Intellectual challenges have been few and far between these last few years. Since completing my Honours of Arts (Theatre and Performance) in 2010 after completing a double degree in Secondary Education and Arts (double majoring in Drama and Literature), I have not had too much of a chance to extend my theatrical repertoire as of late.
Starting my career in Secondary Teaching has been a tumultuous time (especially in trying to find a secure position at a school), the lack of time and, ok-ok I'll admit it, the drive to read outside the texts I have been teaching has been severely depleted. My decision to return to postgraduate studies part time, specifically Masters of Fine Arts (Theatre), has me jumping for joy! What doesn't have me joyful is my cache of script knowledge. Titles of plays and synopsis - Tick! Actually having read the majority of those plays - oh dear....
After being accepted and completing a Masterclass Directing workshop at the Melbourne Theatre Company with Associate Artistic Director Sam Strong and Associate Director Leticia Caceres, hearing what they had to say about their practices and directorial skills had me thinking very long and hard. If I ever want to have the chance to make my way into the world of theatre, then I really need to step up my game and not just will myself in being, but actually set myself a challenge that is a stretch, but one that still can be achievable in my current situation.
And here comes the reason for this blog...
I challenge myself to read 52 plays in 52 weeks, along with conducting literary research and researching past reviews on each of the scripts.
I have never been good at keeping a blog, diary or any form of diarising events in my life. However, since this is something that I have been working towards ever since I started my journey into theatre, this is one challenge that I am determined to keep. (Plus I made my gorgeous senior Theatre Studies students create a challenge for themselves to work on something in class that they felt they needed to improve on... And I made them write it down and sign it as a contract. So I really need to keep up my end of the bargain too!)
For starters, I am going to read the scripts of playwrights that I know well, but have only read some of their works. For instance, I have never read Shakespeare's 'A Comedy of Errors', but have read many of his other works... I have read Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest', but never 'Lady Windermere's Fan'... And the list continues...
Each Sunday I will write about the play and research here.
As with my fiction choices, I will make a decision based on what I feel like reading next once I have finished the current book, or in this case, play script. At the end of each week I will tell you the next instalment of this challenge.
From you I am seeking suggestions of other lesser known playwrights and scripts that you think I should read. Any and all suggestions will be taken into account.
I hear you whispering amongst yourselves 'but just reading and researching plays scripts won't get you into theatre' ... I know, but extending my knowledge, practicing my research capabilities and improving my understanding on the inner workings of the different styles of writing and theatre practice will, somewhat, help. As much as I loved my Drama major at Uni and working on self devised theatre, gaining the knowledge of past practitioners was an aspect that was removed from the course. I don't know if I can say that this was of any detriment or not, because I certainly learnt SO much from my lecturers and use that knowledge every day when teaching my own 'little cherubs'. However, something just clicked inside of me when listening to Sam at MTC.... That one day Masterclass propelled me into overdrive and to finally kick start the career I have only been dreaming about.
Wish me luck!!
Week 1: 'Miss Julie' by August Strindberg
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