TODAY IS CALLED THE FEAST OF DOCTOR RALPH, because today we had the privilege of “getting ralphed” – or having a workshop with Dr Ralph Alan Cohen, the co-founder of the ASC!
Olivia Rose took over the instagram today, covering talent show and posting some excellent memes.
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After morning rehearsals and lunch, camp trooped up to The Fletcher Collins Theatre in Deming, where Dr Ralph first talked to us about important people in Shakespeare history (like Fletcher Collins and Patrick Spodiswoode). Then he invited campers up on stage to work on their first, their favourite, or their most difficult lines – anything from a brief phrase to a monologue.
Dr Cohen worked scansion, rhetoric, volume, and speed – all indispensable tools in a Shakespearean actor’s toolbelt! As he said, the best answer to “is this your favourite line or a line you want to work” is “Both!!”
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Then after dinner was talent show!! Some played guitars,
some sang to the accompaniment of tracks,
some proffered incredible dances,
some rapped,
some showed off their improv skills,
and the interns gave one of the performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream act 3 scene 2 of all time.
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As emcees, the RDAs (occasionally with the help of the interns) performed dramatic readings of a curated selection of quotes from the Slack “Quote Thread”, including such gems as “I’m not French, I’m worse” and “Does anyone know the story of goose Zeus?”
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Then after a beautiful lullaby from the musical 13 performed by RDA Scarlet, which I didn’t get a picture of (sorry Scarlet), these talented and ralphed kids went to bed in preparation for a long day of rehearsals, music, and shows tomorrow.
WE FEW, WE HAPPY FEW, WE BAND OF RALPHERS….