Assignment:
You are developing a proposal on behalf of a theater troupe vying for crucial funding to stage a contemporary interpretation of Shakespeare’s Richard III. The funding will enable you to show your production to an important audience of lawmakers at the National Theater in Washington (where members of Congress, the President, etc, will attend opening night). This is a competitive event; you are tasked with finding a timely and impactful theme/thought to use as the basis for your production, so that Shakespeare’s words – though over 400 years old – can make a contemporary statement on current American life/values, political ideas and practices, social struggles amongst everyday people, etc.
You must use Aristotle’s six elements of drama as your artistic toolbox:
plot, theme, diction, character, spectacle, music
• Your first decision must be around the theme you will base your interpretation upon. You must then locate substantial quotes to provide evidence of this theme – this will be your research.
• Once your theme is researched, decide how you will stage this in visual/linguistic/staged terms. Who will you cast? What kind of stage will you use? Costumes? Music? Remember, the audience must be able to discern the theme through all of these elements working together cohesively – theater is a collaborative medium. How will you engage the audience to participate?
Requirements:
1. 2 page typed explanation and justification of your chosen theme. Explain how it is relevant in current American society. What is your interpretation trying to show, ideologically speaking? What is it challenging? How is the interaction of characters in this play comparable to your focus? Your justification must include 4-6 brief quotes or paraphrases (with citations) as evidence.
2. Visual depiction of plot, spectacle, diction (must remain in iambic pentameter – think of how important the switch from verse to prose is for characters), music and character. Use this space to present how each of these elements will illustrate your proposed interpretation in #1. (Can be a basic rendering or drawing; not looking for technical skill, just the idea visualized) Key: think about how each of these six elements must work together – and importantly, how they work on multiple senses in the audience. How will you convince your audience of your point using these?
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