Today’s Date: 7/8/23

Show Title: JULIUS CAESAR

Director: Natasia Reinhardt

Staff Crew: Assistant Directors: Cole Metz and Liv Meredith. Dramaturg: Eli Dietrich. Stage Manager: Lillian Malone.

What we did

We continued polishing up more of the play today. Working scenes like Calphurnia (Carson) and Caesar’s (Marcos) big one, today was again focused on making the acting much more intentional. An aspect of this was Artemidorus (Hudson) and Soothsayer’s (Desi) warning for Caesar, which includes some intricate dual movement. We also ran a scene between Portia (Jime) and Lucius (Isabel) where Portia entreats after the health of Brutus on the Ides of March. Most of what today was, however, was working on Caesar’s death and making it look very good. We reworked some of the blocking around the body and polished the stabbing to make it more concise. The energy in the first run we did (after Caesar dies) was a bit off, but when we ran it the second time, I could absolutely see the terror in the eyes of the conspirators. Something that the campers have been told to work on is standing with intention. I mentioned a couple of days ago that Cole had taught them to act as if they were on stage during rehearsal. I think that they are taking these notes to heart more and more. That scene is the crux of the entire play, and I think it is near its perfection. Running after this scene is Mark Antony’s monologue grieving over Caesar, which is what we finished today off with. 

Quick and Quotable

• From the play “Stoop Romans Stoop” is the line Brutus says directly before today’s photo of the day was taken. It is directly after they have killed Caesar (seen lying on the floor). 

• From the director Natasia reworked the scene where the conspirators gather around Caesar’s body to make it look much better. You can see this in the photo of the day, with the conspirators using levels to create an amazing mise en scène. 

• From the cast We worked the part of Caesar’s death where Mark Antony (JD) drops the blood on Caesar’s body. JD took the initiative in this scene, and I think his insight into what Antony would and would not do in that situation was very engaged and sound. 

Production Insights 

Today was a lot of work for the campers. We went after breakfast to the playhouse and ran through our entire showcase set, along with the music. Because of this, campers were naturally tired in rehearsal. We understand how much work the campers are doing better than most and applaud their ability to rough through it. Perhaps the best test of an actor’s grit is to hold composure and attention even after a long day of work. Our acting campers are living up to the expectations set for them. At camp, we intend to challenge campers but not make them feel unsafe. Today was challenging for many, but the ability for us to get through it with our full safety intact prevails.