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.