Download William Shakespeare`s A Midsummer Night`s Dream

William Shakespeare’s
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Presented by The Ohio State University in association with CAPA, the Arts Initiative at
Ohio State, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. This production is part of the ongoing
international partnership between The Ohio State University and the UK’s Royal
Shakespeare Company.
School Tour: Winter 2011
A Study Guide for Teachers and Educators
The Ohio State University
Department of Theatre
1089 Drake Union
1849 Cannon Drive
Columbus, OH 43210-1266
Proudly Presents…
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Robin Post
Edited by Kate Ramsey & Robin Post
Study Guide compiled by
Allison Brogan, Robin Post, &
Jennifer Schlueter
2 Table of Contents
Introduction for Teachers/Educators ......................... 4
Historical Context/Background .................................. 5
The Characters of Midsummer .................................. 7
The Midsummer Cast/Crew ....................................... 9
A Glimpse into the Worlds....................................... 11
Interpretive Activities for Students............................ 12
3 Introduction for Teachers/Educators
The Ohio State University Theatre Department will tour a sixty minute version of
William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream during the winter of 2011.
The performance will make visible those theatrical conventions that are typically
hidden; the actors will change characters, the set will change and the costumes
changes will happen in full view of the audience. The world of the play will begin in
a child’s bedroom and the transformations of characters and physical place will be
revealed to the audience.
Transformation is one of the many themes in Midsummer that speaks directly to the
child’s imagination. Our Puck transforms from a young child into his own imagined
version of the infamous trickster and as the little boy transforms, so too does the
world in which he lives. Puck changes from a seemingly invisible boy with little to no
say about what goes on in a world led by adults or the “court,” to the master and
creator of his newly imagined forest. Puck uses his “magic” or imagination to
recreate his physical world, to literally transform people into creatures and to
manipulate the actions of all those who enter his world.
In their publication, “Theatre Studies in Higher Education; Learning for a Lifetime,”
the Association for Theatre in Higher Education states, “Theatre and performance
can help transform human beings by acknowledging and celebrating the cultures and
contributions of diverse communities; helping people learn to live in relation to one
another; empowering all participants in the art‐‐creators and audience members‐‐to
act on and change the conditions of their lives. Creating and participating in theatre
is an act of courage‐‐each human being who encounters theatre is encouraged to
imagine. And through the imagination, we can make significant, constructive changes
in our communities.”1
By providing an interpretive choice that is accessible to a younger audience and by
making the ordinary seem extraordinary, this Midsummer tour hopes to inspire and
ignite the student’s imagination. The students will be given a glimpse into the power
of imagination that promises to aid in their own interpretations of the play. Perhaps
they will make personal connections that will allow them to explore innovative
creations of their own Shakespeare performances which will further empower them
to begin creating and thinking critically about their own realities and the world
around them.
1
http://www.athe.org/files/pdf/LearningForALifetime.pdf
4 About William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)
Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare wrote Midsummer sometime
between 1594 and 1596. This was midway through his prolific career; curiously, the
piece initially received mixed reviews. Some have found (and continue to find) his
emphasis on fantastical elements like fairies and love potions to be a bit hard to
swallow. Yet, at the same time, the play is profoundly pleasing poetically and has
become one of the most-produced plays in his canon (Kehler 3). Although A
Midsummer Night’s Dream contains complex themes involving social power,
gender roles, and moral issues, the elements of the “fairies, the music, [and] the
comical mistaking of the lovers” provide a great context for introducing young
audiences to the language of Shakespeare (Kehler 4). Shakespeare creates an
imaginative world filled with exciting characters, unexpected surprises, and creative
humor.
William Shakespeare lived during a very exciting time in which cultural and
artistic change was on the rise. In Elizabethan England, the people embraced
literature and the arts. During this time, Queen Elizabeth ruled a very maledominated England, yet she effectively maintained order and control while on the
throne. Her contributions aided the growth of the theatre and placed more attention
5 on literature and the arts. Although a great deal of transformation and new ways of
thinking were taking place in London, it was not a perfect place. A vast economic
separation existed between the elite and the poor. For example, the educated had
access to the majority of the literature and higher education. However, the rise of
English drama and performance spaces bridged this social gap and allowed
individuals from various sorts of backgrounds to gather together and observe a
theatrical performance. In 1576, actor James Burbage constructed the first
performance space which he called the Theatre. This contribution resulted in the
development of other theatre spaces, including William Shakespeare’s Globe
Theatre. Audiences from all over rushed to the theaters to see which new play
would be performed as the schedule changed on a daily basis. One of the rewards
the top acting companies received included performing for Queen Elizabeth at
Court. The Globe Theatre attracted a diverse crowd and the theatre soon became
the ideal space for all members of the community to learn and to be entertained.
From: Papp, Joseph and Elizabeth Kirkland. Shakespeare Alive! New York: Bantam Books, 1988, Print.
6 Let’s Meet the Characters:
Theseus: He is the Duke of Athens and is the man in charge of all the citizens of Athens. He has
captured Hippolyta in battle and professes to marry her “with pomp, with triumph, and with
reveling” (Midsummer I.i. 9).
Hippolyta: She is preparing to wed Theseus; however, she did not choose to marry him. She is
also not afraid to speak her opinion. During the presentation of Pyramus and Thisbe she states,
“this is the silliest stuff that ever I heard”” (V.v.35).
Egeus: He is the father of Hermia and desperately wants her to obey him and marry Demetrius.
He is concerned by her infatuation with Lysander and exclaims, “this man hath bewitch’d the
bosom of my child” (I.i.2).
Hermia: She is a woman of the court who respects herself and struggles with the fact her father is
forcing her to marry Demetrius. Instead, she longs to be with Lysander. She tells Helena to not
worry about Demetrius because, “he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this
place” (I.i 4). However, her insecurities begin to show after the love potion takes full affect.
Hermia cannot believe Lysander would turn away from her and fall in love with Helena. She cries,
“now I perceive that she hath made compare between our statures; She hath urged her height; And
are you grown so high in his esteem; Because I am so dwarfish and so low?” (III.ii.24)
Lysander: He is the man Hermia prefers to be with but her father does not recognize this.
Lysander also possesses a strong love for Hermia. When revealing to Hermia a convenient house
where they can be wed he says, “there, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee” (I.i.3).
Helena: She is a woman of the court who desperately wants attention and to be loved. Helena
declares, “through Athens I am thought as fair as [Helena]. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not
so” (I.i.5).
Demetrius: He is the one Egeus wants Hermia to marry. At first, Demetrius has no interest in his
actual admirer, Helena. He declares, “I love thee not, therefore pursue me not” (II.i.10).
However, things will change after a few unexpected surprises bring them closer together in the
forest of Athens.
Peter Quince: In our production, Quince is the primary leader of the Mechanicals and works as a
construction manager. He designates the roles of each actor and informs them about rehearsal
locations (I.ii.5).
7 Nick Bottom: Bottom is a worker/actor who thinks extremely highly of himself. He boasts that he
can play any role in the play and move the audience to tears (II.i.6). He will be transformed into a
donkey after a mischievous prank played by the fairies.
Snug the Joiner: Although he feels a little inadequate, he joins the Mechanicals as one of the
actors. He states, “I am slow of study” (I.i.6).
Flute the Bellows Mender: He is a young member of the Mechanicals who is trying to prove
himself to the others. When asked to play the female role, he cries, “nay, faith, let me not play a
woman; I have a beard coming” (I.i.6).
Snout the Tinker: He is designated to play the part of the Wall in Pyramus and Thisbe.
Titania: She is the Queen of the Fairies and is married to the king, Oberon. At the beginning of
the play, she is angry with Oberon because he has demanded her changeling child. She refuses to
give him the child and he refers to her as “proud Titania” (II.i.8).
Oberon: He is the King of the Fairies and seeks revenge against Titania because of the changeling
child she that she refuses to give him.
Puck/Robin Goodfellow: Puck is a mischievous spirit who delights in playing pranks. He calls
himself “that merry wanderer of the night” (II.i.8). He complicates the plot and instigates the
characters.
The Fairies: Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed
The fairies obey their Queen and King respectively and illuminate the magical world.
8 Midsummer Cast/Crew
Kelsey Caitlin Bates (Hermia/Snug/Lion)
is a senior theatre major from Columbus, Ohio. Her
previous roles at OSU include Phyllis in The Fair Maid of the Exchange, The Camouflage Project
(London), Juliet in Romeo & Juliet (Black Student Theatre Network), Ensemble in A Song for Coretta, and
Chorus in The Persians. Allison Brogan (Dramaturg) is beginning her first year in the MA graduate program at OSU. She
graduated from Denison University in the spring of 2010. At Denison, she appeared as Daisy in Rhinoceros
and Cintia in Spite for Spite. She also performed in Ubu the King, Homebody/Kabul, The Romeo and
Juliet Project, Discovery of America, Ensemble: a New Work, and Inherit the Wind. She also appeared as
Madame de Tourvel in Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Licking County Players). Her production experience
includes being an Assistant Director for Shipwrecked!, and Assistant Stage Manager for Fires in the Mirror
and Intimate Apparel (Denison University). In the summer of 2008, she worked with Actors’ Theatre of
Columbus as Assistant Stage Manager for Measure for Measure and light-board operator for The Scottish
Play. She is one of the House Managers for the OSU Department of Theatre and is very excited to be
working as the dramaturg for Midsummer.
Lesley Fisher (Helena/Snout/Wall) is a 3rd Year theatre and anthropological sciences major from
Granville, OH. Some of Lesley's favorite roles include, Fiddle in The Fair Maid of the Exchange (The
Ohio State University), Nurse in Romeo and Juliet (Black Student Theatre Network), Tess in Crazy for
You (Granville High School), and Mrs. Soames in Our Town (Thistledown Young Actors Theatre). Her
theatrical interests include acting, directing, and the creation of new works. Much love to my family and
Nicky!
Paul Moon (Puck) is a senior from Centennial, Colorado. He is a theatre major and loves it! He is also a
minor in business, which he prefers not to talk about. At The Ohio State University he has appeared in The
Three Sisters, Noises Off, Sucking Dublin, Port Authority, Working: A Musical, The Labyrinth of Desire,
and Trojan Woman 2.0. He has also performed with InterAct and It's Abuse. Paul is excited about the
journey with this show and the opportunity to work with such a talented cast.
Taylor Moss (Demetrius/Quince/Prologue/Moon) is a junior theatre major from Anaheim, California.
His specialty is in acting and his experience at OSU includes roles in On the Shore of the Wide World,
Romeo and Juliet and Men in White. Thanks to Theatre for opening not only my mind but my heart as
well.
Moopi Mothibeli (Assistant Director) is in the MFA in Acting program.
He hails from South Africa
and attained his Bachelors’ Degree in Drama at the Tshwane University of Technology. Moopi has
performed in a number of student productions including Dodge, Something between Strangers, A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Here Comes a Chopper, The Crucible, Yerma and Kill the Old Torture
Their Young, all at the Tshwane University of Technology. Moopi’s official induction into the pro-ranks
9 came about in 2009, working as an Assistant Director on a South African State Theatre production called
Mantolo – the tenth step, which ran at the South African State Theatre. His most recent performances at
OSU include roles in On the Shore of the Wide World, The Long Christmas Ride Home, Men in White,
and Palmer Park, He also worked as an Assistant Director on last year’s school tour A Song for Coretta.
Mahmoud Osman (Theseus/Oberon) is a senior theatre major from Hilliard, OH. He has been seen
in the OSU Department of Theatre's productions of Just Like Us, Palmer Park, Men in White, The Three
Sisters, and On the Shore of the Wide World. This production of A Midsummer Night's Dream will be
Mahmoud's first ever Shakespearean production. Mahmoud fell in love with Shakespeare after taking a
Shakespearean acting course at OSU. Mahmoud is very excited for this incredible opportunity to perform
and educate young audiences about Shakespeare. He would also like to thank all of those who helped him
understand, appreciate, and love the brilliance of William Shakespeare.
Robin Post (Director) is the instructor and program coordinator of The Ohio State University’s
Outreach & Engagement theatre program, InterACT. InterACT collaborates with university and
community partners to create and perform new works. Robin specializes in voice for the actor as well
theatre for social change. Robin received her MFA in acting from The Ohio State University in 2006.
Robin attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC where she interned and performed for
The King’s County Shakespeare Company. While working with King’s County she received rave reviews
from both The New York Times and Backstage for her roles as Phoebe in As You Like it and Cherry in
The Beaux’s Stratagem. King’s County introduced Robin to the complexity and brilliance that is
Shakespeare’s text. As part of the RSC/OSU initiative, Robin has been co-teaching and assisting primary
and secondary teachers in a joint effort to make Shakespeare accessible and exciting for students of all ages.
She is thrilled to be directing an incredible cast, working with amazing designers and crew members and
offering up this amazing play to the youth of Ohio. She wants to thank all those people that have supported
her efforts. You know who you are.
Audrey Lynn Rush (Hippolyta/Titania) is a senior theatre major at OSU from Detroit, Michigan. In
the spring of 2009, she played Paulina in OSU'S Outreach performance of A Winter's Tale, and has been
in the Department's productions of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke, Paula Vogel's The Long
Christmas Ride Home, and Darrah McCloud's O, Pioneers! She plans to continue working on projects
within Columbus immediately following her graduation in the spring.
Christine Skobrak (Stage Manager) is an undergraduate theatre major from New Albany, OH. She was
recently involved with OSU Theatre's Aida and Men In White, and Butler University Theatre's Phaedra.
Haley Wilson (Costume Designer) is a fourth year undergraduate theatre major from Piqua, Ohio. She
has been involved in the OSU productions The Long Christmas Ride Home and Aida.
10 The Four Worlds
1. The World of the Court
--Many rules and expectations the citizens are required to follow. When Hermia
refuses to wed Demetrius, Theseus states, “upon that day either prepare to die for
disobedience to your father’s will, or else to wed Demetrius, as he would” (I.i.2).
--Those in court possess a great deal of power. Egeus addresses Theseus as “our
renowned duke!” (I.i.1).
--Theseus/Hippolyta/Egeus are members of the court
2. The World of the Lovers
--Also members of the court but they create their own distinct worlds separate from
higher authority. Hermia and Lysander desire to leave Athens and start a new life
together. Hermia says, “there my Lysander and myself shall meet; And thence from
Athens turn away our eyes” (I. I.4).
--Helena/Hermia/Demetrius/Lysander are considered the lovers
3. The World of the Mechanicals
--They struggle to find acceptance within the community.
--They provide a humorous interruption to the world of the court and the world of
the fairies.
-Puck describes them as “a crew of patches, rude mechanicals that work for bread
upon Athenian stalls” (III.ii.18).
--Bottom/Quince/Flute/Snout/Snug are the Mechanicals
4. The World of the Fairies
--They live in the forest and represent all things magical. When Puck asks another
fairy about current activities they exclaim, “I must go seek some dewdrops here and
hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ears. Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I’ll be gone: Our
queen and all her elves come here anon” (II.i.8).
----Titania/Oberon/Puck/Fairies (Mustardseed, Cobweb, Moth, Peaseblossom and
attendant fairies to Queen and King of fairies)
11 Activity 1st – 5th Grades The following was written specifically for this age group but can easily be adjusted for age. Feel free to adjust the time taken for each step to make appropriate for your students. Two scripts are provided (last pages of study guide). One is meant for younger students and the second is intended for older or more advanced students. Physical Fun with Midsummer’s Worlds Space: Space that allows students to move freely about the space. You will need to move desks out of the way to provide play space if you are using a classroom with desks in it. Materials: Chalk board or large paper that students can refer to, scripts for students (included in last pages of study guide), and possibly instrument for “freeze.” Aim: Connecting Shakespeare’s text to whom & what through physical exploration. Relevance: 1. Personal physical connection to the characters and story. 2. Ownership of interpretation and comprehension of story. 3. Ensemble work and engagement in the material. 4. Encourage imaginative and critical thinking around character creation. Note to teachers: 1. Directions for the teachers and Midsummer script in bold 2. Literal directions to be delivered (paraphrased as desired) from teacher to students are not in bold. 3. Last pages are scripts divided by four character’s lines. These will include Quince’s lines (played by teacher). Make enough copies to accommodate all your students and then either cut them up and provide the students with only the parts they will be playing or give them the whole page and highlight one part on each pg. 12 Warm‐up Game 1. Ask students to make a circle in the room with them standing with elbow to fingertip space a part from one another on both sides. Teacher, “The game we are about to play is a bit like Simon Says, in that you have to listen very carefully to the directions before you begin the game. You will wait for me to tell you to walk and then without saying a word or uttering a sound and without ever touching another person you will all begin to walk in a casual, not too fast not too slow, manner, in any direction through this space. But not until I say go. So the rules are: no talking and no touching, casual walking and the last rule is to fill the empty spaces in the room when you see one and then to move on. You must always stay moving. Any questions?” (Demonstrate first) a. Ok, so begin to move about the space with no voices or touching. Teachers can throw in “Freeze” to maintain control (using a musical instrument such as chime ads to fun as opposed seeming like discipline). If you use the freeze technique, introduce this prior to start of the activity b. Try to walk around and fill in the empty spaces when you see them and then to move on again. c. Now imagine that it’s very cold, hot, windy, walking in the park and having a lazy day, in a hurry to get home to eat, etc. Teachers can make up your own environments and give them time to experience each for approx. 30secs but use your best judgment on how quickly or slowly to move through each and how many to explore. d. Now begin to walk as if your nose was leading the rest of their body. Move from nose to forehead to knees, to toes to chin, etc. i. As students are moving, ask them to think about, but keeping it secret for now, what sort of person they feel they are becoming when they change. e. Now back to the circle f. Raise your hand if you began to experience a specific kind of character as you were walking or if you were able to imagine the place you were in and the kind of person you were while in that space. Allow time for their input and confirm the beginnings of the characters they were making just by changing the way they moved and the environment/setting they were in. 13 g. Wonderful I could see you all coming up with some interesting characters. Of the characters we saw in the play which of those do you remember most because of their physicality? 2. Great, so now we are going to create some different interpretations of the story with some of its characters. You can choose to work on any one of the four worlds: Lovers, Mechanicals, Fairies, or Court. The following is a Mechanical’s workshop and the script is included for your use on the last pages of the study guide. If you wish to explore another world, you will need to edit the Midsummer script to your liking. Mechanical’s character movement exploration Discussion: Students will take a seat in the circle Does anyone know what “The Mechanicals” mean in this script? Mechanical literally means men who do manual labour. 1. The mechanical’s jobs in Midsummer were the manual labor jobs during Shakespeare’s day. 2. They were: a. Peter Quince the Carpenter – makes furniture b. Bottom the Weaver ‐ makes cloth c. Francis Flute, The Bellows‐mender ‐ repairs bellows, which are used to increase the flow of air to the fire d. Robin Starveling, the Tailor ‐ makes clothes (not in this production) e. Tom Snout the Tinker ‐ mends household items such as pots and pans. f. Snug, the Joiner ‐ a skilled carpenter, who makes fittings such as cupboards and stairs which involve “joints” of wood. 3. How many of those jobs still exist today? 4. What were their jobs in the play we saw? 5. Aside from their regular jobs, what did the mechanicals do in this play? 6. Why do you think their jobs were different in this performance? 14 7. Let’s give our mechanicals some different possibilities for laborers. Allow time for students to make some suggestions and you write them down on chalk board or large poster. Ask students to stand back in circle elbow to fingertip width a part. We are going to act out a part of the play where we first meet the mechanicals. You will each receive a part with a number on it and I will play Quince’s part. Step 1: Distribution of Parts in Fours Hand out the parts in fours: Give each one a part in following order: #1Bottom, #2Flute, #3Snout and #4 Snug. Teacher will read the part of Quince. You will have more than one person playing the same part. You will use the “count off in fours” technique to distribute the parts. Time permitting; you will use your groupings of four later in the exercise. So, if you have 24 students, 6 students will receive the same part. In other words, you will have six Bottoms, Snugs, Snouts and Flutes. If you have an odd number in the class, distribute one extra part. Count off in fours and the parts will be distributed correctly. Step 2: Identify their Parts Ask them to raise their hands and identify their parts when you read them off in the following order: Nick Bottom the Weaver #1, Francis Flute the Bellows Mender#2, Tom Snout the Tinker #3, and Snug the Joiner #4. Now, everyone that has a number 1 or the word Bottom on your sheet raise your hands. What are your names? Call out each name and wait to make sure they know who they are. 15 Step 3: Teaching students their lines with Call & Response in tandem with written script Note: The students may need and want to discuss comprehension of their lines. Allow some time for this but be ready to move on if restlessness ensues. Now just like the game we played where we weren’t allowed to speak or touch one another, we will be using those rules again and I will be asking your characters to speak and then you will speak the lines on your paper and take one step forward when I say go. Everyone else must be very quiet so you can be ready with your parts. Implement your freeze/music as necessary. So, to begin, I play Quince and Quince says, Quince: Here is the scroll with every man’s name. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver. Bottoms raise your hands again. You will say “ready,” and take one step forward. Bottom: Ready. So I say, Quince: Nick Bottom the Weaver and you say, … Great so let me start back from the beginning: Quince: Here is the scroll with every man’s name. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver. Bottoms: Ready. Great! Now after you say, “Ready” I will say, Quince: You nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. Set down is another way of saying your part is… And Bottom’s next line is, Bottom: I will move storms. Does anyone know what that might mean? Take their suggestions and encourage them to make their interpretation of the line clear. If they come up empty, ask them what storms make them think of and how people watching a performance a play may be literally erupting into storms. Great. So let’s try that line with the Bottoms. Quince will say, Quince: You Nick Bottom are set down for Pyramus. And bottom says _____ Bottom: I will move storms Now let’s try the whole conversation between Quince & Bottom: 16 Quince: Here is the scroll with every man’s name. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver. Bottom: Ready. Quince: You Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. Bottom: I will move storms. Wonderful! Next character is Francis Flute the bellow’s mender. Raise your hands if you are #2 Francis Flute. So Quince will say, Quince: Francis Flute, the bellows‐mender. And you will step forward and say, Flute: Here Peter Quince. So let’s try this. Quince: Francis Flute, the bellows‐mender. Flute: Here Peter Quince. Good job, Now Quince’s next line is: Quince: You must take Thisby on. And Flutes, you will say, Flute: Let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. Repeat the line with call and response. Great. So, let’s try the whole thing. Quince: Francis Flute the bellows‐mender. Flute: Here Peter Quince. Quince: You must take Thisby on. Flute: Let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. Perfect! Our next character is #3 Snout. All the Snouts raise your hands. Quince will say, Quince: Tom Snout, the Tinker You will step forward and say, Snout: Here Peter Quince. Let’s try it. Quince: Tom Snout, the Tinker Snout: Here Peter Quince. Great and then Quince says, Quince: You a wall And you say, Snout: O, excellent Practice with Call & Response 17 So let’s try the whole all of Snout’s lines with Quince beginning Quince: Tom Snout the Tinker Snout: Here Peter Quince Quince: You a wall. Snout: O, excellent. Wonderful! Now onto our last character: #4 Snugs raise your hands Quince will say, Quince: Snug, the joiner: you the lion’s part Snug steps forward and says, Snug: Have you the lion’s part written? Call and response their line and then Quince’s next line is, Quince: You may do it extempore, for it nothing but roaring. And all Snouts will try roaring. So let’s try all of Snouts part. Quince: Snug, the joiner: you the lion’s part Snug: Have you the lion’s part written? Quince: You may do it extempore, for it nothing but roaring. Snug: Roar And the whole scene ends with, Quince: But masters, here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, to con them by tomorrow night So everyone, we are going to try this three or four times or until we get it and then we’ll move to the next part. Repeat the entire scene with everyone at least three times Step 4: Combine Movement Exercise with Script Now let’s remember back to our thoughts about possible characters. Read the parts back to them that are written in the board/poster. Secretly pick one of these characters that you would like play or you can choose another that isn’t up here. Now, what were the rules for our movement exercise? No touching, no talking, casual walking and filling out the empty spaces. When I say, “go,” you will begin to move about the space in this way. “Go” 18 As they are walking: Now think about the kind of mechanical you chose and now choose a part of your body (your knees, head, nose, stomach, waist, feet, etc.) that you will lead with and move about the space in that character. Allow time for exploration (about 1min). Call, “freeze.” When you have made your choice about how your character moves, move back to your place in the circle. Unfreeze and keep going until you have found it. When everyone is back in the circle: Now, you all know what your mechanical’s job is and how he or she walks. Now we are going to add in our script. So let’s go over our lines one more time. Re‐read the script everyone has learned. Place them in groups of four according to the character groups already created. If one group has an uneven amount read that group twice so each student has an opportunity to read with a cast. Now, keeping your physical character we are going to combine it with your lines. Demonstrate your physical choice while reading Quince’s lines. When I, as Quince, call on your groups/casts, you will step into the space as your characters with your leading body part, with your trade, and your lines. Let’s try it: Now, this group will go first and join me as Quince. Move through each group. Follow the exercise with discussion about their characters, lines, and how they were able to create their own world of the mechanicals. Some character research questions: 1. Where might their mechanicals spend most of their time? 2. Why do they move the way they do? What are the rules of this world? 3. What are the characters relationships to one another? 4. Who possesses the most power? 5. How do the characters feel about their world? Continue with detailed writing exercise (depending on age) that describes their character’s needs, wants, struggles, families, how they grew up, etc. 19 Script A: Intended for younger students. Script B: Intended for older or more advanced students. Option: Decide which of the two will be clearer with your students: 1. Use scissors to cut the parts and give each student only their parts or 2. Give all students the entire script. Script A #1 BOTTOM Quince: Here is the scroll with every man’s name. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver. Bottom: Ready. Quince: You Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. Bottom: I will move storms. 20 #2 FLUTE Quince: Francis Flute the bellows‐mender. Flute: Here Peter Quince. Quince: You must take Thisby on you. Flute: Let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. #3 SNOUT Quince: Tom Snout the Tinker. Snout: Here Peter Quince. Quince: You a wall. Snout: O, excellent. 21 #4 SNUG Quince: Snug, the joiner: you the lion’s part Snug: Have you the lion’s part written? Quince: You may do it extempore, for it nothing but roaring. Snug: Roar Quince: But masters, here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, to con them by tomorrow night 22 Script B Quince: Here is the scroll of every man’s name, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding‐day at night. Our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby. Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom the weaver. Bottom: Ready. Quince: You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love. Bottom: That will take some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms; Quince: Francis Flute the bellows‐mender. Flute: Here, Peter Quince. Quince: You must take Thisby on you. It is the lady that Pyramus must love. Flute: Nay, faith; let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming. Bottom: And I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too. 23 “Thisne, Thisne!, Ah Pyramus, lover dear.” Quince: No, no: you must play Pyramus: and Flute, you Thisby. Tom Snout, the tinker. Snout: Here Peter Quince Quince: You a wall. Snout: O, excellent. Quince: Snug, the joiner: you the lion’s part Snug: Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study. Quince: You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. Bottom: Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will make the duke say “Let him roar again, let him roar again.” Quince: You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a Sweet‐faced man: a proper man, A most lovely gentleman‐like man: Therefore you must needs play Pyramus. But masters, her are your parts: and I am to entreat you, to con them by tomorrow night; and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. 24 Bottom: We will meet: and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu. Quince: At the duke’s oak we meet. Bottom: Enough; hold or cut bow‐strings. [Exeunt] 25