The Quick Change
True Lies
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t an early age, children are taught not to lie. It doesn’t take long, however, for the truth to get complicated. Sometimes lies are justified as “little lies” or harmless. Other times, a gentle lie hides a harsher truth. A good story gets improved by small details— whether true or untrue—until the story turns into a wildly exaggerated “tall tale.” And then sometimes, as Homer finds out, the truth can be stranger than the craziest lie he ever told.
uick change” refers to any fast costume change that an actor must manage backstage during the play. In Homer P. Figg, you’ll see actors walk offstage as one character—and return seconds later as a completely different character—with different clothes, wigs or beards, hats or shoes. In addition to costumes, an actor might also change the way he or she walks, stands, or talks to become another character.
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Cuethe Sound! Cuethe Lights!
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What Would You Do?
DAN CONWAY
any special effects in the theater are accomplished with sound and lights. Listen for sounds during the play that suggest where Homer is at that moment. With only the sound of a train whistle and a blast of steam, an entire train can “appear” onstage, at least in the audience’s imagination. In the same way, lights, shadows, and projections can suggest a forest full of trees, a hot-air balloon, or a battlefield. Use your imagination and watch for the way lights flicker or change to capture Homer’s world.
When you attend The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg, pay attention to the lies and judge for yourself whether Homer should suffer the consequences of lying or whether his lies are justified under the situation. Put yourself in Homer’s shoes and ask yourself— what would you do if you were in Homer’s situation?
elixir: a sweetened solution of alcohol and water, often intended as medicine
SET DESIGN BY
Civil War Slang
During the perf ormance, think about what role imagination play your s in setting this scene.
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