For my final performance, I am interested in the beginning part of the play, the prologue. I chose it because after watching the Reduced Shakespeare Company version I realized that was my favorite part of the play, even though I didn't know why. I think I like the way it is introduced, and how frank it is. There are two families, they're similar, and they don't even know why that hate each other. A pair of lovers, one from one family and one from the other, take their lives and bury their parents life. And that's it. The whole play. Summed up into one sentence. Also, I am not one for sappy, romantic things so I like the beginning, because right after the prologue there is the "Do you bite your thumb at me sir?" "No sir, but I do bite my thumb sir". I like how this follows the prologue because it seems very dramatic and interesting for me. I am not exactly sure why, but I enjoy the prologue, and after watching Shakespeare in Love (when the person who stutters finally doesn't stutter and makes it through) I knew I wanted to do this scene.
For this scene, to give it a little twist, I would set it in a modern day America. Where two families are running for the presidency, Democrats and Republicans. These would be the Capulets and Montagues. Children of the men running for the presidency would be Romeo and Juliet, however possibly with more modern names. That would be the overall set for the play. For the specific part, it does not really seem like a scene, so it wouldn't exactly be staged. I know there are many reporters who broadcast what is happening during campaign and election. So, I have decided to have a reporter live on the scene, rather than at the studio which would be too similar to the Baz Luhrman version. The setting, rather than being in "Verona" would be in Washington, D.C., where the White House is. I think this makes sense in the political way. The modern day Capulets would have already had Lord Capulet as president once, so Juliet could be living in the White House, where they could hold the party and have the balcony scene, etc. To make it more Shakespearean, I would obviously use the original script, but also break character sometime. The costume would be formal, maybe a dress skirt and shirt, with a microphone to show that it is a reporter. To have a Shakespearean ambience, the lighting would stay relatively the same throughout the entire scene, to represent how they didn't have stage lights at that time, and performances were mostly during the day. So: Modern day dressy reporter with microphone and relatively simple light, using Shakespearean language to introduce the conflict between the two campaigning families, and what happens in this exclusive news report.
In this scene, there is only one part, that of the chorus. I would therefore cast myself, as I chose this scene because I thought the role would suit me. However, seeing as I think the prologue and the beginning bit of Act 1 Scene 1 go together, I will also pick some of the characters from there. For the main representative of the Capulets, I would pick Amara(Tybalt) and Farhan(Samson). For the main representatives of the Montagues, I would pick Farah(Benvolio) and Guglielmo(Abram). I chose these people because I think Farah and Amara could perform a fight scene very well, especially given the actresses. I chose Farhan and Gugli to be with them because I know that they are friends of the girls and could be good supporters. Also, I think they can stage fight well so that would be even better. As the Prince, I would pick Kheilah because she is a good mediator and I think she can be very peaceful.
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