Madison Scarpino and Abbie McIntosh were students in a class I taught at my alma mater, the University of Mississippi, in the fall semester last year. The three of us have put together a play titled “I Listen to You All the Time” and I’m hoping that it will be performed live on WBHM at UAB, WUMS-FM and WGTC at EMCC. I gave my unfinished script to Abbie and Madison and asked for their young persons’ perspectives.
We’re borrowing a concept from Tennessee Williams, who described “The Glass Menagerie” as a memory play. You may remember that the audience sees the characters and the experience through Tom Wingfield’s remembrances.
The opening line is, “Good evening. Did you ever see or read ‘The Glass Menagerie’? Tennessee Williams called it a memory play. The story’s told from the memory of Tom Wingfield. Well, tonight the story will be told from my memory. I’m Matt Love and what a story I have.”
1. rivet (RIV-et)
A. to surmise
B. to exchange
C. to hold one’s attention firmly
D. to promulgate
E. to castigate
Windy May Norridge is riveted to Matt Love’s every word that’s being broadcast from a college radio station. No. 1 is C. Not only can one’s eyes be riveted to something; his or her attention can be riveted as well.
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2. aside (ah-SIDE)
A. primary scene of action
B. a part spoken by a character, but supposedly not heard by the other characters
C. another term for bravo
D. stage left
E. stage right
After Matt’s aside at the beginning, the play begins animatedly with Wendy feverishly dancing to an intensely vibrant song played by Matt on the radio. No. 2 is B.
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3. apercu (ap-ur-SUE)
A. a person from the past
B. an antinomy
C. climax
D. an immediate impression, especially an intuitive insight
Windy has an apercu about Matt, and the audience will learn whether or not her apercu is true. Aside from D, apercu, from the French, is a noun that means a brief survey or sketch. Typically, I see a cedilla under the c in apercu to show that it’s pronounced like an s.
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4. antinomy (an-TIN-uh-me)
A. a contradiction between two concepts
B. torridness
C. stage fright
D. a malapropism
We see the antinomies of love and violence and past sins and repentance. No. 4 is A.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Don Rodney Vaughan is the pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church near Eupora and is on the faculty of East Mississippi Community College, Golden Triangle Campus. Contact him at dvaughan@eastms.edu.
