Shakespeare: my core teachings

Here is the core of my teaching about Shakespeare:

1.       Shakespeare is a genius

2.       Shakespeare’s genius is theatrical

3.       Shakespeare is a dirty old man

 

I approach the teaching differently depending on whether it is a performance class or dramatic lit/history class.  Still, the core remains:

1.       Shakespeare is a genius. Shakespeare’s canon, and the King James Bible (to which Shakespeare is said to have contributed), created the English language. Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare in fact invented what it means to be a conscious, thinking individual. Trust the genius. Believe in it. Have fun with it. And never forget:

2.       Shakespeare’s genius is theatrical. Shakespeare has nearly been destroyed by dry dissection by dons in Oxford and dunces posing as teachers of English lit. Shakespeare is theatrical genius, and that means action. That means getting up and doing it. That means hearing it spoken aloud with passion. Never forget that Shakespeare was not an artist; he was a businessman and a craftsman. His plays made lots of money, because they worked as great theater, entertainment, better than cockfights or bear baiting.

3.       Shakespeare is a dirty old man. Remember, it smells but it sells, and Shakespeare was about putting butts in the seats. If you think it’s a dirty joke, it is. If you think it might be a dirty joke, it is. If you can’t imagine how that could be a dirty joke- it probably still is.

Those are the three main points. In teaching, I give examples and anecdotes, usually going from #3 on to #1, and developing according to whether the focus is theater studies/dramatic lit/history, or if the focus is performance.

Any time I get confused- it occasionally happens- I go back to point #1. Shakespeare is a genius! Let's figure this out!

I am not averse to cutting Shakespeare, however one must cut with care. That will be the topic of a future post.

For performance, I go strongly with Patrick Tucker, with whom I studied while I was in London (lucky me!). His approach is in his book: Secrets of Acting Shakespeare: The Original Approach.  His premise includes points #1-#3 above, and the fact that in Shakespeare’s time, there was no rehearsal. Pretty much none. Tucker deduced that Shakespeare had to pack all the direction, actor’s notes, and stage directions, right into the text itself. He uses the First Folio as the closest we have to Shakespeare’s work, using the clues of the “random” capitalization, using rhythms of verse, assonance, alliteration, contrast, comparison, and so on.

For dramatic lit, I still get up and read it, do it. The opening scene of Romeo and Juliet is awesome for action, dirty jokes, and sudden violence.  One point I try so hard to make when teaching Shakespeare: try to think of it as the first time. What if you didn’t know the story? R & J starts out like a comedy!

For theater history, there are tons of things that are fun: QEI, the Virgin Queen; Puritans trying to shut down the theater; the secularization of theater; popular entertainment. Still, to me, Shakespeare is the pre-eminent genius, not only of the Elizabethan age, but of every age; sui generis, his own thing.

favorite theater memories

Theater is an art that transforms. It transforms those who participate as artists, and it transforms those who participate as audience.

I'm going to capture some of my favorite theater memories. Here is one.

It was 1999. With my troupe of young actors, I'd been seeking a performance space for our production of As You Like It. Our troupe was made up of young people from many different school districts- some from public schools, some from private schools, some homeschooled- we didn't have a home base.

We finally reached an agreement with an urban school. An inner city school. Not a school any of our troupe members attended. We could use their theater for free in exchange for performances during the day for their high school students.

Fair enough.

Our As You Like It was set in the swing era. We had taken Shakespeare's words and set them to the music of the era, to tunes like "Jeepers Creepers" and "Minnie the Moocher" and a number of Gershwin tunes. We'd set all of the songs in the text, and several other sections, to these tunes. We ended with a big swing dance.

Our troupe had actors of all ages- the oldest actor was 18 and the youngest actors were 3 or 4 years old. Using my customary creativity, I had given the youngest, cutest actors the roles of sheep. Each time the shepherd Corin would enter, first you would hear the strains of Rossini's William Tell's Overture Call to the Cows and then in would trip (sometimes, literally, trip) three or four (sometimes one of the sheep was too afraid to come out) little kids in sheep costume, followed by the actors of the scene. The sheep would bounce about and then exit.

Okay, now it's show time.

As director/stage manager, I am out in the audience as the high school students file in. Dripping chains and leather and torn denim. Pierced. Tatooed. Shaved heads and wildly styled and dyed heads.

Oh dear.

How is a swing-era Shakespearean pastoral comedy going to work with this group???

The opening scenes of the gentle comedy face a stony silence from the tough- or posing as tough, which could be worse- teens of the audience.

The first songs are tolerated. We think. The vast tough audience has us worried.

Then, at last, in come the sheep.

And almost as one, this tough group of a couple thousand inner city teens, coo "Awwwwww....." at the sight of the unbelievably cute sheep.

And the audience starts to laugh at the jokes.

And applaud the songs.

In fact, when the rendition of "In the springtime, the only pretty ring time" is performed to the tune of "Minnie the Moocher" a la Cab Calloway, it brings the house down. The audience demands an encore.

And the two thousand some students who were grudgingly willing to endure Shakespeare to get out of math class roar and stomp their approval of the ending swing dance and curtain call.

Hey, and a  ho, and a nonny nonny no!

for the love of the game

The opening ceremonies for the 2012 Olympics were held recently. Theater and the Olympics both trace their roots to the ancient Greeks.

When I was growing up the Olympic athletes were amateurs, not professionals. I've used the words "amateur" and "professional"- and the Olympics- as conversation starters in teaching theater.

The definition of "amateur" is contrasted with "professional". The connotation- and even, these days, the definition- of amateur includes the idea of unskilled, lacking in competence, or a dilletante.

The definition of professional, on the other hand, includes the ideas of expertise, great skill, and learning.


Originally, the words were not antonyms of one another. At one time, professional meant that you were paid for your work (or that you were one of the "learned professions"- such as law).

And the word amateur comes from the Latin for love.

An amateur does what they do for the love of it; a professional does what they do as their occupation, to earn a living. As in the Olympics, the amateur is not necessarily unskilled; the amateur can be one of the best in the world.

And so it is with theater. Some of the greatest innovations and triumphs of theater have come from amateurs, or those who began as amateurs. I do not suggest for a moment that actors, directors, stage managers, designers, technicians or any of the myriad artists of the theater should not be paid. I would merely like to suggest that if some of us still have a "day job" that our work should not be ignored or assumed to be of poor quality.

Whether or not one holds an Equity card does not determine the excellence of the work. It is up to each artist to give passion, effort, intensity and creativity to the task at hand.

For the love of the game.

building community through blogs

I have had two responses to my post soliciting questions and conversation on theater. One asked for- all of it! All the topics suggested and then some. That will take some time. As a first step, I will be putting live links from previous thoughts up on the topics listed.

The other request was to talk about casting in small communities. I have started that post and will be publishing in the future.

Keep the questions and conversation coming! I have been active in many different theater communities and I want to start building synergy among those of us who believe in the art of ensemble.

Ask and Answer

Wouldn’t you like to know?

What would you like to know about theater or directing? I’m renewing my commitment to my blog and to my theater writing. I’d love to have your help.

What topics are the highest priority to you? What questions do you have? What answers do you have? What dilemmas? Discussions? Insights? Inspirations?

Either email me or post on my professional page. I look forward to your rants, raves, trials, triumphs, greatest moments, worst moments, your fears, your jeers, your cheers.

Some topics I’ve tackled and/or I’ve been thinking about:

Art vs. Commerce

Audience: check here or here

Auditions

Awards

Casting: check here

Choosing Scripts: check here

Comedy

Community building

Competition vs. Collaboration

Criticism

Directing

Director’s concept

Ensemble

Feedback

Funding: check here

Giving Notes: check here

Hell week

Playwriting: check here

Scheduling: check here

Set building

Shakespeare

Stanislavski

Teaching and directing: check here

Theater magic: check this, or this one, or this by Beth, or Beth again

Youth artists: check here

... what else should we be thinking about?

building ensemble, building community

I have founded two successful youth theater troupes. Now that I have retired from both, I can look back on what was accomplished.

Both the troupes were successful. Both went through phases of growth and development, sometimes exhilarating and sometimes frustrating. There were challenges that led to growth, and challenges that led to breakups and break downs. There were opportunities that were seized and opportunities that were missed.

Both troupes were successful in financial terms: while I was actively operating the troupes, every production finished in the black. We ultimately grew to a point that we were able to pay guest artists, and then directors.

We served hundreds of young people in learning more about the art of theater by doing the art of theater.

We served thousands of young people by bringing live theater- performed *well* by young artists- to audiences in schools, camps, libraries and parks over two decades. I firmly believe we have helped develop the audience and the participants for live theater for the next generation.

What I am most proud of is the ensemble of artists we created, and the community that we built.

In our best years, members of our troupe learned through experience that the whole of the production is greater than the sum of each of our individual efforts; that our best work makes the work of our co-creators better, that their work makes our own work better, and that by giving generously to the other artists on stage and backstage, we enrich ourselves and our audience.

We shared pot-luck marathon tech rehearsals and late night after-glows. We created a community by building on shared experiences.

In our community, we shared marriages, divorces, illnesses, deaths, births, graduations.

Perhaps one day I will be a part of building another such ensemble. Whether or not this happens in the future, our shared past has made me a richer and wiser woman. Thanks to all of you.

Conversations about ensemble

The troupe that I founded and from which I have retired is changing and evolving. I was flattered to recently be asked a question about the changes being contemplated by the group.
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The question was:

A question has arisen as the troupe has been trying to standardize some of its policies and to plan for its growth.  It was suggested that the troupe become a two-tiered organization, having a level for beginning actors and another for advanced, more experienced actors.  With this set up, the troupe would be offering open auditions twice a year, with all being cast.  The third show would be an invitation-only audition with no casting guarantees.

I (this board member wrote) am not convinced that the suggested two-tiered approach is representative of our mission.  To me, having two-tiers contrasts with our ensemble approach and sets up competition instead of encouraging mentoring.  Also, we stress the importance of theater for all teens and how it can benefit them, and I feel that by limiting it to "talented" teens, even only for one show, that we are not fully living up to this mission.

****
The board member requested my input as founder, as one there when the mission was originally crafted.

I responded:

This issue has been brought up from time to time; as you note, it is a thorny issue. In past years, we had tossed around ideas of invitation only shows; having limits to how many were *in* the troupe, period - so, a membership cap, with guaranteed casting once you were "in"; having an educational track open to all with advancement to the troupe following; and Travel Troupe as a solution.

When we first formed the organization, it was seen as a spin off of the (younger) 4-H performing arts club I'd founded, which we imagined might be a sort of "feeder" troupe (all very informal- don't tell 4-H on us!). The 4-H club was where younger actors, and newer actors, could explore without pressure. The new troupe was where the "serious" actors went.

Well, that didn't work out past the "first generation"; partly due to my time constraints, and partly due to the changing group dynamics, the 4-H club became less and less active- what vital parent support we had had shifted to the new teen troupe.

In the early years, in a very real way, Travel Troupe was the elite troupe. It was started by invitation with longer time members and presented quality shows for a few years.

Something else- on a couple of occasions - one being Zoo Story- one of the troupe asked for a specific project, which the board approved and sponsored. This was youth initiated and formally requested. So, that is one route: a core group of artists find a project they would like to do, and ask the board to approve and sponsor it.

An interesting note to me is that the intermittent pressure and/or calls for an "elite" squad always seemed to come from those (or the parents of those) who had been "newbies" recently, felt that they had "arrived", and were now looking down on the "newbies". The call *never* came from folks like my son A, like MD, like DH or AG, long-timers who had experienced the magic of successful ensemble.

So, having said all that: You are looking at a core dilemma for theater. Collaboration vs. competition. A (I believe - false!) dichotomy between ensemble and excellence.

This is what I believe: there are many, many organizations that force actors to compete to participate. There are few that work to build ensemble.

I believe that ensemble *can be* a path to excellence. However, there is a requirement that in order to build ensemble, you have to spend time- not one show but several shows, not one season but many seasons. If you are in it for the long haul, you know your time and your role will come. You look at the success of the season and the troupe.

It may be that there is no longer a large enough "core" of artists who have been working and have experienced making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. It does take continuity.

I do not have answers for the evolving organization; as has been noted many times, the organization is changing and evolving to what it will be from what it has been. I hope my comments, such as they are, may be of some assistance.

Unemployed

The unemployed actor is so common that it is almost a cliche. But other theater artists have times between gigs, too.

Having recently turned down my directing gig for this summer, I find myself unemployed.

While actors have a number of ways to keep their skills sharp between jobs, what can a director do? Actors take classes in voice, movement, acting, improvisation. Actors work on their audition pieces.

What can a director do? The medium in which we work is the energy exchange between human beings. It's hard to exercise that skill set without human beings!

We directors can read plays, read theory, go to plays, talk into the night with theater buddies.

But as far as practicing the real gifts of communication, connection, synergy? Not so much.

Rough it up- Peter Brook

For my class in Makers of Modern Theater, I have expanded to include Peter Brook, Tadashi Suzuki, Augusto Boal. There is a definite lack in the area of contemporary theorists, especially non-white, non-male theorists.

Nevertheless, I set my class to exploring Brook's concepts of Deadly Theater, Holy Theater, Rough Theater, and Immediate Theater.

One of my students embraced the idea of Deadly, as in "deadly dull" theater, and applied it heartily (quoting Brook) to Shakespeare. Then the student went on to say that Shakespeare was older than dirt and it was time to move past that shit.

I wish I had a chance to work with that student with Shakespeare.

Even though Brook found much of the lauded Shakespeare to be deadly, he himself made a name creating Rough/Immediate productions of Shakespeare's plays. I think that Shakespeare is so often done badly, it's hard for anyone to appreciate it. But people pretend, because they don't want to be thought "stupid".

finding actors

If you post it, they will come.

I have never had difficulty in finding actors. Of course, I was specializing for a number of years in youth artistry in the theater, and so finding young people interested in exploring theater arts was never a problem. I was connected with 4-H and with homeschooling organizations, so with just a few posts I was usually inundated with actors.

Recently, I have been thinking about moving on to adult actors. This may prove more challenging. One of my friends is posting on Facebook about the practice currently of asking actors to work for free. Now, granted, he concedes that if *no one* is getting paid, it is fair to ask that actors are  also volunteers. This is almost a necessity with new material or new organizations. However, as the organization moves on, actors should be benefitting along with the rest of the company.

Perhaps it's time to go back to the shareholder model of Shakespeare's day?

I think my friend's posts are relevant, not only for those who hire actors, but also for the actors themselves. Actors need to think twice before giving it away.

I will have to muse on this and reflect on my budgetting experiences with my past theatrical endeavors.

Award winning!

My daughter of Little Pixie Magic fame has honored me with the Versatile Blogger Award.

I am delighted and grateful. Thank you!

Now, to get to the responsibilities of being a VBA winner.

First, to thank the talented and brilliant blogger, Beth of Little Pixie Magic. Beth, your writing inspires me far more often than you know!

Then, 7 things about myself. Mostly connected to theater, some personal:

1. I am a Bardophile. Not really a Bardolator. My first theater experiences were with Shakespeare and Taming of the Shrew. Truly, theatrical genius, from the sublime to the ridiculous- sometimes in the same play.

2.  I love dirty jokes and puns. Another reason to love Shakespeare.

3. I love the audience! I also have great respect for the audience.

4. I love the moment a new play/idea/line reading/moment grabs you and twists your vision and perspective.

5. When I give notes- or when I am playing "The Professor," when I lecture- there is an element of stand up comedy.

6. Theater feeds your mind and heart and soul- and, if I am your director, I feed your body.

7. Personal: Thanks to FB Friend MTST, I now have a name for it: I am a sapiosexual.

Then, nominate 15 bloggers for the VBA. My blog reading tends to be sporadic, beyond my top few. I hope I can come up with 15!

Note: I read a number of the same blogs as does my daughter- therefore, if you've already been awarded the VBA, you mustn't feel compelled to come up with *another* 15 blogs due to my nominating you!

1. I am always eagerly awaiting the next installment of A Little Pixie Magic. Sometimes amusing, sometimes provocative, sometimes inspiring, always worthwhile.

2. Adventures of Megan   Adventures of my friend Meg- a smart girl with heart, whose wit is sometimes wise and sometimes tart.

3. Scatterbrained in Southeast Asia
I hope that we will read more installments from this traveler. A unique take on a unique adventure.

4. Jake's Israel Journal
Another traveler. No posts in a while- I hope to read more soon.

5. Tell It Away
Honest and searching, these posts are always worthwhile.
6. Brand New Day
One of the bravest women I know, on a unique journey of discovery of life as a transgender woman. It is a privilege to be able to share in the journey of my friend.
7. Murf Magic
Another brave soul successfully wrestling with demons. Murf fosters growth for himself- and for beautiful botanicals!
8. Ink Spot
Ink Spot is a highly creative and thought-provoking designer and woman.

9. Altucher Confidential
I stumbled on this wide-ranging blog from a self-identified autistic.


10. Post Secret
A window on so many souls. Sometimes heart-wrenching and sometimes gut-busting (with laughter, people).
11. Best in Class
Amusing musing- discovered when my daughter was featured.
12. Born Storyteller
Educator, artist, writer.


13. Rants and Mutters
Educator, thinker and Guiness-drinker.


14. PhD comics -
Also known as: Piled Higher and Deeper. Not sure if this is a blog? But I sure do enjoy it.

15. The Bloggess
Irreverant and brash. Uncensored.

Everything's an Audition

Recently I was discussing the proposed rehearsal schedule for the musical I will be directing this summer.

"You don't have an audition day," said one of the music directors.

I noted that I intended for the music and dance directors to arrange their auditions to meet their needs. I said, "But I don't need one for acting. We will be working with the team for two weeks before casting, and that is all I will need."

I said that, especially for young actors, auditions aren't necessarily useful. I pointed out that some don't read well cold, and then do well on stage; that some read beautifully at auditions, but then do not connect with the other actors in rehearsal or performance. In playing together, in those first weeks, we get a better feel for the team as a whole, for how we work together.

That's my preferred method of working through casting, as I have noted.

Besides (though I didn't say this at our brief production meeting), everything is an audition.

When you walk in, you make an impression. When you introduce yourself, you make another impression.

Visiting with other actors as you fill out paperwork, you make an impression.

How your treat the stage manager makes a huge impression. How you greet the auditors, how you thank the auditors and leave, these actions make additional impressions.

There's more. How you work with the team for this show is an audition for the next show. How you react when you don't get the part you want- or how you react when you do- this is an audition.

It's true beyond the world of theater, too. Any time you interact with others, you are making impressions- auditioning, if you will.

I don't mean that you are, or should be, always "on." Quite the contrary- what a director is looking for, what a potential new boss is looking for, is the real you.

Relax, and be yourself.

Because that's who I'd like to get to know.

WHAT do we say about Beckett?

In my Development of Drama class, we are about to discuss Beckett.

WHAT to say?

In a word,
He's Absurd.

Another great article for theater folk

Here is another article in support of theater. In this article, the author talks about how theatre aided in preparing for success not only in the arts, but also in life.

Reflections on Stanislavski

I am teaching a class on the Makers of Modern Theater. I am having the opportunity to re-read Stanislavski's An Actor's Work in the new translation by Jean Benedetti.

I am asking the students to identify key terms and define them, supporting the definitions with quotes from the text.

Stanislavski's writing style, and the convoluted paths of his writings to publication and translation, make for a text that is sometimes confusing and hard to pull together. Nonetheless, there are gems to be found and savored.

Perhaps it is just reading through my own lens, but I am heartened when I read places where KS seems to agree with my own thoughts and process:

"You must absorb and filter any system through yourself, make it your own, retain its essentials and develop it in your own way." xxv

"When choosing an action, leave your feelings alone. They will appear of their own accord as a result of something which has gone before, that evokes jealousy, love, or suffering." 43

"You must use accidents, feelings wisely, must not reject but cherish and yet not base your artistic planning on them." 338

The last quoted reminds me of what I so often tell actors: use what you bring. If you've had a fight, if you are worried, let the energy of those feelings influence your actions in character- within your character's Given Circumstances.

Why do "Children's Theater"?

This is a great article. I would add that it doesn't go far enough: the very best is doing theater with young people.

Why Children's Theater Matters.

Bragging rights

I may not hold the copyright, but I certainly hold the bragging rights!

My daughter, the award winning playwright Beth Kander, has another feather in her cap!

I have mentioned her play See Jane Quit.

Now, another of her plays, Scrambled, has won two awards. Scrambled has won best play of the year for 2012 at the Southeastern Theatre Conference AND is one of the top ten finalists for the Jewish Play Project.

I couldn't be more proud!

My life in Theater Art

My Life in Theater Art

I fell in love with the theater when my sixth grade teacher read Taming of the Shrew aloud to the class. I went to the Stratford Festival and saw great theater- and not so great. I started acting in high school and from that day to this I have performed in, produced, written and directed hundreds of shows.

I love the transformational power of theater. Theater saved my life, giving an awkward, introverted girl a community and a shared experience of power and energy and connection. I have seen this magic work again and again on actors, crew, designers, directors, -everyone, as Stanislavsky would say, including the hat check girl. I love the power of ensemble: the very real experience that together, our whole is far greater than the sum of our individual parts.

I hate theater that despises its audience. Without the audience, there is no theater. We, as theater artists, must develop our audience, tease, tempt, teach our audience. I don't advocate a "comfortable" theater or a safe theater; I do advocate a theater that seeks and engages the audience.

I have many goals for theater. One personal goal: I would like to see theater artists who are teens- or who work with teens and youth - recognized as (potentially) valid theater artists. Also, expanding on my comment #2 above, I would like to see the work of amateurs- those who do this work for the love of it- to be recognized for the important work that it often has been.

Why I have been so passionate about youth in theater

A few months ago, I was asked a few questions about why I have been so involved with youth theater for over twenty years. Here are some of my answers.
I guess why I have done this so long and for so many hours and sometimes even at cost to myself is because I believe in theater and I believe in young people. I believe in the power of both theater and youth to transform our world.

I believe that theater gives us an opportunity to put ourselves in another's shoes and see the world from another perspective. Theater allows us to question, to explore questions of what it means to be human, what it means to be good, what it means to love.

I believe that young people have the energy and the vision to take on the challenges of making the world a better place. One of my favorite quotes is attributed to John Andrew Holmes:

“Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing.”

I believe that young people care about the big questions and the hard questions. I feel that most places and people water things down for kids, thinking they are protecting kids. It's not helpful for a teen struggling with depression to be misled that everything is always sunshine or always should be.

stay tuned for more news

I will be returning here- I hope later today- because I am mulling a lot in my mind.

I have taken a job directing a musical! Which is definitely branching out of my comfort zone!

However, some of my old discomforts from the world of youth theater remain.

What I want to discuss/ put out there is:

How can youth artists and those who work with them find respect and come to be valued as youth artists?

And: thinking over the requests to "adapt," "water-down," "make more comfortable" a script to "suit" the youth performers- or, more properly, their parents.

I think the two are linked. I either will be leaving youth theater, or breaking out of the mold.

Teaching and directing

When I was in graduate school, I was teaching and directing as part of my fellowship. In fact, most of the instructors in the department were called upon to direct on one stage or another in addition to their teaching responsibilities.

A group of undergrads, for reasons that I no longer recall, presented a survey to the many director-instructors of our department asking: Which do you prefer: Teaching or directing? Why? Which do you identify as, a teacher or a director? Why?

After some thought, I answered that I feel that a director- a good one- should be a teacher, and that in theater, at least, a teacher - a good one- should be a sort of director.

The word "educate" comes from Latin sources that mean "to bring out, to lead forth". At its best, directing guides the actor in bringing out the actor's own creativity. Good directing leads forth the artistic team of actors, designers and technicians to finding their own unique, organic whole that is realized in the production.

When I am teaching, I am also working to guide the students to their own discoveries. I prepare and present and propose- and the real learning happens as the students make their own connections and draw their own conclusions. When I am successful in leading forth the students into the new ideas and connections, I will bring out the students' interests and innate abilities and engage their intellects.

Whether directing or teaching, I feel that I can only lead and guide. I create an environment where discoveries can be made and shared.

Ultimately I think it is impossible to "do" directing to someone, or to "do" teaching to someone. The director guides the actor and other theater artists; the teacher guides the students. Director or teacher may offer information or insight, may pose questions or suggest possibilities. In either case, the actor or student, must make the connection within themselves to bring the character to life- or make the learning their own.

“Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths pure theatre.” - Gail Godwin