theatre

Teen Shakespeare Company is Growing Stronger

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The Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company (SETSCO) brings Shakespeare and theatre skills to teens in the Gulf Coast area. SETSCO provides an entertaining and unique opportunity for local teens. The company would welcome the chance to share the fun. SETSCO recently performed Henry IV, part 1 set in a post apocalyptic wasteland, ruled by warrior women. Company director, Michelle Hancock, joined Teen Shakespeare as the drunk and bumbling Falstaff.

teen Shakespeare cast of Henry IV, part 2

Pensacola, Fla (April 28, 2016) Henry IV, part 1 Full cast.

Pecha Kuchas are the latest way to offer a lot of information in a quick and visual format. 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each to deliver the details. Public Relations guru, Dee Dee Brustad, uses the pecha kucha format to tell all about her capstone campaign for the Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company.

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How is Shakespeare Still Shaping Our World?

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Shakespeare continues to influence modern world culture. This webinar explores the ways Shakespeare’s writing shapes language, literature, comedy, horror, and music. Studying and performing Shakespeare has many benefits that have been explored in many articles. This webinar looks at the fun to be found in Shakespeare’s works. His works are filled with insights into the human condition that are still relevant today. He created over 3000 words and phrases still in use.

MC Lars Ted Talk

MC Lars – Hey There Ophelia

Akala Ted Talk

Akala – Comedy, Tragedy, History

For more info

Teen Shakespeare membersCaroline and Hanson in their own world

2013 Gulf Coast Ren Faire- Caroline Sullivan and Hanson Thies

Pop Goes Shakespeare! a Webinar

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No writer has shaped modern culture more than Shakespeare. Come to this entertaining webinar and find out how he is still influencing you and why he is responsible for all your favorite fandoms. Shakespeare can be found in Doctor Who, Star Trek, and countless teen films. His works are the basis for hip hop music and rap. Shakespeare left us more than 1700 words and phrases. Studying and performing Shakespeare benefits us in so many ways. People that read or perform Shakespeare have better grades and webinar insult buttonvocabulary.  Come have fun while learning the highest and lowest that Shakespeare offers us May 21 at 7:00.

In the meantime, enjoy some Shakespearean insults

 

Teen Shakespeare Company Fights!

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Fights break out in the park, as teens with swords take over. The Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company is having fun and working hard. Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company brings a post-apocalyptic Henry IV, part 1 to Pensacola audiences April 28 – May 1. Enjoy this behind the scenes look at a little of what goes into choreographing all those breath-taking fights.

Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company fights

SETSCO Presents Henry IV, part 1

The show features a post-apocalyptic, Mad Max style setting. If you like leather clad characters, swords and Shakespeare you will want to see this show. The thrills are surrounded by humor and humanity.

Henry IV, part 1 will hit the stage at the Opera Center in Pensacola April 28 – May 1. This is the first time SETSCO has performed one of Shakespeare’s histories since the company began 11 years ago.

www.setsco.org for tickets and more information.

Do You Know a Teen that Likes to Talk?

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The Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company hosts its fifth annual Speak the Speech contest Saturday February 6, 2016. SETSCO has been providing teens a safe place to develop their acting and language skills since 2006. Michelle Hancock, company director says “Our mission is to provide teens in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with instruction and performance opportunities that lead to their significant growth as artists, as community leaders, and as human beings.” SETSCO celebrated their tenth anniversary last season when past members joined the current company in a full length production of Hamlet. The company members range in age from 12 to 19. They perform at local festivals and stage a full length production every year.

Gulf Breeze, Fla (Sept. 14, 2014) Daisy Brustad performs Phoebe's monologue from Shakespeare's As You Like it at the Gulf Breeze Arts Festival. (Photo by SETSCO company coordinator DeeDee Brustad.)


Gulf Breeze, Fla (Sept. 14, 2014) Daisy Brustad performs Phoebe’s monologue from Shakespeare’s As You Like it at the Gulf Breeze Arts Festival. (Photo by SETSCO company coordinator DeeDee Brustad.)

The Speak the Speech contest will be held at the Old Sacred Heart Hospital building in the east tower at 2:00. Interested teens should fill out the application and pick a scene or monologue from any of Shakespeare’s plays. The selection must be at least 20 lines and no more than 5 minutes long. No experience, costumes or props required. All pieces must be memorized. First prize is a major supporting role in SETSCO’s full length production.

Come out and play!

Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company Speak the Speech Contest

Who – 13 to 19 year olds interested in acting

When – Saturday, February 6,2016 from 2:00 – 4:00

Where – 1010 North 12 Avenue, Suite 211

Mobile Renaissance Faire Makes History Fun Today and Sunday

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The Mobile Renaissance Faire takes place November 14 and 15 in Robertsdale, Ala. The festival features vendors selling period clothing and jewelry, swords, and historical crafts like handmade soaps and mead. Visitors can watch jousting, juggling, music, and Shakespearian actors.

Fire breathing entertainers walk the aisles on stilts. The mascot dragon dances through the festival offering hugs to the crowds. Kids can get their face painted or try to throw a hula hoop on an accordion playing man in a hotdog suit. Watch a scene from Shakespeare and see dancing poodles. This festival gives visitors a full day of entertainment.

It started with a billboard. Festival organizer Steve Melei saw an ad for the Texas Renaissance Faire while attending law school. He fell in love when he saw this 6 week-long faire held on a recreated 16 century English township on 55 acres. He realized the Gulf Coast area had nothing like it after he graduated and returned home.

Robertsdale, Ala.(Nov.14,2015) Steve Melei, Organizer of the Mobile Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival (Photo by PR by DeeDee owner, DeeDee Brustad)

Robertsdale, Ala.(Nov.14,2015) Steve Melei, Organizer of the Mobile Renaissance Faire and Pirate Festival (Photo by PR by DeeDee owner, DeeDee Brustad)

Steve Melei held the first Mobile Renaissance Faire in 2001 amidst terrible sleet. He barely broke even but people loved it. The festival is now held at Melei’s own Medieval Village, 30569 Eagle Lane Road, Robertsdale, Ala. “I’ve always been a history buff. I want to impart history to kids in a fun way that gets them outside”, says Steve Melei.

15 years and 30 festivals later, The Mobile Renaissance Faire has become a place where old friends gather to entertain the locals. Musicians Drunk and Sailor are regulars here. Phillip McGuinness, known to fans as Drunk, says “We’ve been doing this so long that the entertainers and crowds become family we look forward to seeing each year.” The crowds sing along and sometimes end up onstage dancing along McGuinness and Sailor, Captain Amos Muirhead.

Cassandra Garner was among the more than 1000 festival attendees today. She has visited the Mobile Renaissance Faire since 2002. Cassandra adds flavor with her brightly colored costume. She entertains the children with her carved puppets that move with the push of hidden buttons. “I used to come all the time, but life got in the way. This is where I recharge.”

Robertsdale, Ala.(Nov.14,2015) Cassandra Garner at Mobile Renaissance Faire(Photo by owner of Pr by DeeDee, DeeDee Brustad)

Robertsdale, Ala.(Nov.14,2015) Cassandra Garner at Mobile Renaissance Faire(Photo by owner of Pr by DeeDee, DeeDee Brustad)

Event: Mobile Renaissance Faire

Dates: Saturday Nov.14 and Sunday, Nov.15

Times: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Venue: 30569 Eagle Lane Road, Robertsdale, Ala

 

 

Information: http://www.gcrf.us/index.html

Tickets: $10 adults, $5 children, under 4 free

How to Memorize a Shakespeare Monologue and Wow the Crowd

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Are you faint at the sight of Shakespeare’s words? Many actors worry over remembering a long list of lines for an upcoming performance or audition. Memorizing one of Shakespeare’s monologues can be an intimidating task. These ten steps make it easy.

Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Pensacola Rennaissance Festival Macbeth

Pensacola, Fla (Feb. 27, 2011) Southeastern Teen Shakespeare Company member Maggie Crane as Ross with sock puppets Angus and Lennox in Macbeth at the Pensacola Renaissance Faire. (Photo by SETSCO company coordinator DeeDee Brustad.)

  1. Choose a monologue that fits the personality you want to show your audience. A monologue from Othello is not likely to show your playful side. A Falstaff selection is more appropriate.
  2. Read the scene and play that your selection comes from. Read the synopsis of your scene and any articles you find about your character. The better you understand your monologue the easier it is to memorize.
  3. Look up any words or phrases you are unsure of. Shakespeare was a master of word play. You may miss a joke if you do not understand the exact meaning of a word as it was during his time.
  4. Mark the verbs and nouns and highlight any words you want to emphasize.
  5. Mark the spots where the thought or emotion changes. This helps avoid awkward breaks in the middle of lines.
  6. Create a through line of action. A through line connects what your character was doing before entering the scene to what they do after the scene.
  7. Decide your character’s motivations for their words and actions.
  8. Write your lines out. Skip a line between the thought changes you identified in step 5.
  9. Read each line aloud three times in a row. You want to be exact with your lines. Hearing your lines read correctly helps you learn them faster.
  10. Say each line without looking at your script then check to see if you were right. If you had any words wrong or struggled to recall the line repeat steps 9 and 10 for that line. Move to the next line if you had it right. Each time you have three lines memorized say them together without looking at your script. Continue steps 9 and 10 for the rest of the monologue.

Anyone can learn a Shakespearean monologue. This skill will help you on stage and with any public speaking or memorization.

 Tips

  • Sing your lines or use different accents or voices to memorize lines easier.
  • Get up and move. Pair lines with actions for muscle memory.
  • Go over lines first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
  • Learn whole thoughts or ideas, not by line breaks.
  • Try a line learner app like LinePlease, Script Rehearser, My Lines, or LineLearner.

Sources

Learn-All-Your-Lines-for-a-Play,-in-One-Day

Line Memorization on Acting Up

Choosing a Shakespeare Monologue