So Shakespeare is over; and you can all now return to your everyday lives in the world of normal people who don’t have to attend play rehearsals three days a week. ;) However, I think the time is right for just one last message to you all as a class.
I firmly believe that theatre is a unifier, and that it brings people together like very few other things can. When you put on a play, you have to rely so much on others and how they act; it’s a give and take scenario.
And you guys are ninjas at it.
Throughout this entire year; not just the semester, you guys have been making an amazing amount of progress not only in the world of Shakespeare, but in your own world as well. Even those of you who took the class last year, and think you already knew it all, have developed so much, I’m not even capable of explaining it properly.
Renaye, I know you really didn’t want the part of Antoinette at first, but you shouldered it with a good attitude and did amazing at it. When I first met you I got a good stiff talking to involving much questioning about whether I’d like to be stuck in a vat of dye and counted as 3/5 of a man. You still maintain a lot of that attitude that is embedded as a great part of your character, but you’ve also been extremely understanding throughout all the craziness, and it’s been a blessing.
Karl, you’ve always been one of the first to help contribute to class energy not only in play rehearsal, (“We took him for the devil, but he’s a very coward in-in-in-“) but during our discussions of Hamlet in the first semester too. J
Killian, you seemed a bit quiet at first, but I knew you chose to take the class of your own accord and I could see you knew everything that was going on. And then you totally blew the entire class away these last few weeks with your sheer energy and humor! You pulled of a great performance and I hope to work with you again soon.
Becca, my experience with you has always seemed extremely bi-polar. You seem to be always either extremely quiet, or extremely loud and outgoing. It seems whenever I tried to get everybody settled down comfortably in chairs you would get quiet, whereas whenever we got up and moving with the games and stuff you’d be at the head of the pack. You have such wonderful energy, and it’s great to see it being harnessed into something that can benefit everyone around you.
Bashan, you’re top-notch. I think people often underestimate your abilities, and for this play I wanted to allow you to finally have your glory. You played a Sir Toby to be proud of. And you proved the entire class wrong when they all said, “You can’t play Sir Toby! Sir Toby is supposed to be large!” You rock.
Denali, you remind me an awful lot of my older sister. Quiet when you feel like it, hysterical when you feel like it; wonderful at acting and backstage work alike. I’m glad I had the opportunity to work with you. I know you feel a lot more comfortable backstage, (and maybe even enjoy it?) but you did a great job with Fabiana, and you could have landed a much bigger role anywhere. Great job!
Titus, you deserve a lot of thanks as well. My last-minute pull in, but certainly not least among the class. The last time I saw you before this play was as the Gryphon in Alice in Wonderland. I want to say you’ve changed so much since then, but you’re still almost the same. You still have the most amazing imagination I have ever seen and know how to channel it into your performance with a skill that would put Olivier to shame.
Kayla, you are stupendous. It seems that you are one of the most underappreciated people in the class, simply for the fact that you have a superfluous amount of skill and energy bubbling in you right beneath the surface ready to be let out. But with all of that, you still haven’t been given the lead you deserve. You could have pulled of any part in this play amazingly, and I know your dream part is coming soon.
Forrest, what I love most about you is that you’re just so genuine. The only one able to make me laugh in “no-laugh-scene” and increasingly worried about your hair in the April wind, you pulled off a superb Orsino and made him your own.
Lyssa, last but not least. I was sad to hear you wouldn’t be able to play a part in the play this spring because you could have done awesome! But still volunteering to come and act as Assistant Stage Manager, and sit through rehearsal after rehearsal, (probably extremely bored sometimes.) I was glad of your help, there’s no way this could have been pulled off as well without you.
Finally, I just wanted to make my final announcements:
If any of you are 14 or older, and are interested in a two-week intensive course jam-packed with fun, (imagine this entire year plus a ton more crammed into two weeks.) I’m offering a course this June that I’m polishing up a few things for, but if you’re interested let me know. (click here for more info.)
Also, pictures from class will be up on this site soon, and I’ll be making DVD’s for anybody that wants one. Let me know.
And now class, with these last few words, I take my leave:
“Farewell dear hearts, since I must needs be gone.”
~Andrew
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