| Acting Shakespeare (TH 344 and TH 340) Fall 2009 |
| TH 344 – Acting Playing Shakespeare Instructor: Bruce Cromer Classroom: T151, CAC Office: T148K CA Class Time: MWF 1-2:50 Office Hours: MWTHF 12-1 Phone: 775-2430 E-Mail: bruce.cromer@wright.edu Course Objective: To further young actors’ comprehension and use of Shakespeare’s language, through the study of a major role. Emphasis will be on text analysis (breaking the script into beats; choosing objectives, obstacles, and tactics), including scansion and key- wording. PLAYING SHAKESPEARE, the book and the tape series, will also enhance the scene work. You will work on three scenes or monologues from a major Shakespearean role; your entire package of scenes and/or monologues should 10 to 15 minutes in length. Tentative Course Outline: Week One: Sonnets and Role Choice Week Two: First Scene Rehearsed Week Three: First Scene Shown Week Four: Second Scene Rehearsed Week Five: Second Scene Shown Week Six: Third Scene Rehearsed Week Seven: Third Scene Shown Week Eight: All Scenes Rehearsed Week Nine: All Scenes Shown Week Ten: TBA Grading Criteria: Professional Skills: You are expected to attend every class prepared, punctual, polite, and with a positive attitude. There are no excused absences for this course! In accordance with the PATP attendance policy, if you miss 20% of the quarter’s sessions (6 classes), you will automatically fail the class. Wear clothing appropriate to your chosen scenes and/or monologues. If you are ill, inactive, improperly dressed, or late, you will lose half of your attendance points for that class. Written Work: You will turn in a scene-by-scene plot synopsis for your play, a complete list of textual clues for your characterization, and text analysis for your three scenes. Acting Work: The instructor will subjectively grade your scene work on your character choices and use of the language. Required Books (ordered in campus bookstore): PLAYING SHAKESPEARE, by John Barton. A footnoted edition of your chosen character’s play. Recommended Books (*ordered in campus bookstore): ACTING IN SHAKESPEARE, by Robert Cohen. THE FRIENDLY SHAKESPEARE, by Norrie Epstein. *APPLAUSE FIRST FOLIO IN MODERN TYPE. COMPLETE WORKS, by Shakespeare (Contemporary Pub. Co.). *RIVERSIDE SHAKESPEARE, published by Houghton Mifflin. *SHAKESPEARE’S WORDS, by David and Ben Crystal. SHAKESPEARE’S METRIC ART, by George T. Wright. *SHAKESPEARE ALIVE!, BY Joseph Papp and Elizabeth Kirkland. CHRONICLE OF WESTERN FASHION, by John Peacock. *HIGH FASHION IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME, by Andrew Brownfoot. SHAKESPEARE ALOUD, by E.S. Brubaker. GRADE POINTS Professional Skills (38 possible points) Attendance (28 possible points; 1 pt. for each class punctually attended; .5 pt. for each time you’re late, improperly dressed, or inactive; there are no excused absences for this class --- missing 6 classes, for what ever reasons, will result in an F for the course!) Attitude (10 possible points; up to 5 possible for each area): Positive (open-minded, ready to receive criticism, supportive of classmates) Prepared (assignments completed, properly dressed, healthy and ready to work) Written Work (20 possible points) Sonnet (3 pts.), Play Synopsis (4 pts.), First Scene Textwork (3 pts.), Second Scene Textwork (3 pts.), Third Scene Textwork (3 pts.), Character Clues Paper (4 pts.) Acting Work (42 possible points) (13 points for each of the four showings of your scenes and/or monologues) Total Points for Course and Letter Grade (90-100 pts. = A, 80-89 pts. = B, 70-79 pts. = C, 60-69 pts. = D, 59 pts. or less = F) |
| TH 340 - Movement for the Actor Moving Shakespeare Instructor: Bruce Cromer Classroom: Herbst Theatre, CAC Office: T148K CA Class Time: TTH 1-2:50 Office Hours: MWTHF 12-1 Phone: 775-2430 E-Mail: bruce.cromer@wright.edu Course Objectives: *To introduce students to the wide range of characters (and necessary physical transformations) in Shakespeare’s plays. *To give students practical experience in brief scenes and monologues using period movement, Laban, Cohen tactics, and body language. *To give students practical experience using text analysis, improvisation, stage combat, and other skills previously taught in the Professional Actor Training Program. Tentative Course Outline: Week One: Clowns and Rustics Week Two: Clowns and Rustics Week Three: Nobility and Fools Week Four: Nobility and Fools Week Five: Mad Folk and Supernatural Week Six: Mad Folk and Supernatural Week Seven: Warriors and Breeches Parts Week Eight: Warriors and Breeches Parts Week Nine: Lovers Week Ten: Lovers Grading Criteria: Professional Skills: You are expected to attend every class prepared, punctual, polite, and with a positive attitude. There are no excused absences for this course! In accordance with the PATP attendance policy, if you miss 20% of the quarter’s sessions (4 classes), you will automatically fail the class. Wear mock-up period rehearsal clothes... For women that means long skirts, corsets, with rolled-up towels for bum-rolls. For men: sweat pants and tight vests. Both sexes should have "puffy" shirts and hard-soled shoes, and tights. If you are ill, inactive, improperly dressed, or late, you will lose half of your attendance points for that class. Written Work: You will fill in character sheets given for each character study you do. These will be collected at the end of the two weeks work on each scene. You will be asked to break the scene into character beats, with objectives, tactics, and obstacles noted in the margins. You will draw (or include an image you find of) the character’s costume. You will also give written feedback to your fellow students’ work. Acting Work: The instructor will subjectively grade your acting work, in terms of your demonstrated use of period movement, Laban, Cohen tactics, body language, and speech. Required Books (ordered for campus bookstore): SHAKESPEARE ALIVE, by Joe Papp and Elizabeth Kirtland. HIGH FASHION IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME, by Andrew Brownfoot. An edition of Shakespeare’s complete works. Recommended Books (some ordered for campus bookstore): SHAKESPEARE ALOUD, by E.S. Brubaker. SHAKESPEARE A TO Z, by Charles Boyce. THE FRIENDLY SHAKESPEARE, by Norrie Epstein. SHAKESPEARE’S METRIC ART, by George T. Wright. SHAKESPEARE’S COMPLETE WORKS: two versions have been ordered. APPLAUSE FIRST FOLIO IN MODERN TYPE, edited by Neil Freeman. CHRONICLE OF WESTERN FASHION, by John Peacock. GRADE POINTS Professional Skills (30 possible points) Attendance (20 possible points; 1 pt. for each class punctually attended; .5 pt. for each time you’ re late, improperly dressed, or inactive; there are no excused absences for this class --- missing 4 classes, for what ever reasons, will result in an F for the course!) Attitude (10 possible points; up to 5 possible for each area): Positive (open-minded, ready to receive criticism, supportive of ensemble) Prepared (assignments completed, properly dressed, healthy and ready to work) Written Work (20 possible points) (4 pts. for each completed character sheet): Clowns and Rustics Nobility and Fools Mad Folk and Supernatural Warriors and Breeches Parts Lovers Final Test on HIGH FASHION IN SHAKESPEARE'S TIME (worth 5 points) Character Work (45 possible points) (Subjectively graded by the instructor; up to 9 pts. for each Character Study): Clowns and Rustics Nobility and Fools Mad Folk and Supernatural Warriors and Breeches Parts Lovers Total Points for Course and Letter Grade (90-100 pts. = A, 80-89 pts. = B, 70-79 pts. = C, 60-69 pts. = D, 59 pts. or less = F) |
| John Barton circa 2005 |
| Character Studies for TH 344 2009 Romeo and Juliet Juliet (Lydia) Prince Hal/Henry V Hal (Greg) Hamlet Ophelia (Stephanie) Shakespeare Challenge Katherina, Lady Macbeth (Jennifer) Helena (Kelly) Type-Casting Jennifer - character: character lover or waiting woman or leading woman Kelly - young leading lady: romantic lead or tragic lead or character lover Lydia, Stephanie - ingenue/character: young romantic lead or lover or young tragic lead Greg - ingenue: young romantic lead or young villain or young tragic lead |
| Sonnet XXX ( / = strong stress, x = weak stress) Remember, this is simply how I'd scan it; how would you say it? / x x / x x / / x / a trochee, an iamb, a pyrrhic, a spondee, and an iamb When to | the ses|sions of | sweet si|lent thought x / x / x / x x / / three iambs, a pyrrhic, then a spondee I sum|mon up | remem|brance of | things past, x / x / x / x x / x / three iambs, an anapest, then an iamb I sigh | the lack | of man|y a thing | I sought, x / / / / / x / / / an iamb, two spondees, an iamb, then a spondee And with | old woes | new wail | my dear | time's waste: / x x / x / x / x / a trochee, followed by four iambs Then can | I drown | an eye, | unused | to flow, x / x / / x / / x / two iambs, a trochee, a spondee, then an iamb For pre|cious friends | hid in | death's date|less night, x / x / / / x / x / two iambs, a spondee, then two iambs And weep | afresh | love's long | since can|cell'd woe, x / x / x / x x / x / three iambs, an anapest, then an iamb And moan | th'expense | of man|y a van|ish'd sight: / x x / x / x x x / a trochee, two iambs, a spondee, then an iamb Then can | I grieve | at grie|vances | foregone, x / x x x / x / / / an iamb, a pyrrhic, two iambs, then a spondee And hea|vily | from woe | to woe | tell o'er x / x / x / x / x / the first truly iambic pentameter line!!! The sad | account | of fore|-bemoa|ned moan, x / / / x x / / x / an iamb, a spondee, a pyrrhic, a spondee, then an iamb Which I | new pay | as if | not paid | before. x / x / x / x / / / four iambs, then a spondee But if | the while | I think | on thee, | dear friend, / / x x x / x / x / a spondee, a pyrrhic, then three iambs All los|ses are | restored | and sor|rows end. |
| All's Well That Ends Well Production Pics |
| Macbeth Production Pics |
Jonathan Bate (2009) - Professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature at the University of Warwick and a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company Regarding Punctuation in Shakespeare's Age: It's a very complicated question, the punctuating of Shakespeare. What we've got to remember is that punctuation in Shakespeare's time was left to the printer. We have one scene in Shakespeare's handwriting, the scene he contributed to the multi-author play Sir Thomas More and there's hardly any punctuation in that. So when Shakespeare wrote there was hardly any punctuation. And that's true if you look at fragments from other dramatic manuscripts from the period, there's hardly any punctuation. So the punctuation in the early printed texts came from the printer, and the rules of punctuation were very different in Shakespeare's time. Punctuation was...in some ways it was more rhetorical, it was more to do with the shape of the argument than grammatical. So modernising Shakespeare's punctuation is always going to be a kind of compromise between how punctuation worked in the original texts, how students and readers use it now, and how actors use it. And indeed one of the exercises that directors often do with actors in working on a Shakespearean scene is they'll strip all the punctuation out and get the actors to find the punctuation in the rehearsal room. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2008/2239090.htm |
| Romeo and Juliet Production Pics |
| 2009 Sonnets (In Perfectly Iambic Pentameter) Whatever Future's fate may have in store for me, I fear I may not quite agree. I may have wealth, or I might end up poor, but one thing's sure: it won't be up to me. I spend so much time planning out my life without a second thought of looking back; not thinking of the pain and strain and strife that just might come, should I stay on this track. And yet I dream of doing what I love and living how I've always wished I could: A Georgia Peach to bloom from sheltered groves ne'er tasted water quite so pure, so good, And so, dear fate, I pray you wish me well; thought we both know that only time will tell. -------- Stephanie |
| Romeo and Juliet Production Pics |
The leaving leaves have left me longing for Abandoned mem'ries of those greenish years Too soon remembered, forcing time forlorn, Reflections of the same mask drowned with tears. A smoke filled room shoots colors all around. Mistake: he took, my fault, or blame the beer. No cares, all inhibitions soaked by sound Of foreign speakers blasting ear to ear. Familiar scents begin to fill the air, No holding back the images in sight The nauseated feelings that we share Forgetting time spent wrong's no easy fight. These scars heal slowly, but with time they do Things though impossible come true with you. ------Kelly I know a love that fills a soul with joy I see it when you look into my eye I never thought that I would meet a boy Who'd fill my heart with life and make me fly You take my hand and then I feel secure Protect and care for me with all you are I've never met a heart that is so pure Your words inspire and you have rais'd the bar We're young and having fun while taking flight With secret smiles and stolen kisses we Learn more about each other night by night Oh yes, I've found the perfect man for me For I believe our love'll outlast this rhyme With strength to be as one for all of time ------Lydia As softly as the willow tree can speak The thunder in the skies will boldly claim That even though the ticking may be meek O'r loss of time holds valleys laid with blame. I do not write like years of time once prov'd; The heat of summer dying in the air; Your eyes grow weak, your speech has slowly mov'd, I cannot hear your song amidst the tear. But now the snow falls briskly on your hands The chill of life begins to melt away I run t'wards sounds that echo in the sands Of time as heavy eyes begin to lay. I wish that life could hurt without my say But with you not it grows so dark each day. ------Jennifer The Whole Bloody Affair I know not where the many hours go, It is tonight they come afull, amassed, The light it flickers like a fires glow, To Die once more and let it be the last. The smell, the stench, that will be the first sign, I quickly go and fetch my best friend Lou, The moans, the groans, now I start to pine, I'll make the creepy fucks see black and blue. The doors, the windows, all are boarded tight, I see them now they run to have their feast, And from the roof I have them in my sight, But unbeknownst to them, I am a beast. What god had started now I shall make done, Knock Knock their here, now time to have some fun. ------ A sonnet by Greg Mallios |