Notes from the Field
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Notes from the Field (also known as Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education and Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education, The California Chapter) is a 2015 play, which was written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith.{{cite web |title=Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education at Berkeley Rep |url=http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1415/9293.asp |website=www.berkeleyrep.org |access-date=30 June 2018 |language=en}} The play was first presented by the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, before touring and being adapted into a television movie.{{cite web |title=Notes From the Field |url=https://www.hbo.com/movies/notes-from-the-field |website=HBO |access-date=30 June 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7722000/|title = Notes from the Field|website = IMDb}} It discusses issues revolving around the themes such as race, class and America's school-to-prison pipeline, to mention a few.
Background
The play is drawn from more than 200 interviews with students, parents, teachers and administrators caught in the school-to-prison pipeline.{{cite web |title=Anna Deavere Smith: Excerpts from Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education |url=http://arts.princeton.edu/events/anna-deavere-smith-excerpts-from-notes-from-the-field-doing-time-in-education/ |website=Lewis Center for the Arts |accessdate=30 June 2018}} Smith (the author/writer of the play) references several real-life events throughout the play, such as the death of Freddie Gray and an incident where a 15-year-old black girl was restrained by police.{{cite news |last1=Hartigan |first1=Pattie |title=In 'Notes,' an education in injustice from Anna Deavere Smith - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-art/2016/08/26/notes-education-injustice-from-anna-deavere-smith/XkZjGj1S4bP5gHq6GTohzH/story.html |access-date=30 June 2018 |work=BostonGlobe.com |date=26 August 2016}}
Structure
The play consists of two acts: during the first act, Smith introduces the people in the school-to-prison pipeline, acting as each character herself. After the interval, she invites the audience to interact through call and response, culminating in Smith asking the audience to sing "Amazing Grace".{{cite web |title=Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education |url=https://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/event/notes-field-doing-time-education |website=ofa.fas.harvard.edu |access-date=30 June 2018 |language=en}}
The play makes use of real-life footage, which is projected onto the walls around Smith, such as the video of a 17-year-old black girl being flung across a classroom by a white male officer.{{cite news |last1=Minamore |first1=Bridget |author-link=Bridget Minamore|title=Anna Deavere Smith's Notes from the Field review at Royal Court, London |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2018/notes-field-anna-deavere-smith-review-royal-court-london/ |accessdate=30 June 2018 |work=The Stage |date=18 June 2018}}
Characters
Despite it being a one-woman show, the play has Smith act as 17 different people, each one telling their own story. Smith is also joined onstage by someone playing the double bass, a role originated by composer Marcus Shelby, though it is still a solo performance.{{cite news |last1=Akbar |first1=Arifa |title=Notes from the Field review – searing exposé of the school-to-jail pipeline |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/jun/17/notes-from-the-field-review-royal-court-london-anna-deavere-smith |access-date=30 June 2018 |work=the Guardian |date=17 June 2018 |language=en}}
Television adaptation
Notes from the Field was adapted into a television movie by HBO and premiered in February 2018.{{cite news |last1=Turchiano |first1=Danielle |title=Anna Deavere Smith Depicts the 'Disturbing' Injustice of the School-to-Prison Pipeline in 'Notes From the Field' |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/features/anna-deavere-smith-notes-from-the-field-hbo-injustice-school-to-prison-pipeline-1202698663/ |accessdate=30 June 2018 |work=Variety |date=23 February 2018}} It was directed by Kristi Zea, edited by Paul Snyder, and produced by Gary Goetzman and Smith.{{cite magazine |last1=Canfield |first1=David |title=Anna Deavere Smith is bringing her essential play 'Notes From the Field' to HBO |url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/11/22/anna-deavere-smith-notes-from-the-field-hbo/ |access-date=31 August 2018 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=22 November 2017 |language=en}}
Awards and nominations
- 2017 Obie Awards for Special Citations – won{{cite web |title=2017 {{!}} Obie Awards |url=http://www.obieawards.com/events/year-2017/ |website=Obie Awards |access-date=17 October 2018}}
- 2018 Golden Trailer Awards for Best Graphics in a TV Spot (for a Feature Film) – nominated{{cite web |title=GTA19 Nominees (2018) {{!}} Nominees Categories {{!}} Golden Trailer Awards |url=http://www.goldentrailer.com/gta19-nominees/ |website=www.goldentrailer.com |access-date=17 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926052137/http://www.goldentrailer.com/gta19-nominees/ |archive-date=26 September 2018 |url-status=dead }}