Storytelling Through WORD
Soaring from Page to Stage
ow do you create a play from a book? Step one: Imagine the book’s characters and story on stage—and how the action will unfold and what the characters will say. For The Wings of Ikrarus Jackson, that (fun!) job belonged to playwright Jerome Hairston. He also knew that movement would be telling parts of the story. That meant he had to construct a performance that could switch smoothly from words to movement and back again. Here are some of the playwright’s challenges and the decisions he made. What would you do if you were the playwright? Show how uncomfortable Ikarus feels about his wings. One solution: Have Ikarus try to hide them. Make the unnamed girl in the book more real to the audience. One solution: Give her a name—Cris. Show more of Cris’s personality. One solution: Give her a favorite book, Peter Pan. The playwright could have chosen any book— why do you think he chose that one? Set up the conflict between Ikarus and the school bullies and tell it through movement. One solution: Turn the basketball game into a competition with serious consequences. During the performance, watch how the storytelling shifts from dialogue to sound and movement.
Move It When you hear “dance,” you might think of one kind, like ballet or hip-hop. But a dance performance can blend many different styles. Devanand Janki, the choreographer (person who creates dance) for The Wings of Ikarus Jackson, believed all kinds of movements could help tell this story. Here are some types you might see: Ballet—usually flowing, light movements and jumps, lifted and extended legs, and graceful arms
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Modern—grounded (and sometimes heavy) movements, plus motion using the entire body from head to toe Jazz—vigorous, rhythmic movements often with isolated motions for the head, neck, shoulders, torso, arms, and hips Hip-Hop—urban-style street dancing, often featuring break dancing–inspired moves and angular moves of the arms and legs Latin—fast-paced dancing, often with quick footwork and big hip movements