Learning goals: Apply imagination to Shakespearean language Deeply understand one scene Communicate a scene clearly

Group Project Exemplar

Group Project Thou, and thine group, art commissioned to perform a portion of the Scottish play by the famous scenicke poet, Master William Shakespeare. Thou canst employ videotape or live performance. The portion shall consist of the scene or scene fragment provided to you. Thou shalt cut out lines that you feel are not important, or confusing.

Group Project What is your character thinking in each part of the scene? Visualize how you’d like the action to appear in the classroom or on video. Describe what mannerisms, gestures and facial expressions you’ll have the actors use. Do they look people in the eye? What does your character do with his or her hands? Etc. How will you move and position yourself?

Group Project The number of lines in your final script shall be determined by the chart below: 25 lines 50 lines 75 lines 100 lines 125 lines 150 lines

Group Project Thou must discuss line cuttings with thine group and agree upon a final script. Your final script should be one that you think best communicates the play. Once your script is complete, plan how your group will present it. Incorporating your own interpretations and ideas can make for very interesting and entertaining performances. Be creative!

Group Project Underline words that you will stress. Where will you pause? How will you have the actors dress? What about hair and makeup? What props will be needed? How will they be used? How would the stage be lit? Do you see a need for special lighting effects? Will you include special effects? Music? Sound effects?

Group Project *No puppet shows, please. The point of the project is to bring the script to life through acting.

Group Project *The performance shall be given at no great expense to thee, beyond perhaps three or four dollars; the expectation being that thou shalt make use of thine ingenuity, and of borrowing, foraging, and scrounging, though not of thieving, to provide whatsoever properties and costumes thou dost need for thy performance.

Line cutting The raven is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits And fill me from the crown to the toe Of cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the passage to remorse, Come to my woman's breasts, And take my milk, you murdering ministers, Come, thick night, And pall thee in the smoke of hell, That my knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the dark, To cry 'Hold, hold!'

Line cutting The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it! Come to my woman's breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, Wherever in your sightless substances You wait on nature's mischief! Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry 'Hold, hold!'

Getting started Choose roles and do a few read-throughs first. Make sure you all understand the meaning of each line. Visualize the action as you read. How will you bring this scene to life? Once you have a clear plan, create a script by cutting down Shakespeare’s text. Use http://shakespeare.mit.edu/works.html or the pdf on Loncke.weebly.com Next, memorize your lines. Seriously, you need to have your parts MEMORIZED. Part of the parts are for speaking the lines naturally, rather than reading them from a cue card. Don’t jump right into the filming stage. That happens last. Think first, then produce.