Our Own Iambic Pentameter Lines

In B period, we created some Shakespearean lines (in A period, we had a fire drill so we should create some lines about that).

Here is one that has the correct number of syllables and stresses:

          I see my love with peasant light tonight.

Here is one that is interesting in how it relates to Romeo and Juliet:

          We wonder how you yield ghost after death.

In this one, there are ten syllables, but the stresses are not all in the right place. Instead it goes US|US|US|SS|US -- because the word "ghost" is stressed and breaks the pattern. However, that is a technique that Shakespeare might have used in order to call attention to the way that Juliet truly dies after she fakes her death.

Here is another with a twist:

          Like night she strikes me in the dark'st manner.

The pattern is US|US|UU|US|SU -- the pattern changes on the words "in the dark'st" and calls attention to the theme of darkness which pervades their love. This could be a kind of foreshadowing of how their love is doomed.

Just for fun, here is my Iambic Pentameter Fire Drill poem:

But zounds! a sound that pricks my tender ear
And file we must outside despite our fear!

The 5 Act Structure of Shakespeare's Plays

Check out this website to learn more about how Shakespeare structured his plays, using Romeo and Juliet as an example:

http://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/five-act-structure

Romeo and Juliet Reminders

Welcome to the experience of reading Shakespeare! Don't worry, it gets easier to understand as you read more of it.

Here are some tips:

1. Read the actual Shakespearean language, not a modernized version, or else you will never get used to it and you will never appreciate the details of the language.

2. Use the internet to help you with creating a family tree for the characters, for basic plot summary, discussion of themes, etc. or for understanding words you don't know. BUT do that in addition to reading the original text. It is good to use other sources as a supplement to the reading but not as a substitute for the original language.

3. Give yourself time to read and re-read if necessary so you can truly understand what is going on.

For reading notes, here is what I expect:

1. Create a detailed character chart that you can add to as you read. Note who the person is, status, relationships, role in play, personality, anything distinctive.

2. Note a brief plot summary of every scene and separate them in an organized way: Act 1, Scene 1, etc. Do not pull these summaries from the internet. Put them in your own words. Note the important events that occur in each scene.

3. Pull out any quotes that you think are important or will help you remember something about plot, character, or theme.

4. Add some of your own ideas about theme, any comments or questions you have, any reactions.  Ex: Act 1, Scene 1 -- Romeo is always moping around and whining in this scene. I am not sure I like his character. Maybe he is one of those people that feels things really deeply. Is that why Juliet falls for him?

Things to Remember When Devising

1. The audience is not familiar with your script, so you need to establish the setting and characters right away and be very clear about it.

2. Make sure the plot is easy to follow, so the audience does not get confused. Don't overcomplicate your script.

3. Be loud (project) so that the audience can hear you. Speak slowly and enunciate.

4. Be aware of where you are on the stage -- make sure the audience can see you.

5. Don't worry about following a script exactly. You can improvise lines as long as you follow the structure of your outline that your group created.

6. Make the theme of "Fence" clear to the audience.

7. Use a large part of the stage -- don't be confined to one spot.

8. Use movement, blocking, and body language to help tell the story.

9. In the scene, you need to act your part and say your lines, but don't forget to also REACT to others on stage. Don't just stand there like a statue while others are acting their parts.

10. Make sure everyone in the group has a significant role in the skit.

11. Have fun!

Devising Theater

If you saw or participated in the Spring 2017 production of "Sent from my iPhone" at CA, you know a little bit about devising theater and the devising process -- when actors in a company make up the show from scratch, usually starting with a theme or idea and building stories around that.

Here are some resources you should check out to learn more about devising:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devised_theatre

https://thetheatretimes.com/what-is-devised-theatre/

Also, research a devising company like Frantic Assembly or Complicite (or any other one) and watch a video of their work -- learning some of their methods will help you in your own devising process.

Fences Short Monologues

For this performance project, choose one of the following monologues (or part of one -- it should only be about 30 seconds long so you can edit as needed). Think mainly about how you will communicate character (in body, voice, and words) and specifically what emotion you want to convey in your short performance.

Troy -- page 2-3

Lyons -- page 18-19

Gabriel -- page 26

Troy -- page 32

Troy -- page 34

Troy -- page 35

Troy -- page 38

Troy -- page 49-50

Bono -- page 50

Troy page 50-51

Troy -- page 54-55

Bono -- page 62

Rose -- page 67-68

Troy -- page 69-70

Rose -- page 70-71

Troy -- (talking to Death) -- page 77

Troy -- (talking to baby) -- page 79

Troy -- page 85-86

Cory -- page 86-87

Lyons -- page 94

Cory -- page 96-97

Rose -- page 97-98

Play Review

Play Review Guidelines and Rubric

A review is more formal than a blog post but is still posted on your blog. It needs to have a title, multiple paragraphs, an introduction, body, and conclusion, and be 650-900 words in length.

Be sure to include the title of the play, the author, the date on which you viewed it, and the location. If you have a program, please also include the director and names of the major actors.

The review should begin with a short summary of the plot of the play and discussion of the major themes. Sometimes, one theme is more prominent than others because the director/actors decided to highlight that, so pay attention to the overall plot points that seem most important. Sometimes, in the program, there is a director’s note that explains the particular approach taken – be sure to read this and look for the examples in the play.

The bulk of the play should discuss the staging. For example, consider the following questions: What choices did the production make regarding staging/set, color schemes, costumes, sound, lighting, etc.? What characters were highlighted as most important and how was this done? What characters were positioned as being similar to one another or opposite to one another and how was that effect achieved?

Next, choose one actor who was the best on your opinion or your favorite and explain why. Who was the character created and how did the actor work to make this character so successful? Be specific and use examples from the play to back up your points.

Finally, discuss your opinion of the play. Did you like it or not and why? What did you learn about theater from watching this?

Grading Criteria (see descriptions above for more details)

Structure of Essay (including title, paragraphs, etc.)

Clarity of Writing and Accurate Proofreading

Word Count

Short Summary of Plot and Major Themes

Review of Staging Choices

Review of One Actor

Overall Opinion

Specific Examples and Lots of Details

Monologues

This week have been working on creating stories, and we came up with a bunch of funny group stories. Now, in class, we will be working on creating stories as individuals instead. These will be short (30 seconds to 1 minute ideally) stories that have been inspired in some way by what you wrote in Blog Post #1. You will choose something from that post that interests you and turn it into a story -- and be creative! 

As we saw this week, stories need to have a clear beginning (set the scene and catch your audience's attention), a middle section where you say what happened (the plot) and include all the interesting details that build up to the climax, and and ending that ties things up and can also sometimes comment on the story itself.

Here is an example --

I am someone who is crazy about cats! I have owned four cats in my life and all of them have been very special. One day, I was sitting on my bed reading when my cat jumped up................ here's where I would put in all the details, and tell an interesting story. Then I might end the story saying something like "I learned never to get a cat wet" or "My cats are too special to me, so I will never make that mistake again" or "And that's why you should never give your cat peanut butter."

Here is an example of a performed monologue that tells a story. This one is directed to an unseen listener (probably a parent?), so she speaks out to the audience as if speaking to the parent:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WIiFWTBsK4

Here is one that is not directed toward a speaker. It doesn't tell a single story but is more of an exploration of a theme or an aspect of her personality:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFU3ac9fysk

And one final one tells a story and incorporates a little movement (because you don't have to just stand there when delivering a monologue -- remember that it is still acting although it feels like a speech:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHnkZUAJfW8