Mise-en-scène
When I was thirteen and living in Paris, France with my family, I had, courtesy of my far-thinking parents, a subscription to the famous French state theatre, La Comédie Française. Once a month, on a Saturday afternoon throughout the season, my brother and I would head as a twosome for the Rue de Richelieu in the swish first arrondissement near the Louvre, pass through the pillared portals of the illustrious 18th century building of the theater, climb the broad red carpeted stairs of the foyer to the oppulent hall lit with crystal chandeers and slip into our burgundy velvet covered seats for an afternoon of French dramatic brilliance.
I did not grow up knowing French, and at the time, my speaking skills were limited to the words necessary to navigate a strict French girl’s school. In the language of Molière, Racine, and Beaumarchais, to name a few of the great French playwrights, I often got disoriented and sometimes downright lost.
That’s why I kept the play’s program open in my lap to the “mise-en-scène” page. Those words literally mean literally “put in the scene” and, in the theatre refer to the setting and backdrop of the story about be to told. It also included a list of the play’s characters, with a short description of who they were and what their relationships were to one another. When addled by the rapid fire French, I found that page really helpful. That's why I want to give you a MMSC mise-en-scène page now. Maybe you will need it in those future rapid fire blog moments.
Mise-en-scène
LOCATION: The Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, a 22 acre non profit facility dedicated to the reschooling of athletic off the track racehorses, located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington,KY.
Campus consists of office building, one ten stall barn. One equipment shed. One 180X100 outdoor arena. one round pen, one Hitchcock free jumping pen. 11 paddocks (each individually named i.e“The Lakeview Paddock, the Back 40”) dispersed over 14 acres. One pond. One forested sinkhole (former dueling ground in the 1800s).
Current CAST:
Susanna Thomas, aka “Mother Superior,” MMSC Director since 2008
Lori Tobin: aka “Mother Inferior” and, when Susanna is feeling generous, “Mother SENSATIONAL.” Volunteer office manager, attorney and college instructor in real life, Lori is M.A.’s older sister.
Marialyce Gradek: Book keeper, PAID ( a rare privilege at the MMSC) comes once a week for a few hours, mother of triplets, age 10, hence aka “M.A.” Lori’s younger sister.
Sam: Male cat, approximately nine months old, creme caramel colored, aka. “The Lover.”
Jasper: Male cat, probably Sam’s brother, so also approximately nine months old, tuxedo coat, aka “The Hunter.”
Ezekial, aka “Zeke the Geek,” 4 year old gelding, not adopted in 2012.
Midwest Swing: aka “Louie,” 5 year old gelding, not adopted in 2012.
Felix: My 2006 Golden Chevy Equinox
ANGELS: This is a whole separate cast in itself.
Sneak preview though: Archangel Dave. You will want to read all about him!
Cheery bye,
Susanna
