Don’t expect details at this point. All I’m saying is, there’s been some talk. Shakespeare opening scenes on the stage in the new park downtown. Perhaps experiments with various playing styles that make a difference in the great outdoors? There’s been some talk. Let this be a site for artistic coordination and planning. Carry on.
50 thoughts on “Shakespeare Openings: there has been some talk”
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Oooooo. Sounds saucy!
Could be, especially if the “Tacqueria” across the street is catering.
How about Cardenio?
Do they do take-out?
🙂
Seriously, I would be interested in doing some Shakespeare in some form, some way. I just don’t want to have anything to do with heading it up. Of course this is when marc will say it’s time to kill all the charismatic leader nonsense, anyway. But someone — call him/her a leader or not — must decide what we are doing, when we are doing it, etc. etc. Ain’t gonna be me!
But I will commit to participation.
Sigh. Doing some sort of Shakespeare excites me, too. I then remember to take my medication and calm down. I definitely think planetary alignment is going to have to play a part in our moving forward with this.
Someone call Jeff Payne.
How about some practicalities? It sounds like a “where” has been proposed. How about a “when”. How much prep time should we allow for? Who shall direct? What are your collective ideas regarding costuming? Any scenery at all, or shall the park itself suffice in that regard? Does the end of GHP provide the starting bookend for rehearsals? I’ll be out of the country for a week in September, but as far as I know thats my only limitation.
BTW, I briefly considered proposing that we could start memorizing lines before GHP was done, but then I remembered I could face expulsion from the Society if we actually followed through on such a suggestion.
I think the by-laws might handle situations like this by saying something like “members may express the wish to meet and ‘sort of discuss in a very general way’ any projects for which they might have acquired a bit of fleeting enthusiasm; the meetings, of course, should not be viewed as in any way ‘productive.'”
I think it’s very Lichtenbergian that we have discussed a point of order in a forum that is not strictly our “official website.”
Do we want to wait as late as the May 9 meeting at Craig’s? Or do we want to be prepared before then?
We could wait till May 9, then plan for like Memorial Day weekend or summat.
Citizens Undertaking Responsible Shakespeare
Or
CURS
A Cry of Curs in the Park.
Another Cry of Curs: As You Like It (or whatever the play…or author)
Here’s something interesting: “Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens collaborated on two melodramas, The Frozen Deep and No Thoroughfare.”
In addition to regular performances,every now and then we could hold a “Shakespeare EnterActive” and have insulting competitions, conversations in blank verse,other acting things, etc.
Here’s a pressing question apropos of nothing: how old is the expression “cri de coeur” and was Shakespeare consciously engaged in ironic wordplay?
I regret I will be in Tennessee for the 9th. No entheogenesis for me, I fear. Which of the works of Bill shall we consider? Nominations?
We can consider them as we burn them that night. I plan on consigning my collected works of WS to the flames, as previously threatened.
I’ve said this before, but I don’t want it to get lost in the shuffle. I really REALLY want to do this … eventually.
I’m reading. Considering. Speaking. Picking.
I’m getting back on medication. No, really, it’s a good thing.
As long as it doesn’t prevent you from playing Volumnia, we’re cool with that.
Cool! Does that mean I get to be Coriolanus? Do I? Do I? Huh? Do I?
Hm. I think I’ll take Coriolanus’s mother and a few senators.
In the words of a man that gave me a shot in bizness some time ago, let’s put a stake in the ground, and then build a fence around it.
Script: Corialanus
Location: The Park You Guys Scouted
When: “The Fall” is probably close enough for now
Director: Nominations?
Costumes: Ideas?
Period: Please don’t say “The Bush Administration”.
Casting:
Volumnia – Dale Lyles
Martius – Jeff Bishop
Some Senators – Dale Lyles
Any other nominations/suggestions? All I know about this thing is what I read in the wiki.
No, Marc should play Volumnia. When I claimed his mother, I was thinking Volumnia was his wife. I’ll take the wife.
No costumes. Jeans and black t-shirts.
Continued casting:
Virgilia: Dale Lyles
Volumnia: Marc Honea
Can I keep my facial hair?
These are European women we’re talking about … so, yeah.
I need to read this thing, so I can join the self-casting parade. Any suggestions?
Actually, I need to read it. I’ve only seen it.
I’ve only HEARD it.
Matthew’s interested. Jeff Allen may be.
Previously, I preferred the Signet editions to work with, but the last Shakespeare I directed was in 1999. Does anyone have opinions about other editions?
Sorry, but I just use my “complete works” as ref.
Y’all do realize that my reference to Coriolanus was a comment on the closing of NTC and not a production proposal…
Too late now.
Yesterday, after a trip to the Apple Store, I went over to Borders bookstore to put my hands on the varying editions. They didn’t have Coriolanus in all the editions, of course, but I could get a feel for all of them nonetheless.
Signet and Folger are still the best, I think, for actors: compact text, non-distracting notes.
No, not too late. I don’t know that I would propose this play for an outdoor production. How’s that for cautiousness and concern for audience reception.
Oh, the first quarter, after we leave Rome and lay siege to the Volscians, is impossible. That’s why we’ll begin scene-by-scene discussion here on Lacuna.
Perhaps with some minimal construction (cardboard, box rivets), we can fashion an inner below. The brick stage itself could serve as the inner above.
Never say “impossible.” That makes me think we should do it out of spite.
Aside from the “comedy” of Coriolanus’ extremism, I don’t think there’s any “relief” in this one. I haven’t actually read the whole thing through, though. I saw the BBC version with Alan Howard many years ago. Can’t remember much. Christopher Walken was in a Public production in NYC a number of years ago.
I went to B&N yesterday and ended up with the Penguin for holding in my hand and the Signet for all the documentation.
No laughs? We’ll see about that.
I suppose there’s hope in Cole Porter’s referencing it in “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”
Plus, it has the name going for it. “–anus.” I know I snicker every time I say it.
With you, everything’s ass.
I went to B & N in AZ … no dice. Will check with Newnan B & N upon my return.
Marc, you say that like it’s a bad thing.
Togas. We should wear togas. Ok, not really, but things had gone dormant here again. I crave progress. And stage time. And attention. Wait. This one isn’t password protected, is it. Damn.
An anagram of togas is goats. A translation of the Greek word for tragedy, tragos, means goat. The Tragos was a “goat song.” Probably some sacrifice involved. Or coupling?
Why don’t we gather and read through the thing just for kicks and giggles. We can bring a goat for Dale.
Perhaps the reading should be at GHP? Shall we plan a road trip weekend?
Sure, a road trip is fine. Should we even try to get one in before we fly apart for the summer?
We can try, but time is short.
All my days/nights are taken, but everyone is perfectly welcome to come stay in Brown Hall sometime this summer.
Or we can wait till early August, have a firepit meeting and read away.
As far as activity/change, I’m prepping a scene chart. I figure we can at least dramaturg to our hearts’ content before we even get together.
I had to look that up.