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Annael
Immortal
Sep 25 2014, 5:14am
Post #51 of 67
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We have a lot of Kiwis too 
To be sane we must recognize our beliefs as fictions.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Silverlode
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Sep 25 2014, 5:30am
Post #52 of 67
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Canadians. They're the really sneaky ones. 
Silverlode
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"Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dűm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone."
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Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Sep 25 2014, 1:41pm
Post #53 of 67
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I think that depends on where you live in the US also.
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I work all over Maryland, a state that has very distinct regions in terms of geography, population and politics. There are place that are more isolated, especially out father west and surprisingly, the Eastern Shore, mainly farming communities where there is little in the way of diversity. Members of those communities tend to stay close to their land and have a greater distrust of outsiders than other citizens of the state. We live 1 hour from Baltimore and Washington DC and some kids in our neighborhood have never been to either with their family. Their only exposure to the "big city" was through school. The stores I work in those areas tend to have a more homogeneous population and I'm less likely to hear anything other than English and maybe Spanish once in a while.
The stores closer in to the cities are much more diverse and there are strong and vibrant immigrant communities where all manner of languages can be heard. There is one store on the outskirts of DC where I have been sworn at in 7 distinct and different languages (ranging from South America to Europe to Asia to Africa) in one 12 hour shift. Language is not only a barrier between Pharmacist and Patient but Patient and Doctor. We've manage to straighten out some misunderstandings before the wrong treatment made it to the patient. It's a difficult store to work in because of the many cultures intersecting. Medications available over -the-counter in other countries are not available here in the US, hence the swearing. We have our company translator service on speed dial there.
In my suburban-semi-rural community, we had 24 countries represented at our International Night with, I would say, about 3/4 of the participants in that activity being the 1st generation in our country. Our ESOL (English as Second Language) program has children speaking 10 different languages at home.
I'd say that the rural areas may be the most isolated still but anywhere close to a city will give opportunities to hear and experience different languages and cultures. Americans are just starting to wake up to the global nature of this brave new world we live in. I'm sure the same thing is happening in Europe where, while used to multicultural experiences between the close-packed European countries, there is now a greater influx of African and Asian immigrants.
What is fascinating to watch is how Canada and the US approach multicultural issues. Both are nations of immigrants, both have indigent populations, both have recent-immigrant-filled cities and rural communities with families going back generations. Canada is more a cultural mosaic where each immigrant community retains much of its cultural heritage and also its language longer. The US, up to recently, has been more a melting pot where a few generations in a family has been assimilated into the "American" way of life. Culture and tradition get diluted down and the identity is lost.
I think we would see more languages taught in schools if two things happened. One, there was more money to teach them; two, international travel became easier financially and logistically (It's out of reach for families like mine financially). Once folks had the opportunities to see other cultures, I think the thirst for language would follow.
Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
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Annael
Immortal
Sep 25 2014, 3:12pm
Post #54 of 67
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It's amazing how many actors in Hollywood are Canadians.
Is this payback for us rebelling against the English? They're now sending in soldiers disguised as actors from all over the Commonwealth to take over Hollywood and the propaganda machine of TV and movies, softening us up, getting us used to hearing a plural verb used with a singular noun, and now showing us adorable baby pictures from Wills & Kate so that when Wills becomes King we'll all vote to give up our independence without question? It's a conspiracy! And it wouldn't surprise me a bit to learn that Sir Ian & Sir Pat are the generals. That whole being-awesome-in-New-York stunt they pulled? Very suspicious.
To be sane we must recognize our beliefs as fictions.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Cirashala
Valinor
Sep 25 2014, 5:20pm
Post #55 of 67
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thanks for a good giggle 
In reality, it may be that the British, Canadian, and Australian actors are simply better actors due to classical and stage training, whereas American actors have, in recent decades, proven to be more "pretty" than good actors (seems like all the good ones are dying left and right now, pointing to where the shift in dynamic happened). There are many exceptions of course, but in many ways the more classically trained actors (especially stage trained, where there isn't the opportunity for retakes) seem to give us a greater depth and far better performance than non-classically trained actors.
And, with the exception of Broadway and a few other places (though I admit I've never been east of the Mississippi, not even on a plane, so cannot account 100% for the east coast) I don't think the emphasis on theater as a widespread medium still exists for most of the US. I know it certainly doesn't for the western half- there are few theaters over here, and they don't have NEAR the attendance that movie theaters do. Hence most film schools/university programs center more on film acting than stage acting. They'll dabble in stage acting for sure at school, but ultimately most actors go on to try their luck in film, so they focus more on that (and I know this for a fact- had a friend graduate the acting/multimedia/film school nearby, and since I'm registered with an acting agency in a much larger town west of here I see offers for student films all over the place, punctuated by actual commercial acting and a few movie extra roles, but no offers for stage acting other than community all volunteer plays- and there are very few playhouses in my area). Definitely no paid stage acting, other than when Broadway shows occasionally come to the Opera House in the next town over.
But the theater industry is so prolific in GB and in many other areas, with actors having an even greater chance of working on stage than on film (and people go to see stage productions as often as they see films in a movie theater). Thus, the training reflects that. And in the case of RA and other hobbit actors who are classically trained, I can DEFINITELY see the difference- and it's for the positive.
It's really sad and disheartening in a way- I wish the US would learn to love the theater like GB does. Perhaps then we will have the chance to experience live performances, see the nuances with each, and begin to produce better trained actors once more. I'm tired of actors and actresses "looking pretty"- I would rather have ones that can act and become the characters, both in film and on stage (MF and RA and IM- thank you). Perhaps that desire is also in the hearts of many other Americans beside myself, and that's why more classically trained actors are coming over here- I don't know. What I do know is that each "great actor" death is disheartening, because there's very little likelihood that their talent will be replaced with someone new of equal or better talent- at least, no one from our country (though once in a while there can be a surprise).
Thanks for the good giggle though- nice way to wake up in the morning 
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Silverlode
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Sep 25 2014, 11:49pm
Post #56 of 67
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It's all true I tell you! 
I agree about the stage training - to a certain extent. It's easy to look at the "pretty young things" who get the hot/action star roles and media attention and think that no one goes into acting with a theater background anymore, but it's not true. It's actually more present than we realize, even now. Golden Age Hollywood drew heavily from Broadway and vaudeville stars, though that has lessened over time - probably due to the sheer distances involved, as well as the demise of vaudeville that the very popularity of movies brought about. There is a gap between the NY acting crowd and the LA acting crowd, so there is a significantly larger number of Broadway actors on NY-based tv shows because it makes it easier for them to do both without the 3000-mile commute. There are actually a lot of actors who cross over between stage and film/television, but since they get a lot more attention for their screen acting, not everyone knows that part of their background until they do some project that "outs" them. Hugh Jackman is a prime example. Prior to Les Miserables, how many pop culture afficionados knew he was a West End/Broadway musicals star long before he was Wolverine? Just a few others off the top of my head: Jerry Orbach, Mandy Pantinkin, Kristin Chenoweth, John Barrowman, Victor Garber, Matthew Broderick, Kevin Kline, and a ton of very recognizable character actors. And if you start listing those who do only plays and not musicals the list gets even longer (we could begin the list with our own Lee Pace). And then there are all of those who got their start in film or tv and then later hanker to get on the stage - a few even transition entirely over. A few are are "stunt cast" purely for the name draw, but plenty more are quite capable.
Really, what it comes down to is that the celebrity media aren't interested in theater news or theater background and don't give it much play in print or on the airwaves. But just because they ignore it doesn't mean it isn't there.
Silverlode
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"Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dűm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone."
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Annael
Immortal
Sep 26 2014, 12:09am
Post #57 of 67
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comes to mind: an American actor so respected by British thespians that he's been the director of the Old Vic in London for the past 10 years and has been a Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford since 2008.
To be sane we must recognize our beliefs as fictions.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Silverlode
Forum Admin
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Sep 26 2014, 1:58am
Post #59 of 67
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And also there's a tendency in LA-based entertainment news and advertising to almost entirely ignore the NY scene, and possibly vice versa. (I'm from the West Coast, so I don't know in as much detail how NY views LA so I won't presume to say, though I might guess. ) Both coasts mostly ignore "fly-over country", and unless you live near a major city, you're unlikely to have a lot of theater options nearby. I'm fortunate in living where there's plenty available, though sadly I've been mostly priced out of the market for professional shows in my area over the last decade. It's gotten far too expensive to be anything but a rare treat for me anymore.
Perhaps one of our sibs from the UK could chime in on the theater culture there. I don't know enough to comment intelligently - or to know whether the RSC, RADA, etc., have a greater overall impact on media and culture than, say, Julliard or some of the prominent repertory companies do here. But I would imagine that having one major center for the arts would make crossover much easier than having two which are on opposite sides of a continent. Also, the media industry is different - I don't know if the BBC shows more theater-related content than PBS does, but PBS is definitely overshadowed here by the major networks.
Silverlode
Want a LOTR Anniversary footer of your own? Get one here!
"Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dűm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone."
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Dame Ioreth
Tol Eressea
Sep 26 2014, 2:27am
Post #60 of 67
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Yes! And you'd be surprised at how many have degrees
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Seamus Dever (Kevin Ryan in Castle) has MFA in acting from Carnegie Mellon (one of the better drama departments in the US). He was the youngest person to graduate from The Moscow Art Theater with a MFA in Acting. Moscow Art Theater... the famous theater program that had Constantin Stanislavski at the helm at the turn of the century where he directed the premiere of The Cherry Orchard. Yeah, that program. He quietly acts in plays in LA and gathers nominations and awards from local drama groups in between seasons of Castle. The guy is amazing.
Where there's life there's hope, and need of vittles.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
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Cirashala
Valinor
Sep 26 2014, 3:05am
Post #61 of 67
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Thanks for clarifying it
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Silverlode
Forum Admin
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Sep 26 2014, 5:21am
Post #63 of 67
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Most major metropolitan areas have plenty of theater options, both professional and amateur. It's those who don't live conveniently close to a major urban/cultural center who don't have as much available. Since theater is entertainment which depends on disposable income and new audiences for each performance, it takes a certain population size to support it. One way to gauge it: How big is your airport? If your city has a major airport, your city has a big enough population to support a significant Arts community and get the professional traveling companies. If you've got a small city or municipal airport, your arts community will probably be smaller and community-based. And so on.
Silverlode
Want a LOTR Anniversary footer of your own? Get one here!
"Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dűm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone."
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Silverlode
Forum Admin
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Sep 26 2014, 8:12am
Post #64 of 67
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is that she went somewhere to try to reverse-engineer the alien regeneration serum so she can heal Fitz. Coulson wouldn't let her go to the Hub with Skye's blood last season, and now Coulson's in charge of whatever SHIELD assets are left, which aren't many. I'm pretty sure he wasn't going to support her trying to recreate it even for Fitz. I'm betting she found a private sector group that was interested in taking her on - whether or not she gave the real reason to the rest of the team when she left. I'm betting she didn't.
Silverlode
Want a LOTR Anniversary footer of your own? Get one here!
"Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dűm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone."
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Kelly of Water's Edge
Rohan
Sep 26 2014, 1:29pm
Post #65 of 67
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You've thought that one out! It wouldn't surprise me if you're right.
One thing I'm certain of is whether she returns his feelings or considers him her best friend or something in between, she wouldn't have abandoned him. It would be too contrary to both her character in general and their relationship in particular.
On another note, Fitz' situation is exhibit 1 why I'm extremely sceptical about Ward's rehabilitation. Not when Fitz didn't get out of the situation he put him in unscathed and Fitz was the last holdout who still believed in him. I don't see how the team could come back from that.
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Annael
Immortal
Sep 26 2014, 2:10pm
Post #66 of 67
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first of all, a bit of a brag: did you know Seattle has more "live" theaters than any other US town besides NYC? (Yes, more than LA.) Theater is alive & well in our corner of the country. Even in my little rural town we've got two playhouses, a theater school, and a summer "Shakespeare in the Park" program. Cirashala is speaking for northern Idaho, but I used to live in Boise and they have a fabulous "Shakespeare in the Park" venue on the river where I saw some of the best productions I've ever seen (the Beatles version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was a standout), plus a 2,000-seat auditorium with superb acoustics where I regularly went to see touring Broadway shows and operas.
To be sane we must recognize our beliefs as fictions.
- James Hillman, Healing Fiction
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Magpie
Immortal
Sep 26 2014, 3:14pm
Post #67 of 67
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I think I read the hint of a spoiler on Simmons
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let me see if I can track it down.
ah... not a spoiler. a speculation from a fan: "(another) thing I think I put together is when Coulson and May were talking about possible allies around the world, and they specifically mentioned London and then what we learned at the end. Well, I know who the ally in London is."
the "thing we learned at the end" being that Simmons isn't really (physically) with Coulson & Co.
However, other commenters were necessarily on board with this idea.
Read more in the comment section of this page:
http://insidetv.ew.com/.../#comment-1603725784
LOTR soundtrack website ~ magpie avatar gallery
TORn History Mathom-house ~ Torn Image Posting Guide
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