{"id":460,"date":"2016-06-11T04:51:58","date_gmt":"2016-06-11T04:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/?p=460"},"modified":"2019-06-06T18:49:45","modified_gmt":"2019-06-06T18:49:45","slug":"top-10-reasons-you-should-do-shakespeare-at-least-once","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/top-10-reasons-you-should-do-shakespeare-at-least-once\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Reasons You Should Do Shakespeare (At Least Once)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Top 10 Reasons You Should Do Shakespeare (At Least Once)<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Written by Ashleigh Gardner<\/p>\n

June 6, 2016<\/p>\n

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Shakespeare isn’t just for professional actors at The Globe\u00a0Theatre! You’ll need a Shakespearean piece for college and professional regional theatre auditions. Below are ten other reasons why you should perform The Bard at least\u00a0once\u00a0<\/em>in high school (or in your life, for that matter).<\/p>\n


You\u2019ll have incredibly stellar diction.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

Your director always tells you to \u201cENUNCIATE!\u201d right? Shakespeare\u2019s language requires the actor to say words and phrases that people don\u2019t usually say on a regular basis. The Bard begins and ends many of his lines with hard consonant sounds like<\/span> b,<\/span><\/i> d, t, k<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>ng<\/span><\/i>. Do at least five minutes of diction exercises prior to every performance. Make sure you enunciate those <\/span>b<\/span><\/i>\u2019s and <\/span>t\u2019<\/span><\/i>s in \u201cbattle,\u201d and you\u2019ll be set to charge unto the breach! From then on, you\u2019ll be so used to enunciating your words that saying your lines will be effortless.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll improve your breath support.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

When you learn to master your own breathing, you can say eight lines of text without having to stop for a single breath. Breathe in for ten counts, and breathe out for ten counts. Repeat until you feel your abdomen strengthen. See if you can keep your breath steady. Performing long-winded Shakespearean lines or monologues prepares you for performing in every other role, as well. You learn to strengthen your stomach muscles so that you aren\u2019t expelling all of your air on a single line.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll learn about vocal musicality.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

(Otherwise known as \u201cintonation.\u201d) Vocal musicality is the speed, tempo, and pitch of your voice when you speak. Find the music in the way you speak your lines, and let your character\u2019s emotions carry the way the language sounds. Vocal musicality isn\u2019t just about the <\/span>sound <\/span><\/i>of the line, it\u2019s also about how that sound makes the character who they are — their personality. When you step into another role, it will be easier for you to find the tone of voice for that character.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll improve your movement.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

If your character is a member of a certain social class, your body language and movement should reflect their station. Are you poor and bumbling, or are you rich and graceful? What\u2019s more, your movement should reflect the tone and intention of the lines. Use your body language to get points across rather than only relying on your words. Through this, you learn to find your acting instincts. Feel like holding your scene partner\u2019s hand? Do it! Act on instinct.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll understand where certain phrases and words come from.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

Did you know that Shakespeare invented over 1,700 of our English words we use today? He invented words like <\/span>arch-villain, assassination, <\/span><\/i>and <\/span>swagger<\/span><\/i>. He also penned popular phrases we use on a daily basis: \u201crefuse to budge an inch,\u201d (<\/span>Taming of the Shrew), <\/span><\/i>\u201ccatch a cold\u201d (<\/span>Cymbeline<\/span><\/i>), and \u201cdead as a doornail.\u201d (<\/span>Henry VI, Part II<\/span><\/i>). Now you can use your newfound knowledge to impress your English teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll learn about important points in English history.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

Shakespeare wrote about the royalty of England and their relationships with each other — the good and the bad. For example, <\/span>Henry VI<\/span><\/a> was made king at the age of nine months and, throughout his 39-year reign, was constantly described as an ineffectual and weak king. <\/span><\/p>\n

In Shakespeare\u2019s <\/span>Henry VI, Part III, <\/span><\/i>Shakespeare chronicles Henry VI\u2019s downfall. This installment of the <\/span>Henry VI <\/span><\/i>plays begins the final historical battle in the <\/span>Wars of the Roses<\/span><\/a> in which Henry VI is murdered. (You\u2019ll often see red and white roses associated with these plays. The red rose represents Lancaster; the white rose represents York. At the end of Shakespeare\u2019s play <\/span>Richard III<\/span><\/i>, when <\/span>Henry VII<\/span><\/a>, a Lancaster, marries Elizabeth, a York, the House of Tudor is established — a white and red rose.) <\/span><\/p>\n

Though Shakespeare took artistic liberties with history (meaning not everything in his plays is accurate), it does make history a lot more palatable, especially if drama, murder, political intrigue, and sword-fighting are things you enjoy in a play. Think <\/span>Game of Thrones<\/span><\/i> without the dragons.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll become well-versed in Greek and Roman mythology.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

When Shakespeare was in grammar school, he learned to read and write with classical Latin texts. These epic poems and essays introduced Shakespeare to many of the Greek and Roman characters and myths he would later mention in his verse. These mentions are known as <\/span>allusions<\/span><\/i>, references an author makes to other works of literature, culture, or art. We read about Zeus and his shepherd lover Ganymede (<\/span>As You Like It<\/span><\/i>), the Roman god Mars (<\/span>Hamlet<\/span><\/i>), and the Greek hero Achilles (<\/span>Troilus and Cressida<\/span><\/i>). You\u2019ll be ready for your English class <\/span>and <\/span><\/i>the SATs.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll learn to play a broad range of emotions in a short amount of time.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

There is a wealth of emotion, information, and character development tucked behind The Bard\u2019s words. Shakespeare\u2019s lines challenge the actor to make deliberate shifts in emotions and tactics according to punctuation marks (<\/span>see 10 Tips for Performing Shakespeare<\/u><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for punctuation guidelines<\/span><\/i>). When you play a character with complex emotions in a Shakespearean play, you\u2019ll be better prepared to take on a Tennessee Williams or Eugene O\u2019Neill play.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll learn valuable stage skills: stage combat, dancing, and clowning.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

Shakespeare\u2019s plays require a lot of movement that enhance the action of the play. Stage combat is an essential skill in most (if not all) of Shakespeare\u2019s histories and tragedies. <\/span><\/p>\n

Dancing in Shakespearean play is more varied. Because Shakespeare can be set in almost any time period or place, dance styles may change. You may learn the classical moves of a swing dance, waltz, or tango, the very reserved and precise choreography of <\/span>Pavane court<\/u><\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Regency<\/u><\/span><\/a> dance, or the more modern stylings of hip-hop, jazz, or tap. <\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, clowning requires an actor to behave in a ridiculous, exaggerated, bumbling, and humorous way; they are the silly to everyone else\u2019s serious, and their roles are, more often than not, very physical, promoting the concept of play and childlike fearlessness. (Though <\/span>this video<\/u><\/span><\/a> doesn\u2019t show Shakespearean clowns, the artists demonstrate the skill perfectly.) With stage combat, dance, and clowning, you\u2019ll learn incredible physical control and grace.<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll be versed in at least one classical piece for auditions.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

Many colleges and universities require a classical piece in your audition package. Additionally, after high school or college, if you audition for a regional theatre, those directors may require you to perform a Shakespearean piece in your audition for their season (a season that probably includes a play by The Bard). This will give you an advantage over others who may be doing Shakespeare for the first time in <\/span>their <\/span><\/i>audition.<\/span><\/p>\n

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BONUS: You’ll learn new insults.<\/h4>\n \"\"<\/span>

\u201cThou subtle, perjur\u2019d, false, disloyal man!\u201d – The Two Gentlemen of Verona<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cA most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise breaker, the owner of no one good quality.\u201d – All’s Well That Ends Well<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThou are pigeon-liver\u2019d and lack gall.\u201d – Hamlet<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThou poisonous bunch-back\u2019d toad!\u201d – Richard III<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou starvelling, you eel-skin, you dried neat\u2019s-tongue, you bull\u2019s-pizzle, you stock-fish\u2013O for breath to utter what is like thee!-you tailor\u2019s-yard, you sheath, you bow-case, you vile standing tuck!\u201d – Henry IV, Part 1<\/em><\/p>\n

To generate random ones with your friends, use the Shakespearean Insult Generator from the Royal Shakespeare Company and Google<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Ashleigh Gardner<\/strong>\u00a0received her AA in Theatre\/Drama\/Dramatic Arts\u00a0from Valencia College and\u00a0her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and\u00a0Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from\u00a0the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright, a Shakespearean trained actor, and PerformerStuff.com\u2019s Editor.\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [...]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[261,259,260,269,759,453],"tags":[6,12,104,63,14],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}