THEA 206 Freak the Classics: Seize The King
In this energetic and creatively maddening class, students will explore Shakespeare’s Richard III and several adaptations in a unique and highly charged manner. By yanking the Bard off his high horse, and identifying universal themes and structural innovations inherent in Elizabethan poetic meter, course participants will gain newfound understanding and appreciation for the work and legacy of Shakespeare. Instead of looking at classic works as an untouchable, or “holier than thou,” canon instead we will investigate how playwrights have been inspired by, deconstructed and reconstructed them. In addition to Shakespeare’s Richard III, students will explore several bold adaptations such as Carlyle Brown’s The African Company Presents "Richard III," Teenage Dick by Mike Lew, as well as Will Power’s own Seize the King. Perhaps most importantly, students will have the opportunity to learn iambic pentameter, construct their own post-modern, Shakespearean mash-up scenes, and learn the very-latest contemporary methods of verse-based performance. In this performance seminar, we will compare and contrast Shakespeare’s metric language with other heightened language forms, from ancient Greek poetry to hip hop lyrics. Filled with rhythm, poetry, and both an appreciation and utter disdain for anything old and crusty, this course promises to be a ridiculously crazy, wild ride for the ages.