Friday, July 9, 2010

OPENING K-NIGHT!

I am. Excited. Why? Because the theatre around the corner from my house ( www.theatrememphis.org ) is putting on a production of Much Ado About Nothing!!!! Aka, MAAN. This was my first high school play, actually, and it has remained my favorite Shakespearean Comedy. Ever. I still have my script. You have the eternal couple of Claudio and Hero, those starstruck lovers without the feuding families or death (well, almost). You also have the two famous bickerers: Benedick and Beatrice (!) who feud constantly and have to somehow be reigned in by the rest of the cast (any ideas???). You also have the plot of Don Pedro, the prince, bringing in his rebellious, conniving brother, Don John, whom he captured from a small coup that occurred immediately before Act I. Don John is determined to bring down his brother in all aspects of life. And plus, he's extra rebellious because he just got beat. All of these reasons, plus a pair of bumbling, drunk idiots for comical relief (as if we needed any) that just serve to get in the way but end up having the solutions to every problem!!! It's a great thing.

Plus, every film version of MAAN that I've seen (the Shakespeare: Retold (modern) version and the Kenneth Branaugh version) has been very well done and I've fallen in love with both. In fact, as soon as I heard about the production around the corner, I watched the Retold version in celebration!!!! Plus, in the Kenneth Branaugh version, it has Kenneth Branaugh (well, of course), Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. Wilson in House), AND Denzel Washington!!!!!!! WHAT!!!! He's awesome. He plays Don Pedro. LOVE. There is a nudish scene in the beginning, so beware, but besides for that, it's awesome!!!

In case you were wondering, I was the Messenger. Yeah, that's right. A girl playing a guy's part. Take that Shakespeare. It opens July 16! I'm excited.

6 comments:

  1. I'm really proud of that by the way.
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  2. When I saw you still had your script, I was about to say "isn't that illegal or something?" Then I realized: Shakespeare's been dead for a few centuries. His copyright's expired. :/

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  3. Ummmmmm. Yeah. As far as YOU know anyhow.

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  4. In the United States an author's copyright expires 70 years after their death under normal circumstances. Any republishing can't be copyrighted, but the author's notes and other ancillary junk folks like to attach to Shakespeare can be.

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  5. DUDE. I saw Joseph there when it came out. We were so much better. :D

    AND YES, I remember your dude years. Haha, it was one of the first things I remember about you. "Yeah, Melora? She's a dude." :)

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  6. Oh....uh....thanks person. Oh well, you were the little short asian dude with the HUGE backpack.

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