Cast Of Characters in Body Memoir Politic: Looking

(In order of appearance)

Rosalyn (in shadow)

Auntie

Nana

Samantha

Lenora Snopes

Nicole

Basha

Kaitlyn

A Stranger

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Body Memoir Politic: Looking (Copyright 2008, Jennifer Semple Siegel)

Playwright’s Note About Body Memoir Politic: Looking

Body Memoir Politic: Looking delves into the dichotomy of style versus substance in our culture; the monologues seem to focus on the protagonist’s weight problems, when, in reality, she doesn’t have any major (if any) weight problems. She does have weight issues, however, because our culture (SAMANTHA’s family) harbors an obsession with weight. Thus, the cyclical superficiality reigns over the reality, at least until the beginning of the Official Exit. Theatergoers can then decide what the ending means.

The subtext of the play hints of a racist aspect to our culture. Racism, of course, still exists, albeit in a covert form. Thus, BASHA, the protagonist's half sister, represents the hidden aspects of subtle racism, even in mixed-raced families.

This play could be produced in a format as simple as readers’ theater or as a full theatrical production, complete with music and sophisticated lighting. Even as a full production, the set itself should be simple, with just the few basic props needed by the characters. Any additional dazzle should be accomplished through lighting and music.

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Body Memoir Politic: Looking (Copyright 2008, Jennifer Semple Siegel)

Playwright’s Notes on Protagonist Samantha in Body Memoir Politic: Looking

SAMANTHA, The Protagonist

The protagonist of Body Memoir Politic: Looking does not speak at all; she simply appears on stage and reacts in various ways to the monologues directed toward her, usually directly, but sometimes indirectly.

SAMANTHA, as a child, young woman, adult, middle-aged woman, and old woman, often feels perplexed and silenced by the voices of her womenfolk. That is not to say that SAMANTHA is a mute person; perhaps, in other aspects of her life, she feels empowered to speak her mind, but in these ten scenes (plus “XL Portal” and “Official Exit”), she will not/cannot speak because she knows that she cannot fulfill or change the expectations of these others who would sit in judgment of her, even while they insist how much they love her.

Although SAMANTHA ages throughout the play, a fairly young adult actor should assume all of her roles, but it should be obvious, in all scenes, that this is a young adult who assumes the personae of toddler, child, teenager, young adult, middle-age woman, older woman, elderly woman. Even though weight plays a major part in this play, it’s more of a perception and an illusion, rather than a reality, so SAMANTHA’s physical dimensions should NOT change. Still, each costume ought to reflect her age and/or mood in a particular scene: pink foot-in pajamas (toddler); pink flouffy dress with a bouncy skirt (eight year old); a hint of emerging sluttiness, perhaps a too-tight yellow top and matching pedal pushers in the style of the day, overdone makeup, matching sandals, teenage jewelry, etc. (12 year old); hippie garb, consisting of bellbottom blue jeans, torn tie-dyed t-shirt, head band, peace sign necklace, scruffy brown sandals, minimal makeup, her hair long, straight, and stringy (18 year old); arty outfit, consisting of a colorful wrap skirt, black Danskin top, with fancy scarf wrapped around her neck, Birkenstock sandals, big flashy jewelry, curly hair piled on top of her head, hair jewelry, etc. (28 year old); smart business attire, her hair in a crisp dress-for-success style (37 year old); ordinary picnic garb, consisting of crisp-looking white shorts, colorful tee-top, sandals, and very short boyish hair cut (39 year old); attractive and fashionable–but also serious–workout outfit, the state-of-the-art sports shoes, short curly hair (50 year old); and a leotard that approximates her skin color–hinting of her nakedness–bare feet, long straight hair (75 year old). Thus, because SAMANTHA has no voice, it’s important that her character and progression be shown through her physical attributes and her reactions to the monologues.

So, in a sense, Body Memoir Politic: Looking chronicles some aspects of SAMANTHA’s life, while appearing to cover a full life in abbreviated form. Note that key scenes from her life are not acted out stage, such as her wedding days, births of her child NICOLE and grandchild KAITLYN, deaths of AUNTIE and NANA, and commitment ceremony between NICOLE and ADRIENNE–all those events that would be deemed important in an ordinary autobiography/memoir. Mention of these life events are sprinkled throughout the monologues as having already happened or about to happen. However important these events might be in a life, they are not the events that precipitate SAMANTHA’s silence, so the cliched major events remain off stage and are simply noted as casual remarks in passing.

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Body Memoir Politic: Looking (Copyright 2008, Jennifer Semple Siegel)

Playwright's Notes on Supporting Characters

Body Memoir Politic: Looking

Although the following notes on the characters may seem overly proscriptive, one must remember that this is a play about perceptions, and, as we all know, perceptions are often formed by the superficial, usually what is seen on the exterior.

ROSALYN (SAMANTHA’s Mother)

A young woman. ROSALYN should be in shadow or leotard (her face masked). This can be accomplished through lighting and/or clothing and mask. In the prologue (XL Portal), ROSALYN is pregnant, just about to give birth, so, perhaps, she should wear a black leotard, even if lighting is used to create the shadow. Her face must never be revealed to the audience.

AUNTIE (SAMANTHA's Aunt)

Although AUNTIE is very old, a fairly young actor should be made up to look old, but it should be obvious that this is a young person playing an old woman. Most of the time (except in Scene 1, where she does not speak), she acts in a very sophisticated and assured manner–there’s nothing shy about her. She knows what she wants to say and says it, although she tries to temper her comments with a patina of upper crust courtesy and civility.

On the other hand, AUNTIE exhibits a lower class background and a new money demeanor by dressing very flamboyantly, decked out in a bright red satin dress with a low neckline, matching high heels and purse, diamond necklace and matching bracelets, and diamond-studded Harlequin glasses. She is heavily made up: dark eyeshadow, ruby red lipstick, overdone rouge. She has saucy, shimmering silver hair, styled in the fashion of the time. She wears this costume throughout her scenes.

NANA (SAMANTHA’s Grandmother)

Although NANA is very old, a fairly young actor should be made up to look old, but it should be obvious that this is a young person playing an old woman. NANA is dressed in the stereotypical style of the 1950's, but very plainly, in a disheveled shirtwaist dress, dowdy shoes, no jewelry, horned-rimmed glasses. She wears minimal makeup. From a physical standpoint, there is nothing flamboyant or flashy about her. NANA has dull gray hair; her hair style and demeanor can be described as “frazzled.” Like AUNTIE, NANA is self-assured, but she lacks the patina of culture that AUNTIE attempts to cultivate, so what she says just spits out, uncensored, in-your-face. She wears her the same clothes throughout her scenes.

LENORA SNOPES (Private Investigator)

LENORA SNOPES, a minor character who offers her short monologue in a deadpan fashion, should be costumed as one might expect in her field, clad in a belted beige trench coat, boots, and a floppy fedora. Perhaps she should assume some plumpness (via some padding to her costume) to show clearly that she is not part of this family. The role of Lenora can also be assumed by a minority person–perhaps the same person who plays BASHA and A STRANGER.

NICOLE (SAMANTHA’s Daughter)

When casting NICOLE, the director should choose a young woman who is physically the opposite of SAMANTHA. In other words, if SAMANTHA is fair-haired and blue-eyed, then NICOLE should be dark-haired and dark-eyed (but still very fair-skinned). In Scene 6, NICOLE is in a hospital bed, presumably naked under a bed sheet, and is in obvious bad shape from her drug overdose; although in Scene 6 she is only about 17, her stringy hair shows gray streaks, and her skin is pale and luminescent. In her other scenes, she wears the bed sheet, draped around her like a toga, and she retains her sickly, pale skin, even as she acts more animated in subsequent scenes.

BASHA (SAMANTHA’s Half Sister)

BASHA, a young actor (preferably tall and sinewy), should definitely look as though she does not quite belong to this family. A dark skinned actor should assume this role, suggesting a mixed-race person. She should be tall and self-assured. She should wear picnic garb, but it should appear slightly different from the ordinary. Her black hair should be styled with dreadlocks (either short or long). In short, the disconnect between BASHA and the rest of the family should be absolutely clear.

KAITLYN (SAMANTHA’s Granddaughter)

KAITLYN should come across as cute and perky–very animated as she speaks her lines, especially in Scene 8, when she’s 11 years old. Even in Scene 9, when she’s 35 years old, she should retain her youthful exuberance. In both scenes, she wears a very trendy outfit, a belly shirt (with belly piercings) and low hip-hugger jeans, perhaps embellished with rhinestones, and sandals.

A STRANGER

A young actor, played by the same actor who plays BASHA, is dressed as a court jester: a multi-color, form-fitting leotard, long colorful scarf, and red peasant slippers. She wears a red wig (dreadlocks), a jester’s hat, and exaggerated makeup.

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Although the play takes place over a course of 85 years, AUNTIE, NANA, NICOLE, and KAITLYN, during their appearances on stage, remain the same, not aging beyond how SAMANTHA sees them throughout her life, for this play depicts SAMANTHA’s point of view. They also wear the same clothes throughout. Other characters appear only once: LENORA SNOPES, BASHA, and A STRANGER.

SAMANTHA, on the other hand, does change, but only in terms of her attire and demeanor. One young adult actor should be selected for all of the SAMANTHAS, even the three, eight, and twelve year olds, who should then be dressed according to their ages.

For economic and/or logistical reasons, some roles can be doubled. For example, The actor playing ROSALYN could also assume the roles of LENORA SNOPES, BASHA, and A STRANGER. (In any case, the actor playing BASHA should also play THE STRANGER; the audience should be able to figure out that one actor is playing both roles). Also, the actor playing AUNTIE could also play KAITLYN. (It is important that all the actors be fairly young adult women, even when they are dressed to appear old or very young.). However, if actors are assuming multiple roles, they must be costumed and made up appropriately and in such a way that the audience cannot easily see that actors have assumed multiple roles (except for BASHA and A STRANGER).

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Body Memoir Politic: Looking (Copyright 2008, Jennifer Semple Siegel)