Here’s something I don’t post much about, but I’d like to : casting calls.  I stumbled across the New England Shakespeare Festival auditions page for their 2008 touring production of Much Adoe About Nothing (that’s how they’re spelling it).  …seeking actors and actresses of all ages and types, non-traditional casting, all roles open, for its upcoming summer tour of Much adoe about Nothing. Auditions by appointment will be held in the spring…. They are also hiring tech interns, a stage manager and a wardrobe supervisor. So if you’ve always wondered how you can get in on the Shakespeare action, and you want to tour New England, here’s your chance.  All performers are paid, and company members receive housing and transportation while on tour. (I shouldn’t have to say this, but I have no affiliation with this organization, and nobody came to me asking me to post this announcement.  I really did just find it and think it worthy of posting.  Yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah.)

http://ronrosenbaum.pajamasmedia.com/2007/10/16/ No, this does not mean that if you accidentally drop a line you’re allowed to pick it up and eat it within three seconds. 🙂  Remember that post I made about audio examples of the “correct” way to do iambic pronunciation? Ron Rosenbaum, he of Shakespeare Wars (which I’m not finished with), has a lengthy article up on the habit of making the slightest pause between each line, and why that might be.  Someone writes in to him with an interesting suggestion about how human memory is organized and experienced, and how it fits in quite nicely.  A neat read.

So, I found this link on Life Optimizer about classic books to “boost your learning experience.”  What’s that mean?  I’ve always liked the idea (referenced in the post) that they “give you different lenses to look through.”  The author actually explains how he created his list, looking at two references on the subject “How To Read A Book” and “The Well-Educated Mind”.  His list is composed of those classics that are recommended in both books. Anyway, you just know that when somebody lists important classic books I’m gonna be there to see how our man Shakespeare does.  This particular list has a category for “Drama”, which has 13 entries.  Care to take a guess how many old Shakey is responsible for? 3(*) of them.  For the next question, no, no other playwright is listed more than once.  Which ones?  Richard III, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Hamlet.  Interesting combination.  (*) Technically 4, if you count “Sonnets” listed in the Poetry section.

BiblioShakespeare: Shakespeare Challenge
Up for a challenge? Biblioshake’s got people worked up about 6 months to read four books *about* Shakespeare. That’s a little different. Can I count Shakespeare Wars, since I’m halfway through it already? I may have to invest this Christmas in a few of the more “novel” biographies that try to breathe a little bit more life into old Will and not just present everything as dry academic stuff.

I am often fascinated by my children’s interest in the stories of Shakespeare.  I can typically answer all of their questions off the top of my head, since they are really just variations on the classic “Why” game (i.e. “Why did the bad men put Miranda and her Daddy on the ship” and so on).  But sometimes one comes out of left field that is truly a surprise. “Daddy,” my 5yr old recently asked, “If Miranda and her Daddy and Caliban and Ariel were the only people on the island, and Miranda and Ariel did not like to play with Caliban because he was mean to them, then does that mean Caliban did not have anybody to play with when he was growing up?” Ok, so, wait.  Even though he is the acknowledged bad guy sea monster who is mean to everybody and wants to take over the island, my daughter is concerned that he not be lonely.  I think that makes me kind of proud. “I don’t really know,” I tell her.  I try very hard not to lie to my kids.  If you stall, sometimes they answer their own question. “Maybe he played with the animals?” she asked.  That’s certainly a common theme in the kinds of movies she’s seen. Seeing my opportunity, I embellish.  “You know, I think that’s exactly what he did.  I bet he played with all of the animals that Miranda and Ariel didn’t like to play with, like the snakes and the spiders and scorpions and the other scary creatures.  Because he wouldn’t be scared of them, they would be each other’s friends.” “Yes,” she concurred, “I think that’s how it happened.”