Working Act 3, Scene 2!
Today’s date: 16 July, 2025
Show title: Henry VI, Part 3
Director: Mili Koncelik
Staff Crew: Production Interns Analise Toone (Stage Manager) and Madeleine Cook (Dramaturg); RDAs Sarah Clayton and Topher Zane (Asst. Directors)
What we did
We began blocking the second half of the show in the Deming rehearsal space today! Mili staged 3.2, 3.3, and 4.1 with the campers, and when they weren’t onstage blocking, the campers continued to work their lines as the second off-book date approaches. In this rehearsal we got to see what Edward has been up to as King, see how others are reacting to what this guy’s doing with his newfound monarchical power, and briefly cross the English Channel to France.
Quick and Quotable
- From the play
- “I came from Edward as Ambassador, / I was the chief that rais’d him to the crown, / And I’ll be chief to bring him down again.” Warwick, 3.3.792-794
- From the director
- “Earl of Oxford, you’re the reason we have Oxford University!” – Mili
- “This is a safe space to make fun of the French.” – Mili
- “Make it large and in charge! Your goal is to make this team laugh!” – Mili
- From the cast
- “Face card does not decline” – Zephyr
- “Am I creepy, chat?” –Van
Production Insights
The show is coming together more and more with each rehearsal, and we’re at the point in the rehearsal process where the sillier and bolder character choices are flying left and right — it really exemplifies the amount of work the campers have put in. Additionally, we’re at the point in the script where I, when I was formatting the script as my first duty as dramaturg, noticed that everything REALLY starts to change and the pacing goes from zero to 100 — some characters travel back and forth from France, some defect to the other side, some reveal their true ulterior motives, sometimes we’re playing the Ratatouille soundtrack in the rehearsal room to make it feel more French. As someone who THRIVES on the fast-paced, almost soap-opera-like nature of this history, (which I was able to talk about a bit when I gave my dramaturgy presentation to the campers this evening!), it was a lot of fun! There’s a lot to accomplish in the next week and a half, and I’m so excited to see the theatre that’s created.
Madeleine Cook
Madeleine is a Production Intern for ASCTC 2025, serving as Dramaturg for 3 Henry VI for Session 2. She is an actor, historian, and early modern theatre scholar originally from southeastern Michigan and now based in Staunton. She is also an incoming 2nd-year MLitt student at Mary Baldwin University's Shakespeare and Performance graduate program, and holds a B.A. in History and Theatre from Siena Heights University. And, she's very happy to be here!