We’re starting to put the pieces together! In week 8, we got to focus in on our group pieces and also finesse our scenes in preparation for filming in Week #9.
As always, we started our rehearsals with a dance party and warm up. We’ve also been working hard to review our ASL for the Prologue as part of our warm up. This is a great way to get centered and focused and set the tone for rehearsal. Here’s a screenshot of the Monday ensemble doing a quick run-through:
For check in this week, we reflected on places that are special to us. Our questiosn was: Romeo is banished from Verona, the place that he knows and loves. He has to find a new place that can be safe. Where do you feel safe? Many people talked about being at home or being surrounded by family or pets. But we also heard some answers like at the library, in the car, out in nature, and Marissa said she feels safe in her school because they treat her with respect.
Before we dove into our individual scenes we had to spend some time filming a group sequence. This semester, we developed a Zoom Game called “Bite Your Thumb.” Each ensemble spent some time filming a few rounds of this game that we can use in the opening scene with the fight between the Montagues and Capulets. We split into two teams - the red shirts are Capulets, and the blue shirts are Montagues. One person goes offscreen and all the members of the opposite team bite their thumbs as the person approaches. That person picks the most menacing looking thumb-biter to start a bit of dialogue which leads to a quarrel. It’s up to the rest of the ensemble to break them up by yelling “PART FOOLS!” You can see this in action with the Tuesday ensemble here:
We’ll record some of our other games, including “What’s in the Apothecary Shop”, to help set the scene throughout Romeo and Juliet Remix.
There are 22 different scenes in Romeo and Juliet Remix, and each scene will be a little bit different. Actors got to choose if they wanted to do Shakespearean text, put the scene in their own words, or devise something completely new. They are also creating their own costumes and props, and deciding on the style for their piece. That means a lot of moving parts behind the scenes! We are taking a break this week for our teaching team to source music and backdrops, and brush up on all their best Zoom techniques to make sure filming goes smoothly in week #9!
