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Each
troupe will offer two stagings over the course of the semester. A staging will consist of an in-class performance of one sequence
from the comedy we are currently reading (see Schedule,
below). "Sequence" means a continuous run of lines, typically (but not always) within an episode or a choral ode, that yield a performance of 5–7 minutes.
Your troupe should meet well in advance of each staging to decide which sequence
to perform. Choose one that best reflects the themes
of the play at large, perhaps from an episode or a choral ode. Next, decide how those themes can be highlighted through staging. Finally, the troupe should rehearse the sequence as often as necessary to ensure a smooth presentation in class. Costumes,
masks, and props are encouraged.
Note
that no one is beholden to the text or the stage directions
of our translations. Your troupe might decide to change
the text or adopt another translation. Similarly, your
staging may be as faithful or as modern as you see fit. The point is to find the mode of performance that best communicates
the issues of the play.
Hopefully
your staging will open the door to lively classroon discussion. At very least, your troupe should be prepared to describe
the rationale behind the choice of sequence and its staging.
Two
final notes. First, if your troupe chooses a scene with
not enough speaking roles to go around, it is still important
for all members of the group to participate in the staging. Second, those with speaking roles
are encouraged in the most violent and animated terms possible to memorize their lines. Reading from the script, however lively, tends to be distracting. Troupes with their noses stuck in a book will be graded accordingly. |
