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Thursday, February 15, 2024
“Dragon Lady” at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre
The Pittsburgh Tatler: Generational trauma is complicated. It’s also, in the hands of Sara Porkalob, often quite funny and – because musical talent runs in her family – best delivered in song.
2 comments:
Penny Preovolos
said...
I really wanted to see this, and though I was not able to do it because of my schedule I enjoyed reading through this article. I think it takes guts to do a one-woman show especially if it dives into harsh topics like generational trauma. But it looks like this artist's work was received with a lot of praise and appreciation. As someone whose family has grown up eating around the dinner table and sharing stories in that environment, I love the idea of a song cycle taking place at my Yiayias birthday party sharing the story of our family generationally. That's why I wish I could have seen this show, from the reviews I have seen it seems like she was witty but didn't sidestep the emotional depth that her story required. I wish I could have seen it and I am sure all the reviews that call her performance a “powerhouse” were not wrong.
I saw Dragon Lady last Sunday and it truly is phenomenal. Porkolab’s distinction between all the characters doesn’t make it feel like a one-woman show, but rather a fully-fledged production with the entire family and ensemble. However, Porkalob’s choice to present it as a one-woman show also allows for the idea that Maria is telling the story to Sara; aiding the audience to realize that there is an unreliable narrator. Naturally, I also spent a lot of time observing the technical elements of this show. The lighting, tho not flashy, also aids in the storytelling. Different located spots being used for different characters, different colors when in the moments of the present versus the past, and practicals lining the band when in the Manila club. It was great seeing a production where CMU drama alum had a strong presence; it helped me identify how the skills I’m learning transfer to the professional world. I highly recommend everyone see Dragon Lady if they have the chance!
2 comments:
I really wanted to see this, and though I was not able to do it because of my schedule I enjoyed reading through this article. I think it takes guts to do a one-woman show especially if it dives into harsh topics like generational trauma. But it looks like this artist's work was received with a lot of praise and appreciation. As someone whose family has grown up eating around the dinner table and sharing stories in that environment, I love the idea of a song cycle taking place at my Yiayias birthday party sharing the story of our family generationally. That's why I wish I could have seen this show, from the reviews I have seen it seems like she was witty but didn't sidestep the emotional depth that her story required. I wish I could have seen it and I am sure all the reviews that call her performance a “powerhouse” were not wrong.
I saw Dragon Lady last Sunday and it truly is phenomenal. Porkolab’s distinction between all the characters doesn’t make it feel like a one-woman show, but rather a fully-fledged production with the entire family and ensemble. However, Porkalob’s choice to present it as a one-woman show also allows for the idea that Maria is telling the story to Sara; aiding the audience to realize that there is an unreliable narrator. Naturally, I also spent a lot of time observing the technical elements of this show. The lighting, tho not flashy, also aids in the storytelling. Different located spots being used for different characters, different colors when in the moments of the present versus the past, and practicals lining the band when in the Manila club. It was great seeing a production where CMU drama alum had a strong presence; it helped me identify how the skills I’m learning transfer to the professional world. I highly recommend everyone see Dragon Lady if they have the chance!
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