For all students who attended the class trip to the evening performance of All The Way please write a short review of the play; please include an analysis of Bryan Cranston's performance as LBJ. Here are some question to refer to when writing your post. (*the questions are just guidelines NOT mandatory)
1. How successful was Cranston in his portrayal of President Johnson?
2. Both Bryant and Schenkkan refer to Shakespeare's work as an influence for All the Way. What are some of the common themes present in both All the Way and in Shakespeare's history plays? Are there certain scenes or characters in All the Way that remind you particularly of Shakespeare's work? Why or why not? (*possible outside research needed)
3. Who were some other historical figures, who captured your attention.
4. What was the most dramatic scene in the entire play?
5. How did the play enhance your understanding of the divisions within the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement?
6. What do you think of Robert Schenkkan's decision the focus on such a short period of LBJ's presidency (from JFK's assassination to his election in 1964)
7. How did you like the use of multimedia effects throughout the play?
8. What were the multiple motivations for LBJ pushing the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
9. Many historians have argued that LBJ is the most gifted politician to ever occupy the white house; based on our study of presidents this year, to what degree is this true?
10. Are there any historical figures or events that you feel would enhance the play. Why do you think the playwright chose to omit them?
11. What was your overall experience watching the play?
Below are some links to help you in your reviews:
Bryan Cranston - From "Breaking Bad" to Broadway
For more historical context look at the articles below
An Unsung Hero of Civil Rights
Civil Rights Act Leaves Deep Mark On the American Political Landscape
Remembering LBJ For More than Vietnam
For more historical context look at the articles below
An Unsung Hero of Civil Rights
Civil Rights Act Leaves Deep Mark On the American Political Landscape
Remembering LBJ For More than Vietnam
Overall, I really liked the play. I think Bryan Cranston's portrayal of LBJ was really good. He did a goo job of showing the Johnson treatment. In some scenes he would be getting up in peoples faces, intimidating them into doing what he wants. And at other times he was cajoling people telling them how they were each so important, or for Humphrey he bribed him with the vice presidency to get him to do what he wanted. Cranston also showed LBJ's insecurity. Although he had this intimidating facade, he wasn't just the tough guy he tried to appear as. Although LBJ easily beats Goldwater in the election he is shown to be very worried nonetheless. And even after he wins he's sad to see he lost the "solid south" which the Democratic party previously held.
ReplyDeleteOne part of the play I thought could have been improved was that there were too many plot lines. The play did a really good job with adding a lot of historical details, but some parts seemed unnecessary, and left hanging. Walter Jenkins being arrested for having sex with a man at Y, and J Edgar Hoover trying to incriminate Martin Luther King are interesting historically but didn't seem pivotal to the plot. All these little plot lines going on along with the major plot lines of LBJ trying to get the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, and LBJ trying to be reelected made some parts a bit jumbled. And if somebody was seeing this without having had a lesson on the topic it would probably just be a bit confusing to follow. Though it was fun to see some of the lesser known facts that we had learned in class come up in the play. I think as a play it could be streamlined, but as supplement to this class I thought it was really interesting and informative.
I felt that as a visual production, the play was really well done, never leaving a moment for down-time. The scene changes were excellent, conducted like the snap of a finger, which really added to the overall affect because it lessened the distractions and allowed one to really focus on the content. The screen in the background was also very well done, adding context to the scene, without calling attention away from the actors.
ReplyDeleteOf the actors themselves, Cranston's performance of LBJ was great and enlightening. It was interesting to see his intimidation tactics at work, and he really succeeded in speaking to the audience as though we were a part of his thought process, in a fashion similar to Shakesperian plays. His character also exhibited complex development throughout the play, and I felt that this was very well done.
Probably the most interesting part of the play for me was the depiction of MLK, and his moral dilemmas. It is all too easy to idealize him, and this play did a good job of showing as a human with human concerns and selfish actions, which to me only added to my respect for him. It was very funny that he was weary of giving speeches, and at some points they made it out to seem as though that was his only role in the movement, although of course he was a mediator of the different factions.
Overall, this play was a great addition to what we'd learned about LBJ and the passage of the Civil Rights Bill, and I really enjoyed learning more in-depth about the implications it had on the Democratic Party.
I really enjoyed All the Way because Schenkkan found a way to portray LBJ not as a black and white figure, but as a president painted with multiple shades of gray. Schenkkan finds a way to ennoble and also humanize President Johnson, showing him as not only the indoors politician who knows how to intimidate Congressmen, but also as the vulnerable man who is self conscious about his image, and who constantly believes that Americans do not love him. This complex character rises more prominently in the second act of the play, when LBJ is getting ready for bed and reveals his worries to his most trusted aide, Walter Jenkins.
ReplyDeleteI also really appreciated that Schenkkan chose to focus on the Civil Rights issue with his play because it allows the audience to appreciate LBJ’s leadership and presidency. Most Americans associate LBJ with the debacle called the Vietnam War, and thus forget about his accomplishments with Civil Rights. The background context and historical figures and events included in the play brought the tumultuous Civil Rights time period to life, as activists such as Martin Luther King Jr took the stage, and as events such as the Freedom Summer deaths were part of the script. I thought that the most powerful scene in the play occurred when an unnamed black man interrupts the choir of a funeral yelling something along the lines of: “I’m sick and tired of going to funerals of black men killed by white men,” as his brief cameo was invigorating and really showed the rebellious and strong movement for Civil Rights at the time. I also thought that the focus on Civil Rights Movement really helped to explain LBJ’s heroic character, as he acted on his own morals and beliefs in pushing the Civil Rights Movement into legislation. As a Texan, LBJ was expected to support segregation in the nation, but instead, decided to risk losing the support of the Southerners (which he eventually does) in order to do what he thought to be right. As he says in the play: “All my life as a Southerner I’ve had to bite my tongue on this issue ‘till my mouth was full of blood,” illustrating his support towards passing this Civil Rights legislation and portraying him as a heroic figure in this movement.
With this in mind, I think “All the Way” was a great portrayal of LBJ, and I think that this play will receive recognition in the coming year. I’ll admit that some parts are drier than others in terms of the political aspects explained in scenes, but overall, I think that Schenkkan’s work serves as a captivating interpretation of LBJ’s true presidential legacy.
This play did a great job in portraying the Civil Rights struggle from a top down perspective, giving the audience LBJ's angle to look at the movement. The audience can see that Civil Rights is something that is on the forefront of LBJ's mind and how he wants to get reforms passed but has to deal with many other things: getting the bill to pass through Congress, having the approval of King, and dealing with tensions in Vietnam to name a few. With all this in mind, Cranston portrays Johnson well, showing emotion at times when he is distressed and willing to lash out at those close to him, especially at Humphrey when he does not produce the desired results. In addition to expressing LBJ's emotions well, he also adopts his mannerisms to give the audience an accurate portrayal of him through the way he sat, talked with other politicians and gave them the Johnson treatment, and his earnest feelings in passing the Civil Rights bill.
ReplyDeleteAnother figure who captured my attention was Martin Luther King who also seems to have many sides to him, much like LBJ did. I remember a short scene where we see King leaving his wife in order to go to another speech and it shows how many people had to sacrifice in order to achieve their goals. In addition, I was able to see King act as a flexible leader in the scenes where various organization leaders met up to discuss their next plan of action, specifically when they were discussing about sending delegates to the Democratic Convention and how King accepted compromise after talks with Humphrey who wanted to please LBJ. King was another figure who emerged as a complicated figure rather than the figure who did all good in the Civil Rights Movement.
Another interesting aspect of this play was its use of multimedia, utilizing a big screen in the background. Most of the times, it was used to display images to give the stage a scene, whether it be the Oval Office or the middle of a protest. During the few instances where it was used to project video, such as during George Wallace's campaign speech, I found it distracting from what was actually happening on stage. I found it better used when displaying vote tallies during voting scenes such as when the congressmen were adding amendments to the Civil Rights bill and during election time, which the actors would not be able to portray as easily as showing the numbers in the background.
The most dramatic and memorable scene in this play was definitely towards the end when LBJ was concerned with the election results in the final days. The background did well in counting down the number of days and the tensions were heightened with actors in the background shouting out how poorly LBJ was doing in the Deep South states. It was a great leeway into LBJ's anger in losing the South despite having won many of the other states and did a great job in showing how stressful election time is for a candidate.
Overall this play was great despite having many plot lines running through it. The first half of the play seemed focused on what LBJ wanted to accomplish, while the second half seemed focused on winning the election which were important for LBJ. However, the play did seem distracting in parts such as the mentions of Vietnam, which seemed to add to LBJ's stress rather than explore another major plot line of the 60s. However, Cranston still does a great job in portraying the emotional yet crass LBJ and helps to show the good in him for wanting to affect change as a president.
“All the Way” was beyond expectations. The play was amazing in various aspects, particularly Bryan Cranston’s accurate portrayal of Lynden B. Johnson. Unlike other films or historical projects that showed the protagonist or subject as saint like (i.e. Diego Luna’s “Cesar Chavez” about the Chicano Rebellion), this play shows how human-like and average LBJ is. The numerous amounts of hilarious jokes that LBJ makes in the play really make it so much more interesting to watch. Instead of focusing on LBJ’s Great Society and the Vietnam War like most historians do, Schenkkan focused on the fight for Civil Rights from LBJ’s point of view. We've also read several textbook pages and newspaper articles on LBJ’s political life and campaign. But what were really untold were the backdoor politics struggles that LBJ had to worry about. The play also showed the personal side of LBJ’s life (ie. the support from his wife and the “betrayal” of his right hand man Walter Jenkins). His dramatic and complex personal life, along with that of Martin Luther King Jr.’s, was what made the play so Shakespearean.
ReplyDeleteOther characters that have grabbed my intention besides Lynden B Johnson and Martin Luther King were J. Edgar Hoover and Bob Moses. The annoying and cunning methods of Hoover were clearly shown in this play. There were several scenes where Hoover is constantly spying on Martin Luther King Jr. or civil rights activists. What was truly the best scene that he was in is when LBJ attempts to urge Hoover to step down, but instead Hoover threatens the President with a scandal that he found out about. Bob Moses and his arguments and debates with the SNCC were great portrayals of the struggle for the Equal Rights Act. The character that portrayed him was great. As he made his monologue on why they must fight for their rights, the audience was able to hear the pain in his voice as he pushed for Project Summer.
Another thing that I love about the play was definitely how cleverly its various scenes were organized. The set was incredibly synchronized with the various scene changes. I especially love it when the scenes switch in a cycle constantly, while the actors remain in their respective areas of the set to show that the scenes occurred at the same time. This allows the different plot lines to integrate perfectly and the audience to better understand the chronology of the events. My favorite scene of the play is definitely towards the end where both Martin Luther King Jr. and Lynden B. Johnson make their speeches, each of them saying a line as they walk closer and closer together, showing the similarities between the two men and the causes they were fighting for.
Overall, “All the Way” was a great historical/political play. There were some dry parts as it is a play filled with cumbersome amounts of historical facts. However, I still highly recommend this play and believe that it will receive the proper recognition.
I really enjoyed watching "All the Way" overall. However, I was stunned at Bryan Cranston's portrayal of LBJ. I did not think LBJ was a president who loved making jokes all the time, and that was my first impression of the LBJ in this play. I did not expect LBJ to be a humorous character at all given all the stress he had during his presidency and I was skeptical that President Johnson had made the jokes that Cranston's LBJ made in the play. However I began to feel more satisfied with Cranston's portrayal of LBJ as LBJ began to fight for certain bills especially the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Bryan Cranston was able to effectively act out the 'Johnson Treatment' as he got in the Hubert Humphrey's face while threatening him to find some way to get the Civil Rights Act through Congress. In addition, Cranston also was effectively able to express the stress and emotional distress of LBJ.
ReplyDeleteApart from the portrayal of LBJ, I also really enjoyed the addition of Hubert Humphrey into the play. In many instances, the vice president go unnoticed. Schenkkan's decision to include Hubert Humphrey allowed me to realize that the Civil Rights Act was not only from the effort of LBJ, but also that of Hubert Humphrey. I especially loved the scenes where LBJ used his "treatment" on Humphrey and where LBJ made the deal to Humphrey to be his VP if he would agree to fight for this bill. However, at the same time, I do not think this fact was true and even after researching about this, I was not really able to find a reliable historic site validating the existence of this deal .
I really liked how Schenkkan focused on the Civil Rights period. LBJ's presidency is largely overshadowed with the fact that he brought the US into the Vietnam War, however his domestic policies especially his work with the Civil Rights deserves the attention this play gives it. I really enjoyed the portion of the play where they cut out of a scene and focus on a church scene in Neshoba into the funeral for James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. The ominous chanting/music by the choir and one of the black civil rights activist's monologue was very memorable. In addition, the scene where the black civil rights activist meet with MLK when one of the proposed Freedom Summer in Mississippi grabbed my attention. The tension between the old civil rights activist and Bob Moses with the activist who proposed the event was very apparent. This helped me understand that the divisions of the Civil Rights groups was one of the main reasons why it did not gain momentum until after WWII. It was fascinating to see MLK being the mediator between the groups rather than the hero everyone hails him to be. This play's portrayal of MLK made me humanize MLK more because prior to this APUSH course, I had always thought of MLK like the stereotype, that he was a hero of the time, not someone who had his flaws like his cheating behind Coretta Scott King's back. Also, the scene were Bob Moses and his partner state that they wanted to stay after the events at Neshoba County was one of the more memorable scenes. The acting of the actors brought about the feeling of determination and passion these college students had despite the murders and disappearances of the three MFS workers.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience watching the play. Although the seating was definitely not the most comfortable, the stage was visible and the atmosphere of the theater was fantastic. The music utilized in the play helped develop the drama and bring more life into some of the scenes. In addition, the backdrop's images really helped bring context to the play including in the scene involving George Wallace's presidential campaign speech and the voting in the House of Representatives. I must admit that there were some scenes that bored me, but overall it was a great mess of history and entertainment and it really fulfilled its job in emphasizing the successes of LBJ's presidency rather than the failures.
"All the Way" made me realize the lesser known aspects of president Lyndon B. Jonshon's presidency: the struggles and obstacles that he had to overcome to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, his personal dilemmas and problems, concerns surrounding the election of 1964, and the worry that the Democratic Party is losing the "Solid South" states. I would have not known these if I hadn't watched the play.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the play does a great job portraying President Johnson as a complex figure with personal concerns and conflicts, not merely as a charismatic president, which is a typical view when people think of President Johnson. Also, the second act of the play focuses on the Election of 1964, revealing the lesser known fact that it wasn't easy victory for LBJ. The election of 1964 is considered as a land sliding victory of Johnson, but the play effectively conveys the point that there were lot of challenges for Johnson to overcome his opponents: George Wallace (whose race discrimination platform was effective in South) and Barry Goldwater (who had supports from rising conservatives).
What I particularly liked about the play was its usage of multimedia, especially the large projection of a digital image as a background. Throughout the play, the display on the background stood out and helped viewers to understand the scene. For example, during the congressional debate it displayed the name of a speaker and his or her party, which made it easier for viewers to understand the scene. Additionally, the special effects in the multimedia screen such as a "live broadcast" of actor in the stage made the play aesthetically and visually pleasing and interesting.
My favorite scene was the ending. I think the most dramatic scene of the play was the last few minutes when the tension of the election was apparent and actors were shouting out the preliminary poll result that were in favor of Goldwater. Also, though the ending scene culminated with the winning of LBJ, it wasn't merely a happy ending because president Johnson mentioned how the Democratic Party lost its "Solid South" states.
Overall, the play was very interesting and informative. However, I noticed that it didn't include the few issues that I expected to be in the play. For example, I thought the play would start with (or at least include) Johnson's famous presidential oath of office in the Air Force One, but play went straight into Johnson's speech he gave after the oath. Also, the play only briefly covered the issue of Vietnam war, when Johnson got the news of the incident at Tonkin. I also thought that the play would go more in-depth about the rise of new conservatism represented by the Republican Party presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, but the play focused more on LBJ and the civil rights movement. Though I was disappointed that I didn't see many things that I expected to see, the play was very enjoyable and informative.
I would like to say that going to the spectacular show, "All the Way," was a great learning experience. I felt like it incorporated a combination of a museum like experience, in terms of historical content, fused with a documentary like presentation, as evident by the slideshow/pseudo-documentary on the multimedia screen, and a movie like performance, as evident by Bryan Cranston's picturesque portrayal of LBJ's crude yet intimidating manner in which he dealt with stressful situations. Overall this experience was a unique one even among the other interesting out of the classroom opportunities that Mr. Sandler would present to us.
ReplyDeleteAs for Robert Schenkkan’s decision to focus on such as specific point of LBJ’s lifetime, right after JFK’s death and during his quest in being elected by the people as President, I felt that it was an interesting way to paint an image of LBJ. LBJ is mainly remembered for the Vietnam War and bringing a decade of war and, by extension, an everlasting after effects on America, Vietnam, and many other countries even till today. However, in this theatrical performance, this was not the LBJ that we saw. Schenkkan was able to present the side of LBJ that was hidden, when he struggle against figures like Bobby Kennedy, Barry Goldwater, Martin Luther King Jr., Edgar Hoover, and other figures, and Bryan Cranston was able to bring this side to life.
This play was a lot like Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" as they both focused on just one specific time period of each president's life and it was both during the time period related to civil rights. Both were executed in a similar manner and both had actors at a spectacular level of mastery.
Bryan Cranston's ability to perfectly emulate and adapt to his character reminded me of Daniel Day-Lewis who played Lincoln from Spielberg's "Lincoln" and by extension the entire show reminded me of that, hence I viewed it with the perspective of it as a movie, which included the suspense and thriller characteristics evident by the dramatic actions of each character. Cranston's posture and way he sat also imitated that of LBJ. Also Cranston brought to life the Johnson treatment by showing examples of getting up in the face of politicians and threatening them and intimidating them in order to get things to go in his way. Cranston also brought to life the humorous aspects of LBJ including but not limited to LBJ's consistent use of the word "shit", his perverse attitude, his colloquial manner of speech, and his hypothetical anecdotes.
On top of nailing LBJ’s personality and traits, Cranston was also able to establish a perfect balance between LBJ’s contrasting personality. In front of political adversaries and even among his aids such as Hubert Humphrey, LBJ would have to be merciless and threaten them to see things his way, while on the other hand, in front of Lady Bird and his closest friends such as his top aide, Walter Jenkins, he would show his vulnerable side that proved that he was not just some political machine, but that he was also human and had his own set of fears. This contrast allowed the audience such as myself, to connect to LBJ in a sympathetic manner as I saw his harsh façade to be a cover-up for his inner emotions that he exhibited. This brought out the Shakespearian aspect of tragic hero as LBJ who was trying his best to fulfill his Great Society, was only remembered for his mistake of the Vietnam War.
On the topic of the actual show, it was interesting, needless to say. It really showed LBJ's struggle after JFK's death. LBJ knew that he had 11 months to do great things in order to be elected as president and officially be a man of the people.
He knew that he needed the Negro vote hence he advocated Civil Rights and we saw the due process that LBJ took to get the Civil Rights passed, including manipulating Judge Smith among other political figures and interacting with groups like the NAACP and people like MLK. Surprisingly, I never saw MLK as slimy figure before this play and after this play my image of MLK really changed for the worse. His eventual struggle against Goldwater to win the election was just the beginning of his new journey, which thereby presented LBJ at his high point, when his presidency was full of hope and potential. This was similar to a recent movie on Cesar Chavez, where the movie ends while Chavez is still glorified whereas everything after that ending would have shown his fall into depravity.
DeleteLBJ’s interactions with Edgar Hoover were especially interesting; actually, Hoover in himself was an interesting character to watch. On one hand, LBJ tried to control Hoover however Hoover was able to come to a standoff with LBJ thanks to his secret files. Similarly, it was interesting how Hoover had secret files on MLK among it was some of his sex tapes with white prostitutes and his ties to communist organizations. In general, the play really changed my image of MLK as I no longer saw him as a glorified leader of the Civil Rights Movement, but rather I saw him as someone that was similar to LBJ in that he would threaten the President, assert political authority, and bargain for a set of rights, which in turn revealed his set of flaws.
Also I got to see a division in the Civil Rights movement. The leaders of the movement were not all on the same page. For example, on the page of the Mississippi Freedom Summer, more passive leaders like MLK would disagree with such as sacrifice while aggressive leaders such as Bob Moses, contrary to his soft tone and gentle posture in the play, would advocate this violent and deadly project that will likely leave its participants dead. The division in the movement was further highlight such as when MLK agreed with the compromise of getting rid of the Voting Rights aspect from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, while other leaders saw this as giving up because the right to vote would, by extension, secure them their other rights.
Regarding the set it was well made, especially that one box in the center of the set that functioned as a desk, as a hole, as a platform, and as a table. The multimedia screen in the back was also a nice way to change the setting instantly though I found it to be distracting at a certain point such as when the screen who play reenact means of the political campaigns and rioting that would often be accompanied with ear deafening noise. I also thought that sometimes the multimedia screen would overshadow that actual acting, something that should not have happened. I felt that though the theater was structure for sound to be carried so that the voice of actors could be carried over to the entire audience, an unintended consequence led to the multimedia presentations being way too loud.
Drawbacks from the trip included the seats being too far back so it was difficult to see the faces of the actors and sometimes it was difficult to hear what they were saying. Also sometimes the sound or audio from flip clips was too loud. The crapped leg space was also a slight inconvenience but overall, the theater looked nice and efficient. Also the cheap price for the tickets was not too bad so I cannot really complain too much.
Overall, I enjoyed the play and would love to go to a similar thing again if an opportunity presented itself. Also I think no one should miss out on the opportunity to see a creative outlet of LBJ's struggles.
Overall, "All the Way" was a very enjoyable play and I would recommend it to anyone who would be interested in seeing it. Bryan Cranston' performance as our 36th President was fabulous. He gave the audience a gripping account of President Johnson's inner personality and portrayed him in a very sympathetic light. He was able to show the tactics that the President used in order to secure the passage of the Civil Rights Act through a determined opposition in the Senate, led by many of his friends in the Democratic Party.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the visual effects that were displayed in the theater. I felt that the effects demonstrated the growing influence of television in American politics throughout the 1960s.
The play was able to blend the serious subjects of racism and intolerance with the humorous personality of the President, even if that sense of humor was somewhat vulgar.
Two other characters also intrigued me throughout the play. First, I was surprised of the somewhat timid nature of Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) in this play. I have usually thought of Humphrey in a more heroic light. It was Humphrey's courageous speech at the 1948 Democratic Convention that led to the walkout of J. Strom Thurmond and the Dixiecrats. The play portrayed Humphrey as a weak figure that easily gave in to others, especially the President.
Another character that I enjoyed was Gov. George Wallace (D-Ala.) Wallace served as an interesting foil to the President, a racist, populist, and inexperienced politician that appealed to the darker side of Americans. The portrayal of Wallace in the play was just as slimy and disgusting as the man himself.
I am glad that I was able to see the play and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Bryan Cranston’s portrayal of Lyndon B. Johnson in Robert Schenkkan’s “All The Way” was definitely a big difference from his role in “Breaking Bad,” but he pulled it off flawlessly. Cranston was able to portray all of Johnson’s complicated dimensions to create a clear image of who America’s 36th President was. The audience got a clear view of Johnson’s crassness and his sense of humor as well as his sensitivity and anxiety. Throughout LBJ’s interactions with his wife, various senators, Martin Luther King Jr. and various other civil rights activists Johnson’s character is further illustrated and the audience gets a look at the renowned “Johnson treatment.”
ReplyDeleteSchenkkan’s decision to have play span only the eleven months between John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the Presidential Election of 1964 gave an interesting view of LBJ’s decisions as President that are often masked by LBJ’s handling of the Vietnam War. By limiting the play to those eleven months the play was able to focus on the major issue of Civil Rights as well as Johnson’s campaign for reelection. The play explored Johnson’s difficulties in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while trying to please the civil rights activists and retain what was left of the Democratic Party.
The use of multimedia throughout the play supplemented the amazing acting and plot line to give extra information or show images from the time. The multimedia was used to display the votes for the Civil Rights bill, project some scenes as if they were television clips and provide a backdrop for all of the scenes. It was skillfully used to create each environment and mood without distracting the audience from the actors.
Overall, “All The Way” is an amazing and entertaining play that is really able to depict the complicated character of Lyndon B. Johnson in the context of his first eleven months in office while providing accurate historical information.
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ReplyDeleteOne of the most emotional scenes in the play was I believe when the actor Eric Abrams walked up and down the theater to protest the passiveness of the church goers. When Abrams was protesting and pleading that "we need to do something bigger and more," I felt that he was speaking directly to each and everyone in the audience. His voice trembled throughout the theater and seemed to freeze time. At one moment, I wanted to get up and protest with him. I felt like everybody else wanted to do also, but I guess there was nobody in the theater quite brave as the civil rights activists.
ReplyDeleteBryan Cranston was outstanding in this video, with his emotions and theatrics. I really got a sense of feeling of LBJ's foul mouthed language and his stress as his life progressed on to reelection. Although Mr. Cranston was not a towering figure like LBJ, he was still able to make up for it due to his stern appearance.
The display in the back of the stage also allowed the audience to be engaged in the play. I really liked how they used the black and white tv style recording to show the actors on the stage. It gave the audience a feeling of really going back to that time period and seeing it again.
I ABSOUTELY LOVED watching "All The Way"!!
ReplyDeleteSeeing the "Johnson Treatment" for ourselves (it felt almost real), how fast Johnson (or Cranston) would switch, from bribery to threatening was at once fascinating, hilarious, and really fast-paced!
Another thing that remained a theme was the division in the civil rights movement! I really loved how they set the young generation of activists and the old physically apart on the stage! I remember the part they debated about the Freedom Summer. (I groped in the dark for a pen to take down some of the really fiery lines in their back-and-forth!!) One of the more traditional black leaders said, "People will die!!" And one of the young activists shot back, "People ARE dying in Mississippi." I really realized how RADICAL it was, sending not only blacks, but whites to recruit voters, something that would surely garner more attention!!! ... and simultaneously I realized how radical the divide was, how much frustration the young people harbored, how desperate they were, to go so far as to kill themselves for the cause (because venturing into Mississippi for the civil rights cause was suicidal!!!!).
At one point, in the beginning of the play, Johnson says, "it's not about principles, IT'S ABOUT VOTES", and while that defintely seems to embody his mindset at the time with the election coming, it put me off a little bit: did he (being a champion of civil rights?) really not believe in it?
As the play progressed, my feelings toward Johnson complicated... there were a couple of moments the lights would dim, the people around Johnson would freeze and fall away in the background (I LOOVEDD THAT!! It felt like time had somehow frozen, or like there was this weird space Johnson could think to himself, not necessarily to an audience or to someone else in the play, just to himself, and it was SUCH a beautiful, natural feeling device, to let us in on his thoughts, while he was ALONE. There was no manipulation--just his pure thoughts) and, at these points, he would reveal this almost tender interior he had. I remember distinctly that moment (it was one of my favorite) the pure empathy in his eyes in his voice as he talked about the little 1st grade Mexicans he taught, and how he wanted to inspire in them ambition, hope, give them all he had, and this, I realized, was what inspired the war on poverty and I genuiely believe that he DID HAVE PRINCIPLES, and if any issue was close to his heart, it was helping the poor.
Actually, I really really loved Johnson's character development throughout the play!!! Shortly before the elections, he fell into a sort of funk, and he says, something along the lines of "No one's loyal to me" or "I just want someone to love me" (UGH I forgot to take the lines down), and it was all just so poignant and sad, to see this gruff dirty-talking politician, sitting on the side of his bed in his boxers, talking about just wanting love and loyalty from someone, as if sick of all this political maneuvering and tricks...
OH, ANOTHER THING, the relationships he had (with Walter and Lady Bird) were so touching!! It was so sweet, that moment he pats Walter (who's stuck firmly by him... until the end) and says "you're like the son I never had" (AND IT KILLED ME A LITTLE BIT when Mr. Sandler told us in class that Johnson disowned Walter after he was found out to be a homosexual). And I really saw how much Lady Bird loved Johnson, and it almost pained me to see how distant they were ( :( They didn't even share the same bed, and his bed was such a lonely bed), how stressed out Johnson was, yet how he pushed Bird away... (I do wish Bird had a larger role, though I don't think that would have been historically accurate. I think I think I just wish that because I feel so bad for both of the Johnsons and believe that they would have been happier had they been together :( )
And I remember when he finally won (IN SUCH A HUGE LANDSLIDE!!) he was soooo crestfallen (ALSO SUPRISING-- given his "it's about votes" mentality in the beginning) because he had lost the South. And I realized how the South was, for him, the one thing that he thought was "loyal" to him, the votes he could count on... and how much it killed him when it turned out otherwise :(, how it then seemed no one was truly loyal to him D: (except there were Johnson, Bird loved you like no other)!!!! ...
DeleteThe one of the reasons I loved "All the Way" was how they made historical figures come alive for me, and fleshed them out soso much and made them so deep and complex and interesting, they finally seemed like they might have existed at one point in history.
Bryan Cranston's portrayal of LBJ was phenomenal. From his superb acting skills, I was able to see the famous "Johnson treatment" that I was first exposed to from a picture shown in class. In one moment, LBJ would be all up in someone's face, intimidating him and threatening him, while in another moment he would act friendly in order to get want he wanted. Additionally, Cranston really portrayed the way LBJ spoke really well. I came to notice what a foul mouth he really had!
ReplyDeleteFrom the play, one can really see the schism between the older and younger generation within the Civil Rights movement. The older generation didn't like the ideas that the newer/younger generation proposed. Most memorably, Roy Wilkins didn't like the SNCC's Mississippi Project "Freedom Summer" in which volunteers would go down to get more voters. The older generation thought this was way too dangerous while the younger generation (which consisted of people like Bob Moses) thought this was a perfect opportunity to be proactive.
A relationship in the play that I really liked was the relationship between LBJ and his secretary, Jenkins. LBJ treated Jenkins like a son. However, what really made me sad was when Jenkins was arrested since was was found in the restroom with another man. After LBJ found out that Jenkins was arrested, he completely abandoned him. I recall that Lady Bird Johnson even said something along the lines of, "He was our friend." But nonetheless, LBJ still abandoned him and that made me really sad. :(
Overall, the play was such a great experience. It was extremely funny, historically informative, and amazing! After learning about LBJ in the classroom and then seeing the play, I felt really happy knowing what was going on in the play.
Although President Johnson already appeared to be a bombastic character even from the dry textbook pages of the "Out of Many", Brian Cranston did not disappoint in bringing the foul-mouthed, but well-intentioned man to life in his terrific play "All the Way". With the play, I definitely saw how dynamic of a character Johnson really was, and got a better sense of the social climate at the time. Overall, the production successfully managed to bring immense detail to the table\while remaining incredibly entertaining to watch.
ReplyDeleteBarring Johnson's rather incessant foulmouthing, perhaps the most memorable aspect of the play was how Cranston used actual footage from events to provide context for the audience. Not only did this add immensely to the effect of the play, but I feel like it was an incredibly effective way to place the characters in the context of the times. In addition, the scene in the second part of the play right before the election definitely helped to build up the tension Cranston wanted us to feel at the time.
Returning to Johnson, however, we do, as stated before, see how dynamic of a character he really is. He is normally portrayed as the crude, unforgiving tough-guy politician by many history textbooks, and the play definitely conveyed that aspect of him successfully. However, through the conversational presentation of the play, we get a glimpse at his sensitive side, and how anxious and paranoid he was about the upcoming election. The introduction of such formidable adversaries as George Wallace and Barry Goldwater help to reveal his genuine worries and make him appear much more human.
As a whole, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the play for what it had to offer. It may seem hard to do justice to a figure as dynamic, complex, and interesting as Johnson, but the play definitely exceeded my expectations.
I absolutely loved the play. "All the Way" was actually my first Broadway show, and every moment of it was phenomenal. Cranston brought LBJ to life, and portrayed him just as I had imagined. LBJ's complex emotions and motivations were brought to the light, solidifying his image as a real human being with an enormous amount of pressure on his shoulders. Viewers see first hand how LBJ operated, intimidating and then flattering whoever he needed to win over. The stark contrast to JFK's Camelot is apparent, as LBJ takes it upon himself to get down and dirty to pass the Civil Rights Act.
ReplyDeleteA few scenes were particularly powerful, and stood out the most amongst the dense information with which the audience was presented. The first would have to be LBJ's decision to send troops to Vietnam following the Tonkin Gulf incident, at which point exactly the men digging in the background find and hoist up the body of James Earl Chaney, one of the three men murdered during Freedom Summer. This moment was powerful in that both events illustrated the most pressing and controversial issues of the time, the Vietnam War and Civil Rights. Even more startling was James Chaney's funeral, at which MLK's eulogy was interrupted from a balcony by David Dennis, a leader with the Congress of Racial Equality. The speech broke with the political and procedural effects of the rest of the play, accurately giving voice to the anger and want for violence and direct action of a good portion of the civil rights movement. Finally, the juxtaposition of LBJ's campaign speech and MLK's Nobel Peace Prize speech was particularly well-done, impressive in its artistic merit.
I also loved the way in which the background characters in the stands reflected the rest of the world's interests and opinions. Extras would be reading newspapers or listening to tapped recordings, subtlety bringing to the stage (literally) issues going on outside the White House. The multimedia effects were also fantastic. The actual footage of riots and parades, the dramatic music and sound effects, all brought the viewer back into the 60s, as if the events on stage were happening in real-time.
The only disappointment I faced was a lack of focus on the Vietnam War. Being that it was the war that played such a huge pat in LBJ's decision to resign, a would have thought it would be featured a bit more. But at the same time, I can understand the decision to not include it. The play's central aim is to remind the audience just how much LBJ contributed to the Civil Right movement, to remind us that he did more than involve the U.S. in a pointless war. He was a great president, and one of our most effective leaders, and the play does a wonderful job of bringing that point across.
Schenkkan’s Broadway production “All the Way” was a unique experience for me because it offered me a close look at President Lyndon B Johnson before the disastrous Vietnam War. I really liked how the play just focused on LBJ’s 12-month presidency before his reelection in 1964 because it was during this period that the most groundbreaking bill – the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – was passed. This bill was the most important civil rights act in US history because it was actually enforced and impacted the people, especially the blacks, significantly. I think it is unfair that people often overlook LBJ’s achievement in civil rights and focus greatly on his failure in the Vietnam War. This play, however, reminded us the good parts of LBJ’s presidency and the tremendous amount of energy the president had in supporting the civil rights movement.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, Bryan Cranston’s performance as LBJ was brilliant. His southern accent, his constant cursing, and his right-in-your face “Johnson Treatment” were all on point. Despite his coarseness, Cranston also did a good job showing LBJ’s insecurities and inner conflicts. Near the end of the play, I remember Johnson getting so upset because he feared that no one loved him. He thought he was going to lose the election of 1964 despite his great achievement in civil rights. This scene really shows that the intimidating LBJ also had a insecure side.
The play also taught me a lot about the other historic figures present. For instance, I was really surprised by Lady Bird’s crassness. Before the play, I thought she would be like Jackie Kennedy, who was like a quintessential First Lady. Nevertheless, Lady Bird’s constant support of her husband’s campaign was honorable. She also endured her husband’s angry outbursts over political issues bravely. Another character I found intriguing was MLK. I remember a scene in which MLK urged his fellow black citizens to vote for LBJ even though the anticipated Voting Rights Act was not passed with the Civil Rights Act. MLK urged them to believe that LBJ would pass the Voting Rights Act once he got elected. Thus, MLK played a large role in helping LBJ won the reelection.
Over all, the play was great and I enjoyed it very much. However, a person with no knowledge of LBJ’s presidency might find the play a little confusing. But the study guides Mr. Sandler gave out in class was really helpful.
I thought that watching "All the Way" was an amazing experience. I was quite hesitant about watching a historical play on Broadway because I wasn't sure if I would understand everything that went on, but the play complimented and only reinforced what we learned in class, which was awesome.
ReplyDeleteIt was a bit hard for me to keep up with the events during the first act, and I thought it was a bit dry. This was probably due to the fact that I wasn't too familiar with the accents and had a difficult time understanding what they were saying. However, the second act of the play literally kept me on the edge of my seat. As scenes were getting more and more dramatic, I kept shifting myself in my chair and my eyes were glued to the stage. I actually have 2 favorite scenes; the first one is the scene that shifts back and forth between LJB's office work and the debate going on between state legislatures. Every time a gavel hit the table, the scene would shift back and forth. You could see the panic and frenzy that LBJ worked with to garner more support. It was a very realistic scene that made me realize how pressuring political campaigns really are. My other favorite scene was the scene with LBJ and his wife. It was a particularly emotional scene where Cranston really showed LBJ as a vulnerable and sensitive person. It made LBJ human.
Speaking of Cranston, I think that he did a wonderful job of portraying LBJ. He was charismatic and outgoing. I think he portrayed LBJ's vulgar personality and his dirty language really well and kept his language and demeanor even when portraying his vulnerable side.
All in all, I thought this play was a wonderful experience, and I would definitely go to see it again. It showed history in a whole new light and made what happened in the past, present.
I definitely did enjoy “All the Way”. I was indeed stunned by Cranston’s depiction of LBJ’s casual--and even coarse--attitude. The intimidation of members of Congress, his crass humor, and even the addition of four spoons of sugar to his tea, gave the audience a comprehensive view of LBJ as a mere mortal trying his best to negotiate groundbreaking legislation in 1960s America.
ReplyDeleteThere were many subplots going on in the play, but they became easier to follow and by the end of the first act, I realized that they were in fact necessary. Especially considering the play was covering a very short amount of time, the plot needed to be built up and layered. Not to mention, the passing of the Civil Rights Act was a complex matter of flattery, intimidation, displeasure and further demands on the side of the SCLC and SNCC, so those must be represented.
On that note, I did enjoy the performance of the SNCC member who I assumed to be Bob Moses (the “official study guide” only has pictures of the true historical figures and the website only shows headshots of the actors, and not their characters). He struck a balance between the indecision and deliberation of the older members of the Civil Right’s Movement with his sarcastic remarks. When MLK and the others speculate that Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman are not necessarily dead since bodies have not been found, he replies, “Maybe they’re on vacation. I mean, I always make sure to set my car on fire when I leave for the weekend!” In every serious negotiation scene, he seems to be the voice of impulse that is not necessarily separate from the voice of reason (i.e. comparing LBJ’s promised War on Poverty to the Reconstruction promise of forty acres and a mule).
Watching "All the Way" was a phenomenal experience. I enjoyed the fact that the show focused only on the time after JFK's assassination but right at the beginning of LBJ's big 1984 election win- it allowed more light to be shed on LBJ's efforts in the civil movement and the mental turmoil he was put in to stay true to his own beliefs but also be as diplomatic as possible.
ReplyDeleteEven though LBJ was portrayed as this "vulgar" character with the usage of curses, fairly inpolite posture and the usage of the Johnson Treatment, it was interesting to see how much power Hoover and the FBI had over LBJ. Hoover was still able to get the media to slander LBJ and successfully do considerable amount of damage to his campaign.
I was also very surprised to see how much Walter Jenkins did in terms of communicating with MLK and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and I think that he deserves more credit in balancing his responsibilities as a bridge of communication and as LBJ's aide.
Lady Bird also deserves a lot more credit. In the show she only has any real say when she's trying to pep her husband back up after he mopes around in bed for a considerable amount of time. In real life, she was the first Lady ever to go solo and campaign for her husband, interacted directly with the Congress and unlike her husband, she issued a statement supporting Jenkins after the sex scandal broke out.
The show did an excellent job of showing the rising power of media especially during Fannie Lou's speech on how she was beaten for her role in the "Freedom Summer" and when LBJ held a phony press conference to stop the coverage of her statement.
My favorite scene was definitely when there were two beds on stage, on one side there was MLK, and Bob Moses and Fannie Lou and on the other there was LBJ fast asleep. It was interesting to see how both parties dealt with trying to get legitimate voting rights for the MFDP at the 1964 Democratic convention and it depicted MLK as a fairly quiet, almost mousey man with Fannie Lou and Bob Moses making a lot more radical noise. Speaking of MLK, this show really downplayed MLK as a character and humanized him with the scene when Coretta listens to the tapes of her husband having affairs with other women.
Overall, "All the Way" was a fascinating and worthwhile show that focused on aspects of LBJ's presidency that is often overshadowed by Vietnam. Although the show was successful in humanizing LBJ and getting the audience to sympathize with the ordeal he was in, it was not successful in giving enough credit to the secondary characters during this 11 month time frame.
I don’t think I ever imagined a politician to be like LBJ. I always portrayed a president to be a “camelot” with the looks of Kennedy, a communicator with the aptitudes of Reagan, and a determined, masculine figure only reproachable by a few, noble men. Cranston’s role in LBJ “All the Way” entirely defied my expectations. He projected an image of LBJ that was strong, perseverant, efficient, but only seemingly fearless. Johnson was 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and weighed more than 200 pounds. His figure was an asset and he knew better than anyone else how to use it. He could stand above an opponent and intimidate him into submission or put his long arms around his shoulders and cajole him into compliance. Cranston’s depiction of the Johnson Treatment was exemplary. He portrayed Johnson as a man to be feared, a man no one could say “no” to, but also a man who wasn’t perfect and knew it. Perhaps the most impactful aspect of LBJ’s character was his sensibility. He was insecure, sensitive, and human. He feared that no one was loyal to him; He feared that he had lost the south, and he feared that he would lose the election, be it to Goldwater, Wallace or Kennedy. While he did lose the South, he wound up winning an entire nation in a landslide victory. His fears were unjustified but by having them he was the modest, sincere character that made him a good president.
ReplyDeleteI felt that the play also did a very good job of depicting the legislative process. Johnson didn’t just have to cajole or threaten his way to get votes. He had to make sure the Civil Rights Bill got out of the Senate Committee, and then was able to move on from Senate to House. He had to make promises, then break them and reinforce them with others, all while making sure he didn’t seem as though he was trying too hard. Appealing to his loyal South and yet getting the African American votes seemed impossible, yet Johnson’s extreme political skill achieved it.
The media effects throughout the play were also fantastic. Seeing Wallace’s campaign on black and white TV gave us a glimpse into the entire election, and not just LBJ’s side of it. However, what I felt was missing was a short section of the Daisy Ad. Goldwater had actually started with a strong base and it was this ad that made it impossible for him to win. Johnson’s initial fears were therefore justified and showing the ad could have been a good transition to the ultimate landslide victory.
I definitely enjoyed this play, far more than I expected I would. I’d recommend it to everyone, not just those interested in politics, but to anyone who wants to see a truly spectacular portrayal of a sensible, yet strong political genius whose achievements remain submerged in his Vietnam mistakes. Johnson’s time as president is not only an important chapter in American history, but an exceptional lesson in politics.
All the Way was an incredible experience! It helped give more perspective on the "behind the curtain" politics that Johnson had to juggle, while also giving us a chance to experience some of the lesser known characters during the time period. Like Tiffani I think that seeing the "Johnson Treatment" in person was absolutely fascinating and often times humorous as Johnson coerced everyone into fulfilling his needs by flattery, threats, and sometimes pure unbridled force. I particularly remember a scene where Johnson became so aggressive that he grabbed the other man by his tie and held him close to him while he shouted out his demands.
ReplyDeleteI think the play really highlighted the tiring effect that the Civil Rights Movement had on Johnson. People credit the Vietnam War for pushing him to such an extent that he decided not to run for president in '68, and based on the stress the Civil Rights Movement alone had on him I can't begin to imagine what the years after were like. It might just be me, but I swear that Johnson's hair was much darker when the play started compared to the end, which could've been an attempt to highlight the strain on Johnson. Towards the end of the play, Cranston did an incredible job of highlighting the contrast between Johnson's hard, charismatic exterior and his vulnerable, morally distraught inside. I feel like I was able to get a sense of Johnson as a human being and not just as a supremely talented politician. In terms of being able to manipulate the people around him and fight for his ideas, Johnson's only peer in White House history is Lincoln, and if you've seen "Lincoln" you might see the incredible similarity between not only how they themselves engaged their targets, but also how their manipulations of even their closest advisors ruled their ability to have wide reaching influence. After seeing All the Way I'm convinced that LBJ is the most skilled president ever, and have a greater appreciation for all he had to go through in order to push the Civil Rights Act through.
"All the Way" was a one-of-a-kind experience that helped me understand what kind of person LBJ was. Our textbook the "Out of Many" portrays LBJ as a failure and a disaster-bringing man, but I got a more toned down, unbiased view that showed his strengths and flaws as a leader and a person.
ReplyDeleteI got a good sense of LBJ's characteristics and how much he cursed. The play didn't capture what he accomplished but how he accomplished the things he did. The interactions between each historical figure, how the setting and dialogues are set up all comes together as it weaves the play through his presidency in a very consistent, smooth way. I also enjoyed how they manipulated the stage. In some cases they used lighting very well to set up dialogue between the president and many others in quick and condensed ways. While in other cases, the scenes were acted out in the president's quarters with LBJ in pajamas. I mixed emotions throughout the play, such as the humor, made the play overall colorful and not just a bland, info-condensed history play.
My favorite scene is the funeral of the 3 Freedom Summers workers who were killed while working to bring integration in the south. The actor did an amazing job to display the emotion, attitude and vibe that represented the African Americans (as a whole) of that time. It really affected me and made me deeply sympathize for the hardships that those people had to suffer (I'm not saying that I haven't before).
Overall this play was an one-of-a-kind and an enjoyable experience. However, I strongly suggest people to research and read about the people and the time period before watching this. Otherwise you might get lost in the sea of history and information packed into this play.
I thought that "All the Way" was a fabulous rendition of the work and struggle that went into the Civil Rights Act. I loved Bryan Cranston as LBJ and thought he portrayed him very well. Whether it be the cursing, crass humor, or flattery and intimidation that had to go into the Johnson treatment, Cranston did a brilliant job of portraying the thrust into power president LBJ. I was very pleased with the way the play focused on just the Civil Rights Act because I do believe personally that LBJ was one of our greatest presidents and I find it tragic that he is mostly remembered for escalating the war in Vietnam instead of his unparalleled (Except for Lincoln) positive strides for the civil rights movement and just for the people of America. The play as a whole was great and very engaging. It greatly dramatized the struggles of the president as well as his sacrifices and you really felt like you were there in the action cajoling senators and representatives for votes along side him. A figure I thought was very interesting in the play was LBJ's mentor turned rival, Sen. Richard Russell who LBJ used throughout the play to get the Act passed. Overall I thought it was a great and very informative play and another success for Cranston to add to the collection.
ReplyDeleteThe play All the Way did a phenomenal job of portraying Lyndon B. Johnson’s multifaceted character. Normally when we think of the president, we imagine a charismatic person, elevated beyond his status with power. However, LBJ was portrayed as a normal human being. He tries to keep balance in his life, pass social reforms, and maintain his office as president. He struggles to keep both sides appeased (in order to secure his votes). Cranston does an excellent job on portraying LBJ. His “Johnson treatment” showed how the senators had to shrink back against his gaze. He does a really good job on showing his stress. At the beginning of the play, he seemed like a rather playful man. He makes quirky jokes and flirts with the lady senator. However, he soon develops into this man that yells at his wife and slams down the phone.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed watching Ms. Johnson’s performance. Many times, we give too much credit to the males in history. Ms. Johnson was there for LBJ when he was throwing his fits. She was there throughout his presidency, calming him and providing moral support. Also, she played an important role in the Election of 1960. Her tour around the country has led to wide held support for LBJ.
I didn’t get many of the references made by the play. Often times, Clanton would make a joke and half the audience would chuckle. However, I would be sitting there awkwardly trying to get his joke. Furthermore, I loved how the actors froze up with the clock ticking in the background. It showed me how everything was going on at the same time, not just an individual event after another. I would recommend this play for my friends because it showed a side of LBJ that wasn’t fully explained by the textbook. It showed how the passing of the Civil Rights Bill was an active conflict. It showed how LBJ turned the tables in the Election of 1960. It also showed how the members of the Black Civil Rights movement didn’t fully agree on freedom summer. While the older, more traditional, members were against it, the younger generation wanted a more radical approach for civil rights.
I was slightly concerned going into the play that I wouldn't be able to get the image of Bryan Cranston as Walter White (his iconic role as the meth kingpin) out of my head but as soon as Cranston took the stage he truly became LBJ (a testament to his prowess as an actor.) I was very amused by his frequent use of expletives and his humor, which reminded me a lot of my grandmother and grandfather, who used a lot of the same phrases as LBJ (maybe its a generational thing?)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the play, Cranston's performance was impeccable and the staging was very well orchestrated. I liked how the production used real pictures of the events being portrayed and how visual media was intertwined with the play in general. One of the most surprising moments for me was when he gave a televised address just to interrupt the woman talking on TV, which I was even more surprised to find out actually happened and wasn't just a dramatization of events. I felt like I got a different perspective of Johnson which we (as a country) seem to have forgotten nowadays as his involvement with Vietnam seems to overshadow the rest of his presidency and the action he took regarding Civil Rights. I found it very interesting to get a look at the political juggling he orchestrated to get what he wanted and the accommodations he had to make to get the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed. I also really enjoyed the portrayal of Martin Luther King jr. and the other Civil Rights leaders essential to getting the act passed. My favorite character besides LBJ was probably Stokely Carmichael, who I thought had a wonderful number of slightly dark, comedic one-liners, including his quip likening LBJ's promises to "forty acres and a mule." (I also found it amusing that we seemed to be the few audience members who got this reference.)
I would definitely recommend this play to anyone who is interested in US History or LBJ, or simply to anyone who is looking for an engaging and entertaining Broadway production.
"All the Way" was definitely amazing at bringing history to life. Brian Cranston's LBJ was crude, yet likeable and thoroughly complex as he pondered the political decisions that advanced and detracted from civil rights.
ReplyDeleteThe show's set was probably one of my favorite elements; the fact that it was set up like a "court" with seating around the central area really provided easily for the parallel story-lines with LBJ, the civil rights leaders, Humphrey, and George Wallace. At first it seemed like too much was going on, but it made sense after a while. All these events occurred at the same time and affected how everything else played out.
In addition, LBJ seemed like a more human character; from OOM, I took him for a powerful, mighty man, but the show delved into his insecurities about the election of 1964. The textbook glazed over the fact that he won with a huge landslide, not depicting how Wallace and Goldwater often played legitimate threats to LBJ.
Overall, the show really personalized everything we learned about LBJ and made me consider his record with civil rights (since it focused so deeply on it) versus the failures of the Vietnam War.
(Mr. Sandler, I'm so sorry that this is so late! I started typing this last night but was really tired and fell asleep on my desk!)
ReplyDeleteLike a few other students also stated, I was both exhilarated but nervous to attend All the Way. I was fortunate to have been picked - I remember I was the second girl picked from what seemed to be a never-ending list of guys - but I was also a bit worried. Would I be able to understand what was going on? Would it be too complicated for me to understand? I normally have trouble keeping up with characters of TV shows or movies, especially if there are many and there faces and names seem to blur.
In the first half of the play, I did find this to happen. Of course I was able to tell who LBJ and Martin Luther King Jr. were, but it was the minor characters that confused me, and my bad hearing and bad talent at figuring out accents surely didn't help me when I was sitting at the edge of my seat craning to hear what was going on. However, from what I could tell, I really thought that Bryan Cranston did an excellent job portraying the figure of LBJ, and created an image that still pops into my mind when I think about him.
However, the second part of the play was extremely different, and for some reason, maybe perhaps I got more used to actor's voices, I was able to understand a lot more. The countdown of the days to the election and the increasing suspense really kept me at the edge of my seat (not because I couldn't hear this time though), because I was extremely excited as to what would happen next.
As for the actual content in the play, like many others, I was very pleased to see LBJ's heroism and flaws both depicted. I found myself respecting him very much for being a Southerner but still supporting civil rights, but what I found even more interesting was how he reacted to stress. Like everyone else, he, too, had a breaking point when he could not handle anymore political shenanigans and the complications of politics, such as in the scene when he breaks down to Lady Bird and is convinced that no one loves him and he was going to lose the election. However, Lady Bird's strength amazed me, despite LBJ's horrid treatment of her sometimes, because she still stood by her husband no matter the cost and supported him dearly in whatever he did.
Overall, although the beginning was a bit slow, I thought the second half of the play definitely made it very worth it to watch, and definitely gave me more insight into LBJ's personal life as well as how he conducted his political one.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play and how it brought history back to life. Cranston is a remarkable actor who manages to embody the spirit of LBJ throughout the entire play by cajoling, flattering, and threatening key figures of Congress in the passing of the landmark Civil Rights Bill. I believe that the most interesting part of the play is how Schenkkan manages to incorporate some forgotten key figures of history into the play ranging from Bob Moses who was from SNCC to Russell and Dirksen who were important politicians involved with the Civil Rights Bill. The betrayal between LBJ and Russell demonstrates the urgency and the importance of Civil Rights to LBJ. Russell was a fatherly figure of LBJ who helped him out at numerous occasions only to have LBJ backstab him for the passing of the legislation. Another scene that shows the urgency was the back room negotiations between Dirksen and LBJ. Although, Dirksen was the Senate Minority Leader of the Republicans in the Senate, LBJ reached out to him overcome the filibuster that was going on in the Senate. If an act like this was to occur today, President Obama would be attacked on all sides with the chance of victory slim.
ReplyDeleteAs a final statement, I believe that play is worth the watch. However, the play still has its flaws due to such a tremendous cast of characters that made keeping up rather difficult. Furthermore, I believe that the play went a bit too deep in maintaining the historical accuracies. Although many of us enjoyed the history behind the play, it creates a rather high barrier of entry that would inhibit many people from enjoying the show completely.
I thought the play was an amazing portrayal of President Johnson’s presidency, his toughness and the civil rights movement. Bryan Cranston very successful in his portrayal of Johnson because he was as bad mouthed and foul as the real one. He also told many jokes and had many witty remarks that seem to fit LBJ. He showed the intimidation of LBJ very well and I see some of his Breaking Bad character in him as he talked. The play helped show that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was very hard to pass, as people were pressuring him to include voting rights in it as well. I also liked the media effects like the scenery chances when the people were digging up the corpses in the murders of the 3 boys in Mississippi. I especially liked the way the play documents time using ‘days before election’ because it shows the characters getting more and more pressured and prepared for the voting day. The black and white TV also was very creative in showing the American’s perspective from watching TV. The play helped me understand more the divisions in the Civil Rights movement. Stokely Carmichael really wanted action and was a lot more radical than Martin Luther King, King wanted to wait a bit longer and not take action. My overall experience of the play is very positive, I would definitely see this again and it has enriched my understanding of LBJ’s presidency and the struggles he had to go through.
ReplyDeleteI greatly enjoyed that the play chose to focus on solely the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Election of 1964 since it allowed for more development of the story and consequently a more immersive and realistic experience for the audience. However, my favorite part of the play was definitely Cranston's vivid role as Johnson. The "Johnson Treatment" was brought to life in practically every one of his interactions on-stage, whether through his physical intimidation (at some points he was precariously leaning over Humphrey/Petkoff's chair) or his way of telling everyone what they wanted to hear (if I remember correctly, the play opens with a series of phone calls to Johnson from people such as Russell and King, each hoping that Johnson plans to head in a certain direction while president). In fact, I think that the biggest takeaway from watching this play is the appreciation for how well Johnson was able to balance so many conflicting parties in his journey to pass the Civil Rights Act. Other than the great emphasis on the Johnson treatment, I was also pleased with the number of actual Johnson quotes spread throughout Cranston's script. Schenkkan did not try to come up with his own lines for Cranston's character simply because he felt that he did not need to, that Johnson was a lively and dramatic character on his own; I completely agree with this and think that it helped the character of Johnson come alive on the stage. On an unrelated note, I was also a fan of the fake television screens showing what an American at home would have seen (i.e. http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-CW830_LBJ_G_20140310165919.jpg ).
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