A Storie of more Wo
Two powerful feuding families crumble as the youth and fresh blossoms of their lineage fall in love and self implode with the help of their best friends and a mischievous holy man.
[Act I; Act breakdowns are imaginative, Shakespeare's version is an epic poem with scattered cues and stage directions, so lets say Day 1 instead.]
The Montague and Capulet families explode onto stage in the third recent public brawl to escalate tensions between the powerful family monopolies and the ruling government. The Montague parents send the ultimate mediator Benvolio to inquire why their son might have issues. Benvolio discovers Romeo's mood is linked to the "white wench's black eye", more specifically a young lady named Rosaline who won't surrender chastity quite so easily. Benvolio, instead of reporting back to the parents, enlists Romeo to a feast at the forbidden Capulet fortress to compare Rosaline to other "fresh fennel buds". The boys discover the party through the mishaps of an illiterate messenger to the Capulet family and arrive through affiliation (and some delay) with plot device character incarnate Mercutio, a kinsman to the Prince.
Meanwhile, Juliet, the 13 year old daughter to the Capulets, is getting signed away through marriage to the Countie Paris, a government personage. The Capulet feast goes swimmingly, with the daughter of the head of household making out with the masked son of their bitter enemy. Tybalt, a "fiery" cousin to Juliet's and prone to duels, realizes Romeo has infiltrated the party and unsuccessfully tries to kill him in front of every one, prevented perforce by the elder Capulet.
While Mercutio and Benvolio leave the party, Romeo hops a fence and stalks Juliet to the romantic and memorable balcony scene, where they decide to be married promptly at 9 am the following day. Romeo, instead of getting sleep heads direct to Friar Lawrence the mysterious "ghostly confessor" to both families.
[End Day 1]
happy nights to happy daies
"The guests are come, supper serv'd up, you cal'd, my young Lady askt for, the Nurse cursed in the Pantery, and every thing in extremitie: I must hence to wait, I beseech you follow straight." I.iv
Camp is bustling, busy, and bursting with life. Sunday brunches and late night feasts.
Set: Strike is struck with ground cleared for the backstage tents and the floated balcony. We have constructed a 1/2" scale model of the site to finalize concepts and lock down design shortly.
Costumes: Design is High Fashion with a timeless setting. Must permit dancing, fighting, and other movements. Also rain.
Traffic: Movement has been prevalent, fitting a read through of the play amongst days of dance choreography and stage combat. Focus is concentrated on a high energy start to the play to set a pace.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
ACT II: our toil shall strive to mend
Two households,
both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona where we lay our scene.
From ancient grudge BREAK
to new mutiny
where civil BLOOD
makes civil hands
unclean.
From forth the FATAL loins of these two foes
a pair of STAR CROSSED LOVERS
take their life.
Whose
MISADVENTURED
PITEOUS
OVERTHROWS
do with their DEATH
bury their parents strive.
The FEARFUL passage
of their DEATH marked LOVE
and the continuance of their parents RAGE,
which, but their children's DEATH
naught could remove,
is now the two hours traffic of our stage.
The which,
if you with patient ears attend,
what here shall miss,
OUR TOIL SHALL STRIVE TO MEND.
ACT II
JUNE 2013
Friday, May 31, 2013
I.iv the Ape is dead and I must conjure him
The Camp Report
"When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands,
and they unwashed too, tis a foul thing." I.v
Spring cleaning at the start of Summer
The kitchen and anti-kitchen have been cleaned in extremity, leaves raked, fire pit set and burned. The bunkhouse has been cleared out and cleaned, and major renovations on the Decagon. Camp has activated it's potential, with two tents pitched, the bunkhouse occupied, the Decagon and Octagon resided in, campers ready for any guests, and Bruce's cabin finally left in peace. Days begin and end with the Kitchen and Anti-kitchen bustling with life.
Basketball, Ping Pong, Frolf, Pigskin, Crockett, Soccer, and Swordplay. Plenty of active fun to be had during free time and with a poker set, two cribbage sets and plenty of personal vendettas; enough passive fun otherwise.
Enter a Fair Assembly
Tara Kelso a dancer, choreographer, and actress from Colorado.
Dylan Bruce a student and culinary expert at Occidental in LA.
Rose Bruce returns to Fairbanks for her second season with FST.
Maxwell McGeorge a rockstar from the Driftless region.
Willis Fireball a school teacher from Little Diomede.
A Fair Assembly expands Shakespeare Camp with Old Accustomed Feasts.
The Show Report
"Come we burn daylight, ho!"
"Nay that's not so." I.v
Auditions have concluded, the show will be cast over the weekend, with a read-through scheduled for Tuesday evening. Jessica Jacobs, a excellent stage combat choreographer from Anchorage, will arrive on June 6th where the show will jump straight into the fights and dances for a high energy start to rehearsals. A large amount of work on the play will be accomplished at camp this summer, with adaptations on the set beginning very soon. Costume and poster designs are in the preemptive design phases and the show will come together too much like the lightning.
"When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands,
and they unwashed too, tis a foul thing." I.v
Spring cleaning at the start of Summer
The kitchen and anti-kitchen have been cleaned in extremity, leaves raked, fire pit set and burned. The bunkhouse has been cleared out and cleaned, and major renovations on the Decagon. Camp has activated it's potential, with two tents pitched, the bunkhouse occupied, the Decagon and Octagon resided in, campers ready for any guests, and Bruce's cabin finally left in peace. Days begin and end with the Kitchen and Anti-kitchen bustling with life.
Basketball, Ping Pong, Frolf, Pigskin, Crockett, Soccer, and Swordplay. Plenty of active fun to be had during free time and with a poker set, two cribbage sets and plenty of personal vendettas; enough passive fun otherwise.
Enter a Fair Assembly
Tara Kelso a dancer, choreographer, and actress from Colorado.
Dylan Bruce a student and culinary expert at Occidental in LA.
Rose Bruce returns to Fairbanks for her second season with FST.
Maxwell McGeorge a rockstar from the Driftless region.
Willis Fireball a school teacher from Little Diomede.
A Fair Assembly expands Shakespeare Camp with Old Accustomed Feasts.
The Show Report
"Come we burn daylight, ho!"
"Nay that's not so." I.v
Auditions have concluded, the show will be cast over the weekend, with a read-through scheduled for Tuesday evening. Jessica Jacobs, a excellent stage combat choreographer from Anchorage, will arrive on June 6th where the show will jump straight into the fights and dances for a high energy start to rehearsals. A large amount of work on the play will be accomplished at camp this summer, with adaptations on the set beginning very soon. Costume and poster designs are in the preemptive design phases and the show will come together too much like the lightning.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
I.iii the shady curtains from Aurora's bed
Forecast: Breaking the Ice
The weather here in Fairbanks has finally broken. A warm 60 degrees with 19.5 hours of sunshine. Life at camp has begun with cleaning and set up of the summer structures. We are also able to begin paint jobs around the area and are no longer contained indoors. Ice chunks flowing at a quick pace down the Chena river and the mosquitoes out to a late start in droves with a vengeful hunger, officially signalling the start of summer.
For Cast: Rolling the Dice
Auditions for Romeo & Juliet were pleasant, with an abundance of youth and a noticeable lack of any persons or actors older than 25 years old. We are currently in search for actors to fill the more mature roles, but plenty of interest from the youth of Fairbanks. With around 5 new campers arriving this weekend, the addition of a few mature actors would round out the cast. The doors remain open to the community as we approach the first rehearsal on June 1st, potentially finalizing the cast during a read through of the play just days before. Strike drum!
The weather here in Fairbanks has finally broken. A warm 60 degrees with 19.5 hours of sunshine. Life at camp has begun with cleaning and set up of the summer structures. We are also able to begin paint jobs around the area and are no longer contained indoors. Ice chunks flowing at a quick pace down the Chena river and the mosquitoes out to a late start in droves with a vengeful hunger, officially signalling the start of summer.
For Cast: Rolling the Dice
Auditions for Romeo & Juliet were pleasant, with an abundance of youth and a noticeable lack of any persons or actors older than 25 years old. We are currently in search for actors to fill the more mature roles, but plenty of interest from the youth of Fairbanks. With around 5 new campers arriving this weekend, the addition of a few mature actors would round out the cast. The doors remain open to the community as we approach the first rehearsal on June 1st, potentially finalizing the cast during a read through of the play just days before. Strike drum!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
I.ii what early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
The Historie
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre was founded in 1992 performing Shakespeare underneath the Midnight Sun downtown alongside the Chena river. Within two decades, FST would blossom into an internationally touring theater company, producing shows year round and organizing the Bard-a-thon; round the clock eight days a week community read through of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. The Bard-a-thon has expanded to La Crosse, WI in the last few years, strengthening the Wisco-Alaskan connection.
FST is currently based in the Empress Theatre with plans to move into a more manageable space this summer. Through the course of FST's history, the summer Shakespeare shows have migrated several times: performing in parks downtown, at the Musher's Field, Birch Hill Recreation Area, and currently performs on the University of Alaska Fairbanks grounds at the historic Jack Townshed Point.
The summer production of Romeo & Juliet will be FST's 21st outdoor performance of a Shakespeare canon. That leaves 17 Shakespearean plays yet to be performed in the Alaskan elements, plus the long form poems. Operating out of the Empress Theatre and Shakespeare Camp in Biastown, FST will be working towards producing a musical swashbuckling extravaganza of the unabridged First Folio edition of Romeo & Juliet within 6 weeks time beginning June 1st, 2013.
More info on FST is available at fstalaska.org
The Tragedie
Currently the weather is stubbornly hoovering around 40-50 degrees with snowbanks isolated in the shade about the area. No foliage or grass, and general uninspiring conditions despite sunshine. This limits the amount of work we are accomplishing both in camp and around town. Most effort is spend in the Empress office working on the pre-production elements of Romeo & Juliet.
The Comedie
The majority of FST will be departing for Las Vegas shortly after auditions this weekend for the upcoming wedding of two core members of the staff. Hence it falls upon the lusty young men to welcome into camp a female dancer from Colorado arriving for the summer production, possibly resulting in a comedy of errors. For now the entire camp of lusty young men divides it's time between the NBA Playoffs and Romeo & Juliet.
Also, facsimile editions of the fabled First Folio feature Juliet spelled Iuliet throughout.
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre was founded in 1992 performing Shakespeare underneath the Midnight Sun downtown alongside the Chena river. Within two decades, FST would blossom into an internationally touring theater company, producing shows year round and organizing the Bard-a-thon; round the clock eight days a week community read through of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. The Bard-a-thon has expanded to La Crosse, WI in the last few years, strengthening the Wisco-Alaskan connection.
FST is currently based in the Empress Theatre with plans to move into a more manageable space this summer. Through the course of FST's history, the summer Shakespeare shows have migrated several times: performing in parks downtown, at the Musher's Field, Birch Hill Recreation Area, and currently performs on the University of Alaska Fairbanks grounds at the historic Jack Townshed Point.
The summer production of Romeo & Juliet will be FST's 21st outdoor performance of a Shakespeare canon. That leaves 17 Shakespearean plays yet to be performed in the Alaskan elements, plus the long form poems. Operating out of the Empress Theatre and Shakespeare Camp in Biastown, FST will be working towards producing a musical swashbuckling extravaganza of the unabridged First Folio edition of Romeo & Juliet within 6 weeks time beginning June 1st, 2013.
More info on FST is available at fstalaska.org
The Tragedie
Currently the weather is stubbornly hoovering around 40-50 degrees with snowbanks isolated in the shade about the area. No foliage or grass, and general uninspiring conditions despite sunshine. This limits the amount of work we are accomplishing both in camp and around town. Most effort is spend in the Empress office working on the pre-production elements of Romeo & Juliet.
The Comedie
The majority of FST will be departing for Las Vegas shortly after auditions this weekend for the upcoming wedding of two core members of the staff. Hence it falls upon the lusty young men to welcome into camp a female dancer from Colorado arriving for the summer production, possibly resulting in a comedy of errors. For now the entire camp of lusty young men divides it's time between the NBA Playoffs and Romeo & Juliet.
Also, facsimile editions of the fabled First Folio feature Juliet spelled Iuliet throughout.
Monday, May 6, 2013
I.i I should adventure for such merchandise
Romeo and Juliet is the story of two suicidal lovers/teenagers in Verona, Italy where their two families are warring in a feud that only the death of their children could end. Along with their lineages.
Shakespeare pirated this plot from Brooke's English translation of the Italian classic, flushing out the characters with beautiful Iambic Pentameter, but otherwise keeping all characters and plot twists verbatim.
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre has performed Shakespeare outdoors, in the elements, for over 20 years. For their 21st season, they have elected the Bard's work of classical/pathetic tragedy as the flagship summer show; complete with gangs, fights, dances, music, and of course teen age romance.
All of these items will be examined in greater detail at a later date.
Enter Lusty Young Men
Ethan Wickert and Ian Tully from Wisconsin arrive in Fairbanks for preemptive strike and construction.
bd Rogers FST's artistic director and creator will direct Romeo and Juliet.
Tom Robenolt FST's associate artistic director will catch many fish this summer.
JK Browne a talented actor on tour with FST's current show.
Lusty young men occupy Shakespeare Camp, located at the end of Biastown a few miles outside the city of Fairbanks.
The Merchandise
i. a foot of snow in May.
ii. 5:00 am sunrise, 10:30 pm sunset. 7 minute daily fluctuation.
iii. Snowball fights in Chena Hot Springs.
iv. Fox spring water fresh off the glacier.
v. 20 oz in-town roasted coffee at $2.00
vi. $40.00 parking tickets in loading zones downtown.
vii. 10 ft regulation basketball hoop.
viii. sports viewing at the Big International.
ix. collecting money from school children.
x. traveling to Healy and Nenana on tour with FST's adaptation of King Lear. Lear Khehkwaii is set in 1800's interior Alaska, features the native Gwich'in language and touring many schools and smaller towns around greater Alaska. With 7 shows in 6 days left, FST will close the tour back home at the Empress Theatre in Fairbanks.
Shakespeare pirated this plot from Brooke's English translation of the Italian classic, flushing out the characters with beautiful Iambic Pentameter, but otherwise keeping all characters and plot twists verbatim.
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre has performed Shakespeare outdoors, in the elements, for over 20 years. For their 21st season, they have elected the Bard's work of classical/pathetic tragedy as the flagship summer show; complete with gangs, fights, dances, music, and of course teen age romance.
All of these items will be examined in greater detail at a later date.
Enter Lusty Young Men
Ethan Wickert and Ian Tully from Wisconsin arrive in Fairbanks for preemptive strike and construction.
bd Rogers FST's artistic director and creator will direct Romeo and Juliet.
Tom Robenolt FST's associate artistic director will catch many fish this summer.
JK Browne a talented actor on tour with FST's current show.
Lusty young men occupy Shakespeare Camp, located at the end of Biastown a few miles outside the city of Fairbanks.
The Merchandise
i. a foot of snow in May.
ii. 5:00 am sunrise, 10:30 pm sunset. 7 minute daily fluctuation.
iii. Snowball fights in Chena Hot Springs.
iv. Fox spring water fresh off the glacier.
v. 20 oz in-town roasted coffee at $2.00
vi. $40.00 parking tickets in loading zones downtown.
vii. 10 ft regulation basketball hoop.
viii. sports viewing at the Big International.
ix. collecting money from school children.
x. traveling to Healy and Nenana on tour with FST's adaptation of King Lear. Lear Khehkwaii is set in 1800's interior Alaska, features the native Gwich'in language and touring many schools and smaller towns around greater Alaska. With 7 shows in 6 days left, FST will close the tour back home at the Empress Theatre in Fairbanks.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Prologue: of honourable reckoning
This night I hold an old accustom'd feast,
Whereto I have invited many a guest,
Such as I love; and you, among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
At my poor house look to behold this night
Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light:
Such comfort as do lusty young men feel
When well-apparell'd April on the heel
Of limping winter treads, even such delight
Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house;
Hear all, all see,
And like her most whose merit most shall be:
Which on more view, of many, mine being one
May stand in number, though in reckoning none,
Come, go with me.
This reckoning is an account of the City of Fairbanks in the summer of 2013.
The focus being Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet.
The source stems from any contribution of interest and relevance.
Enjoy.
-it
Whereto I have invited many a guest,
Such as I love; and you, among the store,
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
At my poor house look to behold this night
Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light:
Such comfort as do lusty young men feel
When well-apparell'd April on the heel
Of limping winter treads, even such delight
Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house;
Hear all, all see,
And like her most whose merit most shall be:
Which on more view, of many, mine being one
May stand in number, though in reckoning none,
Come, go with me.
CAPULET (I.ii)
This reckoning is an account of the City of Fairbanks in the summer of 2013.
The focus being Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre's production of Romeo and Juliet.
The source stems from any contribution of interest and relevance.
Enjoy.
-it
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