Marlow’s own justification and his struggles with the frame narrator, as he seeks to destabilize dominant ideology through ambiguity in his narrative, which†¦show more content†¦The Frame Narrator simultaneously names London as the â€Å"biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.† The British Empire in 19 century became â€Å"the empire which the sun never sets. † Conrad shows the glorification of imperialism in this passage. In an almost contradictory tone the Frame Narrator observes above London there ‘was a dark air, condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless’ over the city. This suggests the oppressive atmosphere in London and the immoral and dark project of Imperialism, because of what British colonists bring to Africa; death, racism and unfair trade. Ultimately this is what Stanley also brought to Africa, words of a spiritual mission, but actions of darkness. The nature of colonialism and imperialism being a business, rather than a holy mission, is evident as the Frame Narrator begins introducing his companions by their titles instead of their names, â€Å"the Director of Companies was our Captain and host†. This implies that the people involved in colonial practice were looked at in terms of business as opposed to seeing the humanity in them. This is reflected with the aspect of imperialism stripping away all humanity from civilisation. Again in the novella’s contradictory manner, Conrad establishes the idealistic idea of imperialism by describing the Director standing â€Å"in the bow looking seaward,† suggesting a heroic character. His companions view him with â€Å"trustworthiness personified,† suggesting that suchShow MoreRelatedThe Forest in Folk and Fairy-Tales3104 Words   |  13 PagesIt has been said that in literature a forest is a place where you can both lose and find yourself. Explore the use of the forest theme in fantasy literature and discuss its relationship to the forest of folk and fairy tales. * Word count: 2700 words excluding quotes The forests of legends, myths, fantasy and fairy tales have become laden with cultural and psychological symbolism: The ancient trees in dark, uncharted places symbolise the refuge of magic and mystery beyond man’s dominion. TheyRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 Pagesall the shades inbetween): †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ personal context refers to those elements that are ones own, individual and private. cultural context is complex and refers generally to way of life, lifestyle, customs, traditions, heritage, habits - civilisation. More specifically, it refers to intellectual and artistic awareness, education and discernment. Popular culture refers to the Arts, the humanities, intellectual achievement, literature, music, painting and philosophy. historical context refersRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesunderstandings of organization culture Creating a culture that gives meaning to work Developing understanding of culture Developing a ‘practical theory’ of organizational culture The vehicles of culture The processes of the communication of culture The ‘heart of culture’ A tale of two cultures How neo-modernist organization theory develops challenges in the design of organizations The processual perspective Design and development Conclusions: does n eo-modernist organization theory exercise challenges forRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesganja-smoking illiterates who were of no value to society. Teachers, students, ofï ¬ ce workers, and anyone of social importance could not grow locks, and families would go into mourning when their sons would start sprouting them. I heard the term â€Å"black heart man† used again and again as a means of expressing fear or ridicule of the Rastafarian. And this was in the early 1970s—after Bob Marleys emergence as an international viii FOREWORD star, after Selassies arrival in Jamaica, and afterRead MoreMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pagesaffairs of the country. They have been given equality with men in shaping their future and sharing responsibilities for themselves, their family and their country. It is a fact that women are intelligent, hard-working and efficient in work. They put heart and soul together in whatever they undertake. As typists and clerks they are now competing successfully with men. There are many women working in the Central Secretariat. They are striving very hard to reach highest efficiency and perfection in the

The Crucible And Twelve Angry Men Essay - 1145 Words

Can justice; fair treatment, exist in a world of prejudice; preconceived bias opinions? In both works of American Literature about the United States judicial system; The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and Twelve Angry Men by Reginald rose extol the pursuit of justice while questioning the place of prejudice in the judicial system. These plays unveil the fact that; only by overcoming and setting aside prejudices can justice be attained. The Crucible takes place during puritan times when the word of mouth was proof of guilty, while Twelve Angry Men takes place during the 20th century when the word of mouth must be proven true prior to a verdict. Hover both plays exhibit a reasonable protagonist who stands against all his misguided peers in the†¦show more content†¦By admitting he had an affair with a teen John admitted to adultery tarnishing his reputation in the name of justice. John even gives up his life, unwilling to charge other innocent people with witchcraft, because it is the just thing to do. John then Although John committed lechery, he redeemed himself by sacrificing his name, his reputation, and his life in the pursuit of justice. Similarly ,In Twelve Angry Men Juror 8 is a smart and moral juror who is willing to stand against all the other jurors for what he thinks is right. He is the main protagonist who believes a boy accused with murdering his father deserves a discussion prior to a guilty verdict. Although all the other jurors initially voted guilty, juror 8 believed that the jurors should not â€Å"send a boy off to die without talking about it first†(Juror 8, 12). Throughout the play Juror 8 combats the pressure from the other Jurors to just vote guilty and manages to convince his fellow Jurors one by one that there in fact is â€Å"reasonable doubt†(Judge, 6) and convinces them to arrive at a â€Å"not guilty†(Juror 3, 72) verdict. Reginald Rose extols Juror 8’s pursuit of justice through his success. Not only did Juror 8 stand by his principles and have the courage to stand against all the other Jurors, he also had the wits to convince his fellow jurors to change their verdict. Through these actions Juror 8 brings justice to the courts of New York city saving the life of a young boy.Show MoreRelatedFeminist Approach to Witchcraft; Case Study: Millers the Crucible6554 Words   |  27 PagesWitches in Arthur Millers The Crucible: A Feminist Reading Author(s): Wendy Schissel Publication Details: Modern Drama 37.3 (Fall 1994): p461-473. Source: Drama Criticism. Vol. 31. Detroit: Gale. From Literature Resource Center. Document Type: Critical essay Bookmark: Bookmark this Document Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning Title Re(dis)covering the Witches in Arthur Millers The Crucible: A Feminist Reading [(essay date fall 1994) In the following essay, Schissel offers a feministRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pagesgoals. He had claimed a 160-acre homestead, which he farmed. In addition, he taught school and worked as a law clerk. His ultimate goal was to take the bar exam and practice law. When he learned blacks were not eligible to take the exam, Jim became angry and blamed the color line for blocking his progress. Searching for a better position, he eventually took a job in Mexico. Carrie refused to follow her husband. Instead, she traveled around the country, living with friends and relatives and workingRead MoreEssay on Silent Spring - Rachel Carson30092 Words   |  121 Pagesoffprint from Gales For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.  ©1998-2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® andRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesModel 23 An Overview 23 †¢ Inputs 24 †¢ Processes 25 †¢ Outcomes 25 Summary and Implications for Managers 30 S A L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost in Translation? 31 Questions for Review 32 Experiential Exercise Workforce Diversity

The Hotel de Bourgogne Free Essays

The Hà ´tel de Bourgogne was the first permanent and only theatre that existed in Paris for multiple years, and it included relatively uncommon characteristics. It was built following a narrow rectangular shape that was 102 feet long and approximately 43 feet deep, consisting of an open space on the ground floor called the pit in which the audience would stand and three levels of galleries running round three of its four walls. The galleries that where perpendicular to the stage where partially divided into boxes, which were named loges. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hotel de Bourgogne or any similar topic only for you Order Now This where the theatre’s most expensive seats. The galleries that where parallel to the stage were built undivided. The higher ones where called the paradis, as a result of them being near the roof, or â€Å"heaven†. These seats were the most expensive ones in the theatre (excluding the pit that was free). Overall, the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne could hold up to approximately 1,600 audience members. It was not uncommon that audience members paid to sit on the lodges to be seen, more than to see the plays, since this was also the system used English private theatres. The stage rose approximately six feet from the ground, without an authentic proscenium arch, though the lodges implemented a sort of frame that was 25 feet wide and approximately 17 to 35 feet deep. In the late sixteenth and the early seventeenth centuries, the stage’s scenery varied from play to play, but usually, the style of design was a miscellaneous mix of renaissance and medieval styles, called simultaneous settings. A few scholars use this name to classify any medieval stage set-up, but at the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne, concurrent settings were considerably different. During the Italian Renaissance, the set was decorated in a manner in which a series of wings (called periaktoi) led the view upstage to a central vanishing point, partially on a perspective manner, resulting in an illusion of depth. At the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne however, there were no different fragments painted on the wings of one single setting, as it was the case in Renaissance decor. Instead, there was a mansion-like mural symbolizing a different location was on each wing. For example, if an actor or actress walked towards the front of one of these wings, on which was painted a mansion, the audience recognized that he or she was in front of the mansion; if he or she walked towards another wing that had a mural of a valley, the audience recognized that he or she was in a valley. Laurent Mahelot was a French scenographer who created multiple simultaneous sets in the early 17th century. Finally, the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne’s auditorium as well as the stage where lit using candle and oil lamps, following the Italian Renaissance’s lighting methods. The Hà ´tel de Bourgogne was the only perpetual theatre in Paris. However, companies could perform on other locations as long as they paid the Confrà ©rie de la Passion its fee. There were various locations, with similar architecture to the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne’s, and very available because a particular sport called jeu de paume had lost some of its popularity. This sport was a type of tennis, and the courts where the game was played were long and narrow rectangles that included galleries along the main hall. The theatre companies would construct a platform at one end of the court, transforming it into into a theatre. The French were on the right path to creating the proscenium arch theatre, significantly this can be seen in the auditorium’s characteristics, and it was noticeable in France prior than when identical structures were accessible to the public in either Italy or England. It was in 1634 when an adversary to the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne was constructed, called the Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre du Marais. Its architecture was inspired on a tennis court, but it was then replaced in 1644 (when it first burned down) by a more elaborate building that could hold the complicated theatre machinery that had been growing progressively popular in France. This freshly built Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre du Marais had a height of 52 feet and was 115 feet long, 38 feet wide. Its auditorium included three levels of galleries running round its walls. The first two galleries where separated into boxes and the top paradis was built as an open stadium seating. The rear wall also incorporated two levels of boxes and stadium-style seating at the top. The stage rose 6 feet from the ground, and it included a proscenium opening of 25 feet. It also contained was a second level acting space. This new Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre du Marais could hold up to approximately 1500 audience members. Feeling threatened by the new Marais’ architecture, the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne was renovated in 1647 following the same fashion as the Marais. In the middle of the 1630s, there where little attempts of spectacles in either the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne or the Marais. The academy had urged play-writers to honor the solidarity of one singular place, which restricted plays to have only one set (with no variations). Whereas in the past, concurrent settings where used at the Hà ´tel de Bourgogne, after 1636 both theatres started to include relatively neutral settings. For comical plays, the set was a room with four doors and for tragical play, the set was a location in front of a palace. Theatres that provided plays to the court were more problematic in their use of spectacle. Courtly audiences where familiar with the Italian-style scene transformations as early as the 1620s in momentary locations, but it became more conspicuous in the 1640s. It was in 1641 when Cardinal Richelieu ordered a theatre to be built in his home, which he named the Palais Cardinal. In this theatre, a ballet performed for the court and it included nine different settings that changed a vista. When Richelieu died in 1642, both his newly built theatre and his home were taken over by the crown, the two being renamed as Palais Royal. Richelieu’s successor was Cardinal Mazarini, who changed his name into a more French version: Cardinal Mazarin. During King Louis XIV’s childhood, he was responsible for the prosperity of the country, the same way Richelieu had done with Louis XIII. Mazarin adored Italian opera, and didn’t hesitate to introduce that style to Paris. In order to accomplish the appropriate spectacular settings for these operas, Mazarin brought to Paris Giacomo Torelli, a very famous and talented scenic designer in Italy. In 1645, Torelli created an innovative stage scenery with set transformations and special effects accomplished by the use of theatre machines. He did it in the palace next to the Louvre, called the Petit Bourbon, where numerous court functions had been staged in the late 1500s. He integrated his own version of the chariot and pole system of scene transformations to amaze the courtly audiences. The Petit Bourbon’s most famous asset was the Great Salle. With 49 feet wide and 115 feet long and an apse that added additional 44 feet at one end, the hall’s dimensions were considered substantial by Parisian standards. The apse was decorated with fleur-de-lis during the Estates General of 1614 because it was the place where both the king and his courtiers sat. In this hall, the court was used to produce celebrations and ballets, where the princes and Louis XIV., when young, used to dance. The following year he incorporated identical changes to the theatre at the Palais Royal. This resulted in Paris promoting two public theatres and two court locations that produced sensational ballets in which courtiers danced by 1646. Operas, along with â€Å"machine† plays that gave its sets (most of the time designed by Torelli) a protagonist role, impressed audiences not only with the use of chariot and pole changes but also by introducing appearances of the king on stage. The king frequently made grand entrances and also danced in the 1650s. Even though Torelli acquired extraordinary fame, at the same time he gained powerful enemies. In response to Torelli’s newly obtained enemies, Cardinal Mazarin imported a rival Italian designer, Gaspare Vigarani, to develop an appropriate spectacle for the wedding of Louis XIV. Torelli’s Salle du Petit Bourbon was demolished, and in the Tuileries palace, Vigarani built a new theatre called the Salle des Machines, which became the biggest theatre in Europe. This enormous space was 252 feet long and 52 feet wide, including both a backstage area of 140 feet deep (space needed for Vigarani’s machines) and a proscenium opening of 32 feet. Architects Louis Le Vau, Franà §ois d’Orbay , and Charles Errard decorated and designed the Salle des Machines’s auditorium. It was sheltered in a pavilion placed at the north end of the palace, originally designed and constructed by architect Philibert de l’Orme for Catherine de Mà ©dicis. The auditorium could hold up to approximately 8,000 audience members. The unconventionally profound stage was placed in a gallery located between a new, more northern pavilion and the auditorium. Nevertheless, the Salle des Machines was completed in time for Louis’ wedding, its first production only premiered until 1662, when Vigarani bestowed the king with his delayed birthday present, an opera called Hercules in Love. This was a spectacle that included multiple ballets, but it was mainly about the theatre’s complex technology and machines. In the 18th century, there was transformation in the functional side of theatre as well as in its acting, architecture, design, and staging. French theatres in the 18th century appeared to be identical to eighteenth century English theatres. A clear similarity was their use of the pit, box and gallery system for their audiences. Another similarity that can be found is that both English and French theatres had cut back their forestage, concentrating all of the action within the scenic stage. Pushing back the forestage created more space for audience seating, resulting in a great improvement since more room was needed. In the eighteenth century, both English and French theatre auditoriums extremely increased in size. French theatres also had their audience members removed from their conceited onstage seats. Until 1782, French theatres preserved its parterre smooth. It was after that year that they started incorporating benches for audience members to sit. However, it appeared that a seated parterre was less active than a standing parterre, and forces had their hands full trying to silence the audience participation and noise from the standees in the pit. This resulted in the introduction of guards in the parterre that would demand order and keep the audience tranquil and silenced. The shape of the French theatres’ auditoriums also changed in the turn of the century. They transformed into curved ‘horeshoe† shaped spaces and stopped building rectangular boxed atriums. This method of construction increased the amount of available seats, as well as it aided. Behind the proscenium arch, French theatres were narrow, almost effortless spaces. The aged Hà ´tel de Bourgogne had been utilizing the same scenic techniques for almost a century. Neoclassical plays required one set singularly, as they were obligated by the solidarity of one singular place. However, as the century progressed there was a movement that was inclined to more complex settings and transformations of scene, significantly for plays written on alluring and distinct locales. In conclusion, the architecture and stage design for French theatres has changed over the course of two centuries. It was influenced by outside Italian forces that introduced new machinery that thrilled Parisian people in the 17th century, with its stage transformations and its classicist construction. In the 18th century, France started to adopt a more English style of architecture and scenery, making more space in the auditorium. So what is French theatrical architecture? It’s a combination new technologies invented by masterminds to thrill and amaze audience members, technologies that where brought to France by people outside the nation. It’s a multicultural style that was placed in the country’s capital, making Paris the greatest city we know today. How to cite The Hotel de Bourgogne, Papers

An unlikely haven for new plays Essay Example For Students

An unlikely haven for new plays Essay The unveiling of a new play by Edward Albee at an American professional theatre is a rare event, but it will happen this fall at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. Lee Blessing is working on his second world premiere at the theatre in as many years. A new Eric Overmyer piece is expected to be on the companys slate a year from now, and the latest unproduced Michael Weller composition just arrived in the mail. For a tiny theatre created with $200 in the summer of 1986, that is an impressive stable of writers. But then the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati is the kind of operation that takes particular pride in accomplishing the unexpected. Simply housed in a former bank in an eclectic but troubled inner-city neighborhood named Over the Rhine, ETC appears an unlikely candidate for rapid growth and national prominence in the area of commissioning new work. For a start, the theatres annual budget is under $750,000, and the full-time staff numbers only nine. No one has a proper office, and artistic director David White sits in a cubicle at the back of the auditorium, shielded only by flimsy screens from the current performance. There is hardly any budget for advertising, so the theatre relies almost entirely on free media coverage and direct-mail campaigns. The company operates on a Small Professional Theatre agreement with Actors Equity Association and has never auditioned outside its home city, casting all its shows from its own company of local actors. Outline1 Beating the odds  2 A dear playwright letter  3 Maximum flexibility   Beating the odds   Worries about the neighborhood oblige the theatre to hire a security guard to watch cars. Just a couple of miles away sits a grand competitor, the Cincinnati Playhouse-in-the-Park, a long-established theatre with a comparatively hefty budget, impressive physical plant, solid reputation for new plays, and an idyllic setting removed from urban blight. Furthermore, this is Cincinnati, Ohio, a city notorious in artistic circles for the Mapplethorpe trial and pervasive conservatism. Whatever the odds against success, ETC managing director John Vissman recounts figures that would be the envy of many larger regional houses. Subscriptions have increased by 264 percent over the past three years; the budget and single-ticket sales have tripled. The theatre is currently adding to its 134-seat capacity, due to many shows attracting far more people than there are seats to fill. The final production of last season, an original adaptation of Zorro, broke box-office records and was extended several times. Virtually singlehandedly, ETC has created a strong pool of Equity actors in a city that used to be a union wasteland. And all this growth has been achieved by devoting three-quarters of each season to original work-33 of the 46 plays produced during the theatres first seven years have been world premieres. Weve carved out a niche in Cincinnati, says artistic director White. Most of the other arts organizations have been around here for a long time. Our audience is younger. Box-office income has swelled each Christmas with ETCs annual production of a rambunctious English pantomime, a popular and original family choice in a city where there are already five versions of A Christmas Carol within a 50-mile radius. Familiar television faces have also piqued audience interest: WKRPs Gary Sandy played Stanley in Streetcar a few years back, and Rosanne star Sara Gilbert made her stage debut in Gary Stewarts Downwinder Dance. White also hired Rebecca Miller to direct her fathers After the Fall last season, ensuring that Arthur Miller would show up to chat with delighted subscribers. By pooling resources with the University of Cincinnati and offering opportunities to teach, ETC was able to persuade (and finance) Albee to direct two of his own plays Everything in the Garden in 1990 and Seascape last fall. That developing relationship led Albee to agree to write a new play, Fragments, with ETC specifically in mind. The Blessing premiere next March will be a co-production with the Theatre in the Square of Marietta, Ga.; the show will feature a cast and design team staffed and funded by members of both theatres. .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 , .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .postImageUrl , .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 , .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:hover , .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:visited , .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:active { border:0!important; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:active , .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2 .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7f1e77c71d5c2883888205cbf7057cf2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A critic in every port: familiar dangers Essay A dear playwright letter   White has succeeded in making his theatre an attractive place for both established and local playwrights to develop their work. How? I sent a letter to the 12 playwrights I admired most, he recounts. I told them about our facility, our finances and our company. I wanted to see what their response would be. Lee Blessing remembers White calling him out of the blue to offer a commission, and he was impressed with the offer. Using money from Richard and Lois Rosenthal, a wealthy local couple known for sponsoring a new play contest each year at the Cincinnati Playhouse, White offered Blessing a sizable fee. But Blessings decision to accept (and ultimately write a dark but well-received drama called Lake Street Extension) had more to do with the flexibility he was offered. First, White was willing to allow Blessing to work with his preferred director, Jeanne Blake, who is also his wife. Some theatres can accommodate that more easily than others, observes Blessing. Often artistic directors insist on directing the play themselves. White also offered the author free choice in determining the nature of the commissioned play. Many times a theatre will try to commission a play with the subject matter already in mind, notes Blessing. Thats not a way of working that I usually can accept . ETC just a sked me to tell them once I knew what it would be about. Maximum flexibility   The one non-negotiable area is that the plays must be cast from the local ensemble. We had no problem doing that, Blessing states. They have a lot of good, competent actors who have done enough work with well-known people that none of that fazes them. Offering writers maximum flexibility often means ETC must be willing to take risks that might worry larger theatres. Albee has visited Cincinnati and already cast Fragments with four men and four women. But long after the show had been announced, no one at ETC had seen a script. And other than a vague idea that the play would be concerned with contemporary romantic relationships, ETC seemed not to have the slightest idea what form the play would take. White seemed unconcerned, explaining: We give playwrights free reign without any constraints. ETC knows that Blessings new play, The Rights, will be a comedy with a cast of six, probably some sort of farcical exploration of the nature of greed and power. But the script remains incomplete and Blessing is reluctant to offer details, in case everything should suddenly change. Despite the star names, ETC remains committed to local playwrights, offering them a commissioning fee and one or two mainstage productions each year. Local scribe Joe Smith, whose play Freemen and Lunatics premiered this summer, says he enjoys the theatres supportive family atmosphere as well as the chance to workshop a work-in-progress with company members. Much of the new work from local playwrights has come from an informal playwriting workshop that meets weekly at the theatre. Like any resident theatre, ETC has its problems. Grants from the Ohio Arts Council and other funding agencies have been drastically cut back. Theres a small deficit to worry about, as well as the problem of funding enough large-cast projects to give a company of 27 hungry actors enough work to keep them in town. Still, the city of Cincinnati is talking informally to the theatre about taking up residence in the new downtown performing arts center currently under construction, and the upcoming season should bring national visibility. Plans are also underway to expand office space, and build a second, cabaret-style theatre. At the center of what White likes to term a theatre with protein lies the playwright and new work. White justifiably looks forward to next spring when Fragments should have moved to New Yorks Signature Theatre, The Rights will be playing in Marietta, and a new drama by local author E. K. Bowles will be opening in Cincinnati. That will make three simultaneous productions in three different cities, all having begun in Ohio and all featuring actors from the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati.