NaPoWriMo: Cursed Lineage

Today is Macbeth day; and all the love for Dunsinane and such...

Cursed Lineage

Foreseen by Witches,

destined to be king,

but forged deep in blood,

a darkness most desired.

Destined to be king,

the Scottish Lord Macbeth,

a darkness most desired

by steel and blood is born.

The Scottish Lord Macbeth,

converses with Weird Sisters,

by steel and blood is born,

and King Duncan lies dead. 

Converses with Weird Sisters

about fates and lineages, 

and King Duncan lies dead

and more death lines up in wait.

About fates and lineages;

the Macbeth line is cursed blank

and more death lines up in wait;

of dearest Banquo and Lady Macduff.

The Macbeth line is cursed blank

with no sons to call his own,

of dearest Banquo and Lady Macduff

with strong and fertile lines will cease.

With no sons to call his own,

but forged deep in blood

with strong and fertile lines will cease;

foreseen by Witches.

Day 27: Long Lines

Today's Prompt: write a poem with long lines, ones that extend beyond the normal length. 

An as this week is my post show crash from Macbeth, Dear Readers, you get another Macbeth, theatre related poem.

Theatrical Tempest

When the days begin to blur together in a mass of exposition

And I can hardly tell what day it is anymore,

I know that hell week has thusly descended into madness--

And the audience breaths, so I will I, hitting the stage.

It’s a marvel that everything is contained in one small space,

With costumes, props and, and set pieces whirling in common time.

When I am all but out of breath from chanting or sword fighting,

It’s what we do for our art, breathing to life something new

Something wasn’t didn’t exist before today.

Shakespeare Day 2016

Yesterday was Shakespeare Day,the anniversary of Shakespeare's birth (?) and death day.

Yesterday was also the final performance of Corning Community College's Muse of Fire production of the musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost and the day before was the final performance of the Keuka Lake Player's production of Macbeth, so its been a month full of Shakespeare. Also, The Lake Country Players are filming a movie adaptation of the Bard's 12th Night shooting this summer. So, yeah, lots of Shakespeare in 2016.

I felt inspired to write a sonnet (which I have become quite adept at) taking pieces of Macbeth and Love's Labour's Lost in my own tribute to the Bard from Stratford-upon-Avon. If you have never read a Shakespeare play, or seen one performed, you are missing out. I realize that the language is a bit to grasp, but there is something liquid to his words, especially when performed. Listen to an well performed soliloquy and you'll see (hear) what I mean.

The Bard’s Call (or from Macbeth and Love’s Labour’s Lost)

Within the wood of Birnam do you go,

Searching for blood, reconcile the tyrant.

Spoken by the sisters three they echo,

A call to fate shining brightly brilliant.

When love’s vow is proclaimed against the rule

And you feel unjustly cohearsed by might

And the world you know has become that cruel,

Only by chance can one, an ending write.

Two stories told to the audience be

A miraculous joy, mirth and mayhem

With hardly poor players upon stages see

A tale “told by an idiot” poem.

Has been done since the 16^th century,

Not bad for a tanner’s son that he be.

 

Dear Readers, if you are a little lost, please check out Brows Held High's video on 400 years of Bardoltry here. There is also his review of the Kenneth Branagh's version of Love's Labour's Lost here.  The version the CCC did is a modern adaptation of Branagh's version wit different songs. 'Twas an enjoyable and funny version, something a little different.

Essay: Thoughts of Reading

Reading is is a pastime that many of us enjoy,or  that students have to experience (some do, others don't), and that teachers do daily.

From MorgueFile

Reading is not just about reading the next Harry Potter novel or classic Moby Dick. I have not tried reading that book, yet. Reading is something that pretty much everyone does on some level. Think about it. Seriously! You have to read the instructions on the mac and cheese box or read the directions on the box of laundry detergent. It is everywhere! It is something built in to our brains, even if not everyone can do it I feel that reading is necessary to ones own pysche.

As I have yet to see people who can't read (unless they are two) or don't want to (I still see them reading magazines or news articles).

Reading is life. At least to me it seems to be life. Maybe that is the difference, but I have yet to be fully convinced.

See, I remember spending days at my local library, either reading Beatrix Potter books, Black Stallion and Nancy Drew books, oh, and the guilty pleasures of The Baby Sitter's Club books. Yes, I was one of them!!! The librarians introduced me to Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising Sequence. I also played Book-opoly, a summer reading program where I read Marguerite Henry books (think Misty and Stormy), books about dogs, and mysteries. Then when I was in middle school-about fourth, fifth, and sixth grade-we had the Book It!. It was a reading program that got kids to read and rewarded them with pizza from Pizza Hut. There were many trips to Pizza Hut when I was younger. So you see there was always something making me read, even if I didn't always want to read. The first year of Book It! I was not the most determined reader, that would happen later. I read only a little bit, but more than others.

But, as I look at my life I can see that I was destiny to read. I love sharing books with others, reading and telling stories to little children, and writing my own stories down.

When I think about books I get a happy, fuzzy feeling. They smell good. Feel wonderful under my fingers. Books are like friends telling you a wonderful secret. I have many secret lining my books shelves and I am always on the look out for more. There is always a stack of books to be read in my house. I always say I will get through the stack, but like any bibliophile (lover of books), I am buying more. Heaven help me going into a bookstore.

For the last two years I have been taking part in Goodreads Reading challenge. I am not a fast reader, but I am a determined reader. Usually, I can get through a book in 2 to 4 weeks, unless it is a harder read, or a really long book. Some books, like Wrinkle in Time or Bridge to Terabitha can take me merely a day to read. I always strive to be able to remember the story after I finish reading the book, so no rushing through to just finish the book here. This year the goal is 40 books. I read 40 last year, starting at 30 books (tried to get to 50 halfway through the year). I am already at 5 books. Granted I have picked up the shorter novels to novel to get me into the reading spirit for 2016. I also have about three books going at one time, and therefore read what I am most in the mood for. In my queue is currently at Inkspell (Cornelia Funke), Victory on Janus (Andre Norton), Murder Comes to Shore (Julie Anne  Lindsey), and a non-fiction book  on poetry.

I usually read fiction, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, but other times I do read non-fiction. Currently, I am reading Writing the Australian Crawl, which is a book of essays on writing and poetry by William Stafford. He is a poet and writer. My friend Kevin gave me the book for Xmas and I am working my way through it. I have had to resort to my process of reading textbooks, like I did in college, by using a pencil and reading small chunks at a time. Most books for me are reading to slide into, but when I am reading something like a textbook, or a collection of essays I need to take my time.

Any book that has paragraphs that take up a whole page is going to take me longer. I remember my literary theory class in college, well, actually I barely remember it, because the essays and chapters were so long that I would forget what I read after I read it. That and the teacher was a terrible, cruel teacher (aren't they usually). That was when I veered from non-fiction, specifically essay/theory books. I don't mind reading a history book, as long as it is about an interesting (See Sin in the Second City. It is a fun read.). So, as I read the Writing the Australian Crawl I am finding that I have to relearn how to read. This isn't necessarily bad. It is very good. You should learn something everyday. In fact, I am finding that while it is taking me a longer time to finish, I am understanding it more. At least so far!

Remember how I said that reading is built in to us. I still believe that is true. I may not understand everything I read, but I can find that in the learning there is always something you take from the words, always. If you never learn from life, the universe, and everything (42, man!), then you will never grow. I could always read my sci-fi/fantasy and never see outside that, or only read about the news. I could never try to understand how to write a poem, but then chances are my poetry would never get better.  But I would not feel whole.

Playing Witch #1 this Spring

So, I try to inspire others to read, write, act, direct, or just life your life with purpose. Maybe I will convince someone to read something different. Maybe I will be inspired to read or write something different, and that I feel is the better than not. Truth, some people will not read novels, but maybe I will inspire someone to try. That is really the reason for this essay, self discovery.

So I read books that I harder for me, I stretch my literary muscles by performing Shakespeare (means I have to read it to understand it), I read books outside of my comfort zone, and sometimes I will just not finish a book (it is true, but that is for another blog post and another time). I am learning. Hopefully I helped you find something within my words to inspire you.

I am a reader, a scholar, and thespian, and writer, a friend, a mentor, a person.

What are you, Dear Reader?

What do you like to read, Dear Readers? What type of books, styles, authors are your favourite? Your least favourite? Leave me some love in the comments section.

Essay - How to Audition

It's a bit surreal when you do something that you haven't done before.

Auditioning! Its not something new, truthfully. But....

Audition: 1. a trial hearing given to a singer, actor, or other performer to test suitability for employment, professional training or competition, etc.; 2. a reading or other simplified rendering of a theatrical work, performed before a potential backer, producer, etc.

A trial is definitely what is was. Funny that after all this time I am seeing like that. 

I have auditioned for a number of shows over the years and each one has a story: a few of the memorable ones were Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (that didn't go well, still got a chorus part), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (did go well, was asked to be the back stage manager. I was still pleased with my performance), and Beauty and the Beast (my first musical and I was scared out of my mind, also got chorus). This past weekend I attended auditions for a local production of Shakespeare's MacBeth with The Keuka Lake Players (out of Bath/Hammondsport area). This is there third Shakespeare production I am going to be involved with, the first being A Midsummer's Night Dream in 2012, I played Bottom and then two year laters in 201, I played Trinculo in The Tempest. Dear Readers, you probably have read out some of my exploits in the theatre world on this blog. This is about my most recent foray into Shakespeare, specifically about the audition process and what I discovered.

A trial is something you have to go through to see that what you do has purpose. An audition has purpose, to get you to show your best for the role you want. I knew what I wanted, or did I?

You see, Dear Readers, I guess I never really took auditions quite so seriously before. Often I would go in and just do a cold read of the scene for the part I wanted. If it was a straight play, no singing or Shakespeare I would just go and read. When it came to Shakespeare I was much more unsure that I could just do a cold read. For the past two shows I would I read the show all the way through, so i would at least know the show, if i hadn't already read it. With Midsummer I focused more on how I could be Puck (by reading and re-reading the Puck parts), and to  think like Puck (this was the part I wanted). I remember during Midsummer auditions I tried to take what the director suggested and  give her what she wanted. i hadn't prepared anything, I just knew the show (is my favourite Shakespeare show). Thus, I did not get the part I wanted, but I ended up getting cast as Nicholas Bottom, the Ass. I loved the role of Bottom. As proof, I still have the head! 'Twas a good time.

Me in the Asshat!! (The only time this term is accurate)

When it came to The Tempest, I had much less time and wasn't as prepared. I never worked on a monologue, nor did I the show more than once prior to the audition. I wanted Ariel. I wanted Ariel bad. But i wasn't prepared when I read for Ariel, thusly, I did not get it. True story, Tara who did get Ariel was perfect. I was cast as Trinculo the drunken clown and cast alongside Sara as Stephano and David as Caliban. It was the best time and The Tempest is a new favourite!

What have I learned?

Hang on, I'm getting there.

So somewhere in the middle of the last two year my brain decided that after Tempest I needed to try something different. For MacBeth, I was asked to prepare a monologue from an non-MacBeth show and something from Macbeth. This meant that I had to actually do some research and work. I took it  much more seriously.

Try: to attempt to do or accomplish.

Something I never realized before about auditions is that they are hard work, especially if you want that part. Audition are just as important as when you get the part, spend time rehearsing, and performing. Auditions really are the foundation on which you build a show. I wanted to be Lady MacBeth. I wanted it. I wanted it bad. I found my Midsummer script and prepared my old Pyramus monologue from the play within the play, "Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beam; I thank thee moon for shining now so bright; for by thy gracious, golden glittering gleams; I trust to take of truest Thisby's sight..." It was surprisingly easy to return to Bottom. I had an old copy of the script. Also, I bought a new copy of MacBeth and picked out a scene to learn


Dear Readers, when I chose to do that I made a commitment to myself to do what I could to get that part. I purchased the FEAR NOT version of MacBeth that had 2 versions, the regular Shakespeare version and the modern language version. Act 1 Scene 5 is what I read, over and over, looking for cadence, emotions, and tamber.  I looked into the deeper meanings, trying to figure out who Lady MacBeth was.This is what I studied. I looked up scenes online for further development in Lady MacBeth's character. I did this to see what makes her tick. The power and passion under her persona. "O, never shall the sun the morrow shall see. Your face, my Thane, is as a book where men may read strange matters...Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under 't...and you shall put this night's great business into my dispatch...give solely sovereign saway and masterdom."


Commitment: a pledge or promise; obligation.

I was scared out of my mind when I went to Thursday (the first night of auditions). But, I stood up and performed my Bottom monologue in front of those at auditions (many who were my friends). That went well (except that I messed up a line and had to start over, probably because I overthought it at first). Bottom lived and flowed off my tongue in an overzealous spree. It was glorious! That was the easy part. When the time came to do my 1-5 scene, I was paired with Ryan, an English teacher who has taught this play for years in his class room (and husband to Sara. And no, it wasn't awkward either, Dear Readers.Yes, I have to tell you that). I wasn't off book, but I performed the scene. It is vastly different doing a scene with someone then by yourself, which is what I had been doing. Suddenly there was chemistry, elecrticity flowing through me and Ryan. I could feel myself becoming Lady MacBeth.

Transform: to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose.


The downside, I second guessed myself and I didn't push past and complete the circuit to make the transformation complete. I knew I hadn't done everything. The rest of the audition included reading with Kevin and Ryan in other scenes and finally reading the "Out Damned Spot" scene. I left feeling good, but disconnected, and now I had to wait.

Sara said that anyone reading for a lead should come back Saturday for callbacks. I vowed to return. I vowed to start what  I finished. This was the upside.

Downside, I had to wait a whole day and a half before I could get there.

Upside, more time to find the Lady MacBeth in me.

Friday was more studying and keeping busy, a good three hours at my local coffee shop Soulful Cup where I found this page and the quiz. I took it and got a 5 out of 5. And when Saturday arrived I was wired, nervous, excited, and probably several other emotions hanging out in my head. It was a long day and equally long night. A three hour audition turned into a 4 and half hour audition where I waited the first 90 minutes before I could read. There was suddenly a slew of new people auditioning that needed to go first. So, I waited. The talent of Thursday was amazing. But Saturday's blew me away, and I was only auditioning. And I waited.

To wait: to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens (often followed by for, till, or until.

Whence I got to perform, and it truly felt like a performance. I read against Ryan for 1-5, 1-7, and 2-2. Also read for more Witch scenes too. But when I was Lady MacBeth I felt the room move away from me and time become real only for Ryan and myself. In 1-5, after MacBeth enters and Lady MacBeth sees him, she is suddenly full of life, blood, passion, and desire.  I felt I was loving on my husband, the great provider, the new Thane of Glamis and Cawdor. I could feel Lady MacBeth's passion for MacBeth, her power and her sex flowing through me. In a split second, right when I had pause (merely a millisecond) I was kissing him in my audition, doing what I had wanted to do on Thursday, but has second guessed myself, living the scene as if it was my life. I had become Lady MacBeth and I had sold it. I brought it! "Only look up clear. To alter favor ever is to fear. Leave all the rest to me." It wasn't a fluke as when Ryan and I read 1-7, the passion was equally there and another kiss. I still cannot believe it, but I can, because I did it. I made those choices to make that scene as realistic as possible, to show the love, passion, and insanity that is Lady MacBeth.

I was floating. It was wonderful.

Note: Lady MacBeth is a very fun character to portray, but also physically demanding.

After the casting, my friend Lisa(h)-yes I added an H-told me afterward that even if you do not get the part or job, you should still "sell to the room". Lisa(h) was my biggest competition for Lady MacBeth and a close friend. We had joked between us earlier that it was a battle and it was no hard feelings between. And there aren't. She won Lady MacBeth fair and square. This audition was my battle to win or lose, mine alone. I fought. i fought hard. And while I didn't win Lady MacBeth, but not for trying,I don't feel I lost. Seriously, it was that close. I still won. I sold the room and for those brief moments I WAS Lady MacBeth. (Even when there was giggles and Ryan had started giggling during scene 1-5). We finished three scene strong and proved to the room that both of us could do it.

We were MacBeth and Lady MacBeth.

I am very proud to say that I am playing Witch #1, Lisa(h) is Lady MacBeth, Ryan is MacDuff, and David is MacBeth. The whole cast is filled with phenomenal actors and my theatre family. We are going to make something amazing and awesome. And I got to prove to myself and to others that I am force to be reckoned with.

I also have set the bar pretty high for myself. I cannot just go to an audition and expect to get a part on a cold read. Yes, sometimes it happens, but no always. If I want something I have to fight for it.

Win: to succeed by striving or effort.