Materials: Shakespearean text for each group. Various hand held musical/rhythm instruments. Grade: 3-12 Goal(s): To explore Shakespearean text with movement, music/rhythm and imagination.
1. Have the actors work in small groups of 5 or 7. 2. Choose several short pieces of Shakespearean text (10 to 15 lines). See samples below. Distribute a different text to each group. 3. Give each group at least one musical/rhythm instrument. 4. Explain that each group has 10 minutes to A: explore their text and
B:create a movement piece using the words and the musical/rhythm instrument.
Actors may speak together or alone. They may share, echo, or trade lines.
Actors may create dances or use frozen positions while performing their text.
Furniture and small props may be used - keep in mind that unless the actors
have memorized the words, they will need to hold onto the copies of the text.
5. After 10 minutes, have each of the groups share their work. 6. Follow each group's work with guided inquiry of the audience:
What did you observe in the work?
What questions did you have about the work?
What is the work saying?
Suggested Variation(s):
For young actors, use one text for all groups. Begin the exercise by reviewing the text for pronunciation and meaning.
For advance actors, explore the exercise individually rather than in groups.
Raising The Bar:
Have the actors find their own pieces of text to develop.
Combine the work of all of the groups to develop a final presentation in front of an audience.
Sample Text 1:
Cry, Trojans, cry! Lend me ten thousand eyes,
And I will fill them with prophetic tears.
Virgins and boys, mid-age and wrinkled eld,
Soft infancy, that nothing canst but cry,
Add to my clamours! Let us pay betimes
A moiety of that mass of moan to come.
Cry, Trojans, cry! Practice your eyes with tears!
Troy must not be, nor goodly Illion stand;
Our firebrand brother, Paris, burns us all.
Cry, Trojans, cry! A Helen and a woe;
Cry, cry! Troy burns, or else let Helen go. Troilus and Cressida (Act 2, Scene 2)
Sample Text 2:
O Lord! Methought what pain it was to drown,
What dreadful noise of waters in my ears,
What sights of ugly death within my eyes.
Methoughts I saw a thousand fearful wrecks,
Ten thousand men that fishes gnawed upon,
Wedges of gold, great ouches, heaps of pearl,
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,
All scattered in the bottom of the sea.
Some lay indeed men's skulls; and in those holes
Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept-
As 'twere in scorn of eyes-reflecting gems,
Which wooed the slimy bottom of the deep
And mocked the dead bones that lay scattered by. Richard III (Act 1, Scene 4)
Sample Text 3:
Valentine
Why, how know you that I am in love?
Speed
Marry, by these special marks: first, you have learned, like Sir Proteus, to wreathe your arms, like a malcontent; to relish a love-song, like a robin redbreast;
to walk alone, like one that had the pestilence; to sigh, like a school boy that had lost his ABC; to weep, like a young wench that had buried her grandam;
to fast, like one that takes diet; to watch, like one that fears robbing; to speak puling, like a beggar at Hallowmas. You were wont, when you laughed,
to crow like a cock; when you walked, to walk like one of the lions. When you fasted, it was presently after dinner; when you looked sadly, it was for want
of money. And now you are metamorphosed with a mistress, that when I look on you I can hardly think you my master. The Two Gentleman of Verona(Act 2, Scene 2)
