My latest Theatrical Endeavors

Last Spring a group of students at Vermont University, Lyndon campus made a leap of faith and trust in me as the supported me in writing and directing an original adaptation of Hamlet. Over the past 2 and a half months I watched close to 30 students take an idea and make it their own. They took what I penned to paper and saw so much more than I could ever dream in the characters, costuming, lights, sound, props and set. Every night, I got to watch the audience leave happy because of what they did. I am so blessed to have been given this opportunity to work with so many fine and gifted people.

Henry VI posters

I love Shakespeare. For a few years now, I have been reading all his plays with the goal of creating a poster for each. It has been a challenging process. With Henry VI part II I started figuring things out. In act 2 scene 3, after Gloucester is found dead, Suffolk is accused without evidence. The Earl of Warwick gives the following reason:

Who finds the partridge in the puttocks nest

But may imagine how the bird was dead,

although the kite soar with unbloodied beak?

Even so suspicious is this tragedy.

This image of the kite hovering over a nest struck me. It seemed to say so much more than just the murder of Gloucester. I replaced the puttock's nest (a bird of prey like a kite) with the crown to emphasize the idea of the impending coup. I chose the black-winged kite because of the blood red eyes gave the illustration a more menacing foreboding appearance. From there, it started to click as I read more. For consistency among all the History Plays I would keep the crown and the Background the same. Then I would change the things around the crown depict something about the particular play. For Part I the War of the Roses started. For Part II, I referenced a line from Queen Margaret comparing Edward, George and Richard to wolves. In each poster there is also a small amount of red to depict the battle for the crown.

Now that I have a format for the Histories. I have a plan for Richard III and I will need to go back and read the prior plays to determine what to do for them.

This is also part of my current 100 somethings project to create 100 play posters.

 

Personal Project: My Shakespeare Series, Henry VI part II

A few years ago, I set a goal to read all of William Shakespeare's plays and do an illustration for each. 

In Henry VI part II act 2 scene 3, after Gloucester is found dead, Suffolk is accused without evidence. The Earl of Warwick gives the following reason:

Who finds the partridge in the puttocks nest

But may imagine how the bird was dead,

although the kite soar with unbloodied beak?

Even so suspicious is this tragedy.

This image of the kite hovering over a nest struck me. It seemed to say so much more than just the murder of Gloucester.   I replaced the puttock's nest (a bird of prey like a kite) with the crown to emphasize the idea of the impending coup. I chose the black-winged kite because of the blood red eyes gave the illustration a more menacing foreboding appearance. 

To date I have read King John through Henry VI part II in order of the sequence of their action. It wasn't until reading this one that I came up with my first image. I think I will have to go back and review the others again for more ideas.

Bow Tie Guy of the Day: Werepenguin performing Hamlet

Werepenguin (we(ə)rˈpeNGgwin)

What do you do when it is World Penguin Day and close to the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death? This is the dilemma I was faced with today. My solution Draw a were penguin performing Hamlet.

Happy Birthday Shakespeare

In honor of the bard's birthday. I created this a few years ago. Unfortunately, the performance never happened, but it was fun to work on.