Grading Criteria for the Performances

The Student Actor or Director…

1. Participates whole-heartedly in at least three (3) rehearsals of the assigned scene. ___/10

2. Resolves any & all issues pertaining to vocabulary, scansion (de-Dum), emphasis or other textual uncertainties, in order to speak the speech smoothly. (Scansion is your friend in this regard.) Also, please respect enjambed lines – be jammin’ – and don’t stop the forward momentum: instead, take the plunge!!
___/30

3. Stays in character!! (If you portray an old man, for example, don’t let your character slip into Teen America. Do your best to be an old man at all times!) ___/20

4. Speaks in a confident voice!! (I.e., Go for it vocally, even if you choose not to go Bonkers as an actor (i.e., with elaborate gestures, wigs, false noses, etc.). __/20

5. Communicates with others onstage. In other words, don’t perform in a vacuum. Make eye contact. Talk and listen. Most good acting is reacting.
___/20

(Also, Minus-20 for people who wimp out and fail to perform on scheduled dates. No weak-knee’d absenteeism unless you’re at the Mayo Clinic, as a Patient.)

TOTAL: ___/100

Divided by 4 = 25 pts. total.

Memorization is not required. However, the better you know it, the more you’ll be able to communicate, talk & listen, make eye-contact, and all the rest.

Ultimately, it’s not about acting: it’s about giving a solid & convincing oral interpretation. However, if you do feel like acting, so much the better: the class is bound to love it..

After-school rehearsal (complete with coaching, free pointers, etc. in Rm. 201) is recommended. Full groups are welcome, but so are “splinter groups,” soloists, etc.

“Excellence knows no gender.” Therefore, please embrace your part whole-heartedly, even if the casting seems unconventional with respect to gender.

Most of all, have fun. There’s a reason why these things are called ‘plays’!!!!

Points of Focus, as We Begin our Final Ascent

Hamlet's character:
A son... in the midst of his family's crisis.
An artist... playwright, poet, comedian, director, voice teacher.
A philosopher... of ethics, of metaphysics, of aesthetics.

Sustained images and motifs:
Flora ~ Flight ~ The Sea ~ The Family

Literary devices of special interest:
Analogy; antithesis (*including double-negatives); hendiadys; chiasmus.

There are MANY MORE ISSUES in the play!! However, for the sake of obtaining a certain amount of concision and focus in our reading & discussion, I intend to confine most of my remarks to the above-referenced features.

Scene Assignments in Hamlet

Act III, scene 1
III.i.55-88 “To be or not to be….” Jeremy (Ham.)

III.i.88-162 (Nunnery sc.)
Zelalem (Oph.) & Jed (Ham.)

III.i.163-to end (after the Nunnery Sc.)
Katelyn W. (Ophelia), Anthony (King), Mitch (Polonius).

Act III, scene 2
III.ii.1-56 (“Speak the Speech” - Hamlet's Advice to the Players) Nathan (Ham.), Natalie P., Delaney, and Alyssa Doma.(Players, but see later sc.)

III.ii.57-99 (following Hamlet’s Advice-to-the-Players sc.) still Nathan (Hamlet),
Mary (Polonius), Aly D. (Horatio).

III.ii.100-147 (Court enters to see the Play) still Nathan (Hamlet), still Mary (Polonius), still Aly (Horatio)
and: Drew (King), Alyssa Doma. (Queen), Emily (Ophelia), Lauren R. (Rosencrantz), Becca U. (Guildenstern)

III.ii.238-315 (Nathan, Mary, Aly, Drew, Emily, R & G: continue your parts from earlier in III.ii)
(Play Scene:) Jenna R. (Player King), Chelsea Y. (Player Queen), Kyle (Lucianus), & Director Amy S. (Pay strict attention to AS!!)

[PLAY CD for Hamlet’s dialogue w/ R. & G., and Polonius]

Act III, scene 3
III.iii.36-98 (Prayer Sc.) Taylor (Ham.), Hailey (King).

Act III, scene 4
III.iv.1-102 Mariah S. (Q.), Dalton (Pol.), Sergio! (Hamlet!) (Arras sc.)
(As needed: Mr. B. as the Ghost) (CD, as needed, to finish)

Act IV, scene 1
IV.i.1-45 (all). Kassie (Gert.) Ana (Claud.) (2)
[Natalie P. = Kassey’s understudy – also, in Advice to Pl. sc.]

Act IV, scenes 2 & 3
IV.ii&iii. (entire) (Capture sc.!!) Marty (Ham.), Vang Mee (Ros.), Lauren (Guild.), Chelsea W. (King) (4)

Act IV, scenes 4 & 5
IV.iv..32-66 “How all occasions…” Ellie L. (Hamlet) (1)
IV.v. (1-100) Justine (King), Jess O. (Queen), Jeremy (again! He’s back!) (Gent.), Kristina L. (Hor.), Alyssa F. (poor, mad Ophelia)

Act IV, scene 7 (on Friday, Mar. 19!!)
IV.vii ll. 148-193 Mr. B. (King); Lauren (Laertes); Temi (Gertrude).