Breaking Down the Bard - Doubt

I'm sure you're aware that Shakespeare's English and our modern English have a lot of differences; "thee", "thou", "wherefore", etc. There are plenty of words that Shakespeare used that we don't use anymore, but there are others that have lasted 400 years, and have evolved over that time... kind of like how "literally" can also now mean "figuratively". No matter how you feel about it, languages change and evolve over time.

Today, we're going to look at one such word: doubt. To us, this word commonly means "to hesitate to believe". Back in Shakespeare's day, doubt had another meaning: "to fear, or be apprehensive about, suspect", as well as the meaning that has endured to modern day.

Take this line from Hamlet, Act I, Scene 2:

My father's spirit - in arms! All is not well,

I doubt some foul play. Would the night were come!

Till then, sit still my soul. Foul deeds will rise,

Though all the earth o'erwhelm them to men's eyes.

When Hamlet says "I doubt some foul play", we need to think critically about which definition of doubt he means. I think an easy way to do this is to replace the word "doubt" with the word "fear", and see if it makes sense:

My father's spirit - in arms! All is not well,

I fear some foul play. Would the night were come!

Then try the same line with "don't believe" in place of "doubt":

My father's spirit - in arms! All is not well,

I don't believe some foul play. Would the night were come!

The "fear" version makes sense, where as "don't believe" doesn't, so now we know that Hamlet is worried that something bad is going on, and can't wait to see for himself what's going on and if the ghost will come back tonight.

Next time you see "doubt" in your lines, you can quickly determine which definition is intended, and you'll be sure to impress!

Wanna step up your Shakespeare game?

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first session!

Click here to get my FREE cheat sheet of the Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions!

The Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions

Are you doing it wrong?  Or are you on the right track?

I want to share with you my FREE list of the top 5 mistakes actors make in Shakespeare auditions! These 5 things can absolutely ruin your audition and put you in the "no" pile - without you even realizing it! 

Fill out the form below to get my FREE exclusive cheat sheet on what NOT to do in the room!

Get Exclusive Access to the TOP 5 MISTAKES ACTORS MAKE IN SHAKESPEARE AUDITIONS

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name

Last Name

Wanna step up your Shakespeare game?

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first private session, and go from scared to PREPARED this audition season!

Breaking Down the Bard - Asides

A couple of weeks ago, we covered the soliloquy, and what makes it different from a monologue (feel free to catch up here if you missed that post). Today, we're going to talk about another device that Shakespeare uses, the aside.

An aside is when a character onstage speaks to the audience or to one or more characters in the scene and is not heard by one or more other characters onstage. Anyone onstage who's not supposed to hear what's being said miraculously doesn't hear it! Shakespeare employs this device as a way for a character to comment on the action onstage, often with mockery or sarcasm. Like a soliloquy (which is basically a long aside), a character using an aside to break the fourth wall gets the opportunity to share more of themselves than the audience would otherwise see.

As we go through some examples, I want you to realize that Shakespeare doesn't write any stage direction indicating that this is an aside. Some modern editors will identify asides in printed editions, but this is often inconsistent, so it's a good idea to know how to find these (and play with them) on your own.

Here's a mocking aside, from Puck in Act III, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream:

Bottom:

"Thisbe, the flowers of odious savors sweet" --

Quince:

Odorous, odorous.

Bottom:

-- "Odors savors sweet;

So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear.

But hark; a voice! Stay you but here a while,

And by and by I will to thee appear."

Exits 

Puck:

A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here.

Exits

Flute:

Must I speak now?

Puck totally disses Bottom's acting to the audience (who can see and hear him), but none of the other characters onstage react, and just carry on with their rehearsal. In Midsummer, none of the human characters see or knowingly interact with Puck, so he maintains his otherworldliness as a powerful spirit.

Asides are at the heart of this hilarious scene from Twelfth Night (Act  II, Scene 5), where Malvolio fantasizes about his boss' affections, not realizing he has an audience of his enemies eavesdropping:

Malvolio:

Tis but fortune, all is fortune. Maria once told me she did affect me, and I have heard herself come thus near, that should she fancy, it should be one of my complexion. Besides, she uses me with a more exalted respect than anyone else that follows her. What should I think on't?

Sir Toby:

Here's to an overweening rogue!

Fabian:

O, peace! Contemplation makes a rare turkey-cock of him. How he jets under his advanc'd plumes!

Sir Andrew:

'Slight, I could so beat the rogue!

Sir Toby:

Peace, I say!

Malvolio:

To be Count Malvolio!

From Malvolio's perspective, he is alone in the garden, so I think of his lines as a soliloquy with impeccably-timed pauses, where the other characters make their reactions. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Fabian (and perhaps Maria, depending on the production), hide and take turns reacting to Malvolio's antics and shushing each other.

At the beginning of Romeo & Juliet, the Capulets (Gregory and Samson) and Montagues (Abraham and Balthazar) are having a confrontation and consulting their kinsmen as they go:

Abraham:
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Samson:
I do bite my thumb, sir.

Abraham:
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

Samson:
Is the law on our side if I say "ay?"

Gregory:
No.

Samson:

No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir,

but I bite my thumb, sir.

Samson and Gregory need a second to discuss things privately before continuing to push the Montagues' buttons, so they take it. It also shows the audience that there are rules in this society that can and cannot be broken, and that some people, aka Samson, are afraid of the consequences.

This scene from Measure for Measure is FULL of asides: Lucio joins Isabella for moral support (and a little bit of coaching) as she pleads to Angelo to spare her condemned brother's life. 

Isabella:

We cannot weigh our brother with ourself.

Great men may jest with saints; 'tis wit in them,

But in the less foul profanation.

Lucio:

Thou'rt i' th' right, girl, more o' that.

Isabella:

That in the captain's but a choleric word,

Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy.

Lucio:

Art avis'd o' that? More on't.

Angelo:

Why do you put these sayings upon me?

Isabella:

Because authority, though it err like others,

Hath yet a kind of medicine in itself,

That skins the vice o' th' top. Go to your bosom,

Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know

That's like my brother's fault. If it confess

A natural guiltiness such as is his,

Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue

Against my brother's life.

Angelo:

                  She speaks, and 'tis

Such sense that my sense breeds with it. --

Fare you well. 

In this short piece of Act II, Scene 2, we have Lucio cheering on Isabella (probably without Angelo hearing, because Angelo doesn't address Lucio or tell him to shut up), and Angelo taking a quick time out to let us know that Isabella might be persuading him.

Asides in Shakespeare are hidden gems for you to discover, and they give you opportunities for comedy or to create a relationship with the audience, so make sure you give them their due!

Wanna step up your Shakespeare game?

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first session! 
Click here to get my FREE cheat sheet on the Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions! 

How to Survive Audition Season (and Keep Your Sanity)

Audition Season. You're sitting for HOURS on the holding room floor, while girls around you gossip loudly while curling their hair, and you're probably on 4 hours of sleep because you had to close at your restaurant job last night. Let me give you some tips that I use to keep my focus and my sanity and have a great audition season!

1. Arrive Early to Open Calls

I know, it's absolutely bonkers that every year we have to get up earlier than the year before just so that we can be seen at an EPA. I used to refuse to show up for a call before 8 AM, because I really do think it's out of control. Guess what? It sucks, but that is just how it works, and if you sleep in, you are way less likely to be seen. 

2. Only Audition for Things You Want and are Right For

This amounts largely to doing your research. If a theatre is doing an all-male production of The Taming of the Shrew, I'm not going to the audition. It's a waste of my time and theirs. If the dates don't work for me, or the pay is too low, or there's a plan for the production that I don't morally agree with, I won't go. This frees up my time to go to an audition I'm excited about, or work on something else, or sleep in, etc.

3. Be Prepared

Of course, this means having your monologues or sides ready to rock the day of your audition (and if you need some help with that, hit me up), but you'd be amazed how many people show up to an audition without their headshot and resume stapled together, or ladies without their hair and makeup done how they would like. They get frazzled, and that energy follows them into the room. Why would you do that to yourself?! Get it all done in advance. I prep my headshots on Sunday; I always keep at least 5 ready to go, and 10 on a week I know will be busy. They go in a dedicated folder that goes in my audition bag. I also keep a pen, a highlighter, my notebook, my phone charger, any spare clothes I would need, and anything else that would make my life easier IN THE BAG. I know it's there and I don't have to worry!

4. Invest in a Pair of Headphones

Those gossipy girls, the crazy dude who wants to chat, and the nervous, unprepared person who wants your opinion on which monologue they should do will be at the audition. Put on your headphones and tune them out! Listen to music, or a podcast, or your lines that you've recorded for rehearsal, but ignore all those people and get centered. You're not a jerk; you're there to work. Don't get distracted from your purpose (but make sure you're listening for instructions from the monitor).

5. It's NOT "Rejection"

If the casting director picked someone else for the job, DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Hundreds of people auditioned for a handful of roles. Just because someone else got the job doesn't mean you suck. You weren't the right person this time. Recognizing that there are more factors at work than just your talent will keep you from getting burned out, and help you last longer in this industry.

6. Take Care of Yourself

Drink more water. Get enough sleep. Listen to your body. Getting sick isn't going to help you book jobs. Make your health a priority!

7. Have a Life Outside of the Biz

Keep some balance in your life by spending time on things you love that aren't acting. I love to go hiking, and I make sure that every week I see a friend in person. An added bonus is that it gives you something interesting to talk about! One CD remembers me because when she asked me what I had been up to since she had seen me last, I told her that I had climbed three mountains in the last month. Be a real human that just happens to be a great actor, and you'll be much more memorable.

With these tips and your talent and hard work, you're all set to have a great audition season! Go forth, and kick ass!

Wanna step up your Shakespeare game this audition season?

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first session!
Click here to get my FREE cheat sheet on the Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions!

Breaking Down the Bard - Lady Capulet

One of the things I love about Shakespeare is that he gave us such unique and individual characters in his plays. Some of them are so fleshed out that they seem to be real people; with histories, favorite things, enemies, habits, and speech patterns that make them who they are. Shakespeare doesn't always spell everything out for us, the way we might see in a modern play's character list. Instead, we have to mine the text for clues as to who these characters really are, so that when we present them onstage, we are showing them as multi-faceted, relatable, human beings. Today, I want to take a look at a character that I feel is performed a lot (although not yet by me), that many people don't give a lot of attention to, but who I still find wildly fascinating: Lady Capulet from Romeo & Juliet.

I feel like Lady C is overlooked, and I want to shine a little light on her, because this chick is so interesting! First of all, she's in ten scenes in the play (a few she just kind of makes an appearance and isn't the focus), but only speaks 114 lines of verse, which is not a lot. The Nurse speaks about twice as much, and even Benvolio and Mercutio each speak more than Lady Capulet - and Mercutio dies halfway through the play! She's a major presence, but we don't hear all that much from her, so we need to follow the clues to understand her as much as we can as a character, then use our own imaginations as actors to fill in the blanks. Shakespeare gave us more info than you might expect, though, so let's play text detectives and see what we can learn about this Real Housewife of Verona!

Lady Capulet is YOUNG. I would say she's probably about 26. 

How did I come up with that number? We hear from the Nurse in Act I, scene 3 that Juliet is 13, about two weeks away from turning 14. Then Lady Capulet chimes in:

I was your mother much upon these years

That you are now a maid.

Time for some basic math, right? If Juliet is 13, and Lady Capulet was around that same age when Juliet was born, that would make her right around 26. Her husband is significantly older, although we can't be sure of his age. In Act I, scene 1, when he wants to grab a sword and start fighting, Lady Capulet says:

A crutch! A crutch! Why call you for a sword?

And when Lord Capulet and his cousin, Old Capulet, are enjoying the party in Act I, scene 5, they're bickering over whether it was 25 or 30 years since they were in the "dancing days" of their youth. Bringing up Capulet's age so closely to when we discover Lady Capulet's age only highlights how young she is, and the age gap between them. 

Lady Capulet might be barren because she had Juliet when she was so young. This exchange in Act I, scene 2 makes me wonder if Capulet is speaking of his wife's experience:

Paris

Younger than she are happy mothers made.

Capulet

And too soon marr'd are those so early made.

The earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she...

Whoa whoa whoa... Hold the phone! This looks like a MAJOR piece of information! It seems like Capulet doesn't want Juliet to suffer the same fate as her mom, which we can pretty clearly interpret here as having a baby very young, and not being able to have any more healthy kids. "The earth hath swallowed all my hopes" might be a metaphor, but he might be talking about miscarriages or children that died in infancy. That's absolutely tragic for the Capulets. Lord Capulet makes it extra clear that Juliet is their only child later, in Act III, scene 5, in a heated moment:

Wife, we scarce thought us blest

That God had lent us but this only child...

So Lord and Lady Capulet wanted more kids, but couldn't have any. Maybe that's why Lady Capulet really loved Tybalt (or she's putting on a big show for some reason). Lady Capulet is outspoken about her affection for her nephew, Tybalt. She immediately seeks revenge after his death in Act III, scene 1:

I beg for justice, which thou, Prince, must give:

Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.

It's unclear if Tybalt was the son of Lord Capulet's brother or Lady Capulet's brother, as they both separately call him "my brother's son" after his passing (Lady Capulet in Act III, scene 1 and Lord Capulet in Act III, scene 5). It's common for Shakespeare's characters to leave out any "in law" clarification, so it's unlikely that Lord and Lady Capulet are brother and sister as well as husband and wife - but if someone stages that production, I want a ticket.

And in Act III, scene 2, the Nurse tells Juliet her parents are "Weeping and wailing over Tybalt's corse."

However, only hours later, in the early morning of the next day in Act III, scene 5, Lady Capulet tells Juliet not to cry for Tybalt any more:

Evermore weeping for your cousin's death?
What, wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears?
And if thou couldst, thou couldst not make him live;
Therefore have done. Some grief shows much of love,
But much of grief shows still some want of wit.

Well, she got over that quickly! Maybe she's putting on a brave face, knowing she's about to break the news of Juliet's arranged marriage to Paris, or maybe her wailing over Tybalt was an act, or perhaps she is just out of tears to cry. 

Lady Capulet may seem passive in some scenes, letting her husband lead the charge when Juliet objects to marrying Paris in Act III, scene 5:

Here comes your father, tell him so yourself;

And see how he will take it at your hands.

But she seems to at least think of herself as a woman of action, devising a plan to poison Romeo in Mantua, where he is banished, earlier in the same scene. How serious she is about that is entirely dependent upon the production and the actor cast as Lady Capulet, but maybe she has ties to dangerous people in Mantua... Or maybe she's all talk.

When Lord Capulet starts hurling insults at Juliet and things are getting heated in Act III, scene 5, she tries to diffuse the situation:

Fie, fie, what, are you mad?

But ultimately sides with her husband on the matter in that scene, and shuts Juliet down like this:

Talk not to me, for I'll not speak a word.
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.

So, my big question here is whose side is she on? Does she really think Juliet is being unreasonable, or that her husband is being abusive, or is it something more nuanced? Does she want to be the peacemaker, or does she just want to go back to crying over Tybalt's death?

When Juliet asks for forgiveness, Lady Capulet doesn't say anything, and lets her husband do the talking. Instead, her next five lines (over three scenes) are entirely about wedding planning. Granted, this already rushed event got moved up a few days, so Lady Capulet has a lot to do, but it makes me wonder if she was ever really angry at Juliet, or if she forgives quickly, or is covering up her feelings by keeping busy.

And then, in Act IV, scene 5, when Juliet's sleeping potion has convinced everyone that she is dead, Lady Capulet grieves in the way you might expect from a woman who has lost her only child:

But one, poor one, one poor and loving child,
But one thing to rejoice and solace in,
And cruel Death hath catch'd it from my sight!

You may have noticed that most of what I've dissected hasn't shown a "right" or "wrong" way to play Lady Capulet - I've just uncovered some of the options that are available when tackling such a rich and interesting character! Shakespeare gives us so much juicy material to work with, and it's our job as actors to find what works for our interpretation in each individual production to really bring these characters to life!

Wanna step up your Shakespeare game?

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first session,

and become the Shakespearean actor you've always wanted to be!
Click here to get my FREE cheat sheet on the Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions!

New Year's Resolutions

I'm not the kind of person that gets obsessed with New Year's Eve. Of course, I love a chance to put on my heels and party with my -- wait -- no, actually, I just want to sit on my couch and eat chips in my Batman footie pajamas. The one thing that I really like about New Year's is that it's a time when we, as a society, are encouraged to think about how we can improve ourselves or our lives in some way, and that we make plans to take active steps to achieve the goals we set. I'm all about that!

Whether you decide to go after your goals/resolutions on January 1st or August 14th, it doesn't matter. I'm a firm believer that every minute of every day can be your chance to start becoming the person you want to be. I recently looked back at all the new skills I have acquired over the last year, and I was floored by how much knowledge I've gained and how much I've grown! I've been training in stage combat, worked to correct a speech impediment, taught myself several computer software programs, and kept up with this blog - along with dozens of other accomplishments I'm crazy proud of. When I succeed at a goal, it makes me want to push myself even harder to learn and grow and do whatever I set my mind to!

I want to make 2016 my best year yet, so I've made some BIG goals for myself, along with a plan for how I'm going to achieve them. The most important thing for me is that I TELL SOMEONE what I want to accomplish: once I've said the words out loud, it's as if I've breathed life into my dream and it magically transforms into a goal. Then it's real, and there's someone who's waiting to see whether or not I follow through and do it, which makes accomplishing the task more possible.

There was a moment a few months ago when I was talking to a friend of a friend at a party, and I was introduced as "the Shakespeare coach". The lady I had just met said, "Wow. Shakespeare's so hard. I could never do that." I said, "Why not? It's a learnable skill." And that's true about so many things. Yo-Yo Ma didn't wake up one day knowing how to play the cello, and Misty Copeland wasn't born wearing pointe shoes! If you want to learn a new skill, make 2016 your year - especially if you're a performer! Turn your dream into a goal by making a plan for how to accomplish it within a reasonable time frame, then tell a friend (or an enemy, or everyone on Twitter) and put in the work. When your hard work pays off, you'll truly have a Happy New Year!

Wanna step up your Shakespeare game in 2016?

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first session!

Audition season starts next week, so #getyourSHAKEStogether now!
Click here to get my FREE cheat sheet on the Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions!

This Is A Song I Wrote For You

I'm taking a break from Breaking Down the Bard to wish you all a Merry Christmas!

My Wednesday posts full of tips and tricks for understanding and performing Shakespeare will resume next week!

This Shakespeare quote is from Henry IV Part 2!

Four years ago, I wanted to make something special for my family for the holidays. I live in New York City, and most of my family is in Seattle, so we don't get to see each other as much as we would like. I had a little tune stuck in my head, so I got to work right after Thanksgiving and created this song to share with my loved ones. That's the wonderful thing about creating art for yourself and others: I got to put my creative energies to work, be a little silly, and work outside of my comfort zone by filming myself singing and playing the only three chords I know on the ukulele; but my family got to have something that was made especially for them, that they could watch as many times as they wanted. Bonus: it cost me nothing to make, and it's still something my loved ones enjoy!

I may have written this song for my family, but I'd like to extend this to my readers as well. Have a Merry Christmas, everyone, and do something with your talents that lets people in your life know that they're special and loved by you!

This Song's All About Christmas

Written and Performed by Emily Philio

 We celebrate each year on December 25th

By gathering up our loved ones and exchanging some gifts

So I'm sending my love from Atlantic to Pacif'

With this song I wrote for you

This is a song I wrote for you (3x)

And this song's all about Christmas

I hope that you like Christmas

It's all about the birth of a special kid

Who changed the world with the things that he did

He fought evil when others would've run and hid

I'm not talking about Harry Potter

(Harry Potter was born in July)

A fat man in red commits some B & E

There'll be coal for you and presents for me

It's the special time of year we get to murder a tree

In the name of holiday cheer

A word of caution for you all, my dears,

The fruitcake's been re-gifted for the last six years

Dancing under mistletoe won't make you Britney Spears

You probably just had too much eggnog

(Kids, eggnog gets better when you're older)

This time of year, the world is filled with joy

As we wish for peace for future girls and boys

It's not figgy pudding, tinsel, or new toys

It's about the gift of love

Have a Merry Christmas!

 Wanna step up your Shakespeare game in time for Audition Season? 

Email shakespearecoach@gmail.com to schedule your first lesson!
Click here to get my FREE cheat sheet on the Top 5 Mistakes Actors Make in Shakespeare Auditions!