Tiny Alice by Edward Albee: A Production Record and Analysis with Emphasis on Dynamic Theatrical Symbolism

Man is distinguished from the beasts by his deliberate use of faculties of the mind. He has the ability to think, reason, and imagine at will. He is a being of supreme intelligence and creativity. Yet, because of his very powers of mentality, he is forced to face the pain of mentality. He must make decisions. He experiences frustration, anxiety, and mental torment. Physical man may completely give way to mental man, creating a world based upon imagination. In this circumstance, the life of illusion, man finds it impossible to adjust to the real world. He can only attempt to make reality a part of his illusion or make his illusions a part of his reality. It is this thesis which is developed in Edward Albee\u27s drama TINY ALICE. The presentation of TINY ALICE which is the basis of this project, was directed to exhibit the merging of the real with the illusionary. It was a project which included such technical problems as finding solutions to the difficulties involved in the personification of abstractions, and translating the subjective into the objective in language and action. It also demanded the implementation of directing techniques which required the manipulation of people and ideas toward the goal of achieving objective believability as characters and motivations on the physical stage. The three performances. of TINY ALICE which evidenced the results of the creative work on this project, were held in the Gray Campus Laboratory School Auditorium on the campus of St. Cloud State College, St. Cloud, Minnesota, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 13, 14, and 15, 1967. The facilities included a proscenium stage, extended five feet into the auditorium house. The seating capacity of the auditorium was 270 persons, although each performance necessitated the inclusion of additional seating. The project was undertaken solely by students, although it was advised by theatre staff members. It proceeded from a five hundred dollar working budget. From this allotment were built three stage settings plus the majority of the costumes. It also included funds for royalties, promotion, the rental of miscellaneous set items, and the rebuilding of major property units. This production of TINY ALICE was experimental in every respect. Because of the ambiguity, subjectivity, and heavy symbolism of the play, no single definite approach was dictated. Innovation and trial of new methods of staging and genera! production techniques was possible. Every aspect of production was prepared in this free spirit. TINY ALICE is a difficult drama to produce. It is filled with vaguery and ambiguity; yet, it contains an element of thought which continues long after the final performance. It is immodestly believed that TlNY ALICE required creative freedom, controlled and concentrated toward a goal of believability, and quality of production. Such a goal demanded the application of the many severe disciplines of this complex art form

AMPK Activation through Mitochondrial Regulation Results in Increased Substrate Oxidation and Improved Metabolic Parameters in Models of Diabetes

<div><p>Modulation of mitochondrial function through inhibiting respiratory complex I activates a key sensor of cellular energy status, the 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Activation of AMPK results in the mobilization of nutrient uptake and catabolism for mitochondrial ATP generation to restore energy homeostasis. How these nutrient pathways are affected in the presence of a potent modulator of mitochondrial function and the role of AMPK activation in these effects remain unclear. We have identified a molecule, named R419, that activates AMPK <i>in vitro</i> via complex I inhibition at much lower concentrations than metformin (IC₅₀ 100 nM vs 27 mM, respectively). R419 potently increased myocyte glucose uptake that was dependent on AMPK activation, while its ability to suppress hepatic glucose production <i>in vitro</i> was not. In addition, R419 treatment of mouse primary hepatocytes increased fatty acid oxidation and inhibited lipogenesis in an AMPK-dependent fashion. We have performed an extensive metabolic characterization of its effects in the <i>db/db</i> mouse diabetes model. <i>In vivo</i> metabolite profiling of R419-treated <i>db/db</i> mice showed a clear upregulation of fatty acid oxidation and catabolism of branched chain amino acids. Additionally, analyses performed using both ¹³C-palmitate and ¹³C-glucose tracers revealed that R419 induces complete oxidation of both glucose and palmitate to CO₂ in skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue, confirming that the compound increases mitochondrial function <i>in vivo</i>. Taken together, our results show that R419 is a potent inhibitor of complex I and modulates mitochondrial function <i>in vitro</i> and in diabetic animals <i>in vivo</i>. R419 may serve as a valuable molecular tool for investigating the impact of modulating mitochondrial function on nutrient metabolism in multiple tissues and on glucose and lipid homeostasis in diabetic animal models. </p> </div