Jules and Phoenix working on character and relationship development

Today’s Date: Sunday, June 22, 2025

Show Title: Henry VI, Part 2

Director: Mili Koncelik

Staff Crew: Sarah Clayton and Sara Bateman (RDAs); Madeleine Cook and Allison Monfalcone (Interns)

What we did

Today we continued blocking the show—and we’re almost there! The finish line is in sight. While those in scenes worked with Mili on staging and refining movement, the rest of the campers spent time with the RDAs, diving into character work and memorizing lines. Some especially fun scenes featuring Jack Cade and his unruly rabble were brought to life today, full of chaotic energy and rebellious charm. One of the day’s highlights was the major sword fight between Cade and Alexander Iden, which was carefully choreographed and full of intensity. The physical storytelling is really beginning to shine, and the cast is starting to feel the momentum of the play coming together. Each day brings us closer not only to performance, but to a deeper understanding of the story we’re telling—and the unique way this cast is choosing to tell it.

Quick and Quotable

• From the play 

• • • “I should not mourn, but die for thee.” – Margaret (Act 4, Scene 4)
    • “If I depart from thee, I cannot live” – Suffolk (Act 3, Scene 2)
    • “What, is’t too short? I’ll lenghten it with mine.” – Eleanor (Act 1, Scene 2)

• From the director

• • “This crab walk puts us in perfect gorilla butt teritory.” – Mili

Production Insights 

Stage relationships are notoriously tricky to pull off—largely because making them feel believable takes real nuance and care. They can’t be simple or one-sided; the most compelling onstage relationships are layered, passionate, and shaped by the unfolding events of the play. In 2H6, we encounter several romantic pairings: King Henry and Queen Margaret, Gloucester and Eleanor, and Margaret and Suffolk. Each of these dynamics presents a different version of love—be it duty-bound, ambitious, forbidden, or manipulative—and each demands a unique approach from the actors involved. To portray them convincingly, the cast must look deeply into their character’s motivations, vulnerabilities, and emotional truths. How do these characters view each other? What do they want from one another? And how do their relationships evolve (or unravel) over time? Exploring these questions is key to bringing emotional depth and authenticity to the stage—and to making these historical figures feel as real and complex as people today.