Weeklong-l May 2010

weeklong-l@lists.wikimedia.org

23 participants
34 discussions

Re: [Weeklong-l] Plays we've mentioned so far (my quick list) UPDATE
by Mike Godwin 02 Aug '10

02 Aug '10

Here's the updated list, with Matt's M4M scenes. 2 Gents (pirates) Comedy of Errors (knocking at the gate, Dr. Pinch) Taming (servants at Petruchio's return) Much Ado (Dogberry and the great chase, Kill Claudio (done in 2005)) LLL (play with the play) AYL (Ducdame) MND (Blame Clayton! Bottom's Dream) Cymbeline (Iachino in the trunk, funeral song) Winter's Tale (Paulina shows Leontes his infant child, dance of the 12 satyrs, final scene) Lear (Lear-Cordelia reconciliation) Pericles (final scene) "Brats of Clarence" by Paul Menzer Hamlet (advice to the players, grave diggers) Sonnet 30 (remembrance of things past) Henry V (muse of fire) 3 Henry VI (Duke of York: "o tiger's heart….) Othello (how 2 win Desdemona) Sonnets 40, 116, 130, 138, 142 or others Antony and Cleopatra -- news that Antony has married Octavia, also: II.vii. song-and-dance Measure for Measure -- Opening scene, Angelo wants only one thing: Isabella's virginity, Isabella and Claudio imagine howling. Macbeth: porter's scene, weird sisters. Tempest: drunks. epilogue. 12th Night: drunks (done in 2005) HVIII: Wolsey and Catherine. Epilogue. "Everything and Nothing" -- Borges (Mike says Irby translation is better than Kerrigan!) "Little Gidding" -- Eliot Falstaff scenes (1 and 2 Henry IV, Merry Wives, "Chimes at Midnight") "Kiss Me Kate" -- "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" R&J (Nurse scenes)

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Round II
by Mary Collins 01 Jun '10

01 Jun '10

Greetings, All! Thanks for all the ideas that poured out in the last couple of weeks. They were a wellspring of inspiration. Now, we are asking that you focus your scene suggestions on ideas related to the themes "Mystery/Magic/Reunion/Reconciliation". (Past reunions have been built around "Fools and Madmen/Masking," "Deception," and "Dream and Play.") In order to help us with the monumental culling process ahead, please resubmit any scenes you have already submitted if you feel they fit the themes. We are thinking about a structure for the performance that would include transitions between scenes, so as to accommodate all the weekenders who might want to perform. It would look something like: PART I (Intro/Prologue) Scene 1 Transition 1 Scene 2 Transition 2 Scene 3 Transition 3 ETC. Intermission PART II (Prologue?) More scenes/transitions Finale For transitions, there could be anything from poetry to song to dance to monologues .... whatever weekend people would like to contribute; weeklongers could sign up, too. In '05, the performance went on for close to 4 hrs., which was too long. We think we should aim at 1.5, followed by 20 minute intermission and come back with a 1 hr closing. Figuring now: If we limited the scenes to 10 minutes and the interludes to 3 minutes, we could do 11 scenes and 10 interludes within the 150 minute period comfortably. The number of scenes will depend upon what scenes are selected, of course - many scenes seem to run 10-12 minutes. The day of the reunion is meant to be a day full of performances. There will be opportunities available to do something at the brunch, at a pre-performance moment, and later, at the banquet. (During these times, we won't necessarily be concerned about theme). We "week-longers" should remember that those opportunities exist for us (if we have time!), as well as for the week-enders (anyone want to name these two groups, please??) and we hope to capture three or four Camp Shakespeare kids for some things. We are setting a deadline for contributing ideas/brainstorming of Sunday, May 23, which gives all of us ten days to read, think, dream, put it out there. Thanks, and more thanks. Cheers, Doc and the Gals.

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Yikes indeed, quoth Terry and seconded
by JOY MARVIN 31 May '10

31 May '10

Beloved Terry, As I understood Alice, we had until the strike of midnight tonight, May 31st, to enter our suggestions.... I think that is EST but Sweet Al is an angel for letting time slide into most time zones - like Hawaii hopefully.. My thought (at least the only one I really think might work) thus far is: Lights come up....Bottom enters, and at center stage stops, and addresses the audience: "Are we all met?" (I would expect rousing applause at this point as we are all "met" once more in our magic Barn). Bottom begins with...... "I have had a most rare vision......... I have a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was. (Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream. -keep this sentence?) Me thought I was--------" Lights out and open up onto whatever scene is thought fit.... thus far, I'm still working on that. We can still tie this in with the rest of Bottom's speech and repeat the Dream speech in its entirety at a later spot....maybe the end..... Must go put electrodes back on and turn up voltage on my brain stimulator.... Adieu! Joy

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I've removed the message-size limitation on weeklong-l
by Mike Godwin 30 May '10

30 May '10

Enough people have had messages delayed or bounced for size (the original limit was 40K bytes), that I've reached down deep into the mailing list settings and turned off size limitations altogether. This should mean you can send mail of Falstaffian scale (including attached Word documents or other attachments) without worrying about bounces or error messages. --List Mom

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Re: [Weeklong-l] **IMPORTANT: Call to Reunion Action!**
by Barker, Michael 30 May '10

30 May '10

I plead dyslexia because I thought Henry IV Part 2 Act IV Scene 5 was on a previous list but I see it is Act 5 Scene 4. If it is not too late to make a suggestion, I really would like this scene to be considered. Henry IV Part 2 Act IV Scene 5 This is the flip side to the tavern scene we all seem to love from Henry IV Part 1. There are several characters here as well. Henry IV, surrounded by various courtiers, is exhausted and puts his crown on his pillow and goes to sleep. Hal comes in, impulsively thinks his father is dead, takes the crown, leaves, and thinks he is king. Henry IV wakes up, is shocked that his crown is gone, is told his son took it and is really shocked. Hal enters again and has a meltdown when he sees his father is alive. Here father and son have the ultimate exchange which totally alters and binds their relationship. It is very rarely done and the speeches are so moving and dramatic, the language glorious. The scene blew me away in the Orson Welles movie Chimes at Midnight with John Gielgud as Henry IV. I've always had visions of someone likr Robert Louis Jackson playing the part. Sorry for not mentioning it before. If this is a locked, I understand. But I just thought I would mention it. All the best, m ________________________________ From: weeklong-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org To: weeklong-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Sat May 29 13:56:08 2010 Subject: [Weeklong-l] **IMPORTANT: Call to Reunion Action!** Dear Fellow Winedale Weeklongians, On behalf of Doc and the Committee of Cheerleaders, I hereby emit a big Go, Team, Go! We would like to get the whole scenes-choosing and role-casting process done and roles disseminated by June 6, when the first session of Camp Shakespeare begins and Doc will be all-consumed by it. To meet that deadline, we must strictly adhere to the ones leading up to it. Attached is the revised master list of scenes I sent you a few days ago. A a few people weighed in with a more ideas. Also, Robert Jackson, please forgive me for not including your list of scenes the first time around. It and newer material is now included and marked in bold-face type. Here is the process just ahead: By Midnight, MAY 31: Send your top ten scenes to alicegordon(a)earthlink.net. (I will immediately forward all lists to Doc and the Committee. Just trying to give everyone only one email address to type in.) Considering the themes we’ve all been talking about, please send us your top ten scenes from the complete list. Feel free either to cherry-pick from the list; to vote for one of the concepts sketched out or fully fledged by Gail, Robert P, Robert J, or Matt; or to choose both concept and scenes to make your own list. (If I have overlooked other concepts since the whole group has been talking, please remind us all as soon as you can). Kathy and Jayne’s and Clayton’s proposals seem ways and examples of how to approach any group of scenes once we’re at Winedale, and feel free to state your support or comments about such approaches as well. Our sense is that a lot of us are excited about what they are suggesting. Please keep in mind the time limit we’ve set forth and the number of participants in each scene. Doc urges us to favor ensemble scenes (six or more characters) in the balance, and also to balance longer and shorter scenes. Remember there will be weekenders and audience pop-ups with whom we will share the matinee. By June 2: Doc and Committee come up with final list of scenes. The committee and Doc will look at the preferences mathematically, see what rises to the top, and then work out the final choices by considering ensemble or what works better or what’s more appropriate for the context. Once we have the final list, it will be sent out to everybody. Please keep an eye on your email inbox that day. By June 3: Your requests or preferences, if any. When you get that list, please let us know if you have very special preferences for roles you would like to play or scenes you would like to take part in. Once we get that information, we’ll have at the casting. June 5: Deadline for roles to be cast. June 6: List of roles sent to whole group. Courage! This will mean a fast week-plus coming up. Make your best haste, All best wishes, Alice

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Testing the Weeklong-L mailing list (for Robert Jackson)
by Mike Godwin 29 May '10

29 May '10

No need to respond to this message. --Mike

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Possibly too late submission -- Queen Elizabeth's contributions
by Mike Godwin 24 May '10

24 May '10

These two pieces have always struck me as somehow belonging together, like two points through which one can draw the straight line of a character. --Mike Elizabeth's speech to the troops at Tilbury: My loving people,   We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you in the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people. Elizabeth's sonnet: On Monsieur's Departure I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say I ever meant, I seem stark mute but inwardly do prate. I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned, Since from myself another self I turned. My care is like my shadow in the sun, Follows me flying, flies when I pursue it, Stands and lies by me, doth what I have done. His too familiar care doth make me rue it. No means I find to rid him from my breast, Till by the end of things it be supprest. Some gentler passion slide into my mind, For I am soft and made of melting snow; Or be more cruel, love, and so be kind. Let me or float or sink, be high or low. Or let me live with some more sweet content, Or die and so forget what love ere meant.

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Re: [Weeklong-l] Possibly too late submission -- Queen Elizabeth's contributions
by Barker, Michael 24 May '10

24 May '10

What a beautiful speech. Thank you for this, I was not aware of it before. ________________________________ From: weeklong-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org To: weeklong-l Sent: Mon May 24 08:48:52 2010 Subject: [Weeklong-l] Possibly too late submission -- Queen Elizabeth's contributions These two pieces have always struck me as somehow belonging together, like two points through which one can draw the straight line of a character. --Mike Elizabeth's speech to the troops at Tilbury: My loving people,   We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear, I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you in the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people. Elizabeth's sonnet: On Monsieur's Departure I grieve and dare not show my discontent, I love and yet am forced to seem to hate, I do, yet dare not say I ever meant, I seem stark mute but inwardly do prate. I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned, Since from myself another self I turned. My care is like my shadow in the sun, Follows me flying, flies when I pursue it, Stands and lies by me, doth what I have done. His too familiar care doth make me rue it. No means I find to rid him from my breast, Till by the end of things it be supprest. Some gentler passion slide into my mind, For I am soft and made of melting snow; Or be more cruel, love, and so be kind. Let me or float or sink, be high or low. Or let me live with some more sweet content, Or die and so forget what love ere meant.

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pop a top... again....
by Clay Stromberger 24 May '10

24 May '10

Uh-oh, it's past midnight in New York, but I'll slip this one under Alice's door... Thinking back to what Jayne and Kathy wrote about all the things that can happen in a pub (such as wrestling), and Bob's images of people suddenly grabbing tablecloths, and what Maggie says about things bursting out of frameworks -- what a chain of thoughts and ideas! -- it occurs to me that something really wild and uproarious like the AYL wrestling scene (1.2 middle) would be wonderful to hurl ourselves into -- tables and benches being shoved back, everyone whipping into an improvised scene full of characters. Doc opened our eyes in '84 to all the possibilities for ritual and performance surrounding that spectacle. Also occurs to me that in such a setting some of the other kinds of writing we've talked about (Borges, Eliot, the sonnets) could be spoken, leapt into after a scene, by someone who just looked up from her/his mug of small beer up on the balcony. Someone who sensed it was the right moment for those words. And then someone else could pick up the second paragraph.... Mary mentioned the original RSC Nicholas Nickleby recently (look for it on Netflix etc., if you've never watched it -- amazing and beautiful) -- the company members were all onstage the whole time, playing a role, then watching, listening, then breaking into Dickens' narrative without missing a beat, from way up on a balcony, or while putting away a table, and this would flow from player to player, sometimes by phrases, sometimes by sentences or longer sections. It had many of the elements Gail described in the Cheek by Jowl performance, that same delight in returning to the most pared-down, truthful storytelling possible, the joy in playing. Finally, another great thing about the everyone-onstage, improvised-costumes approach is that none of us have to miss anyone else's scenes. We're all (everyone there for the reunion performance) in the same space together the whole time. cs Clayton Stromberger Outreach Coordinator UT Shakespeare at Winedale College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin www.shakespeare-winedale.org cell: 512-228-1055/ office: 512-471-4726

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idea for opening
by Clay Stromberger 24 May '10

24 May '10

Y'all -- I think the tavern idea is an interesting one and it makes me think both of the Boar’s Head scenes in 1 Henry IV but also the Dirty Duck in Stratford. I had a little image last night that may have been influenced by the Marx Brothers (we just watched “Monkey Business” here at home), and perhaps also by the margarita at Matt's El Rancho (not quite wine under the trees with an old friend, but not bad) -- so I’ll toss it out there for what it’s worth. It's sort of a fusion of many of the great ideas and impulses that I've been reading.... The Barn stage is empty, quiet. (This is the tavern, but the audience doesn’t know that yet.... perhaps there are a few clues here and there, a tavern sign?) Someone enters up above, pensive, heavy in thought. This person makes his or her way down the stairs, looking out over the audience. She or he stands center stage. Looks around. A sigh. “Now.... I am alone.” He or she takes a big breath to break into a soliloquy, when... KA-BOOM, the Players (as in Hamlet?) come bursting and streaming in from all directions at once, all talking loudly (a mixture of lines from all the plays they’ve just performed), an explosion of sound and life and energy, taking off various parts of costumes, laughing uproariously, some of them singing, sharing a bottle of something, and they, cartoon-like (think Bugs Bunny or again Marx Brothers) stream past the stunned “Hamlet” and even perhaps sweep him along (lifting him straight up from his elbows six inches or so) and deposit him on a bench a pop a mug of something in his hand and slap him or her on the back. “What, shall we be merry? Shall we have a play extempore!?” someone yells (the Player Falstaff?), and someone across the room yells back, “Content, and the argument shall be...” and everyone joins in, “thy running away!” The Player of Falstaff groans back, “Ah, no more of that... an thou lovest me!” It is a ritual of sorts. Everyone begins to settle into various parts of the tavern (benches and perhaps a small table appear, Francis in his apron, the Hostess...). They all have their favorite spots, their post-performance duties, their own ways of unwinding after a full day of playing. A few are taking off makeup, perhaps prying off fake beards, as the roar settles into a murmur and bustle. Perhaps a few look over the texts for the next day’s play, new lines. (They are Players, but not "professional actors" -- I know that is a contradiction perhaps.... ) As everyone finds their seat or corner the center of the stage is open for a moment. It’s a kind of empty space that beckons. Invites. Some of the characters begin to look up from their drinks or animated conversations and notice. Someone has a little vision, a starting impulse for some kind of beginning, and stands slowly and then moves into that space; the others notice, sensing that something is going on. Perhaps a second player puts down her drink and grabs something from the straw trunk of props (carted in for sorting during the evening’s drinking). The first player says a word – it changes everything – and a scene begins. These players have performed so many of Will’s plays, they know so many of them by heart, even the roles they never played. So they have a go at something. (I don’t have a vision yet of the first scene here – but will think on it....) And others join in. And at some point, that first lively scene has reached its natural peak – no one intends to do an entire play, but they also are open to any possibility – play is in the air, and no one is sure what’ll be tossed into the ring next. So suddenly a second scene begins up in the balcony – not to rudely interrupt the first scene, but perhaps to comment on it, or take what it has begun and comment on it in an unusual way... and slowly the players begin looking around for things they can grab and turn into props, and they begin grabbing the tavern crew and pushing them into the scenes, and they too know the lines, they’ve seen the plays, heard the players practice lines during the day there on lunch break... and as many of you have described very evocatively, scenes ebb and flow, some perhaps even alternate upstairs/downstairs; and one man and woman in this time plays many parts. That’s as far as I’ve gotten. At some point, everyone senses it’s time to say goodnight. Someone begins a song – perhaps the end of LLL. Everyone joins in. It’s a bit melancholy, so someone hollers out a line of something more rowdy, a last flickering of the flame, and they jump into that. It’s late. They begin to play one- or two-line moments of scenes that have to do with parting – saying goodbye – and step off into the night, singly or in pairs, each going home. The last person there is Francis, in his apron, closing up. He looks around, broom in hand (I know, dangerously close to Carol Burnett territory here! – but you can also think of old Firs left behind in “Cherry Orchard”), and says – “Now... I am alone...” – and goes off grabbing the last few mugs and dishrags. Perhaps it's a playing out of the reunion experience in a compressed form -- preparation, excited and eager arrival, play everywhere, and then a somewhat heartbroken goodbye, but sustained by the hope for the next gathering. cs cClayton Stromberger Outreach Coordinator UT Shakespeare at Winedale College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin www.shakespeare-winedale.org cell: 512-228-1055/ office: 512-471-4726

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Weeklong-l May 2010