Project Proposal – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit 12

Students Name Amber Kilsbie Company Role Polly Quince

Section 1: RATIONAL
I struggled first and foremost with understanding and adapting to the new
language, as even when I’ve performed in Shakespeare before, it has been in a
contemporary format. I’ve found the no fear script a great help because of
this, as it has the classical Shakespearean language side by side with a modern
English translation. Therefore, I chose musical theatre as my pathway, as at
first, I was more inclined to stay with in my comfort zone and just improve on
my abilities in singing and dance. This was before I discovered that my role
would be one of the mechanicals, which are more acting than any of the other
parts, especially when you consider that they are amateur actors in the play
themselves. I enjoyed the opportunity to work on my weaknesses, as this is
something that will be happening a lot more when I go to University.

Section 2: PROJECT CONCEPT I will be playing Polly (originally Peter)

Quince, who is one of the amateur actors, known as the Mechanicals. We will be
exploring their characters as 0 hour-based workers modernised from their
original jobs of Carpenter, Bellows Mender, Weaver, Tailor, Tinker and Joiner.
We did this to engage and make Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream relevant
for today’s audience and thought of jobs such as Theatre Usher, Fast Food
Worker, Deliveroo, Cleaner and Phone Salesman and Retail Worker. This was to
clearly represent a modern working-class group, in contrast to the group of
royals, weddings planners and the lovers. Further down this project, we will be
signifying this difference with colour schemes for this group. An idea we have
so far suggested, was double denim, but that was before we had the new jobs and
so we are not sure this will work. Another idea we had to represent class, was
to have the mechanicals speak with a South west accent, we will be workshopping
this and seeing how well it works with the adapted characters. We changed him
to Polly, as we explored gender blind casting throughout auditions, as we
wanted the character decisions of the person during auditions to decide the
part.

Section 3: EVALUATION I will be documenting the process of rehearsal by

taking notes after each session, of what was achieved, what we have been told
to work on and what needs to be completed by the next session. I find that this
is effective, as then when I go to write up the sessions in full, I can just
expand on what I’ve previously written and it helps to jogs my memory to
something that could have been done quite a few weeks before. In addition to
this I will be taking recordings of singing rehearsals and writing down
pathways and how they change throughout, this will make evaluating my progress
in rehearsals easier because I will be able to see where I make mistakes and
get a different perspective on how things look.
Project Proposal – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit 12

Section 4: PROJECT ACTION PLAN & TIMETABLE

Task How will this help How will this contribute What resources Date to
develop my character towards the final will I need complete this
performance task
Learn Lines It will allow me to focus I will be confident when I will need my script 2nd of May
less on remembering the asked to repeat parts for and versions of the
words and more on getting example in tech rehearsal mechanicals scenes
the right emotions to be and can focus on movements that I find online to
conveyed. and other things on stage, listen to.
that might not be expected
to happen.
Learn Choreography It will help to differentiate The choreography that I was Videos from 15th of May
my character from the likes given, were the parts that rehearsals and notes
of the fairies, who are everyone did. So, when we of movements in my
more dance based than all got it in time, it looked script.
everyone else. effective.
Learn Pathways I can focus on how I’m In Nige’s words, it will make The notes in my 15th of May
walking and in what way it easier for us to “Get on, script that I’ve taken
I’m walking, instead of get on with it and get off”. after every change
where I need to walk. That Not drawing out the scene of pathways and
way it will look more too long that it’s no longer videos from
natural. funny. rehearsals.
Research Job of I will be able to merge in It will allow me to be able to Research in to the 3rd of February
Character characteristics that come improvise if needed, but still job and
with this job, in to how I stay in character, as I would responsibilities of a
perform Polly. Making it have a detailed theatre Usher and
clear to the audience, what understanding of how my the job and
she does for a living. character would react. responsibilities of a
director.

Interview with It will mean, that if I ever S/A Detailed notes on 2nd of May
Understudy fall ill, my understudy will Pathways, how I say
know all that she needs to, lines, relationships
to step in and play the role with other
herself at the last minute. characters and
personal traits of the
character.
Costume Fitting It will show me what I can It will allow me to see myself I have been asked to 20th of March
do regarding movements as the character and leave bring in my own belt
and body language and will my own characteristics, off and black pumps to
also, allow me to see how the stage. complete the
my character “chooses” to costume.
look.
Attend Tech It will make me aware of I will have had practice I will need food and 11th of May
Rehearsals whether I am cued by keeping each scene, the drink to keep me
music or cued by another same each time but, still going throughout
Project Proposal – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit 12

person’s line or even a
movement. Also, to
practice the projection
needed to speak over
music.
finding a way to stop it from the day and to be
sounding like I’m bored by confident in all my
the lines. I will also start lines and cues.
getting in to the routine of
each “show” and how long I
have in between each scene.

Attend Performances It will mean that my S/A I will have no plans 19th of May
understudy won’t need to that overlap with the
fill in and the character will show and make sure
stay the same throughout that I'm able to get
the run. to the theatre 2 and
a half hours early.
Make a list of Units This will mean that I can Each unit will have been My script and the 30th of January
I’m in mark out when in the rehearsed and I won't have rehearsal schedule.
schedule I’m needed, and I missed any due to not
can be prepared for each understanding the schedule.
one.
Attend Dress This will mean I have a The transitions will flow Knowledge of my 14th of May
Rehearsals clear understanding of how smoothly and that will allow cues and how my
long I must complete the audience to stay costume/makeup
changes in, such as our one interested in the story that and hair are meant
for the play and retrieve we are telling. My costume to look.
props. I will also use this and hair and/or makeup
opportunity to find the won't cause any unexpected
right hair and makeup for problems on stage (such as
the character, considering falling out midway through
what's practical as well. scene or going in my eye).
Sell programs each It will create a standard for It will mean that I will The programs, 19th of May
night, when the my character, that will already know how many knowledge of how
house opens start to immerse the people we are performing to much they are and
audience in the world of and will already be in another person that
our play, as Polly is a character and dressed in I have chosen to
theatre usher in the play. costume ready for the help.
beginning of the show.
Choose Music Cues for It will mean that I'm less likely I won’t break character and will The numbers and 2nd of May
the Play to corpse during the play be prepared to improvise if tempos of each cue
scene, as I will know what to needed and it will mean the and the script of the
expect. I will also know what scene is more enjoyable for the play to note down
buttons to press if anything audience, as it won’t be slowed where each cue is.
goes wrong and will have had down or effected if something
time practicing the new happens.
transitions, so that no one is
waiting for me.
Section 5: PROPOSED RESEARCH SOURCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://youtu.be/qCHWah-3GUg - Everyone’s talking about Jamie Instagram Takeover
Project Proposal – A Midsummer Night’s Dream Unit 12

http://recruitment.roh.org.uk/viewAttachment.php?attachmentId=74966&filename=FrontofHouseUshers-
InformationPack-June2017.pdf - Royal Opera House Theatre Usher Job Advertisement
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/a-midsummer-nights-dream-meet-the-mechanicals - CBeebies Mechanicals
Introduction
https://youtu.be/PKKVVnKjr2g - James Brown Singing Example
https://youtu.be/dSgSlc4LmPE - Tanpura example
https://youtu.be/-8f7HGbCj9w - Act 1 Scene 2 Revision Video
https://youtu.be/QNOGRRIXdoU - Theatre sound effects
https://youtu.be/PuYeSmk6kXE - Eating Popcorn Sound Effect
https://youtu.be/tnJW-8a26OA - Company Vocal Warmup Sound Effect
https://youtu.be/MWtZsnds46w - Dead Gay Son (Heathers the musical)
https://www.mettatheatre.co.uk/in-the-willows - Dates and times of In the Willows