Commedia dell’arte is a performance style that originated...

Commedia dell’arte is a performance style that originated in Italy emphasizing pantomime, improvisation, and ensemble acting, using over the top movements to accentuate emotions on a bare stage. Although shows presented by commedia dell’arte troupes were improvisations they were heavily influenced using an array of stock situations along with very well-developed masks (characters). Commedia dell’arte masks have molded the creation of characters from William Shakespeare’s â€Å"Merchant of Venice† to Matt Groening’s â€Å"The Simpsons†. Keeping society entertained at every age. Unlike most masks in theatre, or even masks for ceremonial purposes, performers in commedia dell’arte wear masks that cover half of their face leaving their mouths free.†¦show more content†¦The use of masks was of a great significance to the early performers. (Marczak, 7) Early in the life of commedia dell’arte it quickly became normal to call the â€Å"character† â€Å"the Mask†. Performers would be the Mask of Il Capitano, or the Mask of Pantalone. This notion of being the mask can get confusing as not all commedia dell’arte characters wear masks that convey who they are. â€Å"Lovers are the Commedia stock characters that do not wear masks† (Sullivan 14). In this case the Masks are often referred to as stereotypes. This wouldn’t be very accurate. Stereotypical characters are very broad two dimensional characters that are based on a class of persons that have been stuck with prejudices and generalizations. Although old men are salacious and money-grubbing that isn’t all the Mask of Pantalone must be this way. If done right he is so much more than that, but that is left to the performer that takes on the Mask to develop with their own flair. Often we find Il Capitano playing the false romantic lead. Since he is part of the Vecchi (old people) one of his common functions is to interfere with the innamorati or young lovers. He is often hired by the father, Pantalone, to protect his daughter. Upon which Il Capitano often falls head over heels in love with her, creating opportunities for a great lazzi to occur. Lazzi are rehearsed comical bits added throughout the performance at the performer’s

My Trip to Canada free essay sample

Have you ever seen one of the Seven Wonders of the World? Well I have and being able to go see one of the Seven Wonders of the World was an experience of a lifetime. I got the chance to visit Niagara Falls and had an amazing time with my family. Not only did I see Niagara Falls, but I was in a completely different country. Most people want to have excitement in their lives, something they will remember for a long time. Well this is definitely the way to experience an unforgettable vacation! In the beginning of the vacation it had started out a little rough, but as it progressed it turned out to be the best vacation yet, with the long frightening drives through the mountains, frequent pit stops, and all the greatest things Canada has to offer! Our adventure started out in the middle of summer on a Monday afternoon. We will write a custom essay sample on My Trip to Canada or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It took us a while to load up the van, but once we did, we hit the road immediately. I drove through the dangerous mountain roads of Virginia and West Virginia. Driving through the mountains of the Appalachian gave me a better experience and taught me to drive in heavy traffic, and curvy, slippery roads. The scenery was breathtaking, one look at the beautiful mountain ridges is a memory I’ll never forget. At one point we drove through a tunnel built though the mountains. This caused our GPS to lose connection leading us to getting lost for about an hour. Luckily, the signal picked up and the adventure continued. There was so much traffic on the highway. There had been an accident right in front of me while I was driving 65mph. I suddenly came to a complete stop within in a matter of seconds. If I had pushed the brakes just a second later we all would have been done for. This scared me a lot because my whole family was in the car with me. Finally, 16 hours later we arrived to the New York’s view of Niagara Falls. After having my legs cramped, getting lost, and almost getting in an accident, we had finally made it at 3:00 in the morning. Thank god we had a reservation at Holiday Inn because I do not know what we would have done if we didn’t have a place to sleep. Even though we slept very late, we managed to get up early enough for the next adventure. Today was the day when I was going to see the United States side of Niagara Falls, it was absolutely beautiful and the weather was perfect. Even though these Falls are very dangerous, everyone managed to stay together and not fall down to their doom. On the United States side there wasn’t much compared to the Canada side, just a couple souvenir shops and places to get food. We stayed on the US side for one day and left for Canada the day after. Crossing the border from The United States to Canada was interesting because it gave us a whole new angle to look at Niagara Falls. Once we made it across, the first thing we did was drive around the streets and we noticed it was similar to the boardwalk at the beach, because it had Ripley’s Believe it or not museum, miniature golfing, and a Ferris wheel but beside it was a massive waterfall. It also had a Maid of the Mist attraction which took you on a boat straight through the water fall. You got soaking wet but left with a big smile on your face. When we got back to our room at the Sheraton hotel, it had a perfect view of the Falls with a Falls view restaurant on the top floor. This was an amazing hotel that had the best location and the best service. Right beside the hotel was one of the best indoor family water parks in North America. The view of the falls from the Canada side was stunning, everything about it was beautiful. Every night at around nine oclock the illuminations started at the Falls and sparkled up the glistening water creating a wonderful, colorful display. It was time for our journey to end and of course I couldn’t wait to get home and lie down on my bed but I still wanted to stay and enjoy everything possible. My dad took the wheel and decided to stop in Pittsburgh on the way back. We stayed in Pittsburgh for a night since we were tired and in the morning we roamed downtown, smelling the fresh aroma of nearby restaurants and seeing all the traffic pass by us. There was a cable car called the Duquesne Incline and that took you from one story to the next, giving you the best view of downtown Pittsburgh and the Ohio River. It was a mini vacation of its own. We finally arrived home after a week long vacation, it all went by so fast! I jumped in my bed with joy, all I wanted to do was sleep and stretch my legs. However, my mom had different plans for me. She wanted me to help unload the van and put everything where it belonged. I didn’t realize we had so many luggage’s. The next day after our adventure it felt so weird to be back at home, I missed Niagara Falls a lot and wished we had at least one more day there. Regardless I was relieved that we were finally back home safe. In conclusion my vacation started off rocky and scary but, with having my family by my side it all changed to an adventure of a lifetime that I’ll never forget. Seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World made me come to the realization of just how beautiful this world is. This experience encourages me to explore and travel. Overall, what made my vacation unforgettable is that I got to spend quality time with my family and make memories that will last with me forever.