Dear William

It's been a pleasure. Thank you.

Bard of Avon,

I really dislike this monologue. I don't agree with what she is saying, at all. Whenever I think of this scene, I want to imagine Katherina being brain washed or drugged. I don't like the girl that you had Petruchio change her into. But, whatever, I respect your work. Though, I'll have you know, recording this was a b****.

Video # 4 - Katherina's Monologue

Katherina's Monologue

Really, the only appropriate-lengthened monologue for Katherina is the one at the very end of the play, in Act 5 Scene 2. It's rather long, so I am only doing the first thirty lines or so. Her monologue is addressed to her sister and the widow. She is basically reprimanding them for how they are treating their husbands. This monologue is important because it shows how she has changed. 145 pages ago, she would be disagreeing with 95% of what she is saying. After she finishes speaking, Lucentio and Vincentio  compliment Petruchio on how well he has "tamed" her. Petruchio, pleased, excuses himself and Kate as they leave for bed. The end.

Act 5 Scene 2

Luccentio's lodgings

Katherina Fie, fie! Unknit that threat'ning unkind brow

                 And dart not scornful glances from those eyes

                 To wound thy lord, thy king, thy governor.

                 It blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads,

                 Confounds thy fame as whirlwinds shake fair buds,

                 And in no sense is meet or amiable.

                 A woman moved is like a fountain troubled,

                 Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty,

                 And while it is so, none so dry or thirsty

                 Will deign to sip or touch one drop of it.

                 Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper,

                 Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee,

                 And for thy maintenance commits his body

                 To painful labor both by sea and land,

                 To watch the night in storms, the day in cold,

                 Whilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe,

                 And craves no other tribute at thy hands

                 But love, fair looks and true obedience—

                 Too little payment for so great a debt.

                 Such duty as the subject owes the prince,

                 Even such a woman oweth to her husband.

                 And when she is froward, peevish, sullen, sour,

                 And not obedient to his honest will,

                 What is she but a foul contending rebel

                 And graceless traitor to her loving lord?

                 I am ashamed that women are so simple

                To offer war where they should kneel for peace;

                Or seek for rule, supremacy and sway

                When they are bound to serve, love, and obey.

Kiss Me, Kate and 10 Things I hate About You

Though I have never had the chance to see, if you are looking for a musical adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew - there is always Kiss Me, Kate by Cole Porter. On the other hand, like Twelfth Night, there is a teen movie loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew. It's one of those movies, like She's The Man, than any 13-15 year should probably see. I of course, bought 10 Things I hate About You after the first time I saw, freshmen year... I have seen it so many times, that I can quote it. It's funny... the character who is based off of Katherina, ends up at Sarah Lawrence. Weird how that works...

Day 12

Just finished The Taming of the Shrew; my last Shakespeare play, and last comedy. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1594. The play begins with an induction (adding in a sub-plot). Then the main plot is introduced. Basically, it's a play depicting the courtship of Petruchio and Katherina, the headstrong "shrew". Petruchio tries and ultimately succeeds in "taming" his wife until she is an obedient bride. Meanwhile, there are other suitors who are trying to woo Bianca, Katherina's beautiful younger sister. In the end, I think it kind of sucks. While Petruchio's taming of Katherina is very comical, it's also extremely sexist. Katherina does a 180 and turns into this well-behaved "trophy" wife. However, I remember reading it in school and liking it. I guess it is because Katherina reminds me a little of me  (at least the Katherina before Act 5, Scene 2).

Poor Katherina...

Bard of Avon,

I've always liked Lady Macbeth. Over this past summer, I worked on the scene when she taunts her husband and questions his masculinity. This monologue was much more adventurous. I had fun with it. I had to wait till it got really dark in order to film it. Of course then the lighting made my eyes look all creepy and now it's extremely distracting; but, whatever. I tried fifty different ways to do the scream, but I thought it would have be better if I did a silent one. I was aiming for her to get to the point where she just lost control. I think it worked. For me, I was light-headed. I guess, in conclusion, all I really have to say is.... Judi Dench did it better.

Video # 3 - Lady Macbeth's Monologue

I apologize; the quality/lighting is terrible!
Look at it this way... it adds to the creepiness.

Lady Macbeth's Monologue

The monologue I have chosen for Lady Macbeth is her famous scene after she has gone "crazy." It's the first scene of Act 5. Previously Ross has told Macduff about his family's murder and Malcom encourages them all to overthrow Macbeth. In Scene 1 of Act 5, Lady Macbeth's attendant reports to the Doctor that she has seen her sleepwalking. She refuses to tell what her mistress has been saying in her sleep. Lady Macbeth, asleep, then enters with a candle. Her monologue is interecpeted with the conversation between the doctor and the gentlewoman, commenting on what they hear; however, for Lady Macbeth she is in her own world, uninterrupted. 

Act 5 Scene 1

A room in Dunsinane Castle

LADY MACBETH Yet here's a spot.

                                Out, damned spot! Out, I say! One–two— 

                                why then ’tis time to do't. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie!
                                A soldier, and afeard? What need we fear who knows it,
                                when none can call our power to account? Yet who would
                                have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?

                               The Thane of Fife had a wife; where is she now? 

                               What, will these hands ne'er be clean? No more o’ 

                               that, my lord, no more o’ that. You mar all with this starting.

                               Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes
                               of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh!

                               Wash your hands, put on your nightgown;
                               look not so pale. I tell you yet again, Banquo's buried; he
                               cannot come out on’s grave.

                               To bed, to bed; there's knocking at the gate.
                               Come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's
                               done cannot be undone. To bed, to bed, to bed.

 

Day 9

I read Macbeth this morning. Macbeth is a tragedy about a regicide and its aftermath. Basically, these creepy witches tell this man named Macbeth about how he will become King. He takes it to heart. He becomes a little crazed, along with his wife as he kills the King and anyone else who may threaten to diminish his power. In the end, MacDuff kills Macbeth and brings everyone's death to justice. Macbeth is said to have been written between 1603 and 1607. It's prestige is up there with Hamlet's.

Bard of Avon,

I read Twelfth Night in 8th grade with Ms. Gant. I didn't really care for it. I never really looked forward to that one Shakespeare book we were required to read each year. I guess it was because I honestly never knew what was going on; and Twelfth Night more than others. There were just too many characters and too much going on on the side for me to fully comprehend it. However, after this second read, I am comfortable saying that I get it now. This monologue wasn't that bad, I'm close to Viola's age, which always helps. It was my first Shakespeare comedy! I mean, I've done a little of As You Like It, which has the whole girl dressed up as a man thing in common, but that was only a short scene. Recording this wasn't that difficult. The monologue was relatively shorter and more straight-forward than that of Juliet. I only really fully recorded it twice and I stuck with the second. 

Video # 2 - Viola's Monologue

Viola's Monologue

Viola only has one main monologue, so, I am going with that. It's in Act II, Scene 2. At the end of Act I, after Viola has sought out Olivia to confess Orsino, the Duke of Illyria's love for her - we see that Olivia is rather infatuated with 'Cesario' who is really Viola in disguise. Viola's monologue picks up after Malvolio, Olivia's steward (who is also in love with Olivia) is ordered to deliver a ring that Viola-Cesario 'left behind.' It's really an excuse for Olivia to see Viola-Cesario again. When Malvolio leaves, Viola puzzles over his message. She questions if Olivia has fallen in love with her.

Act 2 Scene 2

A street near Olivia's house

VIOLA I left no ring with her. What means this lady?

               Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her!

               She made good view of me, indeed so much

               That, methought her eyes had lost her tongue,

               For she did speak in starts distractedly.

               She loves me sure; the cunning of her passion

               Invites me in this churlish messenger.

               None of my lord’s ring? Why, he sent her none;

               I am the man; if it be so, as ’tis,

               Poor lady, she were better love a dream.

               Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness,

               Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.

               How easy is it for the proper-false

               In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!

               Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we,

               For such as we are made of, such we be.

               How will this fadge? My master loves her dearly,

               And I, poor monster, fond as much on him,

               And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.

               What will become of this? As I am man,

               My state is desperate for my master’s love;

               As I am woman - now, alas the day! -

               What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe?

               O time, thou must untangle this, not I;

               It is too hard a knot for me t’untie.

Day 7

I apologize for not posting sooner. Thursday, I was in school all day for my acting final. Our final was a series of improvised scenes using characters we had been working on this semester. I played a schizophrenic (Park Posey), and then an unladylike cheerleader (Anne Yolles). It was refreshing to take a break from Shakespeare. This weekend I went to New York with my family and saw Billy Elliot. Again, way different from Shakespeare. It was amazing. I am sorry to say I did not enjoy Elton John's music, however, the choreography and the chemistry between the cast was amazing. It was the best Broadway musical I had ever seen. 
Well, now it's back to Viola!

She's The Man

In modern day, we have the adolescent film of She's The Man, based loosely on Twelfth Night.

Day 3

I finished Twelfth Night last night. It's one of Shakespeare's many comedies. It's said to have been written around 1601-1602. Mainly, the play is about a giant love triangle. However, add some subplots and cross-dressing, throw in a couple drunks, and get a really clever jester - and you've got Twelfth Night. 

 

Kudos if you can tell which twin is Sebastien, and which is Viola. 

Bard of Avon,

First time ever reading your Romeo & Juliet, let alone acting it out. Of course, I always knew the story. At camp, my bunk did a five minute production of it. I was Romeo... The only line I could remember was "Thus with a kiss I die." When I read that line the other day, I was thrilled. I thought this monologue was pretty challenging. There was a lot to it. In this particular scene she is anxious, excited, nervous, impatient, and a couple other things that would be inappropriate to mention. With any luck, I was able to convey at least four of them... I guess I'm worrying about finishing all the monologues by the end of next week. I didn't want to spend too much time on this first one. Overall, I am satisfied. I recorded it 8 times. After I finished the 7th, I told myself that I needed to be down after the next take. Turned out the 8th video was the best.

Video # 1 - Juliet's Monologue

Day 2

Just got back from school. I visited my faculty adviser, Ms. Martineau. She is lending me some gorgeous costumes! She also gave me advice on the monologue, and now I am looking to set up a backdrop somewhere in my house, work the scene a few more times, and hopefully record it before the sun goes down.

The technique

That's just the first part...

Now? Break up ever letter of every word from every line.

Mark it. Mark it. Mark it. Really. Mark the f**K out of it! (pardon my french)

Pour example - 

Mark your text for how many beats each letter gets. 

Put one line underneath a letter if it gets one drum beat, and two lines if it makes a sustainable sound. For my case, because of my computer - the letters that are underlined have one drum beat while the larger letters in bold make a sustainable sound.

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Toward Phoebus' lodging.

Once you've done that, work on the y-buzz! It's that meditation sound in yoga that makes your whole body vibrate. Pronounce the biggest letters in italic with the same manner.

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Toward Phoebus' lodging.

Then, put it all together: 

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Toward Phoebus' lodging.

Now go back to the original line:

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Toward Phoebus' lodging.

...and voila,

2 ½ lines down...29 more to go!!!

Juliet's monolgue

I have chosen to work on Juliet's monologue from Act 3 Scene 2. She is completely unaware that Romeo, now her husband (GO FRIAR LAWRENCE) has just killed her cousin, Tybalt. She waits for the night to come so she can see Romeo. Thanks to Alexander Schmidt's Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary Volume I AND Volume II, I have a good idea of what she's saying. Basically, she's very...she's full of lust...

  Act 3 Scene 2

Juliet's room in Capulet's mansion

Enter Juliet alone

JULIET  Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,

             Toward Phoebus' lodging. Such a wagoner

             As Phaeton would whip you to the west

             And bring in cloudy night immediately.

             Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,

             That runaways' eyes may wink, and Romeo

             Leap to these arms, untalked of and unseen.

             Lovers can see to do their amorous rites

             By their own beauties, or, if love be blind,

             It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,

             Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,

             And learn me how to lose a winning match

             Played for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.

             Hood my unmanned blood bating in my cheeks,

             With thy black mantle, till strange love, grow bold,

             Think true love acted simple modesty.

             Come, night. Come, Romeo. Come, thou day in night,

             For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night

             Whiter than new snow upon a raven’s back.

             Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-browed night,

             Give me my Romeo. And when I shall die,

             Take him and cut him out in little stars,

             And he will make the face of heaven so fine

             That all the world will be in love with night

             And pay no worship to the garish sun.

             Oh, I have bought the mansion of a love,

             But not possessed it, and though I am sold,

             Not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day

             As is the night before some festival

             To an impatient child that hath new robes

             And may not wear them.

 Then her Nurse comes in crying and ruins the moment.

West Side Story

I personally don't find this musical all that wonderful. It's my father's all time favorite, but to me, it's dated. I know it's a classic and being dated is nice, but in West Side Story's case... no.


  Nevertheless, for Will's sack:
After Romeo meets his Juliet, or in this case - after Tony and Maria have their meet-cute, Tony learns her name, and walks towards her balcony, serenading...

In reality?

It's really a rather depressing play. Their love is doomed, and in the end, nearly a third of the cast is dead.


   Shakespeare said it best:
For never was a story more woe
than this of Juliet and her Romeo

Day 1

I finished Romeo and Juliet last night. Romeo and Juliet, as most know, is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. The play is about two young star crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite the feuding Montague and Capulet families. By the plays stylistic similarities with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, its composition can be placed between 1591 and 1595. 

Now, if I were Juliet... I would have jumped...

Dear William

For these next two weeks, you are mine.