![]() ![]() Most theaters have a clock visible to performers but not the audience, so that teams can keep track of the pace. Ruthie’s other job as Narrator was to keep track of time. The players listen for those missed details, and faithfully weave them back in. As Narrator, Ruthie loved picking up the details which might be forgotten, and editing scenes with a slow wipe and interstitial narration. The other players would dance through scenes, illuminating one of the dark corners. Maybe this lap around will reveal to her what actually went wrong that day.” What time was it? She wandered the wretched, dusty halls once more. ![]() The grand clock tried to bang out-of-tune notes every sixty minutes, but the hours get longer and longer. Or maybe it was in how humans interpret that passage of time. “Ticking away incessantly, that damn clock never did keep good time. If the audience said ‘pocket watch‘, Ruthie might give an intro like this to set the scene for the other actors: Now open the box and say out loud what item your loved one left for you.” It was left to you by your grandparent, but you don’t know what it is. To get us started I want you to imagine an old safety deposit box. We hope to honor the stories and struggles of the people we portray, and remind ourselves to push forward. We understand that our modern perspectives are different than they were in the time of Tennessee Williams. Everything you see here tonight is created for you, right now. “Welcome, honored guests to Elysian Fields. Ruthie LOVED narrating because the Narrator asks for an audience suggestion and uses that phrase to drive tender stories about love and struggle in America’s very recent history. The rest of the team plays in and out of flashbacks, flash-forwards, dreams, and other scenes. However, improv shows need structure, and a Narrator is one way to do that. The Narrator was Ruthie’s favorite “role” - being improvised, there was no script. Improv: Elysian Fields, Skeletons, Etc., and Lady BonersĮlysian Fields is a former conservatory house sketch team at Philly Improv Theater (PHIT), which performed hour-long plays in the style of Tennessee Williams. ![]()
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