Recitation
You will choose a piece of Shakespeare to memorize and perform. It may be a sonnet or something from a play (but NOT anything from A Midsummer Night’s Dream). It must be at least 14 lines long, but you should not stop mid-sentence. You may perform in class or film yourself performing outside of class. You may work alone or with a partner.
Don't know what you want to recite? Find ideas here:
Don't know what to do? Check out this link for suggestions on how to act out Shakespeare.
You will be graded on the following aspects of your performance (QUIZ grade - DUE Tuesday, 5/10/16):
You will choose a piece of Shakespeare to memorize and perform. It may be a sonnet or something from a play (but NOT anything from A Midsummer Night’s Dream). It must be at least 14 lines long, but you should not stop mid-sentence. You may perform in class or film yourself performing outside of class. You may work alone or with a partner.
Don't know what you want to recite? Find ideas here:
Don't know what to do? Check out this link for suggestions on how to act out Shakespeare.
You will be graded on the following aspects of your performance (QUIZ grade - DUE Tuesday, 5/10/16):
- Volume: You should be loud enough to be heard clearly by the entire audience
- Speed: Most of us speak too quickly when we are nervous, which can make a performance difficult to understand. Speak slowly, but not so slowly that the language sounds unnatural or awkward. Speak slightly slower than your natural pace.
- Voice inflection: Avoid monotone recitation. If you sound bored, the audience will be bored. You should also avoid using too much inflection, which can make the recitation sound silly or insincere.
- Posture and Presence: Stand up straight and attentively. Appropriate gestures and movement on stage are encouraged, as long as they are not overdone.
- Evidence of Understanding and Pronunciation: Be sure you know the meaning and correct pronunciation of every word and line in your excerpt. If you are unsure about something, it will be apparent to the audience.
- Eye Contact: Engage your audience. Look them in the eye. If you have trouble with that, look past them to the far wall, but try not to look down unless appropriate to the text.
- Memorization: Memorize your piece! Know every word, exactly as Shakespeare wrote it! This includes being able to introduce your scene (ex: This excerpt is from Romeo and Juliet, act two, scene two. I will be reciting the part of Juliet.) This counts for 4x as much as the other categories.
- Something extra: Enhance your performance with appropriate costumes, props, backdrops, etc. make your recitation extra special and earn bonus points.
