Seeking Actors

[Jstrat]

I'm a virgin burner, so this year I am mostly looking to get involved, meet people, participate, and see how it all goes. But I have also been following the burn for years through friends and online, and I am really excited to see if I can get an acting project off the ground.

My expectations for this year are largely to get people together, have some informal auditions, and maybe test run a scene or two, then hopefully up the scale and have a more substantial production the following year.

The idea is Naked Shakespeare... both literally and figuratively, in that the actors will be naked (though there will be body paint, a few props, and perhaps a strap-on or two) and the text will be naked, that is, fairly stripped down without tons of costumes and scenery in the way.

Ultimately, I'd like to have short scenes with commentary in-between so the audience can come and go as they please. But I also want the project to develop organically, so I am open to suggestions from participants as well.

Interested? Please email me or let me know on this thread! Many thanks for your consideration. :)

Jeff

[lucky420]

well you had me till you said "naked" but I would love to come watch

[graidawg]

thesbians will go fer this

[Ugly Dougly]

You got a play in mind, sport?

[Jstrat]

Hi all,

Thanks for looking in!

Ugly Dougly,

It will not be a single play, it will be a series of scenes... often the more bawdy ones, and there are plenty... from a variety of the Bard's works. This way, the audience is free to come and go and still have something like a complete theatrical experience.

A Puck-ish narrator will introduce each scene by speaking about the play it's from and getting audiences up to speed. One example that I plan to include, for instance, is Act III scene iv in Hamlet. It's not terribly long, filled with great action, strange sexual overtones, and a mistaken murder. With naked, painted actors this can be quite intense, yet short enough to be merely one scene in a variety of scenes strung together from many plays.

Though as said, this year I just want to get some people together and see what we can come up with brainstorming and such, and perhaps shoot for a trial performance if it's feasible. I want to be realistic, and to take plenty of time to soak everything in so I know what to expect and what to plan for the following year. :)

[bluesbob]

I can't wait to see Titus Andronicus!

[Jstrat]

Plenty of room for fun there, bluesbob... that "Scottish business" has some good gore as well.

Aaaand I am thinking you are the very same bluesbob I knew once upon a time in Fullerton... sending you a FB message. How many Blues Bobs can there be in Fullerton? :D

Jeff

[Jstrat]

Hello good people,

Hair of the Dog has been kind enough to offer time on their raised stage with all the fixins if we get a test scene ready and want to see how it goes.

Of course, "we" is pretty much "me" at the moment. And no one wants to see me solo a nude "to be or not to be". ;)

So let me know if you have an interest, or other ideas you want to throw at me!

Jeff :D

[AntiM]

Pick out shorter scenes, print them onto sturdy cardstock and laminate them. Put a small grommet in the corner and bunch them onto a ring clip in sets. Then get up on stage, get some volunteers up there with you, hand each player a laminated script and go for it.

Impromptu Bard, nudity optional.

[lazerfox]

Anti M that suggestion is brilliant. I would (probably) not partake if nudity was forced but would definitely pick up a packet and act out some Shakespearean prose if nudity was not mandatory

[Jstrat]

Hi AntiM and lazerfox,

Fantastic idea, thank you, AntiM! That would allow for immediate interaction, which is fantastic! Love it.

Would still like a couple of more regular helpers who have some experience, of course, to help new people coming the stage and make the experience more comfortable and exciting for people.

Nudity optional may be the best in general, yeah, particularly if it's interactive, or I'll be excluding too many people.

Already taking new shapes, I love it. :D

[dr.placebo]

Some years back I was waiting in the ice line and a group came along with a proscenium arch (two poles and a banner, really). They picked two volunteers out of the ice line (holding their places, of course) and proceeded to do a reading of the first act of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. The arch moved along with the line, and it provided welcome entertainment as we shuffled along. Maybe the idea of going someplace and getting random volunteers could appeal.

Personally I like the comedies. Midsummer Night's Dream has some great bits where the actors profess love or disdain for each other. The scenes between Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing could be fun.

BENEDICK: Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I
am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I
would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard
heart; for, truly, I love none.

BEATRICE: A dear happiness to women: they would else have
been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God
and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I
had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man
swear he loves me.

[Jstrat]

Ooooh, making the line waits more tolerable is a noble goal as well, good doctor. :D

Something to think on! And feel free to take part if you would like.

[bluesbob]

Plenty of room for fun there, bluesbob... that "Scottish business" has some good gore as well.

Aaaand I am thinking you are the very same bluesbob I knew once upon a time in Fullerton... sending you a FB message. How many Blues Bobs can there be in Fullerton? :D

Jeff

Yes its me dude...it will be cool to see you on the Playa.

As for Shakespeare...I like AntiM's idea about making up scripts and just letting people come up and act. I think it would be a blast and I would do it...except for the nude part. Maybe it should just be "come as you are".

Be sure to figure out what scenes you want to do from which plays. Then try and get your events put in the event guide. Then when you get there have it announced on the radio and put up notices. Try to get a good crowd of volunteers who'd like to try their hand at Shakespeare.

I would love to come home from the playa and tell every I acted in "Much Ado About Nothing" or "A Comedy of Errors" (I think comedies will be better, since everyone will be laughing anyways)

[theCryptofishist]

I would love to come home from the playa and tell every I acted in "Much Ado About Nothing" or "A Comedy of Errors" (I think comedies will be better, since everyone will be laughing anyways)

There's a fair amount of comedy in the tragedies--you had to keep the throng of london ADD types from throwing too many...um...cabbages. Tomatoes were too precious to throw.

[dr.placebo]

I'd be willing to be a fool for Shakespeare, even in the buff. Although I probably resemble Lear more than Hamlet, I'm not massive enough for Falstaff. It sounds like fun. Full text is at http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/.

It's probably better to stick to scenes with a smallish number of people. It's hard to manage a big group even with rehearsals.

I'd love to nominate a few scenes.

Midsummer Night's Dream: Act 3, Scene 1, where Titania falls in love with Bottom. Also Act 4, Scene 1, where Titania and Bottom meet the faeries and go to bed. Also Act 3, Scene 2, where the 4 lovers argue, duel, and finally fall asleep.

As You Like It: Act 3, Scene 4, with the fast verbal exchange between Rosalind and Celia. Also Act 4, Scene 1, with the exchange between Rosalind and Orlando. Also Act 2, Scene 7, with Jacques' speech ("All the world's a stage ...").

Romeo and Juliet: Act 2, Scene 2 is the balcony scene. Act 3, Scene 5 is the postcoital parting (well, implied). Act 5, Scene 1 has the Pyramus and Thisby play-within-a-play (although it needs several actors).

Much Ado About Nothing: any of the Beatrice/Benedick verbal sparring scenes.

Two Gentlemen of Verona: Act 1, Scene 1, with the opening exchange between Proteus and Valentine about love.

Comedy of Errors: Act 4, Scene 4 has the fastest dialogue (but needs a lot of actors, unless you keep to the first exchange between Dromio and Antipholus).

Taming of the Shrew: Act 2, Scene 1, the exchange between Katharina and Petruchio ("Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing:" through "I must and will have Katharina to my wife.").

Macbeth: the witches in Act 1, Scene 3, ideal for nudity and gender play ("you should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so.")

[Jstrat]

Right on, Bob. And "come as you are" sounds like the way to go. Good choices, as well, though as the Cryptofishist points out, there are some great, and often highly amusing, scenes in the tragedies as well. The histories too, for that matter.

And methinks the good doctor is quite a fan of the Bard! I will definitely look those scenes over. I've performed in four of the plays you listed. (Midsummer's, R&J, Comedy, and... well, you know... that Scottish business. And I've seen Much Ado performed. Not as familiar with the others. Will see about remedying that.

I'm really liking the idea of both having people come up to participate and making it mobile. So maybe we can test it on Hair of the Dog's stage, then hit the Playa with it for a bit o' fun. Maybe drop by some camps at random in the afternoon... do you think people would potentially be receptive to that?

[dr.placebo]

Editing bug: Pyramus & Thisby is in Midsummer Night's Dream, and I added it on to the end of R&J. Obviously wrong, although the act & scene numbers are OK.

[tamarakay]

I love this idea. I love the naked shakespeare part of it, but yes that would keep me from participating. I'd be all for some "strategery" with prop placement and draping, but not quite ready for all the bits and bobs to be hanging out there scaring the kiddos.

My list of things to look for and find on playa is getting way too long.

[TurtleNut]

I have seen others try this and have come to sever opposition by ePlayans and other Burners. You may want to only choose something that is BORG approved or they can make you life a living hell.

Just go to the event and leave the art to the professionals.

[dr.placebo]

I have seen others try this and have come to sever opposition by ePlayans and other Burners. You may want to only choose something that is BORG approved or they can make you life a living hell.

Just go to the event and leave the art to the professionals.

Polonius: What do you read, my lord?

Hamlet: Words, words, words.

(Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2)

[Jstrat]

Hi Tamara,

I think I'll try to make it something more people can participate in. The "clothing optional" proposed is probably best.

I have seen others try this and have come to sever opposition by ePlayans and other Burners. You may want to only choose something that is BORG approved or they can make you life a living hell.

Just go to the event and leave the art to the professionals.

I'm not sure why you'd assume I'm not a professional, Mr. Nut. Anyway, I do want to get a feel for things on my first burn, and not get my expectations too high initially. Why do you think there would be "severe opposition", anyway?

[Jstrat]

Polonius: What do you read, my lord?

Hamlet: Words, words, words.

(Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2)

Well played.

[unicorn_productions]

Similarly not too sure about the nudity - but I would definitely be keen to be involved. I've been wanting to do some sort of performance there that doesn't involve a lot of preparation as I'll be travelling a bit beforehand. If you're not going with the "naked" angle you might need to think a bit more about the concept though so it isn't just unrehearsed readings of Shakespeare.... Although the idea of having just volunteers from the audience participate is cool :)

[Jstrat]

Hi unicorn,

Thank you for the input! We'll find a place for those interested to meet up as we get closer. And again, it's my first burn, so I am mostly looking to meet people and see how the whole thing works this year. I do have stage time at Hair of the Dog if I get some people together and we flesh things out a bit.

If we go clothing optional, do you have any other ideas for hooks to get people interested?

[bluesbob]

The two drunk guards in MacBeth. Or was it two guards discussing a drunk? Can't remember, but I love that scene.

[Jstrat]

Not sure Bob... I was last in that production in '97, I think! Do you mean the scene with the drunken porter talking about people he doesn't like?