TRIVIA TODAY - Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Greetings Infomaniacs,

Did you know that today's date is also a command? Say it out loud...March fourth! Now I bet you won't be able to say the date again in a normal voice...

In this issue of Trivia Today, we are going to learn a little something about pantomime. Probably more than you ever needed to know, in fact!

Enjoy!
Melissa

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Questions? Comments? Email Melissa


WHO SAID IT?
QUOTE: "A magician makes the visible invisible. A mime makes the invisible visible."

HINT: (1923-), was the world's most famous mime.


RANDOM TIDBITS
The first record of pantomime performed as entertainment comes from Ancient Greece, where mimes performed at religious festivals honoring Greek gods. As early as 581 B.C., Aristotle wrote of seeing mimes perform.

From religious festivals, Greek mime made its way to the stage: Actors performed pantomimic scenes as "overtures" to the tragedies that depicted the moral lesson of the play to follow.

Greek settlers brought mime to Italy, where it flourished during the Roman Empire and spread throughout Europe as the empire expanded.

Pantomime means "an imitator of nature" - derived from Pan, the Greek god of nature, and mimos, meaning "an imitator."

Today, "pantomime" and "mime" are used interchangeably to refer to a mute performer, but the Ancient Romans distinguished between the two: pantomines were tragic actors who performed in complete silence, while mimes were comedic and often used speech in their acts.

The first silent mime appeared on the English stage in 1702, in John Weaver's Tavern Bilkers at the Drury Lane Theatre. It was really more of a "silent ballet" than silent acting.


*** Weekly Mind-Scrambler ***
Take one out and scratch my head,
I am now black but once was red.

What am I?

Submit your answer by clicking: HERE

Answer will be posted in Friday's Trivia Today. Good Luck!

If your name appears in Friday's newsletter, EMAIL MICHELE your complete name and address to be shipped your prize. Be sure to put "Winner" in the subject line.


WHO SAID IT?
QUOTE: "A magician makes the visible invisible. A mime makes the invisible visible."

ANSWER: Marcel Marceau.

***
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