The above quote was once spotted on a bumper sticker affixed on the rear end of a car seen on a street now long forgotten. It told the reader (or the driver of the car trailing the said vehicle) that it had to take a league of experts in some form of field to acknowledge that everything going on is “OK”, no matter what those may say otherwise!
It appears within the last few years, stress and anxiety has been on the rise lately. People seem to become nervous for some reason or another through various elements that are around them, either within a “public” scale, or through personal reasons.
And recent statistics tend to provide these facts into its new light. Deloitte, a research and marketing firm based in New York, released its report on the personal feelings upon Millennials and Gen Zs’ take on optimism in terms with economic, social and political aspects as witnessed within this nation and those based from abroad.
Before we begin to quote the stats, the group the report speaks for are those born between 1981 through the early-middle 2000s. These two groups tend to be the focus with advertisers, marketers, and others that desire to push product and/or services to these “young adults” or those that are on the brink of adulthood. These are the folks that are part of the so-called “wired” generation, meaning that they do not remember life before the internet, cell phones, or related electronically based communication that make up a good chunk of their lifestyles on almost everything they do, see, hear, or to express themselves!
According to the Deloitte report with the specific title The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019, it states that economic, social, and political optimism stands at a record low point. They are concerned that their lives through these means based upon current circumstances are not functioning through upon what they have expected those results to be.
Although the economy tends to be in a boom period at the moment, those boom times are not reaching those young(er) workers. They are also concerned with their local governments taking note toward local and domestic situations. (According to the report, some 26% of those stated that economics within their homelands will be better in the year ahead. This number appears to be the lowest response to this question for the years that this survey was conducted!)
And one (or a number) of elements to blame on the stress factor is social media. This portal stands as the be-all-to-end-all for this selected group. The report continues to note that over half (60%) of millennials and 59% of Z-ers saying they’d be happier if they spent less time on social media, believing that if they would take a step away from their Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc., would give them more peace and personal happiness. (64% and 63%, respectively, believe in this aspect.)
Instead of this writer quoting all the facts and figures, why don’t you folks read all of the news yourself through this link https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html
Although the above noted reports tends to focus itself upon the younger set, it also affects the other demographics. Mainly, the Gen Xers (born between 1965 through 1979), and those ever lovin’ Baby Boomers (born 1946-64) that have been around at the birth of the ‘net, and can actually recall a life before the ‘net became what it is now!
Granted, stress and anxiety has been around domestic life for as long as domestic life existed. One hears about it more nowadays because these subjects are not as taboo as they once were conceived. Yes, folks living in the communities found within this local landscape has had their stresses going on for some time. It was just treated in different ways, as well as what was stressing themselves out. Kids were always going through peer pressures at home, at school, or where kids tend to be placed. As they got older to complete their schooling, stopping at either a college level, or in many cases, ending at high school, they indeed do take on a worry if what they knew in terms of being “book smart” was going to deliver them where they wanted to go career wise. When they got married (and well into the 1980’s, young folks in their twenties did get married and did start families), there was the parent figure that worked outside of the home, and the parent figure that did all of the household related activities, usually as a husband working, wife being a mother/housewife/domestic engineer, and so on and so forth.
But within the last fifteen or so years (give or take), it seems that personal stress and overall depression became more openly noted. The so-called taboos were out in the limelight. When more people reported upon their stress levels, it became more of an accepted trait. To give one an idea toward this factor, if person “A” was suffering a case of sadness due to a various amount of reasons, person “B” going through the same elements would realize that they were not alone. Before one would know it, person “C”: would give out a “me too”. Then person “D” would admit they are within the same status, and the list would continue onward.
Social media, the curse of this now generation of stress, has also become a blessing. Many online groups exist where the topic could be an example of an anxiety. These groups, virtual as an on-line source, or based upon real live people that physically meet in person face-to-face, are used to exchange ideas, analyze problems, or even give moral support. Thus, these portals exist so anyone going through an episode of stress for, let’s say, an adult aged person taking care of an elderly parent or related loved one, will know that other people are also taking care of an aged parent, relative, personal friend, or somebody who is part of this person’s personal domain. They exist to state that they are not alone in the wilderness.
Yes, stress and anxiety will continue to exist. On the other hand, so will the sense of peace, hope, and love. A current method to spruce up a living space is to hang a sign on one’s home wall that sports a brief quote emphasizing that the home in question is one that features the traits of peace, joy, desire, and other emotions that are far away from the world of stress and fear. These signs were most likely inspired by various posts on Instagram and may have a picture of for example, a mountain stream with a quote that says that this picture promotes peace. Or maybe featuring a picture of a cute looking domestic animal (dog, cat, bird, etc.) along with an inspiring quote that is either relaxing, joyous, or downright funny. (Funny to the beholder anyway!) And these digital posts are now made available as a framed picture ready to hand up on any wall as a reminder that there will always have that peace and joy associated to the place where the picture if found. These pictures and related accessories can be found at any retail space (in-store and/or on-line) that caters to the “feather-your-nest” crowd!
Keep in mind that the world isn’t necessarily going to hell in a hand basket. If that was the case, that hand basket would have arrived in hell generations ago. And if it’s going there now, one can bet that there won’t be a shipping charged attached to that journey. That’s just part of the way life is interesting–so to speak!
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NEWS AND REVIEWS
As part of the annual Hollywood Fringe Festival, The Hobgoblin Playhouse at the Arena Stage presents THE 2nd ANNUAL TRUMP FAMILY SPECIAL, an original musical comic show featuring an all-star review with the “First Family” of the good ol’ USA.
Presented as a TV special, the show consists of Melania (Mary Birdsong), Eric (Ryan Murray), Donald, Jr. (John Shartzer) and Lisa St. Lou as Ivanna, as they star in a musical review, singing and performing about how America is great again. Of course, the head of the clan isn’t present for this showcase, but does make his appearing while tweeting how this program is very good for the country, and for his assets!
This political satire with book and lyrics by Daniel Salles with music and additional lyrics by Tory Hymans & Lisa St. Lou is very witty and is just as cocky in attitude as the real Donald (or make that “The Donald”) could muster up! With a seventy minute running time, the cast of four (also playing additional roles) give this piece its real trump card. (Pun indented!) With a roster of fourteen song numbers performed by the cast with choreography by Benji Schwimmer and stage direction by Daniel Salles, this show deserves a 3rd annual treatment! Next season is an election year, and with a dozen or so candidates on the Dem side, it’s gonna be a challenge. But as The Donald would say (or Tweet), it’s going to be the best show of the entire Fringe Fest this side of the USSR!
That’s no fake news!
THE 2nd ANNUAL TRUMP FAMILY SPECIAL, presented by Semi-Cool Productions, Inc., and presented as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival at the Hobgoblin Playhouse at the Arena Stage, 1625 North Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood. Showtimes are Thursday, June 13th at 8:30 PM, Friday, June 14th at 7:00 PM, Saturday, June 15th at 10:30 PM, Sunday, June 16th at 3:00 and 10:00 PM.
For tickets, visit http://www.TrumpFamilySpecial.com
Follow the tweets @TrumpFamilySpecial
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MOBY DICK REHEARSED, Orson Welles’ stage adaptation of Herman Melville’s high seas saga of the hunt of the great white whale called Moby Dick, performs in repertory at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga.
The play opens not in the 1850’s off the coast of Nantucket, but in a theater setting of now where a group of actors brushing up on a few “sides” of King Lear takes upon themselves to blend into a dress rehearsal telling the legend of Moby Dick. This dress rehearsal turns into a full fledged stage drama of a troupe of sea going men under the leadership of Captain Ahab (Gerald Rivers) who seeks a personal revenge of a great white sperm whale where on a previous voyage, it bit off part of his leg. Now armed with a gallant team who set sail upon his ship The Pequod, Ahab and his valiant crew are off to capture this bright beast of the seas, and will do so come hell or high water!
At first, one will witness what appears to be a play within a play, where a group of thespians form to conduct a presentation of Moby Dick where it becomes reshearsed to its fullest. This team isn’t presenting an improv version of the whale hunt, but as a stage show that becomes the real deal! That is the general backdrop to the story. By the moment this crew become serious into this mission, it’s Moby Dick all the way, rather than as a feeble attempt cast by a group of actors just playing their roles on command from its director. Franc Ross performs as the director and as the character Mapple where he holds a resemblance of the playwright. He doesn’t look like Herman Melville, but resembles the Orson Welles version that is far removed from the days when he was once billed as a “boy genius”! (i.e. The era when Citizen Kane became a staple of The Late Late Show appearing on after-hours TV, as well as a few revival screenings usually held on a college campus somewhere.)
But getting back to the stage version as performed on the Theatricum Botanicum floorboards. It features a very robust cast that consists of Tavis L. Baker as Stubb, Tim Halligan as both a Carpenter and Pegleg, KiDane Kelati as Pip, Jacob Louis as Elija, Melora Marshall as a Landlady and as Flask, Michael McFall as Queequeg, Dante Ryan as Tashtego, Colin Simon as Starbuck, Isaac Wilkins as Daggoo, Julia Lisa as an unnamed actress, and Dane Oliver as the man who insists you call him Ishmael.
Ensemble players also consist of (as listed in their alphabetical order), Louis Baker, Matthew Domenico, Colin Guthrie, Matt Mallory, Cavin Mohrhardt, and Matthew Pardue.
Ellen Geer once again takes on the director’s seat to present a play that is big in scope, complete with intense drama, full fledged action (thanks to Dane Oliver’s fight choreography), as well as offering a selection of sea chanties as its musical soundtrack performed for salt-air moodiness. Marshall McDaniel provides an original music score for these ditties showing itself off as the only way to feel the said saltiness of the ocean deep without using water for effeteness.
For those that never bothered to actually read this classic novel, MOBY DICK REHEARSED will fit the bill. Would it be a spoiler alert to note that Cap’n Ahab finally settles his score with the title whale? And would it be another spoiler that the same title whale is never seen on stage? After all, Mr. Welles got his fame through radio, so let the theater of the mind do its thing to “see” Moby D! Thar she blows indeed!
MOBY DICK REHEARSED, presented by and performs at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 North Topanga Canyon Blvd, Topanga, until September 29th. Showdates run on Saturdays, June 15th, August 17th, September 7th, and September 15th at 8:00 PM; June 22nd, June 29th, and July 20th at 4:00 PM, and on Sundays, July 14th, August 4th, August 25th, September 22nd and September 29th at 4:00 PM, and September 15th at 8:00 PM. Special Friday night performance takes place on August 9th at 8:00 PM
For ticket reservations and for more details, call (310) 455-3723, or via online at http://www.Theatricum.com
One can also follow the Theatricum Botanicum through social media via Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Theatricum, Twitter @Theatricum, and Instagram @Theatricum_Botanicum
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