Written by Olivia
As we move into the last week of October, the ensemble is flying through reading King Lear!
On Thursday, we had a small but mighty crew. We began Act 3 and we were able to read three scenes with everyone taking a part. Because our group was small, we were able to explore so many conversations – what it means to cheat out and play open to an audience, our favorite musicals, their favorite Shakespearean words, and dreams for the future of the program. Speaking of dreams for the future…
Sophia’s question of the day was “Where do you hope Shakespeare in Prison is in 15 years?” The answers were honest and thoughtful, reflecting next steps for our program in an illuminating way.
One member said: I hope it’s still here.
An ensemble member: “In 15 years, we should have elegant costumes.”
Another: “I hope it’s growing with more people interested and we can do the whole play.”
Another says: “I hope we can bring our families in to see it.”
After reflecting on the future of SIP, we turned our focus to the present! We started reading, getting distracted by the funny and unique Shakespearean words.
An ensemble member: “My favorite Shakespeare word is rapscallion. They knew about rap back then!”
Another: “Wait – did Shakespeare invent ‘Holla?'”
Hearing the ensemble’s delightful conversation about Shakespearean language was such a great reminder about the power of Shakespeare’s works and how they continue to bring people together across so much time and space. Our conversation turned to reading the “No Fear” side of our books, which some of our ensemble members prefer. However, others are committed to using the original text. When one member said that the No Fear side puts things in laymen’s terms, another said “Yeah, but who wants to be a layman?” This ongoing debate throughout the ensemble is a testament to the magic of language in storytelling.
As we continued on, we talked about why Kent remains loyal to the king, what France stands to gain by marrying Cordeila, and how this show seems to have some themes of ageism.
On the way out, one member tells me that reading the role of King Lear “made me feel powerful.”
The power of the ensemble, of Shakespeare’s text, and of the SIP program is certainly continuing to grow as we head into the last week of October.