• Why must we think?
• Why is thinking so important?
• How can reading literature, studying authors, and examining other cultures help us become world citizens who think?

Our Hero Study ...

Othello has been studied for centuries. We are about to join this long literary history with our own ideas about Shakespeare's masterpiece.

1. Join and Participate in a Character Forum: You are responsible for posting important quotes said by or said about your character as well as reactions to quotes posted by others. By the end of the play, you must post a total of 5 new quotes (with correct citations) and 10 thoughtful reactions (a direct reference to the posting plus a well-explained new idea you have) to others' postings.

Final Posting due Thursday, 3/8:  In one sentence, state what you believe is your character's superobjective.

2. Journal about the Play and Share these Thoughts: On certain nights, you will have a blog topic that asks you to think about the play. On other nights, you will explore and react to classmates' blogs. In the end, you will have created together a web of thinking.

3. Join the Conversation: Write an academic journal article about the character you have followed throughout the play. See the guidelines on Veracross.

4. Publish Your Article: When you have your final academic article all done, please post it to the "Academic Articles" forum. Here we will be able to read, learn from, and enjoy everyone's thoughts and insights. (Don't forget to also upload your article to TurnItIn!)

** Please post your first draft on your blog (titled clearly so we know it is your draft). Make sure you start your post with 2 specific questions you would like feedback on.

The Temptation Scene in Relay:

III.iii.90-480

Scene 1:  3 people: Aaron, Asia, Joe 

• III.iii.90-213  ("Excellent Wretch" through "I'll not believe't")  Iago starts to poison Othello's mind about Desdemona’s fidelity, and Othello begins to believe Iago’s hints.
• Roles:  Othello and Iago
• Director (for leading the cutting of lines)
• Directions:  Emphasize the irony of the words and who is speaking. Aggressively cut down some of Iago’s and Othello’s longer speeches.

Scene 2:  5 people: Liz, Emily, Reese, Devin, Simone 

• III.iii.214-333  ("I see this has dashed a little your spirits” through "Which thou owedst yesterday")  Othello begins to believe Iago's hints and is struggling with his belief in his wife's honesty.  The handkerchief is put into play …
• Roles:  Othello, Iago, Desdemona, and Emilia
• Director (for movement and props)
• Directions:  In the speech beginning at line 228 (from "Ay, there's the point!"), Iago suggests that Desdemona's choice of Othello is unnatural.  What are the implications of this?  How will the person playing Othello react nonverbally?  Use the class handkerchief.  Since what happens in this scene sets in motion a series of events that result in catastrophe, figure out carefully how Othello rejects the handkerchief, how and why Desdemona lets it fall, and how Emilia reacts when she picks it up.  Where does Emilia hold the handkerchief when she sees Iago coming?  What motivates her to offer it to him after all?  What is her objective, and how will the actor make it clear?  How is the handkerchief passed between them -- Iago takes it or Emilia hands it?

Scene 3:  3 people: Lauren, Natalie, Imani

• III.iii.333-431  ("Ha! Ha! False to me?" through "I’ll tear her all to pieces”) Othello expresses increasing conviction that Desdemona is betraying him. Becoming even bolder, Iago fabricates a story about how Cassio in his sleep revealed his affair with Desdemona.
• Roles:  Othello and Iago
• Director (for guiding speech inflection and movements)
• Directions:  Speculate about why Othello insists to Iago, Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore! / Be sure of it.  Give me the ocular proof."  Consider the irony of his demand.  How can this be conveyed by the actors?  Then, think about the play on the word "honest," meaning bothtruthful and sexually faithful or chaste.  Decide how to say that word.

Scene 4:  3 people: Jonathan, Blair, Will

• III.iii.432-480  ("Nay, but be wise" through "I am your own forever”)  Iago says he has seen the handkerchief in Cassio’s hand,  Othello’s conviction becomes firm, and he and Iago pledge their fidelity to each other.
• Roles:  Othello and Iago
• Director (for movement and props)
• Directions:  Work out how to kneel and rise.  What props will you use?

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The Tragedy Plays Out: Performing Act V

Company #1: V.i

Jon, Sydney, Mary Gray, Liz, Joe, Will, Chris, Courtney, Blair

8 Actors

1 Director … responsible for:

            -  managing rehearsals

            -  cutting down the script to streamline the scene

            -  guiding actors to an understanding of the characters’ scene objectives

            -  creating the script to be included in the promptbook

            -  writing the introduction to the promptbook

1 Stage Manager (who also acts a small role)… responsible for:

            -  designing the stage

            -  staging the fight scene

            -  procuring all scenery, props, and costuming

Roles:  Iago, Roderigo, Cassio, Gratiano, Lodovico, Bianca, Emilia, and Othello

Notes:  Be sure to use props to distinguish who’s who and to cut/adapt lines so the scene makes sense as well as moves with flow and understanding for the audience.  Also, practice the fight scenes to make sure you master both the actions that are noticed and those that are “unseen.”

Company #2: V.ii.1-168

Asia, Natalie, Devin, Daniel, Anne Douglas

3 Actors

1 Director … responsible for:

            -  managing rehearsals

            -  cutting down the script to streamline the scene

            -  guiding actors to an understanding of the characters’ scene objectives

            -  creating the script to be included in the promptbook

1 Stage Manager… responsible for:

            -  designing the stage

            -  staging the death scene

            -  procuring all scenery, props, and costuming

            -  writing the introduction to the promptbook

Roles:  Othello, Desdemona, and Emilia

Notes:  Professional actors are trained so they can make a staged death look dangerous and real when it is safe and carefully rehearsed.  The actors playing Othello and Desdemona need to plan a safe way to powerfully show the death of Desdemona.  Desdemona can turn her face to the wall, and Othello can hold a pillow to the back of her head, for example.

Company #3: V.ii.169-371

Aaron, Mary Rose, Imani, Simone, Lauren, Matt, Reese, Emily

7 Actors

1 Director/Stage Manager … responsible for:

            -  managing rehearsals

            -  guiding actors to an understanding of the characters’ scene objectives

            -  cutting down the script to streamline the scene

            -  creating the script to be included in the promptbook

            -  designing the stage

            -  procuring all scenery, props, and costuming

            -  writing the introduction to the promptbook

Roles:  Montano, Emilia, Gratiano, Iago, Othello, Lodovico, and Cassio

Preparing Your Scene ...  You have 4 class days (including today) and a weekend to complete this work and memorize your lines.  Be productive.  Be creative.  But above all, be communicative.  The class will rely on your production to know what happens in your scene.

Monday, March 12^th:  Full dress rehearsal

Tuesday, March 13^th:  Final performance

1.  Give your acting company a name and appoint a director and stage manager to guide the group.

2.  Director:  Save “Act V” from the website and upload it to Google Docs, inviting your whole group to join.

3.  Throughout this process, all cast members (with the director making the final notes) should record decisions in your promptbook, due on dress rehearsal day.  See the “Promptbook” below.

4.  Cast the scene.

5.  Read through your scene aloud at least once, preferably twice.  Decide collectively on the cuts and make them right away.  Your scene should take no longer than 10 minutes to perform.  Cut/adapt lines so the scene makes sense as well as moves with flow and understanding for the audience Read the scene aloud after you’ve done the cuts to time yourselves and make adjustments.  Allow extra time – performing a scene takes more time than just reading it.

6.  Talk about characters – what are their objectives?  How do they talk and move in this scene?  This is to be a more prepared and polished performance than the ones you have been doing all along.  Give special attention to movement and memorize your lines.

7.  Choose a setting and overall theme for your scene – this will drive the language, scenery, and costuming.  The stage manager should run this discussion and help the whole group come to a consensus.

8.  Plan costumes and props.  These don’t have to be fancy but should show that you took the trouble to think about what would best convey the impression you are after.  The stage manager is in charge of this.

9.  If you like, plan extra touches like music and sets.

The Director’s Promptbook … Every member of your acting company should contribute to the promptbook.  Make sure it is clear who is responsible for what.

1.  Stage Manager (or Director if noted thus for your group:  Write an introduction for the promptbook in which you explain your overall concept of your scene and how you plan to convey that concept or idea to your audience.  In other words, as an acting company, what are you trying to show?  Your overall vision of the scene should include your chosen setting (remember this is time and place!), your stage arrangement (what is on the stage, where is it), necessary props, and costuming decisions.

2.  Director:  Using your copy of the scene, annotate it fully using Word features (see items below).  Print out your annotated scene.

• Export the marked up scene from Google Docs into Word.  Using the suggested cuts your cast members indicated, make cuts in your scene.  In Word comments, explain why you cut the scene as you did. 
• Make production notes about the way you want the characters to be played.  Think about the meaning of and behind each character’s words.  Include information about tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions.
• In Word comments, indicate stage directions for props and character movement.

3.  Each company’s promptbook will be given one grade, which each member gets.  The books will be evaluated on completeness, effort, imagination behind your scene plans, and accuracy of script.