Romeo & Juliet Preview

Here is the video preview for Romeo and Juliet.
Performances Thursday, November 4th and Friday, November 5th at 7:30.



Thanks to Ms Alberts, Josh and Jane for making this.

Romeo & Juliet Music

It feels like summer is almost over... hopefully there's a couple more good beach days before we're back to reality.  The first draft of the rehearsal calendar is up on the drama website.  Take a look and bring conflicts with you to the first rehearsal.

Below is some of the music that has inspired me as I think about Romeo & Juliet.  As with the images, feel free to share your own ideas.  A great way to think about character is to choose a song to represent that person.  Even better: what song would represent you at the start of the play?  What song at the end?  Are they different?  We may discuss this in rehearsal.


The first song is "Human" by The Killers.  I love the way this song sounds (the background beat even makes me think of iambic pentameter).  Plus, if you see the music video, I think the jacket the lead singer is wearing is something that would be in the Prince's closet.


The next song is "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga.  It feels like a romance in the middle of a fight.   Plus Gaga's overall style fits the show.  This is a favorite.


I also really like "Bizarre Love Triangle" by New World Order.  The tone and lyrics work for me.

When I let my brain wander, I start to come up with ideas that connect these songs to the show.  These songs make me think of what you see when you look at a bright light and then close your eyes tightly.  That explosion of moving colors- hot and cold, like fireworks in the black-- that's the image that defines this play for me.  All of the characters, lines and events are details in the swirling color explosion.

Romeo & Juliet Images

One of the things I do when I get ready to direct a show is collect inspiration.  I get inspiration from pictures, clothes, music, books, art, movies, conversations I have, even dreams.  I try and keep track of anything that makes me think about the play, or gives me a picture in my mind of a moment from the show.

Here are some of the images I've collected for inspiration about the visual world of the play.  As you can see, I'm drawn to images that are modern, gritty and evoke punk/grunge style.
I'm going to be posting more pictures, music and other media for the rest of the summer.  If you have anything you want to add-- anything that makes you think of the show!-- post it, or send it to me and I'll add it to the blog.

A Useful Link

Below is a link that Westly e-mailed me.
(side note: Westly, Sophie and Claire appear to be competing for most frequent blog commenter)

The link is the Shakespearean text of Romeo & Juliet alongside a "plain English" translation.  Although i like it because it can be helpful to decipher some of the trickier sections of the play, I wouldn't rely on it too much-- it takes away some of the poetry and beauty in Shakespeare's writing.
No Fear Shakespeare: Romeo & Juliet

Speaking of loving Shakespeare's writing, I love the responses to my Second Discussion Topic, and can't wait to see more.

Ezra

Interesting Reading

Below are links to two interesting articles about Shakespeare Plays that were in the New York Times in the last week.  Both made me think of our play:

Shakespeare in the Parking Lot: Julius Caesar review
This is a production that is modernized and has cross-gender casting (like ours!).  It's also performed in a parking lot in New York City.  The picture that goes with the article is cool.

Star Cross'd Songs for Star Cross'd Lovers
This is an article about a new musical version of Romeo and Juliet set to music by Jeff Buckley.  The writer of the show describes Jeff Buckley's music like this: "Jeff has an emotional rawness and immediacy when it comes to love and heartache and yearning, and so many of his songs added depth to the feelings and conflict in the play."
I'll post some of his songs later this month so we can see how we feel about they way they match the play.

Keep sharing your favorite lines of text in the post below!

You can stop asking...

The second discussion topic for Romeo and Juliet is below this post.  I have been loving reading your answers, and can't wait for more to go up!

Also, I promised some interesting posts would go up this month.  I can finally tell you (because I finally know) what the musical will be:  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The show is incredibly silly (sometimes even ridiculous)  and has a lot of music.  There are more singing solos in this show than in any of our other Bigelow shows.  Plus we can build a gigantic pyramid on the stage.

I always tell actors not to watch the movie version of a musical before they do the show.  Usually I say this because I want us to create our own ideas and vision for the show, rather than be influenced by a movie.  In this case, I am begging you not to watch the movie version of Joseph because it's terrible.  It might be the worst thing ever done.  Seriously: do not watch the movie.

More Romeo & Juliet posts coming soon.

Romeo & Juliet: Topic 2

Thanks to everyone who provided fascinating, thoughful answers to my first question.
If you haven't read them, take a look at the comments on the first topic-- there's some scathing insight!

I've been a little behind on posting this second topic, but if the first question didn't inspire you to write, here's a different topic to think about.

ALSO: Check back in August, because I have some posts going up that you definitely don't want to miss... (I'm foreshadowing!)

Here is your second conversation topic of the summer:
Shakespeare's language can be complicated, but one of the reasons his plays are still important today is that the language in his work is incredibly beautiful.  He uses layers of meaning, imagery, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration-- all kinds of figurative language-- to deepen his characters, to heighten emotion and to illuminate theme.
I want you to look at the text of the play not as an impediment to be worked through, but as a mystery to unravel.  An acting teacher I know tells his students to "have a love affair with the language."  Finding words and passages that wake us up will help us take the play from a tragic love story to a true work of great art.
Find two or three or more passages in the play where the language excites, challenges or inspires you.  This is the perfect activity to go along with your assignment to read the play once each month.
I've included a few of my favorite bits of text in the first comment, if you need an example of what I'm looking for.


The weather is beautiful, so I hope you do your reading outside!!!