Handicapped pieces...Are there too many? Are they overdone?

[DerekVanMS]

I'm a senior this year and I've done a wide variety of DIs. My first was Inside Al, which I was really successful with. I've also done Blackout, Angela's Ashes, and Confessions of a Nightingale, none of which were as successful as Al. So now I'm back at one...I'm doing a cutting of Jason. So my question is...with all the Crippled Ladies and Insides Upsides that are out there, will judges get tired of it? That was my favorite thing about Confessions, was that it was fun and subtle and just wonderful. I do Jason very well, but I'm worried that in a round, a judge get a little tired of the inside-outside thing. What do you guys think? Any suggestions for another piece? :?

[Josiahzacks]

To answer the title question: yes.
As for finding another piece, you sound like you've done a lot of different stuff (if you want to send me your cutting of blackout, i'dd be more than happy to trade for something), and even if you weren't as successful as with Inside Al, don't give up on them. Just keep trying and eventually you'll find a piece that clicks for you.

[dmcordon9]

I don't mind handicapped pieces that much, just as long as they are done well (the whole done well thing seems to be a theme in my posts). I would just worry about the circuit being to saturated with handicapped pieces right now. With three of them in finals at NFL nats, people might be looking for something new. I would never judge you down for doing a piece that is done frequently, but I'm not judging where you are.

[kevinTHEpreoccupied]

its too much... i like DI to be about people that there are a lot of... something that could happen to anybody. something that applies to everybody... or at least a lot of people. when you are playing a disabled character, sure it makes us feel bad for the character, but its not easy for the audience to connect completely with that character. i dont mind DIs about disabled people, in fact some of them have been my favorites... like jessica watkins' DI last year, i was amazed. but the reason i was amazed was because she didnt make the piece about the disability... she focused on being accepted, and that is something everyone can cope with.

[kevinTHEpreoccupied]

as a direct reply to u, derick, i have seen jason performed and i have seen it performed well. it isnt too hard of a piece to do, but it is more about the technicalities that makes the piece so interesting and beautiful. theres a part where jason talks directly to the audience, if i remember correctly, about how he is just like everybody else on the inside. that part can be soooo cool. when u start talking about that, morph from the retarded jason to another jason... one that is normal and talks and moves like "normal" people. then, when you stop talking about it, morph back into outside-appearance-jason very slowly. whatever you do, DO NOT MAKE JASON A SAD PERSON. he is a happy person! jason must smile a lot. and when jason talks about what happens to him (the... incident), make sure u portray jason's failure to understand the situation, but not what was happening... jason is smart, he knows what is happening. jason needs to not understand WHY it is happening, and WHY to him. that is something we all wonder sometimes - "why me?". THAT is what is going to help the audience connect to jason the most. focus as little on the fact that he has a disability as possible, get in the fact that he is disabled and get it out of the way. focus on his failure to cope with the question "why me?"

[JoeleDaCuban]

I honestly don't think anything is really overdone.

I mean, if you think about it... there are only so many things that could go wrong in this world, and only so many things that are dramatic. There's death, disabledness (if that's a word), gayness, fear, heartbreak... and I mean, if you stand back and really look into DI, you see that pieces with handicaps are not over done.

The problem is not that "subjects" are being overdone because that's how OOers look at it. The bad thing is when pieces are overdone. Because if you think about it... there aremany ways to look at a person who is handicapped. For example, in my piece this year, "My Son Suzie," my character's parents are handicapped and so my character is mad. Whereas you look at a character who is handicapped, and it's quite a different perspective.

So you see, it's not really that "handicapped" pieces are overdone, but maybe just pieces that are overdone. Like "Night Mother" or "Agnes of God" (the two most annoying pieces, ever), are some pieces that are overdone. But in my opinion, in DI atleast, subjects can never be overdone.

[speechgal]

What did Jessica do last year?

As far as these type of pieces- I think the problem we run into is when they are done in a way that is not humane. You know, SO over the top.

[brdwaybabe05]

Jessica did "Out All Night And Lost My Shoes"

[kevinTHEpreoccupied]

omg... agnes of god... such a horrible piece... for the love of God, PLEASE nobody ever do agnes of god!!!!!! it is painful to sit through - not because its a good DI... because it is so annoying.

[MSbroadwayQueen]

I agree with what pretty much everyone says....some judges do get tired of seeing DI's dealing with only disabled or crippled charecters. Unfortunately in my case, my forensics coach somehow has a whole lot of them and not much else. I've got a DI piece ][ Crippled Lady ][ and it's ok, but I wish I could find something better. If anyone else has any other ideas please send them my way. Thanks a million. I'm willing to trade pieces with anyone who asks.
On another note, I tried using selections from T.S. Elliot's "Book of Practical Cat's" for the poetry part of my OI, obviously either the judges didn't like it or I found it hard not to start singing it lol :D . So, basic question is, if anyone out there has a good poetry piece that I could use it would be really appritiated; but no Poe, coach claims that it's too over done. Thanks again.
:wink: Beth

[aaron]

Sweet Nothing In My Ear, which can be found on dramatists, and the Night Sky, which can be found on Samuel French, are both good options.