Critiques from District - April 1, 2011
David Stevens’ and mine
Rehearsal Saturday evening at 8PM. Rehearse your accents. If you have lost your accent tape, see me or text me. Sunday’s rehearsal will be long. If you need to leave early for church, let me know. Love you guys! REMARKABLE performance! Even if we had not advanced, I was SO HAPPY because you invested everything you had and created the world of Atlantic City. I am going to ask that you keep working and improving you role in this journey. We will face more difficult competitors as we travel, so we have to keep improving.
Saturday evening, we will concentrate on the trial scene. Sunday, we will go through the play with the changes. We need to see the moments and still be under 40. READ all the critique and see what you can add.
Everyone • Great intensity at the beginning.
• ACCENTS were not consistent – he stressed that this might be a determining factor with whether we advance. CONCENTRATE on this.
• HATS need to go on the hatrack. We will put an additional 4X4 behind it to hold other hats if we run out of space. PLEASE use the hatrack- no hats on tables or underneath chairs.
• Good job of playing the moments.
• Be careful not to push characters for laughs or be overly dramatic. One critic judge I had said – don’t play sadness- feel sadness or tragedy and let it come out from your soul to be displayed to the audience. That must be true for comedy. Be so invested in your character that he does funny things without realizing they are funny. That is just the way he/she is.
• I want to see newspaper reading in the middle of USC .
• Be confident – crystal clear – in your character. Once you have decided how your character is – commit to it fully 110%. A great example we have is how Randall and Michelle commit to the dance. They are energetic, have fun, and they don’t worry about how the audience sees them.
• Watch angry voices that they do not become ”warbly” – out of control is what I think he meant.
• Ensemble was wonderful!
• Trial people, make a bigger deal of reacting to the scales and the sharpening of the knife.
• Trial scene – beginning was good, but ending was not strong. EVERYONE, think what you can do to make this stronger. How do we build intensity from Portia’s entrance to bear your bosom to Portia’s Jew. Reaching the solution should take more time and build in intensity.
• There needs to be more fear and craziness in the trial scene.
• Build up to the baptism.
• Let’s work more on atmosphere. I felt it when Lorenzo goes to Jessica’s house – from all the men. Jared, wear your jacket in this scene. Everyone make use of the weather.
Antonio But therefore go – he loved the moment
Michelle and Randall Loved the spontaneity of the dance
Sponge line – he loved Randall’s actions.
Nerissa Work on the character to be strong physically. You might rework your character sketch. For this to have been your third performance – you have been so successful.
Arragon Don’t be aggressive – make big choices. Again, become that character with all the eccentricities and make people laugh because that is what you are. Don’t lose the air kiss. You have come such a long way – great job. Not a direct address to audience. Remind me to reblock this. Casket men in an angle.
Shylock Real beard? Hmm. We will have to spend a lot of time to make this work.
Tiredness – cannot remember what he said, but we can see your character make the journey and to me, it is realistic for you to be more confident and full of energy at the beginning and gradually become more tired. No black panels.
I am a Jew – toward S & S
Speak no more – lower and measured.
Make a bigger deal out of the scale and sharpening the knife. Look at Antonio
Think about the flesh.
Show relief when you are not condemned to die.
Build up to I am content – struggle to say it.
I am a Jew – pleading for forgiveness.
Moroccan Loved your energy – work on not pushing too hard. Let the character create the humor without knowing he is funny.
Portia Make the slap meaningful. Move away from the Moroccan.
Lower voice in trial scene.
Launcelot Vocally make it big. Work on diction and vocally variety. Loved your character.
Savannah Look at the line “Fortune …crossed” line. If luck is with me, you will no longer have a daughter.
Be thoughtful and take a moment. We have the time. Be more excited about Lorenzo when you are on the ladder.
Casket men Great job. Don’t change a thing. BUT enter behind Shylock’s house.
Moroccan men Someone catch the skull. Do not make it bigger. Stay the same.
Portia and Bassanio Great job being lin love
Gratiano Great job throughout. He loved the delivery about your wife.
Bassanio Live in the moment of discovering that Portia’s picture in the casket.
Lorenzo Need to see your face with the letter.
Antonio and Shylock Slap was great.
Antonio Don’t overreact to pain and fear. Internalize it and let it come out as emotion. Be in the character. Don’t play sad. Fight to live. We need to see you make your decision to relent and accept your fate.
Greater relief when Portia discovers the solution.
Portia and all in the trial scene except for Jessica and hannah When you laugh – make it real. Not playacting a laugh
DUKE Great job! So proud of you! Measure your last words.
Lane Light on Nerissa and Gratiano USC during Bassanio’s casket scene.
Mica, Lane, & Cole Coordinate lightning and thunder. We need lightning with Lorenzo’s entrance and after Bassanio’s casket scene.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Monday Night's Performance
To do
Fix morroccan music (first time)
Fix Hannah’s aproon
• We are excited that Conner is playing the Duke. You have big footsteps to fill. We are also glad that Chris will take the journey with us.
• On Thursday, leave your cell phones in my room before coming into the auditorium. NO CELLS BACKSTAGE. How can you focus and be in character when you are texting? If I catch you, it will be taken up and given to Mr. Johnson/Freeman because this is a class.
• Salerio, need you louder and clearer at beginning
• What harm a wind – louder Salarino.
• In Sooth – no pause – but the line was better
• Fawning publican needs to be louder and Christian line.
• Shylock, better at not being in profile.
• Hannah, Mark, Chavez, and Zack – instead of walking RS, Mark, why don’t you go get a glass and drink it while you are thinking of your next line. Do this after “spurn thee too.” This will act as if it is calming you down. Hannah, fix the drink so he does not have to go all the way back to the inside of the café. DO NOT GO FAR RIGHT STAGE
• Savannah, Daughter lost needs to lift.
• Carson, wait until Shylock comes in to hide. Wait until he exits to come out. Do not come out when he is there.
• Hayden – lift hat back in Moroccan scene – or hand it to a guy and slick your hair back slowly.
• EVERYONE – DO NOT MOUTH OTHER”S WORDS. This is prompting and we can be disqualified. I will ask Blake to watch for that exclusively Thursday.
• Shylock, take your hat off in the house – cannot see your face.
• Lane, put a dim light on Shylock when Launcelot hands him the letter. More light.
• Louder, Zack in house. Hit consonants
• Antonio, move downstage further in your wind scene. Lane, take lights off Jessica and Lorenzo quickly.Also take lights off the café. Lorenzo and Jessica, cross in front of the house to exit.
• More thunder in Antonio’s scene. Cole, more lightning in this scene.
• In arragon scene, Michelle – yell your line towards the audience – lower and use diction.
• Faster – Arragon scene. Let’s work on it. Woo needs to be hit hard and it needs to lift. It was better Monday night, but be impatient and that will make it faster. Be looking at the caskets and begin as soon as Portia says her line. Hit looke fairer. Immediately go to the next chest. Hit all bold words. The line with “What’s here? Is great.
Arragon “ Who chooses me must give and hazard all he has…” You shall looke fairer ere I hazard.
Arragon What says the golden chest? Ha! Let me see! I will not choose what many men desire because I will not jumpe with common SPIRITS
Arragon “Who chooses me( silver) shall get as much as he deserves.” I deserve the very best . Give me a key NO DANCE
Arragon What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot presenting me a schedule! Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head? Don’t I deserve the very best?
• Shylock, put black panels up.
• Salerio, Salarino, and Shylock scene. Move the red tables as you exit. Conner Dipprey, go out and sit in the center stage table and when the next scene starts, move it out. You will have to help move the café scene. Last night was the BEST that you have done it. IT WAS SEAMLESS.
• Shylock – heart speech more to the audience.
• Bassanio’s casket scene move this way left stage.
• Chavez, keep your head up in the casket scene. I am still not happy with the way this scene is going. Hayden, Jared, Graham and Savannah – make more commotion coming in. Graham and Savannah, at first stand on the 4 X 4, then move down so that you can be in the group. There must be a sense of urgency.
• In casket scene, 6000 ducats react
• Jail scene, we need to redo this. I want Mark to cross down with the last lines.
• Beware fangs needs to be louder.
• In trial scene 6,000 ducats - react
• I stand for the law, Conner walk to Zack
• Murmur coming into the trial scene. Expressions were better, but you need to say different things each time it is time for the crowd to speak.
• Duke, work on your lines. You are a politician. Be bigger than life. Think of Al Sharpton.
• Too many sitting in trial scene.
• Trial scene was so much better. Jerod, Hayden, Ty, Carson, Graham, Connor, Randall, Chavez – outstanding talking to each other
• All women, sit like women, keep knees together.
• Change the murmuring. Duke turn toward Shylock.
• Shylock turn toward audience when Hayden calls you a dog.
• EVERYONE, head up and do not bend from the waist.
• Slave speech was phenomenal
• During Molly’s mercy speech, we need to see Shylock’s and Duke’s face.
• Molly, we need more time before you say tarry. The suspense does not have time to build. Mark and Zack, work with her.
• Carson, go get the pitcher for Mark.
• Duke – last line needs to be measured and said with authority.
• Trial scene
o Great job, Hayden going to Chavez
o Carson great job – reacting to Shylock in trial scene.
o SOCKS! Black or brown – girls included. Not Hannah and Savannah
o Molly – your best
o Give me judgment to judge and more to audience – cheat out.
o Mark reluctantly take off shirt.
o TY GREAT job crying
o Randall – angrier with wife line.
o HEADS UP, everyone. NO BENDING FROM THE WAIST.
o Hayden, christening
o All in all – a wonderful performance. Everyone improved.
Fix morroccan music (first time)
Fix Hannah’s aproon
• We are excited that Conner is playing the Duke. You have big footsteps to fill. We are also glad that Chris will take the journey with us.
• On Thursday, leave your cell phones in my room before coming into the auditorium. NO CELLS BACKSTAGE. How can you focus and be in character when you are texting? If I catch you, it will be taken up and given to Mr. Johnson/Freeman because this is a class.
• Salerio, need you louder and clearer at beginning
• What harm a wind – louder Salarino.
• In Sooth – no pause – but the line was better
• Fawning publican needs to be louder and Christian line.
• Shylock, better at not being in profile.
• Hannah, Mark, Chavez, and Zack – instead of walking RS, Mark, why don’t you go get a glass and drink it while you are thinking of your next line. Do this after “spurn thee too.” This will act as if it is calming you down. Hannah, fix the drink so he does not have to go all the way back to the inside of the café. DO NOT GO FAR RIGHT STAGE
• Savannah, Daughter lost needs to lift.
• Carson, wait until Shylock comes in to hide. Wait until he exits to come out. Do not come out when he is there.
• Hayden – lift hat back in Moroccan scene – or hand it to a guy and slick your hair back slowly.
• EVERYONE – DO NOT MOUTH OTHER”S WORDS. This is prompting and we can be disqualified. I will ask Blake to watch for that exclusively Thursday.
• Shylock, take your hat off in the house – cannot see your face.
• Lane, put a dim light on Shylock when Launcelot hands him the letter. More light.
• Louder, Zack in house. Hit consonants
• Antonio, move downstage further in your wind scene. Lane, take lights off Jessica and Lorenzo quickly.Also take lights off the café. Lorenzo and Jessica, cross in front of the house to exit.
• More thunder in Antonio’s scene. Cole, more lightning in this scene.
• In arragon scene, Michelle – yell your line towards the audience – lower and use diction.
• Faster – Arragon scene. Let’s work on it. Woo needs to be hit hard and it needs to lift. It was better Monday night, but be impatient and that will make it faster. Be looking at the caskets and begin as soon as Portia says her line. Hit looke fairer. Immediately go to the next chest. Hit all bold words. The line with “What’s here? Is great.
Arragon “ Who chooses me must give and hazard all he has…” You shall looke fairer ere I hazard.
Arragon What says the golden chest? Ha! Let me see! I will not choose what many men desire because I will not jumpe with common SPIRITS
Arragon “Who chooses me( silver) shall get as much as he deserves.” I deserve the very best . Give me a key NO DANCE
Arragon What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot presenting me a schedule! Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head? Don’t I deserve the very best?
• Shylock, put black panels up.
• Salerio, Salarino, and Shylock scene. Move the red tables as you exit. Conner Dipprey, go out and sit in the center stage table and when the next scene starts, move it out. You will have to help move the café scene. Last night was the BEST that you have done it. IT WAS SEAMLESS.
• Shylock – heart speech more to the audience.
• Bassanio’s casket scene move this way left stage.
• Chavez, keep your head up in the casket scene. I am still not happy with the way this scene is going. Hayden, Jared, Graham and Savannah – make more commotion coming in. Graham and Savannah, at first stand on the 4 X 4, then move down so that you can be in the group. There must be a sense of urgency.
• In casket scene, 6000 ducats react
• Jail scene, we need to redo this. I want Mark to cross down with the last lines.
• Beware fangs needs to be louder.
• In trial scene 6,000 ducats - react
• I stand for the law, Conner walk to Zack
• Murmur coming into the trial scene. Expressions were better, but you need to say different things each time it is time for the crowd to speak.
• Duke, work on your lines. You are a politician. Be bigger than life. Think of Al Sharpton.
• Too many sitting in trial scene.
• Trial scene was so much better. Jerod, Hayden, Ty, Carson, Graham, Connor, Randall, Chavez – outstanding talking to each other
• All women, sit like women, keep knees together.
• Change the murmuring. Duke turn toward Shylock.
• Shylock turn toward audience when Hayden calls you a dog.
• EVERYONE, head up and do not bend from the waist.
• Slave speech was phenomenal
• During Molly’s mercy speech, we need to see Shylock’s and Duke’s face.
• Molly, we need more time before you say tarry. The suspense does not have time to build. Mark and Zack, work with her.
• Carson, go get the pitcher for Mark.
• Duke – last line needs to be measured and said with authority.
• Trial scene
o Great job, Hayden going to Chavez
o Carson great job – reacting to Shylock in trial scene.
o SOCKS! Black or brown – girls included. Not Hannah and Savannah
o Molly – your best
o Give me judgment to judge and more to audience – cheat out.
o Mark reluctantly take off shirt.
o TY GREAT job crying
o Randall – angrier with wife line.
o HEADS UP, everyone. NO BENDING FROM THE WAIST.
o Hayden, christening
o All in all – a wonderful performance. Everyone improved.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
MARCH 20 PERFORMANCE
Performance Sunday, March 20, 2011
• Overall, an improved performance. I can see daylight. We have to improve each rehearsal.
• Connor and Carson were standing the same at the beginning. One person change.
• Let’s put Portia and Nerissa in the opening slow mo. That way people understand that Portia and Bassanio might have met even though he is not present on stage.
• Hayden – ague and the lines following – don’t whisper. I understand varying your vocals, and as actors, you all have to do that. Just lost the line. Maybe if you would say it to the audience more as if you are thinking aloud.
• EVERYONE should vary vocally.
• Jared – I know no pause
• Randall, speak toward the audience, hit consonants. Loved the energy, but could not understand thelines.
• Antonio and Bassanio – loved the Portia moment.
• Mark, Shylock, Bassanio, move your chairs back – scoot them toward the table before you exit. Hannah, take their glasses and wipe off the table.
• By my troth – louder Could not understand all lines in this scene, Portia.
• Café people, acknowledge Hannah. Use hand signals for a drink. BE sure to pay her before you leave. Hold up your glass if you need a refill.
• We need more newspapers open at the café scene. Discuss what is happening.
• EVERYONE must be louder. Cooper’s acoustics are terrible. Get used to it now.
• Cole and Lane, lights off Ty and Chris more in the café scene.
• Chris and Ty, great reactions to the argument. We need to see more of it. SO, Bassanio, Mark, and Shylock, do not move so far right stage.
• Shylock, remember we do not need to see your profile. Pound of flesh – we need to see your face.
• In the Launcelot scene, I could not understand Bassanio.
• Moroccan men – great levels. Keep it up. Love facial expressions on all men. They are all different.
• Following the last Salerio, Salarino, Shylock scene, start moving tables offstage. Salerio and Salarino take your glasses and bottle offstage. Take the least visual cross when moving chairs. Hannah, go behind the café to the left of it and pick up the chair to move it on top of the other. MEN, HELP HER OUT transforming café to jail.
• In the Bassanio casket scene. WE NEED more of an entrance when the men come in. We do not need to understand words, but we MUST hear chaos as you are coming in. We MUST have a sense of urgency. Everyone react when they come in. You are worried – Michelle, Molly, Randall, and Chavez. Why are they coming in so quickly and loudly? What is the problem?
• We have added in lines for Portia and Nerissa so the audience will understand that they are going to be men. If you have read this far, text me 470-9940 or email me ccouch@shallowaterisd.net.
PORTIA Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand
That you yet know not of: we'll see our husbands
Before they think of us.
NERISSA Shall they see us? 60
PORTIA They shall, Nerissa;
I'll hold thee any wager,
When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two, 65
And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
and turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride,
70
I have within my mind
A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
Which I will practise.
NERISSA Why, shall we turn to men? 80
PORTIA Laugh
[Exeunt]
• Duke, use the cane as an accessory – like you are full of yourself. The limping does not work. Zack, may we borrow a cane? Duke,
Look at your lines. You are putting more pauses in them that are required. Duke - move around the room. Talk to different people. Be close to Portia and Nerissa. Then say your line about them being here. Duke on the mercy line, go to Shylock.
• Hannah, great job in trial scene. But be Bigger.
• Mark and Chavez – great job on your discussion. Randall, love you on the step. We can see your emotion. Great job – Hayden, coming in to the court scene. He acts coming in. He went to Ty, and they both acted. The trial scene was better, but we need more. You are a community of people who have known each other for years. I am not getting that. The only strangers are Portia and Nerissa.
• Men, when women come into a building, hold a chair out for them (Graham). Wait until Hannah is seated, or better yet, pull out a chair for her.
• Overall, an improved performance. I can see daylight. We have to improve each rehearsal.
• Connor and Carson were standing the same at the beginning. One person change.
• Let’s put Portia and Nerissa in the opening slow mo. That way people understand that Portia and Bassanio might have met even though he is not present on stage.
• Hayden – ague and the lines following – don’t whisper. I understand varying your vocals, and as actors, you all have to do that. Just lost the line. Maybe if you would say it to the audience more as if you are thinking aloud.
• EVERYONE should vary vocally.
• Jared – I know no pause
• Randall, speak toward the audience, hit consonants. Loved the energy, but could not understand thelines.
• Antonio and Bassanio – loved the Portia moment.
• Mark, Shylock, Bassanio, move your chairs back – scoot them toward the table before you exit. Hannah, take their glasses and wipe off the table.
• By my troth – louder Could not understand all lines in this scene, Portia.
• Café people, acknowledge Hannah. Use hand signals for a drink. BE sure to pay her before you leave. Hold up your glass if you need a refill.
• We need more newspapers open at the café scene. Discuss what is happening.
• EVERYONE must be louder. Cooper’s acoustics are terrible. Get used to it now.
• Cole and Lane, lights off Ty and Chris more in the café scene.
• Chris and Ty, great reactions to the argument. We need to see more of it. SO, Bassanio, Mark, and Shylock, do not move so far right stage.
• Shylock, remember we do not need to see your profile. Pound of flesh – we need to see your face.
• In the Launcelot scene, I could not understand Bassanio.
• Moroccan men – great levels. Keep it up. Love facial expressions on all men. They are all different.
• Following the last Salerio, Salarino, Shylock scene, start moving tables offstage. Salerio and Salarino take your glasses and bottle offstage. Take the least visual cross when moving chairs. Hannah, go behind the café to the left of it and pick up the chair to move it on top of the other. MEN, HELP HER OUT transforming café to jail.
• In the Bassanio casket scene. WE NEED more of an entrance when the men come in. We do not need to understand words, but we MUST hear chaos as you are coming in. We MUST have a sense of urgency. Everyone react when they come in. You are worried – Michelle, Molly, Randall, and Chavez. Why are they coming in so quickly and loudly? What is the problem?
• We have added in lines for Portia and Nerissa so the audience will understand that they are going to be men. If you have read this far, text me 470-9940 or email me ccouch@shallowaterisd.net.
PORTIA Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand
That you yet know not of: we'll see our husbands
Before they think of us.
NERISSA Shall they see us? 60
PORTIA They shall, Nerissa;
I'll hold thee any wager,
When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two, 65
And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
and turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride,
70
I have within my mind
A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
Which I will practise.
NERISSA Why, shall we turn to men? 80
PORTIA Laugh
[Exeunt]
• Duke, use the cane as an accessory – like you are full of yourself. The limping does not work. Zack, may we borrow a cane? Duke,
Look at your lines. You are putting more pauses in them that are required. Duke - move around the room. Talk to different people. Be close to Portia and Nerissa. Then say your line about them being here. Duke on the mercy line, go to Shylock.
• Hannah, great job in trial scene. But be Bigger.
• Mark and Chavez – great job on your discussion. Randall, love you on the step. We can see your emotion. Great job – Hayden, coming in to the court scene. He acts coming in. He went to Ty, and they both acted. The trial scene was better, but we need more. You are a community of people who have known each other for years. I am not getting that. The only strangers are Portia and Nerissa.
• Men, when women come into a building, hold a chair out for them (Graham). Wait until Hannah is seated, or better yet, pull out a chair for her.
Friday, March 11, 2011
March 11
CRITIQUES AND NOTES FOR THE WEEKS BEFORE CONTEST
• Rehearsal Friday, March 18 at 1:00. Rehearsal Saturday, March 19 at 8PM. Baseball boys may return home with parents –Biera
• Sunday – private performance for parents -3:00 Passes will be handed out to families for one public performance.
• Monday – Performance for middle school -2:45. Public performance 7:30PM
• March 28 Public performance 7:30; March 27 Public performance at 3PM
Jim Rambo’s critique + mine
Everyone Three judges have asked students to go back to the script and look at dialogue. ONLY IF there is a period or a colon does the actor pause. A series of commas means to speed up with each phrase/clause gaining momentum. End each sentence with a lift. Hit consonants. Look at words that are bold faced and stress them. If three judges have said this, then obviously we need to do this before competition. If the judge cannot understand us at the “get go,” we will not advance.
Music Fade out music of first song.
EVERYONE Step on lines throughout the show. Without doing this, it seems as if you are just repeating lines.
EVERYONE – I have pasted the first scene so that EVERYONE could look at the dialogue and see what to do with commas, periods, etc.
Antonio In soothI know not why I am so sad,It wearies me(lift “me”): PAUSE you say it wearies you(lift “you”):; And such a want-wit sadnesse makes of mee(lift “me”):, NO PAUSE , BUT FASTER That I have much ado to know myselfe(lift “myself”):. CUE2 Fog Horn has ocean and sea gulls
Salarino Your minde is tossing on the Ocean where your Argosies saile. NO PAUSES. LIFT SAILE.
Salerio Believe me Sir, had I such venture forth, NO PAUSE, BUT A RAPIDLY INTENSE PROGRESSION TO THE END OF THE SENTENCE.
the better part of my affections, would be with my hopes abroad(LIFT “ABROAD”. PAUSE I should be still plucking the grasse to know where sits the winde(lift “WIND”):.
Salarino ANTONIO, My winde cooling my broth would blow me to an Ague (fever), NO PAUSEwhen I what harme a winde too great at sea might do. AGUE AND DO ARE SUPPOSED TO RHYME. LIFT “DO”
Salerio But tell me SALARINO, I know, Antonio is sad to thinke upon his merchandise. NO PAUSE, BUT EACH PHRASE AFTER THE COMMA SHOULD BE SAID SWIFTER AND MORE INTENSELY. (lift “MERCHANDISE”):
Antonio Believe me NO PAUSE no. Be argumentative
Salarino Why then you are in love. (lift “LOVE”):
Antonio Fie, Fie!
Salarino Not in love either? Then let us say you are sad because you are not merry. (lift “MERRY”):
Salerio Fare ye well. PAUSE We leave you now with better company. (lift “COMPANY”):
Salarino Good morrow. (lift “MORROW”):
Gratiano You looke not well, Antonio(lift “ANTONIO”):; PAUSE You have too much respect upon the world(lift “WORLD”):: PAUSE They lose it that doe buy it with much care: (lift “CARE”): CUE 3 Fog Horn
Antonio I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; NO PAUSE A stage, where every man must play a part, NO PAUSE and mine a sad one.
Gratiano Fare ye well awhile, NO PAUSEI’ll end my exhortation after dinner. (lift “DINNER”): LAUGH
Bassanio Gratiano speakes an infinite deale of nothing, NO PAUSE more than any man in all Venice. (lift “VENICE”): Antonio laughs without humor.
Antonio Well:
Bassanio ‘Tis not unknowne to you, Antonio how much I have disabled mine estate. LIFT ESTATE NO PAUSE EXCEPT AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE To you Antonio I owe the most in money, and in love, and from your love I have a warranty to unburden all my plots and purposes, how to get cleare of all the debts I owe. LIFT OWE – THERE ARE COMMAS – NO PAUSE, BUT EACH PHRASE SHOULD BE SAID FASTER AND MORE INTENSELY.
Antonio I pray you,NO PAUSE good Bassanio Let me know it; PAUSE be assur’d my purse, NO PAUSE lie all unlock’d to your occasions. (lift “OCCASIONS”):
Bassanio COMMAS = INCREASE PACE WITH COMMAS In Belmont is a lady richly left, and she is faire, sometimes from her eyes I did receive faire speechless messages: PAUSE Her name is Portia, NO PAUSE the four windes blow in from every coast renown’d suitors. PAUSEO my Antonio, had I but the meanes to hold a rival place with one of them, that I should questionlesse be fortunate! (lift “FORTUNATE”):
Antonio Bassanio, NO PAUSE Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea, NO PAUSE therefore goe forth try what my credit can in Venice doe: (lift “DOE”):
Antonio You have the first line. Please look at pauses and eliminate them if there is not a period or colon.
Rambo – Your first line slows down the first scene. Watch “gravelly” voice. Use a natural voice, but in a lower timbre.
Salarino and Salerio Watch pauses in first lines.
Italian men Entrance needs to be louder. I can’t figure out why you have changed.
Gratiano and Antonio Lift chins in first meeting. Gratiano, love the energy, but we need to understand your lines.
Bassanio EARLOCKS!
Hannah APRON – we don’t see enough busy work.
Shylock Stand erect. Line with “forfeiture” needs to be directed more to audience.
Jessica I want to see the script with the long vowels colored, the one syllable words circled. Watch pauses
Cole Strobe needs to be shorter for lightning and erratic in timing.
Shylock and Jessica WE MUST SEE THE RELATIONSHIP. THEN WE MUST SEE THE REACTION WHEN SHYLOCK SEES JESSiCA HUG LAUNCELOT. This MUST be a CONTRAST.
First Casket Scene Watch screaming – we need a diverse sound from each person. We need the chance to see the skull. Perhaps each person needs to hold it briefly toward the audience then throw it. Somehow we need to see the skull.
Gratiano Love newes in faith – toward the audience and more distinct
Jessica Take the suitcase with you, not the casket.
Lane We need to see more of a light on Shylock . Shylock, make this more dramatic.
Mica Wind BEFORE Antonio comes out.
Italian men, Jessica and Antonio Bassanio and Gratiano, move more center stage to speak to Salerio and Lorenzo as Jessica comes out. Jessica and Lorenzo, take a little more time before the hugging, kissing. Antonio, more of a dramatic entrance. You have been searching for them. Bring Bassanio downstage.
Portia Difficult time hearing and understanding you today.
EVERYONE STEP ON LINES THROUGHOUT THE SHOW
Portia and Nerissa Could not hear you or understand you at the beginning. Arragon MUST come out early. Nerissa, run downstage, try to stop Arragon from messing with the caskets. Then your line to PORTIA as you are trying to keep Arragon from messing with the caskets – not pushy, but slyly.
Arragon scene STEP ON LINES. This needs to be bigger. We will use bothTy and Chris and decide who will be Arragon on contest.
Salerio , Salarino, Shylock STEP ON LINES
Shylock – you barely contain your anger
If the devil be her judge – attacking – be meaner
Bassanio Casket scene All Italian men and girls THIS WAS SLOW>>>>>Step on lines. BIGGER REACTIONS TO Bassanio’s ENTRANCE. Lorenzo and Italian men’s entrance MUST BE BIGGER. IT HAS BEEN RAINING. YOU ARE EXHAUSTED. YOU ARE AFRAID THAT YOU MIGHT BE TOO LATE TO GET THE LETTER TO BASSANIO. THIS ENTRANCE MUST BE LOUD AND URGENT. Gratiano, go to Salerio and discuss the letter and Antonio’s problem. THE ENTIRE MOOD OF THIS SCENE MUST CHANGE DRASTICALLY. Portia -LOUDER ON 6000 DUCATS. THINK BEFORE YOU SAY IT. HUG before Bassanio leaves.
Salerio, Salarino When bumping Shylock, turn toward audience. We have to see you listening to Shylock in jail scene.
Antonio Remember, you are being detained. You are not on your knees. You may cross downstage to speak to the audience. Watch gruffness in voice.
EVERYONE Stagger entrance into court scene . Come in in character. PEOPLE NOISES. YOU are worried. TALK
STEP ON LINES. If you have read this far, text me -806-470-9940 – test grade.
PEOPLE NOISES
Shylock DICTION. Sit up straight.
Portia GREAT “precedent” scene.
Nerissa We need to see you more frantic, looking through book. Take off the hat. Ah OH, put it back on
Antonio Beseech to judge
PORTIA Louder
Salarino Christening
RAMBO’s NOTES
EVERYONE SHAKESPEARE LESSON – Words come first, then characterization and emotion
Play the lines with a question – lift the last word in each sentence. LOOK AT THE WORDS. IF THE LINES RHYME, make them rhyme. Pay attention to commas, periods, colons. Emphasize the words at the END of phrases/sentences.
TEXT is not clear – Work on diction.
CULTURAL GESTURES AND PEOPLE NOISES – VARY these. Not all man hugs. Some pinching cheeks with flat hands on either sides. Patting the back. Hand shakes. NOT ALL EHHHHs
DO NOT BEND FROM WAISTS. USE THE LEGS, ENTIRE BODY TO ACT. Rambo was right. Watch your balance on your feet. You have to look STABLE as actors.
We are moving the table off stage until the trial scene. We will figure out a better way to move the pylons, perhaps a slick cloth underneath them.
We will leave tables out.
We have to play the TENSION throughout. Determine what tension is needed in each scene – different type of tension in casket scenes vs. scenes with more drama.
OPENING and CLOSING – not enough TENSION in bodies. Start with the music. Go to tense then release. Lighting accommodates and music initiates. EVERYONE MUST BE BIGGER (EXCEPT HAYDEN) Be bigger than he is.
Transitions – We need for people to lead the audience’s eye to the next transition. Nerissa, you are the man crazy one.
MOVE IN DIFFERENT WAYS EACH TIME YOU ARE ON STAGE> IF YOU SHAKE HANDS WITH MEN IN ONE SCENE, CLAP A BACK, OR A MAN HUG NEXT TIME.
Tie in relationships.
FEET - He was right. Again, feet do not need to be wider than your shoulders. Women, work wearing high heels so you look stable.
Act from the feet up. Do not bend at the waist. Keep chins up. Move your body from shoulders down.
Trim out 10% of gestures. 2nd judge who has told us that.
When you have a line in the café or any place on stage. Cross, stop, and speak – pick up something. Have two goals in mind. One to get to your object. Two to say your line.
Move the character from the gut.
Transitions. Keep acting. Keep the audience interested.
There is not enough emphasis on the last word in lines and not enough lift. Don’t attack the first of a sentence. This applies to everyone.
Court scene – be people coming in. Steal looks at Shylock, Antonio, and Jessica. Play to the audience who do not know what the ending is.
Reblock court scene.
Hannah, we must see you , and you need to have more expression on your face.
Show more emotion and tension in the court scene.
Trial – play the scene as if he is going to go through with the knife. If you have read this far, text me how you are going to do this. If you are crew, give suggestions. 806-470-9940.
More tension in the trial scene and be more focused. We don’t know when Shylock is going to use his knife. Hold the audience in suspense. Don’t play to the end of the play.
Shylock’s arm needs to appear superman strong.
Everyone needs to WANT to be part of the trial.
BLACK SOCKS.
Shylock Prideful, erect.
Don’t be afraid to make the last line echo.
Play up your disgust with Christians. Use your height as a presence. Antonio is the enemy.
Equal pound of flesh – measured and lift flesh up
Prick us – Hit all action verbs strong. Lift US
My daughter – lift daughter.
Remind me about the stipple above beard.
BOND – play it each time for the audience.
Mica , Cole, Lane Wait a beat after Shylock’s last word before blacking and sounding out.
Antonio You are handling the text too harshly. Tonality is harsh. You need more vocal variety in voice. Too slow with first line. You are attacking the first words of the sentence instead of concentrating on the ends of sentences with a lift.
Too gruff with “my purse”
Raise to a present sum. Sum needs to lift. Don’t attack the beginning of the sentence.
Stop using your stage right hand making a fist.
You are as disgusted with Shylock as he is with you. I think that wrestling with Bassanio in the entrance weakens your character. Walk across. See Shylock. Stand, discuss with Bassanio, and we need to see your decision to speak to Shylock.
Be more of a business man, task oriented, business like. More of a playboy when you are with your friends.
PUSH – Jew
Shall become a Christian. Clarify this more – measured speech. When do you decide to give Lorenzo money and baptize Shylock? We need to see it.
Salarino
Salerio More bigotry
Vary physical movements
Bassanio Tune the audience’s ear into your dialect. Not so heavy at the beginning. HIT Consonants and last word of sentences.
Casket scenes Use the casket bearer’s blocking as ways to create new blocking for people in the scene.
Portia & Nerissa Lift end of phrases.
Lower register. Vary vocals.
INITiAL CASKET SCENE PEOPLE We need Le Bon, Duke of Saxony’s nephew back out. PEOPLE NEED TO CHARLESTON. I will come up with steps. Perhaps Chris’s sister can help just the people who dance .
Portia Lottery of my destiny – lift destiny.
She may learn – lift learn
Feet power – don’t lose your center of gravity.
Jessica Again, I want to see your script – color long vowels and make a conscious effort not to make them too long. One syllable words should not be made into two syllables. Ms. Kuehler said to watch the word letter. Ask her.
Do it in secret – lift secret. Play more to the audience.
Jessica and Shylock We need to see more contrasts in your relationship. Make a point to connect eyes. Be on the same plane at some time. “Fair displays of love” Love must lift.
Gratiano and Salarino and Salerio Choose varied ways to greet each other.
Arragon You need a specific way to enter and exit.
Bassanio Don’t back up
More emotional during the trial scene. It appeared contrived.
Gratiano Emphasize too
Salarino Don’t use the finger?
Duke To Chris Speak more to the audience and with more emotion. Campaign as you come into the courtroom.
Connor Bring Duke’s table downstage.
BE READY FOR FRIDAY, March 18th. I think we will have $ for dinner that night, so I will bring a van to rehearsal, so we can stop and have dinner. We will stay until you are good. On Saturday, we will do it again.
• Rehearsal Friday, March 18 at 1:00. Rehearsal Saturday, March 19 at 8PM. Baseball boys may return home with parents –Biera
• Sunday – private performance for parents -3:00 Passes will be handed out to families for one public performance.
• Monday – Performance for middle school -2:45. Public performance 7:30PM
• March 28 Public performance 7:30; March 27 Public performance at 3PM
Jim Rambo’s critique + mine
Everyone Three judges have asked students to go back to the script and look at dialogue. ONLY IF there is a period or a colon does the actor pause. A series of commas means to speed up with each phrase/clause gaining momentum. End each sentence with a lift. Hit consonants. Look at words that are bold faced and stress them. If three judges have said this, then obviously we need to do this before competition. If the judge cannot understand us at the “get go,” we will not advance.
Music Fade out music of first song.
EVERYONE Step on lines throughout the show. Without doing this, it seems as if you are just repeating lines.
EVERYONE – I have pasted the first scene so that EVERYONE could look at the dialogue and see what to do with commas, periods, etc.
Antonio In soothI know not why I am so sad,It wearies me(lift “me”): PAUSE you say it wearies you(lift “you”):; And such a want-wit sadnesse makes of mee(lift “me”):, NO PAUSE , BUT FASTER That I have much ado to know myselfe(lift “myself”):. CUE2 Fog Horn has ocean and sea gulls
Salarino Your minde is tossing on the Ocean where your Argosies saile. NO PAUSES. LIFT SAILE.
Salerio Believe me Sir, had I such venture forth, NO PAUSE, BUT A RAPIDLY INTENSE PROGRESSION TO THE END OF THE SENTENCE.
the better part of my affections, would be with my hopes abroad(LIFT “ABROAD”. PAUSE I should be still plucking the grasse to know where sits the winde(lift “WIND”):.
Salarino ANTONIO, My winde cooling my broth would blow me to an Ague (fever), NO PAUSEwhen I what harme a winde too great at sea might do. AGUE AND DO ARE SUPPOSED TO RHYME. LIFT “DO”
Salerio But tell me SALARINO, I know, Antonio is sad to thinke upon his merchandise. NO PAUSE, BUT EACH PHRASE AFTER THE COMMA SHOULD BE SAID SWIFTER AND MORE INTENSELY. (lift “MERCHANDISE”):
Antonio Believe me NO PAUSE no. Be argumentative
Salarino Why then you are in love. (lift “LOVE”):
Antonio Fie, Fie!
Salarino Not in love either? Then let us say you are sad because you are not merry. (lift “MERRY”):
Salerio Fare ye well. PAUSE We leave you now with better company. (lift “COMPANY”):
Salarino Good morrow. (lift “MORROW”):
Gratiano You looke not well, Antonio(lift “ANTONIO”):; PAUSE You have too much respect upon the world(lift “WORLD”):: PAUSE They lose it that doe buy it with much care: (lift “CARE”): CUE 3 Fog Horn
Antonio I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; NO PAUSE A stage, where every man must play a part, NO PAUSE and mine a sad one.
Gratiano Fare ye well awhile, NO PAUSEI’ll end my exhortation after dinner. (lift “DINNER”): LAUGH
Bassanio Gratiano speakes an infinite deale of nothing, NO PAUSE more than any man in all Venice. (lift “VENICE”): Antonio laughs without humor.
Antonio Well:
Bassanio ‘Tis not unknowne to you, Antonio how much I have disabled mine estate. LIFT ESTATE NO PAUSE EXCEPT AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE To you Antonio I owe the most in money, and in love, and from your love I have a warranty to unburden all my plots and purposes, how to get cleare of all the debts I owe. LIFT OWE – THERE ARE COMMAS – NO PAUSE, BUT EACH PHRASE SHOULD BE SAID FASTER AND MORE INTENSELY.
Antonio I pray you,NO PAUSE good Bassanio Let me know it; PAUSE be assur’d my purse, NO PAUSE lie all unlock’d to your occasions. (lift “OCCASIONS”):
Bassanio COMMAS = INCREASE PACE WITH COMMAS In Belmont is a lady richly left, and she is faire, sometimes from her eyes I did receive faire speechless messages: PAUSE Her name is Portia, NO PAUSE the four windes blow in from every coast renown’d suitors. PAUSEO my Antonio, had I but the meanes to hold a rival place with one of them, that I should questionlesse be fortunate! (lift “FORTUNATE”):
Antonio Bassanio, NO PAUSE Thou know’st that all my fortunes are at sea, NO PAUSE therefore goe forth try what my credit can in Venice doe: (lift “DOE”):
Antonio You have the first line. Please look at pauses and eliminate them if there is not a period or colon.
Rambo – Your first line slows down the first scene. Watch “gravelly” voice. Use a natural voice, but in a lower timbre.
Salarino and Salerio Watch pauses in first lines.
Italian men Entrance needs to be louder. I can’t figure out why you have changed.
Gratiano and Antonio Lift chins in first meeting. Gratiano, love the energy, but we need to understand your lines.
Bassanio EARLOCKS!
Hannah APRON – we don’t see enough busy work.
Shylock Stand erect. Line with “forfeiture” needs to be directed more to audience.
Jessica I want to see the script with the long vowels colored, the one syllable words circled. Watch pauses
Cole Strobe needs to be shorter for lightning and erratic in timing.
Shylock and Jessica WE MUST SEE THE RELATIONSHIP. THEN WE MUST SEE THE REACTION WHEN SHYLOCK SEES JESSiCA HUG LAUNCELOT. This MUST be a CONTRAST.
First Casket Scene Watch screaming – we need a diverse sound from each person. We need the chance to see the skull. Perhaps each person needs to hold it briefly toward the audience then throw it. Somehow we need to see the skull.
Gratiano Love newes in faith – toward the audience and more distinct
Jessica Take the suitcase with you, not the casket.
Lane We need to see more of a light on Shylock . Shylock, make this more dramatic.
Mica Wind BEFORE Antonio comes out.
Italian men, Jessica and Antonio Bassanio and Gratiano, move more center stage to speak to Salerio and Lorenzo as Jessica comes out. Jessica and Lorenzo, take a little more time before the hugging, kissing. Antonio, more of a dramatic entrance. You have been searching for them. Bring Bassanio downstage.
Portia Difficult time hearing and understanding you today.
EVERYONE STEP ON LINES THROUGHOUT THE SHOW
Portia and Nerissa Could not hear you or understand you at the beginning. Arragon MUST come out early. Nerissa, run downstage, try to stop Arragon from messing with the caskets. Then your line to PORTIA as you are trying to keep Arragon from messing with the caskets – not pushy, but slyly.
Arragon scene STEP ON LINES. This needs to be bigger. We will use bothTy and Chris and decide who will be Arragon on contest.
Salerio , Salarino, Shylock STEP ON LINES
Shylock – you barely contain your anger
If the devil be her judge – attacking – be meaner
Bassanio Casket scene All Italian men and girls THIS WAS SLOW>>>>>Step on lines. BIGGER REACTIONS TO Bassanio’s ENTRANCE. Lorenzo and Italian men’s entrance MUST BE BIGGER. IT HAS BEEN RAINING. YOU ARE EXHAUSTED. YOU ARE AFRAID THAT YOU MIGHT BE TOO LATE TO GET THE LETTER TO BASSANIO. THIS ENTRANCE MUST BE LOUD AND URGENT. Gratiano, go to Salerio and discuss the letter and Antonio’s problem. THE ENTIRE MOOD OF THIS SCENE MUST CHANGE DRASTICALLY. Portia -LOUDER ON 6000 DUCATS. THINK BEFORE YOU SAY IT. HUG before Bassanio leaves.
Salerio, Salarino When bumping Shylock, turn toward audience. We have to see you listening to Shylock in jail scene.
Antonio Remember, you are being detained. You are not on your knees. You may cross downstage to speak to the audience. Watch gruffness in voice.
EVERYONE Stagger entrance into court scene . Come in in character. PEOPLE NOISES. YOU are worried. TALK
STEP ON LINES. If you have read this far, text me -806-470-9940 – test grade.
PEOPLE NOISES
Shylock DICTION. Sit up straight.
Portia GREAT “precedent” scene.
Nerissa We need to see you more frantic, looking through book. Take off the hat. Ah OH, put it back on
Antonio Beseech to judge
PORTIA Louder
Salarino Christening
RAMBO’s NOTES
EVERYONE SHAKESPEARE LESSON – Words come first, then characterization and emotion
Play the lines with a question – lift the last word in each sentence. LOOK AT THE WORDS. IF THE LINES RHYME, make them rhyme. Pay attention to commas, periods, colons. Emphasize the words at the END of phrases/sentences.
TEXT is not clear – Work on diction.
CULTURAL GESTURES AND PEOPLE NOISES – VARY these. Not all man hugs. Some pinching cheeks with flat hands on either sides. Patting the back. Hand shakes. NOT ALL EHHHHs
DO NOT BEND FROM WAISTS. USE THE LEGS, ENTIRE BODY TO ACT. Rambo was right. Watch your balance on your feet. You have to look STABLE as actors.
We are moving the table off stage until the trial scene. We will figure out a better way to move the pylons, perhaps a slick cloth underneath them.
We will leave tables out.
We have to play the TENSION throughout. Determine what tension is needed in each scene – different type of tension in casket scenes vs. scenes with more drama.
OPENING and CLOSING – not enough TENSION in bodies. Start with the music. Go to tense then release. Lighting accommodates and music initiates. EVERYONE MUST BE BIGGER (EXCEPT HAYDEN) Be bigger than he is.
Transitions – We need for people to lead the audience’s eye to the next transition. Nerissa, you are the man crazy one.
MOVE IN DIFFERENT WAYS EACH TIME YOU ARE ON STAGE> IF YOU SHAKE HANDS WITH MEN IN ONE SCENE, CLAP A BACK, OR A MAN HUG NEXT TIME.
Tie in relationships.
FEET - He was right. Again, feet do not need to be wider than your shoulders. Women, work wearing high heels so you look stable.
Act from the feet up. Do not bend at the waist. Keep chins up. Move your body from shoulders down.
Trim out 10% of gestures. 2nd judge who has told us that.
When you have a line in the café or any place on stage. Cross, stop, and speak – pick up something. Have two goals in mind. One to get to your object. Two to say your line.
Move the character from the gut.
Transitions. Keep acting. Keep the audience interested.
There is not enough emphasis on the last word in lines and not enough lift. Don’t attack the first of a sentence. This applies to everyone.
Court scene – be people coming in. Steal looks at Shylock, Antonio, and Jessica. Play to the audience who do not know what the ending is.
Reblock court scene.
Hannah, we must see you , and you need to have more expression on your face.
Show more emotion and tension in the court scene.
Trial – play the scene as if he is going to go through with the knife. If you have read this far, text me how you are going to do this. If you are crew, give suggestions. 806-470-9940.
More tension in the trial scene and be more focused. We don’t know when Shylock is going to use his knife. Hold the audience in suspense. Don’t play to the end of the play.
Shylock’s arm needs to appear superman strong.
Everyone needs to WANT to be part of the trial.
BLACK SOCKS.
Shylock Prideful, erect.
Don’t be afraid to make the last line echo.
Play up your disgust with Christians. Use your height as a presence. Antonio is the enemy.
Equal pound of flesh – measured and lift flesh up
Prick us – Hit all action verbs strong. Lift US
My daughter – lift daughter.
Remind me about the stipple above beard.
BOND – play it each time for the audience.
Mica , Cole, Lane Wait a beat after Shylock’s last word before blacking and sounding out.
Antonio You are handling the text too harshly. Tonality is harsh. You need more vocal variety in voice. Too slow with first line. You are attacking the first words of the sentence instead of concentrating on the ends of sentences with a lift.
Too gruff with “my purse”
Raise to a present sum. Sum needs to lift. Don’t attack the beginning of the sentence.
Stop using your stage right hand making a fist.
You are as disgusted with Shylock as he is with you. I think that wrestling with Bassanio in the entrance weakens your character. Walk across. See Shylock. Stand, discuss with Bassanio, and we need to see your decision to speak to Shylock.
Be more of a business man, task oriented, business like. More of a playboy when you are with your friends.
PUSH – Jew
Shall become a Christian. Clarify this more – measured speech. When do you decide to give Lorenzo money and baptize Shylock? We need to see it.
Salarino
Salerio More bigotry
Vary physical movements
Bassanio Tune the audience’s ear into your dialect. Not so heavy at the beginning. HIT Consonants and last word of sentences.
Casket scenes Use the casket bearer’s blocking as ways to create new blocking for people in the scene.
Portia & Nerissa Lift end of phrases.
Lower register. Vary vocals.
INITiAL CASKET SCENE PEOPLE We need Le Bon, Duke of Saxony’s nephew back out. PEOPLE NEED TO CHARLESTON. I will come up with steps. Perhaps Chris’s sister can help just the people who dance .
Portia Lottery of my destiny – lift destiny.
She may learn – lift learn
Feet power – don’t lose your center of gravity.
Jessica Again, I want to see your script – color long vowels and make a conscious effort not to make them too long. One syllable words should not be made into two syllables. Ms. Kuehler said to watch the word letter. Ask her.
Do it in secret – lift secret. Play more to the audience.
Jessica and Shylock We need to see more contrasts in your relationship. Make a point to connect eyes. Be on the same plane at some time. “Fair displays of love” Love must lift.
Gratiano and Salarino and Salerio Choose varied ways to greet each other.
Arragon You need a specific way to enter and exit.
Bassanio Don’t back up
More emotional during the trial scene. It appeared contrived.
Gratiano Emphasize too
Salarino Don’t use the finger?
Duke To Chris Speak more to the audience and with more emotion. Campaign as you come into the courtroom.
Connor Bring Duke’s table downstage.
BE READY FOR FRIDAY, March 18th. I think we will have $ for dinner that night, so I will bring a van to rehearsal, so we can stop and have dinner. We will stay until you are good. On Saturday, we will do it again.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Bob Chanda - Tulia March 2
Bob Chanda’s Critique and mine March 3, 2011
Mine first
• Mica, I know I told you the music was ok, but the first tune was not loud enough.
• Opening and the first scene has to grab the audience.
• Carson, don’t close your eyes – and you lost the vocal variety you had yesterday, but made up for it by being a great guard. Rehearse your vocals.
• I am right LOATHE – Shylock stay seated until you have said this sentence. You are saying you don’t want to go, so sit for a sec.
• Hannah & Mica , We will have rain and thunder in the café scene before the Lorenzo scene. Hannah, run out, put the tables on top of each other. Remember it is raining so put a dishtowel over your head. The rain was unexpected. After Antonio’s scene with the umbrellas, the sun comes out with the café scene, so come back out – wipe the tables and put the chairs and table back out. Wring out the rag. BE EVIDENT in the scene. I want you on stage all the time because you have such an expressive face. Do not stay in the wings.
• Chris – magnificent job as Arragon. You were amazing.
• Shylock, we need to milk the scene when you find out Jessica is gone. Then when you cross to the café scene, almost do it at a run – an attack.
• Carson, magnificent in jail and trial scene.
• Molly – look at the speech with precedent.
• Chris and Molly – great job with the book.
Chanda
• Even though actors were gone, Chanda gave suggestions when you return, so it was not a mistake of the alternate, it is a suggestion for you.
• For sooth I know not why I am so sad – said to S & S without a pause in the sentence or a pause before.
• Need to see the bond between Antonio and Bassanio. We should see a light going off in your face, Antonio.
• Everyone – be as natural as possible.
• There was a diction problem today. Hit consonants, end of words, and do not drop the end of sentences.
• Shylock, remember the religious prejudice.
• Bassanio – diction
• Antonio, we need to see the moment you decide to give money.
• Bassanio, justify why you need to ask for money through dialogue. It should be difficult to ask for money.
• Shylock, your whole life you and your family have been spit on; your religion has been defiled. You despise Christians. Put back in “I hate him for he is a Christian.” It should be restrained anger. Being a usurer is the only occupation Jews were allowed to have.
• Antonio, your whole life you have despised Jews because they charge interest on loans. You believe it should be Christian charity.
• EVERYONE, instead of using Shylock during the trial scene, we need to use Jew.
• Shylock, in Launcelot/Jessica scene, we need to see the anger when you see Launcelot, a Christian, hugging your daughter. You believe that all the Christians in Atlantic City have conspired to take your daughter and money away.
• Jessica, we need to see you stay a little longer in your house. We need to see the decision to leave. The stealing must be a BIG deal.
• Shylock, initially you are joking when you offer the pound of flesh.
• The Jessica/Lorenzo scene needs to be more passionate. As I said in the earlier critique – yesterday’s, I want you to have lunch or a drink in the café prior to your scene at Shylock’s house.
• Portia, rail against your father’s will. You are angry.
• Portia and Nerissa, we need to see the decision that you are going to be men.
• Shylock, what is the end of the game in your Jewish speech? You are justifying what you are going to do.
• Everyone, let your body and your frame of mind move your body. – Chanda
• EVERYONE – no backs to the audience. Do not speak upstage.
• Casket scenes should be full of tension. Bassanio’s – take your hat off. Give it to Gratiano. Take your handkerchief out. Wipe your head. Arragon and Moroccan – figure it out. Should be different.
• Bassanio – reading the letter. He reads the first part, then crosses DCS and makes people noises, puts it down, brings it back up. Portia crosses to him.
• Shylock, everything that has happened to you, your family, your people culminates in the jail scene.
• The trial scene should revolve around Shylock. We need to see his face and Antonio’s face.
• All the Christians believe that Shylock will cave in and are surprised when he won’t. Bassanio is sure he will take the money because what have we always heard about Jews? There must be heat in this scene and it needs to build.
• Why does Shylock insist on the pound of flesh? This is one time the law is on Shylock’s side. He has been treated unfairly all his life and generations before him. He is adamant – NO.
• Mercy speech – She is making an impassioned plea. It must be heartfelt and she needs to convince him
• When Bassanio says to curb this devil, he is doing it out of desperation. Bassanio, be invested in this.
• We need to see Antonio make the decision why he is willing to die.
• The audience needs to see the personal story behind all the characters.
• Portia, we need to see the moment you see an escape. Nerissa points out to you what you had forgotten. We must have a palpable feeling from the audience when they know there is no help.
• Shylock, we need to see the gradual progression that everything is going to be taken from you. What does it mean in – I am content.
• We need to see Portia and Nerissa decide to be men.
• Shylock, when you are converted, we need to see the anguish that you have nothing – no money – no family and you will be an outcast within your Jewish family. The audience must go on this journey with you. The ending must pull us through.
• In the ending, obviously Antonio, Salarino, Salerio, Gratiano, Balthazar and Bassanio are ecstatic. This must be over the top. The Duke is satisfied and on to the next crisis (perhaps smug). Portia is thoughtful. Jessica is heartbroken. Lorenzo is worried about his wife. Hannah is joyous. Ty is praying. Carson is doing his job, but smiles. Nerissa is happy because Gratiano is happy.
Mine first
• Mica, I know I told you the music was ok, but the first tune was not loud enough.
• Opening and the first scene has to grab the audience.
• Carson, don’t close your eyes – and you lost the vocal variety you had yesterday, but made up for it by being a great guard. Rehearse your vocals.
• I am right LOATHE – Shylock stay seated until you have said this sentence. You are saying you don’t want to go, so sit for a sec.
• Hannah & Mica , We will have rain and thunder in the café scene before the Lorenzo scene. Hannah, run out, put the tables on top of each other. Remember it is raining so put a dishtowel over your head. The rain was unexpected. After Antonio’s scene with the umbrellas, the sun comes out with the café scene, so come back out – wipe the tables and put the chairs and table back out. Wring out the rag. BE EVIDENT in the scene. I want you on stage all the time because you have such an expressive face. Do not stay in the wings.
• Chris – magnificent job as Arragon. You were amazing.
• Shylock, we need to milk the scene when you find out Jessica is gone. Then when you cross to the café scene, almost do it at a run – an attack.
• Carson, magnificent in jail and trial scene.
• Molly – look at the speech with precedent.
• Chris and Molly – great job with the book.
Chanda
• Even though actors were gone, Chanda gave suggestions when you return, so it was not a mistake of the alternate, it is a suggestion for you.
• For sooth I know not why I am so sad – said to S & S without a pause in the sentence or a pause before.
• Need to see the bond between Antonio and Bassanio. We should see a light going off in your face, Antonio.
• Everyone – be as natural as possible.
• There was a diction problem today. Hit consonants, end of words, and do not drop the end of sentences.
• Shylock, remember the religious prejudice.
• Bassanio – diction
• Antonio, we need to see the moment you decide to give money.
• Bassanio, justify why you need to ask for money through dialogue. It should be difficult to ask for money.
• Shylock, your whole life you and your family have been spit on; your religion has been defiled. You despise Christians. Put back in “I hate him for he is a Christian.” It should be restrained anger. Being a usurer is the only occupation Jews were allowed to have.
• Antonio, your whole life you have despised Jews because they charge interest on loans. You believe it should be Christian charity.
• EVERYONE, instead of using Shylock during the trial scene, we need to use Jew.
• Shylock, in Launcelot/Jessica scene, we need to see the anger when you see Launcelot, a Christian, hugging your daughter. You believe that all the Christians in Atlantic City have conspired to take your daughter and money away.
• Jessica, we need to see you stay a little longer in your house. We need to see the decision to leave. The stealing must be a BIG deal.
• Shylock, initially you are joking when you offer the pound of flesh.
• The Jessica/Lorenzo scene needs to be more passionate. As I said in the earlier critique – yesterday’s, I want you to have lunch or a drink in the café prior to your scene at Shylock’s house.
• Portia, rail against your father’s will. You are angry.
• Portia and Nerissa, we need to see the decision that you are going to be men.
• Shylock, what is the end of the game in your Jewish speech? You are justifying what you are going to do.
• Everyone, let your body and your frame of mind move your body. – Chanda
• EVERYONE – no backs to the audience. Do not speak upstage.
• Casket scenes should be full of tension. Bassanio’s – take your hat off. Give it to Gratiano. Take your handkerchief out. Wipe your head. Arragon and Moroccan – figure it out. Should be different.
• Bassanio – reading the letter. He reads the first part, then crosses DCS and makes people noises, puts it down, brings it back up. Portia crosses to him.
• Shylock, everything that has happened to you, your family, your people culminates in the jail scene.
• The trial scene should revolve around Shylock. We need to see his face and Antonio’s face.
• All the Christians believe that Shylock will cave in and are surprised when he won’t. Bassanio is sure he will take the money because what have we always heard about Jews? There must be heat in this scene and it needs to build.
• Why does Shylock insist on the pound of flesh? This is one time the law is on Shylock’s side. He has been treated unfairly all his life and generations before him. He is adamant – NO.
• Mercy speech – She is making an impassioned plea. It must be heartfelt and she needs to convince him
• When Bassanio says to curb this devil, he is doing it out of desperation. Bassanio, be invested in this.
• We need to see Antonio make the decision why he is willing to die.
• The audience needs to see the personal story behind all the characters.
• Portia, we need to see the moment you see an escape. Nerissa points out to you what you had forgotten. We must have a palpable feeling from the audience when they know there is no help.
• Shylock, we need to see the gradual progression that everything is going to be taken from you. What does it mean in – I am content.
• We need to see Portia and Nerissa decide to be men.
• Shylock, when you are converted, we need to see the anguish that you have nothing – no money – no family and you will be an outcast within your Jewish family. The audience must go on this journey with you. The ending must pull us through.
• In the ending, obviously Antonio, Salarino, Salerio, Gratiano, Balthazar and Bassanio are ecstatic. This must be over the top. The Duke is satisfied and on to the next crisis (perhaps smug). Portia is thoughtful. Jessica is heartbroken. Lorenzo is worried about his wife. Hannah is joyous. Ty is praying. Carson is doing his job, but smiles. Nerissa is happy because Gratiano is happy.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Performance at Cooper, March 2
COOPER Performance with Bill Gelber March 2, 2011 MY NOTES
Remember, that if I tell you that you need to be louder, it is Cooper, and you will need to remember this at contest.
Music Fade out at the beginning.
Remind me to take sea gulls out.
Shylock Stay out until Antonio says sooth
One pound of flesh – measured and emphasized
Exit stage left and hit Salarino
Yarmulke on top of the head – between you and God. It was a little more on the top of your neck.
EVERYONE Step on lines. In other words, say your line just as the other person has finished is.
Where are the men in the café? If you are not on stage, be in the café.
All men wear dark socks
All men use handkerchiefs – IT IS HOT – NEAR THE BEACH. THERE ARE FLIES, ETC.
Let’s have Lorenzo and Jessica in the café scene prior to the escape scene. Jessica, look hesitant to drink, but do. Be secretive.
UMBRELLAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WEATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO ZIPPER TIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IN THE TRIAL – as well as throughout the show, ACT and REACT. WE MUST SEE EXPRESSIONS.
STEP ON LINES
PEOPLE NOISES in Portia’s first scene, in the Moroccan’s, in the Arragon’s, in Bassanio’s casket scene, going into the café each time, meeting Lorenzo at Jessica’s, and especially entering the trial scene.
DARK SOCKS, MEN!
Gratiano Keep the energy – more diction.
In the trial with the “wife line” say this to Shylock. Do not let anyone block you.
Antonio Step on lines. Well – no pause
When you are supposed to write, write with pen and paper.
LOUDER
Exact Penalty – you nailed it.
Louder in the “umbrella” scene.
STEP ON LINES – So please, ….. in the trial scene.
Shylock and Antonio Do you want to change this to Antonio wearing a suit? I don’t want it in the café because we will not have time to change the scene to the courtroom. Think about and discuss this.
Hannah Hand out menus, refill glasses, dust, sweep. Stay out and listen.
Bassanio and Antonio When Bassanio speaks of Portia, Antonio should act like he knows how hot she is, laugh knowingly. Punch him in the side. Do a guy thing.
Dancers
Chris Come out first and dance USC behind Portia. Enter immediately. We have to see the Charleston. Casket men enter asap. Portia, since your father has just died, come out and tell Nerissa to get rid of the dancers. At first Nerissa is as excited as all the other dancers.
Antonio, Shylock, Bassanio The tall table is in the way of all the scenes following yours. Is it possible to move it extreme stage right.
Handshake at beginning needs to be horizontal so no one is looking upstage.
Salarino
Moroccan Louder and bigger on crying.
Launcelot Great job. Keep variety in your voice.
Bassanio & Gratiano Pen and paper
Jessica and Shylock Jessica, be working in the house prior to your scene. Dusting, sweeping, etc. Bring your father a cup to drink out of. Write your letters or come out of the back with letters in your hand.
Neither one of you change the way you are doing the scene. If anything, I would say to go to more extremes. Shylock – loving and angry. Jessica – loving and fear, then hope for Lorenzo.
Jessica – “…..straight.” beat then leave.
Balthasar, the Duke as a commoner, Salerio as someone else, Gratiano & Antonio in disguise Great job in Moroccan scene. Be even bigger. At one time, we were thinking about some kind of harmony. Refresh my memory.
Casket men Come in the same order. Think of something funny to do. Move DSC and kneel with your backs to the audience. Kneel in an angle.
Arragon LOVED The entrance. Check out Toy Story 3. Be BIGGER LOUDER, CLOSE YOUR EYES! Have Hannah open the casket. DICTION!
Start out inspecting the caskets and saying your lines before Portia comes in.
Thank you so much for moving props out of the way! STEP ON LINES.
Portia & Nerissa Nerissa, be frantic when Arragon is in the casket room.
Both of you need to be louder. STEP ON LINES.
Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa, Salerio, Salarino, Lorenzo, Jessica. The first part of the casket scene is BORING until the other come. Gratiano, you are the clown.You also need to be louder. Do something funny. STEP ON LINES. Bassanio and Portia are extremely nervous. Bassanio, when you touch the gold one, Portia – nearly die. We might consider Portia singing the lead song out of tune. When the others come in, it must be interrupting Gratiano’s “In faith, my Lord.” (hand on heart) We must hear as much noise as we do in the Moroccan scene, but angry, hopeless. Lorenzo and Jessica, both of you are nervous because it is Jessica’s father who is responsible. Salarino is just angry. Salerio – trying to calm people down and come up with a game plan. Bassanio, make people noises as you are reading the letter (Your facial expressions were good today). Portia, look at Bassanio closely – especially as he reads, then even try to look over his shoulder. Salerio, cannot understand your lines. Louder, Lorenzo. STEP ON LINES, EVERYONE. We need people noises in this scene.
Salerio and Salarino Going to Antonio after the casket scene. Salerio try to reason with Salarino. Salarino, your objective is to reach Antonio and see exactly what the situation is.
Duke Wonderful job! Now be bigger. When you first speak to Shylock, speak, then move back to the table so that Shylock doesn’t have to speak to you USL. Stress the words that are boldfaced more – I think We never stress pronouns, but always stress verbs. We need to see more of you “glad handing” your constituents. Politicians used to do more of it – face to face with constituents. We might give away cigars – cards. Your grandparents are probably not that old, but they may remember something from the 40’s.
“Thou” in the trial scene – have more authority.
Portia Make the “mercy” speech more personal. When you say “GOD” look up to God.
Portia, Thou DIEST
Nerissa You are still not BIG enough, still too fast, and we need you to be louder. Rehearse in front of the mirror and see if you have expression and if your body has expression.
Salarino “christening” sounded weird today.
Bill Gelber’s Critiques that we may use
EVERYONE Beginning – Young Jew, sit up more so that the audience can see your yarmulke.
Shylock We had a donation, and I ordered a beard. Grow out your mustache.
I will buy you another book. Keep it in the briefcase so my husband does not steal it.
I am LOATHE to go.
Lorenzo Add I know the hand.
Arragon and Moroccan More dramatic picking the wrong casket..MORE TENSION
Moroccan, smell of it, shake it, etc. Arragon, have your eyes closed when Hannah opens it.
Bassanio & buddies More dramatic picking right casket. MORE TENSION
We need to see you figuring out the puzzle.
Antonio In sooth – coming in from the fight.
In jail scene, you are going to jail. Think about this.
Gratiano Too cute to have your hat on. PLEASE DO NOT GET THE BIG HEAD.
Portia I will look at adding more lines.
See your relief when Bassanio chooses the right casket.
EVERYONE Talk to people on stage.
Antonio and Shylock Both agree as businessmen to the bond. Antonio, be ready to come to the café, then when you see it is the Jew, change your mind. Not so much pulling away. We may change it back.
Portia Tell Nerissa to tell the dancers to leave.
Mercy speech – try to convince Shylock.
Shylock, Salerio, Salarino After discovering Jessica gone, cross directly to the café ready to attack. Salarino is ready to get it over with. Salerio, hold him back. Then both of you decide to WARN Antonio. Salarino – I’m sure you’re not going to take his flesh.
Remember you are trying to rub in his defeat when you speak to Shylock in the trial.
Salarino, Salerio, Lorenzo, Jessica, Portia, Nerissa, Gratiano, Bassanio When you come in – storming – to give Bassanio the letter, we need to layer more clothes on you. Any of you men have a top coat that might belong to someone in your family – a trenchcoat because it is still summer. We need UMBRELLAS. The storm has contaminated Belmont. WE need to see relief when Portia offers more money.
Salarino No pause – impenetrable cur
Antonio Sharpening on shoe?
Bassanio See your relief when you choose the right casket.
Remember, that if I tell you that you need to be louder, it is Cooper, and you will need to remember this at contest.
Music Fade out at the beginning.
Remind me to take sea gulls out.
Shylock Stay out until Antonio says sooth
One pound of flesh – measured and emphasized
Exit stage left and hit Salarino
Yarmulke on top of the head – between you and God. It was a little more on the top of your neck.
EVERYONE Step on lines. In other words, say your line just as the other person has finished is.
Where are the men in the café? If you are not on stage, be in the café.
All men wear dark socks
All men use handkerchiefs – IT IS HOT – NEAR THE BEACH. THERE ARE FLIES, ETC.
Let’s have Lorenzo and Jessica in the café scene prior to the escape scene. Jessica, look hesitant to drink, but do. Be secretive.
UMBRELLAS!!!!!!!!!!!!! RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WEATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO ZIPPER TIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IN THE TRIAL – as well as throughout the show, ACT and REACT. WE MUST SEE EXPRESSIONS.
STEP ON LINES
PEOPLE NOISES in Portia’s first scene, in the Moroccan’s, in the Arragon’s, in Bassanio’s casket scene, going into the café each time, meeting Lorenzo at Jessica’s, and especially entering the trial scene.
DARK SOCKS, MEN!
Gratiano Keep the energy – more diction.
In the trial with the “wife line” say this to Shylock. Do not let anyone block you.
Antonio Step on lines. Well – no pause
When you are supposed to write, write with pen and paper.
LOUDER
Exact Penalty – you nailed it.
Louder in the “umbrella” scene.
STEP ON LINES – So please, ….. in the trial scene.
Shylock and Antonio Do you want to change this to Antonio wearing a suit? I don’t want it in the café because we will not have time to change the scene to the courtroom. Think about and discuss this.
Hannah Hand out menus, refill glasses, dust, sweep. Stay out and listen.
Bassanio and Antonio When Bassanio speaks of Portia, Antonio should act like he knows how hot she is, laugh knowingly. Punch him in the side. Do a guy thing.
Dancers
Chris Come out first and dance USC behind Portia. Enter immediately. We have to see the Charleston. Casket men enter asap. Portia, since your father has just died, come out and tell Nerissa to get rid of the dancers. At first Nerissa is as excited as all the other dancers.
Antonio, Shylock, Bassanio The tall table is in the way of all the scenes following yours. Is it possible to move it extreme stage right.
Handshake at beginning needs to be horizontal so no one is looking upstage.
Salarino
Moroccan Louder and bigger on crying.
Launcelot Great job. Keep variety in your voice.
Bassanio & Gratiano Pen and paper
Jessica and Shylock Jessica, be working in the house prior to your scene. Dusting, sweeping, etc. Bring your father a cup to drink out of. Write your letters or come out of the back with letters in your hand.
Neither one of you change the way you are doing the scene. If anything, I would say to go to more extremes. Shylock – loving and angry. Jessica – loving and fear, then hope for Lorenzo.
Jessica – “…..straight.” beat then leave.
Balthasar, the Duke as a commoner, Salerio as someone else, Gratiano & Antonio in disguise Great job in Moroccan scene. Be even bigger. At one time, we were thinking about some kind of harmony. Refresh my memory.
Casket men Come in the same order. Think of something funny to do. Move DSC and kneel with your backs to the audience. Kneel in an angle.
Arragon LOVED The entrance. Check out Toy Story 3. Be BIGGER LOUDER, CLOSE YOUR EYES! Have Hannah open the casket. DICTION!
Start out inspecting the caskets and saying your lines before Portia comes in.
Thank you so much for moving props out of the way! STEP ON LINES.
Portia & Nerissa Nerissa, be frantic when Arragon is in the casket room.
Both of you need to be louder. STEP ON LINES.
Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, Nerissa, Salerio, Salarino, Lorenzo, Jessica. The first part of the casket scene is BORING until the other come. Gratiano, you are the clown.You also need to be louder. Do something funny. STEP ON LINES. Bassanio and Portia are extremely nervous. Bassanio, when you touch the gold one, Portia – nearly die. We might consider Portia singing the lead song out of tune. When the others come in, it must be interrupting Gratiano’s “In faith, my Lord.” (hand on heart) We must hear as much noise as we do in the Moroccan scene, but angry, hopeless. Lorenzo and Jessica, both of you are nervous because it is Jessica’s father who is responsible. Salarino is just angry. Salerio – trying to calm people down and come up with a game plan. Bassanio, make people noises as you are reading the letter (Your facial expressions were good today). Portia, look at Bassanio closely – especially as he reads, then even try to look over his shoulder. Salerio, cannot understand your lines. Louder, Lorenzo. STEP ON LINES, EVERYONE. We need people noises in this scene.
Salerio and Salarino Going to Antonio after the casket scene. Salerio try to reason with Salarino. Salarino, your objective is to reach Antonio and see exactly what the situation is.
Duke Wonderful job! Now be bigger. When you first speak to Shylock, speak, then move back to the table so that Shylock doesn’t have to speak to you USL. Stress the words that are boldfaced more – I think We never stress pronouns, but always stress verbs. We need to see more of you “glad handing” your constituents. Politicians used to do more of it – face to face with constituents. We might give away cigars – cards. Your grandparents are probably not that old, but they may remember something from the 40’s.
“Thou” in the trial scene – have more authority.
Portia Make the “mercy” speech more personal. When you say “GOD” look up to God.
Portia, Thou DIEST
Nerissa You are still not BIG enough, still too fast, and we need you to be louder. Rehearse in front of the mirror and see if you have expression and if your body has expression.
Salarino “christening” sounded weird today.
Bill Gelber’s Critiques that we may use
EVERYONE Beginning – Young Jew, sit up more so that the audience can see your yarmulke.
Shylock We had a donation, and I ordered a beard. Grow out your mustache.
I will buy you another book. Keep it in the briefcase so my husband does not steal it.
I am LOATHE to go.
Lorenzo Add I know the hand.
Arragon and Moroccan More dramatic picking the wrong casket..MORE TENSION
Moroccan, smell of it, shake it, etc. Arragon, have your eyes closed when Hannah opens it.
Bassanio & buddies More dramatic picking right casket. MORE TENSION
We need to see you figuring out the puzzle.
Antonio In sooth – coming in from the fight.
In jail scene, you are going to jail. Think about this.
Gratiano Too cute to have your hat on. PLEASE DO NOT GET THE BIG HEAD.
Portia I will look at adding more lines.
See your relief when Bassanio chooses the right casket.
EVERYONE Talk to people on stage.
Antonio and Shylock Both agree as businessmen to the bond. Antonio, be ready to come to the café, then when you see it is the Jew, change your mind. Not so much pulling away. We may change it back.
Portia Tell Nerissa to tell the dancers to leave.
Mercy speech – try to convince Shylock.
Shylock, Salerio, Salarino After discovering Jessica gone, cross directly to the café ready to attack. Salarino is ready to get it over with. Salerio, hold him back. Then both of you decide to WARN Antonio. Salarino – I’m sure you’re not going to take his flesh.
Remember you are trying to rub in his defeat when you speak to Shylock in the trial.
Salarino, Salerio, Lorenzo, Jessica, Portia, Nerissa, Gratiano, Bassanio When you come in – storming – to give Bassanio the letter, we need to layer more clothes on you. Any of you men have a top coat that might belong to someone in your family – a trenchcoat because it is still summer. We need UMBRELLAS. The storm has contaminated Belmont. WE need to see relief when Portia offers more money.
Salarino No pause – impenetrable cur
Antonio Sharpening on shoe?
Bassanio See your relief when you choose the right casket.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
February 28
Critiques February 28, 2011 READ THE NEW SCRIPT, and if you can find more to cut, let me know. We put some of Lorenzo and Jessica’s scene back in.
Antonio Spit needs to be horizontal. Start In sooth as you are crossing to table. Move it if it is not working for you.
Salerio Great job in first scene. Louder on the cross. “Merchant” at the end of your sentence needs to be stressed.
Gratiano Great entrance, but I could not understand you. The lines are important, but so is the energy. Your last line is We will talk and laugh later, so laugh after it.
Who knows “credit can” needs to be louder
Casket people Come in at the same time with the person closer to right stage coming in first. The last casket person could not be seen.
Ty Move the table to the right before the dance scene.
Dancers Move DSL – way left or we might try usc in slow motion.
Bassanio Remember you are a Casanova
Thanks for thinking and moving the tables.
Antonio, Bassanio & Shylock scene Antonio and Bassanio – keep your heads up.
8 minutes Seal the bond We were at 10.
Moroccan MEN and Portia and Nerissa We need levels. Connor, come around the bench and kneel looking up. There were 8 people on stage standing until Mark kneeled.
This is in both Moroccan scenes.
Launcelot & Bassanio, Men and Hannah We need men at the table. Hannah, you should always be present unless you are in another scene.
Launcelot, be louder and vary your voice. Use inflection.
Sidelights Sidelights need to fade in and out. Greg will work on placement tonight.
Jessica and Lorenzo We will work on your scene. I love you both in the courtroom scene. You are extremely believable. Be sure that you can see the judge.
Arragon Keep your head up, especially in Arragon scene. LAUGH.
16 minutes
EVERYONE Who chooses me. We were at 20. The play is DRAGGING. One way to solve this is to step on lines. No pauses between lines.
Carson and Connor Move the caskets before people move in the scene. I know it is a thankless job, but Zack and Chavez did it their freshmen year.
Portia/Bassanio scene
Gratiano, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, Salerio, Salarino This scene puts me to sleep. Bassanio, you are the suave man – a ladies man. However, you need to appear extremely nervous because making the wrong choice means that you will be a monk for the rest of your life. Gratiano, you are the clown. Lorenzo, you are concerned about how they will treat Jessica. Jessica, you are almost afraid. These are the same guys who have chased you down the street. Salerio and Salarino are both extremely concerned about Antonio. Everyone is standing. Gratiano and Salarino are the only ones in this scene with facial expressions. We need LEVELS. You cannot move a café chair out or it will still be on stage in the jail scene.
Salerio Lines.
Duke You might look over your character sketch again. You are Antonio’s buddy. You are an aristocrat. You would not hit Shylock. You are beyond that. However, you want everyone to know that you are in charge. You need more inflection in your voice. We also need for you to cheat more toward the audience. Look at your lines and hit boldfaced words. Love the accent.
25 minutes
Everyone Impeach the justice of the state. You were at 30.
EVERYONE Look at the script. I have eliminated all cut lines. Be familiar with it or we are spinning our wheels.
Antonio Beseech the court This should be directed toward the Duke
Everyone Move the trial scene out more. Adjust your position just as you would in real life. If you were at a concert and you could not see something that was extremely important in the front, you would crane your heads to see. You might stand up.
Portia The “mercy “ speech should be directed at Shylock. YOU HAVE TO LEARN YOUR LINES.
EVERYONE YOU CANNOT PROMPT ANYONE ON STAGE. THIS IS A DISQUALIFICATiON.
EVERYONE Because of the way I had blocked the trial scene, Hayden was blocked. In character, he moved to left stage so we could see what Salarino was thinking – he was frustrated. Everyone needs to be like him. Act like ordinary people. The world has not been created yet.
Antonio & jailers Sunday, we said we would leave Mark in the chair. I looked up last night and he had the mop handle around his arms.
Antonio, jailers, & Shylock Move more down stage. This means someone needs to move the chair down more. Shylock may need to get on his knees to cut Mark’s chest.
Portia Watch pacing in the last minutes of the trial scene. It is a little too much.
Jessica Go down toward your father. See info below. If he spills a drop of human blood, according to Jewish law, he is damned forever. A part of you still loves him.
EVERYONE Michelle and the crew CANNOT keep up with your props. At the beginning of this, we had 3 ropes. Now we have one. I have been spending my money to fund this because some people cannot keep up with their props/costumes,etc. If we lose any of the rental costumes, we have to pay double the rental. We rented from Houston for 2300. I have another 3-400 rented from the costume shop. Take responsibility for your things.
Judaism puts a supreme value on the protection of human life, for the human being is understood as having been created in the image of God ("let us create humanity in our image"). We are expected to stop crimes, rescue people from natural disasters, and intervene in life-threatening circumstances. Virtually any action is permissible -- except for murder of innocents, idolatry and adultery/incest -- to save a human being from death. Life is priceless, and the life of one person is considered no less valuable than the life of another -- regardless of their prognosis for survival. Indeed we are commanded to take action to prevent the death of others:
The reason Adam was created alone in the world is to teach you that whoever destroys a single soul, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had destroyed the entire world; and whoever keeps alive a single soul, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had preserved the entire world. Babylonian Talmud
Neither shall you stand idly by the blood of your neighbor. Leviticus 19:16
By this prohibition [Leviticus 19:16] we are forbidden to neglect to save a life of a person whom we see in danger of death and destruction and whom it is in our power to save: as for instance if a person is drowning, and we are good swimmers and can save him; or if a heathen is trying to kill someone, and we are in a position to thwart his intention...
Read the analysis about the characters in Merchant of venice. This is the previous post.
Antonio Spit needs to be horizontal. Start In sooth as you are crossing to table. Move it if it is not working for you.
Salerio Great job in first scene. Louder on the cross. “Merchant” at the end of your sentence needs to be stressed.
Gratiano Great entrance, but I could not understand you. The lines are important, but so is the energy. Your last line is We will talk and laugh later, so laugh after it.
Who knows “credit can” needs to be louder
Casket people Come in at the same time with the person closer to right stage coming in first. The last casket person could not be seen.
Ty Move the table to the right before the dance scene.
Dancers Move DSL – way left or we might try usc in slow motion.
Bassanio Remember you are a Casanova
Thanks for thinking and moving the tables.
Antonio, Bassanio & Shylock scene Antonio and Bassanio – keep your heads up.
8 minutes Seal the bond We were at 10.
Moroccan MEN and Portia and Nerissa We need levels. Connor, come around the bench and kneel looking up. There were 8 people on stage standing until Mark kneeled.
This is in both Moroccan scenes.
Launcelot & Bassanio, Men and Hannah We need men at the table. Hannah, you should always be present unless you are in another scene.
Launcelot, be louder and vary your voice. Use inflection.
Sidelights Sidelights need to fade in and out. Greg will work on placement tonight.
Jessica and Lorenzo We will work on your scene. I love you both in the courtroom scene. You are extremely believable. Be sure that you can see the judge.
Arragon Keep your head up, especially in Arragon scene. LAUGH.
16 minutes
EVERYONE Who chooses me. We were at 20. The play is DRAGGING. One way to solve this is to step on lines. No pauses between lines.
Carson and Connor Move the caskets before people move in the scene. I know it is a thankless job, but Zack and Chavez did it their freshmen year.
Portia/Bassanio scene
Gratiano, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, Salerio, Salarino This scene puts me to sleep. Bassanio, you are the suave man – a ladies man. However, you need to appear extremely nervous because making the wrong choice means that you will be a monk for the rest of your life. Gratiano, you are the clown. Lorenzo, you are concerned about how they will treat Jessica. Jessica, you are almost afraid. These are the same guys who have chased you down the street. Salerio and Salarino are both extremely concerned about Antonio. Everyone is standing. Gratiano and Salarino are the only ones in this scene with facial expressions. We need LEVELS. You cannot move a café chair out or it will still be on stage in the jail scene.
Salerio Lines.
Duke You might look over your character sketch again. You are Antonio’s buddy. You are an aristocrat. You would not hit Shylock. You are beyond that. However, you want everyone to know that you are in charge. You need more inflection in your voice. We also need for you to cheat more toward the audience. Look at your lines and hit boldfaced words. Love the accent.
25 minutes
Everyone Impeach the justice of the state. You were at 30.
EVERYONE Look at the script. I have eliminated all cut lines. Be familiar with it or we are spinning our wheels.
Antonio Beseech the court This should be directed toward the Duke
Everyone Move the trial scene out more. Adjust your position just as you would in real life. If you were at a concert and you could not see something that was extremely important in the front, you would crane your heads to see. You might stand up.
Portia The “mercy “ speech should be directed at Shylock. YOU HAVE TO LEARN YOUR LINES.
EVERYONE YOU CANNOT PROMPT ANYONE ON STAGE. THIS IS A DISQUALIFICATiON.
EVERYONE Because of the way I had blocked the trial scene, Hayden was blocked. In character, he moved to left stage so we could see what Salarino was thinking – he was frustrated. Everyone needs to be like him. Act like ordinary people. The world has not been created yet.
Antonio & jailers Sunday, we said we would leave Mark in the chair. I looked up last night and he had the mop handle around his arms.
Antonio, jailers, & Shylock Move more down stage. This means someone needs to move the chair down more. Shylock may need to get on his knees to cut Mark’s chest.
Portia Watch pacing in the last minutes of the trial scene. It is a little too much.
Jessica Go down toward your father. See info below. If he spills a drop of human blood, according to Jewish law, he is damned forever. A part of you still loves him.
EVERYONE Michelle and the crew CANNOT keep up with your props. At the beginning of this, we had 3 ropes. Now we have one. I have been spending my money to fund this because some people cannot keep up with their props/costumes,etc. If we lose any of the rental costumes, we have to pay double the rental. We rented from Houston for 2300. I have another 3-400 rented from the costume shop. Take responsibility for your things.
Judaism puts a supreme value on the protection of human life, for the human being is understood as having been created in the image of God ("let us create humanity in our image"). We are expected to stop crimes, rescue people from natural disasters, and intervene in life-threatening circumstances. Virtually any action is permissible -- except for murder of innocents, idolatry and adultery/incest -- to save a human being from death. Life is priceless, and the life of one person is considered no less valuable than the life of another -- regardless of their prognosis for survival. Indeed we are commanded to take action to prevent the death of others:
The reason Adam was created alone in the world is to teach you that whoever destroys a single soul, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had destroyed the entire world; and whoever keeps alive a single soul, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had preserved the entire world. Babylonian Talmud
Neither shall you stand idly by the blood of your neighbor. Leviticus 19:16
By this prohibition [Leviticus 19:16] we are forbidden to neglect to save a life of a person whom we see in danger of death and destruction and whom it is in our power to save: as for instance if a person is drowning, and we are good swimmers and can save him; or if a heathen is trying to kill someone, and we are in a position to thwart his intention...
Read the analysis about the characters in Merchant of venice. This is the previous post.
Portia Analysis
Portia is the rich daughter of Belmont and heiress to her dead father’s fortune. We first hear of her as a rich woman who could be the answer to all of Bassanio’s money troubles. But Portia turns out to be much more than a rich plot-device. This woman is one of Shakespeare’s deeper female characters – she’s a good girl, but she knows what she wants and how to get it, even if her methods are a bit unconventional.
To the play, it’s important that Portia is wealthy, but as the story develops, it becomes more important that she’s clever. With her disguised defense of Antonio at court, and her silly-but-devious ring trick, Portia shows that she’s mostly willing to play by the rules, but will have fun interpreting and twisting them to her own pleasure. She can out-think everyone, which helps her to win over the court, deceive Bassanio and Gratiano, and even back her husband into a corner at the end of the play. Her thinking also leads her to some deep thoughts on a variety of issues – some of the more philosophical speeches of the play belong to Portia. Most importantly, she operates within the bounds of the rules of social and legal norms, yet her quick and mischievous thinking allows her to be imaginative within those bounds instead of being oppressed by them.
Though Portia is clearly strong-willed (she shows her disdain for her many wooing men), she’s still an obedient girl. She sticks to her father’s plan for her and simply hopes that it will turn out right, though she’s not above being snarky when it comes to dealing with each of the suitors. The lady is gracious, so she’ll do things as they’re supposed to be done, but she’ll be damned if she doesn’t do things her way on top of that. The only time we ever really see Portia out of sorts is when she’s faced with Bassanio’s choice. For the first time in the play, she doesn’t seem to know what to say, or is unable to really communicate what she is feeling, which seems to be love for Bassanio. She gives herself over to him fully, but in everything that follows she does as she pleases, rendering her both obedient and rule-abiding (with regard to her husband and father), but not without a hint of her own mischief. Portia’s got her own touch, and she’s smart enough to figure out how to get what she wants. She has a certain playfulness too, which means her machinations aren’t manipulations, but just part of a fun game she devises.
Ultimately, this complexity still allows her to fit within the confines of being a woman in her times. And yet, her wit, intelligence, and generosity are all tools she uses to let others know that while she’s definitely a woman, and seems to be accordingly limited, she isn’t subordinate to anybody – except when she chooses to be. Her cross-dressing endeavor, where she outwits all the men in both the law and their ability to define gender, is a perfect example of this kind of cleverness. Besides displaying her ability to exploit loopholes, the cross-dressing is a clear if complicated testament to Portia’s view of justice and of her own intelligence. She knows the rules (both of social and legal norms), but she’s discerning enough to be able to decide which ones must be followed and which are just silly. Portia follows the former doggedly while working her way around the others. She’d never disobey her father’s will, but she happily uses the law against Shylock’s invocation of it. She expresses a desire to be Bassanio’s woman, but she directly flouts social rules by dressing as a man. Portia has clearly thought about justice, devised a code that suits her, and follows it to the letter.
To the play, it’s important that Portia is wealthy, but as the story develops, it becomes more important that she’s clever. With her disguised defense of Antonio at court, and her silly-but-devious ring trick, Portia shows that she’s mostly willing to play by the rules, but will have fun interpreting and twisting them to her own pleasure. She can out-think everyone, which helps her to win over the court, deceive Bassanio and Gratiano, and even back her husband into a corner at the end of the play. Her thinking also leads her to some deep thoughts on a variety of issues – some of the more philosophical speeches of the play belong to Portia. Most importantly, she operates within the bounds of the rules of social and legal norms, yet her quick and mischievous thinking allows her to be imaginative within those bounds instead of being oppressed by them.
Though Portia is clearly strong-willed (she shows her disdain for her many wooing men), she’s still an obedient girl. She sticks to her father’s plan for her and simply hopes that it will turn out right, though she’s not above being snarky when it comes to dealing with each of the suitors. The lady is gracious, so she’ll do things as they’re supposed to be done, but she’ll be damned if she doesn’t do things her way on top of that. The only time we ever really see Portia out of sorts is when she’s faced with Bassanio’s choice. For the first time in the play, she doesn’t seem to know what to say, or is unable to really communicate what she is feeling, which seems to be love for Bassanio. She gives herself over to him fully, but in everything that follows she does as she pleases, rendering her both obedient and rule-abiding (with regard to her husband and father), but not without a hint of her own mischief. Portia’s got her own touch, and she’s smart enough to figure out how to get what she wants. She has a certain playfulness too, which means her machinations aren’t manipulations, but just part of a fun game she devises.
Ultimately, this complexity still allows her to fit within the confines of being a woman in her times. And yet, her wit, intelligence, and generosity are all tools she uses to let others know that while she’s definitely a woman, and seems to be accordingly limited, she isn’t subordinate to anybody – except when she chooses to be. Her cross-dressing endeavor, where she outwits all the men in both the law and their ability to define gender, is a perfect example of this kind of cleverness. Besides displaying her ability to exploit loopholes, the cross-dressing is a clear if complicated testament to Portia’s view of justice and of her own intelligence. She knows the rules (both of social and legal norms), but she’s discerning enough to be able to decide which ones must be followed and which are just silly. Portia follows the former doggedly while working her way around the others. She’d never disobey her father’s will, but she happily uses the law against Shylock’s invocation of it. She expresses a desire to be Bassanio’s woman, but she directly flouts social rules by dressing as a man. Portia has clearly thought about justice, devised a code that suits her, and follows it to the letter.
Moods
THEMES
Major Theme
The qualities of mercy and justice usually receive their just rewards. Shylock's thirst for vengeance and his determined refusal to allow even an iota of compassion to mark his character are contrasted with the constant and open generosity that the Christians live by and propound. However, justice is not shown to be served in totality either, since a loophole in the law is used to prevent the foreign Jew from equating himself with a Christian.
Minor Theme
Friendship and love are idealized as the values worth sacrificing one's all for, as developed in the relationships of Antonio, Bassanio, and Portia.
MOOD
The play is set at two levels: one is the commercial world of Venice, where trade and profits rule; the second is the idealized setting of Belmont where the heart rules over the head.
In the opening scene, Antonio is projected as being a sad, melancholy man. Despite this opening, The Merchant of Venice, being a romantic comedy, is full of life, vigor, and courtship. This mood of savoring the full joy of life continues until the scene of the trial in Act IV.
The trial of Antonio in the court of Venice creates a mood of apprehension and suspense. Shakespeare has deliberately created the character of Shylock to be despicable to pander to the anti-Semitism of his audience. Cast as his opposite in gentility, benevolence, religion, and nobility of character is Portia, who is the "queen" of Belmont.
The final act of the play is set in Belmont where love, lyricism, and music abound and create a joyful and romantic mood. Shakespeare masterfully alternates the two settings and the two moods, using each to highlight the other.
Major Theme
The qualities of mercy and justice usually receive their just rewards. Shylock's thirst for vengeance and his determined refusal to allow even an iota of compassion to mark his character are contrasted with the constant and open generosity that the Christians live by and propound. However, justice is not shown to be served in totality either, since a loophole in the law is used to prevent the foreign Jew from equating himself with a Christian.
Minor Theme
Friendship and love are idealized as the values worth sacrificing one's all for, as developed in the relationships of Antonio, Bassanio, and Portia.
MOOD
The play is set at two levels: one is the commercial world of Venice, where trade and profits rule; the second is the idealized setting of Belmont where the heart rules over the head.
In the opening scene, Antonio is projected as being a sad, melancholy man. Despite this opening, The Merchant of Venice, being a romantic comedy, is full of life, vigor, and courtship. This mood of savoring the full joy of life continues until the scene of the trial in Act IV.
The trial of Antonio in the court of Venice creates a mood of apprehension and suspense. Shakespeare has deliberately created the character of Shylock to be despicable to pander to the anti-Semitism of his audience. Cast as his opposite in gentility, benevolence, religion, and nobility of character is Portia, who is the "queen" of Belmont.
The final act of the play is set in Belmont where love, lyricism, and music abound and create a joyful and romantic mood. Shakespeare masterfully alternates the two settings and the two moods, using each to highlight the other.
Analysis of Antonio, Shylock, Bassanio, Gratiano, Jessica, Lorenzo, Portia, Nerissa
Table of Contents | Message Board | Printable Version | Barron's Booknotes
OVERALL ANALYSES
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Antonio
Antonio is the merchant of Venice, the titular protagonist of the play. He is about forty years of age and has lived his life to the fullest. He is a successful businessman, owning a fleet of trade ships. Surprisingly, Antonio appears in relatively few scenes of the play, but he is the driving force behind much of the action. Antonio is the model Christian, as defined by Elizabethan society. He represents, among other things, the ideal of nobility in friendship. He is also kind and generous, both to his friends and to the poor of Venice. Although he is now more philosophical, gentle, and quiet, he can still appreciate the frivolous nature of youth, as portrayed by his beloved friend, Bassanio. Aside from his love for Bassanio, he is unattached. Perhaps his lack of love is the reason for his melancholy.
Antonio's principles are against the borrowing or lending of money for profit. He reflects the medieval attitude that money should be lent for Christian charity. His noble generosity for his friend, however, leads him to cast aside these principles and to take a loan from the merchant, Shylock. He borrows money and pledges his flesh as the bond. When his ships are lost at sea, he cannot repay the loan and accepts the fact that he must pay Shylock with a pound of his flesh.
Antonio's warmth and generosity, however, save him. Portia, who has marrried Bassanio, comes to Antonio's aid. Even though she has never met Antonio, she loves him for his generosity to her husband. She appears in court as a young, intelligent lawyer and turns the law against Shylock, saving Bassanio's dear friend in the process. Antonio, with characteristic generosity and mercy, spares the life of Shylock and gives the Jew's wealth to Lorenzo and Jessica, the rightful heirs. Antonio's good fortune continues when he learns that his ships are not lost at sea, but have returned laden with goods. As the symbol of Christian warmth, kindness, generosity, and love, Antonio truly receives his just reward during the play when all turns out well for him.
Shylock
Shylock is a focal point of the play. A traditional stereotype of the Jew in Elizabethan times, he is comically caricatured as a greedy miser. He wears a traditional "Jewish gabardine." He is a middle- aged man between fifty and fifty-five, who has a keenness of observation, a memory for details, and a strong amount of energy. He is well versed in the Bible and is able to draw analogies from various Biblical sources and stories, which are relevant to the situations in which he finds himself. His manner of speaking reveals an authoritative tone with frequent references to the great and ancient names from Scriptures, which he uses to justify his own practices. His speech reveals a cold and calculating mind, reflective of his narrow thinking. He is also literal-minded and pragmatic and has quick and agile thought processes, which help him in his business dealings.
Shylock suffers from religious persecution, which plays an important part in the play. Antonio has reviled and despised this Jew, even humiliating him publicly because of his money lending and usury. Shylock believes that his profiteering is not a sin. This is contrary to the Christian belief, held by Antonio, that money should be lent for charity and not for profit. By his profession and his religion, Shylock is marked as the alien in a happy and fun- loving Venetian society. His alienation causes his bitterness and his humiliation makes him seek revenge. Antonio becomes the target of that revenge, and Shylock uses the letter of the law to try and exact a pound of flesh from his enemy. His strict interpretation of the law backfires on him, and he winds up losing his wealth and barely saving his life. Although he appears in only five scenes, Shylock is a very powerful personality, whose love of money has destroyed any natural human feelings.
Portia
Like Antonio, Portia is an example of nobility. She is a fair-haired beauty with an immense power to attract. Her goodness and virtue enhance her beauty. Unlike Antonio, she is not passive, but displays energy and determination. In many ways, hers is the more forceful figure in the play. Her authority and control with which she deals and manipulates the circumstances of the play are exemplary. In Belmont, the terms of her father's will leave her without any choice in her future husband, and she is saddened that she does not have an appropriate mate. As a dutiful daughter, however, she is compelled to accept her father's wishes. Despite her dissatisfaction with her circumstances, she has a cheerful and optimistic nature. She is clever with words and wit and enjoys the opportunity of performing, both in Belmont and Venice. She uses her wonderful ability with words and her keen sense of humor to enliven the scenes in which she appears. Her treatment of her money reflects Bassanio's belief that money is to be used only in the sense of helping loved ones. She proves she is unselfish and generous. Her happiness and Antonio's meet in Bassanio. Her ideal of mercy is unselfish generosity and she shows an understanding of Christian values.
As a Christian gentlewoman, she considers it her duty to show Shylock the foolishness of his exact interpretation of the law that has no mercy. She dresses as a young lawyer and goes to court to defend Antonio. Like Shylock has demanded, she strictly interprets the law and disallows the Jew from taking a drop of Antonio's blood when he takes his pound of flesh. Since this is impossible, Shylock begs to just be given money, but Portia is unrelenting. She cites another law that states any alien who tries to take the life of a Venetian is to lose all of his money, which will be split between the state and the person who was to be killed. As a result, Shylock loses all of his wealth. Portia has cleverly tricked Shylock at his own game.
Portia is the most multi-dimensional character in the play, alternating between a beautiful woman in the remote setting of Belmont and the authoritative lawyer in Venice, who orchestrates the victory of good over evil.
Bassanio
Bassanio is a young man who has just left behind the carefree days of his youth with a resolve to enter into the respectable life of being a good husband. In the past, he has squandered his wealth on pleasures of good living and extravagant expenditures. His lack of funds, however, does not stop him from generosity nor does it prevent him from enjoying a good life. As a result, he is deeply in debt, mostly to Antonio. To solve his financial problems, he seeks to marry into money, and Portia is the object of his desire. As her suitor, he is graceful with words and is presented as the model of a romantic hero.
Because of his kindness and generosity, especially in his relationship to Antonio, Portia is very attracted to him and delighted that he chooses the correct casket to win her hand in marriage. His and Portia's love, though born in the magic world of Belmont, is tested in Venice, which symbolizes the real world, and is proven to be true and strong.
Lorenzo
Lorenzo is a representative of the elegant Venetian society. He plays the dashing young lover, who rescues his love from the austerity and somberness of a restricted life. He too, believes that happiness arises from successful relationships. He has a great love for lyricism and poetry, as is shown in his vivid descriptions.
Lorenzo's love for Jessica is sincere and constant. It looks beneath the differences in religion, as he associates his lover with virtue and gentility. His love for her is eternal because he finds her to be wise and virtuous. He also realizes that perfect harmony is not possible on earth, since human beings are trapped in a mortal body. His love, optimism, and understanding make him deserving of the riches and love that he is rewarded with.
Jessica
As the daughter of Shylock, she is compelled to abandon him. The difference in their temperaments has made her circumstances intolerable. She is, although a Jew, as different from her father "as jet to ivory." She is more at home with Christian ways than with the austerity of her father's Jewish house. She likes Launcelot because of his capacity to introduce merriment to an otherwise gloomy household. She shows ingenuity in disguising as a pageboy to effect her elopement. Although guilty of theft and filial ingratitude in betraying her father, she shows an understanding of the moral sins that she has committed. Her drawbacks are mitigated by her loving and exuberant nature, which is similar to Portia's vivacity and wit.
Gratiano
Gratiano is the second fool in the play, next to Launcelot. He is given to unnecessary speech and garrulousness. He also drinks too much and behaves rudely and insensitively. He condemns silence as being a facade for those who wish to be thought of as thinkers and philosophers. The change in Gratiano is effected as he starts associating more with Bassanio. Almost all his actions are of an imitative nature. This is in keeping with the ideas of the times that people are ennobled by following their betters. Like Bassanio, Gratiano falls in love in Belmont and marries Nerissa, Portia's maid.
Nerissa
Nerissa is Portia's maid. She acts as a backdrop to the wit displayed by Portia. Her long association with her mistress has elevated her mannerisms and behavior to the point that she now acts as a witty and intelligent person. She, too, follows the examples set by Portia in many ways: she marries a gentleman from Venice, she follows Portia to Venice, she assumes the role of a lawyer's clerk and she takes her ring from her lover. She is to Portia what Gratiano is to Bassanio.
OVERALL ANALYSES
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Antonio
Antonio is the merchant of Venice, the titular protagonist of the play. He is about forty years of age and has lived his life to the fullest. He is a successful businessman, owning a fleet of trade ships. Surprisingly, Antonio appears in relatively few scenes of the play, but he is the driving force behind much of the action. Antonio is the model Christian, as defined by Elizabethan society. He represents, among other things, the ideal of nobility in friendship. He is also kind and generous, both to his friends and to the poor of Venice. Although he is now more philosophical, gentle, and quiet, he can still appreciate the frivolous nature of youth, as portrayed by his beloved friend, Bassanio. Aside from his love for Bassanio, he is unattached. Perhaps his lack of love is the reason for his melancholy.
Antonio's principles are against the borrowing or lending of money for profit. He reflects the medieval attitude that money should be lent for Christian charity. His noble generosity for his friend, however, leads him to cast aside these principles and to take a loan from the merchant, Shylock. He borrows money and pledges his flesh as the bond. When his ships are lost at sea, he cannot repay the loan and accepts the fact that he must pay Shylock with a pound of his flesh.
Antonio's warmth and generosity, however, save him. Portia, who has marrried Bassanio, comes to Antonio's aid. Even though she has never met Antonio, she loves him for his generosity to her husband. She appears in court as a young, intelligent lawyer and turns the law against Shylock, saving Bassanio's dear friend in the process. Antonio, with characteristic generosity and mercy, spares the life of Shylock and gives the Jew's wealth to Lorenzo and Jessica, the rightful heirs. Antonio's good fortune continues when he learns that his ships are not lost at sea, but have returned laden with goods. As the symbol of Christian warmth, kindness, generosity, and love, Antonio truly receives his just reward during the play when all turns out well for him.
Shylock
Shylock is a focal point of the play. A traditional stereotype of the Jew in Elizabethan times, he is comically caricatured as a greedy miser. He wears a traditional "Jewish gabardine." He is a middle- aged man between fifty and fifty-five, who has a keenness of observation, a memory for details, and a strong amount of energy. He is well versed in the Bible and is able to draw analogies from various Biblical sources and stories, which are relevant to the situations in which he finds himself. His manner of speaking reveals an authoritative tone with frequent references to the great and ancient names from Scriptures, which he uses to justify his own practices. His speech reveals a cold and calculating mind, reflective of his narrow thinking. He is also literal-minded and pragmatic and has quick and agile thought processes, which help him in his business dealings.
Shylock suffers from religious persecution, which plays an important part in the play. Antonio has reviled and despised this Jew, even humiliating him publicly because of his money lending and usury. Shylock believes that his profiteering is not a sin. This is contrary to the Christian belief, held by Antonio, that money should be lent for charity and not for profit. By his profession and his religion, Shylock is marked as the alien in a happy and fun- loving Venetian society. His alienation causes his bitterness and his humiliation makes him seek revenge. Antonio becomes the target of that revenge, and Shylock uses the letter of the law to try and exact a pound of flesh from his enemy. His strict interpretation of the law backfires on him, and he winds up losing his wealth and barely saving his life. Although he appears in only five scenes, Shylock is a very powerful personality, whose love of money has destroyed any natural human feelings.
Portia
Like Antonio, Portia is an example of nobility. She is a fair-haired beauty with an immense power to attract. Her goodness and virtue enhance her beauty. Unlike Antonio, she is not passive, but displays energy and determination. In many ways, hers is the more forceful figure in the play. Her authority and control with which she deals and manipulates the circumstances of the play are exemplary. In Belmont, the terms of her father's will leave her without any choice in her future husband, and she is saddened that she does not have an appropriate mate. As a dutiful daughter, however, she is compelled to accept her father's wishes. Despite her dissatisfaction with her circumstances, she has a cheerful and optimistic nature. She is clever with words and wit and enjoys the opportunity of performing, both in Belmont and Venice. She uses her wonderful ability with words and her keen sense of humor to enliven the scenes in which she appears. Her treatment of her money reflects Bassanio's belief that money is to be used only in the sense of helping loved ones. She proves she is unselfish and generous. Her happiness and Antonio's meet in Bassanio. Her ideal of mercy is unselfish generosity and she shows an understanding of Christian values.
As a Christian gentlewoman, she considers it her duty to show Shylock the foolishness of his exact interpretation of the law that has no mercy. She dresses as a young lawyer and goes to court to defend Antonio. Like Shylock has demanded, she strictly interprets the law and disallows the Jew from taking a drop of Antonio's blood when he takes his pound of flesh. Since this is impossible, Shylock begs to just be given money, but Portia is unrelenting. She cites another law that states any alien who tries to take the life of a Venetian is to lose all of his money, which will be split between the state and the person who was to be killed. As a result, Shylock loses all of his wealth. Portia has cleverly tricked Shylock at his own game.
Portia is the most multi-dimensional character in the play, alternating between a beautiful woman in the remote setting of Belmont and the authoritative lawyer in Venice, who orchestrates the victory of good over evil.
Bassanio
Bassanio is a young man who has just left behind the carefree days of his youth with a resolve to enter into the respectable life of being a good husband. In the past, he has squandered his wealth on pleasures of good living and extravagant expenditures. His lack of funds, however, does not stop him from generosity nor does it prevent him from enjoying a good life. As a result, he is deeply in debt, mostly to Antonio. To solve his financial problems, he seeks to marry into money, and Portia is the object of his desire. As her suitor, he is graceful with words and is presented as the model of a romantic hero.
Because of his kindness and generosity, especially in his relationship to Antonio, Portia is very attracted to him and delighted that he chooses the correct casket to win her hand in marriage. His and Portia's love, though born in the magic world of Belmont, is tested in Venice, which symbolizes the real world, and is proven to be true and strong.
Lorenzo
Lorenzo is a representative of the elegant Venetian society. He plays the dashing young lover, who rescues his love from the austerity and somberness of a restricted life. He too, believes that happiness arises from successful relationships. He has a great love for lyricism and poetry, as is shown in his vivid descriptions.
Lorenzo's love for Jessica is sincere and constant. It looks beneath the differences in religion, as he associates his lover with virtue and gentility. His love for her is eternal because he finds her to be wise and virtuous. He also realizes that perfect harmony is not possible on earth, since human beings are trapped in a mortal body. His love, optimism, and understanding make him deserving of the riches and love that he is rewarded with.
Jessica
As the daughter of Shylock, she is compelled to abandon him. The difference in their temperaments has made her circumstances intolerable. She is, although a Jew, as different from her father "as jet to ivory." She is more at home with Christian ways than with the austerity of her father's Jewish house. She likes Launcelot because of his capacity to introduce merriment to an otherwise gloomy household. She shows ingenuity in disguising as a pageboy to effect her elopement. Although guilty of theft and filial ingratitude in betraying her father, she shows an understanding of the moral sins that she has committed. Her drawbacks are mitigated by her loving and exuberant nature, which is similar to Portia's vivacity and wit.
Gratiano
Gratiano is the second fool in the play, next to Launcelot. He is given to unnecessary speech and garrulousness. He also drinks too much and behaves rudely and insensitively. He condemns silence as being a facade for those who wish to be thought of as thinkers and philosophers. The change in Gratiano is effected as he starts associating more with Bassanio. Almost all his actions are of an imitative nature. This is in keeping with the ideas of the times that people are ennobled by following their betters. Like Bassanio, Gratiano falls in love in Belmont and marries Nerissa, Portia's maid.
Nerissa
Nerissa is Portia's maid. She acts as a backdrop to the wit displayed by Portia. Her long association with her mistress has elevated her mannerisms and behavior to the point that she now acts as a witty and intelligent person. She, too, follows the examples set by Portia in many ways: she marries a gentleman from Venice, she follows Portia to Venice, she assumes the role of a lawyer's clerk and she takes her ring from her lover. She is to Portia what Gratiano is to Bassanio.
Portia Analysis
Portia is the rich daughter of Belmont and heiress to her dead father’s fortune. We first hear of her as a rich woman who could be the answer to all of Bassanio’s money troubles. But Portia turns out to be much more than a rich plot-device. This woman is one of Shakespeare’s deeper female characters – she’s a good girl, but she knows what she wants and how to get it, even if her methods are a bit unconventional.
To the play, it’s important that Portia is wealthy, but as the story develops, it becomes more important that she’s clever. With her disguised defense of Antonio at court, and her silly-but-devious ring trick, Portia shows that she’s mostly willing to play by the rules, but will have fun interpreting and twisting them to her own pleasure. She can out-think everyone, which helps her to win over the court, deceive Bassanio and Gratiano, and even back her husband into a corner at the end of the play. Her thinking also leads her to some deep thoughts on a variety of issues – some of the more philosophical speeches of the play belong to Portia. Most importantly, she operates within the bounds of the rules of social and legal norms, yet her quick and mischievous thinking allows her to be imaginative within those bounds instead of being oppressed by them.
Though Portia is clearly strong-willed (she shows her disdain for her many wooing men), she’s still an obedient girl. She sticks to her father’s plan for her and simply hopes that it will turn out right, though she’s not above being snarky when it comes to dealing with each of the suitors. The lady is gracious, so she’ll do things as they’re supposed to be done, but she’ll be damned if she doesn’t do things her way on top of that. The only time we ever really see Portia out of sorts is when she’s faced with Bassanio’s choice. For the first time in the play, she doesn’t seem to know what to say, or is unable to really communicate what she is feeling, which seems to be love for Bassanio. She gives herself over to him fully, but in everything that follows she does as she pleases, rendering her both obedient and rule-abiding (with regard to her husband and father), but not without a hint of her own mischief. Portia’s got her own touch, and she’s smart enough to figure out how to get what she wants. She has a certain playfulness too, which means her machinations aren’t manipulations, but just part of a fun game she devises.
Ultimately, this complexity still allows her to fit within the confines of being a woman in her times. And yet, her wit, intelligence, and generosity are all tools she uses to let others know that while she’s definitely a woman, and seems to be accordingly limited, she isn’t subordinate to anybody – except when she chooses to be. Her cross-dressing endeavor, where she outwits all the men in both the law and their ability to define gender, is a perfect example of this kind of cleverness. Besides displaying her ability to exploit loopholes, the cross-dressing is a clear if complicated testament to Portia’s view of justice and of her own intelligence. She knows the rules (both of social and legal norms), but she’s discerning enough to be able to decide which ones must be followed and which are just silly. Portia follows the former doggedly while working her way around the others. She’d never disobey her father’s will, but she happily uses the law against Shylock’s invocation of it. She expresses a desire to be Bassanio’s woman, but she directly flouts social rules by dressing as a man. Portia has clearly thought about justice, devised a code that suits her, and follows it to the letter.
To the play, it’s important that Portia is wealthy, but as the story develops, it becomes more important that she’s clever. With her disguised defense of Antonio at court, and her silly-but-devious ring trick, Portia shows that she’s mostly willing to play by the rules, but will have fun interpreting and twisting them to her own pleasure. She can out-think everyone, which helps her to win over the court, deceive Bassanio and Gratiano, and even back her husband into a corner at the end of the play. Her thinking also leads her to some deep thoughts on a variety of issues – some of the more philosophical speeches of the play belong to Portia. Most importantly, she operates within the bounds of the rules of social and legal norms, yet her quick and mischievous thinking allows her to be imaginative within those bounds instead of being oppressed by them.
Though Portia is clearly strong-willed (she shows her disdain for her many wooing men), she’s still an obedient girl. She sticks to her father’s plan for her and simply hopes that it will turn out right, though she’s not above being snarky when it comes to dealing with each of the suitors. The lady is gracious, so she’ll do things as they’re supposed to be done, but she’ll be damned if she doesn’t do things her way on top of that. The only time we ever really see Portia out of sorts is when she’s faced with Bassanio’s choice. For the first time in the play, she doesn’t seem to know what to say, or is unable to really communicate what she is feeling, which seems to be love for Bassanio. She gives herself over to him fully, but in everything that follows she does as she pleases, rendering her both obedient and rule-abiding (with regard to her husband and father), but not without a hint of her own mischief. Portia’s got her own touch, and she’s smart enough to figure out how to get what she wants. She has a certain playfulness too, which means her machinations aren’t manipulations, but just part of a fun game she devises.
Ultimately, this complexity still allows her to fit within the confines of being a woman in her times. And yet, her wit, intelligence, and generosity are all tools she uses to let others know that while she’s definitely a woman, and seems to be accordingly limited, she isn’t subordinate to anybody – except when she chooses to be. Her cross-dressing endeavor, where she outwits all the men in both the law and their ability to define gender, is a perfect example of this kind of cleverness. Besides displaying her ability to exploit loopholes, the cross-dressing is a clear if complicated testament to Portia’s view of justice and of her own intelligence. She knows the rules (both of social and legal norms), but she’s discerning enough to be able to decide which ones must be followed and which are just silly. Portia follows the former doggedly while working her way around the others. She’d never disobey her father’s will, but she happily uses the law against Shylock’s invocation of it. She expresses a desire to be Bassanio’s woman, but she directly flouts social rules by dressing as a man. Portia has clearly thought about justice, devised a code that suits her, and follows it to the letter.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
February 27 Rehearsal
Everyone 1. Most of this is a replay of Friday’s critiques, but I have changed some things.
Everyone 2. Tomorrow, we will only rehearse one hour from 6:30-7:30.
Everyone 3. We need a time for Emily to work with Randall, Baily, Savannah, and her partner.
Everyone 4. Opening is better. Remember how we did the beginning. We will not stop. Yes, you will be in costume. Make sure that the audience knows that Jews are the target.
5. Italian dialect is working. BUT, hit all consonants, especially at the end of words. Focus on bold faced words. Everyone who attended the clinic did better on dialect. We haven’t heard Hayden yet; however in the final scene, you were better.
6. We will have ties for all men – different colors.
7. Stereotype each person – for example, Bassanio – suave and slick; Antonio is older, but wants to hang out with the younger guys. He was a ladies’ man; Gratiano is a jokester. Salerio and Salarino are both ladies’ men, but Salarino is the hot head.
8. Arragon, you are the snob –
9. Moroccan, you are the ladies’ man also. You are also the jokester.
10. FIND YOUR OWN STEROTYPE and work toward it.
11. The set is changed. You will need to help move things around.
12. Transition 1 Café to Portia Portia transition – 20’s swing music. Ty, Chris, Carson, Connor, move furniture from café to the beat. Ty, move the red center table on top of the other red table. Chris & Connor, move the other three chairs close to Portia’s scene. The three people will be holding the caskets and exit USL after this scene. Portia is royalty. We need to see Randall visibly drunk before her line about sponges.
13. Transition 2 Portia to Shylock and Bassanio (you will not be entering from USL) to café. Chris and Connor, move the table back and rearrange chairs and table to DSCL. It will be marked.
14. Transition 3 Café to Portia. Bassanio, stay in the café and move your table and chairs more right stage. No people holding caskets in this scene because Moroccan says, “lead me to the caskets.”When the Moroccan and men are exiting SL, Bassanio, move the table back to where they were.
15. Transition 4 Portia to Café With Gratiano and Bassanio in the café, after this scene, move table back on top of table stage r.
16. Transition 5 Café to Shylock’s house Shylock, be reading the Talmud CS.
17. Transition 6 Shylock to Moroccan Connor and Carson, do not move the table, just put the caskets on it. Then following the scene, move the behind Shylock’s house.
18. Transition 7 Moroccan to Jessica’s house.
19. CUT SCENE 9
20. Transition 8 We see in a blue wash - Bassanio and Gratiano and Salarino are upstage in spot.Lorenzo and Salerio are DSL by 8’ pylon. Jessica is peering over the top. They act like they are saying the lines. We must hear thunder and rain to cover this up. 10 seconds then Salerio joins Gratiano and Bassanio. Jessica and Lorenzo exit USL.
21. Transition 9 CS. Antonio comes from out of the café through pylons earlier and is looking for men USL. Then goes DSC.
22.
Antonio 23. Antonio – depression is there and you must try to not be depressed. Remember your older and heavier demeanor. Brooklyn accent goes in and out.
Gratiano 24. Gratiano, you are the clown, jokester. Gratiano needs to be slick.
Bassanio & Portia 25. Bassanio, remember you are the sexy, suave lothario. Portia is the male version of you.
Jessica, 26. find long vowels, mark them, then shorten them. Circle one syllable words and make them one syllable.
Nerissa, 27. keep keys. Be a steward.
28. Arragon prince – your costume is in my trunk, but we need black pants.
29. Good fellas – all Italians watch it and the God Father. Lorenzo and Chris, watch gangs of New York. I have it.
30. We must show mood changes. Everything changes after Jessica leaves home. UMBRELLAS are a must. Everyone going into the trial scene must look as though they have come in out of a storm.
31. Portia and Nerissa, we need to shorten your scene where you decide to dress up like a man. Use the pose and vocalize it. When you are waiting to go to court, rehearse in slow motion your man walks. Baily, you don’t get it right. Portia keeps working with you.
32. Antonio – beseech scene – diction (Brooklyn accent) goes from heartbreak and confusion to panic, begging.
33. Shylock in contrast – more confident, calm, vindictive.
34. WHAT HAPPENED TO PEOPLE NOISES THROUGHOUT THE SHOW. DID YOU NOT DO THEM BECAUSE THE JV WERE NOT HERE?
35. Trial, Bassanio and Antonio, keep your heads up when you are speaking and comforting each other.
36. Portia – line with diest must be measured and stressed.
37. Portia – quality of mercy speech should be directed at Shylock and audience. We need to move Shylock downstage.
38. Portia – prepare your bosom, - then Antonio takes off tie and shirt.
39. Gratiano – he LOVED your delivery of the wife line.
40. SLO MOTION – 10 sec longer
41. The climax – slow motion – discovery of a loophole did not work today.
42. CHANGES to last script – first page where it says cut three lines, keep the first and cut the Salarino and Lorenzo lines.
a. Men stay in café scene whenever possible. Hannah, stay there working when not holding caskets.
b. Jessica, stay in house and clean or fix flowers in slow motion. Be writing two letters – one to Lorenzo and one to your father.
c. Carson is already waiting outside the restaurant –we cannot lose time. This is on page 4
d. Following Moroccan scene, some men who are not in the next scene, go back into the café.
e. Cut most of scene 10. In previous scene, asks his men to go with him – all but Antonio who remains in café scene. They go directly to Jessica’s house. We hear music and thunder. Spot is on them and they MUST improv the scene. Shylock immediately goes into his house, finds his LETTER, and says the lines after Antonio’s lines. Then Antonio leaves café and goes through doors usc to dsc in the RAIN. Salerio and Salarino return to café in the RAIN.
f. Move tables ONLY in last café scene. Salerio and Salarino take the tables, leave the chairs – move them right stage with one chair on top of another. Shylock moves one pylon. Chris moves another. Connor moves the smaller one. Hannah moves radio and leaves the bench there. I will glue stuff to shelves and Carson will move those.
g. CUT on page 10-Scene 16 – I never did repent…..
i. Cut Go, speed to Padua….. Balthazar does not come in.
ii. We go immediately to court scene. People are coming in out of the rain in different directions.
43.
Everyone 2. Tomorrow, we will only rehearse one hour from 6:30-7:30.
Everyone 3. We need a time for Emily to work with Randall, Baily, Savannah, and her partner.
Everyone 4. Opening is better. Remember how we did the beginning. We will not stop. Yes, you will be in costume. Make sure that the audience knows that Jews are the target.
5. Italian dialect is working. BUT, hit all consonants, especially at the end of words. Focus on bold faced words. Everyone who attended the clinic did better on dialect. We haven’t heard Hayden yet; however in the final scene, you were better.
6. We will have ties for all men – different colors.
7. Stereotype each person – for example, Bassanio – suave and slick; Antonio is older, but wants to hang out with the younger guys. He was a ladies’ man; Gratiano is a jokester. Salerio and Salarino are both ladies’ men, but Salarino is the hot head.
8. Arragon, you are the snob –
9. Moroccan, you are the ladies’ man also. You are also the jokester.
10. FIND YOUR OWN STEROTYPE and work toward it.
11. The set is changed. You will need to help move things around.
12. Transition 1 Café to Portia Portia transition – 20’s swing music. Ty, Chris, Carson, Connor, move furniture from café to the beat. Ty, move the red center table on top of the other red table. Chris & Connor, move the other three chairs close to Portia’s scene. The three people will be holding the caskets and exit USL after this scene. Portia is royalty. We need to see Randall visibly drunk before her line about sponges.
13. Transition 2 Portia to Shylock and Bassanio (you will not be entering from USL) to café. Chris and Connor, move the table back and rearrange chairs and table to DSCL. It will be marked.
14. Transition 3 Café to Portia. Bassanio, stay in the café and move your table and chairs more right stage. No people holding caskets in this scene because Moroccan says, “lead me to the caskets.”When the Moroccan and men are exiting SL, Bassanio, move the table back to where they were.
15. Transition 4 Portia to Café With Gratiano and Bassanio in the café, after this scene, move table back on top of table stage r.
16. Transition 5 Café to Shylock’s house Shylock, be reading the Talmud CS.
17. Transition 6 Shylock to Moroccan Connor and Carson, do not move the table, just put the caskets on it. Then following the scene, move the behind Shylock’s house.
18. Transition 7 Moroccan to Jessica’s house.
19. CUT SCENE 9
20. Transition 8 We see in a blue wash - Bassanio and Gratiano and Salarino are upstage in spot.Lorenzo and Salerio are DSL by 8’ pylon. Jessica is peering over the top. They act like they are saying the lines. We must hear thunder and rain to cover this up. 10 seconds then Salerio joins Gratiano and Bassanio. Jessica and Lorenzo exit USL.
21. Transition 9 CS. Antonio comes from out of the café through pylons earlier and is looking for men USL. Then goes DSC.
22.
Antonio 23. Antonio – depression is there and you must try to not be depressed. Remember your older and heavier demeanor. Brooklyn accent goes in and out.
Gratiano 24. Gratiano, you are the clown, jokester. Gratiano needs to be slick.
Bassanio & Portia 25. Bassanio, remember you are the sexy, suave lothario. Portia is the male version of you.
Jessica, 26. find long vowels, mark them, then shorten them. Circle one syllable words and make them one syllable.
Nerissa, 27. keep keys. Be a steward.
28. Arragon prince – your costume is in my trunk, but we need black pants.
29. Good fellas – all Italians watch it and the God Father. Lorenzo and Chris, watch gangs of New York. I have it.
30. We must show mood changes. Everything changes after Jessica leaves home. UMBRELLAS are a must. Everyone going into the trial scene must look as though they have come in out of a storm.
31. Portia and Nerissa, we need to shorten your scene where you decide to dress up like a man. Use the pose and vocalize it. When you are waiting to go to court, rehearse in slow motion your man walks. Baily, you don’t get it right. Portia keeps working with you.
32. Antonio – beseech scene – diction (Brooklyn accent) goes from heartbreak and confusion to panic, begging.
33. Shylock in contrast – more confident, calm, vindictive.
34. WHAT HAPPENED TO PEOPLE NOISES THROUGHOUT THE SHOW. DID YOU NOT DO THEM BECAUSE THE JV WERE NOT HERE?
35. Trial, Bassanio and Antonio, keep your heads up when you are speaking and comforting each other.
36. Portia – line with diest must be measured and stressed.
37. Portia – quality of mercy speech should be directed at Shylock and audience. We need to move Shylock downstage.
38. Portia – prepare your bosom, - then Antonio takes off tie and shirt.
39. Gratiano – he LOVED your delivery of the wife line.
40. SLO MOTION – 10 sec longer
41. The climax – slow motion – discovery of a loophole did not work today.
42. CHANGES to last script – first page where it says cut three lines, keep the first and cut the Salarino and Lorenzo lines.
a. Men stay in café scene whenever possible. Hannah, stay there working when not holding caskets.
b. Jessica, stay in house and clean or fix flowers in slow motion. Be writing two letters – one to Lorenzo and one to your father.
c. Carson is already waiting outside the restaurant –we cannot lose time. This is on page 4
d. Following Moroccan scene, some men who are not in the next scene, go back into the café.
e. Cut most of scene 10. In previous scene, asks his men to go with him – all but Antonio who remains in café scene. They go directly to Jessica’s house. We hear music and thunder. Spot is on them and they MUST improv the scene. Shylock immediately goes into his house, finds his LETTER, and says the lines after Antonio’s lines. Then Antonio leaves café and goes through doors usc to dsc in the RAIN. Salerio and Salarino return to café in the RAIN.
f. Move tables ONLY in last café scene. Salerio and Salarino take the tables, leave the chairs – move them right stage with one chair on top of another. Shylock moves one pylon. Chris moves another. Connor moves the smaller one. Hannah moves radio and leaves the bench there. I will glue stuff to shelves and Carson will move those.
g. CUT on page 10-Scene 16 – I never did repent…..
i. Cut Go, speed to Padua….. Balthazar does not come in.
ii. We go immediately to court scene. People are coming in out of the rain in different directions.
43.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Whoo Whoo
I can access the blog from home. I will cut and paste the critiques from Rick Garcia tonight.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thursday Night's Rehearsal February 3, 2011
Great job! On Sunday, we will begin where we left off.
NO SCRIPTS ON STAGE SUNDAY!
1. Randall, come get your accent tape.
2. Zack, slow down!
3. PEOPLE NOISES! Reread the script and see when you MURMUR!
4. DO NOT MESS WITH PROPS THAT ARE NOT YOURS!
5. People, react in courtroom!
6. Mark, LOUDER!
7. Conner, SAVE the light cues, sit in your seat, watch what is happening! Lights have to be perfect on the tenth.
8. Jared, Hannah, Baily - bigger motions in slow scene.
9. Fight scene, Chavez and Hayden be slower.
TO DO -
Fix shelves
Hangup pictures and curtains. Make them stationary.
Music underscoring for slow motion scene.
NO SCRIPTS ON STAGE SUNDAY!
1. Randall, come get your accent tape.
2. Zack, slow down!
3. PEOPLE NOISES! Reread the script and see when you MURMUR!
4. DO NOT MESS WITH PROPS THAT ARE NOT YOURS!
5. People, react in courtroom!
6. Mark, LOUDER!
7. Conner, SAVE the light cues, sit in your seat, watch what is happening! Lights have to be perfect on the tenth.
8. Jared, Hannah, Baily - bigger motions in slow scene.
9. Fight scene, Chavez and Hayden be slower.
TO DO -
Fix shelves
Hangup pictures and curtains. Make them stationary.
Music underscoring for slow motion scene.
Monday, January 31, 2011
From Karen Noles - Sunday, January 30
Gratiano- difficult to understand with accent. Carson ogle
Ty webb's character difficult to understand with accent
Baily needs to be louder, slow down a tad.
Mark louder at first Shylock scene
Hayden Cobb also difficult to underhand.
Conner filled in for Lorenzo
Is Ty supposed to snoop, kids were unclear.
Molly and mark were very helpful and encouraging to the morracan and his troupe.
Ty was much easier to understand in the chest scene.
Graham and Carson difficult to understand after moracan scene at the tables.
Blocking problems for the guys under Jessica.
Ty- casket confusion
Voices tend to get lost at portia's.
Question regarding gratiano's line 'and i beheld the maid' possible change to 'and I beheld nerissa'
Guys lines kind of fall apart after basanio and portia's scene.
A book of lines were shared for the court scene.
Molly decided it would be a good idea to take the end of practice to go over cut lines independently. We supported her and made copies.
Ty webb's character difficult to understand with accent
Baily needs to be louder, slow down a tad.
Mark louder at first Shylock scene
Hayden Cobb also difficult to underhand.
Conner filled in for Lorenzo
Is Ty supposed to snoop, kids were unclear.
Molly and mark were very helpful and encouraging to the morracan and his troupe.
Ty was much easier to understand in the chest scene.
Graham and Carson difficult to understand after moracan scene at the tables.
Blocking problems for the guys under Jessica.
Ty- casket confusion
Voices tend to get lost at portia's.
Question regarding gratiano's line 'and i beheld the maid' possible change to 'and I beheld nerissa'
Guys lines kind of fall apart after basanio and portia's scene.
A book of lines were shared for the court scene.
Molly decided it would be a good idea to take the end of practice to go over cut lines independently. We supported her and made copies.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Comments from Students
I think we should research to see what religions we would follow for the end scene. Would we all be Catholic?
By Molly M. on January 24 Rehearsal at 8:25 AM
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Its too fake and I know I can find a better one.
By Mica on January 24 Rehearsal on 1/24/11
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Ok ill look for wind also. I am looking for rolling thunder because the one we have is not working for me.
By Mica on January 24 Rehearsal on 1/24/11
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F anybody needs a ride to practice, call me or Cody and we can come pick you up. Chase-806-523-8312 Cody-8065499291
By Chase Howard on Critique January 23 Rehearsal on 1/24/11
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Good job today guys see you tomarrow.
By Connor on Critique January 23 Rehearsal on 1/23/11
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Hey Mrs. Couch I didn't know if that accent I used today was what you were looking for. I can totally change it if you need me to
By Chris on Critique January 23 Rehearsal on 1/23/11
Chris, accent is perfect. In fact, I think we need more of the New York dialect from other actors.
Molly, I agree in Atlantic City, there would be other religions. See what religions came to America looking for religious freedom.
Mica, Let me know how I can help you.
Chase and Cody, great job getting us in shape - painting, fixing, etc.
By Molly M. on January 24 Rehearsal at 8:25 AM
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Its too fake and I know I can find a better one.
By Mica on January 24 Rehearsal on 1/24/11
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Ok ill look for wind also. I am looking for rolling thunder because the one we have is not working for me.
By Mica on January 24 Rehearsal on 1/24/11
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F anybody needs a ride to practice, call me or Cody and we can come pick you up. Chase-806-523-8312 Cody-8065499291
By Chase Howard on Critique January 23 Rehearsal on 1/24/11
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Good job today guys see you tomarrow.
By Connor on Critique January 23 Rehearsal on 1/23/11
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Hey Mrs. Couch I didn't know if that accent I used today was what you were looking for. I can totally change it if you need me to
By Chris on Critique January 23 Rehearsal on 1/23/11
Chris, accent is perfect. In fact, I think we need more of the New York dialect from other actors.
Molly, I agree in Atlantic City, there would be other religions. See what religions came to America looking for religious freedom.
Mica, Let me know how I can help you.
Chase and Cody, great job getting us in shape - painting, fixing, etc.
Monday, January 24, 2011
January 24 Rehearsal
January 24, 2011 Rehearsal
Blake’s lines
1. Put real time into learning lines.
2. More aggressive tying Antonio to the pole.
3. Hannah, be more interested.
4. No smiles during slow motion.
5. Follow everyone with the light.
6. Carson, acknowledge people around you.
7. Baily, slow down and emphasize your accent.
8. Molly, listen to what people have to say.
Michelle’s notes.
1. More people noises during the court scene.
2. People noises.
3. Shylock – Barrabas
4. Slow motion in the end just like the beginning then break into action after Mark says his last line.
5. Hayden, work on fighting. Great job.
6. Savannah, be more embarrassed when Hayden is fighting Chavez.
7. Chavez and Carson, come out earlier and harass Jessica
8. Hannah, be in the café everytime someone is in there.
9. Don’t mess with props that are not yours – the TYPEWRITER
Cindy’s notes
1. Great murmuring at the beginning of the show
2. Salerio, great diction. I could understand you. Everyone else using an accent, work on being understood.
3. Salanio – ague – put your hand to your head as if feeling for a fever.
4. Bassanio and Antonio, use the small black table to use as a prop. Hannah, bring them a drink.
5. Hannah, good job in the beginning – very believable. Go from the café scene to Portia’s scene and put out caskets before the scene begins.
6. Slow down, Baily.
7. Zack and Chavez, go to bench – enter from DSL.
8. Mark, great posture at the café scene.
9. Brighter background on scrim for café scenes and Portia’s house.
10. Moroccan scene – all men come in together with the Moroccan.
11. More light on Portia’s scene.
12. Conner, we do not want to see transitions. Everyone help Conner with this. Use the sheet that tells you when to enter. Enter without causing a distraction.
13. Gormandise – look at pronunciation.
14. STEP ON LINES.
15. We have to move Portia’s house more right stage because of lighting.
16. Savannah, watch Fiddler on the Roof for a Yiddish accent. Go to the girls’ part. Ask Zack – he has the movie.
17. EVERYONE, look at the cuts.
18. Mica, Guess we need a wind noise before Basannio leaves on his voyage.
19. Sailors need cockney accents.
20. Arragon, change who?
21. Hayden, lading
22. Good job Baily.
I will not be here on Thursday or Friday. Ms. Noles and Ms. Elston will be there. Begin with Basannio about to leave. Continue through the court scene. Then start the play again. Chase and Cody - time it the second time around.
Blake’s lines
1. Put real time into learning lines.
2. More aggressive tying Antonio to the pole.
3. Hannah, be more interested.
4. No smiles during slow motion.
5. Follow everyone with the light.
6. Carson, acknowledge people around you.
7. Baily, slow down and emphasize your accent.
8. Molly, listen to what people have to say.
Michelle’s notes.
1. More people noises during the court scene.
2. People noises.
3. Shylock – Barrabas
4. Slow motion in the end just like the beginning then break into action after Mark says his last line.
5. Hayden, work on fighting. Great job.
6. Savannah, be more embarrassed when Hayden is fighting Chavez.
7. Chavez and Carson, come out earlier and harass Jessica
8. Hannah, be in the café everytime someone is in there.
9. Don’t mess with props that are not yours – the TYPEWRITER
Cindy’s notes
1. Great murmuring at the beginning of the show
2. Salerio, great diction. I could understand you. Everyone else using an accent, work on being understood.
3. Salanio – ague – put your hand to your head as if feeling for a fever.
4. Bassanio and Antonio, use the small black table to use as a prop. Hannah, bring them a drink.
5. Hannah, good job in the beginning – very believable. Go from the café scene to Portia’s scene and put out caskets before the scene begins.
6. Slow down, Baily.
7. Zack and Chavez, go to bench – enter from DSL.
8. Mark, great posture at the café scene.
9. Brighter background on scrim for café scenes and Portia’s house.
10. Moroccan scene – all men come in together with the Moroccan.
11. More light on Portia’s scene.
12. Conner, we do not want to see transitions. Everyone help Conner with this. Use the sheet that tells you when to enter. Enter without causing a distraction.
13. Gormandise – look at pronunciation.
14. STEP ON LINES.
15. We have to move Portia’s house more right stage because of lighting.
16. Savannah, watch Fiddler on the Roof for a Yiddish accent. Go to the girls’ part. Ask Zack – he has the movie.
17. EVERYONE, look at the cuts.
18. Mica, Guess we need a wind noise before Basannio leaves on his voyage.
19. Sailors need cockney accents.
20. Arragon, change who?
21. Hayden, lading
22. Good job Baily.
I will not be here on Thursday or Friday. Ms. Noles and Ms. Elston will be there. Begin with Basannio about to leave. Continue through the court scene. Then start the play again. Chase and Cody - time it the second time around.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Critique January 23 Rehearsal
We have 7 rehearsals until we perform the play in front of several schools and a judge. Memorize and think about your part.
I will not be `here Thursday and Sunday because I will be at a theatre workshop in Houston. Cindy Elston has been kind enough to volunteer to help. Be serious when you walk on stage and make the most of the two rehearsals. For a clinic, we have NEVER been on book, and you will not be on February 10 and 11.
If you have been absent or tardy and it has not been a school function, I need notes from parents.
1. Graham,pay attention to what is going on. This goes for everyone. The audience knows when you are not fully engaged in the action.
2. Molly, don't turn your back from the audience - ask Blake.
3. Bassanio - on by your leave - we need to see your face.
4. Jared - more enthusiasm.
5. Molly more physical and more eye contact with Bassanio
6. Antonio - acknowledge Shylock.
7. Antonio - hold your accent. If it is easier for the Italians to have a New York accent, that is okay.
8. Nerissa, turn your body more toward the audience.
9. Molly and Baily, remember to fall in and out of your manly persona.
10. EVERYONE - excluding Molly & Chris - NEEDS to get SERIOUS.
11. Everyone - a period or a colon means a pause. If there is not a mark, continue with the line. If there is a series of commas, it means to gain momentum toward the end of the sentence.
12. Character sketches are due Monday. The next assignment is to underline in color your lines according to moods - Red for angry; blue for sad; green for happy; orange for serious. This is due February 6.
13. WORK ON ACCENTS and being understood. HIT CONSONANTS regardless of what accent you are using. Bassanio is using a great accent, but sometimes we cannot understand him. Hit the consonants. Chris's accent is great, but needs to be slower. Say your lines and see if your family can understand you.
14. NO NOISE BACKSTAGE. Whispers can be heard because of the good accoustics.
15. Randall is Balthasar in Scene 15
16. Court scwene is like To SEE the STARS court scene.
17. PEOPLE NOISES. Reread the script and see what your character would say in those situations.
18. Scene 16 - Good facial expressions - Hayden and Zack
19. Zack, cut some of your speech on page 42.
20. Jared, you need a letter on page 44
21. Figure out how to make the ending like the beginning.
22. Tomorrow, we will begin with Molly's speech in the court scene page 28 - where we left off today - go to the end.
23. We will attempt to go through it without scripts. Isaac and Connor will be busy.
24. Court people need to reread script and be more audible.
Good rehearsal. It will get worse before it gets better. We do have a time frame. Memorized by Feb 10. this means have your character set - know a history about him/her.
TO DO:
1. Paint undersides of tables and give all black pieces and tables another coat of paint.
2. Lawrence needs something to write on.
3. Hannah needs receipts.
4. Check UIL for knife info.
5. Ending song - Resurrection needs to be louder and I need to make it longer.
I will not be `here Thursday and Sunday because I will be at a theatre workshop in Houston. Cindy Elston has been kind enough to volunteer to help. Be serious when you walk on stage and make the most of the two rehearsals. For a clinic, we have NEVER been on book, and you will not be on February 10 and 11.
If you have been absent or tardy and it has not been a school function, I need notes from parents.
1. Graham,pay attention to what is going on. This goes for everyone. The audience knows when you are not fully engaged in the action.
2. Molly, don't turn your back from the audience - ask Blake.
3. Bassanio - on by your leave - we need to see your face.
4. Jared - more enthusiasm.
5. Molly more physical and more eye contact with Bassanio
6. Antonio - acknowledge Shylock.
7. Antonio - hold your accent. If it is easier for the Italians to have a New York accent, that is okay.
8. Nerissa, turn your body more toward the audience.
9. Molly and Baily, remember to fall in and out of your manly persona.
10. EVERYONE - excluding Molly & Chris - NEEDS to get SERIOUS.
11. Everyone - a period or a colon means a pause. If there is not a mark, continue with the line. If there is a series of commas, it means to gain momentum toward the end of the sentence.
12. Character sketches are due Monday. The next assignment is to underline in color your lines according to moods - Red for angry; blue for sad; green for happy; orange for serious. This is due February 6.
13. WORK ON ACCENTS and being understood. HIT CONSONANTS regardless of what accent you are using. Bassanio is using a great accent, but sometimes we cannot understand him. Hit the consonants. Chris's accent is great, but needs to be slower. Say your lines and see if your family can understand you.
14. NO NOISE BACKSTAGE. Whispers can be heard because of the good accoustics.
15. Randall is Balthasar in Scene 15
16. Court scwene is like To SEE the STARS court scene.
17. PEOPLE NOISES. Reread the script and see what your character would say in those situations.
18. Scene 16 - Good facial expressions - Hayden and Zack
19. Zack, cut some of your speech on page 42.
20. Jared, you need a letter on page 44
21. Figure out how to make the ending like the beginning.
22. Tomorrow, we will begin with Molly's speech in the court scene page 28 - where we left off today - go to the end.
23. We will attempt to go through it without scripts. Isaac and Connor will be busy.
24. Court people need to reread script and be more audible.
Good rehearsal. It will get worse before it gets better. We do have a time frame. Memorized by Feb 10. this means have your character set - know a history about him/her.
TO DO:
1. Paint undersides of tables and give all black pieces and tables another coat of paint.
2. Lawrence needs something to write on.
3. Hannah needs receipts.
4. Check UIL for knife info.
5. Ending song - Resurrection needs to be louder and I need to make it longer.
Friday, January 21, 2011
More Comments
1. Right now, everyone, with the exception of one actor, has an A.
2. Please read comments and expect a matching test over the research. I will include it in this post.
3. For Connor.... you are catching on quickly. Look at the script and designate one color for each setting. Settings are Portia's house; the cafe; Shylock's house; the park; the jail and courtroom. Look at the mood and decide what is needed. I trust you. Work with Cole and see how you can coordinate. Cole may want to use the lights only during dramatic scenes instead of each scene. That way when something truly dramatic happens, it is not "business as usual." The dramatic scenes are the opening, the closing, when Shylock discovers the missing money and daughter, and the trial.
i was checking the light board and found a few light switches that are not assigned to anything. those might be the ones to the cues that you were looking for but couldnt find on thursday the 20th. chase said he would look into it for me. also some of my recorded subs use white light in the same places but change the color on the scrim. if thats ok with you its ok with me but if you would like complete consistancy in scrim color i will have to figure some other way to have the corect white light spoting on stage with the correct color of the scrim. i know you wanted pink for all of porse's scenes but all of the others are sort of a mix on the scrim of blue, red, and purple depending on what recorded sub has light in the correct place for each scene. thanks-conner
By dipprey on Look at this website - especially girls. at 8:00 AM
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your welcome! if theres anything else let me know!
By dipprey on Monday, January 10 Rehearsal at 7:59 AM
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Hasiidic Jews Came to be in the mid-eighteenth century. Founded by Rabbi Baal Shem Tov while Jews were expierencing great percecution. Hassididc Judism is a branch of Orthodox Judism, also influenced by Jewish Mystism. "Hassidic" is taken from the Hebrew word "Hadism", meaning loving kindness; I find this ironic because Shylock demonstrates very few of these traits in "The Merchant of Venice"
By Savannah on Research by Students at 7:49 AM
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this is Cole....The Imigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Read Act, including the National Origins Act, Asian Exclusion Act,was a United States federallaw that limited thenumber of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that countrywho were already living in the United States. The law was aimed at further restricting the Southern and Eastern Europeans who were immigrating in large numbers starting in the 1890s, as well as prohibiting the immigration of East Asians and Asian Indians.
By Graham on January 17 Rehearsal on 1/20/11
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Awesome website! Thanks Mrs. Couch for your help during the play.
By Connor on Look at this website - especially girls. on 1/20/11
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the johnson act of 1924 was an immigration act limiting the number of immigrants who could be admited into the untied states to 2% of the number of people orrigonally from that country who were already living in the united states.In the 10 years following 1900, about 200,000 italians immigrated annually. this new act cut that number down to 4,000 immigrants per year. this is important to the play because the characters of the play are the exact people targeted by this act
By dipprey on Thursday, January 6th Rehearsal on 1/19/11
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as you know this is my first year to do lights. i love it but i know that i may not be the best at it yet becuase everthing is so new to me. if what i have up is not working for someone dont hesitate to let me know and i will do what i can to fix it. im new to this entire thing so i know that what i may or may not be doing may be the complete wrong thing just let me know!
By dipprey on January 17 Rehearsal on 1/19/11
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the johnson act of 1924 was an immigration act limiting the number of immigrants who could be admited into the untied states to 2% of the number of people orrigonally from that country who were already living in the united states.In the 10 years following 1900, about 200,000 italians immigrated annually. this new act cut that number down to 4,000 immigrants per year. this is important to the play because the characters of the play are the exact people targeted by this act
By dipprey on Graham on 1/19/11
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Lawerence and Savannah need letters each not ladders. And the character sketches are due the 24th!!!! Find me if you need one. Also keep an eye out for Mark's scrip; His lines are highlighted in it.
By Michelle lira on January 17 Rehearsal on 1/17/11
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Good practice tonight guys! Keep it up and we'll be great
By Michelle lira on January 16 Rehearsal on 1/16/11
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The main attraction in Atlantic City in the 1920s was its famous boardwalk. The boardwalk was filled with a variety of immigrants, illegal selling of alcohol, gang members, and a hot spot of diverse cultures. Full of gambling and free flowing of liquor, Atlantic City's boardwalk was also known as the "World's Playground".
By Mark Waits on More comments and research on 1/16/11
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1. Spend time with your accents. They have to be perfect. 2. Read the older posts about research in the 20's. 3. I will hand out character studies Monday night. Rehearsal is at 6:30. Do not be late. 4. We have to make improvements each rehearsal.
By Tynomite on January 16 Rehearsal on 1/16/11
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Durning the Workers strike of 1919, when the American steel workers went on strike, immigrants were hired to take their place. This fueled the fire of prejudice in America. This applies to our play because most of the characters are immigrants, and prejudice is one of the conflicts that is portrayed in The Merchant of Venice
By Hannah W on Research by Students on 1/16/11
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This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
By Hannah W on Research by Students on 1/16/11
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Ok i am working on my accent and looking for some lines to cut see you at 2.
By Connor on Rehearsal February 13 on 1/16/11
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In 1915, political and economical conditions were ideal for the rise of the second KKK. "JEWISH bankers" and other foreigners were blamed for the decline in farming and marketing prices. This economic difficulty made the nation susceptible to the Klan's hate messages against all non-whites. Pro-Klan novels and movies, such as The Birth of a Nation, also inspired whites to form a new Klan. Reaching its peak of over two million members, the Klan of the 1920's thrived on nativism, anti-Catholicism, opposition to the cultural modernism of the Jazz Era, and violations of alcohol, smoking, and gambling laws. Directing their hate tactics toward Catholics, Jews, and foreign-born, the Klan used tarring and feathering, branding, mutilating, and lynching (hanging) to install fear
By mica.mcguire on More comments and research on 1/10/11
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Agreed. All of that would make a great intro.
By Mark Waits on Sunday Rehearsal, January 9 on 1/10/11
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The Red Scare is related to our play because the immigrants fromm Italy in 1918-1919 were considered "Reds", or rebels. This fits into our play becaus many of the characters are imigrants from Italy. Many of these rebellious Italians were not proven to be actual "Reds" but their disobediance of the law,(bootlegging, crime sprees, protecton wages, etc.) engineered their aressts and designated them as "Reds".
By Graham on Research by Students on 1/10/11
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In the 1920's tourism was at its peak in Atlantic City, many people called it Atlantic City's "Golden Age". Even though this was during the prohibition there was still a lot of drinking and gambling going on secretly, which is one of the main reasons that tourism was so big at that time. Baily Noles
By Baily on Research by Students on 1/9/11
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Hasidic Jews are an important part of this play because Shylock, his daughter, and several other characters in the play are Hasidic Jews. The Jewish race in general was treated terribly during Shakespeare's time; as well as in the 20's. They were hated by various groups of people. Jews were treated much like the African Americans during the Civil Rights movement, if not worse.
By Zack on Research by Students on 1/9/11
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The Dillingham Commision was a special congressional committee formed in February 1907. The Commission was to have a restriction of the ammount of immigrants annually. It allowed only 3 percent of the total number of people from that country living in the U.S.
By Lawrence on Research by Students on 1/9/11
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The Prohibition was a period of nearly fourteen years in the U.S. It led to the first and only time an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was repealed. By 1916, over half of the U.S. states already had statutes that prohibited alcohol. In 1919, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the sale and manufacture of alcohol, was ratified. It went into effect on January 16, 1920. While it was the 18th Amendment that established Prohibition, it was the Volstead Act (passed on October 28, 1919) that clarified the law. There were, however, several loopholes for people to legally drink during Prohibition. For instance, the 18th Amendment did not mention the actual drinking of liquor. Since Prohibition went into effect a full year after the 18th Amendment's ratification, many people bought cases of then-legal alcohol and stored them for personal use.
By Michelle lira on Two more comments on 1/9/11
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Also we need to have different facial expressions when the action breaks out of slow motion. Everyone needs to cheer louder and differently and we need some different levels.
By Michelle lira on Sunday Rehearsal, January 9 on 1/9/11
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The Prohibition relates to our play becauswe Atlantic City was one of the biggest most popular cities in the 1920's and when the Prohibition started it was way more common in the bigger cities than in the smaller ones.
By Michelle lira on Thursday, January 6th Rehearsal on 1/9/11
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The Prohibition was the time in the 1920's when the sale, transportation, and manufacturing of alcohol was illegal nation wide. The Prohibition reduced the amount of liquor consumed. During the Great Depression however Prohibiton became very unpopular especially in large cities.
By Michelle lira on Research by Students on 1/9/11
2. Please read comments and expect a matching test over the research. I will include it in this post.
3. For Connor.... you are catching on quickly. Look at the script and designate one color for each setting. Settings are Portia's house; the cafe; Shylock's house; the park; the jail and courtroom. Look at the mood and decide what is needed. I trust you. Work with Cole and see how you can coordinate. Cole may want to use the lights only during dramatic scenes instead of each scene. That way when something truly dramatic happens, it is not "business as usual." The dramatic scenes are the opening, the closing, when Shylock discovers the missing money and daughter, and the trial.
i was checking the light board and found a few light switches that are not assigned to anything. those might be the ones to the cues that you were looking for but couldnt find on thursday the 20th. chase said he would look into it for me. also some of my recorded subs use white light in the same places but change the color on the scrim. if thats ok with you its ok with me but if you would like complete consistancy in scrim color i will have to figure some other way to have the corect white light spoting on stage with the correct color of the scrim. i know you wanted pink for all of porse's scenes but all of the others are sort of a mix on the scrim of blue, red, and purple depending on what recorded sub has light in the correct place for each scene. thanks-conner
By dipprey on Look at this website - especially girls. at 8:00 AM
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your welcome! if theres anything else let me know!
By dipprey on Monday, January 10 Rehearsal at 7:59 AM
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Hasiidic Jews Came to be in the mid-eighteenth century. Founded by Rabbi Baal Shem Tov while Jews were expierencing great percecution. Hassididc Judism is a branch of Orthodox Judism, also influenced by Jewish Mystism. "Hassidic" is taken from the Hebrew word "Hadism", meaning loving kindness; I find this ironic because Shylock demonstrates very few of these traits in "The Merchant of Venice"
By Savannah on Research by Students at 7:49 AM
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this is Cole....The Imigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Read Act, including the National Origins Act, Asian Exclusion Act,was a United States federallaw that limited thenumber of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that countrywho were already living in the United States. The law was aimed at further restricting the Southern and Eastern Europeans who were immigrating in large numbers starting in the 1890s, as well as prohibiting the immigration of East Asians and Asian Indians.
By Graham on January 17 Rehearsal on 1/20/11
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Awesome website! Thanks Mrs. Couch for your help during the play.
By Connor on Look at this website - especially girls. on 1/20/11
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the johnson act of 1924 was an immigration act limiting the number of immigrants who could be admited into the untied states to 2% of the number of people orrigonally from that country who were already living in the united states.In the 10 years following 1900, about 200,000 italians immigrated annually. this new act cut that number down to 4,000 immigrants per year. this is important to the play because the characters of the play are the exact people targeted by this act
By dipprey on Thursday, January 6th Rehearsal on 1/19/11
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as you know this is my first year to do lights. i love it but i know that i may not be the best at it yet becuase everthing is so new to me. if what i have up is not working for someone dont hesitate to let me know and i will do what i can to fix it. im new to this entire thing so i know that what i may or may not be doing may be the complete wrong thing just let me know!
By dipprey on January 17 Rehearsal on 1/19/11
Spam | Delete | Remove Content
the johnson act of 1924 was an immigration act limiting the number of immigrants who could be admited into the untied states to 2% of the number of people orrigonally from that country who were already living in the united states.In the 10 years following 1900, about 200,000 italians immigrated annually. this new act cut that number down to 4,000 immigrants per year. this is important to the play because the characters of the play are the exact people targeted by this act
By dipprey on Graham on 1/19/11
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Lawerence and Savannah need letters each not ladders. And the character sketches are due the 24th!!!! Find me if you need one. Also keep an eye out for Mark's scrip; His lines are highlighted in it.
By Michelle lira on January 17 Rehearsal on 1/17/11
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Good practice tonight guys! Keep it up and we'll be great
By Michelle lira on January 16 Rehearsal on 1/16/11
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The main attraction in Atlantic City in the 1920s was its famous boardwalk. The boardwalk was filled with a variety of immigrants, illegal selling of alcohol, gang members, and a hot spot of diverse cultures. Full of gambling and free flowing of liquor, Atlantic City's boardwalk was also known as the "World's Playground".
By Mark Waits on More comments and research on 1/16/11
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1. Spend time with your accents. They have to be perfect. 2. Read the older posts about research in the 20's. 3. I will hand out character studies Monday night. Rehearsal is at 6:30. Do not be late. 4. We have to make improvements each rehearsal.
By Tynomite on January 16 Rehearsal on 1/16/11
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Durning the Workers strike of 1919, when the American steel workers went on strike, immigrants were hired to take their place. This fueled the fire of prejudice in America. This applies to our play because most of the characters are immigrants, and prejudice is one of the conflicts that is portrayed in The Merchant of Venice
By Hannah W on Research by Students on 1/16/11
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This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
By Hannah W on Research by Students on 1/16/11
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Ok i am working on my accent and looking for some lines to cut see you at 2.
By Connor on Rehearsal February 13 on 1/16/11
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In 1915, political and economical conditions were ideal for the rise of the second KKK. "JEWISH bankers" and other foreigners were blamed for the decline in farming and marketing prices. This economic difficulty made the nation susceptible to the Klan's hate messages against all non-whites. Pro-Klan novels and movies, such as The Birth of a Nation, also inspired whites to form a new Klan. Reaching its peak of over two million members, the Klan of the 1920's thrived on nativism, anti-Catholicism, opposition to the cultural modernism of the Jazz Era, and violations of alcohol, smoking, and gambling laws. Directing their hate tactics toward Catholics, Jews, and foreign-born, the Klan used tarring and feathering, branding, mutilating, and lynching (hanging) to install fear
By mica.mcguire on More comments and research on 1/10/11
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Agreed. All of that would make a great intro.
By Mark Waits on Sunday Rehearsal, January 9 on 1/10/11
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The Red Scare is related to our play because the immigrants fromm Italy in 1918-1919 were considered "Reds", or rebels. This fits into our play becaus many of the characters are imigrants from Italy. Many of these rebellious Italians were not proven to be actual "Reds" but their disobediance of the law,(bootlegging, crime sprees, protecton wages, etc.) engineered their aressts and designated them as "Reds".
By Graham on Research by Students on 1/10/11
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In the 1920's tourism was at its peak in Atlantic City, many people called it Atlantic City's "Golden Age". Even though this was during the prohibition there was still a lot of drinking and gambling going on secretly, which is one of the main reasons that tourism was so big at that time. Baily Noles
By Baily on Research by Students on 1/9/11
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Hasidic Jews are an important part of this play because Shylock, his daughter, and several other characters in the play are Hasidic Jews. The Jewish race in general was treated terribly during Shakespeare's time; as well as in the 20's. They were hated by various groups of people. Jews were treated much like the African Americans during the Civil Rights movement, if not worse.
By Zack on Research by Students on 1/9/11
Spam | Delete | Remove Content
The Dillingham Commision was a special congressional committee formed in February 1907. The Commission was to have a restriction of the ammount of immigrants annually. It allowed only 3 percent of the total number of people from that country living in the U.S.
By Lawrence on Research by Students on 1/9/11
Spam | Delete | Remove Content
The Prohibition was a period of nearly fourteen years in the U.S. It led to the first and only time an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was repealed. By 1916, over half of the U.S. states already had statutes that prohibited alcohol. In 1919, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibited the sale and manufacture of alcohol, was ratified. It went into effect on January 16, 1920. While it was the 18th Amendment that established Prohibition, it was the Volstead Act (passed on October 28, 1919) that clarified the law. There were, however, several loopholes for people to legally drink during Prohibition. For instance, the 18th Amendment did not mention the actual drinking of liquor. Since Prohibition went into effect a full year after the 18th Amendment's ratification, many people bought cases of then-legal alcohol and stored them for personal use.
By Michelle lira on Two more comments on 1/9/11
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Also we need to have different facial expressions when the action breaks out of slow motion. Everyone needs to cheer louder and differently and we need some different levels.
By Michelle lira on Sunday Rehearsal, January 9 on 1/9/11
Spam | Delete | Remove Content
The Prohibition relates to our play becauswe Atlantic City was one of the biggest most popular cities in the 1920's and when the Prohibition started it was way more common in the bigger cities than in the smaller ones.
By Michelle lira on Thursday, January 6th Rehearsal on 1/9/11
Spam | Delete | Remove Content
The Prohibition was the time in the 1920's when the sale, transportation, and manufacturing of alcohol was illegal nation wide. The Prohibition reduced the amount of liquor consumed. During the Great Depression however Prohibiton became very unpopular especially in large cities.
By Michelle lira on Research by Students on 1/9/11
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